Author's Note: I need to apologize for the delay of this update. Real life has been really busy lately. Also, I have a few new story ideas I am kicking around. I have a story poll in my profile and I would love for you all to vote for which one you would like for me to develop first. As always, if you enjoy, please review.
Chapter Two: More Reunions
"You ready to go Arnold-o?" Helga asked as she walked into the kitchen. "It's about a five minute walk to Gerald and Phoebe's place." Gerald and Phoebe had purchased the house two months earlier, wanting to be moved in before the wedding.
Arnold nodded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his old nickname. "Yeah, I'm ready." He told her as he grabbed his wallet from the table, slipping it into his pocket. "You didn't tell Phoebe or Gerald that I'm here already, did you?" He studied her for a moment and noted she had changed her shirt. She was now wearing a pink and white striped tank top. He could not but notice how perfectly it hugged her figure.
Helga shook her head as they exited the boarding house. "No. I figured you would want to surprise them too. Gerald has been counting down the days until you were supposed to get here. He'll be pretty psyched that you are here early."
"So what have you been up to for the past fourteen years?" Arnold blurted out as the stopped at the corner, waiting for the light to turn so they could cross the street.
Helga scuffed, "That's a pretty loaded question for a five minute walk." She told him with a raised eyebrow, "Where do you want me to begin?"
"Let's start with high school. Are you going to college?"
"Well sophomore year of I got a job at Bookworms, you know that new and used book store a few blocks back?" Helga explained as she gestured behind them, "After graduation they offered me a manager position so I took it. It's been good. The pay is decent, I get to choose my own hours, and I get benefits. So it's good." She cleared her throat as the crossed the street. "How about you, Jungle Boy? What have you been up to for the past fourteen years?" She paused, "How long are you staying for?"
"I spent the few years in San Lorenzo getting to know my parents." Arnold admitted, "During that time I went to school and explored the jungle. After graduating high school I moved to California for a few years and went to school at UCLA." He smiled gently, "I got my teaching degree."
"You did?" Helga smiled, "That's fantastic Arnold. I bet you are going to make a fantastic teacher. Are you going to be teaching in San Lorenzo?"
"Actually…No." Arnold admitted. "I haven't told anyone besides my parents this yet, but I got a job as the new fourth grade teacher at PS 118. I'm moving back."
"You are?" Helga's eyes widened in surprise, "That's great. Wow. I never expected you to move back here."
Arnold shrugged, smiling. "I guess I just really missed it here. It's just time to move back. My parents are moving here too. I wish I came back sooner, you know, to spend more time with Grandma. I guess we are going to be roommates."
"Do you want your old room back?" Helga asked suddenly. "We can switch rooms."
Arnold quickly shook his head, "No. That is not necessary. I'm totally fine with the room I'm in." He paused for a moment as he took a look around him, absorbing his surroundings. "Hillwood hasn't changed much, has it?"
Helga shook her head, "Nope…Gerald and Phoebe's place is up just another two blocks." She told Arnold as they turned the corner.
"Pataki!" A gruff male's voice called out.
Helga and Arnold stopped in their tracks. Arnold turned to look over his shoulder to see a stalky built man with shaggy dark blond hair making quick, long strides towards them. He frowned when he heard Helga grunt an annoyed 'ugh' under her breath. Rolling her eyes she turned to him as she forced a small smile. "Hey." She told the man shortly, sounding annoyed, "What's up?"
The man grinned, Helga's annoyed tone clearly going over his head. "Not much. Just saw you walking and thought I'd say hi. I haven't seen you for a while."
"Well I have been busy and I usually attend to see the people I want to see and avoid those I don't." Helga replied bluntly through gritted teeth.
Still not getting the hint he looked over at Arnold, "Who's this?"
"Wolfgang, I'm sure you remember Arnold…"
"Wolfgang?" Arnold asked in surprise, he looked at Helga then back at Wolfgang. Now that Helga had said his name Arnold recognized his old bully.
"Arnold…" Wolfgang repeated, searching his memory for the name. He looked at Helga confused, "I'm drawing a blank." He admitted to her.
"Football Head?" Helga tried the old nickname to see if that would jog his memory.
Wolfgang laughed, "Oh, right! Football Head." He patted Arnold on the back. "Didn't you move to the jungle or something?"
"Um, yeah…"Arnold looked back at Helga was shifting her weight nervously from her right to left as she stood next to him. His brows furred in confusion, "Did you two used to date or something?" He blurted out.
Wolfgang chuckled before smirking, looking directly at Helga. "I would not exactly call what Helga and I used to do dating. Would you, Pataki?"
Helga's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Shut up Wolfgang." She snapped, clenching her hand into a fist. Wolfgang flinched when she raised her hand, about to strike. Wolfgang would have laughed it had been any other girl who would try to throw a punch at him, but he knew Helga G. Pataki would have some power behind her punch.
Arnold quickly grabbed Helga's wrist before she had the chance to strike. "We should really get Gerald and Phoebe's. We don't want to be late." He glared at Wolfgang. "Maybe I will see you around." Before Wolfgang could respond or Helga could protest he gently guided her away from Wolfgang.
"I really wish you would have let me deck him." Helga told Arnold angrily. "He deserves a good punch in the face."
"You are the one who used to date him." Arnold pointed out.
"Yeah, for four months during freshman year." Helga informed Arnold. "I don't know what I was thinking." She sighed heavily as they continued towards Gerald and Phoebe's brownstone. "He is such an asshole."
"Then why did you go out with him?" Arnold asked curiously.
Helga rolled her eyes, "I was fifteen." She spat out as she glanced over her shoulder to see Wolfgang walking in the opposite direction. "He was the first guy to ask me out." She admitted grudgingly.
"Did you guys ever have-" Arnold cut himself when he realized what he was about to ask. He frowned, why he would ask that of all things. First of all it was none of his business; second of all he did not want to know what Helga had done with past boyfriends. He tried not to think about why he cared so much. "Never mind…"
"Were you just going to ask me if Wolfgang and I slept together?" Helga scowled, "Because that really is none of your business, Bucko."
"I'm sorry." Arnold quickly apologized. "I don't know what I was thinking asking that. I guess I wasn't thinking."
"No you weren't." Helga grumbled as she walked up the steps to Phoebe and Gerald's brownstone. She knocked twice before opening the door.
"Shouldn't you wait until one of them answers the door?"
Helga rolled her eyes, "They don't care." She told him simply as she walked into the house. "Geraldo, Pheebs! I'm here."
Arnold sighed, following Helga inside before shutting the door behind them.
"We are upstairs!" Phoebe's soft voice called from the second story of her home, "We will be done in a minute."
"I'll be in the kitchen!" Helga called back as she walked to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a Yahoo soda, "You want one Football Head?" She asked as she grabbed one for him as well.
"Shouldn't you ask before you take one?"
"Seriously, they don't care." Helga told him as she handed him he soda before she opened her own and took a drink. She leaned against the kitchen island rolling her eyes when Arnold put the soda back in the refrigerator.
Arnold sighed, but didn't say anything as he studied at the outside of the refrigerator, which was decorated in photographs. There were several of Gerald and Phoebe's family; there were even more of friends. He realized that they had at least one picture of each member of the old gang. He noted there were many pictures of Helga, Phoebe, and Gerald together, pictures Phoebe and Helga, and to Arnold's surprise there were even a couple of just Helga and Gerald. But Gerald hated Helga. Fourteen years ago, he reminded himself. Perhaps more changed than he had originally thought. He looked over at Helga who was sipping on her Yahoo soda, looking bored.
"Hey Pheebs." Helga greeted lazily as her petite best friend walked into the kitchen.
"Hi Helga." Phoebe greeted with a smile, she looked over at Arnold, "Who is…" Realization hit her, "Arnold?!" She grinned pulling her old friend into a hug. "What are you doing here?" She laughed softly, "You weren't meant to arrive for another two weeks."
Arnold returned Phoebe's hug. "I decided to come early and surprise everyone." He told her as she pulled away.
"Well this really is a wonderful surprise." Phoebe smiled as she looked over her shoulder, "Gerald! Get in here!"
Seconds later Gerald jogged into the kitchen, "What is it babe?" When Gerald saw Arnold he didn't need his fiancé the question. "Arnold!" He grinned, "You're here early." His smile turned into a frown when he noticed the bruising and swelling under Arnold's nose, "What the hell happened to you?" He smirked, "You get into a fight?"
"I punched him." Helga said nonchalantly before taking a drink of her Yahoo. She rolled her eyes at the surprised looks that Gerald and Phoebe gave her.
"Helga!" Phoebe scolded, "Why would you do such a thing."
"It wasn't really my fault." Helga defended herself. "I was sleeping and suddenly I wake up because feel a man get in bed with me. It was clearly self-defense."
Gerald and Phoebe's gazes turned to Arnold, "You got into bed with her?" Gerald asked.
"No one told me my old room was being used." Arnold explained. "I had been traveling all day and I was exhausted. I didn't notice she was in the bed." He looked at Gerald, "Why didn't you tell me Helga was living in my old room?"
Gerald shrugged, "I guess I figured one of your grandparents would." He glanced over at Helga, "Why didn't you offer Arnold a drink?" He asked when he noticed the Yahoo in her hand.
"I did." Helga told him with an eye roll, "Arnold-o over here thought I should ask before I take one." She smirked, "He also thought I should have waited until you answered the door before I let us in."
Phoebe smiled, "It is okay Arnold. Helga is always welcome here." She looked down at her watch, "We should get going. Timberly, Jamie-O, Sid, and Stinky are meeting us there in precisely ten minutes."
"Sid and Stinky are going to the tux fitting too?" Arnold asked. "I thought it was just Jamie-O and I that standing up.
"They are our ushers." Gerald explained. "Rhonda and Nadine are both doing readings. If we leave now we should be able to catch the bus."
"Are you doing okay?" Phoebe quietly asked Helga. They were sitting in the dressing room, waiting for Timberly to arrive and for one of The Wedding Shop employee's to bring their dresses for the final fitting. Gerald, Arnold, Sid, and Stinky were in the shop's basement, getting fitted for their tuxes. "I mean with Arnold being back…Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Helga quickly insisted. "Really, I am." She assured her friend when Phoebe looked unsure. "It's a little awkward…But at the same time it's been kind of…Comfortable." She admitted. "But I don't feel that way about him anymore. You know I don't." She cleared her throat, "But guess who we ran into on our way to your place."
"Who?" Phoebe asked curiously.
"Wolfgang."
"Yikes." Phoebe frowned, "How did that go?"
"You know Wolfgang. He was a complete ass…" She groaned, "I hate the fact he has seen me naked."
Phoebe smiled sympathetically, "I'm sorry. I know he can be a real jerk." She paused, "By the way, how did you date go last night?"
Helga shrugged, "It was fine. I guess. I don't think I will go out with him again. I just really don't feel like dating right now."
Phoebe only nodded, wondering if Arnold would ever ask her out on a date with Helga would be singing a different tune.
"So…" Arnold paused, "I have to ask. When did Helga get so…"
"Hot?" Sid interrupted with a grin.
"I was going to say beautiful." Arnold paused. "But I guess hot is another word for it."
"She started to get kind of cute freshman year." Sid told him, "She didn't get really hot until the beginning of sophomore year."
Arnold only nodded before pressing a little further, "So Helga and Wolfgang went out freshman year?" He asked as casually as possible.
"She went out with a lot of guys in high school." Stinky explained.
"Yeah she was kind of a sl-"
"Sid." Gerald walked out the dressing room dressed into the tux he would be wearing for the wedding, "Don't talk about Helga like that. She is one of our friends." The tone of his voice almost scolding.
"Is Helga nice now?" Arnold asked.
Gerald sighed, "She was never that bad."
Arnold frowned. He remembered how he had been the one who would tell Gerald that when they were kids. "She tortured us, especially me when we were kids." Arnold pointed out.
Gerald sighed again, unsure how to explain things to Arnold, "Yeah, she was a pain. Sometimes she still is, but there is a reason she acts the way she does." He paused, "We just didn't see it when we were kids, because well, we were kids." There was another pause, "Come on. Really think about it. I mean her parents…."
Sid grunted, annoyed and losing his patience that Arnold wasn't getting it. "Her mom is a drunk and Big Bob is a complete asshole." He told him bluntly. "It's amazing she isn't more fucked with the parents she had growing up."
Arnold only nodded as memories of their childhood came rushing back. He remembered all the times he had seen Mariam either at Helga's or in public and how she was always half asleep and how she always, always had a tumbler cup filled with a 'smoothie'. He nearly shuttered at the thought of Big Bob Pataki. Somehow after every experience he had with Big Bob the thought of what it was like having him for a dad never occurred to him.
He sighed as guilt swept over him. After all these years were his thoughts about Helga really that wrong?
Again, I am so sorry for the delay with this chapter. I hope it was worth the wait. I know this has been a little slow moving so far, but I swear things will start happening really soon. If you enjoyed, please review. And please take the time to vote in my story poll.