Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Hanna Cabrodi here, once again! I am very pleased to announce that this is my very first multi-chaptered fic. After much brainstorming and discarding one idea after another, I have FINALLY picked a premise for a multi-chaptered story and I am SO EXCITED yet NERVOUS at the same time. One-shots are always the easiest. It's just one small story and POOF! You're done! I promise to update this any and every chance I get! I REALLY hope you all like this!
Now before I let you into the crazy world that is my imagination and Hey Arnold I'd like to give a shout out to my home skillet Ashley AKA MuffinLove03, the genius behind Heart to Heart, Her Guardian, and I Will Remember You, all stories you need to check out if you haven't already (to whom I also give credit for helping me out with writing the first chapter of this story, she's a GENIUS, I tell ya!), and all my peeps on the Save The Jungle Movie group on Facebook! You guys are the greatest FB family a girl could ask for! I won't name you one by one because I do NOT wanna leave anyone out! You guys are TOO great! OH! And I'd also like to give a special shout out to Chanel AKA SensuallyPassionate for being the first fanfic author to encourage me to write a multi-chaptered story. Your advice has been an AMAZING help and your stories are INCREDIBLY gripping!
And last and most CERTAINLY not least, I give the credit for any kind of writing talent I may have to the Lord, for He is my Rock, my Strength and my Creator. Without Him, I am nothing! Enjoy! (P.S.: Spanish phrases are numbered and are translated accordingly on the bottom! So CHILL, chicas/os! :D)
DISCLAIMER: Hey Arnold ain't mine so BACK OFF! -_- Shoot, if it was mine, TJM would've been out a LOOOOOOOONG time ago! HMPH!
"ATTENTION senior world language students, your permission slips for your respective trips are due NEXT FRIDAY. Upon handing in your slips, your world language teachers will hand you information packages with health and traveler information for the country you will be visiting. Please keep in mind that you must have taken the same language course for at least THREE YEARS in order to go on your trip. That is all."
While listening to the announcement on the loudspeaker, Ms. Rodriguez' AP Spanish class was buzzing with excitement on their destination for this much anticipated trip. Each year, Hillwood High School's World Languages Department would have a special one week trip for seniors to a country that speaks the language the students are learning to put their knowledge into practice. Last year, Spanish students went to Spain and visited Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, French students traveled to France and visited Paris, Cannes and Versailles, Italian students flew to Italy and visited Rome, Milan and Venice and Portuguese students flew to Portugal, visiting Lisbon, Porto and Amadora.
Since Italy is the only country where Italian is widely spoken, the senior Italian course never changes its destination. This year, French students were planned to visit Belgium but the overwhelming majority wanted to go to France, so after many disputes, they were conceded the trip to France. Portuguese students will be flying to Brazil this year, visiting Sao Paolo, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. Finally, senior Spanish students were THRILLED to hear that they will be flying to the Dominican Republic this year, visiting Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Sosua, Salcedo and Santiago.
"[1]Alumnos, alumnos, calma, por favor. I know you are all excited about the trip to the Dominican Republic this year but I have to keep order here in this classroom. Now, does anyone have their permission slips signed?"
Three hands went up and approached Ms. Rodriguez' desk with their signed permission slips. She kindly smiled and handed them their information packets. "Alumnos, PLEASE keep in mind that you MUST keep your information packets with you until the trip has happened, it includes two assignments I want you to complete while in the Dominican Republic. This is not just a vacation, it is part of the course. We will not just be visiting the beaches, we will also be visiting a few museums and historic landmarks and I want FULL REPORTS on what you learned over there, estamos claro?"
"Si, Ms. Rodriguez," they announced in elementary-like unison.
Ms. Rodriguez rolled her eyes in amusement as the bell rang. "[2]Se pueden ir. Recuerden revisar las paginas 60-65 de tarea. Hasta mañana, clase." She began to stand when she spotted one of her students and drew his attention to speak with him. "Arnold, I'd like just a moment with you, please."
"Sure thing, Ms. Rodriguez." He looked to Gerald and told him to go ahead. Arnold's physique had improved quite signficantly since his P.S. 118 days. He had soared to a shocking 6'2'' and had become quite well built, as his participation on the school's varsity baseball team dictated he exercise on a regular basis. His hair was still hopelessly untamed and he continued to sport his favorite blue hat. He often wears his favorite red plaid button down, unbuttoned, of course, and a turquoise blue tee underneath.
"Arnold, I need to ask a bit of a favor of you. You are one of my top students and while this is an AP course, considering you all have a very good grasp of the Spanish language, I have one student who is struggling quite a bit and I need you to help her with her pronunciation. It will be KEY on your trip." Ms. Rodriguez was well aware of Arnold's good-natured disposition and willingness to help others when they needed it so it was no surprise that he agreed almost immediately to help a fellow classmate with their Spanish.
"Of course! Who will I be helping?"
...
"FOOTBALL HEAD? YOU'RE gonna be my tutor!?" Helga Geraldine Pataki stared at Arnold at her doorstep in shock, feigning annoyance with the idea that Arnold Phillip Shortman, of all people, would be tutoring her in Spanish, while, unbeknownst to him, her heart bursted with joy and ecstasy.
Alas, fate has once again shown its face upon my existence uniting us to work together to dominate the romantic and enchanting language that is Español! This is my opportunity to lure you, my darling, and finally express my innermost love without taking it back! I will, henceforth, change my ways and release the words I've harbored in the deepest trench of my soul for years... Tei ahhmo... Ohhhh...
"Uhhh, Helga? Hello?" He waved his hand in front of her face and finally got her attention. She realized she'd zoned out with a lovesick look on her face and firmly assumed her abrasive role, almost immediately. "Yeah, yeah, get inside, I ain't GOT all DAY." She rolled her blue eyes and made her "indifference" clear to him. He kindly stepped in as she led him to her room. She then proceeded to sit down.
She had long ago rid herself of the obsessive shrine she built in tribute to him in her elementary years but DOES keep her old poetry books in the attic, so she was not at all skeptic about Arnold's presence room. In reality, Helga had changed quite a lot these past few years, the changes being mostly physical. She had developed an hourglass shaped figure that she often found embarrassing. Getting catcalls from Wolfgang and other Hillwood neanderthals was HARDLY anything to be proud of. She had also rid herself of her caterpillar-like unibrow in exchange for two arched brows that brought out her azure blue eyes. Her personality, however, managed to override her physical attributes which made her rather unattractive on a personal level with the males in her school. Her taste in clothes didn't help either. She traditionally sported a graphic t-shirt with a sarcastic phrase, ripped skinny jeans and black high-top chucks. She wore her signature pink bow under a gray beanie after she was teased about it her freshman year.
She noticed Arnold was still standing by the door. "Sit down, will ya? You ain't GROWIN' any taller, ARNOLDO." He grabbed the chair from her desk and sat down. "Okay, Ms. Rodriguez sent me over here to help you with your pronunciation and that's exactly what I plan on doing." She stared him down. "Oh, please, I don't even see what the big deal is. In fact, I don't even know if I'm GOING or not." His eyes displayed shock. "Helga, you HAVE to go! It's gonna be AMAZING! Visiting the first island to be discovered in the New World is major! The beaches are beautiful and they have such a rich culture and history! You can't pass that up!"
"THANKS, Mr. World Encyclopedia but it's NOT that big a deal. I've been to Puerto Rico, it's practically the Dominican Republic's mirror IMAGE. Criminy, what is the DILEMMA!?" He looked almost insulted at what he found to be ignorance. "Helga, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are two very different places. Even their Spanish jargon and accent are NOTICEABLY different!"
"Oh, PIPE down, will ya!?," Helga retorted. "You weren't sent here for a world culture lesson, BUCKO! Now are you gonna help me fix my Spanish or not?" Arnold relented and proceeded to tutor his "nemesis."
"Okay, so Ms. Rodriguez said that one of your biggest issues are your 'R's', especially double 'R's'. Now, in Spanish, the 'R's' are very distinctive. Instead of the pronunciation we use in English where the tongue barely touches the roof of your mouth, you roll your tongue just below your palette but just above your front teeth to get the Spanish 'R'. And with double 'R's', you exhale a LITTLE bit of air, almost like an 'H' and then roll your tongue. Kinda like when you imitate a growling dog. Now try it with [3]'pero' and 'perro.'"
"'Kay... Peiro... Peihro..." was Helga's intent at the "R."
"No, you gotta roll your tongue, almost like you're grinding the air between the tip of your tongue and the top of your front teeth. And remember, try not to add the 'i' sound. Make sure it has an 'eh' sound. Just an airy 'eh.' And also make sure that your 'p's' lack air. Just plant it. Pero, perro. Pe-ro, PERRRRRRRRO." Helga immediately became mesmerized with his perfect pronunciation. The rolling of his tongue was TORTURE, she couldn't help but swoon.
Oh, my oblong-headed conquistador, how your fluent Spanish teases me so. The perfect execution of your R's drown me into your pool. How I wish you'd roll me into the tips of your love and... Ohhhh...
Helga once again lost herself in a lovesick trance and her sigh then became audible. Upon hearing this, Arnold's eyebrow lifted and he waved his hand in front of Helga's face in an attempt to bring her back to Earth. "Uhhh, Helga? You okay there?" She was still in her trance so Arnold resorted to a language shift and clapped his hands in her face. "[4]Hola! Señorita Pataki, estas ahi?" She shook her head and slapped herself in the face. Realizing her brief moment of mental travel, her face became flustered and she nervously defended herself. "W-what the HELL, Arnold! I was t-trying to think it through! CRIMINY, can't a girl concentrate?" He obviously didn't buy her lame excuse but in an attempt to keep the peace, he let her off the hook. "Okay, now try the 'R's'. Pero, perro."
"Peiro, peihrro. Peiro, peihrro."
This is gonna be a LONG day.. thought Arnold. "It's okay if you don't get it on the first try. Now look at my tongue and what it does." He opened his mouth and pronounced the words. Helga observed his pronunciation technique and it took EVERY POWER within her to restrain herself from losing her mind in a swoon. With every repeat, he carefully observed the position of her tongue in her mouth when saying the 'R's'. She, of course, noticed this and held back every incontrollable impulse within her to grab him and kiss his lips. She finally got her mind to focus on the task at hand and eventually caught on. After about a half hour of attempting to pronounce just ONE LETTER, she finally got it.
"Pero, perro."
Arnold heard her proper pronunciation and was internally RELIEVED. He praised her effort. "Great job, Helga!" He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled, innocently, not knowing that his touch to her skin was powerful enough to conduct electricity throughout her whole body. "Don't patronize me, Football Head. I'm still better than you at other things! This is just one GLITCH!" He laughed and let it go. "Whatever you say, Helga." She rolled her eyes. "Listen, I gotta get going. Grandpa needs help with a repair at the boarding house and it's getting late. I'll be here tomorrow at the same time." "Yeah, yeah, move along, now. I've got OTHER things to do, ya know."
Arnold proceeded to grab his books from the desk and headed towards the door. "Oh, and Helga. Please think about going on the trip. Dominican Republic wouldn't be the same if you weren't there." He winked at her and left. Realizing what he'd just done as he'd reached her front door, he stopped himself. Whoa. Where'd that wink come from?
Meanwhile in Helga's room, she ran to her pillow and let out a love induced scream. "OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! HE WINKED AT ME! HE ACTUALLY WINKED AT ME! And his SPANISH! Lord ALMIGHTY, how can he tease me so with his IMPECCABLE pronunciation and seductive r's! The Dominican Republic will be the island where our love will be sparked and manifested! I shall take advantage of its tropical aura and romantic beaches and captivate my Orzo Shaped Prometheus into forever being mine SO HELP ME GOD! Ohhhh!"
TRANSLATIONS
[1] - Students, students, calm down, please.
[2] - Remember to review pages 60-65 for homework. I'll see you tomorrow, class.
[3] - But & Dog, respectively.
[4] - Hello, Miss Pataki! Are you there?
*Enseñame: Teach me.* ;)
Sooooooooooooo, what'd ya think? Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think! I'm a sucker for reviews! They motivate me and pump me up to write! Take care and GBY!
-Hanna Cabrodi :)