Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.


Jealousy

Friday afternoon

It was a sunny Friday afternoon in the city of Hillwood, and the students of P.S.118 were just let out. They were all eager and excited to get a start on their weekend, two whole days of cartoons, games and no teachers or books. However a certain students was still on the steps of the school, awaiting a certain someone who he would be spending his Friday afternoon with.

"Helga, are you coming?...'Arnold called his girlfriend who was just coming out.

"Criminy! Keep your pants on Football head, I'm coming..."Helga said impatiently as she reached hey boyfriend.

Yep, you heard that right. They were boyfriend and girlfriend now, ever since that adventure in San Lorenzo a few months ago where they dealt with dangerous jungles, blood thirsty river pirates, lost civilizations and most importantly finding and rescuing Arnold's parents, along with curing the sleeping sickness that inflected the Green Eyes civilization. It was at the end of that adventure where Arnold finally understood his own feelings for Helga and they kissed, starting their official romantic relationship.

"So what did Mr. Simmon's want to talk about again?...'Arnold asked with interested.

"Nothing important..."Helga muttered, not wanting to get into this.

"Come on Helga...Tell me.." Arnold urged once more, curiosity getting the better of him.

Before class ended, Mr. Simmons, who was now their sixth grade teacher, suddenly had to talk to Helga about something and Helga told him to move along and that she would meet him at the entrance of the school. Arnold doubted that whatever Mr. Simmons had to talk to her was bad, given how excited he was when he came to her.

"I said nothing...'Helga said a little more forcefully and Arnold only got a playful smile at this.

"Please..."He said in a cutesy voice and he noticed that her defenses were weakening when she sighed.

"As I said it was nothing important, he was just asking about the latest poetry assignment is all...'Helga muttered.

"Why?...'Arnold asked with interest.

"Nothing...He...enter...poetry...heh... "Helga muttered under her breath, making it hard for Arnold to understand her.

"What?..."Arnold asked, not understanding what she just said.

"I said, that Simmons heard of some junior poetry contest and he wants me to enter it...'Helga confessed, a look of annoyance clear on her face.

"Really?..."Arnold said pleasantly.

"Yeah..."Helga said flatly.

"So are you going to do it?..."Arnold asked with interest.

"As if! I can't stand it when he reads it out to the whole class! There is no stinking way I'm sending it to be read by people who will actually know I wrote it!...'She said in exasperation.

"I think a poetry contest would be fun Helga and your poem today was beautiful..."Arnold said sweetly to her and blushing as he knew he was the person she had addressed in it, despite her not using his name on it.

"You're the only one who knows I wrote it, along with the other ones because you just had to be a total snoop..."She said in annoyance.

"I said sorry Helga. I didn't mean to read it, you dropped your stuff and as a good boyfriend I was picking it up for you and I saw it by accident...'Arnold explained.

"And got to enjoy listening to the whole version when you figured out Simmon's was reading it to the whole class...'She muttered again.

It was so mortifying each time when her teacher would read those poems, but now that Arnold knew that she wrote poems and figured out that she was the mysterious 'anonymous poet" that gets read out every once in a while, the humiliation doubled, especially when he sent her a smug look once it was done. Today when no one was looking, she reluctantly turned to see Arnold after the poem was read and he just blushed and had a weird look on his face and he had the gall to actually wink at her, like it was a game or something.

"Well...you have to admit that it's pretty flattering...'Arnold admitted blushing, feeling some butterflies in his tummy.

He always secretly had a soft spot for poetry and finding out just how talented Helga was with words was always a treat for him. To know that he was the one who inspired her to make such beautiful words was something he really treasured and he loved listening and reading her works whenever he could get his hands on it. English class became his new favorite class because of this wonderful perk of getting to listen to his sweet girlfriend's token of love and be the only one who knew the meaning behind it all.

"I still think you should give it a chance, you're a talented writer and I'm sure you can easily win...'Arnold encouraged.

"It's not if I win or lose, I just don't like having a lot of people know that I do this kind of stuff...I don't think getting the poem added to a magazine and being schmoozed by Mayor Dixie on live TV is worth all the teasing our classmates will have at the end of it all...'She said in distress.

"Helga, they are our friends and they mean well, if you give them a chance..."Arnold started his typical "be yourself" and "don't judge other's" speeches and Helga sighed in exasperation.

While she loved the guy, she could do without these lectures...though at the end of it all, as annoyed as she was, she would always recall just how sweet and altruistic he is and that would make her go off into an internal monologue of what an angel he is and how lucky she was that he was all hers now.

"Arnold, it's Friday and I thought we agreed that we would do homework at your place...I had a long week and I want tomorrow and sunday to kick back and relax with my favorite football head..."Helga said in an almost commanding tone of voice.

'Whatever you say, Helga..."Arnold said with a playful eye roll.

"Darn right whatever I say...'Helga said with a smirk before laughing with him.

The two pre teens then held hands as they left the school and headed to the direction of the boarding house. They were young, they were in love, they were happy and they had a nice weekend coming up.


Later

At the Boarding House

Arnold and Helga were in his room, finishing up home work. They had already finished their math and science and were now finishing up the last of it, which was history.

"What did you get for number 5?..."Arnold asked as he checked the history book.

"C)Empire...a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom..." Helga read her answer to him.

"Oh, right...Well, I guess we are done with history..."Arnold said as he closed his note book.

"Yep, it's Friday evening, homework is done, and we are all alone..."Helga said with a coy look on her face, sending her boyfriend a flirtatious message.

Arnold got it as they soon activated his couch, dimmed the lights a bit and turned on the jazz on his stereo, setting the mood.

"Oh Arnold~..."Helga swooned at the romantic atmosphere he just created.

"Care to join me Helga dear..."Arnold said as he sent her a flirtatious gaze as he gestured to the seat next to him.

Helga immediately took the seat and they were now holding hands, feeling their hearts all a flutter as they just enjoyed being close to each other until they gave each other a sweet little kiss.

Once they separated, they were blushing like mad, but they were very, very happy right now.

"Have I ever told you how cute you are Arnold?...'Helga said, her lovesick tone loud and clear.

"You can say it one more time if you like..."Arnold said with a goofy grin on his wide face.

"Oh I will, oh darling you are the cutest, handsomest, most irresistible boy in the whole wide world!..."Helga said in a lovesick way, making Arnold blush at her words.

"You mean it?...'Arnold said, feeling his heart beat like made at her words.

"Of course I do...You're gorgeous darling! Those dreamy green eyes, that adorable smile, that wild, golden hair and that cute head..."She said in a dreamy voice.

"Helga...'Arnold was blushing bright scarlet and smiling like a dope now.

He loved it when Helga got all cute, sweet and romantic like this. Sure, the first time he was exposed to it, he was outright terrified by this side of her, but after getting together with her and discovering the beautiful ,sweet, poetic person deep inside her tough girl persona, he grew to love hearing her usually sarcastic voice turn all soft and delicate, saying such beautiful, heartfelt words that were meant to him and no one else and seeing her eyes giving him looks of absolutely and complete adoration.

All for him.

They shared another kiss, both very much in love and loving every moment of it.

"I love you...'She said.

"I love you too...'Arnold said as he found himself cuddling with her now.

"How did I get to be this lucky?..."Helga said as she cuddled closer to him.

"That's what I'm asking myself...'Arnold said sweetly as he kissed her forehead.

"Oh Arnold, I'm the lucky one since I got a man like you..."She said.

"Hey, don't be modest... I'm pretty lucky to have such a cute, sweet, loving, talented girl like you as my girlfriend...'Arnold said.

"As always, I say the simple truth of how much of a catch you are and you need to say something decent that only you would say...'Helga sighed.

"Helga I mean it, and I know I'm not the only person who thinks so...I'm sure there are a lot other guy who would feel lucky to be close to you..."Arnold said.

"Yeah but they don't come close to you Arnold..."Helga said, as she tried to snuggle more to him, however, she noticed that he suddenly flinched, causing her to look at him.

"What do you mean?...'Arnold asked, a strange tone in his voice.

"What?...'Helga asked in confusion.

"You just said that there are a lot of other guys out there who love having you close to them?...'Arnold asked.

Helga blinked, realizing what she slipped out but shrugged not seeing a big deal in it.

"Oh, I wouldn't say a lot..."Helga muttered.

'Who then?..."Arnold pressed on, making Helga blink at his change of tone.

"Does it even matter? It's not like I ever even liked anyone besides you..."Helga insisted.

"What about that one time in fourth grade, I remember you dated Stinky...'Arnold said, recalling that event.

"Puh-lease, I only did that to make you jealous and I paid him in fudgy bars..."Helga answered and blinked when she noticed his expression soften when she said that.

"Really?...'Arnold said, almost sounding...relieved?

'What's with him?...'Helga wondered...until an idea formed in her mind.

"Wait...Are you actually jealous?..."Helga asked with interest.

"Huh? No, I was just curious is all..." Arnold shrugged but Helga wasn't buying it.

She decide to have a little fun with him now.

"Okay, then it shouldn't bother you that Stinky actually did fall for me, it was brief but it happened..."Helga said in a coy tone and Arnold flinched.

"He did?...'Arnold asked, feeling very strange although he didn't get why.

"Also, there's your cousin Arnie but believe me, I'd sooner skip the country than go anywhere near him...'Helga muttered.

"ARNIE?!..."Arnold exclaimed, and Helga was taken back by his loud outburst.

"Criminy! Football Head, what's up?...'Helga said, surprised by the kind of reaction he gave.

"What do you mean Arnie loves you?...'Arnold demanded, his tone even sounding angry about now, making Helga blink.

"Calm down Football Head...It was during his first visit when we pretended to date...He appeared out of nowhere and told me he loved me and I was completely horrified...No offense but your cousin is a freak show and I'd rather pull my teeth out one by one than have anything to do with him..." Helga said slowly and noticed his expression calm down a bit.

"Are you serious?...'Arnold asked.

True, he knew he was silly to ask this but heck, Lila had been head over heels for Arnie for whatever reason he couldn't begin to comprehend and...he didn't like hearing that his weird cousin was interested in his own girlfriend Helga.

"Yes, I am serious...'She said in a serious tone.

"So...you didn't like him or Stinky?..."Arnold asked once more.

"What did I just say? That you're the only guy I have ever loved Arnold and you always will be, so there were some guys who had a thing for me at one point, I don't care...There's only one guy in the world who's feelings I give a darn about and that's yours...'Helga insisted.

"I see..." Arnold said, a smile now evident on his face.

"So you love me and only me?...'He asked, smiling widely when he asked it.

"Doi..."Was Helga's answer.

"I'm the only guy you ever truly wanted to date..."Arnold said happily.

"Yes, you are...'Helga said as she kissed his cheek.

"And I'm the only guy who ever gets to kiss you..."Arnold said happily, expecting her to smile sweetly and pick up the hint he just dropped. To his surprise, Helga's eyes widen, she suddenly became stiff and she had a nervous look on her face at that question.

'Uh...Say Arnold, I'm getting kind of hungry, you mind if I go bring something from the kitchen?...'Helga offered quickly.

"Helga?..."Arnold asked, his eyebrow raised at her strange behavior and he noticed that she dodged trying to answer his question.

"Yes...'Helga was sweating a bit now and Arnold was frowning hard.

Did...Did she-

'Is there something you are not telling me?...'Arnold asked, his arms crossed and a glare on his face.

"Um...I...I don't know what you are asking me?...'She tried to play dumb but Arnold was not having it.

He wasn't as dense as he once was. He was NOT going to let her out of this one.

"The let me make it frank: "Have you ever kissed any one else besides me?'...'He said in a flat tone and he saw her sweating profusely.

"Oh criminy! I'm so dead now...'Helga thought in dread.

Why oh why did she have to play around with this whole jealousy thing, now it has come to bite her in the butt in the worst possible way. Even worse is that she couldn't even bring herself to lie to him about it. She wanted to end all the lies and deceit and have an honest relationship with him...besides with the way he was glaring at her, she doubted she would be able to think of anything half-way plausible with the way he was looking at her now.

"Alright...Yes, I...did...kiss another guy...it was before we started dating but it didn't mean anything...'Helga insisted.

"Who?...'Was it Stinky?...'Arnold pressed on, wondering if she really went that far to make him jealous, since that was way before they did the school play of Romeo and Juliet.

Helga was always his first kiss and he took a great honor in knowing that he was hers too but what if-

"NO! I did NOT kiss Stinky!..."Helga said with conviction and Arnold knew she wouldn't lie.

"Was it Arnie then?...'He asked and Helga looked green, like the mere thought made her want to barf.

'AS IF!..."Helga screamed of disgust, outrage and maybe a little hurt by such a question.

"Then who?...'Arnold pressed on.

"Promise me that you will calm down...'Helga started. Arnold took a deep breath and then looked at her expectantly... "Okay, now remember that I said that it didn't mean anything, and I didn't even mean for it to happen, I was just stressed out and then he helped me and I was grateful and-

"Helga, you're stalling...'Arnold said flatly.

"Okay...The only other guy I ever kissed was Brainy..."Helga admitted and watched her beloved's jaw dropped.

"Brainy?!..."Arnold bellowed in disbelief.

'Calm down Arnoldo, I am too young for an hearing aid...'Helga hissed by his outburst.

'Brainy? Pale, wheezing Brainy that you punch at least twice a day?!..." Arnold said in a tone of utmost disbelief.

"Yes, him..." Helga sighed, knowing there was no way out of this.

"When did it happen? Why?..."He asked, a lot of feelings mixing in him right now.

Very, very unpleasant feelings right now.

'Okay, in that order, it was during the trip to San Lorenzo..."Helga said and watched him glare hard... "Don't give me that look buster, it was when we got captured by LaSombra...I was so angry about our predicament but since our rooms were connected I could hear you and...I heard you crying over your missing parents...'Helga started.

"What?...'Arnold said in a calmer tone, wondering what that had to do with anything.

"I heard you crying and...I resolved that I was going to get you out of there and help find your parents, I was going to go look at my locket with your picture in it but then I realized I didn't have it...I remembered that I threw it into the river...'Helga said sadly.

"What?...Why would you do that?..."Arnold exclaimed in shock, unable to believe that she would throw her locket away...and he was confused since she clearly had it when they saved his parents.

Where did Brainy and that kiss fit in all of this?

"I was so angry and hurt that you ran away from me when I tried to tell you about my feelings...I thought for certain you would never return my feelings...I was mad that I...I tore my picture of you and I threw my locket over board..."Helga said looking down.

Arnold felt his stomach twist, guilt was gnawing at him as he recalled that night. He knew that he did was bad, to run away when she had finally gathered the courage to finally and honestly pour her feelings out to him but he had been so stunned and...he wasn't ready to hear those words yet.

He knew now that it was no excuse and that he hurt her feelings that night...something he would always be ashamed of.

"When we were in our cells and I was horrified when I recalled what I did...I instantly regretted it since...this locket...'Helga suddenly pulled it out and Arnold took a closer look and did see that his picture looked like it had been cut up and then pieced back together.

'This locket isn't just a little trinket...It's basically the closest thing I had to you before we got together, the thing I could use to express my feelings...When I realized what I did, I regretted it so much and then Brainy snuck up on me, I was so angry, stressed and heartbroken I was about to punch his lights out but he...He returned my locket to me, he must have jumped into the river and got my locket and all the bits of the picture back...He just handed it back to me...'Helga explained.

"He did that?...'Arnold asked in surprise.

"Yeah, he did...'Helga said... "I was so overjoyed to have my locket back and that no real harm had come to it that I just acted on impulse...I took Brainy and kissed him as a way of saying thank you and then I left to go to Phoebe and Gerald to think of an escape, and that's all that had happened..." Helga explained slowly.

Arnold was at a lost for words. Helga's locket was the thing that helped cure his parents of the sleeping sickness, along with the rest of the Green eye people. He had felt so upset at the thought that she had kissed someone else besides him but...he knew now he couldn't be angry at her or Brainy upon knowing the details.

"I guess we kind of owe Brainy one...'Arnold sighed.

'Yeah, he's an okay guy despite being a stalker..."Helga muttered under her breath.

"What? Stalker? What do you mean?...'Arnold asked in a surprise tone.

"It's nothing Arnold...'Helga said, regretting she said that much and started this again.

"Helga...'He pressed on.

"Oh fine, Brainy, for reasons I can't even begin to understand follows me around a lot of the time...'Helga answered.

"He what?...'Arnold asked in confusion.

'I mean it, sometimes when I'm alone, I turned around and he's there breathing down my neck and it gets so weird...He's either hiding in or behind garbage cans, one time he was literally in a tree and so many other weird places, just there, wheezing and breathing behind me..."Helga muttered in annoyance.

'Why would he do that?...'Arnold asked in disbelief.

"Beats the heck out of me, I usually just sock him one in the face...I tried to ask him once but he just stood there silent, almost like he was scared of something...since I was in a good mood at that time I spare him..."Helga said with a shrug, having been long used to it.

"How long has he been doing that?...'Arnold asked, being very weirded out by the whole thing.

"Since preschool, I'm used to it, even if I don't like it...'Helga shrugged not seeing the big deal about it.

Arnold was silent, until an idea formed in his head. Now that he recalled it, he did see Brainy usually happy after they freed his classmates after they saved his parents and he even saw him dancing and playing some pan flute...Like he was really happy about something. Helga said that he has been following her around and that it's been for a really long time.

He suddenly recalled something from the FTI incident, a memory that will be with him for the rest of his life.

"You heard me, pal. I love you, LOVE YOU!...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? I love you Arnold! I've always loved you…Ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head!..." Helga's voice echoed in his mind as the memory resurfaced.

He knew and understood what Helga had done over the years, she confessed to him because she wanted to be fully honest with him and she wanted to be sure of how serous he was being about liking her. Arnold didn't hate her for loving him so much and he understood that while she got carried away a lot of the time, she wasn't hurting anybody and he still cared about her. Not to mention he loved the fact that she wrote poems about him, he was stunned at first but now he loved it and would try and get her to show them to him out of interest. A part of him couldn't help but notice a pattern. Helga had followed him around because she had feelings for him, she wrote poems and did a lot of other things because she loved him, like giving up getting rich to help him save the neighborhood and helping him get to San Lorenzo to help save his parents.

She did it all just to help him, because she loved him.

Helga just told him that Brainy has been following her around a lot...and if he got the locket back for her, it was because he knew it was special to her and he didn't want to see her hurt...and if Helga kissed him and...and his happy attitude at the end of the adventure were connected than...did that mean-

"Brainy like-likes her?...'Arnold thought, though he was surprise Helga didn't seem to get it, given how light she was treating the situation.

"Anyway, now that this mess has been cleared up, can we put it behind us..."Helga said seriously.

"Helga...'Arnold started, unsure of what he should even say.

'Arnold, I was serious when I said that I loved you and I always loved you...I don't care that a few guys temporarily lost their minds and tried to go after me...They aren't you..."Helga said.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, as I said, any guy would be lucky to have you..."Arnold said as he caressed her face.

"But you're the only guy for me, so you don't have to be jealous..."Helga said playfully.

"I was not jealous...I was just curious...'Arnold insisted but she sent him a look.

"Okay...Okay...maybe I was a little jealous but I can't help it...who wouldn't be if they had a girl like you...'Arnold said sweetly.

"And you can get why I got jealous when I saw those floozies try and snatch you away from me...Lila...Ruth...Summer..."Helga muttered, a jealous look on her face.

"Don't be...They aren't you...'Arnold said giving her a look.

The young couple shared another kiss, both happy and blissful that no matter what, they would always have each other and no one could get in the way of that.


Later

Arnold had just walked Helga back home as a good and loving boyfriend should. After kissing her goodbye and waiting to make sure she was inside and out of sight, he looked around the area, to see if his hunch was correct.

"Brainy, if you are...if you are really around here, please come out...we have to talk..."Arnold said in a composed voice.

To his surprise, he saw the pale, spiky hair boy had appeared from behind a bunch of garbage cans, a nervous look on his face from being caught.

"She wasn't exaggerating...'Arnold thought as he took a deep breath, needing to be certain of this.

"Uh...Hi..."Brainy said with his raspy voice.

"Hi Brainy, look I need to talk to you about something...important...'Arnold started.

"Uh...Okay..."Brainy wheezed, his usually creepy grin on his pale face.

"Okay well...Helga told me about what you did for her San Lorenzo, how you got her locket back for her...'Arnold started... "First I wanted to say thank you for that Brainy...You really helped us a lot by doing that..." Arnold said as he explained that they had used the locket as a replacement key when they lost the Corazon to help cure the sleeping sickness.

"If it wasn't for the locket, we never would have been able to give the cure to my parents and the green eye people, so thank you..."Arnold said.

"Uh...You're welcome...'He said in his usual way.

Okay, now that that part was done with, it was time to get to the more serious issue.

"Brainy, I need to know something...Do you like Helga? And I mean like-like?...'Arnold, being bold, asked him directly.

Brainy was silent and his eyes were wide, he seemed nervous.

"I thought so...Look Brainy, I know you are a nice guy and I owe you one for getting the locket back but I'm not sure if you noticed but Helga is my girlfriend, she has feelings for me...for a long time...and I know that you have been following her around even now...Look, I can understand if you have feelings but I don't think you realize that your making her feeling uncomfortable but the fact remains that Helga is my girlfriend and she loves me and you need to accept that...'Arnold said, trying to control his internal jealousy.

He knew that Brainy wasn't a bad guy but the fact remain that he can't just keep stalking his girlfriend. He had to accept that Helga loved him and move on.

"I know...'Brainy said, surprising Arnold.

"What?...'Arnold said in surprise.

"I know...that she loves you...I always have known...that she loves you...I accepted that a long time ago..." Brainy said in his raspy voice.

"What?...'Arnold said, blinking in confusion.

"Helga is an amazing girl...She's a beautiful soul...poetic...brilliant...devoted...and I know it's all toward you..."Brainy said.

""If you know...then...then why-..."Arnold started.

"I can't just stop having these feelings Arnold...Anymore than Helga can stop her feelings for you...' He confessed.

"I know that she is your girlfriend and I respect that...I won't get in the way...but don't ask me to stop having these feelings...It's not easy..." Brainy said looking away.

"Brainy..."Arnold started, unable to comprehend this.

He was sort of expecting...well...That Brainy would either deny or come clean and if he came clean, he would tell him calmly and politely to back off from his girlfriend... to accept that she was his and that he couldn't have her.

He didn't expect this.

"I care about Helga very much and I know that she loves you...I accept it and I wont get in the way...She is my dream girl...but I'm not her dream guy...but if she is happy...I am happy too..."Brainy explained.

Arnold blinked but smiled at that.

"You're an okay guy Brainy..."Arnold said.

This was a lot easier than he thought it would be. He didn't see Brainy as a liar or a bad guy and he had a feeling he could trust his word.

"Just make sure to keep her happy...You have something wonderful Arnold...So treat her well...'Brainy said and Arnold noticed that his raspy voice almost sounded...like he was warning him.

"Don't worry, I will..."Arnold assured him.

"Good...Well...Bye..."Brainy said as he was about to leave.

"Wait Brainy...If you want, the guys and me usually meet up for go-kart meetings on Wednesdays...If you want, you can join in...'Arnold offered, to be kind.

"Go-kart...I'll think about it..."He said, wheezing in between the words.

'Well, the meeting will be at noon and if-...'Arnold had been looking away but when he went back to look at the other guy, Brainy was gone, just like that. Looks like Helga wasn't lying when he said that he could either sneak up or away out of no where.

"Huh?...'Arnold muttered as he noticed that some storm clouds were forming.

Taking his umbrella, he opened it just in time for the rain to fall. Seeing no other reason to stay, he decided to head home in jolly spirits. He was young, had his parents back in his life, he had a wonderful girlfriend and no matter what, Helga loved him and nothing and no one will ever change that.

No matter what, she was all his now and he loved it that way!

The End


:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)