READ ME! whether youve read this chapter already or not: but dont drink me... this is indeed my story entitled "Just one night" =) Alright you guys! Ready for some news? I have decided to continue this story…frankly because I am enamored about where it could go…and I have a slight idea in mind about what is going to happen =) So I proudly introduce to you, my friends, my second full length feature fan fiction ;) enjoy! If you've already read the first two chapters, there is no change. I just wanted to give a more appropriate title

Hey you guys =) this is sort of a follow up piece to "for the love of poetry", but it works just as well on it's own. (read the other one if you haven't, *cough cough* . ) Anywho, Just thought I'd give the fluff here…some closure! It shall have two chapters =)

And don't forget, coming soon , the next chapter of "Give it the Ol College try!" coming soon to an internet near you =)

And, DEDICATION! Tooooo the amazing Thundercatroar…who rocks! Did I mention the amazingness ? =p you should totally read her stuff. Oh yes.

Also, none of these people are mine ._. Because if they were, I'd have them entertain me nonstop. Except Pizza face. she is mine, But i dont want her =p

(NOTE: I went back and tried to fix the large number of typos =) Lemme know if you spot anymore)

"You're not getting cold fins now, are you?"—Ariel; The Little Mermaid

It could make her or break her, she knew that. If anyone…anyone at all…happened to run into her; she had no excuse really. She just needed to get the goods and get out, no strings attached. It was her reputation here, and she couldn't let it get tarnished by this. No one must know.

Helga glanced down at the movies in her hand as she stood close to the DVD rack, the aisle mostly empty due to the late hour. She couldn't resist, no matter how hard she tried. Helga G. Pataki, badass extraordinaire, miss kick your butt in three seconds flat, was going to take the plunge and purchase Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. Sure, sure, they were the old Disney, but these were her two favorites. She always sympathized with the beast, he and his harsh looks and attitude, but hoping the one he loves will love him back despite the rough edges. And Ariel…well gosh, Helga knew exactly what it was like to long to have someone you cant, and to be unable to tell that someone how you felt.…it tugged her heartstrings every time. It was Disney gold! Of course, it wasn't like she kept up with Disney or anything, no, never!

Helga hastily snatched some DVD with a very actiony cover that had no hint of her sappy romantic feelings and put it on the top of the stack. It didn't look that bad, she'd probably watch it sometime later if she remembered about it.

The girl hastily made her way to the front counter of the store, skidding to a halt in the only available line. She felt her heart speed up as she recognized the head in front of her: Arnold. Helga took a deep breath, reveling in the scent of his shampoo, conflicting on whether she wanted him to turn around. Maybe he would see the movies in her hand and immediately see her for the vulnerable, passionate, loving seventeen year old girl she was! Or he'd just think she was a freak who sat at home on the weekends watching little kid movies alone. She quickly slapped herself back into reality, wishing they'd move up and he'd check out and go without noticing her.

She watched as Arnold unloaded all his groceries, the pizza faced girl with the gum taking her sweet time about getting all his essentials tossed into bags. She waited a minute.

"Thirty-seven sixty-two," the girl said matter-of-factly.

Helga watched as the object of her desire counted at exactly thirty-seven fifty. "I'm sorry, but I'm a dime and two pennies short…"

"Then put something back."

Arnold's eyes flicked with surprise as he pressed, "Couldn't you please cover it for me? I promise next time I come here I'll be sure to pay it back."

"Yeah, and the answer is no. Look kid, go put back some of the pills you got stacked up," the girl snapped, eyeing him suspiciously as she pointed to the medicines in one of the bags.

"They're for my grandparents, I can't do that!" Arnold pleaded.

"Here." Helga laid a quarter on the counter harshly. "You can keep the other thirteen cents for the next person who needs it."

The girl at the counter snarled as she deposited the tarnished quarter in the cash register.

"You know, on second thought, you should probably take that extra thirteen cents and put in a fund for yourself which I highly recommend you use to pay for the cost of the surgery you need to get your head out of your ass," Helga continued, glaring at the girl darkly from across the counter, Arnold momentarily forgotten. "Capice?"

"You didn't have to so that," Arnold commented from beside her, looking down embarrassedly.

"Oh yes I did, football head," she snapped, roughly slamming her movies on the counter and scanning them before the pizza girl could even touch them, much less see them. The blonde tossed them in a bag, pushed a fifty dollar bill and the girl while once again advising her to keep the three dollars for her surgery. She then snatched up Arnold's bags two and began to stalk out the door, her shoes thudding on the hard tile as she stomped to the door.

"Well get over here and show me where you parked!" she snapped.

Arnold nodded, dumbfounded, then ran over to hold the door as Helga stomped out.

"I can get my bags, Helga," he assured her, reaching down to retrieve it from her stony grasp. She gasped at the warmth his hand had as he gently moved her fingers and slid the bags handle into his hand. "You didn't need to do that," he said again.

Helga snorted, leaning against the wall of the building. "It was nothing , Arnoldo. I would've done it for anybody."

"I know you would've," the green eyed boy replied with a laugh. "Thank you, though."

"It's no problem."

"You got DVDs?"

Helga felt herself flush, hoping he couldn't see it in the dimmed light of the night. "How'd you-?"

"I saw you scan them?" he replied, cocking his head the side, giving her a confused, yet adorable look.

"Oh, ha ha! Thoooooose, yeaaaah," Helga said with a gruff laugh, tossing her hand casually. "Just some action movies to watch tonight, you know? I spend my Fridays watching the gore!"

"Beauty an the Beast isn't that gory, and neither is The Little Mermaid," Arnold replied with a sly smile. "But maybe that last one you got was."

Helga felt her face blaze. "I..you! How?"

"I'm observant…"

"Don't you tell anybody, football head!" she snarled, jerking him down to her face by his collar. "If I find out-!"

"Hey, it suits you!" Arnold explained, once again prying her fingers from his shirt.

"What?"

"I've told you before you're not as mean as you try to make yourself seem. It's no surprise you have a soft spot for Disney movies and happily ever afters," he said with a sincere tone. "No matter what you want people to think."

Helga frowned as she clutched her bag to her chest. "Oh whatever football head," she snapped, looking down. She jumped as a peal of thunder rumbled across the shy.

"Looks like rain," Arnold stated.

"Oh really? Cause I was thinking it was more like heavy metal night in Heaven." She rolled her eyes. "Criminy, mister state the obvious!"

Arnold chucked from beside her, smoothing out the front of his green plaid shirt where Helga had rumpled it. She noted it matched his eyes beautifully.

"So do you, I dunno, maybe wanna come by the house?"

Helga's mouth fell open as she stammered, "What for this time? I am so not doing your homework again!"

"No, it's not like that. I mean, thanks to you I did get and A on my poem," he said as he looked her eyes. "And you just chipped in to help me get my grandparents medicine. I figure it's the least I can do."

"Oh, so you're saying I don't do anything on Friday nights and it's pity?" Helga snarled, tossing a long pigtail over her shoulder in defiance. "Because I'll have you know, football head, that I thoroughly enjoy-"

"Oh, stop being defensive and come on," Arnold said with a roll of his eyes. "Do you have anything to do tonight?"

"Well, no, but-"

"So wouldn't you just spend this night with me?" he asked.

Helga looked into his eyes, feeling herself beginning to flounder. "I, uh, sure!" she gasped, her body flaring all over at his words. "I mean, if that's what floats your boat."

Arnold smiled, looking out over the parking lot as the first small sprinkles of rain began to make impact on the pavement. "You need a ride?"

Helga nodded dumbly, clutching her movies to her chest as they made their way across the pavement. Arnold opened the passenger door of his old truck, giving the door a stern jerk to make sure it opened. Helga jumped in, slamming the door before he could.

"You really should just trash this," she muttered as Arnold jumped in the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Naah, I'm saving up money to get it fixed."

"Oh come on! By the time you get enough money to fix this crap heap you would've been better off getting a new car," she mused, observing the broken glove compartment dangling in front of her.

"I know where I can get some parts cheap and I've got autos as an elective this year so I'm hoping if I bring it into class I can get some work done for free," Arnold explained, taking a left at the stop sign.

Hillwood had expanded, but only slightly. Old empty buildings now held stores, and most of the potholes had been filled with more than just boards. Helga peered out at teenagers strolling the streets on a Friday night, at the couples and the friends. She couldn't call either situation hers. She rarely got to see Phoebe outside of school, and Helga casually made up excuses to turn her down whenever the little Asian girl made an invite. She knew Phoebe would rather spend the time with her now boyfriend of two months than with her, really.

"I don't get to see Gerald much anymore either," Arnold commented as if he could read her thoughts.

"Well they're happy, ya know? I can live with that," Helga replied, tearing her gaze from the window. "So what're we gonna do?"

"I figured we could watch a movie?" Arnold suggested.

The blonde felt herself blush as she peered down at the movies in her hand. "Such as?"

"Well it's been awhile since I watched Disney," he mused aloud with a thoughtful smile as he parked his truck in front of the boarding house.

"Har har."

"I'm serious!"

Helga frowned as she slammed the door open, jumping down to the sidewalk and beginning to stomp off.

"I am!" Arnold called, running ahead of her. He grabbed her shoulders. "We can be fourth graders again?"

"Criminy! Some kids never grow up," Helga replied.

"Said the skinny girl with pigtails," Arnold teased, tugging the end of one of her long pigtails. Helga couldn't stop herself from laughing. "There we go!"

"Alright Arnoldo, I give in! Let's go watch us a kids movie!"

Look for chapter two coming soon! =)