Hiya boys and girls! Thanks for the reviews and subscriptions. I know you've all been waiting patiently for the next chapter and I can proudly say "It's here!". I consider this the coup de grace which means, yes, I have finally brought out the smut I promised. ;) So go, read! I know you want to. Haha! On a side note, I think this story will be wrapped up in only another chapter or two. I'm playing around with the idea of continuing the story line, just jumping a few years ahead to Arnold and Helga's senior year. If you have a preference on what you'd like to read, please state so in your comments and I'll take them into consideration :) Thanks again everyone!
Note: I do not own Hey Arnold! nor any other TV shows/movie/music/product/etc mentioned below. Specifically, the lyrics used are to the song "Inevitable" which was written and performed by Anberlin. (Yes, I got a little song fic-y but I felt like the words were so powerful and rang so true here that they needed to be included.)
"Is it too late to back out?"
"Finish packing, Pataki."
Ever since Sam pointed out the predicament I had unknowingly forced upon myself, I had been regretting my decision of saying 'yes' to Brian's offer. All week, I had been searching for a good reason to recant my answer. Needing to study, didn't have the money to pay my share, didn't own a dress, etc. Hell, I was even half tempted to tell him that I had to go home and see Miriam that weekend. I came up with a million excuses. But I couldn't bring myself to cancel. I knew it wasn't right to screw Brian over simply because I didn't feel like facing up to my own issues. So, here it was, the first Saturday in May, and I was stuffing my things into an overnight bag at the last minute as an overpowering sense of dread gnawed at my insides. Sam, who was well aware that I was on the edge of a full-blown panic attack, wasn't about to let me chicken out and had stuck around that afternoon to make sure I was ready to go on time.
"OK. I think that's it." I said as I zipped my duffel bag closed.
Sam dropped from her bunk and onto the floor. "You remember your toothbrush?"
"Yes, mother."
She grinned. "Excellent. Now we can get this show on the road." She picked up her own packed gym bag off the ground. As I collected the rest of my things, she lightly placed a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, hon. Try to have a good time tonight."
"That's easy for you to say," I mumbled as I locked and shut the door behind us. We made our way into the parking lot and climbed into my gold Pontiac Grand Prix. After much debate between the four of us, I was voted chauffer. I was perfectly fine with this decision, figuring that I could tune everything else out to focus on quote, unquote 'driving'. As we pulled out and made our way towards Theta Zeta Chi, my mind already started to wander. Maybe you'll luck out. Maybe Arnold won't be there. I knew it was only the slimmest of chances but I was somewhat soothed by clinging on to that last shred of hope. Yeah. Maybe he went home instead and you're worrying yourself silly over nothing. I brightened at the possibility as we drove up to the house where Brian and Rodney were waiting for us on the porch.
"Hello ladies," Rodney said as he slid into the back beside Sam.
"Hey Rodney. Hiya Brian," I replied as Brian hopped into the passenger seat.
Brian brightly smiled. "Hey Helga. You ready to have some fun?"
"I think so."
"Then what the hell are we waiting for, Pataki?" Sam yelled behind me. "Let's go!"
As I hastily threw the car into 'Drive', speeding down the alleyway and onto the main road, Rodney piped up. "You got any tunes in this death trap of yours?"
"There should be a CD case rolling around somewhere back there." I felt some jostling as Sam and Rodney dug around under the seats.
"Found it!" Sam exclaimed. I heard her flip through a few sleeves. "Oooooo! We're putting this one on!" She stretched over the center console between Brian and I to reach the stereo and popped in a blue and silver disc. As the opening licks of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came pouring out of the speakers, I leaned back in my seat. Please don't let this be a disaster.
"What do you mean you only have singles left? We had a whole block of doubles reserved!" Brian said frustratedly.
We were standing around the small lobby of our hotel attempting to check into our rooms after completing what had been a rather enjoyable hour drive.
"I'm sorry, sir, but that block has been filled and, as a whole, we're almost entirely sold out," the concierge replied. "However, we do have one single left on the first floor where the rest of your party is staying as well as one other room on the third floor."
I frowned. Well this is going to be uncomfortable. As nice as Brian was, I didn't really know the kid. And now I was expected to split a bed with him. I figured he'd be smart enough not to pull anything but I still wasn't thrilled with the idea.
"No biggie," Sam chirped. "Helga and I will take the one on the third floor. You guys can have the other."
Rodney promptly began to protest. "But, babe! I thought you and I were gonna get some special 'alone time' tonight."
"Oh sweetie, let's be realistic. We both know that won't happen. You're gonna get so wasted at the after-party, you'll end up passed out on the floor somewhere."
"No I won't!"
Sam smirked. "That's what you said at Prom last year. And do you remember what happened?" Rodney mumbled something under his breath. "What'd you say, honey? I couldn't hear you."
"I woke up naked in Eddie's motel room bathtub."
"Exactly." She lightly patted his cheek. "So you enjoy the evening with your brothers and we'll have our 'alone time' when we get back."
I turned to Brian. "You OK with this?"
"Yeah. Whatever you girls wanna do works for me."
"That settles it then," Sam remarked as the concierge handed her our room key cards.
"All right, gentlemen. You'll be in Room 117, which is in the middle of the hall on your lefthand side. And Ladies, you will be in Room 339, all the way at the end of the hall. Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else."
"Thanks. Come on, Helga." Sam grabbed her bag and motioned for me to follow.
As we got into the elevators, I looked at her. "You know, you didn't have stay with me, right? I could have shared with Bri."
"I know. But I figured maybe you might want somewhere you could go and get some peace and quiet if you needed it."
Damn, she understands me better than I thought. We rode the two floors up in silence. As we stepped off the elevator, we made a left and trekked through the corridor to the very last room on the righthand side. Sam slid the key card into the lock, waiting for the green light to appear before throwing open the door and walking inside.
The room was like that of any other generic hotel chain's. Immediately to the right was a tiny bathroom with a vanity station, toilet, and shower/tub combo. Further in, a sprawling king-sized bed flanked by night stands sat opposite a chest of drawers with a mirror and a TV set on top of a dresser. Sam swiftly tossed her belongings into a chair next to the window and flopped onto the bed. I threw mine down as well and joined her. She snatched up the remote off her side table and flicked the boob tube on, channel surfing for several minutes until she caught a glimpse of Johnny Depp's handsome mug.
"Pirates of the Caribbean. Nice."
"Which one?"
"Curse of the Black Pearl." We watched the scene unfold until a commercial break came on. At that, Sam got up. "Guess we better start getting ready." She began rifling through her bag, pulling out her dress, flat iron, and makeup case. After plugging the flat iron into a nearby outlet, she proceeded to dump the contents of her cosmetic kit onto the matress. Along with her assortment of eyeshadows and lipsticks, out spilled a half dozen gold-wrapped condoms.
"Geez, Sam. What were you planning on doing with all those? Having an all-night orgy or something?"
She snickered. "Hey! It doesn't hurt to be well equipped. You never know when or how often the mood may strike."
I rolled my eyes. Nympho. "So what time does everything start?"
"Dinner's at 7:30pm. Awards are around 8:30pm and everything wraps up by 9pm. But we've got the ballroom until midnight so people'll likely stick around 'til then. That leaves us…" she glanced at her watch, "about 45 minutes."
I scooted off the bed. "You need the shower?"
"Nope. Did it before we left."
I rummaged through my stuff and withdrew my shampoo and conditioner as well as a tiny black thong before disappearing into the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, when I re-entered the bedroom, hair and body wrapped in towels, I found Sam sitting there, patiently waiting for me. She grinned, patting an empty spot across from her. "Pop a squat." I slowly took a seat, careful to make sure I didn't unintentionally flash her. Her expression changed to one of sheer earnestness. "So. I've been thinking. How would you feel about letting me do your hair and makeup?"
I was perplexed by her question. "Why?"
She shrugged. "Because it's a special occasion."
"What about you? Don't you still have to finish yours?"
"Already taken care of." I inspected her appearance. She had indeed managed to do her hair as well as expertly apply foundation, a layer of shimmery beige eye shadow, and black eyeliner in the time I was gone. I hesitated. She read into my doubts instantly. "It'll be tasteful. I promise."
"Well…"
"Please?" she pleaded.
Like a fool, I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. "Oh all right. Just this once."
"Yes!" she cheered as she bounced up and down. "I've got the perfect idea!"
A half hour later, I was staring at my reflection in the dresser mirror, wondering what the hell happened to my face. "I look like a fucking raccoon."
"You do not! You look pretty. Feminine even." Sam argued, beaming at her work. She had taken the opportunity to her full advantage and had given me a complete makeover. It was A LOT more than I was used to.
I shook my head. "Can I please wash it off?"
"Oh no, you don't! You leave it the way it is! Trust me. It'll look nice once you put the dress on." She glanced around the room. "Speaking of which, where is it?"
"In my duffel."
She burrowed into my bag, extracting the attire I had chosen, and handed it to me. "OK. You slip into yours, I'll squeeze into mine. We finish up some last minute touches and then we go meet the guys."
I stepped back into the bathroom and shed the towel still draped around myself. I shimmied into the gown and walked out. "Sam, would you mind zipping me up?"
"Sure. As long as you return the favor." I faced away, back towards her. "OK. Suck it in a little. There. Got it."
I turned to look in the mirror. Woah. Of course, once again, Sam, in all her infinite wisdom, was right. The smoky eye effect she had done on my lids perfectly complimented the plain, spaghetti-strapped black mini and black peep-toe heels I had on while making the crystal blue of my eyes pop. As for my hair, she had simply blown it dry, leaving my natural waves cascading over my back.
"See?" she said as she watched me take myself in. "What'd I tell ya?"
"You win."
She smirked. "You're welcome." She lightly punched me in the arm. "My turn."
"Oh. Yeah." I momentarily fumbled with the zipper on her apparel before it slid right up. "Done."
She gave herself a quick once over, twirling and flaring out her turquoise halter-topped handkerchief-hemmed dress. "Rodney's eyes are gonna bug out of his head when he sees me in this." She turned back to the pile of cosmetics on the bed. "So lipstick, then shoes, then purse, then on our way we go." She grabbed a tube as she started shoving everything into the nightstand drawer and tossed it to me. "Try that one. It should be just enough."
I twisted off the cap to reveal a frosty pink shade of lipstick. I lightly swiped it across my lips. As Sam slipped into nude pumps, I went back into my overnight bag for my jewelry. "FYI," I called over my shoulder. "I'm not bringing a purse of anything so you mind carrying the keys?"
She tapped her purse. "Already got 'em." I finished clasping my necklace and jammed my feet into my heels. We both took one last look at ourselves. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Good." As we exited the room into the hallway, Sam stuck her elbow out to the side. "Would madam do me the honor of accompanying me?"
"'Madam'? Who you callin' 'madam'?" I snorted as I linked my arm with hers.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Who is it?" someone bellowed.
"Housekeeping!" Sam shouted back.
The door gradually creaked open to reveal Rodney in a black pinstripe suit and royal blue tie. "Nice try, hon, but I could see you through the peephole."
"Dang it! Oh well. I tried."
Rodney bent down and gave Sam a soft peck on the cheek. As he stood back up, his eyes fell upon me and his mouth went agape. "Holy shit! Pataki, is that you?"
"No, I'm the Queen of England," I sniped. "Of course it's me, dumb ass. Doi!"
"Damn, girl. You clean up nice."
"Hey!" Sam said, feigning annoyance. "That was the reaction I wanted."
Rodney wrapped an arm around his girlfriend. "Babe, you always look gorgeous."
"Aww. That's so sweet!" They gazed adoringly at one another.
I decided to interrupt before things could get any more awkward. "Enough with the lovey dovey crap, you two. Are we gonna do this thing or what?"
"Yeah. Hold on." Rodney hollered into the room. "Bri! They're here."
"One sec." Brian came to the door, dressed in a navy blue suit and red tie, beer at hand. He took one last swig of the bottle, finishing the last few drops and tossing it in the trash can inside the bathroom doorway before stepping into the hallway. "Let's roll."
As Sam and Rodney led the way, Brian and I hung back.
"Decided to start a bit early," Brian murmured somewhat sheepishly. "Hope you don't mind."
I flicked my wrist at him. "Meh. It's a free country. You can do whatever you want." We exchanged a few more casual words but as, we got closer to the ballroom, anxiety rushed in and I became quiet. A few paces ahead of the entrance, I froze, too paralyzed by what potentially lay inside. I can't do this.
It took another step or two before Brian realized I was no longer beside him. When he did, he stopped and came back to my side. "Nervous?" he asked softly. I nodded. "Chill, Pataki. It's just dinner and a little dancing. You can go back to your jeans in a few hours."
If only that was my primary concern.
I took a second to gather myself before I started walking again. As I was about to go through the doors, I swallowed hard, pushing the bile that was steadily rising in my throat back into my stomach. Here goes nothing…
Surprisingly, my world didn't seem to implode the minute I set foot in the reception. On the contrary, no one even seemed to notice we had arrived. Various groups of brothers and their dates were scattered throughout, busy talking to one another. As Brian steered us over to a table on the far right side, I kept my eyes peeled for hints of cornsilk and platinum colored hair. I managed to spot Colleen easily enough. She was standing at the bar, shamelessly canoodling with a brother I didn't recognize. However, I had yet to find Arnold. I breathed a small sigh of relief. Whew! Guess he isn't here. As we sat down next to Dan and his date, we exchanged pleasantries and introductions before Brian got up once more.
"I'm gonna go head over to the bar and grab a Coke. Would you like anything, Helga?"
"Umm…sure. A Sprite."
"Comin' right up." He headed off towards his destination. I turned to face Dan.
"So, Dan, how have things been with you?"
"Not too bad. Stressin' about finals. What about you?"
"Ugh. Don't get me started about classes. I'm freaking out about Bio."
Dan's date piped up. "If you're having issues with Bio, you should go talk to Arnold. He's a real wiz at anything science-related. Speaking of which, here he comes."
I whirled around in my seat. Sure enough, there he was, strolling towards us. I immediately became very interested in the carpet pattern. Oh God. He came to a halt directly across from me. Fuckin' A.
"Hey Dan. Hi Jillian." He paused when he got to me. I glanced up at him, instantly kicking myself for it. He looked extraordinary in his black suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie with his hair gelled back. As he stared at me, the smile rapidly fled from his face. "Helga," he finally choked out quietly.
I nodded in acknowlegement . "Football Head."
"You…uh…you look really great tonight."
"Thanks. So do you."
Right then, Brian came back with our drinks. "Hey Shortman! What's up?" he asked as he set the glasses in front of us and shook Arnold's hand.
"Not much, Bri. Just came over to say 'hi' to everyone."
"Hey, Shortman," Dan chipped in, "where's your date?"
He flushed slightly. "I don't have one."
Huh? I snapped my head up in attention. "You didn't come with Colleen?"
"No," he responded flatly, "she came with one of the new guys."
At that moment, the clink of a metal on glass got everyone's attention.
"Looks like that's the signal to take our seats," Brian interjected as he pulled his chair out.
"Yeah, I guess so," Arnold mumbled. "I'll catch you later then." He glanced at me one more time before turning and heading back across the room. I watched as he took his place at the middle table nearest to the dance floor along with several other boys and Colleen.
Once everyone was seated, the President of the fraternity gave a short speech followed by dinner being served. Conversation was light during the meal, primarily revolving around last minute deadlines for projects and papers in addition to class selections for the following year. Every once in a while, I shot a look Arnold's way. While he seemed to be participating in the discussions, I could tell his mind was elsewhere. After dinner, superlative awards were announced. I laughed my ass off when Sam and Rodney were named 'Couple Most Likely To Get Busy In Every Room of the House' but cringed when Arnold was given the 'Agony Uncle' title. For someone so good at dishing out solutions, he sure as hell knows how to make a shit ton of problems. When everything was said and done, someone hooked up an iPod to the room's stereo system and the floor opened up for dancing. I sat out the first few upbeat songs, much to Sam's chagrin. It wasn't until the tempo slowed that I even considered getting up and moving. As luck would have it, the same thought occurred to Brian.
He pivoted around in his seat. "Care to dance?" he asked, offering me his hand.
My gaze darted back over to the middle table. Arnold and Colleen were sitting close, heads together, in hushed conversation. A twinge of pain shot through my chest. I grimaced at the feeling but composed myself and slapped on a fake grin before giving my attention back to Brian. "Let's go."
We walked out onto the floor and started to sway. As we turned round and round, I gave in to the melody and leaned my head on Brian's chest. This is actually kind of nice…
"Mind if I cut in?"
A chill overtook me as Brian loosened his grip. "She's all yours, Shortman."
I tried to flee but found myself firmly caught by the hand. I spun back around. "Take your hands off of me, Football Head," I spat. He pulled me into him.
"Unless you want to make a scene, I suggest you go along with this," he breathed into my ear. I scowled but quit resisting. The next song started and we fell into rhythm with the beat.
Do you remember when we were just kids
And cardboard boxes took us miles from what we would miss
Schoolyard conversations taken to heart
And laughter took the place of everything we knew we were not
I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again
We could stay in this moment (stay in this moment)
For the rest of our lives
Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now
The more we moved, the more I found myself getting lost in the moment, the anger and hurt inside temporarily subsiding. He knew exactly what he was doing and exuded confidence with every step he made. "You still know how to dance."
His jaw tightened. "And you still know how to push my buttons."
Amazing how life turns out the way that it does
We end up hurting the worst, the only ones we really love
I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again
We could stay in this moment (stay in this moment)
For the rest of our lives
Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now
He twirled me around and gracefully dipped me back. "We need to talk."
My shields instantly went back up. "There's nothing to discuss, Arnoldo."
"Helga, stop it. I'm done having you avoid me." He brought me back up and we were nose to nose. I stared him down and he did the same, never wavering. After several intense seconds, I finally conceded.
"Fine. But not here. Meet me by the third floor ice machine in 10. Got it?" He nodded.
Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now
Is it over now hey, hey, it's not over now
I wanna be your last, first kiss
That you'll ever have (that you'll ever have)
I wanna be your last, first love (that you'll ever have)
Till you're lying here beside me with arms and eyes open wide
I wanna be your last, first kiss for all time
As the song ended, we quickly broke from our embrace. The sound of applause and wolf whistles followed us as we made our way back to our separate tables. What the fuck happened to not making a scene? As I plopped into my chair, I watched Arnold lean over to say something to Colleen. She looked up at him then nodded her head as she handed him his jacket and tie. He was making his way over to the exit when Sam sauntered over and re-took her seat.
"You and Shortman cut quite a rug out there."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure if there was a pool under here, he would have thrown me in again."
"What?"
"Nevermind. I'll tell ya later."
She gave a devious smile. "It appears as though you guys are talking. I assume everything's fixed?"
"No." A frown lined her face and I knew she was about to lecture me so I cut right to the chase. "Sam, I need it."
She instantly understood. "Sure thing. Gimme a sec." She dug through her purse and extracted a key card.
"Thanks," I said as she handed it to me.
"No problem. Take as long as you need." As I got up to leave, Sam grabbed my forearm. "Pataki?"
"Yeah?"
"Good luck."
I scurried out of the party room as stealthily as possible. As soon as I was out the door, I took off for the stairs. I was out of breath when I reached the top and tried to steady myself with a few deep breaths as I traipsed down the hall. I was nearly back to normal as I rounded the corner to the ice machine room. "OOF!" I slammed head first into another body and was knocked backwards, flat onto my ass. "Watch where you're going!"
A hand reached out to help me up. "Sorry, Helga."
I stood up and brushed myself off. "Whatever, Football Head. Not like it's the first time." I retrieved the dropped room key from the floor. "Come on. Follow me." We headed through the corridor until we were in front of #339. I keyed in and pushed the door open, kicking off my heels as Arnold took a seat at the end of the bed. I leaned back against the dresser and crossed my arms over my chest, impatient to get this over with. "You wanted to chat? Then start talking."
He started furiously rubbing the back of his neck. "Helga, I owe you an apology about what happened. I crossed some sort of boundary that I shouldn't have and I'm sorry. But I still don't understand what you meant when you said that you weren't going to be a part in the game I was playing."
I gave him the side eye. "Let me ask you something. How stupid do you think I am?"
He was stunned. "What? I don't -"
"Don't patronize me, Hair Boy. You know exactly what it means!"
"Helga, why are you so angry?"
I threw up my arms in disgust and marched back and forth in front of him. "You could have been honest me. I wouldn't have cared that you two were together. OK, that's a lie but I would have at least managed to deal with it."
"What are you talking about?"
I haulted my pacing to sneer at him. "Let me jog your memory. You. Colleen. The Going Through party. "
"The Going Through party? Nothing happened with me and Colleen at -" Comprehension dawned on him and he groaned. "Oh no."
"I thought you and I had gotten close enough to cut through the bullshit, Arnold."
"You've got it all wrong, Helga. If you'd let me explain-"
My temper flared. "I don't want an explanation! I want you to tell me the truth! Are you with Colleen or not?"
He was becoming exasperated. "How many times do I have to tell you? There is nothing going on between Collen and I."
"I've heard enough. Get out!"
"But Helga, I -"
"I said leave!" He stared at me for a moment. I shot daggers and pointed at the exit forcefully. He didn't say another word as he got up and headed for the door. But, as he grasped the handle, I saw him stiffen and stop in his tracks.
"No."
"What did you say?" I whispered, dangerously close to losing it.
His voice was steel. "I'm not leaving."
"That's it!" I stomped over to where he was and got in his face. "Get! The! Fuck! Out!" I emphasized each word with a jab to the chest. On the last jab, he grabbed my wrist. I attempted to pry his fingers loose. "Let go of me, Football Head!" Big mistake. As soon as I brought my hand up, he snagged my other wrist and managed to pin me to the wall. Son of a bitch.
He was inches from my face and visibly pissed. "You want the truth?! Fine!" The next thing I knew, his lips were enveloping mine. A tingling sensation bolted straight down my spine. After a moment, Arnold pulled away, a serious look on his face. "I should have done that a long time ago." I stood there, dumbfounded for a second before smashing my mouth back into his. In his surprise, he released his grip on me.
"Hel-"
"Shut up." I clenched a handful of his shirt and yanked him into me, slipping my tongue between his parted lips. With no hesitation, he did the same. As our mouths ferociously tangled, a dull ache spread through my loins. Easy. Take your time. I attempted to draw back but Arnold wasn't having it. He gently pulled my lower lip between his teeth. Another rush of pleasure. He began trailing kisses down my neck, pausing at my pulse point, his warm wet mouth sucking the delicate skin. I palmed the back of his skull, coaxing him on. He continued, nipping and kissing his way to my bare shoulders. I buried my face in his hair as he brushed his lips over my clavicle and then the base of my throat. The familiar scent of his coconut shampoo wafted over me. Just like I remembered… My mind idly drifted back to the first time I had ever smelled it. Second grade. Mrs. Wilson's class. I was so entranced by this memory that I didn't even realize he had made his way back up to my jawline until he lightly tugged on my earlobe with his teeth. "Ugh! Shit!" I gasped as my hips involuntarily jerked and warmth started to soak through my panties. He paused and locked eyes with me. In that instant, his emerald gems darkened to the richest shade of forest green I had ever seen. I immediately found myself being driven further into the wall as he cupped his hands under my ass and lifted me up. Instinctively, I wrapped my limbs around his neck and hips. Every inch of his arousal pressed against me. "Oh Arnold," I softly moaned.
He closed his eyes as he throbbed at the sound of his name. "Fuck…" he muttered under his breath. With that one word, any and all reason I had left went out the window. I passionately kissed him with everything I had. When our lips broke contact, all I could manage to choke out was "Bed. NOW.". He didn't even bother putting me back on the floor, instead carrying me still entwined with him over to the mattress. As tenderly as possible, he laid me down before kicking off his shoes and crawling over top of me. I spread my legs to allow him to fully rest himself against me. For the second time, his mouth hungrily attacked mine. As we carried on with our heavy petting, I seductively swirled my pelvis against him. He caught on and countered my motions with his own. I shuddered and let out a throaty moan. His hands manuevered their way over my curves and jerked the hem of my dress over my hips. The sensation of his touch drove me mad. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to feel more of his flesh on my own. I frantically fumbled at the buttons on his dress shirt. He quickly realized what I was trying to do and leaned back on his haunches to take over. Teasingly, he finished unfastening his shirt to reveal a thin, white tank top. I sat up and yanked it off his shoulders, kissing the newly exposed areas. But that wasn't enough. I ran my hands up his ribcage, slipping his undershirt higher. Arnold wrenched himself free of the dress shirt, tossing it carelessly to the side. He gripped the edge of the tank, gradually pulling it over his head. My eyes roved over every bit of him. He truly was perfect. And I had him right where I had always wanted him. I placed a hand on his bare chest and playfully shoved him.
He fell backwards, confusion written across his features. I wriggled my legs free and stood up, my back towards him. I glanced alluringly over my shoulder at him. "Unzip me." I faced forward again and didn't have to wait long before I felt his lips dance across the my neck and shoulder blades as his fingers pulled the zipper on my dress. He gingerly slid the spaghetti straps off of each of my shoulders and I let the gown fall into a puddle on the floor. I turned to face him. I suddenly felt overexposed as I stood there barebreasted before him. But my selfconsciousness was forgotten when I saw the look on his face. I kicked the dress away and started to undo his belt. "Off," I whispered as I rubbed my palm against his member. Without a word, he shucked his pants and boxers to around his ankles. "Sit," I ordered.
When he was settled, I lowered myself to my knees. He inhaled sharply upon initial contact of my mouth with his erection but, as I took him in fully, a low groan escaped his lips. I started off slowly, initially synchronizing the movement of my hand around his cock with the bobbing of my head. As I sped up, I surprised him with different motions, long, slow pulls with short, quick tugs. Midway through, I realized that he had buried his hands in my hair and was unconsciously playing with it. When his leg twitched and he roughly yanked a fistful of hair, I could tell he was approaching his limit. I started to finish him off. "Helga, wait," he commanded forcefully. I pulled back and looked up at him. He was flushed and breathing hard but wore a sly smile. "Switch."
As I rose, he scooted over to make room for me on the bed. I peeled off my thong before slinking across and laying beside him. No sooner had I done so than he commenced making a path of kisses down my curves. As he moved to my chest, he briefly lingered over a nipple before giving it a gentle bite. I whimpered as he took it into his mouth. He placed a hand over my other breast and began to palm it in rhythm with the undulations of his tongue. I tugged his luxurious golden locks as he continued to teasingly suck and nibble. I closed my eyes to revel in the feeling of his mouth on my body. His lips were unbelivably soft, which wonderfully contrasted with the roughness of his tongue. I sensed him stop and opened my eyes to see him smirk as he hovered over my pubic bone. When he was sure I was watching, he leaned down and gave my clit an experimental lick. I bucked as another wave of passion rippled through my core. His tongue plunged deeper, making brisk circular motions mixed with a random suck or flick here and there. I started slipping over an edge that I never knew existed.
"Oh…Oh God…Hold on." Arnold paused and gave a curious look. I twisted slightly and opened the nightstand drawer, searching blindly for the condoms Sam had thrown inside. When I finally got my hands on one, I tossed it to him. He picked up the little packet and glanced from it to me.
"You sure?"
"Positive."
He tore open the foil and unrolled the little rubber ring over his arousal as I got comfortable. When he had positioned himself over me and outside my entrance, he met my gaze. "Ready?" I nodded and he inserted himself inside. A burst of pain went through me as he stretched me open, causing me to hiss. He stopped, concern and alarm flashing across his face. "You OK?"
"Yeah. Fine. Just been a little while." I gave him a small smile. He returned the gesture before continuing on. At first, he took things slow and gentle, almost methodical even, as if he was afraid he'd break me. But that quickly subsided as we started to fall in synch. On one particularly deep thrust, a surge of the most intense pleasure I had ever felt swept through me. A guttural moan escaped my lips. His face instantly hardened in concentration and he thrust the same way again. Another jolt and another cry. With that, our actions became more frenzied. I ground down, desperate to take him in as far as I could.
"Almost…there…," he panted.
"Keep…going," I gasped. With each rapid thrust, my breathing became more sporadic and dots of color began to dance before my eyes. "I'm - I'm gonna -" With one final lunge, we both came completely undone. The pressure building up inside of me released like a firework. At the same time, he jerked violently, tensed, and then relaxed. I exhaled contentedly, fully basking in my moment of bliss and glanced up at him. I was met with that beautiful half-lidded gaze and a satisfied smile. He softly kissed my forehead before rolling off. He got up and took off the condom, tying a knot in the end and tossing it in a nearby trash can before rejoining me. As I lay there, letting my breathing return to normal, my thoughts once again became coherent. What the fuck did you just do?! As the realization that Arnold and I had had sex sunk in,I defeatedly groaned.
He rotated to his side to face me. "What?"
"Nothing."
"Was it that bad?"
"What?! No!" I yelped, turning my head to make eye contact. A stupid grin crept onto his face. I immediately went crimson and whipped back around to focus on the ceiling. "I mean – What I mean to say is – is that this - this whole situation is insane."
"Tell me something I don't know."
I sighed. "Arnold, what are we doing?"
"Having a conversation."
"I'm serious."
He casually placed an arm around my waist, sliding me towards him. "Well, what do you think?"
"I don't know. I guess I kind of assumed we'd be chalking this up to a 'heat of the moment' thing."
He bristled. "That's no less of a cop-out now than it was then."
I rolled onto my side so I was directly face-to-face with him. "What do you mean by that?"
He seemed to be wrestling with his conscience for the right words. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke. "Helga, there's something I need to ask you."
"OK?"
"That night, on the roof of the FTi building, did you mean what you said? Did you really love me?"
So he does remember. "Yes," I mumured almost inaudibly.
"Do you still love me?"
I looked away. "And if I said I do?"
"I'd say I love you too."
I whipped my eyes up and stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Helga, that night, something happened when you kissed me. I had no idea what it was. Frankly, it overwhelmed me. I mean, one minute, you act like you hate my guts, the next, you're telling me you've secretly been in love with me for years. It was all too much for me to wrap my head around. So I came up with that whole 'heat of the moment' excuse, more or less to convince myself that what happened was a fluke. At the time, I was glad we both agreed on that explanation but, afterwards, when I thought about it, it bothered me. A lot. Probably because I knew you had told me the truth and I wasn't willing to accept it. Looking back, I should have said something then but I didn't know what or how without making things awkward between us. Anyway, before long, you were gone for what I thought was for good. I honestly didn't think I'd ever see you again. So I pushed everything to the back of my mind. That is, until, there you were, sitting in the middle of my living room. All those suppressed thoughts and feelings came flooding back the moment we made eye contact. I knew this was my chance to talk to you about it. But, the minute you recognized me, you were practically flying out the door. Not gonna lie, it hurt to think that you couldn't even stand to be alone in the same room with me but I wasn't about to give up that easily. Hence why I suggested wiping the slate clean. After that, I knew I needed to take things slow or you'd run. And, for a while, that's what I did. In the process, I got to see a side of you that I never even knew existed. And the more time we spent together, the more I liked you. As in 'liked you, liked you'. Then the Going Through party happened. I don't know what it was. Maybe it was the alcohol talking. Maybe it was my own wishful thinking getting the better of me. Whatever it was, I could have sworn you still felt that same spark. So I went for it. I kinda figured you might freak out but never like you did. I felt absolutely terrible and immediately knew I needed to apologize. But I wanted to do it face-to-face so I could try to tell you what was going through my head. I at least owed you that. But then a week went by and you never responded to any of my messages. Then two, Then three. It was at that point I realized how badly I had messed things up. Sam kept telling me I should randomly show up one day and force you to talk to me but I couldn't. What was I going to say anyway? 'Hey Helga, I know I'm a giant moron and I'm sorry but the truth is, I think I'm falling for you and I need to know if there's even a remote chance that we could ever be anything more than friends.'?"
I smirked. "It'd have been a start."
"Well I know that now. Anyway, I wasn't even planning on coming to Formals but Sam convinced me that it would take my mind off the situation. Little did I know you'd be showing up with Brian. And seeing you two together made me twice as miserable as I already was. But you looked like you were having a good time and I didn't want to ruin that. I think it was at that point when everything clicked. It was more than just some little crush. I cared about you enough that I simply wanted you to be happy, even if it was at my own expense. So I knew what I had to do and that's why I approached you tonight. I figured all that would come out of this conversation would be that I'd apologize and say my peace. Then you'd tell me off, to stay away from you, and that'd be it. That'd be the last time we'd ever speak to each other." He let out a small chuckle. "And I guess I was partially right. Up until that last part. But I gotta say, I much prefer the way things turned out."
"Don't act so pleased with yourself there, bucko." I attempted to appear irritated but found myself snickering instead.
"So now what do you think?"
"I think that was the most clichéd speech I've ever heard."
His cheeks turned pink but he was grinning. "Yeah. It was kinda lame." He pulled me closer, holding me tight. "Honestly, though, is it worth a shot?"
"I've got some questions of my own that I want answers to first, Football Head."
"Go for it."
"Seriously, what really is the deal with you and Colleen?" He rolled his eyes. "Hey!" I exclaimed defensively, "You knew this was coming."
"I know. It's just -" He sighed. "She'll never forgive me if she finds out I said anything."
"As far as I'm concerned, nothing about tonight leaves this room." He eyed me apprehensively. "You can trust me, Arnold."
He thought about it for only a split second. "I tutor her in Calc 1 and Gen Chem 1."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Is that it?"
"Yep."
"What's the big deal then?"
"She doesn't want people knowing that this is her third time taking both classes. She aware she's got a reputation for being a ditz and she doesn't want add more fuel to the fire. So two or three times a week, we secretly meet for a few hours and I work with her through her labs and homework problems."
"OK. But that doesn't explain you two sneaking off to have private little conversations nor the fact that you were making out at the party."
"Like I said, she doesn't want people thinking she's stupider than they already do. So she pulls me aside when she wants to talk about meeting up or to let me know how her tests and quizzes went. And as for Going Through, I hadn't seen her all week and she wanted to tell me in person that she passed both her midterms. She was already three sheets to the wind when she found me so her better judgment was out the window. She wanted to thank me and that's the first thing that popped into her head. She knows I don't have those kind of feelings for her and vice versa. Of course, the next day, after she was coherent again, she was pretty embarrassed."
"So there truly is nothing going on between you two?"
"No."
I studied him closely. "And I should believe you why?"
"Helga, I've always been completely honest with you. Why would I start lying now?" He rested a hand under my chin and tilted it up towards him, eyes piercing down into the depths of my soul. "Trust me." And in that instant, I knew I could and that I forever would.
"All right."
"Now answer my question from earlier."
I didn't even hesitate. "OK."
"OK what?"
"OK, let's give this a shot. But let's get one thing straight. Helga G. Pataki wears the pants in this relationship, bucko, and don't you ever forget it."
"Whatever you say, Helga." I smiled and was returned with that slightly lop-sided grin I had always adored. "I love you."
"I love you too, Arnold." As I lay there, intertwined with my beloved, a random thought crossed my mind. I shook my head and chuckled. "You have no clue what you've just gotten yourself into, do you?"
"Can't wait to find out," Arnold whispered before he deeply kissed me.
