Sorry for the late update. I've been sick on and off and school has become increasingly difficult. Here's Chapter 5 now though! Better late than never :)
Disclaimer: Dudes and Dudettes I do not own Hey Arnold! or the characters... The privilege belongs to Craig Bartlett and Nickelodeon.
PS. Sorry for any grammar mistakes... My bad...
It was a cold night. The wind rolled on through the neighborhood in a slow, steady pace adding to the chillness of the air. The moon was out in full and joined whatever stars were visible. All in all, the night was perfect, and Arnold would much rather be at home with his beautiful girlfriend Helga G. Pataki looking up peacefully at the sky, however, he wasn't. No, Arnold was currently at an anniversary 'surprise' party that Rhonda threw for him and Helga. The beginning of the party had gone pretty smoothly, but something had happened, and Helga was not happy. In fact, Arnold and Helga were arguing outside Rhonda's house, and Arnold desperately tried to find out why Helga was so angry.
"Helga!" Arnold screamed, his patience slowly wearing down from the arguing that they have been going back and forth with, "Can you just shut up and tell me what's going on!? You always have to do this! You make things impossible for me to talk to you when you are like this!"
Helga continued to stare down Arnold, livid and scowling. She didn't feel as though he needed an explanation for why she was like this, he should KNOW why she was angry at him. "Arnold! You lied to me! YOU LIED TO ME! This is our anniversary! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME!?"
Arnold brought his hand to his eyes, exasperated. She wasn't explaining anything to him! She was causing issues!
'She always causes all these stupid issues!'
'Why? What did I do for Arnold to do that? I thought he loved me!"
Arnold brought his hand away from his face and sharply breathed in, obviously annoyed at Helga.
"Helga. Please, just explain what's wrong! Why are you so angry at me!?"
"You should know ARNOLD! I shouldn't have to explain what YOU DID WRONG!"
Helga looked away, tears slowly forming in her eyes. She didn't want Arnold to see her cry, to have him pity her, not after what he had done. She thought to herself for a moment,
'I have to... I don't want to, but what more can I do?'
Helga turned around to face Arnold, now really on the verge of crying. Arnold stepped forward, wanting to comfort her, but Helga just stepped back away from him. She didn't want him to comfort her; it would just make things so much harder for her. To feel his warmth, his strength, she didn't think she could still go on with what she thought was best. Arnold just frowned at this action.
'What did I do to make her think so badly of me?'
Helga quickly glanced down to the ground and back at Arnold. She had to say it. She never thought she would, but she had to.
"A-Arnold, w-we need to break up."
Arnold stood there, eyes wide in shock, completely dumbfounded.
'Break up? W-what did I do for Helga to want to b-b-break up?'
Arnold thought back to the party, trying to remember some semblance of what had happened for things to turn for the worst.
*Flashback (in a flashback)
Arnold and Gerald had went to Phoebe's house to pick up both Helga and Phoebe in the Packard. The car ride was... entertaining. Gerald and Helga bickered back and forth about 'Pop Daddy,' Gerald insisting it was the greatest show of all time, and Helga knocking down everything Gerald said with another reason why it definitely was not. Arnold and Phoebe just rolled their eyes and kept silent, letting their friends bicker between themselves.
"Hey, Arnold. How much longer do I have to stay in the moving vehicle with Helga G. Pataki, Satan's spawn from Hell? You know, your girlfriend?"
"Gerald."
"Be careful what you say Geraldo! Or Ol' Betsy and the Five Avengers will have to pound you into the ground!"
"Helga."
"Just saying Football-head. Gotta keep up some type of reputation."
Arnold rolled his eyes and pulled up in front of the Wellington-Lloyd house.
"Okay, look we are here now, see?" Arnold turned around to face Helga. "Please promise me you won't hurt my best friend." Arnold smiled at Helga in his usual all knowing way.
Helga tried to fight it,
'But, darn it! How can I? Geez even his smile just makes me melt inside.'
"Criminy! I'm going soft!"
Arnold rolled his eyes with a smile. He enjoyed moments like these. It was hard to ever control Helga, and when she agreed to do anything, it made Arnold feel like he had some type of power over her.
"Thank you, Helga."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's just get inside to this party already! We're already thirty minutes late!" Helga got out of the Packard and shivered a bit as she walked to the door of Rhonda's house.
'I really don't want to be here.'
Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe all followed Helga's lead walking up behind her and stopping right at the door as Helga knocked. Arnold reached down and held Helga's hand, feeling the coldness in her touch. Arnold frowned at this feeling.
'I wish I had a jacket or something to give her.'
Arnold just squeezed her hand, and the door before them opened, revealing a very dressed up Rhonda.
"Oh, Arnold, Helga, Phoebe, Gerald! Welcome, welcome! Happy anniversary you two!"
Rhonda smiled at the four of them, well her smile was only meant for three of them. Rhonda didn't particularly like Helga, but for her anniversary's sake, Rhonda figured she might as well pretend to be happy to see Helga. Arnold just smiled at Rhonda in return.
"Thank you Rhonda."
"Yeah, thanks Princess."
Helga smirked at Rhonda, knowing full well that Rhonda's smile towards her was completely fake.
'I wonder how long it'll take for me to make her drop the act?'
Helga snickered to herself. She knew she should be on her best behavior, but she really didn't want to pass up the opportunity to make the Princess explode in anger. It was a hard decision, but she made up her mind anyhow.
'I'm here for Arnold, no matter how much I really want to just bug the shit out of her.'
Meanwhile, Rhonda's smile faltered a bit, but she tried to maintain it anyhow, and Arnold looked glanced around at the party. It was huge! There were people that he knew from his class and even people he didn't know. In fact, half the people at the party he didn't know! In the living room, there was a DJ and flashing lights all around. Honestly, it looked like a club. There was even alcohol, which Arnold meant that Rhonda's parents were already gone. In fact, Stinky and Sid were already wasted.
"Oh, and this is my cousin Victoria Wellington-Lloyd." Arnold looked back at Rhonda and the girl next to her. Rhonda rolled her eyes in annoyance and contempt, and her cousin smiled seductively at Arnold, making him a little uncomfortable, and making Helga angry.
Victoria Wellington-Lloyd looked a little bit like Rhonda, excepting the much longer blonde hair and green eyes. She was also a little taller than Rhonda, almost reaching Helga's height. It could definitely be seen though that she enjoyed the material things like Rhonda, wearing clothes that could only be found in the Spumoni stores.
Victoria held out her hand to them, speaking as she did so in her elitist way, and smiling,
"Nice to meet you all."
Phoebe was the first to introduce herself, Gerald following. Helga didn't bother to say anything, she just glared at her. Arnold held his hand out to greet her,
"Hi. I'm Arnold."
Victoria squeezed Arnold's hand, looking at him fondly, a little too fondly Helga noted.
"Arnold? What a masculine name. I like it."
Winking, Victoria made Arnold really uncomfortable. Letting go of her hand quickly, he awkwardly just replied with a thank you, grabbed Helga's hand, and walked off into the party.
'That's right, bitch. He's my boyfriend! Mine! Helga G. Pataki.'
Victoria just looked off as Arnold walked away with Helga in his hand into the living room, Gerald and Phoebe following in tow. She brought her arms up and crossed them in front of her chest, smirking at the two.
'Don't worry Arnold. I like a challenge.'
As the party progressed, the people around them became more and more drunk. Helga, knowing and experiencing through her mother what alcohol can do to a person, had half of a beer. Arnold had maybe one, which was his maximum amount. Phoebe was posted as designated driver and so had no alcohol and Gerald... well Gerald had way too much beer and was currently having an argument with the couch.
Helga was talking to Lila and Brainy, the recently new couple at H.S. 118. She found it so ironic that her old stalker and Arnold's old crush ended up dating in the end of it all. Helga appreciated both of them, at least a little more than she used to. Brainy had helped her a lot during the trip to San Lorenzo. During her darkest time, he came through for her, and it was partly because of him that Helga and Arnold started to date. She didn't know where she would be if it hadn't been for Brainy.
Lila was a different story. Since dating Arnold, Helga didn't show as much hated towards Lila, being that he hatred rooted from the fact that Arnold had a crush on her. Lila even shared some things with Helga, and Helga likewise with Lila, bringing them a little closer together.
"Oh, I'm ever so happy for you Helga!"
"Thanks Lila."
"I mean, how long has it been? Five, six years?"
"Six."
Helga smiled. Six years. She had been with Arnold for SIX YEARS! It was amazing.
"Oh, that's ever so wonderful! Isn't it, Brainy?"
"Uh, -wheeze- yes."
Helga laughed at the usual Brainy response. Over time, Helga actually learned that Brainy had a severe case of asthma, and though he had an inhaler, he didn't usually want to use it unless for important circumstances. Anything he could answer with one word he didn't deem important enough to use the inhaler.
"So, you and Brainy, huh?"
Lila blushed. "Oh yes, Helga! After dating Arnie for a while, and learned that he actually didn't love me, I figured it was time to move on. Then, well Brainy and I became ever so close! You could say that I fell so over heels for him!"
Brainy's smile widened. It was true. Arnie had broken Lila's heart over some girl named Hilda that lived much closer to him. Brainy had been one of the few people to be there for her in that time including: Helga, Phoebe, and Arnold. Brainy eventually got over Helga during that time, slowly falling for Lila.
"Uh, -wheeze- I guess -wheeze- you could say the same for me."
Helga smiled at this. She believed that the both deserved each other. They both chased after people who eventually just hurt them in the end. They were both there for each other. They both now 'like' like each other. To Helga, it was kind of like her relationship with Arnold.
Meanwhile, Arnold searched the party for his best friend Gerald. He asked Phoebe, who was talking to Sheena and Eugene, but she actually didn't know where he was. Looking around for Gerald, Arnold found him yelling and seemingly arguing with the couch, obviously drunk.
"You, -hiccup- you think you know EVERYTHING don't you!"
Gerald pointed at the couch, giving it the evil eye. Arnold couldn't help but just laugh at his friend's natural drunken-state insanity. Last party he had went to, Gerald ended up getting in a brawl with the coffee machine. Apparently, it was hard for Harold to explain why the coffee machine was smashed to his parents.
"Oh! Talking back are we! -Hiccup- Imma teach you to talk back!"
At this point, Gerald prepared himself for his brawl with the couch. He cracked his knuckles and his neck and looked prepared to 'teach it a lesson.' That's when Arnold intervened.
"Hey, Gerald."
Gerald faced Arnold.
"Oh, hey Arnold..."
Looking back at the couch, Gerald spoke in a whisper. He didn't want Arnold to hear what he was saying, but being the way he was then, Arnold heard everything he said. He also couldn't help but laugh under his breath.
"I'll be back! My man Arnold doesn't like violence."
Turning around again to face Arnold, Gerald smiled broadly. He went to give Arnold a high five, but failed miserably, falling onto his face.
"Damn couch! -Hiccup- Sneak attacks are not allowed!"
"Gerald?"
Facing Arnold again, Gerald could see Arnold holding out his hand to help him up. Grabbing it, Gerald lifted himself onto his feet, still glaring at the couch.
"Gerald. Please tell me you're done with the alcohol."
"Arnold! I haven't even had that much!"
"Okay. Gerald, you've had way too much to drink. I'm going to go tell Phoebe that maybe we should leave early."
"Dude, this is your -hiccup- anniversary party! We can't leave early! Besides, I have to teach this guy a lesson about treating me -hiccup- with respect!"
"Gerald, that's the couch..."
"And?"
Arnold rolled his eyes. There wasn't much to do now. Gerald obviously was way too intoxicated to function properly. They really had to leave before he became any worse. Walking off to find Phoebe, leaving Nadine with Gerald to watch, Arnold came across Sheena and Eugene.
"Hey Sheena, Eugene. Do you know where Phoebe went?"
"Golly Arnold. I think she went upstairs to get something."
"Thanks Eugene."
Arnold walked through the living room, filled with a lot of drunk people he knew and did not know. Pushing through, he made it to the stairs and began ascending the steps to the upper floor in search for Phoebe. Checking every room of the upper floor, the last room he checked was Rhonda's. Phoebe was no where to be found.
"I wonder where she could be..."
"Who?"
Turning around, shocked that there was somebody else in Rhonda's room with him, Arnold saw Victoria. It was the first time he had seen her since the first introduction. It probably wouldn't have bothered him so much that she was there, but she gave him this lustful look. It was disturbing to say the least.
"Oh, um, hi Victoria. I'm just looking for Phoebe."
"Phoebe? What I'm not good enough?"
She smiled seductively at Arnold, stepping closer to him. With each step she took towards him, Arnold stepped back.
'Oh... Oh, boy.'
"You know Arnold, I couldn't help but wonder why you are with a girl like Helga, when you should be with a girl more like me."
Meanwhile, Helga went searching for Arnold. She had seen Phoebe, who was currently watching a passed out Gerald, and figured they should probably leave.
'Thank GOD! I can finally leave this damn party! Maybe Arnold and I could do something just the two of us. Oh Arnold! Forgive me! But I can't stand these chuckle-heads. Criminy! I'm surrounded!'
Helga wandered into the kitchen, and, upon seeing Sheena and Eugene, walked up to them. Sheena was the first one to notice Helga walking up.
"Hi Helga!"
"Hey Sheena. I was wondering if you've seen Arnold."
"Oh yeah! He was looking for Phoebe. I think he went upstairs to find her."
"I saw Phoebe with Gerald..."
"Oh, oops."
"Nah, no problem. I'll just go get him."
Walking out of the kitchen, Helga accidentally bumped into a very livid Rhonda.
"Geez Princess. I don't think I have ever seen you this angry."
Rhonda glared at Helga, who was obviously in no mood for idle chit-chat.
"Look Helga, I don't got time for your shit. Victoria disappeared and now I got to find her! Who knows what the hell she'd do on the loose."
Helga was taken aback at Rhonda using obscene words. It really wasn't like her. Instead of making some witty comment against her, Helga just walked away. It was one thing when Rhonda pretended to be all high-&-mighty, but she wasn't herself and, henceforth, unpredictable.
Helga stopped short on her way to the second floor. Both Victoria and Arnold were missing. It wasn't like Arnold would do anything.
'Would he? I mean... She WAS giving him really lustful looks. But, this is Arnold... He wouldn't do anything to hurt me... right?'
Beginning to walk up the stairs, Helga began to worry a little more and more with each step. She didn't plan to, but this was Helga. Getting to the top floor, Helga stopped again staring into Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd's bedroom at the two people in front of her: Arnold and Victoria kissing!
'No...'
Tears forming in her eyes, Helga ran back down the stairs and out the front door.
To clarify what really was happening, Helga saw the backside of Arnold and didn't see the shocked expression on his face. Victoria had leaned in and grabbed Arnold to kiss him. Arnold did NOT kiss Victoria. After Helga ran off, Arnold immediately pulled away from Victoria, insulted that she would even do that considering the fact that she knew he had a girlfriend.
"Wait, you're rejecting me? ME!?"
"I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!"
"Nobody rejects me!"
"Looks like there is a first for everything."
Victoria looked in shock at a leaving Arnold, who began to walk down the stairs, not knowing that Helga had actually seen what had happened and misinterpreted it.
*End of Flashback (In a flashback)
Arnold's eyes opened wide as he realized why Helga might actually be mad at him.
'Curse my dense self!'
He didn't realize that there could have been even a possibility of Helga seeing the kiss, even though he himself did not kiss her.
'This completely explains why she would be mad! I... I've got to explain!'
Arnold looked back at Helga, who was now crossing the street to leave the block.
"Helga! Helga!" He screamed, gaining her attention. Helga stopped in the middle of the street, tears in her eyes and a scowl on her face.
'I can't believe I hurt her!'
'I can't believe he hurt me like this! Damn that Football-head!'
"Helga! Let me explain!"
Helga rolled her eyes.
"I don't need an explanation, Arnold! I know what happened!"
"But, Helga-"
"NO! Just leave me alone!"
Arnold looked at Helga pleadingly.
'She has to listen to me!'
That was the last thing on his mind before he saw something coming towards Helga. Fear immediately took over. He had forgotten about telling her the truth and focused more on the new issue that just came around.
"Helga! Get... Get out of the street!"
"Arnold! I said Leave me ALONE!"
"Helga!"
"LEAVE. ME. ALONE!"
As these words left her mouth, Helga slowly turned her view down the street as she heard a loud honking noise. She came face to face with two giant headlights of a giant semi-truck. The next few things happened so quickly, that she didn't even realize what happened. One minute, she was in the street facing down the huge vehicle, and the next minute she was the witness of a hit and run.
Arnold had seen the semi-truck, though it's headlights weren't on until just moments before it had hit Helga, as if the driver had all of a sudden remembered to turn them on at the last minute. Running into the road, Arnold's first instinct was to push Helga out of the way of the semi-truck, no matter what would happen. The problem was, he didn't make it.
He succeeded in saving Helga, but in the process Arnold was hit dead on with the truck. Not run down, but hit. Instead of stopping, the driver had kept going.
Helga panicked at the sight before her, the incredibly bloody sight before her.
"Arnold! ARNOLD! Arnold please wake up!"
Paramedics arrived moments later to the scene. Everybody from the party watched as Arnold was put onto an ambulance and carried to the hospital. Helga felt numb. Her mind raced with the events constantly. She could never forget it. The truck, all the blood, an unconscious Arnold on the ground. She did, however, hear a very familiar voice.
"Hmph! I think it serves him right!"
"SERVES HIM RIGHT!?"
A very angry Helga turned around to face the cousin of the Princess... Picking her up with her left hand, Helga prepared Ol' Betsy for a very much deserved punching.
"Nobody deserves that! Least of all Arnold! You little fucking bitch!"
"Well, nobody rejects Victoria Wellington-Lloyd!"
Helga opened her eyes wide.
"R...R...Reject?"
"Yes, your stupid boyfriend rejected me! FOR YOU OF ALL PEOPLE!"
"He... He... He... Oh, my God!"
Helga dropped Victoria and ran off down the road. There was no stopping her at this point. She was the only one who knew exactly how and why it all happened.
'It's all my fault! If I hadn't been in the middle of the road! If-If I had listened to Arnold! If... None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me!'
How does it feel to finally know? So, I'm taking a poll... Happy ending :) or Sad Ending :( Be sure to tell me (PS this does not actually affect my decision.. or does it? O.o) Review?