11Authors Note: Hey! So I haven't posted a story in…years. And my main demographic in the past was Danny Phantom stories. But because I have some extra time on my hands due to social distancing, I decided to start writing fanfictions again. I do have some Danny Phantom fanfics in mind, but right now I want to branch out and try new things. I'm a huge fan of Hey Arnold and I've had the first few chapters of this fanfiction written for a while. I hope you guys like it! Expect a new chapter soon!
Arnold
I knew the moment I walked into first period history class that is was a bad day. I watched as the blond pushed an innocent bystander on her way to her seat in the second row. She slumped into her seat with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. She was glaring at anything that would move, and I knew that soon I would face that deadly stare.
Over the years, I had become really good at detecting when Helga would be brutal and when she would just be her average mean self. Her average mean self wasn't even mean really, just bossy and loud and sarcastic. Since we were now sophomores, she didn't throw spitballs at people or trip them in the hallway. That is, unless she was in a mood like she was in today. Don't be fooled, she was still a pain on a daily basis, especially towards me. But on days like today, it was as if we were in fourth grade all over again.
I took a deep breath and slowly headed to my assigned seat beside Helga. I cautiously took my seat and noticed that she was glaring at the chalk board.
"Good morning Helga," I greeted her, trying my best to cheer her up.
"What's so good about it," she replied without removing her eyes from the board.
"We're alive," Helga turned to glare at me, but I gave her my signature smile.
"Positive ass," Helga mumbled and took out her pink notebook and proceeded to write.
I always wondered what she was always writing in there. She always seemed to have it, especially when she was emotional.
I signed, happy that her wrath wasn't as bad as I thought it would been. Maybe I had been mistaken.
"Attention everyone," Mrs. Wilson announced after the bell rang. "I will be assigning you a partner for your oral report over any war we've covered this year."
I shrunk a little in my seat, dreading not having Gerald in the same period as me. There wasn't really anyone else I could see myself working with.
"Arnold Shortman and Helga Pataki."
I nearly fell out of my seat when my teacher made that subtle announcement. I slowly turned my eyes to Helga, who was frozen with her pencil in midair. Her eyes where wide open and her mouth was hanging below her chin. I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the sight, but my heart was still racing at the thought of having to work together.
"I'll give you guys the rest of the period to discusses the project with your partners," Mrs. Wilson announced after calling out the rest of the pairs.
I let out an awkward cough and turned to Helga, who was clearly not looking forward to this conversation.
"Helga-,"
"Look football head, I know we're both just thrilled to be each other's partner. Despite my negative feelings towards you, I like being second in our class under Phoebe. We'll work on the project at your house tomorrow after school."
She didn't even give me a chance to respond because she pulled her earphones out and placed them in her ears, making the music so loud that I could hear it from my seat. I rolled my eyes as she continued to write in her notebook, now at a more rapid speed.
"Whatever you say, Helga."
"Man, stuck working with Helga G. Pataki?" Gerald said in between bites of his pizza. "I feel for you man."
Gerald and I were sitting in the cafeteria in Hillwood High. I glanced over the many students to see Helga talking to Phoebe, her hands going all over the place and her face in a scowl. She was probably complaining about me.
"It shouldn't be too bad," I tried to sound optimistic, but even I couldn't deny the lack of confidence behind my statement.
"You sound so convinced," Gerald rolled his eyes.
"New topic, please," I begged and noticed a flyer about the Spring Fling school dance on the wall behind Gerald. Even though the dance was in a couple of months, they were starting to advertise now to get volunteers to start planning it. "You plan on going to the dance?"
"We always go to the dances," Gerald shrugged.
"Okay," Arnold smirked and leaned forward. "Do you plan on asking anyone?"
It was Gerald's turn to look at the table inhabiting Phoebe and Helga, but his focus was not on the blond.
"I don't know," Gerald confessed and his shoulders dropped slightly. "Remember how she went to the winter formal with that upperclassmen? I felt like that was her way of rejecting me."
"Or maybe it was her way of saying she's cute and other guys notice her and that she's not going to wait forever."
"Well, what about you?" Gerald tried to change the subject. "Word is Lila is hoping you ask her."
"Really?" I glanced over to see Lila sitting a few tables away with Rhonda, Nadine, and Sheena. Lila was the same sweet girl that I had to meet so many years ago in the fourth grade. She traded the two braids for pigtails and she was usually wearing overalls. She must have felt me staring because she turned and our eyes met. We both blushed and she shyly waved at me. I awkwardly waved back before turning back to Gerald.
"I might ask her," I admitted. "But maybe as a friend. I don't really feel the way I used to about her."
"Well she did reject you on multiple occasions," Gerald reminded me with a smug look.
"Yea, and now when I'm getting over her, she's interested," I rolled my eyes. "I just don't get girls."
"We probably never will."
Helga
"I'm already stressed out enough because Olga can't find an apartment and is staying at home," I groaned at the memory of Olga waking me up ten minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. "Now I have to work on this stupid project with Arnold."
"Well Helga," Phoebe readjusted her glasses as she spoke. "You can always stay over my house for a few days if Olga is giving you a hard time. As for Arnold, I thought you'd be happy to spend extra time with him."
"I'll take you up on that offer to stay over, no take-backs," I pointed at her with my fork before stabbing my mashed potatoes. "And no, I do not need to spend any more time with that dumb football head. The last thing I need is for him to figure out that I have this stupid crush on him."
Okay, so maybe I was a little excited about spending some alone time with Arnold, but I wasn't about to admit that. Phoebe could always tell when I was lying anyway. She's the only one who knows about my crush. Well, her and Lila, but I told her in the fourth grade and she probably thinks I've moved on.
The truth was, I was really excited to be able to work with Arnold on this project and get away from my house. It's not like I was expecting anything out of this experience, besides just being able to be alone with him for a few hours. Anything was better than spending time at home where Miriam was always passed out somewhere, Big Bob was always complaining about something, and Olga was smothering me with 'sisterly love'. This morning, after awakening early by Miss Perfect, I almost tripped over Miriam who was sleeping in the middle of the hallway. I had the best time dragging her butt back into her room and on her bed. Big Bob didn't even notice that his wife didn't come to bed the night before because he fell asleep watching soap operas on the recliner. Olga tried to do my makeup, and when I refused she started crying on about sisterly bonding and whatnot. The only thing good about Olga was her cooking. I've been feed every morning and night since she's been home.
"Whatever you say, Helga," Phoebe smirked and winked at me. I rolled my eyes and stood up from the table.
"I'm going to head out a few minutes early and use the restroom," I waved and started walking towards the doors. "I'll see you next period."
The bathrooms of Hillwood High were known as the gossip center to most female students. It was where girls, mainly Rhonda and her posy, got together to share rumors and even spread the latest gossip. I was never one to participate in such foolery, and would never step foot in a bathroom if I even so much as smelled Rhonda's Gucci perfume. Unfortunately, I was just having the best day ever, so why shouldn't Rhonda burst through the bathroom while I was in the stall.
I inwardly groaned when I heard that annoying laugh and the footsteps of her friends behind her. However, leaving now would be pointless. So, I proceed to do my business while having the unlucky pleasure of listening to the latest gossip.
"Did you guys hear about the new kid?" Rhonda asked her three friends while giving her black hair a touch up in the mirror. "I heard that he's some guy from the big city."
"Really? I think it would be ever so nice to get a new classmate." I rolled my eyes at Lila's 'ever so nice' comment.
"Maybe he'll want to go to the dance with one of us," Sheena concluded with a daze.
"That would be great," Nadine added.
"The spring fling, the social event of the spring," Rhonda looked away from the mirror and towards Lila. "Lila, didn't you say something about wanting to go with Arnold?"
Not wanting to hear about Lila's new developing crush on Arnold, I decided to flush the toilet and slam the stall door open. The four girls looked at me with stunned expressions while I marched to the sink.
"It's ever so nice to see you, Helga," Lila finally said something after getting over her shock.
"Yeah," I turned off the faucet and rolled my eyes. "Great place to catch up. The dim lighting and smell of urine really start up a conversation."
"Were you spying on us?" Rhonda placed her hands on her hips.
"Why on earth would I care about what you dildoes have to talk about in the bathroom stale?" I huffed while drying my hands.
"Well, are you going to the dance?" Nadine asked with curiosity.
"Why? Wanna go shopping for dresses and compare hairstyles?" I replied with a sarcastic tone and held my hands in a romantic gesture. The girls started to pipe up and nod in excitement.
"You guys really don't get sarcasm," I mumbled and walked out of the bathroom without a second thought.
