Chapter 16: This Should Be Good

Classroom

While the class was enjoying recess, Harold was sulking in his desk…

"Ohh why do I have to write this stupid paper! I don't care about someone who calls me Pinkboy! I don't think I even know what inspires means?"

The upset boy sat tapping his pencil, trying to think of times Helga had helped him (or that he was at least able to tolerate her).

Playground

Arnold and Helga were on the swings, while the rest of their classmates were standing around the jungle gym.

"So, Bubba's doing a paper on Pataki?" Gerald said to break the silence between the group.

"This should be good." Rhonda couldn't help but think whatever he wrote wasn't going to be anything positive (let alone inspirational).

While Arnold sat on the swings, wondering what he'd be hearing Harold recite to the class, he listened to Helga reply "Oh what does Pinkboy know about writing! I bet he couldn't even write an inspirational paper about himself."

"That would be kind of strange. I mean, what has Harold ever done to inspire anyone?" Sid couldn't help but agree with Helga.

"He can eat fifty Mr. Fudgys!" Stinky remembered.

While receiving blank stares from the class, even Sid couldn't help but say "Stinky, you're an idiot."

"Aww gee."

Classroom

Everyone was returning to class, taking their seats when Sid and Stinky saw Harold still staring at his paper.

With erased marks and scratched out lines all over the page, Sid couldn't help but ask "So Harold, did you ever figure out what to write about?"

The moping boy held up his paper to review as he pouted "Ohh I think so."

While he was contemplating this, a somber look remained on Helga's face as she took her seat behind Arnold.

Phoebe turned to look at her best friend to say "I'm quite looking forward to hearing anything inspirational Harold may have thought to write about you."

Helga turned her head to give her friend an unamused look, knowing either she would be humiliated by what he said, or he would be humiliated by what he thought could pass for a paper.

Mr. Simmons then walked in after seeing everyone had made it back from recess.

"Okay class. Harold has something very special to present to us about Helga, that I'm sure we'll all enjoy!"

The students all turned to wait for him to leave his desk, as the sad boy moaned towards his way to the front of the room.

Helga rolled her eyes as if she wouldn't be embarrassed as well. "Oh put a sock in it and just read the paper ya big baby!"

After getting their laughs out, Mr. Simmons replied "That's enough class. Harold you can begin."

Scratching his head at what he had written, the husky boy started…

"Okay, well when we play baseball, she usually lets me be the pitcher, so I guess that makes her kind of nice."

Helga sat thinking to herself…

Pttss…yeah, because the catcher gets to call the plays

"Then she came to my Bar Mitzvah with everyone. I guess that means she had some faith in me like Arnold said everyone else did."

Had I known you'd be an hour late, I wouldn't have wasted my time.

"There was also the time she saved my life when the bus left without us on our trip to the chocolate factory. She must care about me a little bit."

Had you left with everyone on time, we wouldn't have missed the freakin' bus in the first place!

Mr. Simmons held his hand over his heart, while Helga sat with her head in her hand, surprised no one had bothered to laugh at him.

"Thank you Harold! That was very touching!"

Oh brother.

Helga thought to herself, not seeing the point of that. He may not have embarrassed her, since everyone did half those things, but she didn't like any extra attention being brought towards her.

A few hours later

Arnold and Helga were standing by their lockers when Arnold couldn't help but say "Harold said some really nice things about you."

Helga crossed her arms and smirked at his comment "Oh yeah, we've got a real Shakespeare in the class."

The blonde boy began heading out, expecting his girlfriend to follow behind him. Before doing so, she hid behind her locker door to pull out her locket.

Every time Arnold pointed out the good in someone, she couldn't help but overlook it.

Oh Arnold! So keen on sensing the deep feelings behind the most senseless behaviors. Such reassurance that good exists in even the roughest of people. Your ability to be so non judgmental in the easiest of situations. If only I could look past my brutal ways. If only…

Helga then heard a familiar noise. Heavy breathing that interrupted her sensitive moment.

She shut her locker to swing her fist back at what always appeared to be her stalker.

After getting back to her normal attitude she said to herself "I knew there was something I was forgetting."