Chapter Four: Get Around

A/N:: Thanks for reading. I thought of a better synopsis of this story: After 10 years, new sparks appear between Helga and Arnold. They fall for each other..but one problem: Arnold's Getting Married.

After the game, Arnold drove Helga to his house. Only because she was so curious about it. His house was big and just outside of the city. There was a beautiful garden full of petunias and roses. It was like an artist had painted this scenery on a canvas.

"This is amazing, Arnold." Helga awed.

"Wait until you see the inside." Arnold opened the door.

There was a big staircase facing the door. And beyond the staircase was the living room, and family room with an enormous kitchen any mother would love. The floor was marble..the furniture all matched and there were paintings on the wall.

"This is like a dream!" Helga exclaimed. "I would love living in this house."

"Yeah. Lila enjoys it." Arnold took off his jacket and put it on the coat rack. "There are six rooms. Three baths. A living room, dining room, kitchen, family room…"

"Amazing…"

"And a library and study…"

"Wonderful…"

Arnold smiled. "Sure beats living in that old boarding house."

"This beats everything. Even my stupid apartment."

"I think you should go for that job, Helga."

"Job? What job?"

"That magazine position. You would do well writing articles about love and such."

"You really think so, Football head?" Helga joked.

"I really think so." He said softly, looking in her eyes.

Suddenly the telephone rang. "Be right back," Arnold said, rushing to the phone.

Helga nodded and sat down on the white leather sofa.

"Yes dear," she heard Arnold say. "White? Pink? Okay…yes, I'm writing this all down. Marcus Longo? Okay then. Sure…uh-huh. I got it. Yes! Bye…Love you too."

He hung up.

"What was that all about?" Helga asked.

"It was Lila…she said that she wants me to start planning the wedding."

"By yourself?!"

"Not entirely. She says once she gets back she wants to see everything is okay and then get married as soon as possible."

"Strange girl, isn't she?"

"Yes…but I love her. She said she wanted white and pink flowers. Get Marcus Longo as a wedding coordinator. He got the whole thing set up. All I have to do is get out my credit card and sign, sign, sign."

"Oh, fun." Helga chuckled. She looked at the big clock on the wall. It struck ten o' clock.  "Oh my gosh. It's time for me to go…"

"Let me drive you to your place."

"Thanks, Arnold."

They drove back to Helga's place. "Nice big building."

"Yeah. It's really safe. Beautiful inside."

"Hey, Helga?"

"Yeah Arnold?"

"Let's do this again tomorrow. Around 9. Starbucks. Is that okay with you?"

Helga didn't know what to say. "Well, um. Okay, sure."

"Great. And, Helga…"

"Yeah?"

"I think you should call back for that job in Venus. Really."

"Okay."

"Seriously." Arnold said strictly.

"Okay! Okay…Don't have a cow." She smiled. "Good night, Football head."

"'night."

She closed the door and walked into the building. Watching him drive away. Once again, he drove away from her life.

Helga remembered it very well. The day he said he didn't love her. The day they broke up. After two years…She had thought it was love. It really was…He loved her for who she was. Not what she looked like.

***

"Helga. You know that once we go to college we won't be able to see each other," Arnold said softly.

"But that won't matter, Arnold. We would still keep in touch by phone…and mail. We could see each other once a month…"

Arnold put up his hand in front of her face. "Please, don't Helga. I want to make this as painless as possible."

Helga drew in a steady breath.

"You are terrific. We've had a great time with each other. I love you. And I hope you know that."

"I love you too, Arnold…"

"But, Helga. We can't. Just can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't live my life after this knowing you love me and I love you and not see you. It can't work out that way."

"We can make it work out, Arnold…"

"No we can't. I don't want it to. I want you to be able to live. Not be attached to me. I'm sorry, Helga. But it's over."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Arnold mumbled. "I can't see you anymore."

"Even after all this 'I love you' stuff, you don't want to be with me? After two years?" Helga complained. "Am I not good enough Arnold?" Tears dwelled in her eyes.
"No, Helga…It's not like that."

"Was I just something for you to mess around with?" Helga cried. "Did we mean nothing?"

"Of course not, Helga. This is just something I have to do."

"HAVE to? You didn't HAVE to break up with me, Arnold…No one forced you." Helga sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Please stop crying, Helga. This is the best for both of us."

"No it's not Arnold…" Helga looked around. "Sorry, I can't stay here with you. I have to get out." She opened the door of his beat up old car and slammed the door and just stood there in the parkinglot, biting her finger.

Arnold rolled down the window. "Get back in Helga. I still have to take you home."

"I'm not getting back in there with you."

"Then how are you getting back?"

"I'm gonna walk."

"Walk? Are you crazy?"

"Yes. Just go, Arnold."

Arnold sighed. "Suit yourself." He drove away.

Helga ended up walking home.

Then a week later, she saw him kissing Lila. How she wanted to kill her.

***

Once Helga got into her place, she decided to Mr. Mercer. He always stayed up until midnight anyway. She wouldn't be bothering him.

"Hey, Mr. M?" She asked eagerly.

"Hey Helga. What's up?"

"Well, I thought about the job offer. And I would like to go for an interview."

"Great. Great. I'll set up some time. I'll call you when it's all set, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay. I'm glad you decided to take it."

"Yeah…"

"Bye." He hung up.

Helga walked into the Starbucks just as casually as can be with her hair up in a ponytail and several bracelets on her wrist. She was wearing purple. Again.

She was surprised to see Arnold already there waiting for her. Sitting calmly on a chair, flipping through some big book, sipping his coffee. And as usual he was wearing his sophisticated suit.

"Hey Arnold…" Helga said, walking towards him. "What's that you're flipping through?"

"A list of things that Marcus Logo," he said patronizingly. "Chose for the wedding."

Helga sat down and watched him flip through the pages angrily. "I see you don't like these ideas?"

"It's not that. It's just that…they're so…okay. Yeah I don't like some of these. He has every little detail planned out! It's like it's not even my wedding anymore!" He complained. "I mean look. He even chose out my tux. It's italian. This tux costs more than two of my armani ones combined. It's crazy!"

Helga turned the book to face her. "Well, I guess it's nice and…spiffy."

"And look. The music she'll be walking to. Pachebel Canon in D."

"That's a good song…"

"But still! He even has these reception dances all down too. Look. First dance between husband and wife. Frank Sinatra – Fly Me To The Moon. Bride and Father dance…Have I Told You Lately. And this is just all absurd."

"Wow. He even has the place down."

"Yeah…and with statues in the front. Lila really made him ask for too much. I mean, sure, a nice wedding. But not this BIG and FORMAL!"

"I wouldn't want all this junk. All I would want is a nice little wedding in a small chapel. Just close friends and family. Then a small reception at someone's house. You know?"

Arnold looked at her and smiled. "That's how I imagined mine to be too."

Helga blushed slightly. "So how long do you think you two will be married for?"

"I don't know. Hopefully for a long time."

"Want kids?"

"She's always said that she didn't want kids." He deeply sighed. "But I've wanted them. You know. Because I never really had any parents…I wanted to have this joy of raising my children."

"I see. Well, just adopt some then."

"Not the same," he said.

"Well…um…" Suddenly Helga's cell phone rang. "Hold on…" She took it out of her purse and pressed a red button. "Hello? Yes sir. Right now?! Well, okay then. Sure. Yup. Yeah. I will. It's where? Oh okay. Great. Thanks. Bye."

"What was that all about?"

"I got the interview for Venus magazine. It's in an hour!" Helga exclaimed.

"Do you need anything for it?"

"No. Mr. Mercer said that all I need is a good attitude. And you'll never guess where the main headquarters are."

"In my office building."

"How'd you know?"

"Because. They're in level 10. I'll drive you there. I gotta get to work anyway."

"Great."

They rushed out of Starbucks and into Arnold's Mercedez. In a flash, they got to the big office building. "Thanks a lot Arnold." Helga said as they departed in the elevator.

"Tell me how it goes, okay?" Arnold said, waving good-bye.

"Sure thing." She walked into the 10th floor.

A/N ::: PLEEAaAAsSSEEE R/R!! Thanks…