Okay, hello everyone. It seems that everyone liked the last chapter and I hope you like this one too. So here goes…
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold!
Much appreciation goes out to all those who have reviewed:
Tinánia Legolinde- Hello! Hello! Hello! I know what you mean. With school coming to an end everything is crazy. But it feels like this whole year has sped by. UGH! I hate cleaning my room. In fact, I hate cleaning in general. :) I'm glad you liked or should I say loved my chapters. Yea, that was my favorite scene too. Don't worry, Oprah always has reruns. I'm sure you'll catch it again. With LOTR I think they're great movies, just not for me. Like, when I watched the Two Towers I fell asleep. I don't know why. They're just not my type of movies. Although I will still go see Return of the King just to be able to say I saw the trilogy. :) You just need to do whatever the big guy upstairs has planned for you. That's what I'm doing even though I'm not exactly sure what that is. :) HaHa…That's funny. Yeah I say they should all have to fight for your love. I think Orlando would win just because he has all the good weapons. You better not miss anymore chapters or I'll start pouting. :( HeHeHe! I love reading your reviews! You have to add Jeremy. Love ya always!
Estel fuga- I Know, I know… So close, yet so far. You're right about Helga having a lot of guilt, so much it confuses her with the person she truly loves. But who that person is I won't tell. :) That's my secret. I'm glad you liked it. I liked it too! That last chapter I did update a little fast. I wanted to wait, but it was too hard because I had it already written. I hope you like this chapter. It has Helga and Arnold stuff. Love isn't supposed to be easy. I've heard this somewhere, but I'm not sure where. To be able to appreciate true love, you have to suffer through heart breaks. I just believe that is so true. I think that is what Helga is going through now. I don't know about mistress of tension, but I'm glad I keep you on the edge of your seat. Okay, hugs to you and lots of encouragement for the next chapter of your story.
jaz7- I hope you're not too mad and will continue to read my story. I'm sorry I left the chapter to end like that, but I think you'll like this next installment. Don't worry, eventually everything will work itself out between Helga and Arnold.
Iselyn- LOL. I know, I thought the kiss was so cute because it was so all of a sudden. I'm glad you liked all their interactions because it was a lot of fun for me to write. Awww…do you really think that? Thank you so much. catches confetti and tosses it up again and then runs off LOL.
Hazy- I'm so happy you enjoyed it. I hope it ends happily too, but I can't promise anything. I don't anyone to get mad because I told them something was going to happen when it didn't. Thanks a lot for the review.
Ms Frosty- Yay! You're back again! :) That was pretty sudden with Brainy. Were you expecting the kiss? I love surprising people that way. Helga is trapped, but hopefully she will figure everything out soon. I hope you like this chapter.
Cook101- I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter. I agree there needs to be some type of resolution between them- whether it be good or bad. I sure hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last.
Chapter 15: Disillusioned Lie
"But I love you," Arnold repeated in low whisper as he stared hardly at the lavender wood of Helga's front door. Rain still descended from the sky to fall relentlessly on him. So wet, his clothes clung tightly to his muscular body. From the cold, his movements shuddered as chills ran through him.
Unable to comprehend as to what had evolved, Arnold turned to the steps ready to leave the many never forgotten moments behind. One instant he and Helga experienced pure bliss. The next, a transforming chaos had broken loose transforming their bliss into a disarrayed destruction. Still, the greatest question remained unanswered. What had caused it all? Surely, Brainy's arrival could not have put so much ruin on the moment. Helga acted as if she felt anger towards Arnold, but he had done nothing. Brainy had thrown the first punch, and Arnold had retaliated only with a menacing stare. Maybe that's it. Suddenly, reasonable thoughts raced through his mind. Maybe she's upset because I didn't fight back.
Cowardly feelings submerged Arnold. He could not apprehend as to why he had not stood up against Brainy's fury. I should have been there for her. Now guilt surpassed him. He returned his body to encounter Helga's front door. Within himself, he would have to summon the courage to apologize to Helga, to beg for her forgiveness, to confirm to her he would never act so foolish again.
Perfection had come so near for Helga and Arnold. This time, Arnold would not allow for it to slip through his grasp so easily.
Steadily, he raised his hand to meet the door's damaged wood.
From her crouched position on the floor, Helga listened as the loud knocking ceased to end. She felt relieved her parents were not home to heed it. They would certainly denounce her as the reason for the blatant noise. In all reality, Helga had no reason to care if they did accuse her. Their discouraging comments attested common for her. Besides she only worried for her own problems. Glancing at the door, no doubts arose in her mind at who pleaded for her return outside. It was Arnold. The same Arnold she had not objected in kissing. The same Arnold she despised herself for loving, and the same Arnold who deserved an explanation for her sudden departure from him. In her heart, she possessed no explanation that would come close to generating any sense.
No way could she confide in Arnold that Brainy running from her outstretched arms caused her to act so coarse. For that, she had no evidence that would substantiate it. Love had never crossed her mind for Brainy except for in the early months of their relationship. From then on, she had concluded that all her devotion belonged to Arnold. But maybe she was wrong. Maybe she had overlooked her care for Brainy.
With each hit, the knocking grew more strident. Again, she cast her eyes to the rusted doorknob. Helga understood she had to acknowledge it. What will I tell Arnold? So much confusion overwhelmed her; she found it difficult to process her crowding thoughts.
Unknown stiffness took Helga by surprise as she rose to confront the door that retained her life's problem. With some fortuity, she would think of a reason for her rudeness the instant she encountered Arnold. Slowly, she rotated the knob and peered out. Before her hazed eyes stood Arnold caught in the action of knocking again. When he noticed her he quickly pulled back his arm and placed it at his side. The scene almost appeared humorous to Helga if she had not had to endure such an emotional dilemma. Arnold appeared much like a small boy who had just received a scolding from his mother for doing something forbidden. Conjecturing guilt for abandoning him to the weather's harsh treatment, Helga quietly invited him inside. Still, she could not distinguish any words for him. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, no explanation lingered in her mind as she had prayed.
"Thanks," Arnold managed to say, forcing a smile to confirm his gratitude towards her. Desperately, he craved to apologize then, but the right moment had yet to come upon them.
Helga walked to the living room with Arnold following her. When she reached middle of the room she paused and rotated to look at Arnold. Observing water drip from him to the olive carpet, she finally said something that in all honesty seemed completely irrelevant to the genuine confrontation at hand.
"You look like wet schnauzer," Helga sniffed the air around Arnold, "Jeesh, you smell like one too. Stay here, Hair Boy. I'll go get a towel."
Remaining still, Arnold nodded his head in reply. Through the entrance she had entered the room, Helga disappeared from view, but returned within minutes. It appeared obvious to Arnold that she was in a hurry for him to leave. In Helga's hands she held out an oversized burgundy towel to Arnold who gratefully accepted it. Her eyes watched intensely as he dried himself. Pretending not to notice, Arnold turned his back towards her.
"You want to make it snappy, Arnoldo. If my parents catch you here they'll kill me," Helga told him, urgency sifting into her voice. No longer did she desire to entrust him with an explanation or any other form of conversation. She now felt it a mistake to have permitted him inside. Helga knew it would only result in more pain afflicted on her.
The right moment is now, Arnold thought. If he did not attempt to apologize in this next instant, he recognized that he would probably never seize a better opportunity. With he and Helga standing alone in each other's company waiting for the other to say something of importance the time seemed flawless.
"Helga, I'm sorry," Arnold stated, turning to face her.
A look of confusion passed over Helga's defined features. She did not understand.
"What the heck are you sorry for?" she inquired, stepping backwards to lean on her father's recliner.
"For not helping you," Arnold responded as if it should sound more apparent to her. From his hands, he let the towel fall to the carpet.
Still, Helga could not infer his words.
"Football Head, what are you talking about?"
"I let you down. I didn't help you with Brainy. I just watched you fight him by yourself," Arnold replied. This is even harder than I thought.
Bursting out with resounding laughter, Helga toppled over the recliner, landing comfortably in its soft cushion.
Watching her quizzically, Arnold's cheek's reddened with embarrassment. He turned slightly from Helga's uproar. I should have never come in.
Regaining her composure, Helga straightened to an upright position and gazed towards Arnold's direction.
"You can be so corny Football Head," she said, a wide grin still showed on her face, "Did you really think I needed your help?"
"Yeah, I did," Arnold snapped defensively, "I don't appreciate you laughing at me either. This is serious, Helga."
Ascending from her seat, Helga abided to her location as she fixed her eyes on him with an intensifying glare. The grin cleared itself from her face as emotions of rage began to circle through her body. He's acting like a jerk.
"I can handle Brainy on my own," Helga retorted through clenched teeth.
"Then why were you mad at me?" Arnold asked her with his own unmoving glare.
"Because you were being so arrogant about the whole situation. You acted as if nothing had happened when Brainy ran off. In fact, you're still doing that right now."
Once again Arnold felt speechless. Had he really acted arrogant?
"It's just, I thought everything was okay when he left," he explained.
"Well, everything wasn't." Helga walked to stand at the recliner's side.
"Do you feel something for Brainy," Arnold reworded his question, "Do you love him?"
That did it. That proved as the question Helga had tried so many times to restrain from answering. Only Arnold would ask it.
"I-I don't know," Helga spoke subdued, attracting her gaze from him to the particles held in the carpet.
Moving his hand through his damp hair, Arnold felt incredulity proceed through his body. He began to shake along with the room's tension. He wanted to leave immediately, but he could not until he had educated himself with all the knowledge of the situation.
"Our kiss didn't mean anything to you?" he inquired.
A moment passed, and than another, followed by one more. After three fleeting minutes had befallen them, Helga had yet to speak. Inside, Arnold could feel himself gradually decaying. Everything that he had thought as perfect only proved as a scripted lie told to him by fate. Finally, Helga's voice interrupted the quietness.
"It meant a lot," she stopped and then added, "Until Brainy came."
"So, I love you, but you don't love me," Arnold whispered, attempting to remain calm. She could not see his pain. It would probably cause her more happiness, he thought hatefully.
"I guess so," Helga whispered truthfully, allowing the distress to form on her face. A short time before she would have captured the moment gleefully when Arnold confided to her his love, but now no glee mounted her. All she felt showed as a numb misery that settled in her stomach.
"Then, I guess were done talking." Grasping the towel, Arnold gave it Helga, "Good-Bye." On his face, no emotion was present causing Helga more grief. This was not how she wished for their brief relationship to end. She wanted to say something meaningful and apologetic, but what words could possibly retrieve the past moments from ever existing. In her lungs, Helga held her breath until she heard the front door slam signaling Arnold's exit. Then, she disclosed a deep sigh.
Confusion had incorporated a considerable role in her words to Arnold. She could not profess her love to him or Brainy until she figured out the enigma that was herself.
A/N: What did you think? I still have a surprise to tell everyone at the end of this chapter. :) Thanks for reading. Please give me your opinions in a review for this chapter.