I didn't want Helga to be someone who gets portrayed like she normally does. I mean it is fine to show a little weakness at times.

Thanks for the reviews


He deleted her contact information off his phone breathing a nice sigh of relief, but as soon as the last breath left his lungs he received a call from her. Arnold didn't talk to Lila and just let it go to voicemail as he went to meet up with Gerald on that sunday afternoon to hang out and play some basketball. It was a good little one on one game with them trash talking one another. Only a few times as they laughed one of them would double over begging for the other to stop so they can concentrate on what they were doing which was mostly not to fall on the ground on their face again.

"So how much is that so far?" Arnold asked breathlessly.

Almost downing half his water, Gerald leaned back. "Our score in how many we shot in or how many times we fell on the ground because I gotta tell you man I beat you in the hoop shots while you beat me in those grounders."

Narrowing his eyes at his friend in a serious way they both stared as if they were about to fight until they started laughing again. "Oh god I needed that. Thanks, Gerald." Wiping a tear away from his eye Arnold leaned back.

"So hey! What happened to you? You went downstairs, but when you came back you were in a bad mood. Did something happen with Helga?"

Moving his feet around, Arnold shook his head. "Lila. She pinned me down and I didn't want anything to happen since I'm not interested. That girl is stronger than she appears."

"Hmmm must be from farming. So what else?"

"I at least managed to wrestle my head away from her snake tongue, but her grip was solid on me and I look over to see Helga standing there. She didn't say anything, she just had this look that I can only describe as possibly disappointed before she left without a word."

Studying his friend, Gerald tipped the water bottle towards him. "And?"

"Well you know how I never get physical in that way with girls?" Gerald nods. "Well I was so angry at Lila for being there. For doing that. For blocking my every turn to get close to Helga last night that I tossed her off me and demanded she leave me alone and to get out." Running his hand through his sweaty hair, Arnold groaned. "What if this ruins my chances with Helga?"

In the past, Gerald would of told him to forget about her and to move on to the next girl that was worth his time, but even he had to admit that this far more mature Helga was a good mixture to talk to. She was far more easier to talk to and never threatened out of haste. He knew she was still protective, but she was very wary of when to throw it out there instead of going all half cocked. In the past when Phoebe said that Arnold and her would of made a good couple he would of laughed at it, but now with Helga this way. The Helga that Arnold insisted was always there all along. Gerald saw it completely.

"Arnold, I will be completely honest with you here. Lila is a horrible person and you are too nice of a guy to boot her out when you first saw her. Helga for her credit was incredibly mature the entire night and also very fun. She never flirted with anyone. In fact, Helga is not the type of person to toss herself around. I know I made fun of you in the past regarding her, but I see the appeal now. Helga is one cool person. As for your chances with her? That is up to her to decide?" Gerald had to be honest with him. He needed it.

Hearing his phone go off, Arnold looked at the number before letting it go to voicemail. "I need to block her number. That is the second time she has called me."

"Lila is one bad egg."

On Monday, Sid and Stinky came up to Arnold and Gerald telling them about a couple of new kids that arrived today. Two large males fresh out of juvi. Arnold and Gerald looked at each another as Sid and Stinky told them what their wrap sheets were. To them they sounded like they never grew up from PS118 at all. That is the sort of stuff you kind of get excited about back then. Now it just seems stupid. As they were talking, Stinky hit Sid pointing out the males. Out of curiosity, Arnold and Gerald did turn to look at them and saw two guys way over 6 feet tall and very bulky looking. Plenty of the girls were giving them second looks as they shot them flirtatious looks. In truth, it was stupid looking.

Just then a red car that was owned by Helga pulled into the students lot. Getting out of the car was both her and Phoebe with Helga already with a book cracked open reading it as Phoebe could be seen chatting away as Helga would throw the occasional glances over to her with a smile on her face. As Gerald admired his girlfriend, Arnold admired Helga almost not aware of two others also admiring them until they started to approach the girls.

"Uh Gerald." Arnold pointed over to the two ex-cons.

They watched as the two guys approached both Phoebe and Helga. Phoebe noticed first before Helga looked up from her book. There were words exchanged mostly by the guys and some from Helga as she closed her book to take her friends hand to quickly high tail it into the school.

In Literature class, Arnold got a text from Helga to pass to Gerald in the next class.

I can't get into it right now but since I'm not here in the afternoon please watch out after Phoebs. I don't trust those guys. Thanks.

Frowning and resisting the urge to turn to look at her, Arnold replied to her.

Gerald and I will watch out for her. We saw them approaching you both and we don't trust them either. Please be careful going to your car later.

She didn't respond back after that, but Helga did look over at her best friend as she was reading the text book. She would protect her friend from anything in this world.

At lunch Arnold found Phoebe sitting with Gerald already in the cafeteria when he joined them. The way Gerald was talking to her was throwing her into a fit of giggles.

"Greetings Arnold. How has been your day?" Phoebe greeted in her usual pleasant way.

"Decent I guess save for me having to avoid Lila and those hands of hers." Rolling his eyes he took out his sandwich to start eating it. "How has been your day?"

"Classes are good." Phoebe's mood dropped off a bit. "Those guys this morning were creepy. Gave a most unpleasant aura about them. It even freaked Helga out and she usually handles creepy guys a lot more easier than that."

Arnold felt his eye twitch at whatever they could possibly say to make Helga get freaked out to that point. "Can you share it with us?"

Phoebe automatically looked down to her lap feeling uncomfortable even as Gerald soothed her. "Even though they didn't touch us it felt like it violated us."

Gerald's eyes widened up. "Babe?"

Phoebe told them exactly what they said about both her and Helga including what they said to Helga as she was walking away. In truth it would make anyone's ears bleed at the content before screaming. "Helga is afraid of leaving me defenseless with those cretins around."

Wrapping her up in his arms, Gerald assured her he will help protect her. Arnold sat there fuming at anyone speaking to anyone like that. Doesn't this world have enough problems as it is?


Having at least one late night Monday class, Helga headed over to her car in the parking lot noticing how it look so desolate and dark, but feeling a certain sense of peace she continued over to her vehicle with her keys ready to go, but as she was reaching for her car she heard something click behind her before she heard a voice.

"Ok blondie I'm gonna make this easy for you and I want you to hand me over your money and your credit cards."

She's a student and he is robbing a student. Pathetic, but she wasn't willing to risk her life. "I have no credit cards because I don't carry them, but there is money in my wallet."

"Turn around then. Do it slowly."

Taking a deep breath she turned to face a guy who didn't seem much taller than herself, but he had muscles on him. One of them just happened to be the gun. "Can I keep my purse with my keys and drivers license at least?"

"Hand the purse over and we'll see."

Helga noticed the safety was off and she heard the bullets rattling in the chamber when he moved it to indicate for her to hand over her purse so she did. Watching him easily going inside it to bring her wallet out, he dropped her purse to the ground and took out her money.

"Hmmm $50.00. Not bad. You sure you aren't lying about credit cards?" HIs tone of voice was snarky sounding.

Compared to this morning this guy was far more pleasant to deal with and he has a gun aimed at her. "Feel free to check my entire purse and my car. If I'm lying than feel free to kill me." Helga spoke with unwavering confidence.

The male stood there just examining the woman in front of him. "Why aren't you scared with the possibility of me ending your life?" He spoke with shocked seriousness.

Helga almost scoffed at him. Almost made fun of him, but remained serious right back to him. "I've died twice in one day before and I came back. I met up with two guys that make us both look like Mary Poppins twin sisters. I'm fine with you doing this, I just hope it doesn't become a repeat performance or I will start crying, or I might start feeling insulted."

The male stared at her again before putting his gun back and handing her back her money. "Take it. I never seen anyone with this much guts. People who think they have guts in automatically fighting me with their fists are idiots. You are the first who approached me in this way."

Grabbing her purse and looking at the guy, she had to know. "Have you ever killed anyone before?"

"Actually no, but I have hit them with my gun before."

She could of preached at him and do a complete Arnold, but she glanced to her money and at him before handing it to him. "Just take it as a thanks for sparing me."

Accepting the money, the guy started to turn around. "Anyone ever tell you that you are one unique cookie?"

"Not lately since most like to look past me." Helga smirked as she turned to wander away. Yes her knees were shaking from the encounter, but the only thing she would lose would be her life. He seriously was better than those creeps that Phoebs and her saw in the morning. Far better. That should account for a scary prospect all together.