Okay, so how is everyone doing? This is what I call a calm down chapter. Every chapter before this has been very dramatized, so I just hope this chapter will calm things for a little while. The last chapter I think some of you were a little upset with, but hopefully everything will work out for all the characters involved in this story towards the end. I do not promise anything because I have yet to decide how I wish it to end. Moving on, here is chapter 16, and I will do my best to clear up any confusion. P.S. This chapter happened way in the past, like around six months earlier.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold.
Thanks to all those who have reviewed. Much appreciation goes out to all:
KrystalNeko- Thanks for pointing that out to me. I have the same response from others and sometimes I just get a little too word happy. :) I'm glad you did enjoy the fic. And thanks for leaving different reviews for different chapters. The setting issue is new to me, but in future chapters I will do my best to make it more clear to the reader. Thanks for pointing that out. Brainy was so much fun to write because I got to create so much of his personality. I loved portraying him as a deeper person than he appears on the show. I know, I know, I'm a huge drama queen and you can see that easily through my writing. :) It's just that I have so many ideas and most of them lead to keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. I kind of cant help it. Hopefully, things will settle down for some of the characters in chapters. I'm not sure yet. Thank you so much for your helpful review. I really appreciate it.
J.T. - Of course I missed you. :) I'm so glad your back. I think I put Dr. Bliss in the story for someone for Helga to talk to. I thought it was important for her to have an adult's opinion on her situation. It was also there to slow the story down a little. It was beginning to get too speedy. Yeah, things are beginning to get a little complicated for all the characters. I love playing with new words and expanding on my vocabulary. I know that sometimes I get too complicated with what I'm trying to say, so with this chapter I tried to simplify it. Basically, the bigger words are just me experimenting with the story. They sometimes help me to word my sentences better, but trust me, I am working on it. I understand where you're coming from completely. That's so nice. I love the way you review, so insightful. :) You do not sound like a hypocrite at all. It makes me so happy to know that you see the potential in my writing. I will definitely be looking more into everything that I write. I will do my best. Thank you so much for finally coming back to review. :)
Tinánia Legolinde- I'm just dandy. I love that word. Y tu? I'm so glad you loved the chapters. Helga, Arnold, and Brainy are having some major conflicts with themselves and each other. I wonder what will happen. :) Yeah, I still haven't cleaned my room, but that's okay. I have all summer to do it. You're gonna have to catch the reruns or tape them. Do something! I finally rented Peter Pan. That was the first time I saw Jeremy Sumpter. Let me just say he has really gorgeous eyes. How old is he? That's funny, but I know Orlando would definitely win. I'm so happy you reviewed. That's perfect. Jeremy fits right in with the others. Love ya!
Headless Turkey – Your screen name is cute. I hope I can clear up any of you confusion with this response. If not, feel free to email me. What chapter did you begin to not understand the relationships? I think the big problem is that over dramatized the story which I kind of did on purpose. Helga and Brainy are a difficult relationship to explain. In this story, Brainy has always loved Helga. And Helga just loves the fact that he loves her. When they were younger after Brainy has confessed to her his love, Helga begins to wonder if she has overlooked him. Some of that was implied to the reader. Anyway, when they reach high school, over the years, Helga has not forgotten Brainy. When she decides to try and forget Arnold she needs someone else to express her emotions to. When I wrote the chapters, Brainy seemed like the perfect character for Helga to do so. I'm glad you told me of your confusion and I'm sorry that it confused you in the first place. But I hope this helped and if it didn't, again, feel free to email me. Thank you so much for reviewing.
jaz7- I'm glad you came back to read the next chapter and review. :) I don't know if you'll like this chapter. It doesn't have anything to do with Helga and Arnold. That's the next chapter. Thanks for leaving me your opinion.
Ms Frosty- Yeah, that chapter was a tad depressing, but I'm glad you liked it. I know, it seems Arnold can't do anything right with Helga. But I still haven't decided if I will let them end up together. I still have a surprise to let everyone know if things end out the way I want.
Chapter 16: Befallen Misery
Dream Beginning
From his bed, Brainy heard the faint sound of knocking at his front door. Rolling to his stomach, he begged for it to cease. Morning had barely marked its hour meaning that he was not yet ready to wake. Yesterday's events of Helga still weighed heavily in his mind and sleep had proven as the only thing that brought any deserved peace to reside with him.
Not sympathizing with Brainy's situation the knocking continued at a steady pace. Make…it go…away.
"Why…can't…anyone…else answer…the door?" Brainy grumbled into his pillow. To his surprise, the knocking ended abruptly. Rotating to his back, Brainy raised to sit up. Did…someone…answer the…door? Shrugging, he knew it paid no concern to him. The person at the door was not searching for him. Nobody ever…comes…to…see me.
Attempting to find sleep again, Brainy lowered his body to his mattress. But it was no use. Now, the morning sun poured through his closed window not allowing any darkness in the room to escape its radiance. No matter how hard he tried, sleep refused to rendezvous with him anymore. It declared to him that the time drew near when he would have to face another challenging day in which he would have to struggle for his emotional survival.
Throwing the heavy covers from his sweating body, Brainy slipped his legs over the bed's side and sat up again. His feet touched the brown carpet gently. For a moment as he sat at the bed's edge, his eyes traveled over the room, studying it. Besides an aged mattress for his bed, the room appeared very sparse. Unlike other rooms, Brainy's did not glorify their tenant with certificates or trophies of achievement. Nothing occupied the walls. They stood as bare as the room. The only place excluded from the bareness proved as the floor where mounds of clothes and rotten food had been scattered. And anyone who bothered to enter the space could smell a distinct stench of perspiration and mold. Still, even with its grotesque appearance, the room belonged to Brainy. For him, it was his space where he was free from the critical comments of his peers and the harsh cruelty of life. Nobody could take that from him. It was his own nest of security and protection.
Halting the inspection of his room, Brainy heeded a sudden knock at his bedroom door. Concluding it only as his mother ordering him to wake up, he replied quickly, "I'm awake."
The knocking continued.
"I'm awake," Brainy repeated, this time louder. Impatience lined his voice.
Still, the knocking continued.
Anger surmounting him, Brainy jumped from his bed and paced speedily to the door. Once there he threw the door ajar fully expecting to see his mother waiting.
"I'M AWA-." Brainy stopped his yelling suddenly when he beheld that it was not his mother opposite of him, but Helga.
"Why the heck did you stop?" Helga asked, a small grin developing on her face. Noticing Brainy's clothing attire she added, "Nice boxers."
The comment took Brainy from his shocked state of seeing Helga to look down at himself. His face went scarlet as he realized boxers were the only thing he wore. Hurriedly, he obtained a grey shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head.
"Are you done?" Helga inquired as she stared at him humorously.
Still too embarrassed and stunned by Helga's presence too respond, Brainy simply nodded his head.
"Your mom said I could come up," Helga explained, pushing her way past Brainy so she could enter the room.
Brainy watched intently as she sat on his mattress and then bounced on it slightly. He moved his mouth, but words did not come. He understood this was what he had always wanted. It was his chance to show Helga who he truly was. Even in his wildest dreams he had never perceived a fantasy such as this. Silently, he ordered himself to speak, but nothing as to what to say would surface in his mind.
"Nice room you got here," Helga commented sarcastically, "So are you gonna say something or do I have to lead the conversation?"
On his bed, Helga waited impatiently, tapping her foot to the carpet. But Brainy could not summon the courage to look her in the eye. He understood he had to say something. She had come all the way to his house anticipating to speak with him. He had to say something. But doubts arose in Brainy's mind. Why…would…she want…to see…me?
"Why…are…you here?"
"To see you. Doi!" Helga answered as if it should seem obvious to him.
"So…" Fleeting around the room, Brainy's eyes did not pause to stare at any spot for more than a second.
"So, I guess a part of me couldn't stop thinking about what you told me yesterday," Helga said, squeezing nervously onto the bed sheets.
Closing his eyes tightly, Brainy tried to erase the events of yesterday from his mind. What a horrible day it had been for him. Why…did she…have to…bring…that up? Yesterday was possibly the second time Brainy had confided to Helga his supposed secret of his love for her. And it was possibly the second time she had rejected him. It would not have afflicted so much pain on Brainy had he not believed that she would respond with emotions equal to his. Did…she just…come here…to rub…it…in?
"What…about…it?" Brainy asked cautiously.
"Did you really mean all that mumbo jumbo you said? You know about loving me and stuff," Helga said, saying the last sentence quietly.
"Why?" Brainy wheezed apprehensively.
"I don't know," Helga declared, folding her arms in an irritated manner, "Crimeny! Is it a crime for girl to wonder if a guy loves her? Jeesh!"
"Oh," whispered Brainy, gripping the ends of his boxers tightly.
"Are you gonna tell me or am I going to have to call Ol' Betsy out of retirement," Helga threatened as she popped the knuckles of her right hand.
Hesitant, Brainy sunk against a near wall.
"Yeah," he managed to choke.
"Yeah, what Bucko?" Helga brought her fist to her side.
"I…do…love…you and…always will." Sincerity presented itself in Brainy's small eyes as he brought himself to meet her intent gaze.
"But why? I don't get you, Brainy. Even after all the times I socked you and called you four-eyes, you still love me. Why?" Helga cast a powerful stare at him and brought both her hands to her lap ready to attend to his response.
Shrugging, Brainy moved his gaze to the floor.
"I-I…don't know," he sputtered, straightening from his position on the wall, "I…don't…have a…reason. You're…just special…to me…like no…one else…is."
Smiling, Helga stood from her seat on the mattress leaving a permanent groove in its fabric.
"You know, for a quiet guy, you sure do have a way of making a girl feel good," she paused as if to think of the right words to say next and continued, "In a way, a twisted kind of way, you're kind of special to me too. I think I would miss you if you stopped breathing down my neck all the time." Turning her face from Brainy's view, Helga allowed a lone tear to roll down her cheek.
"Really?" Brainy raised his head. He had not noticed the tear.
"Yeah," she stifled, returning to look at him.
A relieved sigh came from Brainy. That was the best reaction he could have ever hoped to depart from Helga's enchanting lips. Happiness filled his veins at an alarming rate, but at the same time he had no conception as to what action to execute next. Should he stand there and continue to gawk at her like a fool? Or should he say something? I…have to…say…something. In the back of his mind, there lingered a question that was relentless in its torment of his mind.
"Does…this…mean you…like me?"
"I don't know," Helga answered as she stepped towards the door. Opening it, she turned back to Brainy who still stood at the wall, "I have to think about some things."
"Okay," Brainy replied calmly.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, standing outside his room, watching him.
"Okay."
As she listened to his brief response, Helga shut the door and left. Walking to his bed, Brainy collapsed onto his firm mattress. For the first time in a long time, he felt joy, an overwhelming joy advance through his body. After one blissful moment had passed, he heard a knock at his door. Raising his head, Brainy watched as Helga's head peered in.
"I thought about it," she informed him, "And yes, I will."
As quickly as it had popped in, Helga's head popped out leaving Brainy alone again to ponder over the wonderful words she had just confided into him.
End Dream
Startled, Brainy awoke on the couch in his living room. The memory of the first day he and Helga had become a couple had processed through his dream. Every word, every detail remained vivid in his mind. He could remember everything about it. The captivating tone in Helga's voice as she talked to him, the way her clothes had graced her body and the timid expression on her face as she agreed to go out with him.
Words could never achieve in explaining how much the day had meant to Brainy. It served as the genuine beginning of his life in which Helga had accomplished in founding. And today he would remember as the true end of his life in which Helga had accomplished in finishing. Of course, Brainy would continue to live a forced life, but it would feel as if his heart had been stolen from him. And without a heart, how can a person ever, truly live?
Closing his eyes, Brainy knew he did not know the answer.
In all reality, he conjectured that he should feel rejoice for Helga. Maybe now that she had found Arnold, she would experience content in her life. But in all reality, Brainy conjectured no rejoice. He only felt misery for himself. Helga had found someone, but in return she had broken his heart into so many pieces he would never recover. Arnold had cheated him of Helga's heart and he would never forgive himself for allowing it to happen so easily.
Author's Note: Okay, I wrote this chapter to provide some background information on Helga and Brainys' relationship. It was also so you could see things more from Brainy's point of view. I took some of the advice offered to me and used it in this chapter. :) I hope you can tell. I'm sorry for no Arnold in this chapter, but again this story is about Brainy too. Next chapter, I'll bring back Arnold. Again, reviews are appreciated. Thanks.