An : I don't think many of you are actually reading my story, but for those who are I need to explain a few things. At first this story was suppose to be with some action/adventure parts, with Lila being kidnapped and all, but I'm a lazy person and actually this story will be just romance, I can't rewrite the 4th chapter because there's a problem with my old computer, so just forget the part about Lila' father being mentioned. I hope you will enjoy it anyway. Also, I know I make a LOT of spelling and grammar mistakes and I apologize in advance for all the confusion it brings. Well anyway I hope you will enjoy the story.

Chap5 : My Knight in armor

"Wait!"

Helga turned around and looked at Arnold without saying anything.

"Hum…well do you want to…you know…dance with me?"

Helga couldn't help but smile.

"I'd love to."

Arnold took her hand and led her to the dance floor, where they started to slow dance. He held Helga in his harms, but was barely touching her, almost as if he was afraid to hurt her. They were quiet for a while, and then he spoke.

"So, I know people must ask all the time but, how was France?"

"It was…"

How could she explain it? How much she loved France.

"…perfect."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed.

"Forget it."

She slightly moved her head and looked straight in his eyes.

''There is something I've been wanting to tell you since I came back."

His eyes were blue, like a summer sky. She had forgotten his eyes…

"What is it?" he asked

"I'm sorry Arnold. For the way I treated you back then. I mean calling Football Head and stuff…you know? You didn't deserve to be treated this way, I mean God! You were always nice! I'm not rubbing it in right? Ok, I'll shut my big mouth up''

Arnold laughed.

"Don't worry! It was a years ago! It's been a long time since I forgave you."

They smiled at each other. She had also forgotten about his smile. No one else could make her feel this good with only a simple smile.

"But…I would like to know one thing."

"Sure, go ahead Arnold."

"Why was it always me you were picking at?"

Her heart stopped.

"I mean others too, but it was me that you annoyed the most."

He was waiting for an answer. Well, now she could tell him. It was a long time ago right?

"Because…"

It was harder then she thought it would be.

"Because…I…"

Just say it already! Come on Helga, she though, it's easy. Only four little words. "Because I loved you". LovED you. Past tense.

" Because…"

But she couldn't. Somehow, for some reasons, the words wouldn't come out. She looked away.

"I don't know. Why do you care?"

She had said that harshly and he looked a bit hurt. But then again, her mind was probably playing tricks on her. Why would he be hurt? He didn't care about her.

The song ended and Helga quickly walked away.

Helga stepped in her house, well the big building that was suppose to be her house, though she didn't consider it as such. Her home was in Paris, and she couldn't bare think otherwise.

"I'm home!" she muttered knowing no one would care

She entered the living room, finding Miriam asleep on the couch. She was dressed in very expensive cloth, but her hair was messed up, her shoes were lying on the floor, and she was holding an empty bottle of vodka in her hand. She looked like she had tried to look good, but had been change by the alcohol. Helga wasn't shocked by this vision of her drunken mother. She was very used to it actually, since Bob had made his fortune, Miriam's drinking problem had gotten worse. Helga sighed and took the bottle from her mother's hand, ready to get reed of it. Heading toward the kitchen, she froze. She had heard noises coming from it. Carefully she walked in.

Her father was lying on the kitchen counter, a pretty blond in his harms.

Helga heart stopped. For some time she couldn't move. She just stood there watching her father and his friend making out without speaking. Then she managed to cough. Bob looked at her, without really seeing her.

"Why are you home Olga?"

"Helga. I'm home because it's late and I don't feel like sleeping on the street no matter how inviting it looks. Sorry to bother your romantic plans Bob."

He frowned.

"You know I'm your father, stop calling me Bob."

"Oh don't give me some father crap, I've always called you Bob and it never bothered you. It's not because you have you friend here that you kneed to act like you care about my education."

She had said the word "friend" with all the harshness that could be put in one word. The blond seemed to have noticed, she was eyeing at Helga abjectly.

"Oh, she said ironically, she's so cute Bob, a real doll."

Bob made a small smile.

"Isn't she baby? Can you believe she use to look like an ape? Thank god her daddy was here to pay all of the plastic surgery."

They both got to their feet, ready to leave.

"I knew her boobs were too good to be true" said the woman smiling rudely.

Helga was trembling.

"Actually, they're my real ones, she said, I got nose and ears surgery. They used to be like Bob's. He's the only ape in this family, physically and mentally."

Bob raised his hand in the kneed of slapping her. But he stopped at the last second.

"What are you waiting for Bob? Hit me!"

He just started at her, smiling meanly.

"You should be grateful to have a father like me. Paying you everything you want and making you live like a princess in all this luxury. You don't deserve me! You're a cold hearted witch!"

"Grateful? She screamed, grateful? I should be grateful for having a father who doesn't even know my name? Who speaks to me only once a year to insult me and who sleeps with any hot blond he meets on the street?"

He looked like he was ready to explode.

"Well at least I don't drink" he screamed back.

"Why do you think she does Bob? Why do you think mom is like that? To forget YOU!

To forget that she is in fact married to you!"

The blond spoke.

"You should be glad to have a father as rich as Bob."

Helga smiled ironically.

"Oh yes I forgot, silly me. Money is all that matters."

Bob too was trembling.

"I'm just sorry I wasn't rich when Miriam got pregnant with you, so that we could have had an abortion like we both wanted."

He stormed out of the room followed by his friend. As soon as he was out of sight, Helga fell to the ground shaking like never before. There was no way she was staying in this house. With great effort since she had almost no strength left in her, she rose to her feet and raced out of a house that was not hers.

"Now THAT was a great party wasn't it?" said Gerald for the ten thousand time.

"Sure was!" answered Arnold

"Come on! I want enthusiasm here."

"I was enthusiastic the first 20 times you asked me that."

Gerald suddenly looked slightly embarrass.

"I'm annoying you aren't I? Sorry."

"I know you to well. You're not sorry."

"Damn right I'm not!"

As an add to his comment Gerald burst out laughing.

"Gerald, sighed Arnold, I'm really really glad that you and Phoebe hook up tonight! Really I am. But right now you are driving me crazy! So if you would please stop the car, I think I'll just walk home."

"Your wish is my command! But may I suggest you take this umbrella with you? My masculine intuition is telling me that it's going to rain."

Without saying anything else, Gerald left his friend on the street. Arnold was rather happy. He liked being alone sometimes. And this evening had turned up quite nicely. Gerald and Phoebe had gotten together, something Arnold had been excepting for ages and he had had a hell of a good time too with Lila. She really was a life time catch. She was perfect, so sweet, caring and pretty. At this point it started raining. Arnold glared at his umbrella.

"Thank you Gerald" he said out loud.

He went on, the umbrella over his head. As he was approaching a bench, he noticed someone sitting on it, all alone under the rain. It was Helga! What was she doing here? Why wasn't she home? It was raining really hard now and Arnold felt concerned. He sat next to her and put the umbrella above her head.

"Hey."

She looked at him and smiled weakly.

"Arnold!"

Then she glanced at the umbrella.

"Your always going to do that aren't you?"

He glared at her. She looked so small and miserable.

"Do what?" he asked warmly

"Rescue me from the rain. "

She laughed with no joy.

"You're my knight in armor Arnold. Do you know that?"

"I rescued you from the rain before?"

She wasn't looking at him.

"I should have known you wouldn't remember. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Yeah, but I asked first."

"Right! Well Gerald was suppose to drive me home, since my car is getting fixed, but I just couldn't stand him talking to me on and on about Phoebe so…"

Helga laughed with no happiness.

"I'm sure you do the same with Lila!"

"NO!" said Arnold indignantly, "Well anyway, I…OH what ever. You didn't answer my question."

She rolled her eyes.

"If you really want to know, I'm trying to sleep."

Arnold noticed she was shaking hard.

"Sleep? You can't stay here all night!"

"Why not? I like this bench!"

He got up and grabbed her hand trying to pull her up too. He refused to let her there, all alone. After all, she had called him her knight in armour. And a knight never leaves a damsel in distress.

"Come with me!" he pleaded

Helga looked in his eyes and saw his concern. She let herself led by Arnold to his in front of his house. A car was parked there.

"It's my grandpa's, Arnold said, wait for me and I'll go get the keys. Then I'll drive you home."

Helga's face became livid. Arnold had never see her this scared. She grabbed him by the shoulders and stared right at him.

"I'm not going back, she articulated coldly, you can't force me! Got it?"

For a while Arnold did not know what to do or what to answer. Then he made a decision.

"Fine, he said, come on."

Helga did not move.

"You mean, in your house?"

"Unless you prefer the bench."

"Of course not. But I just don't want to impose myself."

"You're not imposing, I'm inviting you!"

He pulled her in. As soon as they were inside, his grandpa appeared.

"How was the party short man?"

Then he noticed Helga.

"Who's your friend?"

"It's Helga grandpa. She's going to sleep here tonight."

"Oh ok!" said Phil without asking anymore question.

Arnold led Helga up the stairs and to his room.

"Well, he said feeling suddenly really awkward looking at his guest who was practically a stranger, do you …hum I mean."

Helga laughed.

"Are you scared of me?"

He regained confidence. She was no stranger. She was Helga. The same as before. Except now she had gotten tall, very good looking, and he could see her underwear threw her dress because it was wet. He handed her a towel and a big t-shirt of his.

"Her! You might want to take a hot shower and change. Bathroom is this way."

"Thanks"

While she was showering, he himself changed and showered in his grandparents bathrooms. When he came back she was sitting on his couch dressed in his big t-shirt and looking at a basketball match. He sat next to her.

"You like basketball?"

"Love it. I heard you played. You're like the school star!"

Arnold blushed.

"Not really!"

"Oh, come on! Phoebe told me how great you were! You still can't handle compliments?"

Arnold chose to ignore the comment. Together they watch the end of the match.

"Yes!" Helga screamed. "The Lakers win again! Told you the Chicago Bulls sucked."

"They don't suck, they were just unlucky that's all."

"Yeah right! You call yourself good at basketball and you can't even see a winning team when you see one!"

"I can and I do! The Chicago Bulls are the ones who would have deserved winning tonight."

Helga hit him with her pillow.

"You're a looser Football Head. Did I already mention that?"

Arnold laughed.

"Oh, so we are back to Football Head then? I thought I was your Knight in armour."

She hit him again.

"I take it back! You're a looser."

."Now that's not really nice!" he said

He hit her too.

"How dare you hit me!" she said trying very hard not too laugh, "I'm a girl!"

"Ow, poor baby!"

They both ended up laughing like crazy.

"At least I'm a funny looser, right?"

"Ok, I give credit were its due. You a very good person to have a pillow fight with. Now let's go to bed, a girl needs her beauty sleep."

"You don't need any beauty sleep."

It had just slept out. Arnold blush.

"Wow thanks Casanova! I never felt so flattered in my life."

Which was in fact kind of true but she would never have admitted it. Arnold smiled at her then looked around, trying to figure out how they were going to sleep.

"Well, you can take my bed! And I, as the great gentleman that I am, will sleep on the couch."

"Sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not."

"Fine then. Thank you. Maybe you are a knight in armor after all."

"Can you say that again so I can record it?"

"Absolutely not! Good night Arnold."

"Good night Helga."

They were quiet for a few minutes then Helga broke the silence.

"Arnold?"

"Yeah?" he said half sleeping.

"Thank you for not asking."

"What?"

"Why I didn't want to go home."

And then both of them went to sleep.