1999
DISCOVERY
Part Eight: The Big Moment
(This fic is written entirely from Arnold's point of view. I really tried to get into his head, even as HE tries to understand Helga.)
Helga was sobbing as if her heart would break. She sounded so desolate, so full of grief and despair that Arnold felt his own eyes prickle with sympathetic tears. Immediately he started to call out to her, to offer her the comforting she obviously needed, but he was stopped by Helga's anguished voice.
"Oh, Arnold, what have I done? (sniff) These hands, with which I long to offer comfort, and love, have struck thee down in a black moment of anger. Oh, I am a curs'ed creature, thoughtless and cruel! "
Arnold's mouth dropped open. If he'd ever had any doubts that Helga regretted her past actions, that simple statement quelled them.
She went on, "I once had hoped thou wouldst eventually see in me a person deserving to be loved and cherished. Now, (sniff) I know that day is not to be. I am not worthy of thy love...I TRIED, my love, so many times to be nice to you, but ALWAYS at the last moment my courage failed and instead I was reduced to petty insults and humiliating pranks."
Arnold was suddenly concious of all those times he'd assumed that Helga was 'pretending' to be nice to him to set him up for some prank.
She continued wistfully, "All I've ever wanted is to be close to you, and now... (sniff, deep breath) I have come to realize that the ONLY way I can give my love to you...is to leave you to Lila's tender mercies."
Helga was quiet for a few moments. Then, just as Arnold began to speak she cried out in agony, "Oh, Arnold, I might as well tear the heart from my chest! I don't think I could bear it again--seeing the two of you together. It would be pure TORTURE! ... Ohh, what am I to do?" she whimpered brokenly, sounding on the verge of tears again.
Arnold swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in his throat. He realized his eyes were prickling again as he listened to one of the most beautiful speeches he'd ever heard coming from the mouth of his classmate.
She really means it. She loves me. She actually loves me. he thought in wonder. He looked down at the locket he held. Phoebe's words came back to him. "...Her torment is far worse..."
Arnold felt a warm surge of empathy go through him for this passionate, lonely, suffering girl. He cleared his throat. "Uh, Helga? It's me, Arnold. Can we talk?" he said lamely.
He heard a loud gasp. "Arnold?!" She sounded shocked. "Go away!"
There was an awkward silence.
"Helga, I'm not going anywhere. We need to talk." Arnold said in his most determined voice. Does she know I heard her ?he wondered.
"Look, I'm sorry I hit you, okay? I didn't mean to." She sounded half apologetic, half annoyed.
I'd almost forgotten. Arnold rubbed the sore spot. "I know. It was an accident." he replied soothingly.
She didn't answer.
"Come on, Helga, we really need to talk."
"Please?"
Finally she climbed slowly out and stood before him. She was scowling as usual, the only evidence that she'd been crying recently in the slight redness of her eyes and nose. She refused to meet his gaze, staring instead at the ground.
"Helga, I--well, that is, I uh--" he stalled out. Clearing his throat, he thought, What should I say? Oh, by the way, I know all about your deepest secret--?"
As Arnold hesitated uncomfortably, Helga grew impatient and finally said, "Well, spit it out, Football Head. I haven't got all day!"
Suddenly Arnold couldn't help smiling at her. She was pretending to be tough once again, to hide her real feelings. But this time I know better.
Helga looked a little puzzled at his smile.
Just then, Arnold realized he was still holding the locket. Watching her closely with that 'solemn' look of his, he held it out to her and said quietly, "I guess ... this is yours."
Helga didn't move. Her face went completely blank.
Arnold realized his heart was pounding like crazy. His hands were ice-cold, and yet were sweating. If she took it, she'd be admitting to everything.
If she didn't...
DISCOVERY
Part Eight: The Big Moment
(This fic is written entirely from Arnold's point of view. I really tried to get into his head, even as HE tries to understand Helga.)
Helga was sobbing as if her heart would break. She sounded so desolate, so full of grief and despair that Arnold felt his own eyes prickle with sympathetic tears. Immediately he started to call out to her, to offer her the comforting she obviously needed, but he was stopped by Helga's anguished voice.
"Oh, Arnold, what have I done? (sniff) These hands, with which I long to offer comfort, and love, have struck thee down in a black moment of anger. Oh, I am a curs'ed creature, thoughtless and cruel! "
Arnold's mouth dropped open. If he'd ever had any doubts that Helga regretted her past actions, that simple statement quelled them.
She went on, "I once had hoped thou wouldst eventually see in me a person deserving to be loved and cherished. Now, (sniff) I know that day is not to be. I am not worthy of thy love...I TRIED, my love, so many times to be nice to you, but ALWAYS at the last moment my courage failed and instead I was reduced to petty insults and humiliating pranks."
Arnold was suddenly concious of all those times he'd assumed that Helga was 'pretending' to be nice to him to set him up for some prank.
She continued wistfully, "All I've ever wanted is to be close to you, and now... (sniff, deep breath) I have come to realize that the ONLY way I can give my love to you...is to leave you to Lila's tender mercies."
Helga was quiet for a few moments. Then, just as Arnold began to speak she cried out in agony, "Oh, Arnold, I might as well tear the heart from my chest! I don't think I could bear it again--seeing the two of you together. It would be pure TORTURE! ... Ohh, what am I to do?" she whimpered brokenly, sounding on the verge of tears again.
Arnold swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in his throat. He realized his eyes were prickling again as he listened to one of the most beautiful speeches he'd ever heard coming from the mouth of his classmate.
She really means it. She loves me. She actually loves me. he thought in wonder. He looked down at the locket he held. Phoebe's words came back to him. "...Her torment is far worse..."
Arnold felt a warm surge of empathy go through him for this passionate, lonely, suffering girl. He cleared his throat. "Uh, Helga? It's me, Arnold. Can we talk?" he said lamely.
He heard a loud gasp. "Arnold?!" She sounded shocked. "Go away!"
There was an awkward silence.
"Helga, I'm not going anywhere. We need to talk." Arnold said in his most determined voice. Does she know I heard her ?he wondered.
"Look, I'm sorry I hit you, okay? I didn't mean to." She sounded half apologetic, half annoyed.
I'd almost forgotten. Arnold rubbed the sore spot. "I know. It was an accident." he replied soothingly.
She didn't answer.
"Come on, Helga, we really need to talk."
"Please?"
Finally she climbed slowly out and stood before him. She was scowling as usual, the only evidence that she'd been crying recently in the slight redness of her eyes and nose. She refused to meet his gaze, staring instead at the ground.
"Helga, I--well, that is, I uh--" he stalled out. Clearing his throat, he thought, What should I say? Oh, by the way, I know all about your deepest secret--?"
As Arnold hesitated uncomfortably, Helga grew impatient and finally said, "Well, spit it out, Football Head. I haven't got all day!"
Suddenly Arnold couldn't help smiling at her. She was pretending to be tough once again, to hide her real feelings. But this time I know better.
Helga looked a little puzzled at his smile.
Just then, Arnold realized he was still holding the locket. Watching her closely with that 'solemn' look of his, he held it out to her and said quietly, "I guess ... this is yours."
Helga didn't move. Her face went completely blank.
Arnold realized his heart was pounding like crazy. His hands were ice-cold, and yet were sweating. If she took it, she'd be admitting to everything.
If she didn't...