(A/N: Happy Holidays! After writing all of this... I looked back and realized I probably should have just held off on the last chapter and added this to it but... can't exactly change that now ;; Oh well! This chapter is a tad on the short side but I really wanted to resolve the last one and begin the next few exciting events! There's a lot to come! Look forward to it!)
I have to stay calm. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. Arnold thought as he chewed his food slowly, half listening to the banter around him. He could feel his heart start to race again and did his best not to show his frustrations to anyone else at the table. I know there is nothing going on between them romantically… but why does it bother me so much that she's messaging him? Just what's going on between them that I don't know about?
In all of his years of knowing the two, there was one thing he knew for certain and that was the relationship between the two in question was very one sided. Brainy had confided in Arnold about his affections for the girl but it was clear through their interactions that it would never be mutual. Knowing what he knew about Helga now, it was obvious why but this still did not subdue the emotions that Arnold was doing his best to bottle up. Was this why she asked me what I knew about him? And she was talking about something illegal… Fear started to add with the mess of emotions he already had, as he considered the possibilities of her being mixed up in even more than he knew. Why hasn't she talked to me about this yet?
Arnold's thought process was interrupted by Helga suddenly laughing at a story that Ernie was telling her.
"Oh man, that's rich!" She said, with what looked to be a genuine smile.
"It was, trust me!" Mr. Potts replied as he waved his fork around. "You should have seen the look on that protesters face! The realization that the building was coming down no matter what, really hit him like a ton of bricks… if you know what I'm saying." He smirked at his own joke.
"That's the sort of job I can get behind…" Helga mused as she poked around her food; all of her attention on him. "Seems like a great way to relieve stress."
"I'm telling ya, I've never needed a therapist!" He nodded in response. "Just pull the lever and BAM all your tensions are gone! It's almost like the wrecking ball is smashing it all away with every swing." Ernie took a bite of his food then had a thought. "Hey! Maybe you can come to the site sometime and I'll let you pull the lever. I've brought Arnold before so why the heck not?"
"Really?" Helga seemed almost a little too happy at the offer.
Looking over at Arnold, Ernie smiled. "I really like your friend here, Arnold. Got a good head on her shoulders. Perfect for demolition."
Not really knowing how to respond, Arnold simply smiled back before taking another bite of his food and allowing them to continue. He was happy that Helga had finally taken to eating with them, at least for right now. In a way, this was just another step of her opening up and coming out of her shell. He wondered how she was feeling as he watched her laugh again at whatever Mr. Potts was saying. He wondered what she was feeling before she entered his room and what her ultimate goal actually was in going there. Was it for the snacks or were they just a cover up for the email? Arnold remembered how nervous she looked when he suddenly caught her and it only made the whole thing even more damning to him. Was she trying to keep her exchanges with Brainy a secret? Was she in over her head in something dangerous? And most importantly, why wasn't she telling him?
"Arnold?" His mother's voice brought him back to the table. "Sweetie, you've hardly eaten your food." She noticed, pointing to his plate where there was only a few bites missing. "Is it okay?"
Seeing his mother's unease made him take another bite. "It's good!" He insisted with a forced smile. "I just have something on my mind."
His words caught the ears of Helga, but she continued to feign listening to her side conversation while listening to the more important one across the table.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Stella asked him as she stroked his feathery hair back.
Arnold shook his head and continued to smile. "It's not a big deal." He suggested, trying his best to come up with something to make her drop the subject. "Just school stuff."
School stuff? Helga cocked her eyebrow as she listened on, biting her lip with nervousness. I don't buy that for a minute…
"Well alright, but if you need any help, feel free to ask!" Stella replied lovingly. "Now eat up or your brain won't have enough fuel to help you out with whatever this 'school stuff' is."
Feeling happy to oblige, Arnold took a few more bites to take the worry off of his mother. He was enjoying his meal; it was just hard to focus on both his thoughts and eating. He was doing his best to push the thoughts out, but the more he saw and heard Helga enjoying her time with Ernie, the more uncomfortable he became.
When concluded, Arnold stayed back to help his family clean up. He tried to occupy himself with positivity as he enjoyed helping them, but sadly the thoughts continued to get in the way. Luckily for him, none of them knew what was going on in their boy's head and thanked him for all his help.
"It's getting late, Shortman." Phil said as he started shooing his grandson away. "If you're so worried about school stuff, why not ask your little girlfriend there with the one eyebrow? I'm sure she'd be happy to help with that… among other things." He joked with a wink, earning a blush from Arnold before he turned away.
"Grandpa…" He said, annoyed.
"What? Does she get bad grades or something?" The older man asked as he placed both his hands on his hips in thought. "With how much her old man probably pushes her, I somehow doubt that." Phil waited for a moment to see how Arnold would reply, but when the silence lingered a little too long, he decided to continue quietly, "Unless she has to do with that 'school stuff'?"
Arnold gave him a heavy sigh. "It's complicated. Good night, Grandpa." He said before leaving.
Phil gave a shake of his head. "Poor kid's already having woman issues and he's not even twelve yet!"
"What's that, Dad?" Miles called from the kitchen as he scrubbed the dishes.
"I said you better start treating those old plates with care before I scrub you like that!" Phil threatened before returning to his son. "Oh I remember back when you were still in diapers and you'd get so dirty I would have to scrub you till you were pink…" He reminisced happily, getting a blush from his son as well and earning interest from his daughter in law. "Remember Pookie?"
"Give that pig a buttermilk bath and send him to the fair!" Gerty smiled as she rolled up a towel and smacked her son on the rear, causing Miles to shout and the rest of the party to laugh.
Unsure of what to do or how to approach, Helga stood in the upstairs hallway and waited for Arnold to appear. The likelihood of their homework keeping him from eating was very slim but she also wasn't ready to deal with the possibility of him being unhappy with her.
Criminy! He's probably suspicious! What do I do? What if he really was upset that I broke into his room and took his snacks! She paced back in forth in front of her doorway. He joked around with me and gave me that dashing smile… but what if it was all a cover?! Thinking about it for a moment, Helga shook her head. Nah, the Football head wears is heart on his sleeve. He couldn't cover up and ant with a blanket. Placing her hand on her chest, she decided to breathe deeply and try to look on the bright side. It's okay, Helga old girl… Maybe it really is just the homework assignment? What if he was just knee deep in it when dinner was ready and his mind was just swimming with answers? His head is certainly large enough for math problems to swim around with ease…
Helga could hear Arnold slowly walking up the stairs and acted as if she was just coming out of her room and happening to see him. She could see that he still looked distracted but put up her front like she didn't notice. "Getting ready to finish that homework and go to bed?" She asked him casually as he got closer to her. "If it's really bugging you, I could let you cheat off me! I'm already done."
Arnold stopped and looked up at her with tired eyes. His feelings were wearing him thin and at this point he really just wanted the day to be over so he could sleep and hope for a better tomorrow. A tomorrow where he had all the answers. "No… I think I'll just go to sleep. Thanks anyway, Helga."
Reaching out to soothe him, Helga could see that whatever was bothering him had to be big. "Come on… can't be that bad… can it?" She hesitated, still knowing that the reason could still possibly be her. When he didn't stop her from touching his arm, she took it as a sign that he was willing and let her hand glide down to his. He seems kind of lifeless… She thought as she grabbed his hand. "Arnold?"
Her hand felt nice in his and he responded with a small squeeze. She was being so warm and inviting. Her display downstairs of casual conversation with the boarders was refreshing from her usual stubbornness to fit in. Why does it feel like my heart's being squeezed? He wondered as he looked into her eyes, seeing that she was growing more and more concerned. I feel like she just broke up with me even though she's reaching out to me. I should feel better, not worse...
Geez! He looks like a sad and lost puppy! I can't take it! Without much thought, Helga looked to make sure no one else was watching them before pulling him into her bedroom and shutting the door tight. She watched as Arnold looked alarmed but at least he seemed snapped out of whatever stupor he was in.
"Look! I'm sorry, alright!" She shouted as she threw her back to the door. "I shouldn't have gone into your room without you being there and I shouldn't have taken your food!" The buildup of worry was beginning to take a toll on the young girl and she couldn't help but start into her dramatics. Pacing back and forth once more, she continued. "I was just hungry! It just seemed really weird to just go downstairs and ask for something to eat! This is YOUR family Arnold, not MINE! Heck, even if it was mine it's not like there would be much to snack on anyway so my next best bet was to hope you had something! I know it was wrong of me but you seemed fine with it earlier!" She said, looking at him painfully.
He could see that she had no idea of the real reason and he swallowed his fears and stuck his hands in his pants pocket. He could feel the money still nicely folded inside and remembered he still had to give it to her, but right now really didn't seem like the time.
When Arnold still didn't respond, Helga felt like she was just going to melt into a puddle on the floor, seep into the cracks in the foundation and disappear forever. He must know what I was doing on the computer… She thought in terror. What do I say to him?! How would I even begin to explain that in a way that it makes sense?! Helga took a deep breath and tried to steady her own thoughts. No I exited out of the page… I'm jumping ahead of myself. If he found out, he wouldn't look defeated… He'd just ask me about it and butt into my business like normal… So why does he look like someone just roasted and ate his pig?!
Arnold could see there was really no way around this and decided to sit down on her bed. It looked like she had no idea what was wrong with him so admitting it was even worse. If she didn't see it to be a problem, maybe it really wasn't and Arnold was overthinking it?
"Helga…" He started, pulling his hand out of his pocket and making himself more comfortable. "You wouldn't hide something important from me, would you?"
Feeling her heart in her throat, Helga swallowed and sat next to him. Man… he's really serious. She thought as she considered her words carefully. "I've spilled nearly my whole life story to you, why would you think that?" Her voice sounded like someone had kicked her in the shins.
"So if you were in trouble… You'd tell me, right?" He asked, looking over at her seriously.
Helga could feel herself begin to sweat."Am… I in trouble?" She asked with the purpose of making it more of a statement. Geez… try to sound more incriminating, why don't you?! She scolded herself.
"Are you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes as to make sure she wouldn't break contact.
"I don't think I am…" Helga replied, putting a finger in the collar of her shirt to vent her body's heat. "Arnold… you're kinda scaring me. What's wrong?"
She really isn't going to tell me… Arnold thought, his heart racing as his adrenaline started to kick in. It felt as if she was lying to him, even if she wasn't. It felt like she was rejecting him, even though she seemed to be trying to support him. Many negative thoughts and emotions started to overwhelm him once again and Arnold was becoming consumed. "Why did you ask me about Brainy the other day if you seem to know him so well?" He hissed out between the grit of his teeth.
His sudden words to the heart of the matter caused Helga's front to falter. She knew the cat was out of the bag and she somehow screwed up when closing that page. Fiddling with her fingers, Helga looked away. "Uhh…" She was lost for words. Crap! How do I explain this! Oh yeah Arnold, the guy who's been stalking me since as long as I've been stalking you seemed to have hacked into my dad's finances and is currently holding them hostage for some reason and honestly I don't know what to do or how I should feel about it… I mean, all of that is true but that's not exactly something he's gonna wanna hear. Lying won't make this any better either and he's probably read everything by now… Helga turned her head, finding it absolutely impossible to keep eye contact with him. "Be-because…"
With quick reflexes, Arnold put his finger under her chin and turned her face back towards him. "I want the truth…"
"The… the truth?" She stammered, feeling herself fall into bits and pieces. Those beautiful green eyes were stained with disappointment, betrayal and confusion. She could tell he wanted nothing more than to lash out but his good hearted and calm nature wouldn't allow it, no matter how much his heart probably screamed it.
Arnold nodded and removed his hand from her chin and placed it on her trembling hands. He knew they were on the same page but he still couldn't seem to stop himself from feeling this way. Giving a nod to clarify, he left himself silent for her to continue unaided.
"The truth… is…" Helga felt his warm sweaty hand on top of hers. He was just as uncomfortable as she was. "The truth is, I don't know." She admitted with a sigh. "The truth is, I'm trying to handle it myself without actually knowing what he's doing." Her honesty earned a softer look from him. "Am I in trouble? I don't think so but will he be? Absolutely if he doesn't stop prying into my life and trying to help me! And before you tell me that I should have come to you about this, what the heck did you expect me to say? I don't even know exactly how he managed to do what he did! Phoebe didn't really know what to say either!"
"So Phoebe knows about this?" He finally asked, a little shocked and even more disappointed that he was out of the loop.
"Y-yeah but she forced it out of me and then the little freak approached her himself afterwards so there was no avoiding it." Helga shrugged. "It's not like I was purposely hiding this from you. I've been trying really hard to be honest and not hide things but this was a little… different…"
Surprised at her demeanor, Arnold slowly rubbed the top of her hand to let her know that he still cared and was trying to calm down. "What did he do?"
Helga went into a full blown explanation of when the messages started and her conclusion to his actions, causing Arnold to feel even more frustrated. It was surprising to hear that the boy could go to such lengths with his abilities but it didn't seem like his intentions were malicious. If anything, Brainy clearly had a plan that only he knew about and was doing his best to keep the illicit activity to himself so she wouldn't get mixed up in it if it did go array.
Arnold looked away, as he could feel himself grow a little jealous. Some other guy was going to such lengths to try and help her and what was he doing? Letting her stay at his house? Sure that was nice but that didn't compare to the gall this kid had to hack into databases and encrypt information at will. He could feel himself becoming powerless.
"Look…" Helga's voice spoke up, unsure of how to really resolve this. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it but you can't just assume that everyone is going to run to you whenever they're stuck or have a problem!" Her voice rang true but the boy still couldn't look at her. He knew the fault wasn't on her, it was on himself. "I'm not some damsel in distress who needs saving, Arnold! I can beat up anyone I want, when I want and how I want and this includes that spiky haired creep!" Helga brought her hands out from under his and threw her fists up in the air. "Did you forget? I'm Helga G. Pataki! I've punched that numb nuts out cold more times than I can count! Just let me handle this and don't worry about it!" When he still didn't move, she sighed and draped her arms around him and let her weight topple them both down on the bed. When she saw his shocked response, she rolled off of him and propped her elbow up and held her head. "You're such a Football head." She said to ease him.
Smiling at her sudden affections, Arnold leaned forward and touched her forehead with his. He let his worries escape him and he breathed a sigh of relief. The world was finally falling off his shoulders and he could see that she was being genuine with him. "Thanks, Helga. I try."
Helga blushed but didn't pull away. Instead, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel content, despite everything that had just happened. She had never seen him so wound up and knowing it was her actions that caused it, didn't make the situation any better but at the same time, she felt like it moved them both further. So this is how a relationship is supposed to feel like… huh? Feels a little too mature for our age but what the heck, I'll take what I can get.
Seeing her close her eyes in comfort, Arnold did the same. He wanted to hold her and never let go. How could he be so careless and quick to judge? It wasn't like him at all but he knew the reason, even if he wasn't ready to admit it himself. He could feel his pulse slow back down and let the warm fuzzy feelings he was used to feeling with her around, begin to take over. "I'm sorry." He finally said, breaking their moment and causing her to look back at him.
"For what?" She asked, almost sounding amused.
"For letting my emotions get the best of me…" He replied with a frown. "I just hated the thought of you keeping secrets from me, especially if you were in trouble. I want you to be able to lean on me and tell me everything…"
Helga sat up and laughed. "Are you kidding me?" She asked, absolutely astound at what she was hearing. "If it were the other way around and little miss perfect was secretly messaging you, you bet your life I would have blew my lid without a second thought!" Helga shrugged. "But then again, that's just me."
Sitting back up, Arnold smiled at how relaxed she was being about all of this.
She then made an angry face and jabbed her finger into his chest. "Now you know how I felt when I saw you being cozy with her in the library. Doesn't feel very good, does it?!"
Arnold couldn't help but laugh, regardless of the pain that was now shooting where her finger once was. "No… it doesn't but at least I didn't make a scene in the middle of school." He replied, eyeing her to get a rouse.
"Doi! We're not in school, Football head." She said with a cross of her arms and a scowl. "And if you had decided to make a scene in your own house, your whole family would have been riding you to make sure you're okay. Would have been a whole lot messier than kids gossiping, if you ask me."
The thought of family caused the boy to remember the cash in his pocket and he pulled it out. "Speaking of family," He said as he held it in front of her. "I saw your mom today. She told me to give you this."
Helga blinked a few times at the gift before taking it. "Miriam?"
"Yeah, she asked how you were and I told her you were doing good." Arnold watched as her expression became a little complex. "I told her to visit but-"
"But let me guess," She said flatly, "It would be too much trouble?"
Arnold gave her a sideways smile. "Not exactly." He said; knowing well that even though her mother looked unhappy at the offer, there was much more behind her words than she would say.
"Then what? Was she too stumbling drunk to give a reason? Or are their lives so great without me that visiting would be too much of a bother?" Helga demanded, her anger slowly growing at the thought of her useless parent's attempt at providing for her. She wanted to give the money back to him but knew it was fruitless. Instead she stuffed it inside her shirt, next to her locket.
Wanting to reach out to her, Arnold frowned. He knew nothing he could say would make her feel better especially since her mother didn't outwardly say why. Sure, she had agreed with him that visiting would be a good idea but she also didn't say she would, and her expression said otherwise.
"Face it, Arnold. Learn to not rely on my parents just like I have." Helga said as she slumped her posture. "Life is easier that way."
The truth was painful and Arnold could hear it in her voice. It was one thing to grow up in a loving family without parents, but it was another thing to have them constantly betray your trust. She made that painfully obvious and although he couldn't fully understand, he silently agreed and grabbed her hand.
"At least you have a little money to get yourself something nice?" He suggested, trying to make the best of it.
She gave him an obvious dull look, "You always have to look on the bright side, don't you?"
"Somebody has to?" He shrugged with a smile.
Helga lunged forward and messed up his hair, causing him to laugh. "Stupid Football head with his stupid optimistic views…" Her face softened and she could feel herself getting weak at his boyish charm. "You better get out of here and get ready for bed before someone comes looking for you." She said regretfully.
"Yeah, you're right." He agreed with a nod before he got up and letting her hand go in the process.
Arnold walked to the door with thoughts in his head and a blush on his cheeks. Things really seemed to have turned themselves around fast since he first came through that door. Just as he turned around to say goodnight, he noticed that Helga was already standing in front of him. Before he could talk, she reached her arms around his neck and pulled his lips to hers. Her kiss was soft but pure, making his mind escape him and causing him to stumble backwards, hitting his back on the door in the process.
Pulling herself away from him, Helga placed a finger upon his lips before he could speak. "Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I would say good night to you till it be morrow. Farewell, Romeo…" She whispered with a smile. "Now get out of my room before you get us both in trouble, geez!" And with that, she opened her door and pushed him out.
Arnold stood there, blushed and with a dazed look upon his face. He wanted to say good night to her but she shut the door before he could. Touching his lips with the tips of his finger, he smiled shyly. It would seem that this passionate show of affection would become something a lot more normal than he first expected at this age. Knowing full well that Helga was no normal twelve year old girl, he wondered why this stunned him every time. "I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be baptized…" He whispered back as he walked to his room, "and henceforth I will never be Romeo…"
Helga felt so lightheaded she rested her back against the door in which he once stood and slid down to sit. She placed her hand upon her heart and let out a loving sigh. Pulling out her locket, she gazed at her love once more.
"My love for thee is as deep and boundless as the sea. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite. Come to me with all that you are, and there I'll have. Be my lord, my knight, my God and my savior. For without you, I am nothing." She spoke to it lovingly. "And with you, I have felt more than if I lived a thousand lives… oh~"
Pop music chorused in the background of the bedroom of Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd as she sat on her bed and carefully painted her nails. Each brush precise and each tab into the little bottle was small and quick as to make sure she didn't spill any on her luxurious comforter. The revelation she had back before the weekend was still pressing in her mind, but it no longer bothered her as much.
"It's just… baffling." She spoke out loud to her phones receiver sitting next to her. She had been speaking to Nadine on speaker phone.
"I know what you mean but…" Nadine's voice echoed and trailed off. "It's really none of our business, Rhonda. If they're happy then why not be happy for them?"
Rhonda smirked as she finished painting her last nail. She put the brush back in the bottle, screwed it tight and then stretched her arm out to admire her handy work. "Au contraire, Nadine…" She spoke with elegance, "I am happy for them! A little confused but if this little… affair keeps that ogre's attitude in check, then this is call for celebration!"
Nadine sighed heavily. "Why do I feel like you're planning something…?"
"Oh Nadine, you know me so well!" Rhonda smiled wildly. "I just think this gives us a chance to really have… some girl time, you know? After all, we're all in sixth grade now. This will be our last year in P.S 118 and who knows? For some of us, this could be our last school year together. I say it's time I throw another lovely party in their honor and we spice things up with some… more mature party games! What do you think?"
The thought of having a party didn't seem bad; however Nadine cringed at the premise of it. "Rhonda don't you think it would be a little awkward to throw a party over that? It's not like you threw Phoebe a party last year."
"I suppose your right…" Rhonda scrunched up her nose then blew on the fresh dark red paint that glistened. "Well I want a party regardless of the reason. I think all of us girls are far overdue! I want a party and a party we shall have!"
"Well Halloween is coming up, why not have another costume party?" Nadine suggested happily. "That way we can invite the whole class."
"Yes, yes, the whole class but I want some quality time with the girls first, Nadine!" Rhonda whined. She blew a few more times at her nails then an idea sparked. "What if we have a makeover party before the costume party?"
"Wouldn't the make-over clash with some of the costumes…?" Nadine pointed out. "Like what if someone wants to go as a clown? It would make no sense to put makeup on just for them to remove it later."
"Nadine, Darling! You're thinking too small! I don't mean like we had back in the fourth grade… That was so juvenile! I mean quality makeup, hair and nails too! The whole experience! I can even ask Mommy to go to her favorite spa and bring back some masks! Not a goopy weird homemade ones, but a nice thin refreshing mask!" Rhonda felt the idea was simply perfect and she began to get excited. "And if someone wanted to go as a clown, or something else that requires face paint, we can apply it for them after they're all exfoliated and hydrated!"
"That does sound pretty fun." Nadine smiled from the other line. "Even if someone was planning on wearing something over their heads for their costume, they'll at least feel fresh under it."
"Exactly! No matter what, everyone will have so much fun!" Rhonda said with a sly grin, having someone particular in mind. "We can talk about our crushes and play a few games… just a simply marvelous bonding experience. Afterwards, we'll have the usual Halloween event and everyone else can join us later when we're all freshened up! What do you think?"
"I think it sounds pretty great, Rhonda!" Nadine cheered whole heartedly. "Want to start writing up the invitations tonight? Or would you rather we start a little closer to the event?"
Testing each fingernail with a light touch from a q-tip, Rhonda's grin grew wider. "I'll start on them tonight and tomorrow you can help me pass them out. I wouldn't want people to have to miss out due to lack of notification. That would be terrible, just absolutely terrible."
"You don't want my help?" Nadine asked; a little offended.
"Oh it's not that," Rhonda dismissed with a wave of her hand, "Daddy just brought home a custom printer and I've been dying to try it out. This just gives me an excuse. You understand, right?"
"I guess…" The voice of her best friend sadly said from the small cellular device. "Alright, I'll help you pass them out tomorrow before class. Deal?"
"Deal! Now ciao darling, I have to get ready for bed. Can't exactly offer a beauty party when I'm looking shabby myself, now can I? See you tomorrow!" She said before hanging up the phone and lying on her back.
The thought of both parties filled the girl with joy and it had been quite some time since her and her fellow females had bonded. Rhonda couldn't wait to hear all the new and juicy details about her classmates' relationships, crushes and more. Not only that, but this was going to be a fantastic chance to bring out the inner Goddess in all of them, even if she knew at least one of them would resist. Fantasies started to glide through the aristocratic girls mind. She won't be able to resist for long and besides… even she has to admit in order to keep her man, she'll have to look her best, right? Let's see what's on the other side of the mask that is Helga G. Pataki…
Being the most pretty, popular and fashionable, Rhonda always made sure to plan and execute the best parties that people would talk about for ages. With the most exquisite catered food, to the high end entertainment, the Lloyds never skimped on luxury. It was important for everyone around them to view them as elite and that was passed down to their beloved only child. At least once a year, she would show off her riches to her friends and classmates buy letting them come to her house and bask in the limelight that they could never hope to achieve on their own. It wasn't as if she looked down upon them, rather she just wanted to be generous and show them the finer things in life. Playing sports and rolling around in the mud was child's play and it was high time some of them started to grow out of it... especially if they were of feminine respect. Rhonda typically had no real problem with any of her friends at school, and why would she? They all looked up to her and wanted to be like her. There was only one real student that pressed her patience though, and that was a certain female bully of P.S 118. There was just so much about Helga that Rhonda didn't understand and the more she tried, the more annoyed she became. Helga never looked pretty, she never tried to act feminine, she would push kids around, threaten to punch their faces off, get loud and crass then stomp away as if all was right in the world. This was not the type of behavior a young lady should have and she was certain of that. Sure, playing sports with her friends and partaking in the casual rough housing was part of being a kid, however they were preteens now and Helga seemed to take these immaturities to another level. Was it Rhonda's business how Helga chose to spend her time? Absolutely not but she also couldn't ignore her obnoxious vulgarity either. Women were supposed to be beautiful and dainty; something men were supposed to long after and fuss over. Just what did Helga have that could make any person fall for her, let alone Arnold? He was practical and sensible. He was noble and chast. If there was any a more likely pairing, it was none other than the two of them... so why? The mere thought boggled Rhonda's mind and she had every intention on finding out just that. This little makeover party was going to shed some light on just what the boisterous girl had that this young man could possibly want. What hid behind her worn, outdated pink bow, straw-like blonde pigtails and roughed up exterior? Was there a certain charm that the girl had that Rhonda couldn't see? Just what was that tomboy hiding? In just a few weeks, Rhonda would do everything in her power to find out, even if it meant putting on a show for all the girls to partake in.
Jumping out of her bed, Rhonda headed to her computer and brought open a program that would help her customize her invitations. Picking the font, color, and size, even being able to add decorations at will, she knew that these invitations would look very good and hopefully entice her girl friends.
"Arts and crafts are so last year…" She said snidely as she finished up her project with a few splashes of extra pizzazz. "That goes there… and final touches… voila!" She said as she pressed the print button.
Rhonda pushed herself out of her computer chair and ran down the hallway to her father's study. She peeked inside first to make sure he wasn't there, and then approached the machine. It whizzed and whirled as it spit out the images she was looking for and she clapped with glee.
"Rhonda darling, whatever are you doing in here?" Brooke appeared from the doorway, looking cross. "You know how much it stresses your father when you fuss around in here without his permission." She explained, pressing her index fingers to her temples.
Gathering up her invitation cards, Rhonda brought them over to her mother with a smile. "Mommy! I was just speaking with Nadine and we came up with the most wonderful idea! Take a look!" She explained, watching her mother skeptically take the cards and look through them.
"But dear… you didn't bring this to my attention first." Brooke frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "You can't just decide on having a party without consulting me first. What if we have something planned that day?"
"Do you?" The girl said, pouting her most innocent pout.
Brooke looked at her daughter, then back at the invitations. "Truthfully, yes. Your father has a business meeting upstate and I was hoping to get my skin touched up by Dr. Tousignant…" The girls sad face only made the woman become further exhausted. "But… if it really means that much to you…"
"Oh Mommy!" Rhonda shouted as she threw her arms around her mother and squeezed. "You're the greatest!" After letting her go, she gave her a shy smile, "Is it possible for us to see your beautician and possibly get some spa masks? I really want to show the girls just how they can bring out the beauty from within."
Petting her little girl on the head, Brooke sighed. "I'm sure we can work something out… just no more plans without my approval. Is this clear?"
"Crystal!" Rhonda replied with another tight hug. She grabbed back her invitations and ran back over to her bedroom. Placing them neatly in her backpack, The girl's excitement welled up and exploded, causing her to dance around happily. There was so much she was going to learn at this party!