"I Want to Be With You"
this is a T.A. Medley production.
Disclaimer: Here goes another disclaimer. I do not own 'Hey Arnold!" or characters. I used the title and song from Mandy Moore's album.
Author's Note: I wrote two other Hey Arnold stories entitled 'Beautiful' and it's sequel 'Fate', hear ye' hear ye' this story has NOTHING to do with those. Just making that clear so there will not be any confusion.
P.S. Hope you like! Please review!
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"Oh Arnold the light of my dark life in this sorrowful existence that I must live through day by day, oh Arnold, if you only knew."
Then from behind, "Wheeze, wheeze," PUNCH!
Helga, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, horror of a child, biggest bully in school since the word was invented.
Well, THAT was then, THIS is now.
Six years later…
"So are you going to go with him?" asked Phoebe impatiently.
"I- I don't know. I was kind of hoping--," said Helga as she closed her gym locker and headed to the girls bathroom.
"Yeah, Helga, I know what you were hoping. And not to sound insensitive or anything but there's a very slim chance it will happen. I mean it has been twelve years, let it go. Let him go," Phoebe said as she followed through the crowd of pushy girls down the narrow rows of lockers.
"You're right," Helga said as she brushed her hair into a ponytail in front of the mirror in the bathroom. "It's just, twelve years is a long time to put everything you have into somebody, and not get anything in return. You've loved Gerald as practically long as I have, but the difference is you've snagged your man."
"Look, Helga, I'm not saying give up completely, just don't devote another twelve years to a useless cause," said Phoebe as she let her long black hair out of the large bun on top of her head. "Matt, really likes you. Don't sale yourself short."
"Matt is pretty cute. But I'm not saying yes, not just yet," said Helga as she took out pink eye shadow and pale-pink lip-gloss and applied it.
"Goodness, Helga you're acting like he's asking you to prom. He only wants you to be his partner in the talent show," said Phoebe as she too broke out the makeup kit.
~*~
"Hey Gerald, so are you entering the talent show this year?" asked Arnold enthusiastically.
"No, I was just thinking about watching. But Phoebe is, she's gonna play the piano or something. You?"
"No, Lila wanted to be in it together and duet, but I can't sing, and neither she, but I love her all the same," said Arnold as they walked to lunch together.
"Speaking of Lila, where is that girlfriend of yours?" asked Gerald side-by-side, with Arnold as they walked down the hall greeting people on the way.
"She had a dentist appointment, wisdom teeth."
"Ooh," said Gerald with a fake shudder, "that's the pits."
"Don't I know it."
~*~
"Look who," said Phoebe as Matt Williams walked toward Helga and Phoebe. "I'll just leave you two alone."
"Phoebe! Phoebe, come back! Do not do this to me please! Phoebe come—Oh Hello Matt," said Helga at the moment he arrived."
"Hey Helga. You look beautiful today."
It's not that Matt was not fine, but the contrary, he was one of the cutest guys in Ridgemont High. And the fact that he was a football player and had the third highest GPA in the school didn't hurt much either. And they say jocks are dumb.
"Thanks, you look pretty hot yourself."
"Thanks, baby. So, we gonna be in the talent show together?"
"Can you sing?" Helga asked.
"No."
"Dance?"
"No."
"Play an instrument?"
"No."
"Do impressions?"
"No."
"Then pray-tell baby, what are we going to do?"
"Comedy," said Matt simply.
"You must be joking?"
"Good one hun," he said as he put his arm around Helga and led her away.
~*~
"Matt and Helga seem pretty close. What is going on with them, Phoebe?" asked Gerald as soon as she sat down.
"Nothing. Matt likes her but she is totally uninterested."
"Too bad. They look nice together," said Arnold.
Helga, from around the corner, came to the table and joined Arnold, Phoebe, and Gerald.
"So, what did you to talk about?"
"If I were in my right mind I would slap you," said Helga as she glared with spite at Phoebe.
"What?"
"He kissed me. No thanks to you."
"Get it, Matt," said Gerald and Arnold in unison.
"Shut-up," Helga and Phoebe replied.
"Sorry," said Phoebe sympathetically.
"Yeah well," said Helga as she plopped down in a seat in between Arnold and Phoebe. "Anyway, we came to the conclusion that he had no talent, and since we already signed up, I have to participate except now we're not doing it together."
"So what are you going to do?" asked Gerald.
"I don't know. Sing or something?"
"Sing?" said Arnold, Phoebe, and Gerald in unison.
"Yes, sing. Olga's not the only one with talent ya know.
~*~
As Helga walked home, she thought about what she should do in the talent show.
"Should I sing? After-all, I could play chopsticks on the piano." Helga thought aloud. "Of course I could sing."
Helga remembered a song she heard on the radio called, "I Want to Be With You". After hearing that song she went out and bought the whole CD just so she could listen to that song over and over again. She felt like that song truly expressed her deep feelings of love for Arnold.
"I'll sing," she said with determination in her voice as she ran home at top speed.
"Mom! Miriam!" called Helga the minute she burst into her front door.
"What Helga? What?" answered Miriam in her usual low toned tired voice.
"I need you to take me to the mall. I need a dress for the talent show."
"Uh, sure honey."
Helga's mom dropped her off at "Windsor's", and headed to Jamba Juice for a smoothie and told her to meet her there in one hour.
Helga walked into the store and looked at every dress they had. She was about to give up when she saw it. A beautiful, pearly-white dress in the back of the store and ran to it. She put it up to her body. It was a low cut bodice top that laced up in the back. The bottom flared out and left a small train behind it.
"Perfect fit," said a middle-aged man that held up the dress so that Helga could look at it. He pulled a tiara from off the counter and placed it on her head. He grabbed some 'strappy', white shoes from the shoes counter and placed them on the ground beside her feet.
"It's beautiful," said Helga.
"Yes it is, on you."
"Wait, there is no way I could afford all this," said Helga.
"I'm sure I could make an exception."
~*~
"You got a dress," asked Phoebe excitedly over the telephone.
"Yup," said Helga. The minute she got home, she just had to tell Phoebe the news.
"Is it pretty?"
"Yup,yup."
"Is it elegant?"
"Yup, yup, yup."
"Can I see it?"
"Nope, nope, nope."
"Why not Helga?"
"Because, because, because," said Helga in the 'Wizard of Oz Tune'.
"Because what?"
"Surprise, surprise, surprise!" said Helga in an ecstatic tone.
"Can you at least describe to me."
"No."
"Please," Phoebe begged.
" 'Bye, 'bye, 'bye," sung Helga in 'sync to the N'sync song " 'Bye, 'bye, 'bye"
"Crack Kills," said Phoebe as she hung up the phone."
~*~
"Welcome to the Ridgemont High Annual Talent Show," said Principle Shwartz (he was promoted), followed by a thunderous sound of clapping. " Tonight we will have the privilege to enjoy eight contestants two of each representing their classes. So, without further ado, from the class of 2003 we present 'The Great Randy Brown' showing us what magic is all about."
Backstage:
"Helga hurry up," yelled Phoebe through the dressing room door.
"Simmer down, Phoebs, I'm the last act."
"Hey, what's she doing in there?" asked Gerald.
"Probably the same thing Lila is," said Arnold as he too was standing at the dressing room door.
Lila came out first. She was wearing a sky-blue cocktail dress, with clouds all over it.
"Lila, you look beautiful."
"Thank you Arnold. That is ever so nice of you to say."
Finally the door swung open and she stepped out into the light, so that everyone could see her glory. She was wearing the dress, and the man at the store was right, the dress was made for her. Her hair was in loose shirley-temple curls and the tiara was shining upon her head. Her eyes, as blue as the ocean were sparkling with joy. She was gorgeous.
However, the one person she wanted to impress the most was not even looking at her.
Again, Arnold repeated, "Lila you look beautiful."
Helga was heartbroken. He did even glance at her. She looked at Phoebe and ran back to the dressing room, cracked the door, and silently cried.
Arnold did not even notice.
"Arnold I'm up next I better get set up," said Lila.
"I'll help," said Gerald.
Once they left Phoebe walked up to Arnold.
"How stupid are you?"
"Come again?" asked Arnold bewilderedly.
"All that, the makeup, the dress, everything. She did it for you."
"Who, Helga?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I didn't see."
"Exactly Arnold you didn't see. You haven't seen for the past twelve years."
"Seen what?"
"Idiot Helga loves you. Although she bullied you and picked on you, as weird as it was that was her way of showing you. And you were just to stupid to see."
"How was I supposed to know?"
"Remember Cecile? That was her, she wanted to impress you. Remember when that kid got the snowboots, she gave those to him/her (I forget), that was her. Everything that she did Arnold, was for you."
Arnold was astounded. He never knew.
"Hey Arnold! Lila's about to play," yelled Gerald from a distance.
"Uh, coming," said Arnold as he walked away, not really wanting to go.
~*~
"And now our last performer, Miss Helga Pataki, singing "I Wanna Be With You."
Helga walked on stage; she did not want to sing anymore. She heard everything Phoebe told Arnold. And there he was sitting in the third row center, right in front of her. She walked to center stage. Everyone looked up at saw the beautiful angel standing above them, eyes wet, and cheeks rosy red from crying. She stood there waiting for either the music to start or to die from a broken heart at center sage in front of them all. And then the music began; she closed her eyes and a heavenly voice parted from her pink lips saying:
I try but I can't seem to get myself to think,
Of anything but you.
Your breath on my face,
Your warm gentle kiss,
I taste the truth.
You know what I came here for.
So, I won't ask for more.
Then she looked deep into his eyes and sung:
I wanna be with you,
If only for one night,
To be the one whose in you arms,
Who holds you tight.
I wanna be with you,
There's nothing more to say,
There's nothing else I more than to feel this way.
By the end of the song, tears were falling from Helga's eyes. Arnold just looked at her, for twelve years he had not realized how smart and funny and beautiful Helga was. Until now.
Once the music was over, she ran off the stage and grabbed an umbrella, because it was pouring rain outside. When she was out of the auditorium, she ran like there was no tomorrow. She ran until she heard swift footsteps behind her. She hoped to God that it was not Phoebe. However, it was not. She stopped anyway; she was tired and out of breath. She turned around to see Arnold standing in the cold rain soaking wet. She looked at him as he slowly walked toward her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took me twelve years to realize everything I wanted and needed,--was you. I love you Helga, I love you."
Helga could not speak. She put the black umbrella over Arnold's head, so that he wouldn't get any more wet. He walked in close to her face, so close that if he moved in a bit more there lips would be touching.
"Helga G. Pataki, I want to be with you."
He leaned his face into hers, pressed his warm wet lips against hers, and marveled in their sweetness. After they parted, through the rain, hand in hand they walked through the rain. Not knowing where to go. Just wanting to be with-
Each other, forever.
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Well what do you think? Please review.
PSS: Stay tuned for the conclusion to this story entitled "Revelations", coming soon.
Thanx!