Love Storm

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold.

It was the day before Valentine's Day and Helga was doodling in class again. She was doing a caricature of Arnold using a purple sharpie marker. She put extra attention in exaggerating his football-shaped head by drawing it larger than his body. She laughed to herself as she drew. Then she wrote in big block letters across the top of the page FOOTBALL HEAD, crumpled it up and threw at the back of Arnold's head. Arnold picked up the piece of paper and opened it. Then, he turned around and glared at Helga. Helga just snickered. She leaned back in her chair as Arnold turned back around. Why did I do that? She thought to herself. Why can't I show my beloved Arnold that I love him instead of torturing him so?

Helga darted out of the classroom the second the bell rang. She looked around for a place to be alone. She saw the janitor's closet and slipped inside. Once inside she pulled out her Arnold locket. "Oh, Arnold why do I have the impulse to torture your beautiful soul instead of express my love for thee? You are Adonis. No! Greater than Adonis! You are perfection and I am mere mortal unworthy of your love. However, dear Arnold, I shall express my love to you tomorrow on Valentine's day, the day of love."

Then, Helga heard that familiar breathing. She didn't have to turn around. She raised her fist and punched Brainy in the face. Then she put away her locket and slipped out of the janitor's closet. BOOM! She jumped and ran to the double doors that led outside. Lighting flashed and rain began to pour down in sheets. Great. She thought. Big Bob and Miriam didn't tell me it was gonna rain. I doubt they'll come pick me up with Olga prancing around the house like Martha Stuart.

Helga took a deep breath and stepped outside. Hugging her chest she trekked through the pouring down rain. Within ten minutes she was soaked to the bone. She shivered. She looked around as she walked. She had seven blocks to go. However, she was determined. She attempted to quicken her pace but the wind kept pushing her back. She fought the wind for two blocks before stopping to catch her breath. The wind knocked her off her feet. She was shivering like mad now. Everything around her was becoming a blur. She could make out shapes. Then just before it all went black she saw a football-shaped figure under a red umbrella shape.

"I bet you ten bucks she's dead" said a voice.

"You're on" said another voice.

Helga opened her eyes. She saw two men standing over her. It took her a minute to recognize them. The tall, skinny one with the beard was Oskar Kokoshka and the short, bald one was Ernie Potts. They were both boarders in Arnold's boarding house.

"Ha! She's alive! Pay up!" Ernie cried.

"Heh, heh." Oskar ran out of the room.

"Hey! Come back here to you sleezeball! I want my ten bucks!" Ernie shouted as he chased after him.

Then, Grandpa walked in the room with a bowl of hot soup. Helga tried to sit up.

"Hold your horses, honey" Grandpa said as put the soup a night table.

Then, Helga realized where she was. Arnold's house! To more specific, his bedroom and his bed. Arnold's Grandpa had brought her soup and told her to not to sit up. What was going on?

"What happened?" she asked.

"Well, Shortman found you passed out in the rain without an umbrella or a raincoat. You're lucky he did. You could've died of hypothermia" Grandpa said.

"Arnold saved my life?" Helga said.

"You betcha!" exclaimed Grandpa.

Grandpa looked up at Arnold's glass ceiling. The storm was pounding down hard. "Well, your not going anywhere until morning. Oh, don't worry. We'll give your folks a call and let them know you're in good hands."

Helga looked at the clock. It read 8:00. She had been asleep in Arnold's bed for five hours and would be spending the night here!

"Where's Arnold?" she asked.

"Oh, he's in living room, downstairs. He's gonna sleep there tonight. You know he insisted you sleep up here. Yup, he did" Grandpa babbled as he turned to leave.

Helga couldn't believe it! Arnold was being so nice to her. She treated him like dirt. Arnold was a saint. She had to thank him somehow but didn't know how. She sat up and looked for the remote to the TV. She got her best ideas from watching TV. She found the remote and turned on the TV. She began flipping through channels. Documentary on bobcats? Nope. I Love Lucy? Nuh huh. Hmm. She kept flipping for a few more seconds before stopping on TLC. They having a special on making valentines. That's right! Helga thought. Valentine's Day is tomorrow! I could make a really good valentine and take him out for strawberry gelato at Mr. Green's after school. What a great way to express my love for him and thank him for his kindness!

There was just one problem. She could never say anything nice around him. She tried many times but so far she had no success. She would have to work extra hard tonight. She got up and grabbed paper, markers, glue and pair of scissors. She sat on the floor and got to work.

The sun shown the next morning like it had not stormed the day before. She walked down the stairs with the Valentine behind her back. Okay, Helga, you can do this. She reassured herself. This is it. The day you tell Arnold how you feel. No more being mean to him. She took a deep breath as she entered the kitchen where Grandma was dancing around dressed as cupid with a pink shirt, an adult diaper, and a bow and arrows.

"Well, good mornin', Sleepin' Beauty!" she said as Helga entered the room.

"Morning" Helga replied as she sat down in the empty chair by Arnold keeping the valentine hidden.

"I'm glad to see you're okay, Helga" Arnold said.

"Thanks, F—Arnold" she almost called him Football head. Yikes! That was close.

"You called me Arnold" he remarked.

"That's your name, isn't it?" she retorted.

"Yea, but I thought you thought that it was Football Head or Dork Boy" said Arnold.

"I decided that I'm not gonna call you those names anymore" Helga declared.

"Oh? Since when?" he asked.

"Since last night. You saved me and I treat like you dirt. Well, no more. I'm turning over a new leaf" Helga took a deep breath, "To start off, I made this for you. Happy Valentine's Day."

Helga handed him the card. Arnold's eyes widened when he saw it. It was red, heart-shaped, and his name was written on the front in Helga's lovely cursive.

"Wow. Thanks" he said as opened it.

He read the inside over and over.

"You really like me?" he said in disbelief.

"Yea" Helga blushed, "I couldn't bring myself to tell you until now that you're the kindest and most wonderful person I've never met."

"Thanks" said Arnold who was now turning red.

"I hear Mr. Green is now selling gelato. The strawberry is apparently the best. Would you like to get some with me after school?" Helga asked.

"Like a date?" Arnold asked.

"Um, sure, I guess" replied Helga.

Arnold smiled, "I'd love to."