Chapter one: Transitions

As I walked through the hallway, I couldn't believe the reason I was here. We were finally done. Things were changing. People were leaving. I might not even see half of the people at this party ever again. This realization gave me a sense of anxiety and at the same time peace. Its been years in the same city, with the same people. Maybe it was time to move on and start over, become a new person.

I walked into a dark room with shimmering lights that replicate stars on the ceiling. The place was packed with silver and black balloons. So many that it you were walking through the strings attached to them. As I looked around, I noticed everyone was dressed to the nines. Some were still wearing their caps from graduation; some were wearing dresses and suits that made them look like they were ready to have the time of their life's.

I stood by myself for a while as I looked for my best friend Phoebe. She told me she would be here already, but I can't seem to find her.

Usually, I would feel more comfortable in this environment. Since I grew up with almost everyone in this room, but for some reason I felt off. Was it because it's really hitting me now? The fact that we are all going to college and now life was going to change completely. Sometimes I wish we can go back to when we were nine just playing baseball in Gerald field. But now most of us are 18 starting a new journey, and that thought brought chills down my spine.

"Helga! There you are! I was wondering when you were going to show up doll." Rhonda exclaimed giving me a tight hug. I rolled my eyes at the word 'Doll' as I hugged her back. "Rhonda, I've been here for the past 30 minutes," I explained to her as I looked at her outfit that fit her perfectly. She was wearing a black tight tube top dress that was adorned with feathers at the collar, a sparkling diamond necklace that her parents gifted her for graduation and her hair was long and wavy since she decided to let her hair grow out long. The outfit was very Rhonda. "Oh, you have? I'm sorry Helga, i mean you know how it is when i throw a party. I'm all over the place." She explained as she waved to someone behind me. "Enjoy yourself, I'll see you in a bit." She told me as she walked towards someone else to greet them.

I decided to go grab something to drink while I waited for Phoebe. Where the heck was, she?! This party was defiantly unsupervised because the option of liquor was endless. I'm usually not the one to drink much, especially with how I saw my mom growing up. But I saw the bartender making a cocktail and I automatically told him one for me. As I looked up and took a sip of my drink, I noticed the door opening and a very familiar blonde boy. My heart automatically skipped a beat as I saw Arnold walk in laughing with his best-friend Gerald. He was wearing a white button down and black pants with a red tie. He looked so handsome. As I watched him walk in and greet everyone, I couldn't help but notice who was behind him. Lila. Even though I liked the girl I couldn't help but to want to break her face every time I saw her around Arnold. Arnold finally got what he wanted. Freshman year in, she finally gave in and gave him a chance. They have been together ever since. The thought of it alone made me want to go into a corner and vomit. But I mean hey, maybe she got tired of Arnold following her around like a pathetic little puppy and gave the poor fool a chance. She'd be an idiot not to anyway.

"Hey Helga!" I heard behind me which made me jump and spill my drink. I didn't even realize I was so dazed out thinking about the happy couple that I forgot I was even at a party. The person behind me scared the lights out of me. "Jesus"! I cried out as I turned around.

"Oh no, I'm sorry Helga." Phoebe said with a frown when she saw my reaction." I was very happy to see it was her, and at the same time annoyed that she scared me. "Phoebe are you trying to kill me? Criminy!" I expressed as I saw her face grow a smile. "Helga, you look beautiful!" She said with a smile as she saw my outfit. "Yeah, well I told myself why not go all out for the last hoorah." My wardrobe has definitely been altered since i was 9. I traded in my pink dress and bow for some jeans, converse, a black teeshirt. I usually wore my hair down now or sometimes I wore it in a bun. Depending on my mood. Tonight, I decided to jazz it up. Tonight, I wore a pink short dress with some black heels. As an omage to my younger self. My hair was in loose waves, and I added a black headband that fit perfectly.

"Yes, i agree, we might as well go all out tonight and look our bests." She giggled.

As Phoebe and I continued conversation I heard a familiar voice behind me. My whole body started to tremble. "Helga, Phoebe. How are you guys?" Arnold asked as he walked up to us with a smile and a drink in his hand. Gerald and Lila followed right along. As I looked down at Phoebe, I noticed how she blushed once she saw Gerald. I never understood those two. They clearly liked each-other but never did anything about it. I rolled my eyes at how she was staring at him. "Hey Arnoldo, hows it going." I said as chill as I could., because right at the moment my hands were sweating and at the same time, I wanted to karate kick Lila as she held Arnold's hand. "Helga, you look oh so beautiful tonight." Lila explained as she smiled at me. I smiled back the most genuine smile I could fester up at the moment. "Thank you, Lila you look,…great too." I said smiling a bit more than I should. It felt like my cheeks were going to rip. "I can't believe we finally made it here. We are high school graduates now. To think only a few years ago we were playing in the mud and throwing rocks in the lake." Arnold said with a sigh and a small smile on his face. My heart felt butterflies. "You said it man. But look at the bright side. College parties and college girls." Gerald said as Lila gave him a small glare and Arnold shuffled his feet nervously to what his best friend just said next to his girlfriend. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of it all. "Good one tall hair boy" I said laughing. "You know…it's, I meant me…College girls for me!" He stuttered looking at Arnold and Lila as they both rolled their eyes. His eyes then landed on Phoebe. "Phoebe…you look beautiful." He said in a soft voice as Phoebe smiled back at. "Thanks" she said in an even softer voice, and I couldn't help but to roll my eyes again. These two were ridiculous. "Arnold I'm going to go say hi to Nadine, I'll be right back." Lila told Arnold and he smiled and nodded. "Phoebe do you want to dance?" Gerald asked her. she simply nodded her head, and they walked off. Then there were two.

I couldn't help but to notice the awkwardness when its only Arnold and i alone. I could be the loudest most obnoxious person to others but when I'm around him, I have no words. He leaves me speechless as cheesy as that

sounds. "So, Helga, how are you feeling about Hillwood college? Are you excited?" Arnold asked me trying to start conversation. My legs were about to buckle. "Um, Im glad to be starting over. I feel like a good restart is always good." I said as I took a sip of my drink acting like standing next to him wasn't starting to make me sweat. "Yeah…it's kinda of sad though. We won't see most of our friends anymore. Rhonda is moving to rhode island for school, Herald and his family bought a house in Florida, Sid and Stinky are going to school in California and even Phoebe, she's going to Oxford soon. I'm sure thats upsetting to you." He said with a frown. I try my hardest to forget the fact that by the end of the summer Phoebe will be in Oxford in a whole different country. I glared at Arnold for reminding me. "Thanks for the reminder." I said coldly. " He gave me a coy smile "Sorry" he said in a low voice. At this point my drink was empty. I defiantly needed another one and Arnold read my mind. "Hey, let me get you another drink" he said taking my glass and our fingers touching for a millisecond. Thats all it took to have my body shiver.

Hours have passed and the party was in heat. Some were drunk, some were dancing, and some were outside doing…let's just say they were smoking a certain plant out there. Phoebe and I were standing by the dj when Gerald came up to us. "Guys they are at it again." He said taking a deep breath. I rolled my eyes knowing exactly what he was talking about. "What now?" I moaned annoyed as I followed him down the hall with Phoebe right behind me and into a room. "Lila you can't keep doing this." I heard Arnold claim to his girlfriend frustrated. Lila was sitting on the bed crying with her face dug into her hands. She looked up at him. "You don't get it Arnold. It's not easy for me" she said now standing up and stumbling. I grabbed her before she fell. It seems like little miss perfect was either tipsy or close to being wasted. "Lila you need to calm down." Gerald stated as she glared at him. It always shocked me how Lila's personality changed when she's either fighting with Arnold or had a few drinks in her. She's like a whole different person. I've seen it enough to recognize it. "You want him to go to college with you and meet other girls. You said it yourself. You want him to forget he has a girlfriend he's been with for four years." She mumbled and started to cry again. "LIla for Christ's sake get it together." I told her as I sat her down on the bed again. Arnold watched me as I did so and walked toward us. He took her arm and picked her up. "We are leaving, let's go. We are not going to make a scene." He muttered annoyed now. As he walked out of the room with her, we all followed him all the way to the door. Eventually we ended up outside and we continue to follow as Arnold walked to his car. "This is ridiculous." He said shaking his head and putting her into the car. "Nothing is ridiculous! You're ridiculous! Go with your best friend to college and met girls, go! Leave me alone!" Lila yelled at him now getting attention from some of the people walking past us. "How many times do i have to tell you that i don't want any other girls! I don't care about anyone else but you! Why don't you get that?" Arnold said now yelling back. It's pretty rare to see Arnold get this way, but when he did it was always because of his fights with Lila. Hearing him say those words made me flinch. I knew he had a girlfriend, but when he reminded me about it, it just made me feel sick.

Lila was now trying to get out of the car as Arnold stopped her and closed the door. "Arnold, I'm sorry buddy, I didn't mean to start this." Gerald said with a guilty look on his face. Arnold shook his head. "Don't say sorry, you did nothing wrong." He said going around and getting into his car "Im sorry guys, I feel like I ruined the night." He said starting his car and watching us from his window. "You didn't ruin it, miss Lila did." I spit out without thinking. Arnold looked at me. His green eyes piercing into mine. "Yeah…" He said with a sadness in his voice. My heart breaks when I see him upset. I wish I could make it better, but I know it's not in my place. "See you guys later." Arnold said as he drove off with Lila passed out in the passenger seat. I took a deep breath as I watched him drive off. "That girl is a mess. I keep telling Arnold and he just sticks around." Gerald claimed. I looked at him curiously. "She was never like this. It's so weird." Phoebe said. "Yeah, well thats what happens when you're with the wrong person." I said, once again without thinking. Why would I say that? Gerald and Phoebe both stared at me. "Oh? You think they are wrong for each other?" Gerald said with a smirk. I glared at him. I hate when he gave me that look. "Well, i-they-what i mean is-" I stuttered as my skin became red. Thankfully Phoebe saved me. "I mean if you fight with someone all the time like this, clearly they may not be the right pairing." She said agreeing with me. Phoebe to the rescue. "Right." Gerald said and walked back inside. He turned to us before closing the door. "Are you guys coming in?" He asked. "I think the night is over for me bucko" I told him starting to walk and feeling Phoebe right next to me. "See you, Gerald." She said waving at him as we continued to walk to my car. "Well, that was lovely." I said to Phoebe as she giggled. "Those two have been at it since freshman year. I guess they are used to it." She said getting into the passenger seat. I took a deep breath and shrugged. "Thats their problem honestly." I said nonchalant. I felt Phoebe staring at me as I started to drive off. i decided to change the topic. "Wanna go to Slausen's and get some ice-cream?" I asked with a smile. "Slausen's it is." She stated with a smile as we drove off. The night might have ended early, but some ice-cream will always turn any night around.