Sometimes I think, why do we sometimes run out of time? Or maybe it's more that I want to do a lot of things at once.
Anyway, there's a new chapter. There is a lot of teasing. In any case, I laughed a lot at Phil and his crazy statements.
Before Arnold could respond, Phil opened his mouth.
''Arnold! Have you been bitten again?! What if you later get Lyme disease? Or rheumatism? No, you will soon get Zika. Maleria is also possible. Or even worse... you become forgetful! Wait, have you vaccinated yourself for rabies yet?'' Phil said, acting nervously. He need to protect Arnold.
"Grandpa, how could I get rabies-..." Arnold started but Phil pushed Miles forward.
'' Son! You're a doctor here, check your boy out.'' Phil said to Miles.
Miles, who had already figured out how to guide Arnold away from Arnie, put his hand on Arnold's shoulder and led him outside the living room.
All the while, Arnie stood there looking very dryly at Phil. That old man was out of his depth, Arnie thought.
"You can't get rheumatism from an insect bite," Arnie said tonelessly.
"Are you sure?" Phil asked, running his fingers over his chin.
Stella rolled her eyes and walked over to Arnie.
"Come on, I'll show you your room, Arnie." Stella said and guided him to his guest room.
While Arnold was sitting on the chair in his parents' room, Miles came over with a first aid kit and looked at Arnold's neck.
''I think this is Helgaitic's bite. The female can react very aggressively while she is around her mate.'' Miles joked and Arnold looked at his father with a face like: You can't resist teasing your son.
Miles laughed a lot.
''What is it now? Isn't that true?'' Miles laughed.
''I get it, I get it. It's that we can't love each other physically for a month.'' Arnold said while his father looked for a good bandage.
''And that you still see each other. That's difficult. Did Helga get a souvenir from you too?'' Miles asked as he grabbed the band-aid he was looking for.
''Oh sure. No low cut shirts for her for now.'' Arnold chuckled.
Miles laughed and stuck the band-aid on Arnold's neck.
'' Leave it for 2 days for now. '' Miles said with a grin and Arnold grinned back.
When father and son return to the kitchen, all boarders are present and so is Arnie.
'' Kimba! What happened?'' Gertie asks when she sees Arnold with a plaster on his neck.
''A gadfly bit me. It itches, so Dad used an itch-relieving cream and put a bandage on it.'' Arnold explained when he sat down at the table.
''You're among the cows too much, Arnold. You gotta use something to deter those bugs.'' Ernie said.
''Yes like garlic. '' said Mr. Huynh.
"It looked more like a sucking spot..." Oskar said and Stella cleared her throat making Oskar quiet.
"Miles, Arnold didn't catch rabies, did he?" Phil asks again.
''No dad. Arnold is having an allergic reaction, that's all. If he gets a fever then we have to intervene.'' Miles said.
"Good to know, I don't want fleas in my house," said Phil.
''Grandpa!''
''Dad!''
''Phil!''
''What?!''
It was Monday and Arnold walked to school with lead in his shoes while Arnie walked next to him.
Arnie had changed just like Arnold but not for the better for himself.
His hair was shorter, he wore a dark green cap that had been worn with a rake, a lilac blouse with a yellow vest, dark green trousers that took place with suspenders and brown shoes.
When both arrive on the square, Arnold sees that his classmates immediately walk away.
Rhonda and Nadine wince, they never thought Arnie would return.
''Who is that ugly?''
Rhonda looked over and saw Hilton standing behind her. Her stomach fluttered.
''That's Arnold's cousin, he's really weird.'' Rhonda replied.
''It seems like a bad copy. What is he doing here?'' Hilton asked.
"He has to take certain subjects for his education and since his college doesn't have them, Arnie has to walk around here for a month," Nadine told Hilton.
''He's really nothing compared to his cousin. I almost feel sorry for that Arnold guy.'' Hilton said.
''If Arnie is still the same as before then Arnold won't get rid of him. Then Gerald even stays away from him.'' Rhonda said and Hilton's eyebrow went up.
"Is that Arnie that bad?" Hilton asked.
'' Really bad. He reads labels on the packaging, counts silly things and saves pieces of fabric. And he has a really scary laugh.'' Rhonda said with a wince.
"Yakkes, that's creepy." Hilton said as he watches Arnold and Arnie as they walk into school.
Arnold showed where Arnie's class was. Fortunately, Arnie was in class 1D, a class that Arnold had nothing to do with.
When Arnold walks back to his own room, he feels a bit relieved and enters the classroom. With a thud, Arnold sits down next to Gerald.
''I already feel sorry for you.'' Gerald said as he looked at Arnold.
''I hope to be able to sit at our table during the break. That Arnie will become friends with someone or something.'' Arnold said as he packed his things.
As Arnold bent over to reach into his bag for another pen, someone walked by and caressed his cheek for a moment.
Arnold smiled a little as he sat back up in his seat. He didn't have to look to see who it was. And his stomach kind of jumped when he heard her voice behind him.
''Pheebs, you're going to watch tonight, aren't you? Samantha is going to tell Vincent that she is pregnant.'' said Helga, who was talking about the soap series in which Olga played as Samantha.
'' Oh yeah! I'm so curious because you co-wrote from there, right?'' Phoebe asked enthusiastically.
'' Yes! I can't wait, it's going to be exciting.'' Helga said happily.
Gerald nudged Arnold and turned around. Arnold understood Gerald and also turned around and looked at Helga.
Together they shared a small moment that no one saw except Gerald and Phoebe.
''What channel is this soap on? We want to see it too, Pataki.'' said Gerald.
''On channel 33, after the 7 o'clock news. '' Helga said with a smile.
"I'm very curious to see what you have produced." Arnold said and Helga smiled.
"You're going to be surprised..." Helga said.
'' Surprised? What are you talking about, Helga?'' asked Lila who was sitting next to Phoebe.
"Tonight Daily Life comes on and Helga's storyline will be broadcast, at least the part she wrote," said Phoebe.
'' For real?! It's just your debut!'' said Sid and the whole class now paid attention to Helga.
She was bombarded with questions and in the end it was Sheena with a nice idea.
"Why don't we all watch it in the auditorium tonight?" Sheena asked and before Helga could answer everyone was already planning who would get drinks and snacks.
Still, Arnold had bad luck in the afternoon and he and Arnie sat alone at a table having lunch. Arnie had been unable to connect with his classmates.
While Arnold quietly ate his food because Arnie didn't like to talk, Helga, Gerald and Phoebe sat together at a table.
''Man, that guy really needs to leave as soon as possible. Arnold doesn't even get a chance to go to the bathroom during the break.'' Gerald said angrily.
''Hopefully it doesn't come tonight.'' Phoebe said.
Helga played with her food until she heard Phoebe and quickly grabbed her phone and started calling.
Phoebe and Gerald looked at each other, what was Helga going to do again?
''Hey Stella. Hi! Question, my classmates and I would like to watch ''Daily Life'' together in the auditorium tonight, but you can already feel it coming; we're sitting with Arnie. Oh? You already had something planned for him, absolutely great! Thank you. Bye bye.'' Helga said and then hung up.
''Problem solved.'' Helga said with a grin and Phoebe and Gerald grinned too.
Meanwhile, Arnie suddenly thought he could have a conversation with his cousin.
''Arnold.''
"Yea?" Arnold said somewhat absently, what a shit day.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Arnie asked and Arnold almost fell out of his chair.
Had his secret been discovered? His grandfather had done everything he could to convince Arnie that it was an insect bite on his neck.
Or had Arnie seen something in the house that showed that he and Helga were a couple?
"No Arnie, I don't have a girlfriend." Arnold recovered.
''Lila has a boyfriend. A tall boy. They were cuddling in the hallway.'' Arnie said tonelessly.
''His name is Stinky.'' Arnold said.
"Gerrit also has a girlfriend."
''His name is Gerald. Arnie, do you have a girlfriend at home?'' Arnold asked, quickly switching people.
'' Yes.''
''Oh? And her name is?'' Arnold asked.
''Phoebe. She reads labels too.'' Arnie said as he took a bite.
"Nice." Arnold said with a bit of a smile.
"Does Helga have a boyfriend too?" Arnie asked.
''No, she doesn't have one. Why?'' Arnold asked.
Arnie made a motion for Arnold to look back. As soon as Arnold turned around, anger flared up inside him; Hilton was standing next to Helga who was annoyed with him to her own death.
"You're really deaf!" Helga shouted at Hilton and everyone looked.
''Come on, Pataki. Just a drink, you and me, after school.'' Hilton tried again.
''Get the hell out of here! She said no!'' Gerald said angrily as he stood up and Arnold was happy that Gerald stood up for him.
''Take it easy Afro Samurai.''
"What the hell?!" Helga shouted angrily and quickly stood up, causing a strand of hair to hang in front of her face.
"Look at that, how attractive..." Hilton said in a sultry voice that made some girls get a little hysterical and the others made puke noises.
Hilton moved to tuck Helga's strand of hair behind her ear and raised his arm. Arnold stood up, he had to do something, but before he even made a move, Helga beat him to it.
She grabbed his wrist and pulled Hilton forward, expecting a kiss from Helga. But unfortunately for Hilton, his pursed lips were sealed with a plate of over-cooked macaroni and red sauce that came with a slap to the face from Helga.
Hilton fell to the ground and the plate slid off his face over his white shirt and looked startled at Helga. Then the bell rings, lunch was over.
''Come Pheebs, Gerald. I'm done eating.'' Helga said as she grabbed her bag and walked past Hilton.
Gerald gave Hilton the middle finger and Phoebe stuck out her tongue as they passed Hilton.
Hilton picked up the plate and looked at his shirt. Arnold and Arnie also passed him. Arnie gave Hilton his creepy grin and Hilton got goosebumps.
"Hasta la Pasta, Ravi-lonely." Arnie said dryly and for the first time in his life Arnold was happy that Arnie was there and laughed out loud at Arnie's joke.
Which, by the way, had been noticed by several people and therefore also laughed along.
Hilton threw the plate away and angrily walked out of the cafeteria to change.
"Are you also going to the textile fair this afternoon after school?" Arnie suddenly asked Arnold.
'' No sorry. I'm staying at school to work on an essay with classmates," Arnold said. HE felt a bit guilty now.
"That's good." Arnie said as he continued walking to his classroom, leaving Arnold at the lockers.
He saw Phoebe and Helga standing at their lockers and Gerald next to them.
"Gerald, thank you." Arnold said and Gerald gave him a thumbs up.
Helga turned and looked at Arnold defiantly.
"Thank you for thanking Hairboy, Football Head!" Helga said and especially Arnold's pet name was pronounced in a certain way as they had agreed; she loved him.
"What you say, Cotton Floss..." Arnold said back defiantly and then it was quiet in the hallway...
Did this really happen? Did Arnold really dare to challenge Helga Pataki? After what had happened in the canteen with Hilton, Helga must have been super irritated.
''Really... Arnoldo? Are you challenging me now too?'' Helga said as she throws her notebook in her locker and rolls up her sleeves as she walks to Arnold.
Arnold takes a step back so that his back is against his open safe.
''Maybe, maybe not.'' Arnold grinned. In all honesty, this game was quite comical. They couldn't do anything together for a month so challenging each other might be a solution. Even Helga realized what Arnold had come up with and so went along with it.
She grabbed Arnold's collar and pushed him backwards, forcing Arnold to keep his balance so as not to fall, leaving Helga half hanging over him. Both their heads could not be seen through the safe and certainly not from the other side because of the safe door.
"Football Head..." Helga growled fakely.
"What's up, Candy Floss..." Arnold said defiantly.
To camouflage the sound of the kiss between them, Helga growled loudly and then Arnold deliberately dropped himself as if Helga was throwing him.
Helga stomped back to the safe as if irritated, grabbed something and threw the door. Arnold came out of the safe in a daze and straightened his blouse.
''It looks like a scene from ''Daily Life.'' Gerald joked and Phoebe laughed.
And Arnold and Helga responded at the same time:
''Fuck you!''
I miss my school days. Although that wasn't always pleasant, but still...
And Hilton, you walking trash... when are you ever going to learn?!