A/N** Thanks to Itzjustme, your reviews are very encouraging, and I love
your story btw~!!
I hope everyone likes the direction this story is taking. I know it's
fairly predictable and sappy, but hey, I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I
say?
Yadda Yadda Yadda, Don't own Arnold!
Chapter 10 A Dream Come True?
The music changed over to an operatic overture from "Carmen". Both Helga and Arnold smiled slyly to themselves, each remembering their fieldtrip to see that particular opera back in the fourth grade. Helga snickered slightly at the memory of her daydreamed elimination of her then arch rival (at least in her eyes), Ruth McDougall.
"What's so funny?"Arnold questioned with curious eyes.
"Oh, just remembering seeing this opera back in elementary school. Man, talk about a snoozefest!" Helga laughed mockingly.
"Actually, I agree totally, but for a different reason then you may think. During the first act, I fell asleep and .." Arnold reddened for a moment.
"And I shot a spitwad at you to wake you up. Oops." Helga bit her lip, but smirked evilly.
"Well, that too. But I uh, dreamed I was actually IN that opera while we were watching it, or in my case, sleeping through it. Pretty crazy, huh?" He smiled sheepishly as he began to escort her back up the steep staircase to their waiting friends.
"Naw. Not so crazy, really. I kinda had the same experience during the final act. What can I say, the music must be subliminal or somethin'. Let's hurry before Geraldo picks over all the good desserts." Helga wondered if this was possibly his way of saying he had had a little daydream of being her little Don Arnold back then. She shrugged off the thought as quickly as it came, he had been too far involved in his crush on Ruth back then, hence her daydream of ditching her.
The night had gone spectacular for the quartet. Helga had settled down somewhat after the dancing, resigning herself to the fact that although dinner, dancing and dessert went by without flaw, the night was truly as Arnold had stated it would be-just friendly. Gerald had announced at dessert however, that he and Phoebe had mutually decided to explore the dating thing and were going on a real date the following afternoon on the boardwalk. They were both beaming, with huge smiles, no, make that GRINS plastered across their faces the remainder of the evening.
Helga was ecstatic for her best friend, who had decided to take a separate cab back with him so he could officially ask her dad if it was okay to take her on a date. Phoebe had been delighted that Gerald had insisted upon it. He knew how much it meant to her to be respectful of her father. After clearing it with Arnold and Helga, the happy "new" couple set off.
" Are you sure you don't mind taking the bus back, Helga? It's not all that glamorous," Arnold asked for about the tenth time since Gerald and Phoebe left.
"Well, Arnoldo, I'm not really all that glamorous a girl to begin with. Besides that, I'm just glad you two big spenders were able to cover dinner, you know I get dishpan hands!" she laughed lightly as the huge city bus lumbered in the distance, heading for their stop. She shivered slightly.
Wordlessly, Arnold removed his suit jacket and draped it across her bare shoulders, gently, as though he were terrified at the thought of touching her. Helga smiled at the sweet gesture nonetheless.
"Hey, thanks, Arnold," she said with a genuine smile. Arnold lowered his eyelids seductively, and smiled in return.
The bus ride was over almost quicker than the cab would have been, and Arnold had insisted that he get off at Helga's stop to walk her the rest of the way, about one block. "It's only 10;15, Arnoldo. I won't be breaking curfew for another 16 whole minutes. Go ahead, the bus stops right by the boarding house and no one is going to mess with Old Betsy and The five avengers at my sides" She argued.
" I want to Helga. We only live 3 blocks apart, and it's a nice night. Unless you find me that repulsive that is," he finished somewhat quietly.
"No, I guess I could survive one whole block with you."Helga joked in return. They laughed and walked slower than usual to the blue building one block up.
"Tonight was a lot of fun, Helga," Arnold started as they neared her home. " I think we could be great friends."
Helga's heart dropped, but only slightly. She was all too familiar with this feeling of despair, of knowing that her beloved would never love her as she so desperately loved him. She squeezed the pain deep into her chest and held it there.
" Yeah, Football Head, I guess we could pull that off quite nicely," she smiled weakly, trying not to let the hurt shine through her crumbled and tarnished bully exterior. "Thanks for the grub, but next time, Slausens'. My treat." She put her hand on the knob. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Helga," Arnold answered as he stepped one step back off of her stoop. She turned her head back towards the door and had the door halfway open when she heard him.
"Helga!" he called from the sidewalk. He stepped back under the streetlight, his eyes looked pained and regretful. "Uh..What I said just now.about that we could be great friends? Um. I am not really sure if that will be possible."
Helga's jaw jutted forward, enraged and hurt. "Oh, I get it, cuz I was the school bully, and I had a rep, and I guess I'm just not good enough to be in the same company as the great Arnold Short, huh? " She had soundlessly clicked the door shut and was back on the stoop in a second, steaming for a fight.
"No, not at all," Arnold answered shortly, looking very afraid and somewhat pale in the soft glowing streetlights. He took another step forward.
"Then what's your reason, already, you FOOTBALLHEADED SHRIMP!" she practically growled, stepping towards him in a show of intimidation. It was completely a vain attempt, as he now was 3 inches taller than she was. It mattered not to Helga as a million and one mean and confused thoughts swirled through her conflicted mind.
"Because.."He began, taking one final giant step toward her, his pleading and terrified face inches from her scornful and confused one.."Because.You can't do this with your friends," He suddenly leaned into her personal space ( what little was remaining) and lowered his lips to hers, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with all the pent up passion and feelings a 14 year old boy could harbor.
~~~~~~~~~~CLIFFHANGER!! Well kinda. WHEW! I couldn't wait to get the kiss outta the way, I wanted him to make this move since it's always been up to Helga, really. Let me know if you likey !!
Quote of the day -CHEATER! CHEATER! CHEATER! (long pause)---cheater."
Emily Dickinson Poetry statuette, in response to Phoebe cheating in the poetry contest AKA Phoebe's conscience.
PLEASE R/R !! I NEED THE INSPIRATION!!!
Yadda Yadda Yadda, Don't own Arnold!
Chapter 10 A Dream Come True?
The music changed over to an operatic overture from "Carmen". Both Helga and Arnold smiled slyly to themselves, each remembering their fieldtrip to see that particular opera back in the fourth grade. Helga snickered slightly at the memory of her daydreamed elimination of her then arch rival (at least in her eyes), Ruth McDougall.
"What's so funny?"Arnold questioned with curious eyes.
"Oh, just remembering seeing this opera back in elementary school. Man, talk about a snoozefest!" Helga laughed mockingly.
"Actually, I agree totally, but for a different reason then you may think. During the first act, I fell asleep and .." Arnold reddened for a moment.
"And I shot a spitwad at you to wake you up. Oops." Helga bit her lip, but smirked evilly.
"Well, that too. But I uh, dreamed I was actually IN that opera while we were watching it, or in my case, sleeping through it. Pretty crazy, huh?" He smiled sheepishly as he began to escort her back up the steep staircase to their waiting friends.
"Naw. Not so crazy, really. I kinda had the same experience during the final act. What can I say, the music must be subliminal or somethin'. Let's hurry before Geraldo picks over all the good desserts." Helga wondered if this was possibly his way of saying he had had a little daydream of being her little Don Arnold back then. She shrugged off the thought as quickly as it came, he had been too far involved in his crush on Ruth back then, hence her daydream of ditching her.
The night had gone spectacular for the quartet. Helga had settled down somewhat after the dancing, resigning herself to the fact that although dinner, dancing and dessert went by without flaw, the night was truly as Arnold had stated it would be-just friendly. Gerald had announced at dessert however, that he and Phoebe had mutually decided to explore the dating thing and were going on a real date the following afternoon on the boardwalk. They were both beaming, with huge smiles, no, make that GRINS plastered across their faces the remainder of the evening.
Helga was ecstatic for her best friend, who had decided to take a separate cab back with him so he could officially ask her dad if it was okay to take her on a date. Phoebe had been delighted that Gerald had insisted upon it. He knew how much it meant to her to be respectful of her father. After clearing it with Arnold and Helga, the happy "new" couple set off.
" Are you sure you don't mind taking the bus back, Helga? It's not all that glamorous," Arnold asked for about the tenth time since Gerald and Phoebe left.
"Well, Arnoldo, I'm not really all that glamorous a girl to begin with. Besides that, I'm just glad you two big spenders were able to cover dinner, you know I get dishpan hands!" she laughed lightly as the huge city bus lumbered in the distance, heading for their stop. She shivered slightly.
Wordlessly, Arnold removed his suit jacket and draped it across her bare shoulders, gently, as though he were terrified at the thought of touching her. Helga smiled at the sweet gesture nonetheless.
"Hey, thanks, Arnold," she said with a genuine smile. Arnold lowered his eyelids seductively, and smiled in return.
The bus ride was over almost quicker than the cab would have been, and Arnold had insisted that he get off at Helga's stop to walk her the rest of the way, about one block. "It's only 10;15, Arnoldo. I won't be breaking curfew for another 16 whole minutes. Go ahead, the bus stops right by the boarding house and no one is going to mess with Old Betsy and The five avengers at my sides" She argued.
" I want to Helga. We only live 3 blocks apart, and it's a nice night. Unless you find me that repulsive that is," he finished somewhat quietly.
"No, I guess I could survive one whole block with you."Helga joked in return. They laughed and walked slower than usual to the blue building one block up.
"Tonight was a lot of fun, Helga," Arnold started as they neared her home. " I think we could be great friends."
Helga's heart dropped, but only slightly. She was all too familiar with this feeling of despair, of knowing that her beloved would never love her as she so desperately loved him. She squeezed the pain deep into her chest and held it there.
" Yeah, Football Head, I guess we could pull that off quite nicely," she smiled weakly, trying not to let the hurt shine through her crumbled and tarnished bully exterior. "Thanks for the grub, but next time, Slausens'. My treat." She put her hand on the knob. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Helga," Arnold answered as he stepped one step back off of her stoop. She turned her head back towards the door and had the door halfway open when she heard him.
"Helga!" he called from the sidewalk. He stepped back under the streetlight, his eyes looked pained and regretful. "Uh..What I said just now.about that we could be great friends? Um. I am not really sure if that will be possible."
Helga's jaw jutted forward, enraged and hurt. "Oh, I get it, cuz I was the school bully, and I had a rep, and I guess I'm just not good enough to be in the same company as the great Arnold Short, huh? " She had soundlessly clicked the door shut and was back on the stoop in a second, steaming for a fight.
"No, not at all," Arnold answered shortly, looking very afraid and somewhat pale in the soft glowing streetlights. He took another step forward.
"Then what's your reason, already, you FOOTBALLHEADED SHRIMP!" she practically growled, stepping towards him in a show of intimidation. It was completely a vain attempt, as he now was 3 inches taller than she was. It mattered not to Helga as a million and one mean and confused thoughts swirled through her conflicted mind.
"Because.."He began, taking one final giant step toward her, his pleading and terrified face inches from her scornful and confused one.."Because.You can't do this with your friends," He suddenly leaned into her personal space ( what little was remaining) and lowered his lips to hers, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with all the pent up passion and feelings a 14 year old boy could harbor.
~~~~~~~~~~CLIFFHANGER!! Well kinda. WHEW! I couldn't wait to get the kiss outta the way, I wanted him to make this move since it's always been up to Helga, really. Let me know if you likey !!
Quote of the day -CHEATER! CHEATER! CHEATER! (long pause)---cheater."
Emily Dickinson Poetry statuette, in response to Phoebe cheating in the poetry contest AKA Phoebe's conscience.
PLEASE R/R !! I NEED THE INSPIRATION!!!