Don't know exactly how to summarize this at all. They are both seniors in high school and start off at the age of 17.
Years past and Arnold was still the eternal optimist to so many even if they didn't know that even he was prone to bouts of negativity. He had gone out on dates with several girls over the years, but none were ever successful. Perhaps Gerald was right with him always going for the same type of girl, but each time he said he was over that he'd end up in the same spot again. He was hopeless. For this he was certain of. Though he had to wish for that miracle each night under the stars.
He spent a year in San Lorenzo with his parents missing the 10th grade school year, but still doing the class work so when he came back he wouldn't be held back. The last time he was in San Lorenzo he found his parents, but they couldn't come home yet so he came back much to his displeasure. His friends comforted him. His grandparents were sad they didn't come back, but felt they would eventually one day. Arnold unfortunately had to come back without his parents since the Green Eyes still needed them and even though he protested he couldn't exactly stop them. His parents wanted to help others just like he wanted to as well. It was like part of his destiny a destiny he got from his own parents.
A smile formed on his face at that last thought as he wandered the park. It was a beautiful day, and he was alone right now since Gerald was off with Phoebe and all his other friends were doing something else, but as quickly as that smile was formed it went away once he found out that all his friends pretty much had someone to be with except for him. He was the only one who didn't have anything long term.
Walking along he spotted a blonde sitting on the park bench reading a book making him stop for a moment to take her in as he watched her blonde tresses lift a bit in the soft breeze. He couldn't make out her profile because of her hair, but he had this strange feeling he knew her prompting him to walk over to see it was none other than Helga. She was still someone he considered a friend, but as of late he hardly saw her after 12pm at school since they are now seniors. Helga the enigma.
"Hey." He greeted casually.
Helga, who didn't have the unibrow anymore, graced him with one simple look before greeting him back. "Hey back at you." Turning her page she then marked it to place it down before picking up a notebook to write in it. "If you want you can sit down."
Uttering a thanks to her he did before looking at the book she was reading. Actually she had a few more books with her that weren't from high school. "How have you been? You been making yourself more scarce than usual."
Helga smiled, but didn't stop her scribbling. "In the morning I attend school and after I take college courses. Been doing this for the past couple of years now. It occupies my time, great to get all this stuff out of the way in case of real college, and did I mention it occupies my time?"
"Yes."
Helga turned her head to look him over. "You look good, Arnold. Not that you haven't before it is just more different because I know you saw your parents again. Sorry they didn't come back, but the same sentiment holds place."
Arnold was shocked by the kindness of those words. They were so genuine and held no sarcasm like she use to do. Helga matured into that person he saw glimpses of before. "Thank you." In truth she was a knock out now. It was hard to believe that this was the same Helga that tormented him so long ago. He actually missed her. She always managed to push him in some way to reach a goal.
"Still planning on being a writer?" He questioned as she decided to relax by placing her notebook aside now.
"Yes. I wrote something out and sent it in to some publishers hoping for a nibble. Nothing yet, but I'm hoping."
Leaning back she started stretching making her back arch up high and making Arnold have the need to look away from the sight of her chest in the air like that. Arnold knew now he was hard up if he was looking at Helga Pataki this way.
"That's great! I hope you get an offer soon." Arnold told her happily. "I've missed you actually."
"Missed biting sarcasm and amazing wit, did ya?" Helga teased with a casual wink. "Gotcha bucko."
Arnold snickered at that. "Well that, yes I did. Miss seeing you around and stuff."
Turning her head to him again she stuck her tongue out at him blowing a raspberry at him. "Pffft. Well here I am. I'm normally here instead of at home to do my homework. It is peaceful and feels more like home than home is."
Arnold knew about her neglectful family so he decided to gloss over that for now to state something that he just saw. "When did you get your tongue pierced?"
"Over the summer." She chuckled a bit. "I just did it one day and at first I didn't like it, but now I forget it's there. Not the only piercing I have besides my ears."
"Where is your other piercing?"
Leaning closer to him blue gazed into green eyes drawing him in. "Guess." She whispered seductively before pulling back to laugh that trademark laugh of hers. Something that Arnold didn't mind since it made him smile and also it made something on her body move a bit more. Oh he had to stop those thoughts. "It may be on my chest or neether regions or possibly ..."
Arnold took in what she was wearing seeing it was a very closely fitted shirt that was black and sleeveless. He roved her body in deep thought to see if he can locate it, but felt perverted doing so as he kept going down further just stopping at a tiny bit of flesh from her stomach. He was getting too excited now as he went lower.
Helga was grinning at the sight of him looking her over. She didn't mind that it was him compared to anyone else.
"Where is your pink bow?"
Helga smiled at his tone of voice since it was distracted and very much turned on. "Gave up on it. Why, you missed it? Was that the only way to tell me in a crowd? My pink bow, my scowl, and that mean attitude?"
She was completely in good humor Arnold noticed making him enjoy it. "You weren't really mean though. You just acted like it." She shrugged at his observation. "As for the bow I did like it. You were the only one to pull that off."
"Good to know." Helga gave him a come hither look as she lowered her voice just a bit. "But I'm not truly without it since it is somewheres on my body as we speak."
Did he just gulp? Arnold felt like he was starting to sweat. Gerald would need to hit him across the face to wake him up. "Um where?" He found himself asking.
A coy smile graced her face as she leaned over once again to whisper this time in his ear. "Guess."
His eyes closed against the sound of her voice and the breath teasing his skin. She stayed next to him for some time letting the scent of vanilla wrap up into his nose. It was a scent that he noticed she can only pull off while others it just seemed to aggravate for some reason. He really was hard up because while they both kissed in the distant past they stopped doing that when she took her confession back. Arnold wasn't saying she was a bad kisser there was always something holding him back with her. He was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts at the sound of her laugh again.
"Did you know that our school will only allow the half day if you take a job through that office of theirs?" He nodded. "Good. Back in 9th grade I started thinking to myself of wanting to get a head start in my life. As if I want to rely on my parents for the rest of my life when I'd rather be my own person. Anyhow I started taking some classes here and there."
"Do you work though?" Arnold wondered.
"I'll get to that." She smiled patiently. "It was with my own money that I earned with my allowance. In 10th grade while you were gone, I was mostly gone just picking up electives. I took summer school on purpose so when it came to 12th grade I would of already taken the classes that needed to be taken for high school so with that I was allowed to attend to more of my college courses. Thank god too because it does lend me more time to spend with Phoebe at least. Before I hardly had time for her or to do my homework."
Arnold blinked at her goal oriented mind. "Nice determination."
"Thanks. Anyhow I have been taking this class for journalism with this journalist that has been teaching it. I have taken a few of his classes. While I don't expect to be a journalist I find it nice to expand my horizons. Also he is a great teacher. Very encouraging to the point he enjoyed my writings so much and questions that he has me writing some pieces for online articles."
Arnold noticed how her eyes twinkled with pride there making him smile a bit more widely at her excitement. "Wow. So are they journalist pieces or something else?"
Helga enjoyed how cute he looked right now. It was nice to finally be speaking to him again on a one on one basis and him being truly interested in what she was saying. "You can say creative writing. They are short stories that hold either a political meaning or environmental. I like dragging people in. He thought it best with my schedule that this obviously was the best way to go without me running around to find people to ask them a million questions. Nice getting paid for them."
"I bet."
Reaching down to her book bag Helga started to place her stuff away. "So tell me..." She let the sentence linger on as she finished packing up to turn her attention back to him. "What has been going on with you? Any new crushes lately?"
Blushing, Arnold started to scratch the back of his neck. "Well you know me... Ha ha."
Helga knew and it had to be another Lila-clone fake wannabe. He always was attracted to that type. "I guess I won't tease you then." Hearing her phone go off she looked at the screen to see it was Phoebe calling. "Hey Phoebs." She paused to listen as her smile was wiped out. "Where are you right now?" Glancing over to Arnold, she said into the phone, "I'll be right over." Hanging up she lifted up her book bag and stood up. "Little friend emergency. I suggest you head over to Gerald's to see what flew up his bum since Phoebe is upset about something he did."
Standing up Arnold rolled his eyes. "Great. Probably was flirting with another girl again. He is faithful to her nevertheless."
"Still. You deal with your best friend and I'll deal with mines. If you want and if you have my number still, call me."
Taking out his phone, he looked at his contact list and showed her the number he had on it when she nodded, Arnold told her, "It was nice running into you. I hope to run into you again soon."
Smiling at him, Helga winked. "I'm sure you will my cute Football Headed friend."
As she turned to leave, Arnold blinked wondering if she was flirting with him. She certainly had a lot of confidence as she spoke to him as well as some of that hidden sass too. It was nice the afternoon picked up just for him to head over to Gerald's to see what his deal is now.
