You wore me down with so many great reviews. Had to continue it. Sorry about not updating. Senior Year is crazy! Anyways! I Decided The Pre-School Teacher has more to say on the matter. Read and Find Out!
"Man, she really has it out for you. Are you sure you can handle this year?" Gerald looked to his best friend, who had a paintbrush slapped against the back of his head.
"I'm not sure, but I'm gonna try." Arnold reasoned while glaring at Helga, who was across the stage laughing.
"Mr. Shortman! How dare you waste paint! What is the reason of this shenanigans?!" a balding, fat man with a drama-queen attitude scolded the boys. "Mr. Johansson! I believe pouring paint on your friend here is cause enough for a referral!"
"Mr. Roberts, I swear I didn't do it! Helga did!" Gerald defended. He knew Mr. Roberts was looking for any kind of reason to get him out of Stage Craft, but really? Accusing him of putting paint on his best friend? That's messed up!
"Arnold, who dumped the paint on you?" Mr. Roberts questioned…
Great… I get to be a snitch… just the kind of reputation I need… Arnold thought solemnly.
"Well, Mr. Shortman, we're waiting…?"
"Uhh…" was all Arnold could manage.
"Mr. Roberts?" the intercom system boomed through the auditorium.
"Yes?" he replied
"I need Arnold Shortman, Gerald Johanssen, Phoebe Hyerdoll, and Helga Pataki in the deans office."
"Alright." He replied before the intercom cut out. "You kids got lucky. Leave. Now." He turned around and stormed back stage to make sure his play was going according to plan.
The 4 Teens grabbed their belongings and made their way up to the deans office.
"Really Helga?" Gerald decided to push her.
"What do you want, Hair boy?" Helga scowled at him.
"I want answers Pataki! Why do you always pick on my main man here?"
"First off, you sound Gay when you call him that, and secondly, because he makes it too easy to mess with him Geraldo! Criminey!"
"Helga, why can't you just be nice to me for 5 minutes?" Arnold questioned. It was their Freshman Year in High School. He thought she would've quit with the bullying by now.
Helga pretended to think before responding "I could be nice, but messing with you is much more fun." Helga laughed before putting her headphones in, pulling her pink hood over her head and turning on her music.
Helga had grown into her figure- not that anyone would notice. Helga was 5'7, meaning she was taller than most girls in her class. She was also skinny, but her clothes were poorly washed because Miriam was useless and Helga only got hand-me-downs from Olga. Nothing ever fit her right, but nobody besides Phoebe and Lila noticed. Helga hadn't bothered to wax her eyebrow, because it was really no point if she had nobody to impress besides Arnold. Helga was the bully of the class and even terrified Senior Boys with just one glare. When it came to Helga G. Pataki- you didn't want to mess with her.
Lila, once being Helga's enemy, was now a good friend to Helga. Lila knew about Helga's secret, and kept quiet about it. Lila was one of the prettiest and nicest girls at school. Arnold, was still in love with her and extremely dense. Lila, however, had no interest in Arnold; Lila was hoping Arnold would realize just how great Helga was and would someday feel the same way about Helga too. She had an on and off relationship with Stinky.
Phoebe was still petite as usual. Not much had changed about her. Gerald, though, had taken extreme notice of her curves and couldn't help but sneak a glance at her. Gerald, being the Captain of the Baseball and Football Team, had all the cheerleaders chasing him down- but his eyes were glued to Phoebe. Phoebe however, didn't notice, since girls were always gawking about how handsome Gerald had become, and Jealousy was her blindfold. Gerald had managed to make advances on Phoebe though, and was her date to every school dance. Helga and Arnold knew that Gerald and Phoebe were meant to be- it was only a matter of time.
Arnold had grown into that freakishly shaped football head of his, and since he was Co-Captain of the Baseball and Football Team, He got waves of girls at his feet. He was the nice guy; the kind any girl would kill to bring home to her dad. Every girl thought Lila was crazy for not liking him, but they were also happy they were given an opportunity. Arnold still didn't notice Helga. And Helga was pretty tired of it, but it was all she had and all she knew.
The four kids reached the Deans Office and stepped inside. The secretary pointed them to a back room where the principal was before returning to her work. The kids stepped inside.
had been promoted to the Principal of the high school for his excellence (Yeah, Right…) and now dictated their every move.
"I've been expecting you…" Mr. Wartz turned around in his chair to face the teens. None were thrilled about seeing him, and even less entertained that he tried to be dramatic, so they just stared at him- bored.
"Students, as you know- it's a part of high school to have community service hours, and since all of you decided upon the same scholarship, I've decided to sign you up for Volunteering Hours with Urban Tots Preschool, seeing as you all attended."
The teens were all in disbelief. "Babysitting? Me? You've Got To Be Kidding!" Helga shouted.
"No Ms. Pataki. I'm Afraid Not. Women are much better with Children, and you need the hours."
"Excuse me" Phoebe chimed in "Arnold and Gerald aren't females."
"Yes, But they have outstanding attendance, grades and no disciplinary issues. They are fine, trustworthy boys, and they also need the hours. The Pre-School needs men to help around and if they wont communicate with the kids, they can repair broken items at the pre-school."
"Alright." Arnold knew better than to argue. He knew how to take care of kids because Susie's nephew Oscar always came over and the adult Oscar always pushed the baby off to Arnold. Arnold also spent most of his life repairing the boarding house. He really had nothing to lose.
"Any further questions?" Mr. Wartz asked flatly.
"Yeah, since we have to, when in the heck do we watch the tots?"
"Ah! A fine question. Since Mr. Shortman and Mr. Johannsen have Practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Games on Fridays- You'll Watch them Next week til the end of the school year on Monday's and Wednesdays. The Pre-School doesn't need help on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays either. "
"But I have things to do on Monday and Wednesday!" Helga stressed
"Really Ms. Pataki? They aren't School activities, so they aren't that important."
"I've been a ballet dancer since I was 3 years old, that's 12 Years of Ballet! I'm pretty sure that's more meaningful than a stupid football practice or babysitting!" Helga fumed, completely forgetting who was behind her.
Gerald and Arnold exchanged surprised glances. Helga? Ballet? Really? Did those even belong in the same sentence?
"Ms. Pataki, I suggest you calm down before I have you written up."
Helga stood back glaring at the man. Dance was truly all she had, so there was no way she'd give up practice for babysitting.
"Now, I'm sure we can come to an understanding here. Since you've been a ballet student so long, and ballet is a classical art that is dwindling in today's society, I will allow it. When is Ballet?"
"3 - 5pm on 7th Street. I'll give you Madame's number. She won't let me miss practice." Helga had her negotiation voice on and full throttle.
"Alright, Well there truly is no problem then. Mr. Roberts requested you 4 removed from his class a.s.a.p. and I will consider it OJT. That means you'll leave and go to Urban Tots for 7th period, and stay until 2:30."
"So no missing ballet?" Helga quirked an eyebrow at him.
"No Missing Ballet." He nodded "Leave Me Madame's number and go to class." He spoke right as the bell rang. Helga left him the Ballet Studio's number and they all left to Lunch.
Phoebe and Helga walked ahead of Arnold and Gerald.
"Helga G. Pataki…. A Ballet Dancer? I Just Don't Believe It."
"I Agree with you, only because she doesn't seem like the type of girl for Ballet. Maybe Hip-Hop dancing, but Ballet?" Arnold questioned. Helga didnt seem like a frilly girl.
"Man, we gotta find out! This is gonna bug me… I just cant believe it!" Gerald was bothered.
"I don't know Pheebs! I was just annoyed and guess I forgot he was there!" Helga shouted just above a whisper
"I think the boys find it quite intriguing as their faces shared the same shocked expression, and expressed it with each other. I also believe they are conversing over this new information as they walk behind us." Phoebe whispered to her best friend.
"Hey! Don't get any funny ideas Hair Boys!" Helga shouted at the 2 boys.
"What?" Arnold asked
"About me dancing doofus!" Helga was becoming annoyed.
"Sorry Helga. I'm just surprised. I had no idea you danced." Arnold defended grabbing their trays in the lunch line
"Yeah Helga. You can't blame us. You're the one who announced it in Principal Wartz's office."
"Yeah, well I was defending my schedule!" She said as they paid for their lunches
"We understand that." Arnold reasoned, which finally calmed her down. They sat down at their table and began eating. They only sat together because Arnold and Helga were determined to see Gerald and Phoebe together.
(Flashback)
Back in Middle School, Helga over-heard Gerald talking to Arnold about Phoebe. At first, she thought he was in conspiracy with a group of guys who had been picking on Phoebe lately, and was about to confront him until She heard him say how he was going to beat up the kid who was going to pull the next prank on her, and Arnold agreed because no one else was trying to stop it. She then heard Gerald talk about how he wishes he had the nerve to talk to Phoebe about how beautiful she is and ask her out on a date. The most he could ever do was ask her to school dances. Helga, since then, knew about Gerald's crush on her, and decided to kick it up a notch. She pulled Arnold aside a week later, in the Janitor's closet of course, and told him she knew about Gerald's crush on Phoebe, and that Phoebe liked him as well. She respected their privacy about not wanting to blow each other's secrets- so they decided to come up with a plan and sit them together at lunch and hang out more in hopes that eventually they can date. Arnold agreed completely, and since he also respected their Privacy about not telling their best friends secrets. One difficult part was Helga and Arnold's arguing. They came up with a truce that, when they were around each other, fighting would be at a minimum. Arnold reluctantly agreed, and Helga saw it as an opportunity to show him she could be nice. Only problem was how to get them to sit together. Fortunately, Helga and Arnold chose to be each others partners in a science project (Gerald and Phoebe were a little shocked and curious as to why, and never got an answer) but they sat together at lunch, the fighting was tolerable and had been that way ever since.
(Current Moment)
"So Helga, 12 years?" Gerald was surprised, to say the least, that she had been a dancer for so long, and had managed to keep it a secret.
"What's it to you, hair boy?" Helga glared at him
"How'd you manage to keep it a secret for so long?" Gerald was gonna milk this for what it was worth, and this- was priceless!
"I keep a lot of secrets Gerald-o." Helga bit into her burger.
"Like what?" Arnold was interested too. What did she have to hide? Helga was a mystery all her own. She always managed to surprise him.
"None of your beeswax! Criminey! I tell you im a ballet dancer and you flip your shit! Seriously? Its Not That Big Of A Deal!"
"Actually Helga, It is. You don't seem like the type of girl to dance to Ballet."
Helga grabbed Gerald by his shirt collar and glared down at him. "What's that supposed to mean Hair Boy?"
"It just means we didn't expect it from you Helga. It just amazed us."
"Yeah, well I'm a pretty amazing person football head." Helga dropped Gerald and walked away with Phoebe at her side.
"Man, that girl has got some SERIOUS issues!" Gerald shouted
"Its whatever. Think we should go see if she actually does dance? I saw the name of the studio and we know the address."
"You're a Bold Kid, Arnold" Gerald gave him an evil smirk.