Small Idea i had about Arnold and Lila. for now, it shall remain a oneshot, but we'll see what happens. Let me know what you think and remember: I don't own this, Craig does :)

Enjoy! xoxo

Polkahotness

Her braids were flowing in the wind that was dancing around her. Her eyes were glimmering and her pale skin looked luminescent under the dull moonlight. Rhonda's party was fun as usual, but being with Lila was the only part I particularly cared about. And while the party was full of alcohol and over-used party games, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my three year anniversary with Lila Sawyer.

It seemed like just yesterday that I had asked her out (again) the second week of school our freshman year. I had been so nervous, but Gerald was pushy and physically shoved me her way.

I knocked over her tapioca pudding.

And she smiled.

Her smile still made my heart skip beats every now and again, and that little laugh she had always set my blood on fire.

But the chill air of September was starting to hit and it was nearing 'cold' outside as we stood there at 11:37pm.

The bass was still booming from inside and I shut the door behind us as Lila pulled me by my hand to the front of the house.

"Lila, where are we going?"

"I'm ever so certain I'd like to talk with you, Arnold."

I cocked my head slightly with a mildly confused expression.

"What about?"

"Well, Arnold," she began as she slowly let go of my hand, and I felt the color begin to drain from my face. "I've been thinking a lot lately about how things have been between us and... to be perfectly honest... I'm oh too sure it isn't working."

The tips of my fingers felt as if they were being pricked with a needle and I took a deep breath.

"Lila, I don't know what you're talking about..."

"It isn't you, really. I'm ever so sure that it is me. I haven't been in the right place, Arnold and I haven't been completely honest with you for the past few months, I'm afraid."

Few months, few months... Arnie moved in a few months ago.

Arnie...

"Does this... have to do with my cousin?"

"Know that I did love you, Arnold. I did just ever so much."

"But not enough."

"Arnold, I-"

"No, Lila, I... I understand but... Arnie? I mean... He collects LINT. He's, he's nothing like me-"

"Maybe that's why I like him."

My feet lost their footing for a moment and I stumbled backwards.

"You're saying... you don't like me...LOVE me anymore... because I'm not like... ARNIE?"

"I'm afraid so, Arnold."

"I can't believe this."

Lila took my hand once again and at her touch, the nerves in my hand gave up trying to feel her presence. It wasn't for me.

For all I knew, it never had been for me.

"These passed three years were wonderful, Arnold. I'm ever so sorry this had to happen this way. I hope you can forgive me."

I've never been one to openly cry in front of people.

I always felt that I should appear strong for others, not for that whole masculinity thing, but because people take comfort in people who take a deep breath and live with the cards life deals them. But in that very moment, my eyes were welling up with water so quickly, I couldn't control it as the tears spilled over and onto my cheeks.

Lila said nothing.

"I suppose we should get back to the party, Arnold."

"I think I'll just head on home. I told Grandpa I'd be back before midnight."

"Well, alright Arnold. I suppose I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Lila."

She turned and briskly made her way back into the booming house full of laughter and dancing.

Life had a funny way of showing you where you're supposed to go in life.

Back at P.S. 118 I dreamed of being with Ruth, with TEACHERS even, but then there was Lila. After the sixth grade when we all made our way to the junior high with high expectations, I had thought that Lila and I were never going to happen no matter how hard I tried but here we are. There we were. We were the couple that everyone loved to talk about. Every day we'd walk home together from school, we'd go out for lunch once a week, and we frequently had dinner at each other's houses. During the summer, we would make plans with our friends, but mostly we'd sit around and talk about silly things like flowers, and the sky and each other and our lives. We'd talk about my parents and her mother. When it all came down to it, I always saw Lila and I as the perfect match; we were meant to be together.

But life had something different planned. I didn't know what it was, but it wasn't Lila.

Maybe that was just something I'd have to accept.

"You know, I never understood why you and Lila always spend so much time AWAY from the party." A voice called out from above the muffled noise of the ongoing party. "I mean, I get that you two are a hot ticket item an all, but I never pegged either of you goody-two-shoes to be the 'steal away and make-out' type."

I turned around to see Helga standing against the door; the doorknob still in her hand from pulling it closed. She must have come out here pretty quietly.

"Helga, I'm not in the mood."

"Where is Little Miss Perfect anyways? Isn't she usually super-glued to your arm by this time of the night?"

"Helga... please."

"I'm just making an observation, Hair Boy. Criminy."

I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair as I sat down on the curb, my feet facing forward as I stared down at them.

"She really did a number on you, huh Arnold?"

I scrunched my eyebrows together and turned to look over and see Helga moving to sit beside me on the curb.

"What?"

"Lila. She broke up with you."

"How did you-"

"I'm not COMPletely stupid, Arnoldo. Plus I watched her stroll on in there as if she had just won the frickin' lottery and then some."

"She did?"

"Look Arnold, that isn't the point. The point is you can't hang onto this, or her, any more."

"I don't hold onto her."

She shot me a look and crossed her arms.

Helga didn't drink. She always attended Rhonda's parties every other week or so when they were held, but never had I seen a touch of alcohol surpass Helga G. Pataki's lips. When I asked her about it one night, she simply said she'd rather watch everyone else get drunk than do something she'd regret and have no memory of it. I thought it might be that, but knowing Helga, I think she just wasn't into that.

I couldn't understand why she'd lie about that though.

It seemed like a GOOD thing to not WANT to drink.

Helga was still looking at me and I blushed slightly from such a long pause.

I could only imagine what it was she thought I was thinking.

"Hey, you remember when you first started dating Lila?" She blurted and I looked at her with a surprised expression.

"Uh, yea?"

"But REALLY remember it, Arnold?"

I thought back as hard as I could, but all my memories with Lila seemed to be jumbled with the others into one big memory. I couldn't distinguish the first from the very painful last.

"You don't, do you?"

"We were together for three years, Helga. And I'd asked her out so many different times before it's not really like-"

"Just like you to make excuses, football-head."

"Helga, I'm serious."

"I know you are. But don't you see? Even YOU aren't that dense to miss THIS ONE, Hair Boy."

I sighed and took a deep breath.

"I loved her, Helga."

"I don't think you did, Arnold."

Astonished, I glared at her for even testing me.

"How do you know that, Helga?"

"If you really loved her, don't you think you would remember when you first started dating Lila? How she took your hand when you walked out of the cafeteria with your pepperoni pizza and her with her stupid mashed potatoes? How you went and sat by Geraldo who gave you his handshake dealio you do all the time and you got all red and flustered and Lila touched your cheek to calm you and you looked over at me and-"

"You called me a creepy paste-for-brains yutz and left the table without taking your food."

"So you can tell me what I did but you can't tell me what your GIRLFRIEND did?"

"I still loved her, Helga."

She stood up and brushed off the loose pavement shavings that had stuck to her jeans.

"I think you loved the IDEA of her, Hair Boy. Now you can stay out here and get out what you need to get out and mope and all that football-headed stuff you do, but I'm going to go back in there and get some pictures of Curly teaching Harold Swan Lake. I'll seeya around."

She pivoted on her foot and jogged up the stairs and opened the door to let more of the loud bass escape the large mansion.

"Hey Helga?"

"What?"

"How is it you remember all those things I did? I mean, if you're right about memories being so important, why was THAT day so important to you?"

"Uh... I... Well...Look, ARNOLDO. That was three YEARS ago. It was PIZZA day. Of COURSE I'm going to remember it."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Who said I HAD to make sense, Football-head?" she was practically spitting the words at me and I stood up to shove my hands in my pockets and make my way to the boarding house before midnight hit.

"Whatever you say, Helga." I called out and continued walking in the direction of Sunset Arms.

Every step that I took; however, had me thinking about how much better Helga had made me feel despite what had happened.

And maybe she was right.

Maybe I was just in love with the idea of being with Lila.

Maybe I always had been.

There was one thing I knew for sure though: I wouldn't be attending any of Rhonda's parties for a while.