Things are not the way you dreamed for

III

Promise me

He just didn't expect this. She, of all women, was humiliating herself and giving him her heart. There was no room for thoughts on his head. He just stood there, stupidly, with his mouth hanging open, without nothing coming out as a response. She waited for a few seconds, but as she got no answer, she sighed in dissapointment. Of course, who could judge him? She was Helga G. Pataki, none other. She suddenly smelled a horrible odor, which distracted her.

"Sheesh! Did a horse just pooped in here?", Helga asked, wrinkling her nose and waving her hand to get rid of the smell. She walked over to the window next to the main door and opened it. Then she opened the window next to the old TV set. She heard a loud thud coming from behind her. As she turned around, she saw Arnold sprawled over the floor, having fainted. "Arnold? Arnold!", she rushed over to her beloved. She shook him, repeatedly. "Arnold! ARNOOOLD! Wake up, my love!". She stopped, and dropped him to the floor again. He was fast asleep. Looking around everywhere in desperation, she remembered Gerald. She rushed upstairs only to find Gerald sleeping also, but on Arnold's bed. "Ugh! What do I do? I know! Phoebe!".

She found the house's old phone still attached to the wall, and immediately dialed Phoebe's number.

"Answering! Hello?", Phoebe said from the other side of the line.

Helga sighed. "Crimeny, Phoebe. I have a situation. Don't go robot on me now!".

Phoebe squealed. "Helga! How are you? Konichua!".

"There's no time for Japanese gibberish either! Come meet me at Arnold's place, pronto!", Helga told her, slightly annoyed.

"Coming!", Phoebe's answer was.

Helga rolled her eyes. She hung up the phone and started waiting, hands crossed over her chest. She tapped a foot continuosly, but found it out useless. She started looking at her undid and unpolished nails. She sighed and looked around everywhere. She walked upstairs again. Gerald was still fast asleep, dropping spit all over Arnold's pillow. So, this is Arnold's room, obviously after the tornado, she thought. The only thing interesting was the TV screen. Meh! Big Bob could buy one of those if I just come up with an idea like that! she waved, as she dismissed the TV.

The front door closed suddenly, giving away Helga's attention.

"Helga?", a tiny voice called.

"Phoebe? Phoebe, oh thank God you're here!", as she said that, she rushed downstairs again.

Phoebe looked confused at her best friend. "Helga, what happened here? What is that smell? Why's Ice Cream on the floor?", she suddenly realized where she was even standing. "Oh, my goodness! Did something happened that made you come here as well?".

"Too much questions, little time. I'll tell you later. Help me carry him to his bed", Helga commanded.

Both girls carried Arnold upstairs to his room, and dropped him on the bed, perfectly curled beside Gerald. Helga decided to put Arnold's hand on Gerald's butt. "They look so peacefully gay!", Helga said out loud, laughing. Phoebe giggled a bit.

They both took a safe exit through the front door, even wondering why none of the existing boarders were making a fuss at the old house. Helga closed the main door, sat on the porch and motioned Phoebe to sit with her. Helga put her hands sustaining her forehead, in clear frustration. "Please, don't tell anyone, Pheebs, what I'm going to tell you, is strictly private, okay?".

"Recording for posterior deletion!", Phoebe said, just as a robot. Helga slapped herself mentally.

"Don't do that anymore, crimeny, Phoebe!", she yelled, exasperated. "Now listen carefully. Those two are high as shit and probably fast asleep. Eventually, Arnold won't even remember I… did… that 'thing'", she clearly put a special tone to the word 'thing'.

Phoebe squealed a "Did you actually kiss him? Oh, Helga! That's-".

Helga cut Phoebe, slapping a hand in her mouth. "NO! Well, I mean I just… kinda…tsk.. confessed my undying love for him today.", she admitted, looking down at the wooden floor, in dissapointment. She released her.

"But I don't get it. I seriously thought you beat him to a pulp. Why are you so sad, then?" her best friend asked.

Helga sighed. "Because he kept staring, drugged, looking at me like an idiot. And I'm glad he did, because, honestly, I'm just… Helga. Just effing Helga. I'm hideous!", she stated, matter-of-factly, raising and waving her hands above her head in desperation. "I also feel kinda responsible for his own stupid actions of smoking pot and behaving like if he doesn't even care about me and my stupid feelings.".

"Wait a minute, Helga, are you telling me he's in serious business?", Phoebe asked.

Helga nodded.

"Well then, this is odd. Why do you feel like that if he's just playing irresponsible? Helga, do you know the difference about people who make decisions and people who force other people to make decisions?", her best friend asked.

"What is with that nerd jibberish of you?", Helga asked, confused.

Phoebe slapped herself mentally. "Ugh, you didn't have anything to do with Arnold's decision, ok? In fact, if you do hang out with him, he will force you to take his irresponsibilites with you!", she warned.

Helga kept absorbing those words, without saying anything.

"In other explanation, he will force you to smoke pot, there's no denying. And considering your mom's own issues, I should warn you as best friend ever to better keep a good distance from him", Phoebe warned, dark seriously.

That warning struck Helga as a strong blow, like if someone would grab her heart and squash it with a soldier boot. She looked like a nervous wreck now.

"But… but-", she pulled her hair in desperation. "ARGH! I just CAN'T Phoebe! He's the only hope I have, the inspiration through all these years of suffering, after all the humiliation of being the black lamb of my family, the only one who gave me his advices, the only one I love with all my heart! He's been through so much, his Grandpa simply died only last week! And it stinks! And it is shit! And my life is shit, alright?!", she said, as tears started forming in her years. She sobbed, and cried her heart out.

She felt Phoebe's hug. Although she was a bit smaller than Helga, still the hug was powerful enough for her to appreciate the fact that someone still cared about her.

Phoebe hugged Helga a bit stronger, then she pulled away, a little, still resting her hand in her best friend's right shoulder. "Helga, I'm so sorry, but unless he's clean and promises he's never going to do that again, he's screwed for life, and you along with him if you follow. And know what percentage of people who desist on doing those actions again. At least a minimal rate of 2,1%. I really don't want my best friend to become a junkie just for some guy!".

Helga pulled away completely from Phoebe and stood up, pissed off. "Pff… Some guy? Some guy?! You know we're talking about ARNOLD here, not some guy!".

"Oh, Helga, I know you're trying to defend his guts, but deep down, you know that I'm right.", Phoebe said in a serious tone, as she stood up also.

Helga sighed as she sat again, looking for other options. But what option could she take? His beloved was a screw up now. And that was painful enough for her. And the only idea of separating herself from him entirely was like separating from… a powerful drug. Realization hit her.

"What if I made him throw that shit away and make him promise he'll be clean from now on?", Helga simply asked.

"Will you be willing to take the risk?", Phoebe asked, concerned, looking at Helga straight in the eyes.

Helga nodded, a bit serious, but also a bit worried for her own sake. "Well, that's—of course I do, Pheebs! I love him very much, he's just… his football shaped head is just SO intoxicating, that I can't just let him go! I know that deep down, he can make a change".

"Ok, but don't go disappointing yourself, and please notice that I did in fact warn you", Phoebe warned again.

"I won't, Pheebs, trust me", she said, as she gave Phoebe the thumbs up. Everything will be fine… I guess, she thought for herself.