�So Helga�.�
�What, Football-head?�
�Um, you bored?�
�Ya�, what�s it to you?�
�Wanna talk? I can�t talk to Gerald,� Arnold pointed to his snoring
friend.
�And I can�t talk to Phoebe when she�s like this,� Helga pointed to Phoebe.
She was engrossed in a book past the point of being aware of the world
around her. �I guess I can talk to a football-head without dying for a
while.�
Arnold and Helga started talking. At first Arnold was reluctant and afraid
and Helga was resistant and bully-like, but soon they relaxed and started
acting like normal people, once they got into the flow of conversation.
After what seemed like a very short while of talking, Arnold glanced at his
watch.
�Whoa, Helga! Can you believe it�s been three hours already?!�
�Wow, time really flies when you�re having fun.� Arnold thought about her
absent-minded comment. �Fun? Talking with Helga�.fun?!� Arnold thought
about all they stuff that they�d talked about. They�d told each other
practically everything about themselves. Arnold had revealed the truth
about his parents and Helga had described her horrible home life and Olga�s
overshadowment. (She�d even almost revealed that she loved him until she
realized whom exactly she was talking to.)
�Wow,� he thought. �I really have had fun talking to Helga. And it�s like
she�s a whole new person, too.� Arnold sat there in deep thought, puzzled
by these new conflicting emotions.
�Arnold, hello? Earth to Arnold.� Helga was waving her hand in front of
his face.
�Wha-? Oh� I was-uh-just thinking about what you said. Time does fly when
you�re having fun.� �Yeah,� he thought. �Talking to Helga IS fun.� He and
Helga talked the rest of the way there.
*****
They had left at seven and got there at twelve. They ate lunch before
going to the garden. During lunch, Gerald was talking to Arnold.
�And you say you were actually enjoying it?!�
�Yes Gerald. I know it sounds weird and suspicious-�
�Damn right, it does!!�
�-but you should have seen her. She wasn�t Helga. She was a completely
different person.�
�And so are you. Who are you?�
�What? What are you talking about, Gerald?�
�Who are you? And what have you done with my best friend?!�
�Gerald, you�re being stupid. You�ve taken leave of your senses.�
�I�VE taken lea-! Listen, man, you�re the one who enjoyed a FIVE-hour talk
with Helga G. Pataki!!� They looked at Helga. She was challenging Harold
to a fight outside while Phoebe tried to calm her down.
�I know it sounds weird, but like I said, it was like she was a different
person. It was a whole new side of her. She wasn�t cruel and vindictive,
she didn�t call me names and make fun of me. It was�� he trailed off,
staring at Helga, puzzlement and confusion very clear on his face. He
sighed in resignation and turned back to his lunch. �I don�t know, Gerald.
I just don�t know.� Gerald continued eating his lunch, muttering things
about it being unnatural and weird.
*****
After everyone finished lunch, Mr. Simmons and the botanist, Trevor, (he
just has all sorts of jobs, doesn�t he? Hehehe) took the kids around the
large garden. Some of the kids were picking flowers for bouquets, Gerald
included.
�Gerald, why are you picking flowers? Gerald shuffled his feet nervously,
and repeatedly glanced at Phoebe.
�Oh, no reason, man. They�re-uh-for my mom.� Arnold wasn�t fooled.
They�d been walking around the garden for a little less than an hour when
something unexpected happened. It suddenly burst out raining, drenching
everyone in seconds. Mr. Simmons and Trevor rushed everyone into the B&B
just before the lightning started. The kids went into their rooms and
changed out of their soaking wet clothes. Some wore spare clothes, others
changed into their pjs early. Everyone gathered in the common (a living
room, lounge type of room) in the middle of the B&B. Arnold was wearing a
spare flannel shirt, unbuttoned, and a spare pair of pants. Gerald
was wearing a spare pair of his normal clothes. Helga and Phoebe were
wearing pink and blue nightshirts. Mr. Simmons, Trevor, Eugene, and Brainy
weren�t there.
The kids saw a lightning flash. As the thunder sounded, the lights went
out. Some of the kids screamed.