Fate

Fate

This is a T.A. Medley production

DISLAIMER: I do NOT own 'Hey Arnold' any of it!

Author's Note: This is the sequel to "Beautiful", so I advise you read that one first before reading this.

P.S. I want to thank all of you for giving me such great reviews and I hope you this one as much as you liked the "Beautiful"!

P.S.S.: Do Not forget to review.

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Fate

"Everyone?" asked Helga.

"Everyone," said Phoebe.

"But, I can't, as you can see Bob and Miriam forgot about me again."

"Rhonda's taken care of it," said Phoebe.

"Don't I always? Anyway there's the driver, he'll drop us off at the Pizza Palace, and take your luggage home."

Helga looked over to see the driver standing by the car waiting.

"Well," Helga said, "what are we waiting for?"

As the four beautiful girls walked to the car, they got many looks from passerby's and some comments that were 'hot stuff' and 'cutie'. Apparently, Patty wasn't too fond of their remarks, and ended up chasing a guy down who called her 'young sexy thing'.

In the large black, stretch limo Rhonda provided, Helga and Phoebe opted to sit behind Patty and Rhonda, after all, they had a lot of catching up to do.

"So, does you-know-who have a you-know-what?" asked Helga in such a low whisper that Phoebe had to strain to hear her.

"Negative," replied Phoebe in a tough girl kind of tone. "The only you-know-what he did have was Lila and they broke in seventh grade because Lila suddenly realized that they were 'ever so wrong for each other'."

"Seriously?" asked Helga astoundedly. "Why, I mean how?" she said, trying to keep any note of happiness out of her voice.

"Well, one day she broke up with Arnold. I mean they weren't having any problems, they were as sickeningly in love as usual. However, that's not the weirdest part. The exact day after Lila dumped Arnold she was seen all over Eugene!"

"Eugene? The jinx? Unbelievable," said Helga. "I guess Lila is a 'playa-playa'"

Just as Helga finished her last sentence, they pulled up in front of the restaurant and got out of the car. Rhonda and Patty went in first, then Phoebe proceeded. Helga was just about to follow when she stopped. She looked through the glass door, noticing that everyone had changed.

Lila was now tall, slender, and as beautiful as ever. Eugene still looked the same only instead of being a short nerd, he was a tall one. Stinky and Sid were the same except they like everyone else, were taller but a bit beefier. Gerald, whom Phoebe had sat next to, was indeed very handsome now. He was much taller and was physically built. I remember in her letters Phoebe said they were 'going out' but by the way they were looking at each other, with so much passion in their eyes, it seemed like so much more. Finally her eyes wandered to the person she had been waiting to see for three years, her dearest Arnold.

In her opinion, Arnold overall, had changed the most. He no longer had a football head, no his head was shaped perfectly, his blond hair was cut so that it flopped on to his face, his blue eyes, blue like sapphires lit the whole room. He also no longer had an immature body. No, he was tall and had a muscular physique, so muscular that you could see his washboard-abs protruding through his soft blue cashmere sweater. Looking at how wonderful he looked, how everyone looked, she didn't want to go inside. She wanted to dissapear.

Although Helga was drop dead gorgeous, she had so many insecurities that she couldn't realize what a prize she was.

"No, Helga," she thought aloud, "No fear, you have to go in there."

And with that, she pulled open the door and walked inside. Everyone turned around to look at her.

"Great," she thought, "all eyes on me."

For a minute, she just stood there, and for that minute, everyone started at her. Finally she mustered up enough courage and walked up to the table.

"Hi," she simply stated.

"Hi," they all said in return. Something was wrong, the atmosphere was so full of tension you could cut it with a knife.

"You guys, do you know who you're talking to?" asked Phoebe in remarkably excited tone.

"No," they all said in unison.

Helga was in shock. Had it really been that long? Did she really look that different?

"Guys, it's me. You know, Helga?"

"Helga?" said Stinky. "Helga Pataki? Why look prettier than a sweet potato pie fresh from the oven."

"Uh- Thanks, Stinky."

"Sit down," said Sid as he and Stinky scooted over so she could sit.

"Thank you," she said as she sat down.

"Oh Helga," said Lila, "you look ever so pretty."

"Thank you. So do you," Helga said, "In fact you all look great."

"Wow! You actually said something nice!" Gerald exclaimed right before Phoebe punched him, and everyone laughed.

They all ate pizza and asked Helga what school she went to and what it was like. They all seemed very interested on what she had to say and they had alot of questions. One questioned in particular was very important to a few. It was a question regarding Helga's love life, which was asked by Rhonda. After she asked the question, it seemed as though every guy there looked up and awaited her answer. 'No' she said after a torturous wait.

The night so far was great. Except one thing bothered her. Arnold hadn't said a thing, or looked at her for that matter. And Phoebe and Gerald both kept nudging him because they saw it too. By ten o'clock, Helga realized that she hadn't even unpacked and she decided to go home. So, did everyone else. Once out the door they all parted their separate ways. Only Helga, Phoebe, Arnold, and Gerald remained. They all lived in the same direction, so they walked together. Gerald and Phoebe were in front walking hand in hand, and Helga and Arnold were behind, walking in and uncomfortable silence. Phoebe's house was the first stop, and Helga and Arnold had to wait for Gerald to walk her to her doorstep and kiss her goodnight. Then they dropped off Gerald. About five minutes before they reached Arnold's house they finally spoke.

"Uh, maybe I should walk you to your house Helga. I mean it isn't safe for you to be walking out here by yourself."

"I don't want you to have to go out of your way."

"You sound like Lila. Like all sweet and stuff. I like that Helga."

Helga was speechless did Arnold actually compliment her?

"You like it cause it's nice or cause it reminds you of Lila?"

"A little of both maybe," Arnold responded.

"Thank you then, for both things. And I would love it if you walked me home."

Again they walked in silence, until they reached her front door.

"Thank you for walking me home."

"It was no problem."

Helga pulled out a key, opened the door, and with a wave disappeared into the place she once called home.

Once Arnold got home, he went straight up to his room and thought about tonight's events.

"She is so beautiful," he thought. " So sweet and thoughtful. So – perfect."

Arnold, never in his wildest dreams thought he would feel this way about Helga. Lila maybe, but never Helga Pataki. Although at the Pizza Palace he didn't say a word, he took a lot in. When he would glance at her, he watched the way she would cut her pizza and take small bites. She ate so properly. When she talked, he noticed the sweet sound that came from her throat. Her soft voice and low tone. It was like music to his ears. He watched the way that she walked, how she glided and softly swayed her hips with each step she took. The way she brushed her soft, blond hair behind her ear. The way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, the way that she smiled. A smile so bright, that she could light up the universe with one smirk. He watched everything about her.

In truth, it wasn't that the city was a dangerous place to walk home in, and she only lived three houses away from him. He wanted to walk her home to protect her; he wanted to be the one that made her feel safe, who made her feel secure.

Arnold was never too fond of Helga before, but now, now, he liked her very much. And in his thoughts he fell asleep thinking of Helga, of her beauty of her perfection. It was fate. Fate that brought her back to this place, back to him. And with those final thoughts, he let the tendrils of sleep claim him, not knowing the joy that the morning would bring.

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So what do you think? Please review.

By the way stayed tuned for my next installment:

"Sweet Kisses"

the sequel to "Fate" coming soon. Thanx-

-Tiff