The final class bell sounded, signaling the end of the school day. It's shrill sound echoed through the hallways. Students filed out of their classrooms, fillng these same halls, the shuffling noise of crowds and scuffing shoes quickly drowning out the school bell.

Helga casually shuffled down the main hallway, backpack over her shoulder, heading out the front doors of her high school. The mass of students did the same, all anxious to leave the assumed 'prison of youth' most called high school. Helga slid off to the side, leaning against one of the rusted iron stair railings, lending the right of way to the flood of students around her. Helga looked on with an uninterested expression, watching as the students filed in to busses, cars, and some even walking home. The concrete glistened, tainted by the stains of rain from an earlier shower that day. A faint thunder rumbled in the distance.

Helga slid a hand into her pocket to pull out her cellphone. A new message from...Phoebe?

"Meet your house. Need to talk."

Helga quirked a brow. Phoebe rarely ever said that unless it was something serious. Shoving her phone back into her pocket, Helga quickly began her walk home. The sound of thunder, looming closer now. A raindrop blipped onto Helga's nose. Helga winced, her shoulders dropping in.

"Fuuuuuuuck..." she grunted. She knew what was coming. And it did. The sound of falling water droplets grew louder each second.

"Seriously?" She scoffed rhetorically to herself.

Thick, heavy drops of rain dotted the pavement as she quickened her steps. The rain fell harder-and quickly caught up to her. In a swift motion, Helga reached back to flip up her hood over her head; the bill of her Blues hat still sticking out from under the hood. Shoving her hands in her jacket pockets, she trudged on, cursing her luck as she hastily jogged home.

Phoebe loitered under the Pataki's front door over-hang, edged up right next to the door attempting to escape the downpour of rain. She glanced back and forth, waiting for Helga patiently. She checked her watch. Where the hell is she, Phoebe thought to herself. At last, a gray figure came into view from up the sidewalk, hurriedly jogging her way. She could make out what she assumed to be Helga through the rain; the blue hat under her the hood made it obvious. Helga paced up the steps, keys in hand. She quickly opened the front door for the two of them and they hurried in. Helga hastily closed the door before leaning back against it, panting slightly.

Phoebe held back a giggle, seeing Helga soaking form. Why is the misfortune of others funny?

"The precipitation got you, didn't it?"

Phoebe asked, smiling.

Flipping back her hood, Helga scoffed.

"No I just decided to run through the sprinkler."

Her sarcasm was heavy. Phoebe nodded. Helga took off her damp jacket, hanging it up on the nearby coat rack. Helga then made her way into the kitchen, Phoebe following behind.

"So I got your message, Pheebs. What's up?"

Helga was quick to jump on the subject; she was unusually straightforward for being a girl. Phoebe stood in the archway of the kitchen, hands in her pockets-something she only did when she was nervous. Helga took note of this.

"Well...I know I planned to attend your important game is this evening..." Phoebe looked off to the side, reluctant to look right at Helga. Helga raised a brow in return. Something was definitely up.

"Okay...?"

"Well," Phoebe responded slowly, "Gerald asked to take me on a date tonight..." Phoebe bit her lip, now meeting eyes with Helga, unsure of what her reaction would be. Pheobe rarely ditched Helga for a boy, especially on such an occasion.

Helga paused for a moment, conflicted on what to say. Part of her was in disbelief that Pheobe, her best friend, was choosing Gerald over her. Did anyone care about what was important to Helga? On the other hand, Phoebe was always there for Helga, even when she didn't deserve it. And after her angry outburst at Phoebe that morning, Helga could see why Phoebe would avoid her.

"Okay."

Phoebe looked surprised. Even Helga felt a bit shocked at how casual that sounded, even if she was good at hiding her feelings.

"R-really?" Phoebe asked, almost in disbelief. Helga nodded.

"Yeah. It's cool." Helga shrugged, playing it off as no big deal.

"Gosh, thanks, Helga. To be perfectly honest, I thought you'd be mad."

Helga scoffed, shaking her head slightly. "Tss, nah. You go have fun. You can just come to another game this year."

Phoebe paused for a moment, completely shocked by Helga's apparent easy-going reaction to the situation.

"Well, alright Helga. I appreciate it." She smiled at her friend, feeling ecstatic inside that she would get to go out with Gerald. Suddenly, a faint honk was heard coming from outside.

"Oh, that must be him. I told him to pick me up from here."

Helga nodded. Great. Why don't you just take everyone away from me, God, Helga thought to herself. Phoebe swiftly walked over to Helga, giving her a quick hug.

"Bye Helga. Good luck at your game tonight."

Helga forced a half smile, nodding slowly.

"Thanks, Pheebs. You too." And with that, Phoebe jogged down the front hallway and out the front door to a waiting Gerald, idling in his car. As the door closed behind her, Helga sighed heavily, staring down at the counter. She really was all alone now. Even her best friend abandoned her. Helga stood there in the kitchen momentarily, her mind running away with these thoughts, making her feel more depressed. Making her wish things could go back to the way they were before... when Arnold was still here.

Helga clenched her eyes tightly, biting her bottom lip. Her chin trembled some as she stood there, thoughts racing back to Arnold; specifically when they dated shortly after their return from San Lorenzo. She was the happiest she had ever been. Was. Until he left, returning to San Lorenzo to live with his parents.

"Dammit, Arnold, why did you have to leave..." Helga spat out to no one in particular. She

He promised her he would return soon; that he would come back for her. She trusted him. She always trusted him. One year after he was gone, nothing. Two years: nothing. Now six years later, and Helga still felt her heart ache for him, even if he did abandon her.

Helga sniffled, holding back a tear. She stood up straight at last, taking a deep breath and opening her eyes. Recomposing herself, she shooed away these thoughts and brought herself back to reality. She glanced over at the clock. Four thirty-five. Helga gasped.

"Criminy! I better go! Game starts at six." Helga frequently talked to herself. She found it calming. And, as weird as it seems, she needed as much calmness as she can get.