Helga's Heart Arnold's Eyes chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Picture Worth Few Too Many Words.


" So whats the plan man?" Gerald said as he and Arnold stood in the boys room. Arnold had learned over the years that Helga had a bad habit of knowing what was going on in his life, and he attributed it to her insanely 'good hearing'. So to not take any chances he had pulled Gerald into the boys room discretely. He smirked as he hit the button for the hand dryer to drown out there conversation.

"First we tail Helga to make sure she isn't going home."

"Right."

"Then we wait till she's not home and go to her house."

"R-right."

"Then we ask to come in saying were picking something up, some lame excuse to go in. And you keep her mom distracted while I look around for photos of her."

"... Right."

" Then when I take a quick picture of it, we take it back to my house, edit it so it looks like a scan. And turn it in to Simmons."

" Arnold.. are you sure about this man. You know Helga will kill you if you do this."

" Look it's just a photo, I seriously doubt theres any real reason other then she just forgot. This way she can be apart of something instead of felling left out."

" You're bold as always Arnold. A bold dead man."

The dryer shut off and the two rushed out of the bathroom. Darting down the hallway Gerald and Arnold caught sight of Phoebe, causing Gerald to pull to a screeching stop to take a few moments to flirt with his girlfriend.

" Gerald! We don't have time for this!"
" Calm down bro. Give a brother a second."

Arnold disgruntledly stood back and watched as Gerald worked his magic.

" Hey there pretty lady."

" Greetings to you too Gerald." Phoebe said with a giggle, a pink staining her cheeks.  Gerald continued to whisper something in her ear, causing her to look faint and dizzy. Gerald pulled back and raised an eye brow towards Arnold motioning for him to do something..
'oh!' Arnold realized. 'thank you ladies man Gerald.'

"Hey Phoebe? Where's Helga going today."

"Hmm wa... she has an.. appointment, with Doctor Bliss." Phoebe said swaying back and forth. Not in her right state of mind. Only Phoebe knew what Helga was up to after school, this way they didn't have to wast time trying to catch up to Helga to follower her home. Gerald went in for the kill kissing her on the lips leaving her speechless, letting her fall against the lockers. He grabbed Arnold's arm and pulled him down the hall.

" You have got to teach me that man." Arnold said with a smile looking back at phoebe who was still dizzy slumped on the floor.

" Why so you can use it on Helga?" Gerald laughed as a heavy blush came across his friends face.

"WHAT.. no!" he protested as his friend laughed at him. He would be lying though if the scene didn't flash in his mind were Phoebe and Gerald were replaced by Helga and himself. Gerald putting thoughts into his head. Just what he needed. The boys continued running down the hallway dodging students and teachers. Arnold had to admit that he had taken to some of Helga's personality traits, nothing to serious, but the idea of pulling one on Helga for the greater good, running down the hall causing trouble, he felt his heart was light as feather and so incredibly warm. Sometimes Helga's way of life was so much fun.


They arrived at the Pataki house out of breath, and laughing a little. In all the heat of running they had turned it into a race. Arnold winning only cause he knew a secret short cut to Helga's place. The Pataki house stood there before them. Blue brick warn, paint chipping ever so slightly at the door. The two boys climbed up the stoop trying to regain there breath. Arnold reached for the door bell but Gerald stopped him.

" Man what if Helga decided not to go to doctor Bliss and she's in there right now?"

" Uh... " Arnold hadn't thought of that. But a smirk showed on his face as he turned to Gerald. " Then we run!"

Gerald looked at him un amused. " Great plan man."

The bell rang softly behind the door, and some fumbling was heard. Gerald and Arnold began to get nervous. Forget Helga showing up at the door. Helga could forgive him. But what if it was Big Bob. Big Bob hated Arnold. Something about him had always set of some sort of inner rage in Bob. In fact he had hadn't been in Helga's house for a few years, Helga never wanted to hang out there.  He would always be left outside waiting for her. Last time he was in her house was the time he had hit her with a base ball in forth grade and he had to take care of her.

Arnold knew Big Bob wasn't all bad. Just not the type of person he would like to spend a long period of time with, and the feeling was mutual. About five minuets passed and Arnold rang the bell again. The door began to open and both boys stiffened, there smiles replaced by looks of fear and nerves.

But they were soon replaced by relieve as the two boys looked at the half awake Miriam, who looked as if she had just woken up, eyes trying to shut out the light.

"Uhh.. Hi Mrs. Pataki. We need to pick up something from Helga." Miriam's eyes opened to look down at the too boys. They were lifeless and glazed. " C-can we come in?"

" Huh?" she responded, her voice sounding broken and soar, as if it hadn't been used in years. " Yeah sure fine." She moved out of the way to reveal the bowels of what is the Pataki home. The boys entered with caution, as if walking into a dark cave, were something would pop out any minute. Gerald watched Miriam drag herself over to the couch were she flopped over on it and fell back asleep.

"Uhh.. Arnold? I don't think I'll have to distract her. She's doing pretty well on her own."

"Right, well lets just look for that photo. You take the trophy room, i'll take the hallway and the dining room."

"Right."

Arnold walked down the hallway gazing at the photos on the wall, but something was off. Helga's photo wasn't there. It was ether just olga, or olga and her parents. Arnold began to look harder. Nothing, a small bit of what could be a pink bow every here and there, a few with a tiny Helga like figure in the background, but other then that it was like she never excised.  He continued into the dining room, but the same thing. Every framed picture on display was of her sister. Arnold entered the trophy room to find Gerald with an expression as confused as he was sure his face looked.
"I got nothing."

"Me ether."

"Are we sure she lives here?"

"Gerald!"

"Sorry man. But what are we gonna do?"

Arnold thought for a minute, then glanced at the slumped sleeping figure of Helga's mom on the couch. He leaned down and whispered to her.

"Mrs. Pataki, were do you keep your unframed family photos?"

"Ha..ll... c... loset.." she mumbled into the pillow.

"Nice." commented Gerald. The two headed over to the closet, opening it they saw several shoe boxes up on a shelf.

"Olga 1-2, Olga 3, Olga 3-4, Olga 5, Olga 6.. What the heck!?"

"Up top looks like 'Family photos' man."

Arnold grabbed the box almost tearing the lid off it. Scrambling through the photos. On the backs of each were dates along with event names.

"Found one! this is suppose to be Helga's forth birthday." Flipping over the photograph he was greeted with olga sitting behind a table with her mother and father on ether side.. in the corner of the photograph sitting on the table looked to be a cake with a large six candle on it. and a small hand waving about to grab the attention of the camera.

Arnold continued looking.. he found tons like this.. he was beginning to feel sick. How in the hell did they not have one photograph of there second daughter. Arnold slammed the lid back on the box.. placing it back up on the shelf. Thinking for a moment.

"Lets try Helga's room."

"Are you INSAIN?! We can't go in her room man! She will destroy us if she found out. Which she will!"

"Gerald. This is messed up, now I cant believe that they didn't take one photo of Helga when she was growing up, she must have them all hidden in her room cause she's embarrassed or something."

" If they're embarrassing then she for sure will kill us when she finds out."

Arnold shut the closet, almost darting up stairs to Helga's room, Gerald close behind.


Helga's room was not much different from what he remembered. It was a room that hardly fitted Helga to be honest. Lots of pink and purple, the wall paper had begun to be covered by band posters. But what caught his attention were the paintings.

They were every where. Self portraits of herself, in pain, in anguish. One in particular, looking as if Helga had punched the mirror. the image looking broken and fragmented. Her eyes hidden behind her bangs.  The one on the easel looked as if it had just been started just a base form, a portrait depicting Helga's figure from the side, and at about her shoulders she began to slowly fade out. A hovering form in the center of the painting.

Arnold was astounded. He knew Helga was good with her hands, but he had no idea she possessed this much skill. The paintings were so beautiful some depicting sorrow, and grief, but in others there was such a feeling of hope and warmth that arnold found himself speechless.

"Arnold man. You ok?" Gerald asked. Arnold felt a single tear on his face. He looked at the newly started portrait, he suddenly understood why Helga had refused to bring in a child photo for the year book. It was because.. there was none. There was no photograph of herself when she was growing up, nor any from any point in her life. Arnold continued to look at some of her paintings, a few had shown a try at a younger Helga. She must have gone of memory or class photos. A sad little girl clinging to what looked like a wrinkled paper heart in her hands.

"Hey Arnold... I.. I don't see any pictures."

"Yeah." Arnold wandered over to her closet. Opening it up and pulling back some of the old clothing that hung there. What looked back at him was nothing more then an empty closet. A few christmas lights on the ground, a box full of pink and purple note books. But nothing like he was hopping. He wished to see at least ten shoe boxes of Helga photos, but he was greeted with cob webs and silence.

"Maybe we should just.. go."

His heart sank. He just didn't get it, it felt like it should have been such an easy task. Heck! For anyone else this would have been an easy task. He was sure that every kid in his class would walk home to a house full of there photos on display, embarrassing shots that there parents loved, yet they hated. But nothing. It was like she wasn't even there daughter.

"Yeah I guess you're.. "

SLAM

" WHERE IS SHE MIRIAM!? WHERE THE HELL IS SHE!?"

Arnold and Gerald where filled with fear. Big bob Had arrived home, and by the sound of it, with something on his mind.

Arnold grabbed Gerald and pulled him back into her room.

" What are you doing man!? We gotta get out NOW!"

" Helga's got a fire escape ladder we can use." Arnold pulled it out of the closet. Climbing on her bed he opened her window and connected it to the window sill letting the ladder fall hitting against the house slightly. " You go first."

Gerald climbed on her bed and prepared to descend out the window when they heard the front door open again.

" I'm home!"

It was Helga. Arnold was frozen shock. Helga probably had no clue how angry Big Bob was. He climbed off her bed and headed over to the closed door cracking it open to hear better.

"Arnold!" Gerald whispered. "What are you doing man! We got to get out."

"HEY HEY HEY HEY! Why in the heck were you late for school today!? They had to call me! Worried that something had happened. DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD THAT MAKES ME LOOK?"

" Well if you reacted with worry it might make you look like a concerned father. It just took me a little longer getting to school. Had to put my face on." Helga's voice was filled with sarcasm, anger, and a slight feeling of fear? It was silent. Then a strike was heard. It shattered the silence like a shot, ringing in Arnold's ears.

"WATCH YOUR TONE LITTLE LADY. I WILL NOT HAVE YOU BEING LATE TO SCHOOL MAKING ME LOOK BAD. AND HOW BOUT JUST NOW HUH? WHERE WERE YOU?!"

" ... I was at my appointment with Doctor Bli..."

Another strike was heard along with something breaking and another thump, Helga had probably hit the wall.

"YOU TOLD HER DIDN'T YOU!?! YOU LITTLE RAT!? PATAKI'S DONT TALK ABOUT THERE PROBLEMS!? YOU BITCH! YOU BLABED!"

"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, LOOK AT WHAT IM WEARING, EVERY THING TO COVER UP YOUR MARKS."

Another strike. Arnold was filled with rage.. He felt a tough on his arm. Gerald trying to pull him out.

"Arnold, anything you do now, will make it worse. Lets get out!"

Arnold looked at the door. The shouting continued, less understandable as it was muffled by the door.  But a strike was heard again, and Arnold flinched. His fist tightened.

"Gerald... get me out of here now before I do something I'm going to regret."

And with that Gerald yanked him out the window, forcing him to clime down the later.. when they reached the ground he grabbed tight of Arnold's arm and pulled on it, running with him into a the ally way.

Once they were far enough away from the house Arnold flew into a state of rage, kicking and screaming. Tossing near by bottles and milk crates. Gerald watched with sad eyes. He didn't bother to stop Arnold's rampage.

"HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THAT!? Her father HITS her Gerald! And I had no CLUE! I feel like such an IDIOT!" he picked up an empty trash can tossing it against the wall.  Gerald noticed some of the people looking down from there apartments and he grabbed Arnold again, pulling him away from the scene. Putting an arm around his shoulder trying to keep him calm during the long walk home.

When Arnold and Gerald had arrived at Sunset Arms boarding house Arnold had had time to calm down. He was still filled with anger, at himself, at big bob, even a little at Helga for behind so stubborn as to not tell him, for hiding her fathers abuse. He took a deep sigh, and said his goodbyes to a worried looking Gerald, after making him promise not to breath a word, not even to Phoebe. Arnold looked at the door of his home. He, once again, really didn't want to talk to the other borders. Anyone for that matter. The only one he wanted to talk to, he had just left at the mercy of Big Bob Pataki. He climbed up his fire escape, through the skylight, landing on his bed. He sat up  starring at the wall he had just climbed down from. He needed something, anything, something he could hit, other wise he felt like he was going to explode. His fist flew the air and met with the wall, leaving a dent, and a soar hand. Arnold brought it back to nurse it. He sat like that for, god knows how long, starring at his hand, the dent in the wall. His mind went over everything. The Long clothing, absences, distain from spending time in her own house. It all made so much sense now.

Tap

Tap
Tap

He looked up. And there she was. Looking over at him through the skylight. The sunset haloing around her hair. She gave a week smile. Arnold just starred up wide eyed. He climbed the later opening the sky light letting her in.

"Helga?" He found his voice caught in his throat, how on earth could he talk to her knowing what she just went through, while she had no clue about him witnessing it.

"Hey football head. I.. lost my keys to my house.. and well no one was home.. and Phoebe wasn't picking up so I thought, maybe... I could..." she couldn't look at him. but he saw it, the slight tinge of purple under what looked to be cover up, Helga's mistake, she had left before the bruise was developed and hadn't put on enough makeup to conceal it. He reached out touching her bruised check, watching her flinch, but she softened under his more gentle  touch. He brought her face to look at him. Her eyes were wide in shock, a deer in headlights. But this was it, he knew, she had finally come to open up to him.

"Helga." He breathed her name like a sigh, and like that, all of her walls crumbled. He watched the tears swell up in her eyes, overflowing down her face, as she let out a heart wrenching wail. Arnold pulled her close, letting her cry on his shoulder. He cautiously put his arms around her, scared not wanting to touch her where it hurt. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and let out her cries, of pain, fear, and relief. Arnold stroked her back letting her continue till she was coherent again.

"A-Arnold.. I'm.. so sorry."

"Shhh don't be. Its not your fault."

"I-- I just. I co-couldn't tell anyone... and.. I just.. Big Bob he."

"No need to explain, I think I understand enough." to be honest Arnold was sure that even if he didn't witness the strikes he would have guessed the bruises were Big Bobs doing. After all Helga hadn't gotten into a real fight in years and even if she did it was something she was never too worried about people seeing, " You should see her." was always her response if any showed concern for a bruised check or bloody nose.

He looked at Helga, over come by sadness, he knew what he had to do. Something Helga would never do on her own. He had to save her. He pulled away from Helga.. leaving her to rest on his bed, looking confused. He walked over to his phone by the couch and picked it up.

"Hello. Yes I would like to report a crime."

"ARNOLD NO!! You can't!" Helga whimpered running over trying to take the phone. Arnold filled with rage as he looked at this girl trying to protect her fathers name.
"HELGA I AM DOING THIS. ITS NOT RIGHT FOR TO GO THROUGH LIFE LIKE THIS. SO SIT DOWN AND LET ME HELP YOU! Now I know things are gonna get tough but this needs to be done for your own safety." Helga looked in shock again. Arnold very rarely spoke out of rage. It had such a power to it. Helga found her self week in the knees as she slumped onto the floor by Arnold's feet.

" I would like to report child abuse and neglect in the Pataki house... yes.. I have her with me now, she's safe. Yes... I understand. Thank-you." Arnold hung up the phone.

" Come on, I'll have grandpa drive us to the police station, you have to give a statement." He started picking her and noticed she was shaking. He grabbed a sweatshirt and wrapped it around her shoulders. With his arms supporting her they made there way downstairs to the kitchen where grandpa was sitting reading the newspaper.

"Hey there short man... huh.. Arnold what happened."

"Grandpa were gonna need a ride to the police station."