CH6. DO I DARE?

Arnold looked at me in disbelief. "What?" He whispered. I looked him in the eye and said. "I'm letting you go, Arnold. I can't go back to being that girl that was hopelessly in love with you. Besides, I've changed since then."

Arnold shook his head, trying to understand. "What are you trying to say?"

I stepped back from his embrace and spoke. "What I'm trying to say is…that I don't love you anymore." I looked at him for a reaction, but he was like a deer staring at headlights. His gaze looked haunted and I couldn't stand it. I waved a hand about his face, and quickly he came to. My heart was tearing apart and the sad part was that I knew I was doing the same to his. His voice uttered shakily, "Y-you don't mean that, Helga. I know you."

He whispered again "I know you"

I approached him so he could see the seriousness in my eyes. "Do you? Do you really? After all these years you still think you know me?"

He hesitated, but still answered. "Yes…I do." I saw him swallow a lump in his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in the process.

I smiled a little and challenged. "Really? How can you tell all of a sudden? You sure didn't know me back then, because if you did, clearly you would've known that I loved you."

"Stop saying that!" Arnold frustratingly uttered and sat himself down on the arm of my couch, slightly slumping and stared at his hands.

"What?" I replied.

"You keep saying that in the past tense."

"You mean 'loved '?"

He nodded and said. "Helga… I know you and you can't just turn off an emotion like that. Believe me I know." He lifted his eyes to look at me and had that lopsided smile on his face, but soon it faded. "After I left Hillwood, you were all I could think about. I didn't know why suddenly I did. Maybe…maybe it's because I missed you being around or maybe it was because of things left unsaid and unresolved between us, I don't know. But… while there I had ample time to go over my thoughts. All day…I would think about the moments we spent together no matter how insignificant it was at that time and it began to add up, the actions, the underlying meaning in the words you would say, every reaction I made to it, it made sense. Deep down, I felt… something for you. But… what? I wasn't completely sure."

He sighed and shook is head, and a bitter laugh escaped his lips. "You could say my mind was clouded, sure. It took me years to come to terms with my feelings. Actually, I was thirteen when I did. I was speaking to my father about my mom. I just asked him what love felt like and he went on and on relaying what he felt for her… in detail I might add." He chuckled and smiled wistfully, probably picturing that moment. He sighed, continuing. "It was more descriptive than I anticipated, true, but…that's when I knew that I wasn't confused anymore. That day…that day I decided that no matter what, I was going to see you again and then I would confess my-"

"Stop it, Arnold." I had to make him stop. I couldn't let him bring me down that road again. "Why are you telling me this? There's no use in you telling me this, because I still don't love you! And no matter what you say, it won't change that fact!"

Arnold got up and came to face me. "Why do you keep fighting it? I know you felt the connection when our hands touched earlier. So why are you denying what your heart is telling you? I made that mistake years ago and here you are now trying to repeat it!"

"You know nothing of my heart, Arnold." I spat, glaring at him. "All you did was enjoy your precious life with your precious parents, in that precious jungle they so often can't get away from, while I sat back in HILLWOOD and rotted away, pining for a dense, optimistic, ignorant, blind as a bat FOOL. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU THINK YOU COULD JUST STROLL IN HERE, AND TRY TO…Mmmmmpffff"

He kissed me! Can you believe it? He had the audacity to kiss me! Right then and there I was filled with rage. Now he's gonna get it. I abruptly pulled away my fists clenching then. "YOU HAVE GOT SOME NERVE KISSIN…Mmmmpffff"

"THAT FOOTBALL HEAD DID IT AGAIN! He's really pissing me ooohhh"

Suddenly, I couldn't think. His lips glided sinuously on mine and I just…couldn't think. I tried. Really! I tried to resist him but waves of warmth were surrounding me then. Goosebumps were rising on my arms where his fingers touched. And my feet tingled and curled as his tongue brushed upon my lips, asking to deepen the kiss. And I willfully accepted. I was stepping into the forbidden zone, and ignored the warning signs my brain kept setting off. Our tongues brushed up against each other, soothing and sensuous all at once. And I held onto him strongly. It was passion at its height, and we were losing control. We came out of the kiss gasping for air, our eyes still glazed and lustful. This wasn't over. Arnold took my hand and led me to the couch. And like some groupie…I followed.

He sat down and pulled me to sit close to him and as soon as I did, he jumped me and began to devour me like some vulture. He was relentless and starved, and I loved it. His lips traveled hungrily all over my face in reverence. And his deep voice huskily whispered my name with desire. He wanted me, he needed me and was never letting me go, he kept repeating like a mantra.

He nipped at my neck and "oooooohhh" he found my sensitive spot. He left searing trails of his kisses down my neck to my right shoulder, which was exposed due to an oversized jersey shirt I wore. He pulled back and extended my arm to him, lifting my hand near his lips, he paused to look at me with hungry eyes. Without losing eye contact, he kissed the inside of my wrist and I shuddered. "He keeps finding those sensitive spots." And two seconds later he found another one again. "OOH Arnold!"

He smirked, seeming satisfied at my expression. And he returned to my lips and sucked and nipped, and lightly bit. "Kinky, aren't we!" I never thought I would ever feel like this. I was transfixed on his movements, the sounds of pleasure he made, and how his body flexed and softened in reaction to my encouraging touch. Everything he did had purpose and I was its beneficiary. His hands were respectably all over me now, traveling nowhere and everywhere he felt permitted to go and I couldn't take it. His touch set me on fire, and I retaliated with fervor and eagerness, kissing him blind. I was dizzy with pleasure and I didn't want to stop. He squeezed lightly my hips and upon his lips, I moaned his name.

"Arnold Please" Inwardly I pleaded. Yet another gasp escaped me as his hands fluidly caressed my thigh. Up and down, slowly his hand went along my skin. I was losing my mind. I just couldn't resist him, his voice, his touch, his kiss made me lightheaded and I lost thought. He had won. I had completely surrendered to him. Game...Over!

A/N: Alright readers only one more chapter left. So stick around for the conclusion coming soon. Oh and reviews would be very much appreciated! Thank you!