Giving Cheerfully and Accepting Gratefully Part 2
Friday, September 29th 3:30 PM
Arnold was in the locker room shower, when he heard someone coming. The shower stalls were relatively private, but some people have no respect for personal space in locker rooms, Arnold had found. "Hey Arnold! You in there?" Arnold heard Gerald's voice echo in the locker room. "Yeah I'm here." He responded. "Dude! Holy shit, I can't believe you beat out Harold! Do you see that dude? That's fuckin crazy!" Arnold smiled at Gerald's excitement. "Thanks Gerald." Arnold stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel. He walked back towards his locker seeing Gerald and his excitable grin. "Dude, you know what this means? You, the scrawny, weird headed, dweeby kid..." Gerald noticed Arnold's aggrieved face. "Hey man I was right along side you the whole time. We were both kinda like that," Gerald said. "You were always the cool one, Gerald," Arnold said. "Agreed, but again I was always right there next to you being dweeby," Gerald continued. "My point! Before I was so rudely interrupted. Is that you are the strongest kid in the school. No one's gonna mess with you!" Gerald was excited, and it showed. "No one really messes with me now." Arnold joked, pulling his clothes on and packing his bag. "Well now it's official, and you can walk around like a badass." Arnold, smiled. "I think I'll walk around the same as before, I'm not a badass or anything." Arnold punctuated the word badass with air quotes. "Besides the last thing I want is for people to be afraid of me or think I'm violent because I can lift heavy weights. I don't really care about being the strongest. I just like to lift weights," He finished. Gerald looked at him and started to shake his head. "My straight edged friend Arnold. God forbid you don't fit in a box." Gerald said. Arnold ignored the comment and grabbed his bag. "You ready to go?" He asked. Gerald nodded and they made their way out of the locker room and headed towards the parking lot.
"Seriously though, what made you want to do that if you don't care about being the strongest lifter? That Snapchat video made it seem like you just went for it." Gerald asked. "I don't know. I saw the bar like I always do and, made a decision." Arnold said. "What was different about this time? What was the decision where the answer was to lift more than Harold?" Gerald asked again. "I don't know….." Arnold's nonchalant countenance changed as he thought about it. "I just wanted something more, I guess." Arnold finally spouted. "Hmm" he heard Gerald say. "I don't know where it came from." Arnold said. He looked up at the lights as they walked.
Arnold had an idea of why he wanted to do it. Over the last couple weeks since their first outing, Arnold and Helga began to text each other regularly most evenings. The conversations went in many different directions. Each sending the other messages about what they liked to do, which movies they wanted to see, their favorite books (Helga's favorite subject). Arnold continued his walk next to Gerald. He thought back to a particular exchange he and Helga had the other night. Arnold had been writing a report for class when he noticed his phone buzz to light. It was a message from Helga. The time read 11:24 PM. "Looks like Helga's up." Arnold said to himself smiling.
Do your balls ever itch during school? And if so how do you scratch them discreetly? Asking for a friend. The message said. Arnold gaped at the message. "Why does she always do that?" He started to chuckle. Arnold thought for a moment and opened his phone typing back a message. It's all about the show, you have to visualize yourself as the actor and all the world is a play. You know those guys you see that randomly hump things trying to make his friends laugh, he's probably looking for something to scratch himself with. He typed. The phone buzzed again, Here I thought you men were just a disgusting pack of immature ten year olds who just get larger over the years. She sent back. Arnold replied Some are that, some of us are just plain no good. Which am I the former or the latter? He put down his phone, going back to his paper. He started typing, copying from his rough outline.
Thinking she had fallen asleep, Arnold continued. Her falling asleep in the middle of a conversation happened sometimes. She would randomly text him at any hour and then fall asleep. Although he did not admit it to himself, he found it cute. His phone buzzed again and he looked down seeing the message, I suppose you the rare one. The kind that doesn't hump things, thinking it's funny. He looked at the message, never knowing how to respond to a compliment from Helga. Wow, did you hurt yourself sending that? He sent to her. She replied It did hurt a little. I guess having someone I can text at any hour for any reason and interrupt their life so that I can opine about balls is worth it. Arnold laughed out loud at that one. Do the guys you date ever feel that outdated notion about not liking funny women? Arnold never thought about it, he had never met anyone she had dated. We've really only been on speaking terms for two weeks. Would she even introduce her to her boyfriend? "Would I even want to meet him? If I did would I like him. Why am I getting upset at this theoretical boyfriend she may or may not have?" He thought to himself, getting angrier the more he thought about it. She messaged back, So far no one cares. I'm usually not funny towards anyone. I prefer being left alone, Helga replied back What a shock, Arnold typed back. There aren't exactly tons of guys breaking down my door anyway. There have been one or two I've let come near me. Most of applicants repulse me. Dating has never really been a concern of mine, she replied back. What about you Football Head? You could have anyone, yet I never see you with anyone on your arm. You have to have one or two hoes laying around, Helga replied. Arnold read the message and started typing his reply I don't know, I've never really had any luck with women. I've dated one or two but I never really felt like I could approach them. I don't know, maybe I'm just weird, Arnold finished typing. He saw the three dotted icon come up on his phone and he waited for the message to pop up. Then the icon disappeared, and appeared, then disappeared again. "What is she having trouble typing?" He thought to himself?
Finally her reply came up on the screen You're not weird. Other than the head shape. You're the closest thing to perfect out there. I'm not saying women are crazy not to see it, they see it. I'm just guessing you're looking for something specific. Even if you don't know what it is, Helga replied. Arnold reread the message. "Her assessment is logically flawless," he thought. He felt his stomach get lighter as if he were nervous and he started to smile. He started typing back, Thank you Helga, maybe someday I'll find it. You'll have to be the judge though, seems like you know what I need. I never do. He sent back with a smiley face buttressed on the end. Few women can pass my test. She sent back. Well, I trust you. I guess I'll live with it. He sent back. The phone didn't buzz anymore, and he went back to his paper.
Arnold continued his walk down the hallway remembering the conversation vividly. What he never understood is why he felt odd when she sent him that penultimate message. "What did she mean by close to perfect?" He asked himself. He felt warm when she said it, and he still did. "Why do I feel like this when I think of her? What the hell is happening?" he thought to himself. Texting with her seemed to calm him though, he enjoyed that.
As Gerald and Arnold Approached the exit they saw Phoebe and Helga, alone in the parking lot. Helga on the phone, and Phoebe leaning against the side. With a worried expression. Arnold and Gerald left the school and made their way towards them.