RECIPROCATED LOVE

CHAPTER 35

BRUSCHETTA

Brian pressed the play button and electronic music filled the ambience again. This was a reproduction list with 30 songs or so, thus if no one complained he didn't need to stay close to the equipment. The beat of the music attracted some dancers to the improvised dance floor set on the roof of Arnold's boarding house as Brian adjusted the volume to keep the conversations alive.

Arnold's parties were always different from canon. There were people of all ages; Phil and Gerthie for starters; then the boarders, the house keepers and that grumpy Mrs. Brown. Then the old gang; new friends, –like Wolfgang, Arnold's new close friend - and some old neighbors like Mr. Green; young neighbors like a couple of very young girls that were flirting with the guys of the gang – For God' sake, these girls were barely thirteen or something! - Some little kids -Where did these kids come from? - He thought as he dodged a group of them. Then there were also Abner II and a bunch of cats and dogs; a couple of intimidating big dogs known as bodyguards and a young politician that couldn't stop laughing as he talked to Phil.

Phil was telling them old stories about the neighborhood, about war or about his youth; stories that most of them had heard several times through the years. James was being a good listener probably because as he said, he was a big fan of the neighborhood. He told them that his and his best friend's grandparents lived in the vicinity several blocks to the west and they used to hang around this part of town after school when they were teens.

What he didn't tell was that their grandparents didn't actually lived in Hillwood but in what folks use to call 'The Mansions'; a small area with big houses where rich people lived at the dawn of XX Century. Now most of those large houses where offices or had been demolished to build apartment buildings, malls, schools or more office complexes. Still, you couldn't deny that the guy really knew well all those streets and he proved it by naming them in order from Pine Street to Old Oak Lane and he even knew the buildings and stores more representatives of the area.

Brian strolled over the end of the roof to take a beer and walked toward the group gathered by the staircase. There was Rhonda and Thad- They really thought they could fool someone? -Then there were Gerald and Dionne –that girl had made an impression now. She owned Gerald-. Then Eugene, Nadine, Lorenzo and Helen were also there. Sid and Lila were a little beyond them, feeding each other with so much love. Contrary to most projections, they had been together for over three weeks now.

Mrs. Brown was warily seeing her daughter talking cheerfully with one of the bodyguards. Brian arrived to Helga side then. She was looking at the street ahead leaned on the parapet, all by her own.

"Hey you!"

She turned to him, smiling absentmindedly. "Hey, Brainy…"

"Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head, lazily "Don't remember when the last time I was here was."

"Last year… Arnold threw a Geek party, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…" she chuckled "but I didn't come or what…?"

"You came but then you went off early because Bob was calling you insistently. There was a whole lot missing or something"

Helga raised her brows then blinked "Yeah, I remember now" Brian was sure she remembered now. Back then he had had the impression that it was because Arnold was showing off his new girlfriend and she only used Bob as an excuse.

"Something's wrong." he stated seeing her uneasiness "Helga, it's me…just tell me" he said in low voice.

Helga grunted and turned around with precaution then turned to him "My stomach aches but it's nothing, really."

"Maybe you ate something stale… or strawberries…?"

"What?" she frowned "No." She turned warily to the table "I never eat strawberries… besides they don't damage my stomach but my skin."

"Is there a problem with James?"

"With James? Of course not." She grinned then "Just look at him… having the time of his life with Phil"

"Aren't you jealous?" He teased. Helga sneered, then retorted lowering her voice.

"My name's not Dionne" she laughed again "What's wrong with that bitch?"

"What's wrong with Gerald?!" Brian was the one who scoffed then "Why you let someone you barely know to annoy your friends that way?"

"Maybe she's really pretty?"

"But she's not pretty…"

"Maybe the bitch is really good when she goes downtown."

Brian shook his head, smiling. Helga was lost cause. "You're insane, Helga."

"Hey! For what I've heard it's a valid reason to stay with a bitch… But I mean, what a shame! Gerald's a nice kid"

Then she puckered her lips and rubbed her abdomen.

"You're sure you're okay?"

"Yeah… and stop being nosey…" she shoved him lightly "You know what?" she smiled impishly "I just suggested Phoebe she should make a move on Gerald…just to teach that bitch a lesson."

"What are you two plotting?" They both turned to find James coming on, a soda in his hand.

"…how to get rid of a bitch." Helga smiled as James' brow creased. She pointed Dionne with her nose.

"What's her problem?" James asked before take a swig of his drink.

"She's stealing our friend…"

James coughed suddenly and turned around, covering his mouth. Brian smiled seeing him struggling to compose himself. When he raised his sight, his eyes shone with amusement. He cleared his throat before talk again.

"You mean like me?" he chuckled. "I'm stealing you away… You think they're gonna plot to get rid of me?"

"Nah" Helga waved her hand. "Girls love you and guys know better than messing with Old Betsy" she showed her fist. Brian smiled. Despite he didn't trust entirely this guy he had to admit that James was good to Helga. Besides, he respected her; didn't touch her in public, at least not in front of the gang.

"Is this your boyfriend, Eleanor?" Arnold's grandmother arrived at their side then.

"Yep, Gerthie. This is James" Helga nodded "Do you met Gerthie already, James?"

"She's the lovely owner of this building, I've heard"

"In fact it's Phil. That old sack of potatoes never gave it to me. I'm only the lovely housekeeper" she grumbled. Then she turned to James "So you're the one who's gonna take Eleanor back to the White House?"

"Yes, ma'am. Right to the Oval Office."

"Very Well. That's where she belongs. Take care of her, lad, coz she's a good girl." Gerthie nodded, patting his arm. "…kinda nut, but still a good girl" she added, strangely solemn and with that she went off. Brian observed her go the same than his companions. Helga' sight held sympathy.

"Why does she call you Eleanor?" James turned to ask her. Helga shrugged.

"Always been afraid to ask…" she mumbled; her sight still on the old lady walking away. "Then…" she turned to her fiancé "Time to go?"

"As you wish" he said "Twenty minutes?" she nodded.

"What about the guys downstairs? Did they eat something?"

"Shawn and Ms. Brown took care" he informed. "Seems that Shawn is having luck tonight, huh?" James smiled observing them, still in entertained chat.

"How old is Shawn?" Helga asked him. "Coz I think Annie is almost forty…"

"We're talking about pros and cons of age difference again?" James observed her amused. Helga smirked.

"Are there cons?"

Brian was used to this. People ignored him when he was around. Sometimes it felt as he were invisible, like a ghost, but most of the times he liked to picture himself as a writer or a painter who observed his surroundings and then capture them with words or images. This way he avoided the sting such invisibility caused. Still, he knew Helga was very aware of his presence but she didn't use to acknowledge it to not make it real.

"Penny for your thoughts, B-Brian" James spoke then. Of course he was also aware.

"Just thinking that your phone has been strangely quiet tonight." he mumbled, noticing he had extended de B in his name again.

"Don't say it!"

"Shit!" Helga cracked a laugh. As if summoned, James' phone let out a buzz.

"Damn!" He cursed, then chortled "That's the invocation, Brian!" Helga pushed James away as them both continued laughing.

James went off to answer. Helga told Brian then they never say it aloud because it was like a spell, always. Phoebe arrived at their side asking what was so funny and Helga then told her. Brian turned to see James. He found him upset. He left the girls and walked towards the table where he grabbed a snack and turned around to observe the scene developing before him.

James was still on his phone but it was obvious something or someone had bothered him. Brian got close. For some reason his invisible disguise didn't work with James; he knew it. Nonetheless he walked to a darkened spot behind the stairs from where he could see both of the objects of his observations. Fortunately there was no one around. Right there it was possible to hear James… and to see Arnold.

The blond boy a few feet beyond him had been edgy the entire evening. Brian had seeing him going here and there; trying to be a nice host at the time he tried to enjoy the party. He'd been talking to Gerald previously but then left him and was approaching the snack table when he almost collided with James. Arnold tensed up and turned back to the table. James apparently didn't notice him.

Brian observed them with interest. Arnold was looking at the table without see it. James was hissing with disapproval to his phone.

"…You don't manage my agenda. I'm not in town and I'm not going to be there tomorrow morning…" He paused "Why are you still in the office?" another pause "No, Judy… I can't believe you let him intimidate you… Tomorrow morning I'm heading to Columbus so I won't be able to attend to your so-called meeting…Andrea did what?" he scoffed "…You know Andrea is already in Columbus, right?" He snorted "I don't even know what you intended by calling me. This is not open to discussion. I won't be there; it's not my problem…"

"Do you need some privacy?" Arnold asked him suddenly.

James turned around to find the blond at his side. He looked quickly around, then shrugged.

"I'd appreciate it"

Arnold pointed to the window leading to his room.

"It leads to my bed, but I guess you can manage yourself ." Brian saw James hesitating then he started to climb down. Before he disappeared, the boy with straw-colored hair saw the guards checking out the surroundings. What do they think? That there was someone crouching in Arnold's room ready to attack him? Brian scoffed…Though it'd be gross if something like that happened.

Brian observed Gerald approaching Arnold; the dark skinned boy seemed to be reproving his friend's move. Arnold shrugged him off as he was took a couple of chocochip cookies. Brian looked at them, amused. People tonight were being too obvious. From Rhonda and Thad, to Arnold and Gerald, Phoebe…let alone the middle school girls chasing after Iggy and Park.

Five minutes later James was back and found Arnold by his own.

"Is everything okay?" Arnold asked, cordially.

"Yep. Thank you, by the way."

"No need" Arnold's jaw was tense. He forced it open to ask again. "Are you having good time?"

"Tonight?" the taller man turned to see him and draw a polite smile "Of course. Your home is awesome. Growing up in a Boarding House must have been great."

"Yeah, it was" Arnold took an intake "You know, it took me a while to get used to this strange people but once I accepted them, we became a family." He smiled as if recalling.

James nodded. "I think I get it…. But you know… normal families are overrated"

"You think so?"

"I think that we are now even a minority" James nodded again, then added "It must be some experience to be raised by Phil."

"Yeah, it was." Arnold accepted seeing his old man in the other side of the roof "I saw Grandpa telling you some stories" he laughed "Don't believe all what he say. Grandpa is famous for… let say... exaggerate reality"

"Really?" James chortled "I'd have never guessed. Though I had my doubts when he said he and his friend Jimmy Kafka knocked out a shark."

"Mmhm…. Well… that might be true" Arnold let out almost against his best judgment. James raised his brows, amused. Arnold shook his head as he took another cookie from the tray.

"And what about that he fought against Adolf Hitler and won the World War II by his own?"

Arnold coughed. Seconds later he let out with tickled voice.

"Well…Didn't fight against Hitler but about the war…there's even a monument in Washington, you know?" James observed him with interest.

"Look at that!" he exclaimed "Phil's a real hero."

Arnold smiled apologetically realizing grandpa tales weren't that false and it was him who looked as a liar.

"Still, if he told you that he built this house up with his bare hands, there he was lying" he tried to compensate.

"Well… he said he still have some photos to prove it"

"Yeah, but the guy in the shots was his father, not him" Arnold stated amused. "Still… he has been a hell of a grandfather."

"Yeah… I can see it" Brian followed their sights to the other extreme of the roof. Phil had very entertained his audience again. Helga was among them; giving them her back as she supported her weight on Sheena's shoulder. As if suddenly aware of the attention, she turned around and smiled when she saw them. James cleared his throat "So…"

"So…" they both started at the time.

Arnold motioned for James to go on.

"Your room is genial" James pointed it "that skylight is just… " Arnold nodded. Brian knew his skylight was the coolest thing of his cool room and that he was proud of it.

"I love it. It has been like a… I don't know… an escape…for my mind more than physically" Arnold vacillated as he stopped again before decide what he wanted from the almost empty trays.

"If I had had it I think I've been a dreamer…" James let it out with a hint of yen in his voice.

Arnold turned to see him. As if wondering if he was mocking him. He didn't seem to be mocking him because Arnold followed his sight and realized he was looking at the end of the roof where Helga was talking to Gerald. They seemed very engrossed in whatever they were talking.

Arnold then turned to his left to find James imposing bodyguard getting close.

"Judy's looking for you" he said in low voice.

"She needs to work out something" James said, impassive "I'll turn on my phone in two minutes"

"I'll let her know."

"Would you like some treat, George?" Arnold asked. George nodded, appreciatively.

"Those cucumber sandwiches are really good" James pointed. Arnold saw George taking one of those and some cookies before going away. "What were you about to say, Arnold?"

Arnold's hand was roving the tray that held the sugarcoated cookies he'd been having. He fidgeted for a moment before turning to James, who was eyeing the trays as well.

To Brian's eye, they looked alike but quite different at a time. The same because they were two handsome, healthy, fitted men; but on the other side, Arnold's youth and fair complexion - usually alluring and interesting - now looked surpassed by James' darker presence and refined stance. Arnold looked edgy and tense where James was relaxed and in complete control.

The silence that had fallen over them became tense.

"I hadn't had the chance to congratulate you before …" Arnold started "…for your engagement, I mean" his voice was choky.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." James said, with a slight tilt of his head.

"Helga is…" his voice trailed off. He took a sharp intake as his eyes found the girl "She's a great girl."

"Yes, she is."

"I…I'm really happy for her…." he cleared his throat "Are you two… getting married soon?"

"Hardly this year… Hopefully next." James stated. Arnold nodded.

Silence fell over them again… and tension rose…. Brian realized Arnold had paled. James at his side seemed unperturbed as he reached to take the last goat cheese and tomato bruschetta from a tiny tray.

Arnold gave a step back, resolute, and then straightened to face James. Brian tensed. When James realized Arnold's sight was on him he raised a brow and stopped the bruschetta in midair.

"Sorry…" he started tentatively "Mmhm…did you want it?"

Arnold observed the minuscule bread slice in his hand and shook his head but didn't stop observing him fixedly.

"You're sure? I'll give you back if you really want it."

Brian froze and the hairs of his nape frizzled. James wasn't talking about the treat. Stupid Arnold! Just say yes! But the stupid Arnold was sooo dense. He just shook his head as James smirk reappeared on his face and ate the delicacy in one bite and then he gloated as he chewed it.

"What a shame. It's delicious…and I think even healthy" he cleaned his fingers with a napkin "…but I've realized to most people it takes a while to acquire the liking. Maybe they think is too acidic…" James paused "But once you taste them you can't let go...ever." He stated, stern. Then he drew out his phone and turned it on "Thankfully there always will be sugarcoated treats, right?" He said observing the trays on the table.

Arnold followed his sight and blinked. Brian couldn't believe him! Arnold was beyond hope, the idiot! James' phone buzzed then.

"Thanks for this nice evening, Arnold." He uttered and left him alone.

Brian left his spot. He fought the urge to smack the back of Arnold's head as he walked by his side in his way to the group.

He saw Helga pointing to her watch as her sight found James, who nodded to her. Then she bode farewells and thanked loudly to Arnold and his grandparents before going towards the staircase.

I don't own Hey Arnold! Craig Bartlett is the genius behind it and along Viacom the owner.

I don't own any other TM mentioned here or in the rest of the story.

I own only the plot and the OC.

Thanks for being here. Double thanks to Nep2uune, Conor Dachisen -no hard feelings at all, of course. I appreciate the humor- and to guest. You know I will be here until write the end of the story even if there're not readers anymore.

Reviews are welcome

April 9th 2013