Responses to reviews:
Cre8ivelybankrupt87: Oh yes, they do. They do live in the US after all. Lol.
Read on to see what happens!
Veganmama: You will have to see if Arnold finds Helga on the balcony and if they do end up together. Frankly, that would be a jerk move on Arnold's part, if he does that.
Lol yeah, I wanted to give Sid his flashing moment.
Let's hope that everything they are going through and will still go through hasn't been in vain.
Meanwhile...
While Helga made her way toward the balcony, Arnold continued going up the stairs, going inside every floor to try and find her whilst softly calling her name. Due to the lack of time and high risk of being seen, he couldn't go through every floor in detail and so, had to go entirely on guts on where Helga could have hidden. On each floor, he just randomly looked at a few office rooms before moving on. He bypassed the 30th floor where the security room was, knowing for sure that Helga wasn't there and just continued inspecting the floors above it.
C'mon Helga. Where are you? Arnold thought as he frantically continued going up. Please be okay.
Arnold entered a few more floors and went around looking for her, calling her name. No such luck. Getting frustrated and growing more and more worried, he immediately went back to the staircase to go to the next floor.
"Phoebe, any luck on reaching Helga?" Arnold asked.
"I'm afraid not." Phoebe responded, now equally getting worried. "But, I'll keep trying. I just hope she is okay."
"Please do." Arnold said as he continued to go up the stairs.
"Arnold, heads up! You're about to have company." Lorenzo then suddenly spoke. "A few guards are making their way to the staircase."
"I hear you, Lorenzo." Arnold responded. "But I can't stop now. I need to get to the next level and find Helga before Von Scheck does."
"You need to hurry then." Lorenzo remarked.
Arnold took Lorenzo's warning seriously and quickly made his way to the next floor and went inside.
"Helga?" Arnold softly called out and ran across the hallway, going into random office rooms to see if she was there.
Much to his frustration, she was not there and after making his round, went back to the staircase. Quickly opening the door and making his way up the stairs, he tried to reach the next floor before those guards saw him.
"There he is!" A guard suddenly yelled from above, startling Arnold.
"Oh no!" He said. With no time to spare, he quickly reached the next floor and went inside. The two guards tried to quickly make their way down the stairs in order to catch him.
Arnold exited the staircase and ran through the hallway, trying to find somewhere to hide. Seeing the first door, he quickly made his way to it, opened it, went inside and closed it. While holding onto the door handle and panting, he tried to be quiet as possible while he waited for the guards to pass by. It took a while, but he eventually heard footsteps rapidly approaching. Eventually, much to his relief, the guards seemed to pass him and the sound of their footsteps disappeared.
"Phew! That was close." Arnold whispered to himself as he leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath.
As he continued to do so, he noticed light coming through from the other side.
That's weird. Arnold thought.
Turning around, he realized that he wasn't in any small room. It was some sort of electrical room.
Where am- He thought, but then stopped short when he realized where he was. His eyes grew considerably wide and he even stopped breathing for a few seconds.
After regaining his breathing, his heart started beating faster and he felt himself starting to become nervous. He would have left immediately, except he then thought that perhaps…
Helga might be here. He thought. Gathering up his courage to face what was already mounting in his mind, he began to walk inside to find her.
Back at Von Scheck's office...
While Rodrigo worked with Curly on retrieving any files, documents, emails and transactions from the computer, Gerald continued to try to find Helga through any of the camera footages. With so many of them to look at, he had to quickly scan through each of them, afraid he might miss her once he moved on to the next one.
"Any sign of her?" Rodrigo asked.
"Nada." Gerald said. "But I'll keep looking."
He again scanned through the cameras, trying to see if he can see her, or at the very least, just get a glimpse of her. Just then, he saw in one of the cameras someone who had blonde hair, had two pigtails and was wearing a black outfit.
"I found her!" Gerald excitedly shouted. "She's alright!"
Without hesitation, Rodrigo went over to the cameras to see for himself.
"There." Gerald said as he pointed to the camera that showed her.
Rodrigo let out a sigh of relief, along with a big smile when he saw her.
"She is alright." He happily said.
"Yeah. But, what is she doing just standing there?" Gerald asked.
"And where she is? Is she outside?" Rodrigo asked.
Before Gerald could answer, at the other camera just below the one they were looking at, he saw something move. Looking to see who it was, he saw Arnold.
"Hey, I see Arnold." Gerald said as he pointed to the camera.
"Okay great. We just need to let him know where Helga is and he can go and get her." Rodrigo said.
Gerald then saw that on each camera footage, it had a few numbers. After examining them, he figured out that each number showed which floor and which part of that floor each camera was.
"Oh good." Gerald said. "These numbers will let us know where Helga and Arnold are in the building."
Gerald then quickly scanned at the numbers that showed which floor Helga was and realized that he...recognized the floor number. He then looked at the camera footage to get a better idea of where Helga was, trying to get the layout of the surrounding area-
"Oh no." Gerald then said with an extremely worried look and tone.
"What is it?" Rodrigo asked, but Gerald did not answer him.
Instead, he then looked down to see which floor Arnold was.
Please don't be there, please don't be there. Gerald anxiously thought to himself as he looked at the numbers on the camera footage. But, upon seeing that the same floor number with the same room number, he went completely silent and just stared at the two camera footages with a dreadful look.
"Gerald, what is it?" Rodrigo asked him, noticing his worried, if not distraught look.
Oh man. I can't believe this is happening. Gerald worryingly thought. Out of all the rooms Helga could have gone in, she just had to go into that one!
"Um, I uh, know where they are." Gerald very nervously said to him. "They are both on the same floor. In fact, Arnold is really close to her."
"Really?" Rodrigo said. "That's good."
"No...it's not." Gerald somberly replied back.
"What do you mean?" He asked, looking confused.
Gerald took a big gulp and readied himself to tell Rodrigo some potentially devastating news.
"Did Helga ever tell you about the time she posed as Deep Voice and helped us save the neighbourhood?" Gerald nervously asked.
"Yeah, she did." Rodrigo said.
"Did she ever tell you what happened between her and Arnold inside this building?" Gerald asked him.
"Yeah, she did. She told me this was where she first confessed her feelings to Arnold. Why are you asking me this?" Rodrigo asked, now getting worried himself.
"Well um, you see Rodrigo, they are in the same floor, inside the same room where um...Helga first made that confession to him." Gerald nervously told him. "Helga is on the balcony and Arnold is approaching her."
Upon hearing that, Rodrigo went completely silent and stared at Gerald with a completely stunned look. His jaw dropped and his eyes went completely wide. He could not believe both teens had somehow managed to whine up in the same room where such an important event took place, one that obviously changed their lives forever.
Rodrigo, still remaining silent and completely shocked, then turned his head to face the camera that showed Helga still standing here, and just hopelessly looked on as something was about to potentially unfold...
Arnold...
Although concerned for Helga's safety, Arnold too felt a deep nostalgic feeling when he gazed upon the room where he first encountered Deep Voice, who only later turned out to be Helga. As much as he tried to push away such memories, he couldn't help but feel pulled by them, as if they were crying to be heard, crying to be let out after being repressed for so long.
He wanted to call out to Helga to see if she was inside, but all he could do was just gaze around and watch as the living memories of history went floating about in his head, consuming him with intense feelings of both loss, pain and warm and satisfaction...
Arnold made his way across the room, almost bypassing the two spinning roller wheels when he saw the phone, the same one that Deep Voice called him from several years ago. Stopping short of where the phone was, he then looked to his right and saw the corridor that led to the balcony.
"Helga?" He finally managed to call out her name; only to be met with silence.
A flash of thunder and lightening then suddenly appeared, brightening the room for a split second before being consumed again by heavy clouds of darkness. Arnold then got the feeling that she might be outside in the balcony and although wanting to find out, he dare not move, afraid of knowing where the road will him.
Back at Von Scheck's Office...
Rodrigo and Gerald only looked on with extreme nervousness and anxiety at what was slowly unfolding in front of them.
By now it was becoming clear to both that with the way Helga was just standing there, barely moving at all, she was deeply immersed into her own thoughts and feelings about what had occurred there seven years ago. To both, they felt that through the memories, Helga was slowly succumbing to her feelings for Arnold and there was no way now to stop it. She was on her own.
Gerald could not fathom that Arnold would actually do what he was thinking he might do. He wanted to think otherwise, but the way he was slowly walking around, looking everywhere, as if he too was remembering that same event, only confirmed his deep suspicion.
Arnold, please don't do it. Gerald frantically pleaded in thought. For Rodrigo's and Helga's sake, please don't do it.
Rodrigo meanwhile also looked on with silence and utter nervousness at was happening. He still had some hope, but Like Gerald, he was becoming suspicious.
Yet neither said anything to each other and for a moment, completely forgetting why they were there in the first place, just continued to stare at the two cameras screens and watched as Arnold crept ever closer to Helga...
Back at the FTI balcony...
Helga continued to smile lovingly as she gently caressed and rubbed the rough balcony wall-fence. By now, she was slowly feeling only the intense feelings of love and passion, slowly pushing away any negative feelings of doubt and fear. Helga wanted to only focus on the positive things, the very reason that brought her there seven years ago and the same reason that brought her there again...
Flashback...
"It's my civic duty." A nine year old Helga nervously responded as she leaned against the balcony fence-wall.
"Helga." A nine year old Arnold sternly said to her with a serious look, clearly not convinced by that.
"'cause I love a good mystery?" She tried again, although that came out more as a question rather than as a confident answer.
"Oh come on! What's the real reason?!" Arnold exclaimed, getting frustrated by her attempts to avoid answering his question.
"Oh, I don't know Arnoldo!" Helga then frustratingly responded. "I guess maybe I just took pity on you and your stupid friends!"
"Well, why?" Arnold calmly asked her.
"'cause I guess maybe I don't hate you as much as I thought, okay?" She sternly said to him as she walked for a bit and then leaned on the balcony fence-wall. "I guess maybe I even kind of like you a little." She shyly confessed.
"Heck, I guess you might even kinda say that I like you a lot." She nervously continued as she rubbed her right hand.
"You do? You did this for me?" Arnold asked, a bit surprised by this.
"That's right, hair boy!" Helga then shouted at him as she turned right around to face him. "I mean, crimeny! What else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?!"
That...confused him.
"Love?" Arnold asked, not really fully registering what Helga had just said.
"You heard me, pal!" Helga continued to passionately confess to him, no longer able to restrain herself. "I love you! Love you!" As she suddenly got so close to Arnold that it startled him, causing him to fall to the ground, but he then managed to quickly get up.
"Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day," Helga continued to pour her heart and soul into this confession, the years of holding it all back being fully released with a high degree of passion and hope, "building shrines to you, filling volumes of books with poems about you?" She continued as she then started walking towards him, causing Arnold who was becoming increasingly shocked and uneasy, began to move backwards.
"I love you, Arnold! I've always loved you..." She continued her passionate confession, as she walked towards him, getting ever closer and closer to him, "ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head!" She then reached out and rubbed his blonde hair and head.
"And from that moment and every moment since, I've lived and breathed for you," Helga continued, pushing Arnold right into a corner where he gazed down and realized that he was now trapped. Looking back at her, he felt increasingly stunned, and dazed by everything that Helga had been telling him, but remained silent and only just stared at her with increasingly uneasy and anxious look as she continued to pour everything out to him.
"Dream of the moment I could finally tell you my secret feelings..." She continued her passionate confession as she then grabbed onto Arnold's arms, "and could grab you and kiss you and - oh, come here you big lug!" As she then suddenly leaned forward and placed on Arnold's lips a long, deep, loving, passionate kiss, startling him so much that his eyes dilated and his little blue hat fell right off.
After having finally told Arnold her deepest, most secretive revelation, Helga made no attempt to pull away and continued to passionately kiss him, leaning ever more forward, increasing in its intensity. Arnold for his part was so shocked by Helga's sudden move that he was rendered completely immobile. Finally, after some time, she pulled back, allowing their lips to depart from each other.
"I'm confused. Did you just say that you love me?" Was all a dazed Arnold could say.
"What, are you deaf?!" Helga then angrily shouted at him and shook him.
End of Flashback...
Arnold slowly crept towards the door and felt that each step only brought him closer and closer to what had occurred between Helga and him. His heart started racing, his hands started becoming sweaty, but he firmly pressed on, trying to ignore the growing sensation of what that meant to him.
Seeing a figure outside, Arnold nervously continued walking, finally being within reach to push the blinds aside, grab onto the door handle and swung it to open...
Flashback...
"Arnold!" A nine year old Gerald called out on their walkie-talkie.
"Not now!" Helga yelled back after she grabbed the walkie-talkie from Arnold.
"Not now? Who the-" Gerald began to say, but Helga by that time had thrown the communication device behind her.
"Oh Arnold, just hold me." She swooned as she attempted to hug and kiss him again, only for him to immediately go under, move further away and emerge outside of her grasp.
"I, I, um, I, I need to think." A frantic and nervous Arnold said, still trying to comprehend everything he had just heard.
"Yes, I suppose you will have to do the thinking for both of us now, darling." She said with a swooning voice, as she got closer to him and attempted to kiss him again, only for him to dodge it and re-merge behind her.
"Whoa. This is all happening too fast. I feel, I feel dizzy. I need to lie down." Arnold said.
"Wonderful. I'll go with you." Helga swooned with a loving smile on her face and again went up to him and held him.
"No!" Arnold then firmly exclaimed as he then grabbed her, finally managing to get a grip on himself. "I mean, there's no time for that! We've got 20 minutes to get to the neighbourhood before the bulldozers roll!"
"Bulldozers?" Helga asked, now completely immersed in a loving trance and not comprehending what he was saying.
"Helga!" Arnold frantically exclaimed, trying to get her to focus. "The neighbourhood! We have to save the neighbourhood. Come on, let's roll."
End of flashback...
"Helga?" Arnold gently called out as he opened the door and went outside.
Helga heard him, but made no attempt to respond, or even look at him. Despite the fact that it was still raining and her hair and clothes were now wet, she continued to be in her own thoughts and emotions and with a loving smile, continued to touch and glance that balcony wall-fence and the broken wooden step.
Arnold noticed her composure and cautiously went into the balcony and approached her...
Back at Von Scheck's office...
The camera that was allowing Gerald and Rodrigo to view the balcony was right on top of the entrance door. They could see Arnold slowly emerging from the bottom screen. Helga was a little bit to the left side with her back turned towards the camera, so neither teen could see her face, but given her body composure and the fact that she had been standing there for quite some time, it was pretty obvious to them what Helga was thinking.
Gerald silently looked on with increasing abject horror on his face. He was completely in shock that this had to happen at such a critical moment. It was unfathomable for him to comprehend and he wanted to move away. Yet, Gerald could not and just continued to stare at the screen, watching his best friend creeping ever closer to Helga.
Please don't do anything stupid. Please don't do anything stupid. Please don't do anything stupid, Arnold. Gerald pleaded in thought. Think of the neighbourhood, man. Think of Rodrigo...
Despite his pleas, Gerald began to brace himself for the worst possible scenario. If Arnold and Helga were going to do what he thought they were going to do, he would have to be prepared for Rodrigo's reaction. No doubt the Latino kid would not only be seriously hurt, but utterly furious. He wouldn't even blame him if he actually attempted to kill Arnold or Helga, which is why he felt he will need to step in. Despite the potential devastating nature of this scenario, Gerald needed to get Rodrigo back to focusing on saving the neighbourhood. They were so close on getting what they needed to stop Von Scheck, that there was no way he was going to allow a dramatic love triangle to get in the way.
Rodrigo meanwhile also looked on silently and anxiously as he saw Arnold making his way to face Helga. He was so nervously wrecked that he was holding on Von Scheck's table so tightly that he could at any moment break a piece of it off. He was slowly grinning his teeth; not out anger, but out of sheer terror of what was increasingly going to likely happen.
As he looked on, Rodrigo realized that this was now the climax of this whole story. Heck, of this whole series! This scene will not only decide their relationship, but their entire lives. However way this may unfold, there was no doubt in Rodrigo's mind that this will surely change everything.
Come on Helga. You can do it! He thought. I believe in you. Please don't...
Back at the balcony...
Arnold cautiously moved closer to Helga, slowly going around her in order to face her. Even with the rain still drizzling down, causing him to also get wet, he ignored it and pressed on.
"Um, Helga?" Arnold again nervously said her name, but Helga still did not move, nor did she look up.
Finally, Arnold moved until he was right in front of her, allowing him see her face and smile, but made sure he kept a certain distance from her. There was no doubt that Arnold was feeling extremely uneasy about this whole thing. He tried to control his breathing and remain calm, despite his heart beating so hard that it felt it was going to burst out. As he continued to look at her, he didn't know what to make of her smile, which only served to make things that much more, not awkward, but nerve wrecking for him.
"Are you uh, okay?" He nervously asked her.
This time, Helga slowly raised her head up and while still having that loving smile on her face, looked straight at Arnold's eyes, but said nothing to him.
For a moment, both teens just stood there silently, glancing at each other's eyes and with droplets of water falling down from their hair and foreheads. Arnold for his part was trying to figure out what Helga was trying to say to him with the way she looking at him. She hadn't moved, nor said anything. The only thing she was doing was just staring at him...with loving eyes. Then, after a few moments, it finally hit him.
Ever since Helga realized where she was, she began to not only remember, but reflect on everything that had happened during the last three years. The breakup, the waiting, the depression, the hopelessness of ever being with Arnold again, Rodrigo, her feelings for him, the possibility of moving on and being happy, their relationship. What was it all for?
Eventually, Helga realized the answer; there was no, single, clear answer. There were multiple answers, multiple avenues from which her life could have swung to. All she needed to do was just make a decision. For most of her life, Helga had prided herself on being independent and making decisions on her own, with little regard for other people's opinions, or how her actions would affect others. Now, as a full-blown teenager and with a better understanding on how interconnected everyone was to each other, as well as having a greater conscience, she crumbled behind the huge pressure of which direction she wanted to go. The fear of hurting others, for the first time, frightened her and it caused a serious burden on her shoulders. But even more so, there was also the prospect of regretting the decisions you make in your life. She liked Rodrigo, but she loved Arnold. Rodrigo offered her a chance for a normal, if not mundane life, but Arnold offered her the chance for a loving, yet passionate life, fueling her artistic creativity with ever so many ways to express her undying love for him. Rodrigo had shown that he was willing to put her and their relationship first, while Arnold had not. Rodrigo was waiting for her with open arms, while she had burnt any remaining chances to be with Arnold. And yet, she still loved him. So many things to considers, so many pros and cons. What direction was best for her? What if it didn't work out? What if the person was never the right one for her? Should she have tried harder, if at all? How would she know?
Before Arnold arrived at the balcony, as she was looking around, she remembered all the fond and beautiful memories of her time with him; their adventures together, their mishaps, them playing together. She realized then who she wanted to be with. In her heart, there was never any doubt on what she had always known, what she had always felt was the right person for her. There was never any need to really 'decide'. She was just too scared to admit it. That's all she needed to do. That was the ultimate decision; to just admit it to herself and let go of this fear of the unknown and just embrace it not as a space where multiple things can go wrong, but where so many good things can arise from. It was essentially about taking that 'leap of faith' and just focus on what is important to you because in the end, it'll affect only you.
And that's what she realized. The very fact that just admitting there was a choice meant that she was no longer under the chains of obsession, when she originally had none. Now she did. Her time with Rodrigo, as sweet, loving and thrilling as it was, meant that she pushed her love for Arnold from obsession to where it should have always been, without the negative trappings of her insecurities and obsession spilling over it.
When Arnold arrived and saw her smiling, he was initially perplexed at what was causing her to smile so lovingly. He wasn't dense. He knew that it had something to do with the memories of her first confession to him seven years ago. He just didn't know under what circumstances were those memories effecting that smile. As Helga looked up and Arnold began to gaze deep into her big ocean-blue, lively eyes, he realized what she was thinking and it shocked him. The way she was smiling at him, the way she was looking at him, it caused not only his heart to jump, but also himself, even forcing him to take a step back.
Arnold for that moment was temporarily dazed and confused. He wondered what may have caused Helga to make such a decision and why now, out of all the times? He knew it wasn't just the room and the memories that came from it that were culprits. No. There had to be more to the story. As Arnold continued to look at Helga, he frantically tried to analyze all of this and figure out just what had enticed her. What had changed. And then, he finally figured out. If Arnold was shocked before, this second epiphany took it to another level.
Yet despite realizing it, Arnold for the moment remained hesitant, refusing to move. He even remoed his gaze from Helga's eyes and began to look around anywhere, anywhere expect her eyes. He really couldn't believe what he realized it was. It was just too unreal. He even began to frown a bit. Yet, Helga remained still and made no effort to interfere in his thinking process. All she continued to do was just smile at him. Eventually, Arnold began to slowly succumb to the reality and gazed back upon her eyes. The mere sight of them caused Arnold for the first time to smile back...
Back in Von Scheck's office...
Gerald and Rodrigo continued to look as if they were witnessing a historic event. None had moved from their spots, nor even blinked. Their eyes remaining locked on the screen. They only wanted to focus on that. They even began to ignore whatever their friends were saying in their earpiece. Nothing mattered other than what was taking place right before their eyes.
Arnold my man, what are you doing?! Gerald frustratingly thought to himself when he saw Arnold smiling back at Helga. You can't Arnold, you can't! This isn't like you!
Helga, Please! Rodrigo frantically pleaded in his mind.
Back in the balcony...
Arnold's smile began to slowly grow as he became comfortable around her. He even took a small step closer to her. Helga in turn finally moved and took a small step, all while still smiling and looking straight at his green eyes.
For a little while both teens then stopped moving and simply appreciated each other's presence. Both continued to remain virtually silent. No words were really needed to express what each of them was feeling at that moment. All they needed to do was just look at each other. Their eyes told it all. Even with the rain still drizzling down, they simply ignored it. If anything, the dark clouds and lack of light only brightened each other's presence, creating this surrealic expression that the only thing that mattered was the person in front of you.
That was all any person ever needed and that was enough for Helga as she then took another step closer to him, getting so close they their chest almost touched each other. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in closer. Arnold initially did not move, but when Helga wrapped her arms around him, he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Then, with the gap getting ever small, they completely closed it as both leaned in, closed their eyes and kissed each other on the lips for the every first time in three years.
The kiss turned from a simple, soft touch, to one that was rapidly growing in intensity. Under the rain and its dark clouds, Arnold and Helga ignored its gloomy presence and just focused on each other as they tightly held each other in their arms and continued to kiss, forgetting everything else.
Back in Von Scheck's office...
The second Gerald saw them kiss, his jaw dropped and his eyes widen in shock. Looking as if his world was falling apart, he remained completely speechless and distraught over what was happening.
I can't believe it! Gerald thought to himself. I can't believe he would actually go behind Rodrigo's back like that. How could he do that? How could Helga do that?
Gerald just groaned and closed his eyes in bitter disappointment and just prepared himself to face Rodrigo, who God only knows the amount of shock and pain he must be going through after seeing his girlfriend cheat on him right before his eyes. But before he faced him, he hear something surprising coming from Rodrigo's direction.
"Yes!" Rodrigo happily cheered, even jumping up and down. "She did it! She kissed him!"
"Say what?!" Gerald exclaimed, obviously completely confused by Rodrigo's cheerful behaviour. "What do you mean 'she did it' and why are you cheering?!"
"Yeah um," Rodrigo shyly began to say, "we kind of broke up a few days ago. Ah screw it. I broke up with her a few days ago."
"WHAT?!" Gerald shouted in utter shock. "I mean I'm glad you're not mad, but why would you do that?!"
A few days earlier...in Arnold's room...
After making amends with Arnold and coordinating with him and Gerald on getting everyone to come over, Rodrigo then asked Helga if he could speak with her in private. After accepting his request, he gestured to her if they could go outside of the room. Without saying anything, both teens then walked out, with Rodrigo gently closing the door behind them. They then made their way down the flight of stairs, went against the wall at the far end, far away as possible from the residents' doors.
"Alright Latino boy, what did you want to talk to me about?" Helga just bluntly asked him.
The hallway was still virtually empty. The boarding house residents were still inside their room, probably still packing away. This suited Rodrigo just fine as he didn't want anyone else to hear what he was going to say to Helga.
Rodrigo tried to talk, but was a complete loss of words. Instead, he just nervously fidgeted with his hands while looking at Helga who was patiently waiting for him to say something with her hands on her waist. Finally, instead of saying something first, he just suddenly grabbed Helga's hand and got down on one knee.
"Rodrigo, what are you-" Helga began to ask him before she realized what he was doing, shocking her. "Wha-Are you serious?! Are you proposing to me?! Rodrigo, I mean, this is not something-"
"What? No, I'm not proposing." Rodrigo then interjected.
"Oh, phewww!" Helga let out a relieved sigh and tried to get her heart to stop beating so fast. "Don't scare me like that! So then why are you down on one knee?" She asked him with an irritated voice.
"I'm kneeling down because I am asking for your forgiveness." Rodrigo responded. "Helga, I am so sorry for the way I behaved towards you these last two months. I had no right to treat you the way I did."
"Rodrigo, you don't need to get all dramatic about this, you know." Helga said.
"No, I do." Rodrigo responded. "You didn't deserve the way I treated you. I should have been more patient and understanding about what you were going through, like I always had been. I wish I have a good excuse about the way I acted, but I don't. I was just being-"
"Stupid?" Helga finished his sentence for him.
"Yes. And-"
"Inconsiderate?" Helga again finished his sentence for him.
"Definitely. And-"
"Childish?" Helga again finished his sentence for him.
"Yes. And-"
"Selfish?" Helga again finished his sentence for him
"I was going to say egotistical, but ya, we could go with-"
"Egotistical it is then." Helga interrupted him, this time with a smirk.
Rodrigo just sighed.
"Thank you for that." He said to her sarcastically.
"It does serve you right." Helga said.
"You're right, it does." Rodrigo agreed. "I'm not asking you to forgive me now, but I promise that I'm going to make it up to-"
"Rodrigo, I forgive you." Helga then interjected.
"What?" Rodrigo asked.
"You really need to clean your ears. Te dije, yo te perdono." (I said, I forgive you.) She said to him again. "You made a mistake and as hurtful as your attitude was, I can't blame you for hating me, not after what I did to you. We're both at fault here. So I'll forgive you if you forgive me. Now get up before the tenants see you." She demanded.
"I don't hate you, Helga." Rodrigo said as he got up. "I never did. I was just angry."
"Hey, what did tell I you before?" Helga said. "If there is only one person that gets to have anger management issues, it'll be me. Got it, bucko?"
"Yes." He said. "Thank you." He continued with a smile.
"Alright, if your done moping around, we got stuff to do before-" Helga began to say,
"Hold on, Helga." Before Rodrigo interjected and stopped her from moving. "I wasn't done. There's something else I need to talk to you about."
"What? What ring you get place on my finger?" She joked. "We can deal with that after all of this is over."
Rodrigo however, didn't find that amusing. Actually, the joke stung.
"No, it's not that." He nervously, but also somewhat sadly said.
"Well then what is it?" Helga impatiently asked him.
"I umm, I think we umm..." Rodrigo tried to tell her, but was having serious trouble picking the right words to tell her.
"Just spit it out already, sheesh." She demanded.
"Helga, I'm breaking up with you." Rodrigo then just bluntly said to her.
"There you see? That wasn't so – wait, what did you say?" She asked him.
"I said, I'm breaking up with you." Rodrigo calmly, but cautiously said to her again.
Helga initially didn't see anything and just looked at Rodrigo with wide eyes, completely frozen and stunned at what she just heard. The news shocked her so much that for a few seconds, she ceased to breathe.
"Why?" She then asked him.
"Because I don't deserve you." He vaguely responded.
Helga still remained frozen, unable to comprehend that Rodrigo was actually breaking up with her. Apart from the fact that she now had to face the brutal and humiliating reality that two guys had broken up with her, the Latino kid had chosen a really bad time to do it. This was possibly worse than breaking up with someone on Valentine's Day as she felt a sharp pain right on her chest. However, she soon snapped out of it and as predicated, began to angrily scowl at him.
"What do you mean 'you don't deserve me?" She angrily asked him.
"Helga, our time together was wonderful," Rodrigo began to calmly explain, "I'll never forget it. B-B-But we both know there's only one person you truly love, the one person who will always make you happy, who will always put a smile on your face, no matter what you go through. I can't take that way from you."
"Is that what this is about?!" Helga angrily shouted at him as she began to slowly walk towards him prompting Rodrigo to start backing away. "You're breaking up with me because you feel small when compared to Arnold?!"
"No, that's not-" Rodrigo began to explain,
"So, you're just going to give up on us?!" Helga exclaimed. "Just like that, you're just going to throw in the towel and break up with me instead of fighting for us, like I have been trying to this whole summer?!" She continued to yell and move towards him while glaring at him.
"No, Helga. That's not what I meant-" Rodrigo again attempted to explain,
"Then what is it?!" Before she then angrily and forcefully grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him hard towards the back wall, making a loud banging sound as the back of his head and back hit it.
Rodrigo had always hated whenever Helga grabbed him like that and had to repeatedly tell her to stop. However in this case, he made no attempt to reprehend her for it. He knew she was angry over this and she had every right to be. However, he had this reasons and despite what it may look, it was not due to cowardice or feeling 'small'.
"Why are you doing this?!" Helga angrily demanded as she continued to angrily hold on to his shirt. "Why now?!"
"Helga, as hard as this is to believe, I'm doing this for you, to make you happy." Rodrigo began to explain. "I'm not fighting for us; I'm fighting for you. I'm doing this to make things easier for you."
"Rodrigo, you're not making any sense!" She screamed at him as she again pulled him and then slammed him hard on the back wall, making another banging sound. "How is you breaking up with me suppose to make things easier for me?!"
"Helga, you were completely miserable this whole summer." Rodrigo said, undaunted by her anger, "You were filled with guilt and shame over your feelings for Arnold while you are with me. That's why you isolated yourself like that; due to feeling bad that you couldn't emotionally be dedicated to us like you were before. You couldn't bear to even hold my hand while knowing your heart beat for someone else. You know that was not right and that's why you went cold on me. Am I right or wrong?" He asked her.
Helga remained silent and despite still giving him a serious glare, stood perfectly still. Taking her silence as a 'yes', Rodrigo continued.
"I can't imagine how hard it was for you to feel this conflicted and I know you were trying to find a way out of this. I know you were trying to fight for our relationship. Otherwise, you would have ended things with me already. But the thing is, it shouldn't be this hard. You were caught between a rock and a hard place. You still love Arnold, but couldn't get back together with him because you already told him 'no' and tried to move on. You like me, but you couldn't move on with me either because you felt guilty for having feelings for him, and you didn't want to break up with me because you didn't want to hurt me. What basically was keeping you with me was guilt, not you liking me."
"What?" Helga said, surprised. "That's not true! I don't want to break up with you because I do like you, a lot! I want to be with you."
Rodrigo said nothing and just continued staring at her, waiting for her to admit that he was right.
"Okay, fine!" Helga finally admitted. "I also don't want to break up with you because I feel really bad about hurting you. But, you can't hold that against me! How did you expect me to feel? A-A-And Besides, it wasn't just out of guilt. Didn't you see me how happy I was then you kissed me a moment ago?"
"I don't hold that against you." Rodrigo said. "And I did notice how happy you were when I kissed you and believe me, I was happy too. I think it was very sweet of you to show it and I really appreciate it. But, it's also not fair to me or you. You shouldn't be with me because you feel forced to. You should be with me only because you want to be with me."
"I DO want to be with you!" Helga ferociously insisted.
"I know you do, Helga." Rodrigo said. "I never doubted that."
"Then why are you acting as if you don't believe me?!" Helga angrily asked him.
"Because your guilt for hurting me towers over your feelings for me." Rodrigo said, sadly this time.
Helga said nothing, but Rodrigo's comment enraged her. She tightened her grip on his shirt, trying to prevent herself from landing a blow to his face and was furiously grinding her teeth while glaring at him with piercing eyes. However, deep down, deep deep down...she knew that he was right. It was guilt over hurting him that had mostly prevented her from breaking up with him. Had it not been for that, there would have been a reasonable chance she could have indeed ended things with him a while back instead of dragging him along the way she did the whole summer.
"I don't know if things between us would have ever become strong," Rodrigo continued, "but I know for sure it wouldn't have made you as happy as you would be if you were with Arnold."
"So, is that why you are breaking up with me?" She asked him, now getting emotional herself. "Because you're not man enough to even try and make me happy?"
"No." Rodrigo replied. "I'm breaking up with you because he is a better person for you. You deserve the best of what life has to offer and being with Arnold is what is best for you. You've always known that. That's why you fell in love with him and that's why you still love him and why you will always love him; because he is the one for you. You guys are soul mates."
Helga could not believe what Rodrigo was actually saying to her. She wasn't sure what to make of it, let alone how to react. There was just so many different and conflicting emotions going on that she was having a difficult time comprehending them, even confusing her. Sadness, hurt, abandonment, but also quite possibly...relief and joy. But the one emotion she understood well was anger. Outright anger. That's the only emotion that was unquestionable, but angry at what?
"And I can't let you continue to mope around in your guilt, trying to figure out how to stay with me while the person you really want to be with, the person you really need to be with, is right through that door." Rodrigo sternly continued. "There's nothing shameful about your love for Arnold, Helga. Nor should you feel bad about it. If anything, it's beautiful, there's strength in it. It gives everyone hope that there is a someone out there for every person. You guys are a testament to that. It would be very selfish of me to keep you away from that, just for my own feelings."
By now, Helga was slowly starting to loosen her grip on Rodrigo, slowly succumbing to his reasons. Here she was, trying the whole to summer to figure out a way to move forward with her relationship with Rodrigo, only to remain continually stuck, unable to move due to her strong feelings for Arnold. Even the attempt to throw away some of her souvenirs and memories of the football head did little, if anything to stave off her strong attachment towards him. But now, Rodrigo was offering her a way out, a way out of the feelings of guilt and shame. But, if she allowed to break things off with him, then she would be...
"This is not fair!" Helga angrily and tearfully shouted at him. "You can't just break up with me after only a few months. I told you that I needed more time! Summer is almost over and once that stupid football head leaves, we can continue with our relationship! You can't just break things off just because of my feelings for him! I've loved the guy since I was three. What did you expect?!"
"I'm breaking up with because I am no good for you." Rodrigo clarified himself. "Look at how I acted towards you. Look at how I treated you this summer. Arnold would have never done that, no matter how angry he was at you."
"You made a mistake, Rodrigo!" She frustratingly exclaimed at him. "Crimeny, you don't have to be perfect for me. Not even Arnold is perfect. I don't want a perfect guy! I want someone who can be there for me when I need him. You know, 'love-wise'."
"That's just it." Rodrigo said. "Throughout this whole summer, you needed me to be there for you. Maybe not physically, but emotionally. Instead of being patient and trying to see how all of this was affecting you, I ended up taking my anger and pain out of at you, even accusing you of things that you never did. I ended up doing the exact opposite of what I should have done."
"That wasn't your fault!" Helga exclaimed.
"Oh come on, Helga! You know it's the truth." Rodrigo countered. "Remember what I said to you back in Arnold's room, the night this whole civil war thing started? I practically accused you of cheating on me, in front of everyone!"
"That was my fault!" Helga angrily yelled at him. "When they were planning on only including you to break our stupid deadlock, I didn't oppose their plan because I wanted to remain neutral."
"What?" Rodrigo asked confusingly.
"I actually didn't want to include you in our debate at all!" She explained. "Not just because of the way we were going to include you, but also because things were already tense between us and Arnold and I didn't want to make the situation worse by having you there. But if I said no, it would have made it look like that I didn't want you anywhere near us, near me. It would have looked bad and I was afraid it would have make things worse between us. So, I kept my mouth shut and didn't oppose their plan."
"Helga, why didn't you say that to me on that d-" Rodrigo began to ask her.
"Because you were right!" Before she angrily and tearfully yelled at him. "I'm your girlfriend and I should have said something and not have allowed our friends to include you piece-meal like that. We should have either included you as a full blown member or not at all."
"You were right." Helga said it again, this time sadly and with a tear falling down her eye. "I should have supported you, but I remained neutral because I also didn't…I couldn't..."
"Couldn't do what?" Rodrigo softly asked.
Helga didn't answer and just sadly, but also shamefully looked away, making Rodrigo realize the answer.
Arnold. He thought. She couldn't take that step because she still has feelings for him.
"Helga, this only proves my point." Rodrigo calmly said. "You love Arnold, you always have. He's the guy for you. Not me. You shouldn't have to tell me why you allowed everyone to invite me that way. I should have given you the chance to explain yourself instead of accusing you like that. Arnold would have done that. I didn't. I wasn't there for you when you needed me to."
Helga however, was not willing to back down.
"You have been by my side at other times since September." She said to him. "You were there to help me to when I got drunk. You helped me get back to writing again. You were there whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on. You were there to push me out of my toxic, depressing life. Apart from Phoebe, you were the only one that didn't give up on me! But now by breaking up with me, you are going back on your word. You're leaving me, just like Arnold!"
"I'm not leaving you Helga," Rodrigo began to talk, "I'll be right here to help-"
"How do you expect me to deal with this?!" before Helga frantically cut him off, "Do you actually want me to risk reverting back to the way I was; isolating myself again from everyone?! Is that what you want?"
"No Helga, nothing like that." Rodrigo said.
"Well, that's what it's sounds like." Helga angrily and hurtfully said, with a scared tone in her voice. "I don't want to go back to that life, not ever! And I most certainly am not going to allow you to-"
"Helga!" Rodrigo then suddenly exclaimed, noticing just how scared she was. He reached out and gently grabbed her hand.
"It's going to be okay." He softly said to her as he started caressing her hand, comforting her. "I know it's difficult now, but you're going to be okay. You're not going to revert back to the way you were before. You will come out on top of this, stronger than ever."
"How am I going to be okay?" She angrily snarled at him, but with Rodrigo continually caressing her hands, she finally, slowly let go of his shirt. "How is any of this okay? Thanks to you, I'm going to be alone again. Even if I were to believe what you said, how do you expect me to crawl back to Arnold, because that is what you are forcing me to do; crawl back to him, after what I did to him?"
Rodrigo for a little while said nothing and just continued to caress her. Then with one hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled something. With his other hand that was still holding to Helga's, he turned the palm of her hand upward and placed the item he took out from his pocket on top of her palm. Then, he gently closed her hand for her.
"You will find a way." Rodrigo calmly said to her. "I know you will. You won over Arnold last time. This will be a no brainer for you."
Helga curiously looked down on her hand that was holding the item. She slowly opened her hand and then immediately gasped in shock.
"My bow!" She softly exclaimed. "How did you find it?!"
Sometime last week...
It was in the evening and Rodrigo, wanting to clear his head a bit, went out for a walk. He had a lot on his mind and just wanted to clear some of it out, if not just temporarily. For a while, he focused on one thing and tried to appreciate the heat and blaring sun light that outstripped throughout the sky. But just as importantly, he was taking the time to fully feel the wind that was blowing against his face. It was a welcoming feeling, as if nature had come to blow away all of his worries and woes. As Rodrigo continued walking, he closed his eyes and just concentrated on the wind touching his skin, relieving it of both the heat and strain when suddenly,
"What the—hey?!" Rodrigo exclaimed when something suddenly blew right into his face, covering his eyes.
He instantly grab hold of it and annoyed at being interrupted, was about to throw it away when its color suddenly caught his attention. When he glanced upon it, his eyes grew considerably when he realized what it was.
"Helga's pink bow?" Rodrigo asked himself. "No, it can't be..."
He then examined it, trying to see if it really was her. He then looked around to see where he was.
Hm, I'm not far from Helga's house. He thought. But, is it really hers?
Rodrigo then sniffed it a bit to see if he could detect her odor.
It is hers! He surprisingly thought. But, why is it out here? Did she throw it away or did the wind accidentally took it?
Thinking that perhaps Helga would be out looking for it, Rodrigo went around the area close to her house to find her. As he did so, he continued to think about the reasons why Helga's more cherished treasure was outside.
I don't get it. Rodrigo thought. Why would she threw it away? I know how much this bow means to her. There's no way she would ever try to part with it...could she? Did she actually throw it away? And if so, why? For me?
It was confusing. He never expected her to just throw it away. Even if she did do that for him, it was still shocking. He would have never thought she would ever do it, not now anyways. Not that it would have ever bothered him if Helga decided to keep it forever. It's just that the very thought of her throwing it away was very surprising.
That would have taken a lot of courage! Rodrigo thought as he continued running around the area looking for Helga.
After about an hour of searching, he gave up and thought about just calling her...but then stopped short from dialing her phone.
What if she doesn't want it back? He thought. What if she did threw it out? But then again, what if she just accidentally lost it and wants it back? Should I still give it to her?
Rodrigo just groaned as he was finding this dilemma strenuous. What should be a no brainer was causing him to come up with a complex thought system as he meticulously analyzed the what ifs and pros and cons of whether or not to give it back. Although he wasn't sure if Helga actually threw it away or not, he knew that the chances of her accidentally losing something so important to her were slim. But, even if that was the case, why would she do something that he knew would cause her so much pain?
Assuming she threw it away, did she really do this for me? He asked himself in thought. Is she trying to throw away her souvenirs of Arnold for me, for us?
Even if that were the case, it didn't particularly make Rodrigo feel any better. Quite the opposite, in fact. It made him fell terrible at the thought of Helga making such a painful effort to move away from Arnold, just for him. He wasn't really expecting her to make such drastic changes so soon.
Even though he concluded that was most likely the reason why, he couldn't be so sure. He wasn't able to completely rule out the possibility of her accidentally losing it. In the end, he opted to keep it and find out later. He gently folded it, put it in his pocket and then went home.
I'll talk to her after all of this is over. He thought.
Back at the boarding house...
Helga said nothing and just took the time to gently and lovingly feel the silky feeling of her pink bow. She thought she had lost it and would never see it again. But now, fate had not only returned it to her, but had perhaps given her a sign! What were the odds of her boyfriend, well now ex-boyfriend, not only finding it, but giving it back? Did that mean anything? Was his gesture truly a sign for her to re-admit to herself what she had long hoped; she and Arnold being destined to be together? Should she accept this?
"You were half right." Helga said with a frown as she put her pink bow into her pocket. "I was trying to move on from Arnold by throwing away some of my souvenirs of him, but not my pink bow. The wind accidentally blew it away from my room and on to the street. I ran after it, trying to catch it, but I lost sight of it."
"Really?" Rodrigo said, looking astonished.
"Yes." She said with looking at him with an angry look. "I did that for you; for us. You may not think it's not a big deal, but to me, having to throw them away, that took a big piece out of-"
"You're wrong, Helga." Rodrigo interrupted her. "I don't think this was an easy thing for you to do at all. It was very brave and it took a lot of strength. And I'm sorry you had to do that."
"You can make up for it by staying with me." She said to him.
"I want to, I really do. But I can't." He sadly said.
"Damn it, why not?!" She angrily yelled at him.
"Because Arnold loves you, Helga." Rodrigo said to him, surprising her with that statement. "He still does. He didn't tell me anything while we were talking alone. But, I could tell with the way he spoke about you and how much it shook him when you told him that you were going to go out with me; he still cares about you. Even if he somewhat 'technically' denied it, I knew he was lying. It was a no brainer. You could say it from space. He is a terrible liar."
"I know." She groaned.
"And I can't take that away from you." Rodrigo continued. "I tried to shove that way, I tried to be selfish and just focus on my feelings, but I couldn't. It's just not right. I care about you too much for you not to have the life that you always wanted, the life you deserve to live in."
"Say your telling the truth, which I'm not saying that you are, you make it sound so easy." She remarked. "You think I can just go up to him and say, 'hey football head! Guess what? I never stopped loving you and since my boyfriend dumped me, let's get back together.'" She sarcastically continued.
"I'm not saying it's going to be easy." Rodrigo said. "But I know it'll be easier for you than the first time. He's here Helga, waiting for you. Even though he told me, and everyone else, that the intention was to just visit, he also came back because he wanted to see you again. He missed you, very much. He hasn't let you go, as much as he tried. He can be yours again, if you let him."
"I..." Helga tried to answer him, but just stumbled as fear began to grip her. "P-Please don't do this. I'm sorry, okay? I promise we won't talk about Arnold anymore. I promise I'll get rid of all of my souvenirs of him. Just...please don't do this." She pleaded.
"Helga," Rodrigo said as he a bit firmly grabbed her by her arms, "I'm not punishing you. This isn't a punishment. On the contrary, I'm letting you go; I'm freeing you. I'm freeing you of all this guilt, of this confusion of whether to be with me or him. I'm freeing you of all of that just so you finally be with the person you always wanted to be with."
Helga wanted to desperately counter back and tell him that she didn't want to be free from him. However, she remained silent because in truth, as much as she like 'liked' him, deep down, very deep down, she wanted to, but was too scared of the many unknowns.
"I...I'm not sure." She finally admitted. "I don't know if I can. What if he says 'no'?"
"He won't." Rodrigo said. "Don't be scared, Helga."
"Too late for that." She remarked with a nervous smile.
"You're going to be okay. You're a person of steel, but with a big heart." He said as he tried to comfort her. "I'm telling you that Arnold still loves you. I'm not making it up. And even if he won't admit it, even if it wasn't his official reason, he came to ask you to give him another chance. He screwed up on breaking up with you. He realizes that now."
"Rodrigo, I..." Helga again tried to say something, but then fell silent when she looked at his eyes and saw that he was dead serious about all of this. Nothing this time was going to deter him from making the right decision.
As much as Helga wanted to protest, she was slowly accepting the fact that Rodrigo was...right. She had always loved Arnold and as much as it scared her, she will always love him. Although she was not thinking that being with Rodrigo was a complete waste, she had been slowly succumbing to the realization that the chances of her ever moving on were not in their favor. What's more, Helga did agree with Rodrigo that she would be happier with Arnold than with him. Even if she ever came to love Rodrigo, it was something Helga had to contend with as something 'second best'. Rodrigo had realized that and was asking her to not just accept 'second best'.
Yet at the same time, it was infuriating that despite the considerably progress made over these last months, she now had to make 180 degree turn and head back from where she started. Had all of this been a waste? Had all of this been nothing more than an illusion? Was it so fruitless of an attempt for her to move on? Was she just that weak? Yet, what else could she do?
Am I really weak? She asked herself in thought. Was I a fool to ever think I could leave Arnold in the past and move on with my life? Is that what love is? Just a form of weakness? No! I can't believe that. I mustn't. It's not a weakness! I just...oh, I don't know what to think anymore!
...maybe that's the problem. She continued to think. I've been overthinking this. Rodrigo's right. It shouldn't be this hard to figure it out. I love Arnold. I always have. And...I want to be with him. Yes, that's what I want, that's what I always wanted. I LOVE ARNOLD! But...
"So...this is really it?" Helga said rather tearfully, finally admitting.
"Yeah." Was all Rodrigo could say with a soft tone.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" She asked him.
"Selfishly, no." Rodrigo answered him. "But it's for the best, for everyone, especially you."
"You don't believe me when I said I liked you, don't you?" Helga remarked.
"No, I believe you meant it, ever word of it." Rodrigo replied. "And that's what pressed me to move forward with this. I know you like me, Helga and I know this is killing you,"
Not as much as this is hurting me right now… Rodrigo sadly thought.
"But, I know you will come out of this far stronger and move alive than ever. I promise you that. All you need to do is just believe and tell him. Let him know that you haven't forgotten him." He continued.
Helga wasn't so sure of that, but said nothing. With a hurtful frown, she just stared at him, unable to move.
"I...I ever meant for things to end this way." She said.
"I know. It's not your fault. No one is to blame here, not even Arnold." Rodrigo said. "It's just how life is sometimes. It just sucks."
"So, that kiss you gave me earlier, was that our last...kiss?" She asked.
"Yeah, it was." Rodrigo softly responded.
Helga said nothing and just closed her eyes while taking a deep breath. That kiss, the last kiss meant a lot to her. As soon as she felt those lips touching hers, she felt rejuvenated and a warm, loving feeling began to tingle throughout her entire body. That was not an illusion. It was real. What she felt for him was real. And she will never forget it.
"Okay." She said.
"Okay?" Rodrigo said a bit confusingly.
"Yeah, Okay." She said again. "Let's get back inside. Arnold and Gerald are waiting for us and you still need to head over to Rhonda's house and apologize to her." Before then turning around and then heading back upstairs. Rodrigo said nothing and just followed suit.
The two teens then started making their way up the stairs. However, midway Helga suddenly stopped, but Rodrigo kept on walking, even bypassing her.
"Wait." She said to him.
"Yeah?" He asked.
Helga for a little while remained stiff and didn't budge from her spot. Although accepting Rodrigo's decision and reasons for breaking up with her and despite agreeing with him, it nevertheless hurt...a lot. She felt a big pain in her chest at the realization that this was going to end. Worse still, there were a lot of unanswered questions. What's to become of them? Will they remain friends? Did Rodrigo even want to be friends? Will she ever see him again or is this the last time she will see him?
The unknown was making Helga extremely uneasy and anxious, so much so that she tightened her fists considerably in order to control herself. However, she then surprisingly leaned forward and hugged him tightly without saying a word. Rodrigo for his part was a bit surprised, but nevertheless hugged her back, embracing her one last time. Both said nothing and just continued to allow their bodies to comfort each other, telling the other to stay strong and firm and that no matter what happened, what they shared during those months was truly real and it will always be cherished.
Rodrigo attempted to let go, but Helga firmly continued to hug him, refusing to let him go. Realizing this, he relented and continued to hug her back. A bit later, she finally let go of him, but she reached out for Rodrigo's hand and held it. Rodrigo felt her hand and looked at it with a confused look.
"Just one last time. Please." She said with a tearful look. "Besides, I don't want to people to know about this, not yet."
"Okay." He said. "But you really need to talk to Arnold before he leaves-"
"I know." Helga interrupted him. "And I will. Just, not yet. Once all of this is over, then I will talk to him."
Rodrigo said nothing back and just held her hand as he then reached out with his other hand to clear away a tear that was about to roll down her from her eyes.
Helga, almost instinctively, reached for his hand and held it tightly on her cheek, not wanting to release his touch. Rodrigo for his part, couldn't help himself and lovingly caressed her cheeks. Then, Helga softly kissed it before letting it go for the final time.
After taking a few breaths in, Helga then signaled to Rodrigo that she was ready. With that, both teens started going up together and went inside Arnold's room again.
Back in the FTI balcony...in the present...
Arnold was not lying about his reasons for visiting Hillwood; him coming back to visit his friends and grandparents. That was the official reason and he meant it. However, he intentionally left out an unofficial reason; Helga. Arnold had no illusions about it. He knew Helga was with Rodrigo and so long as they remained together, he would not interfere. However, that did not mean he was able to cope with the fact he had really missed her. Even if he knew it was too soon and Helga would not have been at that stage to want to start becoming friends with him, the necessity to want to reconcile with his friends before they too slipped away, as well as the hole in his heart that was still empty proved too much for Arnold to bear. In all truth he missed everyone, but missing Helga topped the list. He hadn't seen or talked to her in years and was almost desperate to wanting to reestablish some sort of communication wit her, even if it was just a little bit.
As much as Arnold tried to, he was never able to get over her. He still loved her. Granted, the video he saw of her and Rodrigo dancing with each other at the school's Annual Dancing Performance made him understand her reasons why she had to say 'no' to him, and it did help start the process of moving on. But, it never quite reached its course...not by a long shot.
The day before the meeting with Mayor Dixie and Von Scheck at their school, when Arnold and Helga were walking and talking together and then tripped and fell on each other, he gazed upon her eyes on that evening. As he did so, his heart skipped a beat and for a few, brief moments, began to feel being drawn towards her. Just as how Helga was melting under his gaze, he too felt the same intensity by looking at her eyes and was instantly losing any form of restraint. He felt the same what Helga felt on that same day. However, at the last second, he just barely managed to snap out of it and pull back, preventing from anything happening between them. Helga, horrified at what had almost just occurred, quickly got up and ran back home, leaving Arnold on the street, alone. As he went home that night, he tried to convince himself that Helga did the right thing by leaving, but he couldn't help but feel saddened, even hurt by her departure. Regardless, there wasn't anything that he could do...until now.
The loss of Helga, someone who had been a big part of his life, to someone like Rodrigo, haunted Arnold during the months after March. It was especially tormenting for him that Helga still wouldn't send him any letters. He wasn't just jealous; he was hurt and embittered but especially angry. Angry at Rodrigo for stealing her away from him, angry at Helga for refusing to get back together with him and then finally at himself. That's all he left; anger and self-loathing. As the months went by, he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to do something and being in San Lorenzo with his parents, doing the things he loved to do was no longer satisfying him. her felt that if he couldn't have Helga, then he should at least still have his friends and have her as a friend. He should at the very least have that. He was not going to allow Rodrigo to take that away from him.
Arnold arrived back in Hillwood with no intention of getting back with Helga, even though deep down he would have wanted to. But when he gazed upon Helga on the balcony and saw her gazing upon him with loving eyes, the same way that she used to when they were together, he knew what she was trying to say to him; she still wanted him back. It stunned him. He couldn't believe that she, despite refusing some months ago, was now asking him to get back together with him. But, what about Rodrigo? That's when he also realized that they broke up; they must have. He knew Helga well enough that she would never cheat on Rodrigo. She was not that type of person. Hence, there was no way she would be offering herself to him unless they had broken up. Who broke up with who, he didn't know and right now, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he had her back and this time, he was never going to let her go!
Back in Von Scheck's office...
"And that's what happened." Rodrigo concluded his story to Gerald.
"Dude..." Was all Gerald could say, completely stunned and at a loss of words. "I'm...I'm so sorry man." He said.
"It's okay." He said back to him with a sad tone in his voice. "It had to be done."
"Rodrigo, head's up! You're going to have company soon." Curly then interjected through his earpiece.
"What?" Rodrigo asked, getting his attention. "Who?"
"Von Scheck." Curly replied. "He's on his way up from the basement."
"Oh no!" Gerald exclaimed as he then quickly changed his frequency. "Arnold, come in, do you read me?!"
Back in the balcony…
Arnold and Helga were still holding each other tightly and kissing, completely lost except within themselves, so much so that Arnold initially did not register Gerald's voice.
"Arnold, come in Arnold!" Gerald called out again.
"W-W-Wait!" Arnold mumbled as he tried to move way from Helga's lips, finally listening to Gerald's voice. "Gerald, I'm here." Arnold responded
"Just one more minute, my love." Helga swooned as she instantly but lovingly grabbed Arnold's head and turned it back towards her and continued to kiss him again.
"Helga! Just..wait a sec-." Arnold tried to gently break free in order to talk to Gerald.
"One minute I said!" Before Helga yelled back, grabbed him again and then forcefully pulled him back towards her to continue kissing him.
"Arnold, listen man! We got trouble." Gerald frantically said to him. "You need to stop kissing Helga and listen!"
"W-W-What?!" Arnold surprisingly said when he heard that. This time he forcefully moved his head away in order to talk. "How did you know we were kissing? Where are you, Gerald?" He asked.
That got Helga's attention and she finally stopped attempting to tightly hold onto Arnold, opened her eyes and just stared at him with a shocking look.
"What? Gerald was spying on us?!" Helga embarrassingly asked.
"I'm still in Von Scheck's office." Gerald explained. "There's a camera right on top of the door that leads to the balcony where you guys are at. We've have been watching you both this whole time."
"What?! There's a camera here?!" Arnold exclaimed in utter shock and embarrassment as he looked at the camera.
Helga also looked up and when she saw the camera, she almost went completely white.
"Ya, we saw everything." Gerald said.
"Gerald...I uh...I-I-I can explain…" Arnold attempted to say as he started to seriously blush. "Wait, did you say, 'we'? Was Rodrigo watching us too?" He asked with a seriously panicking tone.
Helga said nothing and while also turning completely red, just hid her face with her hands.
"Yeah, Rodrigo and I saw everything." Gerald replied. "No, you and Helga don't need to explain anything. Rodrigo told me what had happened between him and Helga. Yes, he didn't expect you two to get together so soon, but he's happy for you both. And no, he's not going to kill you." He quickly added.
"Ooh….okay." Arnold said with a nervously smile as he tried to get a grip from feeling very dizzy and embarrassed.
"But we got bigger problems right now." Gerald quickly continued to speak. "Von Scheck is on his way to the office."
"What?" Arnold exclaimed. "We're coming back now."
"No!" Gerald then suddenly exclaimed. "Rodrigo says it's too dangerous and I agree with him. If he sees you here, he will kill you. Rodrigo recommends you either make your way to the head office security room or better yet, get out of the building while you two still can. Rodrigo and I can hold the fort."
"No, Gerald." Arnold firmly said back. "We're in this together. We're not going to leave anyone behind."
"Arnold, this is no time to play the hero." Gerald tried to persuade him. "You guys are sitting ducks if you try to make it back here. There are guards everywhere and if you come across Von Scheck...man, get out of here!"
"No, Gerald. I'm not leaving you or Rodrigo there to fend for yourself." Arnold again countered. "You'll need all the help you can get. We're coming back."
"Come on Helga. Let's roll." Arnold said to her as he grabbed Helga's hand.
Oh, Arnold! Helga monologued in thought. Such a marvelous being human being that you are. A brave hero, unwilling to leave his fellow comrades behind – whoa!
Helga didn't have time to finish her monologue as Arnold then instantly pulled her the second he started running back into the building.
"Lorenzo, are you still there?" Arnold then spoke through his earpiece.
"Read you loud and clear, Arnold." Lorenzo responded.
"I got Helga. Help us get back to Von Scheck's office." Arnold said.
Author's Note: Okay, so I guess everyone here are wondering why I decided to choose this ending. But first, I want to discuss why I let Rodrigo break things with Helga and not the other way around. Basically, if I decided I was going to go down this road, I was going to let Rodrigo have the final say and end things with Helga because c'mon, the poor guy is coming out with nothing in the end. For all you Shortaki fans, I'm sure this decision made your day, but it comes with a bit of a cost. I wanted Rodrigo to have the finally say in this, not Helga. Now on with the rest.
Throughout this whole time I was writing these stories about Rodrigo and Helga, I was really conflicted on how to end this story and whether or not I should make this series canon. The more I wrote about them, the more I was able to see that perhaps there could be a possibility for Helga to finally to move on. But, I still felt ify about it. Not to mention that if I went down this route, I knew I would then have to answer the question 'what was it all for?'. Why did Helga bother to go through all of this, only to wind up back with Arnold? This is a difficult question to answer and out of laziness, lol, I was hesitant to go down this route. At the same time, had they stuck together, then the following chapters in my story 'A New Life', would not have really contained anything dramatic or even intensely interesting. Apart from a one or two comical/dramatic ideas, the chapters would have been just moping up the story and that's it. Not to mention that I have other ideas of another story in the future that include Rodrigo and Helga being together in another scenario entirely. But, if they stuck together in this story, this option would no longer be open.
So, after much deliberation, I decided to go down this route because I just couldn't bring myself to do it. While I'm not really a strong Shortaki per se, I do support them being together. Additionally, 1) I wanted to make things more dramatic, 2) I decided to tackle this question and attempt to answer why Helga had to go through all of this only get back together with Arnold, 3) given how canon I was already making this story, it would not have been appropriate if Arnold and Helga did not end up back together, 4) There is another reason, which you will find out after I wrap up this story and continue with 'A New Life'. 5) Despite Rodrigo having his reasons, he was being a bit of a jerk to both Helga and Rhonda, so I don't think it was appropriate for Rodrigo to win Helga's hand with the way he behaved towards her during the summer.
For those who were supporting Rodrigo and Helga being together, sorry to bust your bubble, but I do hope you continue to read on see where how they cope after all of this is over.
