Chapter 14 – Sugar And Spice And Everything Nice

Rhonda had been awake for the best part of the night and when she staggered into school the next morning, it showed. The fourth grade class of PS118 had to look twice at this dishevelled version of Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd as she trudged up the corridors of the schoolhouse, dark circles under her eyes and her usually perfect hair unkempt and wild. She looked nowhere except dead ahead as she walked, not responding to the whispers that followed her, ignoring those with concerned words.

All she could think, feel, breath, and see was Helga G. Pataki. Her target was well and truly selected in her mind, and now it was seek and destroy. She had always known that Helga would be a tough nut to crack, but she never thought it would get to the point where she was the one who was driven to distraction. Past experience had taught Rhonda that she could triumph where others failed without even breaking a sweat, and this Helga nonsense had spun her entire dynamic out of whack.

Helga was at that moment in time chatting to Phoebe quite pleasantly. The previous night's activities had left her feeling very uplifted, much to her surprise. Despite the fact that the evening ended on a low note, once Helga had had time to think it over she came to realise that not only had she bested Rhonda, but her relationship with Arnold had come along in leaps and bounds. It was with a quiet humour that Helga remembered that horrible prank she had pulled on Arnold, thinking it would drive a fierce wedge between them when in fact it had done quite the opposite.

She had slept peacefully that night, her face snuggled into her beloved's clothing and she had dreamed a very different sort of dream. She had been older, much older than she was now, nearing her eternal rest. And she had been happy. Though things in her life had not turned out exactly as she would of liked, (this she knew as instinct as her dream showed her no prophetic visions of the future), she knew that on the whole her life had been a happy one, and as she sat on the front porch of a home she didn't know, she slept for the last time with that thought on her mind.

When she had woken in the morning, she had felt conflicted by the dream. Was it right to be comforted by a dream about her own death? But still the peaceful feeling did not leave her as she walked to her best friend's house, and she decided to tell the dream to Phoebe who had taken an interest in dream analysis of late.

So absorbed was she by the conversation she was having, she did not hear Rhonda's thundering footsteps as she leaned against her locker.

"Pataki!" Rhonda shrieked in a high-pitched voice. Helga flattened her back against her locker in the face of Rhonda's maniacal tone.

"Um, yes?" she squeaked. She wouldn't say she was frightened; just very, very shocked.

"You aren't keeping to your end of the deal!" she roared. Now Helga had to admit to being a little frightened. Rhonda's nose was two inches from her own, and yet she was yelling at the top of her lungs.

"I'm… I'm not?" she said in a small voice.

"No!" she yelled. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the pair. Wisely, Phoebe had retreated to a safe distance, wanting to tug on someone's arm and beg them to step in, but neither her voice nor her feet seemed to be working anymore. "Nice acts! Do you hear me? Nice acts! What have you done that's nice, Helga, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Helga felt like her knees might give out any minute. This was very unlike Rhonda. The girl had snapped, she had gone crazy through lack of power, and she just couldn't handle it.

"I, er, I…" Helga faltered. She had been hoping that no one had really noticed.

"She helped me out of a dustbin," Stinky drawled bravely.

"That was after she pushed you into it!" Rhonda hissed.

"And I paid for that!" Helga cut in, desperate not to lose her last chance. Rhonda looked to the floor and nodded slowly.

"Yes, yes you did…" she mused to herself. She bit her lip, before fixing Helga with her cold stare once more. "Look at me Helga! Look at me! I'm a mess! And it's all your fault! So… help me tidy myself up…" she said, smiling slyly.

"Say what?" Helga asked faintly.

"Be my… personal assistant for a while…." Helga opened her mouth at once to argue. "It'd be awfully nice of you…"

"But…" Helga said pointlessly, as one look from Gerald told her that all was lost. She buried her head in her hands. There was that tired feeling again. It had become so much more familiar now she was filled with a rage she couldn't express and a love she didn't dare to. And then it hit her. If she was just to coast through this, not caring, not noticing the world around her and just doing what she was told, it should be living on easy street. After all, she had a pretty good imagination. If it could save her from the most boring of History lessons surely it could save her from this?

"Whatever you say Rhonda," she mumbled.

Rhonda's fist demand of the day was obviously to hide her. Her little outburst seemed to give her enough release to return her senses to her, and now that she saw how monstrous she looked she was horrified. Helga shielded her as she dashed to the girl's bathroom, still cursing Helga under her breath. Helga was finding it much more difficult to ignore Rhonda than she had hoped. Every single word was like a little thorn in her side, and they all sat in there, niggling at her and telling her that she really didn't have to put up with this.

Rhonda bent her head forward over one of the sinks and began viciously brushing her hair. "Helga, you really do drive me crazy you know!" she spat.

"Is this why you're going to so much trouble to erase me from everyone's minds?" Helga asked off-handedly.

"Too right it is. You're a mean, bullying, scowling creature, and why anybody would want to remember you is beyond me."

"Sounds like someone not a million miles from me," Helga said in barely a whisper.

"I'm nothing like you!" Rhonda shrieked, straightening up and turning around to face her. "I'm a giver. I actually care about our fellow classmates. Who do you care about? No one except yourself I'm betting."

"Oh come off it Rhonda," Helga began bravely. "You don't care about them, you care about their support. You know that you're the Princess of the class and as long as you have idiots to back you up you don't care whose toes you tread on. You know I'll never bow down before you which is why you're stepping all over my feet right now!" Helga voice was barely a whisper, but her words were razor sharp.

"You don't know me Helga," Rhonda said, turning back to the mirror to finish her hair. Helga said nothing. Rhonda pushed her jacket into Helga's hands and left the bathroom, knowing that Helga would follow in her wake. Helga's mind was running a marathon. Did Rhonda really think she was as amazing as all that? Had she really deluded herself into thinking that what people felt for her was respect, not fear? Helga caught herself as she walked through the door to their classroom. If she didn't know better, she'd say she was feeling sorry for Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd.

-

"Four days," Helga mumbled into her turkey sandwich that lunchtime. "It's only been four days. That's not even a dent on two months, and I've already been covered in crap, sliced my hand open, been forbidden to talk to Arnold, broken into a ballet school and stolen Curly's bag. I don't think I can keep this up Phoebes."

"Don't forget being Rhonda's assistant," Phoebe said sweetly.

"How could I?" Helga growled, as Rhonda stomped up to their table as if on cue and snapped her fingers in Helga's face.

"Pataki!" she barked.

"Yes Rhonda?" Helga said dryly, forcing her face into a painful smile.

"Excuse me, say what?" Rhonda said stupidly, holding her hand up to her ear. Helga sighed.

"Yes Miss Lloyd?" Helga said tiredly. Rhonda smiled.

"That's better. Now, for lunch I would like a low fat yoghurt, an apple, and a tuna sandwich with no mayo. Well, go on then, go!" Helga had to bite her tongue. It was all she could do not to spin around and knock Rhonda flying across the cafeteria.

"And how do I get these items… Miss Lloyd," Helga said steadily through gritted teeth. Rhonda laughed.

"Oh, silly Helga, that's not my problem now, is it?" She gave a small, fake laugh and went to sit with Nadine.

"I'm going to kill her," Helga said quietly. "Stone dead."

"Surely it's not as bad as all that," Phoebe said gently, knowing full well that it was.

-

Much to Helga's surprise, she managed to not only finish Thursday off with out murdering Rhonda, but she also managed to struggle through Friday as well. The weekend could not arrive quickly enough for her. Two whole days without Rhonda breathing down her neck, demanding this and that while Gerald kept a watchful eye in the background. She woke up on Saturday morning and the relief washed over her as she realised it was her day off.

Smiling, she climbed out of bed, scratched her stitches and got dressed. She took great time and care brushing up her pigtails, wanting them to be perfect, enjoying the time with just herself for a little while.

If she was honest with herself, she knew it wasn't worth it. Just because her name was on a wall it didn't mean that people were actually going to look at it. She would be forgotten as soon as the sun started to fade her letters, (pink, in her mind). Why she was dragging herself through this torment she couldn't quite understand, but part of her knew. It was Arnold.

It was always Arnold.

If he thought she could be nice, and sweet, and kind and all the other things she had so long maintained she wasn't, maybe he would see something else in her that wasn't a bully. Maybe, when the time came to tell him how she felt, he wouldn't be looking at her the way he always had, and maybe he would understand why she did even if he couldn't love her back. Because she was going to tell him, she had decided, she was going to confess everything before she left.

"Olga!" Helga blinked. Pulled out of her trance she walked to her bedroom door and peered out. Her father was at the bottom of the stairs, yelling for her. "There's someone at the door! Olga! OLGA!"

"Coming Dad!" Helga hollered down the stairs, feeling the dread settle in her stomach. "Who is it!" she yelled. As if she didn't know. There was no answer so Helga trudged down the stairs and saw for herself. Rhonda, standing in her doorway and looking perfect. "You know, even PAs get the weekend off," she muttered.

"I'm not paying you though my dear so this is much more like slave labour." She gave Helga a wicked grin, and shutting the door gently behind her Helga accompanied Rhonda down the street.

"Did your father call you Olga?" Rhonda said cruelly. Helga blushed.

"He's easily confused… you know, he doesn't mean anything by it." Helga had no idea why she was defending her father to Rhonda. Possibly because out of the two she was forced to admit she preferred Bob just that little bit more.

"Right," Rhonda said disbelievingly.

"So, where are we going?" Helga asked, quickly changing the subject.

"The mall of course," Rhonda said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Of course," Helga repeated dully.

"I need you to carry my bags," Rhonda said as they walked through the automatic doors.

"Of course," Helga said again, narrowing her eyes.

-

Several hours later Helga was starting to understand what it must feel like to be a pack donkey. Rhonda had dragged her into every shoe shop, every jewellery store, and every fashion boutique and had bought herself a little bit of something from each one. With Big Bob having his own company, Helga had never exactly been wanting, but even she was astounded by the sheer extent of Rhonda's wealth. As Rhonda handed her yet another shoe box Helga wondered exactly how much of this stuff would ever again see the light of day, and how much of it would just be left to gather dust at the back of a forgotten closet.

"That's enough for today I think." Helga let out an audible sigh of relief. "But the class all decided to meet up and see a movie this afternoon, so it's to the cinema my dear assistant."

"Yes Miss Lloyd."

Helga reached the cinema ten steps behind Rhonda, the many packages she was carrying slowing her up no end. Helga barely had time to feel hurt that everyone was there, including Phoebe, and yet no one had thought to invite her before she was being shepherded inside to watch Evil Twin IX: Identical Fear. Lila's sweet country objections could barely be heard over the rabble of kids desperate to see the latest instalment. Helga sat on the end of the row, the seat next to her occupied by Rhonda bags which served to cut her off from everyone else. She sighed, and settled into her chair.

"Hey Sid, pass the popcorn," hissed Harold as the previews began flickering on the screen. Rhonda clapped her hands together suddenly, much to the annoyance of everyone else in the theatre.

"Helga! Get me some popcorn!" Helga was on her last nerve as it was. The cinema was hot, she was tired, and her famous short-temper was rattling the bars of it's cage quite fiercely.

"Get your own popcorn Princess," she hissed, well out of Gerald's earshot. Rhonda, however, was not so dainty.

"What did you say to me!" she screeched, and was met by the annoyed hushing of all the other patrons.

"I said you can get your own damn popcorn!" Helga replied sharply, still keeping her voice low. "And I'm not taking these stinking bags back to your house either! I've had enough!"

Phoebe had picked up on the argument now, but she was wisely keeping her mouth shut. She didn't want to draw Gerald's attention to Helga and Rhonda, and instead she sipped casually on her soda.

"You can't talk to me like that! It's against the rules!" Rhonda hissed.

"I've had it up to here with your rules!" replied Helga, performing a mock salute. Rhonda growled at her.

"Just you wait until Gerald hears about this!" she snapped.

"Just you wait until Gerald hears about this," Helga mimicked in an annoying voice.

"Helga you are impossible!" Rhonda said exasperated. "I so cannot wait to see the back of you!" That was a push too far. Helga reached down to Phoebe and pulled the soda cup from her hands. Before Rhonda could even raise an arm to protect herself she was drenched in what remained of Phoebe's Yahoo. Helga laughed openly, not caring anymore. She just didn't have it in her to be nice, not even for just two months, and she was giving up in style.

The whole class's attention was grabbed now. The movie churned on forgotten as everyone's eyes fixed on Rhonda, who was boiling with rage under her veil of soda. Helga had managed to silence her giggles by this point and was acting completely indifferent. An usher shuffled up the aisle behind her.

"Ahem," he coughed politely. All eyes turned to face him. "Yes, I must ask your party to leave young lady," he said, addressing Helga.

"What?" Helga said dumbly.

"You are causing a disturbance. Please leave," the usher said snootily. Helga turned back to the group and shrugged. As one they all got up from their seats and marched from the cinema, complaining loudly about the lack of refund.

The sun was still shining brightly outside and they all blinked wildly, trying to adjust from the darkness of the theatre. Rhonda wasted absolutely no time whatsoever. "Gerald!" she yelled loudly, wiping down her shirt.

"Yes Rhonda?" he said, knowing what was coming.

"Look at what she did!" she said, half in triumph as she pointed at her soaking clothes. Helga looked to her feet.

"Helga, did you do this?" Gerald asked suspiciously.

"I-" Helga began, but she was cut off.

"No, I did it," Phoebe said, stepping in and winking at Helga. Helga's mouth fell open.

"Really?" Gerald said, the suspicion in his voice growing ever present.

"Yes, I did." Phoebe looked very uncertain of herself, she was a terrible liar.

"Why?" Stinky asked. Phoebe panicked.

"Um, maybe because Rhonda was being mean to me and Phoebe, being the wonderful person that she is, just wanted to shut her up," Helga said sweetly, giving her best friend a grateful smile.

"I see…" said Gerald slowly. It was what passed for his shaky acceptance.

"So… I still have my last chance?" Helga asked hopefully. Gerald nodded.

-

Helga could still hear Rhonda's screams of outrage echoing in her ears as she walked Phoebe home that evening. The smile refused to leave her face. She had been spared one more day. It might be difficult for her, but she had a feeling she would be able to struggle through the next two months as long as she had people like Phoebe at her side. Of course, she has made Phoebe step down as her confidant. All that pressure of lying to the Princess could drive her over the edge. She had already slapped her and lied to her now, Helga didn't know how much more Phoebe or her social standing could take.

"Can't believe you took a fall for me Phoebes," she said, still beaming at her friend from the bottom of her stoop.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Phoebe said softly, stirring up a familiar guilt in Helga.

"What am I supposed to do without you?" Helga asked with a small laugh as Phoebe opened her front door.

Still smiling back at her friend, Phoebe just shrugged and went inside.

-

A/N: I've finally managed to set up a working email address! It is in my profile, for those of you who might want to contact me in a moment of madness. Wow, next thing you know I'll be tidy, organised, polite and lovely. Ha!

Also, I know this isnt the most captivating of chapters but I have a character revelation planned for the next one, fingers crossed. Also, work on this story is to be stepped up a notch or three, as I am on a roll with the next few chapters right now. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with it thus far and a big thank you to everyone who reviewed. –Sky.