She was running as fast as she could. She could not believe he had done that. Her own father had hit her. Her own flesh and blood.
Helga stopped for breath. Her eye was beginning to bruise and blood was flowing from her bottom lip. The rain was falling heavily as she began to run again. She had no idea where she was running but just as long as it was as far away as possible as the monster that was in her home. She recognized the area immediately: she had been there so many times before.
The boarding house seemed like her only hope as her beloved had actually become a close friend during high school. After attempting to push Gerald and Phoebe to go out together, Arnold and Helga became quite close. She had actually become less abrasive and instead her nicknames were actually endearing in a way. She was still cynical and bossy but it was more in a sarcastic harmless manner. Her bullying ways stopped but she would still use Ol'Betsy and the five avengers in defence of her friends. Her appearance had changed too as she had become taller and had curves in all the right places. Her eyebrow had been plucked as a dare by Rhonda in seventh grade but Helga liked it and so now always had two eyebrows. Of course she still kept her pink ribbon but would alternate it as a choker or a headband and sometimes she wore it as a pin. Arnold had grown too and was now taller than Helga and had gained muscle due to his love of sports. He had become popular because of his position of hitter on the baseball team but he was still the modest and optimistic football head that Helga had been in love with since she was three.
She began to climb up the fire escape and knocked onto her beloved's window. Shocked at her sudden appearance, Arnold opened the window ushering her inside before getting her a towel to dry off. She had often sneaked into his room after an argument with her family or even when she was just bored. When he came back in the room he saw her busted lip and her black eye and began to panic. Helga shrugged but as Arnold came closer, she broke down.
Arnold had never seen Helga cry and so began to hold her not asking any questions at all. When Helga lifted her head and he could see she was all cried out he waited a while before he spoke.
"Helga", his voice was soft as she looked up at him, "who did this to you?"
He began to stroke her black eye and her busted lip.
She looked down afraid of what he would think .
"Helga please tell me" He begged.
Whoever had done this would pay for hurting his beautiful best friend…Wait did he just say beautiful?
He tilted her head so that she was looking into his eyes as he begged for an answer. She began to crumble.
"Bob" she whispered as her voice cracked.
Arnold became angry and he clenched his fists until his knuckles became white. Helga seeing this began to panic and got up from where she was sitting but Arnold grabbed her and pulled her back. He ran out of his room leaving her alone. She began to cry again feeling abandoned until he returned with cotton wool and water as well as hot chocolate. He began to bathe her busted lip but still did not speak.
It was ten minutes later when he finally sighed. She flinched relieved that he had actually made a noise.
"You're going to have to tell someone" He stated
"I told you, didn't I?" She cried defensively. She knew what he meant but knew that if she did tell she would have to deal with an even angrier Bob.
"Helga, you know what I meant. You have to tell the police! He's a monster!" Arnold exclaimed. He looked at Helga in detail then. She had become one of his closest friends yet he still couldn't read her. Her eyes were red from crying and she was hunched over and holding onto her legs on his bed. He knew she was scared even though she'd never admit it. He knew she needed him too.
"Please not now Arnold. I can't. No. Not now" she replied as she began to panic.
He leaned over to her and put his arm around her.
"Ok but you're going tomorrow and you can't refuse because I am taking you to the police station myself" he declared.
Helga looked at him in disbelief; he had never once ordered her to do anything. She nodded weakly and he began to get blankets.
She looked at him again but this time with a confused look on her face.
"You're staying here and I'm taking the couch" He spoke softly this time.
She shook her head vigorously and he began to sigh. He knew how stubborn she could be.
"I can't take the bed if you're on the couch" she muttered.
"Fine" he rolled his eyes and threw her a pair of sweat pants and a top and directed her to the bathroom.
When she got back she saw that the couch wasn't set up but instead there was an extra pillow on his bed. She crept over to the bed afraid of waking Arnold and got under the covers.
Arnold felt her creep into the bed and then he heard her sigh. He looked over at her. She looked so peaceful and beautiful despite the damage Big Bob had done to her. She was so broken and he longed to fix her.
Helga felt his eyes on her she turned to him and he softly kissed her forehead and wished her goodnight. Her eyes became heavy and she fell into a deep sleep.
When he heard her breathing even out, he looked at her and then back at his skylight.
"I'll always be here for you Helga" he whispered "no matter what happens".