Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.
They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.
Title: "Alter ego"
In the last chapter: After Arnold and Helga had their semi-confession, Helga wasn't sure how to face the blonde boy. It didn't help that their childhood friends decided to make their pseudo-relationship the newest center of gossip even though both Arnold and Helga were quick to put them in their place.
Helga had at first said no to Lila's request of her posing nude for the art class, but after hearing that Arnold was in the class, Helga figured it was time to get some revenge. To her happiness, despite the embarrassment that came along, she managed to avenge herself. Even if Arnold did beg her to never do such a thing again after.
Author's 1st note: Ok, I suddenly realized when I first started writing this chapter (when I finally got around to do it and ignore the severe writer's block I suddenly incurred) that this is not the last chapter, but the second last. So, basically, there'll only be this one and another chapter, so eleven chapters in all. Some might be thinking: "Booh!", but here's the thing… From the beginning I said it'd be a short story and secondly, frankly, I'm starting to lose a bit of interest in the story due to the main plot being, well, only about Arnold's dark side :/
I have chosen which of my many story ideas I'll be writing about next and it's one I've been looking forward to start writing since I finished my first long fan fiction Blackmail toy. So I'm basically really eager to start that project so I'm going to attempt getting this finished as soon as possible – with grace of course, I'm not going to just jog all the way through this and be lazy xD Anyways, enough rant! Enjoy reading :3
[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]
Chapter 10: "He can be bad"
One would have to be blind not to see what was going on. Blue eyes met green eyes every now and then and it was always followed by somewhat of an awkward, but very happy smile from one or both of the blondes. The female blonde felt a nudge to her shoulders and she lifted her head to look at both a redhead and a ravenette.
"Are you two ever going to make it official?" Lila asked as she batted her eyelashes, her chin resting in her palm.
Helga looked away innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play coy, Helga." Phoebe said with a smirk. "You and Arnold are looking at each other whenever you get the chance."
"So?"
"You smirk whenever you do." Lila pointed out. "And when you aren't smiling, you're smizing."
"Smizing?" Helga repeated in confusion.
Lila nodded. "It means to smile with your eyes. Luka taught us girls about it."
"So it's a model thing? Gee, thanks for the insult in disguise, Lila." Helga pointed out with an artificial pout before looking towards Arnold again. He had obviously been looking in her direction, since he shot her an embarrassed smile before coughing in his hand and looking back at his food.
"This is getting ever so frustrating! You and Arnold have already admitted your feelings; why haven't you gone any further?" Lila asked as she clapped on the table a couple of times for effect.
Helga frowned at the redhead. "We haven't really admitted our feelings for each other per say. More like we're aware of each other."
"Then become more aware." Lila teased before nudging her elbow against Helga's arm.
"Lila!" the scowling blonde scolded in surprise, but start laughing right after. "All right, all right. I get the picture. Arnold and I are finally getting closer and all I'm doing is sitting around and sighing like some love-struck school girl. I need to take some action."
Lila clapped happily. "That's my girl!"
"When did I become your girl?" Helga asked sarcastically as she stood up. "If I belong to anyone, it's Arnold."
The three girls giggled before the blonde one of them started walking through the cafeteria. "Wait." She said before turning back and sitting down on her chair. "What the fuck do I say?"
"What do you mean; what do you say?"
"I mean what do I say!"
"Just ask him out on a date." Phoebe suggested as if it was the easiest thing on the earth.
Helga shot the Asian girl a bored glare. "What would I say if I told you to do the same with Gerald?"
"Th-That's not the same thing." Phoebe stuttered, glancing at Lila who was smirking knowingly at her. "You and Arnold have already had somewhat of a confession. You know he likes you, he knows you like him; asking him out should be a breeze!"
Oh, wait. Helga thought and looked towards Gerald who was sitting next to Arnold. That reminds me… The only reason I never told Phoebe that I know Gerald has feelings for her is because I was afraid he'd tell on me to Arnold… Now that Football Head and I are where we are, why should I protect Gerald's secret? Especially since I know Phoebe feels the same.
"You're right, Phoebe." Helga said before heading towards Arnold and Gerald's table again.
The blonde boy seemed to notice her straight away and smiled at her. "Hi, Helga." He said almost shyly, but definitely beaming.
Oh, God. How adorable is he? She thought and had to shake her head not to get into her own personal dream world. "Hi there, Arnold. Uh, could I borrow Tall Hair Boy for a bit?" she asked as she pointed at the dark-skinned boy.
Arnold looked at Gerald in surprise who looked just as surprised. "Me?" he questioned and Helga nodded before waving her finger at him, beckoning him to follow her.
Gerald was in the middle of standing up when Arnold grabbed his arm. "What does she want to talk to you about?"
"I don't know. That's why I'm gonna follow her." Gerald answered before rolling his eyes. "Relax, lover boy. I'm sure it's about you."
The blonde kid frowned in embarrassment as he watched his best friend following the girl he was in love with out of the cafeteria. Once they were outside, Helga turned to smirk at Gerald. "I believe you and I have forgotten a teensy-weensy detail…" she said and Gerald shrugged in confusion. "You have nothing on me anymore."
Gerald's eyebrows knitted together and he looked around as if he was expecting a camera to jump into his face any second. He started scratching his head. "Uh… I'm not sure I'm following your thinking, Helga."
"We agreed that I wouldn't tell Phoebe about your feelings for her as long as you didn't tell Arnold about mine for him, right?"
"Well, yeah, but what does that…" Gerald started, but his brown eyes widened when he realized what the blonde girl was referring to. "No. No, no, no. You wouldn't do that to me, would you?"
"Of course not!"
"Oh, thank goodness…"
"I want her to hear it from you, not from me. She's been waiting."
"Oh, I can't believe you, Helga! After all we've been through I thought we were finally friends and then you go right back to being old Helga Pataki! I - - " Gerald shouted, but then held his tongue. "Wait. What?"
"She's been waiting." Helga repeated, drawling every word slowly as if she was talking to a small child.
Gerald was staring at her in shock as her words processed in his mind. "Wait… Does… Phoebe feels the same?"
"Doi." Helga said as she rolled her eyes. "The way things are right now, you and Phoebe aren't going anywhere. You'll end up dead and buried and I see no chance of you getting any action unless Tim Burton is right about how our underworld works."
Gerald looked at Helga in confusion, but didn't get to ask her what she meant by the last comment until she flicked her finger against his forehead. "Ow." He muttered and looked at her as she headed back inside the cafeteria.
"Take my example. I'm going over to ask Arnold out right now." Helga said with a wink before closing the door behind her. That was a nice speech, Helga, but, uh… are you really allowed to talk down to Gerald about this? It's not like you were the first one who made a move when it comes to Arnold. She thought, but shrugged. Oh, well. I'm the first one to actually ask him out. One small step at the time.
Helga had already reached Arnold's table before she noticed he wasn't there. She looked around in confusion, but since he wasn't sitting anywhere else and his food was still there, she figured he hadn't left. She walked around the corner to where the food and drink machines were and finally saw him near a vending machine for hot drinks. With a smirk, the blonde started tiptoeing near him.
Helga barely managed to poke Arnold on the shoulder before he turned around, his cup hitting her hand. The blondes shrieked, one in surprise and the other in pain. Helga grabbed her hand with the other, the pain of something hot burning her hand until it turned red filling whole body.
"Helga!" Arnold scolded and tossed his cup into the trash can in order to take her hand in his. "What are you doing?!"
"Burning my hand, you dumbass! I thought I'd get you back for all the times you snuck up on me. Apparently, it's a talent dedicated to people with an oblong-head." Helga retorted as she hissed when he touched her hand. "I think it's ok though… it's mostly just my finger - - "
Helga didn't get to finish her sentence before Arnold ran off with her, his hand holding hers in a painful way, not because he was holding too tightly, but because he was holding around the burned area. Helga noticed the odd stares they got from their classmates and peers, but ignored them as they ran out of the cafeteria together. Arnold pulled Helga into the nearest bathroom and turned the faucet on. He put his own hand under the water first, confirming that it was cold before he shoved Helga's hand under it.
"Ow! Watch it!" the aggravated girl hissed at the stinging of the cold water forced on her hand.
"Sorry, sorry…" Arnold apologized as he gently caressed Helga's hand, moving the water around on the skin.
Helga rolled her eyes. It's not a third degree burn, Arnold. It's not even second… maybe not even first. She thought. "How hot was that fucking… whatever?"
"The vending machine has boiled water in it, Helga, and I was getting a cup of cocoa. It's getting really cold." Arnold explained.
"Yeah… Hey, speaking of cold; this water is freezing!"
"That's because you're so hot." Arnold pointed out, putting his other hand around Helga's burnt hand and using that to caress her as well.
"Why, thank you." Helga couldn't help but joke, earning the desired flushed cheeks from the blonde boy. She started to feel her own cheeks burning and she looked away shyly. Why is this making me feel embarrassed all of a sudden? The boy has seen me half naked for crying out loud and now he just so happen to be holding my hand… Speaking of touching, I wonder how far we would have gone at the school dance if it that fire hadn't started…? She thought and then frowned. Criminy, get your mind out of the gutter!
"Helga!"
"What?!" Helga asked in shock and looked back at Arnold who was looking impatiently at her.
"What's gotten you thinking so hard you couldn't hear me?" he asked teasingly.
When did you turn so observant? Helga thought and shrugged innocently. "Just thinking about that boat trip the class is going on tomorrow… I'm still not sure if I really wanna go."
"Why not? I think it sounds like it's going to be fun. We're lucky our teacher won those tickets; why wouldn't you wanna go?"
"I don't know. Cruises just aren't really my thing. I never got it, I guess. Who goes on a ship only to go on the ship? Ships are transportation, not vacation resorts."
Arnold chuckled. "Nevertheless; you should go. It's going to be fun, I promise."
"Oh, you promise? You're gonna entertain me?" Helga asked with a smug smile. Arnold looked at her over his shoulder and she could see him smile as he shrugged innocently. She was surprised as she looked at his eyes. "Hey, Arnold… was that you or Dark Arnold?"
"Huh?"
"Well, I mean… I don't know. Since yesterday, it's been harder for me to determine which one of you is talking. Are you starting to accept your dark side?"
Arnold frowned at Helga's words and moved his eyes towards their hands again. "No, I doubt it. I don't care for my dark side so accepting it seems unlikely…"
"Arnold, no one is perfect. Accept it and you can control it again."
"But by accepting it, it means I'll have to follow it from time to time, right?"
"Well, sure, but is that a bad thing? Is it a bad thing when I follow my good side?"
"Well, no, but - - "
"Your dark side has some actual backbone, Arnold. You should just accept it. I mean, I get where you're coming from. Frankly, I wasn't too sure what I thought about this new side of you in the beginning either…" Helga admitted and looked at Arnold's reflection in the mirror.
He lifted his head up and looked at her as well. "And…?"
"And…" Helga emphasized and smiled. "I decided it's just a much a part of you as everything else. I like that part as much as any other."
Arnold kept staring in Helga's eyes in the reflection until he finally turned to look at the real ones. She was looking back at him with a lopsided grin on her face. She could see what he wanted right then by the way he was trying to close his eyes and move closer, but he was obviously battling himself whether the timing was right or not. With a small chuckle, she moved her free hand to his shoulder and kissed him at the corner of his mouth. She heard him sigh into the kiss before he moved his lips so they were touching hers properly.
Arnold felt both of Helga's hands leave him and he opened his eyes again. She was smiling at him before she turned her back to him and grabbed some paper towels. She could feel him watching her as she dried each slender finger on her hand; it was almost embarrassing, but it was a good kind.
"Oh, by the way. Before I forget…" Helga said as she threw the paper towels out and turned to face Arnold. "I wanted to ask you out."
Arnold almost didn't hear her; he was more focused on the way she was standing right then. With her hand on her hips and her other hand placed casually near the sink, she looked like something belonging in a magazine even though she wore such casual, boyish clothes.
"Football Head." Helga said to get the daydreaming boy out of his reverie.
Arnold shook his head. "A-Ask me out? Really?"
"Yeah, unless you believe you should be the one to ask me?"
Arnold chuckled, even though his heart was still beating unbelievably fast due to Helga's words. "I don't care who asks who, Helga."
"I would hope not for your sake. So, you up for it? Just something casual and typical date-ish?"
"What is typical date-ish, Helga?" Arnold asked a little teasingly.
Helga moved her arms dramatically. "What'cha asking me for, Head Boy? I'm as new to this as you are." She pointed out as if she was angry, but started smiling. "A dinner and a movie?"
The grin on Arnold's face almost made Helga wonder if he could crack like a porcelain doll. "Sounds perfect, Helga." He said and she nodded. "Tonight at 7pm?"
"It won't be 7am, that's for sure." Helga retorted before heading towards the door. She could hear the short boy chuckle behind her and she waved before heading outside. She stood there in the empty hallway for a moment before she jumped ten feet into the air, pumping her fist happily. "Yes!" she yelled so loudly that she didn't hear the echo coming from inside the bathroom.
When Helga had told Phoebe and Lila about her date plans for the evening, the girls has teamed up in front of her and decided together to help her get ready. Helga was starting to question her newly-born semi-friendship with Lila; she and Phoebe were almost scary together, which the blonde also told them once they were in her room.
"Oh, relax, Helga. We aren't going to hurt you." Lila retorted at Helga's comment and opened her closet. "What do you think you'd like to wear for this ever so special night?"
Helga shrugged. "We're going out for a dinner and a movie; we agreed it would be casual… so no dresses!"
Lila cooed in sorrow, but perked up right away when she saw a skirt hanging in the closet.
As soon as the redhead started reaching for it, Helga yelled. "No skirts!"
"You said no dresses."
"Skirts are basically the same thing. It's getting too cold to wear shit like that; I'm wearing jeans. End of debate." Helga insisted before plumbing down on her bed. She rolled around automatically and put her hand into her drawer, looking for something that had always been there. When her hand met nothing though, she remembered. Her expression grew glum and she felt frozen.
"Helga?" Phoebe asked quietly and sat down on the bed after confirming that Lila was still looking through Helga's clothes.
The blonde sighed and turned onto her back, showing Phoebe the empty drawer. She didn't have to say anything; her best friend understood what was on her mind. "It's gone…"
"Helga, look at this as a new beginning. You had given up on Arnold entirely and now you can fall back in love with him."
"I'd just wish I hadn't freaking broken it. I wish I still had it."
"Everything that symbolized your love from Arnold back then is no more so you can start over. You're standing at the beginning with him; embrace the new Helga."
Helga frowned. "There's no new Helga or old Helga; there's just me." She insisted, but then sat up with a smile. "But thanks, Phoebs."
The two girls smiled at each other before Lila turned around, showing them the top she had just chosen. Helga recognized it instantly. "I'm not wearing that! Olga gave me that."
"Olga gave you this?" Lila asked in surprise as she looked at it again. The top was hot pink and was a V-neck. There were thin straps over the shoulder, but still had a pair of long sleeves, which began about five inches below the straps, leaving the shoulders bare. It was a tad short around the stomach for Helga's taste, but it wasn't short enough to show her naval. "It doesn't seem like her style…"
"Some friend gave it to her for her birthday and Olga gave it to me." Helga explained. "I've never worn it."
"I think you should at least try it on. Just to see if it fits?"
"I know it fits; Olga made me try it on when she gave it to me. Fits like a glove."
"Helga, please try it. I'd like to see you wearing it." Phoebe said and noticed that Helga was definitely not amused by the situation. The blonde girl sighed though, knowing she would have to cave in eventually and decided to cut that moment short. She stood up, grabbed the top and walked out of the room.
"You would think she wouldn't be embarrassed about undressing in front of me after last Tuesday." Lila muttered jokingly before sitting down next to Phoebe.
"What happened last Tuesday?" Phoebe asked in confusion.
"She didn't tell you?" Lila asked with an eyebrow quirked and Phoebe shook her head. Before Lila could start explaining though, Helga walked back into the room. She lifted her arms as if she was saying 'I told you it looks horrible', but the girls didn't agree with her. "Helga, you look ever so gorgeous in that!"
"You gotta be shitting me."
"Oh, no. I actually agree with Lila." Phoebe insisted and stood up. "And I know which pair of pants that would go with it." She added before heading towards the closet.
"I'm not wearing this." Helga insisted before looking at herself in a mirror. "Don't I look slutty?"
"You're ever so wrong! Helga, showing off a little shoulder and a little bosom does not make you look… that." Lila insisted, showing the clear discomfort she had with the word Helga had chosen.
"I'm showing a bit of stomach too though."
"One inch." Lila said, lifting her finger as if she was teaching her something valuable.
"Here they are!" Phoebe declared and showed Helga the pants she had in mind. It was Helga's only pair of leather pants, which had what looked like the claw mark of a tiger on the right thigh. A black belt with a row of white sequins on it was hanging around the waist.
"Yes!" Lila bellowed happily.
"No!" Helga bellowed unhappily and held her arms in front of her chest. "The top is enough, but if you make me wear those pants too, I will definitely look like I belong on the street."
"Helga, if any prostitutes could hear you now, they would laugh at you." Phoebe insisted, ignoring the way Lila held her ears to save herself from the words. "At least try them on."
With a sigh, Helga grabbed the pants and went outside.
Lila sighed in relief and looked at Phoebe. "Are you sure we should pressure her?" she asked as Phoebe sat back down. "She looks ever so uncomfortable with our choices."
"Trust me; Helga wants to wear these things. She's just stubborn and afraid to try something new. She thinks people will look at her differently if she does." Phoebe insisted.
Lila smiled. "Helga is lucky to have you to push her in the right direction."
"I'm not pushing her in the right direction, Lila, I'm pushing her in the direction I know she wants to go." Phoebe insisted and Lila waved her hands in mock surrender. The girls laughed for a bit before Helga came back in, now wearing the leather pants with the hot pink top.
Lila started clapping. "You should really go with that." She insisted and the blonde seemed to consider it as she looked at her own reflection. Lila smiled knowingly at Phoebe who gave her a casual shrug. "Now to your hair!"
"Wait. I haven't made a decision yet." Helga insisted, but let Lila touch her hair anyhow.
"We have; you're wearing these clothes. Now, what should we do with your hair?" Lila asked and moved the blonde locks up into a ponytail.
"I think a ponytail might be good for this outfit." Phoebe said and was about to reach for a hairband, but heard Helga start talking.
"Actually, Arnold mentioned to me at the dance that he likes it better when it's down… e-even though he said that a ponytail suits me too."
"Really? But I thought you didn't like your hair when it was loose?" Phoebe asked curiously.
Helga shrugged. "I'm wild and free; why not let my hair be too?" she asked, a smile growing on her face as she remembered those words coming out of Arnold's mouth. She knew Phoebe and Lila were smiling giddily at each other, both figuring out why Helga seemed so happy all of a sudden.
"Whatever you say, Helga." Phoebe said jokingly and moved the blonde hair in front of the shoulders.
To say that Helga had been nervous waiting outside the Kiska would be an understatement. She kept looking at her reflection in the glass between her and the ticket clerk until the young man's patience had run out and had insisted that she looks gorgeous. She stopped looking at her reflection then, feeling slightly more confident at his comment.
Once Arnold had turned up, Helga decided that his reaction had been worth the discomfort she had been feeling until then. His jaw almost dropped to the floor and he could barely comprehend a single sentence until they were inside the auditorium. They had decided to watch the newest Evil Twin movie, both of them wondering aloud how many movies they could possibly make with the same plot. During the movie, they had chatted once in a while and had even started a small popcorn fight to the annoyance of some of the other people.
Once the movie was over, Arnold had taken Helga's hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world as they looked for a place to eat. They had found a small Italian bistro, sat down inside and the true date finally began. They talked about their childhood, about school and the upcoming cruise they were all going on. Helga had even admitted she couldn't believe all of this had happened within a week, whereas Arnold had responded that things escalated quickly. Helga had rolled her eyes at the comment, but had laughed as well.
Once the blondes had finished eating, they were starting to head home together. Their hands had naturally found each other again as they talked.
"So, you are going on the cruise then?" Arnold asked.
Helga rolled her eyes. "Yes, for the fifth time already! I can see you really care, so I'll go, dammit. But you have a responsibility now. If I don't have fun on that cruise, it'll be on your bill." She insisted.
Arnold chuckled. "What does that mean exactly? What will be my penalty?" he asked. Helga didn't answer, but simply wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, causing the short boy to chuckle once more. It was obvious he was starting to imagine what she could possibly do to him and Helga was about to ask him what he was thinking until a gust of wind caused her to shiver heavily. Should have worn a jacket after all. She thought and moved her free hand up to her mouth to blow some hot air on it.
"You cold?" Arnold asked as he stopped walking.
"No, I just like shaking while I blow air on my hands." Helga retorted before sticking her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes kind-heartedly before letting go of her hand. "Removing your hand's warmth from mine isn't helping." She couldn't help but point out and noticed he was taking his own jacket off. N-No way… She thought shyly even as he put the jacket over her shoulders. "You're kidding."
"No."
"This is too cheesy, Head Boy."
"You want me to take it back?"
"No, it's mine now." Helga answered as she tightened the jacket around her arms. I'm wearing Arnold's jacket… she thought and couldn't help but lift the sleeve and inhale its scent. She didn't care that Arnold was probably wondering if she had lost her mind; the scent of him was so evident in his jacket that she could have died happily right then. She looked back at him and to her surprise, all she saw on his face was slight surprise and shyness. She shrugged innocently before grabbing his hand and continuing their walk.
They were quiet for a while and Helga started to wonder if she had gone too far, but then Arnold broke the silence. "I really enjoyed this night." He said quietly in a shy tone.
Helga looked at Arnold in slight surprise and then smiled. "Me too. Really. Despite the bad movie."
"Yeah, I think they might be killing the series by now."
"They slaughtered it when they decided to throw Nicki Minaj in there as an evil space zombie. Want to agree that we'll watch something else for our next date?" Helga asked.
Next date. Arnold thought happily and nodded at her. "Yeah, I'd… like that." He answered and took a sudden interest at the way his feet were moving.
Helga quirked an eyebrow. "It's interesting." She stated and Arnold looked at her. "At the dance, you danced with me like we were the only people in the room, but with something this simple you get shy."
Arnold frowned slightly. "That was Dark Arnold's doing, not mine."
"But Dark Arnold is a part of you."
"Not a part that I like…" Arnold said. "I-I know you said just to accept it, but it's hard."
Helga stopped walking and turned to stand in front of Arnold. They were getting close to her house, but she didn't want to have this conversation on her doorstep. "What do you want to do right now?" she asked.
Arnold blinked in surprise. "Huh? W-Why do you ask?" he asked himself, his cheeks reddening at the intense way she was looking at him.
"Your dark side always does whatever you want. Doing what you want is not a bad thing, you know."
"But what if what I want is… uh…"
"Naughty?" Helga asked with a cocky smirk. Arnold choked at the word and turned his head away with his eyes shut tight. Maybe if he pretended he wasn't there, he'd eventually disappear? No such luck though since he suddenly felt hot air blown into his ear. He shrieked in surprise and held his free hand against his ear, looking at Helga in disbelief. "I'm just teasing you. You should be used to that." She said with a smirk before she continued walking.
Arnold followed Helga obediently, noticing that her house wasn't too far away by now. It'd be the end of their first date soon and he knew how he wanted the night to end, but also knew he didn't have the guts to try. Typical. When I finally want my dark side to come out, he chickens out. He thought in disbelief and growled in annoyance.
Helga heard the sound and stopped walking, causing Arnold to bump into her shoulder. He looked up at her, about to ask why she had stopped until she grabbed the front of his shirt. With a rough yank, she pulled him up to her until his lips touched hers. He choked in surprise, his eyes wider than teacups as he stared at her eyelids. He could feel his eyelids about to close when she let go of him. He almost stumbled, but managed to keep his balance by holding onto her hand.
Helga snickered at the baffled expression on Arnold's face as she removed his jacket from her shoulders and put it over his. "I'll see you tomorrow at the harbor, Football Head." She said, waved teasingly and then walked up her doorstep. Arnold stayed outside for a bit, moving his weight form one foot to another while he closed he pushed his arms through the jacket's sleeves. He looked towards where he figured Helga's window was and he felt his eyes sting as a smirk spread on his face. He walked towards the window and waited for the lights to get turned on.
Once he saw light in the room, Arnold grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it at the window. He didn't know this, but Helga had flinched when she heard the rock on her window. She was ready to give someone hell when she went to the window, but simply opened the window and stuck her head out when she saw it was Arnold.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Helga asked in disbelief, the grin evident on her face.
"Stay there." Arnold said before heading towards the tree in the backyard.
"I'm not going anywhere, but… wait. Are you coming up here? Use the goddamn door!"
"That wouldn't be romantic, would it?" Arnold asked jokingly as he started climbing the tree.
"Neither is a trip to the hospital! What are you trying to do here; play knight saving the princess?"
Arnold looked at a branch, wrenched it off and then lifted it dramatically into the air. "I'm coming for you, my lady!" he stated jokingly. Helga almost choked in her own laughter. This whole scene was so stupid, weird, unexpected and oddly romantic.
"Have I ever told you that you're annoying?" Helga asked.
"I start to panic if I don't hear it at least once a day." Arnold replied casually as he held onto a thick branch that led towards Helga's room.
"Arnold, climb back. You're gonna fall… I'll punch you if you fall!"
"I'm not scared of you; I've developed a callus where you punch me on the arm by now!"
Helga rolled her eyes at Arnold's comment, but reached out her hand once he was close enough for her to grab him. He threw the stick away before taking her hand and jumping in through her window. He landed on top of her, practically straddling her on the floor. The blonde girl was laughing at his clumsy entrance, but he could see that she was also blushing a bit.
"Not my most graceful entry…" Arnold admitted a little bashfully, earning nothing but a nod on the head from the young woman underneath him. Don't lose courage. He ordered himself before lowering down towards her. She looked him in the eyes before closing hers and accepting his kiss with her hands on his cheeks. They could both feel their hearts beating harmoniously against the other's chests. Helga's only regret was that she couldn't more her legs properly. When she tried though and moved one of her legs upwards, she felt something bump against her thigh.
Arnold groaned in surprise and let go of Helga's mouth. It wasn't until then the blonde realized what her leg had just touched and she was on the brink of either giggling shyly or downright faint. It wasn't that she hadn't technically felt it before, but this was a different situation. She rubbed against the hardness for a bit, earning some muffled moans from Arnold since he was holding them back.
Helga was about to tell him to open his mouth when she heard Bob's voice outside her door. "Helga, you on your way to bed?"
Both blondes on the floor froze and Helga sighed. "Uh, yeah, Bob. Why?"
"I just wanted to know if you were planning to leave your room or not." Bob replied from the other side.
Arnold looked at Helga questioningly as she cringed her face in obvious disgust. "What?" he asked.
Helga opened her eyes. "They're gonna have sex… He always checks on me before they go at it." She explained. Arnold cringed as well, feeling his arousal go down within a few seconds at the mere thought of Mr. and Mrs. Pataki in bed together.
"I'll stay right in here, Bob! I promise!" Helga shouted before motioning for Arnold to sit up. She could hear a hum of approval from her dad outside the door before his footsteps faded as he walked away. "And so the mood disappeared with him." Helga joked.
Arnold chuckled, kissed Helga once more and got up to the window. "I'll see you tomorrow, Helga." He said and waved.
"You'd better. If you break your leg you won't be going on the cruise and neither will I."
"Why won't you?"
"Because I'll be playing nurse with you, of course." Helga joked as she stood up from the floor to approach him. The blonde boy looked out of the window curiously, down towards the ground way far below them. "Don't you dare." The girl warned and he simply grinned before jumping towards the tree.
Author's 2nd note: I am expecting this to be the last chapter for the year (oh, my God! xD) Especially since I have a book report there's due before New Year's eve. Yeah, we get homework for the holidays. I don't how many other countries does that, but Denmark does :P I wanted to get this chapter uploaded at the 28th because someone mentioned to me this was their birthday! So happy birthday to you, you know who you are ;)