Chapter 7: One Step Closer
It was Wednesday morning, the middle of the week, and one step closer to Helga's class transfer which Arnold had anxiously awaited. Even before Monday had come, it had felt like an eternity since the news of this hurtful event had been sprung on him.
Arnold sat in his desk, waiting for Mr. Simmons to walk in and begin their morning classes. Hunched over with his head leaning in his hand, he pondered what drama Helga may be facing at the moment. Was Jacob still messing with her? The idea of him even speaking to her was just as depressing as it was infuriating. She was in a room with a teacher no more interested in keeping a watchful eye on how his students behaved than he was on how much they were learning.
After releasing a deep sigh at these overbearing thoughts, he turned to hear his best friend say "Hey Arnold!"
"Huh? Oh sorry, I was just thinking about…"
"Pataki. Yeah, that wasn't hard to figure out. So where exactly did you two go yesterday?" Gerald couldn't help but pry.
Arnold began to blush as he rubbed the back of his neck. While Gerald knew about his personal life, he knew Helga wouldn't appreciate the idea of revealing too much intimate information. It was surprising enough they had gone as far as they did in such an open area.
"Uhh I just offered to walk her home. Nothing big."
Gerald raised an eyebrow in disbelief. How could something as simple as walking his girlfriend home take up his entire afternoon?
Before he could ask any further questions, they turned to see their teacher walk in. "Good morning class! I have some exciting news! Helga will be coming back to our class starting Monday!"
While a warm smile came to Arnold's face at the sound of these words, the rest of the class couldn't help but express their opinion.
"Aww Gee! Why can't she stay in college?!" Harold whined.
"Harold, she is not in college. Someone with such poor social skills couldn't possibly skip that far ahead ." Rhonda insisted.
"Mm, mm, mmm! Well, looks like you're getting your girl back buddy." Gerald shook his head, placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Helga was sitting in the eighth grade classroom, as bored as she was anxious. They hadn't been given an assignment. At least not one the teacher cared if they turned in or not. The only challenge she faced in there was making it through the day without being bothered by the obsessive boy who sat beside her. Even after two warnings to stay away from her, she occasionally glanced to see, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
When lunch finally came, Arnold anxiously headed for the cafeteria as he heard Gerald say "Wait up man!"
"I'm going to get Helga some food!" Arnold turned to say, not having completely stopped.
Gerald stood rolling his eyes, not understanding what the big deal was. It's not like he'd never see her again. She was just down the hall."
Helga's Classroom
As Helga was beginning to stand from her desk, she listened to Jacob say "So you've only got a few more days in here."
"Pttss...thank goodness." she scoffed, trying not to make eye contact with him.
"Maybe we could do something together?"
Helga rolled her eyes at the idea of him not being able to catch a clue. Then she realized as long as Arnold was a year younger than he was, nothing was going to be able to scare him off.
"I have to go." she sighed, trying to walk past him.
Cafeteria
Gerald and Phoebe were sitting at the table together, when they once again saw Arnold approaching with a tray of food for two people.
"If that's for Pataki, we still haven't seen her." Gerald said with a monotone voice.
"What?" Arnold gasped, turning his head towards Phoebe.
"I'm afraid it's true. Perhaps she stayed after class to speak with the teacher about something?"
Arnold knew that was highly unlikely after the sad description Helga had given about her new teacher's little concern for the class' education.
After hearing this, he went to head for her classroom, hoping not to see what he had witnessed last time.
Helga's Classroom
"Take your hands off me! Sheesh!" Helga scowled, as Jacob had her pinned against the wall.
"I think you're wasting your time with that other kid. He's what, five inches shorter than you?" Jacob laughed.
Helga began to glare at the idea of anyone making fun of her boyfriend. Even after she began to clench her fists, there wasn't much she could do to get away. Just when he was leaning in closer, Jacob felt a harsh tug on his shirt.
"Whoa!"
Once again, he turned around to see Arnold standing there, but with more fury in his eyes than he had ever seen.
"I warned you to stay away from her." Arnold reminded him, seeing Jacob begin to grin.
"I don't know what makes you think I'm afraid of you? You can't scare me anymore than you can hurt me." he laughed, seeing Arnold glare viciously at him.
"I warned you if you messed with her again, I was going to the principal. I guess I have no choice now."
"I'm not afraid of your little threat." Jacob claimed as Arnold reached for Helga's trembling hand.
"We'll just see about that." he threatened, pulling Helga out of the classroom.
The two of them walked in silence down the hallway as Helga stared at Arnold's angry facial expression. It was almost as if he was angry at her; tired of having to rescue her.
"Arnold, are you okay?" she hesitated to ask, while being pulled down the hallway.
Rather than responding to that, he dragged her inside the principal's office. Helga wasn't sure if this was the best idea. She only had two more days in that room and enough drama had been caused. They were there standing before him however, so it didn't matter at that point.
"Principal Wartz."
"What is it young man?" he asked, tilting his glasses, as he lifted his head up from his paperwork.
"A boy in my girlfriend's class has been bothering her and I'd like for it to stop. We've asked him three times now to keep his hands off her, but he won't do it." Arnold explained angrily, as Principal Wartz took off his glasses and stood from his desk.
"What do you mean, keep his hands off her?"
Helga blushed furiously as she began to tug at Arnold's arm, sending a message that read Let's just forget about it!
"He had her pinned against the wall of the classroom when she was begging to be let go!" Arnold exclaimed as Helga smacked her face with her free hand, thinking to herself Crimity! Why is he humiliating us like this?!
"Hmm...well that is in clear violation of the school's sexual harassment law. What's this young man's name?"
"Jacob!" Arnold said anxiously, feeling as though they were getting somewhere with the matter.
"Alright then. I'll speak with the boy and notify his parents. Run along now." Principal Wartz insisted as Arnold happily pulled Helga into the hallway.
While he had expected her to be as relieved as he was, he turned to see her with a sour look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Crimity Arnold! How would you feel if I dragged you in there and said, 'Oh hey, he's been felt up the past few days, would ya mind taking care of it for us?' Sheesh!" Helga scowled, crossing her arms.
"But Helga, we don't have to worry about him anymore. I mean, he was about to kiss you! Did you want that to happen?" Arnold asked, dreading the answer. Just the fact that she would be upset with him taking care of the problem made him have his doubts once again about her feelings for him.
She unfolded her arms, beginning to stare at the floor as she sighed "No, it's just humiliating when I can't stand up for myself. My family rarely ever cares about me. I've had to learn to take care of myself. If something like that happens and I can't do it, what can I do?"
A sad look formed on Arnold's face, feeling once again as though she didn't see him as someone who was always there for her. "You always have me. Like I said to him each time he touched you, you're MY girlfriend. You're mine to take care of." he reminded her, taking her hand in his.
A weak smile formed on her face as they were about to kiss. They were then interrupted by the sound of the bell, ending their lunch period.
"I guess this is it. We can do something after school again if you like." he suggested, hoping she would be up for it.
"Sounds good to me."
Arnold watched her turn back to head for class, praying Jacob would keep his hands off her. Principal Wartz didn't exactly say WHEN he would be speaking with him.
After School
When the bell for the last class rang, Arnold anxiously grabbed his things to head for the hallway. Gerald saw his friend hurrying out with his things and said "Hold it there Romeo! Where's Pataki got you headed now?"
Rolling his eyes at his friend's need to butt into his business, Arnold turned to say "Nowhere yet. I just asked if she wanted to hang out. Jacob wasn't exactly giving her the easiest time at lunch."
Watching his best friend hesitate to explain, Gerald lifted an eyebrow and asked "What exactly does that mean?"
Helga's classroom
After hearing the bell, Helga grabbed her things to head for the door, hoping not to be grabbed by Jacob again. Approaching the door, she heard her unenthusiastic teacher say to him "You're wanted in Wartz's office. Not that I care."
A warm smile came to her face, thinking about how Arnold had once again come through for her. She could only hope his plan would work. There were still two days left in the classroom with him. As he said, he wasn't afraid of them.
Hallway
"Man Arnold! Would you quit trying to play the hero!" Gerald said, shaking his head after hearing Arnold's story.
"What was I supposed to do? He was about to kiss her!" Arnold shouted, slamming his locker harder than he meant to. Just the thought of someone else touching his girlfriend was unfathomably irritating.
"Look man. I think it's nice you're trying to be her bodyguard now (strange as it sounds), but that guy's not going to lay off her just because a younger kid gave him an empty threat." Gerald said, leaning against the locker.
"It wasn't an empty threat! We went to Principal Wartz and took care of it! Everything's going to be fine now." Arnold insisted, while seeing his girlfriend approaching.
"Whatever you say Arnold."
"Ready to go football head?" Helga asked, while Gerald saw Phoebe standing beside her.
"Sure." he smiled, taking her hand in his.
As the two walked down the hall hand in hand, Gerald stood beside Phoebe and said "He's a sick boy."
"Helga needs emotional support now more than ever Gerald." Phoebe assured him as he turned to lift an eyebrow at her with his arms crossed.
"Why is that?"
"The harsh way Helga's family treats her makes her forget at times there are still people out there who care about her. Olga's perfect performances make it difficult to see grades and great accomplishments are not the only way to win a person's attention, let alone their heart." Phoebe explained while seeing her boyfriend shake his head.
"Mm, mm, mmm! It almost makes me miss her rough side."
Meanwhile, Arnold was walking Helga to her home. "So, your week's half way over."
"Yep. Just two more days, then your lucky self gets to have me back in that classroom." she scoffed, while approaching her home.
Turning to face each other in front of her house, he took her other hand in his and said "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Helga began to blush intensely. She knew Arnold loved her, and learned more and more how possessive he was of her. Taking compliments from someone she had such deep feelings for, when they were the last thing she felt she deserved, was just so mind boggling. The boy she had mocked and ridiculed never wanted anyone else putting their hands on her.
The thought of leaving someone so caring to impress her parents (who showed barely any care for her whatsoever) made her heart begin to ache.
Arnold looked into what were turning into her sweet yet sad eyes and asked "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. I'm going to go inside now." she insisted, bringing a puzzling look to his face.
"Did you not want to do anything after you take your bag in?"
Helga stood there thinking about the way Arnold was the only one who ever bothered to make an attempt to take care of her, despite the awful way she had always treated him. He didn't let her aggressive behavior stand in the way of his loving nature. When she was given a chance to return the favor by simply turning down the opportunity to leave him, she blew it. Why? Because of the wonderful feeling having a chance to overpower her sister's accomplishments with her own made her feel...because of her pride.
Arnold was the last person who would ever care about such a thing, let alone brag about it. He helped people with their problems, rather than tried to find a way to override them. He may have learned how terribly Helga's family treated her over the years. No matter how much he learned about her though, he would never know exactly what she was feeling. The isolation of being pushed to the side when the spotlight was centered around Olga's accomplishments. The idea of being thought of as something her parents were expected to take care of, rather than actually wanted to.
Not sure of how to answer him, she simply said "Uhh I think they need me. Olga probably wants me to help get dinner started."
Arnold frowned intensely. It was one thing to keep secrets from him, but to expect him to fall for something like that? She had to give him at least a little credit.
Just when she was about to let go of his hands, he dragged her along the sidewalk.
"Whoa! What the…" she began to say, not sure of what he was doing. Arnold finally pulled her into an alley around the corner from her home. Helga cocked her brow at him, not knowing what he was up to. "Is there a reason we're standing here football head? We were already at my house." she scoffed.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he replied "Helga, I'm sick of you keeping secrets from me. I can deal with your aggressiveness. I can deal with your negativity. I CANNOT deal with you keeping every personal feeling you possess to yourself! Do you want us to work or not? If not, let's just end it now." he threatened while listening to her gulp intensely.
"I...I…" she stuttered, widening her eyes, as he stood there waiting for a response.
"I'm your boyfriend Helga. Why can't you just tell me what's on your mind? I can help you! I can't do anything for you if you don't tell me what the problem is?" he insisted as a scowl formed on her face.
"Really? Because you sure didn't seem too eager to help when you found out about my promotion! If anything, you were ticked off at me just for having the opportunity!" she scowled, clenching her fists.
Arnold let out a deep sigh, knowing she had a point. "Like I said, I should have been more supportive about that. It just hurt that you were leaving me."
"Well maybe I don't like hurting you. Maybe that's why I keep things to myself. Ya ever think of that? Sheesh!" she scowled, crossing her arms, as he moved closer.
"What are you keeping that you're worried might hurt me?"
"Crimity Arnold! All I've ever done to you is torture you! Then your goody two shoes attitude allows you to stay with me because you're willing to continue looking past all that. How do I repay you? By blowing your football head off the first chance I get to leave you! I don't deserve your help!" she scowled, not thinking about who may be around to hear them.
Arnold stood there with an aching heart, having no idea the entire time her secretive attitude was based on her not feeling worthy of his support. He assumed she just enjoyed keeping things to herself because she was an insecure person, which she was. That wasn't the only case however.
Helga leaned against the brick wall, with her legs and arms crossed, trying not to make eye contact with her boyfriend. A moment of silence occurred. Arnold stared at her not sure of how to fix things. He had told her time and time again he would always be there for her. No matter how many times he said it though, that couldn't just MAKE her guilt disappear.
Helga continued to frown at the street until she noticed a shadow moving closer. She turned to face her boyfriend once she felt him place his hand on her shoulder. "I can't make you comfortable opening up to me if you don't want to. What I can tell you is I wouldn't be wasting my time with you if I didn't WANT to help you."
A weak smile formed on her face, as she felt him put a hand against her cheek. In moments like that, Arnold knew an innocent facial expression was the closest to any form of appreciation he could expect. While she didn't like making those she cared about feel bad, she didn't enjoy allowing them to make her feel weak.
Helga couldn't fight her emotions any longer however. She realized she was hurting Arnold emotionally more than she ever had physically. As he rested his hands against her shoulders, leaning her against the wall, he looked into her sapphire eyes. Without warning, he pressed his lips firming against hers, crashing in the spirited way Helga was also known to give off.
It didn't take long for her to react this time after hearing how much Arnold still wanted to help her, despite the things she had done to him. After a few moments of allowing him to feel as though he was in control, she decided to show him how it was done.
Lifting her hands to his shoulders, she quickly reversed their positions, not caring that she was slamming his against a brick wall. Her body was pressed firmly against his, while their kiss was separated by a soft smacking noise. Despite the thick layers of clothing they wore, they could feel one another's heart's beating. Arnold watched the wide grin form on her face, knowing the power she was feeling from the move she had just pulled. If anything filled her with pride, it was having him in her arms.
"Looks like someone's back to her old self." Arnold smiled, while she gripped his shirt tightly.
"Oh don't flatter yourself." she scoffed, leaning in to press their noses together.
Arnold pulled her waist in, resting his lips against hers, as he asked "So what else are you keeping from me?"
Her heart began to pound, as she was tempted to walk away. She didn't like hurting Arnold. It was the worst feeling in the world. Why should she do it if it could be prevented by keeping her emotions to herself?
"I..I…"
Arnold lifted an eyebrow, not sure of what to expect. He wanted more than anything for them to have an open honest relationship. How was it going to work if he wasn't capable of handling the truth however?
"What is it?" he asked, as she released his shirt, stepping away from him.
"Crimity! It's not a big deal." she scowled, turning away with her arms crossed.
"Then why can't you just tell me? I promise I won't get mad this time. Like I already said, it was unfair of me to not be more supportive of you when you got promoted." he assured her as she dropped her arms and sighed heavily at the ground.
A moment later she clenched her fists agitatedly and scowled "Fine! Before you came running into save me from 'Mr. Can't Catch A Clue' he kissed me when he had me pinned to the wall! Sheesh!"
"He..he kissed you?" his eyes widened with fear. She had two more days in that classroom with him. If Principal Wartz didn't follow through on his words to take care of Jacob, what was going to happen to Helga.
Helga stood still facing the ground, assuming not hearing a response meant Arnold was angry once again with her. She began to lift her head when she felt him placing his hand on her shoulder. Before she could turn around herself, she felt herself falling into his arms. She looked into his emerald eyes, expecting to see a look of rage or at least disappointment. Rather than that, he was smiling down at her.
He could feel her shaking, not having expected what had just happened. Arnold sat on the ground in the quiet alley, with his girlfriend in his lap, resting her head in his arms. He could sense the uneasiness of her breathing, as he watched her chest quickly moving up and down.
Both of them waited for the other to say something, when Arnold began to run his fingers through her hair. Looking down at his girlfriend with perplexing eyes, he said "You don't have to be scared. We're going to get through this."
Helga looked away from him Nothing to be scared of? Once again, a moment of weakness was placed on her. She always walked around saying 'I'm Helga G. Pataki' when a challenge came her way. Within the past week however, she didn't seem any stronger when it came to facing her family's opinion of her than she did when it came to facing another student.
"I guess not." she finally replied, letting out a deep sigh. Arnold began stroking her hair, still smiling down at her.
After seeing her finally turn to face him, he laced their fingers together. Bending down to give her the kiss he had wanted to before feeling the need to question the situation.
While Helga's head laid in his lap with his lips on top of hers, she had to admit to herself how much more settled her mind was, having everything revealed to her boyfriend.
Ending it with a soft smacking noise, her eyes slowly fluttered open as he rested his nose against hers. "I'm sorry if I made it hard for you to be honest with me."
Rolling her eyes at his guilty conscience, she let out a deep breath and said "Let's just call it even."
A wide grin formed on his face, as he instantly crashed his lips with hers yet again. After all those years spent poetically reciting her feelings about her beloved in a dark alley, here she was with the real thing.
Arnold began to winch in pain after feeling the tight grip she wrapped around his neck, hoping to pull him in closer. Moaning at the memories of the times she had fantasized about winning him over, she didn't consider the awkward position they were in.
Arnold wrapped his arms around her, sitting her all the way up in his lap, while managing to keep their lips together. Perhaps it was because Helga made sure not remove her arms from his neck.
It didn't matter that they were sitting on the ground in an alley. Just having his girlfriend in his lap, whom had at last decided to choose her relationship over showing off to her parents, made the moment all the more special to him.
He began shifting the positions of their faces, pressing their noses tighter, almost matching the firm grip she had around his neck. Helga then let out a relaxing moan when feeling something wet swipe across her lips. Arnold expected an intense battle to take place. Rather than feeling her wrap her tongue tightly around his, fighting for power, she was softly caressing his. She was completely content in their position.
Arnold too was enjoying just being together, not having to worry about what was on the other's mind, because it had already been said. He sat there running his fingers through her soft blonde hair as slowly as he swept his tongue across hers. Helga dropped her arms from around his neck to rest on his narrow shoulders. A moan finally escaped Arnold which sent chills flowing through Helga. The sound of this made her thirsty for more, as she again wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him lounge his tongue further inside of her. Nothing could ruin the moment….
"Wheeze...Wheeze...Wheeze."
Both their eyes fluttered open as a glare formed on Helga's face, knowing who it was. She glanced behind her beloved to see Brainy sticking his head out of the trash can Arnold had been sitting near.
Without hesitating, Helga stood up to slam the lid shut on her stalking classmate. Arnold sat there wide-eyed, having to wonder how long he had been watching them.
Helga then turned with her hands on her hips and said "That's one way to ruin the mood."
Arnold stood scratching his head, as he replied "Yeah, I guess we should get going."
Arnold walked Helga back home, neither of them with much to say. He now knew what had been going on in her new class. All he had to do was worry about making it through the next two days without hearing about something like that happening to her again.
