Finally, third and last chapter! Sorry for taking so long, I've been pretty busy because I started college a couple of weeks ago (I'm studying History and Acting). Anyway, I hope you like this ending, I do. Firstly this was supposed to be a One-shot but then I decided to write a couple of chapters more, and I'm glad I did it, and hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Honestly I don't think I'm gonna be able to write any other fanfiction right now, because I don't have much free time, and if I have the opportunity maybe I'll right some Harry Potter fanfic, we'll see. But you can read another Hey Arnold fanfic I wrote some months ago, actually it's the first one I've ever written. It's a One-shot and it's called "Downtown as fruits", you can find it in my profile.
Well, thanks to anyone who had read this, added to favorites, alerts or reviewed it. Writing wouldn't be enjoyable without the readers, as acting without the audience, so thank you, and remember it's always nice to read the reviews, so tell me your opinion, don't be shy!
Happy Easter :)
- Dolores.
PS: Please, when you see any grammar mistake or something like that, remember I'm Argentinean. Gracias.
Arnold and Helga entered the house, which was empty. The girl limped to the couch and let herself fall onto it.
- What cha doing standing there like a post? Sit down.
Arnold sat beside her and they stayed in an awkward silence.
- Yeah, this is fun, football head
- Well Helga, tell me what you wanna do.
The girl doubted a couple of seconds.
- Let's play videogames.
- You can't go out – Arnold reminded her
- I don't have to. I've got the Sega. – Helga pointed to the game console under the TV, beside the VHS – Be useful and turn it on.
Arnold obeyed reluctantly, took one of the game controls and gave the other one to his classmate.
- What game is on?
- Mortal Kombat – answered Helga
- Why I'm not surprised…
They played for a while. Helga was winning by far, doing more than a fatality to Arnold.
- I don't like this game Helga, it's too sadistic.
- You're such a little girl, Arnoldo.
Arnold glared at her.
- Let's play something else – he proposed – Don't you have any board game?
The girl sighed.
- They're in my room. Help me go up the stairs.
- It's not necessary, tell me where they are and I'll get one.
- And let you poke around my stuff? – The image of Arnold's shrine came to Helga's mind – No way.
Arnold rolled his eyes.
- Whatever you say, Helga.
They went upstairs and Arnold was pretty surprised when he saw the bedroom. It was too… girly and innocent. It could have belonged to any 9 year old girl, except Helga G. Pataki… but it did.
- Wow, I'd have never imagined your room was like this…
- What had you expected, hair-boy? Torture tools?
- Well… kinda.
Helga snorted and turned around to look between her stuff while Arnold was sitting at the edge of her bed.
- I found the Monopoly…
- That's good.
They went to the living room table and played there for a long while.
- Helga, you're cheating!
- Cheating? You can't cheat on Monopoly, smart pants!
- Of course you can, that's what you're doing! Forget it, I don't play anymore.
- Whatever, I was winning anyway.
- Yes, by cheating!
- I wasn't cheating, you idiot!
Arnold had enough and got up.
- Where do you think you're going?
- To my house – he answered approaching the door
- So you're gonna leave me invalid and by myself!
- You're no invalid, Helga. You can take care of yourself. I offered you my company, but I won't tolerate your abuse anymore. See ya.
- Fine, whatever!
Arnold went out slamming the door. Then Helga hit the game board with her fist.
- Criminy! Why can't I do anything good? Who am I kidding, I did cheat. He was just offering his company and all I can do is treat him badly… Oh, Arnold…
She limped as fast as she could to the door and almost jumped the stoop's stairs. She walked a few steps and saw the blond kid far away.
- Arnold! – She called out, but the boy did not hear her. She walked faster and called him again. – Arnold wait!
He turned around and saw Helga running to him as fast as her foot let her.
- What is she doing…?
Then Helga tripped and fell to the ground on her knees. Arnold ran to her and helped her getting up.
- Helga, why were you running? The doctor said…
- Forgive me.
Arnold stayed in silence for a couple of seconds.
- Huh?
- I… am sorry for cheating… and treat you bad and called you idiot… - Helga was staring at her feet and Arnold could notice that she was fighting against her own proud - … I don't want you to leave.
Arnold sighed.
- Let's go – he said with a mid smile.
Back in Helga's house, Arnold looked at her.
- Have you hurt your foot?
- No, just my knees… - he looked at her knees which were a bit bloody.
- You better clean that or it will get infected.
- Yeah, I think I'll go have a bath… Can you help me going up the stairs?
- Sure.
Arnold helped her and walked with her to the bathroom door.
- Alright, I'll wait for you downstairs – he said and she nodded.
After half an hour, Helga was going down the stairs carefully, when she heard a sound. Or rather a melody. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw Arnold playing Olga's piano. Then she recognized the music. It was Für Elise by Beethoven. She got a little closer without making a noise so she didn't interrupt him.
Arnold felt a smell that distracted him. It was like a subtle floral and fruity aroma. He stopped playing and turned around. Helga was standing behind him, wearing a pink pajama, bunny slippers and her hair loose.
- I didn't know you played piano.
- Actually – answered the boy, still staring at her – Für Elise it's the only thing I can play on piano. I don't know why, but I have this distant memory of this melody… I think I had heard my mother playing it when I was a baby.
Helga noticed the sad tone in his voice, which made her feel sad as well.
- You miss your parents, don't you?
- You have no idea… I mean, I know I don't know them because I was just a baby, and my grandpas are great but… still…
Helga sat beside him.
- You know – she said – I also somehow missed my parents. Yeah, I have them, but they merely notice my existence… This piano you're playing, it's from my sister Olga. She plays Mozart's pieces since she was more or less our age. This bench we're sitting on, it's where my parents sit beside her to listen her playing. They only have ears for Olga. They only have eyes for Olga. I'm invisible.
Arnold looked at her with his eyes full of compassion. He opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say. Helga didn't like people pitying on her.
- Keep playing.
The boy slid his fingers over the piano keys, and Helga was staring absolutely lost in the music.
When he stopped playing, Arnold turned around to look at her. Her blue eyes were still on the piano. When Olga played it, and perfectly, Helga would feel nothing, actually, she hated the sound. But when Arnold played it, even messing up a few notes, the melody he produced got straight to her soul.
The two of them were very close, and he noticed that the smell which had caught his attention came from Helga's hair. He looked at it. He didn't remember seeing her with her hair loose ever before. It was long, straight and looked soft. He wondered if it would also feel soft, so he stroked it with one hand. Helga looked at him stupefied and Arnold removed his hand, turning red.
- Uhm… You better take that remedy, it's almost eight o'clock – he said with his eyes on the piano and sliding a finger through the keys.
- Yeah… Could you bring me a glass of water?
- Sure.
He stood up and went to the kitchen. Yes, her hair was soft.
Helga went to the table and sat down with her lips curved in a nervous smile.
Arnold returned with a glass of water in one hand and the remedy in the other.
- Here
- Thanks.
Helga put the tablet into her mouth and drank the water. She placed the glass on the table and turned to Arnold.
- Do you want to order something to eat?
- Sounds good – answered the boy, who had started to feel hungry a long while ago.
- What do you want? – She asked going to the telephone.
- Whatever you want, Helga.
- Pizza?
- Yeah.
Helga ordered the pizza and hung up the phone.
- They'll arrive in forty minutes… Shall we put some music?
- Okay
Helga put the A Hard Day's Night CD and Arnold smiled when hearing the familiar music of the Beatles.
They spent a while singing along and they set the table. When the album was almost ending, the bell rang.
They ate while chatting. Honestly, Helga was pretty nice and funny when she wasn't showing her hostile side. And for her, it was pleasant to have a conversation with Arnold without hiding behind her aggressive mask.
They kept on talking till Arnold saw the clock.
- Hey, it's nine o'clock, my grandpa told me to be at home at twelve. Shall we watch The Ring now?
- Alright, let's watch that ridiculous movie you've rented…
Arnold rolled his eyes and put the video into the VHS while Helga went for a bowl for the popcorn.
They turned off the lights and sat next to each other on the couch, though keeping as much distance as possible.
During the first minutes of the movie, Helga ate the popcorn with a grin on her face because of the foolishness his classmate had rented, who seemed very into the plot.
After half an hour, the popcorn was almost gone and the grim things were already happening. Helga wasn't afraid, but she almost jumped from her seat a couple of times, that made Arnold turn to look at her, now he with the grin on his face, which was answered by a glare of the girl.
When they were at the middle of the movie, Helga was starting to get scared. Arnold noticed it judging her stance: she was curled up against the back of the couch, with her hands covering her mouth and her eyes widen.
- Helga, do you want me to stop it?
- Don't be ridiculous, Archivaldo, I'm not scaAHHH! – She screamed and took Arnold's arm. He looked at her raising an eyebrow and she let go. – Shut up.
Arnold smirked and his eyes returned to the screen. Though Helga let go of his arm, she hadn't moved away from his side.
A while later, the movie was at its climax and Helga at the peak of fear. Every time she saw Samara, the devilish-dead-girl from The Ring, she hided against Arnold's shoulder. The boy stayed quiet, he usually didn't get scared easily, and the fact that after the scaring scenes Helga kept holding on him caught his attention more than the movie.
When it was almost ending, Helga was curled up against Arnold's chest and his arm was around her shoulders, in an attempt to comfort her. At the end, Arnold moved away from Helga and turned off the TV, so the only light left was the moonlight.
- You see, Helga, it was a horror movie, indeed.
- Shut up, Arnoldo. I wasn't even scared.
Then the telephone rang.
- SAMARA! – cried Helga, jumping from her seat.
- Calm down, Helga – replied Arnold going to the phone.
- No, Arnold, don't pick up!
Arnold did it.
- Hello? – a sepulchral silence and Helga was looking at him like "hang up now!" – Hellooo…? I know there's someone there, I can hear you breathing!
And then, the person hung up.
- They hung up – said Arnold while he did it too.
- Criminy, Arnold, I told you not to pick up the phone! – replied Helga with an expression of horror.
- C'mon Helga, it's just a movie. Besides, if it were Samara, she would have said "seven days…" – he imitated the character's voice and a shiver ran up Helga's spine. Arnold glanced at the clock – Well it's already eleven o'clock, I gotta go…
- No! – Exclaimed Helga and he looked at her, puzzled – You can leave me on my own, the phone has just rang! Besides, aren't you supposed to go at twelve?
- I have to be there at twelve. And it's dangerous walking on the street so late…
- More dangerous is Samara!
- Samara does not exist, Helga
- Just stay a little bit longer. At least help me going up the stairs, the remedy the doctor gave me hasn't made any effect yet.
- Alright, but at a quarter to twelve I'm leaving.
- Okay – agreed Helga – Oh, and Arnold… if you tell anyone anything of these, I swear I'll beat you up.
- Don't worry, Helga. I won't tell anyone that you're afraid of a movie.
Helga gave him a killing look and he smirked and helped her going up the stairs to her room.
- Wait here, Arnoldo. I'll go to the bathroom.
When Helga came back, the telephone rang again.
- It's her! – She screamed running to her bed. Arnold went to the corridor – No Arnold, do not answer to her! She'll kill you!
Arnold ran down the stairs and picked up the phone.
- Hello?
- Seven days…
That was not a girl's voice…
- Grandpa?
The old man's laugh made Arnold rolled his eyes.
- Hey, Shortman! I didn't scare you, huh?
- No, but you did scare Helga. It's not funny, grandpa.
- I'm sorry, Arnold, but when I remembered you were going to watch that movie I couldn't resist!
- How did you get Helga's number?
- This phone has the numbers of almost each of your little classmates
- And you were the one who had called before and then hung up, right?
- What? – faked Phil
- Granpa… - reproached Arnold
- Alright, it was me. Damn, Shortman, I can never prank you… Well, it's already a quarter past eleven, so don't take long.
- Okay, grandpa. Goodbye.
Arnold hung up the phone and returned to Helga's room. The girl was lying in her bed, completely covered by the blankets.
- Helga, you can take off the blankets now… it had been my granddad.
She took off the blankets and sat on the bed.
- Your granddad?
- Yeah, he likes teasing. I'm sorry.
Helga snorted and lied on the bed again.
- Anyway, you shouldn't have picked up the phone… - she told him – If it was Samara, you would die in seven days, you know?
Arnold smiled and placed a chair that was in the room beside Helga's bed. He sat down and looked at the girl, still smiling.
- Why are you looking at me with that stupid face?
Arnold sighed.
- You know… - he replied – I find it… sweet of you that it worries you the fact that Samara kills me.
Helga looked at him like listen to the crap you're saying
- Listen to the crap you're saying, Hairboy… - she answered taking her eyes off him – It's not that it worries me, it's just that I'm nice enough to save you from a hideous dead.
Arnold laughed.
- What are you laughing at, football head? – She snapped.
- C'mon, Helga. Why don't you admit that if there's anything that terrifies you more than Samara, it's me dying?
Helga felt goosebumps.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Yes, you do – said Arnold getting closer – Or have you already forgotten what happened last night?
Helga turned her head furtively to look him in the eye, serious, and incorporating slowly, with each word.
- Listen to me, Arnold – she pronounced his name in a strange way. It was always weird when she called him like that, but this time there was a dark tone in each one of the six letters – and listen carefully, because I'm saying this only once – she was now sitting on the bed – Don't ever mention what happened last night. Never again.
- Why not? – He replied. Not in a challenging tone, but calm. As calm as only Arnold could be.
- Because you're going to know me.
- I am going to know you? I already know you, Helga. I know you since we were three years old.
- That's what you…
- I know you more than what you think. – He interrupted – You're Helga Geraldine Pataki. You're a bully and aggressive. You're clever and sarcastic. Your best friend is Phoebe. You're a good writer and actress. Your father is Big Bob, owner of the beepers company. Your mother is Miriam and she's clueless. Your parents don't pay you as much attention as they should, but to your sister, Olga. You like wrestles. You like baseball. You're allergic to strawberries. You swear a lot to be a nine year old girl.
Helga didn't know anymore what they were talking about. By "you're going to know me" she meant her most dangerous and aggressive side; it was a threat. But Arnold seemed to be turning things around.
- So what? Those are just details that everybody knows.
- That's who you are, Helga… aren't you? – Arnold's tone of voice changed for one that Helga didn't know how to describe – Or is there anything more about you that I should know?
- Yes, my fists, football head.
Arnold snorted.
- Back to the beginning. Helga Pataki. Bully, aggressive. You're very predictable, Helga. I thought you were much more… complex, but I see you're not.
The girl felt insulted.
- You mean I'm too simple? There're things you don't know about me, dunce. So shut your mouth and stop playing the know-it-all.
- Things? What thing?
- None of your business!
- If it was none of my business, I wouldn't be asking
- Criminy, Arnold, just leave me alone! – She shouted, making the boy turning to his position on the chair, and lying down again -. If you stayed here to bother me, then just go away!
She covered herself with the blankets and turned around to give him her back.
Arnold stayed as stone. He was used to get into people's business and he could be a headache because of that. But this time he felt that he had to interfere. Helga was so closed to everybody; she never let herself be entirely known. But Arnold knew her family situation, he knew that they didn't pay her attention and he also knew she had a soft and sensitive side. As if the aggression and the mocking were just a mask she wore to hide herself and not showing her true personality. Arnold knew she was fragile like a crystal, he checked that during the weekend they had spent together. Yet, he could not understand her. He lied when he told her he fully knew her. Just the part that she showed and the part that he managed to see when she would let down her guard. Helga was a real mystery for Arnold, an enigma. Like a house that has a locked room, where no one can get in and know what's inside.
He sighed.
- I'm sorry, Helga – he apologized placing his hand on her shoulder, making her turn around – I didn't want to bother you. It's just that… it's true, I don't really know you. And honestly you confuse me a lot. There's so much about you that I don't understand and I don't know…
However, Arnold did know something. He had heard it with his own ears from the girl's lips, but he buried it in his memory before falling asleep the night before. He had seen it in her sad blue eyes when she awoke from that nightmare, but he didn't pay attention.
I love you, Arnold…
Helga had said in her dreams that she loved him. Helga awoke crying because dreaming he died.
Was it true? He had to find out. He knew it would cost his life to mention it, but he needed to know the truth.
- Helga… there's something I need to ask you. Something that I just can't take out of my mind.
- What?
- Well, I don't know how to say this, so I'll just do it. – Arnold took a deep breath – Last night, while you were sleeping… you said something. That was what woke me up. – Helga was starting to feel nervous did she…? – You said you loved me.
Bloody hell.
Her eyes opened wide, looking through Arnold. She was so petrified she couldn't even take her eyes off of him.
- Really, Helga. You said that. I love you, Arnold.
Helga couldn't believe it. She had kept her secret for six years, and revealed nothing more and nothing less than to Arnold, asleep. Her unconscious had played against her.
She felt humiliated and impotent, as if she was naked. Her legs were shaking under the covers, her hands sweating, and she felt a hot rush on her face. She knew she was turning completely red. She felt a lump in her throat and gulped. She didn't realized she was about to cry until a tear streamed down her face. Then she turned her head on the pillow to stare at the ceiling.
- No Helga, don't cry – pleaded Arnold sitting by her side on the bed – There's no reason to cry. I… I just want to know if it's true… I promise I won't tell anyone, not even Gerald. I promise I'll never talk about this again if that's what you want… But I need to know, because most of the time seems like you hate me, but when I look you in the eyes I feel you're hiding something… And now I heard this… - he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, drying her tears – Look at me – he said with his hand still against her skin. Helga obeyed – Tell me the truth, Helga. Please.
Helga bit her lower lip and stared into Arnold's eyes, which were the brightest green they had ever been. And just when she wished time would go as slowly as possible, it speeded up and the answer came so quickly there was no need to reason: that situation was the key. That was the moment.
She parted her lips and whispered:
- I love you, Arnold.
And five seconds later, she closed her eyes again with a sigh.
Arnold was speechless. He suspected it, yes; actually it was pretty obvious after what had happened the night before. But hearing her telling him directly, was another thing. Did he have to respond?
He didn't know what to say. He had never seen Helga in that way and he wouldn't have imagined that she saw him like that. Arnold had a crush on just one girl, Ruth, and he still liked her. But she was out of his league, he knew that. But Helga? What should he do about her? Besides she didn't just have a crush on him; she loved him. Love was a strong word for Arnold. What could a nine year old boy know about love anyway?
Arnold knew he wasn't in love with Helga. He didn't think about her all day long, nor dreamt about her at night, nothing happened to him when hearing her voice, he didn't blush when he caught her eye, neither he felt the static when they touched, nor he missed her when she wasn't around.
But he did know her, he shared everyday with her at school, he had seen her in her fragile moments, he could recognize her voice even if he lost his memory, he saw in her eyes everything she hided, he could chat confidently with her and being himself, he didn't feel the static when they touched but the softness of her skin, and when she was nice to him it was always pleasant to have her around.
Like in that weekend. Although the arguments they had, it had been nice to spend time with her. Images danced before him, as flashbacks, which would remain in his memory. Helga sat at his stoop with her lilac dress, her weird hairdo and the broken shoe. Helga in his arms when he carried her upstairs to his room the night before. Helga lying on his bed while he put ice on her foot. Helga confessing ashamed that she had wanted to look feminine for Rhonda's girly party. Helga smiling shyly and her blue eyes sparkling when he told her she was pretty. Helga calling him Arnold. Helga thanking him and saying he was a great guy. Helga sleeping in his bed. Helga asleep saying she loved him. Helga crying when she woke up and telling him her nightmare. Helga sleeping beside him in the morning, her arm around his waist. Helga studying History with him. Helga having lunch with his family. Helga looking for a board game in her surprisingly girly room. Helga running towards him and tripping over in the street. Helga fighting against her pride and apologizing. Helga wearing pajamas and bunny slippers, with a perfume that caught his attention. Helga sitting next to him, listening him playing the piano. Helga talking about her parents. Helga with her loose hair, soft under his touch. Helga singing along Beatles songs. Helga and him eating pizza and having a friendly conversation. Helga watching The Ring frightened, curled up against him. Helga completely covered by the blankets, afraid of Samara. Helga threatening him. Helga in bed, giving her back. Helga petrified with a tear streaming down her face when she heard what she had said in her dreams. Helga confessing she loved him.
And now, Helga in bed with her eyes closed, biting her lower lip, while he made his interior monologue.
- Helga – he called. The girl opened her eyes – Look at me.
Slowly, she directed her gaze at the boy, who was still sitting next to her.
- Why are you crying? – He asked, bending over her.
Helga took a deep breath.
- My feelings are not reciprocated.
Arnold smiled.
- And how do you know that?
And kissed her on the lips.
THE END.