Love me when I'm Gone

Chapter 5:

See my days are cold without you though I'm hurtin' while I'm with you and though my heart can take no more I keep on running back to you.

~Ashanti, Foolish

Helga had been standing in the same spot for about 5 minutes. " Helga…." Chad said.

She jumped slightly and looked at him startled, " Chad you messed up my train of thought."

He shrugged, " What were you thinking about?"

" Oh nothing."

He shrugged again and went back to the dining room.

" What am I going to do? Chad is going to go crazy if he finds out about that date I have with Arnold."

" Oh yeah Helga um… I have to cancel our date for tonight. I met some people and we are going out."

" But…"

" We'll go out tomorrow I promise."

Helga smirked she knew how much his promises were worth.

" This may be my chance…." she ran upstairs to call Arnold.

Later that night as she was getting ready to leave Chad asked, " You're all dressed up. Where are you going?'

" Out."

" Where to?"

" The movies and getting something to eat afterwards."

'With?"

" My aren't we nosy."

He grabbed her arm, " Helga…"

" With a friend. That's all I'm telling you."

She pushed past him to get her purse.

" I thought you were going out too?"

" I am."

" All right then."

A car horn honked outside, " That's my ride. I gotta go. I'll be back around 12:30. I love you."

She kissed his cheek and ran out the door. Arnold smiled as she climbed into his car. " So how are you?" he asked.

" Oh I'm better." She answered touching a cut gently.

" What about your face? You know your cuts?"

" Oh um….They'll leave scars once they heal but they don't hurt anymore."

" Well that's good."

" What movie are we seeing?" Helga asked trying to change the subject.

" Evil twin 16."

" Good grief how many evil twin movies have they made?"

" 16."

" That was a rhetorical question."

" Sorry. How's you're family?"

" Good. Good."

" How's Chad?"

" Oh look there's the theater."

Arnold pulled his car into a parking space. " Helga you didn't answer my question."

" What's this sudden interest in my boyfriend?"

Arnold sighed, " Fine let's go see the movie."

Afterwards as the people filed out of the movie theater Arnold and Helga were walking out with his arm around her.

" So where should we go eat?" Helga asked.

He shrugged, " Let's just drive around and pick a place."

" Sounds good."

So they started driving until Helga pointed to a grill and Bar.

They went inside, sat down, and ordered. Arnold started talking about his life in Chicago. Helga smiled and nodded. She started glancing around the restaurant. Chad was sitting at the bar. She spotted him and he spotted her.

" Arnold I have to go."

" But we just got here."

" I know but I just remembered…My mom needs me. I was supposed to help her with something."

Chad was already walking towards them with an evil look in his eyes.

" Bye Arnold!"

Helga ran out of the restaurant and down the sidewalk. She glanced behind her, " No sign of Chad… yet." She thought, " I'm going to have to barricade myself in my room."

She glance behind her again. She could see Chad weaving in and out of people. She sped up ducking and pushing people out of the way. But no matter how fast. She went Chad still caught with her. He stepped up behind her as she opened the door to her bedroom.

" Who was that?"

" You met Arnold last night."

" No I didn't. You told me you were going out with a friend. You lied to me."

" No I didn't Arnold is a friend. And I don't see where it's any of your business."

He grabbed her wrists and shoved her into the room.

Meanwhile Arnold was pacing the floor of his old bedroom in the Sunset Arms boarding house. " What is going on? Helga just up and left. Maybe I should call her."

He picked up the phone and dialed her number. It rang about 5 times before he hung up.

" I'm going over there."

Helga was curled up in a corner when Arnold knocked on the door.

Chad answered, " What do you want?"

" I'd like to see Helga." he said straining to see inside the house.

" She's asleep right now. And you don't need to wake her," he answered, " But I'll tell her you stopped by."

With those words Chad slammed the door in his face. Arnold stood blinking several times then started walking home. Chad ran back up the stairs to Helga's room. She was stilled curled up in a corner. She looked up at him, " what?"

" That guy stopped by."

" what guy?"

" That Arnold guy."

" He was here?"

" Isn't that what I said? Now listen to me." He dropped to his knees and wrapped his fingers around her throat, " I want you to stay away from him."

"but he's my friend."

" I don't care if he's the pope. Stay away from him or you'll regret it. Am I clear?"

" Crystal."

" Good."

He got up and disappeared down the stairs. After a few minutes Helga heard the door slam. " Chad must have left." she thought getting up.

She looked in the mirror. The two cuts on her face were bleeding once again. Her hand ran across her face and grazed a cut above her eyebrow.

She groaned, " I've got to see Arnold."

She grabbed her sunglasses and ran out the house. She pounded hard the red door. Arnold answered, " Oh hi Helga I was so worried about you."

" Arnold you've got to leave me alone."

" What…"

" You've got to leave me alone."

" But…"

" I mean it Arnold. You've got to stop calling and coming over. Please leave me alone."

" Helga I don't want to stay away from you. I lov…."

" Arnold I'm begging you please."

" Why?"

" You want to know why?"

She snatched off her sunglasses revealing her eyes one of which was swollen shut.

" This is why," she said pointing to her eye, " He nearly killed me because of you."

"Leave him. We'll go to the police right now and press charges."

" I can't do that."

" why?"

" I love him."

" Helga he's going to kill you. Let some body help you"

" Arnold do you really want to help me?"

He nodded.

"Then leave me alone." she whispered then turned and walked out the door.