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Not exactly the ugly duckling	By : DancingBear Category: +G through L > Hey, Arnold! Views: 5459 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold, nor any of the characters. I do not, and will not make any money from this story. (Original creator: Craig Bartlett)

Chapter List
- 1-Not exactly the ugly duckling
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 27-27
- 28-28
- 29-29
- 30-30
- 31-31
- 32-32
- 33-Epilouge
- 5
- 6
- 7
Helga paced nervously, her socked feet swishing across the carpet.

"Fucking hurry up Phoebe!" she groaned, balling her hands into fists and pushing them against the butterflies in her stomach.

For the millionth time that night she stepped in front of her mirror and assessed her appearance.

She had decided not to wear 'The Dress' after she had worn it to play basketball with Arnold last weekend, but she had scrounged around her wardrobe and the shops close to her work on her lunch break until she had come up with a grown up version of what she used to wear.

She was in a strapless, high-waisted, raw silk dress. The top was an off-white, and the skirt was dusky pink. She had cinched the waist with a wide red belt, and had managed to find a pair of vintage, off-white, calf length boots. Her hair was in pig-tails, tied low at the back of her head with dark pink ribbon.

She had made up her eyes in smoky greys, and filled in her lips with a pink lipstick that matched the hair ribbons. She liked how she looked in the mirror, but she was so nervous she thought she might throw up.

She was going to see Arnold again… and she had no idea what to do.

Part of her was terrified that he would come onto her, part of her was terrified that he wouldn't. She was nervous enough being around him, without all of their old school friends around. What was she supposed to say to people?

She jumped when her phone went off. Snatching it off her bed, she read the message:

Outside, come down

"Thank god" she murmured, tugged her boots onto her feet, gave herself a last glance in the mirror, grabbed her bag and jacket and almost ran from the apartment, not bothering to say goodbye to her father, stretched out drunk on the sofa.

. . . . . . .

"Oh hey there kids!" Phil grinned as he opened the front door.

"Shitshitshit" Helga's inner monologue was shorting out "It's Arnold's Grandad. I'm in Arnold's house. What the HELL am I doing here?" She squeezed Phoebe's hand. Phoebe squeezed back, and turned to grin up at her as Gerald and Phil shook hands.

"They're all up on the roof, just follow the stairs." Phil stood back to let them pass. "Good to see you again Helga." He winked as she slid past him into the hallway. Helga tried to smile at him, but her face felt frozen.

Gerald chucked as he led them up the stairs to Arnold's room. "Like he needed to tell us where they are… the whole neighborhood can see them up there!" The bass of the music thumped through the air.

They climbed the stairs, passed through Arnold's room, and scaled the step-ladder up to the rooftop. Gerald went first, followed by Phoebe.

"Gerald!" a chorus cheered as Helga watched him step out onto the concrete. Phoebe was just reaching the top of the ladder as Helga stepped up onto the rungs. She was terrified. Her legs felt shaky as she tried to make the climb one handed, holding onto her bag and jacket, and keeping her short, tight skirt at a decent length.

She heard the chorus welcoming Phoebe, and desperately wished she hadn't come. She didn't want to be stared at and exclaimed over by people she didn't know anymore. She took a gulping breath, bit her lower lip, and looked up, wondering how she would step onto the roof without flashing everyone.

Arnold. He leaned over the top of the ladder, looking relaxed and happy. One side of his mouth curled up into a smile.

"Hey Helga." He paused for a second, then reached down to her "Need a hand?"

Without thinking, Helga stretched up. His fingers closed around hers and squeezed gently. Still smiling, he leaned right over and took her bag and jacket from her grasp "Let me take those." His voice was soft, but for a second, it was all she could hear.

With Arnold's help, Helga managed to make it up the stairs without disgracing herself. She was flushed when she finally stepped out onto the roof, her free hand tugged her skirt self-consciously down, and clenched into a fist when a loud gasp was followed by an even louder "HELGA?"

Rhonda rushed forwards as a murmur grew in the crowd. Arnold let Helga's hand go as Rhonda grasped her in a hug. She was exclaiming excitedly, but all Helga could here was Arnold's low chuckle behind her. She heard someone ask him if that was "really Helga? Truly!" and she listened to his amused answer.

Rhonda let her go and held her at arms length, she was still chattering, and Helga tried to make the right noises, but her head was spinning. She heard her name, and turned to face Harold Berman, but all she could see was Arnold, grinning, his fingers running through his hair as he tugged it from in front of his eyes.

She stepped forward into Harold's hug, grinned and congratulated him on his engagement, then was accosted by a mob. She was passed around and clasped and exclaimed at and kissed and squeezed and hugged again, until someone else turned up and they finally turned away from her.

"Sorry about the horde, but you've caused quite a stir, being so elusive and all." She could feel him at her shoulder, his voice made her breath catch. She turned to face him, and felt her heart thump as his eyes looked straight into hers. "Drink?" He passed her back her jacket.

Helga just nodded dumbly and followed Arnold as he led her to long tables set up at one end of the roof. "What would you like?" he asked, gesturing to the Huge array of drinks, on tables and in bins of ice.

Helga swallowed, wishing she could sit down. "Um…" she cleared her throat "Um, just a juice? Gerald has our drinks." Arnold nodded, passed her a plastic cup, and led her to a wooden chair. She sat primly, her knees pressed together, as he pulled a chair up close to hers, and fell into it, his long, skinny legs sprawling out.

He leaned against the back of the chair, watching her. She felt strange, being watched, but the juice wet her throat and her head started to clear, and she finally felt level enough to smile at him. "Thanks." She said, raising the cup a little and attempting another smile.

"Nervous?" he asked, reaching up to tug his hair out of his face again.

Helga spluttered, jerking a hand up to her mouth. She took a breath to make sure she wasn't choking, before she laughed, relaxing into her chair. "That, dear Arnold, is an understatement. I felt like I was an ape from the zoo or something!"

He chuckled, that low, good-natured laugh. "That's not fair! Everyone's just excited." He sighed as they watched the crowd dissipate, and a group of people break off and head in their direction. "Feeling better?" he asked as he stood "Up to facing the feeding frenzy?" Helga nodded, and smiled, and felt her stomach flip as he offered her his hand again.

Again, his long fingers clasped over hers, and she felt the warmth of his palm as he helped her to her feet. The crowd was almost upon them when he stared her straight in the eyes and murmured "You look amazing, by the way. Really." His eyes flitted up and down her, and he took a quick breath before smiling "You're so beautiful."

With that, he gently dropped her hand, turned to meet the approaching people, and left Helga to try get her heart of her throat.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Not exactly the ugly duckling