~Arnold's Misfortunate /Or/ Arnold's Lucky Day3~

By: Yama_Neko

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold

Rating: PG-13

Part: 3 of ?

Summary: Lots of angst, flashbacks, and an epiphany.

Distribution: Ask and ye shall receive. Just e-mail me first to let me know.

Author's note: Wow. This is taking me a REALLY long time. First, I'm also writing another story and I've been waiting till school finished to post this one. I have no clue where I'm going with this story. I'm experiencing total writers block. I can't even write a sentence without have to backspace and type slowly. `@__@' Sorry. I really, really hope

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He pulled away slowly from her mouth, shaken by his feelings jumbling up inside of him. From the experience of kissing her, touching her, feeling her touch and kiss him too, and he wondered why he hadn't done it sooner. *Is she feeling what I'm feeling?* He wanted to jump up and down....... but the happy feelings stopped rushing through his body. His blood slowed and he felt a sinking feeling as the realization of what he was feeling sank in. He was in love with Helga Geraldine Patacki!!!

*Oh.... My.... Goodness...!*

*When did this happen? How did this happen? What would she say if I told her? Would she ever believe me? Will she hate me for kissing her, touching her like that? I thought the crush I had would go away, kind of like the one I had on Lila all those years ago. Not that Helga deserves to be grouped with Lila, but still! What am I going to do? I know why I have a crush on Helga, but why do I love her?*

*Flashback(s)*

Helga was standing in the rain when they were three years old. She was soaked and covered with mud. Her pink hair bow was sagging and she looked so lonely to him that he had to do something for her. So he walked over to her and covered her with his umbrella. She looked up at him and her eyes were filled with hurt, he told her how pretty she looked with her bow and she flashed him the most radiant smile that he remembered he always wanted to keep her happy.

When they were in elementary school Helga would always pick on him. He saw her picking on the other students, but she only yelled at them. It was always him she was trying to hurt the most. It seemed that she hated him because maybe he hurt her. He could never remember hurting her, he was always as nice as he could be to her and that just made her even angrier. Phoebe was Helga's best friend, to him it seemed that Helga was softer and kinder around her. He always wondered if he could ever break Helga's walls and get through to her softer side. He knew it was there. Whenever she was kind to him he could always see who she really was.

Though, he knew why she was the way she was. Angry and hard. Her family life sucked! From what Helga told him, her parents hated her and forgot that she even existed! They wanted Helga to be just like her older sister Olga. To get straight A's, make lots of money, go to Harvard, marry a rich man, be more feminine, and most of all, heaven forbid if she didn't, suck up to them. Hell no! Helga had her own mind and her own choices. Sure she would try to get A's and go to Harvard, but she wasn't going to be her parents flunky, or let them turn her into something she doesn't want to be. Arnold knew what it was like not to have any parents. Sure, he had his Grandpa and Grandma, he loved them and they loved him. He wanted to be there for Helga like she was for him during his some of his own hard times and during his crushes with Lila, Ruth, and that mysterious French girl Ceclie. He wanted to be strong like her.

Sometime in high school, Helga changed. He didn't know when or how or why, but she was just different, kinder, quieter. It was like Helga withdrew from everyone. She apologized to all of her peers, especially him. He was going out with Lila at the time. He was floating on cloud nine and he thought he was on top of the world. He couldn't be more wrong. Lila was a player. She had five different guys she was going out with other than him. Arnold and the other guys never knew about each other until they all found out at Ronda's latest party. He dumped Lila and went into a depression. His friends tried to help but he didn't pay attention to them. At that time Helga withdrew from everyone even further. She threw herself into her studies. She didn't spend time the gang anymore. At first Arnold thought it was her family again, but Helga wouldn't tell him anything. The gang tried to help, but she just got angry with them and like Arnold, didn't listen. Arnold had his own problems to deal with and he wasn't there for Helga like he promised himself he would be all those years ago. Then they finally had enough of their depressing lives and on the same night, they went up to the pier and tried to commit suicide. It didn't work because they jumped into each other instead of into the deep water.

When they crawled out of the water, they were surprised to see each other. They talked to each other about their problems, and that night and the day after, they were closer then they ever were. Closer than they both were to their best friends. They told each other all their secrets and hopes and dreams, about their families. Arnold never thought that he could tell anyone about himself, especially Helga. Gerald was his best friend in the whole world, and he only knew so much about Arnold.

After that, they graduated high school and attended that two year study trip in Europe. It was great! They stayed in Paris, France! When the teens weren't studying and attending college, Arnold and Gerald worked at a gym. They were kick boxing instructors. Helga and Phoebe worked at a famous spa. They were masseuses. Both jobs were fun and high paying. The rumors about France were true. Paris is the city of love and Arnold used that to his advantage when he asked Helga on a date. He didn't really understand why, but he was developing a crush on her. They at a semi-fancy restaurant, after that they went on a stroll through a neighboring park. It was wonderful. Helga wore a purple dress that started at the neck and came down five inches above the knees. It had no sleeves and the dress clung to Helga's figure nicely. Arnold wore a tan blazer, blue dress pants, and black shoes. Arnold was no longer small and lanky, but had finally had a growth spurt in high school. He was now six foot one and was slightly built. They went out a few more times, but the first thing on both of their minds was school. Time passed quickly and soon enough it was time to go back to the U.S.

*End Flashback(s)*

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A.N: Ok. Ok. Sorry Lila lovers. I like her too, bit I needed someone to be my pawn. Lol. ^_^ So, the part about Arnold and Helga committing suicide was kinda flaky and the ending may have been rushed, but still, just go with my story.

Thank you! Yama_Neko. ^___^

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