Hey Arnold: Best Friend Twist

If you want to see major jealousy between Hey Arnold characters then I suggest you read this. You will see what I mean later on in the story. It gets really good… trust me. I want to put out that my mom gave me the idea for this one, so I can't take all the credit for it. Also for that annoying disclaimer thing- I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD! Ok I am glad that's settled. So on with the story! (Warning: there might be a cat fight.) Also chapters might be a bit slow on this one because I am going through writers block for this story. I will do my best and always…Review! Never stop reading! Reading helps the soul!

Chapter 1:

It was a like any other Saturday. Arnold and his best friend Gerald were walking to the arcade. Gerald and Arnold had been saving up their money so they could play a whole bunch of games at the arcade and still have some left over for ice cream.

"This is going to be great! We are going to play video games all day and then to top it all off, we're going to have a big ice cream sundae. What game are you going to play first, Arnold?" Gerald asked Arnold. Arnold looked up from day dreaming and shrugged.

"I don't know Gerald. I am probably going to play Space Invaders or Runaway Bus. I am really looking forward to today. It will be a lot of fun," said Arnold. Gerald grinned.

"You bet my man. We are gonna have loads of fun," Gerald replied. Arnold and Gerald finally got to the arcade and walked in. The bell on top of the door chimed as they opened the door. Gerald and Arnold noticed a few kids from school there.

"Hey look Gerald," Arnold pointed in the direction of their friends. "Stinky, Sid, and Harold are here. We should go say Hello," Arnold suggested. Gerald shrugged.

"I'm down with that. It couldn't hurt, I guess," Gerald agreed. The boys walked up to their friends and waved.

"Hey guys. What you up to?" Arnold asked the three boys standing around not playing any games. They frowned and looked at Arnold and Gerald.

"We were going to play Runaway Bus, but Helga is hogging it," Sid said in an annoyed tone of voice. Arnold looked at the Runaway Bus machine and, indeed saw Helga G. Pataki playing it. Arnold and Gerald looked at each other. They looked back at the boys.

"You could always play another game while you're waiting," Arnold suggested. Gerald spoke up.

"I would if I were you. I wouldn't dare mess with Helga Pataki. I mean let's face it, she isn't one you would want to mess with," Gerald warned. They all mumbled and nodded in agreement. They looked at the girl in pink and frowned.

Arnold recalled a time when he felt comfortable talking to Helga. Even though she had always been mean to him, at least he could talk to her without thinking about her confession. It had been about a month ago and he still remembered her exact words. "I have always loved you, ever since I laid eyes on your stupid football head." He especially remembered that kiss she had given him after she confessed that she had loved him. He remembered how she had agreed with him that it was in the "heat of the moment," but he knew…somewhere deep in his heart he knew that she really did love him. He knew that if he said anything to her about it though, she would deny it and it would make her feel uncomfortable. He did not want her to feel this way but he wanted to know. He figured he would have to wait until she was ready to talk about it…if she would ever be ready, he did not know. His attention went to Harold who was complaining, as usual.

"It's not fair! She shouldn't hog games; especially a game that she knows is our favorite! I say we demand her to let us have a turn! Who's with me?"

"I don't know about that…what if she pounds us? I'm too young to be pounded!" Stinky exclaimed Harold scowled.

"Well, I'm the boss and I say we are going to go up to her and demand she let us play the game! Let's go," Harold said as he pulled Stinky and Sid towards Helga.

"It's your funeral," Gerald added before they were next to Helga. Gerald and Arnold were going to walk away but Gerald noticed Phoebe. He stopped. Arnold looked at him with confusion.

"Why'd you stop Gerald?" Arnold asked as he looked in the direction that Gerald was now staring at. Arnold smirked when he saw the person he was looking at. "Oh…never mind. I should have guessed. Where there is Helga Pataki there is Phoebe Heyerdahl…and where there is Phoebe Heyerdahl there are your eyes staring at her," Arnold jokingly said. Gerald came out of his daze and looked at Arnold. He blushed slightly and laughed nervously.

"I don't know what you're talking about Arnold," Gerald said.

"Whatever you say Gerald, but I hope you know it's pretty obvious you like Phoebe… a lot. I think she likes you too. She seems to look at you sometimes too. She even blushes when you call her babe. You have hung out together before at parties and school events, so why can't you just make it official and ask her out?" Arnold asked. Gerald's eyes went wide.

"I couldn't do that Arnold. She doesn't like me. She just hung out with me those few times because she probably felt sorry for me. I mean I go around acting like a ladies' man when I've never even kissed a girl, let alone gone on a date with one. I feel like a fake sometimes, my man. Why would the smartest girl in the whole school want to go out with someone like me anyway? I'm not worth her time," Gerald confessed. Arnold looked at him and placed a hand on his best friends shoulder to comfort him.

"Oh come on Gerald, you are a great guy and I am sure she likes you. Why wouldn't she? I bet if you asked her out she would say yes. In fact…why don't you ask her right now, come on," Arnold excitedly said as he pulled Gerald by the sleeve towards Phoebe. Gerald tried to pull away but Arnold had a firm grip on him.

"Arnold let go! I am serious, let go man!" Gerald pleaded but Arnold just kept going. Arnold smirked as he was pulling. He stopped and saw Phoebe and Helga coming around the corner. He pulled Gerald behind a game and stopped. "Finally, you stopped…wait why did you stop?" Arnold grinned as Gerald asked that. Arnold looked out from behind the machine. He grinned and pushed Gerald out from behind the game and right into an unexpected character. That character was Helga G. Pataki.

Gerald looked at Helga. He never really noticed her eyes before. They were blue? I mean he kind of noticed they were blue but not…that blue. They sparkled a little. He noticed she had a smile on her face as she looked as if she was expecting something else. Then she had a look of pure sadness for a moment. Gerald took in the look and noticed she looked better when she wasn't scowling. She even looked…pretty? His thoughts were interrupted.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer Geraldo. Why are you staring at me anyway?" Helga asked with a rough tone, as usual. He shook his head. Had he been staring?

"Oh, umm…sorry Helga," Gerald started to say, "I wasn't paying attention and as for the staring I was just…lost in thought. Anyway, where is Phoebe?"

"She's in the bathroom. Why do you ask? You gonna ask her out or something?"

"What? No, No…of course not! Why would I do that…that's a stupid idea Helga, I would never do that…I mean we're just friends! Umm…" Gerald was babbling nonsense. He was nervous that Helga would figure that was what he was going to do…or at least, planned to do.

Helga had been staring at him for an answer and when she heard that she felt bad for her best friend. She knew Phoebe really liked Gerald and this would break her heart. She was mad at Gerald now.

"Why would you never do that? That is really mean to say Geraldo! Phoebe is a great person and you would be lucky if she even considered being your stinkin' girlfriend!" Helga was yelling at him. She had taken her clenched fist and pinned Gerald on the machine behind him. She was in his face. She was not going to let anyone talk bad about her best friend.

"I mean…I like her…but just a friend ok. I didn't mean to offend you or Phoebe…I just don't like like her, ok? I am her friend though," Gerald lied. He wanted to ask Phoebe out for the longest time. She was such a nice and smart girl, that he couldn't help but fall for her. He didn't want Helga to know though. Helga softened and set him down.

"Well…just be nice to her or you're dead, got it?" Helga threatened. Gerald nodded nervously. Helga started to walk away and strangely Gerald followed her to Space Invaders. He didn't know why but he felt like he wanted…or even needed to follow her. Helga and Arnold didn't know it but Phoebe and Arnold had been listening to their conversation. Arnold had been behind the machine the whole time and Phoebe was also behind a game, but a different one. Phoebe had heard what Gerald had said and was now crying. She ran back to the ladies room. Arnold felt a pain in his chest. It wasn't for Phoebe though. He felt anger. He noticed that Gerald had a lovesick look on his face and he was staring at Helga. He wondered what Gerald was thinking about. He wondered why he was feeling this…was it jealousy?