Chapter 2: Prize

Note: The final Hey Arnold movie, The Jungle Book, is in the works, coming in 2017, according to Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett's press releases. Finally-at last we loyal fans will see the end of the series cliffhanger! And what will Arnold do, now that Helga confessed her love in the first movie?

Hey Arnold is owned by Craig Bartlett. Some of you who have read my story
Discovery will notice that this story isn't quite as serious, with more humor and fun bits.

Happy reading!

Dreamsinger

IN HARMONY

Prize

Helga froze, the shape of her unintentional compliment on her lips.

To her surprise, Arnold stopped short and said, "You really think so?" in a hopeful tone, a shy little smile on his face.

Somehow his reaction made Helga feel better. So even Arnold got bashful at times! Most of the time he seemed so sure of himself. It wasn't often that she could look at him and know exactly how he was feeling.

A little confidence can be a wonderful thing.

For the first time in her life it gave her the courage to smile lovingly at him as she
said softly, "Of course I do, Arnold." Finally at peace, Helga G. Pataki was content to simply stand there and gaze at her beloved.

Arnold was looking at her with those big, questioning eyes, as if trying to
understand her...

As they stood staring at each other, she smiling affectionately at him, he a little
stunned but beginning to respond to her smile with one of his own, in the distance they both heard "On the twelfth day of Christmas..."

"Oh my gosh, we're gonna be late!" Helga cried, deliberately grabbing Arnold's hand and pulling him down the hallway. "Come on!"

As they raced down the last hallway, they kept looking at each other and grinning. Arnold started to laugh. Helga joined in, both of them laughing like fools as they careened down the hall, bumping into each other, and skidded to a stop in front of the door to the room being used as a concert hall.

Mr. Simmons threw open the door. "Oh, thank goodness you're here! Quickly, take your places while I introduce you." He hurried off. Arnold and Helga joined Gerald and Phoebe, who were standing in the dimness behind the makeshift curtain.

"It took you long enough. I thought Phoebe and I were gonna have to sing duo," Gerald whispered grumpily.

Helga was about to respond angrily when two quiet words from Arnold stopped her. "Sorry, Gerald."

Hmph. Another apology. But it worked. Helga noted as Gerald subsided, looking mollified.

They'd been instructed to line up according to height (hair counted), so Gerald
stood at one end, with Helga, Arnold, and Phoebe completing the row. (Helga had
been happy to learn she would be able to stand next to her beloved.)

As they waited behind the curtain in the near-darkness, Arnold looked at Helga, who was shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and realized, She's really nervous. Wanting to reassure her, Arnold reached out and found her hand. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

He's holding my hand! Helga was so stunned she couldn't move. Then, accepting the offer of comfort, she closed her hand around his.

Arnold couldn't see the expression on Helga's face when she turned to look at him in the dimness, but he could feel her fingers stiffen, then relax and hold on firmly. She didn't let go until the curtain in front of them started to part.

As their music began, so did Phoebe, singing the first two lines of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" in her high, innocently sweet soprano.

Arnold and Helga joined in on the third line, losing themselves in the comfort of the familiar tune they had spent so many days practicing.

The first two lines of the next stanza belonged to their resident bass singer, Gerald. "Through the years we all will be together…"

As Helga joined voices with Arnold on the third line, she felt an electrical tingle of excitement and pleasure as their voices blended together into a beautiful whole, perfectly on key.

The next stanza was just for Arnold and Helga. "In the old days..."

When they got to "Faithful friends who are dear to us...", each of them looked
at the other and smiled as they sang, feeling closer than they ever had before.

On the last stanza, Phoebe took the first line, Gerald the next, and then all four of
them combined voices to successfully complete the difficult task of harmonizing on
the last line: "And have yourself a merry little Chriiiistmaaas ...noowww..."

The entire room burst into applause. Mr. Simmons wasn't the only one in the
room with tears in his eyes. The four kids held hands and bowed once, as they'd been told. Then, sneaking glances at each other and grinning, they all bowed a second time.

Mr. Simmons closed the curtains, and reopened them with all the kids in the class
standing in a row holding hands. They all bowed to the audience, receiving not only
clapping, but a few whistles, too. Helga could not remember ever being so happy.

Their performance roles complete, most of the kids headed over to the refreshment table. A large group of parents intercepted them with congratulations and hugs. Helga and Arnold stayed where they were, no longer holding hands, but watching the crowd together.

Helga's parents hurried up to her. "You were so wonderful, Helga, but-" her mother began, but her father interrupted.

"What happened to your clothes?" he demanded.

Just then Arnold's grandparents arrived. "That was some mighty fine singin'
there, Shortman," said Grandpa.

"I haven't heard singing like that since the time I..." Grandma began.

His grandparents herded him away, toward the tables piled high with goodies. (His grandpa had a strong sweet tooth.) Arnold looked back, but the crowd had closed in behind him. I'll just have to congratulate her later.

Helga finally managed to escape from her parents, saying she had to go 'mingle'. There's no way I'm gonna hang around them all night, listening to Miriam's pathetic excuse for small talk, and watching Bob try to sell beepers to everyone who walks by. As she walked away, she almost didn't catch the startling comments from her parents.

"Look at her, B. She's growing up so faaast..." her mom sighed.

Her dad agreed. "I know. I'm a lucky man, to've been blessed with two terrific daughters..."

Helga, standing there stunned, almost turned back but just them Mrs. Cape stepped in front of her. "You were just mahvelous, Helga!" she said, giving her a wonderfully warm hug. "I'm so proud of ya."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cape," Helga said, smiling in pleasure. She didn't even mind being hugged in public. "Oh! Do you want your locket back now?"

The kindly old woman put a gentle hand under Helga's chin and tilted her head up a little. "You keep it, darlin'. Call it a Christmas present. Maybe it'll bring you luck in the
New Yeah."

"Oh, thank you!" Helga spontaneously hugged Mrs. Cape, not caring who might see her. Just as she let go, she caught a glimpse of Arnold out of the corner of her eye, and
couldn't stop herself from glancing over at him.

Mrs. Cape seemed to understand. "Listen, darlin', Ah'm shore you've got bettah things ta do than chat with an old lady all night. Run along now."

Helga gave her a brilliant, grateful smile, then turned to wade through the crowd
after Arnold. She didn't get very far. "Oh, Helga!" Lila called as she approached. "I just wanted to congratulate you. I think your group sang just so-so beautifully." With an honest, sincere look on her face, she added, "I really think you and Arnold make just such an oh-so-perfect team." Then she winked, and smiled.

For a second there I thought she was going to say a "couple".

"Tell Arnold I said so, would you?" Lila asked.

Helga decided Lila, as the only person to whom Helga had admitted her crush, was trying to help her get Arnold's attention. Or maybe she just wanted to distract him from the unwelcome crush he had on Lila. "Uh, yeah, sure," Helga said.

Mr. Simmons was suddenly in front of her. "Helga, I want you to know that in all my years of teaching music that was the most...beautiful performance...it has ever been my privilege to hear," he said, placing a hand on his chest.

"Uh, thanks."

Phoebe stopped her next, to enthusiastically compliment her on both her singing
and her appearance.

"Hey, Helga," Stinky called from ten feet away-with his height he could see her
over the crowd-"Considerin' how much arguin' you was doin' all month, yer song
actually didn't bite! Ya might even have a chaynce at winnin' that there prize Mr. Simmons was talkin' about."

Helga wasn't sure whether to feel ticked off or complimented, but she got distracted by the mention of the prize. I bet we're a shoe-in to win it - whatever it is.

Just then she spotted someone she recognized. "Patti? What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"Hello, Helga." Patti answered in that serious way of hers. "Hey, you sing pretty well. I came to watch Harold, of course. Sometimes you want to do nice things for the guy you like." Patti gave her a knowing look, not quite a wink. Helga glanced around to see if
anyone had overheard, but no one seemed to be paying attention, fortunately. So she gave Patti a smile.

Patti smiled back. "He's over there," she said, moving her head to indicate a direction.

She's all right. "Thanks, Patti."

"Don't mention it."

Helga set off in the new direction, but was soon stopped by yet another person, and another. It was an unusual situation for her-total strangers wanting to speak to her, to compliment her. It was nice, actually, but after a while she really needed a break from all the noise and confusion.

Looking around the huge Common room, she spotted a likely place-where an old-fashioned, uncomfortable-looking loveseat had been pushed to the back corner of the room to make space. Helga made her way over to it as casually as she could, feeling terribly conspicuous, and then ducked out of sight after giving the room a quick scan to see if anyone was watching. With a sigh, she sank down on the thick carpet with her back against the loveseat.

I might as well give up on trying to find Arnold-and what could I say to him in the middle of all this, anyway?

Mostly from force of habit she reached for her locket, only to remember she'd had to leave it at home because there weren't any pockets in the pink dress. That had been an unexpected blessing, the way things had turned out! Maybe I should start wearing Mrs. Cape's locket...nah, too obvious. Besides, it's special. I wouldn't want anything to happen to it. I should only wear it on special occasions.

She sighed. Oh, well. I guess the next time I see Arnold I'll be back in my old
clothes...

"Helga?"

"Arnold?"

"I thought I saw you duck behind here. What are you doing?"

What's it look like, you...she almost blurted out, but seeing him in his suit reminded her. She only stared at him, tongue-tied.

"Taking a break from it all, huh?" Arnold guessed. "Mind if I join you?" he asked, sitting beside her.

Helga was uncharacteristically silent. When she didn't say anything after a few seconds, Arnold volunteered, "I guess we did all right tonight, huh? I wonder if we'll win the prize? I've been getting a lot of compliments on our singing."

Say something! Agree with him. Tell him how you feel about him. Anything!

"Uh, huh. Me, too," she managed to say.

"Of course, Gerald and Phoebe deserve a lot of the credit," Arnold added.

"Yeah, right."

You're alone with him. Now's your chance!

"Helga, is something wrong?" Arnold asked suddenly, giving her his full attention.

As always, it flustered her and she blushed. "Huh?"

"You're not acting like yourself. You should be happy. Instead you seem...distracted. Are you feeling all right?" His concern for her was so touching!

"I...I..."

Think! Maybe she could manage a half-truth. "I guess I just realized I'm going to miss spending so much time with you." She couldn't meet his eyes, staring at the carpet instead with red cheeks, her hair a blonde curtain around her face.

Arnold blinked. Whatever he'd expected her to say, it wasn't this! "What do you mean, Helga? We can still spend time together," he said, realizing with some surprise that he meant it.

She sighed. "It's not the same."

Arnold was puzzled. "What's not?"

She seemed to be struggling to speak. He'd never seen her like this...Helga, the glib comedian, always ready with a sarcastic comment. Finally she mumbled, "When there are other people around."

It dawned on him then that the new, friendlier Helga hadn't emerged until after they'd spent time alone together, away from other people. I guess Helga needs privacy to relax...to let her guard down and be herself.

"We can still go up to my room and talk, Helga," the boy offered impulsively.

Finally, Helga looked up at him. "Really?"

She looked so relieved, so happy and grateful that he couldn't help warmly smiling back. "Sure."

Then she frowned. "But what'll everybody think?"

He understood her immediately, picturing how some of their classmates would react. "Well, we can always tell them we're doing our homework together. I could say you're helping me in writing-that Mr. Simmons asked you to."

She thought this plan over for a few seconds. Then the businesslike Helga he knew was back. "Okay. It'll do for a working hypothesis. We can always say we're studying for the next spelling bee, or something."

Her expression turned sly. "Lila said we make a good team."

"She did?" asked Arnold, not sure what to make of this statement.

Suddenly Helga turned playful. "Yup. Her exact words were 'I really think you and Arnold make just such an oh-so-perfect team.' " Helga imitated Lila's voice with her usual skillful mimicry, clasping her hands and looking angelically upward.

"Well...uh, that was nice of her." For a second there I thought she was going to say a 'couple'. Arnold blinked as an entirely new thought crossed his mind. Looking at Helga, wearing pretty clothes and a heart-shaped locket, her hair down, smiling and posing, it suddenly occurred to him: She actually looks kind of...cute.

What am I doing? Helga suddenly realized. Now I'm just hiding from him in a different way. I might never have a chance like this again! The thought sent such a pang of fear through her that she steeled herself and looked directly into Arnold's eyes, trying to find her voice.

Cute? Where did that come from? The football-headed boy was a little embarrassed.

Just then Helga's eyes met his. Somehow Arnold found it impossible to look away. Her blue eyes were serious, more open than he could ever remember. They were full of conflicting emotions...old pains and fears...almost pleading...with an undercurrent of some deep, powerful emotion running in and around and through, binding it all together...

Oh, Arnold, how I love you... Helga couldn't stop staring at him. He was watching her with those wide green eyes, eyes that seemed to see right into her, absorbing and thoughtful and wondering...

In those few moments a bond was formed between them, although it would take Arnold quite some time to realize it.

It was he who turned away first, blushing deeply as he realized he'd been staring, overwhelmed by the experience. He heard Helga clear her throat. Glancing at her while still blushing a little, he watched as she clasped her arms around her knees and took a deep breath. "Anyway, Arnold, I just wanted to say...I mean, I-I just..."

"You just what?" he asked quietly, his embarrassment fading as he concentrated on her problem.

Helga was fighting to speak. Oh my gosh, he looked at me. He really looked, and saw me, not just Helga the bully. Not just a classmate or neighbor. Now's my chance!

Unfortunately, as always, having his full attention made her mind go completely blank. Where was her poetry when she needed it? Wait...there was something important she needed to tell him, wasn't there?

"I just wanted to...apologize for the way I've treated you all these years, Arnold..." she said sincerely. "...and to thank you for being so patient with me. I-I don't know if you'll ever be able to forgive me..."

Whew! That's a start. Not quite what I wanted to say, though...

Wow. That was really hard for her. A vague thought about Christmas spirit, and making peace with others passed through his mind. Believing he knew what had caused the inner conflict he had seen, and being the kind-hearted boy he was, Arnold willingly forgave her.

Impulsively the young boy put a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder, feeling the softness of her hair. "It's all right, Helga. I forgive you," he said sincerely, smiling at her with half-closed eyes, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly.

She had looked up the moment he touched her, and was staring at him now with soft, wondering blue eyes. "You-you forgive me?" she whispered, as if she didn't dare believe him.

Arnold felt strangely protective toward this new-yet-oddly-familiar girl, whose sensitive side he had always believed was there despite her habitual harshness. He nodded and smiled, patting her shoulder gently before removing his hand.

"Oh, thank you, Arnold!" she cried, clasping her hands together and looking so joyful that Arnold was astonished.

Oh, my beloved, what a generous soul you have, ever kind and magnanimous... The gift of your friendship is equal to-nay, greater than-the most coveted of treasures...

Helga suddenly realized that Arnold was staring at her a little uncertainly, and tried to calm down. She didn't want him to become uncomfortable around her. Well, I haven't confessed yet, but that can wait. I've taken the first step. She didn't want to freak him out. And besides... Helga sighed in contentment, thinking about her next visit to Arnold's room.

The two of them settled into a comfortable silence, just relaxing, winding down
from the busy evening. Helga yawned. She'd had a hard time sleeping the last few nights, dreaming about all kinds of things going wrong with the performance.

Arnold was pretty tired, too. It had been a long night, and it was almost his bedtime. He watched Helga yawn, and tried to stifle one of his own. Then, giving in, he tilted his head back to yawn.

And stopped in mid-yawn, his mouth hanging open. Above them, in the corner of the ceiling, was a little sprig of mistletoe.

Helga noticed his reaction. What's he looking at? she thought, following his line of sight upward.

The two of them had almost identical, wide-eyed, solemn expressions as they
stared up at the bit of greenery. Each of them glanced at the other without moving anything except their eyes. Each saw the other looking and quickly looked away.

Mistletoe! I can't believe it! This is the perfect chance to kiss him without being forced to in front of an audience. Then Helga's underlying self-dislike made an appearance, trying to thwart her happiness. Oh, what am I thinking? He'd probably rather kiss a rabid rat than kiss me!

Who'd put mistletoe way back here in this...well, maybe it is a good place to put it. Arnold ran a hand through his fluff of yellow hair, frowning a little. What now? I really don't think Helga'd want to kiss me any more than I want to kiss her.

Then, catching another glimpse of her new appearance from the corner of his
eye, he softened. He remembered how happy and excited she'd been tonight, how
she'd complimented him in his suit, how she'd sung with him. His friend.

Maybe I wouldn't mind kissing her…it probably wouldn't be too bad. But she'd pound me flat if I even tried... His thoughts broke off as she turned to him.

Helga had looked down and noticed the locket Mrs. Cape had given her. "For luck", she'd said...but is it good luck or bad? It was the kind of locket a guy gave to a girl he was in love with. Love…

Abruptly an image of a dutiful Arnold forcing himself to kiss her popped into her head. No-it wouldn't really be like that...would it? But the nagging image wouldn't go away.

And suddenly Helga Pataki suffered another mental growth-spurt-the same kind that
had caused her to give up her Nancy Spumoni snowboots, knowing she'd receive no
reward other than Arnold's happiness.

Selflessness. Putting another person's happiness ahead of her own.

Arnold likes me enough to invite me to his house of his own free will. He didn't have to forgive me, but he did. Maybe it's time I stopped trying to manipulate him for my own selfish reasons.

Helga got ready to do the bravest thing she'd ever done. She cleared her throat, smiling a little...

"It-it's okay, Arnold. You don't have to kiss me. It's just a…stupid old tradition, anyway..." she muttered miserably. She looked down and to the side, unaware that her expression showed her heartbreaking disappointment. Helga sighed. Maybe by next Christmas he'll be ready to kiss me...

Arnold was relieved to be off the hook. He was just about to ask her if she wanted to go get something from the refreshment table with him when he noticed her face, and how quiet she'd suddenly become.

What's up with her? he thought, dense as ever. It took him a few seconds to realize her expression was not one of relief, but of woeful unhappiness. He blinked. Wait a minute... Does she actually want me to kiss her?

Arnold gave her one of those thoughtful, questioning looks he was known for when trying to see to the heart of the matter.

What he saw...was Helga. The real person under the sarcastic bully. The one whose existence he'd always suspected, but never had more than fleeting glimpses of, under the bluster, the sarcasm, the violence... Someone whose feelings could be hurt, just like everybody else.

Someone who, even now, was trying to hide what she really felt, to protect herself...and, he realized with some surprise, to give him a way out. Arnold smiled, genuinely touched by her thoughtfulness.

"Helga?"

She looked up at him, her face carefully blank now.

"Would it be okay...if I kissed you?" he asked quietly, watching her face carefully.

To Arnold, it was a gesture of friendship more than anything else. Being the kind of boy he was, if giving Helga a kiss made her happy, then he wouldn't mind doing it.

He was rewarded by her blush and the look of shy hope that slowly grew on her face. "Really?" she asked softly.

He nodded, and smiled shyly. "If you don't mind."

She stared at him for a long moment, then said abruptly, "Um, yeah, I guess it's
okay by me." I can't believe it-he wants to kiss me!

They stared at each other for several seconds. And suddenly, Arnold realized that he was nervous. Kissing Helga ought to have been easy-he'd done it twice before, after all. But both of those times she had been the one to kiss him-once for the school play, and once when they were filming that TV show.

Now that he was doing it for real, he wasn't sure what to do. Should we hold hands?...

Then Helga, who'd been watching him closely, came to his rescue. Smiling affectionately, she took his face in her hands and leaned toward him. Their lips touched.

It was hard to describe what Arnold felt-physically, he could feel her soft lips, and her warm hands on his cheeks, but emotionally...he felt a strong surge of...something. Something...strange, and ...very special. And he wasn't sure if it was coming from her...

When she released him and sat back, Arnold could only stare at her wordlessly. Something important had just happened between them, but he wasn't sure what yet. He needed time alone to sort this out...

Helga, on the other hand, looked content, more serene than he had ever seen her. "Thank you, Arnold." she said softly.

She seemed to sense his confusion. Standing up, she said gently, "Well...I'd better get back. My parents'll be looking for me soon."

"Uh, sure..." he managed to say. "See you tomorrow."

Helga smiled at him, then turned and walked around the edge of the sofa, leaving him with an odd sense of loss.

He had a lot of thinking to do...

Soon.

Helga smiled. It was no longer the thought of a lonely, desperate girl. It came
instead from the deep sense of security that had washed over her when Arnold
kissed her.

No-when he'd asked if he could kiss her.

At first I thought he was only doing it to be nice, but then...during the kiss...I felt something. So did he...

I don't know how I know that, but I do.

And the way he looked afterward...like someone who's finally starting to see
what's been right under his nose all along...

Helga's thoughts wandered back over all the other wonderful things that had
happened over the last few weeks.

The long afternoons spent practicing alone with Arnold, discovering the joys of
singing in harmony...

Making a special new friend-Mrs. Cape, who gave her the locket, the luck, and
the kindness and understanding she (unconsciously) needed so badly...

Learning that her parents were actually proud of her...

The unexpected pleasure of receiving compliments on a job well done, as well as being proud of herself, because she'd worked hard and really earned that praise...

And now, at long last, finally managing to shine a light through the dense clouds of Arnold's composure...

Whether or not we actually win the competition, I've already got my prize. A lighthearted Helga returned to the party, for once at peace with the world.

Author's Notes:

*No, Arnold and Helga didn't hold hands while they were singing. (Although
Helga would've liked to...)

*I don't have Helga confess outright because I thought it would be better for
their relationship if Arnold came to know her (and care about her) on his own. So
instead I set up ways for Helga to give him that chance.

*The song they sang for the concert, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, is
my favorite Christmas carol. But here's a funny thing-I absolutely HATE it when
it's sung by adults. Maybe because nearly all of them insist on jazzing it up to the extreme, or drawling it so slowly it makes me want to put them out of their misery. My favorite version is sung on the Christmas special 'The Muppets' Family Christmas' by Kermit and Miss Piggy. Very sweet and simple, no exaggerations. (Actually I love
the whole medley, all the little bits of different Christmas carols in one song. I
especially love anything sung by the gentle voice of Robin.) So I thought it would be cool to imagine the Hey Arnold! gang singing my favorite carol.

*I hope you enjoyed this trip into the Arnoldverse. If you'd like to email me with
Comments, Constructive Criticism, or Idle Banter, you can reach me (Dreamsinger)
at dreamcrafter .