A/N: I wasn't planning on updating this so soon. Actually, I considered this story done already but every review that I have gotten so far insists that I need to update it and my other story I tried to work on just wouldn't work for me so I decided to write a second chapter to this one for you all. Also, I want to thank everyone who have reviewed so far! You all make me so happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold!
Arnold's POV
The city of Hillwood was basically the same since they were all kids. Arnold found himself walking the streets aimlessly the day after Christmas, looking for something to occupy his time. The street he was on looked different than he remembered, and the house that he found himself in front of was filled with a family that was all wrong. He heard laughter coming through the closed windows and thought of the new girl that he knew lived here now; her polite manners and general happy politeness were a drastic contrast to the cruel blonde that had lived here so long ago.
Arnold thought back to the girl that he had woken up with after a drunken night of bad choices who he had a date with in the coming new year.
Flashback:
He had been in his room studying while his frat brothers threw their last frat party of the semester, gritting his teeth against the noise when his bedroom door had burst open and a blonde girl had stumbled in looking confused, allowing her hair to fall forward and shield her face. "This isn't the bathroom" she had stated looking around as if she would see a sign that would point her in the right direction.
"No, the bathroom is down the hall on the left" Arnold said to the girl who had her hair in her face and turned to look at him blankly when he spoke. After a few moments, since he couldn't concentrate anyway, he stood "let me show you the way." He walked over to her and watched as she stumbled slightly while trying to keep her eyes on him so he reached out and took her arm and pulled her down the hall in the correct direction. "Will you be alright on your own?" He asked her as she went into the bathroom, showing his usual concern for everyone.
"Of course I will," she snapped in a voice that Arnold found slightly familiar, "who do you think you're talking to there bucko?" The door had closed with a snap and Arnold stared at the door in shock. That couldn't be. He stood there and waited for her to come out, wondering and hoping that she is who he now thinks she is. When the door opened several minutes later, her hair was out of her face and she looked at him surprised, "Why did you stay there," she asked in surprise before furrowing an all too familiar unibrow at him, "I told you that I could handle it on my own."
"Helga?" Arnold asked, his heart pounding in his chest while he waited for her to confirm or deny her identity. She looked so familiar and yet so different, he watched her with bated breath.
"Yeah, what's it to ya, football head?" She asked before pushing past him and immediately freezing and whipping back around, "Arnold?" He nodded at her and laughed as she said "wow, it's been a long time. Come on, let's grab a drink."
End Flashback
He let out a sigh and walked off, on his way to the park as he shot a text his best friend Gerald, who had been going to college in Massachusetts, to meet him there.
Helga's POV
It was the day before Christmas Eve and Helga had yet to get a certain football headed guy out of her head. She could understand why that was of course, she had spent years doing everything in her power to keep him out of her head; avoiding blonde guys like the plague and keeping green eyed guys at a distance but not necessarily completely away. So now that she had the real thing on her mind and in knowing in the immediate future that she would see him and actually have a date with him was not going to leave her mind any time soon. So of course instead of giving way to daydreams as they would have when she was younger, they now gave way to doubts instead.
He obviously only wants to take me out because we slept together. Why else would he want to go out with me? I haven't seen him in years and we weren't exactly friends when we were kids so the only reason he could actually want to go out with me is because he is still a nice guy who now feels bad because we had a one night stand. That thought made her clench her jaw. Then again, he is probably in Hillwood right now schmoozing up to someone else or complaining about how he asked me out. He probably regrets it.
"Helga, dinner is ready!" Her mother Miriam called up the stairs to her. Sitting down to dinner, she thought out her options: a) she can stay here and wait for school to start up again and wait for him to contact her b) She can stay here and wait for school to start up again and avoid him when he decides to contact her if he contacts me, she thought only slightly bitterly or c) She could contact him someway before the semester starts just so that she can be aware of where they stand. She mentally drew up a pros and cons list of each option and just when she was leaning closer to option b, her mother announced that her mother was feeling under the weather lately and that she was going to go and try to help her out and she would be happy if one of them could help.
"Well Miriam, if I have to help you out then I don't want to listen to your mothers attitude" Bob grumpily said as he ate his potatoes. "And what about Helga? We can't just leave her here on her own, so I guess we will just have to take you with us little lady." He finished his sentence while looking at her.
Trying to hide her horror at that idea, she loved her grandmother but the woman got really needy, she said "Oh, mom I was just thinking about going to a friend's place for a few days anyway so…."
"Oh that's great honey, it's been so long since you hung out with that nice girl Phoebe maybe you should go and see her. What do you think B?" Miriam looked at her husband with a smile on her face over the idea.
"What? Oh, yeah I guess so. But doesn't she still live in Hillwood?" They both looked at Helga questioningly and she tried not to flinch. Helga had not spoken to Phoebe since the summer before seventh grade and had no idea where she lived now.
Opening her mouth to say so, option c popped into her head. "Uh, yeah she does. But I wouldn't be able to stay there all break so I would need money for a hotel." Looking up at her father she went on casually, "I could use the credit card you got for me in case of emergencies, for the hotel and food and stuff. I mean, you know I don't use it very often and that you can trust me not to go crazy." If I go to Hillwood, then I can see for myself if he is seeing anyone and maybe we could do our date early.
"Yeah, I guess that would work. But you make sure that you don't go overboard with your spending. You get a hotel room, some food and those notebooks you said you needed for school. That's it! You got it?" Bob looked menacing but Helga just rolled her eyes at him.
"I understand, and thanks." She went back to eating with a small smile on her face. After dinner, she went back up to her room to retrieve her credit card and made her flight details wishing she could pop for first class but knowing her dad would be checking the bill went for coach. After that was figured out, she booked a hotel room for the week and started packing ready to depart the next night to the place that she hadn't been since she was 10 years old.
So I'm going to end this here while I think up what kind of date they should have. I am going to admit that I am making this up as I go so if anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them! Please review and let me know what you think. I will try to have another chapter up soon.
