Chapter 2
It felt good to be the most popular girl in school. It felt good to have the lead in the school play. It felt good to be homecoming queen. It felt good to be Rhonda Lloyd.
She drove to school in the pink bug she got for her 16th birthday. She was one of the oldest in the sophomore class, and she loved it. Everyone asked her for rides, giving her too much attention over her out-of-the-factory-car. All of the kids basically worshiped Rhonda because she could drive before anyone else. She remembered the first day she came to school in her car. Sid wouldn't leave her alone for the whole day.
"Rhonda, that's a really nice car you've got there…is it brand new? I thought they stopped making them in pink…where did you get it?" he said.
"Well of course it's brand new! What wouldn't be brand new for me? I am Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, and whatever I want, my father can get. And if you are wondering, they did discontinue the pink car…in America… but my father imported this from Europe. He only had to pay a couple extra thousand to get this exclusive vehicle." She smiled, flipping her trendy hair, and stepped out of the car.
Stinky mumbled under his breath, "Only the best fur Rhonda, Sid."
"That's right Stinky. Did you know that my brand new car has a built in GPS, Beats Audio speakers for complete surround sound, and a remote engine start up? I bet you're pretty jealous… I mean, who wouldn't be?" she boasted.
"Yeah, say Rhonda, how about you let me take it for a spin after school?" Sid asked.
"Are you CRAZY? Of course not! You might ruin my one-of-a-kind, made-in-China tires!" she exclaimed.
Stinky had a confused face, "So I reckon you're sayin, that if them tires are made in China, they're one of a kind?"
"Of course! I mean…Chinese tires are made by HAND." She quickly lied, because she knew that her tires (which were made in China) could be found anywhere, and if the rest of the kids at school knew that, then they would all buy the same tires. Then that would make Rhonda uncool, and there's no way that Rhonda would ever stoop to that level.
"Wheelekers…" Stinky added.
Sid answered with complete shame, "Rhonda, I am SO sorry for asking. Let's just pretend this never happened ok? I knew that in the first place…please don't make me uncool!"
Rhonda laughed at the memory. What morons…
She parked and got out of her car, only to see Helga G. Pataki riding her completely uncool bike to school. And she was singing? Helga Pataki, singing? That was just too much for the most popular girl in school to handle.
"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok?"
To Rhonda's surprise, she sounded pretty good actually, but considering that Helga Pataki became a social outcast ever since Arnold moved away, she had to disagree. Uncool people like Helga Pataki can't sing well. That's just the way of the social society.
Ever since Arnold moved away…In Rhonda's eyes, their relationship was completely revolting. Considering that Helga was completely rude and hated Arnold, and then one day, she saw them walking down the hallway, holding hands? And it's not like Arnold was desperate or anything, he was pretty appealing in middle school…any girl would have dated him. But no, he decided to dedicate two years of his life to Helga G Pataki. Rhonda felt sorry for him. He could have done so much better.
After they broke up, Helga stopped talking to everyone, except for her brownnosing friend Phoebe Heyerdahl. She stopped wearing that unfashionable pink dress, and started wearing a crème leather jacket everywhere, and in recent years, her Varsity jacket. She stopped bullying kids, but whenever someone asked her something she would retort with anger and sass. So no one would talk to Helga. It's not like people used to talk to her much before, but now, it seemed as if Helga didn't exist. It's like Helga still hadn't gotten over Arnold to this day. Seriously? There's no way that it would have worked out anyway. She had become a total outcast, along with Phoebe, but Phoebe had a boyfriend now, so Helga and Phoebe didn't talk much.
It's probably because Phoebe had realized what a drag Helga was in the social totem pole. And she was dating Gerald Johnson, so it's not like she was in hopeless relationship like Helga and Arnold were.
Rhonda was still watching Helga when a disgusted look came across the blonde girl's face. Rhonda tried to look at what Helga was seeing. Helga must have been watching the bus, because a couple holding hands walked out. It was Gerald and Phoebe for that matter, and Rhonda looked back at Helga, only to see her head hung low with pining, and a glimmer of a tear run down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.
It completely surprised Rhonda to see Helga G Pataki, one of the toughest girls she knew, crying. She knew she had some news to tell Nadine about this…so she hung around a little longer to see if anything else would happen.
One of the juniors on the football team, Wolfgang approached Helga while she locked up her bike.
"Hey Helga, you look really sexy today," he said
Wolfgang? Rhonda thought.
"I look like this every day, doi." Helga retorted.
"So when are we going on that date? It's been a while." Wolfgang said.
Wolfgang asking Helga Pataki on a date? What has this world come to? Wolfgang, the complete hottie and douchebag star quarterback of our school, asking Helga, an outcast, on a date? I guess he's just THAT uncool…
"Crimeny! Never, you creep! How many times do I have to tell you, there's no way Helga G. Pataki is going out with anyone! Ever!" and she punched him with Old Betsy and stormed off to class.
Edmond had just walked around the corner to find Wolfgang with a bloody nose and said, "Hey Wolfgang, I think your nose is bleeding, you didn't get rejected by a girl again, did you? …huh huh."
Rhonda continued to follow Helga to see what else she could gossip to her friends about.
Helga went to her locker to put her things away. She heard an awkward breathing behind her.
"Brainy, please. Old Betsy already took down one person today; let's not make her take down another."
"Uh…ok..." he said while Helga walked off.
Everyone knew that Brainy was a complete stalker, and in love with Helga in elementary school, but he still is? Who would ever like Helga Pataki? Apparently Brainy and Wolfgang. Rhonda was fed up with this, she should have kept up with Helga more.
She carried off to her first hour to talk with her friends about what she just saw.
"I think…I um…like you like you too. Like maybe even l-love you." After the words left his mouth, a weight that pressed on him seemed to disintegrate away.
She fainted after making some weird sign again.
"Aaugh…what do I do now?" Arnold rested his head in his hands, and rubbed his football headed forehead. I tell a girl I love her and she faints. Perfect. He thought.
Helga returned to her consciousness and still lying down, she stuttered, "So F-football head, haha, if you…um…love me…crazy idea… then uh…prove it."
"Fine." He said, his face making that half-lidded smile that made Helga melt.
He leaned over and kissed her, right on the lips.
Helga nearly died of happiness, Who's red lips to I want a taste of? Three guesses stupid, Arnold, Arnold, Arnold!
He kissed her until she was out of breath and she fainted again.
She sat down in her desk, waiting for the bell to ring while the memory from 5th grade was replaying in her head. The memory had revisited her in dreams for the past few days.
"I think…I um…like you like you too. Like maybe even l-love you."
She frowned. What is love anyway? I've never been loved before. Helga thought as she played with the pencil in her hand, itching for Creative Writing class to begin. I'll make sure to avoid the stupid football head once he gets here.
News of the Arnold coming home was everywhere. Most of the kids from Helga's class from P.S. 118 gossiped about it in the halls. His flight was supposed to have departed two days ago, and it's been all the talk. To Helga's surprise, even Lila approached her about it.
"I'm ever so certain that Arnold will be one of our peers in a few days." Lila said as she approached Helga's locker, when she was off guard.
"Yeah, so? Do you think I care?"
"Well, I know you two were um…"
"Were what?!" Helga slammed her locker shut and turned to Lila, "Were together? Maybe in middle school Lila, but he dumped me. And guess what? I don't want to talk about it. Just because he's coming home, doesn't mean I'm going to get all smiley and pretend that everything is peachy."
"Perhaps you could at least be a little friendly, Helga. I know that you really are an ever-so caring person on the inside, and you just don't like to show it."
Helga sighed in her desk. Maybe she really should show her soft side a little more. Lila always seemed to notice Helga's compassionate qualities. As a matter of fact, Lila seemed to be the only person who even noticed Helga anymore. In recent years, Helga became more stubborn, more rude and to most, she seemed like a mystery. Most of her classmates had grown distant from her, especially her Phoebe Heyerdahl. Helga's relationship had been replaced by another's. Another relationship that Helga set up in the first place. After Phoebe started dating Gerald, Helga's friendship seemed to become less important. Phoebe almost never called because she was too busy calling Gerald. Phoebe never sat at lunch with Helga anymore, only with Gerald at their own table. And hanging out? Replaced by dates with Gerald. After all of this, Helga became quite angry at the world, filled with typical teenage angst and attitude. No one else liked to talk to Helga because whenever they would say something, Helga would give an extremely rude and sarcastic remark. So Helga typically spent her days alone in the halls, unacknowledged by most.
That is of course except for Lila. She always could see Helga's wonderful side. Lila saw beauty in Helga, unlike most of the kids at school.
BOOOOOOP
The irritatingly loud and obnoxious bell repeatedly gave Helga mini heart attacks in her desk.
She was cleared of thoughts as class began.
In case you were wondering, the song is "Breakeven" by The Script. Will update soon!