Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Roadside girl"

In the last chapter: After the party the night before, both Arnold and Helga weren't sure how to face each other. In the end, it didn't matter since they practically bumped into each other first thing the next morning. The lack of sleep mixed with those internal battles they both had within themselves caused quite the fight between them where Arnold broke a momentary prop on the stage and Helga got her costume ripped. A somewhat tender moment between them went down the train once again when the director told them that he decided they needed to do some couples' exercises in order for them to get along. A fight turned into a heated kiss before they went back to the auditorium, none of them quite sure what had just happened.

Author's 1st note: Sorry it took so long! I've been very lazy this last week :(

[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]

Chapter 7: "Why do I not want to stop?"

Except for when they were spoken to, or when they had to speak their lines, Helga and Arnold didn't say a word through the rest of the rehearsals. All Helga had to do was give David a look and he knew she wasn't in the mood to talk with him. That seemed to be enough to keep other people off her back, while Arnold had a harder time getting some time to think about what he had just done. He had to excuse himself to the restroom in order to get some time to himself during the breaks. What did I…? No, what did we just do before…? I was the one who started it though… Why did I start kissing her? Well, she was definitely frustrating me and… I am sick of this game, but I enjoy it too and… well, that dress didn't make matters better, especially not after it got torn like that! Her legs… No, stop thinking about her legs, you…! He thought and shook his head before walking out of the restroom. When he got back into the auditorium, he noticed that Helga still hadn't come back.

Helga was currently occupied with her own thoughts backstage. She was sitting in front of the mirror, watching her face twitch in frustration from time to time. Ok. Relax, old girl. It's just some therapeutic nonsense. It doesn't have anything to do with your time with Dr. Bliss. The exercises probably aren't even the same! We're probably just supposed to… ask each other questions or answer questions about each other or… talk openly and honestly about our feelings… Shit, I'm in trouble! She thought, as she stood up from the chair, unable to sit still anymore. What was I also thinking last night? She wondered while she paced back and forth in the room. The alcohol must have gotten quicker to my brain than usual; I actually talked to Arnold about the fact that I used to have feelings for him! At least I didn't directly tell him that I still do and he's as dense as a brick so he won't notice on his own unless I tell him. At that thought, she turned to look at her own reflection, pointing threateningly at it. "And don't you dare tell him, you hear me! He's a distraction enough as it is…" she muttered and started pacing around again. Arnold used to be my top priority, but not anymore, damn it! The play is my top priority now. It's all for the sake of the play… So go out there, wear your best mask and remember your priorities, girl!

"Helga? The director is asking for you." Helga heard Maria's voice saying outside the door. "I'm coming!" she answered and looked at herself in the mirror once more. "Get your priorities straight." She told herself again, inhaled deeply and then walked out of the room. When she got out on the stage, they were all sitting around in a circle, the director holding a blue book in his hands. "What is this, group therapy?" Helga asked in incredulity and they turned to look at her. "Sit down, Helga." The director simply told her and she approached the circle to see that there was an obvious space between Arnold and David on the floor. "Oh, gee, way to be subtle. I wonder where I'm supposed to sit?" she wondered sarcastically. She sat down next to Arnold though, crossing her legs mid-action. "Let's get this over with so we can get back to the actual play."

"Agreed." The director said and then opened the book. Arnold leaned forward to look at the title. "A blueprint for love." He read aloud and then looked back at Helga. "Oh, my God…" she groaned and let her forehead fall onto her legs. "The first exercise is to build a foundation of trust." The director read aloud and Helga did nothing to hold back her groan as she looked at Arnold. "We can agree this sounds ridiculous, right?" she hissed in a whisper and he shrugged. "It may be a little… weird, but… maybe it'll help?" he suggested and she gave him a slanted look. "Sure… I'll believe it when Hell freezes to ice or when pigs start to fly." She told him before crossing her arms and looking back at the director, who was still reading. "You each say three things you admire about the other." He said and they all looked expectantly at the blondes.

"Three?!" Helga repeated in horror and then looked at Arnold. "Ladies first." She said with a smirk and he rolled his eyes. "Ladies first; really?" he asked in incredulity. "Hey, you are more of a pansy than I am." She mocked before the director coughed and caught her attention. "You start, Helga." He told her and she rolled her eyes. "Three things I admire about Football Head…" she muttered and then her eyes widened. "Three?!" she repeated and shook her head as if that was an impossible project. Arnold sighed and looked away. "This isn't working…" He mumbled in Damon's direction and he patted his shoulder.

Helga then straightened her back, clearing her throat dramatically. "Your horribly annoying talent of always looking at the bright side." She started and Arnold looked back at her. "Is that really a compliment?" he muttered and she looked at him. "I'm not supposed to be complimenting you; I'm telling you what I admire about you." she corrected and he lifted his eyebrows at that. "You've got a funny way of doing that." He said before she hushed him and went back to thinking. "I admire… your endless need to help people who are clearly only taking advantage of you." she continued and he sighed once again. I'm not feeling the trust… He thought sarcastically. He didn't notice Helga looking at him while he made that sigh. "And… I admire that you can put up with me."

At that, Arnold blinked in surprise and turned his head to look at Helga, who shrugged innocently. It was the truth after all; she knew it couldn't be easy to deal with her. She was definitely doing her best to make it a sour task to do. "Thanks, Helga…" he said in awe and she just shrugged again and looked away. She saw David smiling at her, whispering that he was proud of her. She rolled her eyes at his comment, but couldn't help but feel a little proud herself. Her way of phrasing it had been rude, but she did in fact admire the things she had just stated. I could come up with more if I had to… but I probably shouldn't give the Football Head a bigger head than he already has. She thought with an inward snicker.

"Ok, Arnold. Your turn." The director said as he wrote down Helga's answers. "Oh, boy…" she muttered and turned to look at Arnold who was looking thoughtfully on the floor. "Your sense of humor…" he started and then looked up towards the ceiling. "That you don't take lip from anyone." He added and then looked at the floor again. "And your Devil may care attitude." He finished and looked at her, only to see her looking at him in surprise. "That was… surprisingly easy. You admire my Devil may care attitude? I figured goody-two-shoes like you would hate that." She observed and he shrugged like she had. "I don't." Arnold answered matter-of-factly.

"All right. Next exercise." The director said as he wrote down Arnold's answers. "Next?" Helga repeated in disbelief. "Has your relationship healed, Helga?" the director asked. "I'm good." Helga muttered in defiance, but the director simply looked into the book again. "Three things you would change about each other and about yourselves." He read aloud and Helga groaned loudly again. "This time you start." She said as she pointed at Arnold who nodded. "Ok, uh… three things I'd change about you." he muttered and hummed thoughtfully. He could easily come up with a few… he just wasn't sure if she would like him saying those aloud in front of the others. "Uh… do I have to say it while the others hear it?" he asked and Helga looked at him in surprise. "Is it that bad?" she asked and he shook his head. "I'm just not sure if you appreciate me saying it aloud…"

Helga blinked in surprise while the director nodded. "You can just tell Helga, Arnold. It's her who's supposed to hear it anyway." He said and Arnold nodded before leaning towards Helga. He ignored the ticklish feeling that roamed in his stomach when his knee touched hers and simply let his mouth get close to her ear, barely noticing that she was shivering a little at their proximity as well. "Your family…" he whispered first and when he leaned back, she smiled. "Thanks." She said with a small snicker and he snickered as well before leaning forwards again. "Your need to not tease me, but actually mock me." She continued and she blinked in surprise. "There's a difference?" she wondered and he nodded. "Teasing is fun… Mocking hurts."

Helga felt an arrow hit her heart with a note attached to it with the word guilt on it. She wanted to apologize, but before she could, he had leaned forward again. "And also… your lack of trust." He said and leaned back. She blinked in surprise at this last addition and then she looked at him. They looked at each other for a moment before Helga looked at the director. "What's next?" she asked with an unreadable expression. "Uh, three things you'd change about yourself, Arnold." he answered, wondering what Arnold had just told Helga that made her seem so out of it.

"Um… my naïveté." Arnold started and Helga smiled at that. "So, basically your sunny-side-up attitude?" she asked and he smiled back. "Both yes and no. I like that I can look at the bright side, but that also means I sometimes trust people I shouldn't." he explained and she nodded thoughtfully. "And, uh… my people-pleasing need." He added, remembering that Helga had once told him exactly that when they were twelve. A girl Arnold had been having a small crush on for a while had told him that she couldn't date someone who was a pathological rescuer. Helga had overheard and when he saw her, he had asked what that meant. Helga had told him that it basically meant that his need to help people had gone unhealthy over the years and that experience had stuck with him ever since. He could see on Helga's face that she recognized the story even without him telling her. "And I guess…" he continued with a small sigh. "My luck with girls."

Helga blinked slowly at that. Makes sense, I guess. Arnold's always fallen for the wrong girls… but if he really got rid of the naïveté, I'd say his luck with girls would change automatically. She thought and waited for the director to give her the go. He then smiled at her after he had written the answers down. "Your turn, Helga. What would you change about Arnold?" he asked and they all seemed to hold their breath. Helga hummed artificially thoughtfully. "… His personality, his wardrobe and his address." She said, but started snickering before she could finish her sentence. Arnold gave her a slanted look and she bit her lip. "Sorry. Couldn't resist." She told him and then made an honest thoughtful expression.

"Pretty much the same things, honestly." Helga said and Arnold quirked an eyebrow at that. Can't she think of something on her own…? Or does she mean it? He wondered. "Helga, are you being lazy?" David asked and she turned to look at him. "No, I swear. I just happen to agree with Arnold… for once." She quickly added and the director shrugged before he wrote them down. "And what you would change about yourself?" he asked as his pen scribbled on the paper. At that, Helga's eyes widened before they blinked. "Uh… only three?" she muttered under her breath. Only Arnold heard it and his chest stung at the words.

"I guess my, um… I hate that I can't focus on just one thing. My feelings always get the better of me. I guess I would wish I wasn't so hot-tempered." Helga said and the director kept writing as he nodded for her to go on. Ugh, this is horrible… She thought, but decided to give her next answer without hesitating for too long. "My, um… I'd like be more accepting of new people, I guess? I judge too quickly… Maybe. I don't know." She answered, starting to feel more than a little uncomfortable with having to put herself out there in this way. "And lastly… my lack in trust." She said and gave Arnold a secret look. He wasn't sure whether to smile or frown at that addition, but he didn't say anything.

"All right." The director said with a happy face. "You're both doing very well. Next is what you have in common." He said and put his pen ready on the paper. Helga and Arnold blinked in unison and turned to look at each other. "Um… we're both blonde." Helga stated first and Arnold rolled his eyes. "I don't think that counts." He said. "How would you know? Did you write the effing book?" she asked. "No, but - - " he started before she interrupted him. "Then shut up, Football Head." She told him, but there was no real anger in her voice so he just rolled his eyes. "Fine, we're both blonde…" He concluded. "We both grew up in Hillwood."

"Why would that count if blonde doesn't?"

"There are more blonde people in this world than there are people from Hillwood, Helga."

"Fine, Hillwood then… We both, uh… don't have traditional families?" Helga suggested gently. To her relief, Arnold didn't seem hurt by the mentioning of family. "We have less than ideal families…" he concurred. "But we both love them nevertheless?"

"No, that's just you."

"Helga…"

"Ok, fine! We both love our special families." Helga said and rolled her eyes. "Are we done yet?"

"Is that all we have in common, Helga?" Arnold asked as he realized that they did in fact not have all that much in common at all. "We've got nothing in common at all…" Helga sang absentmindedly in a low voice. Arnold frowned, but when she grinned apologetically at him, he just sighed. "That's… not a lot." He observed with a frown. "Oh, come on." She said before turning her back to the circle, only to lie down on her back and look at Arnold from her new position. "We can't possibly think of everything within a minute."

"I guess not… Any other exercises?" Arnold asked, hoping that the next exercise could give some more positive results. "Let's see… Uh, share a secret with each other." The director read aloud and both blondes frowned. "I refuse." Helga said and closed her eyes indifferently. "It doesn't have to be something big, Helga. It's just to prove that you trust each other." The director explained. Helga had half the mind to tell him that she didn't trust Arnold, but then she thought of a secret she could bear Arnold knowing about. Also, she did trust him more than she knew or wanted to admit. "Fine." She said, sat up and then her lips went towards his ear. The ticklish feeling shooting down his spine when he felt her breath in his ear almost made him forgot to listen to her. "I took ballet lessons as a child. It was forced, but still."

Arnold blinked a couple of times and then looked at Helga. "I knew that." He said before he could think of the consequences. "What?!" she hissed in shock. "How the fuck do you know about that?" she asked and he realized his mistake. "Um… ok, here's my secret." He said and leaned closer to her. She frowned at his evasiveness, but leaned closer anyhow to let him whisper in her ear. Much like him, she wished that his secret would take long to tell her. "I know about your secret because Gerald wanted to blackmail you." he whispered and leaned back, giving her a smirk. "Explain." She ordered and he snickered. "Remember back when we had that whole… who has the better newspaper war in fourth grade?"

"Um… oh, yeah, but what does that… Criminy, it was revenge for that you being in love with a tree thing, right?"

"Yeah. Gerald hired Sid to spy on you and - - "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! So both you, Gerald and Sid knows about this?"

"Yeah."

"Wait. Hold on. You never printed those pictures because then I would have been bullied until I had knocked the teeth out of everyone."

"No, I… didn't let them. I also made them never tell anyone about it." Arnold admitted, feeling his chest starting to tighten at the way Helga was looking at him. "Really…? So… you kept that secret for all these years?" she asked and he nodded solemnly. It was so quiet all of a sudden; everyone was watching as Helga let a very small blush appear on her cheeks, so small that only Arnold could see it and that made his heart jump into his throat. She turned her eyes away from his and put her chin on her now bend knees, her back turned to the others. "Thanks…" she muttered quietly. He gulped. "You're welcome…" he responded, but then she shot up again and turned her whole body so that she could face him her left rather than her right. "Hold on. That's not your secret!"

"Damn." Arnold hissed sarcastically and snickered at her slanted expression. "Give me a real secret, Shortman." She told him and he hummed thoughtfully. Something I could let Helga know about… Ok, this might be a random secret, but it's not something anyone else but Gerald knows about. He thought and then leaned towards her ear again. "I once had a crush on a girl whose name I don't even know." He told her she snorted loudly at that. "You're crazy. How can you crush on someone if you don't know their name?"

"Well, I thought her name was Cecile, but then the real Cecile appeared and - - "

"Wait. What?" Helga questioned, her eyes starting to widen at that familiar name. "C-Cecile?"

"Yeah. Remember our pen pals back in fourth grade?" Arnold asked. Helga nodded tentatively. "Well, I got a letter from my pen pal Cecile telling me that she was coming to visit me in Hillwood… but the girl I met at the restaurant wasn't really her. It sounds crazy. I have no idea who this fake Cecile really was." He explained and chuckled before he saw Helga's panicked face. "Whoa, you really are a moron. Falling for a liar and a cheat." She said before giving a short laugh and then looking at the director. "Any other exercises?"

Well, that's not the reaction I had expected… Arnold thought and then frowned. Why is Helga acting this way…? Now that I think about it, who was Cecile anyway? I thought about it for so long as a child, but I never saw her again and I never figured out who… who… His eyes widened and he looked at Helga. Long, blonde hair… blue eyes… pink bow… "Oh, my God." Arnold said without any emotion when he realized who Cecile had been. At his words, she turned to look at him. "Is something wrong, Arnold?" she asked in a rather familiar tone in her voice. "Is something wrong, Arnold?" repeated in his head, but it came out of the mouth of Cecile. "Uh… n-no. I'm, uh… C-Can we take a break?" he asked the director, but kept looking at Helga. Her eyes got big at the way he was looking at her. N-No way… Arnold's too dense to… She thought before she heard the director give him the ok for a break. Arnold stood up, on his way to walk out of the room. Helga barely managed to sigh in relief and stand up before he seemed to change his mind and grabbed her hand. "Arnold?" she questioned before he pulled her with him, practically running off with her. "What's gotten into you?!"

Arnold ignored Helga's question as he pulled her out of the auditorium, only to push her up against the wall. "Hey! Haven't we been here before?" Helga asked with a scowl at the familiar position, except Arnold had moved his hands away from her shoulders as soon as he had gotten her where he wanted. "Tell me the truth." He said with a voice that showed no sign of backing off. "What truth, Arnold?" Helga asked, hoping that playing stupid would make him give up. He just gave her a slanted look. "Are you Cecile?" he asked as if he was talking to a slow child. Well, fuck me then. She thought and coughed awkwardly. "Are you seriously asking me if I'm your old French pen pal Cecile?"

"No, I'm asking if you're that blonde bow-wearing girl who pretended to be my pen pal."

"Have you got any idea how ridiculous you sound?"

"Answer me!"

"Get outta my way, you crazy son of a - - " she started and tried to push him away. As soon as her hand was on his arm though, he put his palms on the wall behind her, successfully trapping her. Her hand on his arm tightened its grip and she knew that it wasn't because of fear. I need to see an actual therapist about this… I'm in love with the sweet Arnold, but this dominant one is turning me on like crazy! She thought as he leaned threateningly closer to her: well, it had supposed to seem threateningly at least. "Helga, tell me the truth this time. I… I looked for Cecile, you know." He told her, completely unaware of the current effect he had one her, but hadn't he always been? She looked at him. "Really?" she asked in a small voice and he nodded. "I… still have the shoe actually." He said and she blinked in surprise. "You still have the shoe?" she asked, but regretted her question as soon as she saw his smug smile. "I mean, what shoe?"

"Helga…" Arnold chastised, but she simply turned her face away from his. "You know… dressing up like my pen pal isn't nearly on the same level as stalking and you admitted that." he told her and felt her hand squeeze his arm. He hadn't even noticed that it was still there. "I didn't admit shit, Shortman. I was out of my freaking mind back then and you had me backed up in a corner!" she told him in a hiss and looked at him again, only to feel him getting closer to her. His leg is touching mine! She thought and realized how stupid it was to moan over that; they had done worse during the play, but right now they weren't Aiden and Adrasteia… they were Arnold and Helga.

"I have you backed up in a corner again, Helga, so it's time to confess." Arnold told her and for the first time noticed her ragged breathing. He blinked in surprise as he felt her whole body shiver. Her lips were slightly parted in the most tempting way, her eyes only half-opened as if she was hoping that seeing less of him would make her feel less as well though she wasn't even looking at him as much as his lips. Damn it… He's gone quiet. What the hell do I say? She thought while Arnold was wondering something along those lines as well. What… was it that I wanted her to confess again? He pondered as he saw her bite her lower lip in tension, but it was such an alluring sight that before he knew it, he was leaning closer to her. She made a low and long gasp, more like an anticipated groan when she saw him moving towards her. She didn't move an inch until his lips were upon hers and she leaned against him to feel him more.

I'm losing my head… Helga thought as her hands went to Arnold's cheeks and she pulled him against her, moaning when his hands met her shoulders and traveled down her back. She swayed against him when his pelvis met hers and he made the most charming groan she had ever heard. Her fingers went into his hair, pulling as she nibbled on his lip. His fingers on her back twisted on the fabric of her dress in desperation for her to keep kissing him and she happily complied. She let her tongue reach for his upper lip and he stiffened in anticipation. She let it slide gently before plunging inside his mouth, searching for his tongue. He breathed through his nose as he leaned closer against her, their stomachs touching and his pelvis bucking against hers in rigid movements.

Helga gasped through her nose when she felt Arnold's growing need for her and in her hazy mind, she was ready to let him have her right then and there if the director's voice from inside the auditorium hadn't made them both snap back and look at each other in shock. Helga turned her head to look towards the door, not that it made the bigger difference on her hearing, but she needed her eyes away from Arnold's before she drowned in them again. To her slight dismay slash slight happiness, Arnold hadn't come out of his own trance yet and was now kissing her neck. She moaned at the feeling of his wet tongue on her pulse point and her first reaction was to put her hands on his cheeks in order to have him stay put, but then she started pushing against him instead.

"A-Arnold, hold on." She told him, but Arnold was too emerged in what he was doing to hear her. That's what he wanted her to believe anyway. In reality, he just didn't want to stop. "Arnold, stop!" she said with a small laugh emerging at the back of her throat and she finally got him to look at her, though only because she had forced his mouth away from her neck. "Since when did I become the voice of reason and you the - - mmph!" she gasped when his mouth met hers desperately. Oh, God… why is he being so insistent? She wondered feebly as she felt her knees start to buckle beneath her. He leaned back, that small smidge of reason he still had in him forcing him to. He looked at her expectantly, giving her one last chance to stop him before he lost his mind. If it had been colder around them, their breaths could have been seen mingled like white smoke in-between them. She put her hands on his cheeks, her eyes darting from his eyes to his lips. "Oh, screw it." she said and kissed him again, moaning instantly.

As soon as the kiss had begun though, the sound of the door opening made them pull apart quicker than a couple having an affair would have. David had just come out of the door and blinked as he watched them. Oh, God… Helga thought as she saw pain flash in his eyes. "Uh… th-the director is calling for you." he said rather calmly, but Helga had known him for enough years to see that he wasn't calm at all. He knew how little she wanted to hurt him so he flashed her a reassuring smile before he went back inside. Helga felt her happiness crumble in her chest and she hid her face behind her hands. "Oh, God…" she muttered behind her hands made a shaky sigh. Arnold watched her in silence for a moment. "Sorry…" he said, but he wasn't quite sure what he was apologizing for. She shook her head at his word though and showed him her face again. "No. I'm sorry. I just…" she started, unsure of how to portray her feelings properly. "I don't like seeing him like that."

Arnold didn't know what to say to that. Helga didn't seem like she had expected him to say anything either though so he simply went towards the door and opened it for her. She looked at him in slight surprise before walking past him and inside the auditorium. "What are we doing, Arnold?" she asked, stopping while she was in the doorframe. Before he could say anything, she continued speaking. "It's… extremely unprofessional. It goes against every unwritten rule when it comes to acting." She said and he winced in pain, expecting her to tell him that she wanted him to stay away from her from now on or that she wanted to keep things low. "So…" she started and turned her head to look at him, her teeth biting down on her lower lip in a frustrated smile and her eyes brimming with invisible tears. "Why don't I want to stop?"

It was a small confession if you thought about it, compared to back at FTI. Helga hadn't really told him anything, except that she liked kissing him and that could mean so many things at this age and in their peculiar situation. But it was enough for Arnold to feel hope soaring through him, his heart leaping. "I don't - - " he started, wanting to tell her that he didn't want to stop either, when the director's voice interrupted him. They both turned to look towards the stage, where the director was waving at them impatiently. Before Arnold could finish his sentence, Helga had started walking further into the auditorium. He sighed and followed her in silence. This is so messed up. He thought as they sat back down in the circle again. He noticed Helga looking guiltily at David who was looking at the director rather than her. Oh, man… I need to talk to Gerald.

Author's 2nd note: Again: I'm sorry that this particular chapter took so long O_O I've been oddly lazy lately, I have a feeling it's because my summer vacation has lasted this long and not doing anything "practical" for this long is making me more lazy than usual xD Also I've gotten the Sims 4 demo so I'm creating Sims whenever I have the chance... Any Sims fans out there excited for the new game?! xD I've attempted creating the gang from HA! in sims, but damn is it hard to make them look right O_O I made a good Rhonda though, I think xD

Song:

Christopher – "Nothing in common"