A/N - Sorry to disappoint or if the last chapter was misleading, but no love triangles here with Brainy or in general. Arnold would have gotten jealous of seeing any male with Helga in the previous chapter at that moment because his suppressed feelings for her were pouring over and it was just the last straw for Gerald, to see Arnold showing signs of jealously towards her talking to Brainy so he pointed it out and confronted him.
Arnold smiled at her agreement to ride along with him. "Good." The two were unaware of others staring amusedly at them. He pressed his lips together and shuffled his feet. "Um… we should probably get going now."
Gerald raised a hand towards his chest, stopping him. "Let me know what the outcome is my brother and good luck..." He sneaked an eye at the blonde girl nearby, he had seen the clear attraction in his best friend's eyes directed towards her whenever she would come into his vision, but now looking at Helga he could have sworn he spotted the same kind of look as she stood a few feet behind Arnold waiting. Maybe she felt the same she did years ago? How did he miss this, he wondered? But then he remembered this is Helga G Pataki, a girl who usually acted so opposite from most girls he knew; who had spent a good seven years endlessly teasing his best friend. How could he have figured? But maybe Arnold will finally have a girl who appreciates back. Gerald hoped so, still as he took another glance at Helga, he couldn't believe she was the girl. But he was happy for him nonetheless. "Good luck with everything."
Arnold in return gave a firm handshake. "Will do and thanks." Arnold could hear something his friend's voice when he said that last part, a hint of a double meeting or something. He didn't have time to analyze it. Glancing at the others still lingering around, he waved. "Goodnight, it was fun." His eyes went to Sid for a second. "Be careful you guys, get home safe." He smiled at that last comment before closing the door to his car.
Sid nodded and then turned his attention back to his girlfriend. Everyone else said a few words to each other and then slowly start to branch apart and leave.
Now in his car, Arnold and Helga were both pretty quiet on the ride to the boarding house. Arnold had a look on his face that indicated he was deep in thought and Helga was pondering over where his head was at, what his intentions were as far as she was concerned. She's hoping that this isn't just all in her head, that she hasn't let her girlhood fantasies force her to see things that were real. But as she glances over at him, taking in his handsome face while tense at the moment still full of kindness and honesty, she couldn't help but to hope that he genuinely has sincere, authentic feelings for her and this isn't all in her mind, like she felt it had been in the past. She didn't want to experience any embarrassment; in fact, she wouldn't allow herself to.
Helga stared down at the ground and she saw a hint of worry in his eyes. She felt pressure within herself say something. "Football head just do what you want to do... I don't know what else to say, sorry." She looked down shyly.
"There's no reason for you to be sorry…" She raised her eyes once she heard his soft genuine voice. "Thanks." He grabbed her hand and tugged her inside with him. He stopped once he saw Miles and his coach waiting for him in the living.
"Mr. Shortman." He glanced at Helga with disdain when he noticed Arnold was holding her hand. "This is intended to be a private conversation."
She backed away at the hostility she received. "Oh well, I can just go home," Helga replied. not wanting to say something snide to get him in hot water.
Arnold squeezed her hand. "You don't have to go." He says softly so only she could hear her. "You can wait upstairs, if you don't mind and then I can give you a ride home."
She smiled at him and back away to go up the hall and upstairs. He let go of her hand and went to the living room.
"Hello-"
He moved over and motioned with head to the stop next to him. "Sit down Shortman."
"I hear that you're still hanging with the wrong crowd… Don't tell me you're going out with that blonde girl I just saw? She looks like bad news…the kind of girl you should shun as much as possible. What happened to Lila Sawyer now that one is a fantastic young woman that is going places."
"I don't know where Lila is, sir, last I saw her she was out with Rivers, James Rivers." He sighed. "And Helga Pataki is someone I've known my whole life. She's a great student, she's a top player on the lacrosse team, she is one of the biggest reasons I have my parents in my life…so respectfully…" He glanced at Miles who smiled encouragingly. "I'd have to disagree with you, sir, she's far from bad news," He swallowed hard under his coach icy judgmental stares. "But she's not what we're here to talk about-"
"No, she isn't, but my point is you have to clean up your lifestyle, you have to make better choices in who you spend your time with."
Arnold sat up straight looking him in his eyes. "What does my choice in friends have to do with my athletic abilities on the team-"
"Those kids are the reason for your anti-social behavior."
Arnold shook his head. "I have to disagree, they aren't," He took out the contract and unfolded it. "I have a problem with this. I have a problem with your lack of concern for female athletes. I have a problem the constant berating of my friends when you haven't taken the time to get to know them. Do you know what your precious football players are doing right now?" He shakes his head. "You know what I won't even say that's not my place, but I will say that one of the players did put his hands aggressively on girl tonight. And that's the type of person I want to associate with. As a matter of fact, I don't think I could handle being in the same space as someone who would do that." He folded his hands. "So my point is, my life, who I decided to have in my life and the way I live is up to me. I have parents and grandparents who instilled in me to live respectfully, but also be true myself and be accepting of others. None of my friends are bad people at heart, even when they make mistakes."
He stared down at the paper he is being instructed to sign; which was on the inn table in front of him and with his eyes on that he decided to shift the topic. "I'm not sure why no one seems to care about the girl teams. For example, have you seen the girls' lacrosse team practice? They go just as hard as we do on the field. I've seen them in serious wounds and injuries all for the love of the competition just like the football players and people show up excited for their games too, so it doesn't make sense to take away from their team. Is it because of gender?" Arnold made eye contact with him. "I apologize if I'm speaking out of turn here, but from where I'm sitting, it just seems like you don't care sir at all."
The older man sighed heavily. "Young man, I don't have the time to care, I'm trying to push this team to play state. I am not a damn social worker or an advocate and this is not a non-for-profit. This is a high school and I'm the head coach who has my neck up to the ceiling with responsibilities. I have young men riding this for opportunities of college scholarships. Do you know that not everyone has two parents and family that can potentially pay for their schooling?"
Arnold nodded and looked down. "Yes, sir, that's one of the reasons why this has been so difficult for me. I've been debating back forth in my mind. I certainly don't want to let my teammates down."
"You know how you go about doing that Shortman? You sign over your commitment to this team! Look at you tonight, you don't show up to the school when I asked and then when you arrive here you're with some girl. Where is your head?" He grimaced. "Stop worrying about irrelevant nonsense and be responsible!"
"My hesitance is the result of my inability to shut off my brain and stop concerning myself with the things going on around me. And she isn't here for trivial reasons, I brought her here. Well for one because I needed someone here... even if she's not in the room... who could in a way remind me of who I was before entering the jungles of high school. And the person I always envisioned myself being and what I've always believed in at heart."
He's eyes fall down to the sheet paper in front of him shifted his mind off Helga and his feelings for her. He didn't want to divulge any further because honestly, that was, no one else's business and irrelevant to this particular conversation. It pissed him off more that once again the conversation came back to her, in a negative way and about his choices in who he wanted in his life. He just couldn't wrap his mind around this man's thought process, but it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"I might be wrong here in this statement I'm about to make, please, by all means, let me know if I am, but it appears to me you want my entire life to be about football. For us to have tunnel vision day-by-day, practice and play hard without any thoughts or cares about much else; to be almost apathetic people." He paused, waiting for this coach to jump in and offer a disagreement. When he was met with silence, he sighs. "I believe there're many different ways to live your life and although I don't agree with everything my friends do, I still recognize their positives and focus on the chemistry I share with them. I feel the same about a lot of my teammates as well. But I can't succumb to it, and blindly follow the crowd in spite of my own apprehension, basically ignoring my opinions and instincts. And since that's what you seem to be voicing through this contract and through your actual words vocally and through your silence right now..." He paused and frowned. "I can't sign it..." He shook his head. "And whatever you want to do as a result of that..." He swallowed hard. "I'll just accept it."
The coach gritted his teeth slightly and stared at Miles, who had walked back into the room it was obvious he had been listening. "What do you think about this Mr. Shortman?"
He cleared his throat. "I trust my son's instincts regarding his choice of friends and I can assure you that he lives a good lifestyle. Sure, he's a teenage boy and so he's going to have his fun, but none of the friends that I've met are bad influences. My son, he's a good kid and he would never do something simply to be anti-social as you describe his actions." His mouth spreads into a smile for a second. "He's always been a young man who holds strongly to his beliefs and my entire family and me, we have encouraged that and after listening to what you've had to say and what Arnold has said in response... I honestly do not believe his wishes were unreasonable. I support, stand behind the decision he has made if that's what he feels sincerely in his heart because his happiness and well-being is the most important to my wife and me."
He exchanged a glance at both Arnold and Miles before standing up and picking up his briefcase. "Okay, we'll have another discussion about this again before summer ends and fall begins, for now, I'm exhausted and need to get home. But I can't promise you'll be accepted back." Those were his last words he grumpily mouthed before being politely showed out by both father and son.
Arnold and Helga are now on his rooftop. The two of them were just looking out at the darkened sky above them; brightened by the lights of the city.
He needed a moment to process what just happened before one again hitting the road.
Helga peeked over at Arnold, who appeared to be thinking deeply, but he seemed a little more at ease than he did before his meeting with the football coach. She nudged him just slightly. "So that's that, huh?" She interrupts the content silence between them.
"What?" He flinched just a bit, caught off guard by her sudden voice and touch.
Helga sighed, a thin smile on her lips. "I'm saying with football, are you through with it?" She smirked lightly. "I could hear you through the vents."
He cracked a smile briefly and leans forward slightly with his hands flat on the brick. His expression shifted into a more serious one. "So I guess I don't have to explain how he criticized my choice in friends and stuff?" He glanced at her for confirmation and she nodded. "It's up to the coach, I suppose." He frowned looking down towards the street. "But even if he still asks me back on the team for fall...I still would like to see some things change...or at least some progress." His gaze floated up to the sky and slightly shrugged. "Who knows what will happen all I can do is hope and wish for the best..." He looks at her, with great interest. He paused just staring at her initially. "What would you have done?"
She arched a brow. "My selfish ass...pttf...I think you know." She laughs at the end.
He was a quiet for a bit and then shook his head. "If you were truly selfish, you wouldn't be here." He reached over and put his hand on top of hers for the briefest of moments.
Helga felt an electric shock go through at his touch, she paused before speaking. Wondering if he felt it too. "It was cool what you said." Her voice came out incredibly small to her own ears and she frowned at that. She cleared her throat, looking straight ahead, knowing he was watching her and waiting for her to continue. "Uh not many would and not many would care in the first place about the things you do. They would just sign without a second thought; some might even give up their friendships... for the spotlight they receive on that field and the thrill of the game." She peeked over at him long enough to see a smile on his face towards her. "If that Barney tries to kick you off, I'll have your back. Because..." Her cheeks turn pinkest. "I couldn't hear everything you said because at times it sounded too muffled through the vents, but I could make out that you ... defended me because he didn't take well to my presence." She swayed from side to side while looking out and down at the street. "And I'm sure others will feel the same too. You're the wrong person to condemn when honestly, you have the best heart on the team. He'll have to change his ways before fall and not the other way around." She bit her lip to shove back more words.
She knew his eyes were on her, she wanted so badly to force a wicked scowl for him to knock it off but her facial muscles just wouldn't allow it. When her eyes meet with his, his smile grew wider. "Thanks, I needed to hear that." She saw happiness pour out from within him seemingly because of what she said. Helga shook her head and looked away. While inwardly, she rolled her eyes at Arnold seeming so impress with such few kind words from her. It wasn't like this was the first time she had been nice to him, not even the first time tonight. So what was his deal? She wondered.
Helga looked up at the darkened sky and over at him with a realization of how much certain aspects of his life have shifted just in a matter of hours. "It must have been hard to handle your decision along with what happened with your girl tonight." She aimed for a neutral tone because she didn't want to the air to get awkward, but her voice came out revealing more empathy and care than she intended.
Arnold frowned. "She's not my girl..." He said in an aggravated tone then sighed. "I'm fine, I should have seen it coming. I'm certain there were signs that I'm sure I just overlooked naively. But I'm not heartbroken. I just wish I could get that time back." He shrugged. "Hey, but on a positive note, her departure from my life leaves space for me to find the right girl for me. Someone worth my time and effort." His soulful eyes subtly trickled over to hers.
His mouth opened and shut before any words could slip out. Feeling his steady gaze on her, she looks at him. His cheeks flush and his eyes widen at being caught while staring. "Um..." He released an awkward chuckle, taking a quick look at his phone. He sighed. "I should probably get you home...it's late and I bet your parents are worried sick."
That earned him a snort from Helga and a crooked smile. "Oh please hair boy, they don't give a shit."
Arnold stood up and put his hands in his pants pockets once he stood up straight. "Come on Helga, don't be like that. I know your parents would be worried if you're out too long of a time."
Helga straightened her posture, too and waved a hand at him dismissively. "That hasn't happened since that Thanksgiving Day you and I spent together a lifetime ago..." Arnold eyes left her and went down to the ground a tiny smile on his lips at the memory. "They're too busy giving all their attention to Olga and her various affairs. I could stay out as much as I want and they wouldn't miss me. Bob only notices me when he needs something and Miriam only when she's not under the influence of her smoothies."
Arnold's smile faded completely and he didn't know what to say to that as he couldn't truly argue against her since he himself had witnessed her parents rather indifferent and in some cases blatantly cold attitude towards her, even within the last few years. He stopped and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry." He says softly, his expression and voice matched with a high level of compassion.
His energy and vibe, which in turn made Helga burn with a mix of sensations, which she struggled to prevent from registering on her face. She also regretted her admission about her family because getting sympathy or anything close to pity never set well with her. "Don't be... I'm not. I didn't say that to get sympathy or anything, I'm fine." He removed his hand, while still studying her. She takes a step back and glances at her watch. "But you're right, I should get home." She shrugged, looking at him, clearly seeing the wheels in his head turning and him holding himself back from probing or giving advice. But she started walking to go inside and he followed her.
Arnold drove her home, she spent the whole ride fooling with his radio, mumbling irritable words under her breath at not being about to find anything good.
She gave him a genuine smile and head nod before climbing out his car. He took his keys out and followed her to her porch; which seemed to surprise Helga because she turned around like a deer caught in headlights. "Uh...are you lost Arnoldo? This ain't the boarding house."
Arnold half smiled at her. "No...I...uh...well-"
Her eyes flickered around circular. "Spit it out football head," she says with a trace of impatience.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" That flew off his tongue so quickly he nearly fumbled over his words.
She blinked a few times at him. "Catnapping, eating junk food, why?" She answered flatly.
He pressed his lips together and hummed softly before speaking. "Okay, that sounds nice, but what else are you doing?"
Her brows quirked up and she shrugs a shoulder. "Nothing."
Arnold leaned back on her railing. "Would you mind if I interrupted your, uh catnapping and maybe you could come out with me tomorrow?"
Helga's brows lowered and moved together. "And do what? My napping sessions after partying are a top priority," She looked him up and down with her brows raised. "Bucko."
He chuckled at the snippy response but shrugged at her actual question as he really hadn't thought of anything specific. He just wanted a chance to spend time with just her, without the interruptions of other peers. "I don't know, but this is June in Hillwood. I'm sure we can find something to do." He chuckled softly and Helga frowned confusedly at what he found amusing. "What is it that you said you liked earlier?" He caressed his own chin with his index finger and thumb in a playful matter. "Spontaneity?" Her eyes widen and a ghost of smirk appears on him. "Yeah, that's it, I like the idea of that. So I think it'll be cool to just run through the city like we did as little kids if you're open to it?" His face lightened up into a bright smile.
Her eyes widen even more and her hand latched onto her opposite arm and began to rub, in slow motions. "Um...okay...if you want to...yeah." She tried to mask her excitement or any anxiety by biting her lip.
He nodded. "I do. So..." He reached down to grab her wrist and points to the phone in her hand. "Make sure you look out for my call or text..." His eyes focused intently on her, still bright and full of anticipation, while on the flip side she is still full of nerves and giddiness.
Suddenly the door cracked open. "Hey, Arnold good to see again…" He glanced up at Helga, taking mental note of Arnold's holding her wrist and he flashed a wide toothy grin. "Don't worry; I'll ensure that she'll answer your call."
Helga's mouth flies open. "What the hell? Levi get your butt to bed." He shut the door and she shook her head and met his amused face for a second. "Little sneak..." She folded her arms.
Arnold laughed, his eyes squeezed shut and Helga looked at him in a deadpanned way. "He's great, I like that kid." He let go of her wrist. "Anyway...I'm glad you decided to grace us with your glorious presence tonight. It was nice, especially when you decided to give us that little mini concert." He grinned and she blushed. "And thanks for riding with me here...listening to me blab about stuff and giving me advice when you didn't have to."
With one hand on her door, her eyes fixed to the ground, scraping the soles of her shoes along the pavement beneath her feeling unusually shy. "Uh... no problem hair boy, it was no biggie. It was the least I could do after you've been so nice to my nosy cousin and looked out for him."
He shook his head, his demeanor on the surface appearing unfazed and confident. "Yes, it was, it was helpful. You could have just blown me off, but you didn't. It meant something, especially since it was coming from you." He sighed while still cheesing. "So you try and sleep well since it's been a long day right? I'll see you tomorrow. Nite Helga." He began walking backward down the steps with eyes fixed sharply on her and then turns to go to his car leaving the blonde teen on her porch stuck in stillness.
She watched him drive off. "Goodnight Arnold..." She whispered with a tiny head shake and goes inside and leaned against the door for a second. Her eyes sealed shut, her smile widened into a grin. Now she was really beginning to believe what her girlfriends and cousin had said about Arnold. Although, she needed undeniable proof before she let herself get too excited.
"Goodnight Arnold..." She heard Levi mocking her in a girlish voice.
Her eyes pop open, she scowls and marches towards him."I thought I told you to go to bed..."
He just stood there making a mocking face at her. "You're not the boss of me."
"Oh, I see hanging out with those jock straps has gone to your head." He blew her a raspberry and in turn she chased him up the stairs and into his room. "Ooooh, you little shrimp I'll deck you!
He used his strength to push his door closed and turned the lock. Staring at the closed door, hearing her growling and stomping off down the hall, he smirked behind it and raised his chest. "I'm not scared of you Pataki!"
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