Love and Colorado

By Arnoldnhelga4eva

Disclaimer: I don't own HA.

Hey, I decided to update sooner than I said. Finally, all my awful classes are over, except English. I'm a little depressed that that class is over. Oh well. I'll have it next year and my senior year I'll take English, creative writing, and Shakespear. Fun!:D I can't wait till I'm a senior! Anyway, I'm sure you just want to read the story. It will get a lot better, I promise. So, enjoy!:D (Oh, and thanks to the person who congratulated me on my practice test score. Thanks!:D)

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Quote of the Chapter:

We love without a reason;

Without a reason we hate.

-Unknown (to me, I don't know)

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Chapter 2: I Want You

'So bright. Go away light.' A very drowsy seventeen-year-old Helga Pataki mumbled.

'C'mon Helga, we have school. Wake up.' Helga mumbled something inaudible as she tried to fall back asleep. Arnold walked over to her and shook her slightly. She swatted him away with her arm and again fell back asleep.

'Helga, we're going to be late again.' He insisted further away from her now. She took her pillow from below her head and chucked it at him. It hit him square in the face and fell to the floor. When he glanced back over at Helga, her head was stuffed underneath her other pillow. He knew there was only one way to wake her up now. Ever since she turned into a teenager, waking her up was truly impossible. He glanced at her for a second. Her blond hair, messy from tossing and turning stuck out from under the pillow. He had an urge to pull it from her, to be able to look at her. Ever since high school hit, he'd had it for her pretty bad. They were juniors now, and they were going to be late if Helga didn't get up, NOW!

Quietly, he walked over to her and started to tickle her foot. She squirmed and let out a scream until she finally bolted straight upright, glaring at him.

'God football head! It's not like we're going to be executed if we're late again! Crimeny!'

'Well, I don't want detention again. C'mon, the bell is going to ring in 45 minutes.' He said walking out of the room. He glanced back at Helga who was once again sleeping soundly on her bed.

'Every day.' He said to himself with a sigh and went to breakfast.

~*~

'Ugh, I can't stand Mrs. Holteiner.' Helga complained to one of her closest friends now, Giny. Helga told her absolutely everything, but Arnold. To Giny, Helga and Arnold were no more than friends were.

'Yeah, she leaves for ten minutes at a time to smoke! What is that teaching teenagers today?' (A/N: This is a real teacher I had! No joke) Helga just shrugged as they rounded the corner. She hit something hard and went flying backwards, her books scattered everywhere. She looked up.

'Arnold!' she cried, 'I-I mean, watch where you're going Arnoldo!' she screamed at him as he got to his feet.

'Sorry Helga.' He held out his hand for her and helped her up.

'Yeah, just see that it doesn't happen again!' she said venomously. He just walked away, but turned his head to stare at her over his shoulder. Helga took no notice of this, but Giny did.

'Helga, I think football boy's got something for ya.' Helga's head shot so it was facing her friend's now.

'W-what did you say?' she inquired. Giny looked scared, as if Helga would pound her at any given moment. Helga had already proven herself with half the school's population of boys.

'Never mind.' Giny quickly said, avoiding the beating. Helga had never even tried to lay a finger on Giny, but she wasn't about to let her now. Giny had always been shy, but outgoing around Helga and Arnold. She knew that Helga and Arnold had a friendlier relationship at home, but Helga let her stupid pride block her way to Arnold's heart. Giny didn't know that though.

'No, really. What did you say?' Helga asked, her eyes imploring that she meant no harm. Giny loosened up as the bell rang, signaling two minutes till class; she needed to be at the other side of the school.

'I think head boy's in love with ya. See ya Helga!' Giny called over her shoulder. Helga stood staring at her best friend, her mouth agape. What had she said? Had she heard her right? She thought Arnold was.in love.with her?

Nah. How could he be? Even after all those years, she still picked on him; made his life a living hell in public. How could he possibly love her?

Then again.

At home, they watched TV together, wrapped in each others arms on cold nights to keep warm, played games together, told each other things they didn't even tell their best friends. Helga had known every crush of his without stalking this time. Except.he hadn't told her anyone new in a few years. She had just assumed that he still liked Bethany--that Britney spears wannabe cheerleader. Her mind was faker than her chest. She had no clue how Arnold could have possibly like Bethany, or was it a cover-up?

She discarded these thoughts from her mind as she went to lunch, sitting at the same table she always did.

The popular table.

But who should call it that? It's just a whole bunch of kids who think they're better than everyone else. I've changed into my worst nightmare, Helga thought as she strode over to her other friends, unaware that Arnold himself was watching from another table with his best friend there, Josh.

'Man, forget about her!' Said the dark-haired, muscular guy. He was the only one Arnold trusted about his crush on Helga. He didn't even talk about it over the phone when he called Gerald. He was too afraid Helga would over hear a conversation.

'No, I can't just forget about her Josh, there's more to it than how pretty she is when her hair is in a braid like that, or when she laughs,' Arnold started growing a goofy smile on his face as he rested his head in his hands watching Helga, 'or the way her eyes light up when she's happy.'

'Arnold!' Josh yelled, making Arnold jump slightly. Arnold looked over at his friend,' I don't want you to get hurt by a girl, otherwise I'd say go for it. Besides, what evidence has she ever shown that she likes you like that?' He asked. Arnold's memory went back to the summer of fourth grade.

'Well, remember when we saved the neighborhood?' Josh nodded, 'well, I left out one little detail.'

~Flashback (A/N: just a few lines, but Arnold is telling the entire roof top scene)

Helga wrung her hands nervously as excuses shot through her head by the millions. He couldn't know, but how she wanted him to.

'Oh! I don't know Arnoldo, I guess maybe I just took pity on you and your stupid friends.' There, that was good.

'Well, why?' he asked. Uh-oh. She needed to think of something fast.

'Because, because I guess maybe I don't hate you as much as I thought okay? I guess maybe I-I even kind of like you a little, h-heck I guess you might even kinda say that I like you a lot.' Now she'd gone too far. In her attempts to tell the truth, too much of it had slipped. Here comes twenty questions.

'You do? You did this for me?' Arnold asked in amazement. Helga almost lost herself, and the words just flew freely from her mouth. She had no control of what she was saying anymore.

'That's right hair boy, I mean Crimeny! What else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble!?'

'Love?'

~End Flashback~

Josh was staring at Arnold intently now. If he had known that, he would have told Arnold to go in for the kill a while ago.

'Well then, what are you waiting for man? Ask her out. Go over and talk to her now.' he started pushing Arnold along.

'But.but, I--' Arnold stammered.

'Don't worry man, you're a smooth talker. You'll do fine. Just ask to talk to her alone for a minute.' He gave Arnold the thumbs up and Arnold smiled in return. As Arnold started for Helga's table, one of the jocks at another table stuck out his leg and Arnold went flying, head first onto the ground. Everyone, but two people in the lunchroom started laughing at Arnold. Josh, and.

Helga turned her head just as he fell, witnessing the entire thing. She gasped and prayed he wouldn't be too hurt. Then she could only hear the laughing and mocking of the other students.

'Watch where you're going loser!'

'Hey, watch where you're walking geek!' and so on. Usually, Helga would make fun of him in public, but this was too much. She could tell he was embarrassed, and didn't want to make it worse. Arnold got up, and walked as casual as possible out of the lunch room, shaking tremendously from embarrassment. Helga 'excused' herself from her friends, making up that she had to go to the bathroom, and ran to catch up with Arnold, who was with Josh now. His head hung so low it made her want to cry. Josh was patting him on the back now and her hears sank when she heard him speak.

'Ugh. She probably thinks I'm a complete loser now.'

'No, man. She'll probably come out to see if--'

'Hey Arnold.' Helga interpolated quietly. Both boys' heads shot up to look at Helga. Arnold's eyes widened. She looked more beautiful than she had this morning. Even at seventeen, her eyes sparkled with a light that reflected her true personality. Her long golden hair pulled back neatly in a fishtail braid hung lazily over one shoulder. Her shirt showed off every feature spectacularly, and her jeans hugged every curve. She looked like an angel,

'You okay?' she asked.

'Y-yeah, I think.'

'You took a pretty hard fall there football head.' She joked, jocularly punching him in the arm. He got a little goofy smile on his face and his cheeks burned crimson. She smiled, enough to send him into a private dizzy.

'No, really,' he said a little shakily, from the giddiness of love he felt for her, 'Really, I'm okay.' She just smiled.

'Don't worry about them. They just think they're better than everyone else,' she said putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He smiled lazily at her contact, which she withdrew and made a fist, punching the other palm of her hand, 'besides, I don't think I've had any meetings lately with Eric. It's about time he get reacquainted with 'ol Betsy.' She said with a wicked gleam in her eye which only meant another suspension form school for her. He lowered her fist.

'That's okay Helga. That's probably not a good idea anyway. Violence isn't the answer.' She sighed, then smiled coquettishly at him, leaving back for the lunchroom.

'Still my optimistic football head.' She said before disappearing through the double doors. Arnold could only stare at the last pace he had seen her. He smiled, with that goofy smile.

'Arnold,' Josh said.

'Wow, when was the last time she looked so beautiful?'

'Arnold?' Josh said a little louder.

'I don't remember that perfume. It's so.'

'Hey Arnold!' Josh yelled in his ear. Arnold just about hit the ceiling from shock.

'What!? Don't scare me like that!' Arnold yelled.

'Sorry man, but you went off into that little world of yours again. I don't know how you're ever going to survive Christmas break with her in Colorado.' Josh said. Arnold had almost forgotten, tomorrow they'd be leaving for Colorado, for a two-week vacation in the Rocky Mountains. Mary had some friends out there that owned a lodge. They were letting them stay for free, as a Christmas present. It couldn't get any better than that. Two weeks alone with Helga, just snowboarding in Veil. That was Mary's present to Arnold and Helga, a two-week pass to Veil. What a generous gift! It was probably the most she'd ever spent on them. After her job promotion, she had been more than generous to them. She'd gotten them a car to share, but Helga just hogged it all the time when she went clubbing with her friends. Arnold had tagged along one time, but the only person he ended up dancing with was Helga. That's when he fell in love with her.

Just the way her hips moved against his was enough to make his blood coarse and his pulse quicken. It was exhilarating. They ended up leaving early because Helga had twisted her ankle, so Mary had to pick them up. The whole ride home he just kept staring at her out of the corner of his eye, and remembering how her dress seemed to be painted on. He nearly fainted.

They shared some occasional small talk in the halls and walking each other to class, but scarcely. Helga was usually too busy with her friends, and her reputation.

'Anyway,' Josh interjected into Arnold's reverie, 'Have fun tomorrow, and Christmas break. You sure you can't hide me in a suitcase and bring me there?' Arnold smiled.

'Sorry man. Now I'll have all the time alone with her. She won't be able to go out with her friends or anything. She'll be with me.'

'Yeah, that's true. Call me when you two hook up.' He winked at Arnold who blushed furiously.

'Sure, whatever. See ya.'

'Bye,' they walked in their separate directions for their lockers. Arnold's class was on the other side of the school than his locker was, so he'd better get a head start if he didn't want detention for being tardy.

~*~

Arnold waited by the car, waiting for Helga to come out so they could ride home. Then she came striding out, with two boys trailing behind her on invisible leashes. She was talking to Giny and rolling her eyes, probably about the two guys. The guys followed her around like lost puppies. She waved goodbye to Giny, then turned around to face the two guys.

'Okay, who wants to be first, unless neither of you wanna go to the hospital today, then I suggest you get lost!' The two guys backed off and walked away mumbling things to each other. Than she turned and walked toward Arnold, changing from demon to angel.

'Ya ready to go? I gotta get packin'!' She opened her door of the car and hopped in. Arnold got in as well and started up the engine, and she opened her window sending a cold gust of air into the car. For some reason, she always liked to drive with cold wind. Right away this song came on. Ironically, it sounded exactly like how Arnold felt for Helga.

~She rolls the window down~

~And she talks over the sound~

Helga was talking about something, as Arnold nodded idly. He had no clue what she was saying. All he knew was that she was next to him.

~of the cars that pass us by~

~and I don't know why but she's changed my mind~

Arnold looked over at Helga for a moment and she looked like she had just been sent from heaven.

~Would you look at her as she looks at me~

~She's got me thinkin about her constantly~

~but she don't know how I feel~

Even after all the times he acted goofy around her, and all the times he made some slips of the tongue, she still didn't know that he loved her. She always seemed to carry on, without thinking anything of it.

~and as she carries on without a doubt~

~I wonder if she's figured out I'm crazy for this girl~

~yeah I'm crazy for this girl~

He was completely crazy for her, and nothing would ever change his mind, ever.

~She was the one to hold me~

~the night the sky fell down~

Yeah, he remembered that night, not the best memory, except her. He was too naïve to realize it at the time, but she really helped him through his finding out about his parents gone, forever.

~and what was I thinkin when~

~the world didn't end~

~why didn't I know what I know now~

Why hadn't he realized it? He was too dense. She looked over at him and he melted, but kept it hidden pretty well.

~Would you look at her as she looks at me~

~she's got me thinkin about her constantly~

~but she don't know how I feel~

~and as she carries on without a doubt~

~I wonder if she's figured out~

~I'm crazy for this girl~

~yeah I'm crazy for this girl~

He had thought about it, but the idea was crazy, even at seventeen.

~and right now~

~face to face all my fears~

~pushed aside and right now~

~I'm ready to spend~

~the rest of my life with you~

There was no way. He hadn't even confessed to her yet, and she hadn't told him her feelings now. Sure she had liked him at one point, but people change over time, as do their feelings. He vowed to himself that he'd marry her one day.

~would you look at her as she looks at me~

~she's got me thinkin about her constantly~

~but she don't know how I feel~

~and as she carries on without a doubt~

~I wonder if she's figured out~

~I'm crazy for this girl~

~yeah I'm crazy for this girl~

Thinking back, he could remember when she lifted him up. It was when they found his parents, dead. That meant every hope, every dream of his parents vanished. He was truly an orphan. Helga had been there when he refused to talk to anyone else. Since then, since sixth grade, they had shared everything with each other, including Helga telling Arnold about her being Cecile. He had been shocked, nonetheless, but understood why she had done it. Then he got out the little red shoe, and she got out hers. They laughed and he told her all about his parents. He read from his father's journal and she listened intently, studying the meticulous artwork his father had portrayed of their lives.

'I can't wait to go snowboarding on a real mountain!' Helga said to Arnold shaking him out of his daydream. He nodded.

'Me too. Maybe we can show off to everyone else on the runs. I mean, we were in the state championship.' Helga nodded and remembered. It had been the happiest day of her life when she took 2nd in her division, and Arnold had taken 1st in his. It was the one thing they could do together, and well. They picked it up in sixth grade, and went out on the slopes whenever possible, in other words, when Helga wasn't hanging out with her friends. None of them were nearly as good as her, so she got bored, but Arnold--she never got bored. He was a challenge. They skateboarded in the summer for training and snowboarded in the winter for competition. And now, finally they'd be going to one of the most exclusive mountains in America.

Arnold looked over at her as her hair flew and flapped in the breeze. The sun bounced off the golden locks cascading down her back. It was gorgeous. It was then that he realized they were home. He pulled in the driveway and Helga ran out to pack.

'See ya inside Arnoldo.' She yelled over her shoulder. He smiled giddily and managed to drag himself inside, weighted down by love. Tomorrow he'd be in paradise, how could he ever sleep now?

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Hey, I hoped you enjoyed that chapter. I'll post as soon as I possibly can, which will probably be Friday night. Even though finals are over, I'm still really busy with dance. K, R/R and

C ya l8ter!

Arnoldnhelga4eva