Well I wanted to get this last chapter in for the day. Lots of views, but not many comments on the previous chapters. Still thanks to everyone that took the time to read them. From here on out the chapter will be longer than the first two to keep the number down a bit.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold!
The sound of the doorbell was followed by quick but soft footsteps, the door opened to Phoebe's mom. Her looks hadn't changed much, she stood at the door with a smile.
"Oh hi Chance." She said.
"Hi Mrs. Heyerdahl." Chance responded.
"Everyone is out back," She gestured to the back of the house, "Oh I see you brought a friend."
Helga looked a little confused, did she really look that different? "Um Mrs. Heyerdahl? It's me Helga, Helga Pataki."
A look of total shock mixed with confusion spread across Phoebe's mom's face. "Oh, Helga…I am so sorry I didn't recognize you. You look so different" Phoebe's mom walked towards Helga giving her a friendly hug. "Come on inside you two. Helga, Phoebe is upstairs." She said pointing in the direction of Phoebe's room.
"Ok thank you, guess I should go see her then." Helga replied. By this time Chance had finally let go of her hand and waved as he walked towards the back door. "See you outside." He said as he turned around.
"Yeah see you out there." Helga said as she headed towards her friends bedroom. Helga still couldn't quite wrap her thoughts around what had just happened, but that was quickly stripped from her mind. She opened the door to Phoebe's bedroom and was met with a tight, vice grip like hug. "Helga!" She heard Phoebe squeal. She gasped for air when she was finally released. Dang this girl was strong she laughed to herself.
She noticed Phoebe was already in her swimsuit, it was blue with little white dots. Phoebe was totally adorable, she was still about a foot shorter than Helga, with a petite frame. She was still sporting her blue framed glasses, some things will never change. Her attention was quickly drawn to what was laying on the bed. "What the hell is that?" She asked, pointing over to the bed, a little horrified.
Phoebe let out a chuckle, "Well my friend that is a swimsuit. You said yours was still packed up so there you go." She looked at Helga and winked.
"Ooooh no," Helga protested, "I don't do two pieces."
The stern look on Helga's face certainly didn't seem to phase Phoebe. "Oh come on Helga, look at you, you will look great," Phoebe argued, "just give it a try."
"You did this on purpose." Helga grumbled, which in turn made Phoebe giggle devilishly. "Of course not." She smiled as she walked out of the room so Helga could get changed into the two piece horror. Helga stared for a moment at the swimsuit, it wasn't ugly or anything just, really a two piece? Well hopefully like her friend's mom, no one would know who she was. She changed into the swimsuit and stood in front of the full length mirror hanging on the back of Phoebe's bedroom door. The swimsuit was pink with a little beading on the top. Damn, she thought, maybe she was right I look awesome! She tied her hair back into a ponytail letting a few stray hairs fall freely finishing her look.
Phoebe was waiting outside the room, Helga walked out in the swimsuit, making Phoebe grin a bit and then focusing on a shiny pink gem on Helga's lower abdomen. "You got your belly button pierced?!" Phoebe squealed pointing. "Oh come on I still got a little rebel in me." Helga said with a smile nudging Phoebe with her elbow. "As if you weren't already eye catching." Phoebe gave her a quick wink, Helga just gave a, let's be serious, look and the two walked downstairs and to the back door. Helga hesitated for a moment, looking down at her swimsuit again, not much left to the imagination, she thought. She did have to give it to Pheebs though, she knew what she was talking about. The two walked outside to join the rest.
Helga took a look around at the different faces, some she recognized due to the minimal change, but others she could barely put a finger on. She would have Phoebe fill her in on who was who once they found a seat. The two walked over to where Gerald was sitting, he smiled up at the sight of Phoebe planting a quick kiss on her cheek. He then looked over at Helga and gave her a confused look, did he not recognize me either? He didn't say anything just turned his attention back to the radio, he was in charge of the music it seemed.
Helga took a seat next to Phoebe, looking around at all the people she noticed with the few that she could recognize. There was Harold, not much had changed about him, still the biggest of the bunch but he had toned up a bit. He was there with big Patty, no real surprise there. She then noticed Stinky, he still towered over most of everyone, but it looks like he had finally grown into that nose. She laughed a little to herself which caught Phoebe's attention.
"So do you recognize anyone yet?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah a few, but the rest I'm not so sure of." She replied.
"Let's see, the girl over by the juice bar is Rhonda, followed by Nadine as usual. Umm the curly headed guy is Eugene with Sheena and Sid is standing over by Stinky. There is Brainy, Lorenzo, Pea Pod kid, and Chance." Phoebe called off.
The biggest change she saw was, believe it or not, Brainy. He still had those glasses, but he was far from looking like the creepy stalker nerd that use to show up during her confessions of love for Arnold. To her surprise she actually found him quite attractive. Helga couldn't help but notice just how much everyone had changed in just two short years. She was a little disappointed when she did not hear Phoebe say Arnold's name. In a way she was relieved, but a small part of her was hoping that he was there. Oh well. She turned her attention to Phoebe who was staring at her, a look of concern on her face.
"You ok?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah I'm good," Helga said, quickly changing the subject, "hey who is that guy over there?" She said pointing to Chance.
"Oh that's Chance. He moved here about a month or so after you left." Phoebe responded. "He is a really cool guy, he hangs out with Gerald and Arnold a lot." Phoebe paused realizing what she had just said.
Helga kind of ignored her reaction, "Yeah I met him on the way here, well actually I kind of walked into him." She said as she rubbed her sore bottom. Phoebe's eyes lit up for a second, "Well you know, he is single." Helga was caught off guard by this a little and looked at Phoebe.
"Oh no, don't you go trying to hook me up with him my first day back." Helga quickly said, giving Phoebe a stern look.
Phoebe had a little devilish grin spread across her face, "Hey Chance!" Phoebe called out waving her hand. Helga could just stare in horror. What the hell was she doing?
"Hey Phoebe!" Chance called back, "What's up?" He walked over in their direction, holding a cup, and this time less one shirt. Damn! Helga couldn't keep her eyes off him as he made his way towards where they were sitting. At this point Gerald had noticed him walking over too and stood up to give him a quick high five.
He looked down at Helga, "Well hello again." Helga just gave him a little wave. "Well at least this time we aren't trying to play demolition derby." He laughed. Helga kind of laughed, still a little embarrassed about what had happened earlier.
"Hey man take a seat." Gerald motioned to him. Chance pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with them. "So what you been up to?" Gerald asked Chance.
"Same ole same ole." Chance laughed, "Just trying to not run head first into pretty girls." He looked at Helga and winked. This of course made her cheeks burn more than she thought possible. Is there a point today that I won't be embarrassed beyond recovery?
The four of them sat there making small talk, well mostly the guys, Phoebe and Helga just kind of sat listening. Their conversation broken when they heard Harold yell, "Whooohooo! Cannon Ball!" as he ran and jumped off the diving board, hitting the water with enough force to cover all of them with water. Chance jumped up from the table with Gerald, both had grins of their faces. They ran towards the pool both diving in unison, and grabbing Harold. And so it begins, Helga and Phoebe sat at the table laughing hysterically, along with everyone else that was there to witness the mayhem. Some things never change, she thought.
Right about the midst of the commotion her attention was redirected to the backdoor hearing it slam shut. Out walked a tall, blonde headed guy wearing a red polo, and red and blue plaid swim trunks. Upon seeing the commotion he quickly took his shirt and shoes off and joined in. Helga didn't get a good look at who he was, but she was sure she would soon find out.
It wasn't until Rhonda got totally drenched that all the guys stopped, well only to laugh at her reaction and continue on with their shenanigans. Helga focused her attention on the newest arrival, he was toned very nicely, and his skin was a shade darker than her sun-kissed skin. She couldn't help but to think how familiar, yet unfamiliar he was. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but something told her that she knew him.
It wasn't until the music started to suffer that Gerald called it quits and got back to DJ duties, laying a sweet kiss on Phoebe's forehead as he passed by. Following Gerald was Chance and the blonde-headed guy, seeing them both soaking wet made her heart skip a beat. These guys, she thought to herself biting her lip, they know they are freaking gorgeous. This time Chance sat across from her closer to Gerald and the blonde took the chair next to her.
"So did you ladies enjoy the show?" Chance said with a hint of laughter.
"I've seen better." Helga shot back with a smirk. This made him laugh, "Oh yeah? You think you can do better?"
"Duh." She said sitting back crossing her arms. Phoebe shot her a look of total mischief and grinned.
"Prove it." Chance said leaning forward giving her a raised brow and sly smirk.
"Ok, ok you two." Gerald said chuckling, "what do you guys say we put on some tunes to move to?"
By this time Helga's playful banter had caught the attention of the blonde haired guy sitting next to her. She could feel his eyes on her, but she kept her attention on Gerald as he fumbled through his playlist finally landing on what he was looking for. Gerald put on an oldie but goodie, and the three of them got up leaving Helga and the blonde haired guy at the table.
"You not coming?" Chance asked.
"Sorry to disappoint you," She said with a smirk, "but I don't dance. At least not in public."
"Well we will have to fix that huh?" he said, "I bet I can get you to dance before the end of the party."
"Bet." Helga responded, sealing the deal with a handshake.
As she sat there in silence she pulled out her phone and text her mother, making sure Bob hadn't annihilated anyone yet. Her attention was completely on her conversation with her mother when a sultry sounding voice broke the silence. "Hey" her head snapped in the direction of the voice, it was the blonde haired guy, she totally forgot about him sitting there.
"Oh, um...hi." She responded quickly, looking up from her phone to catch his amazing green eyes looking into hers. So familiar, she thought, then it hit her like a ton of bricks, almost taking her breathe away in the process. She knew those eyes, oh how she knew them, no doubt about it…it was Arnold!
Verdict?