Now was a time to panic. If Phoebe didn't have it, then who did? And what were they gonna be doing with it?
"I left it on the table, and it just disappeared and you don't know where it is?" I asked frantically.
"I was on my phone, and when I looked away from it, the book was gone..." Phoebe admitted.
"How could you let this happen? There are so many secrets in that book!"
"I'm sorry... but after school we can go to the lost and found."
"Sounds good. Let's just go to class before we're late."
After school...
Phoebe and I had gone to the school lost and found to search for my diary.
"So what's in this book that you are so desperate to hide?" Phoebe asked as she scavenged through people's lost items.
"Pretty much everything since I first moved here. I've been writing about my life in diaries since I was in first grade. This is my twentieth one. And this current book in particular has a lot of stuff about Arnold. It would be embarrassing if people were to read that sappy stuff." I explained.
"Wow, that is a lot of dedication. I really hope we'll find it before someone reads it." Phoebe said.
"Mind if I join you in the search?" A voice behind me uttered. I turned around and it was the girl who stood up for me earlier, Patty.
"Go right ahead." I said.
"I'm Patty." Patty introduced to Phoebe.
"I'm Phoebe." Phoebe introduced.
"I know I just met you guys, but I want to confide about you in something." Patty said.
"What's on your mind?" Phoebe asked.
"I like this guy... but he has a rocky reputation. I'm not sure if he is right for me." Patty said nervously.
"I've learned not to judge people based on their reputation. You shouldn't do that. Who is it?" I said.
"His name is Harold." Patty said.
Harold is the player who Phoebe had warned me about in the beginning of the school year. I didn't want to stop Patty from seeing him because that would be hypocritical since I had just said to not judge people based on their reputations. But I still wanted my new friend to be careful when it came to him. If this was months ago, I'd say I'd break his face if he broke her heart. But I'm trying not to threaten violence anymore.
"We've been hanging out a lot, ever since we got assigned to be partners on the class project..." Patty said.
"The only advice I can give you is to be careful." I cautioned.
"Speaking of romance, when are you gonna tell Arnold about you know what?" Phoebe asked me.
"I need to find the right time. I don't like admitting this, but I'm scared. I'm scared what I did in the past would push him away, and I'm scared he might get bored of me one day. But my love for him is stronger than my fears-"
That was the first time I had dropped the big L word about him. It scared me, but I realized that I, Helga Geraldine Pataki loved Arnold Phillip Shortman.
Phoebe's face lit up and gasped after I said that.
"Did you just say the L word?" Phoebe said, sounding perky.
"Yes... I... I love Arnold. I've never ever felt the things I feel for him, and I want him to be in my life forever. I love Arnold." I admitted.
"This is so exciting." Phoebe said.
"You have to tell him." Said Patty.
"So now I have two things to tell Arnold. But I have to find the right time." I said nervously.
"You can do it, Helga."
"Yeah, but let's try and find my book first."
Phoebe, Patty, and I had spent more time searching for my diary, but there was no luck. It was nowhere to be found, which made me panic even more. But I had no choice but to go home and try again tomorrow.
The next day...
I had three things to worry about, because peace was never an option apparently.
I had to worry about telling Arnold why I'm at this school in the first place, finding my missing diary, and... telling Arnold that I am absolutely, positively in love with him.
Lunchtime rolled around, and just like the first day I arrived, Rhonda was standing on an empty lunch table like she ruled the cafeteria.
"EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND LISTEN!!" She yelled, and got everyone's attention like she was a queen or something.
"I am having a party tomorrow! Everyone is invited, even losers. You're welcome." Rhonda announced.
Princess Rhonda Lloyd was going to be throwing another party. I decided that I was going to be talking to Arnold about the things I needed to talk about at that party. That was, if people didn't pay a bunch of attention to us. I couldn't let my fears stop me from doing this.
A few hours later, I arrived home. I came home to an angry looking Inga crossing her arms. And in her right hand, there was a pink book that looked just like the diary I had been looking for. I was so confused when I walked through door. First of all, Inga wasn't supposed to be my nanny anymore. What was she doing at my house again? And second of all, how the hell did she have my diary?
"Helga. We need to talk." Inga said in a stern voice.
"About what?" I said confidently, but secretly, I was nervous for what she would say.
"This blonde girl returned this book to me, and told me to read it because there was some important information." Inga explained.
"You read my diary?!" I snapped with a hint of anger in my voice. I couldn't believe she would read my diary. I was livid that she disrespected my privacy like that. The stuff in there was only for me to see. Another thing I was thinking was that I was hoping that the blonde girl wasn't who I thought she was. Olga's main bully was blonde. But I was probably just too paranoid, I mean, there was millions of blonde people after all.
"I didn't know it was your diary at first. But I found something in it that makes me really disappointed in you." Said Inga.
"Who even gave you this anyway?" I asked.
"I don't know her name. But she had long straight blonde hair, blue eyes, and she was wearing a purple crop top with a pink heart in the middle, and blue jean shorts." Inga explained.
That was exactly what Olga's main bully looked like. But it didn't make any sense how she was here.
"Did she have a bitchy voice?" I asked.
"Watch your language. But between you and me, her voice was kind of annoying." Inga said.
"I bet it was." I said.
"Don't try to change the subject, missy. I read something in this book of yours that is very disappointing." Inga said.
"What is it?"
"You wrote about how you took your sister to a hotel during your trip to Anaheim after I said you had to take her with you."
"She was in on it."
"It doesn't matter if she was in on it or not. You defied me and you two were being very irresponsible. You thought I would never know about this, but I know. You're grounded for a week. You can't go anywhere, including school."
I was grounded for what I did before the trip to Anaheim. Which meant I couldn't go to Rhonda's party with Arnold and tell him what I needed to tell him. My plan was ruined.
"But you're not my nanny anymore." I stated.
"But this does concern me since you did this while I was your nanny. And besides, your mom and I have become friends, so I'm not completely leaving your life. Now go to your room." Said Inga.
On my way to my room, I stumbled upon an irritated Olga, the second person to look upset with me today.
"What's wrong, Olga?" I asked.
"You got me grounded. I had a date, but now I can't go because of you." Olga said.
"You had a date? That's exciting. Who's the lucky guy?" I asked, changing the subject.
"The lucky guy is actually a lucky girl, and don't try to change the subject, baby sis." Olga said.
"You were in on the plan back in December too." I stated.
"But it was your idea."
"I'm grounded too. If you had just decided to go with me, then us being grounded could've been avoided."
"You know damn well why I couldn't go! Why did you even need to go back to Anaheim so bad anyway?"
"Because Arnold was going and I'm in love with him!"
After I blurted that out, there was an awkward silence. I looked away from Olga, my face red from oversharing. I couldn't believe that I had blurted out the L word again.
"Love makes you do crazy things, doesn't it?" Olga broke the silence.
"I'm so embarrassed that I blurted that out!" I said.
"What you did wasn't the smartest, but I don't wanna be mad at you for it. I don't like being mad at you. I guess I got mad because I really like this girl. I think one day I could love her like you love Arnold." Olga said.
"It's weird talking about this sappy stuff but I suppose I've gotten used to it. And I guess I shouldn't have allowed you to take the blame for this shenanigan as well." I said.
"It's okay, baby sis. And I'm glad we can talk about this stuff."
"Yeah, me too. In another universe, I could've been too bitter to talk to you like this. So I'm glad we're close like this."
"What exactly are you talking about?"
"I just like to imagine stuff sometimes. It's part of my writer brain."
"You do have quite the imagination, baby sis."
"Yeah... also, I'm sorry for getting you grounded."
"I forgive you. I'm sure my date will understand."
"I hope Arnold understands...that I was only trying to help you..."
"What are talking about?"
"Phoebe said that I have to tell Arnold about the time I got expelled... for fighting."
"I'm sure he will understand. I appreciate you always sticking up for me even if you didn't always do it in the safest way... And he has to love you back, I mean, you know he has feelings for you and he'd be an idiot not to love you."
"Thanks, Olga."
"Anytime."
The next day...
Today was the day of Rhonda's party. And of course, I had to stay home. And I had to delay telling Arnold about my past and that I love him. I was sort of glad about that, because I wanted to procrastinate on it anyway. But another part of me just wanted to get it over with.
I mostly just spent the day writing in my diary now that I'd got it back. The day was kind of uneventful, until the end of the day. At ten in the afternoon, I heard knocking on my window, and I looked to see who it was. Arnold was standing by my window. The party that he went to had probably ended approximately half an hour ago.
"Oh, Hey Arnold! What are you doing here?" I asked after opening the window for him.
"I need to talk to you. Rhonda sent me this video and I need you to see it." Arnold said as he handed me his phone through the window.
I took Arnold's phone and pressed play. It was a video of everyone at the party sitting in Rhonda's living room. Standing in the middle of the room was the girl whom Inga had described earlier. The blonde girl with the purple tank top and jean shorts. I knew exactly who this person was. It was one of Olga's bullies, Summer. She stole my diary and bullied Olga. What the hell was she doing in Hillwood? It didn't make any sense whatsoever.
"Now that I have everyone's attention, I used to know Helga, who isn't here today. I have something to say about her. She got expelled from my school because she got into a fight with me and broke my arm! I was in so much pain until it healed... she's evil. I have come to Anaheim for revenge." Summer dramatically stated to everyone.
I felt like I was in some very strange dream. I was angry because of how persistent Summer was to mess with my sister and me. I was in shock and I was so creeped out at this whole thing. When did my life become some corny romantic dramedy story?
"Is this true, Helga?" Arnold asked.
"Yes..." I admitted.
A/N: I bet you didn't expect that to happen... also I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out!