Thanks to all of my readers! Especially Neptune for your loyalty to every one of my fics I truly appreciate it. I have been working a lot lately and other tasks but I have not forgotten this fan fics long as others have still recalled it too. Happy readings! Love your writer Ashlee!
Chapter 5
Take me to your best friend's house
"Take me to your best friend's house
Going around this roundabout
Oh yeah
Take me to your best friend's house
I loved you then and I love you now
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't leave me tongue tied
Don't..." – Group Love(tongue tied)
The sun blazed painfully bright throughout my flat. I burrowed further into my bedding. Most people who lived alone in an apartment would be alarmed by curtains randomly flinging themselves open. I wasn't though because only one other person had the combination to get into my house. I felt someone plop themselves above the covers. "You know you do have your own place why not go visit it? I'm sure it's been so long that dust mites call it home now more than you would." I scolded my voice groggy from the unbearable hangover; it was for this reason solely that I rarely indulged in more than a drink or two. I wondered if I could retire to live in these blankets forever. There was no way I was facing the insane reality my life always became because of Helga. I groaned because I already knew my intruder would never allow me to rot away in my covers.
"Oh man; oh man! My man Arnold! We are Bro-mates man!" I just grunted at Gerald's term for male soul brothers. "Same day you re-connect with your dream gal I find mine again too!" Gerald's deep voice stabbed my skull agonizingly. "So turns out that girl I pointed to before you picked your regular was Phoebe! Can you believe it Phoebe?" I merely grunted again and that seemed to be response enough for him. "Phoebe is single and she wants to go out a few times see if we still got that special something from old school days!" I smiled under the covers Gerald was my bro and his happiness was mine as well. I could hear the love seeping from his voice. It had always been a sure thing to anyone with eyes and Phoebe and Gerald fit together just right.
"To save you from the gushy crap I'm going to skip to my point." Gerald's voice was loud and hyper in all his excitement. Right about now I was considering crawling to my medicine cabinet for ear plugs. "Point being, get up make some coffee. Get ready for tonight. You and I are going to Phoebe's house opening party tonight. I will not have my wing man looking like a bum!" Gerald clapped his hands for me to rise out of bed. I growled at him in an unfriendly manner. "Go home Gerald. Call me about the party in the morning." I groggily demanded. "Mm, mm, mm. same as always, you got it bad for that Helga Pataki." I didn't have to see Gerald to know he was shaking his head back and forth. Sometimes it was annoying sharing a Bromance for as long as we had. You always were in sync with each other even when you rather not be.
"See Arnold, the boss's bet works out perfect. Not only are you getting a girl in ten days but she's hot and you love her!" I had yet to share my personal plan of roasting Helga with Gerald yet. Gerald always called me out on my crap and I knew this time would be no different. He was my best friend I had to tell.
"I'm getting her in ten days not keeping her Gerald." It surprised myself how I could say something so cruel with my average kind approachable tone. Gerald ripped the covers off my head. Grudgingly, I stared at his tall House Party hair cut which our entire lives never changed. I could feel his amber eyes staring darkly at me. "You would let pride; an emotion that until now you otherwise ignore, get in the way of true love?" Gerald demanded clearly aggravated with my out of character attitude. "Nice guys finish last," I replied, "I'll be damned if I do what I've been doing since I was three. I refuse to finish last in the race with Helga Pataki yet again! That she-devil has been tormenting me since Pre-school! Screw that girl!" I shouted and my head began ringing from my own shouts. "Don't say screw that girl; when you know you love that girl!" Gerald countered. I shoved my head into the pillow yelling at the top of my lungs into it. Gerald was calmly quiet as if I wasn't losing my marbles.
"Arnold intentionally doing something almost downright evil; now I've seen everything." Gerald tusked at me. "She didn't think it was so evil when she curb stomped my heart and practically spit on our would be wedding ring." I defended myself my voice back to its usual mellowness. "Man, you're always so rational why is Helga the one thing you can't be rational about, even when you need to be?" He paused, "I admit her break-up methods are pretty foul. She left for her education to prove herself to her family and to her own self." Once they'd first started dating, Gerald and Helga had built a comradeship that over the years by the way he was talking hadn't died out, even after she dumped me. "It shouldn't of mattered she was perfect to me and that's what counts." I was hurting, talking about everything was like picking and opening up a scab.
"Arnold, you're logical stop feeling and start thinking. If she'd have said yes knowing she'd given up a carrier she'd have learned to resent maybe even hate you! What's done is done! She's got her degree and you've got yours now is the time to start over!" Gerald tapped my forehead with his index finger as if to pound the logic into my brain. "I guess I've just been passive and forgiven for so long I've ran out of the ammo to continue this way." I disregarded logic my heart was weighing me down to my covers more so then my throbbing head. "I could care less if I ever see her again. She's always hurts more then she heals me!" He called me out on being irrational; well love is irrational!
"Just take a shower man, you stink of stale booze and inequitable love." Gerald tugged me to my feet and I obliged. I took a long shower as I overheard Gerald talking on my phone to Phoebe and blaring my stereo half-way into their conversation. Maybe I could sit and think about my life for a while well I showered? There was no point Helga always got me into shenanigans. Last time I had tried to scorn her was the fourth grade. It was April fools and she'd pulled a horrid prank on me. Even as an adult woman Helga was always the prankster. Maybe it just came with the characteristics of being an Aries? I was so enraged with Helga I decided I would get her back somehow. I gave her a box that shined a light in her eyes and made her blind; or so I thought. I had nurtured her until I discovered that Helga had been faking almost the entire time. I laughed to myself. Hopefully as adults she wouldn't fool me once more.
I decided to wear a red plaid shirt that clung to my biceps. Underneath the shirt was a blue wife beater followed by my loose fitting blue jean skinnies. I topped off my look with my favorite fitted blue cap my shaggy unruly blonde hair flipping up around my baseball cap. I brushed the lint off my blue high top Converse. I glanced myself over once before heading out the door to meet Gerald in his huge Suburban. "Dressed to impress." Gerald approved extending out his hand. I shook his hand in synchronization; we shared our secret handshake, we'd done it almost habitually since childhood.
It was cloudy outside and rain was coming. I silently patted myself on the back for remembering an umbrella. Personally I took pleasure in rain fall. When it rained it was a cleansing of the Earth all its flaws washing away in the cloud water. When the sun shone through the grey pustule of clouds it carried a promise with it. It was the promise that as the ground dried the storm was over. The Earth dried out fresher then it had been to begin with. As it rained the weather did a similar act for my spiritual growth. As it rained I would look out my window and consider my woes; by the time it stopped I would have created a clean slate for every conflict in my existence at the time of the down pour.
There were blue and silver balloons outside the front door of Phoebe's three story house. Phoebe was a registered nurse and her room mates Gerald told me were also well off. The yard had perfectly trimmed grass as we walked up the cobbled path towards the two large glass paned doors. The front door was already open as what appeared to be a raging adult party of over a thousand people. I could already envision Phoebe chasing people around with coasters and scrubbing the messes consistently as they were made. I smiled to myself because if I saw it I knew it wouldn't be long before I took the time to help her out with all the overwhelming tasks of throwing such a party.
We entered the house and were greeted by the thunderous blare of stereo music striking every corner of the house. Phoebe was sure enough scrubbing her built in bar counter. I went to help her but Gerald nodded to imply that he had it under control. So I began to explore the house. The staircase was made of ivory and it spiraled in elaborate circle to the several different floors. An angel began to ascend down from the ivory steps. Many men all around me jolted me to reality as they began to cat call the girl and whistle. She was pretty as a picture. She wore a tight hot pink heart shaped party dress that extenuated her already pleasantly proportioned bosom. Her three inch high heels flattered her slender legs that matched the shading of the stair well. Her platinum hair shined vibrantly from the lighting as ironed curls cascaded down her slender spine. Atop her head a bright large pink bow wrapped around as a head band. Pink had always been this angel's color.
"Man, I would love to break a piece off that cookie." An obnoxious looking guy laughed. "Yeah that's a fine piece of tail!" Another man agreed. "Wonder if she's got weak knees I think I'll go over there and find out now." The last one said forcefully and it was more then I could tolerate. I put my hand on his shoulder aggressively I had a foot on him and he peered up at me. "Is she yours or something?" He demanded. "No, but I know she's classy and I won't listen to a bunch of low life punks down grade her like that." I explained through my teeth. With that I shoved the guy into another random jerk. With that I held my head high as I made my way over towards her. She smiled in surprise to see me but took the hand I extended to escort her with.
"Fancy seeing you here Helga." I said; I wasn't too surprised though after all she was just as close to Phoebe as I was Gerald. "I live here Arnold." She responded as if it were the obvious. "Looks like you've won this round of where's Waldo." She smiled and her smile was like the sun breaking through the clouds. It was such a rarity that this woman ever smiled genuinely but when she did she lifted the heart of whoever the smile was towards, which in this case, was myself. "I spy with my eye an angel in my sight." I could write a book of cheesy pick-up lines but to my surprise Helga blushed turning her face shyly away. We just had a way with words when it came to talking to each other. I remembered how for fourteen years she had been my soul mate in every sense of the word. What had happened to us? She was my best friend once. Hell, she'd even been my bully! Now, she was simply a stranger.
"So, lead the way hair boy." She said easily recovering from my compliment. "Still the same old Helga." I mumbled and she easily ignored the statement. I was grateful that she chose not to bring up last night. I wouldn't have been able to explain myself if she had. I felt the need to prove I wasn't like that group of jerks on the stairwell. I wanted to show her that last night was just out of character. I would be a gentleman even if Helga decided through the night to revert to her childish bully methods. She hadn't done so since freshman year of high school but she was reverting to her nick names as a security blanket. When it came to Helga Pataki it was best to always be on your toes.
"We're on the dance floor just in time for the tango." I chuckle and she laughs too. I go to lightly pull her to the dance floor but she scoots away from me. "Don't worry my friend, you're in good hands." I assure her pressing my nose lightly to her own. "You're not going to toss me into a pool at the end of this are you?" Helga raises her brow. No when everything was said and done I would get a more intricate and tasteful revenge. I has a subtle way of working at things verses the in your face brutality most used as a technique. Even my April's Fools day revenge had been well plotted. Rarely was I a schemer but when I schemed I worked full hardy at my plot.
We tangoed together the entire dance floor our stage. Every couple stopped to stare at us intrigued. It was serene until an obnoxious voice interrupted. "Heart breaker over here!" He shouted and I was taken aback how did he know what Helga had done to me? "I dumped your sorry keaster but I couldn't consider it dumped since I never considered it dating you!" I looked as the brawny guy's heart seemed to shatter to the floor. I recognized the look when it came to her all too well.
"Weren't dating huh? I spent 600 bucks to get you front row center at a Yankee's game!" He hollered. "Yeah well I sacrificed having to smell your cheap cologne all evening!" She hollered back as the room began to surround the three of us with nosy interest. "Hey pal she didn't break your heart! She used me for a hockey game saw the show and then never gave me a call back!" Another man shouted. I shook my head none of these guys knew what it meant to be hurt by someone. I almost wish I was as dense as they were. I almost wanted to shout myself. Tell them try having her torment you every day of your life for ten years brutally lashing out; make you fall in love with her hard head then after fifteen years leave and stand you up holding a wedding ring like a chump!
"Well of course I said yes it was a Red Wings game!" She hollered as if it made it tolerable for the guy to be rejected after wards. "You know you loved me!" He countered and Helga fell to hysterics in laughter. "Love? Oh, I loved you did I?" She titled her head her curls bouncing as she approached him. "Of course. You said and I quote. "Tickets to the Red Wings I could love a guy like that! Red Wings is the best!" He heightened his voice to mock her raspy feminine tone. "I said could bucko not do. Man, men can be such lamebrains!" She hollered. Suddenly the guy grabbed her pinning her to face him. I was about to rage when the sound of a fist connecting with skin echoed. Helga had punched the guy so hard he'd fallen back. She began to storm off as the other guy grabbed her hand pulling her back into the sights of the stunned crowd.
"Did you ever love me? Did you ever love anyone?" He shouted into her face she didn't flinch in the slightest. "Crimony! Aren't girls the ones supposed to be all sappy and lovey dovey? "Yeah, I did love someone once." She put empathizes on did as she ruefully glared at me. With that she stomped her heel on the man's foot before storming off enraged to the point that if you touched her steam would probably rise from her skin.
I chased after her shoving the guy on the ground as the crowd gasped as one unit. I raced after her as she ran out the front door. I snatched up my umbrella as the down pour heightened. I caught up to her and her eyes were red; with all the water it was the only indication that she was crying. "Get away from me Arnold!" she screamed in my face. "I like your bow because it's pink like your dress." Her eyes glossed over as thunder cracked over head. It was almost as if my words had dragged her to a faraway place; lugged her to a memory once forgotten.
"Shut up just go away Arnold!" She screamed again. Again I ignored her and placed my umbrella over her head. "Why are you always so nice to me? Even when I'm cruel and unjust you are always kind and just." My stomach turned knowing what I would do in ten days. I pushed all thoughts of the future aside ten days from now; was ten days from now. What I needed to do now was focus on today. "Come on its cold lets go back." I insisted tenderly tugging her wrist. We were pressed against each other trying to shelter ourselves from the storm coming. "No, I'm not going to go back there and be braided by a bunch of want to be exes when I'm already dealing with one actual ex badgering me right now!" Helga scowled. "Helga will you come back to my place for a movie date?" I blurted it out stupidly. In high school every weekend Helga would come to my old run down boarding house for a movie date. We would watch all our favorite movies, play catch, and cuddle. It was our ritual even before we started dating in junior high just as friends; given the cuddling in junior high only happened on days like today when it was actually cold enough for it.
"Sure, as long as you order take-out." Helga obliged and I put my shoulder around her attempting to shield her from the cold. We entered my flat as the storm became unbearable and it was apparent given the weather there would be no take-out. As my brain registered I couldn't order take out I also realized Helga would have to stay the night! Hormonal thoughts slammed to the surface of my thought process. I pushed those thoughts back it was already a given that I couldn't help but always be attracted to her.
"Looks like I'm cooking dinner." I announced chopping green peppers. "I don't know about you but enchiladas are my favorite." I began cooking and Helga did too. We chattered all through making and eating dinner mostly about funny stories during our childhood. Many times both joining forces to tease our best friends about their parts in our childhood stories. It never got boring because when one would finish a story the other would remember another time shared. We shared a lot of old times to entertain us through the storm.
"So I'm dreaming during our kid field trip to the Opera and I send Ruth McDowell straight to the cellars and take her place as Mary Carmon! Then after only like three minutes decide I love Curly instead; so you and Curly fight to the death for me and I decide to love you again." Helga told me her childhood dream and we both shared a round of laughter. "I had a dream once that your name was Hilda and I liked you liked you hardcore but you were into my weirdo cousin Arnie." I explained and we both laughed as Helga rested her head in my lap smiling. I lean over her to my coffee table using chop sticks to eat my enchilada. We decided since we couldn't have Chinese takeout that we would entertain ourselves by trying to eat Mexican food with chop sticks. It was tasks like these that always bonded us and simple deeds always seemed to bring us back together and even make us fall all over again.
I would not fall back in love with Helga. I could not fall back in love with Helga. Loving Helga meant an equal amount of heartache. Even as a boy I knew loving Helga would be trouble. I had repressed my feelings so deeply to avoid the dangers of loving her. As a boy the only time my true feelings seemed to shine through to me was within dreams and good deeds. I was a smart kid but an ignorant adult. The man in me forewarned that Helga Pataki was rough around the edges. The boy in me scolded his never ending continuous speech: I just know it's an act that Helga isn't that bad in fact deep down she's nothing but wholesome goodness. I wanted to smack that boy into silence. He was obviously far enough in the past to forget how Helga had screwed us over royally. Yet in the corner confines of my mind both the boy in me and the man lingered to the memory of that ring. Had she said yes could every night have been as happy as tonight? I buried the thought with ease because the truth was she said no; I would never know what yes would have meant. Should have, could have, and would have.
She was as light as a feather as she openly walked into my bed the thunder clashing and flickering light across my bedroom as she slithered into my covers patting the bed beside her. I joined her as she pulled the sheets back for me. I wrapped my arms around her. Though she was stunning I had no sexual desire. All I wanted was to hold her and have her physically with me. I wanted to hold her in my arms forever. "Can we sleep now? Holding each other forgets yesterday or any plots for tomorrow. Let us be in love tonight?" Helga crooned in my ear and I didn't have a choice. My heart had already given her the answer she always sought from me. To Elementary until we both died we would only belong to each other that were certain. What was uncertain is if we could except this fact or deny it. "Can I keep you?" I whispered. As always there was no response as I was responded with light snores in my ear. "What to do with a problem like Helga?" I sighed, lightly pressing my lips to her forehead. "Goodnight Helga." With that I leaned my nose into her hair surrounded in the scent of wild flowers. The storm carried out worse than ever before; I slept better than I had ever before in her arms.