Chapter 7: What A Surprise

Sorry for the late updates. My sister's getting married, so if I do post another story, I can't guarantee the updates will be on time like usual. Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

The Boarding House

Stella stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes, while Pookie did her cowgirl rendition making the flapjacks.

Stella looked over at Phil who was trying to wait patiently for his meal and said "You get quite a bit of entertainment around here."

"You don't know the half of it lady." the elderly man muttered, while resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

Pookie then set the flapjacks in front of her husband and said "Eat up Slim! Where's Tex?"

"Arnold said he wasn't hungry when he came downstairs this morning." Stella told them.

Phil rolled his eyes at his wife's eccentric behavior and said to himself "Smart kid."

The Beeper Emporium

While Bob had gotten over the idea of missing his favorite tv show, he decided to spend the morning showing Olga the pictures he had made of her to use for their new billboard.

Rather than being her usual perky self, Olga obtained a new feeling as she started blatantly at Bob's choices to improve his company.

After listening to her sister's words the previous night

You could catch pneumonia and they'd award you for it!

It really was beginning to sink in how much more attention was given to her as opposed to Helga.

As Olga sat on the couch, wondering if she should say something about this to her parents, she heard "Hey! Get over here and help with this little missy!"

Olga turned her head to see Bob shouting at her baby sister, who was attempting to leave their sorry excuse for a home.

Helga glared with her hands on her hips, as she turned and said "Help with what? A way to remind customers about your outdated merchandise?"

After watching Helga slam the door behind herself, Bob said in an agitated tone "Fine. We don't need her anyway."

Olga's heart ached the more she saw Helga was right. Her baby sister was no more than an extra set of hands to them. The worst part was...she let it happen! All these past years, she neglected her the same way their parents did. Never once did she take the time to see how well Helga was doing without finding a way to benefit herself.

The Boarding House

Arnold sat on the porch steps, wondering if he should go see what Helga was up to. If he was ever going to move things along with her, he couldn't just wait for things to move along on their own.

Just when the perplexed boy was getting up, he heard angry stomping coming from down the sidewalk.

"One side moron! I'm walking here!"

Arnold stood from his stoop to see Helga storming angrily in his direction. Although it wasn't unusual to see her without a smile on her face, something didn't seem right.

"Hey Helga! How's it going?" Arnold asked, before the vexed pre-teen could continue her walk.

The angry girl crossed her arms at her beloved, thinking back to her family's obsession with their oldest child. "Pttss...nothing worth mentioning."

Arnold stood staring at his tense classmate while he thought back to one of the things on Rhonda's list…

Help her relax!

It seemed like an odd thing to do, considering they weren't in an actual relationship yet. Her going through the trouble of winning him the trip to San Lorenzo, escaping La Sombra, and waking up his parents showed just how much he meant to her however. It was his turn to make an effort.

"Hey Helga...would you like to come upstairs with me?" Arnold gulped.

Helga froze in her tracks, as she clenched her fists at her side, thinking to herself…

Upstairs? With Arnold? In his room...and he's OKAY with it? Oh be still my beating heart!

The amazed girl slowly began to turn as she faced the boy with the generous offer. A smile formed on Arnold's face, knowing how badly she wanted to say yes, she just couldn't fight her pride.

The blonde boy reached out for the tough girl's hand and said "Come on. It'll be a good way to take your mind off everything that's been bothering you."

While Helga let her beloved guide her up the porch steps, she rolled her eyes and scoffed "Pttss...no activity in the world could do that."

Arnold's Room

Helga's eyes fell into a half lidded daze as they viewed the room she had hid in many times before. Now here she was, being invited into it.

The blonde girl shook her head as she listened to her friend say "Why don't you have a seat on my bed?"

Helga did all she could to fight her swoon, as she was being further inside by her beloved. The frustrated laid on the bed, propping her head on her hands a top his pillow.

Arnold listened to her let out a heavy sigh as he watched her stare at the evening sky. Not just by the sorrowful look, but by the angry way she came approaching down the street, he knew something must have happened recently.

Taking her hand in his, the sweet boy said "Like I said at the park Helga, you can always talk to me when you need to. Whether it's about something bad, or you just need to clear your head, I'm here to listen."

A lovesick grin formed on Helga's face as she laid there thinking to herself…

Oh my beloved! So kind and nurturing! Always wanting to solve the problems of those in need of assistance. Not resting until your optimistic behavior has taken a toll on the entire city! Oh Arnold I…

"Helga?"

The nervous girl anxiously shook her head, hoping she hadn't said any of that out loud. "Huh?"

Arnold then stood from the bed and said "I'm going downstairs for a minute. You stay here and try to get some rest."

Helga's heart fluttered at his concern for her. They weren't in a relationship, and already he was treating her as though she was his girlfriend.

The Beeper Empire

Not that Helga wasn't always in a pessimistic mood, but dinner with her family, and her excessive anger the next day gave Arnold the feeling this had something to do with her family.

Just as he was approaching the emporium, he saw an unusual sight.

Is that Olga crying outside?

Arnold walked up to the usually perky girl who was now sitting on the curb with mascara running down her cheeks. "What's going on Olga?"

The college graduate did her best to wipe her tears from her eyes as she explained to Arnold how much Helga's words the previous night had made her reconsider her lifestyle. Here Bob was trying to use Olga as a way to attract customers to his store once again. Would that not just be another example of excluding Helga from any successful event that took place in their family however?

"Daddy wasn't too happy when I told him I didn't like the idea of using my picture to advertise his company."

While Arnold felt sorry for the Patakis. It was the first time he had ever seen Olga acting so humble.

The blonde boy placed a hand on the older girl's back and said "I know none of you are happy in the living state you're in, but you're doing the right thing."

"I...I am?" Olga sobbed, wiping the tears from her cheek.

"You and Helga have never been close because your parents see you as so much more of a success. If they continue to have reasons to focus that way on you, Helga will always resent you." Arnold explained.

Arnold's Room

Not long after her beloved left, Helga drifted off to sleep. Laying there against her beloved's sweet scented pillow, Helga's subconscious was torn between the aggravation her family brought to her, and the aggravation she brought upon herself, by not being willing to share any of it with Arnold.

You know you can always talk to me about anything

I don't need to talk football head! We Patakis don't talk about things! Sweep 'em under the rug!

How can we ever be together if you're not willing to tell me more about yourself?

Why the heck would you care? You already met my neglecting family! Every day, I come home to hear my dad incorrectly address me, all because he's thinking about THE GOLDEN CHILD! I'm only of use to him if it benefits HER. As far as Miriam goes, I'm shocked she hasn't been thrown into some crazy support group. Just another example of how much we love and care for each other.

Suppose tonight, while you slept, a miracle occurred. When you awake, what would be some of the things you would notice that would tell you life had suddenly gotten better?

While Helga was tossing and turning with this dilemma, she felt someone shaking her shoulder. The stunned girl immediately awoke to see her friend standing in front of her.

"Sorry to bother you Helga. It's just getting kind of late. I thought I should walk you home. You know, where you can get some REAL sleep."

Helga cocked her brow at Arnold's assumption. No one in her family possessed an actual bedroom anymore.

Arnold took a seat beside her, placed a hand on hers and said "I'm sorry about how your family makes you feel sometimes. They do love you though."

Helga rolled her eyes at his insisting remark. He didn't know what her life was like...or so she thought.

"Thanks, well I better be going." she yawned.

Normally Arnold would offer to walk Helga home, but he had a feeling tonight wouldn't be the best night for him to be his usual nosey self.

"Okay, I'll see you later. Have a good night." the blonde boy smiled, while pulling his friend in for a sweet kiss. Noticing the dazed look in her eyes after he slowly took his lips back made it easier for him to ask what he had been struggling with.

"Umm Helga?"

"Yeah football head?"

Arnold began to rub the back of his neck. Although he didn't feel as though he was being put on the spot, there was still the possibility of rejection. Did he really have to worry about that with her however?

"I uhhh….really appreciate everything you've done for me. Deep down, I always knew you were a good person. You wouldn't have hung out with me all those years if you hated me the way you said you did. Now that I know for certain how you feel, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

Helga's expression went from dazed eyes to a pounding heart. Was she hearing this right? Did the boy of her dreams actually just request to have her in his?

After letting out a swoon she just couldn't keep in, Helga smiled and said "Okay, but if anyone asks, I get to tell them you felt you owed it to me for saving your parents."

Arnold shook his head at his friend who was making her way out the door and sighed "Whatever you say Helga."

The Beeper Emporium

Helga walked down the street, thinking about the question Arnold had asked her in her dream. Did it really mean anything? She then approached the emporium to see Olga standing outside with a smile on her face. The pre-teen rolled her eyes assuming that meant Bob had found another way to make her look successful.

Before Helga could make it to the door, Olga came racing down the sidewalk to grab her sister and screamed "Oh baby sister! I'm so happy you're home!"

Helga stood trapped in her sister's arms, not believing she'd ever be able to figure out what this girl's deal was.

When Olga finally set her sister down, she said "I have the most wonderful news."

"Of course you do." Helga crossed her arms, sighing to herself.

Flashback

While Olga sat on the curb, rubbing the tears off her face, Arnold though back to everything Rhonda had told him. There was one thing left that hadn't been tried on Helga...surprise her!

This gave him an idea. The optimistic boy looked at the college graduate and said "So, this is all because your dad keeps choosing you over Helga to promote his business?"

After watching her nod her head vigorously, Arnold suggested "Since your dad's already planning on using a picture of a family member for the billboard, why not just make it one with both you AND Helga. She won't feel left out, and your dad still gets what he wants. Plus, it'd be a nice way for the two of you to bond."

End of Flashback

After explaining the new plan to her baby sister, Helga dropped her arms at her side and asked "Are you kidding me?"

Olga placed a hand on her younger sibling's shoulder and said "No baby sister. I realized you were right about everything, and I'm so sorry! I've been going through the photo albums, and thought this would be a cute one."

Helga glared at the photo of Olga holding her first place Poetry award, while Helga stood off to the side crossing her arms.

Helga slowly looked up at her sister, not wanting to hurt her and said "Uhhh why don't we keep looking for one."

Although her parents may make her feel neglected, Helga had to admit one thing. As terrible as she was at it, Olga at least made the attempt to show how important a tight relationship with her sister was to her. As frustrating as it was at times, that truly was a miracle. Now that Olga was able to put herself in Helga's shoes, there was no telling how much better things would get from there on out.

THE END

THANKS FOR READING

PLEASE REVIEW!