A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter One:

Unprepared…

Hillwood hadn't changed.

Helga Pataki had returned after five years of absence and didn't see a true change in the town, perhaps the population had gotten larger but thankfully it was still the same old fashioned city. She stood at her windowsill leaning and gazing out into the blue yonder of the sky and into the lively city, even her old neighborhood was buzzing with life. Children were outside playing in the streets with few cars to trouble the games; they seemed enamored with a stray cat and constantly yanking its tail.

Helga almost found herself yelling to the kids to leave it alone, but they'd learn soon enough not to mess with a stray.

Turning around she headed towards the closet, only to stop slightly when she heard the crying wails of the children outside, and one very loud 'stupid cat' comment. She giggled to herself and continued towards the large closet full of clothing.

Helga sighed.

Years have passed since she'd been in this place, this building she'd called home. Her eyes shifted here and there in the room that she'd spent most of her childhood in and noticed its small comforting warmth. It seemed eons ago that she'd constructed a shrine in the back of her closet, that her books of endless poetry were stacked hidden in floorboards and chests. The majority of her youth had been spent here, in this very room contemplating a million destinies that could happen between her…and a certain someone.

It seemed funny now that she had been so oblivious to the simple matters of a child and had always centered herself on something as adult as the emotion of 'love'.

Helga had seemingly skipped all of those fumbling first emotions that come with love and just settled happily in the idea of love and romance. To her Shakespeare had opened the doors to the intimate relationship between man and woman, she'd read so many poetry verses and books about romance that her entire imagination had nothing but romancing situations and happy endings. Ironically unknowing to her that it prepared her for future life and answered all the questions about what kind of relationship she wanted now.

"What to wear…" she hummed to herself as she pulled a white-tank top on and then a light-pink sweater that had a hoodie and a white French logo on the back.

Her jeans slipped on next, dark blue almost black with white stitching and embroidered back pockets, her cell phone finding its designated spot in her front pocket and her keys attached to a keychain swinging from her left back pocket. She combed quickly through her straightened hair as best she could with her fingers, and tied it loosely with a pink hair-tie.

Helga never thought to lose her signature color, she just added a new variety to it, different shades and sometimes only wearing it as an accessory but she always made sure to wear it as a reminder to why she needed a reminder…she didn't remember. Letting out a leisurely yawn she slipped into her socks and shoes and made her way down the long set of stairs. The house was dark until she flipped the light switches and illuminated the barren household.

The Pataki heiress sighed; while entering the kitchen and grabbing a quick packet of yogurt from the fringe and a small bottle of orange juice, for her breakfast.

Her eyes shifted around the small kitchen it had been remodeled and updated in the latest fashions with white and black speckled marble countertops and black kitchen appliances. The kitchen was untouched and unused, Helga wondered if she would manage to keep it as clean as it was now over the time she would use it. A passing thought but quickly replaced by the task that she was reminded by the yellow piece of paper stuck beneath her wallet.

"There's the list," she spoke out loud to comfort the silence; it was reassuring to hear something rather than nothing. "Groceries: milk, eggs…" she trailed off as she scanned the list.

It would take all day to get the stuff she needed.

Stuffing the list into her wallet and slipping that into her right back pocket, she decided against taking her purse it would only burden her more.

Turning she flipped the switches to bathe the home in darkness once again, she trotted out the door locking it in her wake and headed for the black jeep that sat a few feet away against the curb. The children were still playing the stray cat nowhere in sight but they unhappily sighed as she revved the engine to give them fair warning of her interference with their game.

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"Good grief!" she groaned while throwing the last bag into the back of her jeep and leaning against its shining body.

The shopping had been worse than she'd thought, it had taken hours just to get around the store because apparently Saturday's were super savings day and about every single woman in town was at all the grocery stores nearby. She'd managed to get some of the none-food items without trouble but she prayed that this food would last at least a month not wanting to come face to face with that large woman in the bright orange jumpsuit again. Though with what little she had managed to get, it was doubtful it would last her even two weeks.

Her eyes drifted up into the blue sky and the great but chilly weather they were having, summer was ending and…school would start within a month or so.

"Hey Gerald did you hear about the competition?" a voice chimed through her thoughts, a very…familiar voice.

Helga couldn't help her heart, as it thumped effortlessly against her chest, it beat with a quickened pace as her eyes came down from their sky-gazing. She calmly and slowly searched the parking lot of the grocery store, to look to the right where two young but impeccably tall teens were making their way towards the store. They were chatting happily but because her heart was beating so quickly it was all her ears could hear.

She wasn't prepared for this, not too see him.

She'd thought about it profusely of course, and wondered exactly what she would do if ever coming into contact and right now she was blank, her mind…completely absent of thought.

He'd become so much taller.

His blonde straw hair that stood tall was gone and replaced with trimmed hair that hung around his face his cap still in place, his face that had all but kept its foot-ball shape though perhaps it was a little less wide. He was something of an enigma now, his long legs carrying him quickly across the black top. From where she stood, which wasn't more than a few enclosing feet, he'd become a tall and handsome man. His skin was a little darker probably from the sun and his features were more defined a strong chin and slim cheeks. Muscles graced his plain blue shirt, his hands in his pockets as he talked so casually. Helga didn't need to see him without clothing to know that he'd bulked and toned his body.

She blushed at the thought and turned her head but her eyes stayed on him.

Arnold Shortman…

"Phoebe said last night that she'd probably be busy for the next few days," Gerald who had been walking next to Arnold and completely ignored by her mind finally set in. "She said she was hanging out with an old friend but I can't figure who, since we're all still around."

Arnold nodded in agreement and shrugged. "Maybe she just didn't want to have you asking her out every five minutes."

"Oh you don't think that's what it really is do you!?" Gerald said with shock. "I mean I've been working on her for two years and she's really close to saying yes!"

"That's what you said a month ago but she's still not having you, maybe she's heard of all those rumors." Arnold stated with a quip, and punched him though he stopped for a moment, when his eyes inadvertently met another pair of blue.

Helga's heart stopped in a single repetition to find it now thumping so hard, they were like the pounding of drums very loud and very hearable. Arnold's pale blue eyes never blinked as he slowed in his step to a complete stop and just…stared.

Gerald had continued talking to find himself embarrassed as he finally noticed his friend a few feet back, he turned to find Arnold and a…beautiful girl having a staring match. He watched for a few more minutes before rolling his eyes and walking to his friend, giving him a swift nudge and coughing.

"Uh, huh, Hi." Arnold sputtered while pushing Gerald back, and walking up to the blonde girl.

She felt her eyes shift to his outstretched hand then back to his face, Helga knew, that he didn't recognize her…she knew that this was her fresh start.

Bringing up her hand to meet his, she smiled softly with as charming a smile as she could muster. "Bonjour." (bonjour/hello)

He seemed unfazed by her accent, making her in turn a little nervous. "I'm Arnold, this is Gerald…you're new here?" he said in a guessing but obvious statement.

She nodded promptly and per habit flicked her hair behind her ear. "I've just moved here, from France, pardon the accent."

"Not at all, I think it's beautiful." He admitted without thought, then blushed lightly as the compliment concluded finally let go of her hand.

Gerald now deciding that being left out of the conversation was no fun, especially with a hot girl like this smiled handsomely and took her hand after Arnold had let go. "My name is Gerald, Gerald Johansson I'm the football Capitan at Hillwood Falls High School, I also play on the basketball team."

"An impressive resume, do you always introduce your best qualities first?" she asked pleasantly with a laugh as he blushed from her comment.

Helga was surprised by the easiness of speaking that was coming from her though her body wanted to collapse and her heart was in pain from over exertion she found herself…calm and collected. Those years abroad were paying off.

"We were about to head over to Gerald's field for a quick game of baseball, some of our friends are waiting…do you want to come?" Arnold asked politely while scratching the back of his neck.

Helga paused for a moment…that would mean seeing and meeting everyone, her eyes shifted to Gerald who made a 'you know you want to come' face while lifting his eyebrows and lowering them quickly. She wanted to say yes immediately but there was one large looming forbidding fact that the boys had not yet come in contact with.

They hadn't asked for her name.

"…Merci, for the invitation but I am busy moving in and getting all of my stuff settled, or else I would." She honestly answered while giving a nod and turning. (Merci/thank you)

It hurt at the same time it made her relieved, she was finally going to get out from under his presence and the shadow of long looming feelings that made her heart groan in turmoil. However…this didn't excuse the fact that in a matter of one month, he'd find out who she was anyways.

What would he say then?

Helga said her goodbyes and left them in the parking lot, Arnold staring at her vehicles form long after it was gone.

"Hey Arnold let's go the guys are waiting," Gerald said while patting his friends shoulder, he hadn't seen Arnold like this since…well since elementary school. "I'm sure we'll see her again she was hot so it's not like we'll miss her."

"Huh…oh yeah, hey did you, I don't know…get the feeling that, she…" Arnold folded his arms in thought. "She looked so familiar. I wonder if we've met…"

"Dude…seriously I think you'd remember an ass like hers." Gerald stated while rolling his eyes, why was his friend so naïve when it came to women.

"Yeah I guess…but still…I know I've seen her before…"

Arnold took one last glance, and let the feeling of familiarity fall, but there was still that nagging suspicion.

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Helga returned home and busied herself by putting away all of the things she'd bought and making new lists of things she'd forgotten and still needed.

The house was devoid of all life except for her, and she at this moment was glad of it.

A blush had planted itself on her cheeks and was refusing to remove itself and despite several attempts at splashing her face with cool water to drive it away the scarlet stain remained. Sitting down in the large recliner with a cola off to the side and several magazines on the coffee table, Helga closed her eyes and repeated very slowly the small and should have been inconsequential meeting between her and Arnold.

She had found it hard to believe…that after all these years…her heart still beat like crazy when just seeing him.

Helga had always figured Arnold would eventually grow up into some sort of…god-like handsome man that all the girls would fawn over and become the most popular guy and finally get the girl of his dreams. In this image of him she'd always pictured him beyond reach and that she'd finally have given up on her fantasies of them together…finally move on outside the reach of her unrequited love.

In one instant however.

She was completely and utterly sucked back in.

That feeling which had been lost in her years in France…or rather had hidden itself in the depths of her child's heart, easily broke the walls she'd constructed in order to try and move passed her own selfish desires. It attacked her relentlessly with the pounding of her heart against her chest, with the drumming of in audible things ringing in her ears. And lastly the sudden urge to clutch her chest and squat behind a dumpster to recite a very long monologue about the depths of her feelings…

Helga's eyes snapped open, as she gasped.

No! She felt her mind halt with a screech in thoughts.

Things…are different now…She sighed, and rubbed her blush ridden cheeks, well most everything.