Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Let me be your hero"

In the last chapter of 'Let me be your hero': As Helga admitted to Arnold that she was more than a little nervous about the New Year's Eve party, he calmed her down quite a bit by promising her that he wouldn't leave her alone. While chatting, Miriam called Helga and the conversation ended with Arnold yelling at Miriam through the phone and Helga kissing him in absolute joy. The kiss turned heated, but thanks to Phoebe's call, Helga and Arnold managed to pull themselves away from each other and continue to the party.

Once Phoebe and Gerald were updated about Miriam's call, Arnold and Gerald went inside. Helga told Phoebe about how happy she had been to find out that she was definitely still in love with Arnold despite still feeling fear about the intimate part of whatever relationship they could possibly develop. She went into the party with Phoebe though, hopeful of a wonderful evening with her friends.

Author's 1st note: Blah, blah, blah, something clever about the story, blah, blah, blah. Enjoy! :D

[As always, please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]


Chapter 28: "Don't bounce around too much"

Helga could barely believe the sight in front of her. Rhonda's parties were always grand, especially her New Year's Eve ones, but this one was more than amazing. Butlers were walking around in expensive looking smokings, everything was decorated in silver, purple and black colors, including balloons that some boys were already in the middle of smashing or popping and streamers hanging low from the ceiling. A famous band, that Helga wasn't really a fan of, was playing in one of the many rooms that were open to the guests while there was a bar in another room, a dance floor in the next and probably a pool somewhere as well. It seemed like Rhonda was always competing with her former self every year.

"Phoebe! There you are!" the voice of an angry Rhonda Wellington Lloyd could be heard booming through the room. "Have you heard from Helga yet? I swear that girl is going to get a piece of my mind once she gets here!" Rhonda continued as she approached them. Phoebe turned around to face her, but when Helga did the same, Rhonda stopped walking altogether and stared at her in disbelief. "Helga?" she questioned in skepticism. Helga rolled her eyes. "What? I always go to your New Year's Eve parties, Rhonda, why so surprised?" she asked. Rhonda blinked a couple of times; not making any indication that she would answer. Helga's eyebrows furrowed and she lifted her hand to wave it in front of Rhonda's face. "Hello?"

Rhonda shook her head, making Helga realize that she was getting back to herself. She let her hand fall to her hip, waiting for Rhonda to say something. "Is that you, Helga? You're in an actual dress! I haven't seen you in a dress since we were twelve!" the girl finally bellowed as her eyes kept going up and down in Helga's direction. "I didn't have a lot to wear for tonight, so I had to borrow something. Can we please move on?" Helga asked with a sigh.

Ever since Helga's last conversation with Rhonda, which had been months ago back when words like "scam", "can't do shit" and "act so big and tough" had been thrown at Helga, she had avoided Rhonda like the plague. Basically, Rhonda had said all the words aloud Helga had thought about herself. While she hadn't even admitted it to herself, Rhonda now scared her. It was as if she had seen right through her, figured out what could hurt her the most and then struck. Helga hated feeling see-through, like if all her thoughts and feelings were obvious. It felt like Rhonda knew everything and the thought of Miss Wellington Lloyd finding out about Megamind as well scared her to death.

"I was trying to give you a compliment, Helga." Rhonda said with a seething voice and an insulted expression on her glittery face. "You sure were good at hiding that, Rhonda." Helga replied with same fervor. "Helga. Please. I know we're not the best of friends, but this is my party and I will kick you out if you don't behave." Rhonda pointed out with a smug smile, believing that she had clearly won. "Besides, dump the badass attitude. It kinda went downhill a couple of months ago, don't you think?"

"Rhonda!" Phoebe warned in a low, but growling voice. Helga on the other hand just tried to focus on breathing. She didn't know how she felt about the addition Rhonda had made and she didn't get much time to think about it either. "Hey, Helga! There you are." A male voice said, earning the girls' attention. They turned around to see Arnold jogging towards them. "I was looking for you. I thought you and Phoebe were right behind me and Gerald, but then you were gone and… what's going on?"

Phoebe's eyes widened at Arnold's sudden knack for observation. He was somehow known as the slightly air-headed, dense guy that couldn't read in-between the lines even if his life depended on it. How did he figure out that something was wrong so fast, when Helga started wearing one of her best masks as soon as she heard his voice? When Phoebe turned to look at Helga though, she noticed that she didn't seem surprised at all. Had Arnold really gotten that attentive around Helga in particular?

"What do you mean 'what's wrong', Arnold? Everything is fine! I was just welcoming Helga to the party." Rhonda replied and turned to give Helga one of the best of her fakest smiles. "Isn't that right, Helga Honey?" she asked. Before Helga could even think about pulling on a fake smile of her own, Arnold frowned at Rhonda. "I don't believe you." he stated clearly, surprising the black-haired girl enough for her to look at him in incredulity. "And why ever not? What could possibly be your reason for not believing my words?"

"Oh, let's see." Arnold said with sarcasm and started counting on his fingers. "One, you're the perfect liar. Two, you never liked Helga. Three, you were the one who told everyone about Helga being violated. Four, you're wearing one of your fake smiles. Five - - " he said until Helga put a hand over his. "Arnold, enough." She said in a whispery voice, but was giving him a very small smile as she did so. He looked at her for a second, but then turned to look at Rhonda again. "And five, it would surprise me if you could ever be decent around Helga."

Rhonda gasped in absolute shock and Phoebe placed her hand in front of her mouth to stop her own gasp. Helga, on the other hand, was just trying to conceal a smile. Rhonda huffed angrily. "Now look who's being the aggressive one out of you two. What's going on, Arnold? Are you standing up for Helga because she can't stand up for herself?" she asked, obviously trying to win back some of her dignity. "No." Arnold replied and stepped forward a little bit. "I'm standing up for her, because I'm afraid that if she stand up for herself, you won't live to see the clock strike twelve."

Rhonda made a face of absolute anger and shock, but then just huffed once again and left them. Helga stepped to the side to face Arnold. She smacked a palm against his chest, giving him a look of disbelief and happiness all in one. "Ok, if I hadn't already heard that bad mouth of yours scold Miriam, I would have been even more surprised, but… Arnold, what is with you tonight?" she asked him. He gave a half-smile and took her hand away from his chest, only to let their intertwined hands dangle in the air between their hips. "Living with you has been rubbing off on me." He told her with obvious nostalgia in his voice.

Helga kept gazing at Arnold in awe and he kept smiling that wonderfully charming smile at her. He just wasn't aware of how charming it was. She smiled happily at him and opened her mouth to speak until she heard Rhonda's voice once again. "Oh, Arnold! I forget to introduce you to one of my guests tonight." She said in a voice that only Helga realized was seething with a revengeful undertone. She wasn't sure who she had expected the guest to be, but once she turned around and saw the person, she felt her blood freeze at first, but then boil with anger.

Helga could hear her own voice saying "ow" inside her head, but she never said a word aloud or barely twitched. She did turn her eyes to look towards her hand though, which was what had hurt a second ago. She realized that Arnold had squished her hand as soon as he had seen the guest as well and that made her worry more than she had feared. She knew this person had hurt him and broken a small part of him. Not because the person meant all that to him… but because she had ridiculed him for being what he was; a sweet and gentle boy. Something he had been fearful of showing to any strangers ever since. To make him scared of being that good and kind soul that he was… Helga had no doubt that this was the person she loathed the most in the entire school, and she loathed a lot of them.

"Arnold. Helga. I think you remember Jezsica." Rhonda said, gesturing her hand towards the obviously fake blonde next to her. Helga just scowled at her as she flashed her long eyelashes fitting perfectly with her fake personality. She pretty much looked like the typical slutty bimbo everyone had seen in teen flicks. Helga squeezed Arnold's hand tightly to show some sort of support, but she had a feeling that he wasn't even aware that her hand was still around his. Feeling slightly discouraged she was about to remove her hand, but he instantly grabbed it again and she could have sworn that he sighed in relief once her hand was in his once again.

"Hey, Arnold. Long time no see." Jezsica said with one of her signature toothpaste smiles. Arnold didn't say anything, but simply nodded at her once, at least acknowledging her presence. Helga felt like punching Rhonda for introducing Jezsica to Arnold like this; it was obviously an attempt for revenge against him. It disgusted her and she'd be damned before she'd let these poor excuses for girls win this battle.

Jezsica turned to look at Helga and lifted her finger thoughtfully to her lips. "You I don't remember." She said as she seemed to ponder what the name of the tomboyish blonde could be. "Oh, I'm not too surprised that you'd forget my name. You only remember peoples' names when you need them for something." Helga replied with a toothpaste smile of her own. Jezsica seemed surprised at Helga's snappy response for a second, but then just smiled all the same once again. "I remember you now; Helga Pataki, known for the rotten attitude. I had heard from a reliable source that you have started to act funny though."

"Oh, and who was that reliable source? One of your fuck buddies?" Helga asked with that perfectly seething smile of hers that both seemed cruel and genuine all at the same time. Jezsica's expression didn't falter this time though. "You're saying that as if you consider sex with men disgusting." She stated with an eyebrow quirked. Helga knew exactly what she was referring to, but stayed calm nevertheless. "I find it disgusting if it's not with the guy you're in a relationship with, yeah." She replied seething, hoping for some sort of response from Arnold that she never got.

"Maybe if Arnold could have pleased me, I wouldn't have had to fuck someone else." Jezsica said as her eyes seemed to narrow slightly. Helga could see that her exterior was definitely crumbling at this point, but she was too shocked at her answer to acknowledge it. "Please you? Honey, pleasing is more than just fucking. It's about respect, and you'll never find someone like Arnold who could ever respect you or treat you like the lady you so clearly aren't."

"Who are you to talk about being a lady? You're the girl who throws her fists around like if you're some big shot. I on the other hand treat people kindly and show them a good time."

"Sure, because banging in a janitor's closet is so classy."

"As if you would know. You haven't even had a boyfriend. I think boys are afraid of you. They wouldn't dare to go anywhere near you; you'd cut their balls off if they tried."

"And yet I was raped; what a predicament." Helga said before she could consider her own words. The girls seemed to go wide-eyed at her bold statement, but Helga stood her ground. She knew she had just opened up to the most sensitive subject she could ever have had, but she didn't regret it. If it would somehow bring this girl down her pedestal, so be it. Once Jezsica had seemed to get over the shock, her face turned cold again. "Exactly. A guy had to fucking rape you to get anywhere with you… At least I can choose."

"Choose?" Helga repeated in disbelief and shook her head with a growing smile on her face. "No, sweetheart, if you believe you're choosing the guys that fuck you, you're laughably wrong. They choose you. You're nothing but a fuck toy to them and the sad part is that I think you don't want to be any more than that. You're right; no one would have to rape you… because anyone can have you if they want you." she said with a cold voice, squeezed Arnold's hand and turned around to pull him along with her.

Both Jezsica and Rhonda stood back, gawking at Helga in absolute disbelief. Phoebe couldn't help but smile though. The whole thing had almost seemed nostalgic and as she slipped away from the girls, she was laughing on the inside. Jezsica turned on her heel to scowl at Rhonda. "I thought you said that she had gone fucking weak after that guy raped her!" she said accusingly. "She has! I mean more than usual at least. Seems like she's getting her spunk back." Rhonda said in slight awe and couldn't help the very small smile on her face.

"Hey!" Jezsica said and grabbed Rhonda's shoulders. "Do not smile after I have just been humiliated by that bitch! How dare she talk to me like that?!" she growled. Rhonda frowned, grabbed Jezsica's hands and pushed them away. "Oh, boo hoo for you." she said sarcastically and crossed her arms. "You should have known better than to go up against Pataki. She's a feisty one. I only told you to remind Arnold why he should remember his place around here in my home. If I had known you'd attack Helga instead, I would've at least warned you or at least told you that you were fucking insane."

"Why?" Jezsica asked in incredulity. "Because if I have learned one thing from knowing Helga my whole life… it's that you never go against her or her friends or you're pretty much dead." Rhonda replied with a smug smile. She may never have cared much for Helga, but God, did she respect that girl's balls. And she had a serious pair on her. After she had been raped, Rhonda's opinion about her had gone down, but she also had to admit that she respected her even more now. She had definitely bounced back, it seemed, and that just proved once again how strong she was.

"Oh, come on! You said it yourself; it's all an act, right?" Jezsica asked. "I honestly thought so. Until I heard her chew you up and spit you out like old caviar." Rhonda replied, unable to fully conceal the small snicker following. Jezsica growled and crossed her arms. "There's gotta be some way I can humiliate her! What's she bad at?" she asked. Rhonda rolled her eyes, but seemed to think it over. "Can't think of anything in particular. What are you good at?" she decided to ask.

Jezsica pondered it for a second, but then a mischievous smile appeared on her face. Rhonda sighed. "I know that look. What's the plan?" she asked. "You still have that game?" Jezsica asked. Rhonda frowned in confusion, but then her eyes widened. "Seriously? You're going to challenge her to a duel in that game or something?" she asked in slight incredulity. "Can't you just imagine it? Helga's a proud girl, right?" Jezsica pointed out. "Don't you think she'd be pissed at losing in a game against me?" she asked. Rhonda sighed and rubbed her fingers against her temple. "Fine. I'll tell the butlers to ready the game."


If Phoebe had followed Arnold and Helga when they had left Jezsica and Rhonda, she would have known they had gone out to the terrace. Helga could feel her blood boil inside her veins as she pulled Arnold with her. Jezsica had dared to speak lowly of Arnold when she so clearly was the messed up one. Arnold had done nothing but respect her and care for her, like he did with everybody, and she had thrown such a great guy away and for what? To become the official slut of the school and breaking a poor boy's heart. Helga was just considering it a blessing that he hadn't gotten to the point of being in love with her before she removed her innocent lamb costume and revealed the wolf beneath it.

Helga didn't stop until she and Arnold were away from everyone else out on the terrace. They were standing near the railing when she finally let go of his hand. She took a deep breath, shaking a little as she did so. "Fucking bitch!" she yelled at the street. She could feel tears prickling in the corner of her eyes. "I can't believe her! How dare she! Talking like if you're the one to blame! She's the one who lost something; you lost shit! She's nothing but a lying, slutty, good-for-nothing - - "

Helga felt the air leaving her lungs all of a sudden. She kept gazing at the dark blue sky as a pair of familiar arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders. She could feel Arnold's nose tickling the crook of her neck slightly and she was sure she could feel hot tears hit her bare shoulder as well. His warm breath made her spine shake in delight and she closed her eyes with a sigh before placing her hands on his arms.

"Forget her. She doesn't deserve your tears." Helga said and exhaled once again. Arnold shook his head against her neck, but she wasn't sure why. "I'm… That's not why I… What you just did. I… I don't remember anyone… ever… talking back like that against someone for… me." He murmured in a sob. Helga's eyes widened and she was sure her cheeks were flushing. "Well… you-you're always the one who stands up for everyone, including me and… you did just chew Miriam's ear off a minute ago, so…" she whispered, until she felt Arnold smile against her neck and then grew shy once more. "D-Don't think I did it for you! She was insulting me as well, you know! I-I just stood up for myself. It's not like it's my fault that she just happened to insult you as well, so…" she said, but then sighed. "You're not buying this at all, are you?"

Arnold shook his head against Helga's neck as he smiled. She sighed dramatically, but kept smiled herself. "You're starting to be able to see right through me… I'm not too sure how I feel about that." she admitted half seriously. "… Do you hate it?" Arnold asked softly. She turned her head to look at him, noticing how his green eyes were shimmering with slight anxiety about her answer. "No." she replied simply, showing no emotion on her face doing so and it was the truth. "Good." Arnold said in the same sort of voice. "Because I'm really starting to enjoy seeing through you…"

A wave of lovely nostalgia waved through them as they moved closer towards each other. A shout from inside the house made them flinch though and they looked inside the living room in shock. They then turned to look at each other, confirming their upcoming actions and then grabbing each other's hands to run inside. "What's going on?" they asked in unison, but frowned in confusion at the display in front of them. Apparently, the shout had simply been due to someone already very drunk slamming into someone else and they were now crawling around on the floor, looking like drugged turtles trying to hit each other. You've got to be kidding me. Both Arnold and Helga thought in unison, unaware of exactly how disappointed they were about getting interrupted in such a moment.

They never reached the point of realizing until Helga caught a glimpse of a butler walking around with two glasses of what was probably those welcome drinks Phoebe had mentioned Rhonda was waiting for them to drink. She snapped her fingers, earning his attention. He smiled and walked towards them. "Miss Pataki and Mr. Shortman?" he asked as he offered the glasses on his tray. "Yes, thank you." Helga said, nudged her elbow at Arnold's arm to wake him up and then took a glass. Arnold took a glass as well, smiling at the waiter doing so. "I'm sorry you had to walk around with that tray for so long."

The butler simply bowed gracefully and walked away from the two teenagers. Helga cocked an eyebrow at him and turned to look at Arnold who looked just as confused as she did. She then sniffed dramatically, made a sour face and bowed to Arnold. He did his best to conceal his chuckle, but to very little success. "Don't. Please." He begged, nudging his elbow at her. She giggled along with him though. "Sorry, but that face he made was just too priceless."

Arnold smiled, but then noticed the drink in Helga's hand. "You're not gonna drink that, are you?" he asked as he pointed at it. "Of course not!" Helga replied and held it towards him. "You are." She added with a mischievous smile. He gawked at her. "What? Why?" he asked, but grabbed the drink anyhow. "Because, one; I can't drink it and it'd be rude to send it back." She answered. When he gave her a skeptical look, she gave him a sympathetic smile. "Two; I think you need it more than I do."

Arnold looked at Helga in surprise. She had seen right through him; as she had claimed he often did with her. It was true that the thought of drinking this particular night with Jezsica this close to him away was a very tempting thought. "Uh… H-Helga, I can't. I need to drive the both of us home." He replied, but eyed the drinks in his hands longingly. "I can drive us home." Helga stated simply with a shrug. "Do you have a license?" he asked, which she frowned at. "I was the first one in our gang to get one." She reminded him, slightly insulted at him forgetting how much she had been bragging about it in the beginning. "No, I mean…" he said and smiled at her. "Do you have it on you?"

"Oh…" Helga muttered, slightly embarrassed about her unnecessary outburst, but then smiled. "Arnold, you really think the cops are going to be after your old Packard on New Year's Eve? They're going to be following teenagers like a hawk; not some old car." She pointed out teasingly. He chuckled at her joke and then lifted one of the glasses in his hand. "Well then… thanks, Helga. I hope you can handle a drunk me." He said and then gulped the drink down in one go. Helga smiled at him. I think I can handle any kind of you just fine.


"Hey, everyone! Can I have your attention, please?" Rhonda asked as she moved up to stand on the table. "How about we play a game?" she suggested. Helga quirked an eyebrow and moved closer to Arnold's ear. "If she's gonna suggest that we play 'Truth or dare', I am so out." She whispered. Arnold snickered loudly and let his chin touch Helga's shoulder doing so. She did her best to hide her amused smile, but with very little success. She never knew that Arnold was such a light drunk, but after a few drinks after those welcome drinks, he was really rather buzzed… and in such a cute way that she couldn't help but tease him as often as possible. Phoebe and Gerald were shaking their heads at her; but were just as amused by Arnold as she was.

As Rhonda probably kept talking, Helga's focus was on Arnold as he looked at her with his chin still on her shoulder. "Why are you so funny?" he asked. She snickered in disbelief at the dumb question and pretended to think about it. "I was born that way." She finally answered, awaiting his reaction. He just smiled at her though. "Probably…" he replied and closed his eyes. He snuggled closer to her neck, causing a small blush to develop on her cheeks. Boy, he's not even that drunk, but he's already so close to me! I wonder… I wonder what will happen once he gets really drunk? Helga wondered fearfully, but also excitedly.

"So, who wants to begin?" Rhonda asked. Helga looked towards her, wondering what she had been saying up until now. "I will, Rhonda." Jezsica said as she stepped closer to her. The boys were whistling at her as soon as she appeared and she smiled cockily. Helga rolled her eyes at the display. "This is pathetic. What is this game anyway?" she asked Gerald and Phoebe next to her. "You don't know it, Helga?" Gerald asked in surprise. Helga shrugged, assuming that if it was some teen game she probably didn't.

"You should try it then!" Gerald exclaimed in excitement. "Me?" Helga asked in surprise. "Oh, yes, Helga! You'd beat Jezsica any time, I'm sure." Phoebe concurred with an excited smile. "Now, hold on; I'm all up for taking the bimbo down, but I don't even know what this game is about." Helga pointed out. "It's pretty simple. You just do what those figures do." Gerald explained. Helga frowned in confusion. "What figures?" she asked. "Those on the screen in the game." Phoebe replied. That just confused Helga all the more. "What the hell kinda game is that?"

"Anyone up for battling against Jezsica?" Rhonda asked. No one raised their hands. Helga figured that the boys wanted to watch Jezsica cream someone in this game while the girls were afraid of going up against her. To hell with it. She decided and stood up. "I will." She replied and stepped forward. "Helga." Arnold's voice said before grabbing her hand. She turned to look at him in surprise, but she could feel her heart start to beat in a happy rhythm while she felt his warm hand around hers. "Careful." Arnold warned worriedly. "Don't bounce around too much."

Helga frowned at him in confusion, but then placed a hand on her stomach and smiled. "I'll be careful." She promised and leaned forward to squeeze his hand. "I'm gonna make her regret ever messing with you, got it?" she asked with a confident smile. Arnold gazed at her for a couple of seconds, but then smiled at her in a lovesick way. "Thank you." he said and squeezed her hand back. She let go of it and walked closer to Rhonda and Jezsica, knowing full well that she had everyone's undivided attention. She could even hear Arnold, Phoebe and Gerald standing up and moving closer to see what would happen.

"You, Helga? I'm a little surprised." Rhonda lied with a satisfied smile. Helga saw right through it and quirked an eyebrow. Seems like I've been targeted. It's probably a scheme to embarrass me or something. Rhonda, step it up, would you? It's a million years too early for you to ever trick Helga G. Pataki. She thought proudly, feeling confident in a way only she could for the first time in a long time. She shrugged. "I don't know what the game's about, but I wanted to give it a go."

"You don't even know the game, Pataki?" Jezsica asked in mock disbelief and laughed. "I might know it, but, and my apologies, Rhonda, but I wasn't really listening to you when you talked about the game." Helga replied with a sarcastic smile. Rhonda rolled her eyes, but said nothing. She still wasn't sure if she hoped for Jezsica's triumph or Helga's. She wasn't even sure if she had any clue who'd might win.

"Maybe I should show you how it's done before we begin? You know, just so you'd have a chance." Jezsica suggested. Helga smiled broadly at her. "That's an unusually kind gesture from you, Jezsica, if only you were this polite the whole time." She said with seething sarcasm. Jezsica let her tongue lick her upper lip in an attempt at making sure she wouldn't say something that would make the crowd be on Helga's side. "And if only you could show this fake politeness of yours a little more often, Pataki, then maybe we would all enjoy your company a little more." She reduced herself to saying, feeling as if she had said the perfect thing.

"Want to teach me how to be fake then?" Helga asked. Jezsica growled, but decided not to answer. Proving to Helga that she needed to fear her more than she thought would be more satisfactory than any words she could throw at her face. "Start the game, Rhonda." Jezsica told Rhonda. Rhonda scowled at her for a second due to the forceful order, but she just gestured for the butler to start the game. Helga looked upon the big flat screen TV, awaiting for whatever sort of game would appear. She wasn't sure how she felt about her situation, but once she caught a glimpse of Arnold smiling at her from the crowd, she smiled herself. Just don't bounce around too much.


Author's 2nd note: So… anyone's got any idea what the game is? xD I know one of you who does, but… shut up, Olive! I'm sorry for spoiling it for you Cx Anyone else? ;P Oh, and when did you realize that the guest was Jezsica? :3