Inexplicable: Sid's Girlfriend

by Inudaughter Returns

This one takes place very late, not too long before "The Jungle Movie" or my story "Summer of Horror". Sid bumps into a beautiful, familiar face and takes the chance of a lifetime. But what will happen when Arnold and Helga, who have been hanging around together from time to time, are pressured to dive into a public relationship as well? A quarrel is what happens, of course!

"Inexplicable: Sid's Girlfriend." This one takes place shortly before my version of the Jungle Movie, so it's pretty much near to the final episode in my "Hey Arnold" the Fanfic Season. "Summer of Horror" and "Fifi and the Hillwood Rodeo" are the only ones I have planned inbetween. Of course I will be going backwards and posting earlier episodes I haven't completed yet at a later time, so there will be a few more stories coming your way! If it doesn't make sense, at least read "The Last Blow" to get a sense of how much time has passed in Hillwood for Arnold and Helga. Thanks! -Inudaughter

The boy named Sidney, 'Sid' for short, had arrived for school dressed like any other day. On his head was a green cap, worn backwards above his noticeably long nose. On his back was a well-worn black leather jacket over a white T-shirt. On his legs were heavy cotton blue jeans of course, on his feet a pair of white Beatle brand name boots. But the stage of P.S. 118 was abuzz with activity, and before long even Sid would have to change his clothes for theatre practice.

"I'm NOT taking off my boots," Sid told Arnold stubbornly. Arnold tsched.

"Sid! You're supposed to be playing the frog prince!" Arnold complained holding up a pair of green loafers to match the rest of the suit. Sid narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah? Well, I say that this prince wears princely BOOTS!" declared Sid pointing a finger backwards toward himself. Arnold sighed and dropped the loafers in defeat. He wasn't that surprised. Sid was like a cowboy. He'd wear his signature footwear to the grave.

"Fine Sid!" Arnold huffed. "Just get in your costume already! Practice starts in ten minutes!" Then the boy walked away again, another couple of costumes under his arms. Arnold carried these over to Eugene and Peapod Kid, who were waiting for their turn the dressing room. Helga and Phoebe came out giggling and wearing long, simple gowns. Arnold turned his head a moment to watch them go, then strolled over to Rhonda Lloyd, the major actress for this particular school play.

"I knew it! I knew they'd go cheap on my costume material!" Rhonda complained loudly, hoping to be overheard by as many people as possible. "This is unacceptable! If I am to be a princess, my gown has to have at least double the layers as this! Hey, assistant stage manager!" Rhonda barked at Arnold like he was a golden retriever who had slipped his leash. "Just what are you going to do about...about…. THIS!" said Rhonda holding both hands out on either side and looking down to showcase the blue dress she was wearing. It was only knee-length but more work had already been done on it than any other dress. It dripped with extras, like a lace collar, lace cuffs, and matching gloves and parasol. Arnold rolled his eyes.

"Sheena's already spent fifty hours on your costume, Rhonda!" Arnold said scribbling something down on a clipboard. "It's fine!"

"Maybe for you it is!" Rhonda Lloyd. "But I've got to be seen in public like this!"

"Rhonda, if you really don't like it that much, maybe you can give your part to Nadine."

"Oh, no! Not this again!" said Rhonda Lloyd crossing her arms with a sniff. "I am not giving up the spotlight this time! I'll show everyone who the best, most well-bred, most attractive actress in all of P.S. 118 is!" said Rhonda admiring herself in the mirror. "If I have to, I'll have mummy and daddy take it to a tailor tonight!"

"Whatever you want to do," said Arnold, thoroughly annoyed by Rhonda's prideful antics. She was taking the school play way too seriously. "Just be here with the costume by Thursday night, alright?"

"Alright!" Rhonda said with a smile. "You know, I don't say this about people very often Arnold, but you are really quite a sweet boy!"

"Tsch," said Arnold walking away from one difficult woman toward another. Helga and Phoebe were opening the play by posing as chatty noblewomen.

"Helga. Phoebe," said Arnold still carrying a clipboard under one arm. "Ready to begin practice?"

"Just one sec'!" Helga complained. "I gotta put more lipstick on!" She cracked open a tube of lipstick and smudged it on, smacking her lips together once to make the coat even. Arnold made sure not to watch throughout the whole thing. It was too attractive! He watched painted palace scenery instead.

"Okay!" said Helga. She accepted a solid colored oriental hand fan from Phoebe and began to fan cool air over her face with it. Phoebe did, too, giggling. Then the two girls walked off to take their places in the center of the stage set. Phoebe began speaking first.

"Oh, hark ye! What a fair and beauteous spring day! Perchance our dear Princess will come out today to enjoy the gardens!" said Phoebe.

"She does every day!" Helga protested, lifting the fan above her head in a dramatic way. "It is little left to doubt that such fair weather as this will please her royal highness! But hush, she comes!" said Helga bowing. Rhonda Lloyd walked out onto the stage between the two to speak her own lines. Meanwhile, Mr. Simmons watched from the side of the stage. When the first scene came to its close, he applauded.

"Well done, Phoebe and Helga! Well done Rhonda! And well done, Arnold!" said the teacher smiling. "Why I never expected you would be just as able an organizer as an actor!"

"Yeah, well it isn't any easier," said Arnold thinking off all the people's problems that came with the job. "At least I don't have to memorize any lines." Arnold sat down in a folding chair. Practice continued and at long last, Sid made his appearance. Sid was right about one thing. His white Beatle boots looked downright smashing with his green doublet.

"I… am here!" Sid declared to Rhonda sweeping his stringy hair back from his black tri-cornered head with the conviction he was fabulous. The play of the frog prince had appealed to Sid because of the frogs. He knelt it the fake pool and retrieved the transparent rubber ball that was their prop. He held it up for Rhonda to take like a sacred goblet.

"All right, people! That's a wrap for today!" Mr. Simmons shouted on the stage fifteen minutes later. "Now class, if we all can just do that for Thursday's performance, then I know we'll all give your parents something very special to look forward to! Now, we have twenty minutes to put away our costumes before the end of the school day!" Mr. Simmons said looking at the clock hanging on the rear of the auditorium. Sid yawned. Then he stretched. Twenty minutes seemed like plenty of time to him. So he made his way straight to the nearest water fountain. It was in the hallway though a set of double doors. Sid leant down and sipped. When he stood again and took a few steps backwards, the boy collided unexpectedly with a tall figure. The girl he had backed up into did not stumble but she did drop her textbook. Sid knelt down onto the ground to retrieve the heavy book and still kneeling, offered it up to the stranger. Only, it wasn't a stranger he had bumped into after all! It was Ruth McDougal!

"Ruth?" asked Sid very astonished. "I thought you graduated last year!" The auburn-haired girl with the rounded, triangular face shifted her eyes with a touch of shame before she proudly took back her math textbook.

"Yeah, well. I flunked a couple of my classes so I'm doing a repeat. Is that amusing to you or something?" the girl said with a faint bit of irritation. Sid shook his head head.

"No, no, no!" he said rapidly. "So, I guess we're only a grade apart now! Remember the ride we went on together?" asked Sid bluntly speaking of the the tunnel of love. Ruth blinked back at Sid in irritation.

"Uh, yeah!"

"Well," said Sid with fumbling eagerness. "I remember meeting you over the punchbowl at last year's April Fool's dance and I've got to say! Ruth, I think you're something special!" said Sid turning on his charm. Ruth gave him the usual unenthralled look.

"Uh, so? I know I'm something special!" said Ruth fluffing up her auburn hair. She still wore her usual red and blue outfit with sneakers on her enormous feet. She smiled and Sid saw with satisfaction that the braces had come off.

"So, it's like this!" said Sid kneeling. He plucked Ruth's hand from her side and brought it to his lips to kiss it. "Ruth! Please go out with me!"

"Wow!" said the girl, stunned by the boy in the frog prince's costume. "And here I thought you were going to ask me out on a date!"

"Oh come on!" said Sid popping up behind her shoulder with annoying persistence. "What have you got to lose? After all, all of your other classmates have already graduated!" Ruth blinked in annoyance.

"Oh, alright!" declared Ruth. "We'll date! But we'd better not do anything or go anywhere I might break a nail!" Ruth said examining her perfect manicure. She blinked in annoyance some more. Sid grinned sinfully.

"Sure, sure! Anything you want!" said Sid opening the theatre door wide for Ruth to enter. But she continued to stand out in the the hall.

"Um, I'm not in your class, remember?" Sid slapped his head.

"Oh, yes, that's right! Heh, heh."

"Whatever," said Ruth McDougal miserably. "I have to meet a tutor for a half hour after school and then we can meet up for some frozen yogurt or something."

"Yeah great!" said Sid "Frozen yogurt! It'll be my treat!" the boy said giving Ruth a double thumb's up. Sid scooted back into the auditorium, clicking the heels of his boots together.

"Oh, yes!" cackled Sid. "Today is my lucky day! Only…" Sid looked up and stared toward Arnold, thinking rapidly. The golden-haired boy looked busy, and a bit tired. Arnold's front locks of hair drooped a little from exhaustion. The kids of his class were all driving him crazy. For example, standing right beside him was a pair of red-heads from the classroom next door. The twins had found a way to tear a curtain down the center. Next in line, Peapod kid and Park were stuck inside a tangle of ropes, each with a metal bucket stuck to one foot. Last in line was Harold, but Stinky solved his problem for him.

"Here ya go, Harold," said the tall, lean boy with just a little tuft of hair above a long, lean face. "I found half your script, scattered all over, yonder!" Harold took the script back and smiled.

"Oh, good!" said Harold. "I guess I'll just skip the rest! With only half the pages, that's only half the lines to memorize!" He and Stinky walked away.

The girls filtered through the rear dressing room quickly. Then it was the boy's turn. Arnold was left alone. Sid popped up directly behind Arnold like a demon shadow as Arnold was trying to write a note on his clipboard.

"What now, Sid?" asked Arnold, slightly cranky. Whenever Sid smiled like that it was never good. It was too much a give-away that he was about to ask for a "favor".

"Oh, hey, Arnold, old pal! said Sid giving Arnold a quick shoulder massage and Arnold knew for certain that whatever Sid was about to say wouldn't be good. "I have a date tonight," Sid blurted out quickly, "and seeing how we're friends and all, you wouldn't mind lending me five dollars would you, seeing as we're friends!" Sid declared with certainty. Arnold narrowed his eyes.

"Fine, Sid!" said the boy whipping out a five-dollar bill even if he knew he'd never see it again. He slapped it onto Sid's greedy palm "But I'm really surprised! Did you say a date?"

"I sure did!" said Sid gesturing towards himself proudly. "Well, I'd better dash home! I've got to get ready for my hot date tonight!" said Sid with glee. But Arnold pointed to his costume.

"Ah, Sid? You'd better get changed first!"

"Uh, yeah!" said Sid with a lopsided grin as he realized he had almost made the stupid error of going out into Hillwood wearing a theatre costume instead of his clothes.

Shortly, Sid stood in front of the vanity mirror at his home, slicking back his sparse hair with hair gel. He set his green cap backwards on top of his head and smiled, looking good. Sid splashed cologne on his neck. Then he used a rag to polish his boots till they sparkled.

"Ah!" said Sid taking his black leather coat off its hook. "My trusty leather jacket!" Sid posed in front of the mirror for one last admire of himself.

Sid walked downstairs to the living room. He paused before a vase of pink flowers next to some framed portraits. Rolling backwards and forwards on his heels, Sid reached out a hand and snatched up the pink orchids from the vase and skedaddled out the front door before his parents could spot him. Closing the door behind him with a snap, Sid counted out the change in his pocket. It wasn't enough for chocolates, maybe, but it was enough to stop by a vending machine for a few pieces of round bubblegum. Still grinning, Sid made his way back to P.S. 118. He waited outside the classroom door for Ruth to finish her study session. The girl seemed mildly surprised to see him.

"Oh! You showed up," said she with neither pleasure nor displeasure. She blinked dully as Sid dropped a blue and a yellow gumball into the palm of her hand. Into her other hand, Sid placed the pink orchids. Ruth glanced at them.

"Are these fake plastic flowers?" Ruth asked. Sid grinned weakly.

"Yeah, yeah! So they last longer, see?" Ruth blinked again.

"You're strange!" the girl declared without any particular emotion. Not even disgust. "Let's go, then!" said Ruth. She waited impatiently for Sid to open the door for her, which he did with an elegant sweep. They made it to the shop with frozen yogurt and sat in one of the window booths beside the sidewalk. Sid slid a deluxe, fruit-topped version of frozen yogurt onto the tabletop in front of Ruth. Ruth took her first spoonful.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" she asked poking a spoon in the direction of Sid's cup of water. He had spent all the money buying the dessert for Ruth. Sid gave a nervous laugh.

"Nah, I'm good!" declared Sid with false enthusiasm.

"That was such a long walk! My feet are cramping inside my shoes!" Ruth complained out loud. Sid dropped to the floor beside her at the booth.

"I can fix that for you if you'd like!" he said offering to massage her feet. Ruth stared down at the boy in mild, but muddied cross-examination as Sid popped off the shoe on her left foot and began to massage it.

"Hm, you're strange!" Ruth concluded mildly. "But while you're at it, you might as well do the other one!" she said thrusting out her foot as if Sid was the pedicurist instead of a boy she was on a date with. Sid complied.

"Anything else you need? Napkins?" said Sid when he had stood up again and both shoes were back on Ruth's feet.

"Desperate!" Ruth chastised. "Why don't you wash your hands? Then we'll go to the movies or something."

"The movies!" said Sid with fright. Movies were expensive! He gulped. "Well, it's such a beautiful day and all, how about we go for a nice, romantic walk in the park instead? So that everyone can see that beautiful face of yours!" said Sid. He whipped off his back leather jacket and draped it around Ruth's shoulders. She stared down at it.

"Wow, nice jacket!" she said looking up at a grinning Sid. She shrugged. "Fine, we'll do it your way. Sigford."

"It's Sydney," Sid corrected her, still smiling.

"Right," said Ruth not really caring that much about what the name was. She stood on her feet and they walked to the park. She pointed a finger to a swing.

"Push me!" Ruth demanded. So Sid pushed Ruth back and forth on the playground's swing for a time. They walked to the center of the park.

"Buy me a snowcone!" Ruth demanded and Sid fished the last bit of money from his pants pocket. The man counted out the change.

"I'll pay you the dime back later!" Sid whispered to the big man. But he was sympathetic.

"No need, kid!" he said dropping the coins he had gotten from Sid into his lock box. Ruth strolled on. "Sigford!" she demanded.

"That's Sydney," said the boy, correcting her once again.

"Whatever. Let's go down to the lake and rent a boat!"

"Ah, eh, sure!" said Sid. "You wait right here!" Instead of going to the lake's boathouse, Sid snuck off into the reeds. There he found Sheena's Uncle Earl napping on the shore. As quiet as a rat, Sid pushed Earl's rowboat off into the water and began rowing.

"Argh! You sneaky, scaliwag of a sea-urchin!" said Uncle Earl waving his fist angrily as he woke up to see Sid pirating away his 'fine vessel'. In a few minutes, Sid pulled the boat up to where Ruth stood waiting.

"For you, my lady!" said Sid helping Ruth aboard the wobbling boat. She sat down and blinked. A slight bit of interest fluttered across her face as Sid pulled the oars and the ship scooted away into the bay.

"So, I suppose now's as good a time as any for me to talk about myself!" said Ruth McDougal before embarking on a long rant about herself. The sun set as she still talked on. When Ruth finally noticed the time, Sid was snoring lightly and the full moon was out.

"Oh!" said Ruth McDougal pulling Sid's jacket up around her shoulders to keep out the chill. "I guess it's getting late, huh?"

"Yeah!" said Sid rubbing one eye. A frog splashed in the water nearby. Sid raised his head in interest.

"Hey, look!" Sid said unable to resist. He slapped his hand into the water and pulled a frog. He held it up for Ruth to see.

"That's disgusting!" Ruth said, wrinkling her wide nose just a bit. Shocked, Sid opened his mouth to argue with Ruth, date or not.

"Disgusting? It is not!" the boy argued back. "It's skill! I am the champion frog-catcher in these parts the last six years running! No one has ever won as many frog-catching contests as me! I'm a legend!"

"Oh," said Ruth startled by his enthusiasm. Her voice took on the tone of being impressed instead of disgusted. "I didn't know you were a… champion," she said lending particular emphasis on the word 'champion'.

"Well, now you do!"

"Well, thank you Sidney!" said Ruth. "I don't think any boy's let me talk for eight straight hours before!"

"No problem," said Sid. He accepted his jacket back. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Sure!" said Ruth batting her eyes once at him as she took the jacket back for the moment. She wrapped her arm around Sid's. They paused at long last at one of the row homes near Lila's, but in much better condition. Sid took his jacket back and pulled his arms into its soft leather cuffs. Then, Sid took a small bottle of breath freshener out of his pocket and spritzed a few sprays of it into his mouth.

"Ahem!" said Sid. With startling boldness, he groped Ruth around the middle and pulled her in for a quick good night's kiss."

"Wow!" said Ruth fluttering her eyelashes once. "That wasn't half bad! Sydney."

"You can call me Sid!" the boy offered.

"Well, if you're going to be MY boyfriend," said Ruth scribbling down a number. "You had better call me each and every day!"

"Sure thing, you got it!" said Sid with a promising grin. "Anything you say!" Ruth smiled bewitchingly. Then she snapped shut her door. Underneath the lamplight, Sid did a little victory dance.

"Wahoo!" he called, kicking his booted heels up and waving his green cap high in the air. At lunch the next day at school, Sid was still smiling.

"So how did the date go, Sid?" Arnold asked examining his sandwich. He bit into it.

"It was tops!" said Sid. "I've got to get home! I need to call her. I promised!"

"You're going steady?" asked Stinky Peterson. "Gawsh!"

"Yup!"

"So who's the girl?" Arnold asked with interest. But Sid couldn't answer. He was smacked in the back of his head by a glob of food instead. Harold and the others were food fighting so it was time to duck and cover under the gum-stuck table. Then the school bell rang.

Arnold found out who the girl was, much to his shock, a good many days later. Sid was just never around anymore, but Arnold had plenty of friends to hang out with. In fact, Arnold, Gerald, Helga, Harold, Stinky, Rhonda, and Sheena had just all left Gerald's field and crossed the park to get to Slausen's when they spotted a curious sight. It was Sid seated cozily next to a tall girl wearing his jacket and coy smile. Arnold gaped in astonishment when he saw exactly who it was. Walking when he should have stopped, he slammed straight into Helga.

"Ow! What'd you do that for, Football-Head?!" squawked Helga. Arnold helped Helga to her feet but his eyes quickly scooted around Helga to stare at the park bench again. Helga's eyes shifted around with annoyance to see just who Arnold was gawking at now, but then she smiled when she saw that her old rival for Arnold's affection was openly flirting with another boy. And Sid no less!

"Oh, looks like Sid's got a girlfriend!" Helga purred with satisfaction. Helga walked up to Arnold's shoulder and began to push him from behind along the sidewalk.

"Come on, Arnoldo!" said Helga. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?"

"Sorry. You're right," Arnold mumbled. "But did you guys really see what I just saw?"

"Ruth P. McDougal?" said Gerald. "With Sid? Yeah, well wonders never cease!"

"Well, it's not really such a wonder," Stinky rationalized. "After all, there ain't just many unfettered women left!"

"Unfettered?" asked Helga, her monobrow lifted to one side.

"He means single!" Harold explained as if they'd had this conversation before. "Yeah, well it's like this! I'm friends with Big Patty."

"And I have my darlin's beloved, Gloria!" Stinky praised. "Gerald's sweet on Phoebe. That's sure for any eyes to see!"

"I have WAY too much attention from boys right now!" Rhonda complained thinking of Curly. The boy just never gave up.

"Um, I call dibs on Eugene!" said Sheena, the tall girl's voice so dainty it could hardly be heard. "Plus, I heard from Lila that she is dating Park, now!"

"Why shoot!" said Stinky loudly. "That means that about the only ones not spoken for are Arnold and Helga!" Arnold paled. Helga twitched her eyes all around, refusing to lock eyes with Arnold. She was mortified! But Stinky wasn't finished yet. "Why I figure you two ought to be a couple out of default! Unless you want to be a dedicated bachelor, Arnold!"

"I am not a bachelor!" said Arnold, mortified to be left out. It was so uncool. "I am dating Helga. Sorta."

"Who says?!" Helga blurted out. The impulse to be self-damaging for the sake of pride was too hard to resist. "You're making that up!"

"Oh, lover's quarrel!" said Gerald.

"Shut up, Tall-Hair!" Helga barked.

"Is not!" fumed Arnold. "You know what, I'll bet there are lots of women around here!"

"And lots of boys, too!" spat back Helga.

"Fine!"

"Fine!" said Helga and Arnold coming to a harmonious disagreement. They both marched in opposite directions.

Irate, Arnold went home and propped open the school year book. He thumbed through the pages, forgetting his crush for Helga entirely.

"Let's see," Arnold said reading off the names. "Carla? Graduated. Cookie? Graduated. Marcy? Not into guys. Mary? Possibly. Simone? Graduated. Siobhan? A little young. Campfire Lass? Absolutely not. NO way! I guess the only one that leaves left is… Nadine!" Arnold said coming to the conclusion miserably. He tapped one finger against his chin then dialed the phone. It rang three times.

"Hello? Nadine? It's Arnold, from school. I know this is a little sudden but do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow afternoon? Four o'clock? Yeah, that's great! Where? Sure thing! Xigbar's Fish and Chips! See you tomorrow! Bye!" Arnold hung up the phone rapidly.

"Can't get any girl but Helga!" said Arnold brushing the hair out of his angry eyes. "Pft!" Meanwhile, Helga was doing the same thing, scanning her eyes over a class roster.

"Hm," said Helga studying the paper in her hand with vigorous attention. "That means that the only boys without girls are Iggy and Peapod Kid! Rats!" Helga crumpled up the paper in her hand into a nasty wad and threw it over her left shoulder. "Well Icky Iggy is out of the question, the twirp! So that just leaves Peapod Kid! It could be worse." Helga looked up the number and taking a deep breath, dialed it.

"Yo," said Helga as her opening line. "Peapod Kid! I wanted to ask you your real name! Mortimer? That's great! Well, Mortimer, please meet me tomorrow night for a date! You can? That's great!" Helga nodded her head rapidly. "Xigbar's Fish and Chips? Four o'clock? That's great!" uttered Helga. She hung up the phone with a noisy clang.

"Ha!" Helga declared like she had just won a great victory. "Can't get a date can I? Take that! Now I need to make myself beautiful!" Helga hummed.

Arnold was more than prompt when he arrived at Xigbar's Fish and Chips down by the waterside. He was early. He waited not as anxiously as he imagined he should for Nadine to arrive. She did, wearing a pretty gold dress with black straps and a matching purse. Her hair was still bunched into braids like spiderlegs but she had put a little effort into dressing up for the occasion by putting fancy barrettes into her hair. Yet she wore no makeup at all. Disappointed already, Arnold leaned against his hand on his cheek as he stared at the smiling girl.

"Oh, hello Nadine!" Arnold said forcing himself to smile back. He got up and pulled out a chair for her to sit in. "How is your day going? Thanks for meeting me!"

"Um. You're welcome Arnold!" said Nadine smiling faintly. "I'm just really surprised! I thought you were more into Rhonda than someone like me!" Arnold gave Nadine a flat look.

"Believe me, there is no chance I could ever be rich enough for Rhonda!" Arnold declared slowly walking away from Nadine's chair and back to his own seat. He sat down and propped open his menu. "So, do you come here often?"

"It's like, my favorite restaurant!" said Nadine with happiness.

"Oh," said Arnold modestly. "What else do you like?"

"Mollusks! Well, not to eat! There are all these cool marine mollusks in the ocean I'd like to study someday!" said Nadine. "When I become a scientist!"

"Oh, that's nice!" said Arnold. "So I guess you don't plan to stay in Hillwood, then?"

"No, not really!" said Nadine. "I'd need to travel round the world! Even the arctic! There may be mollusk fossils there!"

"Um, hum," said Arnold letting his menu drop to the table. "I always figured I'd like to stay in Hillwood myself." Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant, Helga had just met up with Peapod Kid at the door.

"You're five minutes late!" Helga scolded as she looked at her watch. Unlike Nadine, she had gone all out dressing up for the occasion, wearing one of Olga's old gowns she had altered. Her skirt glittered as she moved. Helga also wore makeup and silk shawl over her strapless gown. With a sniff, she handed off the silk to Peapod Kid to hang up so that her gown was simply strapless.

"Oh my, I am terribly, terribly sorry!" said Peapod Kid shaking his head and keeping his overly large forehead in his hands. "You see I…"

"Save it!" Helga bit out moodily before correcting herself. "I mean, you are forgiven, dumpling! Now, let's go get ourselves some seats, shall we?" Helga and Peapod Kid walked up to the maitre de.

"One table for two, please!" said Peapod Kid holding up a finger.

"Right this way, please!" said the maitre de in a nasally voice. She seated them directly across a barricade of plants from Arnold and Nadine. Helga's eyes grew wide at the sight of Arnold sitting across from Nadine, clearly on a date, but she bit her lip and said nothing. Instead she waited for Peapod Kid to seat her, but when he clearly was not going to, she pulled a chair out for herself.

"So… Mortimer," said Helga struggling to remember the name. "Tell me about yourself!"

"Well, my father specializes as an investor. Sometimes he does property investments here in Hillwood. But principally, you could say that my family is very rich. How about yours?"

"Oh, well my Dad owns Big Bob's Beeper Emporium. It's a family business, I guess you could say. Someday I might wind up helping with it."

"Hm, Big Bob's Beeper Emporium?" said Peapod Kid. "That company's financial summary was quite good. Very, very good! If your father's company ever considers selling trading stocks, I would like to buy some! The prospect of financial returns are good!" said Peapod holding up his water goblet like it was full of wine and taking a sip.

"Well, yeah!" said Helga. She laughed nervously. "I don't see my Dad doing that anytime soon! He's already set aside enough money for me to go to college to take business courses. But really, I wanna double major to learn poetry and stuff. I want to be a novelist someday!"

"Don't you want to leave Hillwood, someday? Explore the world?" Peapod Kid said with yearning in his voice. Helga shrugged.

"Leave Hillwood? I couldn't! Not right now, anyway," said Helga touching the locket tucked inside her dress out of habit. "There are… too many people I care about here in Hillwood, right now! I... couldn't do that! But I might travel someday!" said Helga. "If there was someone special to travel with." Her eyes snuck upwards and met Arnold's pouting ones. Although he was half-hidden through the houseplant barricade, Helga was keenly aware that the golden-haired boy had twisted his head in their direction and was eavesdropping on Peapod Kid's and her conversation.

"Really? Well, it's my life's goal to see as many countries as possible in my lifetime!" Peapod Kid said with relish. "I have a curiosity for knowledge and adventure. Perhaps someday I shall take up making documentaries!"

"How.. humanitarian of you," Helga said bored of Peapod Kid already. It was also hard to focus when Arnold had stopped talking to Nadine to spy on her instead.

"Excuse me!" said Helga standing up.

"Oh yes. Yes, of course!" said Peapod Kid. Excused, Helga strode off towards the ladies restroom. Deliberately, she walked round the barricade to where Arnold and Nadine were sitting. Both hands on her hips, she gave Arnold a brief glare before strolling off to the bathroom with a sniff. Arnold held his breath all the while. Helga had gone and dressed up stunningly again. He could hardly breathe.

"Hm? Something wrong, Arnold?" Nadine asked kindly. Arnold loosen the collar round his throat.

"It's nothing," he lied beautifully. Arnold hurried through his meal. When Helga returned from the restroom, both he and Helga practiced pretending not to notice one another.

"It was nice getting to know you better, Nadine!" said Arnold as he and his afternoon's date exited the restaurant door. "I hope your dream of becoming a scientist comes true! And I hope you stay friends with Rhonda for a while longer!"

"Count on it, Arnold!" said Nadine shaking Arnold's hand. "Well, I don't want you to hold this against me or anything! It was a nice date but I think we should just be friends!" said Nadine softly. Arnold shook Nadine's hand again.

"That's okay! I understand!" Arnold stated actually looking a little relieved about it. Nadine had not exactly struck his fancy. In a moment, Helga strode out of the restaurant alone. Irritable, she stamped down the street at a slow pace. She shot one backwards look towards Arnold.

"Well, have a good night!" Arnold tossed off to Nadine before hurrying down the street towards Helga. She paused behind a blue postbox for Arnold to catch up to her.

"What is the meaning of ya coming to same restaurant as me and my date?" Helga tore into Arnold when the boy caught up. "And at the same time? Are ya stalking me or something?" Arnold leaned backwards from Helga and scowled like a much annoyed mule.

"It's not like that! Nadine picked the time and place! This is her favorite restaurant!"

"Oh," said Helga dropping her voice. Now she spoke softly. "Peapod Kid's too!" Helga placed one hand on the side of the blue mailbox and peered around it. Nadine was still standing outside the restaurant where Arnold had left her but he was now joined by Peapod Kid. The two students from P.S. 118 were having an animated conversation. Then, step in step, the two began to walk by Arnold and Helga's hiding spot behind the blue post box. Feeling it wasn't adequate cover enough, Helga grasped hold of Arnold's tie and dragged him with her into the shadows of the building's cornerstone. They could both hear Peapod Kid and Nadine speaking as they passed by.

"Oh my, that is terribly, terribly funny!" said Peapod Kid smiling at Nadine with rapture. "You'll like this movie! It's a nature documentary!"

"I love nature documentaries!" said Nadine gesturing with joy. "Did I ever tell you I collect beetles?"

"Oh yes. I admire your rigorous scientific mind!" Peapod Kid said turning on what could be his brand of charm. Astonished, Helga and Arnold stared into one another's eyes when the voices of the two had grown too faint to hear.

"I don't believe it!" said Helga speaking for both of them. "Now Nadine and Peapod Kid are a couple! Stinky's right! You and are the only ones left!" It was then that Helga realized that she was still holding onto Arnold's tie. She dropped her hand as if burnt.

"It could be worse," said Arnold looking into her eyes, his hands in his pockets. Helga scowled.

"I don't want you to date me because I'm a last resort!" said Helga. "I want you to date me because you like me!"

"I do like you!" glared Arnold. "Who says I don't?!"

"I… Okay, okay, I believe you!" said Helga. But drawing Arnold into the alley away from prying eyes had been a bit of mistake.

"Good!" Arnold snarled. He drew Helga up tight against him for a tight embrace. Helga reciprocated the embrace for a moment. She sighed deliriously. But then, alleyway or not, it was not enough. She softly pressed against Arnold's chest to get away.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't!" Helga blurted unexpectedly. Especially to herself. After all, wasn't Arnold giving her attention the dream she had lived for all these years?

"Now where have I heard that before?" Arnold teased, softly. "Oh yeah! I think it was a girl who pretended to be called.. Cecil," said Arnold softly. "And Cecil turned out to be.. You!" But Helga shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Arnold," said Helga. "It's not that I don't like you! It's just that… what if I'm not worth loving?"

"Can't you let me be the judge of that?" asked the football-headed boy.

"No," said Helga sadly, softly. "I can't! I just can't!" But Arnold wasn't about to let her go home looking so sadly.

"Hey," said Arnold with sudden passion. "Come here!" he grasped Helga round the shoulders and laid one long, sweet kiss on her lips. Then he let her go. "We don't have to make it official if you don't want to," said Arnold, frowning. Helga looked deep into the boy's eyes, then smiled weakly. She nodded.

"Okay! We'll still see each other every once in while!" Helga conceded trying to control her wild emotions. "But we are not dating! At least no one's supposed to think that."

"Nope," Arnold said with perfect agreement. He smiled coyly as Helga stomped away down the street. A few minutes later, Arnold came out from corner of the alley and quickly spotted Gerald down the street. He walked up to Gerald long before Gerald saw him.

"Hey. Arnold?" asked Gerald jerking a thumb towards the other direction. "I just saw Helga here! Are you two dating or something?"

"Nah, we're not dating!" Arnold said to Gerald with a genuine smile. "Not at all!" Humming, he went for a long and pleasant walk through Hillwood.

On Thursday night, when the sun went down, the curtains went up on the school play Mr. Simmons and all the fifth grade students at P.S. 118 had worked so hard on. Sid shone in the spotlight, splashing in the fake pond like a real frog and making croaks that were so convincing Arnold might have believed his strange friend was really part frog. Rhonda Lloyd had used her parent's money to get a dress that really was fit for a Princess to wear. He wondered what would become of it after the theatre's production, for Rhonda had returned the dress Sheena had worked on to the school's prop box.

One of the oddest things of the night was seeing Ruth P. McDougal seated down in the front row cheering for Sid. Standing beside him, Gerald saw where Arnold's attention lingered.

"Strange twist, huh?" asked Gerald patting Arnold once on the shoulder. "But it's all for the best, man! Ruth works her man like a dog! But Sid'll do anything for her! Stand on his head! Clean the toilet bowl! You name it! I even hear she's got him doing manicures!"

"Ouch!" said Arnold with a sideways grin. He and Gerald did their friendship thumb shake.

"So," said Gerald being a bit mean but curious. "How does it feel being one of the last bachelors in the whole entire fifth grade?" But Arnold merely smiled at Gerald's question.

"I'm good with it!" Arnold declared proudly. "I'm just waiting for the right woman to come around!"

"Well, I hope you find Miss Right someday!" said Gerald with honesty. But Arnold's smile deepened and his face took on a soft look of deep affection as he looked up towards the stage where Helga and Phoebe were taking their final bows with the rest of the kids.

"Oh, it's not a question of who, so much Gerald!" said Arnold clapping his hands along with the crowd. "It's a question of when! I'm sure Miss Right will come to me when it's time!"

"You are a bold kid, Arnold!" said Gerald still applauding with the rest of them. "You are a bold kid!" But Arnold's eyes weren't on Gerald. They were on Helga as she snuck in a kiss blown from the stage. He didn't mind keeping things slow as long as they had to. Arnold didn't need his relationship with Helga to be official to be real! For some things -like sensitive women- just can't be rushed. The end.

Author Note- They get together and make it official at the end of the Jungle Movie, of course! Which isn't too long from now.