Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for so long! Stuff's crazy right now with my dancing and everything, but I won't bore you with that. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 10
The sparkling water of the beach came into view and the bus full of kids cheered. Arnold gave Helga's hand, which he'd been holding the entire trip, a gentle squeeze. 'Yes, this is definitely going to be a wonderful trip' Helga thought, smiling at Arnold.
"Okay, everyone, listen up!" their adult supervisor said. "When we get to the beach house I want everyone to get their bags in a calm, orderly fashion. I mean it. Get you bag and wait for me to get the door unlocked before you start asking who get what room, okay? Believe it or not there is a bedroom plan already in place."
"Wait, you said beach house. I thought we were staying in a hotel?" Rhonda said, confused.
"Well I don't know were you heard that, but we are in fact staying at a beach house, not a hotel."
"This is going to be so much fun, Arnold!" Helga said, almost bouncing with happiness, "We're going to be staying right on the beach!"
"This is going to be great," Arnold agreed.
§
The girls all stepped into the large room they would be sharing while at the beach and smiled. Bunk-beds lined the far wall, and opposite them were several dressers for their clothes.
"This is going to be like one big sleepover!" Sheena celebrated, tossing her bag on a bottom bunk.
"I'm so glad we got to come, even though we're not in the episode," Nadine said. Indeed, the director had invited all of the kids on the trip, even if they were not part of the episode, saying that they all deserved a trip to the beach.
Helga dropped her bag at the foot of a bed and climbed the latter to the top bunk. 'This is going to be the best trip to the beach ever' she thought. She closed her eyes and listened to her friends chatter while they unpacked.
§
Over in the boys room, much the same activity was going on. Bags were being unpacked, beds were claimed, and Arnold sat in the middle of it all on his bottom bunk, smiling to himself.
"Hey Arnold, what're you smiling 'bout?" Harold asked, stuffing his clothes into a drawer.
"Huh? Oh, nothing, just happy to be here, that's all," Arnold said.
"That's likely," Sid chuckled, rolling his eyes, "I bet he's thinking about Helga!"
"Sid, just because Helga and I are...together...doesn't mean I'm always thinking about her," Arnold said. His defense was pretty weak, though, due to the light blush on his face.
"Oh I know, but the dopey look on your face was a dead giveaway!" Sid laughed harder. By now most of the boys were snickering a bit; it was no secret that Arnold was head over heels for Helga, even though he did a pretty good job of hiding it. The boys would often catch him staring off into space and grinning, and whenever they asked what he was thinking about he would blush and stutter that it was nothing.
"Okay, fine, so maybe I was thinking about Helga. But you don't get it, guys; she's...wonderful. And we're going to have so much fun while we're here..." Arnold trailed off again, imagining he and Helga walking on the beach at sunset.
"Earth to Arnold, come in Arnold, do you hear me, loverboy? Time to come down from the clouds!" Gerald said, giving Arnold a playful punch in the arm.
"What? Oh, sorry Gerald."
"No worries, man. The rest of the guys are going down to the beach; you wanna come?"
"Sure, sounds fun!"
The two boys changed into their bathing suits, grabbed their towels, and ran after their friends to the beach.
§
Down at the beach Helga watched Phoebe, Rhonda, and Sheena building a sandcastle and Nadine admiring some animal that she had found nearby. Helga herself was floating on a foam pool bed with her hands and feet trailing lazily in the water.
"Hi Helga" a voice said behind her.
"Huh? Arnold! You surprised me! I didn't see you or anything!"
"That was kind of the point," Arnold laughed and sat on the edge of her floaty. "So, having fun?"
"I'm having a wonderful time! I mean, I'm not used to sharing a room, but I think it's going to be fun. Like one big sleepover! How about you?"
"I'm having fun, too; I agree that sharing a room is a new experience, but I think it will be fun. I'm excited to start filming tomorrow, too"
"Yeah, so am I. I'm a little worried about the, um, last scene, but I'm a lot less nervous than I was for 'School Play'."
"Really?" Arnold asked.
"Yeah, because...well I have you. You helped me get over my nerves for 'School Play', and now that we're dating I'm not really that nervous. I'm just hoping none of the other girls give me a hard time about it." Helga rolled her eyes, imagining the torment the girl might unleash upon her.
"Yeah, same with me and the guys. They don't need anything more to tease me about."
"What do you mean?" Arnold blushed and looked at the water.
"Well...sometimes I kind of stare off into space, and they tease me that I'm thinking...about you."
"Oh." Now Helga turned pink and looked at the water.
"But it's not that big a deal. I mean, they don't need to know what I'm thinking about."
"Yeah..."
"Hey, Helga?"
"Yeah?"
"Tonight after dinner do you maybe want to, I don't know, go for a walk on the beach? Just us?"
"I'd love to!"
"Great," Arnold smiled, "It's a date."
§
After dinner Helga ran to the girls' room to change for her sort of-date with Arnold.
"What are you doing, Helga?" Sheena asked from her bed, peering over the book she was reading.
"I'm meeting Arnold down at the beach, and I want to wear something special."
"Oh, I have just the thing!" Sheena put down her book and walked over to her drawer full of clothes. From within she lifted a knee-length white sun dress with thin white ribbons as straps.
"Sheena, it's beautiful! You'd really let me borrow it?" Helga touched the dress with a finger, tracing the pattern embroidered on the skirt.
"You can have it if you want. I packed it without trying it on, but I went to put it on today and found that it's too small. It's yours if you want it."
"Thank you, Sheena!" Helga smiled. She ran to the bathroom and returned wearing the dress. It swished around her knees a bit as she walked.
"Oh Helga, you look so pretty!" Sheena exclaimed. Helga smiled as she ran a brush through her hair, deciding to leave it down.
"Thanks, Sheena. Well, I guess I'm ready; see you later."
"Goodbye, Helga. Don't forget that our curfew is 9:30; you wouldn't want to get in trouble."
"Yeah, no kidding."
§
Down at the beach Helga looked out over the water. The sunset that was just now appearing cast a soft orange-gold glow over everything.
"Hi Helga."
Helga turned around to find Arnold coming down the path from the house. She smiled and gave a small wave.
'Wow' Arnold thought 'Helga looks so beautiful. She looks...like an angel'.
"Arnold? You hoo, Arnold?" Helga smiled and waved a hand in front of Arnold's face, causing his dreamy smile to be replaced by a dark blush.
"S-sorry, Helga, I was just...um, thinking."
"It's ok, Arnold. You, um, you look really cute with that dreamy smile you always get when you space off."
"Oh, um, thanks Helga."
"So...you wanna...I don't know, take a walk?"
"Sure, that sounds nice." Helga slipped her hand into Arnold's as they began walking down the beach.
"It's so peaceful here," Helga said, "Almost like a dream."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Everything's so quiet, it's like we're the only people in the world. Hey...Helga?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I tell you something?"
"Of course, Arnold."
"Remember when I said I loved you?" Helga's heart jumped into her heart; this didn't sound good.