A Midsummer Night's Dream

Chapter 5: Air Hockey Fury


"What is up with you, man?"

"Huh?" Gerald shook his head, looking around the lunchroom.

"You're so high strung lately…are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired is all."

"You up late?"

"Yeah, with Helga."

"Helga!"

"No, no…" Arnold waved his hand to dismiss Gerald's thought. "We were running lines for the show."

"Right, I bet that's all you were doing."

"Gerald!"

"I'm just saying, you've been spending a lot of time with Helga lately. You've hardly come to any of our games…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. Everyone's worried about you. They think you're depressed because you can't play, when really you're down because you can't get the girl that you're completely, head over heals, over the moon…"

"Gerald…"

"Infatuated with." Arnold sighed.

"I'm not infatuated with her."

"Well, you sure as hell don't just like her…you like her like her," Gerald said with a smug grin. Arnold had to smile too from the nostalgia.

"Okay, fine, so I like her like her, but she's so hard to read. I mean, I know she likes me like that too, but she doesn't seem to want to talk to me or anything…I mean, what am I supposed to do?"

"Girls can be complicated, man. You gotta know how to work 'em. Take it from the pro…"

"Gerald, you didn't call me last night!" A tall blonde girl stalked up to their table with steam coming out of her ears and her arms crossed tightly.

"Hey babe, I meant to call you, but I had to take Tim to her ballet lessons…I swear, I thought of you." The girl scoffed.

"I can't believe you're using the sister excuse again. You're such a pig," she stomped away.

"I'll call you babe," he shouted after her. "See, easy as that." Arnold shook his head.

"From the pro, right?"

"Okay Arnold, this is what we're going to do…"


"Wrap it up people, we're done for the day! We only have ten rehearsals before dress rehearsal!" Helga shouted to the actors. Everyone gladly packed up as Arnold made his way over to Helga.

"Hey!"

"Um, hey yourself."

"Can I walk you home?" Helga looked toward Phoebe who smiled.

"I have to go to my fencing lesson anyway, Helga. I wouldn't want to drag you all the way down there."

"Yeah, what do you say?" Arnold leaned suavely against one of the auditorium chairs as Helga glared at Phoebe.

"Sure, why not?" Arnold smiled at Phoebe as he escorted Helga out of the auditorium and onto the street.

"Why don't you drive your car to school anymore?"

"Well, not like it's any business of yours, but Olga's back in town and what Olga wants, Olga gets."

"Is it her car?"

"Technically, it's her old car, so Bob always takes it away when she's around. She's the golden child and deserves only the best. What about you, don't have a car yet?"

"My grandpa lets me drive his Packard…"

"Yeah?"

"…but it's in the shop. I don't think there's anything that could save it now."

"I see." A terse silence fell between them again as they aimlessly walked the street. Helga wasn't even aware that they weren't going in the direction of her house, until Arnold stopped abruptly.

"Hey," he said with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Want to play air hockey?"

She stared at him with wide eyes. "What has gotten into you football head?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering…but if you're scared…"

"Bring it on," she said, stomping into the store, Arnold following her with a stupid grin on his face.

"Okay, before we start, there have to be some sort of terms."

"Terms?" she asked, clearly befuddled by this strange side to Arnold. "Are you sure you're okay, football head?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but since I can only play with my right hand, any goal I make counts as two."

"Deal."

"And whomever wins gets to decide the wager."

"Like money?"

"No, more like…information." Helga froze in the spot, eyes darting all around for an exit.

"I-I'm not sure if I want to…"

"Scared, Helga?" It was as if they had switched roles, him being the domineering one, and her the smooth one, although her nerves were frazzled at the moment.

"N-No, of course not, football head. Why would I be scared? Just bring it." Arnold smiled smugly and hit the puck. It hardly went anywhere near Helga's goal and she slapped it back, laughing as she heard the buzzer sound.

"I think you should be scared, football head." Arnold gritted his teeth and sent the puck off again. Though he was clumsier with his right hand, he got the hang of it quickly and soon enough he was putting Helga to shame. People stopped what they were doing to watch this head-to-head battle grow fiercer between the two. The last point, sudden death, Helga moved the wrong way and it was all over. Arnold had won.

Grinning smugly, he eyed Helga who matched his gaze with fury. However, he didn't let his demeanor down and strode over to her. Throwing an arm around her shoulder, he whispered in her ear, "I think you owe me an answer now."

She pushed him away and when he looked up at her, she didn't look scared like he had anticipated. The fire that burned in her eyes was bound to tear through him and set him aflame. Never before had he seen her look at him with such hatred…and she wasn't acting this time. Beyond the fire, he could see hurt. He had hurt her, used her to force the truth out. She still wasn't ready to tell him, and he wondered if she ever would be. Without giving him a second glance, she turned and burst out of the arcade, all of hell rising around her with her exit.

Arnold slumped in defeat. Why did women have to be so damned confusing? Would he ever win? As he left the arcade, he decided that he would never again take advice from Gerald.


"You know what, why don't we call it a day."

"But Helga, we've only been rehearsing for an hour and the performance is in…"

"I know, Phoebes, if you want these dweebs to keep pounding it into the ground, then you stay here and watch them run through it again and again. I'm going home."

"Are you all right—"

"I'll be fine, Phoebe…just, I have something I need to do, okay? Take it from the asses' line."

"Hey! I'm not an ass!" Harold shouted from the stage.

"Actually, Harold, Bottom really is an ass."

"Just because I have to wear a donkey head doesn't make me an ass." Phoebe tried desperately to take control of the actors and didn't see one of them slip away after Helga.

"Hey, Helga."

"Huh? Oh, hi Curly."

"So I know about you and Arnold."

"Huh?" How could he possibly tease her like this, that little minx…she was going to strangle him until he—

"Well, it's kinda obvious, don't you think?"

"Look, Curly," she said, positively seething. "I know the entire school knows after Rhonda found my book of poetry in the sixth grade, but, why don't you go bug the people in there?"

"You don't believe me?"

"I don't believe what, Curly, what could I possibly not believe?"

"That he loves you back." Helga stopped in her tracks, completely stunned to the spot.

"What did you say?"

"He loves you back…"

"Yes, I know that, but why are you telling me this?"

"Just reciprocating the favor, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

"Oh, the part?"

"Yeah, I always knew I was destined for Hollywood."

"Uh, right, Curly. Thanks."

"No problem babe." He ran back quickly to the auditorium and Helga still didn't move from her spot. Arnold loved her back? He really loved her and hadn't been teasing her? She was certain that after the air hockey incident that he was only toying with her emotions. After all, his best friend WAS Gerald…

Helga ran back into the Auditorium at full speed, making a dramatic entrance.

"Stop everything, people! We only have five more rehearsals until opening night!" Everyone stared at her as though she had grown two heads. Only Phoebe and Arnold smiled in her direction. "Park, Nadine, I want you to take it from the top. Lights, Peapod Kid! We've got a show to make perfect! What the hell are you all doing staring at me like that! Get into place!" All the actors and tech crew backstage scurried about getting ready for the opening scene. Helga crossed her arms and smiled at her creation.

Phoebe came up behind her. "It's good to have you back, Helga."

Helga smiled at her best friend in the entire world. "It's great to be back Phoebes."


Yay! Helga had her epiphany! Now when will she finally tell Arnold? Sorry the chapter is so short, but I want to prolong this story just a bit more, and this just seemed like a good place to stop.

So who else thought the newest Harry Potter book wasn't worth wasting paper...for the first 500 pages at least. The ending (the way she wrote it) was fabulous, but the rest of the book could have been written better.

Harry Potter is still my favourite book series, despite my lack in interest of the sixth book.

Review and I'll give you a new chapter. :)

C ya l8ter

Arnoldnhelga4eva