A/N:
Hi guys :D Lol, okay, this is a super random oneshot idea that I decided to do ^_^ It's set after the end of the ep "Weird Cousin" because I don't know about you guys but…I wanted to see what happened with that whole "I love you" thing from Arnie to Helga ;) So, this is my little rendition of it and I hope you guys like it :)
~*Weird Cousin: The Epilogue*~
Heavy breathing came from a panicked-looking Helga G. Pataki as she raced frantically through the halls of P.S. 118, constantly checking over her shoulder with wide eyes as she darted here and there. "For crying out loud, let the bell ring, let the bell ring, LET THE BELL RING ALREADY! This is so unfair! WHAT did I do to deserve this?" 'Uh…you completely messed with three people's emotions all so you could play 'Arnold's girlfriend' for a couple of weeks, for starters…' Helga let out an exasperated sigh and scowled to herself, shaking her head. "Crimeny, that is the ONE downfall of actually getting to hang out with Arnold—it starts to give me a conscience."
The young blonde in question took a break from her running for a moment now, resting her hands on her knees as she did her best to catch her breath for a couple of seconds since, for now at least, it seemed like she was in the clear. "Sheesh…two weeks…all that effort…all that scheming…all so I could attract the WRONG Football Head? Oh I swear just point me in the direction of whoever's in charge of fate and human irony and I'll introduce them right to Old Betsy and the Five Avengers!" She straightened up and pounded her right fist into her left palm, a dark and bitter scowl on her face.
Snort.
Her eyes went completely wide and all color instantly drained from her face at…that sound! Still, it had sounded distant, maybe a hallway away. She instantly started bolting again, that look of total panic on her face once more. "Oh who am I kidding! I brought this on myself! If I had any guts I would have just come clean with Arnold about my love for him instead of getting caught up in yet another one of my STUPID plans to win his affections!" She scowled to herself again. "Ugh, that is the LAST time I steal romance strategies from stupid old teenage glamour magazines that I find in Olga's room! 'Get him to let you pretend to be his girlfriend and he'll fall for you for real!' What a crock! Why am I SUCH a basketca—OOF!"
The wind was suddenly knocked out of Helga and she found herself on her back on the cool linoleum floor of the school. Her eyes popped open wide and for a second she just stared up at the white ceiling, waiting for her lungs to become responsive once more and to fill themselves with ai—
"Helga? Are you okay?"
Helga's problem of waiting for her breathing to restart was instantly solved as the sound of her beloved's kind and caring voice asking her this question of concern instantly caused her to inhale sharply in blushing surprise. She sat bolt upright, her eyes all but dilated. "Arnold?" she squeaked in a mixture of shock and love and relief and confusion.
Arnold, who was now standing up again and looking down at her (with his hand held out for her to help her up), just blinked at her saying his name like that (usually the way she said it at first whenever they bumped into one another like this was a little…lighter and quieter…than the way she had said it just now)…and also he had to blink at how she looked right now—her face was flushed, she was panting just a little, her hair was a tiny bit frazzled looking even, and she looked almost scared about something! "Helga…is something…wrong?" he had to finally ask, now feeling a touch of worry come over himself. After all, usually nothing in the world could rattle Helga G. Pataki, and yet something right now was obviously upsetting her…a lot!
This question processed with Helga for a second and then instantly she was standing (totally doing it on her own and totally ignoring Arnold's outstretched hand)…and she was seething and fuming and scowling and he actually gulped in a bit of fear at the sight of her like that.
"WRONG? WRONG? YOUR FREAKY COUSIN IS FREAKING…FREAKING…" Helga had to blush a little bit at what she was about to say and almost feel a pang of guilt—like she was 'cheating' on Arnold or something by having had this happen to her even though she knew the notion was ridiculous, "ARNIE IS IN LOVE WITH ME, YOU LITTLE SHRIMP!"
Arnold, eyes still wide, still just standing there, just blinked once more. "Love?"
Helga practically growled and rolled her eyes. 'I DON'T have time for this! Him and his stupid denseness—do I have to sing it for him?' "Yes, 'love', Einstein. Back in the cafeteria after he dumped Little Miss Perfect and you inevitably went to console her only to have her inevitably turn you down yet again," Helga rolled her eyes at the whole stupid thing, "The little creep came over to me and kept beating around the bush about something so finally I told him to spit it out and he told me he LOVES ME and that he wants to spend every waking moment together and then some more stuff but at that point my entire nervous system basically shut down so the details of the 'fabulous life' he has all planned out for us together are a little fuzzy! AND NOW HE'S BEEN STALKING ME ALL DAY TRYING TO TOUCH ME AND SMELL ME AND THAT WEIRD LITTLE BEANIE OF HIS KEEPS SPINNING AND SPINNING!" In her panic and desperation she then suddenly went forward and grabbed Arnold by his collar with both hands, pulling him upward from the floor. "WHEN DOES HE LEAVE TO GO BACK TO THE CREEPY COUNTRY TOWN HE CAME FROM?"
Arnold, who was still processing everything, all of this stuff she was saying… 'Love…every waking moment…fabulous life…love…' (And he kept finding himself stuck on that 'L' word a little…No particular reason why. He was just…stuck on it), gulped and said in his normal, quiet little voice the first, "U-U-Um…he's leaving tonight, Helga!"
"I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG, ARNOLD!" she instantly yelled back! "THE LITTLE CREEP IS—"
Snort.
(That sound again…And this time it came from right behind her).
"Hi Helga. Hi Arnold."
"AHHH!" Helga screamed and instantly jumped straight up into the air and straight into Arnold's arms, clinging around him in fright and panting in fear…as there before the two of them now stood Arnie in all of his snorting, blinking-one-eye-at-a-time, 'strange little beanie wearing' weirdness!
"Helga." Arnie spoke again, looking at her specifically now (and giving one of those one-eye-at-a-time blinks that made her shiver). "There you are. I had to walk on 96 tiles to catch up with you. I counted. Anyway, I wanted to walk you home today. I love you, remember?" He paused for a moment and snorted, still with that glazed look in his eye. "Why did you jump into Arnold's arms?" he added in his usual disinterested monotone.
Helga just…Her jaw was dropped open and her blue eyes were wide and darting around and now she was actually blushing on top of everything else both due to experiencing a slight pang of guilt again about feeling like she was 'cheating' on Arnold just because Arnie loved her (and had actually said so in front of Arnold no less) and also due to the fact that Arnie had just pointed out (and she had just realized) that she was indeed in her beloved's arms once more in her life, clinging close to him with her arms around his neck and him holding her up. ('Oh, my darling—it is heaven when I'm held in your strong arms!' She gave an internal growl in annoyance at herself. 'Not NOW with the monologuing, Helga old girl!')
She had absolutely no idea what to say back to him: all day ever since lunch she'd tried yelling at this loser, threatening him (the only reason she hadn't actually just clocked him one was because, for better or worse, he was still Arnold's family), avoiding him—NONE OF IT WORKED! She had no idea, just no idea at all what to do anymore, but she wanted him gone from her life and NOW! "A-Arnie, I…just…can't you…and…I…" She was so upset at this point (after hours of heavy, intense unwanted stalking) and so frazzled and so on her last nerve that she literally just wanted to go off and collapse somewhere for a good nap (preferably with Arnold carrying her there and laying down with her, of course…) 'Pft…yeah, before that happens it'll be a cold day in—'
"Um…Helga's in my arms, Arnie, because…well…I'm her boyfriend."
To give what Arnold had just said some context, this was basically his thought process from the time of Arnie's sudden appearance just now through to hearing Helga stuttering awkwardly as she tried to respond to his cousin.
'She's so upset because…Arnie l-loves her? But…But that's not fair to her! She was so nice trying to help me make Lila jealous for the last two weeks…pretending to be my girlfriend when no one else would. That's the only reason she had to get mixed up with Arnie in the first place…' And of course, our altruistic little Arnold felt bad and guilty about this whole mess that Helga was now in all because of himself and his problems, and he wanted to help her. But how? How could he make his cousin leave Helga alone? He tried to think. 'Maybe I should just ask him to leave her alone?' Still though, Arnold had to figure that Helga had probably not just asked but screamed at Arnie to leave her alone and obviously it hadn't worked. And also she was obviously showing disinterest (and even disgust) about the idea of him as a boyfriend but that didn't seem to be discouraging him much either. So what could he do to show Arnie that he just couldn't be her boyfriend, plain and simple?
'Boyfriend…'
That word stuck with Arnold for a second.
And then something clicked in his head and the plan that came to him actually made him smile. It was so simple, after all: she had pretended to be his girlfriend to help him make Lila jealous…so…he would repay the favor by pretending to be her boyfriend to make Arnie leave her alone now! It was perfect!
'A-And besides, it'll just be until the bell rings and she can get home, and then Arnie's leaving tonight and by the time he comes back he'll be over her. And it shouldn't be too hard to pretend to be her boyfriend—after all, I've been doing it for a while now and actually it…hasn't been so bad sometimes…' He smiled a little to himself at the idea.
Okay, he would pretend to be her boyfriend. That was the plan.
'HUH?' Helga's face whipped right in Arnold's direction? "HUH?"
"Huh?" Arnie (still looking so very creepy).
Arnold, still holding Helga, and his face now touched with the lightest blush (Helga gulped—she had never seen him blush before…and it was adorable and it made her heart quiver), just took a breath and gave a small little nod to his cousin and his g-g-girlfriend. "That's right. I'm, um…Helga's boyfriend, Arnie. Uh…heh…didn't you notice us all this past week—me brushing her hair, me giving her foot massages, the two of us sharing g-gum…" Arnold gulped at that memory and his face heated up a tiny bit more at how really intimate that had been for them to do together, but then he quickly shook his head and plowed on. "A-Anyway, um, the point is that…Helga's already taken so, um, I'm sure she appreciates that you like her, Arnie, but she's not available." Arnold had finished his words in the nicest possible voice with the sincerest possible smile, genuinely not wanting to hurt his cousin's feelings despite how blunt his words had had to be to make sure that the message would get across. He then glanced at the girl in his arms. "Um…right, Helga?" He looked at her with as much meaning as possible in his eyes, hoping she'd see where he was going with all of this and go right along with him.
At first, to his interest, Helga just looked back at him with her face a fiery rosy color (actually, he couldn't ever recall seeing her blush and the sight made him smile a tiny bit…He couldn't help it—there was something very smile-worthy about her looking like that), and her eyes looking totally confused…But then she blinked a few times and something seemed to kind of click with her and to his relief she nodded. "U-Uh…" her voice cracked a little but then she cleared her throat and finally went on with as much strength and confidence as she could. "Y-Yeah…Arnold's my, um…boyfriend…s-so I'm not, um available, heh…" She leaned in very close to Arnold's ear, faking a sheepish smile at Arnie now, and quickly whispered, "What the heck are you doing?"
Arnold plastered a sheepish smile on his face too, likewise looking in Arnie's direction, and whispered quickly back out of the corner of his mouth, "Just go with it!"
Helga just gave small nod, unsure of what else she could possibly say to that. Still though, now that she had a second to think about it, what is seemed like he was maybe getting at did make some sense—faking like she already had a boyfriend. Arnie just plain couldn't keep going after her if someone was here and vouching that she was already taken. (And at the same time maybe part of her heart hoped that perhaps…perhaps…perhaps her love really did mean it? That perhaps somehow, someway, her wacky 'pretend to be his girlfriend' plan had worked and this right now was his confession to her and once Arnie left he would carry her off into the sunset together to start their own fabulous life! (Of course, she knew that in reality this probably wouldn't be the case but…she could still hope, couldn't she?)
Arnie just stood there and did another one of his creepy 'one eye at a time' winks. "Oh. I see. So…how long have you guys been dating?"
"A year!" "Two months!" Helga and Arnold instantly announced at the same time without thinking…and then their eyes went wide and then they both slightly cringed at their mistake.
"U-Uh…" Helga did her best to correct with a smile. "W-Well, um…what we mean is…we've both like-liked each other for a year b-but we didn't, uh…start going steady until two months ago. Yeah, that's it!" She grinned widely. 'Nice save, Helga old girl!'
"Wow." Snort. "So this is real. You guys love each other then, huh?" he asked in that usual indifferent way of his.
"Yes! Absolutely!" "U-U-Um…Y-Yeah, heh…" came both Helga and Arnold's voices on top of each other again (both of them at least happy that they had said the same basic answer this time even if it hadn't been said with equal amounts of enthusiasm).
"Oh." Arnie gave another creepy one-eye-at-a-time blink. Helga tried not to cringe at the complete immobility of the rest of his face as he did that odd action, and at how creepy it looked to see someone blink like that in general. Arnold just hoped that they were in the clear and that Arnie would now leave Helga alone at this point. "You guys should say it to each other then," Arnie decided to finish.
Helga and Arnold's eyes popped open and their jaws fell. "What?" "WHAT?"
"Say I love you to each other. That's what couples always do. Unless you're not really a couple yet or something," Arnie merely explained, still in that emotionless way of his.
Helga and Arnold both gulped and then they looked at each other uneasily.
Helga was about to try and get Arnie off of this subject (because, obviously, getting Arnold to say those words would take a miracle and if he ended up having to tell Arnie he couldn't do it, then she and the 'snorter' would be right back to square one with his new infatuation with her) when the most heavenly sound imaginable met her ears.
"Um…I l-love you, Helga."
I love you, Helga. Arnold's voice saying 'I love you, Helga' to her and not in some stupid dream or daydream but in real reality. "I…I…I…" She felt her blush strengthening and her jaw trembling just a little as she brought her eyes to look into Arnold's wide, warm green ones now… "I…love you, Arnold…" She knew it would have been better for her to just say it casually but she hadn't been able to help the quiet and sincere tone in which it had come out of her mouth. She just couldn't say those words to him like they were a joke. Never.
Thankfully (and to Helga's immense relief) Arnold did blink at her saying those words back to him but didn't seem to catch the real meaning (no 'passing out' or 'freaking out' or anything like that which would have been the most common indications that he suddenly recognized her secret).
Helga breathed a mental sigh of relief. They'd done it. And now Arnie would go away (and she could get the heck out of here and get back to her shrine or something and swoon and squeal and delight in the fact that Arnold had said 'I love you, Helga' even though it had just been pretend). 'Thank you, my love…' she mentally said gratefully to the boy still holding her.
"Aren't you guys going to kiss now?" Snort.
Helga started and suddenly whipped around with a look of total shock (quickly shifting into one of total indignation) on her face right in Arnie's direction. She couldn't even imagine how Arnold must look right now.
"I mean, it seems like most couples, after they say 'I love you' to each other, they kiss," Arnie added with a shrug and another creepy one-eye-at-a-time wink.
That did it! A black scowl came to Helga's face and she instantly jumped from Arnold's arms, no longer able to control herself and keep going along with this random ruse to keep Arnie at bay! She was already having a bad enough afternoon, after all, and she was not going to let this little jerk top it off by having her go through the mortifying experience of having a disgusted Arnold flat out reject her for a kiss ('Though if your lips really did meet mine it would be heaven, of course, my prince…Grr! FOCUS, HELGA! CRIMENY!'). "Okay, listen here, buster, because I'm only gonna say this once!" She got right in Arnie's face! "First of all, just who the heck do you think you are making demands like that? And second of all, look, forget about your cousin for a second—I'm just gonna state it plain and simple for you again and if you don't get it I'll just have to knock it into that taco shaped head of yours the old fashioned way!" She then took in a deep breath, ready to scream at him once again that she did NOT love him and never ever EVER would!
"Helga…"
Her anger was ever so slightly tempered though by the sound of Arnold's voice suddenly saying her name from behind her. She let out her breath in an exasperated sigh and turned back to him, still scowling (though not quiet as darkly since she was now looking at Arnold instead of at Arnie of course). "Yes, Arnold?" she did her best to ask without hissing too much (her patience was seriously worn thin at this point in the afternoon and she was not in any kind of mood to hear a lecture from Arnold about letting down his cousin 'gently' or some other such wet blanket nonsense).
She was a little thrown off from her game plan though for just a second by her eyes being met with the sight of Arnold looking…funny: he had that little blush still going (it made her heart flutter again) and he was kind of smiling nervously and tugging at his collar a tiny bit…and then he let out a breath…and then leaned up and placed a quick kiss upon her cheek.
Helga G. Pataki was basically out of commission for the next several minutes, a look of blushing, utter perplexity on her face (and her cheek literally burning where his lips had just touched it).
Arnold just turned to his cousin again, trying not to let his own blushing consume him, and spoke quickly and levelly, really wanting to get out of this situation and this moment right now! "See, Arnie. We kiss. U-Um…of course not, um…not 'on the lips' when we're in front of other people since that's kind of private, but we…we love each other and kiss. So, anyway, like I said…Helga's my girlfriend and I'm her boyfriend." He quickly reached over and snatched Helga's hand now, feeling like he was practically sweating at this point, he was so nervous. "So, um...I'm just going to walk her home, now. I'll see you back at the boarding house, Arnie."
Arnold, his heart pounding at what he'd just had to do to help Helga and convince Arnie they really were dating (and also hoping that Helga wouldn't sock him the second they were alone for doing that to her without even asking), now started to turn himself and Helga around and away from Arnie to head for the doors of the school.
"Well, okay. You're dating and in love, I guess." Arnie snorted once more, still standing in that same spot. He did take a step forward now though, and that plus the fact that Arnold was having a really hard time trying to pull Helga along with him (she seemed frozen stiff, like something had put her into a state of shock or something), made him pause for a second and look back at his cousin. A relieved sigh escaped him at first as Arnie's words processed…It sounded like he was finally accepting things. "But just in case things don't work out," Arnie then added, and then he took out a slip of paper from his pocket and offered it to Helga, "Here's my phone number in the country. I wrote it on this popsicle wrapper. Popsicles don't have a lot of ingredients so there was plenty of room. And there are nine buses that go out to the country from the city every day, eleven on the weekends, if you wanted to visit. I counted them. You're a cute girl, Helga. I think I could show you a good time." Finishing this statement in his monotone, he reached out and took Helga's free hand and placed the wrapper with the phone number into it.
Arnie snorted and his beanie started to turn rather quickly now.
Helga, in shock now not just at the fact that in the last five minutes fate had somehow made Arnold say he loved her AND kiss her cheek but likewise at the fact that Arnie was actually freaking hitting on her like this, just wanted to run away already and never see this creepy imitation of her beloved ever again.
And Arnold…
Arnold was doing something he really didn't normally do. He was scowling.
And then suddenly Arnold held Helga's hand more tightly and stepped forward and in front of her, directing this scowl of his at his cousin…and using his free hand to remove the popsicle wrapper from Helga's free hand and to specifically shove it back into Arnie's palm. He addressed his cousin firmly and directly, no longer trying to soften things. "Arnie, excuse me but Helga said no. She's not interested in you and on top of that she's in love with me already. She's my girlfriend and like I said, I love her." He unconsciously gave Helga's hand a little extra squeeze. "Now you're my cousin and I care about you but please leave her alone."
A snort from Arnie (who still seemed just as bland and emotionless as ever). "You're jealous."
Arnold blinked at that response, his face going rosy. "What? I'm not…I mean…I…Jealous?" He looked at him in a mix of annoyance and frustration and confusion.
Arnie just shrugged. "Yeah, jealous. It's understandable. Like I said, she's a cute girl. Plus she's got a lot of moxy. I don't know, I guess we both find that appealing. But anyway I guess if you care about her enough to get jealous like that I'll leave you two alone. I just wanted to make sure she knows how I feel. That I love her and everything. I kind of wear my emotions on my sleeve—I don't see much point in secrets. But you must really love her a lot to care so much about keeping her as your girlfriend, so I'll accept that." He snorted. "I've added some new lint to my collection. I'll go see if anyone wants to see it before I go since today's my last day here. And maybe I'll give some to Lila. Sort of a parting gift.. Bye you two." He gave then a small wave and with that departed, walking back up the hall from which he'd come.
Arnold and Helga just stood there in silence for a few seconds, taking in Arnie finally leaving them.
Helga was the one who broke the silence first.
"Arnold…what just happened?"
Arnold blushed a little more (and he couldn't ever recall blushing this many times in a row in his entire life) and unconsciously squeezed her hand in nervousness. He turned to look at Helga with wide, unsure eyes. "Um…I think we just, um…finally convinced my cousin to leave you alone…" Suddenly he cleared his throat, a bunch of stuff occurring to him. "Um, Helga? Listen, I-I'm…I'm sorry if I got carried away with all of that." Now he pulled his hand from hers and brought it to the back of his neck, swallowing and feeling very awkward all of a sudden. "I just, um…when you said Arnie was chasing you and that he loved you and wouldn't stop bothering you, I just figured that maybe if he thought you had a boyfriend he'd leave you alone, a-and then I was acting like your boyfriend all week so I thought he'd believe it if I said it was me, and then also I just wanted to pay you back for all your help with Lila. B-But I'm sorry if I went too far, Helga, really!" He looked at her very sincerely, very much hoping he hadn't overstepped any boundaries.
Helga just blinked a few times and tilted her head to the side a little, taking in his words. And for a moment, it seemed to him like a small frown came to her face…But then she smiled. It wasn't an overjoyed smile or anything but there was something small and real in it…and he liked that.
She then let out a breath, and took a step forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Arnold. I…I appreciate the effort. A lot…" He noticed her blush a tiny bit again as she added, "And, um…s-sorry if anything you had to do got too awkward, heh, you know?" She smiled sheepishly at him, now bringing both of her arms shyly behind her back.
Arnold's smile became much more relaxed and happy. He let out a relieved sigh. "It, um…It was my pleasure, Helga. Really. I'm just happy it worked and that you're okay with everything."
Helga nodded and shrugged, a small grin returning to her face and her tone of voice taking on some of its usual spunk and fun attitude once more now. "Yeah, I'm, uh…pretty 'psyched' about finally being saved from the relentless pursuits of your cousin myself, Arnold. Sheesh…in love with me…" She rolled her eyes and shook her head to herself, crossing her arms over her chest. "He must have had an extra helping of 'crazy' with his plain flavored gum today…" She was trying to act casual and even a little annoyed by the idea but she couldn't help smiling and blushing just the tiniest bit at it nonetheless. Even though she wanted NOTHING to do with Arnie romantically...it was still kind of neat to have a boy say he loved her and mean it…even if it wasn't her beloved Arnold ('Not just yet, anyway…' she mentally added to herself with hope).
"Helga…" Helga heard Arnold give a small chuckle at what she'd just said and she looked up again just as he came a little closer to her, smiling warmly, "It's not crazy that he, uh…loves you." She watched as he shrugged and gulped, just a flicker of nervousness coming over his face for a moment. "I mean, that's pretty extreme and especially after only a few weeks, I guess, but…a boy could have a crush on you just as easily as he could on any other girl. You're not so bad, Helga…" He smiled again and winked at her.
Helga's face instantly turned a distinct, bright pink.
Arnold just blinked at this reaction of hers to his words, not really understanding it. After all, all he had said was the truth—she was a girl and just like any other girl it was possible for boys to like her. And really she wasn't so bad no matter how much she tried to hide it. She'd been nice enough to help him with Lila lately, right? And she was a decent person even though she tried to push people away a lot. And she could be fun to spend time with sometimes. 'A-And…like Arnie said, she's…cute…' Arnold tried to move past this thought as quickly as possible, as it made him feel very very funny for some reason that he couldn't place.
"I-I…I, um…well, I…th-th-thanks, A-Arnold…"
These stuttered words brought Arnold out of his thoughts and caused his eyes to refocus on a very confused and somewhat shy looking Helga G. Pataki. She then gulped and went on with, "I-I mean…um…" she shook her head and blinked a few times and seemed to snap out of something, "Uh, quit sucking up, Football Head!" she suddenly finished with. And then she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to scowl…
…But, as was often the case, Arnold could tell that something about this scowl of hers wasn't very genuine….and that thought made him smile. She was happy with what he'd said even if for some reason she didn't want to admit to it. "Whatever you say, Helga…" he merely sighed out in understanding, used to how stubborn she could be sometimes and accepting that about her as he always had.
Helga nodded at this response of his, still with that 'feigned' scowl on her face. "You got it, pal. Whatever I say. Hmph!" She seemed about to storm off then, but…hesitated for just a moment…and then that forced scowl of hers fell a tiny bit. She looked back at him again and Arnold waited in interest for what she would say. "U-Um…but, um…seriously…th-thanks for your help, Arnold. I appreciate it. A lot." She gulped and tugged at her collar a little. "A-And sorry if I freaked out at you a little bit there when we ran into each other before, and I'm sorry about making those stupid cracks about you and Lila—Arnie was just making me really…uncomfortable…and I panicked. But…I feel a lot better now thanks to you."
She smiled at him…a genuine and sincere and full one, and one that Arnold so rarely got to see but that always reminded him that deep down Helga really was nice and normal and caring no matter what anyone else said.
He just nodded to her, smiling genuinely and sincerely and fully as well. "I'm happy I could help, Helga."
BRRRING!
Just then, the bell rang.
Arnold blinked and looked up at the sound, and then looked back to the girl before him. He smiled again. "Hey, since school's finally over now, do you want me to walk you home, Helga? You know, just in case Arnie tries anything again?" He felt a small…twinge of something go through him at the idea of Arnie actually 'trying something' with her again…and of course chalked it up to not wanting to see Helga upset since she had helped him so much with Lila.
Helga blinked at the offer and then instantly took a step back and shook her head…almost looking surprised at this very notion of his. "A-Arnold, that's okay, really. I-I'm sure you've got a million better things you could be doing a-and…it's fine, really, you don't have to bother with me… Besides it doesn't look like you pretending to be my boyfriend is doing much to get Lila in your corner anyway so, um…Y-Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about it." Yes, Helga was done with this stupid 'pretending' plan for good—it had royally backfired, plain and simple. She would leave the Arnold/Lila situation alone for now and find another way to work it out later. 'And besides, I've basically been messing with the Football Head for two solid weeks straight…and he just got rejected again by Lila…and he just got the biggest creep on the planet off of my back. He deserves an afternoon free from my insanity…And anyway, Helga G. Pataki needs NO ONE'S pity!'
"Helga…" Arnold saying her name cut off her thoughts on the matter…as did the fact that he took a step toward her…and he had that half lidded look going that she so adored. "It's okay…" he assured with his usual kindness and sincerity. "I want to walk you home. I want to make sure Arnie doesn't bother you anymore…and I also wouldn't mind the company." He almost chuckled as he added, "Besides, I've been doing it every day for the last two weeks as part of you pretending to me my girlfriend, so one more time won't hurt, right?" He sighed to himself then, his smile falling a tiny bit before going on (though not by much). "And anyway, as for Lila…I…" he shook his head to himself and looked back into Helga's eyes with his own brimming with their usual sincerity, "Don't worry about her. I'll work it out later…" He rolled his eyes to the side a little and almost scoffed. "Maybe Arnie really will find her to give her some lint and she can distract him a little until you're safe at your house." His gaze and smile returned to her. "I just want to make sure that you're happy now, Helga." His smile grew a little.
"U-Um…" Helga was still looking at him in that slightly confused and almost worried way (though for the life of him he couldn't figure out why she looked like that when all he'd done was offer to walk her the few blocks to her house). But then... "S-Sure, then, I guess, Arnold…" she finally replied…and then she smiled at him and he wasn't sure if he'd ever seen her look so happy. "I-I mean, if you really want to, Mr. Goody Two Shoes, then by all means escort me home, heh…" She nervously chuckled a little (both to calm herself down and at the simple fact that she felt practically giddy about the fact that Arnold really didn't sound all that disappointed about the whole Lila thing and that he actually really did want to walk her home…and, of course, that he'd just said that his biggest concern right now was her own happiness!) "Well come on, let's get a move on then, Arnold, if you're insisting on doing this!" She rolled her eyes and put one of her hands on her hip and looked at him with a grin. "We're burning daylight!"
Arnold chuckled at her response and nodded. "Okay. Let's go, Helga." And then he reached out and took her free hand and clasped it in his own for them to walk forward up the hall.
Helga instantly froze at the action, causing Arnold to pull forward a little again at first but then to stop as well…And then she had to ask of him, trying to sound calm…though really her heart pounded, "Arnold…wh-why are you holding my hand again?"
Arnold blinked and looked down at her hand that he was indeed clasping once again today and then back up at her…and blushed once more on this afternoon. "OH! I-I'm sorry, Helga. I guess I-I'm still…caught up in that boyfriend/girlfriend thing. Heh…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, feeling very sheepish…and was about to let her hand go when…
"U-Uh…n-no problem, Arnold…"
Having expected to be told off pretty thoroughly for taking her hand like that for no real reason and without her permission, Arnold was pretty surprised at this response that met his ears from Helga. He looked up at her curiously, waiting for an explanation (and his hand not letting hers go just yet…)
She was just looking down, her eyes wide, digging one of her feet into the floor a little. "I-I mean…" she went on, "It might be good for us to actually hold hands…at least until we get out of the school. J-Just in case we see Arnie again…You know, to keep up the act so he doesn't get any bright ideas." She brought her eyes back up to his and smiled at him a little sheepishly again.
'Oh…' Arnold understood now…and he agreed. "Okay, Helga." He smiled and nodded. "That makes sense. Let's go." And so he squeezed her hand and he felt her squeeze back a little…and then the two kids headed up the hall together toward the P.S. 118 front doors, holding fast to each other.
"Oh, and, um…Nice job on that jealousy act back there, Arnold," Helga had to add a few steps later. "Heck, you sold me on it, you were so good!" She grinned at him, doing her best to seem calm and casual…though inside she was DYING at holding Arnold's hand. 'Be still my throbbing young heart!' She swooned on the inside.
Helga watched with interest as, in response to her observation, a touch of that blush of his came to her beloved's features (which did NOT help to 'still the throbbing of her heart' to say the least). He shrugged and looked at her. "O-Oh…well…it wasn't really an act. I-I mean, I wasn't actually 'jealous' though…I think. It was more like…" Arnold considered as they walked, "Well, he was just being so…pushy! And you don't deserve that, Helga. No girl does. I mean, it's one thing to declare your feelings for someone of course, but…it's another thing to not take no for an answer and to be bothering the person over and over again to the point where it makes them really upset and unhappy…and also it's really not okay to hit on a girl when her boyfriend is right there with her...or at least, when you 'think' her boyfriend's right there with her." Arnold looked at her sincerely and with a touch of a frown. "I'm sorry he did that, Helga. It wasn't very, well…gentlemanly. And you deserve better than that, Helga."
Arnold watched as Helga, still keeping pace with him as they walked and held hands, just blinked and then raised part of her brow at first at all of that from him. But then her smile returned and she squeezed his hand a little again. "Arnold…" she sighed and shook her head a little in apparent amusement, "Just walk me home and quit being so mushy…"
A small chuckle had to escape Arnold at that funny reply. "Okay…Sorry, Helga." He faced forward to continue their walk to the doors.
She just sighed, still smiling, as she responded with her familiar, "You should be, Arnold. You should be…"
Just as they were about to reach the school exit though (right as Arnold was getting ready to let go of Helga's hand and push and hold open the door for her to step outside first, actually)…Arnold suddenly had to pause completely…at the feeling of…being kissed on the cheek…by Helga, he instantly realized, as she was the only girl close enough to be doing it.
That did it! The young boy broke into a fiery blush that he'd never felt himself get before (though he completely didn't understand why it was that intense) and turned to look to her with wide eyed confusion, feeling…feeling…Well, he didn't know how he was feeling! But it was just… just…
Helga, standing before him, took in a breath, let it out, and then stated with a slight smile and a shrug, looking him right in the eye. "That was for Arnie, just in case the little creep's watching…a-and also that was sort of an…extra thank you…f-for all that stuff you said about me deserving more than his stalking and it being possible for a guy to really like me and junk…." And then she smirked a little, and added more humorously than threateningly, "And if you ever tell anyone I ever did anything as girly and romantic as that, I'll knock your block off, Football Head. Remember that!" She scowled at him (though, once again, it was softened) and then removed her hand from his and crossed her arms firmly over her chest. Inside, she sighed to herself at that rosy, wide-eyed look currently on his face. 'Great—guess that means he's probably worried and embarrassed or whatever that Lila might have seen me do that and now she's gonna think we really are together or something and not want anything to do with him romantically even more than she already didn't before. Oh well...even if Lila still has his affections, I'm blessed enough to have your friendship, my beloved…and for now that is enough for me.'
Arnold just…with wide eyes and still with that blush…that deep, warm blush…and his mouth even slightly agape…he just reached out on autopilot and pushed open the door for Helga to exit the school first.
Still scowling, Helga just rolled her eyes at his continued silence and blushing and this little gesture of his, and stepped forward to leave. "And thanks, I guess, for opening the door for me, Football Head." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Now get your scrawny butt out here and finish walking me home before Arnie's NEXT visit rolls around! Sheesh!" She laughed to herself as she left the doors behind for the stoop.
Arnold finally let out a breath at her words, blinked a few times, was still blushing, but then finally just shook his head to himself and did his best to find his voice again. "O-Okay, Helga…like I said, wh-whatever you say!" With these words kind of squeaked out he then stepped outside as well and let the door close behind him to finish walking Helga home as part of the end of their fake boyfriend/girlfriend experience…
…All the while unable to help thinking, no matter how hard he tried it, that…well… 'A girl just kissed me on the cheek for the first time!'
And interestingly enough it never once occurred to Arnold that he might have preferred it if Lila had been the one to give him that kiss.
(And also interestingly enough he was all but grinning from ear to ear the whole way walking Helga home, whether he realized it or not…especially those few times she threw in a joke about how she could NEVER love Arnie in a million years!)
(Several months later, after a certain jungle adventure and after realizing and admitting his love to Helga just as she had ended up admitting her feelings to him before then on a certain rooftop, Arnold would give Helga that 'on the lips' kiss in front of his cousin during his next visit, in public or not in public, to prove once and for all that he and Helga were a couple and madly in love and that no one was coming between them.)
A/N:
Hope you guys liked this everyone :D Please review! Thank you!
Happy Reading!
~Azure129 aka Jenna
AXH FOREVER!