A/N Thanks so much for the reviews! Every review motivates me to write faster, so keep them coming! Just so you all know: Timeline wise for the story, Helga left Hillwood at the beginning of March.

Chapter 4

Melanie made them an early breakfast and they ate together watching the sun rise. She was chattering on about all the fun things they were going to do today. Helga was only half listening, her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop thinking about that horrible dream. It hurt when she thought about it: Everyone who knew her, not only not caring she was gone, they were celebrating the fact.

'But there's no way that dream is coming true—I mean my parents happy?! Well…they are happy when Olga is around and they can ignore me. But Phoebe's my best friend, she practically worships me! No way would she replace me...though I guess I haven't been a very good friend.' Remembering all the times she bossed her around and took advantage of her. 'But Arnold…. would…probably be very happy that I'm gone.' Her hope and optimism she started out with slowly started to diminish.

If someone treated her the way she treated Arnold she would want them out of her life. 'Don't forget Helga he did wish that you would disappear.' Helga groaned. She hated to consider it, but her dream really could come true, she realized it wasn't that far off from reality. 'Stop thinking like that! Your plan will work and everyone will miss you and probably praise the heavens when you come back. Arnold WILL miss you and he'll be so happy you're back he WILL forgive you, just like you planned.' Why wouldn't her plan work? Feeling reassured she finished her breakfast.

"Helga are you listening to anything I'm saying?"

"You weren't just talking to hear your voice? My mistake." Helga said snidely.

"I see you are not a morning person"

"Really I'm not an afternoon person or night person either." Slipped out of Helga's mouth which Helga instantly felt bad for saying. 'What's the matter with me?' This lady was going out of her way to take care of her, a girl she had no responsibility for. The least she could do was act at least a little bit nicer. She was Helga G. Pataki so there was no need to be crazy—she was mean that's just the way she was, but she reasoned she could be a little nicer.

"I'll make note of that" Melanie choosing to ignore Helga's bad mood continued. "I think we should head over to the mall, go shopping, watch a movie and maybe go out for some dinner later."

"Yeah, ok whatever" Helga could have slapped herself. Well what could she say, old habits die hard.

"Ok follow me. Hopefully this town can spring some happiness into you."

"I wouldn't hold your breath," this time Helga did face palm. 'I'm on a roll today and not the good kind'.

"We're walking there?" Helga asked when she followed Melanie out of the house and around the town.

"Yep you see in Nowheresville everything is within walking distance."

Helga laughed at Melanie using her nickname for the town.

"There's the flower shop, the drugstore, the bakery, the diner, the park, the school and that's pretty much the whole town."

"I thought we were going to the mall?"

"We are! But in the next town over, which is about a 10 min bus ride north of here."

With a sense of Deja vu Helga felt herself once again getting pulled on the bus by Melanie.

…

Helga was having a great time. She and Melanie watched some action film, with lots of fights and explosions, which were all things Helga enjoyed in movies. Than Melanie dragged her through about a thousand clothing stores

"Why are you buying me clothes?"

"Well since you didn't pack anything, including clothing, you'll need something to wear. So pick out whatever outfits you want, within reason."

Helga didn't even know what she liked to wear. Her mom always picked out her clothes and she pretty much wore the same thing since preschool. She found a few t-shirts in a variety of colors and some black shorts that looked comfortable to wear and handed them over to Melanie in the checkout line. "Thanks for this. My dad can pay you back for these when you take me home."

"No Helga its fine! Consider it my gift to you. Are you ready to head back to my place or do you want some ice cream first?"

"Are you kidding? I never refuse ice cream"

…..

Helga was happy. Even she couldn't believe it, she was happy. "I had a so much fun today, I wish I could stay here forever!" Helga told Melanie on the bus ride home. If only she didn't have to go back to school or back to reality. Where everyone seemed to hate her, and her family ignored her existence. 'You'll have to face the music sometime Helga, you can't hide out forever.' Besides she was starting to miss Phoebe, and she didn't think she could spend any more time away from her beloved Arnold. The whole 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' thing was certainly applying to her. She was going crazy being away from the Football head. Helga only hoped Arnold was feeling the same way about being away from her.

Back in Hillwood 24 hours earlier

Ring! The school bell signaled school was out for the day interrupting the chant of the fourth graders. Everyone shot out the door abandoning the chants, excited to finally be free for the day.

"Man I can't believe Helga! I mean she's done some pretty awful things, but nothing near this bad." Gerald fumed while they walked home.

"Let's just drop it Gerald alright?" Arnold was still seething himself by what happened. He didn't need Gerald to keep reminding him, it would only make him madder.

"Fine. Do you want to come to my house to work on our geography project?"

"No thanks Gerald." Arnold wanted to go home, lye on his bed and try to forget Helga's insult that kept rolling through his football shaped head.

"Ok see ya tomorrow Arnold" They exchanged their special handshake. Arnold walked into the boarding house passing by his grandpa.

"What's the matter Shortman? You seem a little down."

"It's just Helga"

"You mean the girl with the one eyebrow who's always picking on you?"

"Yep"

"Not her again! What did she do this time Arnold?"

"She called me a….an….an orphan boy" Arnold managed to spit out.

"What?! That's terrible! Well what did you do about it?"

"I kind of told her that I wish she would disappear." Arnold admitted feeling a little guilty

"Arnold! You can't say those kind of things! You're better than that."

"I know." Arnold felt even more guilty after the rebuke from his Grandpa "I guess I should apologize".

Ring! Ring! Bob answered the phone "Pataki residence."

"Is Helga there?"

"Hunh? Oh. Hey Helga, Someone's on the phone for you! Helga! Helga?! Hmm guess she's not home, sorry kid." Arnold then heard the click signaling Bon had hung up.

Oh well, he tried. First thing in the morning he would apologize Arnold promised himself.

But the next day Helga didn't show up at school. "Who you looking for Arnold?"

"Helga."

"Helga Pataki?!" said a shocked Gerald.

"Yeah have you seen her" ignoring Gerald's reaction.

"Arnold did something fall off your shelf and hit you in the head while you were sleeping? Why on earth would you be looking for her?"

"I think I should apologize, you know, for yesterday" Arnold elaborated at Gerald blank look

"Have you gone crazy? She should be apologizing to you!"

"I know Gerald, but what I said was just as bad. I should be the bigger person and maybe Helga will return an apology to me."

"You are one bold kid."

Gerald and Arnold both took their seats. Class was almost starting and still no sign of Helga. Arnold turned around in his seat "Pssst Phoebe, have you seen Helga?"

"Sorry Arnold I have no idea where she is."

Mr. Simmons started taking attendance "Sid, Stinky, Lila, Ronda, Phoebe, Harold, Helga…Helga? Mr. Simmons looked around. "Wow, it's not like Helga to miss school". Mr. Simmons shrugged it off. He finished attendance and began his lesson for the day. The day went by in a blur for Arnold, his thoughts were filled with questions about Helga. 'Where is she? Is she sick? Is she home crying because of what I said…or worse plotting my demise? How am I going to apologize now?!' Arnold sighed. He would just have to wait until tomorrow. Before he knew it the school day was over.

'Only one more day till the weekend" Gerald said on their ride home.

"What a peaceful day in class it was without Helga, don't you agree Arnold?" Ronda turned away from a group of kids to ask.

"I don't know I kind of missed having her around."

Ronda gave him a weird look. "Well I for one wish we would have more Helga free days, you can only handle so much of the girl."

Arnold was afraid to say aloud for how weird it may sound, but Arnold felt something was missing today. Any other kid would be ecstatic if their tormenter was gone, but Arnold just felt empty and bored. Helga in all her flaws always did keep him on his toes during class. Luckily he wouldn't have to feel this way for long Arnold reasoned because Helga would be back tomorrow, and the guilty feelings that had been pooling up in his stomach since yesterday would be gone.

To be continued….