**( I said last chapter, Epilogs don't count :P, and I didn't just write this cause you guys asked. It has been the plan all along 0.0 )**
$ hr = 24 hrs. You guys gotta pay attention to ma stupid codes !
Epilogue
Fall had come again to Hillwood, bringing with it its crisp autumn leaves, a chill wind, and a new school year for the students of Hillwood high. Amongst these reluctant and rebellious teens was Arnold. About to turn17 and ready to take on his junior year. Arnold had been the most worried about this year from the start, all of the worst high school horror stories came from this year. All the pressure, colleges, tests; this was the year the ink would be drawn, soon to dry, and his future would be planed out ahead of him; laying the bricks in his new life path. And he was determined to make a good impression.
Not much had changed in Hill Wood these past few years. Arnold's parents had taken new large rolls in Arnold's life, a fact which he was enjoying immensely. They had moved in to the boarding house, into Lana Vail's old room, and life had begun to settle around him. Often Arnold and his father would take walks through the town, play catch in Gerald's field. His father took up a temporary teaching position at the local university, while his mother became a nurse at Arnold's school. And with the extra income they were able to make some long needed repairs on the old boarding house, making sure it would continue to stand tall. Just in time too because although there was nothing immediately wrong with there health, Arnold's grandparents were beginning to get rather tired. But he had never been more happy coming home to his family consisting of the borders and his parents and grandparents, Abner as well. He always felt a warmth spread over his heart upon opening his front door.
High school was weird, now that much he could admit too, but after a while the only weird things about it were his friends, who were always weird. The gang had been divided by class schedules and interests, but they remained good friends, even starting a small club called 'Simons Special Students' of which they hung out and occasionally did some sort of charity, volunteer work, or general good deed. The name had been a joke at first and still kinda was. But soon the SSS became kinda notorious for being the strangest yet coolest kids in school, at least with in there respective clicks. Not to mention by the end of of first semester sophomore year they had torn down most of the walls around those groups, acting as ambassadors amongst the student body. Arnold had to admit, it was pretty cool.
Though against his will, everyone had made him leader. Which always seemed to happen. He guessed he just had one of those faces, of which you could trust to get something done. He had grown as well, slightly more. He was nearly 6 feet tall. And he still took to wearing the same old outfit nearly everyday. Though Rhonda had made him mix it up a little, not that his outfit was out of style, just that it got boring after a while. But today was the first day, so red plaid and a green shirt with jeans was the way to go. As well as his trusted Green Eye pendent he kept hidden under his shirt, as well as his old blue hat resting at the top of his head.
But the gang seemed pretty happy. Rhonda was on and off dating Curly, Nadine was still her best friend. Sheena and Eugene had started a glee club and kept them selfs busy with that. Lila became a tutor to help pursue her dreams of teaching elementary students. Stinky, Sid, and Harold had kept to there devious ways, but stayed close friends. Harold taking to football, and stinky taking to basketball, while Sid started a gaming club. Phoebe and Gerald where still dating, with the title of the longest relationship to happen with out a single break up. And Helga..
Ah.. well Arnold hadn't heard much from Helga. Not that they didn't talk at all. Or that they couldn't reach each other, or where unwilling, its just. With the way they left things, when she left it.. it felt like what they had to say, to clear the air of any awkward feeling, had to be said in person. And with the two summer and winter breaks that had rolled in sense she had left, he had hoped to see her over break.
Sadly though Helga had yet to make an appearance.
Arnold knew why, for one the school schedules were slightly different. As well as the way Helga described it, it seemed more like college, most of the time she was too buried in assignments to make a return home worth while. So instead Hazel and Zack visited her. And Arnold secretly saved money from his part time job at the flower shop, for a plane ticket to go see her.
Arnold sat in his class, the first class of the day, U.S. history. What a wonderful way to start his first day junior year. Though on the plus side Gerald was in his class, sitting next to him, as were a lot of the members of the SSS. It was almost like a class reunion, all that was missing was Mr. Simmons and.. ah.
Arnold tried to push the thoughts out of his head. Reaching into his pants pocket his fingers brushed the warn, warm silk object. He had always carried Helga's ribbon, ever sense she had left. It had made a home inside his pocket, or folded under his hat; the colors of the two child hood objects fading at almost the same rate.
Taking a deep breath he let go of it, pulling his hand back out and started preparing to take notes. Gerald offered him a smile, in which he returned. Gerald was the only person who knew about the ribbon, and how Arnold used it to calm down, weather he was thinking about her or just anything. It gave him this odd feeling of strength. A shadow compared to the real deal, but something none the less, and it managed to hold him over till they would talk; of which his smile was always wide, never disappearing till at least an hour after the conversation had ended.
The two turned there attention towards the teacher who had begun his introduction. The teacher seemed strict in the lines of work but other then that a pretty funny guy. Making jokes about his being born in England, and now teaching U.S. History. Arnold wasn't sure what this meant along the lines of what his grading would be, but he could tell the class would be fun non the less.
Not long after he had started, the teacher was interrupted as his phone rang at the desk. He picked it up while hastily promising that he would never pick it up during classes. That that was 'there' time.
" Yes... yes.. oh... well send them in then." the conversation ended fast and he quickly hung up the phone. Turning to look out the door, then back to the class.
" It seems we have someone running a little late but we can forgive them. Not only is it the first day here but they're probably still adjusting to our country. Because it seems we have an exchange student all the way from france!"
No.. this just wasn't fair.
" And I'm sure they're just dyeing to learn all about this country and its history." Just then the door opened slightly, and the teacher greeted the individual with slightly broken french, welcoming them in. Arnold watched as the door opened slowly and gently before revealing a blond girl, her long hair draped down around her slender shoulders. she was wearing jean short shorts, rose pattern brown tights and a t-shirt that said 'Sleep is so last night' in text resembling that of a digital alarm clock. An old backpack hanging off one shoulder, a pink journal in one hand, her pen another. And a familiar beanie sticking out like a soar thumb compared to the rest of her wardrobe.
Her beautiful blue eyes found him almost instantly.
Arnold froze. It.. it couldn't be.
" Oh My God HELGA?" shouted Rhonda running over to her. The rest of there old class mates followed suit, crowding around her, exchanging hugs, asking questions. Helga seemed so preoccupied in fact it seemed like she didn't even notice Arnold slowly standing up and walking over to her, though he hardly noticed himself. His movement, his whole world, everything seemed to slow down as he processed everything.
As he approached, while she was still distracted, his hand found the ribbon in his pocket; pulling it out. As he got closer the questions died down, but the excitement and intensity in the air began to rise at an alarming rate. With each class mate noticing Arnold's course of direction. They stepped aside, watching with wide eyes. Helga had been talking to Phoebe when said friend had pointed, drawing attention to Arnold.
Arnold's back drew rigged as Helga turned around. Her eyes shining, bangs framing her face and seemingly hiding her now two still slightly bushy eyebrows. As there eyes met Arnold was filled with a familiar feeling, a spark that reawakened a fluttering spreading in his chest. His hart pounded at his rib cage. Helga looked slightly flustered too, but she soon regained her self, opening her fee hand looking directly into Arnold's eyes, her lips curling into a smirk.
" I think you've got something of mine Football hea-"
In a flash his lips were on hers. His free hand rapping around her waist while the hand still holding her ribbon cupped her cheek. He could hear her back pack dropping to the floor along with her book, gasps from the teachers and some of the other students, but all he cared about was her.
His pulled her in closer desperately trying to pour years of passion with in each movement and touch. He felt though with each moment she didn't respond as though he was holding back more and more, for fear of the biggest mistake of his life having been made with out even a conscious choice being involved. And then...
She responded.
Her arm wrapped around his neck pulling the two even closer, one of her hands began raking through his hair; causing him to shiver. Wanting to be even closer he felt himself leaning with her, hoping desperately for a wall or something to shove her against. He licked her lips and almost immediately her mouth was open and her tough reaching out to meet his. His hands found themselves wondering as there tongues danced. The hand that had held her cheek was now running up and down her back trying to support her and memorize each point of the curve at the same time. The other had boldly found her thigh and began caressing over her tights, earning a soft moan. He continued to push into her till he found support against the chalkboard, his mind void of all thought that wasn't Helga related as his hand that was supporting became a hand that was for sneaking up the back of Helga shirt.
It was at that point he felt a tap on his shoulder. Begrudgingly he removed his lips and turned around, still holding Helga close. Gerald, along with everyone else, were not meeting his eyes out of embarrassment for what they had witnesses, but Gerald was pointing towards the teacher, who simply stood in shock with his finger raised, trying to find something to say. And Helga was now dazed and mumbling something. He had to admit the reality had brought him back down a little, his face turned red, none of his classmates have ever seen the Saint that was Arnold participating in such acts. Nor had they seen anyone as bold enough to do them in front of the classroom, with class still going, with an audience. But Arnold was too excited to let it get to him, he would deal with the consequences and aftermath later. With out a second thought he grabbed hold of Helga's hand and her bag, Gerald throwing him his own, and he started to pull her out of the class room..
" Ahh." started the teacher. " Ah mr... ah.. Shortman? Was it? Were are you off too with the new student?"
Arnold stood in the door, with Helga now slightly more awake looking from Arnold to the teacher confused.
" I'm taking a day off, and taking Ms. Pataki with me. Gerald can explain." he said glancing at his friend with a pleading look. Gerald sighed in defeat and Arnold could over hear the explanation begin as soon as the door shut behind them.
" Arnold? It's the first day! Where are we going." She said being pulled behind, her face nearly red as she peeked back to see students poking out of there classrooms.
" Two years of awkward conversations with out seeing your face in the flesh, I got a long list of things to do and places to go.." his hand tightened pulling her along, he looked back at her beautiful surprised face.
" But as for right now I want to just be alone with the woman I love."
With that she let go of his hand, only to tackle him the next second, kissing him on the lips before they released and started running through the halls. Holding hands.
" I guess I could stand that right now." she said as tears brimmed her eyes.
Arnold relished in the warmth of her hand as he pulled her out through the doors of hill wood high, to where ever there new future would take them.
THANK YOU EVERYONE! I have to say this has been so much fun to write and I love all of you that bared with me through this whole ordeal. Let me tell you it was so hard after I posted chapter 13, knowing you all would probably hate me but I really didn't want to stray from my plan. In fact months back when I had started this chapter 13 and the epilogue were just one big chapter ( hence why they are kinda short) but I felt it would be more fun to have an epilogue seeing how so much time has past, and I felt it was important to have that time to put the two on a level of understanding in having to wait for there love. I mean Helga has had that for years and I want Arnold to have the same thing cause I know later in life Helga would have used the " I waited forever" as a joke quip and I wanted Arnold to say something along the lines of " Me too :P" so it was really a guilty pleasure. This is how I would do the jungle movie if I owned the rights but! It is not how I THINK the jungle movie will go. So this is not my jungle movie contribution. Though part of me is tempted to write that !
$ = 24 that was the secret code to this being posted.
I would just like to thank ever one again. This has truly been so much fun for me and I plan to do more in the future. More with this story, more with Hey Arnold and more with other fandoms. Im actually announcing I will be starting work on Arnold's Heart Helga's eyes which is going to be a parallel to this fic, re telling the story from Helga's point of view. You guys have been so great and I can't wait to begin the next adventure with you guys.
-H
Special thanks to all who have reviewed! Every word kept me going!
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And all of the amazing unnamed guests! You guys are awesome and I'm sorry if you all are angry at me for putting you through anything. I tried to make the ending worth it.