*I Don't Own Anything- except Brett ;) All rights to Craig Bartletts and the owners of the songs* Songs Titles at bottom*

Chapter 2 Sweet Escape to your Beautiful Eyes

'I have to do this now. They are all waiting for me to pluck a chord, to sing, to give them the explanation they crave.' Helga took a breath to steady herself. Freaking out couldn't even cover the feelings that were bursting through Helga. Sure she sang two songs already, but that was that. They didn't even cover half of her feelings for Arnold! She just went ahead and blurted it out. 'Oh well, only people who know is Phoebe, Li-la, and Arnold. And Brainy. And Doctor Bliss. And Gertie. And I think Phil has a inkling.' Helga thought frantically. She bit her lip. 'This is what you worked for Helga. You're a Pataki. Nothing gets in your way of what you want. Nothing. Not even yourself.' Helga thought to herself, rationalizing. 'Besides, the rest of the dolts in this room are too stupid to realize it. The only person in our class with green eyes besides Arnold is Brainy. Hell, they'll think it's Brainy because they think since he used to be weird in grade school, and I was well… me, they'll jump right to that conclusion! I'm safe… for a while.'

Helga spoke to the crowd, carefully choosing her words, "The reason I fell for this guy is because, to me, he's this great person who no one 'truly' understands. I am lucky to even know him. I feel as though he's helped me in a lot of situations, and I, him. Our relationship back then, before we became friends, was… off putting. In order to hide my feelings, I showed aggressive behavior, so no one was able to know what I felt in my heart towards this boy." Helga was satisfied with herself, when she looked out in the crowd, they were all still dumbfounded. Well, except a few. Arnold was looking straight at her, fighting off a beet red blush that graced his cheeks, Lila was fuming, and Phoebe had excused herself to make a call. No doubt making sure their two special guests arrive on time for their present after a couple more songs. Helga wanted to give a certain anniversary couple her early gift. Helga searched past the blinding lights for Dr. Bliss, and she saw her give a wave. Helga smiled brightly in return. 'I'm so proud of you, Helga,' Dr. Bliss thought to herself, 'You've come a long way. No matter what happens, know this is a good thing you're doing tonight.'

"So in these lyrics that I had written, and will sing for all of you tonight, is a passage way to my deepest feelings that I made myself squash down until I had my guitar on my lap and a pen in my hand," Helga smiled sheepishly, her first showing of nervousness in front of people. The crowd cheer her on, begging her to continue, so she did. "Before we start playing, I just want to say, thank you. And…" Helga smirked and narrowed her bright blue eyes, "I'm still going to be the same Helga G. Pataki come Monday morning. So no making fun of me when I'm letting down my walls, or else." The crowd clapped in response.

'Wow,' Arnold thought, 'I get to hear what she has to say finally. After waiting for years since we were three, she's going to let me in fully.' Arnold was excited, nervous, and in admiration. He wouldn't even be able to let his feelings out this publicly. 'Since last summer, we wouldn't even go near this dilemma of ours, until now i guess. We'll finally reach an understanding… Helga is definitely the strongest person I know.'

Helga smiled genuinely, letting her thoughts of all the music invade her mind, letting down all her defenses only a Pataki could hold. "This is called, 'Beautiful Eyes'. It was one of the first songs I wrote, so no judging. It's a workings of a 6th grader." Helga laughed before she started strumming, as the band followed her lead, she looked at Arnold. Her blush flooded her cheeks as he watch her. 'I can't believe I'm doing this,' Helga thought, trying to get the nervous butterfly's out of her stomach, 'I must be delusional or high as heck to go even this far.' She quickly fluttered her gaze away, realizing she was getting lost in his. Staring into the crowd, she sang.

Your beautiful eyes

Stare right into my eyes

and sometimes I think of you late at night

I don't know why

I want to be somewhere where you are

I want to be where...

Arnold couldn't help but get lost in her voice and lyrics. 'It's too beautiful not to get hypnotized by her…' Arnold eyes widened, 'Did I just call my tomboy best friend beautiful?' His heart thumped hard against his chest.

You're here, You're eyes are looking into mine

So baby, make me fly

My heart has never felt this way before

I'm looking through your

I'm looking through your eyes

'I guess I did,' Arnold's smile turned crooked as he listened with his head on his hands. Suddenly, a jab to his ribbed bolted him awake from his stupor. Lila gave him an intimidating look and forcibly snatched his hand in hers. Arnold grinned sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders and apologized helplessly. They both turned to continue to listen.

I wake up, I'm alive

In only a little while... I'll cry

Cause you're my lullaby

So baby come hold me tight cause I-I

I want to be everything you need

I want to be where...

'I think it's working!' Phoebe thought excitedly. 'We're not even close to the one hour mark!' As Helga played on with the chorus, Phoebe was letting herself getting lost in their memories together growing up. They've came a long way and now it seems just yesterday Helga's was walking through Phoebe's door saying, "Pheebs, you gotta listen to this, I can't believe I made my first song! Some day, I'm going to play it for him. Promise me." Phoebe smiled brightly and thought, 'I kept my promise to you, Helga. I'm glad you're enjoying it.'

Just as long as you're mine

I'll be your everything tonight

Let me love you, kiss you

Oh baby let me miss you

Let me see your

Dream about

Dream about

Dream about your eyes

Eyes, Eyes...Beautiful eyes

Helga heard applause cut through the air like a cannon ball. They all were just so enamored by her voice and couldn't help the shouts of joy leaving their mouths. Almost everyone in the room can relate and they were cheering for her. Helga giggled softly in return, a light blush gracing her cheeks. She peeked a look at the front table and saw Lila seething. Lila was shooting looks of warning to the blonde haired guitarist and Helga just smiled sweetly back. 'Dont worry Ms. Perfect. The show didn't even begin yet. Just you wait your perfectly bought face.' Helga thought then looked at Arnold, he gave her a knowing smile with a blush if his own. 'Oh my sweet,' Helga thought to herself wistfully, 'you still think I only harbor small feelings for you. Those days in July and August are greatest and worst memories of my heart.' Helga grinned at her beloved nonetheless, knowing full well their feelings will be revealed.

"Why thank you all!" Applause and cheers were going around. Carefully wording everything again, she continued. "The band is going to take a quick break, but I'm going to grace you with presence without them," The band left and she smirked as the crowd chuckled and applauded. "Well, anyways, after my crush came, I realized I still had a reputation to maintain. Being a Pataki makes me stubborn and to trying to hide my secret made it worse. This boy couldn't know anything I felt. Nothing at all. But still, deep down, I wanted to be close to him. So I helped in a way no one else could," Helga and Arnold thought of San Lorenzo, "and when I did, we became good enough to be friends. We hung out together in private, but in public, I was still Helga G. Pataki. Then he asked me one day, why I couldn't I be myself in front of everyone else? Why do I always have to call him names in front of our friends? When I didn't he got annoyed and asked me 'Why couldn't I be sweet?' and then walked away to cool down his anger. Well," she looked around the room, started strumming and smirked, "Here's my answer."

Arnold was listening intently with a smiled plastered on his face as she hummed the beginning of the song. He couldn't believe he wasn't running away from his seat, he noticed Lila wanted to go, but he ignored her and instead stayed seated. Listening to his friend on stage. Of course he remembered that question he asked her, they were young. A month after saving his parents from La Sombra, with the help of Helga and Gerald, his family settled in nicely at the sunset arms. His parents got a room next to Mr. Hyunh and Helga and Arnold were hanging out together none stop, either at his house or hers. Learning more of each other every day. But when Arnold offered to walk her home as they stood on his stoop, Sid and Harold came by making kissing faces at them. Arnold and Helga blushed and then she proceeded to yell at them saying to "Go back to whatever pile of crap you crawled out of, Football Head and I are just talking," while shaking her fist. She turned to Arnold and said she better go but then Arnold attacked her with his questions. After he got mad, they both walked off, but then Arnold called her the next hour saying it was okay. He didn't need to know, but now he's getting his answer.

If I could be sweet,

I would, but first of all, let me say,

I must apologize for

acting stank and treating you this way.

'Cause I've been

Acting like sour milk

Fell-on-the-floor

It's your fault,

You didn't shut the refrigerator,

So maybe that's the reason

I've been acting so cold.

The crowd cheered loudly as she sang to the complicated verse so perfectly. 'Her voice is so clear like a bell…' thought Arnold.

If I could escape,

And recreate a place that's my own world,

And I could be your favorite girl,

Forever; perfectly together.

Now tell me boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?

If I could be sweet,

Sorry, but I know I've been a real bad girl.

I didn't mean for you to get hurt,

Whatsoever; we can make it better.

Now tell me boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?

Sweet escape; sweet escape.

'Who does this girl think she is?' Lila thought, 'I mean, I'm in the room. She could at least have the decency to NOT serenade my boyfriend in front of me. Even though I couldn't care less about him.' Lila glanced at her boyfriend and saw a crooked smile with eyes half lidded. He only he gave Lila that look and attention for the past school year. She was seething in her seat. 'Good thing Helga has a boy friend.' She looked at Brett, he seemed to be enjoying himself. Lila was confused. 'Shouldn't he be jealous?' Her thoughts were caught off by the verse.

You let me drown,

I'm at lowest boiling point

Come help me out.

I need to get me out of this joint.

Come on let's bounce,

Counting on you to turn me around,

Instead of clowning around,

Let's look for some common ground.

Oh, baby

Times been getting a little crazy,

I've been getting a little lazy,

Waiting for you to come save me,

I can see that you're angry,

By the way you treat me,

Hopefully you don't leave me,

Wanna take you with me.

As she sung the chorus, and the crowd cheered her on andclapped along to her music, Helga walked to the very front of the stage. She stood there smiling as she was swaying her hips the music. The crowd was cheering for her, they loved her enthusiasm in each of her songs, the beat, and her lyrics. Helga began walking back to the middle as her song came to a close.

Sweet escape.

Ooo, Ooo, Ooo, OoooOoo, Ooo,

Ooo.

The crowd erupted and started jumping out of there seats. Helga stood there smiling widely, laughing with the crowd. "Thank you so much! This feels like a dream, but I know it's not. I'm not in my underwear and you all are actually clapping," The laughter and more applause filled Helga's ears. "Well, I would just like to say-" She cut off her voice as four people entered the packed room. Helga's smiled widened even more. "Looks like my guests for tonight made it! Welcome! I have a present for our favorite town couple."

***Authors note: Sorry, I know this chapter is a bit shorter. Well a lot shorter. I feel like I already explained everything I needed to explain so far. There is more to come though ;]

Songs

from Prologue- Umbrella, owned by Rihanna, but a cover by Taylor Swift

from Chapter 1- Diary of me, by Taylor Swift

from Chapter 2- Beautiful Eyes, by Taylor Swift

Sweet Escape, by Gwen Stefani, but a cover by Taylor Swift

These can be found on YouTube! Or just google them and then it'll take you to YouTube! I'll be using her songs from her CDs soon, it's just that these songs fit the story at the moment. I hope you all understand and find the songs. Personally, I think their great! :) thanks for reviewing everyone! Remember, if you review, then it'll let me know if I'm not just wasting my time. Also, I have a question- does it matter if I use the whole song in this story? I mean, I've been cutting out some choruses and I feel like it's okay, because I don't want the songs to be longer than my writing. If you all know what I mean? Anyway, thanks! and tell me what y'all think! (I know, I know. The jungle kiss didn't happen, but a strong friendship came! It needs to be this way for my story. Sorry :(***