Chapter 17 | What's the World Got in Store
"How do you do it man?" Gerald asked, standing on the rooftop of the Sunset Arms boarding house, music blasting from the DJ booth and classmates that he'd known since preschool were dancing and mingling. Nadine and Vincent were alternating between sending snapchats and whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears. Harold, Mr. Green and Grandpa were taking turns manning the grill. Sheena, Lila and Eugene were dancing an elaborately coordinated, yet extremely silly dance in the middle of the party. He looked over at his best friend, who had been gone for nearly ten years and just got back at the beginning of summer yet somehow seamlessly and effortlessly reintegrated himself back into the Hillwood scene.
"What do you mean?" Arnold questioned.
"I mean, you leave for almost a decade and you come back and it's like you were never gone." Gerald responded, taking a sip of his drink, "Do you think that next summer will be like that—we'll be able to come back without missing a beat?"
"I hope so Gerald, I really hope so." Arnold responded, smiling as he spotted Helga and Phoebe walking towards the two young men.
"What were you two just talking about?" Helga questioned, running her fingers down her boyfriend's arm with a sly smile.
"We were just wondering what next year is going to bring for our little group." Gerald admitted, throwing his arm around Phoebe's shoulder and planting a kiss on her forehead, causing her to smile and blush slightly.
"Well, just because we're physically away from each other does not mean that we can't remain as close as we are." Phoebe smiled.
"Yeah, some things might change—but our friendship, that's solid." Arnold commented.
"Alright, enough of the mushy talk, it's depressing me. It's our last summer party before we have to think about school and all that jazz." Helga flippantly remarked, "Arnold, the music is blasting how about a dance?"
"Thought you'd never ask." Arnold grabbed her hand and led her out to the dance floor.
"Next year is going to fly by." Gerald said, smiling at his girlfriend.
"I hope so." Phoebe smiled back, "We've never been apart for more than a week."
"I know." Gerald stated simply.
"I can't wait to see your dorm room." Phoebe joked.
"Hmmm… can't imagine why." Gerald teased raising his eyebrows suggestively, "We'll be able to check that one off the bucket list."
Rhonda drove to Arnold's house with the intention of attending the party. She hadn't missed an exciting party in Hillwood since she was a child and she wasn't going to start now. However, as she neared Vine Street and when she arrived at her destination her car didn't come to a stop or even pause, she just kept driving.
"I thought you wanted to come with me to this party." Thaddeus commented, looking over at a clearly distraught Rhonda gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I mean, didn't you want to apologize to Nadine before she leaves for California?"
"Nope." Rhonda responded, "I just want to cuddle up at home, in bed, with a nice bottle of wine"
"Don't you mean a nice glass?" Thaddeus raised his eyebrow and questioned.
"I meant what I said." Rhonda answered bluntly.
"How about we watch Netflix at my place and share a bottle of wine? Is that a good compromise, sweetheart?" Thaddeus questioned.
"Switch it to my place and you've got a deal." Rhonda responded.
"Alright." Thaddeus smiled. "To the Lloyd Manor, step on it!"
Phoebe was usually a morning person but on the night before she was supposed to drive to Stanford University, she just couldn't relax. Things with Gerald had been going smoothly the past few weeks but she was afraid of what the time apart was going to do to their relationship.
Helga came by to see her early in the morning while Phoebe was still in her pajamas packing the last few items she wanted to take to California with her.
"Here you go Pheebs." Helga said, handing her best friend a small gift bag with an attached card, "Don't open it until you get to Stanford."
"Thanks Helga, you didn't have to get me anything." Phoebe responded.
"When your best friend is moving 13 hours away, yes I do." Helga smiled.
"I'm glad you mentioned that." Phoebe responded as she grabbed a small wrapped box and handed it to Helga. "Don't open it until you're settled into your dorm."
"Phoebe." Helga said, letting out a caring smile as she pulled her petite friend in for a hug.
"Promise me that we will facetime once a day. Minimum." Phoebe remarked.
"Promising." Helga said, with her best Phoebe impression. The two friends giggled a bit, but the laughter soon turned bittersweet as the girls tried to hold back their tears as Helga said goodbye but failed miserably.
Gerald came by a little after noon to see Phoebe off, he was thankful that his team wasn't practicing that day—but he was still held up thanks to his coach's mandatory meeting. Gerald rushed to Phoebe's house as soon as he could to maximize the amount of time he would spend with her on her last day. Phoebe and Gerald both felt as though the time was passing entirely too fast to be accurate but alas, it was 4:45pm and Gerald was walking her out to her car.
"I'm really going to miss you this semester." Gerald admitted, he could feel tears threatening to make their way down his face.
"I'm going to miss you too," Phoebe responded, her cheeks already wet with tears, "but, I'm going to be here to visit as often as I can."
"Only 68 days until Thanksgiving break." Gerald said attempting to sound enthusiastic but choking through the words.
"Yeah." Phoebe said softly.
"I don't want to rush you, but it's time to hit the road darling! We're driving until midnight tonight and the rest of the way in the morning." Reba Heyerdahl called out to her daughter, before climbing into her own car with her husband.
Phoebe's face wrinkled up as she realized that she was really leaving Hillwood and moving to California for the majority of the next four years. She tried to seem confident but the tears flowed down her cheeks like waterfalls. Gerald pulled her into his chest and tried to hold back his own tears.
"Baby, it's okay." Gerald responded, "We've got this. I love you."
Gerald gave his girlfriend a loving, passionate kiss before she slipped into her car. She gave a final goodbye wave as she pulled away with her parents' car trailing behind. Gerald watched sadly as the cars pulled away. He watched until he couldn't see them in the distance anymore.
Gerald woke up on the morning of his move-in day, aching and sore. The University of Washington coach had been running two-a-day practices for past three days and he was exhausted. However, he still could not contain his excitement that he was finally about to live a true college lifestyle.
Gerald loved his family but he found them overbearing at times. Even as they prepared to pack up the car and drop him off at UW, his father was drilling him on things that he absolutely could not forget. His sister, Timberly was on the phone talking about whatever in the world thirteen year old girls talk about. And for some reason, his brother Jamie O, couldn't stay away from this family event.
He was excited to go to bed whenever he wanted to, eat whatever he wanted to and to leave the lights on for however long he damn well pleased. Still, despite his excitement he had to admit he was going to miss his family tremendously, despite all of their little quirks.
"Well, we're here son—are you sure you don't want us to come up and check out your new digs." Mr. Johannsen asked with a tinge of sadness at how independent his younger son had become.
"Yeah, come on Gerald—we want to see your dorm room." Timberly insisted.
"Alright, I guess you guys could help me carry up these boxes if you want." Gerald said cooly.
"Well, I'm carrying the lightest bag. I don't want to chip my nail polish." Timberly demanded, as she picked up Gerald's backpack.
"I guess I could carry these boxes." Jamie O said to no one in particular.
The Johannsen family made their way to Maple Hall towards Gerald's new home away from home. There were many families crowding the hallways, saying goodbye to their teenaged children for the first time. When they arrived to his dorm room, the place was bare, screaming for Gerald to put his own personality into the room. He wondered when his roommate was arriving but was thankful that for the time being he was just alone with his family. Gerald set up his side of the dorm room with the help of his family.
"Teamwork makes the dream work." Mrs. Johannsen smiled as she looked around at what their family had accomplished in one short hour.
"Well, I guess this means we'll be heading out son." Mr. Johannsen responded as he nervously readjusted his glasses.
"Good luck Gerald. We're going to watch every single game of yours—even if you're not playing, which you probably won't be." Timberly teased before she leaned in and gave her brother a hug.
"Gerald my man, keep in touch, I can show you where all the college hang out spots are." Jamie O wiggled his eyebrows, before giving his brother a brief hug and a pat on the back.
"Gerald, you're on your own now—but you're not alone. Let us know if you need anything and don't get involved with all the crazy, college, knuckleheads you hear me?" Mr. Johannsen explained.
"Don't forget to call home often. We're only two hours away so anything that you need, no matter how big or small-" Mrs. Johannsen began to state before she was interrupted by a hug from her youngest boy.
"I love you mom, thanks for everything." Gerald responded, attempting to stay tough but his emotions were written all over his face.
Yes, Gerald was excited to be on his own—but the feeling was definitely bittersweet.
"I'm going to miss you this semester." Arnold stated as he and his girlfriend walked along the pier.
"Don't worry football head, I'm going to be here so often that it'll be like I never left." Helga responded taking a bite from her corn dog. She was doing a good job of appearing cool and calm, despite the fact that her nerves were going absolutely haywire.
"I know," Arnold responded, "but it's not going to be the same. I've gotten used to seeing you almost every day. I'm spoiled now."
Helga flashed a soft smile at her boyfriend.
"I'm going to miss you too." Helga admitted, bringing a smile to his face.
"So, Helga G. Pataki is going to be an auntie." Arnold smirked.
"I know, she's due in February. I don't know how to act around kids. I didn't even like kids when I was a kid." Helga quipped.
"You're going to be a wonderful Aunt." Arnold reassured her.
"Thanks." Helga said simply. "So, are you ready to be a college boy?"
"I'm just taking a few classes this semester at the community college—it's really not a big deal. It's not like you, Gerald or Phoebe." Arnold responded.
"Don't sell yourself short Arnold. I'm really happy that you decided to take this step." Helga encouraged.
"So what time are you leaving tomorrow?" Arnold questioned, turning the topic back onto his girlfriend.
"Leaving at 10:00. It's only a two hour drive so don't go getting all emotional on me." Helga said nudging her boyfriend. Arnold reached down and grabbed her hand, extremely sorry that eventually he'd have to let go.
Olga arrived at the Pataki household bright and early at eight o'clock in the morning. Helga woke up to a fantastic breakfast of homemade pancakes, biscuits and gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs and hash browns.
"Olga, you really didn't have to do all of this. Shouldn't you be resting or something?" Helga said, giving her sister a hug before sitting down at the dining room table to enjoy her breakfast. Olga took a seat across from her.
"Oh baby sister, it's a huge day for you. You're out on your own for the first time. This breakfast was the least I could do." Olga smiled. "Speaking of which, I hope you don't mind, I got you something."
"Olga." Helga chastised as she opened the small present. A picture frame that said SISTERS, with a childhood photo of them on the left and a photo they took at Helga's graduation party on the right. "Did you have to include the one of us as children? I look like such a brat." Helga laughed.
"Well, it just goes to show how far our relationship has come." Olga smiled at her younger sister and Helga felt a smile creep up on her face as well.
"Glad to see you girls are getting an early start. Helga, do you have everything all packed up?" Bob asked, as he entered the dining room with two large plates filled to the brim with breakfast food.
"Yes, Dad." Helga responded.
"Helga, today is a very important day in your life. How excited are you?" Miriam asked as she placed a small kiss on her youngest daughter's forehead before taking a sip of her black coffee.
"I'm thrilled Miriam." Helga said forcing a smile.
After breakfast, Bob helped Helga load her belongings into the family car, Helga said goodbye to her sister. Olga, of course, sobbed uncontrollably as she watched her sister, mother and father place the last bag into the car and head off.
Two hours later, they were on the lush green campus of University of Washington. Tons of purple banners were posted along the light posts along the walkways informing them of many freshman events. Helga grabbed the key to her dorm from the housing office and headed towards Maple Hall, her mother and father trailing closely behind her. She found the floor of her dorm room and inserted the key into the lock when she heard a familiar voice.
"Only I would move two hours away from Hillwood and have Helga G. Pataki as my neighbor." Gerald chuckled, Helga flashed him a quick smile before letting herself into her dorm room. This was going to be an interesting year indeed.
AN: And on that note the story is over guys! Thank you so much for all of your support. This was my first fan fiction ever so it's always going to hold a special place in my heart and I'm so happy that so many of you enjoyed it.