As class still continued, Helga just kept on doing her daily routine of tormenting Arnold, but something was COMPLETELY off. Arnold wasn't turning around and glaring at her, even though his was still flinching with each spitball she threw at him. She just didn't get it. Was he mad at her? Was he trying to ignore her? What could it be?
As soon as the bell ring for lunch, Arnold was the first one to run straight out of the classroom. All of the classmates took notice of this. But they just decided to ignore it since it was none of their business. Well except for certain people which was Helga, Gerald, Phoebe, Rhonda, Harold, Sid, and Stinky.
As all of the fourth graders were getting lunch in the lunch line, Arnold was lost in thought as he picked out his lunch. 'Ok. All you gotta do is just ignore Helga that's all! Wait...why am I even TRYING to ignore her? There's nothing about her to ignore! Well except...her appearance...with her blue eyes popping out with the mascara and that...pink eyeshadow...her gold blond hair flowing behind her back and shoulders...and...her red lips all soft and plum- W-WHY AM I THINKING THESE THINGS?!? I DON'T! I repeat I DON'T like helga that way!!!'
Arnold groaned in irritation as he started walking to his table. He sighed as he continued to finish his thought while taking his seat and closing his eyes tightly. 'Just don't think about Helga. Don't think about Helga, don't think about Helga, don't think about Helga, don't think about Helga, don't think about Helga, don't think about Helga, don't think abou-'
"Hey Arno-!"
"AHHHH!!!" Arnold immediately jumped, causing him to fall backwards of his seat, and he hyperventilate a bunch of times while causing everybody to look at him in surprise. Arnold realized what he did as he blushed brightly of embarrassment and immediately sat up to see who greeted him. It was only Gerald and the rest of the guy's in his class. They all looked curious, a little bewildered, and mostly amused. But Gerald looked mostly concerned for his friend in front of him.
"Woah Arnold! You alright man?" said Gerald in worry and curiously. Arnold cleared his throat, trying to calm himself as he smiled and talked as calmly as he could, but quickly failed as he stuttered and his voice sounding a little TOO enthusiastic. "I-I'm good! Peachy, great, fantastic! How 'bout you? Hehe..." He cleared his throat as he started eating trying to calm himself, his blush still on his face but mostly his cheeks.
Eugene then began to speak up. "Well gosh Arnold! If I didn't know any better, your face is red! But mostly your cheeks though!" Harold, Sid, Stinky, and Curly then notice the redness on his cheeks as they snickered a little. Arnold gulped as he tried to stay calm as to what came out of his mouth next. "W-wow uh really Eugene? Hehe I g-guess I must've catch something..." Gerald looked at his friend's face and expression as he was the next one to speak. "Yeah Eugene's right Arnold! Wow your as red as a tomato! Maybe you're right! Maybe have a fever or somethin'." Harold, Sid, Stinky, and Curly began chuckling a little as Gerald sighed and looked at the rest of the boys at the table. "Ok what are guys laughin about?"
As they broke into a few of their laughs, Sid was the first one to take control of his laughter. "Haha! Boy howdy! If I didn't know any better, I say Arnold likes another girl, but this time it MUST be big! Big "enough to show COLOR!!! As Sid continued to finish his laughing, Stinky was the next one to speak through his laughter. "Hehe yeah I mean look on how much Arnold's blushing though!" Then finally Harold finished his laughing as he stood on the table and yelled, "HEY GUY'S! AWWNOOLD'S IN LOOOOOVVE!!! LOOK HOW MUCH HE'S BLUSHING!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!" Everybody looked over to their table as Harold was indeed right. Arnold sat there, blushing a bright red and it was everywhere on his face, but mostly his cheeks and ears. The whole cafeteria began to holler with laughter while most of them were yelling out mostly teasing comments and some question's such as…
"Hey Arnold! Who's the girl your in love with?!?"
"Awwww Arnold in LOVE!!! Hahaha!!!"
"Arnold's in loo~oove! Arnold's in loo~oove~! Hahaha!!!"
Arnold covered his ears as he waited for the yelling, laughter, and the teasing comments to stop. A soon as the laughter finally sided, though there were still a few comments, Arnold sighed in relief as he went to throw away his food, happy that, mostly, the teasing already sto-
"Pfft! Arnold in LOVE?!? HA! Like THAT'LL be the day!"
Then his heart stopped as he heard a certain girl's voice. His body was frozen for a good few seconds then turned around as his blushed a LOT while his emerald eyes wide at the sight in front of him. Helga G. Pataki stood there behind the front door entrance and exit to the cafeteria only a few feet away from him. Her gold blond hair was still down and shiny. She had her left hand to her side, dangling against her body, and she had her right hand on her hip, forming a fist against her gentle curve of her body. Helga still had her makeup on, with her eyes narrowing towards him, and she moved her lips, causing her lower lip giving out a little pout with a mischievous smirk.
10 minutes before after Arnold screamed and fell out of his seat to the ground.
As Helga was still walking to lunch, she was lost in thought of Arnold's behavior in class today. 'What the heck is up with Arnold today? I mean criminey! All I did was having on some makeup junk and and had my freaking hair down! Hmmmm...maybe…' Then Helga gasped a little in surprise. 'Maybe THAT'S why he was ignoring me today! Ha! Knew it hit him hard! Hehe wonders never cea-' Then Helga blinked as her blue eyes went wide and quickly went to her 'office' aka the janitor's closet. She closed the door as she turned on the light.
Helga smiled brightly while bringing out her locket. "Oh arnold! Maybe finally your starting to have feeling of love and affection to me! How you been avoiding me in class and especially how you reacted to my appearance! Ohhhh..." Helga swooned as she let out a girlish sigh and leaned against the wall, putting her locket close to her beating and fluttering heart. She appeared out of her office, put her locket back into her jumper, and continued heading to the cafeteria for lunch with a tiny smile to where no one will notice. She then suddenly hear yelling and laughter from the other side of the cafeteria doors as she can hear what people were saying as her heart started beating fast. Helga heard, "Awww Arnold's in LOOOVE!!! Hahaha!!!" as she leaned against the wall, her right hand grasping around her covered locket tightly.
She started to hyperventilate as she slowly smiled. 'Arnold possibly in love...WITH ME?!? THAT also makes a WHOLE lot more sense! Oh what a dream come tru-!...But...' Helga then looked down with a sad frown. 'But what if it was just another girl? What if he didn't feel that way...about me…? No! If the teasing was THIS serious, it was bound to be about me!' Helga then smiled independently as she heard people stop yelling, though there was still a few teasing comments and some chuckles here and there. She then went inside to see people stop teasing Arnold as he walked to the trash can, blushing a faint shade of red. Helga then smirked as she walked a few feet closer to Arnold without him noticing her. 'Hehe there was no way I'm letting him off THAT easy. Huh Arnold Arnold Arnold, thought you'd be ignoring me all day huh? Well, here I am to get you back! Besides it's funny and it's SO adorable when he blushes and squirms!' She then yelled out loud, causing everybody to take notice of her, especially her beloved, who stood frozen, "HA! Arnold in LOVE?!? Pfft! Like THAT'LL be the day!"
Back to the present...
Arnold got of his staring at Helga as shook his head, cleared his throat, and walked up to her. 'Well I was bound to talk to her later on. And what better way to ask than now right? I'll just explain to her later why I asked her. She'll understand. Besides, she kinda owes after seven years of torture she's put me through. She'll understand that too!' He nodded to himself as he stood in front of Helga. He opened his mouth, about to speak, but then he hesitantly rubbed the back of his neck while looking away from her.
Arnold actually didn't know how to ask Helga to the dance. He really didn't know how to aproa- 'Wait...if she...well you know...feels that way about me...then she might say yes! But how will I get her to say yes so easily though? Use like charm or something?' Then his heart skipped a beat at the very image of flirting with Helga...with her giggling and looking away all cute and shy as Arnold kissed her hand, going up and down her arm, and whispering into her ear obviously flirting with her as Helga was blushing. Then there was another image of Arnold was behind Helga, hugging her from behind as he purred while his neck is on Helga's- Arnold quickly shook his head with a bright shade of red while tightly closing his eyes to get back to the task at hand. 'Well, at least it'll keep her guard down enough to let her say yes...and WHAT DID THAT LAST IMAGE COME FROM ANYWA-?!?'
"Ok is there you need football head or what?!?" She looked at him with a scowl as Helga pointed at him with her right hand and she started walking towards him. "I mean, criminey I haven't ate freaking lunch yet and YOU are wasting my precious ti-!" Then suddenly, at the last part of her sentence she had her eyes closed in annoyance, Helga felt something warm and familiar as she blinked a few times. She looked down as Arnold gently grabbed Helga's right hand with both of his hands, stood on one knee, and gave her a charming and a VERY familiar half-lidded gaze towards her. A certain gaze that was JUST like the same one from the April Fools Day dance last year.
Everybody gasped in shock and amusement as Helga blushed a bright red as Arnold continued to stare at her. "Helga?" Arnold asked as she replied in a small whisper, loud enough for only him to hear, as Helga was unable to speak. "Y-y-yes?" 'Got her...' Arnold smirked at her as he continued to speak. "I've been meaning to ask you for some time now and...well...Helga G. Pataki, will you go to the Valentines Day dance with me? But as a friend since I still see good in you" Quickly, Arnold pulled her close to him as he hugged her to his height as Helga leaned down towards him. And Arnold whispered to her ear, his breath tickling her neck as it sent shivers down Helga's spine. "And another reason I asked you was because of Gerald wanting me to be there for his date with Phoebe and I needed a date. And what no better fake date than you right?" Helga's eyes went wide as whispered back with a smile, "Huh. Phoebe asked me the same thing about you too Arnoldo." She then heard Arnold laughed a little, his little chest moving from the laughter against her body as Helga melt inside.
"So you'll be going with me then Helga?" 'Oh YES YOU STUPID FOOTBALL HEAD!!! MORE THAN ANYTHING!!! But...oh why can't I just GO with him?!? Even though it was just for Phoebe's sake and I guess tall hair boy's sake too, I'd STILL be happy to go if it meant GOING with ARNOLD!!! *sigh* Well, I guess I just have not go with him because of my stupid reputation and mostly because of the other chuckleheads making fun of me!. And I have to reject him too. The old Helga G. Pataki way...' Helga then got out of her lovesick shock as she pushed him away, causing him to fall to the ground as she scowled darkly at him, bringing a fist up to his face. "Stop freaking touching me hair boy! CRIMINEY!" Then she grabbed him by the collar tightly and pulled him up to her height, causing his feet to dangle in the air as they were nose to nose and Helga continued her outburst. "Like I will EVER go to the dance with someone that's a STUPID football head like YOU!" Then the bell ringed as Helga growled at her beloved. "Grrrrr you are LUCKY the bell ringed football head! Otherwise I'll knock your FOOTBALL HEAD DOWN FLAT!!!" Helga then dropped Arnold as she stormed out of the cafeteria and walked outside to the playground with the darkest scowl she could mustered.
Everybody stayed there in silence. Nobody moved and nobody speaked. Arnold wasn't able to breathe as thoughts raced through his mind. 'Why did she say no? Was it because of how I acted? Oh man I KNEW I should asked her normally! But I just wanted to get her guard down! Dang It NOW what I'm going to do?' He stood up, cleaned himself up, and headed to the bathroom with everyone in the cafeteria still in their state of shock. As he was in the bathroom, he looked into the mirror and sighed tiredly. His face was red as he felt so RIDICULOUS of how he acted towards Helga. Now he had to deal with everybody making fun of her and it was ALL his fault! But if he stood up for her, then the others will think of them of them being a thing or something. Arnold just didn't know what to do about it...but he thought of ONE thing...and that's to deal with the consequences. He looked into the mirror once more as his face was a still a shade red. Arnold started to wash his face off to get rid of the redness.
5 minutes later…
He appeared out of the bathroom as he sees that everyone left the cafeteria and went for the playground. As he walked up to the door, Arnold looked through the door and everyone was...just playing. No mockery, no jokes, no teasing, and not even a single comment? Arnold sighed in relief, happy that this was a good sign that no one was making fun of Helga! He just sees no Helga in sight meaning she's avoiding everyone else. That was also a good sign too! But as he walked outside and closed the door behind him, all of the children were looking at him in surprise.
Silence...there was only silence and the wind on the playground. Until Arnold cleared his throat and went to Gerald who was looking at him the same way as everyone else. As Arnold was walking, he can feel every eye on him and he was feeling REALLY nervous. He also couldn't help but hear some whispers as his heart skipped at Helga's name being mentioned a few times. He smiled nervously at Gerald as he stood in front of him. "H-hey Gerald. H-how you been? Hehe..." Gerald got out of his state of surprise as he smiled at his best friend. "Oh I'm good man. But except for you're in for the most teasing and making fun of in your life." Gerald patted Arnold on his back for supportive. "Phew! That's good to hear! I'm happy she's not being made fun o-!" then his heart stopped and it felt like it felt into his stomach. "W-wait...what do you me-?"
"HEY LOOOOOK!!! AWWNOOOLLD'S IN LOOOOOOVVVE WITH HEEEELLGAAAA!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
That did it.
The whole playground was filled with nothing but loud and obnoxious laughter. Arnold blushed a dark red. He was couldn't believe it! HE was being made fun of! NOT helga, but HIM! Arnold stood there, slightly slouching while standing, his face feeling small pricks of fire, and his jaw dropped in disbelief. Then Rhonda, Nadine, Lila, and Sheena walked up to him giggling. "Oh my Arnold!" Rhonda started. "I knew you were desperate for love, but in love with HELGA? HA! Soooooo DO you like he- oh excuse me! I mean..."
Rhonda cleared her throat as she said out loud to where most of the fifth graders heard, "Are YOU, Arnold, FALLING DESPERATELY and HOPELESSLY ROMANTICALLY IN LOVE with HELGA G. PATAKI?!?" The whole playground was being really loud with laughter as Arnold's eyes went wide at Rhonda's question as he face felt more on fire as Rhonda and the rest of the guys smirked at his reaction. "Hehe well then I rest my ca-" "No I'm NOT you guy's!!!" Arnold said firmly and loudly, with a scowl plastered on his face. Immediately the entire playground full of fifth graders were completely silent. Nobody has EVER seen OR heard Arnold yell before! And it was EXTREMELY rare too! Arnold realized how he sounded as he took a deep breathe and let it out calmly as he spoke very calmly. "Look you guys, I only asked Helga to the dance was because I just...well...needed a favor from her to a friend. And I know you probably think I'm lying, but I'm telling the truth. So could you PLEASE leave me and Helga alone? As a favor since I've helped ALL of you with your problems over the years?" Arnold looked at all of his friends with pleading eyes as they all had guilty looks while looking down.
The whole playground was silent once again, until Gerald spoke up with a reassuring smile. "Of course man! I'll TRY and leave you alone! Even though you asked us a favor since you helped us with all of our problems, I'm still your best friend you know that right?" Arnold rolled his eyes with a smile as he and Gerald did their handshake. "Ok Gerald you can make fun of me all you want, but not TOO much deal?" Gerald nodded back as they finished their handshake. "Deal." Gerald looked at the rest of the class as he sighed while shaking his head, but he still had a little smile on his features. "Is there something you to have SAY to Arnold you guy's or what?" Everyone looked at Gerald in surprise as they all said, "We're sorry Arnold!" Then Rhonda and the guy's appeared in front of the crowd. "We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable Arnold." Rhonda said as she looked up at him with a guilty expression. "Yeah we just thought that the way yer acting lately and what ya did and say to Miss Helga, we just thought that..." Stinky said. "You and Helga were an item or something." Sid finished with him and stinky having the same expression as Rhonda's. Then Sid spoke up again, but with a little smile as everyone else started chuckling a little. "But you gotta admit it was a little funny! Hehe I mean imagine that YOU and HELGA an ite-?" Sid, Stinky, Rhonda, Harold, and the rest of the class stopped chuckling as Gerald shot them a "Hey you guys better cut it out!" look and Arnold had one of his annoyed scowls on his face.
Everyone cleared their throats and coughed a couple of times. "Sorry Arnold." They all said. Arnold and Gerald then smiled as Arnold finally spoke. "It's ok you guys I forgive you. Just don't annoyed me again or..." Then, to everyone's shock, especially Gerald's, Arnold grabbed Gerald by his red 33 hoodie and put a fist in his face with a dark scowl. "Woah! Arnold what the he-" "You'll regret that you'll ever made fun of me hair boy!" Arnold said harshly while gritting his teeth as the classes jaws dropped as the playground was quiet again. Until Arnold snorted with laughter as he let go of Gerald as Gerald and the rest of the class started to laugh a little too, even though they all felt a little startled by Arnold's sudden aggressiveness. Arnold controlled his laughter as he wiped a tear away. "Hehe sorry you guys just wanted to let you know that you don't mess with me you know?" Everyone nodded at him, now they know that they won't make fun of Arnold again. Then the bell ring as everybody started to head back to class.
30 minutes ago after Arnold was dropped harshly to the ground by Helga…
As Helga stormed out of the cafeteria, she quickly and sneakily ran behind the dumpster and pulled out her locket. "Oh Arnold! Why must I always be so cruel to you? If only I could just tell you that I would LOVE to go with you! But alas, my reputation and everyone else got in the way! Oh but Arnold, the way you asked me to the dance was a dream come true! How your soft warm hand fit perfectly with mine, how you were ONE KNEE!!! And oh how you looked at me! With your gorgeous emerald eyes and that half lidded gaze of yours upon me and your warm, small, and adorable body against mi-"
"Helga are you oka-?"
"Ahhh!" Helga suddenly screamed as she turned around and only saw Phoebe with a concerned look. Helga sighed in relief as she put her locket away. "Phoebe you scared the heck outta me! Don't do that! Criminey!" Phoebe still looked concerned for her friend as she spoke up. "Helga I saw what happened with you and Arnold at lunch today. Are you ok?" Helga looked at her best friend, about to say a sarcastic comment, but she paused and sighed while slumping against the playground fence, crossing her arms on her chest. "I...I don't pheebs. I mean it was!...Well um...it was uh..." Helga was having trouble finding the right words for what happened between her and Arnold back in the cafeteria. Phoebe giggled as she stood next to Helga and leaned against the the playground fence as well. "It was a 'dream come true' Helga?" Helga blushed as she looked away from her in embarrassment. Then she stuttered out a, "Y-yeah uh...that..."
Phoebe looked concerned once again. "But what's the problem?" Helga looked at Phoebe in surprise as she got off the fence and stood in front of her while she scoffed. "The problem is my reputation Pheebs! If the other's found out that me and football head are going to the VALENTINE'S DAY dance together, they'll EAT ME ALIVE Pheebs! I just can't let that happen!" Helga sighed once more as she hang her head while closing her eyes. "I just wish me and Arnold can go together without the stupid mockery of our 'friends' affecting us ONCE. I just wish we would focus on EACH OTHER and NOT THEM. I feel trapped Pheebs. I just don't know what to do. I want to be there for you on your date with Geraldo, but if I go there alone, no one would talk to me. But if Arnold went with me, I'd won't be. I don't want to be made fun of, I don't want to be alone, I-I...I don't want to be weak. I...I just c-can't Phoebe..." Helga felt small tears in her blue eyes as she continue to stand there with her head hanging as she closed her eyes tightly hoping that the tears would go away, but they just kept coming. Phoebe took all of Helga's speech in as she was REALLY concerned for her. If Helga wanted to go with Arnold and help her friend out, then she'll be made fun of, but if she won't go with Arnold and still help her out, she would feel alone. There's gotta be a solution to this. There's gotta be!
Phoebe then put a hand on Helga's shoulder as she jumped and looked at her with surprise. Phoebe smiled kindly at her. "Helga I know you don't want to be made fun of, alone, or weak. We won't let that happen. We'll find a solution somehow Helga." Then Phoebe wrapped her arms around Helga. "I promise you that as a friend." Helga stood there for a little bit until she returned the hug with a little smile as she just the tears flow out of her eyes and down to her cheeks. The two girl's stayed in the embrace for a few more seconds until Helga broke it while she cleared her throat. Phoebe smiled at her friend as she wiped her tears away. After she was doen clearing her face, Helga took a deep breath and let it out. "Thanks Phoebe." Phoebe smiled brightly at her as she replied back. "Your welcome Helga. Anything for a friend." HElga chuckled a little as the bell then wrung.Helga then spoke up normally, "Oh and uh Pheebs?" Phoebe looked up at Helga as they both were the class ones to head to class. "Yes Helga?" "The whole conversation and tears junk, never happened. Got it?" Helga smirked at her friend walking beside her to class and Phoebe smiled brightly once again as she replied back. "Forgetting!"
Back to the present...
As Arnold was walking to class, Gerald walked beside him with an impressed smile and chuckled. "Man Arnold now I'll make sure that I'll NEVER annoy you too much EVER again!" Arnold smiled sheepishly as he continued walking to class with Gerald. "Hehe thanks Gerald. Wait was I that REALLY intimidating?" "Nah man!" Gerald smile as they were closer to their class's door. "It's a GOOD intimidating!" As Gerald and Arnold were the last ones out of the class, until Gerald stopped Arnold while looking at him with a surprised smile. "Plus if I didn't know any better," Gerald turned around as he headed inside the classroom as he finished his sentence. "I'd say that Helga's rubbing off on you or something! Just what you said actually SOUNDED like Helga G. Pataki man!" Arnold blushed at what Gerald said as he stood there in the halls in front of the classroom door. 'Wow...maybe she IS rubbing off on me..huh wonders never cea-'
"Out of my way geek bait!" Said as familiar voice as Arnold felt a warm hand against his and over his beating heart as he was shoved out of the way in the doorway. Helga went inside with a scowl as Phoebe followed her. The small japanese girl stopped though as she sees Arnold's face. His face was red and she actually couldn't help but see that he was breathing heavily while grasping his sweater. "Arnold are you alright?" Phoebe said as Arnold jumped in surprise and looked at the girl with glasses in front of him. He cleared his throat as his blush gone down a little. "I-I'm ok Phoebe. Honest." Arnold said with a reassuring smile. "Well ok then." Phoebe said sounding unsure as she walked inside the classroom. Arnold stood there for a few more seconds as he walked inside, trying to calm his beating heart while going to his seat, but as he was in process of doing it, he looked over the seat to see Helga still with her makeup on and with her hair down as she was writing something down in a pink book while screwing her face in concentration with her left hand forming a fist, causing her to rest her face against it. Arnold couldn't help but notice that her blue orbs were looking up to the ceiling and she looked like she was mumbling a word or two. While she was doing that, Arnold could see her mouth moving, her lips still having the bright and shiny red lipstick on. His blush increased as her upper shiny red lip and her soft and plump lower lip moved against and apart a few times until they formed a scowl. "What are you looking at football head?" The mouth said harshly as Arnold immediately sat down in his desk and having one of his hands on his forehead in disbelief as his face was a dark red while breathing heavily. ' W-what theck is WRONG with me?!?...I...I-I am NOT ok…!'
To be continued…
Well what do you guys think? Was this chapter good? Bad? Will the students of P.S. 118 keep on annoying Arnold and Helga? Will Helga and Phoebe figure out a solution to be helping Gerald and Phoebe's date? And will Arnold EVER figure out his feelings for Helga? Tell me in the comments!...Pluuuuuussss...*taking a big breath* "IMAYORMAYNOTADDED THAT"LASTIMAGE"TO ARNOLD'S HEAD BECAUSE WHY NOT?!?I MEAN I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN PERFECT FOR HIM ACTING SUCH LIKE A BASKETCASE ANDWHATNOTTOHIMFIGURINGOUTHISFEELINGSFORHELGASQUUUUEEEEEEEEE...!!!" Melody passing out from oxygen as Valiant Chevalier, aka Melody's best friend, came in with a sigh while shaking her head with a little smile. "Well you guys heard her! Well sorta...anyway hope you guys enjoy the chapter! The next one will come up soon! Bye for now! Or as Melody would say, "Melody out!"