Hello All! Man its been sooooo long sence ive posted anything. but this little 2 part came to me today while i was watching the episode 'little pink book with my daughter. Its 2 parts and im gonna try to have part 2 up in a few days! and please R&R. like I said its been a while so i know its not the best it could be...but i tried, and thats what matters. so please...be nice! =)

BTW- italics are flashbacks...well not all of them but youll get it!

Yadda Yadda Yadda...i own nothing...yadda yadda yadda...you know the drill. hehe

He stared blankly at the object in his hand.

In all honesty he'd completely forgot of its existence. It seemed like it was ages ago it had been seen by Gerald, standing out at his side against his other school books.

The little pink poetry book. Full of poems about…him.

In all honesty he had really been completely flattered by the whole situation. He even envied the owner of this beautiful piece of true talent a little. Knowing someone who must have been close to his age, if not right at it, could know and feel that sort of thing for anyone, much less him. It made him feel special. He only wished he would have been able to know who harbored such strong feelings for him. Not just to simply know, but in hopes maybe, just maybe, he'd learn to have those feelings to. It must have felt amazing.

Even now, at 18, he wished he could know that kind of love. He'd thought he'd found love, a few times, but each time he found himself looking for the kind of love he'd read about in this very book.

And he has still yet to know it.

It made him a little sadder now. Knowing that after almost 10 years of wondering, searching, hoping…His time would soon be up. He knew that after he left this city, he'd probably never find someone else who'd love him like…that.

But he was leaving. Leaving for collage, in 3 days.

Damn.

He was still trying to wrap his mind around it, and this little pink book only added more reality to it. In 3 days he would be leaving his family, his friends, this city behind.

It felt surreal. He'd always imagined spending his whole life in this wonderful neighborhood. Surrounded by his childhood friends, who then turned to his teenage friends. And now, becoming young adults. Going off to collage and starting there own life's. He wondered briefly who'd come back, and who wouldn't. Who he'd stay in contact with, who he wouldn't.

Then he remembered just what kind of friends he had. The kind that he'd known since preschool, the ones he's played ball with at Gerald field. The ones who helped him save a old tree, ones who stood by him no matter what, ones who believed in him.

And ofcorse, save the whole neighborhood.

He smiled as he remembered the look on all there faces when he had climbed out of the bus with Gerald and Helga.

Helga…Now there was another mystery that seems to always become unsolvable.

Oh he'd come quite close a few times over the years, well that was, until after…after she…

No. He couldn't think about it. Sometimes he really found himself wondering if that really even happened. It happened so quick, and now looking back on it, it seemed like it ended just as quick. Since so much happened between the time she 'snapped out of it' and watching sheck being hauled away in cuffs, well it felt like it had all just been a dream.

Maybe that's why you let her take it back…

His eyes widened at his sudden voice in his mind. Where did that come from? He didn't let her take it back, she did that on her own. She had the chance to tell him the truth and according to her, it was the heat of the moment.

Arnold let out a sign as he leaned back against the wall, taking his eyes of the bright pink book and looking up through the skylight. Helga had always been a part of his life in some way or another, now a days though often less that then usual. Actually ever since he had mad the announcement 3 weeks ago he'd be leaving Hillwood for studies in California.

The look on her face really had been heartbreaking, he recalled. And looking back on it now, he realized, he'd seen that face before. Quite a few times actually, now that he really, really thought about it.

Like the time she'd shown up right after Lila had dumped him. The first time, in 4th grade. When he'd asked her is she knew what it was like to care about someone who didn't care back. Looking back now he could recall her taking a sharp intake of breath at the question, and letting it out in a shaky breath, as if she were holding back tears.

And then the April fools dance, when He'd gave her a douse of her own medicine in the form of twirling her in the pool after she'd tricked him into thinking she was still blind. For the briefest moment before gaining her composure he could see the hurt in her eyes.

Those times stood out among all others. Sure there had been times where he would tell her about some new girl he had his eyes on, it always seemed as though she was trying not to listen, or would and then smile sadly and wish him the best.

And the times a girl had broke his heart. She always seemed to rage with anger when she'd find out. Promising to teach the girl a lesson. And when he'd ask her why, she'd simply studded out some reason that he knew was a lie.

But the one time that stood out the most was that day they had saved the neighborhood. When she told him she loved him.

He hadn't thought about it in quite some time , but for some reason now he could remember it clear as day…

"But Helga, Why'd you do it?" Arnold ask, the confusion plan in his voice. The girl in question laughed nervously, looking away.

"Its my civic duty." She answered in a defensive voice.

But the young boy wasn't convinced…"Helga…"

"Because I love a good mystery…" she stuttered out again, more in the form of a question then a statement.

Arnold felt like rolling his eyes, Why was she being so difficult? Why did she always have to be so difficult? "Come on! What's the real reason?" he practically shouted. He was going to get a straight answer, he was going to get the truth.

She sighed, throwing her hands towards the sky, " Oh I don't know Arnoldo! Maybe I just took pity on you and your stupid friends…" She trailed off, turning to look out over the city in the distance.

Arnolds confusion raised slightly. Him and his friends? Went they her friends to? It didn't matter, that's not what mattered right now, what did matter was why. "Well, why?"

She seemed to tense up for a minute, before taking a deep breath and leaned forward onto the railing, fidgeting her hand. He wasn't sure she had heard him ask, until…" Because…Because maybe I don't hate you as much as I thought ok?…" she took another breath, voice shaking as she continued, "I guess maybe I kinnda like you a little…" the even softer she added, "I guess you might even say I like you a lot."

He was taken back by her words. She did this for him? Because she…liked him? He had to ask, he had to know for sure…

"You did this, For me?"

She spun then, bringing her eyes back to his before taking a breath and yelling, "That's right hair boy! I mean crimeny! What else are you suppose to do when someone you love is in trouble?"

WHAT? Had he just heard her correctly? "…Love?"

He could practically see the fire in her eyes as she stood over him, "You heard me pal! I love you! Love you!" she was getting closer, causing him to step back. He had a feeling she was about to go over board so he let her finish, " Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day, building shrines to you in a closet, filling volumes of books with poems about you…"

WAIT A SECOND!

Arnold snapped out of his thoughts. Had she really said that? He ran the memory through his mind again. The again. Then once more. Oh yeah, she had said that.

Shaking his head a little in order to try to prevent the rushing feeling in his head, the little book drew his attention again.

And like a lightning bolt in his mind he could see everything. Very clearly.

This little pink book that held the most beautiful poems about him, about a love that he's been looking for and hoping to find for so long now.

And it came in the form of Helga G Pataki.

He sat staring at the book for what could have been hours. Making sure this new information he had been to blind to see for all these year could possess correctly. The way he hadn't been able to when he was 9.

And he had to figure out a very important question himself, did he love her back? If not, could he ever? The thought was a little odd to him. Loving Helga? It felt a little wired to think.

But then again…it didn't feel wrong either. And quite frankly, it also didn't feel impossible either. In fact the longer he sat there and thought about it, the more he found himself wanting it.

Rubbing his thumb over the smooth surface of the book, Arnold made a very important decision.

Rising from his seat on the floor, he walked to his bed and picked up his jacket. Sliding his arms in the jacket sleeves and the book into the inside pocket for late use, he headed out of his room and down the stairs to the found door of the boarding house.

And after calling to his Grandpa that he'd be back before dark, Arnold Shortman walked out the door and down the street towards Helga's.

Today, he was going to find out the truth, and a small but growing part of his heart hoped the she still felt the same way.