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Let My Love Open the Door

Chapter 1...New Year, Old Friends

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Arnold, now a young man of 17 that stood a got size of 6'0 with sky blue eyes, and short wavy blonde hair was walking down the halls of Nathan Hale High School with his friend since he could remember, Gerald, who had to cut his hair because it was too big to fit in the football helmet, but still had those light brown eyes, and suave look about him.

"Can you believe it man," Gerald said. "Our last year here until we go out into the world and make lives for ourselves." Arnold nodded, and smiled.

"I know. It's still hard to believe," he said. "It seems like these fast few years flew right by."

"Man, and I thought that it seemed to go slow for you," Gerald said. Arnold gave him a quizzical look.

"Why's that?" he asked. Gerald put an arm on his shoulder and sighed.

"Because you've been going out with that 'ever so annoying' Lila for the past 3 years..." Gerald said, and Arnold groaned.

"Ugh, don't remind me." Arnold complained. Gerald burst out laughing.

"I still think it's funnier then fuck that she broke up with you to got out with HAROLD."

"Guess I wasn't 'bad' enough for her," Arnold shrugged. "Or so she said." and he winked.

Gerald gave out a long groan. "I told you, man, I don't want you hear about yours and Lila's 'sexual encounters." Arnold shuttered.

"I wouldn't either. I can't believe I gave it up to her," Arnold said rolling his eyes. "Why did you let me stay with her? What kind of friend are you!"

"I'm the kind that likes to watch their friends make asses of themselves." Gerald replied coolly.

"Well, come on 'oh-so-great' friend, were gonna be late for LA, and you know that Mrs. Carver doesn't like it when people are late for the first day of school." Arnold said.

"Oh, yes." Gerald said, thinking back to last fall when him and Arnold were late. He then began to chuckle. Arnold shook his head, and him and Gerald bolted down the hall to room 119.

When Arnold and Gerald reached the room, they saw a lot of familiar faces. Sid, Stinky, Rhonda, Lila, and Phoebe were there.

Phoebe changed quite a bit. Yes, she still was the smartest girl in school, but she started to where contact's, and now her hazel eyes weren't hidden behind a pair of glasses. She also let her hair grow down just past her shoulders, and usually kept to hair clips on either side of her head. She didn't wear a lot of make-up, just a few touches here and there, and she also stood a good height of 5'7.

Rhonda was still the most popular girl in school. With her dark tan complexion, long dark brown hair, dark mysterious eyes, and a wardrobe fit for a queen. It was no wonder she was one of the most popular girls in the school, and the most gossipy one. How did you think Arnold found out that Lila wanted to break-up with him?

Sid was no longer short, but actually quite tall. 6'3 to be exact. Still keeping his hair hidden under a baseball cap, no one could actually see if his hair changed at all. The only thing besides him sprouting up was that he started to wear glasses.

Stinky seemed to stay the same height. But, he wasn't lanky anymore, but quite muscular, and attractive. He grew out his light brown hair, and usually keep it in a ponytail. Besides Arnold, Gerald, and another senior boy named Sebastine, he was one of the most sought after guys in the school.

Harold actually became cute. He stopped eating every 5 minutes, and took some time to work out. He also managed to grow some dark brown hair. He is also known throughout the whole school as "Dallas" because he reminded everyone of Dallas from 'The Outsiders", with the rebel image.

And Lila, she eventually took out her two red braids, and kept in down. It was came down to her mid-back in a wavy manner, which she usually flipped when she was flirting. Her wide dark green eyes gave her that innocent look that everyone thought she possessed. She was also head cheerleader, and Rhonda's second since Nadine started to do running start at University of Washington.

"Hey Arnold," Gerald said, breaking him out of his trance. "You okay, man?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm fine." Arnold said.

"Okay, well I'm gonna go sit next to Phoebe. I think she wants to talk about what movie she wants to see tonight." Arnold nodded.

"Okay, I talk to you after class." Arnold said, and him and Gerald did their "secret handshake." then went to sit next to Phoebe, and Arnold went to sit next to Stinky.

After a few minutes of talking, Mrs. Victoria Carver walked in carrying the latest book she was reading. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but her medium length wavy blonde hair framed her friendly looking face.

"Good morning class," she said out loud.

"Good morning Mrs. Carver." they all replied.

"I hope you all enjoyed your summer," she said. "And read some wonderful books. God knows that there is a lot of them out there." she said, receiving a few chuckles from the students.

"Okay, well you can talk amongst yourselves while I get organized." she said, walking around to her desk and sitting down in the chair.

Everyone began to chat with his or her friends, and no one seemed to notice the class room door open and close.

"Oh, yes of course." Arnold heard Mrs. Carver say.

"Class, can I have your attention for a moment." she said, standing up from her seat. Everyone turned their attention to the front of the class and saw the back of a tall girl, about 5'6. With straight to wavy blonde hair that came down to her shoulders. She had a very nice figure, with light bronze tan legs that came out from under her short yellow dress that was covered by a small pink sweater.

"We have a new student," she said with a smile. "Well turn around dear." and the girl did, and that's when Arnold was stuck by cupid's dart.

This girl was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She had soft milk chocolate brown eyes that was surrounded by dark full eyelashes. She wore only a little eye make-up, mascara, black eye liner on her lower and upper lids, and pinkish eye shadows. She had a very beautiful and kind smile that showed her perfect straight white teeth. She was wearing pink lipstick with a gloss. Arnold also saw that her pink sweater was only button at the middle, and could see that the top of the dress ended at just the peak of her breast, revealing some cleavage. That's when he saw a somewhat medium sized golden locket around her neck...it looked so familiar. He then looked back up at her eyes that were wandering around the room, and saw something familiar in them as well, but what was it?

"Tell the class your name dear." Mrs. Carver said. The girl smiled again.

"My name is Helga Pataki."

Oh, that was what was so familiar.

This girl wasn't Helga. This girl was an Angel on Earth. She held herself so sophistically, and had a look on her face that would knock any guy out of his socks. This couldn't be the same Helga Pataki that used to push him around and call him 'football head'...but then again, this girl-no, woman might be the Helga Pataki that showed some emotions on certain occasions, and that gave him her pink bow and kissed him on the cheek just before her father drove her out of his life.

"Tell us where you are from, dear." Mrs. Carver said. Helga looked down and raised her eyes, then looked back up at the class.

"Well, I was from here awhile go, until I had to move to Louisiana because of my father's business." Helga said, adjusting her bag nervously.

"Well, that sounds very interesting. Would you please take a seat while I finish getting ready for class." Mrs. Carver said. Helga bowed her head a little ways, then looked around the classroom.

Arnold quickly looked next to him, and silently thanked god that the seat next to him was unoccupied.

Helga started walking towards the seat and saw Phoebe waving franticly at her. Helga smiled, and waved just excitedly back. She then stopped at the desk next to Arnold's. The two looked at each other for a moment.

"Is this seat taken, Arnold?" she asked. Arnold shook his head and managed to choke out:

"N-no." Helga smiled, and casually slid into the desk next to his.

"It's nice to have you back, Helga." Arnold said. Helga turned to face him and smiled.

"It's nice to be back, football head." she teased.

At the end of first period, it was about 9:00. Helga got up from out of her chair and headed towards the door.

"Helga!" Arnold said, catching up to her.

"Yeah?" Helga said.

"Do you want to eat lunch with me?" he asked, Helga gave him a quizzical look.

"And, err, Phoebe and Gerald. There dating now," he said. Helga looked behind Arnold and saw that Gerald was kissing the spot behind her ear, making a giggling sound emit from her mouth.

"I can see that," Helga said, looking back at Arnold. "Sure, I'd love too."

Arnold smiled big and wide. "Great, um, lunch is at 11:05, sooo...what class do you have next?" Arnold asked.

Helga opened her purse bag, and got out her schedule.

"I've got Journalism next," she said. "Then I've got World History, Math, Washington State History and Swimming."

"Okay, well just meet me-I mean, us by the pop machines and candy dispensers at lunch." Arnold said.

"You've got it," Helga said, smiling and giving him a playful punch on the arm. Helga walked off to Journalism while Arnold walked off too Art & Design with Phoebe. Gerald was taking CISCO Networking III.

At lunch, Arnold, Phoebe, and Gerald walked into the lunchroom, and immediately began searching out for Helga. They also noticed that there was a huge crowd around the pop machines.

"I guess a lot of people are thirsty today." Phoebe said. Arnold seemed oblivious to what she said.

"Maybe she hasn't gotten out of class yet," Arnold said, looking down the hallway that led out of the lunchroom.

Suddenly, there was little clearing by the pop machines and Gerald saw that it getting an ice-cold beverage wasn't the reason for the huge crowd.

"Or," Gerald said putting a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Maybe she's surrounded by a bunch of guys by the soda's."

Arnold's eyes quickly shot over to the sodas, and where Helga was supposed to meet them. He felt a sudden rush of anger and fire run throughout his body, but then suddenly vanished when Helga spotted them and told her 'new friends' goodbye. He smiled as he watched her sprint towards them, her short golden blonde hair bouncing behind her.

She came up to them and smiled.

"Phoebe!" she said, pulling her old friend into a hug.

"Oh Helga! I thought I'd never see you again!" her friend cried back. They soon parted and looked intently at each other.

"You've changed so much!" they said at the same time, and laughed. Helga then turned her attention to Gerald.

"So," she said reaching up to tap his head. "I guess I'll have to call you short hair boy now." Gerald rolled his eyes and smiled.

"It's nice to see you too, Pataki." he said. Helga suck out her bottom lip.

"Come on, Gerald, you can call me Helga." she said with a smile. Gerald tilted his head a bit, and raised an eyebrow.

"You sure you won't pound me?" he asked. Helga laughed and shook her head.

"I'm sure I've grown past that stage," she said and Gerald nodded. "Well, lets go eat! I'm starving!"

After they got their trays, they got in line and got their pizzas, salads, and drinks (Phoebe got milk, Arnold and Helga got Pepsi's and Gerald got a Mountain Dew). They got a table.

Arnold quickly set his food down, and before Helga could sit down, Arnold pulled out her chair for her. Once she sat down she looked up at him.

"Thanks Arnold," she said with a smile. Arnold just smiled back and sat down next to her.

"So Helga, when did you move back?" Phoebe asked. Helga took a bit out of her pizza and looked at her friend.

"Actually, I got in last night." she said.

"What about your parents?"

"There still in Louisiana. I'm living here with my sister,"

"But I thought that your sister was married?"

"They got divorced, and I just couldn't handle my parents anymore. So, Olga invited, needing some companionship me to live with her."

"So you and your sister are getting along better now?" Arnold asked. Helga looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, for quite some time actually," she said. "I don't even know how it happened."

"Well I'm for one glad it happened," Arnold said quietly. Helga smiled and put her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her folded hand.

"And why's that Arnold?" she asked. Arnold blushed and looked deep into her chocolate orbs.

"Because your back."

A/N: Hoped you liked this chapter. I should have the next one out by next Tuesday. – Christine D.