Hello everyone!

NA1: I bring you a Oneshot that I wrote under the authorization of Jebbiepinka, about one of her fantastic works. In general, I write in Spanish and I am still practicing my English, but I think the correct thing is to share it in both languages.

I'm very new to writing stories and I've been writing Arnold fanfics for less than a year and I hope you like this little job.

I apologize if there is a grammatical error.

Disclaimer: None of the characters used in this story belongs to me.

Can I hold your hand?

Arnold and Helga said goodbye to their best friends, after their double date. Both couples had gone to the movies to watch a classic horror movie and, although they should have been afraid, they burst into laughter for such bad effects. Now, both blondes watched as Gerald and Phoebe walked away holding hands in the street.

The boy looked at Helga and made an exaggerated gesture so that he would pass in front of him and they could walk together towards the boarding house where dinner was waiting for them. Helga raised an eyebrow, but still decided to continue the game and made a deep bow: took the edges of her skirt and flexed her knees. Both smiled at the foolishness of their actions, although that camaraderie was already natural for them.

Although before they had shared things, now those same things felt a thousand times more special, and after ending their little game, they kept walking.

They walked together, and from time to time their hands clashed with each other. When that happened, Helga brought her right hand to her left arm and rubbed it with embarrassment, and Arnold would put his left hand behind her neck. Both, blushing, would apologize to each other amused and embarrassed and then resumed their journey again.

After one of his many apologies for his clumsiness, the boy decided to be brave (as Gerald always said he was) and took his girlfriend by the hand; However, as soon as his hands were together, he felt his usual tension and with this his usual rejection.

"Who told you could touch me?"

"Come on, Helga. Do not start with that."

"I do not start with what? You were the one who took my hand without my permission."

Right. She had a point in that and if it was all he needed to join his hands, he would even kneel.

"So ... Can I hold your hand?"

Arnold knows that Helga was not a person dedicated to affection and he had accepted that, however, that did not mean he did not want them to walk hand in hand from time to time.

He really loved the gentle tingling that ran from his hands to his feet, shaking him. He became conscious of her heartbeat, of her breathing and of her warmth and she was denying him that joy.

"No, thanks, so I'm fine," she replied indifferently.

For the child, the girl's dry words cut off all thoughts of warm ambrosia.

"Why not, Helga? there is nobody here but us."

"Because not, Arnoldo"

"But, Helga..."

"Criminy! What part of the "no" is the one you do not understand?"

"All. I just do not understand, Helga. Phoebe has no problem holding Gerald's hand."

"Doi. Phoebe does not have a reputation to protect."

Arnold frowned at his response."What's that all about? Of your reputation?"

"Listen to me, Football-Head ..."

"No, Helga. I'm tired of this. "Arnold sighed sadly". I thought ... I thought this was what you wanted, but every time I try to get closer, you pull me away. Do not you understand that all I want is to make you happy? Although ... if getting away from you is what makes you feel better, that's what I'll do" Arnold looked up at the sky with a sad smile and released his fists, which he had not realized he had been squeezing to resume his step.

"I…"

Before Helga could give an explanation, the boy kept walking alone and dejected.

Helga stayed behind, completely paralyzed and scared, looking at the boy's back and feeling really like a fool.

She had longed for the moment when Arnold saw beyond his hard exterior and when he finally succeeded, what did he do? He pushed it away, and not only that, it was hurting him. Was her reputation really that important? More important than Arnold? The boy of all your dreams?

She had tried with all her strength, she had felt so afraid, she had been about to give up and now she was pushing him away. What did it matter if everyone knew that Helga G. Pataki was soft-hearted? What did it matter if everyone knew that she wrote love poems or built crazy sanctuaries? What does it matter if everyone laughs? As long as he had Arnold by his side, she could do anything. His legs, which had felt as if they had concrete blocks, advanced again and ran towards the preteen.

"Arnold!"

The boy could not react when the arms of his girlfriend wrapped him in a warm hug, holding him by the shoulders.

"Hel-Helga ?! What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, please forgive me. You were right, you're always right. I also want to make you happy, I want to be happy by your side."

Helga pressed her chest against Arnold's back, causing the child to feel his breath on the back of his neck, stirring each of his hair.

Arnold took his left hand to reach the girl's forearm and caress it gently.

"It's okay, Helga. I do not want you to do anything you do not want to do."

The girl released him from his tight embrace and stood up to look at him with his hands still on his shoulders.

"It is ... I do! I want to walk by your side. It's just ... "The girl looked away as she blushed and bit her lower lip with embarrassment. "My reputation is just an excuse and although I still feel fear, the truth is that ... the truth is that your touch electrifies me" she whispered softly.

"What? Arnold asked, bewildered, suddenly feeling the heat build up in his cheeks."

"What you heard, FootBall-Head. You electrify me! You make me tremble from head to toe!"

"I don't know what to say."

"You do not need to say anything! Just listen to me, okay?" Arnold looked directly into the girl's eyes and nodded softly, encouraging her to continue in silence. "For a long time, my biggest fear was that you never answered my feelings and now ... now I do not know how to handle all this! I'm ruining it, this is all I want and this stupid fear does not disappear and you, you ... Rays, you make me feel everything, you make me feel so much that I fear all this ... that you and I are just part of my twisted imagination, you make me feel so much that I can not believe it to be a reality and I think if I get very excited, you will disappear and I will be alone again."

Arnold could comprehend, the same had happened with his parents. He had had dreams where reality was confused and distorted. The boy rested his hands on hers that was still firmly on his shoulders, tilting his head slightly to gently kiss the tips of his fingers before releasing them and holding them in a firm but delicate grip between them.

"I understand you, Helga, and maybe I'm hurrying things a lot ... I do not want you to be afraid and if I convince you that this is real, we have to go slowly, I'm willing to wait for whatever it takes ... Really I want you to be happy ".

And just like a few months ago, Arnold, with Helga's hands in his, kissed softly and softly, but this time nobody would interrupt them and they would only separate when they thought it was the right thing to do.

They supported their foreheads against each other for a few seconds before resuming the march, walking side by side, shoulder to shoulder and, for now, that would be more than enough ...

"Can I hold your hand?"

At the question, both stopped in surprise.

For a moment Arnold thought he had asked the question again, but when he felt the nervous heat of Helga's knuckles touch those of his, he realized that now she had been the first to take the step and without thinking twice. He intertwined his fingers with hers ...

Arnold rubbed the back of his neck between nervous and excited feeling the tingling of his palm next to hers because Helga was not the only one who felt everything. He also felt electrified by her touch, but that was fine.

There were times when it did not take more than a simple gesture to instill confidence and that was something both children were learning, so when their eyes crossed, feeling the beat of their heart normalize, they smiled with all the love that their young hearts they could experiment.

The end

NA2: I thank the people who corrected this in both Spanish and English. I hope it has been to your liking, I am thinking about translating other of my works, but I am still deciding which one, so maybe they will read me soon.

Thank you for reading!

We read in a next opportunity!