Thanks for all the great reviews! It's been a lot of fun writing this one! Also, I'm compiling a list of Helga's lessons for Arnold. If you have a 'lesson' you might wan to see turned into a chapter, drop it in the reviews or my inbox. I'll be sure to credit each user who has a lesson I decide to add in.
Enjoy!
"Hey, grandpa, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked a bit hesitantly as I peered around the doorframe of the kitchen. Seated at his normal place at the table was my grandpa, basically the only real father figure I had and the person I went to when I didn't know where else to turn. He'd grown older, as people often do, but he hadn't lost the spark the kept him young.
"Sure Shortman, pull up a chair. Your grandma made a pie, but don't eat too much or it'll go right through you." I noted the piece he was working on, seeing the familiar pinkish ooze of the raspberries.
"Thanks grandpa, maybe later," I assured him, moving to take my seat across the table from him. I took a bit of time to adjust my chair, unsure of how to bring up the subject at hand.
"You had something to talk about?" he pressed, putting his fork onto the now empty plate and directing his attention on me full force.
"I, uh, just wanted to get your opinion on something."
"What something?"
"I – if you think that someone may be in trouble, or being hurt, what do you do it about it? Do you say something the first time around, or do you wait? But if you wait, what if you wait too long and it happens again? If they don't want to talk to you about it, what are you supposed to even do?" I finally blurted in one breath, twisting my hands in my lap as I spoke. I looked up to meet his gaze, waiting for some sort of solution to solve my problem.
"Ah Arnold, that's a tough situation to be in. Let me tell you a story about this boy I knew by the name of Joseph Pincher."
"Uh, okay," I muttered, not sure what this had to do with my question at all.
"Joseph and I were never good friends, but we sat next to each other in school and often got paired up on projects. And let me tell you Shortman, that boy smelled. He could clear an entire-"
"Grandpa!"
"Right, well anyway. Joseph came to school worse for wear sometimes. He'd have a few scrapes and marks about him, say he'd gotten them roughhousing. Of course, it was quiet likely and we all believed it just fine and no one asked questions.
" Of course, the older we got, the less we noticed. But we got a new teacher, and she took to noticing his marks and scrapes and maybe might have overreacted just a bit. She called the boy's parents in to have a discussion. At that time, it was considered over stepping boundaries to bring up something like that in a school setting. Now what do you think happened?"
"She found out what was going on, and things worked out?" I suggested optimistically.
"Wrong. Joseph's parents backed up his story and nothing ever changed. For all we know, he really did fall down a lot. So what's the moral of the story?"
"Um, I don't know," I admitted, watching as he got up to put his plate in this sink. He shook his head, gesturing towards the faucet.
"Well come do these dishes and think it over, Shortman."
I sighed, pushing myself up and heading to the sink. I rolled up the sleeved of my over shirt before plunging my arms down into the soapy froth. The clock said it was just getting to be ten, so I'd have to go up to bed before long. I took the sponge from the back of the sink and started in the task of scraping of the remains of dinner. As I sloshed through plates and pots, I tried to figure out what I was expected to get from grandpa's story. Was I overreacting to the situation? I mean, after it all, it had only been a one-time thing, as far as I knew. Maybe I didn't need to jump to conclusions over it, I reasoned as I loaded some of the dished into the drain. Or maybe it didn't matter if I tried to intervene with her issues if she isn't willing to talk about it. If no one was willing to fess up to it, it wouldn't matter what I knew or didn't. I couldn't make her talk unless she was ready. I couldn't force her if she wasn't ready, and I couldn't force her if there was simply nothing to force.
I finished loading the dishes into the drain, hoping the latter reason.
I made sure I was up on time the morning. I'd set my regular alarm and a backup to be safe, but luckily I didn't need it. I shuffled my way to the bathroom, stifling a yawn as I started up in the shower and went about my regular morning routine. I washed my hair, as well as brushed my teeth and gathered my deodorant and cologne. I was just finishing buttoning my shirt when I remembered I had completely forgotten to do my math homework. I groaned as I shuffled in my backpack, thankful it was in only a handful of problems this time around.
I scribbled through the problems, hoping that as long as there were numbers and marks on it that she was consider it an effort at least. I was just marking in the last few problems when my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey man, you taking the bus this morning?"
"I wasn't sure yet, but I guess I can, why?" I replied, turning to look at the time. I finished scribbling in my numbers, shifting the phone so I could hold it with my shoulder as I shoved things back in my bag.
"My cars in the shop for the next few days. So I figured you can swing by and give a guy a lift, or we could catch the bus. I hate riding it alone."
"I'll meet you in ten. Later, Gerald," I replied, hitting the end button and sliding it into my pocket. I slung the strap over my shoulder, adjusting my backpack and heading down the stairs.
"Hey grandma," I called as I passed the kitchen.
"Staying for breakfast sailor?" She said with a wave of her spatula.
"Not today grandma, I'm gonna meet Gerald at the bust stop. I'll see you after school!" I waved goodbye stepping out the door and setting course for the bus stop. Gerald was already there by the time I arrived, and he grinned when he spotted me.
"Hey, Arnold. You finish up the math stuff? I almost gave up, but I finally made it to twenty-five."
"Twenty-five?" I said with a groan. "I thought we just had the worksheet."
"Well yeah, if you didn't finish it in class." He surveyed my face for a moment. "Hey, I'll let you copy mine on the bus."
"Oh, I can't," I protested, already digging through my backpack furiously again. I had completely forgotten about the problems in the book. I was just one a streak these past few days.
"Seriously, don't sweat it," Gerald assured me as he produced a copy of his problems from his binder. "You'll just owe me a favor."
"Thanks," I sighed, smiling gratefully. I tucked it into my own binder, watching as the bus pulled up. I followed Gerald to an empty seat, plopping down and starting to copy over numbers.
"Hey, I called you last night to see if you wanted to chill, but I couldn't get you. What was up?" he asked, pushing his bag against the window as he settled in.
"I was…busy," I muttered in a low voice as I bent down close to my paper, trying to look a bit more absorbed in my copying of numbers than I actually was.
"Oh come on Arnold," Gerald said sourly, falling back against the seat heavily. I felt the shake travel through me, and I pressed down hard on the papers to keep them from sliding off my lap. I glanced over to see him with his arm crossed against his chest, obviously pouting over the situation. I exhaled heavily as I continued to scratch the numbers on my paper. I should tell him the truth, I reasoned as I nodded my head. I couldn't keep lying to him, and if he found out I was, well, I didn't want to think about it. The events had sort of taken a turn – besides, I could never keep a secret from Gerald long, no matter what I told myself. I finished scribbling over the last number, straightening back up.
"I was with Helga."
"Oh yeah, sure, Helga. If you don't want to tell me what you were doing-"
"Seriously, Gerald, I went over to Helga's last night," I insisted in a hushed voice, looking around to make sure no one had suddenly decided to pay attention to us.
"What?" He choked, suddenly looking at me as though he had seen a ghost. His mouth fell open as he searched my face.
"Why would I lie about that, Gerald?" I said quietly, turning my attention to stare directly ahead.
"But why?" he continued incredulously. "Of all the girls in school, why Helga?"
"We aren't dating or anything, if that's where you mind just jumped to!" I protested, shaking my head furiously. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers, trying to think of a way that didn't make the whole situation seem like some awkward chick flick all the girls talked about. "Boy goes to girl's house to learn dating tricks to pick up a girl he likes. Through a series of unexpected events, he finds himself attached to the girl by feelings he doesn't know how to handle."
"Uh…what was that?"
"Oh gosh, no, I was trying to say that out loud!" I whined, slapping my hand over my face as I sank down in my seat. This wasn't going in the direction I meant. Maybe I should have just kept lying. Anger was easier to deal with than humiliation.
"You have feelings for Helga you don't know how to handle? Wait, is Helga the one teaching you dating tips? You went to HELGA FOR DATINGADVICE?" he babbled, his voice rising to an unexpected frequency as he realized the situation. He peered at me with wide eyes, along with half the other students on the bus. I said nothing, instead sliding down farther into my seat, hoping to just sink into the chair and out of sight. I needed the bus ride to be over.
"Explain man, and from the start. No monkey business," Gerald hissed as we exited the bus after what seemed like an eternity of riding in silence.
"Look, it's like –hey!" I yelped, stumbling as my left shoulder was rammed with enough force to make me lose my grip on the books I had been holding. I frowned as they scattered across the sidewalk, jerking my head up to reprimand the person who had so rudely – oh. "Helga, wait, I need to talk to you!" I called, but she paused just long enough to shoot me a look that had the intent to kill. She didn't say a word or make any other gestures, just continued up the stairs on her way.
"What did you do to her? Do you want to die? Because if you suddenly come up missing, I'll alert the cops to dig in her backyard," Gerald commented, crouching to help me gather my papers.
"I only-" I started, pausing a moment to groan as I literally face-palmed myself. "I was pushy and overbearing," I finally managed to get out, chuckling slightly as I took the rest of my papers from Gerald and straightened up.
Gerald merely stared at me before shaking his head. "You are a bold kid, Arnold."
"So I've heard," I replied with a grin, weaving my way between the students on the steps. "So I've heard."
"Hey Arnold! Arnold, Arnold, Hey!" I could hear Sid yelling from down the hall as I approached my locker. I was undoing the combination as he skidded up beside me with Stinky in tow.
"Hey Sid, Stinky, what's up?" I replied in a friendly manner, exchanging out some of my books. I didn't think I needed my English book since we're just doing the play, but I went ahead and loaded it in. It was on the other side of the school and I wouldn't be able to get back till lunch.
"I heard from a reliable source this morning that you and Helga Pataki are an item?"
I cringed as I heard –and felt- the loud slam of a locker just down the row. We all turned to find Helga once again glaring at me with menace. Of course this time, she was a bit more courteous and gave me a parting gesture – if you'd call the middle figure a parting gesture. I turned back to Sid and Stinky with a calm expression. "Who even told you that?"
"Martin Wheezer," Sid stated as though it was obvious.
"Martin Wheezer is in ninth grade!" I retorted disbelievingly. "Like he would know. And for the record, no we are not dating. I'd appreciate if you'd get that back to your source before anyone else hears that. No, if you'll excuse me," I concluded, snapping shut my locker and darting down the hall. "Helga! Helga, wait up!" I tried again, but the sudden ringing of the bell caused surge of movement around me, and she was soon lost in the sea of hormones. I dropped my arm heavily, sighing as I made my way to class. Okay, so lesson two was to not be pushy or overbearing, so maybe that meant I had to wait for her to talk when she was ready. Like grandpa said as well. I sighed once more. Girls were complicated.