Helga sat quietly on Phoebe's bed as the shorter girl prepared for a date with Gerald. Helga watched with mild interest as Phoebe stood in front the mirror on her wall in her undies as she held one dress up to her, then the other.
"Maybe this one?" Phoebe asked again. "No no, perhaps this one..."
Helga opted to say nothing. She had already given Phoebe her opinion (the blue asymmetrical dress), but the poor girl was still struggling.
"Maybe if I pair the gold dress with a bright shoe... How about the green ones?"
"Dammit Phoebe, what are you , a leprechaun? " Helga finally left her spot on the bed and snatched the gold dress away from her dark-haired friend. "Wear the blue dress, with..." Helga dug around in Phoebe's closet for a second before emerging, "the white heels" she continued, shoving said shoes into her friends already full arms, "and the silver necklace Gerald gave you for your birthday."
Phoebe readjusted her glasses before looking at the shoes. "Of course, why didn't I think of that." She looked up at Helga, a concerned look across her face. "Are you sure these will be ok? It's our two month anniversary. I want it to be special."
Helga shook her head. "Trust me Pheobs. You are going to turn heads. Besides, Gerald would want you even if you wore a burlap sack, which is still an option if you'd like."
Phoebe giggled at Helga's remark before slipping the dress on, being careful to not mess up her hair and makeup. "Are you staying here again tonight?" She asked as she fiddled with the zipper.
Helga moved in to assist her. "Probably not. Sheena has been pestering me to see a late movie with her and Eugene. I'll probably crash at one of their houses afterwards."
"You'd sleep over at Eugene's?" Phoebe asked with genuine curiosity.
"Why not? The kid is totally gay, it's not like he'd try anything and even if he did try something, Ol' Betsy has been aching for some action."
Phoebe giggled. "Poor Sheena. I wonder if she'll ever figure it out."
Helga smirked. "Probably not. Alas, love truly is blind."
Helga chatted excitedly as she, Eugene and Sheen exited the theater, the later looking a little pale.
"That was awesome!" Helga gushed enthusiastically. "The way that one chick was crushed by the garage door like that! You could actually hear her vertebrae snap!"
"Yes, I really enjoyed the... uh...score. It was beautifully written." Eugene offered in an attempt to remain optimistic.
"I've never seen so much gore in my life." Sheena muttered quietly, clutching her hand to her chest.
"Not a fan of the Evil Twin franchise I take it?" Helga inquired with a grin.
"No-not exactly." Sheena admitted. "I've always been against violence, so..."
Helga chuckled. "Sorry, but there was no way you were going to drag me into that Wizard of Odds musical crap."
"Not a fan of musicals I take it?" Eugene quipped.
Helga laughed. "Not exactly. I've always been against musicals, sooo..."
The trio laughed heartily as they continued down the dimly-lit street, the occasional car passing them by. The headlights of an approaching car poured light into a nearby alley, making something catch Helga's eye. She froze instantly and stared nervously into the once again dark alley.
"Helga? What's wrong?" Sheena asked meekly. Sheena glanced in the direction Helga was looking. She saw nothing.
"Did you see something?" Eugene asked worriedly.
"No." Helga finally said, forcing her eyes away. "I guess not."
The teens continued on in silence for a few blocks before Helga broke the silence. "So, Phoebe's out with Gerald for the evening, any chance I could bunk with one of you guys?"
Eugene's smile faltered slightly. "Sorry Helga, my house is being fumigated again."
"And I'm leaving at 4am tomorrow to go on a camp out with my Uncle Earl." Sheena added guiltily.
"Oh." Helga replied disappointed. "But camping, that sounds like fun. I bet you'll have a great time. Except for you , Eugene. Sorry to hear that."
"Oh, don't be." Eugene replied with a grin. "My family is staying in a rundown motel with no heating and we have to huddle together to keep warm, so it's kind of like camping for me too."
Helga attempted a smile at his optimism. "That's great, Eugene." Her lacking enthusiasm going unnoticed by the pair.
"Sorry Helga." Sheena apologized.
"No, it's ok, I'll just bug Nadine or somebody. I'll see you guys later."
Helga waved her friends off as she turned the corner to continue walking. After another block Helga stopped in her tracks.
"Shit! Nadine is in Aspen with Rhonda for the weekend. I totally forgot!" She cursed, smacking her hand to her forehead.
A shadow suddenly darted passed her causing her heart to leap into her throat. She spun around, staring into the darkness that it had disappeared into.
"Sheena?" Helga called hopefully.
A grunting noise echoed from the alley way. Helga swallowed nervously, morbid curiosity compelling her to move forward. Damn my inquisitive nature!
"Eugene?" She tried again, her voice shaking a little as she took another step forward.
Whoever or whatever had grunted before stopped. She heard a sound like a shoe on the pavement.
Helga swallowed hard. She picked a small pebble off the ground and hurled it into the darkness. She heard a sudden shriek followed by the unmistakable clang of a garbage can toppling over.
Something suddenly sprinted out of the darkness towards her. Helga screamed and started to run down the street when she collided into something soft and fell to the ground.
"Out of my way- Arnold!" Helga gasped at the flaxen-haired teen before her.
"Helga?"
"Geez, Football Head! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Good to see you too, Helga." Arnold chuckled as he extended his hand to pull her up.
Helga took his hand and pulled herself to her feet. His eyes held hers and at that moment, she never wanted to let go of his hand. It was so warm and his smile so inviting. She felt his hand tighten around hers as Arnold took a half-step forward, closing some of the distance.
Suddenly, something brushed against Helga's leg. She screamed and leaped into Arnold's arms. "What the hell was that!" She shrieked.
"Helga, relax. It's only Abner." Arnold replied with an amused chuckle.
"Abner?" Helga repeated and looked down. Sure enough, Abner snorted up at her as he munched happily on a slightly blackened banana peel.
Helga glared at the pig. "I should put you on a stick and roast you." Abner merely grunted and continued down the street. "Stupid swine, scared me half to death."
Helga turned to face Arnold and by doing so, was reminded of the fact that she was cradled in his arms. She blushed wildly and scrambled to get down. "And who said you could touch me, Football Head!" She snarled, though it came out far more flustered than she had expected.
Arnold laughed. "Whatever you say, Helga."
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Helga asked, less defensive.
"Going for a walk." Arnold answered, reiterating his statement by continuing his walk with Helga matching his stride. "You?"
"Just finished watching Evil Twin VI with Sheena and Eugene."
"Evil Twin? Doesn't really sound like a movie they'd like." Arnold's surprise evident.
"Perhaps not, but it was fun."
"So where you off to now?" Arnold asked.
Helga stopped for a second before catching up to Arnold once more. "Well, I haven't really decided yet." She confided.
"Do you want to come back to the boarding house for some cocoa or something?" Arnold asked hopefully.
Helga shrugged. "Sure."
It didn't take long for the teens to make their way back to the red brick building. Arnold opened the door, allowing a small horde of various animals inside before ushering Helga in as well.
Helga hopped up to sit on the counter while Arnold busied himself with a tea kettle and a couple mugs. After placing the kettle on the stove he leaned against the counter next to Helga.
"Any word from your parents?" Arnold asked casually.
Helga pursed her lips in a thin line. "Well, not really. My mom tried to call me yesterday, but I'm just not ready to talk to her yet."
"Don't wait too long, Helga. They may not be the greatest parents, but they're still there for you." Arnold smiled sadly before he continued. "You're lucky to have them be such a big part of your life. After I found out my parents were killed in fifth grade it was kind of a hard pill to swallow. I wish I could have known them."
Helga frowned. "I'm sorry. I know that was a really difficult time for you."
Arnold's lips turned up into a small smile. "Yeah, it was, but I suppose it's better to know for certain than to live my whole life in doubt." He reached back and grabbed Helga's hand. "I suppose I have you to thank for that. I never would have discovered the truth without you."
Helga smiled sadly. "I'm just sorry you didn't get your happy ending."
"Well, perhaps things didn't turn out the way I had hoped back then, but I have a good life, a loving family, awesome friends..." Arnold added giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I guess I really can't complain."
Helga stared at him in wonder and complete awe. Even after being dealt such a poor hand in life, he was still that same optimistic and caring person he was in pre-school. Arnold turned his face back up to Helga and caught her staring at him.
"What?" He asked curiously.
Helga continued to gawk for a moment. "How can you be so happy?"
Arnold thought for a moment before answering. "I guess I just have so many blessings in my life and so much to be thankful for that even without the things I want, I don't feel like my life is lacking."
The whistling from the kettle pulled Helga out of her euphoric trance. Arnold poured the hot water into the prepared mugs, stirred each carefully and gently handed Helga one.
Helga muttered her thanks before taking a cautious sip.
"Ow!" She sputtered jerking the mug away causing some of the scalding beverage to slosh over the edge and onto her hand. "Shit!" She hissed dropping the mug.
"Helga!" Arnold firmly, but gently took Helga's hand in his and before he knew what he was doing he had his lips to her scalded skin.
Helga felt a jolt of electricity surge violently from his lips throughout her entire body. A hot blush filled her face as Arnold sat there nursing her burnt hand for a few moments. He finally released her hand, his face bright red and leaned forward catching Helga's lips in his.
Helga froze. Surely this had to be a dream, but the throbbing from her tongue and hand told her otherwise.
Arnold slowly pulled away, looking at her in silent caution.
Helga's lips buzzed from the contact. She unconsciously brought her fingers to her lips as if checking for some tangible evidence of what had just happened.
"What was that for, Football Head?" She breathed in little more than a whisper.
Arnold took a deep breath and swallowed awkwardly. "I guess I just needed to kiss them both better..."
Helga sat staring, her eyes locked onto the green jelly beans she recalled writing poetry about so many years ago.
As if drawn to do so Arnold cupped Helga's cheek with his free hand before slowly pressing his lips to hers again.
Helga felt her eyes close on their own accord as Arnold stepped a little closer.
Her mind swirled and sparked with the most delightful euphoric feeling, making the world around her disappear.
After only a minute Helga slowly responded to the kiss and pulled Arnold even closer to her. The passion built up inside of her throughout the years finally took over and the kiss quickly heated up.
Helga sucked gently on Arnold's bottom lip before slipping her tongue in his mouth and sliding it against his with fervor.
Arnold finally broke off, much to Helga's dismay. His breathing was heavy and his pupils dilated slightly.
"H-helga?" He whispered cautiously.
Helga stared silently waiting for him to continue. Instead of doing so, Arnold crashed his lips against hers fiercely.
Helga tangled her fingers up in his soft hair and Arnold wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her off the counter.
Something almost animalistic seemed to take over him as she wrapped her legs around him. He pushed her against a nearby wall and released her lips to trail a line of kisses down her neck.
Helga gasped quietly before a moan escaped her throat. She let her legs down before grabbing Arnold's hands and placing them squarely on her breasts.
Arnold immediately stopped and pulled his face back to catch Helga's eyes. He gazed at her questioningly, as if making sure she was certain. With her breasts in his hands he was completely certain there would be no going back from here.
"Perhaps here is not the best place to do this." Arnold whispered, his voice thick with want and uncertainty.
Helga breathed shakily, attempting to catch her breath. "You're probably right." She resigned pulling away from him and attempting to straighten her now mussed hair.
"Helga," Arnold asked seriously, "are you sure this is what you want?"
Helga stared at him confused for a moment before Arnold continued.
"I'm a...v-virgin." He muttered shyly. "I'm a little inexperienced. I have no idea what I'm doing."
Helga brought her lips down to his briefly before answering. "I have never been more sure about something in my life." She declared boldly. Where the sudden empowerment came from she had no idea, but she was going to take advantage of it if it killed her.
Arnold pulled Helga up to his room, the hot chocolate and broken mug on the floor long forgotten. He locked the door behind him, not wanting a repeat of the first time Helga slept over and before it Helga was pressed underneath him on the bed.
Helga wrapped her legs around him once more as Arnold slowly explored her mouth, trying to figure out what he was doing. She slid her hands up his shirt causing Arnold to gasp.
"Helga, wait." Arnold muttered breathlessly.
"What's wrong?" Helga frowned, removing her hands from Arnold's chest.
Arnold sat up and ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to collect his scattered mind.
"It's just, everything's moving so fast. I don't want to rush this."
Helga studied his face for a moment. "I see." She wasn't really sure how to respond.
Arnold took her hands, his thumbs gently caressed them as he sat quietly in the dark, listening to the violent pounding of his heart.
"You know, it's been really nice seeing you be yourself again."
Helga raised her brows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Arnold's thumbs stopped moving as he thought,
"When you were dating Reggie, you had become quiet and withdrawn, almost as if you were caving in on yourself. You stopped talking to your friends, you were...weak." Helga scoffed at the comment and Arnold quickly continued, "but looking at you over the past few weeks, you're spunky and outgoing. You're doing the activities you used to do before and you just seem to glow again."
Helga felt her cheeks heat up. "I glow?"
Arnold caught her eyes, a strange look on his face. "You've never noticed before?"
Helga's confused silence answered him louder than anything she could have voiced.
"Helga," Arnold said quietly, cupping her cheek in his hand. "You've always had this glow about you. You were always so fiercely independent and you and I seemed to clash, but on those few moments when you relaxed and let your walls down, even for a moment, I finally got to see just how much you really glowed. It was like trying to look at the sun."
Helga could feel her heart leap into her throat. She didn't know what to say.
"It was clear to me you had no idea just how bright you could shine," Arnold continued, his eyes seemed far away as he spoke. " You were always being compared to other people, especially Olga. You couldn't see your light and your parents couldn't see it either. It made me want to be the one to show you all the more."
Helga could feel emotions she hadn't realized were there bubble to the surface. She held back the tears as a small sob racked through her.
Arnold's eyes widened in horror. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"It's not you." Helga cut him off. "I just... I've never felt like this before."
"Like what?" Arnold asked, searching her face.
Helga looked pensive, trying to find the right word.
"Loved."
Arnold could feel his heartbreak at her sudden revelation. He lunged forward and pulled Helga into his arms.
A startled gasp escaped her lips as she was thrown out of her thoughts and back into the present. Arnold clung to her tightly and, eventually, Helga held him back, resting her face on his shoulder.
They sat like that for a few minutes before pulling back for another kiss. Arnold concentrated on putting all of his passion, comfort and love into that kiss and Helga could feel herself smile against him.
After a few minutes Arnold pulled back to release a yawn. "Sorry." He smiled sheepishly.
Helga chuckled, "I didn't realize that I bored you that much."
Arnold yawned again, Helga mirrored him.
"Crap, now you're making me tired and with good reason." She mumbled glancing at the alarm clock. "It's nearly 2 am!"
"Is it really?" Arnold glanced behind him to check the time. "No wonder I'm tired."
Helga dramatically plopped down face first into the pillow. Seriously, what the hell is this shampoo?!
Arnold laid on his back next to her, yawning loudly before placing his arms beneath his head. Helga scooted over to lay her head on his chest for a while.
"You know, this isn't as comfortable as they make it look in movies." She mumbled tiredly.
"What do you mean?"
"I have no idea where my other arm is supposed to be. It doesn't really have a comfortable position."
Arnold chuckled again. "Here." He flipped onto his side and pulled Helga into a spooning position. "Better?"
"Mm..." Helga sighed.
"Goodnight, Helga." Arnold murmured into her shoulder.
"'Night, Football Head."
As the couple drifted into a blissful slumber a shadow from above them crossed the skylight making the shadow cross over their peaceful faces. The owner of the shadow was severely pissed off.
