A/N: Hola Muchacho's,
I know that's probably not how you spell it, but if you can read it... then it's all good in the hood. Well... my hood, at least. :D
Here's another moment that I've always pictured would be in the Jungle Movie. I think I'm gonna be starting up a little series of these, 'cause I have a lot of ideas.
It's sweet, and romantic, and I like it. *Sighs contently* Read and enjoy, friends. Read and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold!
The Jungle Movie
Scene: What Love Feels Like
Arnold smiled as he looked around the camp fire. Everyone seemed so happy, and content as they sang camp fire songs, and roasted marshmallows in the pit of the jungle. It was so quiet, and yet so lively. He looked up, and smiled even more. You could even see every single star in the sky. It was a dream come true for Arnold. Living in the city, he never got to see the stars as much as he'd liked to. Maybe a helicopter every once in a while, and sometimes he'd see one star, two on a good night. But other than that, he never really got to see the stars too much. But oh, being a dreamer like Arnold, he loved seeing the stars.
He looked back down from the sky, and stared into the roaring camp fire as it glowed and crackled, and he could feel the heat radiating off of it. Right now, Gerald was telling everyone some of his old Jungle legends, but Arnold wasn't paying attention.
He looked around the campfire, at all the happy and content faces. He saw Rhonda, fresh and clean from just cleaning up in the fresh water lake near by, and Nadine, sitting next to her best friend, and absolutely beaming after her day filled with bugs, bugs, and more bugs. He saw Eugene, smiling optimistically, like he always did as he watched Gerald flounce about, riddling off his epic story. He saw Lila right next to him, looking as perfect as she always did. She hadn't done much during the trip. She didn't seem like much of the adventure type to Arnold. But she was still here, not a hair out of place. Arnold sighed, then looked away from her, coming to see next, Curly, dressed in his jungle apparel which consisted of a loin cloth, no shirt, and some very messy and mucky hair. He looked to find Harold sitting next to him, chowing down on a bag of marshmallows, not even bothering to roast them. Next to him was Sid, just sitting and attempting to steal a marshmallow out of the grasp of Harold, without success. Next was Stinky, who was just watching Gerald as well, looking completely engrossed in whatever he was saying. Last was little Phoebe, who was watching Gerald too, with a bit of that admiration that was always there when she looked at his best friend. It made Arnold smile.
Mr. Simmons had already gone to bed a while ago, along with their friendly jungle guide. They had all decided to stay up a little longer to just relax and lay back. It had been a long day.
But then... where was Helga? Realizing this, Arnold looked around once more to try and find her, but to no avail. She wasn't here. He looked around, to his left, to his right, before looking behind him, finally seeing the blonde mass of pink laying on a blanket farther away from them, staring up at the stars, her little pink book laying open in her lap. Arnold blinked at this. She looked so... human... so... He couldn't quite describe it. He had never seen Helga look like that. She seemed to be contemplating something as she stared up at the stars, the moon light dancing across her face, highlighting her features. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked up at the stars, looking so attentive to them. It made her look like... an angel, sort of. So... sweet and thoughtful.
Arnold decided to see what she was doing, and slipped away from the group inconspicuously.
She didn't notice him until he was standing right in front of her. She looked startled to see him.
"Mind if I join you?"
She blinked at him, looking a little frightened for some reason, but she shrugged, and looked back down into her lap, writing something down feverishly.
Arnold sat beside her, feeling curious to what she was writing. So he asked, "What's that your writing?"
She didn't even look at him when she answered. "Poetry." She said simply.
He blinked at that, feeling confused. "You write poetry?"
She shrugged again, still writing.
He pursed his lips together briefly, before speaking again. "But you always called poetry a waste of time."
She looked at him then, her eyes startled. "I..." She sighed in defeat, looking back down into her lap, continuing her writing. "I know."
"Why would you say something like that if you didn't believe it?"
She sighed again, looking up and stopping in her writing, focusing on their peers ahead, all swaying back and forth to another camp fire song. "They wouldn't understand."
"Why wouldn't they?"
"They'd just laugh."
He looked away from her, knowing that she'd probably be right. "...What kind of poetry."
She sucked in a sharp breath at that, her eyes looking wide and alarmed. "I... just write what I feel." She said pleasantly as she grinned toothily, putting her hands up and shrugging, laughing nervously at the end.
He nodded, looking at her again as she looked back. They stayed like that for a little while, before Helga broke her gaze on him by looking down, then turning her head back at her book.
"Why did you come way out here?" He asked finally.
She looked back at him again. "I just don't feel comfortable around them." She shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
"Why?"
"They just don't understand me... no one does, I guess." She shrugged again, her eyes blank.
He nodded again, and they remained quiet for a few moments. Arnold looked back up at the stars, smiling as one twinkled at him. "I like being able to see the stars at night."
She nodded. "They're okay, I guess. They're..." She looked up at the stars herself, and her expression became peaceful. "Beautiful." She finished softly, losing herself in their light.
Arnold was startled by her tone, and looked back at her to see that she was in complete awe of the stars. He tilted his head at her, feeling confusion swirl up in his brain. Where was this girl the past six years he knew her? And why was she showing him this person now? It must have been because... He looked away, feeling the need to ask a question that had been festering in his mind for a while.
"What does love feel like?"
She was shocked out of her gaze at the stars and looked back at him. "What?"
"What does love feel like?" He repeated, this time looking at her.
She felt kind of uneasy... but really... what was the risk? He obviously already knew. She closed her book and set it aside, and turned to face him, but her head was turned away along with her eyes.
"It..." She began uncertainly, unconsciously grabbing at where her Arnold locket was, right above her heart. "It kinda feels like... Well, it's kind of hard to explain. It's different from a crush. It's..." She looked thoughtful now, as she continued to look away. "Whenever you're near that person, it feels like your heart is going to beat out of your chest. And when they touch you, it sends a shock throughout your body. And... you feel like you'd do anything for them... anything in the world, just to see them smile. And when they're sad... you feel sad, and all you want to do is hold them and make them feel better. And... when they get close to you, it makes all your hairs stand on end. And every time you see them or think about them..." She looked back at him finally. "...It makes you smile." She finished softly, smiling at him, her eyes slightly half-lidded.
He was startled by all of this. She really felt like that around him? Wow. He smiled back, feeling a little weird... and yet... he had never felt so comfortable and at peace in his life.
"Can I read some of your poetry?"
Her eyes widened. "NO!" She grabbed her book and held it close to her chest for protection. "No... I would die from embarrassment if you read any of this."
"Oh." He nodded, not quite sure what to make of that. It was then he remembered. '-filling volumes of books of poems about you-' He then understood why she didn't want him to read her poems. They were all about him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious... but he would respect her wishes. He smiled at her. "Okay,"
She let out a breath of relief, and smiled back.
She laid back then, and looked up at the stars, observing their beauty, as he observed her. She looked thoughtful, at peace, happy even. Probably because he was there. The thought made him smile. It was kind of nice having someone care about him so much.
"You know, Helga..." He laid back also, putting his hands behind his head. "Whenever you saw me you always either scowled or frowned."
She frowned then, and scrunched her unibrow down. "It was always forced." She informed him.
"Why was it forced? Why did you hide it?"
"Same reason why no one knows I write poetry. They wouldn't understand. They'd just laugh, jeer, and ridicule me for it. Someone like me isn't allowed to have feelings other than anger and boredom."
He frowned at that, looking over at her from where he laid. "You brought that on yourself."
"I know... Isn't that just the irony of it?" She said flatly. "Everyones' misery, including my own, seems to be my fault. It really bites."
"Everyones' misery isn't your fault."
"It always seems that way."
Silence befell them. "I'm sorry." Arnold said suddenly.
"For what?" She questioned, facing him now from where she laid on the blanket.
He looked back at her. "I'm sorry you feel like that. I'm sorry you feel like you always had to hide everything." He said slowly.
She frowned at him. "It's not like I have a choice. It's either hide it away forever... or die from embarrassment and rejection."
He looked at her sadly.
Something about the twinkle in her eyes seemed to obliterate Arnold's mind as he stared at her. They were so blue and bright and deep. He felt almost as if her eyes were calling to him, and he shifted his gaze down to her lips. He had never felt so drawn to her before. So connected to her. He looked back up from her lips, seeing her eyes staring at him so intensely, daring him to do something. Her blonde hair was glowing, her eyes were sparkling, and her lips were begging to be kissed. They both leaned forward, and their lips were coming closer and closer. Arnold felt his eyes begin to drift shut as he came closer to her. He could feel her warm breath on his lips, and it sent shivers up his spine, something he had never felt before.
Their lips were about to touch when...
"HEY ARNOLD, HELGA! WE'RE ALL GOING TO BED NOW, OKAY? YOU GUYS REMEMBER TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BEFORE YOU GO TO BED YOURSELF." Gerald yelled from the camp fire, as all their classmates' began getting up and stretching.
Gerald's yelling shocked Arnold out of his daze, as he finally came to his senses. He felt confused as to why he was thinking such thoughts about Helga... but he decided he'd question himself later. He pulled away from Helga and sat up, looking out at Gerald."OKAY!" He gave thumbs up.
Gerald grinned back before heading off into his tent.
Arnold got up, and held out a hand for Helga. She took it and he pulled her up. She dusted herself off, purposely avoiding his eyes before grabbing up her book and walking off towards her own tent. "Night, night, Football Head."
"Night, Helga." He replied back quietly, feeling confused.
He looked back up at the stars where he stood, watching as a shooting star spread across the sky.
He closed his eyes, preparing himself to make a wish. "I wish... I wish I..." He peaked an eye open to watch as Helga ate a marshmallow, and then headed off into the tent she shared with Phoebe. He sighed. "I wish things made more sense right now."
He folded up the blanket that was on the ground, and proceeded back to their little camp site. He placed the blanket on top of one of the logs they were leaning against. Then he picked up a bucket of water and threw it over the camp fire. He flicked on his flash light and headed off to bed.
Maybe tomorrow things would make sense.
A/N: Wasn't that sweet? I know the Jungle Movie is only supposed to have one kiss... But that doesn't mean it won't be chock-full of almost kisses. =D
I have tons of ideas for the Jungle Movie, and Helga/Arnold moments FOR the Jungle Movie. I think I'll be starting a little series of them. Just call them... "SuprSingr's Jungle Scenes"... Yeah... I like that. =D
Remember that if you want to actually SEE the REAL Jungle Movie... send letters demanding it to Nickelodeon. I'll make it easier for you by giving you their address, all you have to do is send me a message alerting me that you will be sending a letter, and I'll send you their address lickity split. ;)
And for those of you following "HH" aka "Hypnotizing Helga"... I've got the fifteenth chapter about half done. I'm hoping to finish it soon, but as always, no promises.
Now I would like to formally apologize for all the grammar and spelling errors that have been popping up in my work lately. The fourteenth chapter to "Hypnotizing Helga" was the first draft of the stinkin' thing. That wasn't meant to be posted. But for some reason, when I edited it and checked it for grammar, none of it went through. The same thing happened for the first chapter of "Match Maker".
*Frowns* Stupid crapola...
I hope you will forgive me, and I'll try and see if I can get these stupid errors to cut it out.
And remember...
Review!!!!!!
