Chapter 59

False Hope

Before Arnold could finish his sentence, the parachute dropped them unceremoniously onto the ground. Helga hit the ground first, with Arnold right on top of her, his arms still clutching her against him. They had landed in a large field filled with tall grass that almost came over their heads. The rain had stopped, but the air was very humid and warm because of the lingering moisture. Both of them were too distracted to pay much attention to the scenery.

Helga looked into Arnold's eyes and smiled slightly. "This seems oddly familiar, doesn't it?"

"Oh, s-sorry…" Arnold said uncertainly.

"Don't be. I like it."

Arnold smiled a little and stood up. He offered her his hand, and she took it. Suddenly, he jerked her up, so that they were only an inch apart. Helga gasped, and Arnold took a step backward.

"Sorry, Helga, I-"

"Like I said; no problem."

"How come you're being nice all of a sudden?" Arnold wondered.

"I want you to see me for what I really am."

"It's funny, but I kind of wish you would be mean again," he said, more to himself than to her. "Then I could stop thinking…"

"Thinking what?"

"Um…nothing."

"There has to be something," Helga persisted.

"No, i-it's nothing."

"Then what were you trying to tell me before we landed?"

"It probably wasn't even true."

"What wasn't true? Come on, Arnold, out with it! What are you trying to say?"

Arnold turned around and took a few steps away from her, trying to think straight. Then he turned back to her and softly spoke. "Don't you think nine is too young an age to fall in love?"

"Is that what you were trying to tell me?" Helga asked dubiously.

"Just answer the question. Do you think nine is too young? I mean, shouldn't people wait until they have more experience before they decide that they love someone?"

"No."

"No?"

"You're never too young to love."

"Not just any kind of love, real love," Arnold explained.

"Even better," she said mischievously.

"Really, Helga," he said impatiently, "I don't want to be doing something wrong by falling in love too soon."

Helga laughed. "You know, I'm just about the worst person to ask about this. I fell in love at the age of three. And besides…" She took a step towards him. "How can love ever be wrong?" She stepped closer to him.

"I'm not sure it can be," Arnold whispered. He moved hesitatingly towards her. Something inside of him was screaming for him to turn around and run, and as much as he would have liked to do just that, he couldn't. It seemed like he wasn't in control of himself anymore. This…feeling…had taken over. He'd felt this feeling before, but somehow this time it was different. Stronger. Realer. Better.

He took another step forward, so that they were only a couple of inches apart. He slowly reached down and took hold of her hand. Then he shifted his gaze to her eyes.

"I never realized how beautiful her eyes are," he found himself thinking. "They're like sapphires. Dazzling sapphires."

Helga looked deep into his eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening. Well, at least something was happening. But what?
"Arnold, what-"

"Oh, sorry, sorry, Helga," Arnold said quickly, breaking the stare. He let go of her hand and nervously rubbed his arm.

"Well…that was meaningless," Helga thought disappointedly.

"We should…um…probably get going," Arnold said, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Y-yeah. Let's try to find a road or something."

"Okay."

They both turned to start walking, and their arms brushed against each one another. They stopped dead in their tracks and stood stalk still, waiting for the other to say something.

After a few moments of tense silence, Helga spoke.

"Um…look, Arnold…I-I mean-"

She was cut off as Arnold grabbed onto both her arms and spun her around to face him. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Helga…"

Oh, no. It was that voice again. The same voice he had used when they were back in the tree. Back when she thought he loved her. But this time…he did.

"Helga?"

She slowly allowed her gaze to return to his emerald eyes. "Yes, Arnold?" she whispered.

Slowly he let go of her arms and brought his arms down until they encircled her waist. "Where have you been all my life?" he asked quietly.

"I've been right here. In the shadows. You just never noticed."

"I do now."

Helga nervously placed her hands on his shoulders. "W-What do you mean?"

Arnold smiled. "I lov-"

She shook her head, silencing him. "Don't tell me. Show me."

This surprised him a bit. "What does she want me to do, prove it?" he thought. "How do you prove that you love someone?" He suddenly thought back to a past dream he had had, where he had to ask that same question. "So what, am I supposed to kiss her? Well…if I love her, then I guess I should…" He tightened his grip on her and pulled her dangerously close to him.

"Arnold-," Helga started, then realized she had no idea what she was going to say. "Arnold, I…I love you," she said uncertainly.

"I know," he whispered. He leaned in closer to her.

She closed her eyes and waited.

He smiled at her and came in closer. "I can't believe I'm going to kiss Helga G. Pataki. And not to save my life or because it's in the heat of the moment, because I want to. Where on earth did I go wrong?" he thought. "Well, this is what Lila said, so I guess I should…Lila. I forgot all about her. But how? How could I forget about her? I love her. Wait, can I love her, and Helga too? Or does that mean I'm cheating? No, I love Helga. I've got to. I'm about to kiss her, so I'd better."

He came so near to her that their lips were almost touching. "Helga, I lo…I lov…"

"Yes?" Helga coaxed, her eyes still closed.

"I…I…I can't do this."

"Huh?" Helga opened her eyes in surprise.

"I can't do this," Arnold repeated, stepping away from her.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Helga. I'm so sorry. I want to make you happy, but I can't."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, perplexed.

"I still love Lila."

"What?" she asked, not sure she had heard him correctly.

"I love Lila."

"You love…Lila…" Helga said slowly.

Arnold nodded.

"You love LILA?!"

"I'm sorry, Helga. I really am! It's just…"

"It's just what? What, football head, what is it?"

"It's just…that! I mean, Lila's been so nice to me, and you…well, you haven't."

"I already explained that once, Arnoldo!"

"See, there you go again! How could I love someone who's been my arch nemesis for practically my whole life?"

"So…so you don't love me," Helga whispered softly.

"No."

"B-but…I thought…did that kiss mean nothing to you?"
"I just did that so you would be quiet," Arnold said, forcing himself to believe it.

"Oh."

"I think we just took things too far."

"Yeah."

"I took things too far," he continued. "I should never have lead you on like that."

"Uh-huh."

"We should probably just forget any of this ever happened."

"Okay."

"Yeah, well…we should probably get going."

"Right."

Arnold turned around to go.

"You said I deserved you," Helga said timidly.

He turned back to her. "What?"

"You said I deserved you," she repeated, staring at the ground.

"When was this?"

"After I found out who Golden Hero really was. You said that you were sorry Golden Hero wasn't who I wanted him to be and that you hoped he found me someday because…because I deserved him."

Arnold stared at her in shock. He didn't know what to say.

"Look, I-I don't care," Helga snapped. "Just go. Crawl back to your precious Li-la." She said the name as if it were a curse. "I was stupid to think you could ever love me. I should have known better. It's all my fault."

"No, it's not, Helg-"

"Go. Just go!" she screamed.

Arnold looked at her one last time before he turned around and ran. Helga watched him until he was out of sight.