Helga stretched on the floor of Arnold's room and looked up at the ceiling. His room was neat, but plain. There were a few posters on the wall, Evil Twin II and Dino Spumoni. There was a green comforter and one blue pillow on his bed. A wooden desk and small wooden chair sat in the corner with a stereo sitting on top of it that was currently playing soft jazz.
Helga sighed and rolled over to look at the clock. "Football-head, its 10 pm. I know our presentation is due tomorrow, but I really don't think there's any more we can do."
Arnold looked down at her from where he sat on his bed. "There's always more we can do. I want to get an A on this."
Helga growled and sat up. "This just in Arnold-o, this is an easy-A class. We're guaranteed to get an A on this project."
"Just because this is an easy-A class doesn't mean we should do a half-ass job," Arnold said, looking back down at the project and scribbling something down on a piece of paper.
"Ugh, come on football-head. Can't we at least take a break?"Helga said.
Arnold looked up at her and set his pencil down. "Ok Helga. What do you want to do?"
Helga smirked and stood up. "Now it's my turn to take control," She said.
Arnold stood up and glared at her. "I am not controling," Arnold said.
Helga waved her hand at him and walked out of his room into the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that."
Arnold followed her into the kitchen, where she was sticking her nose in his fridge. "You know this is my apartment and that is my food," He said standing next to her.
"Do you have anything better to eat than lunch meat?" Helga said, ignoring his remark. "Seriously, is this what you eat for all of your meals?"
"I have to go grocery shopping," Arnold said.
"I'll say," Helga mumbled, closing the fridge.
"I'll tell you what, I'll make you dinner if you do me a favor," Arnold said.
"Sure, sure, whatever football-head. Just make me food," Helga said.
Arnold crossed his arms at her and Helga sighed.
"Make me food...please." Helga said.
Arnold smiled and got out a frying pan from his cabinet. Helga sighed and walked over to Arnold's couched and collapsed on and picked at her split ends.
Soon after Arnold handed her a plate with french toast on it. She sat up and took the plate from Arnold. "French toast?" Helga said.
"Yup. My grandmother used to make it for me all the time when I was a kid. Though her recipe had raspberries in it," He said chuckling, handing her raspberry syrup.
Helga poured syrup all over her french toast and ate a piece. "It's actually pretty good," Helga said.
"Even though my grandma was a little...well, eccentric, she was still a pretty good cook. Though I could do without that month she made us eat nothing but watermelon," Arnold said, sitting down on the coach next to her.
Helga nodded at his comment, remembering the eggs and bacon his grandmother made her when she accidentally slept walked into Arnold's house. They were phenomenal. Even if his grandmother kept calling her Eleanor and she ended up jumping out of the window.
They ate in a comfortable silence, and when they were finished Arnold gathered their plates and put them in the dish washer. He walked back to the couch and stood in front of Helga, who had her legs crossed on the couch looking at her nails.
Arnold cleared his throat. "About that favor..."
Helga rolled her eyes and sighed. "Crimeny, what is it? Are you going to make me be your slave for a week? Do all your homework? Or worse, finish the stupid Mythology project by myself?"
"No, nothing like that. Though we do need to finish that presentation," Arnold said. He caught her eye and sat down next to her. "What I really want...is to see you dance."
"I can't dance," Helga said flatly, avoiding his gaze.
"Come on Helga, I know about your training," Arnold said.
"Fine, I know how to clog or whatever a little," Helga said, rolling her eyes.
"Helga, I know that's a lie you tell people when they bring up your dancing. And I know you are classically trained in ballet. You carry pointe shoes in your backpack," Arnold said.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Helga said, looking down at her shoes.
"Don't lie to me Helga. I've known since we were 9," Arnold said.
"You have?" Helga asked. She looked up at him, bewildered.
"Yeah, I found out around the time you started your own news paper..Sid took a few pictures of you to blackmail you," Arnold said, rubbing the back of his neck.
He WHAT!" Helga said, crossing her arms.
I-It wasn't a big deal! I told Gerald not to use them, I swear!" Arnold said, putting his hands up defensively.
"I am going to kill them!" Helga said angrily.
Helga, it's ok. No one else knows," Arnold said.
"Helga sighed. "Fine, I'll let that slide. For now. Is there any other favor I can do instead? Anything?" Helga said.
Arnold smirked. "Nope."
Helga rolled her eyes. "Fine, but if I'm going to do this I'm going to do it properly," Helga said walking into Arnold's room. She came out with her back pack and her pointe shoes in her hands. "Lets go."
Helga saw Arnold walking down the sidewalk and hurried to catch up with him. She didn't know exactly what she was going to say to him, but she thought she would just figure it out when she got to him.
Helga finally approached him. She took a deep breath and finally tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to face her and she felt nervousness start to creep up on her. The look in his green eyes sent shivers down her spine. They looked like a cross between sadness, anger and hope? She felt like she could look into them forever.
Helga?" Arnold said. His voice snapped her out of the trance she was in. She took a small breath and let it out.
"Hey football-head, I came to apologize," Helga said.
Arnold blinked. "Apologize?" He asked.
Yes, apologize. And listen closely because I don't do this often. I'm sorry I don't remember anything from last night, I was pretty drunk I guess," Helga said, looking down at the ground.
"That's ok, you don't seem to remember a lot," Arnold mumbled.
Helga's eyes narrowed at him. "Whats that supposed to mean?" She said.
Arnold sighed, "Helga, we used to be..." Arnold paused for a bit to find the right word. "Friends. And then one day you just completely stop talking to me. Why did you do that?"
"Well maybe if you weren't such a stupid football-head I would still talk to you," Helga said.
Arnold was becoming visibly frustrated. Helga instantly regretted what she had said, but she couldn't help it. It was just a defense mechanism. "Stop, Helga. I know what you're doing. Every time someone gets a little close to you, you insult them," Arnold said.
Helga was shocked. Did he really notice that? She quickly hid her shocked expression with a scowl. "You don't know what you're talking about," She said.
"Helga you've always shut me out and I'm tired of it. Ever since I can remember I've always tried to be nice to you and help you-"
"I never asked you to do that," Helga said defensively.
"No, I know you didn't. I did it because I wanted to. And I still want to. But I thought we were finally getting close in college and then you just randomly stop everything. I deserve some answers, Helga," Arnold said firmly.
"Thats none of your business," Helga growled.
Arnold ran his hands through his hair. "But it is my business Helga.
Ever since you kissed me on top of that rooftop when we were nine you have been my business. I never stopped thinking about that day or you."
Helga felt her heart beating wildly against her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
Arnold grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked up at his eyes and was shocked at the intensity of his gaze. "You do know what I'm talking about, Helga. You told me you loved me. And then you took it back. That day has been driving me crazy. And I'm done wondering whether or not you actually meant what you said." Arnold's gaze softened a bit, but he kept his tight grip on her. Her skin felt like fire where his fingers were touching her skin. "Do you still love me?" He asked.
Helga felt her body shaking. She felt like her knees would buckle underneath her. Of course she still loved him. She never stopped loving him. His kind heart, his cornflower hair, his green eyes. She swooned just seeing him. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him her secret.
So instead she just muttered the word that she desperately didn't want to say to the boy in front of her, "No."
She saw Arnold wince at her answer. He kept his hands on her shoulders for a little longer, but finally sighed and let go of her shoulders. "Good-bye, Helga," He said. He turned and continued to walk down the sidewalk.
Helga watched him go. She felt her heart breaking into a million pieces.
Arnold watched Helga lace her pointe shoes on stage as he sat in a chair in the auditorium. He still didn't know how she managed to get them in here so late at night, but she just said she "had her ways." She changed into a black unitard and told him to sit and watch because she would "only do this once," and "If he ever told anyone he was toast."
Helga stood up and put her hair up into a tight bun. She then set a boom box at the end of the stage. "Ok Arnold-o. I've been working on this solo for a little while now. I heard this song a while back and liked it so I choreographed my own dance to it."
What song is it?" Arnold asked. He was curious, but he was distracted by how beautiful she looked. The auditorium was pitch black except for a few dim lights on stage where Helga stood. Her blonde hair sparkled underneath the light. He watched her flex her calf muscles and took note of how great her legs looked. He never noticed that. He blushed at his thoughts.
Its called Lux Auruque. I walked in here one day and heard one of the music classes playing it. I thought it was beautiful," she said shyly. Arnold grinned up at her.
Helga quickly cleared her throat. "Uh, yeah. Here it goes," she said. She pressed a button on the boom box and stood in the center of the stage.
Arnold heard a slow, melodic sound coming from wind instruments in the song. One carried a high note above the rest. It was soft. Helga was right, it was beautiful.
He watched her dance across the stage. Her movements were slow and controlled. He was surprised someone as tough as she was could look so soft and vulnerable. Like she was dancing on a cloud. He watched her do a triple pirouette (the only ballet term he actually knew) and rest her foot down gracefully.
He heard the music start to crescendo and her movements shifted from slow to powerful. She lifted her leg up high towards her head. She kept her movements powerful and controlled and he watched her determination in her face. He heard symbols as she leapt high up in the air, keeping her legs straight. He watched her in amazement.
And just as soon as it started, it was over. Helga had her hands on her hips and was breathing deeply as she walked towards the boom box to shut it off. Little pieces of her hair fell out of her bun and hung down on her face.
"Well there you go, Arnold-o, you got to see me dance," Helga said. She started to walk off-stage to change. Arnold jumped out of the trance he was in and ran onstage after Helga. "Helga, wait!" He said.
Helga turned and looked at him. He felt at a loss for words underneath her gaze. He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling sheepish. "I, uh...that was beautiful. I knew you could dance but I didn't know how well. Thank you for showing me."
Helga gave him a small smile and hummed a thanks. She turned and walked away from him, grabbing her clothes out of her bag to go change.
Arnold felt a smile come to his face. He knew one thing for sure. He would never look at Helga G. Pataki the same again.
A/N: /strongThe song Helga danced to is the band version of Lux Aurumque by Eric Whitacre. That and the choral version are both beautiful, I suggest listening to them if you get the chance. Sorry it took a bit to update!
Edit: Sorry about how this chapter was posted previously. I really don't know how it got that way, but hopefully it is fixed now.
