*beat that sounds like Vanilla Ice's hit starts playing, then...*
Dis-dis-claimer: I don't own Hey Arnold! (Surprise! Don't sue me if the
shock kills you.) Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but I am
now one or two chapters away from being DONE with this tale! Enjoy!
Chapter Ten: Confessions
She looked thoughtfully at the page, crossed out a line, corrected a word- a flurry of poetic activity. He peeked at this through the half-open door, unsure of whether or not he should interrupt this vision of beauty as she wrote her prose while lying on her stomach on her bed.
'She's changed so much,' he thought wistfully, and indeed she had: Pigtail had give way to a variety of hairstyles (currently a messy bun). The dark unibrow had been parted and softened into two only-just-there lines over her eyes. The lips he had seen so often twisted in an ugly scowl now wore a small, gentle smile... the ugly, grumpy, bullying duckling had transformed into a ladylike, soft, lovable swan. He resolved himself and knocked.
She looked up, startled by his interruption, then relaxed. "Oh- hey Arnold," she said, the smile growing. "C'mon in- Kristi's at class."
He entered and sat down on the end of the bed. "I'll let you finish whatever you were working on," he said quietly. A red flush graced her cheeks momentarily, and she nodded and quickly completed her thought. She then shut the notebook- 'pink,' he noted mentally, 'still pink...'- and sat up, sliding whatever she was working on under her pillows. "What was that, anyway?"
"Just a poem, football-head." He smiled at the old nickname- it now seemed more a term of endearment than an insult. "Have you talked to Gerald lately?"
"No, why?"
"He's proposed to Phoebe."
Arnold's eyes widened. "You're kidding me, Helga."
"Dead serious. Phoebe emailed me this morning, even had a picture of the ring in her letter."
"Let me see!" he demanded. Helga laughed and got off her bed, while he practically climbed over her to get to her computer.
"All right, all right, chill. I'll get it up for you." She sat down at her computer, and, after a minute, had the email on her screen. "'Dear Helga, first look at the photo I'm sending you, then read the rest!'" Here Helga showed Arnold a digital image of Phoebe's hand sporting a small white-gold ring with a tiny circular diamond. "'Gerald popped the question last night, and of course I said yes! Mother and Father are very excited for us, as is Gerald's family. Also, Lila Sawyer has transferred to WSU and asked me to let you and Arnold know.'" Arnold had a look of surprise on his face. "'Rhonda Lloyd is home for a while, as her parents are going through the final stages of divorce and it's not leaving much money for college.' Poor Rhonda. 'Arnold's parents were both speakers at the WSU Honors lecture two days ago, and were very interesting to listen to. Gerald says to say 'hi', as he is headed out the door to baseball practice, so hello from him. I believe that is all for now, Helga. If you have seen Arnold on campus yet, tell him I send my greetings. I hope to hear from you soon. With much love, Phoebe.'"
"Wow, Gerald and Phoebe... engaged," Arnold said softly. 'Way to go, Gerald!' he thought.
"I'm happy for them, although I've seen it coming since fourth grade. They're so perfect for each other."
Arnold looked mildly confused. "You ARE Helga, right?"
"Yeah," she laughed. "I've changed since Hillwood, Arnold. Was I not supposed to?"
"W-well, n-no. I mean, everyone's changed since you-" He stopped and took a deep breath. "That's what I came to ask you about. I wanted to ask about high school."
"Why?" she asked, taken back by his bluntness.
"Come on, Helga. I received a grand total of seven letters and six emails from you over the four years you've been in Maine. Why weren't you talking to me?"
She looked away for a moment, then back to him. "You remember the night- on the FTI building?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
"I wasn't lying, or caught up in the moment. I- really do love you. But your face and my mother's car are all I see in my mind when I try to think of her. That's why I didn't ask about you all those times I wrote to Phoebe, and why I only wrote to you once in a while. I just can't separate you from Miriam's death- at least I couldn't. I saw you here... and I realized I couldn't push you away anymore just because you happened to be the one there when Miriam died." She hung her head, tears filling her eyes. A soft hand suddenly brought her face back up to where he could see it, while his thumb gently rubbed her cheekbone dry of her sorrow, and she smiled.
"Helga," he started, then hesitated.
"Yes?" she beckoned, taking his free hand. That was all he needed to give him the courage he required. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips on hers. She could feel him trembling as she drew herself closer to him. Finally they parted to breathe, and she silently exalted.
"I love you, Helga G. Pataki," he said after a moment.
"That's a bit late," she responded, laughing, "but I love you too." He grinned, and began kissing her once more, burying his hands in her now- loose hair. She giggled, then whispered, "Wait." She got up and started a CD on her computer. Arnold's eyes widened at the song that began playing.
"Dino Spumoni- I thought you hated this type of music."
"It was the only kind I could listen to that didn't attach you to my mom. It grew on me, I guess." He stood up, and held out his hand.
"May I have this dance?" he whispered. She nodded, took his hand, and felt her heart grow wings and take flight as he carefully twirled her around her dorm room.
"I thought you gave up the 'Great Arnoldini' act," she murmured.
"I did, in eighth grade- why?"
She smiled. "Because I'm wondering where you managed to hide my heart so easily."
He grinned once again, and dipped her. "You'll never know." In an ironic twist, a song with that title started playing, and he sang along, wowing Helga with his warm, rich tenor: "There are times you've waited all night for me And I know that I let you down But with you I'm the best I'll ever be So, darling, don't kick me to the curb tonight I don't know the words to make you melt I act like a fool around you But when it comes to how I really feel Ooh, you'll never know You will never know There were times you thought I didn't care There were arguments that would make you cry But for every tear that fell I would have gladly rather died Ooh, I don't know the words to say to make you melt And I act like a fool around you But when it comes down to how I really feel You will never truly know Though I will never let you go You'll never know."
They looked into each other's eyes, and she managed a weak "Arnold!" before burying her face in his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" he blurted. She looked back up at him- her eyes still shining with tears, but with a smile on her face.
"I always imagined us slow-dancing to that song... but it was never that perfect."
He chuckled and drew her close once more.
***
Author's time: Woof- that chapter was a marathon... but YAY THEY'RE IN LOVE! I do love this chapter; I think it's one of the best things I've ever written. Major props to Michael Buble for motivating me into adding a "Dino" song into this chappie- if you haven't heard that guy sing yet, definitely check him out. HOT HOT HOT. Hehehe, I just did spell-check and it suggested "crappie" for "chappie". *said like Captain Jack Sparrow* "Funny ol' world, isn't it?"
*Lock, Shock and Barrel (see my profile for why they're here) return with a bag and set it in front of Jenn*
What's this?
Lock: A five-pound bag of Skittles.
They don't exist, that was the point.
Shock: THIS one does!
Barrel: See! *opens the bag to reveal lots and lots of Skittles, then whips out a scale and puts the bag on it- it weighs five pounds*
Um... while I figure out whether or not this is what I meant, please review. I'll give you a handful of Skittles if you do! And then read chapter 11, Life After Hillwood! Luvs!- PopStarOE
Chapter Ten: Confessions
She looked thoughtfully at the page, crossed out a line, corrected a word- a flurry of poetic activity. He peeked at this through the half-open door, unsure of whether or not he should interrupt this vision of beauty as she wrote her prose while lying on her stomach on her bed.
'She's changed so much,' he thought wistfully, and indeed she had: Pigtail had give way to a variety of hairstyles (currently a messy bun). The dark unibrow had been parted and softened into two only-just-there lines over her eyes. The lips he had seen so often twisted in an ugly scowl now wore a small, gentle smile... the ugly, grumpy, bullying duckling had transformed into a ladylike, soft, lovable swan. He resolved himself and knocked.
She looked up, startled by his interruption, then relaxed. "Oh- hey Arnold," she said, the smile growing. "C'mon in- Kristi's at class."
He entered and sat down on the end of the bed. "I'll let you finish whatever you were working on," he said quietly. A red flush graced her cheeks momentarily, and she nodded and quickly completed her thought. She then shut the notebook- 'pink,' he noted mentally, 'still pink...'- and sat up, sliding whatever she was working on under her pillows. "What was that, anyway?"
"Just a poem, football-head." He smiled at the old nickname- it now seemed more a term of endearment than an insult. "Have you talked to Gerald lately?"
"No, why?"
"He's proposed to Phoebe."
Arnold's eyes widened. "You're kidding me, Helga."
"Dead serious. Phoebe emailed me this morning, even had a picture of the ring in her letter."
"Let me see!" he demanded. Helga laughed and got off her bed, while he practically climbed over her to get to her computer.
"All right, all right, chill. I'll get it up for you." She sat down at her computer, and, after a minute, had the email on her screen. "'Dear Helga, first look at the photo I'm sending you, then read the rest!'" Here Helga showed Arnold a digital image of Phoebe's hand sporting a small white-gold ring with a tiny circular diamond. "'Gerald popped the question last night, and of course I said yes! Mother and Father are very excited for us, as is Gerald's family. Also, Lila Sawyer has transferred to WSU and asked me to let you and Arnold know.'" Arnold had a look of surprise on his face. "'Rhonda Lloyd is home for a while, as her parents are going through the final stages of divorce and it's not leaving much money for college.' Poor Rhonda. 'Arnold's parents were both speakers at the WSU Honors lecture two days ago, and were very interesting to listen to. Gerald says to say 'hi', as he is headed out the door to baseball practice, so hello from him. I believe that is all for now, Helga. If you have seen Arnold on campus yet, tell him I send my greetings. I hope to hear from you soon. With much love, Phoebe.'"
"Wow, Gerald and Phoebe... engaged," Arnold said softly. 'Way to go, Gerald!' he thought.
"I'm happy for them, although I've seen it coming since fourth grade. They're so perfect for each other."
Arnold looked mildly confused. "You ARE Helga, right?"
"Yeah," she laughed. "I've changed since Hillwood, Arnold. Was I not supposed to?"
"W-well, n-no. I mean, everyone's changed since you-" He stopped and took a deep breath. "That's what I came to ask you about. I wanted to ask about high school."
"Why?" she asked, taken back by his bluntness.
"Come on, Helga. I received a grand total of seven letters and six emails from you over the four years you've been in Maine. Why weren't you talking to me?"
She looked away for a moment, then back to him. "You remember the night- on the FTI building?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
"I wasn't lying, or caught up in the moment. I- really do love you. But your face and my mother's car are all I see in my mind when I try to think of her. That's why I didn't ask about you all those times I wrote to Phoebe, and why I only wrote to you once in a while. I just can't separate you from Miriam's death- at least I couldn't. I saw you here... and I realized I couldn't push you away anymore just because you happened to be the one there when Miriam died." She hung her head, tears filling her eyes. A soft hand suddenly brought her face back up to where he could see it, while his thumb gently rubbed her cheekbone dry of her sorrow, and she smiled.
"Helga," he started, then hesitated.
"Yes?" she beckoned, taking his free hand. That was all he needed to give him the courage he required. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips on hers. She could feel him trembling as she drew herself closer to him. Finally they parted to breathe, and she silently exalted.
"I love you, Helga G. Pataki," he said after a moment.
"That's a bit late," she responded, laughing, "but I love you too." He grinned, and began kissing her once more, burying his hands in her now- loose hair. She giggled, then whispered, "Wait." She got up and started a CD on her computer. Arnold's eyes widened at the song that began playing.
"Dino Spumoni- I thought you hated this type of music."
"It was the only kind I could listen to that didn't attach you to my mom. It grew on me, I guess." He stood up, and held out his hand.
"May I have this dance?" he whispered. She nodded, took his hand, and felt her heart grow wings and take flight as he carefully twirled her around her dorm room.
"I thought you gave up the 'Great Arnoldini' act," she murmured.
"I did, in eighth grade- why?"
She smiled. "Because I'm wondering where you managed to hide my heart so easily."
He grinned once again, and dipped her. "You'll never know." In an ironic twist, a song with that title started playing, and he sang along, wowing Helga with his warm, rich tenor: "There are times you've waited all night for me And I know that I let you down But with you I'm the best I'll ever be So, darling, don't kick me to the curb tonight I don't know the words to make you melt I act like a fool around you But when it comes to how I really feel Ooh, you'll never know You will never know There were times you thought I didn't care There were arguments that would make you cry But for every tear that fell I would have gladly rather died Ooh, I don't know the words to say to make you melt And I act like a fool around you But when it comes down to how I really feel You will never truly know Though I will never let you go You'll never know."
They looked into each other's eyes, and she managed a weak "Arnold!" before burying her face in his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" he blurted. She looked back up at him- her eyes still shining with tears, but with a smile on her face.
"I always imagined us slow-dancing to that song... but it was never that perfect."
He chuckled and drew her close once more.
***
Author's time: Woof- that chapter was a marathon... but YAY THEY'RE IN LOVE! I do love this chapter; I think it's one of the best things I've ever written. Major props to Michael Buble for motivating me into adding a "Dino" song into this chappie- if you haven't heard that guy sing yet, definitely check him out. HOT HOT HOT. Hehehe, I just did spell-check and it suggested "crappie" for "chappie". *said like Captain Jack Sparrow* "Funny ol' world, isn't it?"
*Lock, Shock and Barrel (see my profile for why they're here) return with a bag and set it in front of Jenn*
What's this?
Lock: A five-pound bag of Skittles.
They don't exist, that was the point.
Shock: THIS one does!
Barrel: See! *opens the bag to reveal lots and lots of Skittles, then whips out a scale and puts the bag on it- it weighs five pounds*
Um... while I figure out whether or not this is what I meant, please review. I'll give you a handful of Skittles if you do! And then read chapter 11, Life After Hillwood! Luvs!- PopStarOE