Helga wore her favorite dress that day. It was white and loose, with an open back and pink lace trim. "Perfect for a hot day and a hot date," as her roommate had exclaimed as she'd ushered her out the door. Helga arrived exactly five minutes late at the dining center and spotted Arnold sitting outside. She marveled at the miracle of modern eyewear- he had found a pair of sunglasses that fit over his immense head. He saw her and waved, smiling as she sat down.

"Hey, wow, uh, hi, um- hi, Helga. You uh… you look, wow! Hi."

"Hey thanks, friend."

Helga grinned cheekily and plucked a fry from Arnold's plate.

"What've they got in there, anyway?"

"Today is luau theme… they have pineapple burgers and french fries with spicy barbecue sauce."

"Huh, well that's a choice. Is there at least a salad bar or something? I don't eat much meat."

"Oh, uh, yeah, knock yourself out."

Helga stood and walked towards the door. As he watched her walk away from him, Arnold was struck by the idea that there was so much of Helga that he hadn't seen yet. Clearly she had changed since their days at PS118, but at the core she seemed to be the same girl he'd held so dear to him when they were young. Still clever as a whip and full of fire, but softer, more… tired, maybe? He wasn't sure. It seemed as though something had worn her down over the years, or maybe beaten her down. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her return, and at that moment he knew that nothing would make him happier than to get to know her all over again.

"So Helga, tell me something."

"Anything specific you want to know, sir? I have tons of fun facts about bees."

"Nothing specific, just everything."

"Everything? I'm pretty smart, but I don't know everything."

"Everything about you. It's been seven years. I want to know everything."

"That's a tall order, Arnoldo. We could be here a while."

"I've got time."

Helga smiled, taking a bite of her salad.

"Well, my favorite color is still pink and I wrote a book of poetry. I have three mice back home named Morticia, Malala, and Marie. I still make a mean spitball and I have a scar on the inside of my left thigh shaped like the state of Delaware. That enough for ya?"

Arnold's eyes closed when he laughed and his nose got all scrunched up. The way he laughed was one of Helga's favorite things about him, and she couldn't wait to make him laugh again.

"Wait, so you wrote a whole book of poems? Is it published? Can I buy it?"

"Yeah, I won this 'Young Voices in Modern Literature' contest and one of the perks was getting published. I also got a full ride to the state school of my choice and a stipend of $5,000 a semester as long as I keep my GPA above a 3.75 and publish two more books in the next five years, so I'd say I got a pretty sweet deal out of the whole thing."

"Helga, what? You're kidding, right? That's amazing! You must be the best writer in the country! I can't believe I'm having lunch with a famous writer."

"Okay first of all, Arnoldo, I'm not the best writer in the whole country. I'm just the best writer between the ages of 16 and 22. Second of all, you're embarrassing me, quit foaming at the mouth. I'm not even famous."

Arnold laughed, collecting their now empty trays to take back inside. When he returned, Helga was kneeling on the ground admiring the Langman's sage. Her hair glowed golden in the sun and her face was flushed as she smelled the purple flowers. As he neared her, she looked up at him through her thick, dark lashes and smiled. Time stood still for Arnold in that moment. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Their faces were inches apart.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

His voice was soft and low, and she found herself following after him even though she could not feel her legs. He was still holding her hand, leading her away from the crowd. They didn't walk for long; Arnold seemed to know just where he wanted to take her. Around the corner they came upon a large old fountain, carved from white stone. The basin was full of water and pennies, thousands of copper wishes glistening under the clear greenish-blue. They sat on the edge and put their feet in- warm, yet still refreshing on such a hot day. His arm found her waist easily, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. Being with Helga felt effortless to Arnold, like coming home after a long trip and lowering yourself into your favorite armchair. Being with her felt like where he was meant to be.

They spent the greater part of the afternoon talking and splashing, and soon the sun was drifting lazily towards the horizon. Helga's head was in Arnold's lap, the light of the gold and orange sunset weaving playfully between his tufts of hair. His thumb stroked the side of her face absently.

"Okay, why did you pick those names for your mice?"

"Three badass women. Do I get to ask you something now?"

"Yeah, sure."

"How did you find this fountain?"

"I got lost on my way back from seeing you last night. I thought it was pretty beautiful and I wanted to bring you here. My turn?"

Helga nodded.

"What's your dream?"

"Hmm… keep writing, I guess. Maybe win a Nobel prize. Probably get married, have a couple kids and a summer home on the beach. What's about you?"

"I want to get into politics. Not be president or anything, just work for the local government wherever I end up. Help make the world a better place, I guess."

"No wife and kids? No awards and accolades?"

"With the right person I'd love to get married and have some kids. I don't really care about awards and accolades. I guess I'll leave that part to you."

Helga felt her face flush.

"Have you by any chance- and not that it matters to me at all or anything- but have you broken up with Lila?"

"I've tried to call her like four times today, but no answer. I think she's having a girls' day."

Helga looked up into his eyes, her breath catching. She had always been very good about setting her limits, about doing things according to her own moral compass. She never considered herself to be the type of girl who would lose her head over a pair of pretty green eyes, and yet here she was. She sat upright, leaning so close to him that she could feel his breath on her face.

"Arnold, I'm not the kind of girl who fools around with guys in relationships."

"I know."

She felt her eyes flutter closed, their noses brushing clumsily.

"And I stick to that, you know. I'm strong."

"I know you are, Helga."

His hand was in her hair, her hands finding their way to the back of his neck.

"Last night was… probably a mistake."

"Hey Helga? Shut up and kiss me."

Helga silenced her conscience and closed the gap between them with gusto.

Every time Lila flew, the landing was her favorite part. When her stomach leapt into her chest and her petite frame left the seat for the briefest of seconds, it always reminded her of the Frog Hopper ride at the fair that she'd loved when she was a kid. One time, when she was eleven, she rode it so many times at the Cheese Festival that she threw up mid-air and they had to close down the ride for the rest of the day. This held true today as she and her friends sat with their seatbelts fastened and their trays in the upright and locked position. Despite the festering feeling of dread, she still smiled when she felt the wheels hit land.

Leaving the airport was an uneventful experience. There was no need to stop at baggage claim as each girl had packed only a small carry-on with a few bathing suits and breezy cover-ups, so they made their way outside quickly. They took a taxi to the hotel, all the other girls jabbering excitedly, taking selfies, pointing out the window at every palm tree they drove by. After settling into their room, Lila announced that she was going to find Arnold. The others, eager to make their way to the pool but feeling a sense of obligation to Lila, begrudgingly vowed to come with her.

Upon arriving at Arnold's dorm, Lila was startled by how unremarkable his roommate was. This was the land of sunshine and parties, so surely the occupants must be a bit more zesty, and yet here before her was the embodiment of absolute monotony.

"I'm ever-so sorry to bother you, but I'm here to see Arnold."

"Oh, uh, sorry, he's out with a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yeah, like Helen or something. He went down to the dining center to meet her for lunch but he's been gone for like eight hours or something."

Lila's eyes narrowed as she turned to her friends.

"He's cheating on me with someone named Helen? What is she, one of his professors or something?"

"Maybe she's a MILF dropping her kid off for welcome week."

"You're not helping, Rhonda."

"Well I'm sorry, Nadine, but I'd rather be honest with our poor, heartbroken Lila. If Arnold wants to fool around with middle aged women, so be it. We'll find her a new boyfriend."

"I don't want a new boyfriend. I want Arnold, and I'm going to find him."

Helga and Arnold walked hand in hand back towards the dorms, their faces flushed. The moon was full and high in the sky by the time they got back, the air warm and damp. While the night was still young, a hush had fallen across the campus, and the only sound was the symphony of cicadas. As they approached Arnold's building, his footsteps slowed.

"Helga, today was really fun."

"Yeah Arnoldo, I guess it was pretty great."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he wound a strand of her hair around his finger.

"I don't really know what to say. I feel like there's so much on my mind-"

"Well you don't have to say it all at once. We'll see each other again."

"You've got a point there. But I feel like I should at least tell you that you make me happier than I've been in a long time. I really love y- spending time with you."

"I really love… spending time with you too."

Arnold smiled, knowing that while it was too soon to say those three words, he was truly in love for the first time. He drew her close, finding himself mesmerized by the deep blue of her eyes, but before their lips met he heard footsteps approaching them. He bit his lip, trying to look inconspicuous as he turned towards the passerby. He saw her shape, so slight and so familiar, nearing him in the moonlight. His heart froze and, despite the warm breeze that tickled his skin, his whole body felt cold.

"Lila?"

"Lila?"

"Arnold, I came all this way…"

"Lila, I've been wanting to talk to you about-"

"Arnold, I'm pregnant."