Helga goes inside her house, with the most dazed over look on her face and makes her way to her room, she releases a joyous sigh and looks down at the necklace around her neck, having no plans of taking it off.
Normally, Helga's spidey senses were up, but after spending such an amazing day and receiving a wonderful goodbye from her current boyfriend Arnold. She never expected that one day that Arnold; the boy of her dreams, would one day reciprocate her love. Especially since the two of them didn't run in the same circles and on the surface very opposite. For that reason, as she enters her bedroom, her defenses were down for a chance. But even in this moment, she still she has the strange, frightening and prickling feeling of being watched.
She was just about to turn on her heels and bolt out of the room as fast as she could when she realizes, unfortunately, her intuition was correct. But at that point, it was too late. Suddenly she's unceremoniously is slung like a rag doll onto her bed. On reflex, Helga releases a roaring scream at the sight of a male figure with a black mask on his face. Her voice echoes through her house and could be heard outside; which her attacker tried to overpower with a loud growl. She takes a blow to her upper cheek area after connecting a few to her the unknown man, using anything she could reach to bash his head with.
Arnold's jaw fell open and he drops his keys and rushes to the door in a flash. Yelling out her name, yowling in sheer fright, confusion, and uncertainty, his eyes watering, face bloodshot red, his fist pounding desperately against the door, still hearing her swearing and the blatant sound of items being broken. In a state of pure panic, he takes out his phone and to call the police.
Inside the Pataki home, things were happening fast, Helga is struggling to get a masked male off her, his hand snaked up her skirt causing her to scream out, but he covers her mouth. She is using every bit of her physical strength to try and fight him off, it was enough to stop him from his hands from touching her any further, but not enough to stop his actions altogether.
Arnold quickly sprinted to the side of her house and climbed the vein to in her broken window. Suddenly the man jumped out that very window. Helga realized it was because of the sound of sirens shrieking at a distance. Arnold jumps down and runs after him, tackling him down, he manages to worm enough away from him to kick Arnold twice in the face and escape his grasp.
Arnold rolls onto his side and quickly hops up, searching the surroundings with eyes and couldn't locate anyone. Looking to the window, belonging to his girlfriend he impromptu scaled the wall and ungracefully fell inside her room, see her across the room, he rushed over immediately wrapping his arms around a cowering Helga.
"Helga..." He moves away enough to examined her lightly bruised face. "Oh, Helga.." His voice is soft but knotted with pain. He tugs her and engulfs her into a hug her again, gliding his hands up and down her back and to her hair. He kissed her hair and brushed his fingers faintly on her the slight bruise. "Did he...?"
She shakes her head knowing exactly what he was asking. "No." Her voice is flat.
His eyes move down to the wrecked up room. "I'm calling the police, okay...I thought I heard them just a minute ago..."
She gives the slightest nod. "You did, that's why he ran off."
"I called the police They should be here soon." He tried to keep his voice calm for her benefit, but he was bubbling with a mix of multiple emotions of anger, sadness, worry, fear...
He keeps one arm around her protectively and stayed that way as he called him and as he waited for their arrival; which fortunately was quick because there is a station not too far away from where she resides. The police came inside the house and investigated Helga's room and briefly question her and Arnold then she was taken to the hospital for a routine check.
While still at the hospital the police also asked questions about her parents specifically the whereabouts of Bob Pataki, since Helga is seventeen and a minor in a home alone. She assures the officers that her father is typically in the home and some amount of parental guidance on a daily basis. The officers accept that but also highly encourage Helga not to spend the time in her house and to stay in the care of loved ones. Helga doesn't have any close relatives in the city and she didn't want to scare Phoebe and her parents so she decides to go with Arnold; who already had made up in his mind that she would come to the boarding house to stay until these were safe.
She puts her arms tightly around him. He looks at her over his shoulder. "We're going to the boarding house, okay?"
She didn't say anything, only squeezes him at his ribs even tighter, he drove off.
XOXOXO
Arnold had called his parents while he was on his way home from the hospital, letting them know of his whereabouts. He was pretty vague on the phone, but assured his parents he would provide a suitable explanation, but he does inform them that he'll have a guest with them, someone they'll most likely recognize.
Stella reaches up to attempt to cradle Arnold's face; which had cuts and bruises from being hit in the face during his very brief shuffle with Helga's attacker, but Arnold pulls back, whispering to her that he was fine.
"Mom, dad...this is Helga Pataki, I'm sure you remember her." He decided the time to talk them being a couple could be put off at happier moments.
"Well of course we do," Stella observes her face, noticing deep traces of tears but most concerning a slight bruised eye and cheek. "What happened sweetheart?"
Helga clears her throat. "A person with a mask on broke into my house and was hiding in my room when Arnold dropped me off and when I walked into my room he attacked me, it was attempted rape.." She looks up to see the fear in Stella and Miles eyes. "But he heard sirens and ran off. All I got was a few bruises...they'll heal soon." She pressed her lips together tightly. "It could have been worse." She shrugs, resting all her weight on her right side.
Arnold pulls his eyes off her and to his parents. "When I spoke with the police they suggested that she spend the night elsewhere and I thought that she could stay here. Um...I have plenty of space in my room if that's okay with you mom and dad."
Miles places a firm palm onto Arnold's shoulder. "Of course, Helga or any of your friends are always welcomed here, especially when something awful like this happens."
"Helga if you need anything at all, please let me know. Have you spoken with your parents?"
She shakes her head. "No. I don't live with my mother, she remarried and... I haven't spoken in a few days with my dad... well he hasn't been home." She shrugged; drumming her fingers on the kitchen table next to her. "I think he got a new job or something. I hope so... at least." She yawns at the end of her statement.
Miles and Stella exchange concern glances with each and Arnold. "And you've spoken with the police and been to the hospital correct." She looks back and forth between Arnold and Helga who both nod their heads. "Okay, of course, sweetheart you can stay here as long as you need to." Stella smiles at her. "We're always welcoming to any of Arnold's friends and classmates. Besides, if it weren't for you Helga, Arnold wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to travel to San Lorenzo to find us and your actions once you arrived, were nothing less than heroic." She stretches her arms out and pulls Helga into and tight hug. "You'll be safe here with us." She turns to her son. "Go on and go upstairs so she can get settled in, I'll be up to check on you two."
XOXOXO
Once Stella had come in to give Helga a pair of her pajamas and exchange a few words, Arnold began pacing like a wild man, swearing up a storm and making accusations. He had been doing so for several minutes in a row, nonstop. "I know it was him!" He pulled at his hair. "That son of a bitch, I know it was him!"
Helga was sitting on his bed, watching him with concern. "Hey, can you please sit down and calm down, you're driving me nuts." For Helga, her voice comes out small; weak sounding even.
He stops at the sound of her voice. "No! How are you so calm?!" He asks incredibly.
She sighs. "I'm just as upset as you are Arnold, this happened to me, but there's no point in barking out my hatred...sorry I did enough screaming in my room while trying to stop that fuckhead from fucking raping me, rape Arnold..." She repeated to convey the seriousness of the situation, she hiccuped and brought her crossed arms to her chest. "So excuse me, I'm so sorry for not having the energy or desire to yell and curse right now."
Helga glares at him, but then she goes blank and finally sadness registers on her face. Arnold takes a deep breath. I'm being an insensitive, ass. He sits down on the bed in front her and cups her cheek with his palm while staring at her. "I'm sorry Helga." He presses a tender kiss to her cheek, pulling back to give her a meaningful stare. "I-I know you're angry too, I know you're also scared, I'm was just furious. I still am. I should have been able to protect you."
She shakes her head, disbelieving. "Arnold you—"
He raises a finger to her mouth. His face softened, appearing more empathetic towards her. "I know what you're going to say... but I can't help, but think that. Regardless, you're right, I need to calm down." She looks at him and sees the muscles in his jaw tensing and tightening up. "If and when I see that piece of shit..." Arnold perused his room, avoiding meeting her gaze. "I can't promise that I'll be calm then."
Helga just sighs and stiffens up. Arnold's gaze drops and his brows knit when he saw something missing on her person. His fingers grazed her neck faintly. "Helga, your necklace." He murmurs.
Her head drops swiftly, looking down at the missing jewelry piece, he had just given her. "Oh..." A single tear fell out of her left eyes, he wipes it away.
"I-It's okay...that's not..." His eyes locked securely on hers. "we'll get it back, or I'll replace it. What's important is that you are okay, that... in addition to either making sure he gets locked up, or at least that he suffers some serious physical pain." He cracks his knuckles and with a brief intense glare.
She wants to tell him, no, to stop making threats, to not act out of anger, but nothing escaped her lips,except a tiresome declaration,"I want to just go asleep...it's late and I'm tired." Her voice free of much emotion.
Arnold nods. "Alright, you can have the bed, of course." He leaves the room so they could both change into their bed clothes.
Once he came back into the room after her assurance that she was dressed, she was already underneath the covers. He peers down at the sight of the side of her face. "Goodnight Helga." He whispers and leans in to kiss her faintly on her temple.
He goes to lay down on the coach and just when he settled in, "Arnold...?" He hears her softly call to him.
He sits up. "Yeah? Helga, are you okay? I thought you were sleep."
She shifts and brings herself up on her elbows to look at him. "Um almost...but I don't think I could sleep here...I mean...alone." She sighs. "I just..." She fastens her eyes shut. "don't want to sleep alone..." She says softly; bearing quite a bit of shame and hesitation in her voice at this admission.
He doesn't say anything, instead just does as she requested and climbs under the covers next to her and wrapped his arms around her. To the pair were fast asleep in a matter of a few minutes.
XOXOXO
The following week at school, Arnold is walking through the hallways and he spots the person he was looking forward to physically destroying coming out of a classroom and going to his locker.
Arnold looks in a doorway and peeks behind it waiting for the lingering students to leave the hall. Without even an inkling of a warning, he charges him full swing, tackling him to the ground in one fluid motion.
Unfortunately, before Arnold could bring a fist to his face he was pulled off my Coach Wittenburg. He pulls Arnold roughly. "Come on son..." Arnold got away from him for a second, but he is yanked right back. "Arnie... you don't want to do this! Think about the team...think about your future!"
Arnold was still seeing red and didn't hear a thing that was said to him. Instead, he was reeling in his own anger, expressing unadulterated wrath. "I know it was you! I know you tried to attack Helga! You were at her house last night! I know it was you!" His last reply his voice cracked as hot tears were pouring down his face; which was more of a release of anger than sadness per say. Coach tugs him into a room and shut the door behind him.
Brendan is still in the hallway and unbeknownst to him, someone; two students specifically witnessed the whole thing that went on between the two basketball stars. One student is a close ally of Helga's and also someone whose been classmates with Arnold for several years, in a huff moves up to Brendan.
He slightly pushes Brendan in the back to get his attention. "What's the deal? What did you do to Arnold? He would never attack someone like that without there being solid...logical reason."
He whips around and immediately flips him the finger and flicks his wrist dismissively. "Kick rocks loser..." He turns back around and starts to walk away.
A short-lived chuckle comes from Curly because he spots someone in a nearby corner, forcing him to make a hard decision to not physically retaliate. "I'm just expressing curiosity, he said something about Helga Pataki...what was that about?"
He stops with only a few fluid motions he has Curly corned. "Look! Mind your fucking business, this doesn't concern you!"
Curly grits his teeth, suppressing his natural instincts to defend himself and his friend. "It does concern me, Helga is my best friend...really she's like a sister to me and if you did something to her I swear to God I—"
"You'll do what?! Huh, what could a skinny freak like you possibly do to me? You're unpopular and have no power, just like Pataki girl." He pushes and shoves at Curly, making the back of his head hit the locker. Brendan in an intimidating attempt brings his face severely close to Curly's for a second and then backs up, "You couldn't kick your own ass." He laughs out. "You know who I am? I'm Brendan fucking Sanders any hot pussy I want at this school, I'll get by any means necessary! Because no girl turns me down, that's not how this works."
His breath hitches. "What's that got to do with Helga?"
Bringing a finger to point in his face he grinned maliciously. "You know exactly what that means trash bag, this time... I'll see all of Helga soon... real soon. She'll be screaming my name out in pleasure...whatever she wants it or not. Since you're a good friend of hers, tell her ... that I love all the pink in her room." He winks with an arrogant grin and unhanded Curly to tromp down the hall.
Once Brendan vanishes around the corner of the hallway, Curly jumps over to the unsuspecting individual with the slightest appearance of a smile. Looking at the device in his hand and then into his eyes. "Did you get all that?"
XOXOXO
I didn't get a chance to edit - I've been having a busy schedule plus poor internet connection lately... but I hope it was okay a read
ty 4 the reviews;P