Chapter 10: Day One

Yay! Finally! I miss not being able to post everyday, but with the end of the semester things are kinda crazy right now. But, alas, here it is!

Arnold and Helga walked through the rotating door of the large building. Helga quietly trailed behind Arnold as she watched him nod, shake hands and exchange hellos with his co-workers. Helga couldn't help but find it cute how professional and grown-up Arnold had become. The last time she saw him he was just a mere high school student, but now he's an adult.

After taking an elevator ride up to the tenth floor, they made it to Arnold's office. Outside of it was a desk that Helga assumed was for her.

"Here we are, Helga."

"Great", Helga seat, plopping onto the chair of her new work space. She put her feet up on the desk and leaned back in her seat saying, "I can get used to this."

"Well I'm glad you approve", Arnold said, chuckling at Helga's mannerisms. "So how about I give you a run down of things I need you to do."

"Sure. Hit me", Helga said with confidence.

"Today I'm going to need you to answer my calls, keep track of my schedule, create an organized filing system for me, and kind of act as my assistant if I need anything else throughout the day. Think you can handle it?"

"Of course I can. This is Helga G. Pataki you're talking about. It'll be a snap. That's really all I need to do?"

"For now, yes. I'll have more stuff for you as you begin to adjust. So are you going to be okay out here? I've got a big proposal coming up and I need to finish work on my current designs."

"Yeah. No sweat. Just go, football head. I've got it under control. Stop worrying about me."

"Okay, I'll be in my office if you need me."

"Well, doi!"

Arnold smiled at Helga one last time before he finally walked into his office. He picked up a blue print and rolled it out across his desk and began to work when he heard a knock on the door. He shouted, "Come in", without even looking up from his design. He expected it to be Helga with a question, but instead he heard a deep, masculine voice that he recognized only belonged to one person.

"Hey Arnold, so who's the new meat?" the man said.

Arnold looked up and saw his co-worker, Ron. Ron was a tall, lean man with short brown hair and green eyes. He was your typical pretty boy that most girls would probably swoon over. Arnold was a little less than pleased to see him. It wasn't that Arnold didn't like Ron, he was just a bit rough around the edges.

"That's Helga. She's my new secretary for the time being. Also I'd prefer it if you didn't refer to her as 'meat.' Thanks" Arnold said, trying to sound as polite as he could without much luck.

"Ooo, you're so touchy, Mr. Sensitivity", Ron teased. "Why do you even care anyway? What is she, your new squeeze or some shit?"

"Uhm, no. She's just a friend, and as you recall I'm getting married this weekend. You were invited to the wedding, remember?" Arnold replied sharply.

"So what? Like that means anything. I know plenty of married guys who have a little something on the side, especially if they're that hot and working that closely to them", Ron said, making gestures toward Helga.

"Well that isn't me, Ron."

"That's right, you're too much of a pansy, but I guess this is good news for me then. If you don't already have dibs then she's up for grabs", Ron said as he began to make his way for the door.

"Ron, don't. No offense, but I don't think you and Helga would be good for each other", Arnold noted, knowing exactly what Ron is like, trying to protect Helga from inevitable heartbreak.

"Well, that's for her to decide, don't you think? Come on, Shortman, stop being such a cock-block", Ron concluded before leaving the room.

A portion of him wanted to run out there and stop Ron from getting involved with Helga. Ron was the biggest womanizer Arnold has ever come to know and couldn't bare to see Helga fall for him only to be disappointed. She's had enough disappointments in life already, and Arnold felt personally obligated to change that cycle. However, Arnold knew Helga typically didn't like accepting help. He was still surprised Helga agreed to the boarding house and the job, he couldn't push it by involving himself in her love life, too. Arnold just sighed and continued his work. Helga was a big girl, she could handle herself with Ron, he thought.

Meanwhile, just outside his office, Ron already began smoothly strutting over to Helga. He push a few things out of the way and sat along the edge her desk, which made Helga look up from her computer screen at the strikingly handsome man in front of her.

"C-can I help you?" Helga nervously stuttered as she gazed into his emerald eyes.

"I just noticed that you were new here and I wanted to come over and introduce myself. Hi, I'm Ron", he said, extending his hand toward Helga.

Helga took hold of his hand and gently shook it. "Hi, I'm Helga. Helga Pataki."

"Oh, I already know", Ron proclaimed as he brought her hand up to his lips, placing a light peck on it.

Helga could feel her cheeks turning brought red and pulled her out of his grip in embarrassment. "So, um, I have a lot of work to get done here. I'll, uh, see you around?

"I sure hope so, but you know what I'd like even more?"

Helga shook her head, causing her long, blonde hair to sway side to side.

"What I'd really like to see is you outside of this building some time soon. How about you let me take you out?"

"Um... with this new job and my recent move I don't know if now is the best time", Helga hesitated. There was a large chunk of her brain screaming at her for turning Ron down. He seemed to be anything a woman could want in a man. He was attractive, charming, confident, seemingly nice, and clearly successful, but there was one thing he wasn't. He wasn't Arnold, and that was what her heart was set on.

"Oh, I- I understand completely", Ron said, sounding slightly surprised and defeated. It wasn't often that he was turned down by woman, and he was certainly not about to give up so easily. "But you know, if you change your mind you can always give me a call", Ron suggested as he suavely slid his card over to Helga that contained his number.

Helga picked up the card and grinned trying to contain her overall excitement. "Sure, I will."

"Good. Don't got forgetting, okay?" Ron said with a wink as he began to walk back to his office.

Helga nodded and watched Ron disappear down the hallway. Once he was out of sight she let out a small sigh and placed the card into her purse. She couldn't believe someone like hat could like her. She had grown accustom to only middle aged pervs yearning after her that this felt different. Different, but nice. Helga saw in amazement of what had happened for a moment. She quickly snapped herself out of it and continued to work on Arnold's schedule. Her mind would still often drift over to Ron. She fantasized about his striking features and his bright, welcoming smile until suddenly her thought would be interrupted by Arnold. In the end everything always came back t the football headed boy she met when she was four, but was her fixation worth it? Was it a waste of time Should she give up and let someone else find their way into her heart...perhaps someone like Ron?