Updated***Hope you enjoy this updated story, I'm still working on it and its in progress mostly because I need to shed some light on a few things as well as rewrite the ending. All updated chapters will have the UPDATED** as the very first words on the page. I do not own Hey Arnold, and will update as much as I can. Please enjoy and let me know your thoughts.

Helga stood by her locker for the last time. Today was both the first and last day of the rest of her life. She looked down the hall, the memories piling up in her head; all the tears, the laughs, smiles, and unforgettable moments. She only had one regret, the shot she never took.

"Hey, Pataki! You Comin'?" Gerald Johansson's voice rang through the halls, and surely nearby him was the one who had held her heart, no matter how bad she wished he didn't. Arnold stood tall next to his friend they were both of Equal height but now both a head taller than her. Both the most popular guys, and yet completely down to earth, they were they guys that were going to marry their girlfriends right after high school, and live out the rest of their perfect lives. While in truth Helga had no idea what she was going to do wither life. Perhaps after Wolfgang finished college she would get back together with him, maybe he was her happily ever after. Atheist she knew she could be happy, after all their break up had been over the distance, which was reasonable, besides, it was unrealistic to only date one person throughout your life, and she knew that that was saved for Phoebe and Gerald, Not her.

"Crimeny! Hold your horses Geek bait! It's not like the world's ending!" Helga yelled back down the hall with her arms crossed over her Chest. Gerald Shrugged and ran off, but then Arnold stayed behind and he walked over to her, with his usual Arnold half smile. It wasn't fair, but that was life. He was with Lila, and they would have a life together, and she would have to find her own way.

"You ok, Helga? You seem tense." He knew what to say to put her off guard and it really sucked. How can someone care, without actually having feelings? It didn't make sense to her probably never would, but after today that wouldn't matter anyways.

"I'm fine Football head! We gotta get a move on, the ceremony is about to start!" Helga lashed out as she had many times before with him. She began to walk away from him only to have him grab her hand and pull her back. She stopped and stood like a statue.

"Helga, wait!" He began and tears grasped the corners of her eyes. She was already having a hard time knowing that she'd have to say goodbye. Her heart couldn't take this. She yanked her and out of his grasp and ran down the hall. She had to get away from him. She ran towards the ceremony and took her seat where she belonged, away from Arnold, or so she thought. Arnold sat in the row behind her, watching her and feeling some pain for his friend, he didn't understand why she was so upset. Was she not accepted into colleges? He sat there and pondered that throughout the entire graduation ceremony, while Helga sat there and thought back on the past wondering if anything she did today would change her future in the slightest, if there would ever be a change that she could change it and be with Arnold.

Later that night at a party at the boarding house, Arnold was a little buzzed and found himself staring at a blond who was trying to escape with a bottle of Jack. He followed her until she had gone outside and He found himself looking at Helga as she sat on his stoop, with the drink in hand. He sat next to her and waited till she acknowledged him. Though out all of high school this girl bewildered him. She was friends with everyone, but hated everyone at the same time. She was amazingly beautiful, but hid behind baggy clothes and short messy hair like a boys. She was probably one of the prettiest girls in their class, but just like in elementary, she hid it. It was crazy, she had so much potential.

"You know Arnold, your one lucky guy." She said finally. She took a swig of the bottle she held. It was strange, they were always like this. Just two people that always seemed to find each other

"How do you figure that?" He asked as she then passed the bottle to him. He took a sip and then watch as she starred off into the distance. She was beautiful, and she always would be, he hoped someone would see that in her. She deserved it.

"Simple, you're the popular guy who's going to college, we all know you're going to marry Lila, you're going to have the perfect life, not all of us will." She said lightly. Arnold thought of his girlfriend who was with her family, celebrating with them. They were on a break, had been for weeks while they stressed over finals and making sure they got into the same college. He loved her, but right now all he could think about was this girl sitting in front of him, who no one ever seemed to see, who he never had enough balls to tell her how he really felt about her.

"Helga-." Arnold began but he was interrupted by Harold opening the front door with Gerald and Stinky behind him.

"Awe look guys, its Hel-ga and Ar-nold!" Harold said drunkenly. Arnold stared at his friends as Helga started to glare at them.

"What's it too ya Pink Boy? He was just stealing my drink!" Helga quickly lied yanking the bottle out of Arnold's hands. She crossed her arms and stuck her nose up in the air.

"Helga!" Arnold said in a more serious voice, balling up his fist.

"Awe, ain't it sweet, seems like the beginnings of love." Gerald said with a laugh. The three laughed and Arnold stood up. These guys were clearly drunk.

"Come on Helga, let's get out of here." Arnold said offering his hand. Helga stared at his hand in shock, but then took it. He then lead her to his blue Tacoma truck and they got in and he started driving. They road in silence, Helga was deep in thought of what Gerald had said. He may have been drunk, but still she had wish that it was true, hoped it was, that it could be true. The truck stopped behind the football field and Arnold looked over at Helga as he turned off the car.

"Sorry, we were never going to have a real conversation with those drunk ass wholes around." Arnold said leaning back. Helga settled herself in his truck and nodded.

"Yeah, but at least we can talk now…. Arnold?" Helga said lightly. What she didn't realize is she looked up at him with those big blue eyes and he decided that he was only going to get this chance. He responded to her buy grabbing her face gently using his hand and he pulled her in for a kiss…