Simply Priceless

Hey Arnold... Do you remember the time I came over to your house a week before that day? You were sick in bed. It snowed that day and you wanted to go out and play with your friends, but you couldnt.. I decided to pay you a visit at your window from the fire escape...

Helga was briskly walking down the sidewalk, the soft snow crunching under her boots. She clasped a thermal mug between her mitten covered hands so that the heat from the mug could warm Sunset Arms boarding home soon came into view. Helga's heart raced anxiously at the thought of surprising Arnold with a visit. She wanted to try and show him more of her sincere side. She stepped into the alley and looked up at the fire escape. The fire escape was slightly iced over and the bars were draped with icicles. She shoved the thermal mug into her coat pocket and rubbed her hands together as she focused on the first bar on the ladder.

"Alright... it's not so bad." She said hesitantly.

"All I have to do is jump and grab on." there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She wants to see Arnold, but she also doesn't want to slip and break a leg...

"Just one little jump Helga..." she thought to herself, trying to ease her mind. She closed her eyes and jumped reaching out for the bar. Her hands wrapped around it and she dangled from the ladder.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." She said with a sigh of relief. She continued climbing with no serious hassel. She approached Arnold's window- keeping her head low, her eyes just above the window frame, she peeked inside and noticed Arnold lying in bed.

"Oh Arnold... why must you lie sick in bed, while your friends enjoy playing in the snow?" she thought to herself. Grandma walked into the room with a hot bowl in her hand. She sat it in on the bedside table. Arnold sat up and leaned back into the headrest. Grandma said a couple indistinct words Helga couldn't make out and she walked out of the room. Arnold lifted the spoon and blew on it before taking a sip. Helga raised her hand to the window to knock on it, but paused, retracting it for a moment.

"What are you doing?!" She asked herself as if she were questioning her sanity.

"Arnold's lying in bed sick and you can't even bring yourself to knock on his window?!" She bit her lower lip.

"I can do this... I didn't come all this way just to turn back... especially since it's so cold out here... criminey!" She raised her hand to the window once again and tapped on it. Arnold's eyes veered to the window. Helga's heart felt like it jumped from her chest to her throat. She instantly shrinked from the window to the fire escapes iron floor. Arnold thought he caught a glimpse of a figure at his window.

"Hello, is there anyone out there?" He called from his bed, coughing afterwards. Helga remained out of sight.

"Oh no... what am I doing here?! I can't do this! He's going to think I'm weird for even being here!" She said regrettably, she began biting her nails nervously. Arnold slid out of bed and walked to the window. He pushed it open and scanned around. He quickly noticed Helga crouched down.

"Helga?" he called her name questioningly, but not because he was unsure it was her, but because he found it strange that she would be on his fire escape in the cold. Helga was startled by Arnold suddenly speaking when she was absorbed in thought, she jumped up to her feet and nearly slipped on the ice. She quickly grabbed onto the railing to keep her balance.

"Uh-Uh Arnold..." She stammered. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" she retorted.

Arnold coughed in his sleeve before speaking. "Helga... it's the middle of winter and you're hiding on my fire escape. Don't you think that's wierd?" Arnold looked at her groggily. Helga scowled at him, keeping her grip on the railing.

"It's a free country! I can go where I want!" she riposted.

Arnold sighed feeling too weak to try and argue. "Whatever you say Helga..." He stepped back from the window and reached out to close it.

"Wait!" she yelled. Arnold leaned out of the window once more.

"What is it Helga?" He asked mellowly.

Helga released the railing and turned to him. "You see... I came up here... Because..." She grabbed her left arm with her right hand nervously. "I wanted to see y-" She paused before finishing. She gripped onto her arm tightly.

"I wanted to see if you were okay..." she looked away trying to hide the distressed look on her face. Arnold gazed at her in silence. Helga became flustered from his awkward silence.

"I-I was wondering if you would let me in..." she said a bit high-strung.

"It is pretty cold out here..." She chuckled apprehensively . Arnold found it strange that Helga wanted to come to his house, but he complied.

"Alright... but you will have to come through the window. My grandmother is on the roof figure skating." Helga tilted her head quizzically.

"Figure skating huh?" she said slightly amused.

"Yea, she thinks she's a gold medalist figure skater, practicing for the winter olympic games.." he said laughing, but it was soon interrupted with a cough. Helga climbed through the window and closed it behind her. Arnold sat down on the edge of his bed and tossed his covers to the side. Helga leaned back into the table behind her and placed her hands on the tables edge. Arnold gazed at her in thought, but it was soon interrupted by Helga's tempermental mood.

"So, what are you like, dying or something football head?" Helga said a little overwrought. She shifted against the table, slightly uncomfortable with being the only one standing. Arnold had a dismissive expression on his face.

"I'm just a little under the weather Helga..."

Helga nodded silently. Arnold looked at her suspiciously. "I never thought you would come here just to see me." Helga clutched onto the table's edge. "To see you?" she laughed pussilanimously.

"What would make you say that?"

"Well, you were the one who said, 'you wanted to see if I was alright.' " He said precariously.

"Oh yea.. I did..." She tugged at her collar, her legs shaking timorously.

"Would you like to sit down?" Arnold asked in his usual calm voice to lighten the mood. Helga glanced at him.

"Can I?" She asked. Arnold nodded with a smile. Helga walked over to his bed and sat down with her arms glued to her side.

"You might catch my cold.." Arnold said concernedly.

"What?!" she said skittishly. She didn't mean to speak that way, which only caused her become even more nervous than she already was. Arnold had a way with making her feel this way, without ever needing to try. His presence brought out this version of Helga without fail.

"You're sitting pretty close to me, you might catch my cold." Helga glanced at him and noticed just how close she was to him.

"Oh!" she shrilled. She quickly coughed afterwards to cover that unnatural shrill she made. She slid to the side.

"I-I brought something for you.." She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her thermal mug. "It isn't much so..." She mumbled under her breath. Arnold looked at it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"This? Umm, just hot cocoa.." She tapped her finger on the mug. Arnold smiled warmly. Helga sat frozen agonizing over the thought of her being there with him.

"Are you going to pour me a cup?" Arnold asked. Helga gripped onto the thermal cup trepidaciously. "A cup? Sure.." her voice cracked.

"What is wrong with you!" She thought to herself.

"You're making everything so awkward... get a grip!" Helga twisted the cap off and the steam rised from the bottle like a haze. Arnold grabbed his empty glass from his nightstand and held it near Helga, she tilted the mug to pour some into his glass. The sweet smell of cocoa filled the air. Arnold blew on it a couple of times before taking a small sip. "It's good." he said elated, with a smile before taking another sip.

"Really?!" Helga shrilled once again, slightly embarrassed.

"I made it myself... Well, I mean. I didn't 'make it' from scratch or whatever, it's from those little packages... you know..." She prattled, chuckling to herself nervously. Arnold laughed.

"Don't laugh hairboy!" she razzed, feeling more comfortable now. She took a sip from the mug. Arnold glanced at Helga.

"So, you came here to check on me huh?" Helga turned her head away.

"Well, it wasn't like it was out of my way or anything... It just seemed appropriate, since everyone else gave you a visit." Arnold took another sip. "Helga.." He paused. Helga glanced at him, raising her brow.

"I was wondering if you would like to come to my christmas party this weekend." Helga traced her finger around the mouth of her mug.

"R-Really?! I don't know what to say..." she demurred.

"Say yes.." Arnold said placing the cup on the night stand. He turned to her. Helga kept her eyes on her mug and a smile slowly crept across her face.

"Well, okay...whatever. It's not like I have anything else to do that day." she said trying to appear unexcited, but in the inside her heart was doing cart wheels.

"Thanks for the cocoa." Arnold said appreciatively. Helga smiled.

You took my visit pretty well Football head... I was ecstatic to recieve an invitation from you to your christmas party. I wish I was able to express my happiness to you at that moment, but you know me... don't you Arnold? Tough as nails on the outside, but soft as a kitten on the inside...

At High School

Helga stepped off the school bus. The students all at their usual circles. Helga walked up the stairs towards the double doors, but was cut off by Curly. He gazed at her with his blue blocker shades in silence for a moment.

"So?" he said urging Helga for an answer for a question he asked a day ago. Helga let out a deep sigh and glared at him.

"So, what?!" she yelled sarcastically, feigning ignorance.

Curly twisted his lips unamused by the game Helga was playing.

"You know what I'm talking about." he emphasised on the word know.

Helga pushed passed him and walked to her locker. Curly following close behind her. Helga opened her locker and grabbed her usual things. She tilted a book out of the locker, but kept it balanced on it's edge as she paused in thought.

"I know what you're trying to do..." she said with another sigh. Curly leaned against the lockers sangfroid. Helga continued,

"You're not asking me because you're interested... you just want to start some petty game against Rhonda..." Helga slid the book out and shut the locker door. She turned, but Curly's arm drove before her path, pressing against the locker.

"What do you think you're doing?" Helga asked irritably. Curly grinned.

"Waiting for a yes." Helga rolled her eyes. "I said no!" she tightened her hand into a fist as she scowled at him.

"What if I said I do like you?" Curly asked dubiously.

"Then you're a damn liar!" She snapped back. Curly placed his other arm on the opposite side, caging Helga in. Helga pressed her back against the lockers and glared at him. Curly snickered.

"I know you don't like Rhonda, so why are you so against this..?" Helga was at her boiling point, she raised her fist and swung at Curly, but he stepped back, just barely getting a graze on his chin from her knuckle.

"I said no!" She reiterated angrily. Curly scoffed.

"You've changed... ever since Arnold left, I thought that if there was anyone who would keep any semblance of their former self... it would be you! He dragged his fingers through his hair frusturatingly. "Did you like him or something?" Helga's eyes widened in surprise. She quickly averted her eyes to the floor.

"Of course not! You know I hated his guts!"

Curly didn't buy it. "You did didn't you? You liked him.."

Helga crossed her arms. "You don't know what you're saying!" she retorted. Curly stepped in closer to Helga to shield her body from prying eyes.

"I kinda knew... you know? After Arnold left- the way you looked afterwards. You stayed out of school for two weeks, and then after all that... your mother..."

Curly stared at the lockers behind her. Helga clamped her eyes shut, trying to escape to place somewhere in her head, but then she could hear a familiar voice coming down the hallway. An obnoxious voice, filled with pompousness and pretentiousness. Rhonda! Her mind yelled to herself. Curly turned his head slightly and caught a glimpse of Rhonda. She was absorbed in one of her conversations on fashion, paying no attention to the others around her. Helga cursed her name under her breath. She grabbed onto Curly's shoulder and pulled him into a kiss without even thinking. Their lips mashed together. Curly's blue blocker shades nearly slid down his nose and onto the floor, revealing his wide eyed expression, but he quickly brought his finger to his frames and pushed them back up. Rhonda waved goodbye to one of the girls she was speaking too and casually scanned the hallways, probably looking for some poor person to berate. She saw Curly hunched in front of a locker, but paid no attention, until she did a double take and noticed Curly kissing someone she would have never thought possible. Helga glanced at Rhonda and gave her a bedeviled winked. A fire sparked in Rhonda's eyes as she gripped onto the edge of one of her notebooks, crumpling it in her grasp. She walked passed them with a scornful look upon her face. Helga pushed Curly back and chortled to herself.

"Okay, I have to admit, that was well worth it. For that expression alone, it was priceless!" She glanced at Curly and noticed him standing in a daze.

"Curly?" she said flatly. He gazed at her in a charmed like state.

"Hmm?" he hummed in response.

"Get a grip!" she punched him in the shoulder.

"Oh! Right!" He quickly regained composure. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Listen... Rhonda is having a Christmas party a few days before Christmas eve... I want you to be there."

Helga felt slightly uncomfortable. "I don't know..."

Curly smiled. "Just say yes." Helga's eyes quickly darted toward him and locked onto his. She felt a wave of nostalgia over take her.

"Okay... fine, whatever." she shrugged. Curly nodded.

"See you in class." He walked the opposite direction from class.

"What is with that guy and not coming to class on time..." she shook her head and stepped into class. She instantly felt a piercing cold stare centered on her. She didn't bother glancing at the back of the room, because she knew exactly who it was that was staring daggers at her. Helga reveled in the moment. She sat down at her desk, but even then she could feel her stare on her back. Helga laughed to herself. She found it amusing that Rhonda would go around telling everyone she has no feeling whatsoever for Curly, but once he starts fooling around with another girl, she goes into a jealous fit.

"Priceless.." She muttered to herself.