I finally found myself a beta, though this chapter I corrected myself - which hen makes me want to go change entire chunks. Ugh. But, this one of my favorite chapters I've written for this story so far...Enjoy, guys =)
Thanks for helping me get to 100 reviews, yay!
Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold..awww.
"So, what is it you want to do with your life? Your goals?" Helga asked, leaning a bit more to the right to give her a better angle to get maximum skipping distance with her rock over the water.
"Oh wow, that's a toughie," I replied searching for my own rock in the sand. My hair was sticking to my forehead, and it was starting to feel weird as it was attempting to dry against my head. I really hadn't expected to see Helga this weekend, it had just sort of happened. Word had gotten around (from Rhonda no less) that this weekend was going to be one of the first 'totally awesome beach weather weekend of the spring' and she had casually dropped the hint that a bunch of us should spend the day at her beach house on Saturday. Gerald had made sure I agreed to go, since he had heard from a reliable source that Phoebe was definitely going to be there. I agreed readily, my guilt about not talking to him as much lately kicking into hyper drive. I'd texted Lila to see if she was interested in taking up the Saturday beach excursion, but she reminded me that Saturday mornings were always her house cleaning mornings. I had forgotten. To say I had been surprised to see Helga laughing on the balcony railing as we unloaded from Gerald's car was an understatement. We were unloading the cooler as Rhonda was barking out instructions, telling the girls they were free to stay the night with her; we boys didn't have to leave when night hit, but we couldn't sleep over. Not long after everything was established, all my hormone filled brethren chased after their bikini clad interests. In my case, Gerald had gone off with Phoebe, which had left Helga and I both to ourselves. So here we were.
"You gonna answer?" she pressed, kicking water toward me to break me from my thoughts.
"I don't know," I replied honestly, shielding my face. "I guess I just want to be happy. Happy is a goal, right? I mean, I guess seeing my parents again would be a goal. That'd be…well, that'd be great," I said a bit sadly, giving a halfhearted throw to the rock I had found. It skipped pitifully.
"You could always go search for them, you know," I heard her say quietly from beside me. "You're almost out of school, almost eighteen. You could do it."
"You don't understand," I mumbled, my tone a bit harsher than I intended it to be. I'd spent years of my childhood stressing over the real definition of could. Sure, I could, in theory, hijack a plane and fly over to some country I knew nothing about and hope on a whim I'd find them. But the reality is I didn't have the money or the resources, and I'd spent many days wondering if this wasn't best left at being my personal Schrödinger's Cat experiment.
"People find their parents all the time, Arnold. I mean, with technology and all, you've just got to know a few names and dates and-"
"You, what about you?" I interrupted, chucking another rock into the water. "Your goals."
Luckily Helga knew when to let things go, and I was grateful she easily shifted to "I just want to make an impact, maybe with writing or something, you know? I want everyone to know Helga G. Pataki as someone to be admired. Not just in Hillwood, but everywhere. So all those other little girls with jerkwad parents and perfect sisters and judging classmates can have someone to make them feel like they can get away," she blurted out, chucking another rock as forcefully as mine had been. "I want to be remembered for years and years to come, even after I've gone." She threw her shoulder back proudly as she looked out across the water. A strong gust of wind come from nowhere, making her over-sized t-shirt whip around her body dramatically. She let out a laugh, putting her hands on her hips and she turned around. "I'm just going to be a superhero." With a sigh, she plopped down in the sand.
I laughed as I sat down beside her, stretching my legs out so the tide could splash over my feet. I wasn't sure how we had started this question game about twenty minutes ago, but I knew what my next question was going to be. Just had to make it seem like we could both answer it, and like I wasn't trying to be super nosy. I took a slight breath, asking, "So, have anyone you're interested in? I mean, you obviously know I do or we wouldn't be in this agreement of ours," I shrugged, hoping it came off as casual.
Her cheeks flared a red color bright enough to battle the sunset over the water. "Why, what's it to ya?"
"Just curious?" I replied, running my hand through my hair to break up the sweaty bits on my forehead. "I just wanted to know if you're lessons were from personal experience or not."
"I…well, yeah, I guess you could say that. I mean, there is a guy I've been interested in for some time now, but he certainly didn't teach me my lessons. I picked those up on my own."
"From your romance novels?" I blurted without thinking.
"Hey, hey,hey!" Helga squealed, reaching out to deal me a punch to the arm. "You can learn some good ideas from them, what of it?"
"I was just asking," I laughed, trying to shield my upper body from her blows. "So who is it? Do I know him?" I pressed, trying to narrow it down. I had a feeling she was already going to say she liked David, but I was being masochistic and just needed to hear it said.
"Like I would tell you," she retorted, brushing her bangs back from her face. "It's not like it's going to work out. I know he's too oblivious to even notice." She crossed her arms, falling back in the sand.
"Look," I said quietly, following her example and lying down in the sand. "I think he might feel the same way. As I guy, I pick up on certain things-" She interrupted me with a sarcastic laugh. "Okay, so sometimes I don't. But you could just bring it up. You've known each other long enough, I'd think. I think he more than likely feels the same way."
"Really? Honestly?" she jerked into a sitting position, clutching her hands to the tiny golden locket she always wore on her neck. "I mean, I was kind of hoping, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I was afraid you'd just get freaked out about it." She smiled one of the most joyous smiles I'd even seen on her face, adjusting her body to face me as I sat up.
"Of course I wouldn't. You can talk to me about that stuff. That's what friends are for, you know. To talk about these things." I reached out give her hand a reassuring squeeze. Her eyes flickered to mine for a moment, before she looked away.
"This is just going to make things so much easier now," she said in a breathless tone. "When did you pick up on it? I mean, I've been really good at hiding it all this time because I was just so scared."
I started to feel a bit discouraged at her euphoric attitude, but I smiled on. "A few days ago, actually. I mean, when I saw you guys dancing, I figured you liked him and-"
"Excuse me, what?" she interrupted suddenly, looking at me like I'd suddenly turned into a giant octopus or something just as strange.
"Well, I guess you wouldn't have noticed me watching you guys. David's really nice," I admitted, shrugging.
"Oh yeah, David is great," she replied, shifting her body away from me and peering out over the water. "I'm going back to the house," she said suddenly, pushing herself up and brushing the sand from her legs.
"Did I say something?" I asked curiously, not sure what I had done.
"Oh, just a little upset with myself. Just so transparent, ya know?" she said, and I wasn't sure if it was sarcasm or not as she walked down the beach.
"Hey, wait up!" I called, scrambling up in the sand. I stumbled a moment, but soon got enough balance to jog after her. "What did I do?"
"Nothing!" she called back, and I could hear her laughter as she waved her hand back at me.
"Oh. Okay," I called back, furrowing my brows as I continued to catch up. But I soon discovered she was going to have none of me catching up with her, and she put her long dancers' legs to use as she flew across the sand. I gritted my teeth, putting on speed. There was no way I was going to be outdone by a girl. The gap began shrinking considerably, my feet seeming to barely even touch the sand at all now. I was going to pass her, and I could see if in her face when she turned her head back that she knew it too. I was almost close enough where if I leaned out, I'd be able to touch her. And then she stopped on a dime, spinning on the spot. I immediately tried to put on the brakes, but it was too late. I yelped, tripping over my feet and falling face first into the sand. My fingers came just short of touching her toes from where I had fallen.
"I win," she said smugly, taking a step back before crouching down and smirking at me.
I frowned, wiping the sand from my face with my arm. "What did you think you were doing!?"
"Um, using the terrain to my advantage. You know, strategies and whatnot," she explained, nonchalantly flicking imaginary food particles from her teeth. Okay, my temper was actually starting to bubble a bit here. She had done that to embarrass me. Okay. Okay, fine then.
"Using the terrain to your advantage, huh?" I muttered, standing up and brushing more sand from my shirt and swim trunks. "Okay. If that's how you want to play." She was too busy laughing to see it coming, and I had her cradled in my arms in an instant, using my arm to pin her arms and legs together like a vice.
"Hey, hey! Put me down, bucko! I am not afraid to deck you in the jaw!" she cried, squirming as though I were going to try and shove her in a wood chipper. "What are you doing?"
"Using the terrain to my advantage!" I replied in a sing song voice, starting to wade out in the waves. She was struggling all the more by this point, but little did she know how after I did this to Timberly. In a swift movement, I lifted her over my head to toss her out in the water. As soon as she made a splash, I turned and started to high tail it back to the shore.
"Oh! Oh, you are so dead!" I heard her roar, and now I was the one laughing as I continued on down the beach in a run. I could her splashing through the water behind me, letting out a strangled battle cry just as I paused to peer back behind me. She was soaking wet, her two ponytails looking limp and tangled on her shoulders. I instantly set back to sprinting at full speed, hearing the random obscenities she was spouting from behind me. The beach house was about thirty feet in front of me now, and I knew I was going to get there first. I threw my hands up to latch onto the railing on the porch, pulling myself over. I heard her cry again behind me, and I knew she was right on my tail. I spun on my heel to lean over the railing, feeling a bit immature and not above sticking my tongue out at her.
And that's when it happened: the awkward, unintentional kiss.
By some freak of nature or joke of destiny, she had latched on to pull herself up just as I had turned to lean down. If I had just been a few inches to the right or she had waited a split second before standing on her tip toes, we could have avoided this. But no, instead my lips, pursed for sticking out my tongue, met her lips, pursed in her anger at having come in second. This was territory I had never been in before, and I was unprepared, to say the least. It was no more than a few seconds or more – and it was only that long because we were caught in the momentum of Helga's jump – before she let go of the railing completely. She would have fallen hard on her back if I hadn't latched onto her hands, pulling her back towards the railing. She scrambled over it, taking a few steps back from me.
"I just-" I began, blinking rapidly.
"No it's-"
"That was-"
"Accident!" she squeaked, covering her face behind her hands. "Just an accident. We are not speaking of this!" her words were muffled behind her hands.
I shrugged, scratching my head as I fumbled for what to say. "I know it was an accident. It's not like I wanted to kiss you, I was-"
"Excuse you?"
I had realized my mistake well before her icy tone confirmed my fears. "No, I was just staying I wasn't trying to do that! You're my friend; the last thing I want would be to kiss you."
"Well…..well I don't want to kiss you either!" she snapped, her hands falling from her red face. I wasn't sure if it was anger or embarrassment. She snatched up a pair of sandals that were on the porch, flinging the door open to stomp in. I sighed, taking a step toward the door only to have it slammed in my face.
"Oh come on Helga!" I called, groaning as I discovered she had locked me out.
I was precariously balanced on the side lattice when Gerald and Phoebe arrived about fifteen minutes later.
"Do I even want to know why you're climbing the lattice?" he asked, his eyebrows raised skeptically.
"Helga's mad at-whoop!" I scrambled to get my foot back in one of the holds. "She's mad at me," I clarified again, inching my way up.
"Okay, yeah, but why are you climbing the lattice?"
"She locked me out of the house! And when I almost got in the downstairs window, she threw a stupid shoe and me!" I gave a small gesture to the dirty shoe print on the front of my shirt.
"Man, get down off the lattice, don't embarrass yourself! What are you gonna do if she pushes you out a second story window?" Gerald whined, waving me back down. I sighed, jumping down.
"Let me talk to her, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding," Phoebe offered, heading up the backstairs and knocking delicately on the door. "Helga! It's me! Can I come in?" she called. A moment later the door opened for an instant, Phoebe yelping slightly as a hand shot out to pull her in her in the door. I heard it lock behind her.
"What did you do?" Gerald pressed, narrowing his eyes as he searched my face. So of course I felt myself start to blush, and his expression shifted to one of mocking with this new development. "Aw, you gotta tell me now."
"I- geez, so look, we sort of tripped into a kiss-"
"Wait, what!?" he hissed. "How do you 'trip' into a kiss? Wait, kiss? You KISSED HELGA!?"
"Shut up!" I snapped, scrambling to clamp my hand over his mouth. "On accident. Really." I explained about our race and the trouble of the railing, and he nodded.
"Okay, okay. I got it now. Still, man, come on. Helga? Let's see if the girls will let us in, I'm starving." Gerald knocked on the door, shocked to see the look on Phoebe's face when she opened it.
"Oh no. There's no way the two of you are coming back in here. After what he-"she nodded her head in my direction, "said to my best friend, don't even think about it. You'll be lucky if she even talks to you!"
"What did I do?" Gerald wailed, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Come on, I'm starving. Can't I just get a snack?" Phoebe's face softened until he added, "Arnold and I won't be long." She answered that by slamming the door in his face much as Helga had done to mine.
"Man, why you gotta in trouble with my girls' best friend? Cause then I'm in trouble because you're my best friend. We cannot win."
"I may not know a lot about girls, but I do know this," I declared. "After seventeen years of my life, I know less about them now than when I started." And on that note, we headed back to the car.