SHOOTING STAR
"We'll kill Lila if we find her, dudaa, dudaa, Cuz she can't be this stupid, dooda, dooda day!"
"Stop singing Helga." - Arnold said. It was really disturbing, while he was trying to drive.
"She's right." - Rhonda said. - "That dude had the 'Hey Babe, I will tell you anything if I can get into your pants!' sign on his forehead. And Y'know, I kinda like that in a guy." - They were heading to the beach to find out where Rafael's "studio" is. - "But for Lila is the worst possible choice."
"Yeah." - Arnold said - "I mean how can a girl so smart can be such an..."
"Asshole?" - Helga asked. Arnold wanted to protest a little, but he really couldn't.
"Yeah." - he admitted.
"You know a part of me can't wait to see Lila's great debut." - Helga said. - "It would so damn funny to see Miss Perfect on a dirty video. Crimney, I would even order the DVD!"
"It's not funny Helga." - Arnold said.
"Yes it is hair-boy!" - Helga said. Gerald listened to them in grim silence in the back of the car.
They parked the car on the beach, and run to the bar, where Rhoda met Rafael. They went to the bartender.
"Hello, what can I get you."
"A martini would be nice." - Rhonda said.
"An ID card or a driver's license would be nice too." - the bartender said. It was funny because she had drunk alcohol here, just this afternoon.
"Skip it Rhonda." - Helga said, as she pushed Rhonda out of the way. - "Listen pal, we're looking for a guy named Rafael. He looks good, and he's coming here to pic up bimbos, and making them porn stars."
"Sorry honey, I'm only minding my own business." - he said. Arnold put his hand to Helga's arm. The last time he seen this look on her face, she put up two of her fingers to Wolfgang's nose, and grabbed him trough the cafeteria, because he called Phoebe a whore.
"Listen, I'm a Lloyd, and I..." - Rhonda said, but he was stopped by Gerald who just arrived with a man.
"I think I know who are you looking for." - he said.
"And who the hell are you?" - Rhonda asked.
"My name is Jake. - he said. - I perform here sometimes. - he said, and he raised the guitar he hold in his hand.
"I bet your pretty good, if you made it this far." - Helga said with a cynical tone in her voice. Jake ignored her.
"I know that Rafael guy. He's a real bastard. He's coming here picking up girls, and taking them to his apartment. As far as I know, he's putting amphetamine pills to their drinks. I heard he is taping them, and purchasing the video in Europe. Amateur videos are really going these days." - he said.
"And why are you telling us?" - Gerald asked.
"There was a girl here a few months ago. Her father saw her on the Internet, and kicked her out the house. Rafael just laughed into her face, and said she can sue him, if she can finance it, and bear the humiliation." - he said - "That guy kinda pissed me off."
"You know where he lives." - Arnold asked.
"Yes. Come, I'll show you." - he said, and he left, toward the nearest buildings. The others followed him.
"See." - Gerald said to Rhonda - "My superior detective skills."
"Yeah. You just made a new friend. Hey, it's your life dude."
"What do you mean?"
"Phoebe... you know, all she needs is a guy with a guitar. It makes her weak in the knees."
"Very funny Rhonda." - Gerald said, but it made him think. He took Phoebe, the second best girl for granted. It never passed his mind she might leave him for another guy. He never felt jealousy with her. He wondered, how long a relationship like that can last.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Lila, put your clothes on! Stop being a slut and come out! We're leaving!" - Helga shouted, while she was hitting the door with her hands. Suddenly the door opened and a middle aged, fat, half naked guy with a huge mustache grabbed Helga's hand. He looked pretty angry.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" - he asked.
"Or maybe, this isn't his apartment after all." - Jake said.
"You're a lot of help asshole, you know that." - Helga whispered to Jake - "Excuse mister, we thought you're someone else."
"Well I'm, me." - the man said with cold hatred.
"Please don't eat me Mr. Big Scary Man." - Helga said - "We're just looking for one of our friend. Don't you know someone in the building called Rafael?"
"He's living right above us." - he said. - "So we have pretty noise nights without crazy girls knocking on our door." - he shut the door. Helga looked at Jake with a killing mood.
"Hey, sorry honey. I was wrong." - Jake said - "But no one told you to turn go all Muhammad Ali on the door." - the others took one step back. Insulting Helga in a situation like this. Huge mistake.
"We will talk about this later." - Helga said, as he turned around and went to the stairs. So, after they found Rafael's real apartment, this time Arnold did the knocking. He didn't get any responds.
"Lila, it's us! Open it!" - after some minutes Lila answered.
"Arnold... is that you? I can't believe this! Go home!"
"Open it!" - he said. Some more minutes later, (while she put on one of Rafael's bathrobes) she opened the door. It was really obvious, her friends disturbed her in the middle of something. But there was something weird with her. Her pupils were huge. Rafael showed up behind him, only wearing a towel.
"Arnold, I know you're jealous, but you must move on. I never even dreamed you would go this far." - Lila said. Her words were slow and confused.
"You don't understand. He's just using you." - Arnold said.
"Arnold, there are other girls! Here's Helga. Notice her at last for god's shake!" - she said. Arnold forgot everything else for a moment. "Notice her at last"? What the hell did she mean by that?
"He's telling the truth." - Rhonda said - "He tried his luck with me too, he's just..."
"Don't listen to them babe." - Rafael said. - "They're just jealous. She tried to pick me up earlier on the beach. She just can't make her peace with that I chosen you."
"Sure." - Rhonda said, with a nervous laugh. She was really worried about Lila.
"Guys, I have to go know." - she said, and she closed the door.
"Jesus!" - Gerald said - "You seen her eyes? That bastard drugged her or something!"
"Shouldn't we call the cops?" - Arnold asked.
"Yeah. Prove them she didn't did it to herself. Good luck with that." - Jake said. Suddenly, Helga hit the door again.
"She's a minor asshole!" - she screamed. That seemed to work, because within a minute the door opened, and Rafael pulled out the almost naked Lila, who handled all her clothes.
"I wasted my f'ckin' time again on a kid." - he said. Obviously he didn't liked the idea, he's recorded while he's having sex with a minor. It's a little harder to talk himself out of that. He wanted to shut the door again, but Helga put her foot in the way. Without a word he raised her hand to punch Rafael, but Arnold grabbed her hand.
"Helga, no, it's not worth it!" - he said.
"Yes it is." - Jake said, and he punched Rafael on the face. He knocked him out immediately. They all looked at him in surprise.
"Not bad." - Helga said after a while, as she showed him Old Betsy - "You almost hit like a girl. Almost."
Arnold took off his shirt, and put it over Lila, who really wasn't in the condition to dress up right now. He hated to show his body, but he felt sorry for the girl.
They took home Lila knowing they made a great new friend tonight. They only suspected, they've made a new enemy as well.
NEXT: Arnold freaks out!