Lila's Plan

The rest of the weekend was spent exactly like this: Arnold thinking about Helga while Gerald (who just thought he was thinking of Lila) tried to snap him out of it, Helga and Phoebe talking and laughing about 'the old days' and planning how Phoebe would tell Gerald she loved him.

They all had fun that weekend.

Except Helga was still wondering why Arnold missed her so much (Looks like Helga caught Arnold's denseness! Must be because she kissed him too many times!). In fact, that's what she was thinking Sunday night as she laid down in her bed.

'I was so mean to him all those years.'

She smacked herself on the forehead at that thought. This was definitely something that she didn't want to remind herself of. 'Well, I am treating him better this time around.' She thought as she drifted off into dreamland.

---------------------------------------------------The Next Morning------------------------------------------------------

Contradictory to the beautiful sunny days Hillwood was graced with during the weekend, today it was storming, and Helga absolutely despised storms. There was just something she didn't like about them - especially if she had to walk in them.

"Oh c'mon Helga ole girl,' she coached herself 'It's just a lil' storm! Helga Geraldine Pataki is NOT afraid of storms!'

"She is when there's lightning." She chuckled.

She finished eating her breakfast, cleaned up and headed to the front door with her backpack slung over shoulder. She only stopped for a moment to pick up her purple umbrella (thought it was going to pink, didn't ya?) and to give her self one last pep-talk. "Well, here it goes . . ." she said as she reached for the door knob.

She opened the door to find Arnold walking up her steps.

"H-hi Helga." He greeted her shyly. He wasn't quite sure if his explanation was good enough but he thought it was worth a shot.

"Arnold? What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Well, I-I remembered that you don't like walking out in storms so-so I thought that maybe we could go to school in my car." Stammered a now somewhat wet Arnold.

"Thanks Arnold." Helga said, smiling sweetly.

Arnold stared at her at her for a moment. 'She really has changed!' he thought.

Helga quickly picked this up.

"Are we going to school, or would you prefer to stare at me like an idiot all day?"

Arnold grinned as he said "Stand here and stare at you like an idiot all day."

Helga blushed at his words, as did Arnold once he realized what he said.

"Oh . . .come on Football-head! Move your butt!" She yelled as she pushed him down the steps. "We're going to be late if you don't put a little wiggle in it!"

-------------------------------------------------------At School--------------------------------------------------------------

The ride to school was quiet except the thunder that rolled outside Arnold's little, red , rickety Geo (my Youth Pastor has this kind of car, it's an inside joke I guess.) When Arnold had pulled up and parked at Hillwood high, Helga tried to find the handle to her side of the car. "Hey Arnold," she said, irritably. "Where's the handle to the door? I can't find it." Arnold looked embarrassed as he answered, "That's because there isn't one."

What do you mean there isn't one?!?" She screamed.

"Helga, Helga, Helga. That's the beauty of this car," He explained as he got of the car and walked to Helga's side. "It forces one to be a gentleman." He finished as he opened up her door.

"You know what you need Arnoldo?" She asked as she stepped out of the car.

"What?"

"A new car!"

Just as Arnold opened his mouth to retaliate, Helga had already run up the steps of the school.

"Hurry up Arnold!" She yelled over the noise of the students talking. "Don't just stand there with your mouth agape, let's go!"

As they walked into the school, Helga could feel that a lot of fingers pointing at her and she could hear people whispering and talking. They were saying things like "Who's the new girl?" and "I used to go to elementary school with her."

Helga was a little scared, after all, most of the kids at the school she was awfully mean to in Pre-K through 7th grade "Arnold, are you sure that things will go well?"

"Well with what?"

"Things here."

"Sure they will be! Once they all know how much you've changed, they'll love you!" he said comfortingly.

She brightened up at his words.

"Thanks Arnold!" She kissed him quickly on the cheek and ran off to find her first class - and to find Phoebe.

Arnold stood there stunned as he watched Helga run off. He stood there with his hand on the cheek that Helga had kissed. He suddenly got his half-lidded, love-sick look that he was famous for.

Helga found Phoebe soon, leaning against a locker and talking with Gerald.

'Maybe she's making a date with him . . .' Helga thought as she walked to her friends.

"Alright, see you Friday Gerald!" Phoebe yelled over the students as Gerald walked off.

"So, Pheebs," Helga said with a mischievous grin "What are you doing with Gerald Friday?"

"Oh, hi Helga. Nothing much, just a movie and maybe ice-cream at Sluessan's (A/n: I have no clue how to spell it!) afterwards." She replied smiling thoughtfully.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Tell him what?" She asked playing dumb.

"Don't play dumb with me! Are you going to tell him," She lowered her voice so others couldn't hear Phoebe's little secret. "That you love him?"

Phoebe smiled and said "Maybe." She thought this over than snapped back to school mode. "Let's go Helga! We might be late!"

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!"

The two ran off to their first class which, incidently, they had together.

-------------------------------------------------------------Lunch------------------------------------------------------------

The cafeteria was about as loud as the thunder that boomed outside. The students were hurrying to grab their lunches while talking about Helga.

"Helga?" A female voice said from behind Helga.

She turned around to see Lila standing behind her smiling that same Lila smile she remembered from 7th grade.

"Lila? Hi!" Helga hugged her and smiled.

"What are you doing here? When did you get here? Why are you here?" Lila asked excitedly.

"I moved back. I got here Friday. My dad decided to move back to the head of his chain."

"That's great! Rhonda! Come here! Helga's back!"

Helga saw Rhonda, the fashion freak came running up to her and Lila. She could tell that Rhonda was still the same from what she wore. Rhonda was wearing a small shirt that showed her mid-riff with a heart on it and a mini-skirt.

"Well, well," Rhonda began, in her same snobby voice Helga remembered. "If it isn't the fashion-impaired Helga."

"Nice to see you too Rhonda." Helga said sarcastically.

Lila all of a sudden started jumping up and down excitedly.

"Settle down Lila!" Rhonda yelled. "Why are you jumping like a moron?"

"I think we should give Helga a welcome home party!" She squealed.

"You don't have to, really." Helga said, while grabbing a tray.

"I agree," Rhonda replied. "We don't have to give her a party . . . EVER!"

"Oh but I oh s - I mean, I insist." Lila said. She had stopped herself before she said 'oh-so'. It was a habit she was trying to break.

"Well, alright. When will it be?" Asked Helga as she picked up an apple.

"This Friday. Rhonda, you'll help me."

"Oh . . . okay." She said giving up. "But only because I like planning parties."

"Alright, it's settled then.

Helga thought it was strange that Lila, a girl she was so mean to, would plan a party to welcome her back home. One part of her was suspicious and the other part of her told her Lila was just being, well, Lila.

'I guess I'll find out Friday . . .' she thought to herself.

A/n: Did I fix my little descriptive problem? I hope so, it took me forever to write this chapter! See ya!

—Crazy4Christ---