Chapter 3: Go On Without Me

HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD!

After turning over to shut off his alarm, the first thing on Arnold's mind was I wonder if Helga will be at school today?

Once he was dressed, Arnold went downstairs to see Phil at the table with a stack of pancakes.

"Morning Tex" Pookey said, handing him a plate "Eat up! You'll need your strength for the cattle drive."

"Uhh right grandma." Arnold said, taking a few bites of his meal.

"Morning shortman! How'd ya sleep?" Phil asked.

"Not too good. I was thinking about Helga all night." Arnold admitted.

"You mean your little cranky friend with the pink bow and the one eyebrow." Phil described.

"Yeah, her name's Helga grandpa." Arnold sighed. She had been his girlfriend for almost three years. Yet, Phil couldn't remember her name.

"Anywho, you excited about your trip to the zoo?" he asked, seeing Arnold push his plate aside.

"I don't know. One of my classmates maybe threatening to open all the animal cages. It could be kind of crazy." Arnold explained, while Phil looked over at Pookey dressed in her cowgirl outfit.

"Hmm...tell him to call Pookey if he needs any help."

"Uhh right grandpa. Bye" Arnold rolled his eyes, as he headed out the door.

"See ya Shortman!"

Once Arnold made it out the door, he saw Gerald waiting for him. "Hey Arnold! Ready for that trip?"

"I guess. It won't be any fun without Helga." he sighed.

"What are you talking about man? All she does is complain!" Gerald pointed out, while his best friend rolled his eyes.

"Come on Gerald, you know that's not true."

"I do?" Gerald asked wittingly.

The two of them then made it to the bus stop to see Phoebe waiting at the corner alone. While Gerald was anxious to meet up with her, Arnold appeared to have a frown on his face.

"Hey babe, how are you this morning?" Gerald asked.

"I'm doing quite well Gerald. How are you and Arnold?" Phoebe wondered.

Before Gerald could reply, Arnold asked "Actually Phoebe, I was wondering if you had heard from Helga?"

Nodding her head, Phoebe replied "Yes, I regret to inform you she has not fully recovered from her headache. I'm afraid she won't be making it to the field trip."

"I'm sure she'd just be getting another from the performance we'll be getting from Curly there anyway." Gerald said wittingly.

As the bus was then pulling up, Arnold stood there a moment, watching his two friends step towards it.

"What are you waiting for man?" Gerald asked.

"Uhh you guys go on without me." Arnold insisted.

"Why? You plan on walking the rest of the way?" Gerald lifted an eyebrow.

"Just go on without me." Arnold said, racing away.

"Whatever you say Arnold." Gerald sighed, as he stepped onto the bus with Phoebe.

As Arnold ran down the street, he thought to himself Maybe I shouldn't be doing this? What if she's not the only one at home? What if I wake her up?

After pondering his thoughts during his race for two or three blocks, Arnold made it to his girlfriend's house.

He nervously knocked on the door, hoping she wouldn't be upset with him. After a moment had passed, he knocked a little louder, hearing…"OKAY! OKAY! I'm coming! Sheesh!

Helga then swung open the door, holding her head.

"What is i...ARNOLD!" Helga screamed, dropping her hand she had been holding to her head.

"Hey Helga." he waved nervously, as he looked at her standing there in her purple nightgown.

"I mean, what are you doing here football head?" Helga scoffed, with her hand on her waist.

"I just wanted to check on you. I heard you had a bad headache yesterday, but when I came by to see how you were doing, Olga said you left." Arnold explained.

"Pttss...yeah well, she wasn't exactly helping fix the problem she caused." Helga smirked.

"Maybe I could help. That is, if you want me to come over?" Arnold blushed, while seeing Helga's eyes widen…

Oh my love! So kind and nurturing! Coming over to check on me in my hour of need!

"Uhh I guess you could come in. What about school? I mean, aren't you supposed to be on that lame-o field trip right now?" she smirked.

"Something tells me going on a trip to the zoo with Curly won't end well." Arnold said as he entered Helga's house.

"Pttss...ya got that right!" she scoffed.

Meanwhile, the class was making their way onto the bus to head to the zoo. "Does anyone know where Arnold is? I have his grandparents' permission slip?" Mr. Simmons asked.

"He's uhh sick. He won't be joining us." Gerald replied, knowing where his best friend must have run off to.

"Hmm...well alright then. Class, let's get going." Mr. Simmons insisted.

As the kids were boarding the bus, Phoebe asked "Where do you suppose Arnold ran off to Gerald?"

"If I know my man, he's taking care of Pataki. Not that she'd accept his help with anything." Gerald said wittingly.

While the kids were boarding the bus, they couldn't help but take notice at Curly's jungle attire. He was painted with tiger stripes, while wearing a headband, a skirt made of leaves and having trouble keeping calm. "FREE THE ANIMALS! HAHAHAHAH!"

"This trip's not going to go well." Sid said, staring at Curly.

"Ya reckon they'll even let us in?" Stinky wondered, while scratching his head.

"They better! I'm not sitting on this bus all day before I get the chance to eat something! Or there's gonna be a pounding!" Harold exclaimed, ramming his fist into his hand.

While Gerald and Phoebe were listening to the commotion, Phoebe sat there wondering if Helga was doing any better.

Olga had left the house to meet with some friends who heard she was back in town. Bob was at work, successfully selling cell phones along with his other new types of electronics to the customers he had won back. Miriam was passed out at the counter from another smoothie.

After Helga had invited Arnold in, he looked over to see Miriam hanging over the counter, drooling heavily. "Uhh should I come back another time?"

"Pttss...don't worry. Even if you dropped a plate on her head, she'd barely budge." Helga scoffed.

As Arnold followed Helga up to her room, he noticed her once again holding her head. Once they made it to her bedroom, he watched her sit on the edge of the bed with her face in her hands. Her sheets were folded over, as though she had been under the covers a moment ago.

I must have woken her up…

"Why don't you get under the covers? I'll bring you some water." he offered.

"Thanks but, I've already got some." she mumbled, pointing to her nightstand.

Arnold began to rub his neck, feeling as though it may have been a bit pointless to have come over. There wasn't much he could do to help her.

"Have you taken anything for your head?"

"Pttss...I've practically gone through a whole bottle of painkillers in the past day and a half." she scoffed.

Sitting beside her, with his arm around her, he asked "So, Olga's the reason you have a headache?"

Lifting her head up to glare, as if he had just asked the stupidest question anyone could possibly ask, she scoffed "Doi! She's been screaming and pestering me ever since she came to visit! Crimity, I haven't gotten a moment's peace!"

With his arm around her, he began to rub hers and asked "When is she supposed to leave?"

"Pttss...tomorrow. Still not soon enough!" Helga scoffed, while Arnold sent a weak smile her way.

Not caring how weak it made her seem, she rested her head on his shoulder.

As Arnold felt her breathing slowly against his arm, he thought to himself Maybe I should leave? I don't want to leave her alone though.

As Helga felt him rub her arm tight, with her eyes closed, she listened to him say "I really missed you yesterday."

"Really?" she cocked her brow, as she sat up to look at him.

"Of course. You are my girlfriend." he replied, not seeing how she could think he wouldn't miss her.

While they were enjoying each other's quiet company, the rest of their class was being escorted out of the zoo.

"This really bites!" Stinky said.

"I know. Curly tries to free the animals, and WE are the ones paying for it?!" Sid exclaimed.

"AWW! Now I have to wait to get back to school to eat!" Harold whined.

"Harold! This is not a restaurant. We didn't come here to eat, we came to see the animals...which we won't be getting to do now thanks to Curly and his horrid outfit!" Rhonda explained.

As the gang was headed out the entrance, they looked back to see Mr. Simmons forcefully dragging Curly out with him.

"Curly! I'm very disappointed in you! How did you even get the key for the cages?"

"I believe he took the liberty of removing them from the guard's belt when no one was looking." Phoebe explained, while Gerald just shook his head.

"Mm.. ! I told you this would be a disaster."

"Well, we better get back I'm afraid." Mr. Simmons sighed, dragging Curly along with the rest of the classmates.

"FREE THE ANIMALS! HAHAHAHAH!" Curly shouted, still trying to get away!