Thanks for the reviews.
To the Guest - No Helga isn't mean here. She will go between her sweet personality and her aggressive side from time to time but mostly she's a bit more balanced.
Burn a Dark Soul - You'll get a hint why at the end of this chapter.
So their first few attempts didn't work between Gerald and Phoebe resorting in a almost comical display of Helga putting her head in her locker to try and scream in frustration but when she remembered she couldn't do that affectively, she gave one wink to Arnold saying she give the ol' public school try. Arnold was confused by this until he watched Helga practically push Phoebe against Gerald.
"Gerald. Phoebe would like to share something with you. Phoebe, go right ahead." Turning abruptly Helga went to stand next to Arnold. "Swans are next." She whispered at him.
Watching Phoebe do her classic display of bashfulness along with Gerald blushing while scratching the back of his neck, Arnold saw how that hand slowly came down to take Phoebe's hand as a smile formed on his best friend's face before Phoebe looked up with a tiny bounce. "You did it, Swan."
"Calling me a swan? Is that my nickname?" Helga grinned at watching their best friends walk hand in hand down the hallway.
"Take it as a compliment. You are beautiful, but you know when not to take..." He let it drift away as he grabbed his books so they can head off to first period together.
"Finally a worth while compliment." Helga smirked up at him. "What a good bud you are."
At lunch she wandered off to be alone to write in her pink journal not fully realizing she was talking out loud till she heard breathing behind her making her turn her head quickly to come face to face with Brainy. Scowliing at him she raised to her full height just like he did.
"Uh... Hi."
"What the hell? Why are you sneaking up on me like that?" Helga almost shouted at him for interrupting her private time.
Holding out a small flower for her acceptance his cheeks turned red. "I like you."
Tightening her lips she sensed something more with this one than what he was letting on. "This isn't the first time you've done this with me, is it?"
"You're... Fascinating." Smiles shyly. "Beautiful. Your hair smells perfect."
How does he know what her hair smells like exactly? "You mean because you smelled it just now only once, correct?"
Bowing his head down he shook his head.
"Please tell me the truth." She urged trying to keep her patience.
"For four days I've been smelling your hair. You caught me the fourth time."
Her face went slack. "Ugh. Do that again and I swear I will deck you. Stay away from me."
Helga felt her skin crawl at that information as she stalked away finding her Football Headed friend now making out with that girl he was going on a date with. Must be nice to have a permanent home where you can have a relationship instead of wondering when it was time to move again. As it is, she still hadn't fully unpacked her room feeling at any moment Bob will come home saying it was time to leave again. She couldn't wait to be legal and out of their hold so she can have something more permanent in her life. Turning another area of the school grounds, Helga spotted Gerald cupping Phoebe's face and smiling down at her in such a loving way. That made Helga smile much larger at the sight. Hope that lasts for the both of them.
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The night of Rhonda's party pretty much everyone was there. Phoebe and Gerald were together dancing. Arnold was with Emma as she was talking to a girl next to her about accessories. Arnold looked around the room to see if Helga was gonna show or not. She told him she wasn't into parties, but still he hoped his friend would join them.
Helga did come in but slipped, unnoticed by the majority of everyone except the hostess, out to the balcony. Leaning against the railing to view the garden slightly lit up she heard Rhonda come out to stand beside her.
"Parties aren't really your thing, huh?"
"No. It just mostly has to do with crowds and also the fact that I never know when it is my time to leave." Helga saw a lone bunny hop around the path in the garden before ducking for cover. "I don't mean to be rude."
Rhonda almost shrugged. "In the past I would of taken a huge offense to it, but I've calmed over the years. I mean I still love fashion and want to be a designer when I get older. What do you want to be?"
"A novelist or a journalist." She replied simply.
Giving her clothes a once over, Rhonda said, "I couldn't judge what you were entirely based on what you wore because it is always different. Sometimes it is chic while other days it is so basic it isn't funny. You are artistic like Arnold is. March to your own beats."
Helga didn't mind the comparison. "I just gather a lot of clothes from all around so that is why it is so different each day." Turns to look Rhonda over before stopping on her shoes. "Love the Spumoni shoes you have there. Not many can pull of that one style she sold."
Rhonda's face lit up at the compliment. "I love them and they are so comfortable. I thought they looked perfect on so I had to get them. Thanks!"
"Sure." Helga was already tired and yet she hasn't been inside to dance.
Rhonda didn't know if she was a physical person so instead of grabbing her hand to haul her inside, she said, "Please do come inside and try to enjoy yourself. Hopefully this will be your last place you get to live for a long time. I know you are good friends with Phoebe and you are obviously becoming good friends with Arnold. I mean he is such a doll so I can understand that."
Helga couldn't deny it anymore since she was acting pleasant to her. "Sure." She might as well relent.
"Perfect." Taking her hand, Rhonda led her inside. "Please mingle and have fun."
Helga wasn't surprised she went back into Princess mode the very second she stepped inside. Spotting Arnold looking slightly bored she went up to him. "Football Head, where is your date?"
Jumping he turned to see Helga wearing a black sleeveless top that ended a little past her buttocks, some wide band around her wrist that wasn't a brace or wrap nor a bracelet, and black sprayed on looking stretch pants with skulls here and there scattered around on them, along with high heeled boots.
"Swan, you look incredible tonight."
"Thanks. Answer the question."
At least she had good humor. "Well she went off with a friend." Seeing Phoebe and Gerald slow dance with their foreheads connected, Arnold smiled. "Look how happy they are."
"Hmmm I know." Helga saw that blossoming love there. "They really are right for one another."
"They truly are."
They both studied their friends while they danced making Helga almost leave the party. Too much was weighing on her and she needed a distraction. "So you and that girl in a relationship now?"
"She asked but I think it is still too soon. What do you think?"
"Seeing that I never had a boyfriend in my entire life... I don't know how to answer but it depends on the individual I guess." Helga felt lame trying to answer that before spotting, Lila. "Lila!"
Coming over, Lila smiled at both of them. "Good evening Arnold and Helga. Isn't this an oh so great party? Stinky looks ever so cute dancing."
Helga smiled politely at her. "Yeah, hi. Arnold here has his first date with Emma tonight, but already she has asked to be his girlfriend way before their date. Is it too fast in your opinion or what?"
Looking up, Lila thought about it before giving her answer. "Depends on the person. For me I was ever so ready to be in a committed relationship with Arnie and then with Stinky. Anyone else like Arnold I just couldn't do it."
"Thank you, Lila. Go and join your man." Helga said with a suppressed smile on her face.
"I ever so will." Giving them a tiny wave she went off to Stinky's side.
Arnold studied Helga's face before nudging her. "What are you thinking?"
"I can tell that girl has a serious dark side she keeps hidden inside of her but is so afraid to let out." Helga turned to face him. "The danger of suppressing things like that for too long ends up to have a costly effect. She's a good person, but..."
Arnold looked over to Lila trying her best not to dance seductively with Stinky in any way by dancing like a child. "I could say something to her but that always leads to the, 'Oh Arnold I've been over this with you, I like you, but I don't like you like you."
Raising her eyebrow up, Helga busted out laughing. "Oh my goodness. Give me time with her and perhaps I'll help the poor girl out. That is if I stay around long enough to do so."
Watching her turn her back to him to scan the crowd, Arnold couldn't help blurt out the first words that came out of his mouth in a flash of determination in order to keep her around. "Emancipate yourself."
Helga's mouth opened at how he said it. She heard the determination there and with the loud music and people around her she was shocked to feel like the world went silent just to let him speak alone. His voice alone sent chills throughout her entire body in such a way that before she can utter a single word his date came back to wrap her arms around him to bring him in for a kiss.
"Ohhhh I've been dying to do that again!" Emma squealed as she bounced up and down against him.
Arnold continued to kiss Emma but one of his eyes stared right through Helga hoping she heard what he said to her, but the way she looked back at him was a mixture of understanding and something else that made him wish something that he shouldn't at the present moment. Helga gave him a half smile before turning around to get lost in the crowd.
"You are such a good kisser!" Emma continued to squeal.
"Thanks. Wanna dance?" Arnold asked.
Helga drifted off to get something to snack on and now see Arnold on the dance floor with his date. She already determined he was a good dancer, but Emma wasn't making it easy for him. Taking a bite of her cracker Helga couldn't believe the lack of chemistry she was witnessing.
"Uh... Hi."
Helga smiled at Brainy politely. "Well at least you weren't behind me this time."
Brainy blushed. "Want to dance?"
Helga figured why not to a dance as she gave him a nod and walked onto the dance floor to begin her movements unsurprised that Brainy's movements were a bit too jerky. Helga never had a good dance partner in all her life. Shrugging internally she made the best of it.
After the party, Helga came home to the smell of liquor in the air and misery. In fact the air was thick with it along with foreboding. First grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge she went upstairs quietly to her room to place the bottle down and slip her clothes off before grabbing her robe to head to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. After she did that then slipped out of the bathroom she heard the unmistakable sound of a slap along with whimpers with something else that made her feel strangled at the very thought of what was happening and knowing the last time she interfered.
Hearing the slap again, Helga took a step forward to their bedroom as fear overwhelmed her. Her father was an angry soul and she had the X-rays to prove it. Somehow she didn't know how she ended up in her own closet crying in the corner. She thought of what Arnold said and it wasn't like she didn't think of it before it was just that she found it hard to leave her own mother alone.
"Please help us. Please." She prayed. "My mother needs it. Deserves it."