I hope you guys enjoy this chapter...I have this habit of trying to keep my chapters a certain length...I'm trying to break it, and go for longer chapters. You guys want fewer, but longer chapters? Or are the shorter chapters better?
Review guys!
No Arnold belongs to me :/
Two Milkshakes, three slices of triple chocolate cake, and a shared chocolate cream muffin later Helga was on a strange sort of hyperactive sugar high, her previous emotional barriers lost in a swirling vortex of sugar. It had started off a bit like pulling teeth, prying bits and pieces of information out after the first milkshake. I'd gotten another because she seemed to like fiddling with the straw so her hands stayed busy. About halfway through, her words began to come out more freely, and I'd learned more about Helga in the past couple of hours than I had in years knowing her.
I'd learned her mother was an alcoholic who spend most of her days in a self-induced " smoothie" stupor, and most of her time was spend in various stages of sleep around the house. I'd been informed that her dad spent most of his waking hours obsessing about work on a scary level, preferring beepers to his family. I'd also been sad to hear she had no identity of her own at home and was constantly trying to separate herself from her sister, but to no avail. She didn't know what to with herself half the time at home and on occasion her dad would come home in a state to rival her mom, and on those nights he was violent an unpredictable. Tonight had been one such night, and she had shamefully shown me a cut on her arm where she'd been hit by glass as he'd thrown a cup at the wall in a rage over how there hadn't been a prepared supper. Then she'd slowly poked at the cake, and I'd steered the conversation to lighter subjects. And that was when things started to get fun. We'd turned to sharing funny experiences we'd gone through, and had completely lost track of time.
"And so then I had to deck him one, because seriously? Who thinks it's okay to hide in a garbage can and stalk a girl?" she said, tearing at the muffin as she laughed.
"How do these things happen to you all the time?" I laughed along with her, my sides sore for how much we'd been laughing in the past fifteen or so minutes.
"Well, criminy, I was just stepping over for some privacy. So maybe I needed to duck into the alleyway –how did he even know?"
"Why would you suddenly need to duck in an alleyway?"
"Can't a girl seek privacy in an alleyway?" she defended, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"I guess so, sure. But that's just a weird place."
"I've been in weirder situations in general," she assured me with a grin.
"Try me," I challenged.
"So this one time I accidentally left a message on this guy's answering machine telling him I was basically in love with him – you know, due to some laughing gas from the dentist. I ended up having to break into his house and steal the tape, I was so embarrassed."
"You broke into his house?" I asked incredulously, my eyes wide. "Wait, hold on. You had a crush on someone? When!?" I rushed, wanting to know who she could have possibly had a crush on it. "How long ago?" I pressed again in a rush, feeling a strange sensation in my stomach. "Do I know him?"
"Oh gosh, calm your tits Arnold. It was, like, fourth grade," she said, brushing me off with a sweep of her hand. "What's it to you who I had a crush on?"
At that moment, the girl who had been keeping our sweet tooth supplied made her way shyly to the table. "Sorry, I hate to interrupt, but we're closing. I'm not rushing you guys, but-"
"Oh, excuse us. Don't worry about it. I got it," I assured the girl, pulling out my wallet and passing the girl some money. I then neatly stacked the plates before sliding out of the booth. Helga nodded, following my example. We thanked the girl then headed out to the sidewalk.
"Hey, thanks. Ya know, for coming like you did," she muttered as we stepped out into the chilly night air. She crossed her arms over her chest, turning her attention down to the street.
"Hey, it's no big deal," I said with a smile. "You want me to walk you home?" For a moment, I thought she was going to say no, but she shrugged in response.
"Whatever floats your boat, Arnoldo."
"Mainly I want to hear about this boy," I half teased, shoving my hands down into the pockets of my jeans. I walked along beside her, glancing over at her as we walked.
"I told you it was years ago. What's the big deal, you jealous?"
"Psh, no." Maybe, a little.
"You didn't even know that guy," she said with a toss of her hair. "And I'm still not telling you."
"You are ridiculous."
"Says the boy who is coming to me for female advice."
"Touche," I chuckled, running my fingers through my hair. She didn't say anything more, and we walked the rest of the short distance in silence.
"This is my stop," she said as we arrived at her house. I watched as her face fell slightly as she stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the door.
"You know, you don't have to stay here tonight," I offered up quietly, scuffing my shoe against the pavement.
She whipped her head around to stare at me. "Uh, I hate to break it to you, but I don't really have the fund for a hotel. And Phoebe can't have guests on a school night."
"You can always stay with me. I mean, I'm sure my grandparents won't mind. You could-"
"Thanks, but I don't think that's such a great idea. I'll just see you in the morning."
And just like that, she had slipped inside the door, a resounding click echoing just slightly.
I found myself yawning as I did the combination on my locker. I'd had a weird dream, and it as one of those you don't just come fall back asleep after having. I mean, I'd never had a dream like that before – I mean, not where Helga was in it. I'd just been sitting on my couch before she'd burst through my door. She'd immediately started removing her clothing, and my dream self was starting to panic in more ways than one. It was when she'd shaken her hair down, turning to lock her blue eyes on me. I wasn't sure what the significance of her pink underwear with bunnies was, but I'd woken up feeling awkward for lack of a better word. I'd turned on the tv soon after to distract my mind, and I didn't know when I'd fallen asleep again.
"Like she'd even wear pink bunny underwear," I scolded myself as I rummaged in the mess for my chemistry homework.
"Who has pink underwear?"
"Ohmygosh," I squeaked, crying out as I slammed the back of my head against the roof of my locker. "I don't know! What? Who said underwear?" I stammered, rubbing the back of my head as I turned.
Helga peered at me curiously from behind her newly loose hair. Wait, she was wearing her hair down? My eyes flickered down involuntarily. Shoot, wait, I wasn't supposed to look at her that way. She wouldn't be wearing – oh my gosh, she was a pink bra. I could see the strap from where her bag had pulled the shoulder of her shirt down. I gulped loudly, quickly dropping my attention to the floor completely.
"Hey, you okay in there?" Helga asked, swinging her head around so she was once again in my line of vision. I stumbled backward into my locker, once again trying to refocus my attention. "I take it no…"
"I was just – I didn't get any sleep!" I blurted, my voice cracking like I was going through a second puberty or something.
"Yeah, I didn't either," she replied, picking at her fingernails. "It was probably all that sugar. I really shouldn't have that much at night because I'm practically an insomniac anyway and sugar really makes me laggy the day after. I had about three cups of coffee this morning."
She wasn't mobbing, she was just standing there as if she was oblivious to my discomfort. I guess I should have known I'd have to face her sooner or later. I was just hoping for later because I'm an awful coward sometimes. Okay, she's just Helga. She's the same Helga she's always been. It was just a dream, I reminded myself. A dream.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"What?" I asked, snapping back to attention. I dared a glance down at her.
"Look, just forget it," she said with a roll of her eyes. She pulled the bag up on her shoulder, shifting her weight to her left leg. "I'll see you in class."
"No, wait, I'm sorry," I apologized, pushing through the other students as I attempted to follow her. "What were you saying?"
"If you really wanted to know, you would have listened to me the first time," she countered.
"I'm sorry. Tell me again. I'm listening."
"I said I get the results of my audition tonight at dance. I was wondering if you'd want to know my results," she said shyly, brushing her hair back over her ear. "I thought since you are just so intent on being friends, and all."
"Oh yeah, sure. You can text me!" I grinned. "Did you tell me the show? I don't remember."
"It's Cinderella," she said with a shrug, pulling a pack of gum from her pocket. "Want a piece?"
I pulled a stick from the package, unwrapping it as I spoke. "Let me know as soon as you do."
Helga nodded, pushing past me to make her way down the aisle to her desk. I shook my head, sliding into my own desk.
"Morning Arnold!"
"Hi Lila!" I greeted, hastily trying to smooth my hair down a bit. She smiled radiantly as she took her seat across from me.
"Did you make your meeting yesterday?" she asked as she opened her binder.
"Barely. You have a good day off?"
"It was ever so relaxing! I read a wonderful book and had an ever so wonderful time trying out a new recipe with my daddy."
"That sounds great. You always were a wonderful cook," I complimented, hoping this was the right time to throw one in.
"Why thank you ever so much!" she said, her cheeks tinting an adorable shade of pink.
At that moment, Dr. Martin called for quiet, and I turned my attention to my work. I'd taken the blush as a signal I'd done something right.