Helga G. Pataki is a freshmen at the newly built P.S. 119 high school . Her life has changed drastically when Arnold leaves after 6 grade to San Lorenzo with his parents. When he returns from San Lorenzo after two years to attend P.S. 119 high schoo...
Helga wakes up in the middle of the night with an empty look on her face. She begins the same routine that she's been doing for the past two years...ever since he left.
Helga can't seem to ever fall back to sleep when waking up at midnight. It's why she usually go to sleep around 6 pm to get at least a couple of hours in before waking up at midnight . It's not pleasant...as she doesn't recommend anyone to have her sleep schedule. It's no fun.
Helga gets out of her bed with her pink pajamas on. She immediately grabs her phone from her desk that is filled with poetry books. She stares at her phone with a look of pure exhaustion.
Helga: And I'll receive a text from Phoebe in 3, 2, 1...
Helga's phone buzzes as a text alert appears from Phoebe, Helga's best friend.
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Helga throws her phone behind her. It lands on her bed. She exits her room and walks in the hallway . She finds the bathroom and begins to freshen up. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she walks back to her room and looks in her closet for her clothes. She looks in between her clothes and sees a dark room that once was the room for her very own shrine. It was now just an empty room.
Helga: I haven't laid my eyes in here ever since I threw my shrine away. Huh, looks creepy in here.
Helga begins walking away from her closet as she continues to talk to herself.
My darling, even if I threw my precious shrine away... it was for my own mental health and for it not to scare you whenever we see each other again. If we ever see each other again, my love... Oh, why did you have to go away? Why did you have to leave me here all alone? I do have Phoebe and Gerald, but they aren't you. And we'll be starting high school soon. We are growing up...without you here. I wonder what you look like now. I wonder if you still wear that blue hat on that football head of yours! I wonder if your hair still smells so good from that mysterious shampoo you use. So many questions. And so many things I wish to tell you. I miss you, my love. My soulmate, Arnold.
Helga returns to her closet and picks out her usual outfit. She walks to her body mirror and fixes her hair into two pony tails. Her hair grew longer than what it was before when Arnold was in her life. She places a big pink bow on her head.
Helga: (Sighs) I'm STILL ugly.
Helga walks out of her room and into the hallway to enter the living room. The tv is still left on with Helga's mom, Miriam, sleeping on the couch with a mug in her hand. Helga sees a picture frame of her dad, Bob, on the table. She looks at it in disgust and slams it down.
Miriam: (Wakes up alertly) Huh? What?
Miriam fixes her glasses.
Helga: Go back to sleep, Miriam. It's just me.
Miriam: Oh, hi, Olga. (Immediately falls asleep right after)
Helga groans as she is called "Olga", which is her older sister's name.
Helga: I was going to eat...but after seeing his face...I can't even think about eating. I feel so dirty. So gross. Criminy! How did Miriam even have his picture here? I thought I threw them all away.
Helga walks slowly back to her room. She folds her arms and sits on her bed.
I can't stay here. Not after seeing Bob. I need to get some air. I need... I need reassurance that I'll be okay. I'm fine, Helga, girl, you're okay! He's not here to hurt you anymore. Oooh...why does it smell like he's here? Get out of my head, Bob!
Tears start to form in Helga's blue eyes as she runs to her dresser. She pulls her drawer to her dresser out in a harsh manner and digs out her clothes. Her clothes fall on the floor. Helga desperately grabs her gold heart locket that has Arnold's face on it. She stares down at it as tears fall and land on Arnold's picture.
Take over my mind, Arnold. Help me forget the hurtful past that Bob did to me.
Helga falls backwards and lands on the floor with her locket held up to her chest.
If only you were here. If only. Take over my mind, please, darling... please..
Helga falls asleep on the floor with Arnold on her mind and her locket still held up to her chest.
