It was a Sunday where they were called in to work. Walking through the doors of the library, Helga, John, and Natalie stood there seeing the damage that was caused. Books were thrown on the ground. Bookcases toppled. Some books with their pages ripped out.
"Thank you for coming today. I'm so sorry for having to do that." Ruby apologized the moment she came up to them. All their stunned expressions on their faces showed all too well.
"What happened besides the obvious?" John inquired as he spotted a police officer approach.
"Vandals. Thankfully we have them on camera. They weren't wise to cover their faces so they are positive they will catch them in time." Answered Ruby.
"Hello folks. My name is Detective Whittel." Introduced the detective. "We would like to question a Ms. Helga Pataki."
Helga made a sour face. "Me? Why me?"
Scanning her up and down, the Detective turned to his side. "Could you please come with me and we'll show you."
Silent, Helga followed the man upstairs and towards the back section. Looking down at the others down there staring back up at her, she had no clue why they would need her till she spotted the door that led to the storage area. Looking inside, Helga's mouth went wide. It was many pictures of her from the fashion show plus a note.
"We'll need you answer some questions, Ms Pataki."
"I had nothing to do with this." Turning to face the officer, Helga felt insulted.
Understanding her annoyance, Whittel simply smiled. "We know. We know the reputation of this school. Of a certain librarian. I'm also familiar that you are getting married. My wife loves to read Wedding Announcements in the paper."
She cracked her neck feeling the tension rise. "They are gonna believe that I'm trouble and let me go just because of some horny ass guys." Grunting, Helga had to leave that sight in the room to head towards the lone table far from that area. Sitting down, Helga felt heavy with burden. "Just tell me what exactly you need."
"First of all we want you to see if you recognize these men. If you do I want to see if you remember anything they said to you."
X
Helga was still stewing about today. What will the upcoming semester bring? Will the guys be worse or at least mellow? Will water at least stay the right temperature? Feeling the cool water now bugging her, she pulled the plug to get out of the bath. Long hours to put the library back in order and the questions. It was questions that made her happy that the school year was done with. Sure she worked in the office until her wedding, but still what about this coming year?
She had no clue.
Drying up, Helga placed lotion on before looking in the mirror. She was frustrated. Reaching to grab her hair bands, she pulled her hair into a long dead style of hers. A style that looked ridiculous now in her opinion. Facing the mirror still she almost laughed at the pigtails. Maybe she'll draw in her unibrow and no guy will hit on her again. Everyone thought she was ugly when she was younger. Everyone except, Brainy. If he could see what so many passed over, then she knew Arnold would see it too. He was the only male that mattered to her right now. The one she felt a deep profound satisfaction with.
Slipping her robe on, Helga left the bathroom to head back to their room. She didn't notice how he regarded her the second she stepped through the door. She headed to the closet to put her robe up and to put her night shirt on. Coming back out, Helga wondered if she was her old self if anyone would dare cross her like the old days.
"You look cute."
His voice cut through her thoughts . He was acting as her lighthouse in a storm. "Mind if I grew in my unibrow?"
From his desk, Arnold gave her a quizzical look. "Because of today?"
"This has been piling up for some time. This year is the worst. The increased walking erections at school was out of hand. I down played most of it to you just I wouldn't worry you, but I can't anymore after today. It has never been this bad. I don't regret walking that stupid show to get the money for, Hailie." Helga complained as she paced. "If I was still ugly I wouldn't get this type of attention."
Raising his eyebrow up, Arnold stood up to stop her from pacing. "You weren't ugly back then. You were this cute girl with a scowl. I would still love you."
"But you told me that it was love at first sight. Now why in the hell is that, Shortman?" Crossing her arms over her chest, Helga wasn't about to swoon at him.
When she called him by his last name it meant something. "Yes I was floored by your beauty, but I saw something in those eyes. I saw you. The real you. The one with a heart and soul. Someone who is very intelligent. This was the first time I have been right about any girl. As I got to know you I saw and loved your sass. You are a fighter. A take charge type of person and I loved that. While you wouldn't mind someone to help out, you still want to do it yourself. I love that." Seeing how she slowly lowered her arms down, Arnold knew it satisfied her. "I enjoyed the brief chats we shared before that first kiss of ours. I knew I was right about you being the girl I wanted to end up with. The woman I'm about to marry."
"How long would it of taken you if I was my old ugly self?" She challenged.
Walking to where she kept her make-up, Arnold took out some eyeliner to start marking her between her brows. When he was done he stepped back smiling at his handy work. "Look at yourself and see for yourself that even if you kept that unibrow and pigtails on, you'd still be beautiful."
Opening up the closet door to look at herself with the full length mirror, Helga didn't see that much of a difference except for the unibrow.
Watching it dawn over her, Arnold stood behind her. "That soul inside of you is what makes you so stunning. I'm marrying the woman I see every day. The woman with a heart and soul. I'm not marrying you because you are beautiful. I'm marrying the complete package."
"Oh Arnold." Closing the door, Helga went to hug him. "I love you, Football Head."
"I love you too." Feeling her pull away to head to the door had him stopping her. "Where are you going?"
"I just want to wash this off." Moving to leave again, Helga felt herself being picked up. "What the heck?"
Sitting on the sofa, Arnold kept her in his lap. "Leave it. I want to have a little fun."
Feeling where his hand was reaching, Helga chuckled. "What the hell do we do all those other times? Playing backgammon?"
"Nope, but this is a special type of fun that I have in mind."
Her eyes went wide before melting against him. What has she turned him into?
It was seven guys that did the act of vandalizing the library. Seven guys that were caught. Helga was spoken to about all of this and even though they didn't blame her it sure felt like it.
Walking into the library to continue to take an inventory of the damaged books, Helga stormed in just to stop short in front of the desk. "Yeah?"
Ruby spoke up first. "What did my lovely brother-in-law say to you?"
It wasn't lost on her that she was being sarcastic. Nothing like having someone you know lording over you. Helga never even questioned why, Ruby has this job. "Well he informed me that the ones responsible have been caught. It is destruction of property and the question of harassment of me."
"What does he mean by the question of harassment? Those guys each hit on you so many times that it almost blew my ears off. Also, you can't ignore what they did upstairs." John wondered incredulously. "It isn't like you have a sign on you that says to hit on you."
"Here's the thing about that, John: He hinted that it is possibly my fault." Helga scolded.
"What?!" Natalie cried out. "You aren't dancing on some stripper pole taking your clothes off here."
Crossing her arms over her chest, Helga stared at her. "He told me quite plainly that I might need to loosen up on my clothing of choice. Possibly no make-up too."
Ruby looked her up and down. "You are wearing very casual clothes and it never looks like you have make-up on. Does he expect you to wear a burlap sack?" Helga shrugged at that. "I'm talking to him right now and if he doesn't listen to me he'll listen to his brother."
"Don't bother, Ruby. Just don't. I just want to straighten things up around here and try to forget about it. I know I look forward to going home to be with my family." Shrugging, Helga went to a pile of books on the other side of the library to look through them.
Natalie inched over to John. "I thought for a moment she wanted to quit here."
John shook his head. "Helga is a fighter. I know she has a plan in mind on what to do next."
"I'm still talking to him later. I can't believe he would think that she would bring this upon the school." Ruby was angry at her brother-in-law very much.
In her corner, Helga picked up a book. It was fiction and it was by a newer author. Leafing through the book carefully, Helga sighed. She sent a copy of her book to different publishers hoping for approval. If she doesn't get it she'll probably publish it herself. Raising her head up she thought of how long she has been at this job. She didn't want to be here for the rest of her life. She didn't want to deal with horny male students all the time. Sure she made some good friends here. Sure she met her fiance here, but what more can be?
From where he stood, John could actually hear her thoughts. Helga was in doubt. She had a storm cloud brewing over her head right now. He saw her wishing for her escape. He would hate not to have her here anymore, but he knew nothing lasts forever.
Helga came home and was staring at the letters in front of her. Two rejections. Three others were wanting to meet her in person for her book. After telling Arnold about her day she grabbed the letters to retire inside the living room. She just stared at the unopened letters for the longest time before she tore into them. Picking up her phone she finally dialed the three publishers who wanted to meet with her. With that, she set up her appointments.
"You could even make a hazmat suit sexy."
A smile quirked up on her face. "Are you telling me that just to ease me?"
"Perhaps." Coming in, Arnold sat beside her while he handed her a cup of tea. "I see you hating your own appearance again. Don't let the word of your boss make you doubt."
Taking a sip of her tea, Helga placed the mug down before settling herself against him. "It is time for me to move on from this life. I'm glad that job brought me good friends and you. I just know that this year was more trying. I didn't even tell you how many times I was goosed."
He narrowed his eyes at the thought of someone touching her. "Why didn't you?"
"Didn't want you worrying. I kicked them out of there. Of course they decided to trash the place." Nuzzling more against him, Helga curled her legs up. "I was staring at a book for the longest time just thinking about that book I want to publish. Now here I am with these letters. Hopefully I can get a good deal out of it."
"Would you become a full time writer if it happens?" He loved how she curled up against him.
"Only if my second and first book are a success. Then I would work part time and work the other hours. I have lots of materiel stuffed inside this head of mines." Looking up at him, Helga kissed his chin. "It is time to move on from that job."
Kissing her, Arnold was at peace with her like this. "Yes it is. Right now you can think of our upcoming marriage and honeymoon."
Sighing with content, Helga kissed him back. "We won't get out of bed at all that first night and day." She promised.
"I can handle that." She was his own viagra.
A/N: I'm thinking of ending this really soon. Of course I have to write out the final chapter. I enjoy dealing with the alternative universe where they are older. I'm just not use to so much fluff. My personal feelings to me writing a full story on it.
Thanks for the reviews.