Title: Lead us not into Temptation

Rating: PG

Category: Drama / Romance

Description and Author's Notes (A/N): Hello, everyone! This is my first "Hey Arnold" fan fiction. The following events here may not be true, but events similar to these, may happen to us sometime in our lives. The important thing is how you think about these events, good or bad.

Please read and review (R&R). This is my first "Hey Arnold" fanfic. I'm just your average newbie writer wanting to know how good or bad I am in writing and in what parts do I need to improve on. The important thing is how you think about the story, good or bad.

It can be as simple as "I like it!"

It can be as blunt as, "I hate it!"

It can be as complicated as "Your 4th paragraph and 7th sentence, is dull because the verb object doesn't complement with the direct object!" Err, I mean something like that.

It can be as short as "It's touching!" or "It's sad!" or "It's great!"

In other words, complements, criticisms, flames, whatever, yadda, yadda are DEFINITELY welcome. I want to learn, and you guys are my teachers…: )

I also would like to give a very big thanks to Elijah (calengm) for checking this out before I show it to the whole wide world. You're really a great help, man!

Disclaimer: I don't own the "Hey Arnold" series, characters, etc., nor the company that owns it. I wish I could buy a zillion shares in the stock market, and I might initiate a corporate takeover, heh, heh, heh!

What I can only claim is the story. That's it!

Enjoy!

- Earl D. (Terran Seige Tank)

Prelude: Chapter 1: The Cornflower-haired Angel

"Wherefore let him, that thinks he is standing firm, take heed, lest he fall."

- 1 Corinthians 10:12

Arnold… my love. Arnold, my 9-year-old sweet angel. I've always been hiding in the dark shadows, waiting for that heavenly chance to express my undying love for you. Oh Arnold, why is it that whenever I try to say those three golden words to you, I instead always torture you by teasing you, laughing at you, and doing mean stuff to you?

Why? It's because I'm afraid to express my unending love for you fearing that you'll not love me in return.

Arnold, I always have a prank just for you at school, but I have a shrine built for you at home.

Arnold, each day I always torture you, but each night I always think about you…

"Hello Arnold!"

"How's it going, Sid!" you waved to him. You stopped in front of him as he was sitting by a bench on the sidewalk. You looked up among the blue skies and among the white clouds. You smiled as you saw the brightness of the sun and saw the birds fly by. You then smiled with such sincere innocence, "It's a nice day don't you think?" You then turned to Sid and see him just staring at the rocky pavement. You realized that he was crying, "Hmm, wait. You look kinda down today, Sid. Anything wrong?"

Sid then breathed a sigh as he looked up and admitted to you, "Now that you mentioned it, Arnold, I really have this (sniff) problem."

"What seems to be the matter, Sid?" you asked with such genuine concern.

"Well you see Arnold, it's about my (sniff) mom. She always makes me do this and that and this and that. I had enough of that, Arnold. I just HAD it (sniff)!" he said using his arm to wipe off his tears.

Arnold, you're such a sweet angel. You're that very nice and friendly guy, always helping others when they're down. You always care about everyone. You always do. While the world laughs at someone, you don't do the same. Instead, you give a helping hand to that someone. You never seem to give up on anything or anyone, huh? You're just so nice.

When will I ever be as nice as you, Arnold? When will that day be?

"Sid, before you go, just remember. Maybe your mom has a reason for telling you to do things. She may have your happiness as her number one reason. Just go back home, talk to your mom, and give her a shot. You'll understand."

"I'll try, Arnold. I hope you're (sniff) right," he replied as his spirits lift up a bit. You reached out for his hand.

"I'm sure of it, Sid," you assured him with a smile as he took your hand and you helped him stand up, "Don't worry."

"Okay. I'll try it. Thanks a lot!" he finally said wiping any last few tears.

As I hid nearby and saw you part ways with Sid, I wouldn't believe at the types of advice that you would give Sid, or to anyone for that matter. I mean…

Why do you always have to look on the bright side, Arnold?

Why do you always have to look on the good side of things?

Why do you always have to look forward to a better tomorrow?

Why do you have to somehow act like our teacher, Mr. Simmons, who always looks at everything as if it were 'special' things? He would say that everyday would be a 'special' day, with us his 'special' students, in our 'special' school PS118, and in our 'special' classroom.

But one thing is for sure, though. Arnold, you're indeed that 'special' nice guy to me, deep in my heart.

I saw you with Sid again, as school continued on PS118 the next day. I saw you both during our morning recess.

"Hello Sid!" you greeted him with a smile, "How's it going?"

When I looked at Sid. Yesterday, he was very sad, but now I could have sworn I saw Sid smiling. Yes he is! I couldn't believe it! He approached you cheerfully and he suddenly shook both of your hands.

"Arnold, I gave my mom a shot, and you're right!" he smiled happily, still shaking your hands, "I now understand her and I wouldn't have done so without you, Arnold. Thanks a million. Thanks a billion. No! Make that a trillion…"

"It's okay. It's okay, Sid. It's nothing, really," you humbly replied, trying to stop Sid from shaking your hands for too long.

Not only that you're modest to Sid, but to others as well. I always see you do it. Each and every day I torment my soul trying to tell my feelings to you. Each and every day you're always there for everyone and be the nicest friend anyone could ever have.

Sigh!

Also, you're so selfless…

"Arnold, I don't know what to do?" a confused person down his luck would say.

"It's okay. I'm here," you say as you gave him a shoulder to lean on consoling him, "I'll help you. Don't worry."

So brave…

"I'm scared, Arnold. Who knows what's behind there?" someone would say before entering a mysterious door or place where no one had dared entered before as you went off to some adventure.

"I'm not afraid," you replied fearlessly, "I want to get to the bottom of this. I'm going in."

So caring…

"I don't know if I could do it, Arnold," someone who lost hope would say.

"Don't worry. Just try it. What do you got to lose?" you encouraged that hopeless fellow to move on, giving him that breath of hope he needed.

So loving and so understanding…

"No one cares for me, Arnold. I'm always like this, " someone would say.

"You know I'm your friend. I'm always here," you comforted.

Remember the time that a theater was about to be closed down because it was losing money? You were the first one to gather everyone around the neighborhood to do something about it. Eventually, you helped save that theater.

How about the time that one of our friends locked himself in a room because of some sort of problem? Everyone tried to get him out, but it was no use. Not even the police could. But you came, you stepped in, and you convinced him to go out. Finally, he did, to everyone's relief and everyone's disbelief. It was all because of you.

And how about all those times you saved someone's job, and helped someone else find a job? In those times, you really gave it your all for these much older grown-ups. . You gave them lots of advice. You encouraged them. You guided them. Yes, these were grown-ups, but somehow, I could tell that you are a lot wiser than they are. No wonder that they were so happy, after you helped them make it through. Again, it's all because of you.

You're not afraid to stand up for what's right. You know what should be done. You always do.

When someone lost his/her faith in himself/herself, you always prodded, "Just believe in yourself. You'll pull through."

When someone would try to do something bad, you scold that person and say, "Don't do that. Just do the right thing!"

When that someone would follow what you said to him/her, life became so much better for that someone. How do you do it, Arnold?

Again and again, time after time, you never ceased to amaze me. You're so friendly and so kind that everyone likes you a lot. Even when everyone would say that there's no way they can make it through a very hard and almost formidable challenge, you're always that glimmer of hope in everyone's eyes and you never, ever gave up. You never even gave a hint of such. Your idealism is so inspiring, that even if each and everyone else would say that finding a way out of the problem is impossible, you're the only one who would convince them that as long as it wasn't over, there's still a chance to make it. And would you believe it? Because you never gave up, you always managed to beat the odds.

Again, HOW do you do it?

You're so respected, cared, and loved by others. Young or old, all of them respect you. Everyone in our neighborhood does.

Arnold, you're so friendly and so nice, that even the meanest people, really like you. Even someone as mean as…

Myself!

Yes, myself. I'm always this bully who should be always rough and tough on the outside, but only a very few know that I'm really soft and vulnerable on the inside. I have to always take on this kind of façade day after day after day. I can't just change just like that. How could I?

After Sid shook your hands, you waved goodbye to him, I then moved around on another part of school grounds. I later saw many that gathered on another part of school. I checked to see what's going on. Two students were in a fight. Practically everyone gathered around and just looked at the sight, doing nothing about it. The crowd was excited to see what happens, but everyone distanced from the fight to avoid getting involved.

But I suddenly cringed when I saw you…

… and you approached those two!

"Hold it," you said to them, "Wait!"

"Well he started it first," one of them said.

"No. He started it," said the other.

"Wait, wait, guys," you calmed them down, "Maybe we could talk this over."

"Okay, Arnold. But it's only because you told us so. We'll give it a try."

"Okay."

"You listen to us talk and mediate between us, okay Arnold?"

"Sure," you agreed with a smile.

This is not the first time that you ever did this. Many of our friends would be arguing over something and I always asked the same question every time: Why do you have to be always that "goody-goody" guy who would come in, and be just sooooooooo concerned with others?

Oh, yes! And didn't I tell you that you're wise and clever too?

"See? At least now you guys can agree to become friends. Shake hands you guys and be friends again."

"As Arnold said, let's shake our hands. Friends?"

"Sure. Friends, then."

Then they shook their hands as I just stood there and let my jaws drop as you made them friends again. I just…just… I don't know how...

But anyway Arnold, I hope we also become close friends too. Somehow Arnold…

Someday…

But as for now, I can only dream, dream, and dream some more, yearning for that day to come…

…and just take my lunch at the PS118 cafeteria…

"Hi, Helga!"

"Hello Phoebe, " I greeted my quiet, straight-A, best friend, who always listens to me.

"Arnold's really nice," she continued. She glanced at the table where Arnold was taking his lunch. Then she looked at me again, "Helga, have you heard that Arnold brokered an agreement during a confrontation between two people a few hours ago?"

"Yeah, Phoebe. I saw it. I was there," I answered her, understanding her intellectual speeches surprisingly well, "He sure did it again!"

"Did it again? What do you mean, Helga?"

"I saw Arnold with Sid yesterday and Sid sure had a problem that Arnold helped him out of," I replied to her, explaining what happened.

"That was very nice of Arnold," she smiled at me and she looked at Arnold once more, reminding me again why everyone likes him, and why I love him.

"Yeah. Isn't he always?" I smiled too and I took a few spoonfuls, "I only hope that he would be nice to me too when I spill my secret about him." Oh when will this day be, Arnold? If he only knew that I love him… If he only knew…

"I am quite confident, Helga," she assured me, "that Arnold would be definitely interested to listen to your expression of your psychological emotions to him. There is a very probable chance that he would surely understand the ramifications of the situation."

"Sigh! That's easy for you to say, Phoebe," I said to her as I smiled even more.

Yes, it would be easy to say that. I mean, come on! How could I tell him that I love him? How, could I? I mean, he would just shrug me off. He would just hate me. Also, as a bully in class, I tease him all the time, mock at him all the time, and laugh at him all the time. What I could only do is to have my own secret locket of Arnold's picture on it, my secret pink book of love poems of him, and building my secret shrine of him at home.

As the bell rang, Phoebe and I went to our usual seats in the classroom. Being the straight-A girl that she was, she would sit close to the front. I would be one seat directly behind her. In my seat, I would see Phoebe in front of me, and on her right is Gerald. Gerald is the best friend of my beloved Arnold, and he seems to like Phoebe so much. Phoebe seems to like him too. Gerald is closest to the only doorway out of the classroom. On Phoebe's left, is my beloved Arnold himself. Sigh!

It seems ironic. If Arnold's best friend likes my best friend, why can't Arnold do the same for me? Why, oh, why?

I accidentally bumped with Arnold earlier during lunch. Yes. This was one of my multitudes of millions of chances to finally confess to him. Maybe I should have said to Arnold that I love him right now and end all this? I love you, Arnold. I really love you, I really, REALLY love you.

But then my feelings hid deeper into me and my façade took over...

"WATCH IT, Football-head!"

Oops! Maybe next time among those multitudes of millions, there's a chance to tell the truth.

"Oh," he replied, innocence and kindness flowered his heavenly voice, "Sorry, Helga."

A simple "I'm sorry too" would have been enough in saying to this. But instead, I blurted something else again…

"Sometimes I just CAN'T understand you, Football-head! Are you trying to run over me or something?"

"But I didn't bump you. You bumped me…"

"Just don't do it again, Arnoldo!" I interrupt.

He just took a deep breath and sighed, "Whatever you say, Helga. Whatever you say…"

Yup. That's what happened.

See? I TRIED to get along with Arnold, but I can't really say those words to him and he just usually ignores me. Sometimes, it's really my fault. No, wait a minute! It's really ALL my fault. It's kinda hard to reveal a secret that you would keep for sometime. Oh, just 6 short years!

Oh well! I like to look at his face in class one more time and notice me. I think I'll have to use the ol' "target practice" plan again. It usually works.

It's a simple plan really. Well, chewed bubble gum in hand. Wrap it in a little piece of paper. Roll it into a nice ball. Then ready, aim, fire…

"Ouch! Who did that?"

I pretended that I was looking at the blackboard. Arnold turned his head and looked around trying to find out who would have done that. When I noticed, at the corner of my eye, that he's looking at me, only then I directly stared at him again.

Sigh! He was a great sight to behold. His innocent-looking green jade eyes are placed nicely and neatly into his wide yet football-shaped head. He had a nice, wide, and spiky cornflower-shaped blond hair plus a very small and neat blue hat on top. Frankly, it seems more like a cap to me. He's just so…so… you know what I mean?

I really just love savoring the moment of looking at him in the eye. I felt like telling my deepest secret to him now, but then again… I can't. I-I just CAN'T, okay? The only word that came out of my mouth was "What?" as if I haven't done anything.

He never seems to figure out that I did it!

It is now Friday and after school, our gang all enjoyed a game of baseball. Everyone was there, among them Phoebe, Gerald, and of course, Arnold.

When someone gets hurt playing, the next thing I knew is that Arnold would always be the first one to help. He's always a great sport. I mean, he never tells mean stuff to anyone and he always treats everyone with a lot of respect. Not to mention, he also smiles a lot.

Sigh! I REALLY admire Arnold's sheer acts of kindness.

Though Arnold's parents were missing when he was younger, his grandma and grandpa surely instilled a lot of good in him as they all lived together in that 3-story boarding house of theirs.

That's why he's just so great!

That's why he's just so nice!

That's why he's just so friendly!

That's why he's just so happy!

No wonder he's liked by everyone! That includes me of course, though he doesn't really know it!

Over the weekend, I continued writing more poems about the love of my life in my own little pink book. I just wish he would read them. Somehow Arnold…

Someday…

Author's Notes: If you're a definite HA fan and all of the above seems pretty familiar to you, then you're not alone. You see guys, I carefully engineered this story to make it as (ehem) "self-contained" as possible. In other words, this story could be read even if someone has never, ever heard of HA before. But this is a great intro for everyone, wouldn't you agree? Okay, enough of these intros and lets end this prelude. On with our story and with the next chapter… : )

But how is it so far? Please R&R. Thanks.