Yes, I'm back again! And here is my newest fanfiction! I am SO thankful for the response I got on my last one, and I only hope you guys like this one just as much. Ok, so this story takes place six years after the Jungle Movie, so the Hey Arnold gang is sixteen (I had some problems with math, so I apologize if there are any mix ups. I've tried to fix them, and will continue to do so). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Hey Arnold is not mine.

Chapter 1

It was a cold, grey, rainy day as Arnold Shortman walked to Hillwood High School. It had been six years since he and his fifth grade class had gone to San Lorenzo to find his parents, which they had, and now Arnold was sixteen and determined to make his sophomore year great.

A lot had changed in six years, but some things were still the same; Arnold still wore a red plaid shirt, but now he wore it over a teal t-shirt, and his little blue hat was still ever-present on his football-shaped head.

On a nearby street, Helga Pataki was also battling the elements on her walk to school. As they often did, memories from San Lorenzo were whirling through her head as she tried to sort things out; Arnold had confessed that he loved her back while they were in San Lorenzo, but once they were back in Hillwood she had avoided him for weeks. Partly it was because she didn't want to intrude on his time with his parents, but partly it was also that she wasn't really sure how to handle Arnold supposedly loving her back. And as more time passed, neither spoke about the subject again. And so, in short, Helga kept tormenting Arnold on a daily basis, and Arnold kept trying to ignore it.

Just as many things had changed over the years for Arnold, so had they for Helga. She still wore her bow, but she hid it under a grey hat; now it was more like a secret memento that was just for her. She had switched her dress for a pink tank style tunic with an orange band around the bottom and Jeans. She had also kept the pigtails, just worn lower. And forever in a hidden pocket was the gold locket she had kept a picture of Arnold in for years.

As both approached the school, Helga again felt a pang in her heart at the sight of Arnold. She really wished she knew how he felt about her, but at the same time she was still afraid that he would reject her. That fear was what kept her from asking him the question she desperately needed an answer to: What do we do now?

'It's probably just as well,' she thought glumly as she opened her locker and pulled out the books she needed, 'He probably wants nothing to do with me anyway...'

'She probably doesn't even remember,' Arnold thought as he stuffed his History book in his bag. He had thought about Helga almost every day, but after she had avoided him for a month after San Lorenzo, he assumed she didn't like him like that anymore and just wanted them to be friends. But then her teasing had continued over the years, so Arnold was left very confused.

The bell rang, and everyone headed to their first class with mixed levels of enthusiasm. Arnold's first class was History, as was Helga's.

"Alright everyone," the teacher said once everyone was seated, "I'm handing back your homework from Friday, but I want you to wait to look at them until after I explain your next project.

"In teams of two, you're going to create an oral report and visual presentation. Both partners must be active in both pieces of the project. In research, development, and presentation. And before you start partnering up with your best friend, I have already chosen your partner. There will be no switching partners, so don't even think about it."

Groans came from around the classroom, but the teacher ignored them and picked up the list.

"Okay, the partners are Rhonda and Thaddeus," Rhonda groaned again while Curly smiled, "Phoebe and Gerald," both students smiled shyly at each other, "Arnold and Helga, Sydney and Mandy..."

Helga had stopped listening by now. She and Arnold?! This was either a Heaven sent gift, or a curse from Hell. 'What am I going to do? We both have to be part of every step of the process, which means we're going to have to spend time together, which leaves so much time for talking, and what if he wants to talk about San Lorenzo? What if I can't keep my trap shut and I try to talk about San Lorenzo? And if we do talk about it, what if he says it was a "heat of the moment" thing, like we agreed FTI was? Or what if he says it wasn't? I mean, we were in that pit, and it was raining, and we thought we were going to die. He could have just said it without really thinking it through. Then again, Arnold's not one to make decisions without thinking, especially when they affect other people. Oh criminy, I'm starting to sound like a basket case again!'

While Helga had been lost in her thoughts, the teacher had told everyone to partner up so they could go to the library and start work. Arnold had gathered his things and gone to Helga's table, only to find her spaced out.

"Um, Helga?"

"Huh? What? Oh, what do you want, Football Head?"

"We need to go to the library to start our project."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just taking my good sweet time! Sheesh!"

"Whatever you say, Helga," Arnold sighed and adjusted his bag. Once he was gone, Helga picked up her notebook and smacked her head with it a few times.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I do that? I couldn't just be civil and thank him for his concern? No. I had to go and be a jerk! Why do I always do this? Okay, I'm going to got to the library, and the first thing I'm going to do is apologize. Oh great, I'm talking to myself! Sure, Helga, let everyone else know you're crazy!" she stuffed her books in her bag and joined her classmates in the library.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Arnold," Helga said, sitting down in the chair across from him, "I'm just having a bad day, and I was a bit lost in thought, and you surprised me. But that's no excuse for me acting like a jerk to you, so I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Helga. Apology accepted. So, what should we do our project on? We have to pick a building from the city to research the history of."

"Well we should pick something that had an impact on our lives, that way we won't get bored reading about it," Helga suggested.

"Good idea. So, what are some places that have been important to our past?"

"Well, there's P.S. 118, the Circle Theater, Quigley Stadium," Helga began.

"What about FTI?" Arnold asked, trying to sound casual.

"What?" Helga looked at him blankly. Was he trying to be obvious? He had to go and suggest the most important building in her life? Clearly he knew it's significance, too, because even six years later, Arnold still couldn't lie for beans.

"Um, well, uh, if you want to use that then it's fine with me," Helga said. 'Please don't let this end up being really awkward!' she thought desperately.

"Sounds good to me. I think the FTI building is older than the others anyway. I'll go try and find some books on it, why don't you check the internet?"

"Sure, okay," Helga said, getting up to go log into a computer. 'Great, pick the building with the most awkward personal history ever! Great!' she thought, scrolling through web pages, 'This is going to suck!'

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By the time the bell rang, Helga had managed to find plenty of information to start with, and avoided talking to Arnold as much as possible. She packed up her things and practically ran out of the library. Unfortunately, Arnold was just as fast as she was, and he easily caught up to her in the hallway.

"So I was thinking we should get together at the library after school, if you're free," Arnold said.

"Um, yeah, okay. What time?"

"Well, school gets out at 2:45, so maybe around 3:30?" he suggested.

"Yeah, sure, that's fine." Helga mumbled. As fast as she could, she slipped away from Arnold and got lost in the crowd. 'That girl really is something, isn't she?' Arnold thought as he made his way to his next class, 'I just wish I could get her to calm down and talk to me. I've waited for six years, and I really think we just need to talk this out. But she's always been so shy when it comes to talking about stuff like that, and I don't want to push her to talk about it if she really doesn't want to. Then again, maybe a push is what she needs.'

Sorryit'sso short, but these chapters are likely to be shorter than SLGO. I hope you still enjoy it :)