Chapter Five: Love…Or Something Like It

"Arnold, no…please don't go. I love you, Arnold. Please…" Helga wept in her sleep.

Suddenly she awoke with a cold sweat streaming down her face.

She and Arnold have been spending too much time together. For the last week, they've been becoming closer and closer. So close that she was having dreams about him again. This couldn't be happening. After all, he IS getting married. To…the girl of his dreams. Or so he said.

Helga couldn't go back to sleep. It was stupid to try. So she did the only thing she could think of doing. She got up and went to her computer. Typing her first article for Venus (as a test).

Love…Or Something Like It

By Helga G. Pataki

Here are the facts, ladies. I have been hired to tell you about how it is. How love is. Through poems…personal experiences, you know. The usual things. But I have only one thing to say about all this "love". It is nothing but imagination. At least, for me it is.

My story is that I was an average girl. Stupid blonde hair always in one hair style…always wearing the same kinds of clothes and I had a unibrow. I would always boss people around, making me feel better than I felt about myself. Sound familiar? Like the movies, right? Well, it gets better!

In High School, my true love, or shall I say…the guy I have had my eyes on (and loved truly) since Kindergarden! Finally asks me out on a date. Why? I don't know. As you read of my description above, it's really amazing. I, personally, was shocked. Should I have taken that chance with him? Or not? Was he going to play me? Or really love me for who I am…and not how I look. Dumbly, I accepted his offer. I thought I had it made.

He was one of the popular ones at school. He was considerate, charming and uniquely himself. Just like a prince. We went out for a little over two years. Had he really fallen for me? The way I've fallen for him? So madly in love?! I would think so after he'd given me his Varsity jacket, and told me that he loved me only about a million times each day! He really did treat me like a queen. But then sometime in our Senior year, he dumped me. I cried and cried. For days. He had dumped me for someone else, I guess. He claimed that it was because we would be off to different colleges, and it would be hard for him to not see me. It was a really good reason – until I see him making out with my least favorite person.

She was the girl he dated BEFORE me…and AFTER me. And at our High School reunion (just a week or so ago), I find out that they're engaged. Very big coincidence, isn't it? Then he tries to mend things up with me…probably because I've changed. I'm not the little girl I was before. In fact, I don't cry over boys…they cry over me. No more unibrow, no more old me. I was new, freshened, and alive.

I'm either reluctant or happy to say that we are getting closer. Much closer…and his wedding is approaching. Did I mention that I'm invited to that wedding? Well, I am. And I hate to say this, but, I think I'm falling for him all over again.

Isn't this love stuff crazy?

It is…and I don't think anyone will ever understand it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to let myself fall too deeply and get into trouble. His fiancee is due back from London (business trip) in a few more days. This will be my journal. I will keep track of my knowings…until next time, this is Helga G. Pataki saying: Think before you act.

True, it wasn't very long…but she just wanted to get the point across, and before she knew it, she was asleep on the keyboard. When she woke up at around 7, she found that her screen was filled with lianflkanelghaoelgh;h308y3ojn354357gdaglidhalkng and you know, stuff like that. Then she realized that it was the deadline for her and her article (in about an hour). Quickly, she erased all the crap and printed it out.

She brushed her teeth, got dressed, did her eyeshadow and lipstick all in a record time of 7 minutes and rushed out the building and whistled for a cab.

Then off she went to the office building.

She ran into the elevator and went to floor 10. When the elevator doors opened, she dashed into the Editor's office and handed him the paper. "Here, Mr. Parks. This is my article."

Mr. Parks adjusted his glasses and looked at the paper. "Hmm…" he mumbled. "MhMm.."

Helga just stood there with her arms crossed. "What do you think?"

"This is good. Just what we need in this magazine. A little opinion." He got up and shook her hand. "Welcome to the team, Helga. I expect you here every day at eight thirty…you'll be doing paper work, revising a few things, attending board meetings and you'll be able to leave at five."

"Great…"

"You'll have your own computer, own desk, and phone. And cubicle."

"Sounds good to me."

"In fact, you can start now…" he glanced at the clock on the wall. "You'll be having lunch breaks from 12 to 1:30. Okay?"

"Okay, Boss." Helga smiled. "What do I do now?"

"You can start by reading through these," he handed her a stack of papers. "They tell you everything about what the computers have…where to save your files…etc…"

"Oh. Okay." Helga mumbled.

"By tomorrow you'll be working like a hound." He winked. "Good job, Helga." He pressed a button on his desk. "Mindy, come in here."

In an instant, a short brunette girl walked in. "Yes?"

"Please show Ms. Pataki here to her new desk."

"Yes sir." She turned to Helga. "Come this way, please, Ms. Pataki."

Helga was greeted by many people when she got to her cubicle. She sighed as a blonde man handed her a cup of coffee that had the name "Monica" crossed out with a Sharpie and the "Helga" scribbled on it.

"Care for coffee?" He asked generously. "Mindy just gave this cup to me. To give to you."

"Sure…why not?" Helga took it and sipped some strong coffee. "Thanks."

"By the way, my name's Henry." He put out his hand.

Helga shook his rough hand. "My name's Helga."

"I know," he smiled. "So, are you married?"

Helga widened her eyes. "Excuse me?" She pressed her hand against her chest.

"You heard me," he leaned in closer. "Are you?"

Helga shook her head.

"Dating anyone?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because, Baby, I know we could be perfect for each other…making wonderful…"

Helga gacked. "Please, don't make me throw up on your suit."

Henry straightened up. "Pardon?"

"That must've been the lamest excuse for being LAME I have ever heard." Helga said. Just as Henry opened his mouth, she putout her hand. "Just let me work in peace. Understand? Or do you want me to shove my fist in your nose?"

He backed away and shook his hands. "Heh, Look, I was just kidding…Calm Down!" He walked away.

The girl in the next cubicle rolled over to Helga in her chair and congratulated her.

"Man, I haven't heard anyone stand up to Henry like that. You are one powerful woman." She said.

"Thanks." Helga smiled.

"By the way, my name's Carol." She put out her hand.

"My name's Helga." They shook hands. Helga noticed that she had long silky black hair and had the peachiest skin with a think framed pair of glasses.

Arnold twirled around in his big arm chair. He was bored. He had to wait for one of his employees to finish their work. Then he would review it. Make a conference set up with the company. Then do this and do that. Endless amount of work.

Arnold looked at his bookcase. So old and untouched. Filled with memories he didn't want to keep at home. Who knows. Lila could've misplaced them somewhere.

He got out of his chair, took off his sunglasses and scanned his bookcase. There were yearbooks, High School reading books, College books. Then a special box. Really dusty. He took it out of the shelf and blew on the top of it.

Suddenly he had a flash back…

***

"Okay, Arnold," said Helga giggly. "Open it."

"Aw, Helga. You didn't have to buy me anything for Valentine's Day. This is when guys are supposed to get girls something."

"I don't care about the rules, Arnold. It's just…open it!" She urged.

Arnold blushed and tore apart the paper to see a brown box with an elaborate flower design and the words "Arnold and Helga" engraved on the top. He opened it. "And this is…?" He said jokingly.

"Oh, c'mon. You know what it is. I know how much you like to keep mementos of the things we do together. So I have this where you can keep them all safe and sound. Oh and a journal. Just in case you want to be a freak like me." She winked.

"You're no freak, Helga." Arnold said gently, wrapping her in his arms. "I love this. Thank you, Helga."

"You're welcome." She grinned. "So, what did you get me?"

Arnold chuckled and handed her a box wrapped in gold paper. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Helga opened the box and cooed. "Oh my…Arnold…this is gorgeous." It held a beautiful golden necklace with a heart pendant.

"Yeah…just to compliment your beautiful face. I saved for two months to get that."

"Wow…"

Arnold slipped the necklace around her neck. "I love you, Helga." He whispered in her ear.

Helga looked at him in disbelief. But softened up. "I, well, I love you too, Arnold." She smiled and grinned widely. It felt good to tell the truth.

"I'll keep this forever, Arnold."

***

Arnold gulped and opened the box. Inside, there were a couple of receipts, and cards, and the journal. Arnold opened his journal. There was a pressed rose in between two pages. He read what he wrote.

My dearest Helga,

I'm deeply sorry…but I must break up with you. It's not that I don't love you – but…I can't bare to live without you in the future years. And I really can't not see you . My love…I've also given thought about being with Lila. Yes, I know…but she's going to the same school as me – and I suppose I still do care about her somewhere in me. I want it to be for sure. Not just a high school fling. Not just a little crush. I want to work hard and make her mine. Maybe if fate allows it, we'll meet again. But once again, I'm sorry I have to do this.
 Love,

Arnold

Arnold shook his head. He never did give Helga the letter. It would've torn her heart. Not like what he told her didn't. But – he had to admit – he was stupid and selfish. There was a receipt for the Olive Garden. He remembers it well. The date they shared their first kiss. He could've sworn that sparks were flying from the tips of their lips. He doesn't remember that happening between him and Lila.

So now he had to ask himself: Why am I marrying Lila?

He couldn't really list anything. He flipped through photos. There was a string of 4 photos they took together at a photo booth. One of them kissing, one of them making pouty faces, one of them making goofy faces, and the last one of them smiling. How she was so joyful. Free. She had her own personality. Character. How he loved the days he sat with her in the park, listening to her read some of her poems.

It suddenly hit him…Could he…Possibly…

"Mr. Arnold?" Someone said, walking into his office.

Arnold snapped out of his zone and jerked his head towards the door. "Hey Mark. You all done with the proposal?"

"Yes sir. Was I interrupting anything?"

"No, no." He closed the box and slipped it back into the slot. "So, got everything ready?"

"Yes. I have the pictures…the slogan. Everything."

"Great, let's go into the conference room." Together, they walked into the conference room with the big panorama TV. Inside, there were some executives sitting in the chairs, just sitting, and chatting. Once Arnold walked in they all greeted him.

Arnold sat at the far end of the table. "Please, Mark. Begin your idea for the approach to the Yahoo! commercial."

Mark was a tall and thin man. Very limber and freckled-faced.

"Well, here are packets of the commercial and the slogans…the usual things." He handed everyone a packet of paper. Filled with statistics, pictures. "If you'll turn to page thirteen, you'll see a graph of what teenagers think is appealing. They like love – lust. Their minds revolve around materialism."

Arnold hmmed.

"So, to get them attracted to Soda, you have to show that it's better than all the others." 

"I see," said Arnold.

"I was thinking of making all these other brands, like Coca Cola, Pepsi…attracted to Yahoo!. But it would be too much. Right?"

Everyone mumbled "yeah..yeah."

"Really it means nothing." He turned over a big card panel and displayed a couple, sitting at a park. The guy looked like he was a quarter back on the football team. Big and macho. "As you can see, this couple is in love."

"Yeah…" Arnold said.

"But then she notices that he's drinking a regular soft drink." He shows another card of the guy drinking a regular drink. "She's offended…it's like she's been hit by a skunk. And then sees another guy with Yahoo!" He turns to another card. "She's attracted to him…he's hunky, cute…and everyone loves him. You know, the suave guy in school.

"So she turns to him." He flips another card. "And goes home with him and HIS drink. Making the football guy, turned into a skinny whimp."

"Nice idea," said Arnold. "Nice visuals."

"Thanks. And after that, he turns around and says 'Yahoo, there ain't nothing to it, but to do it'."

"That's the same old slogan." One of the executives say.

"Well, classic is good. We're bringing it back alive!" Replied Mark.

Arnold rubbed his chin. "I can see your idea. I think it'll appeal to the teenagers out there. But the question is: Will Yahoo! Soda company like it?"

Mark shrugged.

"You have to be sure of yourself, Mark."

"Yes sir."

"Take firm action!" Arnold pounded his fist on the table. "Make firm decisions! You know what firm means? It means to securely hold in place. You've got to securely hold your place in your beliefs! Got it?"

"Got it," he mumbled.

"I can't hear you."

"GOT IT!" He roared.

"Good. I'll be glad to let your show this to Yahoo!."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Definitely. Unless my board members have a problem with it…"

"No, not at all," they said.

"Good. Now I'm going to take my lunch break. Have a nice day, I'll be back in two hours."

He walked out of the room. He walked to the front desk and told Connie to hold all his calls, and that he was going to be at the Deli's. He walked into the elevator and down to the lobby where, coincidentaly, he bumped into Helga.

"Arnold! I'm so glad I bumped into you." Helga exclaimed.

"I'm kinda surprised I would bump into you here. Why are you here?" He asked.

"Because, I got the job! And I'm now officially working here."

"Well, well, well, aren't we the lucky girl?"

Helga smiled. "Sure am. It's like I've got everything made…great place…great job…the only thing that's missing is…" she sighed. "A husband." She looked away.

"Hey, Helga. I'll buy you lunch. At the Deli. Okay?"

Helga exhaled a deep breath. "Okay."

***

Arnold and Helga ate their sandwiches together and drank their soft drinks.

"Helga, do you remember when we had our first date?" Arnold wondered outloud.

Helga immediately answered. "Yes. The picnic…it was…fun." She smiled, taking out a tomato from her sandwich and playing with it with her tongue.

"Until it started raining, you mean?"

"Yeah, that was a little flaw." She giggled. They began talking like they had never been apart.

"What did you do during college?" He asked.

"Just walked around campus a lot. Studied. A little bit. It was great because I didn't have to do much work. Just write poetry." She sighed. "Good ol' days…what about you?"

"I just worked. I was one of those High-Acheivers."

"Mm," she mumbled. "Didn't you used to want to be a doctor or something?"

"Nah, advertisement was what I gained interest in. And Lila was just there for her architecture. But really, when I was with her…all I could think of was -,"

"Arnold!" Lila squealed from behind.

Arnold turned around and forced a smile. "Lila…You're home so early." He got up and hugged her.

"Just by two days. I couldn't help it. I wanted to see how the wedding was planned…and I missed you ever so much."

"How did you know I was going to be here?"

"Oh, Connie told me…" She looked at the table. "Is that who I think it is?"

Helga put her hand over her face.

"Helga?!" She asked astonishingly.

Helga smiled. "Yes, Lila. It's Helga."

"Wow Helga! It's been such an ever long time since we've seen each other!"

"Oh yes…"

Lila walked over to her and bent over to hug her. "You're so pretty!"

"Thanks…and you just haven't changed a bit." Helga grimmaced.

"So why are you and Arnold hanging out around each other?"

"Well, after the High School reuinon, we just got reacquainted and besides, we work in the same building," said Helga.

"Really? That's ever so great!" She turned to Arnold. "Did you invite Helga to the wedding?" She quickly turned to Helga before Arnold could say anything. "Could you please come to our wedding? It's in two weeks. The third Saturday in June. At five o' clock in the Mariott Chapel."

Arnold couldn't believe that the date and place was all set before he even knew about it.

"Um…" she glanced at Arnold, who obviously looked stressed out. "Sure. Is it black tie?"

"Yup. You betcha!" She turned back to Arnold. "Darling, I'm going to be at home, getting my things settled. Oh I'm just ever so excited!" She pecked him on the cheek and ran out.

"Oh boy, she's energetic," marked Helga.

"Yeah…a little energetic soul." He let out his breath. "Sometimes I wonder why I chose her…but then I remember whenever I see the sparkles in her eyes when she's happy." He gave a light chuckle.

"So, you're sure you want to marry her?"

"I guess so," he said, slowly forming a smile.