I Can't Do This

By: cartoonlove

I don't own any of the Hey Arnold characters unfortunately.

It Was Her

Harold watched her as he took in a shaky breath.

It was her.

Sitting on the ledge of the wall surrounding Hillwood Park.

Her blue plaid skirt and blue sweater she always wore (they were her favorite, it was just something Harold knew), her blonde hair tucked behind her ears as she sadly watched people with their friends and/or boyfriends and girlfriends.

Patty. HIS Patty.

But she didn't know it yet.

He slowly approached her.

"Hey Patty?" he asked nervously.

Patty turned around, knowing that voice anywhere. "Oh, hi Harold!" her voice doing little to mask the excitement.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh………" Harold's mouth suddenly went dry and his mind blank.

"Yes Harold?" she asked expectantly.

"Uhhhhhh……nice sweater!" he blurted. Realizing how stupid she would think he was, he bolted out of that park faster than anything.

"Harold, wait!" she called after him.

But he was already bolting down the street.

………………………………...

Running faster (and farther) than he had in his entire life, Harold finally came to a stop in an alleyway that looked like it had been inhabited in years.

Feeling light-headed more so from the embarrassment rather than the running, Harold collapsed against the brick wall.

"Idiot!" he yelled, "Why? Why can't I ever say the right thing????"

"Harold?"

His head shot up so fast he knocked it against the brick, hard.

"Owwwwwwwww!!!!!! Arnold, what are you doing here??"

Arnold looked at Harold quizzically. "Harold, I live here."

Now it was Harold's turn to look confused. "In the alley?"

"No! Geez Harold, how hard did you hit your head? This is the alleyway next to the boarding house."

Looking up, he could see Arnold was right. There was the boarding house, with Oscar leaning out the window with his saxophone. Harold cringed at the noise.

"Oh."

"So why so stressed?" Arnold asked.

"Who said I'm stressed??? Was it Patty? Oh I'm gonna pound her!" Harold snarled.

The football-headed boy put his hands up in defense, "Geez Harold, I was just asking, and what does Patty have to do with anything?"

Realizing his slip, Harold stuttered, "N-N-Nothing Arnold! Go and feed your pig or something ok??"

"Ok Harold, see you later ok?"

"Whatever."

He needs to be alone, Arnold smiled to himself, he's in love.