Chapter 6

The next day Helga returned to school after she had a talk on the phone with Miss Lee. She wanted to skip again, but she couldn't fall behind on her school work, she just wouldn't let Janet take the one thing she had away from her, she already had Arnold. But how was it that she had gotten to him? How did she convince him she was Cecile? By the time she reached her government class, Phoebe was already there, saving her seat.

"So the pox faded quickly," Phoebe said as Helga sat down.

"Yeah, I would have stayed in but Miss Lee got to me. She really wants me to to stay number one."

Phoebe smiled. Phoebe was ranked two with Janet, she was fine with it though. After a while, Phoebe decided to give herself a break from school, she already had an early acceptance to Columbia, so now she was letting Helga have her time to shine. She was also scared of the thought of speaking in front of so many people. That was the reason Janet hated Helga so much, she knew Phoebe would never rank lower than her, so Janet would be ranked third by the end of the year. And she just wouldn't have that. "I want you to stay one too, Helga. You have to beat Janet out."

Helga smiled, but as soon as she looked up to the door it dropped. Janet as walking in and waving goodbye to Arnold. "Speak of the devil."

Janet walked in and sat in her seat behind Helga, giving her an evil smile. "I thought you'd be out for a least another week, too bad."

"Nice to see you too geekbait. So how exactly did you hypnotize Arnold into thinking you're his dream girl? Because for obvious reasons, you're not it."

The girl gave her another wicked smiled. "Actually Helga, you did all the work for me."

"What?"

"You should really watch what you say in public, there might be a little birdie sitting right behind you."

Helga's mouth dropped, so that's how Janet knew, she listened in to her conversation with Phoebe. "I never thought-"

"What? That I would find out?"

"That you liked Arnold."

"That's the thing, I don't, but you do."

"You really are an evil bitch."

"Maybe I am, I just love the thought that I have the one thing you want, and will now never have."

"You really are brilliant."

"Surprised?"

"Not anymore."

Helga turned around to see the chalkboard and tried to get Janet out of her head. How could anyone just do that, no only to Helga, but to Arnold. Helga fought back her urge to punch Janet, the last thing she wanted was to get expelled from school.

"Miss Pataki," Mrs James called out.

"Yes?" Helga asked from her seat.

"Congratulations, I read your poem in the newspaper, it was fantastic."

Helga turned red. "In the paper? I thought that was anonymous."

"Doesn't seem so. The teachers are loving this. How about a round of applause to Helga, and our future valedictorian." The class began to clap for Helga then.

Helga turned to Janet. "At least that's one thing you will never have, Cecile."

That afternoon Helga arrived at the shop without a word to anyone. Alec was in the store with Lila, but they must have known not to talk to her. She changed quickly in the backroom to get to her counter. The store was empty so Helga took the liberty of bringing a book out with her. She picked her favorite love story, Pride and Prejudice. She had read that book twice already, and every time she would find something else to love about it.

After a few hours Helga was a third in to the book and Lila finished her shift. Bob had Helga lock up today, so she still had to wait until ten to close the store. At least it wasn't a weekend, that's when she would stay until midnight.

"Hey," Alec said after a while. "I'm going to head out. Want me to stay with you?"

"I'm actually thinking about leaving early."

Just as Helga said that the bell of the door rang. "Sounds like you have another customer."

Helga looked over and saw Arnold coming her way. "Lock up the front door, I'll let him out the back."

"You sure you'll be fine on your own?"

"Sure."

Arnold made his way to Helga's counter expressionless. "Hi."

"Welcome to Big Bob's Cellphone Emporium, how may I help you, Sir?"

Arnold smiled. "Well Miss, I would like to exchange this charger. It seems you gave me the wrong kind."

Helga frowned and turned back to the wall of chargers. There didn't seem to be any Android chargers on the wall, probably all out back. "Criminy. I'll go check if there's any out in the stock room."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Yes I do."

Against Helga's wishes, Arnold tagged along with her out back. No one in the store anymore so everything was dark and cold. In the many boxes she was able to find the charger section.

"How are you?" Arnold asked after minutes of silence.

"Do you really care?"

"Yes actually."

Helga sighed. "I'm just peachy."

"I can tell."

Helga finally found the box of Android chargers and pulled out to search. "Finally." Inside at the very bottom a charger for Arnold's phone was sitting. Without saying another word, Helga stood up and walked back into the sales floor. She walked behind the counter and turned her register on. "May I see the receipt?"

Arnold looked through his backpack and pulled the receipt. "Here you go."

Helga took it and punched in some numbers in the register. After a couple of minutes she finished the exchange. Helga handed Arnold the new charger in a bag. "Thank you for shopping at Bob's, have a nice day."

"I actually have something for you." Arnold looked though his backpack again, this time he pulled out a plastic container and two forks. Once he brought it up to the counter she noticed it was a slice of cake. "We had some left over and I thought you might want some." He opened the container then and handed Helga a fork.

"Wow, this is rather nice of you." Helga took the fork and picked at the cake away from the strawberries. She liked the cake, it tasted the way it did the first time.

"Don't like strawberries?" He asked once he noticed her picking around them.

"Can't have them."

"What?"

"I can't have them," she repeated. "I'm allergic."

"To strawberries?"

"No, to forks. Yes, strawberries!" She took another bite then. "I've been allergic my entire life to them."

Arnold grabbed another fork and began to eat the berries Helga pushed away. "I never thought you would be."

"Why do you say that?"

He looked down at his hands. "No reason."

"There has to be a reason."

"There isn't."

"I don't believe you."

"Well believe it."

"You can't make me do anything."

"Obviously."

Helga put down her fork. "Is this the only reason you're here? To exchange your charger and bring me cake? If I would have known this I would have exchanged it the first time."

"What?"

"What?" Helga repeated.

"What do you mean?"

"Mean about what?"

"About the exchange."

"The charger exchange?"

"Yes."

"What about it?"

"You said the first time."

"Yes."

"Well what do you mean about that?"

"That I should have exchanged the charger the first time you were here."

Arnold looked at her closely. "Your coworker said you were out those days."

"What?"

"That guy said you were out."

"I ugh..."

"You what?"

"I have nothing to explain to you, Football-Head!"

"Clearly, you do!"

"When did you become my mom?"

"When did you start avoiding me?"

"Just drop it."

"You know, I try to be nice to you, I really do. But you just make it so hard for me."

"I never asked you to be nice to me, I didn't ask anything from you." Helga took a giant fork full of icing.

Arnold put down his fork. "I know, I know. That doesn't mean I don't want to be nice to you. All I've ever wanted was to finally be friends with you."

Helga dropped her fork."Newsflash! I don't want to be your friend." At that Helga began to walk to the backroom, as far away from Arnold as she could.

To her surprise Arnold held her arm tight enough for her to spring back to him. "We're not done here."

Helga stared back him in surprise, this was not the Arnold she remembered. "You know I have half a mind to call the cops? Let go."

"Just talk to me! What is up with you?"

"What's up with me? What's up with you? You don't just waltz in here, bring me cake and annoy the hell out of me. All I want to do is lock up and go home."

"You are something."

"Just let go. Go back to your little girlfriend. And leave me alone."

Suddenly Arnold released Helga's arm. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Does she know that?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't seem right yet."

Helga rolled her eyes. As much as she wanted to kiss him right there and tell him she was the girl he was looking for, she couldn't. It took more energy than she thought to keep it to herself. "You are so incredibly stupid."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Just that. You are a stupid son of-"

"Well what do you want me to do? Everything I say to you is an offense. What do you want from me?"

"I want absolutely nothing from you. Get out."

Arnold shook his head a bit. "Fine. I'll go." He began to walk out to the door, head down almost as if he was sad.

"Arnold," Helga called out.

Arnold stopped and turned his head to her with a subtle smile. "Yeah?"

"Door's locked. I'll let out the back."