Helga, on the inside, was completely blown away when she saw Arnold. Now he was talking to her. Apparently he liked it when she winked at him, because he got this goofy grin on his face.
She had a hard time focusing the rest of class, but Man! When he ignored Lila to come over and talk to her, she thought she died and went to heaven. If he liked the winks, she's definitely give them to him.
She wasn't really surprised they'd gotten the same schedule. Fate always gave them funny ways of smacking into each other. But regardless, she was happy. Especially since he noticed her in a positive way now!
She mentally reminded herself to thank Phoebe later for convincing her to even do this stupid makeover.
Helga will always be a tomboy at heart, but there were enough times people had picked on her for her looks. At first she didn't give a damn, that is, until 7th grade. Once they reached 7th grade, she became more aware of the curves she was being given, but she didn't want to be like other girls, so she hid them under baggy sports jerseys (in pink of course).
Helga had heard all the jokes, jabs and snickers behind her back. Obviously they weren't tough enough to tell her to her face, so she didn't really give a shit what they thought. She was never asked to go to school dances, the movies, or on a date. She honestly didn't care. But having Phoebe as a best friend gets you dragged along to school dances. Which is where Helga had finally had enough. She remembered that day all too clearly. It pained her so much to remember.
She was now in 8th grade and she had had a rough week at school, dealing with a school bursting with fake people who tried to be like and out-do everyone else. A boy, Michael, had just written her a fake love note asking to go to the Valentines dance with him. She didn't like him because he was one of the popular stuck up boys, and she didn't like him to begin with.
She decided to go over to his desk to confront him about it.
"What in the hell is this?"
"What do you think it is?" he retaliated, smirking.
"I believe its trash."
"C'mon Helga. Just come to the dance with me." He seemed sincere.
"Fuck off, geek-bait. I know this is just some petty prank you're trying to play on me. News flash asshole, I don't even like you to begin with!" she said, ripping the note up in front of him.
"Whatever Pataki. I didn't like you either. It was half a pity date and half a dare, so go fuck yourself you anal bitch!" Michael said.
"I don't need pity, and I really don't care you self-absorbed, jockstrapped asshole. Why don't you go play in the street, you PS 119-" she was suddenly cut off as their teacher walked in the room.
Helga sat in her seat and kept her head downfor the rest of class, because that dumbass Michael gave her a headache. For once, she actually couldn't wait 'til final bell.
Once she got to her stoop, she stood there, took a deep breath, then walked inside, aiming to make a run for her room.
"HEY HEY HEY! Where Do… Where Do You Think… You- You're Going Little Lady!" Big Bob Shouted
"To my room, DAD." She said, highly annoyed.
Big Bob the Beeper King had turned into a raging alcoholic. Part of the reason Helga wore such baggy jackets was because he had finally crossed the line, and began beating his daughter. It only happened while he was drunk, but he always told her to cover them up, or else. "We Pataki's don't TALK about things." were his exact words.
Big Bob became an alcoholic because his Beeper Sales went down thanks to iPhones and iPods. He usually ranted about how he hated Steve Jobs. The Beeper King wouldn't give in to selling iPhones or any apple products because he felt that it would be giving in.
"Why aren't you in the kitchen making me a snack, Olga?!" Bob shouted again
"I'm Helga you big moron. And I just got home from school."
"I don't care how many boys you've slept with you worthless whore. Make me some damn food!" he grabbed Helga by her hair and threw her in the kitchen "and don't come out unless you've made my food!"
Helga didn't say anything. She picked herself up off the floor and walked over to the sink. She looked out of her kitchen window to see her neighbors staring, only to turn away and close their blinds.
"Hunny, maybe we should call someone… that sweet girl might be in actual trouble soon…"the neighbor, Mrs. Adams, spoke quietly to her husband.
"No sweetheart, its none of our business what goes on in their house or family." Mr. Adams looked down, feeling a bit guilty for turning his back on the poor youngest daughter of the alcoholic brute, Bob Pataki.
Helga only stared in amazement that people would witness something so terrible, over something so simple, and still turn away as if nothing happened. But then again, its not like her parents were ever subtle about their late night 1am arguments over bills, why Olga never visits, how Helga shouldn't have been born because she was a mistake, and many other things that were said in the late night show downs at the Pataki house hold.
Helga rolled her eyes, made Bob his stupid sandwich and ran upstairs before she could receive another random beating. She was only in 8th grade and he was already calling her a mistake and a whore. She looked into the mirror attached to her vanity, breathed a heavy sigh of relief and waited. She grabbed all her over night things, and a pretty black dress Olga had given her last time she visited.
After everything was packed, she made her way to Phoebe's house, who was readily awaiting her.
They had already made plans to go to the dance together, since Phoebe was single. Better to be with your best friend than alone.
The girls got ready, then Reba took their Photos while Kyaio grabbed his car keys and stood gushing over his baby girl.
Helga wished she had parents like Phoebe's, even though the Hyerdoll's considered her family.
After the girls were dropped off at the school gym, they made their way inside. Gerald quickly took notice of Phoebe and asked her to dance, leaving Helga sitting alone at their table. Gerald smiled at Helga and told her she looked good. They weren't close, but once Arnold left, Arnold made Gerald promise to keep a close eye on Helga for him. Helga, of course, wasn't aware of this since she was unaware of Arnold's feelings in general about her. But, Gerald and Helga were a bit more civil toward each other after Helga realized he was in love with Phoebe. Phoebe was unaware that Helga had grown impatient of Gerald's stalling and had earlier that day, threatened Gerald to ask Phoebe out tonight at the Valentines Dance, or else she will pull his appendix out the old fashioned way and beat him with it. He willingly obliged.
Helga was sitting alone watching her best friend dance in Gerald's arms, and Helga smiled at them. They were perfect for each other and he was finally going to ask her out! Helga was happy for her best friend, and was glad she had only agreed to come for this moment. She knew they would cherish it more if some photos were taken, so Helga grabbed the camera she had purchased at the drug store on her way to Phoebe's, and snapped some quick photos while the dancing couple wasn't looking. Then, she approached them and took some of them together quickly then let them go back to dancing, but not before Gerald got a few quick photos of Helga and Phoebe at the dance as best friends.
After the photos were taken, Helga went to the punch bowl to grab a drink. While she was there, she noticed it was rather empty, so she took her time. After grabbing her punch, she stood there watching the couple dance again.
Suddenly, a ton of punch was thrown all over Helga, and behind her were a ton of snickers, until the entire gymnasium was laughing at her for being soaked in punch. Gerald and Phoebe ran over to try and help Helga, but she ran out before they could find her. She ran all the way to Phoebe's house, which wasn't too far from the School. Reba and Kyaio were surprised to see Helga back so early, since Kyaio was supposed to pick the girls up from the dance, but mostly to see her drenched in fruit punch, and crying. Kyaio went to pick up Phoebe who was probably frantic about her best friend, and Reba helped Helga upstairs to get a shower then calm down. Once Phoebe was home, she ran upstairs, only to find Helga asleep, but her face was tearstained. Phoebe's heart sank. Her best friend didn't deserve this, not after all she was dealing with. Phoebe knew about Helga's home life, even though Helga had never mentioned it before. Phoebe could tell from the unexplained bruises, and the excuses. She hated Big Bob Pataki, and so did her parents. Phoebe had told her parents about Helga's home life after she first realized what was going on, her parents told her to being them solid proof, and they would handle it from there.
The next week at school, Helga found out who poured the punch on her, and fought them. She won, of course, making her grand prize detention. The kids were given ISS for their prank, and a nice hospital visit for a broken nose, and a broken wrist.
After that, Helga became more self-cautious of her looks, especially the bruises that were suddenly becoming more visible around her neck area. Teachers wondered why she would wear a turtleneck in March, but she made excuses that their rooms were too cold and they believed it.
Phoebe had silently watched her best friend practically take on the world, or at least her classmates and family, and not once did she cry to anyone about it. Phoebe assumed she cried alone, wrote in her pink diary she always kept on her, then put her tough face back on when she left the sanctuary of her bedroom.
One day over Spring Break, Helga showed up on Phoebe's door with a police officer behind her, but that wasn't the part that shocked Phoebe. The first thing was the bold dark bruises around Helga's neck. Helga's head was turned away with tears silently streaming down her face. Reba and Kyaio were just as shocked.
Phoebe hugged Helga and the girls broke down crying together in Phoebe's living room, while the officer explained to Phoebe's parents that Big Bob had lashed out at Helga for attending a therapy session thinking she blabbed about the bruises, and began choking her calling her every name in the book. Neighbors had had enough and called police when Bob had been yelling at Miriam about how useless she was. The police arrived to find Big Bob choking Helga to the point of unconsciousness. The police tazed him and now had him in custody, along with Miriam. The officer explained that Helga had no relatives that could take her and that Helga needed a new home. The Hyerdoll's more than eagerly accepted, much to Helga's surprise, considering she thought of herself as a burden upon society.
Helga ended up moving in with Phoebe after all the legal stuff was handled, and all of Helga's items were retrieved from her horrid childhood home. She fit right in as a part of Phoebe's family. Word never got around school, so Helga let her bruises heal up, and began to live a happier life within the Hyerdoll home. Helga eventually came clean and opened up to Phoebe and her parents about what was going on all those years. They all cried together, and Helga just new she would be happier here. They also let her continue her sessions with Dr. Bliss, who noticed a good change in Helga's behavior now that she lived with her best friend's family.
Over the summer, before 9th grade, the girls went to one of Phoebe's family reunions in Kentucky, where they did a lot of clothes shopping since they only had 2 weeks before school started and were given new make-up to play with since they were allowed to wear make-up now that they were in High School. Phoebe and Helga also decided Helga needed to try something new for High School, so Phoebe and Helga had Reba wax Helga's unibrow a week before school started. Phoebe and Helga couldn't believe how much of a difference it made, and Helga cried because she finally felt pretty. Phoebe's family couldn't stop telling her how great she looked. The girls decided to keep it a secret until school started.
Helga was now very happy with how her first day of High School was going, now that her football headed sweetheart had returned to Hillwood. She just had to write another poem.
Next Chapter Will Be Up Soon, So Stay Tuned!