ATTENTION: this chapter has some sexual stuff- only kissing, no touching or lemons or anything, but i figured i would give a warning.
review and let me know what you think!
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I sat on the bench at Gerald field.
-Meet at the nook in 5?
It was Arnold. I sighed and quickly typed a response.
-Don't bother, I'm not there.
I tapped my fingers on the glass of my phone's screen and waited for Arnold to respond.
-What do you mean, you're not there? Did you skip class again?
I frowned.
-What's it to you, Arnoldo?
-It's not like you, that's all. Where are you?
Listing the pros and cons, I debated telling him where I actually was. But Arnold wasn't some dumb kid; it wouldn't take him long to find me anyway. And it wasn't like I was really making a good effort at hiding.
-Gerald Field. Doi.
-I should have guessed. Want company?
This surprised me, Arnold NEVER skipped class.
Yeesh, what was I turning that football-head into? A curse word yielding, school skipping rebel?
-Your choice. But you shouldn't skip class.
-You're one to talk, Helga. I just have my free period next hour anyway.
I clicked the button to shut the screen to black again, but my phone buzzed once more.
-Don't go anywhere, Helga. I don't want to spend two hours looking for you again.
A couple months ago, Arnold and I had gotten into a fight, which wasn't incredibly unusual for us, but Arnold had a knack for fizzling out most of our arguments. But not this one.
A few kids had caught wind to a rumor about Arnold and I kissing in the parking lot after school, and once again, Arnold told me I should give up the charade and just tell people.
I couldn't understand why the kid was so weirdly proud of me. He like... wanted to show me off to everyone which just didn't make any sense. I wasn't some gorgeous blonde bimbo he could tote around. I wasn't anything but me- Helga the bully with the one eyebrow and the unhappy disposition.
Anyway, I had run off from school. Called in sick to work and just... took off. It isn't like my parents gave a shit if I went missing for the rest of the night. But Arnold did.
Kid musta called me over a hundred times before he found me hanging out in the ally behind Slausen's.
"What are you doing here, Helga?"
I shrugged and flicked a crushed can into the wall ahead of me with a loud CLANG!
"Buzz off."
"Don't do this again, Helga. It's taken me so long to get to you."
"Ever think it isn't worth it?"
He took a few steps to sit next to me and sit with his legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles. His hands folded neatly in his lap, and his eyes focused on the wall ahead of us; graffiti of all different colors staring back at us.
"I never understood why graffiti was considered vandalism." he said randomly, and I turned to look at him dumbfounded.
"Huh?"
"I mean, look at it." He gestured forward and I looked to the intricate designs some Hillwood thug had carelessly sprayed on the old bricks.
"What about it, Arnold? It's just some tag of some sort. Big deal."
"Somebody spent a lot of time on it." He kept going, and I glanced at him while he talked before returning my gaze to the painted brick wall. "I mean, I certainly couldn't do that. Could you?"
I shrugged, my eyes casting downward to my fingers as they picked at each other.
"I guess not. What's your point, anyway?"
"My POINT," he started, "is that there is a lot more to this 'vandalism' than meets the eye. If you look at it, REALLY look at it, follow the patterns and the colors... it's beautiful. It's art. And why should beautiful art be considered illegal?"
"Probably because it's on private property, doi."
He twisted his body to face me.
"I know we've only been dating four months, Helga. But I see you for more than you see yourself... kinda like this graffiti. You're so complex. There's more to you than you show people and I've just been one of the only lucky ones to see that... to see what's hiding underneath. I guess... I guess I've ALWAYS seen it, but..." his voice trailed off.
My eyes searched his briefly, unable to reply to the things he was telling me.
"What...what are you getting at." I said more than asked and a smile grew on his face.
"Just because you see yourself as something wrong or broken or whatever... it doesn't mean I do."
I twisted my body to face him completely and sat pretzel-style.
"So what DO you see me as?"
He studied me for a moment, his eyes tracing every inch of me and I suddenly felt exposed and naked before him, even though I was fully dressed and still the same old Helga I had always been.
"You're beautiful, Helga."
"Thanks for not running." Arnold's voice came from across the field as he walked towards me.
"Whatever."
Arnold had become quite accustomed to my 'self defense mechanisms' and mostly just ignored them now.
He knew I'd eventually cave and start talking.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asked gently, his steps slowing as he grew nearer to the bench.
"If I DID do you think I'd have skipped school to come HERE?"
He smiled sweetly and sat down beside me, his hand resting softly on my thigh.
"You're going to tell me anyway."
"So let me be stubborn for a while before I do."
The wind rustled through the trees and made the grass dance all around Gerald field; the smell of fall tickling my nostrils.
"Do you love me, Arnold?" The words came out suddenly and I found myself almost regretting the decision to let them out of my mouth.
I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the look he was surely giving me.
"Do I love you?" He repeated, his voice soft; thoughtful.
"Yeah. Do you love me?"
I kept my eyes shut tightly; the wind making the hair all over my body stand on it's end.
"Why do you ask?"
"You can't answer my question with another question, Arnold. It doesn't work like that."
"Since when?"
I sighed and gave up, opening my eyes and turning my head to look at him.
"Do you?"
His green eyes focused on mine for a long, intense moment. I could almost see memories flashing in his brain as he though through every aspect of my question.
I broke my look from him, realizing I had blown everything with only a few words.
But then he answered.
"Yes."
I hadn't expected that one.
My eyes darted to his.
"No you don't. You're just saying that." I was shaking, but I tried with all my might to control my wild nerves.
"No I'm not."
"Then say it."
"I love you." He didn't hesitate this time, but I still couldn't believe him.
"No you don't."
"Helga." He was firmly holding my hands in his now; the circulation starting to struggle at how tight his grip was. "I love you."
I swallowed the dry air and nodded my head slowly.
"Are you going to say something?" He asked and I stared at him before responding.
"You know how I feel, Arnold."
"And yet you've never said it again. Not since..." I knew when the last time was I told him I loved him.
Ages ago, it felt now.
"But you know."
"And you didn't? You never knew? In everything I did, everything I've said... you still needed to hear it?"
My voice was soft now. "I've dreamed of you saying those words to me ever since I can remember. I clung to it. And now-"
"It's true. So what do you have to say, Helga?"
I searched his eyes as they remained locked on me; hanging on my every word.
Why was it after all this time and all those feelings... the words couldn't come out?
"I... I l-lo..." my voice wavered, fear settling into my bones. "I love you, Arnold. I've always loved you."
He smiled. "I know that now." he brushed away an invisible tear from my cheek. "So are you going to talk to me now?" He asked after a moment; his hands still holding onto mine.
"I guess." he waited and I forced all the air out of my lungs before inhaling again and letting out my thoughts. "So maybe I've been kinda-sorta thinking about the whole telling people thing."
Arnold smiled.
"Really?"
"Only kinda-sorta."
"Right. And?"
"And I don't want to."
His smiled melted to a frown.
"Really."
"Hear me out, okay?" His eyebrows raised for a moment before he relaxed and I tried to plead my case. "If you let us keep this whole thing a secret for a while longer... I'll..." I sighed, "I'll let you take me to prom."
"Really?"
"Is that the only word you know? Yes, really."
"Any other requests?" He teased and I thought considerably about what else I really wanted.
"Nah, I guess not."
"Nothing?"
I nodded my head. "Nothing at all. You lucked out this time, hair boy."
Arnold watched me for a moment. Looking in his eyes I saw the little kid who noticed me all those years back. The same kid who later hated me, kinda liked me, liked me liked me and now loved me. I bit my lip for a moment as we observed each other in a way we had never given each other a chance to try before.
His hand snaked up from my hand to rest on my neck; his touch making my nerves go wild again and I suddenly felt incredibly nervous.
It only took moments before our lips found each other's. I pulled him into me and savored every moment that our lips touched and moved with one another's. His breath was cool and labored, his body pushing into mine as we tangled into one another on the wooden bench at Gerald Field.
His lips grew anxious and soon he was leaning into me and I was leaning back; now laying completely on the bench as he crouched over me with his lips crushing mine.
Something was different. He didn't act like this.
What was he up to?
"A-A-Arnold..." I stuttered out as I turned my head so his lips could tiptoe down my neck and to the edge of my shirt collar.
"Yes?" his voice was raspy, and it took all my willpower to reach out and grab his chin to force him to look at me.
"What are you doing?" I was breathing heavily and Arnold's eyes fluttered open to look at me.
"Do... Do you want me to-to stop?" he sounded hurt and I couldn't help but shake my head because I really, really didn't want him to.
He smiled and began to kiss me again, but I stopped him once more.
"You don't want this." I whispered, my fingertips lightly touching under his eyes. "Not here."
He pushed himself up and back to a seated position, and I leaned upwards to look at him as I tried to regulate my now crazed breathing.
"Sorry." he mumbled and I smirked.
"Like you have anything to apologize for. It wasn't like I WANTED to stop you."
"So why did you?" he turned to look at me, his cheeks a brighter red than I had ever seen before.
"Because I know you. And you love me, Arnold, but you don't love me like I love you. Not yet."
"But Helga-"
"Oh you WILL. No doubt in my mind about THAT. But not yet. And that's okay." I shrugged. "I haven't given up on you yet. I can wait."
The familiar tune of Arnold's alarm went off and he pulled out his phone to silence it. "I should probably head back. AP government and all..."
"I know."
He stood up and started to make his way back from where he came from, but he stopped and turned around for a moment. "Are you really going to let me take you to prom? Like in a dress and everything?"
I smirked and sat all the way up to rest my back against the wall and cross my arms. "The whole works, football-head. But you have to get me to say yes first."
"But you said-"
"Eh, eh, eh. Not so fast, Hair Boy. Just because I said I would let you TAKE me, doesn't mean you don't still have to ask me."
"That's the way you wanna tell the class, then?"
I thought for a moment.
All these years it had always been me pining after Arnold, and the idea of him pining after me, even just for something as stupid and meaningless as PROM, gave me a warm feeling on my insides, so I nodded my head.
"Yup. But you better woo me."
Arnold nodded his head thoughtfully and smiled. "Alright. I can do that."
"You really think you can, huh bucko?"
He kept walking towards his car.
"Yes I do, Helga."
"You sure it'll work?"
"Yes I am, Helga."
"Do you love me?"
he stopped and turned around to shoot me one last smile before he left me alone to finish skipping class for the day. "Yes, I do, Helga."
"Well... I love you too, football-head."
When he was finally out of earshot, I collapsed to lay back on the bench again, at last able to let out the swoon I had been holding in nearly all day.
Oh...
The next two days were... oddly uneventful.
Even English class.
Each day our group of five rushed to the computer lab so we could each get our own computer- there wasn't enough for every person in the class, and our bunch wasn't about to go sharing computers between us.
So every day we arrived so early we got the first row of computers and sat silent as we each did our own thing. Eugene wrote the script, I worked on our accompanying paper, Rhonda scrolled through costume ideas, Lila compiled a list of props and scene details, and Arnold familiarized himself with the editing software he would be using to splice together our video when it was done.
Wednesday and Thursday blurred together so completely that I had lost track of the last time I had even talked to Arnold for any length of time in person. Most of our conversing happened through the computers DURING English class.
Yes, the world of messenger had done us well.
Mostly, I complained to him about our group.
PINKBOW87: I can't believe the luck. Of ALL THE PEOPLE in the DAMN CLASS it hadto be THEM in our group.
BLUEHAT5: It isn't that bad, Helga. Most of the class will be spent on the computers.
PINKBOW87: And the ACTING? What about THAT? Or the deciding on things as a group thing? Criminy.
BLUEHAT5: Only a fraction of the time. I still don't see the point of hiding all this until prom. Prom isn't even that far away anymore.
I glanced around the room, before returning to the screen to type my response.
PINKBOW87: It's in MAY, Arnoldo. That's months away.
BLUEHAT5: Yes, but people start asking soon.
I sighed, glancing over to Arnold who looked very intent on doing something, but I knew all he was doing was waiting for my response.
PINKBOW87: Who asks that far ahead of time, Arnold? Who?
I waited for the messenger box to pulse it's light with his answer.
BLUEHAT5: Gentlemen.
One word.
PINKBOW87: More like weird football-heads.
The bell rang and I quickly closed all the windows and saved my work before logging off and pulling my backpack off the back of my chair. But of course, I had forgotten to zip it back up after hunting for my earbuds and all of my messy scraps of notes and poems scattered onto the floor among my textbooks and pens.
Naturally, it was Arnold who rushed to come and help me with the mess I'd made.
I could feel eyes on us, one pair in particular, and it wasn't Rhonda's.
Lila Sawyers eyes were hot on us as we picked up the papers and straightened them out to fit back into their appropriate folders.
I glanced at Arnold, and then back to Lila before sighing and realizing it was prime time to prove how NOT together Arnold and I were supposed to be.
"I don't need your HELP, Hair Boy." I scowled, though inside, I felt tired and uncaring.
"Helga, I just-"
"Lay off, Arnold. Seriously." I snatched the papers from his hands and shoved them into my backpack and hurriedly zipped it up.
"Helga." His voice was harder than usual. He stood up and offered his hand out; his eyebrow raised as he waited for my next move.
My eyes shifted to see if Lila was still watching, but it seemed as though Arnold and I were alone in the room.
I had overreacted.
As if Lila actually cared about my life or what I was doing with it.
"S-sorry." I said, reaching out to take his hand and allow him to pull me up.
He handed me my backpack and smiled, leaning in to kiss me on my cheek. "It's fine, Helga." he said quietly and together we exited the lab to run off for our next class.
Friday rolled around and instead of hurrying to the tech lab for English, I slowly took my time getting there. I figured Eugene would be the one to get there earliest and save us spots like the last two days. But when I saw Arnold, Lila and Rhonda but NO Eugene, I realized all of us must have shared that same thought too.
We entered the tiny computer lab last, you see. And we were forced to share the last two computers in the tiny room.
Rhonda, Lila, Myself and Arnold.
What a group we were without the glue of Eugene's optimism keeping our project afloat.
"So who has Eugene's flash drive? Anyone?" I looked between my other 3 partners who stared back at me with blank faces. "Great. How are we supposed to finish our damn script?"
I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed.
"Well, football-head, you're the closest thing to Eugene we're gonna get today. Any ideas?"
Arnold shifted his weight between his feet before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Eugene mentioned something about working on the script at home, he said he's almost done... So I guess just keep working on the rest of our individual stuff?"
I rolled my eyes. "That's a pretty dumb suggestion. Even PRINCESS has better ideas than that."
"So what do YOU suggest, Helga?"
"Well FIRST off, let's take a gander around the room and do some math. 4 people and only 2 computers means we have to partner off. Who is going to work with who?"
Rhonda grinned.
"I'll go with Arnold. Seeing as you two hate each other and all."
My eyes widened slightly.
"Really?" Arnold questioned, his look shifting between Rhonda and I. "Al-alright, Rhonda. Helga, that means you'll share computers with-"
"Miss Goody-Two-Shoes over here. Yeah. I got it, Arnoldo."
I stomped my way to the nearest computer and pulled a rolling chair up to the desk the monitor was on.
Great.
"Let's get a move on, Lila. We have work to do."
With a dopey smile, she scooted a nearby chair that was leftover from a torn-apart desk beside me and daintily sat down on it.
"What do you have left to do, Helga?" She asked cheerfully, and I frowned at the screen as it woke up after I tapped the mouse on the mousepad.
"Not much. I worked on it at home some." I tried to keep myself at bay from ripping her apart too much; our partnership seemed to worry Arnold as I kept catching him watch me from across the room where he sat by Rhonda.
Lila noticed too.
"Arnold sure does watch you just ever so much."
I sighed.
"So?"
"Well I think maybe he likes you, Helga."
I scoffed and double clicked on the 'My Documents' icon once the computer finished logging me in.
"Right. And you think this because he looks at me? Sheesh."
"He looks at you differently though. Just oh so differently."
"Oh so differently," I intoned her while I squinted at the screen to re-read the sentence I had last finished typing yesterday. "What do you know, about it anyway."
Lila leaned in a bit to me.
"You know, Helga," she started, but I kept my attention focused on the paper I was trying to write, "I know we haven't been just the best of friends and all, but I like to think I am a trust worthy person and-"
"Look, Lila. Spare me the speech and get on with it."
"I just want you to know that... well..." her voice softened and she leaned in closer still- I could smell the sweet perfume she had put on this morning and it made my head begin to ache. "I've never told your secret, Helga."
I licked my lips, blinked a few times, leaned back from the computer screen and set my hands on my lap.
"What secret." I stated through clenched teeth, and I could tell she was getting nervous now.
"About... you know who."
"What? Hair Boy?"
"If you mean... Arnold... than yes."
I sighed and twisted my chair to look at Lila, my arm gently resting on the back of the chair as I looked at her.
"Lila. Listen to what I'm about to tell you, okay?" she nodded her head and her hair, a now short auburn bob, did just that and bobbed with her head. "Whatever weird notion all you guys have about me and football-head over there, is completely off. And I'd APPRECIATE it if you all would just shut up and leave it and me alone."
"Well gosh, I just-"
"I'm not kidding."
"-wanted to tell you I-"
"Lila. STOP."
"-am oh too sure I wouldn't-"
"What are you doing? I said STOP."
"-tell anyone about you two."
I stared at her incredulously.
Lila wants me to what... confess it all to her? Yeah right!
I was laughing in my head, but my outward composure remained unphased.
"What are you trying to do, huh?"
a smile warmed her face and she took on that doe-eyed innocent thing she had always had going for her.
"I mean... you... how do you know he doesn't still like YOU, huh?" I tried to throw her off course, but she shook her head.
"As much as I would like for that to be true and I would be very flattered to have another chance at a possible relationship with Arnold," she paused as if trying to find the right words, "I am just oh so sure Arnold doesn't have feelings like that for me anymore."
"Right. You got the hots for him now, don't ya?" I turned my chair back to face the computer screen and tapped my fingertips on the keyboard trying to think of something to write.
But Miss Perfect kept distracting me.
"I'm ever so sure it doesn't matter anymore." her voice wasn't laced with the sickening sweetness that usually comes with her words, and I hesitated for a moment to let her keep talking. "Arnold is a wonderful guy. Just oh so wonderful. But to be perfectly honest, Arnold and I never would have worked out."
"But you just said you wouldn't mind a second chance with him? Make up your mind." I snapped.
"Yes, I did say that, but my thoughts remain the same. I'm just certain Arnold and I still wouldn't work out, even now."
"You really think that?" I was intrigued.
"Of course."
"But... why? I mean.. if you kinda like him now or whatever."
"Well," she started, thoughtfully, "I guess if I were to be really honest with myself and my feelings and all, I would say that we're too alike. But we're... well we are oh so very different as well."
"I don't get it." I deadpanned, but she smiled and continued.
"I think you do, Helga." She stated finally, but at my lack of reaction, she added, "We may be optimistic and kinder than some of our other classmates, but when it comes right down to it, we don't have many- if any- similar interests." she shrugged matter-of-factly and I watched her in almost awe.
"In fact," she was STILL going, "I always thought the two of you would make just a wonderful couple."
"You... you did?"
Her head nodded again while I frowned. "After you told me about-" she took note of my facial expression before continuing, "-the Romeo and Juliet play in fourth grade, I started to watch how you acted around Arnold." She chuckled quietly to herself, like a little fairy elf or something, "I was oh so sure that what you had told me was true. That you loved him, and all." she winked my way and I continued to frown at her.
At least she was being quiet, I thought.
"But I don't anymore." I held my ground, but unfortunately, it was time I fessed up and admitted that Lila wasn't the dumb country girl I always thought her to be. She knew better.
"I'm not so sure I believe that, but I understand if you don't want to tell anybody. Your secret will still be safe with me, Helga." She smiled.
"But why do this? Why especially if you just said that you wouldn't mind a second chance with him?"
Lila grinned and reached out to touch my shoulder softly.
"Because we're friends, and I am just ever so certain I could never do such a very mean thing to a friend."
I was watching her intently.
Lila thought of us as... friends?
"Friends." I scoffed quietly, but not completely repulsed and I frowned at that reaction. I knew what was going through my mind.
Helga. You are NOT thinking about telling her.
This is Lila we're talking about. LILA! You can't go and blab your secrets to her!
But then again... She didn't tell... I mean, she still hasn't but still.
I can't trust Lila Sawyer.
"And... and what if I DID tell you we might... Arnold and I..." my voice trailed off in lack of direction, but Lila knew where I had been going.
"I'm ever so sure I wouldn't tell. It could be... our little secret."
Yuck.
"Well don't get your hopes up pal, because you're way off track. There's nothing to tell."
"Well alright, Helga."
"Like nothing."
"I understand."
"Not a single tiny little thing is happening between me and football-head."
"Of course, Helga."
I glanced over to Rhonda who was trying very unsuccessfully to hang on Arnold's shoulder, but he kept shaking her off.
I smiled.
And right as I smiled, Rhonda got up from her chair to go to the bathroom I assumed. And right as she left the room, a pop up did just that and popped up right on my screen.
Just popped right on up.
Arnold's very obvious username.
BLUEHAT5:You know I would have partnered with you, right?
I quickly minimized the screen, but Lila had seen.
I wasn't DUMB.
"What was that?" She asked, but I wasn't about to give in that easily.
"Huh? That? Oh, uh... nothing. Just a uh... just a pop up." I laughed nervously.
If Arnold would have seen how bad I was sweating due to his lack of thinking before messaging, maybe he would have stopped.
Maybe I could have finished class with some dignity.
Maybe Lila Sawyer wouldn't have seen and I wouldn't have had to leave the lab with the knowledge that ONCE AGAIN, Lila knew something that could ruin me.
BLUEHAT5: She keeps flirting with me.
I tried to minimize the screen again, but football-head sent another one too fast.
BLUEHAT5: She's trying to get on your nerves.
I clicked at my screen desperately but it was too late.
I was found out.
"I'm ever so sure I'm not trying to meddle or anything, but is that Arnold's username?" She asked and a mad rage zoomed through my veins and up to my face.
Veins must have been popping.
Popping as much as the damn pop up window Arnold's messages kept giving me.
BLUEHAT5: I know you'll probably say to not worry about it, but I just don't want you thinking our relationship is in trouble. Rhonda hasn't even said anything yet.
I hit the circular power button on the monitor to make the screen go black in a desperate attempt to save myself from further embarrassment.
Together, Lila and I looked at the blank screen. My eyes must have been wide as saucers. I watched Lila's reflection in the computer screen to see there was a small smile hinting at her face.
"Helga..."
"I don't want to talk about it."
Lila, for once, shut her mouth. And together, we continued to stare at our reflections in the computer screen while I gathered my thoughts.
Rhonda waltzed back into the room, shot me a look, and then walked to her spot beside Arnold and tried to scoot closer to him.
He turned around to see what I was up to, but when he caught look of my 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression, the color drained from his face.
That's right, football-head. You weren't THINKING, were you? I thought loudly in my head as if I could send him the message telepathically.
I let out a deep sigh, realizing Lila was waiting for some kind of explanation. Slowly, I reached out to turn on the monitor again and waited for the screen's image to light up.
Staring ahead of us, was that damn pop up blinking back at me; Arnold's username burned there in front of our eyes.
I closed it and turned to look at Lila very seriously.
"Lila. I-I... I don't know why he would message me those things-"
But she cut me off with a smile and a nod.
"I always kind of knew something was going on."
"Nothing's going on." She looked at me for a prolonged second and I finally, very unwillingly, gave up. I quick searched around me to make sure nobody was listening and was reminded very quickly that the world did NOT revolve around me and nobody had their eyes on us as we talked.
Everyone was worried about their own lives, their own problems, and their own projects.
I met Lila's expectant eyes and nodded my head minimally.
"You win, okay?" my voice was weak.
"I won't tell anyone, Helga."
"You better HOPE you won't."
"I'm sure I won't."
The bell let out it's monotone ring, and I saved the paper I did relatively no work on, and logged off the computer.
"I can't BELIEVE this is happening..." I grumbled to myself while Lila and I packed away our things to leave for our next classes.
"You okay?" Arnold's voice asked and I looked up at him from where I was crouched beside my backpack.
"I'm fine, hair boy."
I could sense Lila's dumb smile while she watched us and I shot her a look.
"Don't you have something better to do, Lila?" I snapped and she nodded her head, her eyes going between the both of us.
"Lila," Arnold said suddenly; her name not something I particularly liked hearing from his lips, "Please don't-"
She held a hand up to stop him. "Don't worry about me, Arnold. As I just told Helga..." she paused for a moment, smiled, winked and then continued, "All of my work is done."
He furrowed his brow quizzically, but I knew what she was doing.
Rhonda walked right passed us and halted just behind Arnold; her eyes watching skeptically as we kept talking.
"Your work?" He asked.
"For the project. I'm all caught up." She turned around, gave Rhonda a smile, and left the room.
Rhonda, myself and Arnold trailed after her.
"What just happened?" Arnold asked once we were out of earshot from anyone who would know the origin of our conversation.
"Lila Sawyer happened." I stopped midstride and turned to glare at him. "WHAT were you thinking?" I said as loudly as I could without arising suspicion.
"I wasn't. I'm sorry, Helga."
"You KNEW she was with me, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"So WHY?"
Arnold shrugged; his eyes cast downward on his feet.
"It was a mistake, Helga."
"A DUMB mistake." I groaned before remembering just who I was talking to. I took a deep breath, counted to three, and then let it out. "I'm sorry too, Arnold. I shouldn't have snapped at you."
"It's fine, Helga."
"Will you stop saying that, already? It ISN'T fine."
Arnold reached up to scratch his head before finally connecting his eyes with mine. "So what now?"
I shook my head and diverted my eyes from his.
"I don't know, Arnold. Nothing I guess." I gestured in a random direction, "Lila probably won't tell, but it doesn't mean I trust her anymore than I trust Rhonda."
"I doubt Lila will tell anyone. She didn't even admit it to me that she knew. Are you sure she does?"
I laughed loudly and crossed my arms. "OH yeah. She knows."
"You...you confirmed it?"
My thoughts went back to how it all happened and I smacked my lips together. "Yeah. I guess I did."
"Really."
I rolled my eyes. "Not this again. YES. Really."
The warning bell for class went off signaling we only had five more minutes before Lunch officially began. Up ahead, Gerald approached us with eyes focused on dancing between Arnold and I.
"What's goin' on you two?" When nobody answered, Gerald nudged Arnold's shoulder and nodded his head in the way of the cafeteria. "It's taco bar, today. Let's get our spots before they run out of meat again."
Arnold bit his lip for a moment and nodded his head, soon turning around to follow Gerald.
But while he turned around, his head remained turned to keep his eyes locked on me.
He was worried about me.
And as sweet as that was and as much as I wanted to swoon at the thought that Arnold himself was worried about ME, Helga G. Pataki, there were SO MANY more things I needed to be thinking about.
I made a mental checklist in my head of all the people who KNEW, without a doubt KNEW about Arnold and me:
Phoebe.
Gerald.
And with a sigh, I added the final name- Lila.
"At least it's the weekend." I told myself as I blindly walked to the cafeteria for Friday's 'TGIF Taco Bar'. "Gives me two days to figure out what the hell we're going to do..." I kept muttering as I neared the line of people ready to get their taco on.
Pfft, I thought as I entered the long line that was now out of the cafeteria and into the hallway, TGIF indeed...
So I'm not SUPER happy with this chapter only because there is SO MUCH info that needed to happen, and i just felt like it got long, but whatever.
Let me know what YOU guys think!
ps- i read somewhere that people don't like Rhonda being so horrible and mean. I have a few comments revolving my story and that.
a- she isn't going to be this horrible the whole time, scouts honor.
b- every story needs a bad guy
c- this story thrives on her being how she is and i promise i put a lot of thought into how characters would act depending on which direction their lives went after Hey Arnold! ended.
SO
review and see you next chapter!
xoxo
Polkahotness