***Here it is! It's a long one! oh and I don't own anything except for some put in characters. Craig Bartlett and Taylor swift own it. (I used some quotes from T. Swift) Oh and the song is the live version of dear John, from her world tour CD. I feel it has more emotion and the fireworks in the back ground is just awesome. Carry on. :) ***
Chapter 4 Dear John
The crowded room had quieted and was waiting for Helga to continue. She was trying to will herself to say speech, but when she looked around the room, she didn't know if she could let herself go of all of the depressing emotions. Her whole freshman year had its own ups and downs. Arnold had started his basketball season and was focused on that, while Phoebe had her academics. Sure she had them on the weekends, and sure she was good enough to go for the sports, but she wasn't into the whole team thing her freshman year. She didn't think she would like it, so she just kept to herself. It was her second semester when she started hanging out with a new crowd whenever Arnold and Phoebe weren't around. 'I was such a confused kid back then,' Helga thought, staring out in the crowd. 'How will they understand what I've been through?'
Phoebe knew what song was next so she made sure to wave her hand, catching Helga's scared eye. She called out to her, "You can do it, Helga!" She gave her blonde best friend a meaningful smile.
Helga took a deep breath, released, and spoke. "I'm sure every one remembers their freshmen year, am I right?" the crowd nodded, laughing or grimacing at the memories. 'Oh no,' Arnold thought, a deep frown and darkness encasing his features. 'I still can't believe what he did to her. I should've, she should've…' He let his thought wonder off as she continued. Helga tightened her jaw as she continued. "Well, I remember mine, though sometimes I want to forget. You see, coming into high school I was trying to find my place. Trying to see where I fit. My crush I had since I was young had ventured off doing his thing for a while, of course, being best friends, we still hung out when ever he was free. I felt like I needed to find my place. So by second semester, I hung out with some older students; seniors." Phoebe, Arnold, and Helga had their eyes narrowed and rage boiling as they remembered second semester, and their first real high school party away from home.
~Flashback~
It was a few days before their first spring break as high school students. Plans all around Hillwood High was flittering about the halls. Ranging from parties, to sleepovers, to spending days at the beach or the lake. Helga was sitting at a booth in Slausen's after school, with her new found friends, chatting about the upcoming week of no school.
Her friends were older, they had taken her under their wing as you could say. Helga, the confident girl that she was, decided no trouble could come from them. Lexi, a girl with pitch black hair was a tough girl with a passion for painting, she was the one Helga mostly hung out with; but Helga mainly looked up to someone else. John. He was reckless, daring, and was always charming. Always managing to make her laugh. Normally Helga wouldn't be caught dead with a guy like him, since was also a womanizer, but she couldn't help herself to be slightly charmed by his ways. She felt John understood her in a way even Arnold didn't, he was fun to be around also, and Helga couldn't help but gain a bit of a crush on him. He was tall, built impressively, and had these dark blue eyes that seemed to glow a bit. He had this mystery that she wanted to crack. Helga knew she still loved Arnold, irrevocably in love with her football headed prince, but she figured why not try to look somewhere else? 'Arnold definitely isn't interested in me,' Helga always thought to herself bitterly, 'his girl best friend.'
Helga had noticed that John gave her the kind of attention she always craved from Arnold, but she also noticed John always kept a wandering eye on other girls as well. She wasn't about to let herself get rejected, not about to be put in the 'Friend zone' once again, and not about to let an opportunity as having a boy like John get away from her. So she would flirt with him, try it out, and John would reply like the Casanova he is. Helga was enamored by him, she wasn't the only one though, but she was a little optimistic about her feelings. Her and Johns relationship was always cat and dog with their flirting, but he always kept her at arms length. Their conversations over the phone at night always kept her guessing, either giving her butterflies, from the sweet nothings he would say, or get her anger rising up by the indifference he would send her, but then apologizing, saying he was just being stupid. Helga didn't know why, but she would always forgive him, and act like it was nothing. After she introduced him to Arnold though, Arnold would always tell her he didn't trust him. Helga just waved him off, "It's not like you really listen to me after I give you girl advice, Arnoldo." Arnold would just shake his head and change the subject.
"I'm thinking we should have a party," said Lexi, her gray eyes in excitement. "We could have it at the lake house my family owns. We can invite the whole senior class… and have a few refreshments while we're at it." She and John smirked at each other. Helga just shrugged her shoulders, she wasn't interested in drinking, and Lexi and John knew it.
"I don't really care, as long as we have something to do."
John looked at her and grinned, "What? Helga the fearless doesn't want to party with the upper classmen?"
Helga rolled her eyes, "It's not like I'm a prude or anything, I'm just not that comfortable with being wasted and saying things I won't remember the next morning." Helga also thought of her drunkened mother and her childhood. Sure Miriam was in AA meetings, and being sober for about 2 years now, but there was always that bottle of vodka and her smoothie mix in the back of the cabinet. There in case she really needed it and can relapse. "Besides," she smirked evilly at him, "I'd like to remember how much of an ass you'll make of your self at the party." Lexi and Helga laughed at him.
John rolled his eyes playfully and poked her side. He laughed as she jumped and made a brief glare at him, smiling slightly. "So that's it then?" he asked them. "Party at Lexi's?" They shrugged in response and nodded. "Well, let's get planning. This Saturday; it'll be like a kick off to spring break." They continued eating their ice cream and joking around at Slausen's before Helga looked at her watch. Three forty-five.
"Hey, guys, I gotta go." Helga got up to leave, putting five dollars on the table for her food and a part of the tip. "I'll catch you later Lex." She looked at John with a grin, "Call me later?"
John's eyes were currently on the two senior girls who walked in, wearing a bit of promiscuous clothing attire. He finally noticed Helga staring at him with a annoyed look on her face, he smiled his winning smile at her and watched her melt with satisfaction. "Yeah, I'll call you tonight." Lexi was shaking her head disapprovingly, knowing full well of Johns tactics.
With that, Helga left to meet Arnold at the boarding house; her beating heart being heard from her ears. Her infatuation with both boys was taking a toll on her. She bounded the familiar stoop, knowing all the steps to his house and room by heart. She was greeted by the stray animals running out, and she walked in the red building. Miles saw her first.
"He's in his room Helga," Miles smiled her and chuckled as he watched her race up the steps. 'Those two are meant for each other,' he thought to himself as he went to help his wife in the kitchen, getting ready for dinner. 'It's only a matter of time.'
Arnold was on his computer, typing up his essay for history to get it out of the way, when Helga slammed the door open and jumped on his bed. He chuckled at her dramatic entrance. Since his season ended in early march, they made a deal to meet each other at his house at four, so she could hang out a bit with Lexi and John. He was fine with Lexi, she seemed like a person he could easily be friends with, it was just John he didn't like. Arnold knew about Johns history with many girls at their school, and he wasn't about to let anything happen to Helga. Arnold knows Helga has been quite taken with John, and there was a feeling of annoyance at that, but he couldn't quite understand it. Arnold just made sure, whenever he was around Helga, to always make sure she was cautious around the eighteen year old Casanova. To Arnold, even though Helga brought on this blusterly exterior of herself, he knew her heart was fragile; Arnold figured it was his job to guard it.
"What are you so happy for?" He asked her, walking up to stand beside his bed, his arm crossed in mock disapproval.
Helga just laughed at him, grabbed his hand to pull him up, and they jumped together like kids. They were laughing happily and then Helga jumped into a seated position, Arnold following suit. Helga and Arnold sat in contented silence until she turned to face him. She wanted him and Phoebe to come to the party, so she'll have more than two people to talk to since it'll most likely be only seniors and a few juniors at the lake house. Helga also knew it'll take a lot of convincing for Arnold to come. Phoebe would come with Helga any ways, just to keep an eye on her, since Phoebe also didn't trust John.
Helga tried to muster up all the excitement and convincing into her facial features as she tried to sell her request. She figured he'd go, just to keep an eye on her, but she wanted him to go. Not just feel obligated to. "I have a request for you."
Arnold nodded, smiling at her over excited face. "Oh yeah? What would that be?"
"How does doing something completely fun and exciting before you go to San Lorenzo on Monday? …Like a party?" She hinted, trying to suggest this idea with as much fun filled fervor as possible.
Arnold may be dense, but he knew where this was going, and who she was excited about. He narrowed his eyes, "Do you want me to go with you to this… 'party'… that John is most likely hosting?" Helga nodded slowly, a grimace showing, awaiting the lecture. Arnold took her hands. "Helga. Is there going to be… alcohol?" She nodded, not looking at him. Arnold sighed, exasperated. "Why would you want to surround yourself with that? Helga, look at me!" Helga lifted her head, looking into his emerald eyes. "I've told already, John isn't any good for you! He's treating you like a toy and you're letting him. This isn't the Helga I've known since I was three. It's like you're losing your mind or something!"
Helga was getting angry, she wasn't one to be lectured at like a child, even if it is Arnold. "Hey, listen here, bucko. I can take care of myself! If my own father doesn't talk to me like this, what makes you think I'll let you," she let go of his right hand to point it at his nose. "talk to me like that? Huh? I'm not exactly a fragile piece of china, football head. I know when to step up and I know when I'm being taken advantage of." Her tone softened and she lowered her finger, taking his hand again. "That's just who he is, he told me a lot of people don't understand him, but that I'm one of the people who gets him." She took a deep breath and counted to ten. She looked at Arnold confidently. "Just hang out with us. The party is on Saturday, and it's at Lexi's lake house. I want you to come, so you can get to know John better."
Arnold didn't like this, not one bit. Although, being the best friend he was, he just nodded and said ok. "Fine. I'll go, but only for you. …On a few conditions."
Helga sighed. "What?"
"No drinking. No smoking. No acting stupid. No being alone with him." Helga glared at him. Arnold put his hands up in defense. "What? You're only fifteen Helga. He's older, and he's graduating in about a month." Arnold thought to himself, 'and I don't want him trying anything on you.' Arnold had no clue why the thought of Helga kissing another guy, or doing other 'things', made him uneasy and full of anger. He just figured he had felt that way because it was Helga, his best friend since they were young. "It's nearing the stage of gross." Arnold made a face that he knew always made Helga laugh.
Helga chuckled in return and playfully pulled his hair. "Fine. No drinking or smoking. You know how I feel about that stuff anyways." He nodded. "But… I just wanna try things out with him. I mean, so what if he's 18 and I'm 15?" A smirk came across her face as his eyes narrowed at her again. "If i can recall correctly… you were head over heels in love with that air head Ruth P. Mcdougal in fourth grade and she was a sixth grader, remember?!"
Arnold blushed; he didn't think she'd remember that. Ruth is a junior now, and she is as much as self absorbed as ever. Ruth had taken a liken to Rhonda and Lila, they follow her around like puppies, learning her ways and everything. Ruth had convinced them to join the Hillwood cheer team, and since then, the young freshmen girls egos had sky rocketed. Rhonda's more than it already was, and Lila had hers go beyond what was expected, but Helga always had figured it would happen eventually. The young polite girl dressed in green with red braids had shown the side Helga always knew was there. (AN: Remember her big speech behind the dumpsters during the episode Married? Well if you don't, go watch it and you'll understand my inspiration for the way Lila is acting in my fanfic;) Helga always knew the best qualities of the poor lonely farm girl who is pretty, smart, funny, kind, and popular; everything Helga wasn't, was an act. Helga figured it was only a matter of time before the simple and shallow girl would show her horns underneath her perfect red braids. But… much to her dismay, Arnold still thought Lila was just a confused girl, and her fourth grade self was still there, deep down.
Helga laughed at Arnold's blush, but he answered her, "I was young then. I didn't know any better, besides," Arnold gave a confident smile. "I grew out of it."
Helga tried to keep a straight face, she truly did, but after seconds of trying, the silence was disrupted by her amused snort and wild laughter. Arnold was just looking at her, an eye brow raised in slight annoyance. "What?" he asked. Helga managed to control it, tears forming her eyes.
"Oh please!" Helga replied, trying to catch her breath. "What about Sherry, or Wendi, with an 'i'?" Arnold frowned. "Gerald and I had to listen to you go on and on about them." Helga stood up then, walking around the room with a hand to her heart, eyes half lidded, and a dramatic lovesick sigh escaping her mouth; though deep down, her heart hurt at those memories. It just helped making fun of him for it, she deepened her voice. "Oh Helga, Sherry is so pretty. Her dark brown hair is so long, it cascades down her back like… magic, and her brown eyes are so pretty. She's pretty." Arnold rolled his eyes with a small smile. Noticing this, Helga sighed dramatically again. "Oh Gerald, there's Wendi! Wendi. Such a perfect name for such a… divine creature. Wendi with an 'i'." Helga sigh once again and fell backwards on his bed next to Arnold. She busted out laughing and Arnold couldn't help but laugh with her. 'Helga was always right about those girls,' Arnold thought to himself.
"Face it, Football head," Helga said, as their laugh dissipated to small chuckles. "You fall for a pretty face and then focus on the personality later." Helga just had to let that observation out, she couldn't hold it in. It still hurt her feelings that he can just overlook her, but she still cherished their friendship for all it's worth.
Arnold just looked at her, not knowing what to say, so he just sighed. They were in contented silence as they stared up at the orange sun setting sky through his glass ceiling. After a few moments his door opened, his mom walking in.
"Kids, dinners ready. Grandma and I made spaghetti." Stella didn't want to interrupt when she saw his son and her favorite teen looking at the sky. Stella wanted them to be together more than anything. She didn't like the other girls her son was often infatuated with. 'I love Arnold but he is just as dense as his father sometimes.'
Arnold and Helga jumped up and walked downstairs to the dining room to eat with the rest of the boarding house. The boarders loved Helga and her antics, especially by the way she treats Oskar at the table.
"Hey, little girl! Can I have your toasted bread, I lost mine, heh heh heh." Oskar asked with his smarmy smile.
Helga looked at him and smirked. "Oh, sure, Oskar," she replied in a sweet as sugar voice. She then licked her bread from to bottom and put it on her plate, to make sure he wouldn't move to get it. "When Abner grows wings and flies back to San Lorenzo." The table laughed as he pouted.
When the laughter subsided, Phil asked, "So, what are two crazy kids going to do this weekend before Shortman here leaves to San Lorenzo?"
Helga looked at Arnold pointedly, she wasn't about to force him, but she wasn't about to take no for an answer either. Arnold sighed and looked at his parents. "Actually, Helga invited me and Phoebe to her friends party at the lake about 45 minutes away. We could be back around when ever you want us, but I wanted to make sure you knew and we'd ask."
Helga nodded. "It's on Saturday and it's supposed to start around 6."
Miles and Stella looked at each other before Stella spoke, "Well, I guess it's okay. I know I can trust you two, so be back by 11, okay?" They nodded. Miles said, "Well, at least you told us and didn't lie. Besides, I know you both will be safe and not do anything stupid." They both grinned. Helga was used to Miles and Stella, it was like they were her own parents, she was practically raised by them. "Who's going to drive you?" Stella asked, with an eye brow raised.
Helga answered when Arnold looked at her. "Oh, my friend Lexi. She's the one throwing it and I'm kind of helping her I guess. I wanted Arnold to come so we can hang out before you guys leave."
Arnold smiled slightly and sighed quietly. He knew Helga always worried about him, even more than Gerald did, whenever he went with his parents to check on the Green Eyes. That's why he loved her. 'Of course in a best friend way,' he reasoned. 'Besides, she's too hung up on John to even think about me that way.' He thought bitterly. Arnold was surprised in himself for thinking that way about Helga. He just shrugged it off and continued eating with his family and best friend.
~Saturday~
The day of the party had showed up and when five thirty rolled around, Helga, Phoebe, and Lexi arrived at Arnold's. Lexi honked the horn twice and waited in their jeep.
"Thanks for taking us," said Helga, smirking she continued. "I know dragging around a few freshmen isn't exactly fun." All three girls laughed.
"Oh don't worry about it," Lexi said grinning. "You guys are cool. Johnny's there already, setting everything up, so it's no sweat off my back."
Phoebe grimaced slightly at Johns name. Her voice turned to a squeaky girl tone, "Besides, we can arrive fashionably late!" They all laughed again as Arnold hopped in the back, next to Phoebe.
"Alright," Arnold said, smirking lightly at the laughing girls. "Lex, show us freshmen how to 'party'."
The girls were giggling at him and Lexi turned to face him with a devious smirk of her own.
"Don't mind if I do." She then sped off, leaving tire marks in front of his house.
The party was in full swing by the time they arrived, and still by nine thirty. The house was full of the whole senior class, including the occasional junior, and there was dancing, drinking, and a few were swimming in the lake or piling in the hot tub. The freshmen were having a great time also, hanging around each other the whole time and not drinking a bit of alcohol. They all made a pact on Friday to keep a close eye on each other so they wouldn't be taken advantage of. They were freshmen, but they weren't stupid. Helga still hadn't seen John.
"I wonder where he is," Helga asked Phoebe. "I mean, I can't believe I haven't seen him yet, and I wore this stupid dress for him!"
Phoebe and Arnold gave each other a knowing look and rolled their eyes. Helga didn't notice, she was looking around the room for John.
Phoebe decided to let her down gently, but firmly, she hated seeing her best friend acting so unlike herself. "Helga, I don't think he really… cares about you." Helga looked her with her eye brows raised.
"What are you getting at?"
Phoebe looked at Arnold for help. He sighed and tried to make Helga understand. "Helga. He obviously doesn't care about you tonight. If he did, he would be here right now, hanging out with you. You guys have been… flirting," they both blushed. "Constantly since this semester started and he hasn't tried to date you or anything. In fact, he's been flirting with other girls as well. I think it would be best if you kept your heart on your sleeve and run with it as fast you can from this guy." Arnold said determinedly. "He's just going to break it."
Helga was getting annoyed of his constant speeches. "I know we've had this conversation before, but I already told you both: 'I know what I'm doing'. Don't you guys trust me?" Helga watched as they hesitated. Helga felt as if she couldn't take it anymore. "Fine. Whatever. I'm going to go find John and I'll meet you at the front of the house at ten. We can call a cab and leave." Her tone was final as she turned and left to start her search.
Arnold looked at Phoebe and they both sighed. "I have a bad feeling, Phoebe."
Phoebe nodded solemnly, "I'm deeply afraid that I have to concur."
Helga was walking around the house and saw John stumbling from the bath room. Her smile widened as she saw him but it then lessened as she took in his appearance. She went to him and helped him walk.
"Helga! Hey! What are doing here?" John had embraced her in a tight hug. Helga was trying not to gag at the smell of booze emanating from him. He managed to lead them into a nearby bed room and shut the door from behind him. "Well, I gotta say Helga, you're looking hot as hell in that dress." Helga blushed. She was wearing a short, flowing white dress and her hair was in a side braid, her pink bow tying it at the end instead of a hair tie. She was also wearing her white converse, she couldn't lose her style all the way.
"Oh, your just wasted. I just came to find you and tell you I have to leave. Nice party, I had fun." She turned to leave but John grabbed her arm. "Hey, what do you think your do-?!" She was cut off when his lips crashed into hers. He was forcing himself on him and Helga hated it. She pushed him away and he went toppling to the ground.
John glared at her, "What the hell was that for!" he yelled at her. He steadily got up and was waiting for her answer. She was just glowering at him, when she didn't reply he spoke to her, trying to fill the tense silence. "Well it's not like you don't want me! You're always trying to get in my pants and I'm finally letting you!"
Helga's mouth dropped. "Is that what you think?!" she screeched. She lifted her hand to slap him but John was faster. He grabbed her wrist, and said, "Yes." He pulled her to him, and crashed his lips to hers. She was trying to break away but he was too strong. When he broke for air, she screamed her blood curdling scream, trying to get anyone's attention.
Arnold and Phoebe were going to through the lake house in search for Helga when they finally heard her scream behind one of the doors. In a state of panic, Arnold slammed the door open and before he knew what was happening, he ran to John and shoved him to the ground. He started to punch him harder than he thought he was capable of and was yelling obscenities at him. All he was hearing was Helga's scream in his ear and all he saw was the jerks mouth on her. He gave him a final punch in the eye before Helga and Phoebe pulled him off of John, saying he did enough. He got up and carried Helga out of the room bridle style, Phoebe following quietly behind.
When they were outside he set Helga down and looked her over. Her mouth was a bit bruise and her wrist was red, shapes of fingers were embedded. Helga grimaced in pain when his fingers grazed her wrist. "Shit!" Arnold said in frustration. Helga and Phoebe winced, Arnold never cursed around any one, especially girls, and seeing this change made them uneasy.
"Sorry, are you alright?" Their cab pulled up and Helga just nodded. Phoebe sat on the left in the back seat and Arnold helped Helga sit in the middle between them. Phoebe told the driver where to go, but before he could pull away, John came out of the house and stepped in front of the cab.
"Helga! I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me, can we talk? Or just call me later? Please?" Arnold scowled at him and Helga just stared. She reached over Arnold and rolled down the window. John walked from the front of the of the car to the side and Helga just stared at him. "Helga, I'm so sorry, but you don't understand." Helga narrowed her eyes at this and spit in his face. She rolled the window back up, sat forward, and she stayed silent. By the time the lake house was out of the sight, she looked at Arnold. He was watching her.
Trying to hold the tears in she asked, "Aren't you going to say 'I told you so'? That I broke the pact? That I disobeyed your rule?" Arnold just shook his head and pulled her in his arms, giving her comfort. She finally let the tears go and she cried. Phoebe was giving her soothing pats on her back as Arnold was just rocking her silently. They dropped Phoebe off and Arnold just told the driver to take him to his address. When they got home, the boarding house was silent and he lead a tearful Helga to his bed, tucked her in, and went to sleep on his couch. The whole spring break John had tried calling her cell and visiting her house. Arnold had told Helga before he left to stay with Phoebe and she did. When it was time for school again, Arnold and Helga were walking down the hall when they saw John. His arm was wrapped around a girl wearing a plaid skirt, a blue sweater, and auburn brown hair.
~End of Flashback~
Helga was still sitting in her chair as she spoke, looking into the crowd. "You all hear my songs, and it's safe to assume I write about love. As I said before, there are ups and downs to it. There are many ways you can deal with it and the way I deal with it is I turn completely to music." The crowd was silent, listening intently. "When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he's everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and you realize that Prince Charming is not as easy to have as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he's not easy to spot; he's really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair."
The music starts playing. Helga tries to absorb everything and get lost in her music coming to life. 'Just do this,' Helga thought to herself, willing herself to continue, strumming her guitar. 'Just do this'. She began to sing, picturing John standing in front of her.
Long were the nights when my days once revolved around you
Counting my footsteps,
praying the floor won't fall through, again
My best friend accused me of losing my mind,
but I swore I was fine
You paint me a blue sky
And go back and turn it to rain
And I lived in your chess game,
But you changed the rules every day
Wondering which version of you I might get on the phone tonight
Well I stopped picking up, and this song is to let you know why
'I hate him,' Helga thought furiously. 'I hate him. He made me so weak freshmen year'.
Dear John,
I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?
The girl in the dress,
Cried the whole way home.
I should've known
Arnold was silent, not moving an inch. That night was embedded in his memory forever, her tears from her sobbing on his chest on their way home. How scared he felt when he heard her scream on the other side of the door. The anger he felt.
Well maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame
Or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love then take it away
And you'll add my name to your long list of traitors who don't understand
And I'll look back and regret how I ignored when they said
"Run as fast as you can"
Helga pictured his smirk in front of her, that smirk she used love seeing. She knows now he was just using her, she was just his toy. She wished she listened to Arnold that night. With new found courage she stood up, anger filling her veins, memory of him kissing Ruth in the hall filling her vision.
Dear John,
I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?
The girl in the dress,
Cried the whole way home
Dear John,
I see it all, now it was wrong
Don't you think 15's too young to be played by your dark twisted games, when I loved you so?
I should've known
She put her guitar down and walked to the front of the stage, feeling nothing but hurt and anger. The stage light blinding her vision as she sang on.
You are an expert at sorry,
And keeping lines blurry
Never impressed by me acing your tests
All the girls that you run dry
With tired, lifeless eyes
Cause you burned them out
But I took your matches before fire could catch me,
So don't look now
I'm shining like fireworks over your sad, empty town
Oh...Oh…
Then, with the help of a large projector shining on the stage, a video of fireworks shown on the stage. The crowd was Cheering from where they sat, a Stella and Gertie had tears in their eyes as she told them her story. The front table, (Arnold, Phoebe, Gerald, and Brett) were clapping wildly also. 'She's so strong', Arnold thought with admiringly. 'Tougher than any girl I know'.
Dear John,
I see it all now that you're gone
Well, don't you think I'm too young to be messed with?
The girl in the dress,
Cried the whole way home.
I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?
The girl in the dress wrote you a song
You should've known
She closed her eyes, tears starting to form. The crowd cheered her on, going wild, supporting the young girl on stage.
But don't you think I was too young?
You should've known...
Helga felt an enormous weight come off her shoulders as the applause filled her ears once again. She opened her eyes at the crowd and took it all in. They were going wild. Stella was holding Miles hand as tears of her own were falling down her cheeks. Stella gave her a small smile. Helga took all the strength she could gave and looked at Arnold. He was clapping his hands and gave her his reassuring gaze and half crooked smile. She could practically hear him saying everything is going to be alright.
"Thank you." Helga said softly. The attenders still going strongly. She looked down at her boots and looked back up; her expression changed into a mischievous grin. "Thank you, but I have to say… that was only freshmen year." She gave the confused crowd a secret closed mouth smile, then turned around. As soon as she did, the lights went out.
***Authors Note:
That is a LOT of words for me! [Big Sigh] So here it is. This is what I was working on. I had to do a lot of research for this chapter. I had to see the way Arnold acts during his crushes, Helga's words during that episode, how I could incorporate Taylor's song into this story without messing it all up! I did change a few words but… ehh what ever. It mostly fit. So… tell me what yah think and review? Please? With a cute teenage Arnold on top? Is that going too far?
Lol, until next time… ;D ***