Hey Arnold: Life Changes
Fanfiction Summery: Arnold in college now in Wendale. During his senior semester he reunites with Helga who is different from what he remembered. But everyone changes since high school. This is the transitional stage where people figure out who they are. They establish a career, find the one, get married, start a family. Arnold is trying to figure all of that out.
Rating: T for now but I think it might go to M for later chapters. I mean this is the Hey Arnold characters as 21 year olds. The age of legally being abled to drink and more freedom.
Author's note:This is my first Hey Arnold fic. I am not a fan with a huge history for Hey Arnold. To be honest I just started watching the show this year online. Yeah I'm way behind. Forgive me if characters seem off. If you want to tell me if a character is out of character in this please do explain so I better myself.
In this fic Arnold and most of the gang are 21 year old in the start of this fic. Harold is of course older being 25. In the episode Harold Bar Mitzvah he turns 13 while everyone else is 9.
Chapter One: Running into an Old Friend
Chapter Summery: After spending his summer vacation with a summer internship in Washington Arnold heads back to Wendale to take his junior year in college. In the airport he meets his old friend and bully Helga Pataki.
Running into an Old Friend
After an nearly six hour flight Arnold didn't know how much he appreciated the ground. He walked through the airport. He just got back for visiting his folks in Hillwood right after his summer internship in Washington, DC and was ready for his junior year of college.
He went to get his bags from the baggage claim. He looked around but couldn't find his bags. Maybe they're on the other side, He thought. He started walking around the baggage claim. With his eyes focus on his bags moving down the conveyor belt, he didn't notice a person carrying so many bags she couldn't even see over walking dead in his direction. They crashed into each other.
Both Arnold and the woman fell to the floor along with her luggage.
Arnold picked himself up from and quickly went over to the woman. He offered his hand.
"I'm so sorry miss. I wasn't paying attention," Arnold apologized. The woman had a scowl on her face but she took his hand anyway and he pulled her up.
"Why don't you watch where you're going?" she spat harshly.
Arnold flinched at her but kept an honest face. "I'm sorry. You're right. It was all my fault."
She sighed and looked apologetic for snapping at him.
"No it's okay I—" she paused and looked down at the floor.
The woman gasped then groaned at her open cases with her belongs scattered on the floor.
"This is not my day!" she cursed to herself.
She was just glade that the suitcase with her unmentionables in it didn't open and scatter everywhere as well. That would have been embarrassing.
"Here let me help," he offered.
"No, it's no big deal. I got it," she said.
He was already on the ground with her picking up a sweater and neatly folding it.
"No it's my fault. I assist."
She let out a snort and stared at him. "What's your deal? Are you like programed to be extra polite or something?"
He paused and smiled before he replied, "I guess I was just raised that way."
The woman just let out a ha and went back to picking up lotion and other hygiene products and stuffed them back in the suitcase. He went back to gathering her things and putting them in the suit case as well. They did this quietly for a while.
Arnold looked back up at her and watched her close one suit case as it was too full to fit anything else in. He blinked. There was something about her. The way she talked was so… familiar. Arnold squinted his eyes at her.
"Wait, do I know you?" He asked out loud.
The woman looked up at him and blinked.
"Huh, no I— wait a minute, on second thought you do seem familiar too." She said beginning to analyze his face.
Arnold took in her features. The blonde hair. The mouth. The way she scowled at him before.
Then it clicked to him. His eyes widen. "Helga?!" he blurted out making a small scene. "Helga G Pataki?!"
Her eyes widen in recognition. "A-Arnold?!" she gasped.
"Oh my God, it's you?!" They both said at the same time pointing at each other.
The two stood up and hugged excitedly.
"Criminy!" Helga breathed out when they began to break out of the hug. She looked at his arms around her, which were much larger than in high school. He had put on some pounds and built up a bit muscle over the years. She looked at his face again and noticed he developed a strong chin that contrasted his young boyish look from the past. "Gesh, Football Head who the heck told you to grow up?"
Arnold smiled, cracking a dimple. "I dunno, I guess puberty." He shrugged.
She smiled then blinked.
"Wait a minute are you taller than me now?!" She gasped noticing that they were eye leveled. She couldn't believe it. The shrimp was taller than her!
He had grown a bit taller since high school but Helga was a tall woman, 5,7 so he was only an inch taller than her. But he was taller than her and he had never in their growing up ever been taller than her until now.
His face redden a little. "I guess I grew a little taller." He said scratching the back of his neck.
Arnold examined Helga's face. "Wow I can't believe it's you." Arnold said in awe.
Her unibrow was either waxed, plucked out but her eyebrows were thicker than most girls wore them like Audrey Hepburn or something. She didn't wear her hair in a tight ponytail anymore. She let her golden locks fall loose down her back. She wore bright fuchsia lipstick, rosy cheeks, and smokey eyes. He had never seen Helga G Pataki in makeup. The only time he remembered her wearing just lip stick was at their junior prom and it was a nude lip stick.
"This is crazy I haven't seen you since...well, um, you ran away," Arnold said remembering the day he found out.
"I know!" she exclaimed excitedly.
During the later course of their high school lives Helga couldn't take living at home anymore and she packed her bags and took the first bus ticket far away from Hillwood. No one knew where she went to so they could only trust Phoebe's said phone calls from Helga that she was okay.
After the two calmed down from they're reunion they decided to leave the airport. Arnold offered to carry her luggage despite the fact that he had to carry his own luggage along with it. Helga said he didn't have to but Arnold being Arnold insisted. The two walked out of the airport together and Helga called for a cab.
"We gotta meet up again." Arnold said.
"Oh, I'll just give you my number it's—well, here I'll just type it in." She took his cell phone and dialed her number into it. He did the same with hers.
After the two finished exchanging numbers Helga's cab appeared.
Arnold being the gentleman that he is helped loading the trunk with her luggage. When he was finished she thanked him and went inside.
"I'll see you soon." she said closing the door.
He leaned into the car door (the window was down) as she fasten her seatbelt. "Yeah. We could have coffee sometime."
She raised an eyebrow. "Coffee?"
He shrugged.
She smirked. "Yeah sounds like a plan. See you later, Arnoldo."
Arnold waved as the cap drove off.
.~.
Helga took in the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee.
"This place is so authentic. I had no idea a coffee shop could be this sophisticated," Helga said.
It was Friday morning and Arnold had them meet at the little café to finally catch up. Helga was surprised by how many different deserts and pastries the café had along with coffees, and teas. She passionately ate her cannoli. It was so good!
"I seriously want to try everything here!" she moaned.
Arnold laughed watching her melt into her food. He took in those full lips growing into a smile when she smelt the coffee. Those long eye lashes fluttering as she delighted herself in her desert. Arnold couldn't help himself but think about how good she looked now. She did grow into a very pretty woman but she was a tomboy at heart. He didn't know why he felt this attracted to her all of the sudden. She wore baggy jogging pants, a sweatshirt, and sneakers; and yet she was the prettiest girl in his book.
"Yeah it's very European," Arnold agreed.
"So Hair Boy, how did you find out about a fancy place like this?"
"My ex-girlfriend was a dancer—"
Helga eyes snapped open.
He blushed in realization of what she was thinking. "I mean a contemporary dancer!" He said quickly. "Anyway she and her gang of dancing buddies always liked to come here whenever they won a dance competition."
Helga's mouth pouted in thought. "Hmmm, an artist-y tights wearing ballerina type dancer, figures. Where's the skirt now?"
"She graduated."
Helga leaned back in her chair. "Eh, of course. You always liked the older ones."
Arnold smirked at her comment. "You've been watching?"
"I've noticed," she shrugged simply before taking another sip of her warm coffee.
Arnold would let it slide. "Everyone's been wondering where you been since you ran away. What happened? How you been?"
She hesitated to answer. "Oh… you know, life. It has it's bumps."
He frowned. "That bad?"
"Let's just say I recently crawled out of a ditch but everything's cool now."
"Oh, you never told me what you're doing here."
"I'm going back to school. I, um, dropped out two years ago." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked to the side. "You know, the ditch, and well now I want to get myself back together."
He smiled."That's good to hear. What college?"
"Sherman."
He smirked and his eyelids lowered in his signature look. "That's my college," he pointed out.
She raised an eyebrow. "What?" she pressed. "What's with the cheeky look?"
"You stalking me again?" He joked.
Her face went red. "Oh fuck you, asshole. Don't nobody want you," she sneered.
She is definitely still Helga, Arnold thought.
He got a good looked at her and his mind went back to her facial features. …But she didn't look too much like Helga, another part of his brain thought. She was, well, attractive! He couldn't recall ever being attracted to Helga during junior high or high school and when he found out about her crush on him he really tired to avoid thinking about her in any way. He wasn't thinking about getting with her now but he had to admit to himself that Helga had blossomed.
"But seriously though," Helga continued, readjusting herself in her seat. "Sherman has a really good literary program."
"It's good that your going back," Arnold said. "And hey if you fall behind you know you can always ask me for help."
She gave him a sincere look. "Yeah you were always good at that."
Arnold tensed up a bit by the sudden soft look. Before he could respond he noticed his watch. "Oh, it's already, 8:30." He started to stand up. "Sorry Helga but I gotta go. Part-time job."
"I understand."
They paid for their breakfast and went out the door together.
Arnold paused and turned to her. "Um, do you need any help? You're new to this city and all—"
Helga raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "Gesh, is there an chivalry off switch in that head of yours? I'm fine Arnold, don't worry about me."
He shrugged.
"I'll catch up with you on campus. See ya." Helga walked away. He went the opposite direction.
.~.
The first week of fall semester Arnold did see Helga. Apparently they were sharing the same literature poetry class.
Arnold waved to her as soon as she walked through the door.
"Hey Helga."
She paused then smirked. "Gesh, Football Head it's only 9:00 o clock and we're already sharing the same class." She sat down next to him.
"Seems like it." He said. "I should have known you would be taking this class."
"You have any classes with Tall Hair Boy?"
"Yeah, we both got Mr. Delarosa for Latin American culture and language on Thursdays. We also have a science lab course together. That's today at 1:00," Arnold replied.
She snorted. "I bet you two did that on purpose. I swear, it was like you guys were joined at the hip when we were kids. And it appears you two still are."
"Says the girl who confess to writing poems to me everyday for a whole year and is siting awfully close to me right now," he teased.
"Ugh, I'm just sitting next to you because you're the only familiar face I see in this class!" Helga cried in defense. "If it was Gerald I would sit with him."
"Whatever you say Helga."
Just then their professor came in and started class.
.~.
"Oh man that was a long lecture!" Helga said stretching her arms in the air from her desk. It was the end of class and only a few people were standing around chatting while the rest of the students left quickly. "Whatever ounce of energy I had it's completely zapped out now."
Arnold laughed between gathering his things. "Not used to sitting for three hours?"
"I guess not." She sighed. "I love literature but criminy. No wonder I dropped out the first time."
He tapped her shoulder. "Hey, I'm meeting Gerald at the campus pit for lunch, you wanna come with?"
She stood up and gave him a sheepish smile. "Thanks but I better not. I got to get back to the apartment before Patty has to leave."
"Oh, you only have one class today?"
"Yeah." She put her notebook into her bag.
"Well okay I guess I'll run into some time this week then."
"Yupe." She said putting her bag over her shoulder.
The two said their goodbyes and parted ways.
.~.
Gerald and Arnold sat together at the round table eating their lunch. Arnold had just told him that he was sharing the same literature class with Helga.
"Wow I can't believe Pataki is in town and in our school. Is it just me or did everyone from P.S. 18 decided to come here?" Gerald asked.
"Yeah, that is kind of weird." Arnold agreed. Many other kids they grew up with also went to Sherman. It was almost scary how they all stuck together even out of state.
"So what's up with Hell girl?" Gerald generally asked. "Is she hot now?"
Arnold froze and looked at him. "I'm not answering that."
Gerald's eyes widen and almost dropped his sandwich. "Ohmygosh, she cleaned up that good? Man, now I gotta see this for myself. What days does she have classes again?"
"Shut up Gerald," Arnold sighed before bitting into his chips.
.~.
End of Chapter One