"I'm marrying Helga?" Arnold asked with disbelief. "No way! Wait, let me try this again..."
"Suit yourself." Helga scoffed but inside, she was jumping with glee.
And so he did. He spun again, aimed randomly and managed to hit Helga once again. She scowled at him and commented on his poor aim.
10 minutes has passed and Arnold had managed to hit Helga'a forehead 57 times without a flaw.
"That's it! You're marrying Helga!" Rhonda said, impatiently then snatched the slingshot from Arnold.
"No! There must be a mistake-"
"There are no mistakes, Arnold. This is a fool-proof, scientifically proven marriage-predictor slingshot." She started to leave the cafeteria with Nadine trailing behind her. "Besides, didn't you get Helga on the origami marriage predictor?"
She did have a point there.
The 4 remaining kids were silent with a dumbfounded Arnold. Maybe he was suppose to be with the girl that tormented him 24/7. Maybe Rhonda was right. Maybe the most special things came in small packages after all...
The silence was broken by Helga. "Let's go, Pheebs. We have that stupid project to work on."
Phoebe hastily nodded. "Coming!" She said. "See you later Arnold, Gerald."
The two boys waved goodbye to the Asian girl. As soon as both girls left the cafeteria, the both of them gave out a tired sigh and followed by the ringing sound of the school bell.
"Man Arnold, you have bad luck." Gerald sighed.
"I know.." He replied. "Why do I have to end up with Helga anyway? All she does is push kids around and act bossy..."
"Maybe once you get to know her, she's not that bad." Gerald shrugged.
"Guess so." Arnold smiled. "Hey, why are you being so optimistic all of a sudden?"
Gerald smirked, "Somebody has to."
The busy day has ended and kids shuffled in the bus to take their usual seats. But this time, because Ms. Rhonda Wellington Lloyd knows every kids' future husband and wife, she had forced to make the pairs sit next to each other.
And so Arnold had found himself being forced to sit next to 'his future wife'. His eyes scanned around the room and he saw Gerald teaching Phoebe how to play on a gameboy, Nadine was showing Sid her bug collections, Stinky had gave Lila a flower and the two were now going to the theatre as soon as they get on the right stop. Arnold sighed heavily and slouched on the seat. From the corner of his eye, he saw Helga looking out the window with her chin resting on her palm.
"Hey football-head." Helga says. "I'm going to hit the hay. You better wake me up at my stop, hair-boy. Or you're going to get it!"
He rolled his eyes at her threat. "Whatever you say, Helga.."
The bus started to move to it's usual route. Arnold was half thankful that Helga was asleep. He was saved from the 'I will never marry a guy like you' remarks and the 'Who would want to marry a walking football from heavens' sake?' But then again, did she mean those insults he said to him? The things she confessed on top of the FTi tower.. Was she really caught up in the heat of the moment?
The bus turned to Morewa Ave and that is when the lighter kids turns because of the bus' motion. To his surprise, Helga had been swept away by the motion making her head land on his shoulder. He surely didn't expect her to be a light-weight. Soon enough, his eyes were slowly closing as his mind started to drift of to his dream-land.
The world was kind of hazy. He squinted his eyes and flickered them open. Arnold gasped as he found himself on the altar, wearing a charming black tuxedo. A priest was near him, holding the bible with both hands. He looked around and found that Gerald was his best man. "Gerald, where am I?" He asked in a sharp whisper.
"You're getting married, buddy!" Gerald whispered back.
"Married?" Arnold repeated. "I can't get married! I'm too young!"
"You wish!" His best friend smirked. "You're 28! Anyway, look sharp. Your bride is coming."
He gulped nervously. His eyes trailed towards the entrance of the cathedral and he vaguely saw a figure of a woman wearing a white, strapless gown with a veil covering her face. She held a bouquet of white lilies mixed with white and pink roses. As soon as she arrived to the altar, she lifted the veil that blocked her face. She has blonde hair, though a part covered her left eye, ocean-coloured eyes and a smirk-like smile. Could she be..?
"Cecile?" Arnold asked, his eyes slowly widening.
"No. It's me,-"
He woke up from his dream by the sudden stop of the bus. He could've fallen off his chair if Helga hadn't held his shoulder. "Watch where you're going, hair-boy!" She snapped, quickly taking her hand away from his arm. "Criminy! Didn't I tell you to wake me up from my stop? Now I was the one that ended up waking you up.. Now, out of the way!"
Arnold did as he was told and made way for Helga to leave since the bus has stopped in her stop. He wondered how many kids had seen the two of them sleeping and prayed that rumours wouldn't start.
"Man Phoebe did you see that?" Gerald asks Phoebe gesturing his hand towards his seat. "There's no way those two will get married! They're like cats and dogs."
"I'm afraid I'll have to oppose." Phoebe replied. "I can actually visualise those two having a very remarkable relationship."
"With Helga Pataki?" Gerald asked with disbelief. "I don't think that's possible."
"Oh I do think it's very possible." She smiled at him. "Once you get very close to her, she's passionate at expressing her feelings..."
She had a small smile as she started to visualise Arnold and Helga's wedding. Helga would wear a grand, strapless gown a lacy pattern. Her bouquet would be bought from Mrs. Villeto's flowershop. Arnold's tux would be clean and jet black. Their wedding would be held between Chez Paris and Chez Pierre because Phoebe briefly remembers about that time Helga told her she was going to Chez Paris for Valentines Day. Their wedding would be held at night and lampposts and lanterns would light up the ceremony. Family members, friends and those who are acquainted with either Arnold and Helga will be invited.
And Phoebe Heyerdahl knows herself, that the wedding would be enchanting.
