Arnold POV
I feel more empty as I walk back home. The worst feeling of all of this is that now Helga is involved and they are going to go looking after her. I pray that she stays safe and out of harm's way.
Helga POV
Stupid Arnold. Stupid, stupid Arnold.
He thinks he knows everything, but in reality, he knows nothing.
I heard everything they said. I heard him say about the shipment, about his offer, and about Carter.
I can't believe that Carter was, or is, associated with them. He was the biggest guy in our station, so I can see how they would use him as a threat towards Arnold.
I am still fuming for Arnold suggesting that we stop talking. I swear he is such an idiot. This isn't the kind of thing that one can do alone, no matter who you are. One thing I learned from the army is that you need people to survive and execute your plans.
Idiot.
Even though Arnold is pissing me off, I still find myself walking towards the docks. No matter what he says, he needs my help. He's lucky I love… like… love him. I can't deny my feelings for him in the past and that they haven't altered since elementary school.
It's eight thirty right now and it is still a fifteen minute walk to the docks. I don't know where they need to be delivered to, but I'm hoping the people there will be able to tell me where it needs to go to.
What if they don't know? What if this is a trap? I guess I can just go to see what will happen. My anxiety rises as the unknown creeps its way into my mind. It's getting colder as I get closer to the water and I regret not taking a jacket with me. Why did stupid Arnold have to walk over and be a gentleman?
My anger is rising thinking about him again, so I try to get my mind off of him and focus on my task at hand.
I arrive at the docks and it's eight fifty now. I wait close by, but not in view of the docks. Ten minutes pass and I see a boat pull up to the nearest dock with "Ricky's Gardening" painted on the side.
A worker hops out while another hands him three boxes, one after another. That must be the lawnmower and two leaf blowers.
As I start to head out into the open, I hear a conversation going on that stops me in my tracks.
"So is he coming or not?" a familiar voice says. I don't hear a response so I suppose he is talking on the phone.
"You said he would be here… I'm not bringing it…. That's your fault," he says and hangs up.
I reveal myself from the safe haven of the bushes and approach him from the side as he walks away from the dock.
"Gerald," I say. I see his eyebrow raise before he turns to face me.
"What do you want?" he says. I don't think he recognizes me due to the dark sky.
"It's me. Helga," I tell him.
His eyes widen as he takes in my appearance for the second time.
"Oh…. Hey. What's up?" he says.
"Um," I'm not sure what I should say. There is so much to say yet so little.
"How… have you been?" I ask. I need to tread lightly here.
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"Good, just returned back to town. Hey, I was wondering, have you seen Arnold lately? I miss teasing the football head," I only half-lie.
"Na, he left Hillwood about five years ago. Haven't talked to him since." He mutters something under his breath that sounds like "sissy."
"Oh that's surprising since you guys were best friends," I say and his phone beeps in his hand.
"Yeah well not anymore," he says and looks at his message.
"Where are you headed to?" I ask.
"To a friend's house. Going home?" he asks.
"Yeah. I'm going that way too," I say and we both start walking.
It's kind of uncomfortable as we make our way back into the city.
"What were you doing out here anyway?" Gerald asks me.
"Just going for a walk. I like to watch the water," I say which is true even though I didn't come here tonight for that reason.
"What about you? What brought you here tonight?" I ask when he doesn't respond.
"Just some business stuff but I just found out that I came here for nothing."
"Oh. What do you do?"
He takes a moment before he responds. "Nothing big. I sell products on my free time."
That doesn't help me with anything.
"Well I gotta turn on this street. Maybe I'll see you around," he says as he shifts to the right.
"Oh okay. See ya," I say as I continue forward.
Now I have two options.
One: I can go home and sulk over what is really going on and worry about Arnold's safety, or two: follow Gerald and find out what is going on myself. Now is a better time than ever since who knows when I will have a hint to where the house is.
I go with option two.
Arnold POV
I feel more empty than ever after returning to my barren apartment since I had the chance to fill with love and life, but drove it away.
What if I did go down to the docks? I know for sure someone would be waiting for me. There is no way David would let me go that easy. Or I could just go to his house and cut to the chase without wasting a trip.
Maybe I should just stay home since I got in enough trouble tonight and I can still feel my ribs throbbing. Well, sometimes you just have to go for it, despite the things that tempt you to hold back.
I hurry out of this apartment, rush down the stairs, and welcome the cool air that settles on my cheeks. I think his place is only a few minutes away. I don't remember fully but I'm sure walking around will help jog my memory even though it is already dark. The time on my phone reads nine fifteen so it is already past when his shipment came here.
I walk down the roads as they become more familiar to me and now I remember where I am going.
I get closer to the house and see a figure enter it. A dark figure. I am almost certain that is Gerald. My anger rises as I stay back and figure out what to do next.
Going inside doesn't benefit me at all. There will just be more fighting. I can't even remember my justification for coming here in the first place.
My mind freezes as I see a smaller frame approach the house. It's a girl… with long hair… that can't be her. But who else is crazy enough to go to a meth dealer's house? I see her try to creep around the back and I jog over to get to her as fast as I can without making too much noise.
I get closer and notice her blonde hair.
"Helga," I yell whisper.
She looks frightened as she turns around, but her features soften when she realizes it is me.
"What the hell are you doing?" I whisper. The worst thing would be if they heard us right now and came outside.
"I just… I… I don't know," she admits. Her frustrated frown grows as I make my way towards her.
"Let's get out of here. Come on we'll talk about it somewhere else," I say and grab her hand.
"No," she says and snatches her hand back.
"Helga, come on. Not here," I comply with her.
"You're the one who said we shouldn't hang out, so just leave," she says with her signature sass.
"We shouldn't hang out because this is the reason," I say and wave my hand toward the house.
"Just leave me alone. I can take care of myself," she says and turns away from me.
"Helga, please. I am begging you. I don't want you to get hurt," I say. Our whispering is making it hard to express how this is truly frustrating to me.
"You hurt me more when you turned me away," she admits to me.
I take a second before I respond but she uses it to add in.
"I can help you. I know Carter," she says.
"Really? Carter Williams?" I ask astonished. "How?"
"We were on the same base. He is one of my good friends."
Oh, that all makes a lot of sense. I could see Helga befriending someone like that since she is fearless anyway, despite his large composure.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. We could try again?" I really didn't want to hurt Helga and now I see that she isn't all that helpless in this situation.
"Why, because you found out I'm friends with a person you're scared of? That really messed up, Arnold."
"No, Helga. I told you before I really like you. I'm sorry I didn't see how equipped you really are to handle this all. Please. I want to find out more about your life as well and all of your army stories. Everything, I want to hear it all. I want you to take me under."
I see my speech has made something in her head turn as she stares at me before looking off into space.
"O… okay," she agrees and walks towards me. I capture her in my arms before we get as far away from this house as possible.
A/N: Sorry this took me longer than usual. I haven't been feeling well and tore a muscle in my elbow. Lol I'm okay though. Have a good weekend :)