Chapter 3: Blackmail or Not?
The next morning, Helga groggily gets out of bed and heads downstairs for breakfast. Bob Pataki is sitting at the dining room table reading the newspaper and Miriam is busy making scrambled eggs. Helga settles down at the dining room table and pours herself a cup of orange juice. She glances over at her dad and sighs deeply. Bob Pataki continues to read the newspaper. Helga sighs again, and this time Bob Pataki puts down the newspaper and looks at Helga.
Bob Pataki: Helga, are you feeling all right?
Helga: (forces a smile) Um, sure, Dad.
Bob Pataki: Well, okay then.
Bob Pataki goes back to reading the newspaper and Helga sighs deeply. Bob Pataki throws the newspaper on the floor and glares at Helga.
Bob Pataki: (angrily) If everything is fine, then why do you keep sighing like that?
Helga takes another gulp of orange juice and looks her dad in the eye.
Helga: I'm just sighing, Dad! Can't a girl sigh and not be asked why I'm sighing? Criminey!
Bob Pataki rolls his eyes and gets up from the dining room table to get a glass of water.
Bob Pataki: (to Miriam in a whisper) Something's bothering Helga, Miriam. But she won't come out and say what it is.
Miriam turns off the stove and looks at her husband.
Miriam: I'm sure everything is fine with Helga, dear.
Bob Pataki: Then why did she let out that ear piercing shriek last night?
Miriam: I don't know. Maybe her friend on the other line told her something scary.
Bob Pataki thinks there's more to Helga's strange behavior and vows to find out what's going on with her.
Bob Pataki: (glances at watch) Oh, man, I'm going to miss my newest beeper commercial! (races out of the kitchen with his glass of water) I'll help clean up the dishes afterwards, Miriam.
Bob Pataki settles himself down in his chair and turns on the TV. Helga glances over at her dad and sighs again.
Helga: (thinks) I wonder who found out my secret? It couldn't have been Phoebe because the voice on the phone was male...and the only person who could possibly...I mean the chances of this person actually finding out about my love for Arnold are so minute that...(a thought strikes her like a lightning bolt) Woah, woah, woah. It couldn't be, could it?
Suddenly she finds herself in a dark room. Helga hears laughter but can't tell who it's coming from. The shadow of a figure looms over her and light starts flashing around her. Helga soon catches a glimpse of the laughing maniac and is shocked to see who it is. Wolfgang reaches his arms out and grabs Helga roughly by the shoulders.
Wolfgang: (evil laughter) Guess who knows your little secret, Helga. Guess what would happen if this secret got out to everyone at PS 118. Word travels fast you know. Soon your secret would be known to every person you meet. To every person in this city!
Helga: You, you wouldn't!
Wolfgang's eyes turn a bright red and almost seem to burn into Helga.
Wolfgang: Oh, wouldn't I?
Helga screams loudly.
In the Sunset Arm's boarding house. Arnold, Gerald, Grandma, Grandpa, and the boarders are eating breakfast.
Arnold: Gerald, did you hear something?
Gerald puts down his fork and listens.
Gerald: Sorry, man, but I can't hear anything but the clanking of forks and the shuffling of food.
Arnold knows he heard something, but then thinks it probably was just the sound of tires screeching, and continues to eat.
Meanwhile...Helga shakes herself from her daydream.
Helga: I have to go, Mom, Dad. I'll see you later today.
Helga grabs her school books, races out of the house, jumps on her bike and heads straight for school.
Helga: (thinks) After school when Wolfgang meets me at my house, I'll confront him.
Earlier in Wolfgang's house.
Wolfgang pours himself a cup of orange juice and sits down at the kitchen table. Mrs. Matthews gets a bowl out from the cupboards and pours Wolfgang some cereal. She finished pouring some milk into it and hands the bowl to Wolfgang.
Mrs. Matthews: Here you go, Wolfgang.
Wolfgang takes the bowl from his mom and retrieves a spoon from a drawer.
Wolfgang: Thanks, Mom.
Mrs. Matthews smiles and sits next to Wolfgang. She puts down her cup of coffee and looks at Wolfgang.
Mrs. Matthews: Honey, I decided to sign you up for something that starts at 4 and ends at 6 every weekday afternoon. It won't interfere with your science project since you meet from 3-4 at Helga's house.
Wolfgang takes a sip of his orange juice.
Wolfgang: (excitedly) Did you sign me up for kickball practice? Or football? Or maybe baseball?
Mrs. Matthews: (laughs) No, silly. I signed you up for ballet lessons.
Wolfgang's jaw drops and he stares at his mother angrily.
Wolfgang: Ballet lessons? You can't be serious! What boy in their right mind would take ballet lessons?
Mrs. Matthews: Well, you like to play football, right?
Wolfgang: Yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?
Mrs. Matthews: Didn't you know that famous football players take ballet to help make them more limber on the playing field?
Wolfgang: So? Ballet is for girls!
Mrs. Matthews: Oh, come now. It will be good for you.
Wolfgang: But, Mom, what if one of my friends sees me?
Mrs. Matthews: I called Genevieve's Ballet School for Boys in the next town over called Vicksville. That's where I'll be taking you for the next few weeks. So, honestly, I don't think any of your friends will see you. Besides, if they did, they're your friends! They wouldn't give it another thought.
Wolfgang: (thinks) My reputation would be ruined! If anyone found out I'm taking ballet lessons, I'll be the laughing stock of the entire school! (sighs)
Wolfgang hears the clock chime 8 times and realizes he's already late for school.
Wolfgang: Um, can we discuss this more when I get home? I'm late for school.
Mrs. Matthews: No more need to discuss it. I will pick you up from Helga's house at 10 til 4. Now don't worry about a thing, everything will be fine!
Mrs. Matthews gives Wolfgang a kiss on the forehead and ushers him out the door.
Wolfgang: (thinks) Ballet lessons? Ah, man!
After school at Helga's house. Wolfgang meets up with Helga and they walk inside and over to the kitchen table. Wolfgang grabs a piece of paper and starts re-writing some of the reactions the plants have been having in the last one and a half weeks. Helga sits across from Wolfgang and looks at him.
Helga: Um, Wolfgang, could I ask you something?
Wolfgang looks up from the paper.
Wolfgang: What?
Helga decides to try some reverse psychology on Wolfgang, not knowing that it will reveal his own secret.
Helga: Did a friend of yours call me last night?
Wolfgang: Why would they call you? They have better things to do with their time.
Helga: Well, someone called me last night.
Wolfgang continues writing and tries to not pay attention.
Helga: (continues) They also said that they knew something about you that, I don't know, was secret or something.
The pencil in Wolfgang's hand drops.
Helga: I asked them what the secret was, but they wouldn't tell me. All they said was that if they were to tell this secret to anyone, it would ruin your life forever. That's all I know. Are you sure you don't know who could have called me?
Wolfgang's palms become sweaty and he believes that somehow Helga has found out about his secret. He gets up from the table and walks over to Helga.
Wolfgang: Okay, it's true! You don't need to rub it in. It was my mom's idea! She thought it would be good for me! Please, please, please don't tell anyone that I take ballet lessons...you have to promise me!
Helga: (laughs) Ballet lessons? Who said anything about ballet lessons? (stops and thinks for a moment) Oh my gosh! You are taking ballet lessons? (falls off the chair laughing)
Wolfgang: Wait, I thought you knew that I...(realizes that Helga was just trying to trick him into revealing that he called her last night) You, you know that I know, what you know? Right?
Helga: (stops laughing and becomes angry) That I know that you know about my secret? Yes, I know that you know!
Wolfgang glares into Helga's eyes.
Wolfgang: Well, guess who could tell your secret about your love for Arnold to the entire school of PS 118? I could put fliers all over the place! No place would be safe for you to hide. (laughs) But I won't tell anyone if you do what I say.
Helga: (waves her finger in front of Wolfgang's face) Not so fast, Wolfie. I got the goods on you, as well. Remember?
Helga gets up from the floor and does her best impression of a ballet dancer. Helga begins to hum the Nutcracker Prince.
Wolfgang: Okay, okay, you made your point. I won't tell your secret, if you won't tell mine. Deal?
Helga stops jumping around and walks back over to Wolfgang.
Helga: How can I be so sure that you won't tell anyone my secret?
Wolfgang: Well, how can I be sure that you won't tell anyone mine?
Helga and Wolfgang stare at each other for a few moments and are interrupted when a car horn honks from outside.
Wolfgang: That's my mom, I gotta go.
Wolfgang grabs his stuff and runs out the door. Helga runs after him.
Helga: (shouts) I'll call you, Wolfgang, and we'll discuss the details!
Wolfgang jumps into the car, slams the door, and puts on his seatbelt.
Mrs. Matthews: The details of what, dear?
Wolfgang: (looks out the window) Nothing, mom. Let's just go.
The next day at school.
Mr. Simmons: Class, I'd like to ask how your science projects are going. Let's start with Arnold.
Arnold: Everything's going great, Mr. Simmons. We're almost done building the city.
Mr. Simmons: Very good. Now Helga. How is your project going?
Helga doesn't hear Mr. Simmons and is locked in her own dream world.
Helga: (thinks) Oh, Arnold. My love. I...
Mr. Simmons: Helga?
Helga: (shakes herself from her daydream) Huh, what Mr. Simmons?
Mr. Simmons: (sighs) I asked how your project is going.
Helga: Oh, it's going great, Mr. Simmons. (smiles)
*bell rings*
Mr. Simmons: All right, class, I'll see you tomorrow!
The class dispurses. Helga says her good-byes to Phoebe and makes her way to the kickball court to get Wolfgang. Wolfgang sees Helga approaching and tosses the ball to Edmund. A few minutes later, Helga and Wolfgang are inside the Pataki home watering the plants and checking on their status.
Helga: Looks like the plant that's been listening to the classical music is a lot healthier than the one that's been listening to heavy metal.
Wolfgang writes some notes down on a piece of paper.
Wolfgang: Why don't you check on the one upstairs?
Helga starts to walk to her bedroom, but stops.
Helga: Why don't you come up with me? Just bring all the paperwork up here.
Wolfgang: But I thought no boys allowed in your room?
Helga: Well, just for today. Come on.
Wolfgang gathers his notes and follows Helga up to her room. Wolfgang walks over to the window and looks over the plant. Helga wanders over to her closet and opens the door.
Helga: Wolfgang, I want to show you something.
Wolfgang looks up from his writing and sets the paper and pencil down on Helga's writing desk. He walks over to Helga's closet and looks inside.
Wolfgang: What's the deal? It's just a closet.
Helga grabs Wolfgang by the arms and brings him into the back. She turns on the light and her Arnold sculpture gleams like diamonds. Wolfgang lets out a long sigh and stares in amazement.
Wolfgang: Woah, you did this?
Helga: (smiles) Yeah, sure did. What do you think?
Wolfgang reaches over to touch the Arnold sculpture but Helga's hand blocks him.
Helga: Uh, no, Wolfgang. I don't want you to touch it.
Wolfgang backs away and sits on the floor.
Wolfgang: Why, Helga? Why did you spend all your time and effort on this?
Helga: Haven't you ever felt that certain feeling before? It makes you do crazy things for that person you love.
Wolfgang puts his hand to his chin and thinks.
Wolfgang: I've never been in love, if that's what you mean. I really doubt someone like me could ever feel the way about someone like you feel about Arnold.
Helga: If you weren't such a creep and a bully, then I bet someone would love you. But you won't even give them a chance to even get to know the softer side of you.Well, maybe taking these ballet lessons will help change you. (laughs) Oh, I forgot to ask. How did yesterday's lesson go?
Wolfgang: Oh, it went fine.The teacher's really nice and all the boy's were there because their mom's made them. Now I don't feel so bad.
Helga: That's good. So...
Mrs. Matthews drives up and honks 3 times.
Wolfgang: Oh, time to run. I'll see you again tomorrow! Just think...2 more days, then the weekend, and then this science fair project is over! (grabs his things and races downstairs)
Before Wolfgang runs outside, he turns around and sees Helga standing at the top of her stairs.
Wolfgang: You have my word that I won't tell anyone your secret, Helga.Thanks for showing me your art! See ya.
Helga waves after Wolfgang.
Helga: (thinks) Wolfgang isn't such a bully after all.
Wolfgang remembers something and runs back inside Helga's house.
Wolfgang: Helga, you know I've been thinking. You've been so nice to me and well...I wanted to give you something.
Helga smiles and walks down the stairs.
Helga: That's real nice of you, Wolfgang. What is it?
Wolfgang brings his hand from behind his back and tosses a waterballoon at Helga.
Wolfgang: (laughs) Later!
Wolfgang runs out the door and hops into his mom's car.
Wolfgang: Floor it, Ma!
Meanwhile...Helga walks over to the linen closet and dries herself off.
Helga: (thinks) Then again...maybe not.
(I'm working on Chapter 4)
Chapter 4 - The Sound of Music
Copyright © Cher A. 1999