Pink Ribbons and Blue Caps

Chapter 3

Helga G. Pataki was freaking out. But unlike her childhood freak outs Helga managed to bottle this one up and keep calm. She did the breathing technique that she had practiced with Dr. Bliss all those years ago. It probably wasn't Arnold, it could be another blonde boy with a football shaped in front of the boarding house unloading a different Packard.

"Yeah, and I'm the queen of candy land." She grumbled under her breath.

"What d'ya say?"

"Nothing dad. just memorizing some facts for the test today."

"Good."

Helga continued her breathing exercise until she calmed down. Arnold was back. It had been more than half a decade since she last saw him. She had, according to Olga, grown into a mature artistic woman. She was not going to freak out over an old elementary school classmate. Helga took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. She calmed down considerably and looked out the window. Phoebe was gonna get a kick out of this.

Bob pulled up in front of the school and Helga waved goodbye as she hopped out of the car. Phoebe and Lila were already on the school steps waiting for her and Rhonda to show up. Lila smiled at Helga and held out a parfait for her while Phoebe held out her spare notes. Helga rifled through her messenger bag to hand phoebe her english notes.

"Oh I do so hope we all get good grades with this test." Lila said in her sing song voice as she leafed through Helga's notes with Phoebe.

"As long as you remember the outline I gave you guys for the perfect essay response then there will be no problem. Remember three pronged approach."

"Remembering" Phoebe said cheerfully while Lila munched on her parfait.

"You can all breathe easily, Rhonda has arrived!"Rhonda stood in front of her town car with her chin lifted high and a pleased face.

"Hurry up, we need your French notes!" Helga yelled

Rhonda pouted from and went to join Helga and the girls.

"Honestly you could be a little happier to see me." Rhonda said as she rifled through her burberry purse to find her french notes.

"I'll be happy when you hand over the notes." Helga muttered

"Hmph, fine"

Phoebe looked up at Rhonda and handed over some more of her math notes. "Study!" she said with a commanding look.

Rhonda sat down and tried to memorize as much of Phoebe's notes as possible. They sat on the school steps together going over their notes before the bell rang and they made their way to homeroom. Helga sat next to Phoebe and leaned over.

"You aren't going to believe who I saw today."

Phoebe raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Football-head"

"Arnold!"

"Shhhhh!"

"shushing" Phoebe said quietly.

"I don't know if it was him...but with that head who else could it be?"

Phoebe nodded and looked at Helga in a funny way. "Do you still have that problem with ice cream?"

Helga froze for a moment then waved it off. "That was in elementary school,I'm totally over..ice-cream."

Phoebe gave Helga a mischievous smile and nodded.

"Stop giving me that smile."

"Frowning!"

Helga rolled her eyes and looked up at the front of the classroom, Mrs. Beaumonte was late again. Rhonda took the opportunity to brag about Thad (Curly) to some of the girls.

"He set up a picnic with wine, baguettes and brie at the park with a professional violin player."

Helga rolled her eyes when she heard Rhonda talk about the white gold bracelet Thaddeus had bought her. She had gone on an on about that bracelet for half an hour last night. Helga looked over at Phoebe who was rolling her eyes while Lila averted her gaze and twirled her hair.

"She call you to?"Helga asked with a grin

"She was on the phone for an hour gushing about him." Phoebe said with a sigh

"She was ever so happy, did you notice waving her wrist in our face." Lila said

The three girls giggled while Rhonda showed a girl in the front row the "level of craftsmanship."

Rhonda sat down as soon as their teacher walked in the classroom and the girls started their first test of the day. After finishing their English exam Helga cracked her neck and stretched her legs. She had a long day of tests ahead, she really didn't have the time to think about Arnold.

Authors note: I can't believe that it took me a year to update this story. I'm a terrible human being.