Disclaimers: Why don't I own cool things. D:
Chapter 16 is...close enough to a week. Uhm. Let's go with that. But oh god college again. It starts back up on Tuesday and I'm not ready. As per usual. But still determined to write! I promise!
So as you will look through the story...go ahead, skim real quick... THERE ARE NO LYRICS AT ALL. Surprise! It's a twist! It's a new possibly permanent twist. Not quite sure yet.
Chapter 16 is based on the song by LFO (Oh glorious boy bands of my childhood.) called Girl on TV.
Heres a link: watch?v=Y4iGDSjOpXc (Or look up Girl on TV on Youtube if the link doesn't work. Links hate me here.)
I suggest listening to the song first, THEN reading the story. Just so you have an idea. Kinda sorta.
Hope you enjoy! And make sure to read the author's notes at the end! :)
For Arnold, it was another crappy night of serving drinks to snobby celebrities. Tonight happened to be a celebration for one of the biggest soap operas on television. All My Secrets had reached its 200th episode and was celebrating the only way these celebrities knew how, gloriously grand and also rather expensive.
Arnold was a bartender who worked for the catering service that happened to be in charge for the night while his usual partner in crime, a brunette named Jackie was a waitress. He tried not to focus his attention on the stars that seemed to be filling up the room.
"Hey Arnold, check it out. It's her." He didn't even bother looking up.
"Her who?"
"You don't know who she is? That's Helga Pataki, better known as Emma in All My Secrets."
"Sorry, Jackie, I've never seen…"
The girl beside him huffed.
"Do you own a television?"
"No need. I'm always here. Stuck with you."
"And it's a pleasure really. Are you actually looking at this girl?"
He shot her a look.
"Do I have to?"
"For once in your life, just spare me your attitude."
"For once in my life, I'll grant your wish. Where is she?"
"Blonde hair in the green dress by the door."
And for the first time in his life, he was glad that he decided to look up from the bar.
The "girl" as Jackie described her, was something that beautiful couldn't even cover. In fact, he could even find the words in his head to describe her. She turned her attention away from the swarms of people surrounding her and looked straight at him. She smiled and turned her head away. Jackie elbowed him.
"So…"
He tore his attention away from the crowd.
"She's cute."
"She's cute? That's it?"
"Yea. That's it."
"Dear lord Arnold, this woman was named one of the hottest women in television."
"…She's alright…" She was so much more than all right…but he couldn't tell her that.
"Is this about Chrissy?"
"Why bring her up?"
"It's been 8 months Arnold, you're allowed to look at another girl."
"It's…"
Before he could respond, Jackie elbowed him again.
"Would you stop doing that?"
"She's coming this way!"
"Your point?"
"Don't mess this up, Arnold."
Jackie grabbed her tray and walked into the crowd as the girl in the green dress walked towards the bar and rested her purse on the table.
"Can I get a vodka martini, please?"
Arnold nodded and turned away from her as she continued to speak.
"You look clearly thrilled to be here."
He rested the drink in front of her.
"A job's a job."
"Not a big celebrity guy, are you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"The fact that you didn't just drool all over the counter when you saw me."
"Sounds like you've got a bit of an ego."
The woman next to her gasped but Helga laughed, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
"Sounds like you're not afraid to speak your mind."
He started to walk towards the other end of the counter when she decided to talk again.
"You never answered my question." He turned to look at her.
"I'm not."
"Not going to answer my question…"
"I'm not a big celebrity guy."
"Do you know who I am?"
"Only because someone told me. Well, more like yelled at me." She laughed.
"Who am I then?"
"You're Helga. Helga Pataki. Star of All My Secrets."
Helga looked at the nametag.
"And you're Arnold. Arnold the bartender."
"Oh no, my name is Frank." She smirked.
"You forget so quickly that I'm an actress and can pick up on sarcasm rather quickly."
"My mistake."
"So Arnold the bartender, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around here again. That is if you are willing to serve me."
"All part of the job."
"Your dedication is astounding." He smiled.
"So I'm not allowed to use sarcasm and you are?"
"Yes."
"And why is that?"
"I'm the actress and you're not," She winked. "See you around Arnold the bartender."
She touched his hand lightly before disappearing into the crowd.
Huh. Amazing.
As the party started to wind down around 2am, Arnold sat by the bar, scanning the room for her when Jackie appeared in front of him.
"So how was your night?"
"Made 14 hundred in tips. So not bad."
"14 hundred? I don't make that much in tips in 2 weeks. Someone must have really liked you."
"Yea, I guess."
"So did you talk to her?"
"Talk to who?"
"Helga! Did you talk to Helga?"
"Oh. Well yea, sorta."
"Sorta, I watched the two of you, she frequented that bar."
"Girl likes her alcohol."
"Girl likes her bartender. Must have made a good impression."
"Maybe."
She sure made an impression on me.
He started to wipe down the counter in front of him as Jackie sat in the stool in front of him. She sighed.
"Maybe?"
"I don't know, I barely know her. Besides she's…"
"Incredible, talented, smart, beautiful…?"
"Famous."
Jackie huffed.
"Well she is, Jack."
"Your point? She was interested. And I mean INTERESTED."
"In a guy like me…. A bartender who barely can maintain a job let alone a girlfriend."
"I wish you would stop blaming yourself for that."
"It's not that easy."
Arnold finished cleaning the bar and locked everything back up, sticking the keys into his pocket. He followed Jackie out the front doors around 3 am.
"Chrissy was stupid and broke up with you."
"Since I didn't obviously have my life together."
"Does anyone after college?"
"I'll see you later."
"See you."
Arnold turned to walk in the other direction as Jackie called back out to him.
"Hey Arnold?"
"What?"
"Just think about it."
He watched the brunette girl walk towards her car before he turned back around and got into his own. As he turned ignition, he breathed a heavy sigh. Not only for the very long night being over, but also over the last couple words that Jackie had said.
"Just think about it."
Problem was that he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Arnold rolled over in his bed as his roommates decided to crank up the TV. He lived with some of his best friends in college in a crowded apartment. He had thought about getting his own place at one time, but he barely had enough money to pay the rent here. He grumbled as he rolled out of bed and opened the door to the living room. The news was on and his roommates, Gerald and Sid were crowded around the television, Gerald with a laptop in his lap, furiously crunching numbers. Sid with the remote in his hand, about to flip the channel. At that moment, an image of her flashed on the screen.
"Wait, let me here this."
"You wanna watch the news? Since when?"
"Just turn it up."
He did as he was told and Arnold crashed onto the living room chair beside him, staring intently at the screen.
"In entertainment news, All My Secrets star Helga Pataki may just be making her silver screen debut."
"That's right Ryan, Miss Pataki is being tapped to play the lead role in the newest movie for Dennis and Williams Studios, based off the book "Adorement" by Sarah Leon."
"Pataki is playing Scarlett Anderson, a young writer who witnesses a grisly crime and decides to write about it."
"While the movie isn't expected until next year, shooting for "Adorement" starts this weekend. Best of luck to her."
"And that's it for today's newscast. I'm Ryan Long and for my partner Ellie Carter, we wish you a great rest of your day."
Sid flipped the channel.
"What was so important about that? Some soap opera star got in the movies. Big deal."
Gerald looked up from his computer.
"Hey, All My Secrets is one of the biggest soaps on right now," They stared at him, "Phoebe's a fan, alright?"
"Yea, sure." Arnold smirked.
"I still don't get the big deal. Sure, she's hot but what about it?"
Arnold grabbed the remote from his hand and turned off the tv.
"Hey! What's the big idea?"
"I met her last night."
"You met her last night?" Gerald asked, intrigued.
"At work. I bartended the All My Secrets party last night."
"Met her as in saw her…"
"No I met her. We talked."
There was a long pause before both of his roommates busted out into laughter.
"Yea sure Arnold, a big TV star… just decided to talk to a bartender last night." Sid roared.
"Just some ordinary guy…" Gerald gasped between breaths.
"I'm serious!"
"Yea, and I'm a supermodel." Sid snickered.
"Do your poses Sid!"
Sid jumped up from the couch and strutted in front of the TV, sending Gerald into another fit of laughter while Arnold rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at him.
"Forget it."
"Aww c'mon Arnold, we were just joking around."
"Yea, c'mon Arnold, tell us the story."
Arnold grumbled.
"Fine. You guys gotta promise not to laugh."
"Promise." Gerald replied, putting his laptop on the table in front of him.
"I can't guarantee anything."
"Sid…"
"Alright, alright fine…promise."
"Here's how it started…"
After carefully telling each detail of what happened the night before, Gerald and Sid tried their best to keep their straightest faces.
"I can't keep my mind off her. She is mysterious, funny, obviously talented, she had a good sense of humor."
"Boy howdy, look's like Arnold's got a little crush."
"And on one unattainable lady…mmm mmm mmm… you've got it bad."
"Yea, I think I actually might."
It had been two weeks since the night he had met Helga Pataki and Arnold found himself behind another counter, mixing drinks for loud celebrities who wanted nothing to do with the hired help. He mixed a Long Island Iced Tea together and set it on the table beside a rather cranky older man who huffed at him before turning back to the woman he was talking to and walking away.
"Yea, thanks." He mumbled.
For 11:30, the party wasn't as active as it should have been, which was surprising to him. The guests were lounging around white decorated tables while waitresses flitted in between the guests with appetizers and tiny blue drinks served in tiny martini glasses. The paparazzi were leaning against the windows outside, considering that no one seemed to be leaving or entering the party. Well, at least for the next few seconds before everyone outside seemed to scramble around and lights were flashing. He heard faint mumbles that seemed to be getting louder as the star must have just exited their car. It was for a brief moment that he swore he could hear the name. Pataki.
He felt his insides flip as the doors opened and in walked a blonde figure in a silver dress, the cameras flashing behind her and shouting her name. A woman approached her with a warm smile and brief hug that the blonde figure returned. So she makes another appearance. He smiled to himself, but quickly brushed the smile away as she approached the counter. As she rested the counter, he noticed that it was not with the brilliant smile on her face when they first met, but tired and cloudy eyes. Someone that had been upset before, almost to the point that they were holding back the tears and he didn't say a word. He fixed the martini and put it in front of her. As the glass made a small sound against the counter, she lifted her head and there returned, for a brief moment, the spark in her eyes that he had noticed when they first met.
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" She smiled.
"I'd say sore eyes." He grabbed a glass beside him and started to clean it.
"You know how to flatter a woman. My goodness, I'm speechless." She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her head on her hands.
"You look miserable."
"Well, at least you're blunt." He smiled.
"Are you okay?"
"No, no not especially, Arnold the bartender."
"I'm impressed you remembered my name."
"I can't forget someone I just met yesterday."
"I figured a big shot celebrity wouldn't remember a outsider like me. Just a bartender, you know."
"You seem a lot more than that."
"You just met me yesterday." She rested her hand on his and he looked back into her eyes.
"Your face was a face I wasn't planning on forgetting."
He felt his face get warmer and he brushed the compliment away and took his hand out of hers.
"You never answered my question."
"I was hoping to distract you with compliments so we would never get to my problem."
"I live on problems. You have no idea how many life stories I hear behind here."
"So bartenders are good at that. I thought it was only the movies."
"Depends on the guy."
She picked up the glass, drank it and slammed it back on the counter.
"Hit me."
He poured more into the glass.
"So…your problem, Miss Hot Shot."
"I wish you'd stop calling me that."
"You are a hot shot though. A big time celebrity. Living the dream of every woman."
"Maybe I don't want to anymore."
Her head landed with a soft thud against the counter as she sighed.
"What do you want to do?"
"What am I saying…acting isn't really the problem. I love acting. Hell, I've worked damn hard to get where I am today. But…"
"But what?"
"You don't wanna hear some stupid problem." He smiled and lifted her head.
"I'd rather fix your problems than his."
He pointed to a fat balding man who at that moment managed to fall face first into the counter. She giggled.
"So what is it Pataki. Not enough pay for your acting? Stalker problems? A desire to do something dramatic but your agent won't let you?"
"Something close to the last one."
"Alright, shoot. Give me the dramatics." He leaned against the counter while she sat up and leaned an arm against the counter.
"I met someone."
Arnold felt his heart shatter but continued to smile.
"Some big movie star guy? How bout an athlete with huge muscles and the brains of a kindergartener? A rock star with a bad boy side?" She laughed.
"Just a normal guy."
"How normal are we talking?"
"Well, I met him two weeks ago. I met him at something similar to this. You know a kind of across the room kind of thing. I looked at him and pretty much forgot how I was and was too nervous to walk over there and face him."
"Sounds nerve-wracking." He grinned as she lightly slapped him.
"I'm serious!"
"Alright, alright, go on."
"I walked over to him, we talked most of the night. He was funny, sarcastic but not in an overbearing kind of way, he was definitely handsome."
"So a good looking guy you met at a party with a good sense of humor. Nice. And what are you gonna do about it?"
"I haven't stopped thinking about him for the past couple weeks and I happen to tell my agent that I don't want to be dating these "hot shots", as you call them, that I just want someone normal."
"You really meant someone normal, didn't you?"
"Why wouldn't I? Someone with a normal life and likes me not because I'm famous and attractive, just for me."
"Why aren't you allowed?"
"My image would be ruined."
"Your image looks fine to me," She blushed, "I don't see anything wrong in dating a normal guy like that. Just…go for it."
"You're right. Screw the rules. I'm going after him," He smiled as best as he could, "Thank you, Arnold."
"You're welcome. But…"
"What?"
"Tell me more about this normal guy."
"You really wanna know?"
"More than anything." He mumbled.
"Hmm?"
"Yea. I wanna know."
"I met him at the All My Secrets party, you know. He worked there."
"So I know him?" She smiled.
"You can say that."
Arnold looked at her with a concerned expression, while he quickly scanned the room and mentally searched through his brain of the guys that could have been there that night as she grabbed her bag and stood up.
"I'm being summoned."
Arnold looked at the guests sitting at a round table, waving her over.
"Sure, your friends are waiting."
"Thank you again Arnold."
"My pleasure."
She turned and walked away. He turned his attention to the empty martini glass that she had been previously holding and removed it. As he reached for the cocktail napkin he had placed underneath, he had noticed the handwriting on one of the sides.
There was a simple note.
For thinking you are so on top of things and people, you can be very dense sometimes, Dear Arnold the bartender. - H
And underneath the note…was a phone number.
Author's Notes:
And that is the end of Chapter 16! Hope you liked it.
So some changes, as per usual.
After literally a week on Livejournal, I looked at it, went eh, and then decided I liked fanfiction better. Therefore...
EVERYTHING WILL BE POSTED ON HERE. YAHOO!
Because Livejournal hates me. Yeah.
And now, more changes...
I'm putting Mission Forever on hiatus.
Don't hate me. :( I just had literally ZERO ideas for this story, except working in a partnership. That's right, I'm making this into a potential collab piece. With who, you ask? That I am not sure of. So yeah. Probably not gonna see any updates on that for a while. Once I get a partner who is interested in writing with me and I like their writing style (I have several authors in mind...), then we'll see. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I shall update you when I have a partner though. Or you'll know when the second chapter of that comes up.
Other than that...Chapter 17 will hopefully be up by next Sunday and it's NOT a Helga/Arnold story. GASP.
Here's some lyrics from next week's song...
And we don't know how we got into this mess, is it God's test?
Someone help us cause we're doing our best
See you next week!