Your Love Saved Me

Chapter 1

Part 1

She woke up early after spending an uncomfortable night tossing and turning in the heat. Still only mid-June and the city was experiencing record temperatures. It was for that reason the gang had made plans to spend the day at the river as a means of escape. She rolls out of bed not exactly thrilled at the thought of spending the next eight or so hours watching Lila try to gain Arnold's attentions in that "Oh so sickly sweet" manner she had. The only thing that seemed to make it bearable was that by all observations it didn't look like Arnold even noticed.

"Ah, Arnold," she mused, "ever clueless, ever lost when it came to handling females." She guessed that in a way it was a good thing. At least this way she could, technically, still have a shot.

Walking to her dresser she pulls out the old, faded bikini from last summer and puts it on then walks over to her full-length mirror and examines what she sees. She's grown a bit since last summer and probably should get a suit in a bigger size but there was no time for that now, she'd just have to be careful when she jumped into the water. Wouldn't want anything to pop out. Over the suit she threw on a sundress and slipped into a pair of sandals.

She stole a piece of fruit from Miriam's smoothie stash and texted Phoebe to let her know she was on her way and headed for her car.

She was one of the first of the gang to get her own car. Being the daughter of the biggest electronics distributor in all of Hillwood had its perks. Big Bob had wanted her to get some flashy, sporty car but that wasn't her style so she, instead, settled on a used, pink (what else) Volkswagon. It may have been used but it was a classic 1968 VW Bug. When she took it to be painted her dad balked at the color but as with all his tirades, she just let it slide off her back.

She arrived at Phoebe's house a few minutes later to find her already sitting on the steps waiting. They loaded an ice chest that was filled with food and drinks and a bag filled with towels and lotion and such and headed out.

"So," Helga started, "You think Miss "Oh So Perfect" is going to show up?

"Well," Phoebe replied, careful of her response, "I don't really see why she wouldn't, Helga. Like it or not she is a part of the group."

Helga's hands gripped the steering wheel a little harder. "Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just that I hate how she's always sniffing around Arnold like she's trying to find some secret passage way into his head where she can set up camp. It's embarrassing really, poor Football Head doesn't even realize she's doing it."

"You know, you can always speak up yourself and let Arnold know how you feel about him instead of automatically hating any girl that shows him interest."

Helga flinched a bit as Phoebe's words hit home. Without having a valid reason as to why she didn't let Arnold know how she felt she just turned up the radio and drove on in silence.

Part 2

After close to 30 minutes of driving the girls came up to the gang's secret turn-off and the road soon after went from asphalt to dirt. Another ten minutes and Arnold's Packard came in to view. Parked directly in front of it was Rhonda's BMW. They parked and headed up the trail for the short walk to their swimming spot. It was a nice, out of the way refuge and the gang was always amazed at how no one else has ever seemed to stumble across it. The girls walked through a heavily treed area that opened up to a small, secluded beach with the perfect swimming hole. As you made your way into the water it gradually deepened before dropping off into untold depths. A short swim out was a large rock that was perfect for cannon balls and backward flips. The side of the rock facing across river was steep and slick but the side facing their little bit of heaven had enough hand holes so you could climb to the flat top and get an unobstructed view in both directions. If you just wanted to sit on the rock and not get wet there was a series of naturally formed rocks that made a trail which led from the shore to the plateau of the rock.

The girls made their way down to the beach laying out their stuff among everyone else's. When Gerald saw Phoebe he came running out of the water and gave her a wet hug and lingering kiss.

"It's about time you got here my Cherie." He said with a wave of his eyebrows.

"Well, good things are worth the wait, right?" She teased and the two took off for the water.

Helga stood and watched as Harold jumped off the rock yelling, "CANNON BALLLL!" barely missing Sid as he landed.

She saw Lila and Rhonda stretched out on inflatable mats taking in the sun but there was no sign of Arnold. Scanning the beach she saw him back up by the tree line sitting in the shade. He looked off, like something was bothering him. As she walked up to him, Phoebe's words from earlier rang through her head. She gave their conversation a moment's thought before pushing it aside.

"What's up with you Hair Boy," she said as she approached. "Why aren't you off swimming with Lila?"

He looked up at her, confused. "Why would I be swimming with Lila?"

"Well, aren't you two sort of a 'thing'?"

"What? Who said that? Why does everybody keep talking about me and Lila like we're some sort of burgeoning couple?"

"Well, aren't you?" Helga held her breath afraid to hear his response.

"No, geeze, how many time do I have to tell people that!"

Relieved Helga smiles internally. "Well, the man doth protest too much methinks." She says trying to sound nonchalant.

"Huh? What does that even mean?"

"It's Shakespeare Football Head. Never mind, but really, why aren't you swimming with everyone else?"

"I don't know, I haven't really been feeling very good the last couple of days and I just don't feel like getting in the water is all."

"Oh. Ok, well if that's all then I guess I'll leave you to your thoughts." With heart lifted from his little confession of NOT liking Lila she practically skipped down to the water.

He watched her as she walked away taking in the changes that have been developing over the last few years. Yes, she was still the same gruff, boisterous tomboy she was back at PS 118 but she was growing a softer side, "soft" he thinks, "I bet her lips are soft." Plus, she was becoming more and more beautiful each day it seemed. Too bad she didn't like him like him, he thought.

Part 3

A couple of days later Helga had driven over to City Park and was sitting at the bench under her favorite tree working on some poems that had been running through her head. Whenever she was having trouble with her writing she'd come to the park and sit under the big tree and people watch until inspiration came. Today she had been sitting there for the past couple of hours to no avail, the words just didn't want to come. She was packing up to leave when she saw Arnold slowly walking towards the park's exit. He still wasn't feeling well and it was a struggle for him to walk. When he saw her sitting on the bench he made his way over to her.

"Hi Helga." He said as he took a seat beside her, leaning back and rubbing his face.

"Hey Football Head." She replied, heart secretly doing backflips in her chest. She looked him over closely. He looked like something had chewed him up and spit him out. "Dude, you look like shit, what's up?"

He took a deep breath then let it out. "I don't know, I'm still not feeling very well. I think it's my stomach."

Helga scooted back a bit away from him, "In that case, keep your distance Hair Boy, I don't need to be catching anything you've got roaming around in that body of yours!"

"Don't worry Helga, I'm sure you're perfectly safe." He knew it was futile to ask, but he did anyway. "You didn't happen to bring your car did you? I could really use a ride back to the boarding house."

"Ohhhh no, Football Head, you're not getting your sicko germs all over my car! Besides, I'm not headed straight home, I have some stops to make." The last part was a lie but she really didn't want to get sick or have to deal with a sick Arnold.

A little hurt by her refusal to help, but chalking it up to Helga being Helga he told her to just forget about it and took off to slowly walk home.

"I am really sorry about it." She said as she headed for her car and took off leaving him to make his way to the park exit. Driving away she felt a pang of guilt and cursed herself for not helping him out.

A few minutes later Arnold was just about to reach the park's exit when a sharp pain hit his stomach like a bolt of lightning. He fell to the ground writhing in pain. A mom who had been watching her two kids play on some swings came running up to him followed by a jogger who had witnessed him go down.

"Young man," the mom said as she gently tapped his cheek, "Can you hear me? Young man, answer me if you can hear me!"

The jogger quickly grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911.

A few minutes later Helga is driving home as she sees the flashing lights of an ambulance charging down on her. She pulls over to the side of the road grumbling, "All right, all right, keep your shorts on, geeze."