Cupid Wears A Pink Ribbon Chp 5
Go ahead and enjoy the chapter! Be sure to read the note at the bottom!
Once home Helga and Phoebe, dashed upstairs without delay to ready themselves for their dates latter on that evening. Barely able to contain her excitement, Helga flew to her closet to snatch that infamous pink dress that she had worn when 'Cecile' and Arnold had last met. Phoebe let out a tiny giggle as her best friend quickly traded her school clothes for the dress. Once Helga had on her outfit, Phoebe had her sit down so she could her style her hair. Taking the golden locks in her hands phoebe brushed them into a loose pile waves that covered her one eye rather seductively. Taking a moment to survey her work, Phoebe then added the final touch-a pair of pearl earrings that were borrowed from Phoebe's mother and Helga's pink ribbon.
"Wow Helga! You look stunning! Arnold won't be able to keep his eyes off you for sure!"
"You think so Phebes?"
Phoebe then added with a sly smirk, "I bet every dollar I have on it!"
Meanwhile, Arnold had just arrived at Chez Paris. The waiter came by to see if he wanted anything while he waited for 'Cecile', but he declined the man's offer. Even though they were supposed to be meeting each other for dinner, Arnold hardly had any appetite for a meal for his stomach was too busy turning about inside him to be bother with the prospect of eating. With each passing second he grow more edgy awaiting her arrival and anxiously glanced out the window while playing with some of the silverware left out on the table. When he had all too fully engrossed himself in a makeshift game of table hockey, he heard a set of footsteps headed towards and so he peered up to see to see that his mystery date had arrived.
"Bon Soir Arnold! How are you this evening?" She said with a devious wink thrown in his direction.
"Well…I…I…I'm doing great! Let me get your chair!"
Running over to the other end of the table, Arnold pulled out Cecile's chair for her and let her sit herself before going back to the opposite end of the table. Arnold then took a rather long gaze at her, edger to find out he who this lovely angel really was. Helga however, grew slightly uncomfortable with him staring at her like he was for there was such an unknown power behind it. Unable to bear his eyes fixed on her she picked up the menu in front of her and leafed through it. Reacting to her sudden concealment Arnold too grabbed his menu.
"I'm glad you decided to join me tonite Arnold."
"I'm glad you invited me! I had almost thought that I'd never see you again Cecile"
"I'm sorry to hear that mon chére! Please pardon my abrupt departure the last time we met…It was rather rude of me…"
Arnold saw her turn her head down towards he lap as she spoke those words to him. He pressed his lips together slightly before he reached for the box that he stashed beneath the table and presented to her.
"It's ok, after all I wasn't a complete gentleman myself last either! Trying to have a two dates at the same time! But here! Please take this!"
Taking the package from him, Helga looked at for a moment before lifting the lid. Inside the box, she found a hard cover book of Shakespearian sonnets and more surprisingly…her old shoe that she had left behind! Momentarily her eyes fluttered at seeing it there.
"You had kept it for so long? But why?"
"I think I kept it as some sort of weird souvenir…"
'A souvenir?" Helga giggled softly "How endearing!"
Feeling flattered by the gesture, she politely thanked him for keeping her shoe safe and for the book. Just then the waiter arrived to take their orders, so Arnold took the liberty for ordering for the both of them. After he did so they continued to chat on merrily until their meals arrive and they each picked nervously at them as the evening wore on. Arnold then summed up his courage and set out to finally ask the question that had been in his mind since he had seen her last.
"So why is it is that you couldn't tell who you were last time?"
Helga nearly fell out of her seat as he spoke. She had come here with the intent to bare her soul but now she was contemplating feeling to the forest corner of the Earth. Gulping rather loudly she tried to form a reply to his question, but no words came when she caught her eyes meeting his. Seeing Arnold there before here, so eager to hear her answer didn't help her much either. With a sigh, Helga closed her eyes in desperate maneuver to regain control over her fluttering heartbeat. Arnold watched her as she attempted to steady herself, and nearly regretted asking her, for he didn't think it cause her so much distress. When Helga reopened her eyes, she caught sight of Arnold face staring back at her again, but this time with such tender concern that it helped strengthen her resolve.
"I'm sorry Arnold, I wanted to tell you but I feared that you wouldn't be too pleased with me if I did…"
"But why?"
"Because if you knew who I really was, you might never want to see me again…and I don't think I could stand it!" Helga sighed and then felt a warm hand on hers in calm reassurance the owner spoke to her.
"I promise, no matter what you say to me now I will not leave you here alone."
Feeling a lump form in her throat and her eyes start to sting with tears that she carefully held in check she withdrew her hand. Exhaling the stale air in her lungs, Helga looked him in the eyes and clenched her hands around her silk napkin in her lap.
"Very well then…but I need you to swear that you shall never speak of this to another living soul so long as you live."
Arnold nodded and waited for her to say her name to him. However Helga had thought of something a little more flagrant. Grasping the loose end of her bow, she tugged at it, and as the hair fell down her face she shook it free until her eyes met his in intense stare. Arnold's mind went spinning…was what he beheld before him true? Was his 'Cecile' really Helga G. Pataki? Stammering, he returned her glare and searched his dizzied brain for answers that did not come. Could it be some horrible joke? It had to be, for Helga couldn't possibly be so taken with him as she made out to be in all those valentines! After all this was the same girl that torture him day in and out for years! It just had to be another one of her tricks, he was sure of it!
"HELGA! That was YOU Helga? I guess I should be impressed with all that you did just to taunt me, huh?!" Bellowed Arnold as he stood up from the table pointing an accusatory finger at her.
Helga could scarcely believe what he was saying to her! To think that when she finally finds her courage, that something so terrible as this happens! It certainly wasn't the reaction she had hoped for, but some small part of her thought of how she might just have deserved his contempt in return for all the malice she had mistakenly unleashed upon him. Unable to stem the tide of tears any longer, she backed out from her seat and removed something from inside her blouse.
"If that is what you think, then you can have this! I …I won't be needing it any more!" She cried as she tossed him her beloved locket and ran out the door.
Arnold stood there with for a moment looking dumbfounded with the locket in his hands. Examining it further, he opened it to see that her locket had the very same inscription that the one his grandfather was carrying around some time ago. Then it occurred to him that this was the very same locket! Arnold felt his heart sink when he read the inscription quietly to himself.
"Arnold, my soul, you are always in my heart Love, Helga G. Pataki"
"Oh…Helga…what have I done?" He groaned before he set off after her disappearing from through the lighted city streets.
(9/25/04) A long, long time I started this story as a way of sort of distracting myself from a rather unpleasant slightly sticky interpersonal problem I was having with somebody I was a little too concerned with. I always meant to finish, but I think after I 'solved things' with said person I felt unmotivated to do so. It took alot out of me and I wasn't in the mood for 'happy endings'. The thing is I think some people out there really would like to see an ending to this and so I say this: I'm willing to try. I make no promises as when exactely but it won't take longer than a month provided my classes don't own me. If you are reading this and you think it deserves a better conclusion, please free to leave a comment or a suggestion.
Go ahead and enjoy the chapter! Be sure to read the note at the bottom!
Once home Helga and Phoebe, dashed upstairs without delay to ready themselves for their dates latter on that evening. Barely able to contain her excitement, Helga flew to her closet to snatch that infamous pink dress that she had worn when 'Cecile' and Arnold had last met. Phoebe let out a tiny giggle as her best friend quickly traded her school clothes for the dress. Once Helga had on her outfit, Phoebe had her sit down so she could her style her hair. Taking the golden locks in her hands phoebe brushed them into a loose pile waves that covered her one eye rather seductively. Taking a moment to survey her work, Phoebe then added the final touch-a pair of pearl earrings that were borrowed from Phoebe's mother and Helga's pink ribbon.
"Wow Helga! You look stunning! Arnold won't be able to keep his eyes off you for sure!"
"You think so Phebes?"
Phoebe then added with a sly smirk, "I bet every dollar I have on it!"
Meanwhile, Arnold had just arrived at Chez Paris. The waiter came by to see if he wanted anything while he waited for 'Cecile', but he declined the man's offer. Even though they were supposed to be meeting each other for dinner, Arnold hardly had any appetite for a meal for his stomach was too busy turning about inside him to be bother with the prospect of eating. With each passing second he grow more edgy awaiting her arrival and anxiously glanced out the window while playing with some of the silverware left out on the table. When he had all too fully engrossed himself in a makeshift game of table hockey, he heard a set of footsteps headed towards and so he peered up to see to see that his mystery date had arrived.
"Bon Soir Arnold! How are you this evening?" She said with a devious wink thrown in his direction.
"Well…I…I…I'm doing great! Let me get your chair!"
Running over to the other end of the table, Arnold pulled out Cecile's chair for her and let her sit herself before going back to the opposite end of the table. Arnold then took a rather long gaze at her, edger to find out he who this lovely angel really was. Helga however, grew slightly uncomfortable with him staring at her like he was for there was such an unknown power behind it. Unable to bear his eyes fixed on her she picked up the menu in front of her and leafed through it. Reacting to her sudden concealment Arnold too grabbed his menu.
"I'm glad you decided to join me tonite Arnold."
"I'm glad you invited me! I had almost thought that I'd never see you again Cecile"
"I'm sorry to hear that mon chére! Please pardon my abrupt departure the last time we met…It was rather rude of me…"
Arnold saw her turn her head down towards he lap as she spoke those words to him. He pressed his lips together slightly before he reached for the box that he stashed beneath the table and presented to her.
"It's ok, after all I wasn't a complete gentleman myself last either! Trying to have a two dates at the same time! But here! Please take this!"
Taking the package from him, Helga looked at for a moment before lifting the lid. Inside the box, she found a hard cover book of Shakespearian sonnets and more surprisingly…her old shoe that she had left behind! Momentarily her eyes fluttered at seeing it there.
"You had kept it for so long? But why?"
"I think I kept it as some sort of weird souvenir…"
'A souvenir?" Helga giggled softly "How endearing!"
Feeling flattered by the gesture, she politely thanked him for keeping her shoe safe and for the book. Just then the waiter arrived to take their orders, so Arnold took the liberty for ordering for the both of them. After he did so they continued to chat on merrily until their meals arrive and they each picked nervously at them as the evening wore on. Arnold then summed up his courage and set out to finally ask the question that had been in his mind since he had seen her last.
"So why is it is that you couldn't tell who you were last time?"
Helga nearly fell out of her seat as he spoke. She had come here with the intent to bare her soul but now she was contemplating feeling to the forest corner of the Earth. Gulping rather loudly she tried to form a reply to his question, but no words came when she caught her eyes meeting his. Seeing Arnold there before here, so eager to hear her answer didn't help her much either. With a sigh, Helga closed her eyes in desperate maneuver to regain control over her fluttering heartbeat. Arnold watched her as she attempted to steady herself, and nearly regretted asking her, for he didn't think it cause her so much distress. When Helga reopened her eyes, she caught sight of Arnold face staring back at her again, but this time with such tender concern that it helped strengthen her resolve.
"I'm sorry Arnold, I wanted to tell you but I feared that you wouldn't be too pleased with me if I did…"
"But why?"
"Because if you knew who I really was, you might never want to see me again…and I don't think I could stand it!" Helga sighed and then felt a warm hand on hers in calm reassurance the owner spoke to her.
"I promise, no matter what you say to me now I will not leave you here alone."
Feeling a lump form in her throat and her eyes start to sting with tears that she carefully held in check she withdrew her hand. Exhaling the stale air in her lungs, Helga looked him in the eyes and clenched her hands around her silk napkin in her lap.
"Very well then…but I need you to swear that you shall never speak of this to another living soul so long as you live."
Arnold nodded and waited for her to say her name to him. However Helga had thought of something a little more flagrant. Grasping the loose end of her bow, she tugged at it, and as the hair fell down her face she shook it free until her eyes met his in intense stare. Arnold's mind went spinning…was what he beheld before him true? Was his 'Cecile' really Helga G. Pataki? Stammering, he returned her glare and searched his dizzied brain for answers that did not come. Could it be some horrible joke? It had to be, for Helga couldn't possibly be so taken with him as she made out to be in all those valentines! After all this was the same girl that torture him day in and out for years! It just had to be another one of her tricks, he was sure of it!
"HELGA! That was YOU Helga? I guess I should be impressed with all that you did just to taunt me, huh?!" Bellowed Arnold as he stood up from the table pointing an accusatory finger at her.
Helga could scarcely believe what he was saying to her! To think that when she finally finds her courage, that something so terrible as this happens! It certainly wasn't the reaction she had hoped for, but some small part of her thought of how she might just have deserved his contempt in return for all the malice she had mistakenly unleashed upon him. Unable to stem the tide of tears any longer, she backed out from her seat and removed something from inside her blouse.
"If that is what you think, then you can have this! I …I won't be needing it any more!" She cried as she tossed him her beloved locket and ran out the door.
Arnold stood there with for a moment looking dumbfounded with the locket in his hands. Examining it further, he opened it to see that her locket had the very same inscription that the one his grandfather was carrying around some time ago. Then it occurred to him that this was the very same locket! Arnold felt his heart sink when he read the inscription quietly to himself.
"Arnold, my soul, you are always in my heart Love, Helga G. Pataki"
"Oh…Helga…what have I done?" He groaned before he set off after her disappearing from through the lighted city streets.
(9/25/04) A long, long time I started this story as a way of sort of distracting myself from a rather unpleasant slightly sticky interpersonal problem I was having with somebody I was a little too concerned with. I always meant to finish, but I think after I 'solved things' with said person I felt unmotivated to do so. It took alot out of me and I wasn't in the mood for 'happy endings'. The thing is I think some people out there really would like to see an ending to this and so I say this: I'm willing to try. I make no promises as when exactely but it won't take longer than a month provided my classes don't own me. If you are reading this and you think it deserves a better conclusion, please free to leave a comment or a suggestion.