Ch. 2: More Change

"Hey Arnold...Hey Arnold...Hey Arn..."

Arnold switched off his alarm clock then sat up and looked at it. It was 7:00, Monday Morning, First day of school. He got up out of his bed and stretched and then went into the hallway to get in line for the shower. When he finally got to the front it was already 7:15, school started at eight sharp and he still needed to eat breakfast and get to school to get his schedule. Today is going to be a long day, He thought as he closed the bathroom door.

After hearing her alarm go off, Phoebe quickly got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom, she was in a good mood, it was the first day back. She was looking forward to it, as she always was, but this day would be great, she was in 8th grade now and it was her last year at P.S. 118. One of her goals this year, as every year, was to have the top grade in the class, before Lila had came in 4th grade, she always had the top grade, now she had to compete with her, but in the end Phoebe always had the top grade, she liked having competetion. This year, Phoebe had also set another goal, to get a boyfriend, she had never had one before and she thought this would be a good year. She couldn't talk to Helga about these things because well, it was Helga, and Helga just didn't like discussing all that gushy stuff.
"HELGA ITS 7:35 YOUR GOING TO BE LATE!"

Helga: Oh settle down Bob, Im going, Im going, sheesh

Helga grabbed her backpack, a sweater, and some lunch money and headed out the door. First day back, oh man, she thought, today was just going to be just like any other first day of school, dull, boring, long...

"Students please pickup your schedules at one of the stands according to your last name"

Arnold Looked at his schedule:

1rst: Algebra-Mr. Jackon
2nd: English-Mrs. Bosbee
3rd: History-Mr. Simmons
4th: P.E.
LUNCH
5th: Science-Mrs. Kalaskie
6th: Study Hall

"Mr. Simmons is teaching eighth grade History?", Arnold said to himself confused

Gerald: Hey Arnold...man oh man...did you see...her!
Arnold: See who?
Gerald: Lila!
Arnold: uh, no, why?
Gerald: Well, lets just say, she went through some "maturing" this summer

Just after Gerald said that, Lila turned the corner and was coming down the hall, she had changed a lot over the summer. She was wearing Blue low waist ripped Jeans, a pink cami with beige lace, and her hair was no longer in pigtails,her long red hair was now out and wavy, she also now had a figure, she looked amazing to Arnold.

Arnold: Woa...
Gerald: Yea...
Arnold: What...happened?
Gerald: Puberty...
Arnold: Yea...major
Lila spotted Arnold and came down the hall.
Lila: Hey Arnold! How was your summer?
Arnold: umm...my summer...?
Lila: uh, yea, how was it?
Arnold: It was ga...good, how was yours?
Lila: It was fun, I hung out with Sheena and um, yea, it was fun!
Arnold: Thats great, so uh, can I see your schedule?
Lila: Um, sure!

It turned out that Lila had Alegebra, P.E., and Study hall with Arnold, He was happy too. Lila had changed, but she was still the sweet person he knew. He liked her more than he had all the other years, this year, he definately was going to ask her out, no matter how many times she said no.

"Rhonda, you look gorgeous!" Lila said as Rhonda made her way down the hall in low cut ripped jeans and a black t-shirt, her hair was layered.

Rhonda: Why thank you, not looking to shabby yourself
Lila: Thanks!
Lila: Well, uh, see you in first Arnold
Arnold: Uh, yea, bye

Lila and Rhonda walked away and met up with Phoebe, Sheena, and Nadine. Besides Rhonda and Lila changing the only other person that had changed was Nadine, she was actually dressing girly and had her hair pulled back with a headband.

Nadine: So have you guys seen Helga? I haven't seen her all morning
Phoebe: Oh, she had to walk today, she'll be here like about...

Just as Phoebe was saying that, Helga stormed in. Her hair was down and frizzed all over, her skirt was too long and her shirt was wrinkled.

Pheobe: Hey Helga! How are...
Helga: Shut it Phoebs...
Phoebe: Shutting...
Rhonda: What got your pantys in a bunch?
Helga: Well, if you MUST know, I got up decided I'd take a shower, put on a skirt and top, and brushed my hair flat and put a headband on, but then, I had to WALK to school and my hair frizzed up, my skirt...I dont know, and my top got all wrinkled. sheesh, the one time I TRY to look nice...
Sheena: Oh Helga, Im so sorry
Helga: yea, yea, whatever, if you'll excuse me, Im going to go fix myself in the bathroom

Before she left, she noticed all her friends looked their best, Lila had changed so much that the boys were swooning over her more than usual. Great, she is still in my way of getting Arnold, She thought. Helga went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. "Eww, your a disgusting mess, no wonder boys dont like you...no...they dont like you cuz your too tought...too boyish...too...Helga...". Helga sat down in a small corner in the bathroom till the first period bell rang. If there was going to be any changes this year, it would have to be on her.

"Arnold, and then Lila"

Mr. Jackon, the Algebra teacher was assigning seats and lucky for Arnold he ended up next to Lila.

Mr. Jackon: Alright class, this year should be fun because we will be discovering the wonderful world of Alegebra, so open your Alegebra Books!

The Whole class sighed and opened their books. Arnold couldn't help but stair at Lila, she had always been pretty, but that was cute, now, she was Beautiful. Arnold couldn't take it, he needed to be with her, he wanted to be with her, he knew it was the first day, but he couldn't take it...so he decided to write a note...

Lila,
Want to hang out today? After school? Maybe go get Ice cream...with the gang...? It would be fun...so what do you say?
Arnold.

Arnold Pretended to drop his pencil, and dropped the note as well, he pushed the note over to Lila's foot and tapped it with his pencil.

Arnold: uh, woops, uh sorry, um Lila, I think there is something by your foot
Lila: uh...oh k...

Lila picked up the note and read it under her desk, then quickly scribbled in something and did the same thing Arnold did. Arnold picked up the note and read it.

Arnold,
I'd love to hang out with you today, but I can't, I have other plans, I mean, I would love to hang out with you, its just, Im doing something with Wolfgang after school today, maybe tomorrow?
Lila

Had Arnold seriously read what he thought he had read...? Wolfgang...? Lila...? Wolfgang and Lila...? Together...? Arnold was so confused. Wolfgang was a bully...a mean one...Lila was nice and sweet, why was she hanging out with him after school...? Plus, Wolfgang was a ninth grader now. It was just all too weird...Wolfgang...there had to be an explanation to this.