Review Replies:
Esmeralda- So yes it's not explicitly stated but since they are in ninth grade for the moment they are around fifteen/sixteen age range.
Veganmama- Also I forgot to mention that I will get around to explaining Miles's issues. It just might be awhile lol :)
And a big thanks to Bigfoot420, Kimagure Bijin, & vlarissa23 for your supportive comments as usual!
I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story so far.
Enjoy and Review please. :)
"Talking"
Thoughts
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE CHARACTERS OF HEY ARNOLD THEY BELONG TO CRAIG BARTLETT. HOWEVER THE LYRICS WRITTEN ARE MY ORIGINAL CREATION ALONG WITH THE PLOT IDEAS. DON'T STEAL. THANKS.
The day of the talent show finally arrived. Arnold and Gerald had perfected the song written by Helga in the days prior.
Gerald was thoroughly impressed by Arnold's ability to pull off seemingly any feat. Helga's desire to remain anonymous gave Gerald no clue about the girl's involvement. A secret kept even from Phoebe.
The boys stood back stage waiting for their turn at the Talent Show. Helga and Phoebe stood nearby chatting with the boys and giving moral support as their nerves did seemed to be spiking.
Helga straightened Arnold's tie for seemingly the millionth time. Teasing the fabric against his chest with a playful glint in her eyes. He focused on her wholly while a nervous tremor grew in his chest at her touch.
"Don't ham up the second verse." She chided as her fingers trailed down his lapel.
"I know, I know." His voice light at her teasing, "You sure you don't want credit for— you know?"
Helga's gaze flickered to their friends nearby, but both were too preoccupied to notice their conversation.
"We know we wrote it together, that's more than enough for me." She smoothed down his tie, fingers lingering on his heart, "Besides, if they hate it then I get off scot free."
"Thanks." His smile wry.
Another student poked his head around the curtain, "You guys are on in five."
Gerald let out a low whine and shook his hands like they were wet.
"You'll do great." Phoebe twined her hands together.
"But what if I get a hand cramp, or I fudge a note!? Why did I think—"
Phoebe tugged his hands to clasp into her own, eyes shining, "You'll be fantastic!"
A calming wave flowed over the dark haired boy, "Thanks, babe. Performing never gets easier, I guess."
Finally their turn came, the pair of boys turned to their girls for a quick kiss. They walked onto the stage. Microphone thrust into Arnold's hand as the piano was wheeled behind them. The boys gave each other one last decisive look.
"This is a song we wrote called "My Only Songbird". I hope you like it." Arnold said with a nervous strum in his chest.
Sure he'd been in the limelight plenty of times in his life, but the undercurrent of nervousness always seemed to rise to the surface no matter what he did. Thrilled and terrified at the notion of being in front of so many people.
Arnold found his family sitting in the crowd. Scanning around he found Gerald's family and Phoebe's too, but he knew Helga's family wouldn't show. They never came to any of these things.
Gerald took a few minutes to walk stiffly to the bench in front of the piano. With a crack of his knuckles, he started pounding out the jazzy, bouncy rhythm. Arnold took a breath before belting out the notes just as they had practiced.
The blonde took liberties with the long microphone cord and walked the stage like he owned it. Occasionally pointing to the crowd much like his favorite singer of all time. He glanced to the side to see Helga and Phoebe behind the curtain watching them with adoring looks.
The look in his girlfriend's eyes sent a jolt of enthusiasm coursing through his performance. The crowd cheered at the sudden shift in intensity level. That boy was practically on fire. His eyes lit up as hit the harder notes.
A molten current burned through the crowd and infected them with a newfound energy. Gerald glanced towards his musical partner with a jubilant power of his own. It was like they were racing to keep up with each other.
"You're the only songbird for me, babe!" Arnold sang the last line while his eyes darted to the side briefly. A passionate desire flickering through them as though that line was only for her.
The only girl in the room he wanted to tell those words to.
The crowd clapped. Many of them stood for the roaring applause. Arnold and Gerald panted seemingly out of breath, but the goofiest grins on their faces. The nervousness was worth the adrenaline rush. The beauty in letting others enjoy what they had made.
The pair of them walked off stage after a few more bows to their adoring fandom.
"That was amazing!" A voice shouted from backstage.
Arnold and Gerald turned to see Sid jogging towards them. Stinky walked more casually behind him.
"Thanks guys." Gerald said with a click of his tongue.
"No seriously! Are you guys a band now or what?" Sid's gaze darted between them, a slight bounce in his stance as he looked ready to take off at any moment.
Arnold and Gerald shared a look of their own. Neither had particularly thought past the talent show, but after that great reception it did get their minds turning. Maybe it was worth a thought or two.
"Well fellers, we were thinkin' if ya did want ta. I can play the sax and Sid 'ere can play drums." Stinky said with a wide grin.
"Well, we hadn't really thought—" Arnold rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh, please Arnold, please! Let's talk it over, alright?" Sid begged, eyes flickered with the same excitement that was in the crowd only moments prior.
The blonde glanced at his best friend. Gerald gave him a shrug with a smirk on his lips.
"Alright, it's worth talking about. I guess—"
"You guess!? You were phenomenal! Just imagine having a full band. We'd be out of this world!" Sid leapt up, his hands fanning out wide.
The boys laughed and shook their heads. Some things never changed no matter how old they got.
"Let me go ask my parents. We can meet at Slausen's and work out the details." Arnold said thumbing towards the audience.
The boys all agreed with a shared sound. The blonde scurried off to find his family. On the way he bumped into their girls again. The pair of them grinned like proud peacocks.
"Nice job, Tomcat. I guess jazz is deep in your bones after all."
"Thanks, Kitten." He grinned, "We're going to go to Slausen's, hopefully— wanna come?"
The girls glanced towards one another before giving him a nod.
"And miss you buying us ice cream? Yeah, right." She held out her hand expectantly.
He scoffed playfully before handing her a small stack of cash. He then darted out the stage door and down into the auditorium seats. The crowd of people ebbed around the room.
Groups of people chatted amongst each other. Everyone congratulated their children on jobs well done. Parents chatted with each other about how impressive their child was.
"There's Shortman!" Phil cut his way through the crowd.
The rest of the Boarding House family hot on his tail.
Phil compressed Arnold in a tight hug, "Always knew you had it in you!"
His mother gave him an equally enthusiastic hug, "Sweetie, that was amazing!"
His father's hand on his shoulder while he gleamed with pride.
"So the guys and I were wondering if we could head out to Slausen's after this?"
"It's awfully late already, son." Miles said with a furrowed brow.
"It's a school night too." Stella hummed.
"Please? Just for an hour. We want to work out the band details."
"Band? Now this is turning into a full band?" Miles' proud smile faded into oblivion, a look of confusion replaced it, "I mean this was just a one time performance, right?"
"I mean," Arnold bit his lip, "I thought so too, but the guys really want to do more. So, I just wanted to give it a try."
His parents seemed a little put off by the idea. Phil butted in between the two with his usual wily grin.
"What'cha still doin' here, Shortman? Don't you have ice cream to eat?" The older man leaned heavily on his son as though to stifle his protest.
"Besides he's been out way later than this before." Gertie said with a chipper tone, "In fact, there's been some nights he hasn't come home 'til the morning. They'll be fine."
"Ne-xt—Next morning!?" Miles' brain seemed stuck at the notion.
Stella tried to get her husband to breathe again. Arnold rolled his eyes. He was starting to wonder if his father had really spent any time in the jungle at all.
"So, can I go or what?" Arnold clasped his hands together.
His parents warranted him one last concerned look before meagerly nodding their permission. The boy leapt up and dashed off to rejoin his group.
He ignored the faint sounds of bickering coming from behind him.
That was a problem for another day.
The boys pushed their way through the doors of Slausen's Ice Cream Parlor. Glancing around they noticed that some of their other classmates got wind of the meeting and decided to follow suit. The boys shrugged it off and went to the counter to place their order.
Nearby Helga and Phoebe sat at a table, a couple of shakes in front of them. The pair talking quieter than usual. Helga's expression is more flustered than anything. Phoebe seemed more nonchalant like the blonde was overreacting again, but still she listened with an open heart.
"So I never got to tell you," the blonde started, practically whispering, "About what happened with me and Ice Cream a few days ago."
"Not exactly the best place—" Phoebe adjusted her glasses.
"I know, but Phoebs— it's ridiculous. I can't believe him."
"What did Ar—Ice Cream do now?"
"It's not him, it's Miles!" the blonde girl hissed while gripping the table roughly.
The dark haired girl blinked, "And what did he do exactly?"
"He said we're not allowed to be alone at the Boarding House—"
"And that's a problem?"
"Yes! How am I supposed to cross the— uh— Bridge with Ice Cream if we can't even be alone?"
Phoebe bounced a little in her seat with a smile, "Oh! Has he said something about that?"
"Nope. Not even one time." Her voice a little sore to admit something like that, gaze focused on the table.
"Surely he has confided some of what he's thinking? I know it's Arnold—"
"The Golden boy!? Pure as a nun. And chastise as a monk. Yeah, right." She waved her shake in a circle, "He never seems to struggle with those boundaries— drown in the struggle of teenage hormones."
"I don't think it's that odd that he's wanting to wait longer. There's no rush you know?"
"Well, I do! I'm pretty sure everyone in our grade has crossed that bridge except for us!"
"You don't know that—"
"Even Brian Brainy Miller, Phoebs! How does that even happen!?" She shook her friend a little dramatically.
Brainy had stalked Helga almost as long as she had stalked Arnold. Once the pair of blondes had officially gotten together, Helga figured he would've continued stalking her for a little bit longer.
But strangely enough it seemed as though he outgrew his crush on her the minute they became official. Maybe some part of him realized she was far too devoted to Arnold to even consider anyone else.
But that didn't stifle his roll with the ladies. He didn't look much different than his formative years, but he had definitely gotten smarter. He often used his intelligence to help girls in sticky situations with their homework.
Some of those girls felt the need to pay him back for the help-
or maybe he had some kind of slimy exchange going on with those girls he helped.
He'd never tell. And he was off her back so that was the extent that she cared about it.
Although most would question his moral ethics, it seemed to work for him.
"He says he has—" Phoebe rolled her eyes equally dramatically.
"We've been together longer than any of them!"
"No time limit." Phoebe chided with a wave of her finger.
"So, it is true. That's rich." A new voice entered the conversation.
Phoebe and Helga stopped talking abruptly to glance at the new comer. Rhonda stood in front of their table looking over her manicure. Nadine, and Lila at her side, their expressions friendly, but a little embarrassed to be interrupting such a conversation.
"What? You didn't hear jack, Princess." Helga's scowl deepened at her appearance, Great! How much did she hear? How long has she been here? Why wasn't I paying attention?
"Oh, please Helga, can we not play dumb today?" Rhonda snarked back, "Your little Golden Boy— he's got some loose lips."
"I don't believe you. He wouldn't talk about whatever you're implying." Helga's arms folded.
"Well, it wasn't exactly him. The boys in the locker room were having their usual chats and Thad told me the details, darling. Besides, I was bound to find out things like that sooner or later."
"Alright Rhonda, you made your point—" Nadine seemed to be trying to curb her trajectory, but the dark haired girl wasn't having it.
"Oh, no, no. I'm just getting started." Rhonda said with a condescending tone.
"Leave, or I make you leave—" Helga stood up.
"Don't be so crass, I just wanted to give you some advice."
Usually at this point, Rhonda and Helga would spiral into an even bigger argument. That was nothing new to their peers, however, as of late it seemed the girls had grown a respect for each other's unique powers they held over their classmates.
Rhonda's ability to manipulate the situation to her liking through her money and gossip-type blackmail.
And Helga's natural ability to intimidate the others through brute strength alone. There had been a few times where their talents had become valuable to the other.
So, if anything, they had a fragile truce of sorts.
If Rhonda felt the need to meddle in such a personal matter, there was a chance she knew something worth listening to. Helga let out a steadying breath and glanced at Phoebe. Her companion nodded.
All the girls sat down at the table. They grabbed an extra chair for Rhonda to sit at the head of the table. The girls intuitively turned their attention onto their self appointed queen bee.
"Alright, dispel your advice and be on your way, wise sage." Helga waved her on.
"So rude, you haven't even told me all of the—" her gaze challenging now, "Details, darling."
The blonde snorted feeling a little had by her intrusion. Rhonda had made it sound like she knew everything already, but now that seemed sketchy at best. Helga reluctantly spilled a neutered version of their current relationship woes.
"He's just been so weirdly diligent about keeping us 'pure'. I guess. If there's another reason why, he hasn't told me." Helga folded her arms, I guess that wasn't too bad...having more people to share with...what is wrong with me!?
"Well, Helga, I know you think everyone has crossed that Bridge," Nadine was the first to speak, "But well, I haven't. And I'm okay with that."
The two shared a look. Helga was a little taken back. Honestly the two of them never really had any interactions in fourth grade or any time after that. She was usually Rhonda's plus one and that was the extent of their interactions. For the girl to be so open with her was a shock, but a welcome one.
Phoebe motioned to the girl as though that proved her point about no rush.
"Yeah, but that's because you blew your chances with Michael." Rhonda interjected with a wave of her hand.
"I didn't blow my chances," Nadine's voice sharper now, "I didn't want to do it. So I didn't."
Rhonda clearly didn't agree with her assessment, but didn't press any further. Lila let out a breath and decided she was next on the chopping block. Her expression dipped into a remorseful one.
"Well, I was pure, as you say, until a few months ago." Lila played with her braids.
Helga and Phoebe looked a little shocked to have that fact revealed to them. It was no mystery to the group that Lila was very much like Arnold in many ways. The girls had figured she would stay chastise just as long, if not longer.
She was still a wholesome girl after all.
The redhead's blush deepened, "He was a nice boy, but it didn't work out. So now I have to live with that. You know?"
"Pish, posh darling." Rhonda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You give yourself up to them, and he'll come back. The first time does something to those boys."
Rhonda and Curly still seemed to be in limbo. Having an on again off again kind of relationship. The two still committed to the other no matter how far they strayed apart.
He seemed more compulsively devoted to her than she was to him.
But strangely enough, if a girl she didn't approve of got too close to him, she was quick to chase them away.
If anyone was in denial it was her.
Even if she complained about some of his tendencies, she had him essentially what she liked to call locked down.
The others that crossed their paths were merely distractions or temporary flirtations. This was what Rhonda deemed a perfect relationship and what kept them happy.
And insisted that it was what the other girls needed too.
"But it's okay Rhonda. I don't want to be with him." Lila's voice was sweet as ever.
Geez, optimistic as ever... Helga shook her head.
"I mean, it's almost impossible to get Thad off my back." Rhonda said.
"I'm pretty sure him being obsessed with you since fourth grade has nothing to do with it." Helga snarked, gleeful to have an opening to barb the girl.
The girls let out a collective laugh. The raven haired girl shot them an incredulous look.
"You've got some room to talk about obsessions." Rhonda narrowed her gaze, causing the blonde's expression to fall, "Oh, I know all about your big pre-dating confessions. No wonder he felt obligated to date you."
Helga grit her teeth, "He's not dating me because he's obligated—"
Phoebe was quick to speak, "Arnold is too nice to—"
"That's just it. He's a nice boy, right? And nice boys don't like to hurt people's feelings. Especially not that one." Rhonda motioned towards Arnold at the other table.
The girls followed her motion and seemed to fall into a tense silence at her words as though thoroughly analyzing it.
"Well," Nadine said slowly as though sore to add to Rhonda's point, "There was one day, I saw him carry the books of another girl before he finally turned her down."
"Oh, is that what that was?" Lila said tensely.
"When was that?" Helga glanced at Phoebe who shrugged her shoulders.
"It was a couple weeks ago. Arnold does seem to have trouble voicing those kinds of feelings, it seems."
The blonde turned her attention towards the boys table. Her gaze narrowed on Arnold's backside.
"Look, I get it, you love him." Rhonda said with a compassionate look for once, "But think about it, you've been the one pining after him. You're the one who confessed to him both times."
"What's your point, Princess?" Helga shot her another glare, Geez, I had no idea he was doing that kind of stuff...holding books for other girls? What else has Football Head been weak to?
"My point is, at the very least, most boys would have at least mentioned they want to cross that bridge with you specifically."
The girls all seemed to share a tense look with each other. Most of them tried to avoid Helga's now burning gaze. The collective of them were still amazed that she hadn't tried to deck Rhonda for her bold statements.
Rhonda let out another sigh, locking her gaze with the blonde, "I'm only saying this as a friend. I don't want you getting hurt or wasting more time on him if it's not going anywhere."
"We're fine—" Helga turned to glare at the wall.
"If you're content with what you have, keep doing what you want. I'm just saying sooner or later, maybe another girl will catch his eye—"
"No one is going to catch his eye."
"Well, he hasn't dated anyone but you since seventh grade." Lila said with a pensive expression.
"So!?" Helga looked ready to pounce from her seat, What are they getting at!?
"Because boys need variety." Rhonda added with a wave.
"Anyone could need variety." Nadine said with a hard look towards Rhonda, "And some people are happy staying with one person for their whole lives too."
"All I'm saying is, it's going to be harder for him to resist variety, if you haven't locked him down."
"What? Chain him up? GPS in a collar?" Helga snorted laughter, I can't believe we're even having this conversation...
"No darling, bed him, of course." Rhonda said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Helga's defenses seemed to crash at her statements. All the girls had made good points in her already frazzled mind. She couldn't help, but let her former insecurities rise up again. A small voice asking in her head over and over again, 'But what if they're right?'.
The blonde slumped slightly in her chair. She hated the feeling of the group's eyes on her. Phoebe patted her best friend's shoulder.
"The only thing I've heard him say is," Helga took a big sip of her shake, "It's special. That we should wait for the right time."
"It sounds romantic." Phoebe sighed clutching her cheeks.
The other girls let out a collective sigh save for Rhonda who was rolling her eyes.
"Hey, it's not our fault you and Thad had a drunken first time." Helga pointed towards Rhonda, finally seeing another chance to 'get back' at her.
The other girls stiffened at her comment expecting fur to fly at any moment.
"Details, darling." Rhonda's voice was sarcastically sharp before she went back to inspecting her nails.
The blonde, in an uncharacteristic manner, decided to continue sharing. Spilling her guts, because at this point they knew everything that was relevant.
So what were a few more details?
She was growing up she supposed.
She crashed her face into the table and covered her head, "I know it's selfish of me, but I'm tired of waiting dammit. The anticipation is killing me!"
Phoebe's gaze softened at the girl. Compared to the rest of the group, she was the only stable committed individual. True her and Gerald had a few break ups of their own. Dated a few other people before they came happily back together.
Apparently, their first inclination to the other was the most correct assumption.
"I know we've all had some different experiences," Phoebe started slowly, "But none of you should feel pressured that you have to do something one way or another."
"We weren't trying to—" Nadine trailed off realizing that this line of conversation was pointed more at their dark haired queen bee.
"If the guy is committed and you want to do it, then go for it. And if they break up with you because you won't, they didn't deserve you to begin with." Phoebe said strongly.
"Psh, easy for you to say," Rhonda sounded a little bitter, "I'm sure Arnold's nice guy romanticism has rubbed off on Gerald. Your first time was probably amazing."
Phoebe snorted at the girl's deduction. Helga laughed right along with her knowing full well the whole story. But Phoebe garnered them the simplest explanation.
"The most I got was a love declaration and an awkward explosion." she mimicked a blast going off.
"Phoebe! Think of your man's ego." Helga snorted.
"Believe me that was a compliment."
All of the girls at the table shared a laugh together.
"But it's been amazing every time after that. So, it was worth the wait, and the right person helps immensely." Her gaze misty as she glanced back at Gerald lovingly.
The boys were oblivious to their conversation. A reflective calm seemed to overtake the girls at Phoebe's wise advice.
The conversation finally diverged into talking about school in general. The buzzing excitement of the boys' prospect of forming a band.
The stress of the boys and pressure of their situations were pushed to the backburner once more. The girls finally content to enjoy each other's company.
Meanwhile, at the boy's table, Arnold, Gerald, Sid and Stinky sat together. The excitement of the idea was still fresh in their minds. They still had a couple years of high school left and that would be plenty of time to maybe actually have a shot at cultivating it into a big time band.
A little while later Harold joined their group with his own huge bowl of ice cream.
As the larger boy shoveled more food into his mouth, "Yeah, when I walked by the girls were all making googly eyes at y'all."
"Yeah, so?" Gerald raised a brow trying to figure out how it was relevant.
"Even Helga was." the boy's eyes flew wide.
"Probably daydreamin'." Arnold snickered, shaking his head.
Gerald picked up on his tone, and was aware of the situation that had happened a few days ago at the Boarding House.
"You still haven't? I figured that by now—"
Arnold stopped chuckling and looked hot under the collar, "Hey, we are not talking about that now."
"Oh, come off it Arnold, it's just us guys." Sid motioned for him to spill the details, a wry chuckle in his voice, "You get to touch her at least? Or did she try and break your hand off?"
"Har, har Sid. I touch her all the time at school." Arnold said with a sarcastic inflection that was lost on the teen boys.
"He's an animal!"
"At school? Wilikers!" Stinky's jaw hung open wide.
Arnold waved them down, "No, no, I just meant regular hand holding."
"Quit being a shy, smart ass." Gerald ruffled Arnold's hair with a playful smirk.
Well, I can't tell them the full reason, but I can tell them part of it, Arnold shook his head with a playful grin of his own, "We haven't done any of that. I have something special planned and it has to be just right."
"Special? You're together aren't ya?" Gerald raised a brow, and then waved his hand dramatically, "The soulmates— who've been bonded since preschool— are still waiting—"
"Bonded?" Arnold raised a brow and let out a sound of disbelief.
"With your perpetual crashing and all! That's the universe pushing ya'll together, duh."
"Yeah, you guys have been together forever." Sid drawled, "How the hell have you held off that long?"
"I'd imagine Ms. Helga is quite persistent in gettin' what she wants?" Stinky said rubbing the back of his head.
"Three years is forever now?" Arnold snarked, Geez! Why do they care so much? Why does it matter what we have and haven't done?
"Please tell me you've at least seen a boob. Touched a boob?" Sid asked a little eagerly.
"Keep it in your pants Sid, and sit yer ass down." Gerald pretended to swipe at the boy.
Sid ducked comically into his seat, "I'm curious, so sue me!"
"Maybe if you'd get your shit together, you'd get to see a boob."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm still working on my image."
Arnold shook his head as they got into an argument they often had. Sid was still hopelessly single, but trying his hardest to find the right catch. They usually didn't like something about him and broke it off quickly.
Stinky on the other hand was still always the gentleman. He'd dated a few girls, but nothing seemed to really stick for him either. But unlike Sid, he seemed content to just let things play out the way they were meant to.
Harold was a stark contrast to them all.
Gerald and Arnold may have gained some toned muscles from playing on the basketball team, but Harold took the cake when he joined the football team.
From seventh grade on, his participation in the sport managed to mold his fat into sculpted muscles. His additional inches in height only made his appearance more attractive.
His attitude was nearly the same, gruff and still dumb as a rock, but the girls took notice of his looks if nothing else.
He'd had a little thing for Patty some time before those changes, but nothing significant came of it and then she moved away.
It was like a switch flipped inside him where being serious about girls was no longer priority. All the extra attention he got from the girls not aiding in that sentiment.
Despite his Jewish heritage, it didn't stop him from fooling around with many of their girl classmates. He persisted cycling through girls on a six month rotation or even less sometimes.
Never really fully committing to any of them.
The other guys at the table had an inkling that there was some unspoken agreement between him and the girls he dated.
The fact that his parents would freak if they found out what he was really up to— null and void in his mind.
"Hey, we got off topic," Gerald motioned for the boys to be quiet and pointed at his bestie again, "Now Arnold, special? Seriously?"
"Uh-huh, didn't you do something special for Phoebe?" Arnold elbowed him with a wink.
"Yeah, yeah, I guess I did, but still. I'm not as big of a romantic as you, I guess." He took a big slurp of his shake, "I'm just saying you're a bold kid to keep Pataki waitin'."
"I'm surprised she hasn't hit you with her club and dragged you off to her cave yet." Sid chimed in with a foolish grin.
The boys laughed heartily.
The blonde shook his head, "I guess she does almost maul me when we're alone."
"See!" Gerald pointed, his shake swinging wildly in the air, "I mean we're talking about how many now— almost four years of pent up sexual frustration?"
"Gerald—"
"I'm just sayin, you'll probably last a minute tops—"
"Gerald!"
"And then you'll never leave that cave for at least a week." Gerald downed the rest of his shake with a satisfied 'kah' sound.
"Damn dude, you got some serious restraint." Sid shook his head, eyes wide as ever.
"Yeah, that's what it is." Arnold forced his voice to sound normal trying to hide the undercurrent of emotion that often came with this conversation.
He glanced across the room to find the girls' table. She happened to look up at the same time. Their gazes locked briefly. She looked a little flustered to have been caught looking at him, but stuck her tongue out at him. A gleam in those gorgeous, teasing eyes of hers.
He had to swallow his arousal. The playful smirk he wanted to kiss off of her lips. Her skirt had a modest slit on the side of her hip that he wouldn't mind exploring.
He was hopeless really.
Her gaze sultry, flirty, and sore with the desire she carried for him. Brow raised as her smirk only grew. He flinched and looked away from her. He knew full well if he kept staring like that it would only make things more challenging.
The guys thought he had great restraint, but really—
He did want.
Wanted her so bad—
All the time.
So many days he wanted to say screw his plans, forget his promises and take her in the park, or behind the school far in the soccer fields out of sight.
He'd been fine with the level they were at a few weeks ago. His desire had been moderate. He wanted it as much as any teen boy would, and had been holding himself back with the strength of an army.
But then she tempted him into seeing her shirtless.
Not just seeing her, but kissing and sucking that area burned into his mind.
And then that army started to fall apart.
Sure, he'd touched that area and she enjoyed it well enough, but somehow his mouth had been able to stir new, stronger feelings in her. He'd never heard her make sounds like that before.
Those sounds she made awakened something primal in him. It stirred something so deep in him he hadn't even been aware of those feelings until they'd done that.
He now realized why everyone else was having such trouble with their hormones. Because his self control was seriously lacking around her anymore.
One day she fell in gym class and made a similar squeak, so girly and feminine—his knee jerk reaction should have been to ask if she was alright—
which he did ask her—
but it wasn't the first thought he had.
His first thought had been more along the lines of 'I need to hear that sound again'.
And again—
His army in shambles at this point.
After he made sure she was alright, and safely tucked away in the nurse's office. He'd excused himself to the restroom to take care of unfinished business.
He let out a sore chuckle. Helga was oblivious to his struggle. She often teased him for being such a saint about their partial chastity.
It had actually sparked some pained discussions where she questioned the strength of his feelings—
Which he couldn't blame her for at this point.
Some days it felt like a ticking time bomb. That if certain conditions were met— he was an army of one now and there was no telling if stopping was even an option anymore.
"Whoa, hold on Arnold. You're putting up with mean ol'Pataki and you ain't even hitting that?" Harold suddenly spoke, his spoon hung in limbo to his mouth.
"Could you not—" Arnold pinched his brow, Here we go again...
"There are so many girls out there and they're all so different."
"Yeah, I got that."
"But you're missing out!" Harold waved his spoon wildly.
"I'm not missing out." Arnold's voice had a dangerous edge to it.
"Seriously, you got your whole life to be married or whatever. Now's the only time you get to figure stuff out."
"I'm not married Harold just because I'm committed to her." He sounded offended by the mere idea.
"You can't tell me you don't look at other girls and at least think about what it would be like."
Arnold hesitated a moment, not actually sure how to answer that, but to the boys that was seen as an admission of guilt.
"See even Golden boy can be swayed. Haha." Harold grinned around his spoon.
"I didn't say anything." Arnold said brows tilted.
"Hey, man, lay off already, Harold." Gerald shot the boy a challenging look of his own.
"You don't have to, it's written on your face." Harold said.
"Well, it's not true." the blonde folded his arms, and leaned back in the seat, Why am I even defending my choices? I don't care what they think...
"Pataki's probably mean and demanding to you. Only pushes for what she wants."
Arnold felt his words drying up. He had to admit that Helga was still pretty demanding of him and still oftentimes did what she wanted without concern for the repercussions.
"Turning down sweet Jessica from fifth period—"
"Because I'm dating Helga—"
"Jessica would listen to you. I bet Tonya would bake you cookies."
"Why does this feel like it's turning into what his stomach wants?" Gerald whispered to his bestie.
Arnold was too annoyed to enjoy the jibe, "I don't care what those other girls might do. I don't like those other girls. I like Helga."
"Aww, it's because she confessed her little fweelings in such a dramatic way?" Harold clasped his hands and batted his eyelashes in a girly manner.
The boys laughed a little at his performance. Arnold's expression only turned more sour by the minute.
He would forever rue the day he let it accidentally slip in gym class about her passionate confessions.
Another boy had been pestering them all in turn about who they were with, and for some reason when the conversation turned to him— the other boys couldn't leave it alone either.
It was perplexing to them to say the least. She was still as ornery as ever to her classmates. Sure, she was considered averagely attractive by the guys in their grade. They could understand that.
It was the almost chopping your leg off part they couldn't get.
In a frustrated huff, he'd admitted that she'd energetically confessed twice at this point. That she'd already kissed him several times at this point. That he felt it was only fair to give her a chance.
Which he realized how bad it sounded only after he blurted it out. Angry with himself for even feeding into their teasing at all.
"Made you feel sorry for her is what she did."
Arnold flopped back in the booth with a dramatic sigh, "Can we talk about the band now? The whole reason we're here?"
"Yeah, no way I'm touching Pataki with a ten foot pole." Sid shivered at the notion.
"Now fellers, Helga had her own way o' showin' things. Dun't mean it's wrong." Stinky said he didn't seem to like where the conversation was going either.
"Thanks, Stinky. Are we done talking about this now?" Arnold sighed with relief and waved his hand about.
"Fine, fine, he doesn't have any juicy details anyway." Sid reached across to jostle his blonde friend and earn a glare from said friend.
"One more thing," Harold pointed with his spoon, "You're going to be an old man one day and wake up one day in bed with Helga wondering if she was the right chick because you were worried about someone else's fweelings."
Arnold stiffened at the notion. He knew he could be impressionable sometimes just as much as anyone else, but it made him question himself a little.
Am I dating Helga because she confessed to me? Because she did those charitable things? It's true I never thought of her that way until she confessed first...
The boys started talking about the band. Their conversation became a footnote in his troubled thoughts.
A violently strong emotion overtook those thoughts, No, I'm with Helga because I love her...and that's final.
Peer pressure is a bitch amiright?
I don't know how ya'll school was, but when I was in high school it was very common for people to gossip about what others were doing with each other. And they definitely had issues with people who were virgins female and male alike. It was weird to me because I managed to stay a virgin til 24 no shame! So any teen readers don't feel the pressure to conform. You're not a weirdo if you don't do it within a set time frame. :)