Bulletproof

Chapter 1

I do not own Hey Arnold!

"He's in her arms, not in mine. No wonder why I'm jealous all of the time! I can't sleep at night, knowing things aren't right. These emotional battles are for ME to fight! Not for my friends, not for my mom or my dad. Only me, with the bravery I have. So no. I will not, and I mean will not, expose them to this. If they saw a little bit, I couldn't control an iron fist. I wouldn't want to talk to anyone. They'd see me in a very vulnerable state. These individuals who want to do something about what hectic moments I might go through, go ahead. But you'll give up sooner or later. If someone manages to walk with me through my horrid days, until they're in the clear, then...they truly mean it when...they say that I'm a friend. I'll feel appreciated, even if they won't make it all the way. Just know that I'm going to start off with a simple thanks for caring. You know what, I'll be selfish and say, I need you guys, even if I say I don't. But I'm just expected to be fearless, like a Pataki. Heck, the truth is...I'm extremely terrified. But I know that I'll survive with everyone in this room by my side."

Helga snorted, "Except for Rhonda because if all us have to go somewhere if there is any kind of emergency, I will not survive, since her perfume will be stinking up the back row for miles."

Rhonda glared at her. "Excuse me?!"

Helga snickered. "I'm just kidding. Sheesh."

"But yeah you heard me. So...that's pretty much what I wanted to say in my poem. Thanks for listening guys." Helga said and sat down in her chair behind Arnold.

The whole class whistled and clapped for Helga.

'Maybe this won't be so bad' She thought and managed to smile slightly, sinking down in her seat a little.

After class, Helga headed for her locker. Some students ran up to her, and asked for her autograph. She signed all of them, and gave them each a wink. It wasn't long until her crush approached her.

"Hey Helga." Arnold smiled at her while leaning on the lockers. Helga gave him a small smile in response. "Hey...Arnold."

"I just came over to say that I really liked your poem. You looked really confident up there. I don't know how I'd pull something like that off. It was beautiful, in my opinion." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and smiled.

Helga couldn't keep from blushing. She felt the heat rise up in her cheeks, and rubbed her arm while looking away from him. "T-thanks I-I guess footballhead."

He was about to open his mouth to say something else, when a pair of arms were wrapped around his neck from behind him.

"Guess who?"

Arnold beamed. "Lila!"

He turned around and kissed her for a long time. Helga knew deep down she wasn't going to be the center of attention to Arnold anytime soon. So, she grabbed her new rose gold crossbody lunch bag from her locker, and walked off to lunch without either of them noticing.

In the lunch room, Helga sat down next to her best friend Phoebe. "Hey Pheebs..." She mumbled.

Phoebe looked at Helga with a bright smile.

"Hey! Did you hear about the new student we have here?"

Helga put her head in her hand and sighed. "No...but they're probably going to hang out with Rhonda or Lila's posse."

Phoebe shook her head while smiling. "No. The new kid's a boy!"

Helga rolled her eyes. "Like I said just a second ago...except take out Miss Perfect because she already has a boyfriend, which is Arnold."

Phoebe smirked. "Then...why is he coming over to our table?"

Helga lifted her head slowly to see a boy with a white baseball cap, a blue long sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, and white sneakers, walking towards them. His blonde hair was messy, and flowing free in the wind. He had green eyes, and a perfect smile. He looked sort of like Arnold, except without the football head, and was an inch taller than Helga. Her heart stopped when he was literally standing in front of her.

"Where the heck did that wind come from?"

She said, deciding to humor the moment.

"Hi." He said smiling a little.

"Oh uhh...hey uh..."

"Wow, how rude of me...the name's Archie." He held out his hand for her to shake.

'Oh no! Even his name is similar to Arnold's! Keep it together Helga ol' girl. Don't be mean, don't worry too much. Just keep it casual!' She thought. Helga smirked and shook his hand casually. "The name is Helga, Helga Pataki. Nice to meet ya Archie. This is my best friend, Phoebe." He smiled, shook Phoebe's hand, and sat down in front of them. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to sit here. So...you're a Pataki. Is your father's name Bob by any chance?"

Helga cleared her throat. "Uh...yeah...he owns a beeper business down the street from our school."

Archie shrugged and ate a ham sandwich. "Based on your mood, I'm guessing that you may be proud of his hard work, but he's so focused on his work all the time, he barely notices that you're even there."

Helga's eyes grew wide, as she choked on her drink. "I'm sorry...what? How did you know about that? Are you some kind of stalker, or are you really good at reading people's minds?"

He blushed. "I'm leaning towards the second one...sorry if I was intruding. I didn't mean to startle you like that."

Helga stared at him with an eyebrow raised. Phoebe shook her head at him. "Nah, I don't think she meant it like that Archie. It only seemed to shock her."

He sighed in relief. "Oh."

Helga looked at him with a sad smile. "Archie, I was only shocked there for a few seconds. It was no big deal. To be honest, I guess I'm impressed. But...it's just...bringing up a conversation about my family, is a little overwhelming, and kind of...well...intense."

"Tough times eh?" He said sighing.

"You said it Archie."

Phoebe smiled at the both of them getting along so well.

"Uh Pheebs? What are you smiling at?" Helga asked looking at her with Archie.

Phoebe giggled. "Oh...nothing...I was just thinking about...Gerald."

Helga burst out with laughter while leaning back, and holding her stomach. Archie looked amused, and laughed along with her.

"Wooaaahhh! Who the heck is Gerald?!" He said between his laughs.

Phoebe blushed madly and hid her face in her jacket. "N-nobody important!"

Helga smirked after her laughter subsided. "Just someone she's been madly in love with for the past 2 years..."

Archie laughed again. "Oh wow-"

"HELGA GERALDINE PATAKI! I WILL HURT YOU!" She said red with anger.

"Geraldine?" Archie asked amused. "What the heck-"

Helga grabbed his wrist and yanked him up.

"If you'd been here for as long as I have, you'd be running!"

She ran out of the lunch room with him, grabbing their lunches on the way out.

"GAH!" Archie yelped being pulled along by the blonde teenage girl.

"Out of the way mutants! Victims coming through!" Helga said as they pushed past them.

They ran out the lunchroom together, with Helga still holding his wrist.

In the hallway, Helga ran along with Archie, stumbling over a few people in the process.

"Ouch! S-sorry guys, we have a reason!" She yelled back to them. Helga picked up her speed when she saw Arnold in the distance walking to lunch with Lila.

"Where is she? Look to see if she's there." Helga said.

Archie looked behind him and gasped. "GAH! HELGA SHE'S GAINING ON US!"

Helga gasped. "AH! Run for it!"

"I've got a better idea!"

"Not now Arch-"

He lifted her up, giving her a piggy back ride, while bolting out the door to the baseball field.

"Woah!" Helga yelped.

Phoebe panted and smiled, standing in the hallway still. "That's what I wanted to happen. Hee Hee."

Arnold stood next to Lila with a confused, slightly hurt look on his face.

"Who's that guy?"

Phoebe looked at him confused. "What guy are you referring to?"

"The one who ran out the door with Helga just now."

"Oh...he's just a friend of Helga and mine's. A REALLY good friend." Phoebe said grinning.

"But...I thought you liked Gerald?" Arnold asked.

"Oh, not to me. I meant to Helga." She said smirking.

"Oh, that's ever so sweet." Lila said gushing.

"Oh..." Arnold looked at the door with a frown.

'Really good friend, huh? How come I never heard about him? Interesting...' He thought.

Second Chapter Soon! xp.