Bleeding Hearts

Part Seven: Of Magic and True Love

Helga's walk to school was surprisingly painless. She knew she should feel awful after losing the love of her life by removing the spell that kept his heart bond to her but for some reason she felt…good.

"I guess doing the right thing isn't so painful after all." Helga shrugged.

The bell rang and Helga was back in her seat starring towards her love in the front row. Things were certainly back to normal. Arnold didn't turn around to look at her once. It was amazing how everything could turn back to normal so quickly.

The lunch bell rang and the students all filed into the cafeteria, sitting at their usual tables, even Arnold was back to sitting with Gerald, never looking up to see Helga as she passed by.

By the end of the day Helga was 100% certain that Arnold no longer felt anything but maybe a slight friendship towards her again.

At home she fell back on her bed and starred up at the ceiling. She still felt right about what she did, but then again, something in her heart wished Arnold would've at least said something to her.

RIIINNGG!!!

Helga jumped up, she was the only one in the house at the moment so naturally she was stuck playing secretary for all Bob's angry beeper clients.

"Hello? Sorry, no refunds. All sales are final." she answered.

"Helga?" Arnold's voice asked.

"ARNOLD?!" she gasped, what could he want?

"I was just calling to check on you."

"Why?"

"I dunno, I just felt like it I guess."

"Yeah right," Helga was suddenly infuriated with him, "after you spent all day pretending that I didn't exist!"

"I know I haven't been acting like myself lately," Arnold confessed, "and I'm really sorry. I-"

"You don't have to say anything," Helga sighed, may as well come clean and get the whole thing over with now, "I know why you've been acting strange and it's all my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Arnold, I know this may sound crazy but…" Helga took a deep breath, "Arnold I went to Madame Blanch's shop and bought a love spell to get you to tell me what you really thought of me."

There was a brief pause as Arnold tried to decide whether or not Helga was serious, "Why would you do that Helga?"

"Well, after I told you that I loved you--back when we were saving the neighborhood--and then you played it off by asking me if I really hated you…" she was so embarrassed telling him all this, "I guess I just wanted to know if you really did love me or if…"

"Or if you were wasting your time chasing after someone who didn't love you back?" Arnold finished.

"Yeah."

This reminded him of how he felt about Lila, he just couldn't be mad at Helga. He'd been through this himself. "Helga--I--I understand."

"You do?" this was a shock.

"Yeah, remember, Lila only likes me." Arnold grinned.

Helga couldn't help but laugh a little, "Well anyway, you don't have to worry about the spell I--it, um--wore off."

Arnold didn't know what else to say. Truthfully, he didn't know why he'd called Helga in the first place. But he was kind of glad he did, "I guess this means I like you like you huh?"

"Who knows?" Helga shrugged, "It was just a stupid spell."

"Maybe," Arnold was tangling his finger in the phone cord. He wasn't so sure it was just the spell. He certainly felt normal again, just…well, that feeling in his heart hadn't completely gone away.

"So if all you wanted to do was see how I was I guess you can hang up now." Helga made a motion to put the phone down.

"Wait!"

"What?" Helga questioned, rapidly pulling the phone back to her ear.

"I--uh--are there all by yourself?"

"Yes…" What a weird question to ask. "How'd you know?"

"Well, you answered the phone and told me no refunds." Arnold smiled. Helga could tell he was smiling just by the tone of his voice.

"Oh yeah," Helga blushed.

"You want some company?" Arnold inquired, "I'm not really doing anything here at the boarding house and, well, maybe we could watch a movie or something?"

Helga's heart was pounding in her chest, Arnold's asking to come over. TO MY HOUSE!!! "Uh, sure Football Head, Big Bob's not here to hog the television so I guess we could do that."

"Great," Arnold exclaimed, "I'll be right over!"

As she hung up the phone Helga swooned. She couldn't believe it! Madame Blanch was right, Arnold really did love her. So much that he had to tell her, in his own sweet way of course.

Arnold arrived at Helga's a few minutes later. They sat in Big Bob's chair in the living room and watched a late night movie marathon.

Helga's parents came home a few hours later just as the phone rang.

Miriam answered, "H-hello?"

"Hey there Pataki," Arnold's grandpa greeted her, "just calling to see what the short man was up to. He's been gone a couple of hours."

"Oh, well hold on, I'll check." Miriam sat the phone down and went into the living room. Bob motioned for her to be quiet as he pointed over to his chair where Helga and Arnold were dozing away in each other's arms.

"Isn't that just the sweetest thing?" Miriam smiled.

"Yeah, that Alfred's really not such a bad kid." Bob agreed. "Guess he can sleep over here tonight."

Miriam went back to the phone as Bob draped a blanket over the two snoozing fourth graders.

"Uh, hello, Mr.--um--Phil?"

"Yes?"

"Arnold's still here, he's sleeping in the living room with Helga. They were watching movies." Miriam informed him. "Is it alright if we just let him sleep here tonight?"

"Sure thing." Phil agreed. Hanging up he turned to his wife, "Well Pooky, it looks like the short man's got himself a girlfriend."

"Really?" Arnold's grandma turned, "Who?"

"That Pataki girl with the one eyebrow."

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" she grinned, "They looked so cute together at the Halloween party."

"Yep," Phil threw his arm around her waist as they walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, "she's really cast a spell over the short man."

~*The End*~

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*Like the ending? I hope it wasn't too sappy. ^_^ I'm a sucker for happy endings, lol. I'm just glad I finished this before Halloween. Speaking of Halloween…Happy Halloween everyone!*