The Original Pink Yumi.
"Oof!" Helga said as she fell onto someone in the mall.
She stood up and brushed herself off, and a scowl had overtook her face.
"Hey! Watch where you're going you little-"
Her sky blue eyes widened as a young football-headed boy managed to stand up.
(Oh no….this cannot be happening. Maybe it's not the person I think it is-)
The guy stood up straight, though still rubbing his head. He dusted off his clothes as well and sighed, with his eyes closed.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. I hope you can forgive me-"
He paused as soon as he fully opened his eyes to take in the person.
"H-H-HELGA?!" He jumped back a few feet away from her.
"ARNOLD? What the heck are you doing here?!" She said in horror.
Arnold crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her.
"That I should be asking you Helga. You've always hated going to the mall. So why are you here?"
"It's- It's none of your business football head!" She blushed, and then started to walk away.
"Don't you think you're too old to be calling me that anymore?" He said out to her from behind.
She swiftly turned around, stomping towards him, and instantly got in his face.
"First of all, Helga Pataki is NEVER old enough for anything, Second of all, you aren't the only one on the planet who I gave a nickname to! You're Football Head, Gerald is Tall-Hair boy, Phoebe is Glasses, Harold is Pink Boy, Rhonda is Princess, Curly is a poor-twisted little freak, Stinky is Stinko, Sid is a Donut Hole, I don't call Patty names because she'll pound me, Lila is Miss Perfect, and Eugene is a JINX. And last, but certainly not least, YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER. And...it's not as if I ever even had a real one anyway..."
Helga turns around and walks away from him.
Arnold stands there taking her speech in for a moment, then catches up with her.
"Hey, look-"
Helga kept walking, not even bothering to look at him. But she did cut him off.
"Ha! What? You think you could be one of those guys in the movies who tries to apologize to the girl that they really hurt? Well guess what Arnoldo, this is reality. You don't always get what you want."
They went into the elevator, and Helga pushed a button as soon as the doors closed.
Helga crossed her arms and leaned her back against the wall.
"Believe me, I've learned that the hard way." Helga finished while mumbling loud enough to where Arnold could hear her. He sighed and leaned his back against the wall while also crossing his arms. They both instantly had the same flashback at the exact same time.
Helga
(no longer angry) You heard me, pal. I love you, LOVE YOU! (Arnold falls down briefly, and gets back up.) Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day, building shrines to you in a closet, filling volumes of books with poems about you? I love you Arnold! I've always loved you, ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head! And from that moment and every moment since, I've lived and breathed for you, dreamed of the moment I could finally tell you my secret feelings and could grab you and kiss you and—! Oh, come here, you big lug! (Helga kisses Arnold like there is no tomorrow. Arnold's pupils get small and his hat falls off.)
Arnold
I'm confused. Did you just say you love me?
Helga
(angrily) What, are you deaf?!
Gerald (on the walkie-talkie)
Arnold!
Helga
angrily grabs the walkie-talkie) Not now!
Gerald
(confusedly staring at walkie-talkie) Not now? Who the...?
Later….
Arnold
Pretty crazy day. (steps away from Helga)
Helga
(embarrassedly) Yeah, we... ooh... said a lot of nutty things back there.
Arnold
Yeah.
Helga
Y-Yeah. W-Well, um. About all that stuff I said, Arnold, I... I... I mean... It was crazy back there, and...
Arnold
Yeah, with all the excitement we just... we just kinda...
Helga
G-Got carried away?
Arnold
You didn't really mean all that, did you? You don't really... love me, right?
Helga
Right.
Arnold
You were caught up in the heat of the moment, right?
Helga
(liking the idea) Right!
Arnold
You actually hate me, don't you?
Helga
(really liking the idea) Of course I hate you, you stupid football head, and don't you ever forget it! Ever!
Arnold
Okay.
(Helga storms away, as Arnold looks at her with a knowing smile. Behind the corner, Helga switches into happy mood.)
Their flashbacks both end at the same time.
Arnold inwardly blushes and looks at the ground.
(That was four years ago….back when we were nine. When I found out that Helga was deep voice the whole time. What a crazy day that was for the both of us…)
Arnold slowly lifts his head to get a glance at her. She was hugging herself with a frown apparent on her face. Except...this frown was different. It felt different to him. Instead of being a normal frown, it looked as if it were filled with sadness, hurt, pain, and depression all rolled up into one.
Upon the face of Helga.
He was about to walk over to her, and that's when….
The elevator stopped.
Helga unwrapped her arms and looked around in panic.
"A-Arnold? What's going on?"
Arnold just shrugged in response, with his back still leaning against the wall.
"How should I know? I don't control this elevator."
"Arnoldo, now is not the right time to be sarcastic!" She says pacing around.
Arnold's eyes followed her around. "What's your problem? It's probably just a malfunction. It'll be fixed in no time."
Helga put her hands on her hips. "Grr...Arnold, you sound like EUGENE for pete sakes!"
Arnold raised a brow. "What does Eugene got to do with this?"
Helga rolled her eyes. "Remember that one time at school when you told everybody what happened when you were up in that tree with Eugene and Harold?"
Arnold shrugged. "Yeah, so?"
Helga groaned. "You said that every time Eugene repeated, "Someone will come and save us. Yep, any minute now! And he said that every minute for every single hour you three were up there, just made it seem that you'll be there longer. WHICH PROVES THAT DOESN'T HELP."
Arnold rolled his eyes. "Okay...so what if we'll be stuck here all by ourselves for a long time. What's so bad about it?"
Helga grabbed him by the shirt. "What's so bad about it?! I'm really claustrophobic when it comes to elevators, and it's just us! We can't STAND EACH OTHER. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. We'll just end up arguing nonstop. This can't work! I HATE YOU AND YOU HATE ME, face it!-"
Arnold grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close to his face. She blushed madly.
"No Helga, you're wrong! I don't hate you, not even a little. So don't sum up my feelings about you. AND ANOTHER THING, since when did you begin to HATE ME?"
Helga smirked. "I've always said that Arnold. Were you not listening?"
Arnold narrowed his eyes at her. "No, because I knew all along you didn't mean it. But-But...t-this time it...feels different."
Arnold let go of her shoulders and sat down against the wall across the room.
"Like you really meant it…"
Arnold narrows his eyes, and instantly looked hurt. He buries his face in his knees.
Helga looked at him, and her heart sunk into her stomach.
(This is what I was afraid of.)