Helga walks Harold and Patty to the door, the two wanted some alone time, so they leave prematurely.
As she was heading back to where she knew Arnold was, she was met by the girl; who's actions caused her to attend detention.
Her the girls around her stares Helga down. "Looks like they'll let anyone in here. I guess she thinks it's Halloween, that's not until October sweetheart."
Helga struts up to her and in return, the girl holds up her hands. "Oh no, the bride of Chucky is going to hit me again. Of course, she'll get violent; she's even dressed the evil part. God why do you insist on wearing such disgustingly tacky clothing, do you like looking like a clown?"
Helga laughs. Like that's gonna offend me you reject Heather Chandler. "What is the real problem here ... do you have a crush on me or something? Well, I'm gonna break your heart but sorry I don't swing that way and even if I did I wouldn't want you. I don't even know your fucking name that's how little you matter to me." She looks beyond her to see Rhonda standing there obviously following her like a lapdog. "Just get over it, I'm at this party because I was invited - now if you don't like it—"
"Oh, you know her name. Everyone knows Ashley—"
She cut off her friend defending her with a dirty look but directs it back to Helga. "Insanity, someone actually asked you to come here? Who would be crazy enough to invite you?"
Helga crosses her arms. "Arnold. I guess he's craaaazy." She snickers because saying that in the way that she brings back the memory of him singing to get out of a fight with Harold.
Her mouth gapes open. "Arnold… you mean as in Arnold Shortman?" Her voice was full of disbelief.
He's literally the only Arnold in our grade... probably the whole school. "No .. I mean Arnold fuckin', Schwarzenegger!" She speaks with sharp sarcasm.
Some of her friends' giggle including Rhonda. Helga raises her brows and looked at her; she quickly drops her amused expression and stuck up her nose. The rest quickly stop snickering once Ashley gives them a death stare. Helga just shakes her head. "You know... it's such a pity when individuals with perfecting functioning brains allow themselves to become puppets. Especially you princess. Actually, you don't deserve that nickname anymore... because lowered yourself to being a minion. You and I never really been friends but I respected you for being tough in your own way. When you get sick of being pulled by a leash by your master here, you'll find that you're true friends still care about you... you know the ones I'm referring to."
When she saw that her words went in one ear and out the other. She decides it was time to leave, but she could still hear Ashley's voice projecting the further she got away; talking trash.
"Well, Arnold must be enduring some kind brain condition from getting hit during basketball practice or something. A guy that popular, athletic and handsome... He'd look better with a classier, prettier girl on his arm. He's had better, like Lila Sawyer for example. I wonder if she's here tonight." She holds a hand to her mouth. "She's probably in one the private bedrooms right now with Arnold, why would he want a girl that dresses like a freak?" She laughs in a mocking sort of way.
He spots her first and waves to get her attention. He notes her face how she looked pissed off.
With drinks still in hand, he approaches her. He hands her the cup and looks concerned. "Helga are you okay, did something happen?"
She shrugs. "Oh, just a casual run in with some birds ... nothing to worry about…anyway." She taps his arm and was about to say something but then she saw Lila over his shoulder giving her an odd grin. She looks back at Arnold. Ugh, that Lila… Shaking her head. I'm not turning back into that girl.. so jealous of Lila and obsessively desperately pining after… She studies Arnold, his soft eyes looking into hers, a warm tone to his face as he spoke. She swallows. Shit… still, I hope he doesn't fall for her again … not just because I want him for myself but because he should have better… someone who could really appreciate him. I know that person isn't Lila.She frowned. She's lost her integrity somewhere along the way. somehow.. I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. Not entirely because I know that we all make our own choices and the choices she's made ... at least back over the summer, aren't that of someone deserving of Arnold's love.
Suddenly she felt his hand on hers and he had one eyebrow up. She seems distracted.. is she not having a good time? "Helga, are you sure you're alright?"
She nods and clears her throat. "Yeah positive .. I was just thinking .."
"About…?" He asks with his brow still quirked.
Helga rolls her head to the side, looking down. "Why are you trying to get inside my head or something hair boy…?"
"Maybe.." He smirks. "Unless that is you're too scared of letting me."
Helga giggles a little. "You've been ribbing me all night.. not that you're good at it or anything.. Don't you know that I'm the one that supposes to do the teasing, not you."
Arnold is about to reply but heard a voice of an enemy - a scowl fills his face which confused Helga. He's annoyed, but Brendan presence or rather the sound of his voice gives Arnold a good excuse to get a little alone time with Helga. Once they were in the hallway away Helga squeezes his hand and pulls hers out of his. "Arnold, where are you taking me and why?"
"I thought we could hang out one on one and talk... .. and also besides there're some people here I'd rather avoid." Sanders and Lila only really...
He found an office room, Arnold saw as a safe room to take her in because he didn't want her to think he'd only brought her there to get laid or something by taking her to one of the several bedrooms.
Arnold sits down. "So ... "
So did she. "So." She repeats and scrunches up her face in thought. "What did you want to talk about?"
"You." He said firmly If the reason why you never wrote me was because you were hurt and not because you stopped caring... He watches her frown and squirms a little. It's probably best not to go there. "I-I mean.. I whatever you wanna talk about."
"Okay .. well..." She raises one brow. "I have to admit - there are cooler people here than I thought .. I thought I was gonna have to cling to you the whole night. But there's still many assholes frat boy types with snobby girlfriends .. I don't see how you associate with them .. they would drive me to drink." With amusement in her face, she tips her cup to drink some more.
Arnold shrugs and put down his cup after taking a sip. "I don't literally associate with everyone, I'm just linked with them. They don't bother me ... as long as they aren't vengeful or nasty, I can tolerate them. I don't let myself get too close to some people." He rolls his eyes and made eye contact with. "There's someone who revealed a side of them I didn't expect...I thought I knew this person... but oh well... That's why I'm glad you decided to come here with me. "
"Oh, why exactly is that?"
"I wanted someone here that I know for certain is real."
Helga's cheeks instantly flushed. Okay, Helga remain calm... "Uh huh ... what's the other reason?"
Arnold shrugs. "I guess I wanted to get to know you better since we've haven't been exactly close over the years. Like how you are at a party. I spent a little time watching you while you were mingling... and I learned some things."
He's been watching me? "Uh huh... you must have learned that I'm not the life of the party .. sorry if that's what you expected."
He rests all wide legged on a very comfy chair that was almost as big as a couch while Helga was sitting on a desk chair. She drank the rest of her punch. Looking over, Arnold averted his eyes and rested his head on the cushion.
"I honestly didn't know what to expect... that's kind of how I always feel when it comes you... but I learned that as aggressive as you can be at times - even you can be shy or sometimes unsure socially. But mostly you don't care to do small talk with people you don't know well or trust."
With a bashful smile, she shrugs. "I just don't care for bullshit, I don't care to hear it or speak it...sometimes it can be amusing but typically I can tell when someone's insincere... it's both a gift and curse... Sometimes I wish I could just mindlessly go with the crowd even for second..." She rolled her eyes and drank the rest of punch.
"I wouldn't like that - then you wouldn't be Helga... I don't mindlessly go with the crowd either, but I wish that I could be as intuitive as you and be able to see beyond someone's mask before it's too late."
Helga thinks about what he said and smiles a bit. "I have a feeling that you always saw past mine."
His breath softly hitches and he met her gaze and maintain it for what felt like several minutes."T-true... but I meant a kind person who acts nice or cool but is hiding a darker side. It's easy for me to spot the good in people. But guess I was always hopeful that there was a good person behind that scowl and cold words. I'm happy to see that I'm still right."
She smiles and put her head down. "How can you be so sure?" She uses a mocking tone.
"Because I see you..."
They're eyes locked for a second. "Whatever Arnoldo..." Was all she could say. Shaking her head, to try hard to disguise the pinkest color on her cheeks.
Arnold looks her up and down. "Come sit over here. You're way over there." He taps the cushion next to him. Her eyes light up and he lost a bit of his cool. "I-I mean there's enough space and it's more comfortable than that hard chair... or we can trade if you don't—"
With an eye roll, she hops up. "Can it football head." She pushes his leg over and sat down.
Now being so close to her, she did her best to slow down her breathing. Her face was flushed now that he was up against her nearly bare thigh and she could get a whiff of his cologne. "Well, it was fun until a certain creep showed up."
Arnold faces her. "You're talking about Brendan Sanders aren't you?"
She huffs. "Yep.. he's definitely not my favorite person that's for sure.."
He frowns; his head tilts back as he continues to stare at her. "Has he ever bothered you?"
She snorts "I guess you can say that. He's been coming on to me for years. He practically threw self at me the first day of school. I go to leave and he's leaning against my car trying to convince he wants more than to get between my legs. Yeah right... Pfft! ...I'm no fool."
A pissed off Arnold jumps up. Huh? So this guy been clowning on me since last year about my attraction to her and yet he's been pushing up on her himself? I can't believe I didn't catch this..."I don't believe this... he...ARGH!"
Helga was totally taken aback because she'd never seen Arnold so irascible. "Whoa... hey - no need to get so furious their football head. Pigs exist and any human who happens to have breast and vagina will have to deal with their sliminess, unfortunately. But Arnoldo, I'm a big girl. I can handle him .. or any asshat that tries me."
He sighs. "You might be able to handle him or other guys who are disrespectful but that doesn't mean you should... especially if you have people who care about you. Who could keep you from ever needing to use old Betsy and the five avengers." Helga lowers her head to hide her swooning. He became a little self-conscious about what he just said to her because her body language and expression were unreadable. "Er... anyway he's the guy I got into it with on Monday."
She lifts her head up. "I know."
Arnold's gaze and body language softened even more once he starts studying her; a great deal. "But what you might not know is the reason for that fight."
Her eyes met his. "Um. I heard you two were fighting over Lila."
Uh, I won't be surprised if Lila herself started that rumor. What's gotten into her anyway? I mean I know she's not quite as innocent as she once was but she's really been bold lately. His jaw clenched and he shook his head. "No, Lila and I are history... that honestly... should have never happened and will never be repeated." He squeezes his eyebrows together almost looking like he was in pain. "Actually, the fight was about you.."
Her brows rise instantly. "Me. Why me?"
He opens one eye to look at her and slowly the other. "Yeah... he was saying some disrespectful things about you... it all started because he saw me c-checking you out and I just lost all control... I'm not proud of fighting because I know it doesn't solve anything, but I don't literally regret it either. He had no right to say those disgusting things about you."
Helga's mind was racing taking everything he said. How chivalrous of you to defend me even though you know I can do that myself. It's so... you. But I never wanted him to turn brutal because of me! Please always stay my sweet gentle prince. A frown appeared Wait?! Rewind! Did he just say he was checking me out?! Does that mean... Arnold is attracted to me?! I thought he liked 'perfect' girls like what's her face... She studies Arnold who seems to be rooted in his thoughts. The only way to find out is to ask, I suppose. "Y-You were checking me out?" She just barely manages to spit that out,
Her question takes him by surprise. Did I admit that out loud just now? Oh, crap... now things could get crappy if she isn't attracted to me buuuut there's no point in lying now. "Yeah I was.. ..."
She looks down running her fingers along her choker/necklace. "So you're attracted to me?"
You have no idea. "Yes. I find you, very attractive."
That makes her feel like her brain had temporarily shut down and she would need a microchip to restore it back to present time. He's attracted to me?! Helga G. Pataki Okay my mirror tells me that I'm not a dog and I know I have some good qualities physically speaking that make me visually appealing to the opposite sex, but ... Arnold the guy who's unconventional looking, but still handsome enough to be a soap opera or something, whose body is perfectly sculpted while not being bulky... shit his only flaw is still adorable and that boy finds me attractive. Aren't I looks and personality wise the opposite of what he usually looks for in girls? And yet ... he just said that I'm very attractive. That is what he said, right?
"You find me." She gulps. "….Very attractive?"
"Yes, I do. Very much so.." He replies to her question shyly, his voice shaking.
He examines her now and saw that she was chewing on her lip. He was unsure if he made her uncomfortable or that she was just being reticent. Focusing on her lips then back to her eyes which at that moment found his - he felt in his gut that she was inviting him in. With one step he leans into her and without any warning he gave her a sweet yet frustrating kiss because he wanted to do more, but felt it was way too premature to let his desires take over. Right now he was merely testing the waters.
He pulls away marveling at how soft she was and how something so short and simple gave in more goosebumps than when he made out with girls of his past. Gazing into her big eyes and slightly quivering lips he felt at home but there was still some uncertainty about where her head was.
Helga's mind shut off. She had no thoughts. But feels overwhelmed, it was all too much, too fast, even though he didn't reveal all of his feelings.
Arnold continues to study at her face, she looked like a deer caught in headlights and her bottom lips was still slightly trembling. Did my instincts steer me wrong here? "Helga, I'm sorry if I..."
A sudden turn of the knob and the door flying open and because of how close the two were standing at the look on their faces, the witness knew was going on.
Helga looks and Lila and back at Arnold then ran out of the room.
Lila watches Helga bolt down the hall and slam the bathroom door shut and with a flirtatious face she turns to Arnold. "Looks like she shot you down."
Arnold falls into the chair and covers his face. Lila takes this opportunity to come from to him and placed her hands on his shoulders and moved them down is arms. She kneels down more and kissed his neck. He flies up and grabs her wrist and pulls her into the chair. "Leave. Me. Alone." And leaves the room.
Turning on her heels and pouting on to another room to make up for not only getting rejected this night but being rejected for Helga.
A girl she never thought of as a threat. The fire-haired girl sashays into a bedroom to impulsively tongue down her prey hungrily and let him rip off her clothes and things quickly got very heated.
Once sexually satisfied lying next to her partner... thoughts of a certain blonde with a football head fad but unfortunately for her, his mind was still fixed on getting a certain blonde turned goth.
He sits up. "Now can you explain to me what you did wrong. Getting laid was the goal... but not with you. You were supposed to nail him so that I could get Pataki."
She rolls on her side and moves over to try to snuggle up to him. "Well, maybe it's just not meant to happen..."
He pushes her off. "Fuck! Did I ask for your opinion? You are not only a whore but you're annoying too. Christ, no wonder that pussy Shortman turned you down."
She feels shocked and offended that after sleeping with her - he still had his sights set on Helga. Lila was sure that as soon as they started having sex that there little scheme to get their targets that night had ended. She wonders what Helga had that made all these guys pine for her; first Arnie years ago and she knew he still had a thing for her, a popular guy name Adam along with Brendan and of course Arnold; who she thought was too good for Helga.
In her mind, she was clearly the better choice because of her beauty, style, grace and her ability to play coy in public and act like a wild cat in private to leave any man panting for more. She just didn't understand how they could choose the less refined eccentric girl who was once a bully to Arnold over her; a girl with a reputation for being impeccably well mannered and sweet.
Lila wraps her arms around herself as she continued to listen to him rant. Feeling emotions of envy and also despair. "I've been after this chick for years ... it was one thing when she went out with Adam... it angered me but at least he wasn't some sissy. No way am I gonna lose to a punk like Shortman who probably wouldn't know what to do if he had her naked on his bed! He can't satisfy a spitfire like Helga... if they got together she would run all over him I bet... she needs a real man to put her in her place and tame her. I'm gonna get her by any means necessary. I'm tired of playing her game... now she's going to play mine."
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