Chapter 7: Can I Have It Back?
"Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey A..OW!" Helga tried leaning over Arnold quickly to shut off the alarm before it could wake him, but was unsuccessful. "Sorry football head." she said, as she stood up to stretch her arms.
Arnold was tempted to get up with her, but didn't know what type of mood she would be in. One of the things he had learned about her over the years was not to push her too far when she had something she wasn't ready to tell. No matter how much it broke his heart.
"It's okay. Have a good day." he replied, turning back around to lay his head down. Helga glanced over with a sad face. Have a good day? Is that it? He doesn't want to get up with me? Did I upset him that much yesterday?
Oh my beloved, what have I done? What havoc have I brought to our delicate relationship that's yet to become? I will fix this injustice which I have so brought before us!
Standing in the kitchen, grabbing herself some cereal, she thought to herself, Crimity! The idea of being a housewife who can cook isn't starting to sound so bad!
After dropping her bowl in the sink, she headed for City Hall. I'm sure Arnold was right. I was just nervous about working with someone new. There's no reason to act that way today. I'm Helga G. Pataki! I can handle anything! Well Helga G. Shortman…
Before she knew it, she was at work, where Mark was already waiting for her. "Good morning Helga, how are you this morning?"
Looking at him, doing her best to hide her trembling body, she replied "Fine. Just fine."
"Well good. I've been trying to think of something for us to do today since we finished organizing everything yesterday. I must say, you did quite an excellent job catching on to where everything goes around here quickly." he said, as her knees began to weaken. She couldn't figure out what it was about him that made her so nervous?
"Uhhh thanks." her eyes widened as she gulped. An awkward silence occurred while they each stood there thinking to themselves a moment.
Crimity! What do I do? Wait for him to think of something, or ask for his help with Matt?
After not hearing hearing him suggest anything, she watched him walk towards the computer to look something up. Slowly approaching him, he whipped his head around, not noticing the gasp she let out.
"I wanted to tell you something yesterday." he confessed to her, as her eyes began to widen.
"You...you did?" she stuttered.
"I saw you last Friday at the arcade." he replied as sweat began to form on her face.
Still not remembering what all had happened, she let him continue, taking a seat beside him.
"My friends were throwing a party to welcome my new roommate. When I saw you there, I assumed you were a friend he had met at the homeless shelter."
Helga remained frozen in the chair. Now that she knew her hazy memory about Mark was true, she was petrified about the outcome.
"Uh huh? Umm what exactly happened?" she gulped, not believing she had the strength to ask.
Meanwhile, Arnold was getting dressed in his apartment. Maybe I shouldn't have acted so perturbed this morning. Helga wasn't really acting that differently.
He reached for his phone to call her when he saw he had missed a text from Jason.
"Would you like to study again today?"
I guess I could. Helga didn't say when she'd be back he thought to himself.
"Sure. I'll be at the library shortly."
Arnold then got up to make himself some eggs.. That is, until he saw no one had washed the dishes. I guess Helga was right about us needing to hire a maid.
After just deciding to grab an apple off the counter, he began heading towards the library. Not long after leaving the apartment, he saw what appeared to be Stinky across the street. Racing across to catch him, he yelled "Stinky! Stinky wait up!"
Stinky turned to see Arnold nearly tripping, as he brought himself to stop. "Oh hey Arnold. What brings you here?"
Trying to catch his breath, Arnold replied "Your dad said you were out of town, visiting your grandma?"
"Oh, it don't take long to catch up with her. She don't find me to be the interestin' type." Stinky said, not finding that to be offensive to himself.
"Uh huh? Anyway, I was talking to Sid about what happened at the party last week."
"Oh yeah! That was a mighty fine get together!" Stinky smiled as Arnold tried getting to the point.
"Yeah well, I wanted to ask if you still had Helga's ring?"
"I don't wreckin' so? On account a Sid left it sittin' on the table after Helga handed it to him." Stinky said, scratching his head, as Arnold's eyes lit up.
"Thanks Stinky!" he exclaimed, heading towards the boarding house.
I forgot about Jason! I'll just have to text him and tell him I'm going to be late.
Racing back to the boarding house, Arnold marched in, not caring if the animals knocked him over. He began to rethink that decision, after opening the door.
Managing to keep from falling off the porch, he searched for the one family member he knew was around for the party. "Grandpa! Grandpa!"
Arnold found his grandmother in the kitchen chopping watermelon for dinner. "Grandma, where's grandpa."
"Why, he's in his office young grasshopper!" she informed him as he headed upstairs.
Arnold made it upstairs just in time to see Phil leaving the bathroom. "Hey shortman! Never eat raspberries."
"Grandpa! Stinky said Helga's wedding ring is here somewhere, have you seen it?"
"Oh yeah, that thing's been sittin' on the table in the living room for the past week." Phil pointed down the hallway as Arnold frowned.
"Grandpa! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Cuz you never asked about it?! Phil replied as the two went downstairs.
Arnold anxiously raced there to see nothing waiting for him on the table. An even bigger frown came to his face as Phil held his chin. "Hmmm guess someone grabbed it. Maybe those were your mom's car keys I was thinking of? You still got that plastic ring don't ya?"
Back at city hall, Mark had finished explaining his night with Helga, as she went from wide eyed and tense to a cocked brow with crossed arms.
"So, you're telling me I spent the night doing shots with you until I took off my ring. Apparently, thinking I lost a bet to you?" she said out loud, getting her facts straight.
Mark nodded his head, replying "Yeah, I tried to give it back, but you just kept walking."
Helga leaned forward in her seat, anxiously asking "So, can I have it back now?"
"I don't have it anymore." he replied, with a regretful look on his face.
Her wide eyed look returned as she replied "What?! Where is it then?"
Having a fearful look on his face, Mark explained "After you left, a guy came up to me who seemed to know you. I gave the ring to him, assuming he'd give it back to you."
Helga lowered her head in disbelief Crimity! I'll never find that thing!
"I'm sure it's no big deal. Your husband won't love you any less because of it." Mark insisted as she began to raise her head.
"I guess. I do have a favor to ask though." she said softly as he listened attentively.
"Last year, I got felt up by some jerk at school who would not take a hint that I already had a boyfriend. Even if I had been single, there was no way in hell I was going out with him. Then when my boyfriend Arnold saw he wouldn't take his hands off me, he came over to warn him to stay away. Not only would the creep not back off, he started making fun of Arnold. Therefore, I punched him." she began to explain as Mark's eyes widened.
"Now a friend of ours says he still has a few months left to have the right to sue us and is looking for any chance to take us down. So, if you could help me look up some kind of defense right act I could use against this lamebrain, that'd be great." she finished as a puzzled look came to Mark's face.
While the two of them sat there pondering this, Arnold had just made it to the library. He knew Jason would already be in there waiting for him, so all he had to do was walk in and find him. There he saw him sitting in the same seat, going over the information for what hopefully wouldn't turn out to be a quiz the following week.
"Hey Jason, sorry I'm late." Arnold apologized.
"Don't worry about it. How have you been?" he asked, while Arnold took a moment to answer. Jason wasn't exactly a close friend, so he didn't know if there was any point in bothering him with the trouble he and Helga had been going through lately.
"Well, Helga and I have just been stressed out lately. I'm sure we're just getting used to the idea of starting a new life together, new jobs, and I threw kind of a crazy party last week that's had her concerned ever since." he admitted as Jason set his book aside.
"My parents and grandparents live in a boarding house. When Helga and I were celebrating moving out last Friday, some of the boarders bought alcohol for the party. My friends and I all drank to the point where none of us could remember more than a few moments from that night. She's been pretty upset ever since." he sighed, looking away.
"Well, memory loss can be quite frustrating. Especially if you find out you did something you regret doing. For instance, sleeping with another person." Jason suggested as Arnold's eyes widened.
Could this be what Helga was so upset about yesterday? Could she have slept with someone and not remembered?
"Uhh yeah. I guess that makes since." Arnold said, trying to keep his mind on his work.
After a few moments of staring at their books, Arnold decided the new thought that had been brought to his mind was too much to keep him focused on his studies.
"Thanks for inviting me to study Jason. I remembered I have to talk to someone about something. I'll see you tomorrow if you still plan on coming over to cook."
"Sounds good. See you then." he said, waving goodbye to Arnold.
Meanwhile, Helga was watching Mark read through practically every self defense law, looking for a loophole. "Crimity! They have a SPORT called boxing! Yet, they're this technical about whether or not it's okay to hit someone if that lunatic's invading your personal space?!" she exclaimed.
"The government takes physical violence quite seriously." Mark warned her as she crossed her arms, rolling her eyes.
"Oh man! They should take a look at public schools today. Kids get punched every few minutes. Be it for fun, or to teach that certain someone a lesson for hovering over your shoulder when you're trying to get a moment of privacy to be alone with your thoughts!" Helga thought out loud to herself as Mark gave her a questioning look.
"So, they hit each other for standing too close?" he asked, hoping she realized how crazy that sounded.
Tugging at her collar, as her eyes began to widen, she replied "Oh you know, something along those lines."
Mark looked back at the computer, trusting it wasn't as bad as she made it out to be.
Phew! That was close! Stupid Brainy!
Although it was a relief to have things cleared up about the night of the party, and something being done about Matt, Helga stood there wondering what things would be like with Arnold when she returned home. How mad was he at her right now?
He had just made it home, setting his things down in their quiet apartment.
Ring...Ring...Ring…
"Hello?"
"Hey Gerald."
"Hey Arnold. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to get some ice cream?"
"Sure buddy. Meet ya there!"
Walking down the street, Arnold wondered if the ring was even worth being concerned about at this point. Helga wanted it back just as a reminder of how far they'd come with their relationship. A symbol of the destination they reached together, despite the terrible twists and turns their relationship had taken over the years. What kind of mark would be left on it if either of them slept with another person.
Making his way inside the ice cream parlor, he saw his best friend waiting for him. "Hey Arnold! Over here buddy!"
"Hey Gerald." he said, sadly taking a seat.
"What's going on man? This better not still be about the rings. If so, we're going to the arcade." Gerald warned him, pointing a finger.
Arnold rested his head on his hand, propping it on his elbow against the table. "Gerald, I'm worried Helga's hiding something from me."
Raising an eyebrow, taking a sip of his milkshake, Gerald replied "That's nothing new."
"You don't understand. She's been acting paranoid for the past week!" Arnold pointed out, while he watched his friend push aside his shake.
"The past week? Arnold, that girl has been the most overly-dramatic thinker we've known since preschool! She's not cool and laid back. If you two plan on living out the phrase 'opposites attract' that's your area to fill." Gerald insisted.
Staring at the table, Arnold sighed "I don't know if that's enough."
"What are you talking about?" Gerald asked, leaning back with his arms crossed.
"I'm talking about the fact that no one remembers EVERYTHING that happened that night!" he began as his friend interrupted.
"What makes you think they would? They were drunk!"
"Something obviously happened that Helga's ashamed to tell me about. It's hard enough getting her to open up about things she knows aren't worth worrying about. How am I supposed to get her to open up about...whatever it was that happened the night of the party?" Arnold said, finally making eye contact with his friend.
"Look man, what is it you think she did?" Gerald asked impatiently.
"What if she, she…" he began, scratching the back of his head.
"She what?" Gerald leaned forward as Arnold grew silent.
"What if she slept with someone?" Arnold asked, as Gerald went from raising his eyebrows to shaking his head.
"Arnold, with all do respect buddy, you're the only one who ever has, and ever will be, able to see the good in that girl. Trust me...no one slept with her!" Gerald insisted as Arnold rolled his eyes.
"She was wondering around town drunk in the middle of the night Gerald! Anything could have happened!" he exclaimed, waving his hands in the air.
"Have you bothered to ask her about it or have you just been going with this 'give her her space' plan of yours?"
Taking a moment to think, he replied "We were uh, doing stuff in the kitchen when I got home yesterday when all of a sudden, she backed away from me. She asked what happened at the party, and has been distant ever since."
"Was she acting weird before then?" Gerald wondered, beginning to see the strangeness in the situation.
"Well, come to think of it. When I got home, she did kind of throw herself at me." he thought out loud as Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Threw herself at you?"
"She started making out with me on the couch, because she said the nervous feeling that came over her when she met her manager freaked her out." he began to explain.
"So if I was to suddenly jump out at her from behind a corner, her first thoughts would be 'I need to have sex with Arnold?'" Gerald said wittingly, as his best friend rolled his eyes.
"She was worried she was having feelings for him, because she felt the same nervous feelings around him that she does with me." Arnold explained, not liking the way that sounded.
"You two both have the same problem. You have an idea of what could have happened based on the information you do have, but aren't willing to share what you know. You have to tell her you suspect she's worried she cheated on you. She'll have no choice then but to explain herself." Gerald smiled, feeling proud of his suggestion.
Arnold sighed, knowing it wouldn't be easy. Helga wasn't any easier to trap Helga into revealing information than it was to get her to open up voluntarily. All she had to do was act as though she didn't know what the person accusing her was talking about, no matter how ridiculous a point it got to.
"I guess I have no choice.."
It was approaching the end of Helga's work day. They had spent nearly all of it looking up information to use to protect Helga and Arnold against Matt. "Well Helga, I'll keep searching for something this weekend. I know there are laws pertaining to your case. There number of laws giving people the right to sue if they've been touched in general just significantly outweighs them." Mark warned her.
Helga stood up from her desk chair, not looking too confident. "Alright, thanks for the help. See ya Monday I guess."
Walking down the steps of City Hall, she thought to herself I think I'm finally starting to master this high heel thing!
Meanwhile, Arnold and Gerald were leaving Slausens. Normally Gerald wouldn't mind being there for his friend when he had girl troubles. Even he felt Arnold and Helga were overreacting in this case however. So much, that he was looking for anything to talk about that would snap him out of this depressing mindstate. "So, how's that psychology job of yours?"
Arnold turned his head towards Gerald to explain "All I've been doing the past two days is studying at the library...well mostly."
"Dare I ask?" Gerald said, knowing the rest had to do with his marriage troubles.
Shaking his head with his hands on his hips, Gerald added. "Man, either you were right about her having a sensitive side or that was some long lasting booze she consumed. I want you to go home. Tie her up again if you have to, although I've tried to remove that horror show image I witnessed of you two from my mind these past few weeks." Gerald began, giving a disgusted look as Arnold blushed.
"Whatever it takes. I'm sick of this second teenage puberty stage you're putting on. Pataki hasn't exactly been paying Phoebe much attention either." Gerald reminded him, while Arnold stopped to think about how little attention they had been paying their friends lately.
While considering this on what turned into a quiet trip back to the apartment, Helga pulled out her phone to see she had a missed call.
Ring...Ring...Ring
"Hello?"
"Hey Pheeb. Sorry I missed your call last night."
"Is everything alright."
*Sigh*
"I don't know Pheebs"
"Would you like to get together to talk about this?"
"Sounds good. Meet ya by the docks."
"Meeting!"
Approaching his new home, Arnold felt a pat on the back. "Well buddy, good luck tonight. Let me know how everything goes."
With his head hanging low, Arnold replied "Thanks Gerald. See ya later."
"Later man." Gerald replied, giving his best friend their secret handshake.
Arnold made it inside to see an empty apartment. Maybe I should try to make Helga something for dinner. If I show her how much I want this to work, I might to have to play the 'vulnerable' card.
While he was searching through the cabinets for something he knew wouldn't be too hard to make, Helga had just made it to the docks.
She saw her best friend sitting on the edge, waiting for her.
"Good afternoon Helga. That certainly is a lovely business suit."
Helga took a seat beside her friend, wandering how not to get herself dirty. "Yeah, come to think of it, this may not have been the best place to meet while I'm dressed like this. I just enjoy coming here to clear my head."
Phoebe nodded her head, already knowing that about her friend.
"So, what's been troubling you lately?"
Helga shut her eyes a moment, not knowing where to start. "Well, yesterday I was given a new guy to work with. When I saw him, I got all nervous. That same shaking, trembling feeling I get when I'm around Arnold." she began as Phoebe listened attentively.
"I could barely speak around the guy. When the day was over I raced home, not long before Arnold arrived. When he did, I practically threw myself at him, knowing there was no way I could love anyone else. I mean, crimity, I've been obsessed with him since I was three! She exclaimed.
"True. You've proven to have strong lingering feelings that would be quite hard to break." Phoebe agreed.
"Then Arnold assures me I was just nervous about working with someone new. Which I figured sounded reasonable until football head and I were making out in the kitchen."
"Did you not have the same warm feeling you've always felt with him during your intimate moments?" her best friend asked as she sighed.
"Worse Pheebs. I had a stupid flashback of what happened the night of the party. From the haziness of it, it seemed as though I had slept with the guy from my office. I couldn't tell Arnold that though!" she exclaimed.
"Oh my! So you've ignored him ever since?" Phoebe wondered.
"Basically. I went to the office today to find what happened was I somehow left the house in the middle of the night and instead of taking my clothes off for him, I gave my ring to him. Only, he doesn't have it anymore! Crimity, I'm never going to get that thing back!" Helga said, smacking her head.
"Like I said the other day Helga, you don't need it to be happy. If you're that concerned however, did your new manager say who he gave the ring to?" Phoebe asked as Helga shrugged her shoulders.
"Apparently it was someone who claimed to know me. I think we can rule out you, Arnold, tall hair boy, and little Miss Perfect since I've already spoken with her about it."
A moment of silence took over until Phoebe spoke up. "You know Helga, when Arnold didn't think he'd be able to keep your real engagement ring, you were satisfied with the one from the claw machine and a poem you had written yourself for the occasion. Now that you're officially married, do you really believe you need that wedding ring to remind you how much he loves you? He does simple loving gestures to prove he would remain faithful to you every day." Phoebe assured her as Helga turned her head towards her.
"You're right Pheebs. Let's go home." she replied, standing up to dust what she could off her suit. "Crimity! Look how damp this thing got!"
Helga arrived home to see Arnold cooking in the kitchen. He didn't turn his head to see the door opening. Instead, he turned around the moment he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Helga! You're home!" he exclaimed as she stepped back. "Sheesh football head! I'm right here. We don't need a second Olga."
"Right. Sorry. How was work?" he asked, embarrassed by his enthusiasm.
Giving him a weak smile, she replied "Eh, not bad. Mark may be able to dig up some info to use against Matt if he tries anything funny."
A wide grin formed on Arnold's face, while he couldn't help but raise his voice. "Really? That's great!"
"Yep. So, I see you're cooking. Those TV dinners just not doing it for you anymore?" she asked, taking a glance at what was on the stove.
"I just thought I'd try making you something. You haven't seemed to happy the past week. I wanted to make it up to you." he explained as she started to look away.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've just had some things on my mind."
Arnold looked back at the stove to stir the noodles. He knew she wasn't going to open up to him. He also didn't want to force her to. Why can't she just say it?!
Knowing she wasn't making him happy by bottling up the rest of the information, Helga said "I'm going to go change. I'll be back."
After not receiving a response from him, Helga stood in their bedroom changing into some sweatpants and a t-shirt, thinking to herself…
Oh Arnold, my beloved. What will you do when I confess the truth the you? Was losing that ring losing a piece of your heart? Was that dream warning me our worlds are about to be torn apart? Perhaps it is I alone who is the dagger in this whole…."Helga! Dinner's ready!"
She then shook her head, hearing these words. Entering the kitchen, she saw some spaghetti had been made for the two of them.
Helga looked at the food, sad that she wasn't putting the effort into making their relationship stand strong during these tough times that he obviously was.
Arnold saw a sad look on her face, assuming it meant she was disappointed. "I know it's not much. I figured it would be better than those TV dinners though."
Hearing these words, she looked up at him, her voice shaking as she replied "I've got something to tell you after dinner."
He couldn't believe what he heard, or what he thought he was going to hear. This made him begin to shovel his food down as Helga cocked her brow at him. "You can never comment on the way I eat again football head! Sheesh!"
"My one to your one million." he replied, finishing up his food. Arnold was so anxious to hear what she had to say, he had nothing better to do than sit and watch her eat. This wasn't making her to comfortable.
"Enjoying the show, football head?" she asked, while that didn't put a pause on his anxiety.
"Uhh kind of. Although I wish I could fast forward." he laughed, seeing her roll her eyes.
"Well, sit back, because this show has plenty of commercials that come with it."
Rolling his eyes at her remark, he replied "Whatever you say Helga."
Knowing it wasn't fair to rush her, he decided to get up and wash his plate to kill time. First I cook, then I clean. I guess I am going to be the housewife. He thought to himself.
As he was putting it away, he saw another being set in the sink beside him. "Looks like you got one more to rinse, football head!"
Smiling at her with half-lidded eyes, he replied "I think it can wait until later."
A chill went through her body, feeling him run his hands up her arms and under her sleeves.
"So, what did you want to tell me?" he asked, leaning closer.
Helga gulped, knowing she technically had nothing to worry about. Arnold didn't care about the ring, and she didn't sleep with Mark.
"Uhhh...let's go in the bedroom." she said, watching Arnold shrug his shoulders. "Fine by me."
Arnold got comfortable on the bed, waiting for her new. He then turned to see Helga began going through their nightstand and dresser drawers. "Crimity! Where is it?!"
"What are you looking for?" he asked, sitting up.
Irritably clenching her fists, she replied "None of your beezewax Arnoldo!"
"Whatever you say Helga." he sighed, laying back down, hoping she wouldn't back out on telling him what she had planned to.
Seeing she was still searching through the drawers, he felt the need to once again interrupt. "If you're looking for the condoms, they're…"
"I'm not looking for those! Sheesh!" she exclaimed, not bothering to turn and look at him.
Arnold watched her leave the room a moment, while he continued lying there, staring at the ceiling. We could have found whatever it is she's looking for by now if she would just let me help.
Suddenly, she was hovering over him, empty handed. "Did you find...whatever it was you needed?" he asked anxiously.
"Maybe." she replied, watching him roll his eyes.
"Alright. So are you going to tell me what you said you needed to?" he asked, sitting up.
Helga sighed, while Arnold could see something was clearly bothering her. He then sat up to rub her shoulders, doing his best not to ask her to proceed.
A moment later, Helga looked up at him with her sad blue eyes while watching his desperate green eyes stay focused on her.
She pulled him in for a long lingering kiss, hoping never to lose what they had.
She could sense he wasn't as into it as she was. He desperately wanted to know what she had to say. Sitting him up, she pulled off his shirt. Leaning her head against his, rubbing his shoulders, running her hands from them to the end of his arms.
After he had shut his eyes to enjoy the feel of her soft hands against his smooth skin, he opened them to feel her tying him up.
While she laid him against the back of the bed, she sat beside him, hearing him sigh. "I should have known that was what you were looking for. Just be nice this time."
Giving him a sad look, she said "Only if you're nice to me."
Lifting an eyebrow at her, he asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Arnold, I just can't get over that dream I had. What if it really did mean something?" she asked, looking down, twiddling her thumbs.
"Helga, I told you to forget about it. What are you worried it means?" he asked, feeling a bit of irony being played in the situation. Gerald told him to tie her up and force her to reveal her true feelings. Now here he was being tied up, only able to beg her to spit out what she had been repressing.
"When you kissed me yesterday, I remembered something about the party." she began, wishing she could speak at lightning speed. Just to fast forward to the end of the story.
"What did you remember?" he wondered, forgetting for a moment he was tied up.
"I pictured myself drinking somewhere, taking something of mine off, in front of another guy. One I recognized to be Mark, my new manager." she sighed as he raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"How is that even possible? No one new was at the party."
Feeling agitated that it ever happened, she replied "I must have slept walked outside that night, because Mark said he saw me at what was his new housewarming party at the arcade."
"So, you two ended up…" Arnold asked, beginning to struggle.
"In my daydream, that's what I was worried about." she frowned as his eyes widened.
"What happened then?!" he insisted on knowing, hating the fact that he couldn't move.
"This morning, he said what I took off was my ring to give to him, after I drank some more." she explained, listening to a dramatic sigh release from him. After the two stared at one another a moment, Arnold's expression went from relief to excitement.
"Great! Now you've got your ring back right?"
Once again a frown formed on her face. Shaking her head at him, she replied "No. When I asked him for it, he said I left in too big a hurry for him to return it. He just ended up giving it to someone who apparently knows me."
Arnold examined the depressing look of disappointment on her face. "Did he say what the person looks like?"
Helga began to stare into space, slowly shaking her head. Arnold didn't understand what she could think he would be upset with her about. The ring didn't mean anything to him. He was just full of relief she didn't sleep with anyone else.
"I don't understand what you're asking me to forgive you for?"
Whipping her head around as if that one sentence was the key to snapping her out of her haze, she snapped "Arnold, do you not remember what my dream was about?"
Shrugging his shoulders reminded him he was tied up. He could feel the frustration from it forming as he replied "We should just be friends."
Rolling her eyes at his description, she replied "NO! That you suggested going back to being enemies to make me feel better. Then worse, you later didn't even know who I was?! What kind of freakin' coincidence to you find it to be that I would dream about something so terrible, then not have my ring the next morning? Not to mention you working with the guy I met at the homeless shelter who just happened to have feelings for me. What are the odds of that? Sheesh!"
Arnold wanted so badly to hold her. To comfort her and tell her everything was okay. Just having to lay there and listen to her panic, while not being allowed to do anything for her. It was as though she was trying to prepare him for her willingly leaving him.
"Helga! It was just a dream! I love how passionate you are, but sometimes you let your feelings get the best of you. You can't decide to be the judge of everyone's happiness based on a few unexplainable events." he insisted, with almost demanding eyes.
"Pttss...what makes you so sure?" she scoffed.
"When we were kids, I had no idea why you acted the way that you did, but I didn't judge you. I didn't exclude you from my life." he pointed out, as her eyes began to water.
"Oh what do you know football head!" she scowled, turning her head.
"I don't know where you're going with this, but I do know you're really starting to scare me! I would never leave you Helga! I can only hope you feel the same way about me."
Crimity! Him and his guilt trips! Stupid football head!
Arnold waited for her to face him, while he watched her looking away to hide her teary eyes. Each tiny sobb he couldn't comfort was a handful of distress for his heart.
Why won't she ever let me help her? Let alone 'believe' that I want to?
Helga continued to look away, doing her best to wipe her eyes and calm herself. She then heard something in her ear, "I know I need you, even if you don't think you need me."
Hearing these words brought as much pain as it did joy to her heart. It hurt that she not only hadn't mastered the technique of letting people in, but hurt the ones she loved because of it.
It brought happiness to her heart however, that someone she cared so much for felt they needed someone with such a rough exterior. True she had a sensitive soul, but did she show it often enough to make her seem as though she was worth keeping?
Turning to look at him with watery eyes and rose colored cheeks, she saw he had managed to scoot to what was now only an inch away from her.
Watching her wipe the leftover tears from her eyes made him begin to breath heavily as he thought to himself I hope she believes me! That I would never leave her for anyone! That I would never…
His thoughts were then interrupted when he felt a pair of soft hands with a firm grip around his face, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. Normally, it would take him a moment to close his eyes, being so overwhelmed by her aggressiveness. Feeling her sweet yet strong grip around his tongue was so relieving however. He immediately shut his eyes, while she felt an intense sigh of relief release through his nose.
Holding his innocent face against what she felt to be her faultful one, she thought to herself…
Why can't I get over the deep meanings and feelings of these stupid situations I can't even remember the details of?! Why do I have to make such a big deal out of everything? I mean crimity! Here I am holding the love of my life, with my dream job forming...and it's all thanks to him!
Oh Arnold my love! Continue to see past my repressed love. Although I've shown my sensitive side to the outside world once or twice, you alone know what lies beneath my rough exterior. Continue to look past this tormented guise I force you to face! Our love is the one thing which pulls me through this misguided, dishonest, place!
Thinking this to herself, she began to moan. Arnold wondered if she was reciting a monologue in her mind, but couldn't let go of his lips. Whatever was going on, he was full of relief she was touching him.
Her soft hands now laying against his smooth skinned chest, as she rested on top of him. Laying across the side of the bed, with her nose pressed roughly against his. It wasn't long before she sat up to pull off her own shirt. Rather than teasing him by taking her time to undress herself, she removed her bra along with her shirt.
This didn't stop him from trembling with anticipation at the thought of not being able to hold her. Feeling her shirtless chest against his, she held his shoulders down firmly while beginning to suck his neck.
I hope there isn't a mark there come Monday he thought to himself.
That thought was interrupted by the feel of her removing his pants. Rubbing her hands up and down his bare thighs, just sitting and staring back into her sapphire blue eyes, sent chills through his body. Pulling his underwear down slowly, she stuck her hand inside to play with his member.
His eyes began to widen intensely as he felt her running her hands up and down his member. Once he had gotten used to the tingling sensation she was sending throughout his body, as suggested "Not that I'm not loving this, but don't you think you should grab a condom?"
Rolling her eyes at his safety remark, she replied "Uhh fine! Sheesh, you can't hold it in for five minutes!"
"Whatever you say, although I know how this lasts longer than five minutes." he said, winking at her.
After pulling off his underwear to place it on him, she hovered over him, with her hair hanging at her side. "Guess I can finish getting undressed." she whispered, watching him gulp.
I never should have made up this game. Unless she unties me, she's ahead in the number of times it's happened, and I know she's not going to untie me.
Shortly after that thought went through his mind, she was sitting up on top of him, with her legs spread across him, looking down into his emerald eyes.
"So, I take it you're not going to untie me?" he asked hopefully yet doubtfully.
"Pttss...what to do you think?" she replied, sticking his member inside herself, leaning down to kiss him.
As the two shared what continued to be a long passionate kiss, Arnold felt her moving their lower parts up and down, back and forth as though she was trying to get settled inside him.
He struggled to pull his lips away from hers, wanting to say something. She wasn't having any of that however. Wrapping her tongue around his tightly, while placing a hand behind his head, the closeness she felt was lost between them was brought back to her heart. A feeling she couldn't stand the thought of losing again.
With that, she reached down to untie him. As he felt this, he immediately flipped her over. Laying on top of her, he began to feel her soft breasts he took inside his hands. He circled her nipples with his fingers as she rolled back her eyes, letting out a moan. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she tried to squeeze him, but was too distracted. A wide grin formed on his face, while watching the satisfaction this brought to her.
Her arms dropped from his shoulders while she laid there practically unresponsive. He bent down to give her a few lip smacking kisses, as he looked into her eyes. "I love you, and I always will." he promised, knowing in his heart she felt the same him. Although he couldn't help but wonder when she'd do a better job of showing it.
