Hello again. Here's chapter six. I do not own Hey Arnold because Craig Bartlett does. I just fantasize about what the characters could do.
"Crap," Arnold's voice almost cracked. "Helga, we got to go! Wolfgang's outside."
His words didn't reach her. She was in a far off land still trying to take in Arnold's words from their previous discussion. "I want to go through the rest of life's challenges together," he had just said. Does this mean he wants to marry me? White dress, big cake, poorly choreographed first dance? He really intends to be with me forever? I've always dreamed of it but has Arnold? Has he had the same dream? This was too much for Helga to take in. Arnold might as well have gotten down on one knee in that very restaurant. It took most of her strength to hide the tears of happiness that were trying to escape from her eyes.
"HELGA! We have got to go!" Arnold repeated desperately.
This time he got Helga's attention. "What's your problem?" She looked him in the eyes with and expression of annoyance.
Arnold was now standing. He reached for Helga's arm gently pulling her from her chair. "Wolfgang's here!" he said as he pointed towards the door. She pretended that she was angry that he had his hands on her but for a brief moment she almost swooned because of his forceful behavior. Once she realized what his attention was on, her eyes widened and she realized they had to go.
"I'm gonna hurt you!" Wolfgang threatened. The restaurant's customers looked from their meals to the disheveled blond confusingly.
"Oh crap," Helga she uttered in a very high-pitched voice. She left her chair with Arnold still gripping her forearm. He guided her through the busy restaurant past waiters and customers. She and Arnold were halfway to the kitchen when he hesitated.
"We haven't paid for our food yet. We have to go back." Wolfgang was almost to their table, he was struggling to get through the crowded restaurant.
"Are you kidding? We have to get out of here!" Helga argued with her eyebrows raised.
"But it's not right. They already brought our food to our table!" Arnold pleaded. "We can't dine and dash."
"Arnold! C'mon!" Arnold had ignored her words and was already making his way to their table. "Criminy," Helga rolled her eyes running in front of him. She retrieved a twenty dollar bill from her pocket and threw it on the table-top. She then reached for Arnold's hand and guided him to the kitchen with Wolfgang right on their heels.
They dodged cooks and servers to much of their annoyance. One waiter even attempted to stop the two only to be pushed aside by Helga then trampled over by Wolfgang. He was right on their tail. His grunts could be heard by the two he was closely pursued them. This made Helga full of excitement rather than fear.
They exited a door that lead to an alley behind the restaurant. Helga threw trashcans and cardboard boxes behind her to give them some distance from Wolfgang. It didn't seem to make much of a difference. He was not far behind them, grunting insults and swears.
Leaving the alley they arrived in a busy street. Still hand in hand, Arnold and Helga sought sanctuary in the busy crowd. They ran past confused pedestrians and immobile cars confined in traffic. The large crowd seemed like a great place to lose their shadow. Soon Wolfgang was far enough behind them they just might get away.
Behind a corner in a dark alley, the two found a temporary haven. Despite the lack of air in their lungs, they tried to hold their breath as not to give away their location.
A few moments passed before Helga and Arnold felt safe enough to catch their breath. They both bent over and rested on their knees, panting and smiling. The neon glow from the movie theater could be seen from where they were standing, causing them to be silhouetted in a soft blue-purple light.
"Why," Helga panted, "didn't you… kick his ass… this time." She said this with a smile.
"I shouldn't have done it the… first time, or else we wouldn't have… been in this mess." Breathless, Arnold looked up to Helga, "why do you make me do these crazy things?"
"It's not my fault you felt the need to defend me, my dear knight in shining armor." Helga retorted playfully.
The cool summer night's air was bringing them much comfort. The smells of street food and the music being played by performers on the busy boulevard could be experienced from where Arnold and Helga were hiding. Even though they were near so many people, the couple felt alone and secluded. Arnold couldn't ignore how beautiful she was at this moment. The chase caused few strands of her blond hair to hide her face and her cheeks were pink from the sudden activity. Despite this, her eyes appeared as bright and exhilarating as that night's full moon. He was captivated. Regardless of their ups and downs, he couldn't deny that he was still crazy for her.
They stood up straight, getting closer to each other. A closeness that was so natural to the two that their short distance to one another went unnoticed.
"I still can't believe you got a week suspension from school because you got in a fight." Helga said in a laugh, "and on top of that, you won! I thought for sure you'd fight like a girl."
"Ouch. I don't need a bruised ego to go with my black eye." Arnold smiled, "and don't be so sexist, I've seen you fight better than any boy I've ever met."
"Hmm… I wonder if I could beat you." Helga stroked her imaginary goatee pretending to be deep in thought. His emerald green eyes were swallowing her in. She was ignoring her better judgment and give in to his gaze.
Arnold stepped even closer to her with a smirk on his face. She was backed into the wall of the alley, "Are you trying to start something?" His eyes were gazing into hers. He could feel her cool breath on this face. "I can't help but take that as a threat."
"Perhaps I am." She whispered coyly. She leaned in an inch closer to him. Her cheeks were getting even rosier.
With that, Arnold's arms pinned Helga against the wall. "Okay," he said with a half-smile and half-lidded eyes before softly pressing his lips against hers. Helga's heart beat pulsed faster. She lost all reason, pinned in-between the wall and her beloved. With her hands, she tousled her fingers in Arnold's hair, forcing him to kiss her with more enthusiasm. With that, their kiss became a passionate one. With closed eyes and a few moans, they kissed deeper and more eager. It was such a natural feeling for the both of them yet, it was so foreign. This was unlike many kisses they shared before.
For most of her life she stalked him in the shadows never believing that they could be partners. She dreamt of encounters like this without ever really expecting such a blessing to happen. In elementary school she confessed and, intriguingly, Arnold returned her feelings. Though at first his feelings were uncertain, he soon found himself becoming more fascinated and infatuated with this girl. She was amazing once her impenetrable walls were broken down. Her anger and hostility were her defenses that hid her passion and love. He fell in love with the girl who hid from the world. He wanted to show the same world who Helga G. Pataki really was. She was his everything.
Much to Arnold's disappointment, Helga abruptly ended their kiss and stepped away from his confining arms. This was an action that wounded the girl. We can't do this. We just can't, She thought. She didn't want to run away but she felt it was the right thing to do. She truly felt that Arnold's feelings about her were misguided and ignorant. What does he see in me that's so special. Why can't I convince him that he can do better, that he deserves better. His desperate attempts to reconcile are making this more painful. If only I was what he deserved. If only we could reunite and continue kissing until the end of our days. Blushing she turned away towards the movie theater. "We, uh, are pretty close to the cinemas. Maybe we should go see if they have an earlier showing of our movie."
Feeling very unsatisfied, Arnold agreed.
The walk to the theater was a discouraging one. I was so close. I thought we made up, Arnold thought. He looked at Helga through the corner of his eye to see her sober. It appeared she was lost in thought. The two approached the neon glows of the ticket counter. They were in line for only a few moments when they were greeted by two familiar classmates.
I'm going to stop here. This was the hardest chapter for me to write. I don't think it flowed as well as I would have liked. Practice makes perfect I guess. Sorry that I'm making Helga out to be such and tormented emo kid. She'll get better, maybe. Continue reading and find out for yourselves. :3
-Twelvepercent :D