Hello! =^.^=! Hot off the presses, I literally just got done with this chapter. I was going to split it into two, but hopefully this will keep all you famished readers satisfied for a little bit! Please don't forget to send me reviews, they really, really help me know what is good/bad/ugly about the story and plot line! Thank you!
"I'm ever-so excited to see you Arnold," he read anxiously as he toweled and combed his blond hair back out of his face. He sighed and shook his head then headed toward his closet, unsure of what to wear. He thought about asking Lila what she would be wearing, but that would be weird, right?
He assumed Gerald and Phoebe would be looking to impress one another, and that he should follow in their mannerisms to impress Lila. He looked at his suit and shook his head, no too much. He pulled out blue Bermuda shorts, probably not the best idea in icy weather, so he put those back too.
Finally he decided on black fitted jeans and a dark red shirt. He pulled a tank top over his head and ironed the shirt out. Arnold mindlessly got ready, switching through songs on his iPod every few tracks as he shaved and tried to style his messy head of hair.
"A drop in the ocean, a change in the weather, I was praying that you and me might end up together. It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert, but I am holding you closer than most, cause you are my heaven…" He hummed along with the song. His mind drifted to Helga and what she could possibly be doing at that moment. She didn't seem upset that he was going out, more flustered and annoyed with him.
"Helga…" He muttered and looked at his phone, "Maybe I should text her…" He looked at his fingers as they typed out the three-letter word 'hey' and tapped send.
Helga was sitting on the stoop again looking out toward the streets as the lights were flickering on in homes and on lamp posts. She felt a sudden vibration from her coat pocket and dug her phone out. She put in her pass-code and saw his name and the simple greeting. At first she was mad, but then why would he be texting her right now? "What's wrong?" she sent back.
Arnold put his finishing touches together, felt his right butt cheek for his wallet and went to go put some cologne on. After he was finished and told Gerald he was ready to leave whenever he opened Helga's text. He read it then sighed, "Nothing, just making sure you're okay,"
"I'm fine," Was her immediate response.
"What are you doing?"
"Sitting outside,"
"Why? Did you fight with Bob?" He didn't dare call him 'your dad'.
"No, and not Miriam either,"
"Then why are you outside?"
"I left my keys in your room," Helga breathed a puff of smoke out from her lungs and shivered a bit. She did like being out here in some way, it was so quiet. The only sounds were the crackling of ice, a random trashcan being excavated by a raccoon, or a fluttering piece of paper along the streets…Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by her ringtone, "If I could make you mine, I'll go wherever you will go. If I could turn back time, I'll go wherever you will go…"
"Hello?"
"How long have you been sitting outside?"
"What time is it?"
"6:13"
"Since about 2:59…I guess…"
"Helga!"
"Yes, Arnoldo?"
"Why didn't you text me?!"
"Figured you'd be getting ready for princess,"
"Don't give me that bullshit, you could freeze,"
"I'm fine,"
"I'm bringing you your keys!"
"Don't worry about it!" She protested.
"Bullshit, see you in a few minutes," *Click*
"Perfect…" She laid her head back against the concrete.
Gerald pulled up just as Arnold was pulling his leather coat around his shoulders and fastening the zipper. Gerald's '01 Tahoe rumbled and sputtered against the ice and come to a slow stop outside of the boarding house.
"Can I ask a favor?" Arnold walked to the driver's side.
"Sup man?"
"Helga left her keys, can we swing by her place and after we pick up Lila?"
"Sure man, hop in. It'll be on the way anyway,"
Arnold opened the passenger door and sat in. Phoebe was sitting in the front passenger seat and looked back at him, "Hi Arnold," She smiled.
He smiled in return, "You look very pretty,"
"Thank you," She looked to Gerald who kissed her hand in response as he turned the corner. Arnold's stomach fluttered as he stopped in front of Lila's house.
"Be one sec," He walked out and rang the doorbell. To his content Lila opened the door quickly. She wore a black pencil skirt and a blue swoop top. Her hair was down and her bangs were fastened to the side by several bobby pins. Her make up hid any look of freckles and her eyes were flawlessly painted.
"Hello Arnold," She grinned.
"H-hi Lila,"
"I will be back later, Daddy," She called and shut the door. She took Arnold's extended arm and he walked her to the car. The friends traded greetings and Gerald put the truck into gear. He glided from the curb easily and turned toward Helga's house.
"This is not the right way…" Lila observed.
"Helga left her keys at my house," Arnold answered. Lila shot him a suspicious glance, "We're partners on the egg project…"
"Oh," Lila said simply.
"So I told her I would get them to her,"
"That's so sweet of you Arnold," Lila cooed, "She won't realize how sweet you are being,"
"Probably not," Gerald interjected.
"Helga isn't always mean," Phoebe defended.
"Just most the time," Lila rolled her eyes.
Gerald once again slowed to a stop and Arnold jumped out without another word. He walked a few steps and saw Helga's eyes shut as she leaned against the stoop, "Helga?" He shook her shoulder.
"Mmm…" She opened one eye, "Oh, Arnold…"
"You okay?"
"Yeah…thanks…" She took the warm keychain into her bluing fingers. She got up shaking and tried putting the key into the hole.
"Allow me," Arnold opened the door for her and put his index finger up for Gerald to hold for a minute. He nodded and put the car into park, allowing the engine to idle.
Helga walked inside to the heated house to Miriam passed under the table and Bob asleep in his chair, bottles littering the floor from the living room to the kitchen. Helga sighed and walked towards her room without another word.
"Can I come up?" He asked. She nodded and he followed her silence into her bedroom. It was simple still, a few more posters now and a CD player in the corner. She pulled a hoodie and sweatpants over her cold skin and piled into bed underneath a heated blanket.
"Why didn't you text me earlier?" He sat beside her.
"I didn't want to interrupt,"
"You could've been hurt,"
"And?"
"And what?"
"So what football head? I could've been hurt. No one would miss me; you think I'm the biggest bitch known to man. Gerald hates me, your grandparents hate me, and my parents don't even know I exist…" She trailed off and bit her lip to avoid tears.
"Helga…" He put his warm hand on her freezing cheek, "Don't you dare talk like that… What would I…. Where would I be…. Nothing can happen to you," He looked at her angrily.
'He's scared to loose me?' She thought, "Arnold you have a date, and your date is going to be pissed if you leave her waiting…"
"Helga…" He leaned on the wall and looked out her window in thought, "We can turn this into a triple date…"
"No."
"Come on, I know there's someone out there you're interested in,"
"Yes, there is…" She looked down.
"Then, ask him to dinner with all of us,"
"He's busy,"
"I don't want to leave you here alone…"
"I'll be fine, football head," She smiled playfully, "Really."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Promise-promise?"
"Arnold, I promise!" She stood, "It's nice to know you care so much."
"Of course, Helga," He leaned in and hugged her. She melted and sighed, everything felt so right in that moment. Yet, he was leaving her to go be with Lila.
"All right, all right. Enough of this lovey-dovey crap," She smiled, "Go on your date."
"Fine, but I'll be talking to you through it," He smiled and kissed her cheek then walked out of the room.
She touched her cheek, "That's not very fair to Lila…"
"Since when do you care, Pataki?" He called from the bottom of the stairs, quiet enough not to wake either Bob or Miriam up.
"I don't!" She retorted.
"Come on, don't be getting soft on me,"
"Watch it football head…You just better hope I don't drop in and ruin this for you!"
"Whatever you say, Helga," He smiled before softly shutting the door, leaving here to sit at the top of the staircase and ponder the times before she had interfered with dates between him and her.
'What's one more time going to hurt?' She smiled cunningly before hurrying off to her room and shutting it quietly, chuckling only to herself.
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Song: A Drop In The Ocean ~ Ron Pope.
