Chapter 2: Our Special Time
When the last class ended, Helga was ready to ask what her boyfriend was doing talking to her best friend about during class. Before she could, she heard Phoebe ask "Would you like to go to Slaucens for a milkshake Helga?"
Before answering, Helga looked to see Arnold already speaking with Gerald about something. Perhaps he was angry with her about the way she blew him off at lunch.
After letting out a deep sigh, she replied "Sure Pheebs, sounds good."
When Arnold was already out in the hallway, standing beside his locker with Gerald, he looked to see Phoebe approaching hers with Helga. Although he knew it would seem suspicious, he turned to Gerald and said "If you wouldn't mind waiting here, I have to take care of something."
"I doubt that means fixing Pataki, but alright." Gerald said wittingly, lifting an eyebrow.
Arnold rolled his eyes, as he turned to quickly approach the girls. A weak smile formed on Helga's face, hoping he came to see her.
"Hello Arnold. How are you?" Phoebe asked.
"Fine. Could I talk to you a moment?" he wondered, trying not to make eye contact with Helga.
Helga began to cock her brow, while she listened to her best friend say "I'll see you in a moment Helga."
Arnold took Phoebe far enough down the hallway to keep their friends from hearing anything.
"I read your note and understand your concern. Helga was not at all pleased with the way things went with her and Gerald this morning." Phoebe informed him.
"Yeah, I don't know when Helga's going to learn to show her sensitive side. I think the thought of it just scares her if more people aren't willing to give her more emotional support. Maybe if she and Gerald could talk alone, they could work things out." he suggested, while glancing over at Helga's annoyed facial expression.
"I understand completely." Phoebe nodded, while the two of them decided they had kept their friends waiting long enough.
Arnold went to approach Gerald who had also seen what was going on. "Man, what were you talking to Phoebe for? She's not the one who needs a sensitivity lesson."
After rolling his eyes at the remark, Arnold replied "I uhh just wanted to invite her and Helga to the ice cream parlor with us."
"And you couldn't do that in front of Pataki because?" Gerald asked curiously.
"Can we just go please?"
"Whatever you say Arnold."
Slaucens
"I'll have an extra large triple chocolate shake. Two cherries, and don't skimp on the whipped cream!" Helga exclaimed, while the waitress turned to get Phoebe's order.
"Oh nothing for me, thank you."
Helga cocked her brow at her friend for the third or fourth time that day and said "Phoebe, it was your idea to come here. For crying out loud, what is with you? You've been acting weird since lunch ended?"
"I do apologize Helga. I just have a few things on my mind." Phoebe insisted.
"That reminds me, what were you passing notes with football head all day for?" Helga wanted to know.
Before Phoebe could respond, she noticed the boys passing by the window.
"So how do you think you did on that Math quiz, buddy?" Gerald asked, not paying attention to his friend stopping to look inside the window.
Arnold stood standing, staring at Phoebe, hoping it would be enough to imply she should leave Helga alone.
As Phoebe took notice of Arnold's gesture to join him, Helga watched her best friend rise from her seat. "Hey Pheebs, where ya headed to?"
"I'll be right back Helga. I uhh left something outside." Phoebe scurried away, while Helga wondered why she felt the need to take her backpack with her.
Helga sat shrugging her shoulders, taking a sip of her shake, as she saw Gerald walking inside.
Crimity! What's he doing here?
Helga began to set her shake aside, as she watched him take a seat at her booth. Glaring at him, she asked "What are you doing here Geraldo?"
"Arnold said he invited you and Phoebe to come here with us after school? Personally, I would have been fine just inviting Phoebe." Gerald said, seeing Helga begin to look around for her friend.
Outside
Phoebe ran outside to see Arnold standing at the corner of the parlor; out of the way of the window. She quickly went to meet him, hoping Helga wouldn't be too angry about the way the afternoon would be ending.
"Thanks for getting Helga here, Phoebe." Arnold smiled, having faith the plan would go well.
"Certainly Arnold. Is there anything in particular you would like to do until they've at last reached their verdict?"
Arnold thought for a moment. If they were to stand close by, Helga would surely walk away from Gerald, knowing it was all just a set up.
"Uhh you can come back to my place if you'd like. They'll probably both come looking for me when this is over anyway." he sighed, as the two of them began walking away from the parlor.
Inside
"Where the heck are they? This was Pheebs idea to begin with? Sheesh!" Helga scowled, nearing the bottom of her shake.
"Man, why do you have to do that?" Gerald shook his head, watching the angry girl push aside her finished drink.
"Do what Geraldo?"
"Be so aggressive! Everybody knows you have a soft side (according to Arnold). You can drop the act." Gerald insisted, as Helga's eyes began to widen.
Helga began darting her eyes in opposite directions, unsure of how to respond to that. Although she knew he didn't approve of her negative behavior, Gerald wasn't normally one to confront her about it.
"What do you know hair boy?! So what if I have a soft side! I can decide to show it to whoever I want, whenever I want!" she scowled, pointed a finger at him.
"Mm, mm, mmm! Pataki, who are you trying to impress? I think you've proven that bipolar personality of yours isn't enough to push Arnold away (for some reason). We've established your bad girl attitude isn't enough to do anything more than annoy the rest of the kids in the class. Why can't you just be nicer?"
As she began clenching her fists, about to introduce Gerald to Ol' Betsy, she listened to him add "Don't you think Arnold deserves it?"
Arnold's House
Arnold was leading Phoebe up his porch steps, whom hadn't been to his house in awhile. "You'll want to stand back. We have uhh a few animals that tend to get in the way when the door opens."
Phoebe followed Arnold's instructions, to see he wasn't joking about the large stream of pets that poured past. "I believe I remember you mentioning this when we gathered on your front porch to listen to Rhonny Mathews sing on the radio."
After opening the door to watch the pets pour out, Arnold turned to his friend and asked "By the way, how was the concert?"
A frown came to Phoebe's face, as she replied "I regret to inform you it was…"
"That you shortman?" Phil called out as the two teens entered the kitchen.
"Hey grandpa." Arnold waved, with Phoebe standing beside him.
"Hey shortman! Who's this ya got with ya? Won't your girlfriend be jealous?" Phil winked.
Arnold and Phoebe joined Phil at the table and began to explain their plan to bring their friends to an understanding about Arnold and Helga's relationship.
Slaucens
"So, you're still worried the rest of the class will look for any chance they get to mess with you if you come across too soft in front of them?" Gerald tried getting his facts straights.
"DOI! Why wouldn't they? Like you said, no one's afraid of me anymore. I've been a jerk my entire life. Why wouldn't they look for a chance to get back at me?" she scoffed, leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed.
"Mm, mm, mmm. No offense, but no one's made fun of Arnold for going out with you (except for me that is)." Gerald began to explain while he watched Helga glare.
"What's your point?"
"My point is, he didn't worry about anyone's opinion of dating what we all thought was his arch enemy for years. If anything, he defends you when he knows they're giving you a hard time."
Helga sighed as she began to uncross her arms. Not wanting to make eye contact while she was about to admit this soul crushing piece of information. "I don't like feeling weak okay! Sheesh!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"It MEANS hairboy, I don't like letting other people do things for me. I don't like being rescued. If I'm not willing to be sensitive, what makes you think I would like the idea of someone standing up for me anymore than that?"
"Man, we've all seen the way you look at him during class." he began to explain as her eyes lit with fear.
"If you're willing to let your guard down long enough to do that, why not just let him enjoy knowing how much he means to you?"
Helga began to blush at these words. She realized her actions had been more than unfair her entire life. Now that she finally had the love of her life in her hands, was she going to continue showing her appreciation by blowing off every loving gesture he showed her?
Arnold's Kitchen
"Sounds like you got your work cut out for you shortman! You know how cranky that girlfriend of yours is."
"I'm sure they'll come to their senses. Helga may not be crazy about the idea, but I know how much Gerald wants things to change." Arnold tried finding a reason to have faith, while Phoebe began to nod her head.
"Helga may not be willing to admit it, but her inability to open up pertains to the lack of emotional support she feels is received by her classmates. If there was a bigger guarantee she wouldn't have any reason to believe someone would use her sensitive side as a way to seek revenge for her previous behavior, she'd be more than willing to let go of her aggressiveness." Phoebe explained, before Phil felt the need to butt in.
"AHHH revenge! Nothing like getting back at someone!" Phil said, sitting down with his roast beef sandwich.
Phoebe looked over to see Arnold rolling his eyes, knowing his grandpa was going to continue the story.
"When I was about your kids' age, I had just gotten a new kite. Jimmy Kafka and I went to the park to try it out. The wind was blowing majestically, when suddenly...she fell straight to the ground! I raced over to see a hole had been formed from your grandma's new plane." Phil explained.
"I can only assume you forgave her." Phoebe concluded.
"What are you crazy?! Jimmy and I strategized to get revenge the next day! I sat in class the next day to see her walking in staring at what appeared to be a can of candy on her desk. When she opened it, a spring snake popped out at her!"
"Oh my! Was she okay?"
"Actually, she screamed so loud, she fell backwards onto me, and we both had to write papers on bad behavior." Phil finished as Arnold sighed.
"So, is there a point to this?"
"Of course! Unless you know it'll work out in your favor, don't waste your time trying! Just sit back and let life punish them for you. Like hittin' 'em with a bus or something. Hehe." Phil laughed, while Arnold stared at Phoebe's concerned face.
"Thanks grandpa. I think we're going to go upstairs."
"See ya shortman!"
Slaucens
"I don't think you realize how much you've meant to him ever since our school trip. He was making the same love sick eyes at that spit wad passing note today that you make at him all day every day." Gerald explained, while she began to harder.
"Besides don't you think if…" without being able to take anymore of his lecturing, Helga leaned over the booth and scowled "Alright! Fine! I admit it! I shouldn't be acting this way! I won't do it anymore! Sheesh!"
"Uh huh? And you're going to start acting soft, just like that? He asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms, she scoffed "Crimity! First you won't shut up about my attitude, now you think I'm wasting my time trying to fix things? What the heck do you want from me? Sheesh!"
"Listen, I get that whole 'reputation' of yours has just become your thing. Much like Rhonda with her sense of style." Gerald began as Helga couldn't help but smirk. "Pttss...what's your point?"
"If you want to act tough, it's not my place to change you. Just stop acting like you're too good to show you have a soft side around Arnold. If he tries to hold your hand, asks you out, or any of that other romantic stuff you two can't seem to get enough of from each other, don't be so anxious to hide it from people." Gerald insisted, while Helga slowly nodded her head.
"Man I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go." he said, stretching his legs.
"You said a mouthful there, pal." she scoffed, heading out the door with him.
Arnold's Room
"How do you believe things are progressing with our friends?" Phoebe asked, while she watched Arnold quietly staring off into space.
"I hope everything's okay. Like grandpa said, even if Helga did try getting one of our classmates back for making fun of her, that doesn't mean it would work out in her favor." Arnold sighed, while feeling Phoebe place a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Arnold. You Gerald an I all know Helga's not as aggressive as she makes herself out to be, which is precisely why the thought of revealing her personal side in too many ways is a bit overwhelming to her." Phoebe pointed out.
The two then heard a knock on the bedroom door, as Arnold turned his head to say "Uhh come in."
"Hey football head, how's it going?" Helga asked, seeing a warm smile on his face.
"Good. Did you guys have fun?" he asked hopefully, while listening to her say.
"Actually, we just stopped by to say, don't bother waiting up for us."
"What do you mean?" Arnold asked, while he and Phoebe sat there confused.
"Geraldo and I have decided to see a movie together." she smirked.
"Great we'll come with you!" Arnold said excitedly, happy to see his girlfriend and his best friend getting along.
"Umm who said YOU could come?" Helga said with an evil grin on her face.
Phoebe sat looking confused, as she listened to Gerald say "Yeah, I mean no offense man, but you two did desert us because you wanted us to spend time together."
"Yeah football head, this is supposed to be mine and Geraldo's special time together." she smirked, while seeing Gerald hold out his fist.
Helga cocked her brow trying to remember how he and her boyfriend did their secret handshake.
"Oh for crying out loud! We'll make up a new one! Let's go hairboy!" Helga insisted, while Gerald followed her out the door. "Later man."
Arnold sat back down on his bed, turning to Phoebe as he said "Well, I guess they're friends now. That's a good thing."
"I regret to admit Helga may have been using that as an opportunity to seek revenge for the set up we planned." Phoebe informed Arnold as he began to scratch his head.
"Yeah, but at least they're no longer fighting." Arnold said optimistically, while Phoebe politely nodded.
"Thanks for helping with this. I'm sorry if you had already planned something with Gerald."
"It was no trouble at all Arnold. I'm always happy to help my friends." Phoebe held out her thumb, having seen her boyfriend do it enough times to know how it was done.
Arnold's eyes lit up, surprised to see someone else knew it, while just as happy to have someone to do it with. It was always a nice way to end a good day.
"Well, I fear I must be going. Thank you for having me over Arnold." Phoebe smiled, heading for the doorway.
"No problem. See you at school."