It's going to get alot wilder from here on out guys. If you read this please review it's what encourages me to keep writing my chapters. I'm hoping more people show a liking to my story now that my imagination is only starting to kick off.

Chapter 3

I Like Like You.

"I want you to scream and yell, get mad at stupid things I do, at least then I would know you still care." Unknown.

"Man is you really dressing to impress for Helga Pataki?" Gerald asked his olive hand stroking his tall hair. "Gerald I've been gone a while I just want to make a good impression." Gerald rolled his eyes and scuffed. "No you noticed Helga hit puberty nice. Trust me after today you'll see Helga is still the same dictator she always was. Only difference is now she uses her looks to dominate world wide." Gerald laughed. I scrunched my nose in distaste at Gerald teasing her when she wasn't even here to defend herself.

I was proud. I combed my blonde hair back flexing in the mirror. I had every intention of showing Helga I was tough and could hang with her. "Where are you taking her anyway man?" Gerald asked now stroking his goatee. "Sid told me there's a local carnival so I'm taking her." I stated simply as I swung my red plaid shirt over my blue wife beater. "Hey Arnold, who knows man maybe Helga only tormented you in elementary cause she loves you. Maybe you'll go in the tunnel of love and she'll profess her undying like like for you!" Gerald howled at his own humor. I rolled my emerald eyes irritated. There was no why I would tell Gerald the truth. That after all this time, I had discovered that it had been my nine-year-old self who as kids they would have said liked liked Helga.

I briefly recalled my childhood dream of visiting my cousin Arnie out in the countryside. How in my dream I was attracted to Hilda who just happened to be exactly like the kinder side of Helga. I recalled the time we did the tango at an April Fools Dance. How her clever trick of fooling me into believing she was blind secretly attracted me. She was clever and that was sexy. I recalled as I pressed my nose against hers my emerald eyes piercing in to sapphire ones. I had even realized a few years ago after I had moved that Helga had been my first date. The French Cecilia with the poodle hair had always been Helga. I realized though she'd at times annoyed me beyond belief, tormented me, and even abused my kind demeanor I loved her. She was the first person I had ever felt concern for. The first person my own age I had ever met. The first date I had. My first kiss on a rooftop. I blushed remembering the shock of her kiss. How I had secretly felt a spark between our lips.

"Well you better start walking to her house man." Gerald said taking me out of my fantasy of kissing her again. "Yeah thanks." I hurried out the door clutching on to a skateboard. I didn't have a job out here in Hillwood yet. I still had a lot of money in my savings from selling the beach house back in the island. At last I reached Helga's front door I couldn't believe that I was on a nervous edge for Helga G. Pataki, but it was true butterflies fluttered freely in my belly. I hadn't noticed I'd been smiling until my smile wavered and I began to ease drop at the door.

"Miriam you lazy drunk! Look at this place! Disgusting the dishes hasn't been washed in days!" A man boomed furiously. "Huh, Oh, Bob sorry I've been a little scatter brained lately." Miriam slurred her voice clearly tipsy. I could here a crashing and I knew Bob was chucking dishes towards his wife. "Back off old man! You know I clean up right after school everyday!" My heart sank as the raspy little Tara Reed voice attempting to be tough. "Olga stay out of this. It's between me and your useless alcoholic mother!" Big bob roared. I knew I shouldn't ease drop but I didn't want to knock something told me Helga was the only thing standing in the way of Miriam getting an unjust beating. I had always sensed as a kid that Helga was neglected at home but it was like a personal stab to have it confirmed with my own ears.

"Helga dad my name is Helga!" The raspy voice screeched with furry. "Bob, honey just take a breath." Miriam answered monotone. I flinched as I heard an echoing slap. "Get off her Sap!" The raspy voice hollered and I could hear thrashing as if someone was trying to throw a person off their back. I was about to turn the doorknob and storm into the house when the door flung open and I was toppled on by a mane of platinum hair. We both toppled down the front steps and I could taste the salt of tears on my tong. "We really need to stop running into each other like this football head." Her voice conveyed nothing of the horrific scene I'd overheard. I said nothing looking her over.

She wiped the tears off her face. How could it have taken me over a decade to realize how ravishing she truly was? The black of her liner made her orb like blue eyes gleam two gems. She wore a short blue strapless dress and matching Jimmy Choos. Her long blonde hair ironed down to her waist. She looked like an awoken sleeping beauty. "Helga I- I couldn't help but over hear." My rage seeped through my attempt to sound calm. "I'll be right back." I stated plainly ready to kick the door down and give Big Bob a dosage of his own medicine. Her touch was featherlike as she took her fingers tenderly across my face. I clutched her hand loosing my breath. "Forget about him it's a waste of time, lets just go okay?" She whispered in my ear and chills crept down my spine.

"Okay," It bothered me how easily she let her hand slip off my face as I responded. I put my arm over her shoulder not in flirtation but a friend showing his compassion and support. I appreciated that she did not shove my arm away. "Lets forget about the past few weeks." Helga took a step back standing in front of me I was pleased to see I was much taller then her now, my chin could rest on the top of her head.

"Hey I'm Helga G. Pataki and you are?" I laughed but she kept her hand outstretched for me to clutch. "Arnold P. Shortman." I played into her charade. "Nice to meet you. You have quite the smile there Bucko but given your oddly shaped head I am inclined to forget your name and substitute it with football head." She announced. "Well two can bully then." With that I flung her over my shoulder ignoring her weak protesting fists as I ran. We arrived in front of the carnival her tears of pain replaced with pleasure from all the laughter.

"Arnold I haven't been here since I sabotaged Lila." She said Lila with venom and I lifted my eyebrow curious to hear how she'd doomed Lila. "A story for another time." The corner of her painted red lips lifted an inside joke, for her to share, only with herself. At the mention of Lila I recalled the date I'd asked her on taking her to the same exact Cheese Carnival. Everything in this town seemed to linger connected to memories I had long since forgotten. I remembered hoping to impress Lila. Hoping she would "Like Like" me after and I would finally kiss her. Such irony that I secretly hoped the same things only this time with the girl I should have taken the first time.

"Look, lets do it." I said eager. Leading Helga to a man who was drawing cartoon versions of carnival goers. I was seventeen now. I had many women in my life before. I wasn't going to screw this up. I was Charming, understanding, trustworthy. Everything good for Helga. She'd see it too by the end of the night. Tonight meant more to me then any other fling or relationship I had with a girl. I wasn't the boy I was my first time visiting this carnival. My crush wasn't repressed anymore, at least, not to myself. Therefore, a good time is exactly what I showed Helga.

"I think we've went on every ride now!" Helga's voice was accelerated. "Face it Arnold I whooped you at Bumper Cars!" I chuckled as I offered her the rest of my corn dog. I couldn't help but smirk pleased that she took it and bit out where I'd already ate some. Helga's hair was in her face I brushed it back behind her ear enjoying the warmth of her flushing cheeks. Now was my chance. I could propose we go take a boat ride. Helga would say yes and then I would make my move. I would kiss her, corny like. Kiss her like we were in a Nicolas Sparks novel. I would profess my newly recognized attraction. In my mind Helga swooned telling me Gerald was right she'd always loved me. My daydream was curb stomped in an instant.

A guy with shaggy black hair and wide brown eyes smiled his leather biker gloved hands wrapping around her eyes. "Guess who doll face." His voice had a heavy New Jersey accent and I was confused by my sudden urge to smash his face in with my fists. "Sounds like a punk," Helga teased and I was relieved maybe he was one of Helga's weaker victims. "Punk huh? You weren't calling me that last night." His tone was much like a male version of herself. "Hector you stupid jerk face!" Helga stood up clenching her fists. "I'm a classy lady! You say that again and you'll be answering to Betsy and the five avengers!" Her voice was furious but somehow flirtatious too and I felt my heart slither to the ground waiting for her to stomp out.

So naturally, Helga had never been the one for games, sooner then later she beat my heart down to a bloody pulp. She kissed the scumbag right on his lips as he spun her in his arms his buff build close to my own. "Hector, my stud, I want you to meet an old friend of mine he's great you'll love him. He just moved back." She turned to me then and somehow my face already masked my crushed attitude with a wide smile. "Hector," He beamed, "Arnold," I informed the biker boy. "Pleasure meeting you." He said as he continued to shake my hand. I shook his hand back with an unnecessarily tight grip. "strong hand you got there." Hector said with mild surprise. I smirked as he shook his fingers.

"Oh Arnold! What an ever so lovely surprise!" A southern bell crooned. Looks like Hector hadn't come alone either. Right there before my eyes in a green plaid and black shorts her Auburn hair curled into two ponytails stood my kid crush Lila. The attraction was still there after all Lila was an attractive girl. Yet, it wasn't the same. The feeling of caring for her didn't feel so good mixed in with the throbbing aching hole Helga had just punched into my heart. "Well Lila and I were just sharing a neighborhood ghost story want us to cue you in?" Hector asked grabbing hold of Helga's hand. "Tell me about it stud." Helga's raspy voice swooned and the hurt made me instantly pull closer to Lila as I stood right next to her.

Helga and I politely listened to Hector's ghost story about the ghost bride. Both of us had heard it a million times. For whatever reason though we both decided to humor him and listen as if it were our first time. "So where's this going anyway?" It was a rude question, but I had a way with making my voice sound casual and curious even when I was snide. "The point blondie," Hector said in a way that made me recall Saved By The Bell. Was high school no matter what generation always the same? Was Hector just another Slater? Myself another Zach Morris? Helga our Kelly to fight for?

I shook my head getting my mind back into focus. "The point is Lila sweetheart over here, was just explaining to me that the Ghost Bride had hidden a treasure in the basement of her murdered sister's house. I say the four of us go looking for it." Hector insisted truly bemused by his idea. "That's trespassing Hector!" Lila scolded. "Well, babe I'm down if your down." Helga beamed an impish gleam in her eyes. "Lila is just too chicken." Helga taunted clucking at her. Lila scrunched her nose in distaste as I often did. "We're not chicken huh Lila!" I said wrapping my arm around her own. "Nope!" Lila agreed sticking her button nose in the air. "Then let the games begin!" Helga declared.

Author's Note: This is it guys our Adventure is only about to begin and many plot twists to come. Wonder why Hector and Lila were alone Hmm...

I love delving into this hey arnold fantasy it's very fun I enjoy it alot. I'm thinking of writing one more fanfic at the same time too. Anyway happy reading and I hope to gain alot more people to explore the Journey with Helga, Arnold, and I. 3