Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold.
It's crazy (that someone could change me)
Helga at this point was running on fumes when it came to energy.
She had eaten half of the sandwich on her tray as well as some of the tapioca, and she felt so tired and weighed down. She had to appease Arnold and get him off her back. And by getting Arnold off her back, she'd be able to get Phoebe off her back as well.
She did notice the burning was starting to ease some.
Now here she was getting ready for the last period and she could barely think of anything but the weight in her stomach. She felt full and unworthy.
Her stomach lurched and she thought about making a beeline to the Nurse's office once more but realized that would make her boyfriend even more worried for her. Not to mention Phoebe.
She looked up and saw Arnold making his way toward her with a bright smile on his face. While she was happy to see Arnold's beautiful smile she was completely unhappy at the prospect of eating more when she already had said she wasn't hungry. As he got closer, she could see that look change into a more concerned one. She must have been frowning again.
"Are you okay?"
"For the thousandth time bucko, yes," She got up from her desk and with Arnold, made her way out of the classroom, "I am okay so stop worrying so much."
"I'm sorry. You look pretty tired. We didn't have too much homework today. You should go home and rest more when school lets out." Arnold rubbed her hand, taking in that she still didn't look any better than she did earlier today. Some rest would do his girlfriend some good.
"Thanks, Dr. Arnoldo." Helga leaned against the blonde boy completely content in standing next to her beloved. The bell rang and Helga sighed, closing her locker door. Arnold didn't miss the sigh or the sad look in her eyes as he trailed after her for their last class of the day.
When school let out and Helga could finally go home and not be under prying eyes, she began packing up her things making a quick exit for her locker.
She was almost finished packing up for the day when she felt a familiar hand land on her shoulder. "Do you want me to walk you home?"
"I think I'll manage Football head. Besides, don't you have a project to work on with Gerald?"
"I do but I can still walk you home if you'd like."
"I think I'll be okay this time." Helga kissed the boy firmly before lowering her voice so prying ears didn't hear, "I promise I'm okay, so you can stop all of your worrying, okay? I was just dizzy early. I'm not going to die, Arnold."
"Are you-"
"Yes, my little football head. I'm sure. And if I'm not or something changes, I will tell you. Okay?" She wrapped her arm around the boy's shoulder.
"Okay, if you're sure."
"I'm sure ya worrywart. Now, go meet with Gerald and work on your project. And I will see you tomorrow."
Arnold looked uncertain but he leaned over and hugged the girl tightly, not ignoring how small she felt around him. "Have a good night, Helga"
"You too, Arnold." She kissed the boy's cheek one last time to reassure him.
Arnold could be such a worrier at times. Helga felt a pang of guilt hit her stomach, knowing it was all because of her.
She swallowed up her last remaining bit of self-hate and walked home in her usual Helga G. Pataki style. No one should be the wiser that if there was something wrong (there wasn't) Helga was perfectly fine.
She had a reputation to maintain after all, even if she did enjoy kissing Arnoldo. Besides, people were going to start thinking that she needed Arnold to shepherd her around the school or to hold her hand every 20 minutes, which she didn't. She just enjoyed it.
Helga G. Pataki was no pushover and it was time people started to see that.
Helga made her way home and almost collapsed in relief when she walked up to the house.
"Wait a minute." The girl stiffened in shock. "Why the bihell/b/i is there a banner up saying 'Welcome Home Olga'? Please don't tell me -"
"BABY SISTER!" Olga's screeching voice slammed into Helga's ears. 'Just great.' She felt the older blonde girl sooner than she heard her. She felt the girl practically pick her up and spin her before Helga could even walk up the steps.
"Okay, okay, okay. Get off of me. I don't need you slobbering all over me. Geez."
"Hey! Show your sister some respect, little lady. She came all this way to see you." Big Bob grunted out, fondly looking at Olga as Miriam just smiled along, fully aware for once. It was always like this when Olga visited.
"Give me a kiss, baby sister! I haven't seen you in 5 months. That's too long!"
"Funny. I thought it was too short."
"Aw Helga, you always had such a good sense of humor," Olga kissed her forehead. "I missed you so much!" She bear-hugged the girl. "Wow! Helga, you feel so thin. Don't worry, I'll make my famous casserole and you can have as much as you want! Okay, baby sister?"
"I'd rather drink bleach," Helga muttered sarcastically. "I have a lot of homework so I'm going upstairs."
'Crap. Crap. Crap.' Helga panicked, running up the stairs and into her room. She already had two nosey people in her business and now Olga, too? CRIMINY.
She had to escape. But where would she go? There was no way the girl was going to be able to sit through another meal with prying eyes staring at her. She already messed up eating that sandwich and pudding today. What more could she eat?
She barrelled into her room, locking the door before jumping on her bed and covering her eyes. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"
Helga had to figure out a game plan because there was no way she was going to get away with not eating with three meddling eyes in her business. She could be gruff but how long would that last? When, and not what if, Arnold and Phoebe find out Olga is also here and try to talk to her about it? Then what will she do? She'd be cornered like a rat, and she hated rats.
She tried to take a couple of deep breaths but began to panic again. She raced to her dresser drawer and took out her locket-normally one of the few things that calmed her down and stared into beautiful green eyes.
Her panic slowly melted and the feeling of the cold metal tingled in her hand, reminding her of where she was bringing her into a temporary sense of calm. She moved into her closet pushing out her clothes to get to her shrine.
She didn't entirely tell Arnold she had a shrine in the first place as she was already embarrassed about the locket and journals of poetry. It was bad enough, he was interested in her poetry. He didn't need to know there was a shrine dedicated to him. Or that she's had it for almost two years at this point. Staring into Arnold's shrine, holding her locket, she felt comforted and at peace. Nothing could break this gentle peace in the room.
"Baby Sister! Do you want to help with my award-winning casserole? I'm going to the market first." Olga knocked on her door. Her high-pitched voice felt like it could chip paint off the walls. Maybe Helga was still reeling from the headache she had earlier.
"No, thanks!" Helga yelled out, wrapping herself in her blanket, and taking off the top of a storage container.
"Okay, see you later!" Olga was way too chipper for it to be the afternoon.
Helga was just glad to hear her footsteps walk away. She sat in the corner of the closet wall and closed her eyes. She could do her homework after dinner. She could also use it as an excuse to get out of dinner.
Tomorrow, she would have to be tough and say some tough words to those she cared about. It was the only thing she could think of to get them off her back.
The burning in her stomach was back. She counted back from 10 and focused on Arnold's green eyes. That would help her sleep.
Maybe the extra rest would do her some good. She could use it after the day she was having.
She woke up at the sound of knocking and rubbed her eyes.
"Helga! Dinner time, Baby Sister!" Helga rolled her eyes and got up slowly. She walked out of her closet, clutching her blanket closer around her. She was so cold for some reason.
Miriam and Bob were probably at the dinner table, laughing amiably with Olga, and here was their other daughter struggling to come up with a reason to eat. She distantly thought if Miriam had one of her smoothies today. Or if it was only an occurrence when Helga was the only daughter around.
She sighed as she unlocked her bedroom door and made her way downstairs.
She wondered what Phoebe was doing and what Arnold was too. Did they ever struggle to have dinner with their families?
"Are you cold, Helga?"
"Yeah." Helga made her way to her seat, right next to Olga like always.
The girl looked at her plate not realizing there was food already on it. "I hope you don't mind. I just noticed how thin you look lately and made sure you had extra." Olga smiled cheerfully. Helga bit her tongue.
"Awh isn't that sweet. Olga, you're such a fantastic big sister." Miriam awed.
Helga rolled her eyes, "Thanks, Olga.'You would think if your oldest daughter noticed your youngest doesn't eat, that it would spark some concern,' Helga thought.
The blond pigtailed girl took three bites and set her utensil down.
"You don't like it?" Olga questioned, Helga could already see the tears starting to form in her eyes.
"I'm just not that hungry. I'm going to go upstairs and finish up my homework, okay?"
"Not Okay. You're going to finish up the rest of your meal that your sister graciously labored over and march your tail upstairs."
"I just said I'm not that hungry. I took a few bites. It's good. It doesn't taste bad. I'm just not hungry, Dad."
"Hey. Hey. Hey. Finish it up."
"No." Helga heard shocked gasps coming from Miriam and Olga. Not aware that Helga was going to be so outwardly defiant.
"Then high tail up to your room and I don't want to hear another peep from you."
"Gladly Bob." 'You barely know I exist anyway.'
Helga slammed her chair into the table and marched up the stairs in anger. She already reached the end of patience twice today and this just now pushed her over the edge. Bob's head was so far up his butt he couldn't even see what was in front of him.
She huffed, closing her door. Her heart beating fast. She was fed up with more crap thrown at her by Bob and Miriam by extension. Her crappy family and her burning stomach were too much for her. Climbing into her bed and shoving her face in her pillow she let out a scream.
After a few minutes, she rolled onto her back and began to cry. Her homework lay forgotten in her bag.
The next day, Helga woke up in another foul mood. Her head aching from crying last night and her throat was scratchy. She felt like she got hit by a truck.
That's why before lunch she had found herself in another argument with Arnold when she refused to eat. She crossed her hands over her chest and scowled- hard.
"No."
"Why not?"
"If I don't want to eat because I am not hungry, why is that any of your business?" She leaned over the table and looked at the boy with anger, "Why is it okay for you to meddle in my life this much?"
"Helga."
"I said bno/b paste for brains."
"Calling me names isn't going to make me any less concerned about why you're not eating again. I hope you know that."
"There's nothing wrong and I don't need you to be worried about me! I am fine. Just leave it alone. NOW." Helga had enough of all the prodding. If you ask her, she had been very patient and very amenable during this entire poke fest. Considering she was known for doing harsher things when provoked.
Arnold was always her weak spot.
"Will you at least tell me why?"
"It's none of your business, football head. What about no do you not understand? What' are you not getting" Helga scoffed, taking out her folder to grab the homework she didn't do last night.
Arnold refrained from rolling his eyes in exasperation. He got up from the lunch table and sighed. 'Whatever you say, Helga. Whatever you say."
He needed to find Gerald.
"Man between you and Phoebe, I don't understand what the obsession is about watching what Pataki eats. I don't get it."
"She's not eating! Somedays are easier than others when I try to get her to at least eat something. But she won't. I tried giving her space but after yesterday—what if she falls again? What if she falls again and this time doesn't get back up? What if she falls and no one is around to help her?"
"I don't think that will happen."
"But how do you know? How does anyone know if she doesn't say anything or eats anything?"
"You said it yourself - Pataki's a private person. When she's ready to open up, she will. She's smart enough not to let it get too far Arnold."
"I know Helga and I know how stubborn she can be. I just don't want it to get too far and it is too late for her to get help."
"Man, I think you and Phoebe are blowing the whole thing out of proportion here. I know she's your girlfriend and that you love her but do you think you're maybe being a bit dramatic about the whole thing?"
"It's been a week since she's eaten, Gerald. At least that I know of. Phoebe pointed it out to me that Helga wasn't eating that much but it could have been earlier than that! I know she doesn't eat at home. If she's not eating here or at home, she's not eating at all. I thought about talking to her parents but if I'm being honest I don't think they'd be receptive to hearing what I have to say."
"They aren't the most reliable people. You've said it yourself."
"And that's why I'm worried for her, Gerald! If she doesn't have anyone at home concerned and no one's worried here, who's going to be there for her?"
"Thankfully, she has you Arnold. And Phoebe. Between the both of you- she has a lot of support. She'll be fine, man. So stop worrying about it."
Arnold gave a tired smile before switching to another topic, feeling slightly better after getting some steam off.
A/N: So another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. As always, let me know what you think if you care to share. It only progresses from here. Cross-posting to FF (albeit very slowly) has been very interesting, to say the least, but I'm enjoying the ride. I do love this little fic and love sharing it with others.
