Author's Note: Thanks again for reading and reviewing. Glad you liked the last chapter. Here's chapter 9:
"Hey look!" Harold said, pointing, "It's Hel-ga! Where've you been, Helga? How come you haven't been at school?"
Helga had been expecting this. She knew people were going to ask questions. She knew people thought she had been kidnapped or something. Still, she didn't feel like dealing with it from Harold.
"What's it to you, Bucko?" she replied, "Mind your own business for once in your life!" Then she hurried off to Phoebe's locker.
"So, do people really think I was missing?" she asked her friend.
"Well, yeah sort of. The school called your parents as part of the regular procedure for when students don't show up at school and their parents didn't call them out sick. You're mom didn't know exactly where you were. She thought you were staying at a friend's house or something," Phoebe explained. "Mr. Simmons got really worried, but I'm not sure if he told the police you were missing or anything. He probably should have though, if he didn't."
"Yeah, that would have been great, Phoebe. That's just what I need, the police coming after me. Bob would have a fit if the cops brought me home!"
"I hope he would just be happy that you're safe, Helga."
"He can't even get my name right, you think he cares about my safety? Puh-lease!" A bell ran. "Come on, we'd better get to class."
The two girls hurried down the hall and into the classroom. Almost everyone was there already. Stinky and Sid were constructing paper airplanes and storing them in their desks for some amusement throughout the day. Rhonda was doodling on the corner of her desk in a bored fashion. Some kids were huddled together, giggling or just talking. Nobody even noticed when Helga and Phoebe walked in, which Helga was happy for. She went and took a seat in her desk behind Arnold's. Class was about to begin.
Mr. Simmons walked into the room and set his bag down on the desk. After taking out some books and an apple, he started the task of taking role.
After getting through most of the class, he called out, "Helga Pataki?" Then he looked up.
Helga let out a very small, "Present."
"Helga, do you have any explanation as to your absences the past few days. Myself and your classmates have all been very worried."
"Oh, uhh…." She started and then there was a few moments of silence, "I was away with distant relatives. The, uhh, bus broke down and I was stranded for a few days. That's what my mom meant when she said I was staying at a friend's house. Yeah…"
"Well, Helga, you need to tell your parents to call the Principle this evening. It's school protocol to report any absences so that they can be deemed as 'excused.' You'll have to talk to Principal Warts and you'll have to be sure to make up the work from when you weren't here. Make sure you see me during lunchtime or after school this afternoon."
"Uhh, yes sir," Helga replied, sinking down into her chair. Great! Just how I wanted to spend my lunch hour. And how am I supposed to get my parents to tell Principal Warts that I was away with relatives when I really wasn't.
Meanwhile, Arnold turned around and gave her a stern look. "Lies aren't going to solve anything, Helga," he whispered to her, but he then he also gave her an encouraging look.
The rest of the morning went like any other normal day of school. They had social studies and then English, Helga's favorite part of the day. Apparently they had been assigned short stories to write during the time that Helga hadn't been there. So some of the students were called upon to read their stories out loud in front of the class. As usual, the stories were silly and unimaginative. Helga grew bored easily as Stinky read his story about farm life and cows.
Finally it was time for lunch. Helga stayed at her desk as she watched the other students dart for the door, hurrying to be the first in line at the cafeteria. She was surprised to see that Arnold had also remained seated.
"Arnold," she said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder, "It is lunchtime you know."
"I figured I would stay and help you catch up on the work you missed. I'm not that hungry anyway, so it's fine."
Helga gave him a weird look. It was almost the same look, she realized, that Gerald was also giving Arnold from the classroom doorway. Gerald walked back into the room and stood next to Arnold.
"Hey man, what are you still doing sitting here?" he asked. Then Gerald looked at Helga, "Does this have something to do with her?"
Arnold paused for a moment. He thought about what Gerald would say if he told him the real reason he stayed behind was because of Helga. In fact, Gerald would probably think he was pretty crazy if he ever told him that Helga had spent the night at his house and that they had danced in his room. He would never live it down.
"Uhh, no, not at all. I just had something to ask Mr. Simmons. I'll catch up with you during recess," Arnold lied.
"Alright man, catch you later." And with that Gerald left to catch up with Phoebe.
Arnold turned back to Helga, who now had her arms folded across her chest.
"What?" he asked.
"Lies aren't going to solve anything, Arnold," she said, mimicking what he had said to her earlier. "Are you really that ashamed to be seen with me?"
Arnold had this horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had wanted to help Helga, but he probably just made things worse.
"It's just…" he started, "You know…" He paused, "… I don't know. I'm sorry."
Helga shrugged and gave a half smile-half frown.
"Here, let's get started so maybe we can make it to recess at least." Arnold said and opened up his notebooks.
They had had quite a few assignments during the past few days. Helga copied down the spelling assignment and definitions for social studies. The story assignment was easy. Helga's story took up a few pages, but she didn't show Arnold. They also had a science experiment, but Helga wouldn't be able to make that up since it was an in class assignment and they didn't have the equipment available anymore. It didn't take the two of them long to get Helga caught up on everything.
Helga was putting away her things when Arnold said something again, "Are you going to talk to your parents tonight?"
She looked at him and shrugged.
"I know it's what you're worried about."
"Well, I guess I have to figure something out. Maybe Miriam will be so delirious when I get home that I can convince her to call Principal Warts and go along with my story. Then if Bob realizes I was gone I can just say I was staying at Phoebe's house or something," Helga said, "Then everything can go back to how it was I guess."
"Is that what you really want?" Arnold asked. They were now leaving to go to lunch. Arnold grabbed Helga's books off her desk and started walking towards the door. Now she had to follow him and couldn't avoid answering the question.
"Hey!" she shouted. They made it to her locker and she turned the lock to her combination. Arnold placed her books inside and she grabbed her lunch that Arnold's Grandma had packed. As they walked toward the cafeteria she finally replied, "No… that's not what I want, obviously. But I don't see how anything is ever going to change. I want a normal family, but I know I'll never have it. I'm meant to be alone… to take care of myself."
"That's not true. I wish you could be who you are right now all the time. You're not alone… you don't have to be by yourself all the time.." Arnold replied and looked her straight in the eyes. He didn't say it, not outright anyway. He hoped she knew what he meant. He didn't want her to be alone and he wouldn't let her feel like that anymore. Helga was growing on him… there was just something about her… this other 'her' that didn't hide behind meanness and insults.
A/N: I'm hoping to get this updated more often. So hopefully I'll get the next chapter up quick too. :o)