Written By Shaun Blankenship

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A servent opened the door to her house. "Come in. Punch is upon the table."

Arnold smiled and nodded with a mouth full of plastic fangs and Gerald saluted him with the foam beam coming from the gun on his Ghostbuster Proton pack. Simultaneously, they both replied, "Thanks."

As they were walking in, Arnold stopped dead in his tracks. Gerald noticed that the football-headed teen had stopped trailing him and turned back to catch up with his friend. "Hey, Arnold. What's goin' on?"

He pointed a hand out like a child pointing his finger at the monster in his closet. "It's her. I don't know how she got invited, but it's her!"

Gerald squinted to see what Arnold was pointing at. "Oh, snap! Hey, she lost her braces!"

Over by the snack table past the DJ booth (Only the best said Rhonda when putting it together) was a ghost from Arnold's past. A young girl in a blue shirt when Arnold knew her stood across the room now a young woman in a sky blue hoodie. Ruth McDougal was talking to Rhonda and laughing. Arnold smiled and sighed, "Oh, man. She's even more beautiful than I re…"

Gerald threw a hand across Arnold's mouth. "Oh, no you don't. Don't you even dare start with that! If you wanna talk to her, you talk to her. We're seniors now! It doesn't seem like we're too young for kids like her anymore. How come you haven't talked to her at all last school year?"

Arnold was still in shock of Ruth. "I don't know, Gerald. Maybe I will…"

"No, either you do or you don't. I'm not gonna hang around while you ruin your own night pining over Ruth. Now or never, Arnold. Which is it?"

Arnold started walking towards Ruth.

***

Helga was still at home preparing her costume. Well, here goes nothing, she thought to herself. It's now or never.

Miriam pounded on Helga's door. "Helga, do you need me to give you a ride?"

"No, Miriam. I can drive myself."

The voice from outside the door paused. "Okay. Do you need anything?"

Helga adjusted her droopy witch's hat. "Yeah, the car."

Again, the voice paused. "Okay. Well, I'll leave the keys on the kitchen counter. I'm going to bed, sweetie. Good-night."

Well, at least she's actually going to bed rather than the couch. "Good-night, Miriam."

Helga threw on the rest of her costume. She stood looking like the wicked witch of the west, except her face was still skin tone. It was an agreement she made with herself before buying a costume; I am not painting my face or using any special effect make-up. I don't do that… except for that one year… never again…

She stood in front of the mirror to look at herself. Everything was perfect. She spun around like a fashion model to see her costume all around. Arnold, if I don't make you mine, I'll at least win your friendship. She grabbed her prop broom and wand up off the floor of her room. Along her floor laid clothes, magazines, papers and cups. You know; I should really clean this place up.

She stepped out of her room and headed down the stairs. Big Bob sat in his reclining chair watching a movie. A curly-haired young man had just bungee-jumped off the top of the Eiffel Tower to save a girl attempting suicide. Helga walked to the kitchen and proceeded to walk to the door.

Big Bob stopped her in her tracks; "Helga!"

Helga froze and cringed at the thought of talking to her father. She walked towards the entrance to the living room. "Yes, dad?"

"You're going to a party, huh?"

Helga crossed her arms. "Yes. Why?"

Bob leaned forward, giving the illusion that he was actually about to stand up. "You be responsible, alright? Don't mess up like you sister Olga did."

Helga rolled her eyes back. "Dad, none of that will be going on, okay?"

Bob rested back in his chair. "You better not. You know how your sister went and got pregnant after college. Wasn't even married! Now she's stuck with a kid and no father to support it."

Helga uncrossed her arms. "I know, dad. I'm not stupid."

"Hey! I didn't say you were stupid! Heck, your sister wasn't stupid either! She had straight A's ever since third grade. She made a foolish choice. I don't want you making the same foolish choice."

"Dad, I'm not going to make the same mistake. I'm not Olga."

Bob muttered under his breath, "You wouldn't believe how many times I have to remind myself."

Helga turned her back towards her father. "Good-bye, Bob!"

Bob finally did leap off of his chair. "Hey!" He ran towards Helga and gripped her by the wrist. "Don't you just walk out on me until I say I'm done with you!"

Helga managed her hand free and held her elbow in front of her face. "Bob, I know right now you're trying to be the responsible parent and I applaud you for that, but I don't need it." She then ducked her head slightly and lowered her brow down on her eyes. "Now back away from me and let me leave!"

Bob just stood stunned in front of his daughter. "You know, when I was a kid, I didn't like my parents… but there was respect. I could yank those keys from your hand right now but I'd don't think you learn the lesson." He stepped back two paces and continued, "But I'll give you this: you need to change your attitude and perspective on the world or you'll be in for some serious disappointment when you get out on your own. I won't be there to fall back on for support and with a disposition like that, the only job you're ever going to be able to get will be for minimum wage and involve a hairnet!"

Helga swung open the door. "I know that, dad. I'm never going to amount to anything, just like you. Now good-bye." With that, she turned around and slammed the door shut behind her.

Bob stared at the door for three minutes after his daughter had left. After finally coping with what had just happened, he eventually walked back to his recliner and resumed his movie. If only Helga had been there, she would've seen something hardly anybody has ever seen Big Bob do: he started crying. Only two other things had ever made Bob cried in his life, and he was ready to pencil in a third.

***

Sid stood next to the DJ booth talking to the DJ. "So, Rhonda's paying you how much for this party alone?"

The man, somewhere in his twenties, turned and smirked. "I can't say that. It's confidential, but it's a lot."

"Huh." Sid took a sip out of his cup of beer. "She goes all out, doesn't she?"

The man took off a pair of headphones he had been wearing and nodded. "I never get asked to do personal parties. Usually, this is really unheard of, but as in the words of Frank Zappa, 'I'm only in it for the money'!"

Sid just smiled at the man's quote. He then walked away and went over into the middle of the room where many people were just hanging around, but most of the girls were actually dancing. It was almost rare to actually see dancing at one of Rhonda's parties, but there is a first time for everything.

Arnold began to approach Ruth, the girl he had crushed over for many of his elementary years. She was still as beautiful as he had remembered her: her 'auburn' hair flowed freely in Arnold's mind through the wind of his thoughts, and her smile was even more perfect because her braces had vanished. She laughed at a comment Rhonda had made, but Arnold had not been close enough to hear anything before the laughter.

Rhonda swirled a glass of punch around in her hand. "Wow, Ruth. I haven't talked to you since we were lab partners in freshman year. I'm so glad you accepted my invitation."

Rhonda smiled and put a hand on the table beside her. "Well, your welcome, Rhonda. I just figured I didn't have anything else to do. I'm not about to go trick or treating."

Arnold stopped five feet away from his boyhood crush and found himself at a loss for words. After another sentence was exchanged between Rhonda and Ruth, they both turned around and noticed his gawking glaze. Rhonda extended an open hand towards Arnold and said, "Ruth, this is Arnold. Arnold, this is Ruth."

Arnold nodded and seemed to slur out, "Uh-yeah."

Rhonda waved a hand in front of Arnold's face. "Hello? Anybody home?"

Arnold's back snapped up and he suddenly became very aware of his surrounding. He was then able to stutter out, "Y-Yeah, I know R-Ruth. H-How ya d-doin'?"

Ruth smiled and let out a small laugh. "Arnold, what's wrong? You're shaking."

Arnold's eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the floor in front of the two girls. Rhonda gave a look at Arnold's blacked-out body and back at Ruth. "He's not like this all the time..."

Ruth looked at Arnold and shook her head. "Well, whatever it is, I hope he's okay." Ruth and Rhonda stepped over Arnold's body and walked over to another part of the party.

At that moment, Gerald ran to Arnold's side and started shaking him vigorously. "Wake up, man! Wake up!"

***

Helga had four choices of transportation: foot, bus, jeep, or car. With the keys already in her hand, she took the car. Once she had received her license, Bob and Miriam had allowed her to have the car. The only catch was that she wasn't allowed to have a copy of the keys so that they could take it away from her whenever they wanted. This also meant that Bob now drove his hummer-jeep sort of vehicle around everywhere. Usually he used it only on special occasions: parents day picnics, UFO invasions, etc. Now it really was an all-purpose vehicle.

Helga first blipped the button on the car alarm key chain forcing the car to beep and the lights to flash. She then opened the driver's side door, slipped the keys gently into the ignition, and started her car up. She switched on the headlights, opened the garage door, and proceeded to head out into the good night towards her chance of redemption.

As soon as she was on the road, she shoved a cassette into the tape deck. It was a mix she had made a while back. In her free time, Helga would sometimes makes tape to play while driving. All she'd need then was a destination to drive to. A wise man once said 'Without music, you have no soul. Without a soul, you don't exist.' Helga constantly needed something playing in the background of the movie of her life, so she usually turned to music. The tape began playing during the middle of a song. The heavy guitar riffs blared from the speakers as the lyrics poured into her ears. They weren't very good or deep, but they fit the roughness of the song perfectly:

Helga slapped in rhythm on the handgrip to the steering wheel. You know; Rhonda's house isn't that far away. I could've walked. She then thought again, Nah! Helga managed through the traffic on the street and maneuvered the car like a grand prix wheelman.

Two blocks later, she arrived in front of Rhonda's house and parked across the street. Stupid fire lane, she thought to herself. If either building did happen to catch fire, I'd be speeding out of here. It's not as if I'm gonna stand back and watch the building smolder down on top of me.

Helga stepped out of her car and hit the alarm button again. This time, the beep sounded different and the lights didn't flash. She made sure no one was coming and crossed the street to Rhonda's party.

***

Arnold's eyes slowly opened revealing the Ghostbuster Gerald was standing over him. "You okay, buddy? You fainted."

Arnold stood up off of the floor. "What happened?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

Gerald lent an arm so that Arnold could balance himself upward. "You started talking to Ruth and just blacked-out. How's ya head doin'?"

"It's alright. Where'd she go?"

Gerald pointed out to the door. "After you passed out, Ruth said good-bye and went to some party at the college or something. Speaking of memories from the past, whatever happened to Catrinka? You know, that girl with the one eyebrow and the hair that stuck out like two breadsticks?"

Arnold glared confused at Gerald. "What are you talking about?"

Gerald dismissed, "Just forget about it, I fell off track. I'm sorry you didn't get to talk to her."

"How long have I been out, Gerald?"

He checked his watch. "Hmm… about ten minutes. A lot can happen ten minutes."

Arnold rubbed his head again. "No doubt. Hey, where can I get some Tylenol?"

Gerald shrugged; "I think you better ask Rhonda about that one. This is her house."

"Yeah, you got a point."

Gerald slapped a hand on his friend's back. "That's right, man. She's right over by the door so you can walk up and ask her… if you don't blackout that is…" Gerald started laughing hysterically.

Arnold nudged his friend. "That's not funny."

Gerald's laughter immediately stopped. "Yeah, I know. I was trying to lighten up the mood you're sendin' out. You're messin' my vibe up. My vibe is being seriously disturbed."

Arnold merely lifted a palm at Gerald and started towards the door.

***

Helga pounded on Rhonda's door. Be pleasant, don't start problems with Rhonda…

Rhonda immediately opened the door as soon as Helga had put her hand down. She opened the door a crack to see who it was, and then continued to swing it all the way open. "Helga! You're here! Snacks and toast points over there." Rhonda pointed out to their locations.

Helga's face then lit up with a five-foot fabricated smile. "Why, thank you, Rhonda!"

Rhonda almost stepped back a few feet from her courtesy. "O-Kay… Helga… Come in…"

It was then that Helga noticed an ailing Arnold coming in her direction. The world stopped, the room grew quiet, and in Helga's mind it was as if she was witnessing some sort of miracle. It seemed like one of the moments you read out of cheesy romance novels that aren't conceivable in any shape or form at all coming to life and now seeming more believable. One of those cliché moments that you could watch over and over if only your life had a rewind button.

Helga raised her index finger and called out, "Arnold!"