A/N:

Hi all! :) Okay, so here it is—just a day shy of two weeks! And meanwhile, I thought the last chapter was just unusually long but this one beat it out by a good two thousand words, lol. Anyway, I just want to thank you all for your support and reviews and a shout out to Twilight's-Mystery for mentioning in her review that she wanted to see Grandma's Hawaii thing on a full scale—honestly, this chapter was the only one so far that wasn't entirely pre written out and it basically had the barest skeleton of a beginning but when she brought that up it got me thinking and provided a really fun intro for me to write, so once again tons of thanks :)

Okay, and also, I PROMISE that this is the last chapter in which Arnold and Helga don't actually come in contact with each other—Ch 10 equals dinner and Ch 11 equals their movie/date together…followed by a fun Monday morning so stay tuned ;)

Oh and also I have a POLL ON MY PROFILE asking what you'd like me to work on once LTBH is done so please respond because I really want to know what you guys would like to see next, okay? Thanks!

Oh and please check out me and NintendoGal's collab fic "The Elevator" (posted under her account) if you have a chance! And thanks bunches to everyone who's reviewed that so far ;)

Alright, I'll quit my yammering, lol. Please check my closing A/N for info about when the next update will be! And review of course, please :)

LEARNING TO BE HELGA

Chapter 9:

In Anticipation of a date…or two?


"HEY ARNOLD, HEY ARNOLD, HEY ARNOLD, HE—"

Stretching out one of his arms from under the covers, a certain football headed young man successfully turned off his alarm clock and then, after a moment of tired hesitation, sat up in bed and stretched up with a yawn. He blinked a couple of times, a bit surprised at his own unusual sleepiness (Mr. Optimist Arnold, 'shockingly enough,' really always had been a morning person)…but then recalled exactly why he was probably still so tired despite the fact that it was already 9 a.m. (the usual time Arnold set his alarm clock to wake up on weekends)…

With a content smile the memories from his previous evening with Helga returned to Arnold's mind… Then his eyes fell to Helga's pink book nestled against the side of his pillow, and he instantly recalled having fallen asleep last night holding the precious item closely amid his thoughts and bits of dreams about its author.

With a small chuckle to himself, Arnold picked up the object in question and placed it back in its place on his shelf atop a few other small pink volumes from Helga G. Pataki currently in his possession. He just gazed at the lovely collection of pink for a moment and then let out a sigh…unable to recall a morning when he had woken up happier. 'Helga's right…' he thought to himself, aspects of their pre-bed phone conversation returning to his mind (in particular, the invitation she'd given him to come to her house this evening for dinner and then another date), 'Forget about just Friday afternoons…I wouldn't have a problem spending every day with her if it meant I'd get to have as much fun as I did last night!'

But then a curious thought struck Arnold and he had to raise an eyebrow…because having all of that late night fun yesterday evening had, if his memory served him right, led to a slight punishment from his grandfather for him for coming home so late…and one that probably should have required him to be up at least an hour or two earlier to fulfill than he was right now. Arnold removed the blanket from his body and scratched his good-natured little head. "I wonder why Grandpa didn't wake me up? I hope he didn't decide to work on putting in those screens alone…Even if getting up early to do it with him hadn't been part of my punishment, I'd still have want to help him—it's a big job."

With this observation our always altruistic little Football Head was about to get up and get dressed and head downstairs to locate his grandfather and assist him…when a knock at the door caused him to pause in the middle of being about to lower his feet to the floor from his bed.

"Shortman? You up yet? I thought I heard that alarm of yours going off…" Phil then opened the door slightly and peeked into the room to make sure that his grandson was indeed awake.

Arnold smiled at the sight of him and waved, moving his legs back upon his bed once again. "Good morning, Grandpa! I was just coming to find you, actually… Sorry I slept so late—you didn't have to start the chores without me, did you?" Arnold's expression couldn't help but take on a slight look of guilt.

Rather than responding right away, though, Phil suddenly let out a deep (almost…relieved sounding…?) sigh, glanced over his shoulder, and then instantly bolted into the ten-year-old boy's room, slamming the door shut behind him and resting back against it with his eyes closed… And to Arnold's serious interest he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt that looked like it had been all but forced on him, a straw hat on his head, had a ukulele in one hand, and there was a large tiki idol on twine around his neck.

Phil didn't waste a second. His eyes then flew open and he looked at Arnold desperately. "Arnold, I'm so happy you're awake and that I finally managed to get up here! Cheese and crackers, I've never seen your Grandma on a rampage like this!" He put a hand to his head…unfortunately, though, it was the one holding the ukulele and the end of the neck caught him behind the ear. "Ow!" He scowled at the object. "Stupid ukulele!" And he quickly tossed it on the floor where it made one of those total nonsensical 'sheep being slaughtered' sounds that Foley artists love to use.

The old man shook his head and turned back to Arnold, his hands on his hips. "Anyway, what was I saying…" He reached up a hand to scratch his head and took a second to try and recall.

"Th-that, G-Grandma's on a r-r-r-rampage…" This stuttering was due to the fact that it was taking all Arnold had at the moment not to fall off of his bed and onto the floor in a fit of ceaseless laughter as a very interesting conversation he'd had last night with his colorful grandmother about her Hawaiian-themed plans for the morning now came to mind… It didn't help that the sight before him was more than proof that she had indeed succeeded with her intentions…and then some! 'She actually did it… And he…he really doesn't suspect anything, does he?' He almost had to shake his head in amusement and at the irony of his grandfather's situation in comparison with his own. 'Grandma and Helga should spend some more time together—They have a lot in common…especially when it comes to showing affection.'

Phil, meanwhile, still near the door and still looking just a bit panicked, just let out an exasperated sigh at Arnold's reminder about the main topic of their conversation aka his wife's over-the-top nuttiness this morning (even for her) and then threw his arms in the air in desperation, (so preoccupied with the situation at hand that he didn't even really notice his grandson's continuing failing attempts not to at least smirk). "Shortman, she's absolutely convinced that this is Honolulu! She got me up at 7 shoving me into this shirt, the entire kitchen's covered in pineapples and whatever ingredients you use to make poi, leis are getting tossed over the place, and she's been playing that ukulele for hours!" He let out a breath and wiped his brow where a skittish sweat had been forming. "Somehow, though, by some miracle I managed to get the darn thing from her in between songs but BELIVE ME it was NO picnic! Easier going up against he Kaiser back in the war…" He crossed his arms over his chest, looking both frustrated and confused. "And then when I tried to come up here and get you up two hours ago, she started barricading herself in front of the attic door and saying that," he made a gesture of waving his hands in the air in mock reverence, " 'the volcano gods would be displeased if you were disturbed from your slumber' or some such nonsense!" He let out a relieved sigh, laying back against the door again and closing his eyes for a moment. "Luckily, nearest I can figure, I think she must have heard the boarders starting to get up because she suddenly ran off down the hall saying something about adjusting her hula outfit before the 'morning luau!', so I was able to sneak up here, but…" He took several heavy deep breaths and then threw his hands up in the air once more in defeat. "Arnold, I'm plain at the end of my rope here!"

Several seconds of silence passed during which Arnold just took a deep breath with his eyes closed… And then he cleared his throat and put a hand in front of his mouth (trying to hide the small smile that he just simply couldn't repress just this second) as he addressed his grandfather's concerns. "Oh…really? H-Hawaii, huh? Hmm…well, that…that is strange, Grandpa. Grandma usually doesn't take things this seriously unless it's a major Holiday…" Next he glanced down innocently, and did his best to seem calm as he let the hand fall away from his face. 'Thanks, Grandma…' he had to think mentally, 'I really did need a couple extra hours of sleep after all of that stuff with Helga last night…' He almost broke into the serious amount of laughter threatening to come as he then added, 'And more important, it looks like you had some fun!'

Grandpa, while Arnold was having these few thoughts on this matter, just closed his eyes and shook his head at his grandson's reply, suddenly moving away from the door and pacing back and forth for a moment with his hands behind his back. "I know, I know…I wasn't expecting anything major until the Fourth of July so I don't know where this is coming from all of a sudden! And then to top it all off," he paused in his movements and his eyes opened and then a frustrated scowl came to them, and he crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes upward, "…Usually she spreads the news about her latest celebration to everyone in the house, but she's just been following me around in particular—haven't been able to get a moment's peace! I mean, if I didn't know better I'd think she was doing it on purpose or something!" And then a movement from Arnold's bed caught his vision out of the corner of his eye and Phil looked to his grandson…and then blinked with concern. "Are you okay, Shortman?"

And indeed Arnold had by now broken into a very random and surprise 'coughing fit,' his wide head turned very much away from the old man addressing him. He practically seemed to be having convulsions. Hearing his Grandfather ask after him, though, Arnold swallowed, took a deep breath and finally did his best to turn back to Phil, just smiling innocently, "O-of course, Grandpa…Sorry, just…just a little something caught in my throat." He cleared his throat once more. "It's better now." 'I don't want to blow Grandma's secret but…this is really REALLY funny. Really, really, REALLY, funny. Hmm…I wonder if this was how I used to always seem to Helga when she'd pick on me all those years and I'd get a little annoyed and not be able to figure out why she wanted to torture me of all people…?"

Phil eyed his grandson with confusion for a second longer but then finally seemed to accept his explanation for his sudden small fit, and so went back to his complaints. Indeed, he rolled his eyes once more and held out his arms in front of himself desperately. "Anyway, like I said, she WON'T leave me alone, and the weirdest thing is that between it bugging me so much and that talk we had last night about me and your Grandma when we were kids, the whole thing's almost starting to remind me of all those times in elementary school when she was always following me around and just to—"

"Hello—Phil, are you up here?"

A distinct creaking could be heard on the attic steps accompanying the sudden sound of Gertie's voice trying to call her husband.

Phil stopped in mid sentence (effectively not giving him time to finish articulating or to start really thinking about his very 'on the right track' thought about his wife's potential motivations for her colorful actions). His eyes instantly went wide and the color left his face. Suddenly, he raced over to his grandson, looking him desperately in the eye. "Arnold, you CAN'T let her in here!" he whispered in panic. "Don't you have a…a lock for your door that gets controlled by that remote of yours or something?"

Arnold just gave his grandfather a slightly pitying look at the request, trying his best once again not to smirk. "Sorry, Grandpa—it just works the couch, the lights and the stereo." 'And anyway…I'd kind of like to see this outfit Grandma put together…' A bit of his smile managed to break through.

Then the distinct creak of the knob of Arnold's door turning sounded in the room, and made both the football headed young boy and the worried old man turn in the direction of the attic entrance.

The door opened…and Gertie entered.

"Oh hello, boys—I didn't realize you were up yet, Arnold."

Now Arnold had to raise an eyebrow (as did Phil) at the sight of the old woman suddenly standing before them…and, unexpectedly enough, looking just as she usually did everyday in a green dress and apron.

Arnold swallowed, still doing his best not to give into the laughter that wanted to consume him, and addressed his grandmother warmly. "Hi Grandma. Yeah, I just woke up. And Grandpa just came up to say good morning…and to, um…" He hesitated for just a moment, unsure if he should bring up the Hawaii thing directly since his grandmother didn't seem to be pursuing it right now… 'I wonder what she's up to…?'

"Pookie!" Phil all of a sudden announced in utter confusion, taking a hesitant step or two in her direction back across the room, "Where the…where the heck did that grass skirt of yours go and the flowers and the spear and, and…"

The old woman just smiled and walked more into the room, shrugging and looking up innocently. "Why whatever are you talking about, Phil?"

His jaw dropped. "What—how the—where in the—I'm talking about the poi and the grass skirt and flowers and the music and the—"

"Oh now Phil…" Gertie approached him more, feigning a bit of concern. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? I've just been in the kitchen making breakfast and then doing a few morning chores around the house."

Phil, his mouth still open, held up a finger and tried to speak several more times but failed. Finally a scowl came to his face and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay then—if nothing's going on then explain how I ended up dressed like this!" He gestured to himself in the shirt and the tiki necklace.

"Oh so you found something to wear after all, General!" Gertie just exclaimed with a smile in response to the challenge, her eyes lighting up. "Good—And I promise the laundry should be done by the afternoon so you can change out of that old vacation shirt of yours!" Despite maintaining the innocent tone and look in her eyes, Arnold couldn't help but notice that she managed to smirk just slightly.

Phil sighed in frustration and took another step toward her, full on scowling at this point. "But what about all that food and the breakfast and the—"

Gertie just sighed at his continued protests and then looked to her Grandson. "Honestly, Kimba, he always complains about the raspberries so I decide to make pineapple turnovers instead this morning and he's STILL not happy—" She turned back to Phil and just shrugged again. "But if that's what you want, raspberries it is, I guess…"

Phil just had that utterly dumbstruck look on his face again, unable to even know where to begin (especially since his wife kept shutting him down with such…such logical responses!). Suddenly, though, his eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers. "Okay, wait a minute—the other boarders have gotta back me up on this! That'll be my proof of all the random Hawaiian horseplay you've been cooking up in this house all morning!" He glanced back to his grandson, trying to maintain his confident smile but looking just a little shaken to say the least. "Really, Arnold, I swear she's—well I don't know what she's doing but…but the others have to have seen it all too just now when they were waking up and coming into the hall—Huynh and Ernie and Kokoschka and—"

"Hey did somebody call us?"

And indeed suddenly the three aforementioned boarders were seen climbing up the ladder and entering Arnold's room through his still open door, still in their pajamas.

"Hooray!" Oskar announced with a smile, standing up straight, "Arnold's up—now we get to find out who won the pool!"

"Yes!" Mr. Huynh smiled. "It's money time!"

"Hey, hey, hold it you two—" Ernie held up his hands in a gesture for them to slow down. "First I wanna know what Gramps is going on about…" He turned back to Phil. "Sheesh old man, we could hear you from the hallway—what's up?"

Phil smiled and almost laughed to himself. "Oh, ho, ho, boy am I actually glad to see the three of you for once!" He got behind them and quickly ushered them into the room toward Arnold, and then went back around to stand in front of them and held out his arms in the direction of the boy. "Now, tell Arnold here how Pookie's been running all over about some 'Hawaiian thing' all morning!"

A second of silence passed.

Then, Ernie, Mr. Huynh and Oskar just looked at each other in confusion.

Finally Ernie turned to Phil, an eyebrow raised. "Uh, Gramps…what are you talking about?"

"Yes," Mr. Huynh chimed in, "We just got up—we haven't seen you or Grandma all morning!"

"Wait is the Hawaii thing something you're doing today, Grandpa?" Oskar suddenly asked with a smirk as he stifled a chuckle, finally noticing Phil's outfit.

Mr. Huynh and Ernie glanced from Oskar to Phil and instantly picked up on what he was talking about. Now they had to start stifling chuckles as well.

A distinct rosiness came to Phil's cheeks as he glanced down at the outfit he was wearing (and its colorful flower patterns making a backdrop for the large idol hanging from his neck) and then back up at the boarders. "But—b-b-but…" he turned back to his Grandson, uncertainty now paramount in his gaze, "Arnold it…it's just because she's been following only me around for the past two hours and because none of them were up, and now she's pretending like it didn't happen and, and…"

He looked so utterly distraught that Arnold reached up and put a hand on one of his grandfather's arms, speaking to him in a comforting voice and with a supportive smile…kind of feeling a little guilt right now, actually, to be honest. "It's okay, Grandpa. I believe you, anyway."

"Oh yes, General…" Gertie came forward with a sympathetic smile, putting a hand on his other shoulder. "We all 'believe you.'" Her supportive smile was threatening to turn into an amused grin at any moment. "Now, why don't you come downstairs and have a nice breakfast and then you and Arnold can get started on those pesky chores!"

Phil just looked slowly from his wife to his grandson to his tenants and then forward…and then finally blinked a few times and put a hand to his head, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh…yeah…M-maybe you're right…"

"Of course I'm right!" Gertie smiled brightly swinging a fist in the air. "Now you just get downstairs and the rest of us will be right behind you, General!"

"Mmm hmm…" Phil mumbled absentmindedly, blinking a few more times. "Maybe…maybe I was just dreaming or something…Went to bed kind of late last night, after all…"

He began to shuffle forward a bit toward the door

As Grandma was about to follow suite behind him though, Arnold reached up and pulled on one of his her sleeves, beckoning her closer so he could whisper to her, a smile on his face though more than a touch of guilt could be detected in his eyes. "Grandma, I know this is funny but…"

"Shh, shh, shh…" she quickly whispered back with a wink, "Wait for it…" She gestured with her head back to Phil…

…Whose back was now to the whole room…which meant the back of his shirt was facing the whole room…with the words "BIG KAHUNA PHIL" written brightly in paint on it!" Phil turned to descend the ladder. "Yeah, maybe I dreamed it or I'm mixing up the days or something…" He shook his head to clear it, and then spoke a bit louder as if coming out of his out loud thoughts. "OH, uh…and I'll get those screens for us to install after breakfast, Arnold…"

"You see, Arnold…now it's hysterical!" Gertie whispered back, trying so very hard not to laugh out loud since Phil seemed frazzled enough as it was (as were the boarders, though they were failing at it a lot more than she was as the slight blush on his grandfather's face before he went out of sight and dropped to the hallway below completely attested to). "Ah, some of the best work I've done in years…" she announced to herself in a whisper with a proud smile.

Arnold just let out a sigh at her words, finally allowing the grin to consume his face now that his grandfather was no longer in the room (though the bit of guilt tugging at him still remained). "Grandma…" he began quietly so that the other three people in the room wouldn't hear, "Like I said, I know you're having fun but can't you explain things to him later so he doesn't think he's gone crazy or something? It just…seems like the right thing to do…" Still, despite this correct logic, Arnold continued smirking at the scene that had just taken place before him and couldn't help but remark to himself with amusement, 'Sometimes I wish someone had recorded some of that pre-confession stuff between me and Helga. I bet some of it's the funniest thing in the world…' Images of their kiss during the school play and that time she'd thrown those feathers and that paste on him and called him a bird, and all of those spitballs over the years and the annoyed but patient looks he'd always given her in class because of them flashed hilariously through his mind.

Gertie, meanwhile, just let out a sigh and replied understandingly to her always sympathizing grandson, "Oh don't worry, Kimba, of course I won't let him go on thinking he's lost his marbles or something. I like messing with him, not upsetting him…I just went the extra mile with it today." She smiled reassuringly down at him. "Actually, I've still got the whole hula outfit in our room and I was planning to put it on before heading down to the kitchen and go right back into the Honolulu stuff so that he'll just think I was acting a little loopy for a while but stopped and that I'm back at it again. No harm done!" She winked.

And then…quite unexpectedly…she turned to the other three people still currently together on the other side of Arnold's…and made her voice louder to address them similarly, effectively bringing them into what had seemed to Arnold to be a necessarily private conversation considering the subject matter. Indeed, Gertie sighed and smiled, putting her arms behind her back, and spoke quite undeniably right to the three still smirking men. "Yes, I'll be putting on the Hawaii act in a little while in front of everyone so that poor Phil doesn't feel like he's finally lost it…" Her proud smile grew a bit. "But for now, wasn't this a fun way to start a Sunday morning, everyone?"

"Oh Grandma, that was hilarious! Heh, heh…" Oskar was doubled over and wiping a tear from his eye.

"Yes!" Mr. Huynh agreed, happy to be able to finally fully give into his laughter now that Phil was gone. "Grandma is the best at pranks!"

Ernie nodded in agreement, laughing very very hard as well. "Yeah, I've never seen you get the old man so worked up! Ha!" He took a breath or two to calm himself. "Where did that randomly come from all of a sudden? We weren't expecting anything from you that big until at least the Fourth of July!"

"Oh, boys, you're too kind…" She chuckled and took a small 'bow', "But what can I say—I just felt…inspired! Actually…" she gestured to Arnold with her head, putting a hand on one of his shoulders, "Arnold here helped give me the idea last night when he got home from his little outing…"

Ernie blinked at the information and then smiled, turning his sights to Arnold. "Oh, hey, so the kid's in the loop now, huh?"

Now, during this entire exchange between his grandmother and the boarders, Arnold's face had first born a look of confusion…and then one of shock…and then disbelief…and now we were back to utter confusion. The sound his grandmother and then Mr. Potts addressing him, though, finally let him blink and find his voice.

"Grandma…" he began in an obviously surprised tone, "I…They…They KNOW…that it's all just…an act?" His eyes were quite wide as he tried to process this truth. "But…but no one ever said anything…and how come I didn't know, and…"

Gertie let out an understanding sigh and leaned down closer to his eye level, her hand still on his shoulder. "Oh, Kimba, of course they know…" Her eyes lit up. "How else do you think I started getting them to put on the costumes and the funny hats and the wigs all the time? Ha, ha, ha…" she finished with that crazy laugh of hers and then removed her hand from her grandson, straightening up and shrugging a little sheepishly. "And as for why we never told you until now, well…I'm sorry about that, Kimba, but you were so young before and you're such an honest young man that you used to tell everyone the truth about everything without even being asked from the time you could talk."

"Yikes, tell me about it!" Oskar suddenly added, rolling his eyes. "Between the ages of three and five you ruined almost every secret poker game I tried to have here."

Ernie smirked, turning to his two companions. "Yeah and remember when he busted me and Huynh that time we took the Packard on a joyride? Heh, heh…"

"I know!" Mr. Huynh put a hand to his head practically in distress. "I thought the old man was going to kick us out for sure!"

Arnold just blinked…and had to try very hard not to smile at these interesting stories from his younger days…that honestly sounded very stereotypically like things he would have done. 'Okay, completely like things I would have done.' He almost chuckled to himself. 'I used to tell the truth about everything I saw and heard about to everyone no matter what…Why do I feel like Helga wouldn't be surprised…at all...' "Uh…sorry about all of that, everyone…" he finally announced with a bit of a sheepish grin in the direction of the three boarders.

"Oh, Kimba, don't apologize—you were just being yourself…" Grandma finally continued, smiling down at him. She then shrugged. "It just seemed best to keep things about all of this a secret from you, though, until you were old enough to realize that it was just a harmless joke and that not all secrets need to be told to everyone right away…." She put a hand to her mouth and a small chuckle escaped her. "But I get the feeling that Helga's been helping you understand that idea a bit better lately…" she winked, "So…welcome to the club!" The old woman finished by laughing to herself warmly, not only at her own words but a the slight blush the 'keeping a secret' comment had brought to her Grandson's features.

Arnold, meanwhile, allowed his grandmother's words to process and then smiled in understanding (doing his best to ignore the slight bit of heat he could feel creeping into his face). He turned to his grandmother once again. "That…makes sense, Grandma. And yeah, you're right—Helga's kind of been helping me understand a lot about 'fun' secrets lately so…" He glanced once more from his grandmother to the other three people in the room. "Thanks for letting me in on this one, everyone."

The three boarders just smiled at Arnold as did his grandmother. "Oh you're welcome, Kimba. Now, come on!" A determined look came to her still smiling face as she glanced from him to the three men near the door. "You all get dressed and ready for the day, and I'll get back into character and costume, and then we'll have some breakfast Honolulu style! There're pineapple turnovers in the kitchen (and a few raspberry for Phil, of course) and poi galore! Ha, ha, ha!"

Arnold just chuckled to himself at her enthusiastic announcement. "Okay, Grandma. That all actually sounds really good."

"Yeah, you got it, Grandma! Time to start the day!" Mr. Potts announced with a wink and a thumbs up, and his two companions nodded in agreement…

With a nod back to them, Gertie was about to move toward the door, and with an amused sigh Arnold was finally about to get out of bed…

"But first, though…" Ernie then suddenly continued, now rubbing the back of his neck just a bit sheepishly, and effectively causing both grandmother and grandson to pause in their actions, "There's actually another reason the three of us came up here besides to see what was up with Gramps…" And to this statement his companions nodded as well.

And then the building demolisher's eyes fell once more to the ten-year-old boy still sitting in his bed. "Hey, uh, Arnold?"

Arnold blinked and turned his gaze to Ernie in just a bit of confusion, to say the least. ' "Yes, Mr. Potts?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Ernie stretched up and yawned, some fatigue hitting him for a moment, but then resumed his address of the ten-year-old blonde before him. "Well, kid…we know you said last night that you'd settle our bets about your date with Helga at breakfast but…with all the time it's gonna take all of us to get ready and use the bathroom and with how much Suzie's probably going to be yelling at us about things as soon as she gets up and gets downstairs…" he suddenly jerked his head back to the two men behind him with a half grin, "…right, fellas?" he asked, looking for support for these predictions (and quite possible, in particular, that last one).

"Huh?" Oskar. That was, until Ernie suddenly gave him a quick elbow nudge and a slight look. "Oh, uh, yes!" A look of realization came into his eyes and he grinned just a little falsely. "Before Suzie yells at us about the betting. Heh, heh…"

Mr. Huynh stepped forward and instantly nodded earnestly. "Oh yes! Ernie is definitely right!"

Ernie just rolled his eyes at the two of them and quickly turned back to Arnold. "Yeah, so, anyway before we have to deal with all of that can't you at least give us a little something right now?"

"Yes!" announced Mr. Huynh, taking one more hopeful step forward. "We were very good waiting all night!"

"Yeah, and there is a poker game in three hours and I need money to buy myself in!" Oskar added with a grin.

Arnold could see, out of the corner of his eye, his grandmother getting a somewhat stern expression and looking like she was about to say something to the three of them (to try and get him out of this embarrassing moment, no doubt) but he quickly sat up a bit more in his bed and cleared his throat, addressing her. "It's okay, Grandma…" He then looked to the three men, a half grin on his face. 'Might as well get at least part of this over with…. And…' he considered for a moment, '…maybe I can help Grandpa a little too…and myself…' "Okay." He let out a sigh. "I'll settle ONE bet right now, everyone, but the rest have to wait until after breakfast and my chores today… And in exchange for me doing one now, I'd like it if, during breakfast when Grandma goes back to acting like we're in Hawaii, you could all apologize to Grandpa for acting like everything was just in his head and laughing at him about the outfit, okay?" He let out a slightly amused sigh at his extended family and finished with, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to look at them just a bit more sternly, "And also, please no more bets about me and Helga in the future…Especially if she's around or anything. This whole dating thing is still a little new to us and I know you all think it's kind of funny but we're still getting used to everything, okay?"

Taking in Arnold's conditions the three boarders smiled at him in response. "Okay, kid," Ernie spoke up, "You've got yourself a deal! We'll tell the old man we're sorry for teasing him and lay off you and your girlfriend a little bit more if you'll settle at least one wager for us here and now."

Arnold smiled at their accordance with his deal and rested his head on one of his hands. "Okay, so, which bet is it…?" 'After everything I managed to admit to Helga and to myself last night, nothing could be that bad to tell them…And anyway, Grandma's right—Helga's kind of been showing me the importance sometimes of not specifically saying certain things unless you really have too…' That huge adventure with trying to keep her secret from the other kids two weeks ago had made that more than clear to him. 'So I think I can keep anything really intimate to myself even if I'm helping them settle a bet.'

The three guys looked to each other with raised eyebrows at Arnold's question, then huddled and whispered for a few seconds, and then finally broke apart with nods and smiles.

"Okay, kid. We actually came up with this one last night after you went to bed…" Ernie began. "So, according to you, she actually thinks you're some kind of 'terrific' kisser…"

"Yes, so we bet…" Mr. Huynh added in excitement.

"…On how many times you two have kissed so far in total for her to say that!" finished Oskar with a grin.

Arnold felt himself swallow and a slight warmth come to his cheeks, but did his best to ignore these symptoms of humiliation. 'Great—we're back to the kissing thing again…And weren't all of the other bets they mentioned last night about that too?' Yet, his grin had to pick up just slightly as his thoughts couldn't help but continue with, 'Still, I guess I should have realized that me and Helga moving into doing more than just holding hands and spending time together wasn't going to be a smooth change…especially when other people start to know about it.'

"Oh come on now, you three…" Gertie suddenly interjected, tapping her foot just a little impatiently, "It was one thing for me and Phil to bet on when he'd get back last night but he shouldn't have to go into details about his dates…" She then glanced off for a moment and a slightly nostalgic look came to her face. "They're…private…" The smile on her reminiscing face grew slightly.

Arnold just watched her with a smile of his own for a moment, but then tugged on her sleeve again to get her attention once more. "It's okay, Grandma, really…I don't mind just this once. And anyway I'm not feeling as shy about things anymore…" He glanced down a felt a touch of a blush quickly return. 'Not after last night anyway… And as for talking about our kissing, I'm just glad that there's something to talk about—after all, anything's worth it to me if it means we don't have to go back to the only times we'd ever touch being when we slammed into each other around street corners.' He did his best not to chuckle at the memories of all those ironic times he'd found himself sprawled on the ground facing Helga…who, he now recalled, usually had looked at him kind of 'funny' for a second before the scowl inevitably returned. He gave a mental sigh, imagining the unbearably clueless looks he must have always given her in return over the years. 'Helga's love…this Grandpa/Grandma thing…I really am very, very dense sometimes, aren't I?'

"Alright, then, here we go!" Ernie began in an excited voice, effectively bringing Arnold out of his amusing reminisces and returning him to the bet-settling situation at hand. "So I said you two have probably kissed four times so far… You know probably at least once during that little date you had here Friday, and then both me and Huynh bet against Oskar that you managed it at least three times at her house last night—you know the initial 'Hey, I'm here, let me score a peck on the lips,' and then there had to be one during all those hours you two were together, and then of course the obligatory goodnight kiss…" He smiled smugly at this comment and finished with, "So anyway like I said—my bet's four times in total before you actually got her to say specifically last night that you're some kind of junior terrific kisser."

Arnold did his best not to blush to much as he nodded at Ernie. "Okay. So, you say four." He cleared his throat and then as casually as possible turned to the other two bettors.

"And I bet five times!" Mr. Huynh announced with a smile in response to Arnold's waiting (and semi-blushing) face. "Because I think you probably kissed her once in the past and it wasn't the best, which made her say you were lousy! But then last night you did just like Ernie said and by the time you got to the goodnight kiss you were finally decent at it and she told you so!"

Arnold swallowed, feeling just a touch more heat manage to make it into his face. "Okay. You say five." And yet somehow, despite the obvious embarrassment…a strange sort of smile was growing on his lips. "And you, Mr. Kokoschka?" he asked casually and innocently.

"Well, actually, Arnold, heh, heh…" Oskar began with a sheepish grin. "I bet that you've never kissed her and that you're just making it up because…Well, Arnold, please—you can't even steal an extra piece of toast from the breakfast table without saying sorry, but putting the moves on that girl?" He shook his head. "Impossible!"

With this last piece of the wager being announced, Arnold couldn't help but feel that smile that had been starting on his lips now significantly pull up the corners of his mouth. "Hmm…" he began feigning innocence, putting a hand to his chin and looking up as though in genuine thought, "Let's see…four or five or none…" 'Helga would love this conversation…No question.' He tried not to laugh at the truth of that thought. Arnold then actually then went through a few things in his head (just to be sure of the numbers) and finally looked back to the three men. "Well, if the winner is whoever gets closest then it's Mr. Huynh…"

"YES!" Mr. Huynh threw his arms in the air in victory. "Five is my lucky number—pay up, everybody!" He turned to Ernie and Oskar smugly and held out his hand. The two losing boarders, grumbling and frowning, began to fish into their pockets.

"Actually, Mr. Huynh…everyone…" The football headed boy blushed and glanced down, interrupting the exchange of funds just for a moment as all eyes were on him once again, including his grandmother's who was interested in what more he could have to say after having already fulfilled his promised of settling one bet. 'I can't believe I'm admitting this…' he thought to himself, still with a grin though, 'I mean, they're probably never going to let me hear the end of it once I say it… But…at least it'll surprise them. And I don't think Helga would mind too much. I think she even actually really likes that I talk to my family about things with us because she when she comes over here it's the only time when she doesn't have to keep her secret from anyone.' "Five is the closest guess…" he finally continued, "but…Helga and I have actually kissed twelve times in total. So far, at least…" He shrugged and looked up again, adding as he tried once more not to chuckle or blush even more, "We have another date tonight though, so that number's probably going to go up. Just mentioning it in case you wanted to take another bet on what the total will be by tomorrow morning."

These words left Arnold's mouth, a second of silence passed, and then the mouths of all three boarders dropped practically to the floor. Grandma, meanwhile, just continued to stand near her grandson's bed, now with a very satisfied smile on her face at how well he had handled the situation of settling this little wager.

"Twelve?" all three men instantly exclaimed in confusion and just a bit of shock.

"Well, I guess that means I win then…"

And then all eyes suddenly turned to Suzie who had just climbed up the attic ladder and entered the room, wearing a nightgown and a smile.

Ernie just let out a deep sigh at her sudden appearance and rubbed his temples. "Oh boy…"

"Ah! Busted!" Mr. Huynh yelled in frustration, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Uh…Suzie!" Oskar announced nervously, approaching her, his arms behind his back. "What are you doing here? And don't be silly—you weren't part of the bet—that was all just a dream last night! Heh, heh!"

"Oh no, you three—I am indeed part of at least this particular bet and you all know it!" She gave them a look. "Remember, you said I could buy my way in but only for a bet of twenty dollars or more, so I pulled out a fifty and that shut all of you up pretty quickly…" She then crossed her arms over her chest and just shook her head. "But honestly, though—trying to settle things up here while I was asleep just so that there would be NO chance I could win! And then what were you going to do—tell me you'd already exchanged money and gotten it settled and to just pay the winner?" She smirked at the three boys. "Sorry, gentlemen, but remember I've been Oskar's wife for almost five years—there's not a thing in the world that any of you could try to pull on me that I wouldn't see coming a mile away." She put her hands on her hips, still smiling. "And speaking of which it looks like I caught you and managed to hear Arnold admit that the magic number's twelve, and you all know my bet was ten kisses or higher so pay up!" And she held out her hand expectantly.

All three guys hesitated for just a second…and then let out very frustrated sighs and grumbles and reached into their pockets, reluctantly plopping bills into her hand.

Suzie just chuckled at the three grumpy boarders and then looked to Arnold. "Sorry, Arnold," she shrugged sheepishly, "but it was easy money…" She rolled her eyes. "These three thinking you'd only had it in you to kiss that nice Helga a handful of times when you've been spending time together for over two weeks—honestly!"

Arnold, who had just been watching with amazement and shock this sudden turn of gambling events, now found himself chuckling and at the same time feeling more blushing come to his face (though he had really stopped caring ages ago.) "Thanks, Mrs. Kokoschka," he simply said appreciatively.

Suzie smiled warmly at him. "You're welcome, Arnold." And then she gestured with her head back toward the door. "Alright boys, leave Arnold alone now—you've been harassing him for almost two weeks with all this Helga stuff and he was even nice enough to throw you a bone right now! At least give him a peaceful Sunday morning before he has to deal with the rest of your silly bets and jokes!" At this announcement, reluctantly and in obvious defeat, the three guys trudged towards Arnold's door then began to descend to the hallway, followed by Suzie.

"Letting your wife in on the action—way to go, Kokoschka…" Ernie.

"Yes! Me and Ernie should disqualify you from the other bets just for that!" Mr. Huynh

"Hey, I can't help it—it was a lot of money we could have gotten off of her and who knew Arnold could get a girl to kiss him more than ten times? I hadn't even been kissed by girl that many times when I met Suzie! Besides, if I lose any of the other bets to you guys, at least I'll have that money she just won to pay you back with. Heh, heh…"

"Oh that's what you think, Oskar!" Suzie quickly interjected with a smug smile, half way down the ladder and glancing down toward him. "But I'm personally going to be using my winnings to grab a bite with Miriam next weekend if she's free! I haven't seen her in forever and it would be wonderful to catch up. Hmph!"

"Aw, but Suzie!"

Their voices faded as Suzie pulled the door closed and they all reached the hall and went their respective ways to their rooms.

Left alone, Gertie turned to Arnold (both parties trying hard not to laugh at the humorous and so very typical little exchange between the members of their extended family that had just met their ears). "Well, Kimba, I should get downstairs too so I can convince your grandpa he's not a 'crazy old bird' or something." She let out a chuckle or two.

Arnold smiled up at her. "Okay, Grandma. I'll change and be down in a few minutes."

"See you then, Kimba!" She winked and approached the door, opened it, and began to descend.

"Oh and Grandma?" Arnold called out before she disappeared from view.

She stopped and glanced at him. "Yes, Arnold?"

He smiled just a bit more to himself. "That was a really REALLY good prank. Really… And thanks for the extra sleep."

She smiled a bit more. "Thank you, Arnold…I try!" And with that and a wink she finally disappeared.

Now left entirely to himself again, Arnold let out a breath and had to chuckle warmly as an interesting thought he'd just expressed but had never really realized came back into his mind. 'I've kissed Helga G. Pataki twelve times…on the lips…' His smile grew so much. 'I've kissed the lips of the most interesting, funny, pretty, creative, passionate girl I've ever met a dozen timesat least if you count what happened on our first date as three separate kisses...' He couldn't help but be amused at the fact that a few months ago he'd never even considered the possibility of kissing a girl no matter how much he'd ever had a crush on someone…well, not really… Okay, yes, fine, admittedly the idea of trying it just to see what it would be like had crossed his mind on occasion, but with his usual modesty and shyness he'd certainly never considered being the one to initiate it…and he'd absolutely never ever considered doing half the wonderful things being with Helga had made him want to do lately! And especially with her of all people! "But every time I do it…it just gets better and better and I want to do it more and more..." He laughed to himself his eyes going even more half lidded. "And the best part is, after last night, now I know for sure that it gets better and better for her too!"

He swung his legs over to touch his feet to the floor, and let out a dreamy sigh. "Who'd have thought—Arnold and Helga…" he chuckled once more…another thought occurring to him now. 'Arnold and Helga…It almost sounds like one word, and not just two being stuck together. 'ArnoldAndHelga' "Hmm…" he started, a dreamy sigh escaping him, "Between how well our names fit together and how well our personalities fit together and how well our lips fit together…it almost makes it all make sense. Like it was meant to be."

And then his eyes fell on those notebooks he'd been planning to write in last night but which the conversation with his grandmother had made him temporarily forget about. Almost automatically he stood up, grabbed the pen from his nightstand and then quickly snatched one of the said notebooks and walked over to his couch, sitting down comfortably. He began to write a bit, just testing some things out, and to speak as he wrote, just grinning happily. "She's the most unexpected thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life…and I'm really loving every minute of it." He felt his heart skip a beat. "And she wants another date with me tonight! Helga G. Pataki wants another date with metonight… What could be more surprising than that…?"

RING RING

Arnold sighed at the sound of his phone ringing and put aside the notebook. "If this is Helga I almost don't want to answer it…" He half smiled as he had to admit to himself, no longer trying to avoid any of the slightly lovesick stuff that had been threatening to all but consume him over the past week, "I'm not sure if I could handle hearing her voice again and everything she'd probably say to me about last night, and then having to wait so many hours until later to see her for real…" And indeed the very idea of all the…well, the flirting he'd done with her during that phone call last night instantly sent scarlet into his features. Not that it hadn't been fun to recall that he wasn't the only one in love here and to use it just a little against her (just like he had back in her room before he'd kissed her) but still… 'I told her if I ever caught her sleepwalking into my bed that I'd curl up right next to her…And I think I might have meant it. Either way, I'm pretty sure she's never going to let me forget that, is she…?' He absentmindedly reached over to pick up the phone. "Hello?" he said in an unavoidably dazed tone.

"Um…hey…Arnold…man. What's up, heh, heh?"

Arnold blinked at the (totally unexpected) sound of his best friend's voice on the other end of the line. He instantly came back to reality. "Gerald? Uh…hi. Um, nothing." 'Why does he sound so nervous?' "Uh, what's up with you?" And then a thought occurred to Arnold as Gerald's sudden call reminded him of a few other things last night in regards to Helga's secret …and he let out a breath, speaking in a bit of a flat tone now though some of the smile remained at just how humorous that incident from last night had been. "Gerald, if this is about what I think it's about, can the shrine jokes wait until the Monday? Please. I was just doing some writing and then I've got some extra chores to help out Grandpa with since I got in so late last night, and plans with Helga later today and…"

"WHOA! Hold on! Stop right there!" Arnold had to blink as the slightly nervous quality instantly dropped from Gerald's voice, replaced by both shock and accusation. "Oh man, Arnold," he started, very matter-of-factly, "If you are writing another Helga poem for Simmons and you even think about handing it in and putting us through all of that stuff like during school last Monday, I swear Phoebe and I are going to rope and hog tie you and your girlfriend, throw you back in that janitor's closet and leave you there until next September! Okay, man?"

Arnold had had to actually pull the phone a bit away from his head at how loud Gerald's voice had become while making this announcement. After his ears had had a second to process the yelling, though, he realized the misunderstanding and couldn't help but smile fully and actually have to try and not laugh. "No, no, Gerald…No more poetry situations at school, I promise. Besides…" Arnold felt himself blush just slightly. He absentmindedly twirled the phone chord around one of his fingers and his eyes fell to the open notebook beside him on the bed…which had a few lines of ideas he had managed to come up with so far. "This is…more of a private poem for Helga…" He blinked a couple of times, coming out of some daydreams, and then cleared his throat and did his best to move on from the topic. "Actually though I…I really should probably get downstairs to help Grandpa with those chores and to try and get some breakfast before the boarders eat it all, so I might just work on it later." And then Arnold remembered that Gerald had been the one to call him…and so quite probably had something specific to talk about on his mind. "Did you need something though, Gerald?"

"Oh…" And there it was again—that very much on edge tone to his best friend's voice. "Um…well…kind of…" He swallowed. "But if—if you're busy it's no big deal, heh, heh… I… you know what, it's stupid, man. Don't worry about it…"

"…Gerald?" Arnold's curiosity (and also concern) was genuinely peaked at this point. "Come on…we've been best friend's our whole lives. You know you can tell me any problem…" He half smiled and reclined his head back on his couch, gazing up at the blue sky and clouds through his ceiling. "Besides, with all of this Helga stuff over the last two weeks I haven't had much of a chance to give anyone advice like usual and I'm starting to miss it a little. It'd be nice to help fix a problem in someone else's life again."

That joke actually got a slight chuckle out of his best friend. And then finally Gerald let out a complacent sigh. "Okay, okay, man…guess I could give you a situation that needs advice if you're THAT hard up."

The two boys shared a small laugh and then Arnold waited patiently for Gerald to begin…which he did (eventually) but not until after a very deep breath to obviously stall as much as possible, of course.

"Okay…" A pause. "Okay, so, um…speaking of things happening later, actually, heh, heh…" Gerald did his best to joke, referring to Arnold's poetry writing as well as his plans with Helga tonight, "I might…uh…hypothetically…have some plans later myself…with…someone…kind of like, um…a…a 'date' I guess you could, you know, call it… "

At this admission Arnold sat up straight, his eyes lighting up and his voice returning, a full smile on his face. 'Wow, I knew they'd started to like each other a little more and that they walked home together last night and that Phoebe kissed him on the cheek, but I didn't think that…' "Gerald…" he couldn't help but inquire with just a bit of interested surprise, "What did you and Phoebe do exactly after I left you last night?"

"Uh…" Gerald's voice was starting to sound more and more riddled with nerves as he 'tried' to smoothly play off the question with, "Oh um…you know, just…just talked and walked and talked more… Nothing really…" He faked a scoff. "Told you, man—everything I'm saying is strictly hypothetical…"

"Gerald…" An all-knowing smile came to Arnold's face and he leaned a bit of his weight upon his free arm. "Last night you caught me sneaking out of Helga's bedroom window with a book of her poems and a strand of her hair on my shirt…and smiling. A lot. I really don't think there's anything you could tell me that would be more embarrassing than finding me in that situation. Also, I think I know how to tell if something similar to what's going on with me and Helga is going on with someone else…especially my best friend." He did his best not to chuckle as he then finally added, "And anyway I already saw Phoebe practically kiss you before you two left…That's actually why I left you guys alone—Me and Helga finally got the chance to kiss for real a while ago so…I just figured it was about time you and Phoebe got the chance to do the same."

There were several seconds of shocked silence.

"Gerald?" Arnold finally managed to ask again, the smile still on his face. 'He can't really think I wouldn't realize what's going on… 'Hypothetical'… Even I'm not that dense…at least, not anymore…'

Finally there was the sound of a defeated sigh and Gerald's normal voice returned (though there was at least a touch of expected awkwardness to it, considering the subject matter). "Okay, Okay…sheesh man, quit being so good at reading between the lines about this stuff! You're getting more and more like Helga every day, you know that?"

Arnold just laughed to himself and blushed at the comment. "Well, I think she's pretty great so…I hope so."

An exasperated sigh came from Gerald. "Oh brother…" He took another breath and then got back to the subject at hand. "Okay but, anyway…yeah…Phoebe and I…might have tried the, uh…you know…the kissing thing…for real…last night after I walked her home." He got a bit on the offensive as he added sarcastically, "I mean we're not writing odes to each other and breaking into each other's houses and throwing the fourth grade into chaos and making dedications to each other in CLOSETS…!"

"Gerald…" Arnold just rolled his eyes. "Please, can the shrine jokes wait until Monday? I think I at least deserve twenty-four hours to process the existence of the thing before I hear about how 'hilarious' it is."

Gerald actually laughed this time, seeming to loosen up a little. "Hey, just warming up, man!" He then cleared his throat and went on, sounding much calmer now. "But yeah, so—kissing equals a big checkmark."

Arnold's smile grew just a bit more. "Well that's great Gerald—I'm really happy for you guys…"

"Yeah…" Gerald then replied hesitantly. "But…um…" Silence. Or rather…hesitation.

Arnold's smile fell just a bit at the return of that strange tone of his. "Is there something wrong, Gerald? You like her, don't you…?"

"Yeah!" Gerald instantly announced in an almost high-pitched voice, almost sounding shocked at the question and the very idea that he could do anything but like Phoebe! "Of course I like her! I think she's…" There was a slight pause and it couldn't help but make Arnold smile (especially considering the dazed tone Gerald had started slipping into at the last few words.) "Um, anyway…" Gerald began again, obviously coming out of his romantic thoughts/daydreams (just as Arnold had predicted he was about to), "We like each other and she kissed me—that's not the problem. The problem is, well…I don't really know what I should…I mean, how should I handle…you know, the date thing tonight?"

It took Arnold a second to process the concern.

When he did, though, he had to try very hard not to laugh just a bit, especially since this was obviously an important thing for Gerald.

Still, though, he couldn't help but figure, with how much he was going to be hearing about the shrine soon (coupled with Gerald's usual humorous little barbs about him loving 'Helga G. Pataki'), that he was at least entitled to say something more sarcastic than sympathetic. 'And anyway I think he's right about Helga rubbing off on me a little…' Indeed, Arnold couldn't help but recall Helga's comment last night at her window about him saying something sarcastic 'for the first time in his life' with his initial response to her doubts about her looks. "So…" Arnold then began slowly, and actually had to let out a small chuckle at the back of his throat. "So, you, Gerald, 'the smoothest, coolest most happening dude in the city'…" he recalled that phrase from the poetry tutoring weekend, "…are calling me, Arnold, Mr. Goodie Two Shoes…for dating advice…?"

Gerald's response to this comment was to just let out an exasperated sigh and lose the shy routine entirely again. "Oh come on, man, what do you want from me? You and Helga have given new meaning to the term 'first base' over the last few weeks! And usually no one even makes it to that base until junior high or the sixth grade or something!"

"Gerald!" Arnold instantly blushed considerably, the smile still on his face, though, of course. "You know…me and her DO do other stuff besides just 'make out' all the time…" 'On occasion…I mean, at least half the time's talking instead of kissing…on average. I really am starting to think, though, that if she'd let me I'd kiss her every second I could… It's happened a dozen times already and I still haven't been able to take in everything it makes me feel…' He felt a small spark in his heart at just the very idea of it.

"EXACTLY!" Gerald's exclamation brought Arnold out of his distracting thoughts. "Now quick—fill me in on some of that stuff so I don't look like a complete doufous tonight! What do I wear and how do I act and where do I take her and—"

"What, The Guide to Cool Moves for Happening Dudes getting a little outdated, Gerald?" Arnold really just hadn't been able to help himself.

"Arnold—puh-lease!" Gerald said in a totally serious voice in reply. "We were nine and messing around—we are ten now and this is serious!"

That response made Arnold stop and take a few seconds to finally succumb to all of the laughter that had been building within him. "Okay, okay…sorry, Gerald…" he finally managed after the second or third impatient sigh from his best friend on the other end of the line in response to his chuckles, "I'm still a little sleepy and this is just…well, honestly, I always figured I'd be the one coming to you about girls when we were older but…alright I'll give it my best try…"

Arnold then cleared his throat and paused to consider, and finally just did his best to speak from the heart. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly with his free hand. "Well…I don't know…when it comes to dates we don't really have a lot of set plans… I mean mostly we just talk to each other about ourselves and our lives and our days, and little things we might like about each other…" He smiled warmly to himself at some memories…getting a bit lost in them. "…And then sometimes if we're both having a really good time we'll hold hands and if I bring up how much I like her enough I get Helga to have this really pretty blush or to sigh like she's really happy, and then maybe if things get really quiet no one's around she might lean in and then I might lean in and then we—"

"Arnold!" Gerald suddenly interrupted with more than a bit of sarcasm to his voice, bringing the football headed blonde out of his musings once more. " 'Getting off topic' alert! 'Getting off topic' alert! Seriously, stick with stuff about the first half of that! The talking and the sharing and maybe the handholding! I may be coming to YOU for advice about this but I'm pretty sure not every girl likes being thrown on the floor in her room and randomly kissed just because you've suddenly gone gaga!"

"Oh come on, Gerald!" Arnold felt the blush in his face grow hotter but couldn't help but keep smiling. "I didn't throw her on floor last night!" He gazed up at the sky again. "I mean I like her but I also like being a gentleman…"

"Yeah right…" came Gerald's incredulous reply, much to Arnold's surprise. "I've seen you over the last week or so with her, man…and I've heard some things from Phoebe….like about last weekend at Helga's house—I've got a feeling you throwing her on the floor for one of those crazy kisses you guys do was just for starters last night!"

"Gerald, I mean it!" Arnold felt the blood pumping more and more into his features, especially at hearing that Gerald had now become aware of just how life altering and crazily intimate that first official date between himself and Helga had been. "I didn't do anything like that to her yesterday…I mean…" he felt his heart flutter slightly and his smile grow a little, and started twirling the phone cord in his fingers again, "She might have thrown me on the floor once but I didn't do anything…um," he swallowed, " 'unusual for me'…to her until I went back after I left you and Phoebe to show her I could be just as comfortable with the whole kissing thing as she is… But even then I didn't throw myself on top of her!" He had to chuckle to himself just a little as he then added as an afterthought. "Actually with all the times she's done it to me in our lives I think she's decided that's her job or something in this relationship." And for just a moment Arnold had to close his eyes as he felt a strange, funny, shivery feeling pass through him at the memories of all those times of suddenly feeling Helga's warmth and weight on top of him as she lost control for just a second and finally let all that love inside of her out in one perfectly passionate moment.

Meanwhile, there were just several seconds of silence from the other end of the line.

"Gerald?" Arnold finally asked when the silence had been so long that he'd actually managed to come out of his thoughts on Helga all on his own (and he tended to have a lot of them so it wasn't exactly a quick task). He raised an eyebrow. 'I thought he'd laugh… I mean, I think Helga always doing that to me is pretty funny anyway…and really cute, actually.' A half smile came to his lips again.

Finally, at actually addressing his best friend, Arnold just heard a simple sigh on the other end of the line…followed by Gerald observing with a more amused than anything tone, "Man…you two are just plain weird and about a million years ahead of where you're supposed to be, you know that?" And then he actually laughed. " All I can say is good luck to you, Arnold, and you'd better not let ever Big Bob catch you up there with her or you really will need to just lay down and stay down to survive!"

Arnold just rolled his eyes at the joke and responded with a smile, reclining back a bit more comfortably on his couch, "Actually, Helga's having me over for dinner tonight with both of her parents."

"Arnold…" Gerald's voice suddenly got very quiet, "Man…you just plain have a death wish don't you? That really is the only explanation for half the stuff you've been doing lately… Kissing a girl who could pound you in a second and crawling through the ceiling of the school and breaking into the Pataki house of all places…Mmm, mmm, mmm! I hope all the make out sessions and flirting and the permanent 'Get out of a pounding free' card you've got from Helga are all worth it!" he added jokingly.

Arnold just sighed and shook his head at Gerald's concerns. "Gerald, tonight'll be fine. Don't worry about it—I already talked to her and she said her Mom and Dad are acting a little…nicer, I guess." His smile grew just a bit. "Besides, I'd like to get the chance to know Helga's family a little bit better… She's already hit it off so well with the boarders and my grandparents, after all, and I'd like her to feel comfortable with us going over to her place just as often as coming here…"

"And also can I just say, I cannot believe you're actually 'meeting the parents…'" Gerald continued in a tone bespeaking a smirk, moving on from his warnings for the chance at a little sarcasm, especially in light of the joke or two Arnold had already made at his expense in terms of his own love life. "Are you going to ask for permission to 'have her hand' and then pop the question the second you arrive or do you think after dessert would be more appropriate?" He had to let out a chuckle at the back of his throat.

"Oh come on, Gerald…" Arnold countered with an exasperated sigh…the grin still wide on his face, though, of course. "I think we both know that no matter how she feels about me Helga would punch my lights out if I stood up in the middle of the dining room and asked her Dad for permission for her to marry me…" He smiled warmly to himself at the very idea. "And even if she was so deliriously happy that she decided diving on top of me again to kiss me would be more fun instead, her Dad would just end up being the one trying to punch me…" He laughed warmly and then sighed to himself, a dreamy look coming to his eyes which returned to gazing at the blue skies above once more in thought and daydreams… "Still, if it really did make her so happy that she kissed me like that then it might be worth it no matter what her Dad would do… Aw man, when she kisses it just—"

"Okay, Arnold, 'OFF TOPIC' Alert again!" Gerald suddenly announced into the phone once more, obviously not wanting all of the 'intimate details.' "Seriously man, I need you to keep 'Helga's mouth is wonderful' in check for a few minutes and just get back to giving me a few more dating tips—you know, for those of us who haven't necessarily found our soul mate at the age of ten and who aren't spending all of our free time trying to get our hands and lips on them…"

Arnold just let out a happy sigh, picking his head back up and resting it in his hand. "Okay, Gerald, but you know if you and Phoebe are holding hands and dating and gave each other a real kiss already, all that more intense stuff's bound to come eventually… No matter how much you might fight it or avoid it…" He couldn't help but add this last point with a slightly sheepish grin, considering last night...

"A-Arnold…" Gerald instantly stammered, and Arnold had to raise an eyebrow as the idea occurred to him that his best friend was most likely blushing right now considering the tone of his voice, "I…I don't know if you realize this," he continued, trying to sound a bit humorous to move on from the awkward situation, "But Phoebe's not exactly as 'outgoing' as Helga, in general… If you know what I mean… heh, heh…"

To this observation Arnold felt himself blush just a bit more before shrugging and replying in a quiet, happy voice. "Yeah, but…you would have probably said the same thing about me a few weeks ago…"

Another very heavy silence between the two boys.

"O-okay, you know what…" Gerald finally began in a noticeably cracked voice that Arnold had to try very VERY hard not to laugh at, "Just…give me everything you've got, Arnold, and I'll use what I need whenever I need to as I need it, okay!"

And then a strange sound met Arnold's ears coming from Gerald's end of the line…a sound that made one of his eyebrows raise yet again and a distinct smirk come to his face as he asked in a surprised and intrigued voice, "Gerald, are you…actually writing down what I'm saying?" Indeed, the sound had seemed quite distinctly like a pen scratching on nearby paper.

"Heck yes!" Gerald replied, not even trying to deny it or his incredible dependence on his best friend's advice for his first real date anymore. "Half of it's also probably going to be on my hand tonight! Now get going again, already! Sheesh, you think you're the only one with extra stuff to do this morning because of how late you got back? My parents didn't catch me but Jamie-O did and now I'm his personal slave all morning. I'm supposed to be polishing his weights right now, actually, but he's downstairs eating breakfast for another few minutes and this is WAY more important! I really want to be prepared, man!"

Arnold just laughed at his best friend's explanations, though for a moment it turned into him yawning off the last of his sleepiness. He stretched up to wake himself up more and then did his best to continue, really trying to think of how exactly to put just how well the chemistry between him and Helga always seemed to work for making their times together unforgettable. "Okay, okay…well…besides all the talking and sharing and stuff…I mean, sometimes Helga and I don't say anything at all and just do something together instead…you know, so we can enjoy just being with each other…"

"Good, good…" Gerald briefly interrupted, the sound of his pen scratching away again meeting Arnold's ear. "Some examples?"

Arnold considered for a moment, glancing around his room as he tried to come up with an example that hadn't immediately led to him and Helga with their mouths pressed against each other. And then his eyes fell on his stereo system and he had to smile as a memory of one of the things that had started this whole crazy mutual romantic relationship between them came to mind. 'Perfect!' "Well…okay, that weekend with the poetry tutoring, for example, before all of that stuff with the phone calls from everybody we were just up here sitting on my bed and couch listening to music…Dino Spumoni mostly…But I wouldn't just go with that automatically or anything—we both liked it so it worked, but maybe try and find something that you and Phoebe both like, if that helps."

"Uh huh, uh huh…" More pen scratching. "Anything else?" came his best friend's still quite worried sounding voice.

And then once more, thoughts of Helga overcoming him again, Arnold gave in a little to his desire to have just a bit of fun with this 'not expected in a million years' conversation with his best friend. "Yeah…" he responded innocently enough…though the smile on his face bespoke other emotions and intentions, "Apparently if you kiss just right it can make her kind of moan and shudder...I don't know if that's just something Helga does but if it happens don't worry about it. It's a good thing."

Another very long, very deep silence.

"Gerald?" Arnold did his best not to laugh, biting his lower lip. "Did you get that one down?"

"Man…" Gerald began in a totally, utterly and thoroughly shocked voice, "Where the heck did THAT come from?"

Arnold finally had to give in to his laughter again at this question, and then responded quite truthfully and with a shrug, "I don't know. Apparently I have a 'dark side' or something that only Helga brings out—at least that's what she thinks. And she says that I like it…" Still grinning, his eyes went a bit half lidded…or possibly a bit narrowed…it really was a fine line between the two, after all. "And you know…I think it actually IS starting to grow on me a little…" He recalled leaning Helga back for that kiss last night, and felt a strange but welcome twist in his stomach and an almost electric sensation travel through him as he remembered the feeling of teasing her with it…and then of suddenly pulling her mouth in contact with his…only to have her melt against him and go practically limp in his arms at his actions…and then just look at him utterly in love after he'd pulled away, admitting in her obvious state of bliss that she might have made him want to 'lie down' the first time she'd done something like that to him so many weeks ago on that fateful rooftop, but he had made her need to 'collapse into a puddle' doing it then and there… 'I made a girl want to collapse into a puddle…I made Helga want to collapse into a puddle…'

His romantic musings were interrupted once more buy the sound of is best friend just letting out a very deep sigh.

"This really is going to be a long adolescence, isn't it, Arnold?" Gerald then stated very simply.

Arnold took a second to absorb the rhetorical question, and then could only respond with a warm, happy chuckle. Gerald, now also an active player in the romantic insanity the next several years of their lives would probably bring, could only resist for a second or two before happily joining him.


RING RING

"Helga! Helga, wake up!"

"Mmmm…" Helga moaned to herself, keeping her eyes shut tight and turning to pull the covers over her head to block out the light starting to stream in through her window.

"Helga!"

She could hear Miriam's voice coming closer now and was dimly aware in her state of being half asleep and half (unfortunately) awake that her mother must be climbing the stairs and approaching her room.

"Helga…?" Miriam opened her youngest daughter's bedroom door, and then crossed her arms over her chest with a smile, leaning against the frame. "Breakfast has already been on the table for a while and your sister's called to talk to you every half hour since 7 am. Time to get up!"

"Ugh, Miriam…" Helga began in the groggiest voice imaginable, her head still hidden, "It's Sunday and I'm tired, for crimeny's sake…Just put a plate in the microwave for me and tell Olga to build an igloo or something until I'm good and ready to get up and talk to her…" Helga pulled the covers more tightly around her body. 'Yeah, family breakfast at 9 a.m. sharp sounded great 'on paper' last night when I WASN'T completely exhausted from putting up with Football Head and his shenanigans… And as for Olga, if I had to wait six years to even have a story about kissing Arnold then she can wait a few more hours to just hear about it!'

Trying to let her thoughts taper off into sleep once more, Helga forgot about her mother entirely for a moment, which was understandable as she was used to Miriam giving up after only one or two attempts at waking her up in the mornings…and then maybe trudging back off to the kitchen muttering 'I need a smoothie' under her breath…

However, this time Helga actually heard Miriam laugh and she could tell from how close it sounded that her mother was still in her room. "Helga, come on—your Father and I said we'd all spend the day together and we meant it…starting with a family breakfast. And I've already let you sleep in a bit but it's almost 9:30 now so come on—up and at 'em!"

Suddenly, Helga felt the covers pulled from her body and her eyes flew open in surprise at the light making its way through her eyelids and the chill upon her arms and legs. She sat up and turned to her mother, now with wide, open eyes. "Miriam! Sheesh, what the heck? I get it—supposedly 'permanent family bonding time' starts today but for Pete's sake I'm ten and it's Sunday! It's like an unofficial constitutional amendment that I'm allowed to sleep in, especially when it's the first day in two weeks that Olga hasn't gotten me up at six!"

"Well Helga," Miriam began, a small grin on her face as she folded the blanket in her hands, only glancing at her daughter, "If you went to bed last night at 11 when I left you then you should be coming off a full ten hours or more of sleep…unless your little goodnight call to Arnold took until much later."

Helga just rolled her eyes, doing her best to put on a scowl. "Oh ha-ha, Miriam, you're just a regular riot with all the Arnold comments."

"Well it helps that you're still wearing his picture around your neck, dear…" Miriam replied without missing a beat, laying the folded blanket out at the end of her daughter's bed. "I'd…think about not wearing that at the table with your father… Might be a little much for him on top of the dinner tonight with Arnold and your little 'outing' with him afterwards…"

With a quick blush at the observation and her eyes going wide almost in fright, Helga glanced down at her Arnold locket which was indeed still around her neck from last night… 'Oh boy…' But then the memories of Miriam basically finding out everything last night (including the incredibly intimate possession that was her Arnold locket) fully hit her, and she just closed her eyes and sighed once more, and then laid back on her side, facing the window and putting a pillow over her head to block out the sun. "Yeah, yeah, Miriam—once again, hilarious. Remind me to finish laughing when I get up in an hour or three."

Miriam smiled and was about to open her mouth when suddenly the sound of the phone ringing yet again that morning cut her off.

"Ugh…" Helga moaned in a muffled and tired voice from under her pillow, "Why doesn't your other child have an off switch or something, Miriam? Crimeny!"

Miriam just gave a small laugh at the comment as she picked up the phone receiver, "Just a moment…" she said into it, not waiting for a response, and then rested it near Helga's pillow. "Helga, I've been answering her calls all morning—now you talk to her, and let her know whatever it is she's been saying she 'need's to know from you ASAP', but that she keeps swearing she won't tell me because it's 'just between you girls'…" She crossed her arms over her chest and her smile picked up on one side just a little as she added, "And also because she's a little unhappy with me for telling you about the boys in her closet."

Helga couldn't help but smirk at that reminder of last night, removing the pillow from her head. "Yeah, she freaked on the plane when I mentioned that…" She then turned away from the wall and sat up slightly, taking the receiver in one hand. "Okay, fine Miriam, I'll talk to her and I'll be downstairs when I'm done, okay?"

"Okay, Helga…" Miriam replied with a smile, heading back in the direction of the hallway. "But you'd better hurry before your Father eats all the eggs Benedict! And drinks all the coffee!"

Helga just sighed and couldn't help but give her mother a bland look in her mother's direction for a moment. "Uh, ten, here, Miriam. Coffee's not exactly one of my top beverage choices."

Miriam instantly turned back around to face Helga and blinked and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh…right, right…I'll, uh, I'll pour some juice or some milk or something…" And with a sheepish smile she took a few steps back and then closed the door behind her to head back downstairs.

Helga just sighed and rolled her eyes, entirely more amused than anything else at this little slip-up of her mother's in terms of parenting. 'Hey, forgetting that kids don't drink coffee is honestly not the worst thing I expected from her when I woke up this morning.' Coming out this humorous thought, Helga picked up the receiver still in her hand and then put it to the side of her head, letting out a breath, and speaking before she could be interrupted by Olga's squealing demands for a juicy Arnold story. "Olga, it's early and I swear you better be about to go into a full catatonic state or something from not hearing about this first 'kiss' of mine with Arnold, or the next time you sleep here you won't just find your hair half-dyed—it'll be shaved off completely!"

"Helga?"

Helga blinked at the familiar (and unexpected) timid voice that met her ears. She sat up a bit more alertly. "Pheebs?"

"Oh, uh, well…yes, Helga. I'm sorry, were you…were you expecting someone else?" There was a distinct undercurrent of nervousness in Phoebe's voice.

Helga's face took on a curious look. "Uh, yeah…sorry, Phoebe—apparently my sister's been calling here like crazy all morning and I just thought you were her again." Then she settled back in her bed a bit, a smile on her face. "So, anyway, what's up, Pheebs?"

She heard Phoebe clear her throat quite distinctly before speaking. "I'm sorry for telephoning you so early, Helga, but, well…I have a sort of 'hypothetical' question…and I think the sooner I discover an answer the better, so…"

Helga raised part of her brow. 'A hypothetical question?' "Phoebe, what are you talking about?"

She heard silence followed by more throat-clearing, and then Phoebe's timid voice sounded again. "Well…It's just, um…I might have a 'more official than usual' outing with…someone…tonight…to spend the evening together and I—"

Suddenly the last traces of Helga's fatigue were replaced by one distinct memory from the end of her phone conversation with Arnold last night. "No way!" she instantly exclaimed in total excitement! "Gerald asked you out on an official date last night after you guys left Football Head?" She grinned ecstatically. "Phoebe that's grea—"

"Um…" Phoebe's quiet voice interjected, "Actually…I was sort of the one to bring up the proposition of an actual first date with him yesterday evening..."

Helga blinked, her jaw dropping. 'Phoebe…made the first move?' "Phoebe?" The tone of pride in her voice was evident. "Alright! Way to go!" she announced encouragingly. "You can't wait for tall hair boy to get it together forever—heck, if he's anything like his best friend you'd be ninety before he even asked to hold your hand. Good job seeing what you wanted and going for it!" Helga's face then lit up even more as some of the specifics of what Arnold had whispered to her over the phone last night about their best friends resurfaced in her mind once more. "OH and hey—awesome job also on being the one to give him that peck on the cheek last night! Arnold filled me in..." She smirked a little, stretching up with her free hand as she then asked half-jokingly (and unable to help herself), "So did you get any serious action back from Geraldo after you two walked home or did he just stay in nervous, goofy-smiling, thumb-twiddling shock?"

"Helga!" The shyness and embarrassment in Phoebe's tone were abundant.

Helga couldn't help but laugh just a little to herself at the exclamation from her best friend. "Sorry, Pheebs—but seriously, it's about time he got it together!" She grinned just a bit more, adding (as her heart fluttered at the notion), "Crimeny, me and Arnold are already breaking into each other's houses for anniversary gift swaps—the least Gerald could do was go for it and kiss you on the lips after you had it in you to go and ask him out."

"Helga…" The shock was gone from her meek tone but Phoebe still sounded just a bit distressed, to say the least.

Helga just sighed this time around at the sound of her name from the shy girl's end of the line, still smiling. "Sorry again, Phoebe—just happy things are working out for you just as much as they're working out for me."

"Um…no, it…it's not that…" Phoebe replied, even more bashfully now if that was possible (which caused Helga to raise part of her brow for a moment). "It's just that, well…we did manage a…a real kiss, Helga, but…I was the one to give it to him…"

Helga genuinely almost dropped the phone. "You put the moves on tall hair boy?"

"Um…uh huh…" Phoebe managed to squeak out. "I…suppose so…"

And then after another half a second of seeming in total shock, a very satisfied smirk came to Helga's face. "Well, well, well…how the tables have turned huh? So, you sleepwalking into his house yet or were you just going to spend the first week gathering the materials for your first shrine or coming up with your first book of poems or something?"

"Helga…please!" Phoebe responded in obvious distress, and obviously blushing on the other end of the line. Her tone was desperate. "I really need advice right now, not jokes…I'm already quite nervous as it is…" She gulped. "I still can't believe I…Oh…"

Helga let out a breath at these little exclamations from Phoebe, and then instantly a tone of pure understanding and sympathy came to her voice. Her best friend really seemed to need her, and after all of the times Phoebe had been there for her with Arnold stuff over the years Helga was more than happy to oblige. "First of all, Pheebs, it's OK. You kissed a guy you liked…hey, at least you did it honestly with him instead of spending days crafting an elaborate ruse to do it but in a way so that he wouldn't think it was a 'real kiss'. Remember Romeo & Juliet, Phoebe?" she finished with a half grin.

The question actually got a slight chuckle out of Phoebe, sounding like she was calming down a little and putting the situation into perspective. "Thanks…Helga…" she then replied warmly.

Helga smiled warmly to herself at how much better her best friend suddenly sounded. "You're welcome, Pheebs. And as for the jokes, I'm sorry, really. Just having a little fun with you…making an observation or two…" She leaned her weight on her free arm. "Seriously, though, what can I do you for? Name it. Need some advice on where to take him or what to do together or—"

She heard Phoebe take a deep breath in and then finally manage (with a distinct swallow), in response to this inquiry, "Well, what I really want to know, Helga, is…well…" She swallowed, and then finished quickly and quietly, her ease starting to diminish again, "How exactly do I go about…getting HIM to kiss ME, Helga?"

The question made Helga's eyes fly open wide. She blinked…then she hesitated for a second before finally managing in an almost uncomprehending voice, "Uh…excuse me?"

She heard Phoebe let out a sigh and speak quickly once more, the shyness leaving her in favor of a desire to fully explain her situation (especially to someone she could trust). "Well, you see…he seems almost afraid or…or rather shy about it, Helga…He…I mean…" Phoebe cleared her throat shyly once more. "As Arnold informed you, I gave Gerald a very quick kiss near his mouth last night…and then like I said maybe one more that was a bit more of a real first kiss when he walked me home…and I liked it and I believe he liked it but…well…" She took another breath and then finally found the courage to say what she had been building to plainly and without fear. "I'd just like him to try kissing me now, maybe…especially if we're going to try an official date… And, well, you…Oh let's face it, Helga ,you've been getting Arnold to kiss YOU for once for the last two weeks multiple times! So…how do you do that?"

Helga, her eyes still quite wide, felt a slight sound come from the back of her throat before she was finally able to summon her full voice. "You…you want advice on how to get a guy to kiss you…from me…?" It wasn't that Helga hadn't been expecting Phoebe to want SOME help from her with her new relationship with tall hair boy, but it was just…her wanting advice on how to get him to kiss her? It wasn't just the thing she hadn't expected Phoebe to ask her about first… it was also a particular thing she'd never expected Phoebe to be seriously interested in at all! At least, not until they were a little older, like with most people.

And then a half smile couldn't help but come to Helga's face as a simple thought occurred to her as she took into account some of both her best friend as well as her boyfriend's recent changes in behavior. 'Well what do you know…it really is always the quiet ones, isn't it? Heh…'

"Well, Helga…" Phoebe responding to Helga's exclamatory question brought the ten-year-old blonde out of her ironic thoughts and back to the phone conversation at hand, "If anyone's the expert on love and confessing, you must admit it's you. Heh, heh…" She laughed quite nervously and shyly at her small attempt at a joke, then cleared her throat and went on quietly. "So, anyway…how about it? The advice…about the kissing thing, I mean… If it's not too much trouble, of course." More and more of her familiar shyness was returning. "I AM sorry for calling so early but I was feeling a little desperate, I suppose…I mean…I've never had to deal with a situation like this and well, I…"

Suddenly, Helga cut her off, a more than sympathetic smile on her face as well as tone in her voice. "Phoebe, what time's your date tonight?"

"Oh, um…" Phoebe started, a bit surprised by the sudden question, "Well, Gerald will be picking me up at six o 'clock…"

Helga absorbed this information and then nodded. "Okay… You just…." putting a hand to her chin, she considered for a second more, a sly grin coming to her face... "You just tell good old tall hair boy to pick you up here at my house instead, and then you stop by here around four with whatever you're thinking of wearing and whatever make-up you can get your hands on and we'll fix you up so great that I guarantee you his jaw'll be on the floor the second the door opens and sees you! Believe me—the idea of wanting to kiss you will be on his mind all night!" A very satisfied smile was on her face. 'If Football Head's any indication of what turns boys into drooling idiots, that is…' She gave a slight giggle as she recalled all of that flirting with her beloved last night and that little return of his to her room (and the kiss on Arnold's part) that it had brought on.

"Helga…" Phoebe responded, quite hesitantly, "I don't….I mean I've never tried…Are you sure that I—"

"Hey, Pheebs, come on…" Helga began reassuringly, crossing her legs. "He likes you and you like him and you already kissed him…we'll just help things along a little. Besides, don't be so shy…" she spoke sincerely, "You're really pretty already. We'll just add to the effect, okay?"

She heard a second of silence and then Phoebe spoke up again, though this time the insecurity in her voice was replaced by just a touch of modest pride. "Really, Helga?"

Helga just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Phoebe, really..."

"Oh…oh thank you, Helga…" Phoebe responded, practically sounding like she was beaming. "I mean, for what you just said and for…for helping me tonight too, of course."

Helga smiled. "You're welcome, Pheebs…and hey, as for the 'helping'…" she instantly added with a slight chuckle and sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck, "Let's just say that I'm paying you back for a few Arnold-related things over the last few weeks…heck, the last few years." She almost shook her head at some of those crazy memories of trying to keep her secret from her beloved, giving in to some of the warm laughter that had built up within her. Helga heard Phoebe's light laugh come through the receiver, and the two girls just took a few seconds to share in the joke.

Eventually, Helga's chuckles subsided and with a smile she cleared her throat and addressed her best friend once more. "Okay, so, we're burning daylight—get going calling tall hair boy to let him know what's up and then like I said show up here around four and we can—"

"Um, Helga…?" came Phoebe's voice, her hesitant tone returning as she meekly cut her off.

Helga raised part of her brow once more. "Yeah, Pheebs?"

"Well, I…" Phoebe sighed, "Is there any way that you could call him for me? I just…I would just feel a little more comfortable if I didn't speak or see him until tonight…If that's okay, of course…"

Helga's brow remained partly raised for another moment…but then she couldn't help but grin as she absorbed her best friend's concern and quickly recalled a time not too long ago when she'd had Phoebe call Gerald to get Arnold to join them at Chez Paris because she didn't have the courage to just call him up and invite him herself. "Okay, Phoebe. You got it. Actually, Arnold's coming to my house around six tonight for dinner anyway, so why don't I just give him a quick call or something and tell him to let Gerald know that he'll be picking him up on his way over so that he can meet you at my house instead of yours, okay?"

"Oh…thank you, Helga!" The tone in Phoebe's voice brightened and it was brimming with gratitude and happiness.

Helga just laughed warmly to herself, reclining back a bit in her bed again as the laughter relaxed her and sleepiness slowly started to creep over her once more. "Hey, it gives me an excuse to not have to wait until tonight to talk to Arnold, right?" Both girls shared a chuckle at the observation. 'And after that phone call last night…' Helga then thought to herself with a grin, 'I can't wait to hear what he'll say about half the adorable things that came out of his mouth…' A quick blush came to her cheeks. ' 'I should eat pork rinds more often…He'd end up curled in a ball right next to me' ? Hmph, would serve him right if I held him to that promise one of these days… Us…actually laying down together…' Something about the idea made her feel absolutely giddy, despite how simple the action seemed…just like it had right after her confession on the roof of FTi.

Suddenly, Helga's conversation and musings were interrupting by the familiar sound of a beeping on the line. She blinked. "Oh, uh, Phoebe, I think my sister's trying to get through again, but I promise we'll talk tons tonight while we're getting you ready, okay?"

"Of course, Helga," Phoebe replied, sounding much more relaxed and still quite grateful, "And thank you again for all of your assistance. I'll see you later this afternoon."

Helga smiled. "See ya, Pheebs!" And then she pressed the button to end the call with Phoebe and then pressed the button to talk to whoever was on the other line.

"Olga," Helga started, rubbing her temples as she recalled how unbearably enthusiastic her sister seemed to be this morning about hearing more gossip from her baby sister about Arnold, "For Pete's sake, you need to take a pill or something! I mean, crimeny, I wasn't just teasing you or something with all that stuff last night…" She almost had to chuckle as she announced quite plainly though with more than a touch of amusement, "I will indeed tell you about me and Arnold's first kiss if you'll just take a breath and relax already!"

Helga waited for the familiar response of her older sister's overly sunshiny voice and high-pitched girlish squeals.

"Actually…" began an amused and slightly lower voice instead, "I know you usually don't like repeating yourself, Helga, but if you have time I'd like to hear this story myself! But are we talking about the 'just acting' first kiss or the 'Arnold I love you, I've always loved you' first kiss? Or did you sneak into my room when I was asleep or something one day and do it before either of those two times? By the way, in that case, I REALLY want to hear this story."

Helga, shooting up, felt her face turn bright scarlet and she swallowed hard at the very familiar and very unexpected voice that said these few sentences to her with more than a touch of warm laughter behind them. Quickly, though, (slowly starting to get more and more used to things like this from this 'certain someone') she just let out a sigh and closed her eyes, dragging a hand down her face. "Football Head, I swear I am getting an unlisted number because it is too early in the morning for anymore of your phone-based shenanigans. Besides," she almost giggled as she asked with part of her brow raised, "Shouldn't this slightly goofy/lovesick thing from last night have worn off after a good eight or nine hours of bed rest?"

Arnold just laughed warmly to himself on the other end of the line in response to her question. "Sorry, Helga. I couldn't resist."

She rolled her eyes and responded playfully, leaning back against her pillows once more, "What else is new with you when it comes to stuff about me?"

"I could say the same thing about you, Helga…" he countered without missing a beat.

Both kids shared a content laugh.

A few seconds of this passed and then Helga took a breath, smiling and stretching up, now feeling more than awake from her two phone calls (especially this one). "So, what can I do you for at 9 a.m. on a Sunday, Football Head?" She yawned and then added as casually as possible, "I'm assuming the world is slowly falling into Armageddon or that you actually have decided to propose to me, since those would be the only acceptable reasons for calling me at this hour…"

Arnold just chuckled and sighed to himself on the other end of the line at her joke. "Yeah, sorry about all of that marriage stuff last night, Helga…I really was pretty tired and a little dazed I guess from those last few…uh…minutes together…" She heard him swallow hard. "Guess I need to work on my self control a bit, don't I?"

Helga just smiled to herself at the question, her eyes going a little half-lidded. "Nah, don't bother—besides, you're cute when you ramble, Football Head."

"Oh, um…thanks, Helga…" he responded shyly.

A giggle escaped her. "You're welcome…" she replied just a bit airily… And then her normal, casual, calm (though still humorously sarcastic) way of speaking around him when they were alone was instantly back as she continued with, "Now, enough beating around the bush—what the heck's on your mind, my Arnold?" She'd have been lying if she'd said that the use of the penultimate word of that question hadn't been completely intentional. In reality, Helga had actually been trying to avoid the pet names a little over the past week (in case they proved to much for her beloved), but after last night she was more than certain he and that little daring streak of his could handle a few of them thrown out on occasion.

And indeed, it seemed to Helga that her new the 'my' before his name must have made Arnold blush, at the very least, as a second of silence followed by the sound of him clearing his throat just a bit uncomfortably attested to. The idea made her smile considerably, to say the least. "Well…um…" she heard him swallow hard, taking another moment to regain his thoughts, and then he continued, obviously trying to move past her awkward new way of addressing him, "Oh, uh, well, actually I was wondering if you'd gotten an early morning phone call like I did from one of our best friends about something that might be happening tonight…because of some things that happened last night?"

Helga blinked at the question, and the romantic grin on her face was replaced by a surprised half smile. "Phoebe called you too?"

Arnold chuckled at the question. "No. Mine was from Gerald, actually. But I figured Phoebe had probably called you and let you know about it too."

A bit of Helga's romantic smile returned and she began to twirl the phone cord in her fingers again. "Yeah, I can't believe it finally happened with those two..." She then gazed lovingly down at the picture of her beloved resting comfortably against her chest in her familiar locket and almost giggled. "Sheesh, talk about dragging something out, right? Boy, am I glad you and me are far more direct than that, Football Head!"

Arnold, to her delight, laughed warmly at the joke. She'd always loved that laugh so…and her new ability to make it happen practically made her want to collapse in a fit of happy giggles herself. "Yeah..." he then responded humorously, "Could you even imagine if one of us was keeping how they felt a secret for six or seven years instead of just coming out and asking the other person out on a date?"

Helga smirked at the question, more than ready to see his challenge and raise it. "I know, right? Or if one of us took six or seven years and a bunch of random kisses and a poem and crazy scheme or a million to realize that the other one actually liked them instead of hating their guts?"

She heard chuckle once again at her sense of humor, and it made her heart flutter once more…

Coming out of her elated daydreamings as quickly as she could so as to be able to continue their conversation, Helga let out a happy sigh and resisted the urge to respond to his cute little rhetorical question with another flirtatious quip. After all, if she didn't get downstairs soon then Miriam would come upstairs…ugh, or maybe even…Bob! And Olga wasn't a 'call waiting' button away right now to use as cover in a pinch just in case… Besides, as for the flirting, her and Arnold would have all of tonight alone together for things like that…she almost got lost in her daydreams again at the idea of having actually another date with him to look forward to so soon. "Okay, okay, enough 'witty' humor about our weird relationship, Arnoldo…" she quickly announced, really trying not to get lost in her musings. "Any other reason you called me besides to gossip about this Gerald/Phoebe date?"

Arnold's laughter subsided a bit and he cleared his throat to answer the question. "Well, actually…" he sighed with just a touch of exasperation, though the amount of understanding in his tone overwhelmed it considerably, "Gerald wanted to ask Phoebe if she had any idea about where she'd like to go tonight but he won't talk to her 'under any circumstances' until their date…but I guess he wants to be extra prepared or something for whatever it is they're going to end up doing, so he asked me to ask you to ask Phoebe for him."

Helga's eyes widened for a second and then she couldn't help a sharp laugh coming out of her nose. "Aw man, you are not going to believe this—Phoebe came at me with the same 'I can't talk with him until tonight' problem and made me promise to get tall hair boy a message!"

She heard Arnold's voice brighten in surprise and amusement. "Really? She has a question too?"

Helga smiled warmly to herself. "Yup! Well…actually it's more of an announcement about where to pick her up. She's going to be at my house for a few hours until six getting ready and getting a makeover from yours truly…"

"Well, you know…if anyone knows how to look beautiful on a date, it's you, Helga…" Arnold suddenly interrupted, in that sweet and sincere voice of his.

Helga felt herself blush but did her best to ignore it and just rolled her eyes. "Oh rope it in, Casanova… And meanwhile where do you think I got the idea from in the first place?" She geared up for an Arnold impression. " 'Oh Helga if I promise I'll take the rope to get out of your room already will you please stop sitting there smiling so sweetly at me with your hair down and talking about your perfect lips!'" She broke into a giggle fit.

The reminder of last night got a bit of laughter from Arnold, though it was obvious that his shyness upon calling his girlfriend this morning still hadn't melted away entirely. "Whatever you say, Helga…" he merely finally responded in his quiet, familiar way.

Helga, meanwhile, managed to get her smiles and giggles at her beloved's surprisingly easy to break self-control when it came to her in check, and then recalled the conversation at hand. "Oh and as for Gerald's question about the specifics of where they should go tonight, you can tell tall hair boy to just plain work it out with Phoebe when he comes to pick her up. Sheesh, she's not going to bite his head off if the first words out of his mouth are 'let's go to a movie' and she'd rather 'check out a museum'...! The point is he wants to do something with her and she wants to do something with him. Doi!" Helga considered for a second, and then her eyes lit up. "You know what—actually, tell him that to give them a bit of time to decide what the heck they want to do together (and a nice romantic atmosphere to do it in), there'll be dinner reservations for them at Chez Paris tonight. Courtesy of me."

"That's a great idea, Helga!" came Arnold's impressed voice instantly through the receiver in response to her plan of action. "I'll let him know… And you're right—it'll be good if they have some time to talk things out and a some time alone somewhere to do it…I mean, it worked for us, right?" He laughed just a bit, recalling their first date and several other instances of one-on-one conversations that had led to their relationship's current status.

Helga just rolled her eyes again, and couldn't help giving in to a chuckle or two herself once more as she added just a bit sarcastically, "Yeah, yeah, and we lived happily ever after. You're so corny Football Head, you know that?" Another giggle managed to escape her before she added, "Anyway, I'll let Phoebe know to at least be considering some potential things for them to do after the big dinner, and you just make sure Gerald knows to pick her up over here tonight at six sharp in whatever monkey suit he manages to scrape together for tonight, okay?"

"You think he should wear a suit or something?" Arnold asked with genuine curiosity and interest. Except for a few pre-confession, platonic outings together, after all, even he and Helga hadn't had a date yet that was so official that it required getting dressed up.

Helga raised part of her brow and grinned at the question, not missing a beat, "Hey, Phoebe's my best friend—you BET he should wear a tux, and there better be flowers and chocolates and if it wasn't so last minute I'd say a horse drawn carriage too! Only the best for her—capiche, Football Head?"

Arnold just gave a small warm laugh again at her 'demands'. "Okay, okay, I'll tell him all about the tux and meeting at your house, Helga. I promise"

Helga smiled in satisfaction at his reply, switching the phone receiver to her other hand and putting her now free arm back behind her to rest her weight against it. "Good. And then as long as he's stopping by here tonight you two should come over together since that's when dinner's starting at my house…" Her grin became just a bit slyer and she added in a lower and pleasanter voice, "And then after that we can get to OUR date…and maybe we can settle this 'who's the better kisser' thing once and for all, my Arnold…" She made more than sure to coo the little pet name this time around, looking forward to another chance to get a little under his skin flirting-wise now that the Gerald and Phoebe situation had been squared away.

She heard Arnold clear his throat and shift uncomfortably once more at this new way of addressing him (much to her delight), though a touch of playfulness could be heard in the nervous way he said, "Helga!" into the phone.

Her eyes went a bit more half lidded, though she managed to resume her normal speaking voice. "Hey, you started it with the late night love drunk phone calls, head boy, not me." She shrugged. "Anyway, I'll check some movie times and we can decide what to see later, okay?"

She heard Arnold sigh good-naturedly at her suggestion. "Okay, Helga…I'll be there at six along with Gerald and then we can pick what to see together during our date."

"And after the movie…?" she asked in that low, sweet voice again, adding one more giggle for effect. 'Oh Arnold, how I wish 'after the movie' was right now so that I could hold that dashing little Football headed form of yours in my arms where it belongs once more!' She gave a girlish internal sigh.

"And after the movie…" Arnold repeated, trying to maintain his normal speaking tone though it was more than obvious to Helga that he must be blushing considerably now as he continued, "…I'm going to take you home so that your Dad doesn't kill me. Okay?"

Helga just laughed and rolled her eyes at the comment, then pouted a little in that way she had of doing (he'd noticed). "Aw, you never let me have any fun, Football Head, you know that?"

Arnold just chuckled at the comment, causing Helga to just smile in perfect contentment to herself at the sweet, carefree sound of his laughter once more. 'Oh well…' she mentally sighed just a bit in amusement to herself at the return of Arnold's familiar responsible nature as his replies to her advances just now seemed to show, 'So we're back to 'shy Arnold' again…I guess I really can't expect him to go all romantic on me at the drop of a hat ALL the time. Maybe after we've spent more time together…but for now I should probably just let him take things a little slowly if he's more comfortable with it.' Her smile grew a little more. 'As long as we're together and happy…I don't need anything else in the whole world…'

While Helga had these thoughts a few seconds of silence passed…

…And then to her surprise Arnold suddenly asked curiously, "Hey, Helga…is there a movie that's been out for a while that you've been meaning to see but didn't get a chance to yet?"

Helga blinked at the strange question and raised part of her brow. "Uh…probably…it's been a pretty full two weeks, after all." She laughed slightly, but then that curious look and tone came back to her face and voice, respectively. "Why?"

"Well…" there was a trace of something in Arnold's voice now…even in that single word… "Well, try to pick something like that to see, if you don't mind…" he continued. "There'll probably be less people in the theatre and we don't want to be seen together or anything by any of the other kids, right?"

Helga swallowed and blinked at the observation. "Oh, uh, yeah, I guess so…" An impressed half smile came to her face. "Good plan, Arnoldo—now that's how you take precautions for a crazy scheme…or in this case a secret date." 'Heh…' she couldn't help but think with a swallow, 'And I thought for a second that he…Ah, never mind, he's just trying to toss a romantic tone into the modesty for my sake…the little sweetheart…'

Arnold, meanwhile, just laughed warmly to himself from the other end of the line yet again in response to her compliment. "Yeah…" That strange bit of something was suddenly there in his tone once more…even more prominently, if that were possible... "And also, well…" he suddenly added just a little shyly at first, though that shyness quickly began to melt as he finished with, "…Since we have to go right back to your house after the movie to get you home on time…" his voice lowered and that daring tone he could assume instantly met Helga's ears in full force, "The more alone we are, the more comfortable I think I'd be…you know…settling this 'who's the better kisser' thing once and for all…THERE."

Helga's eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat. Her heart was suddenly pounding wildly. She wasn't even sure of how she was still managing to hold onto the phone…or if she even was still holding onto it for that matter as her limbs had just gone quite numb. 'Wh-what…?' "Huh…?" she squeaked, not even really realizing it.

"See you tonight, my Helga! And I'll make sure Gerald's in a suit. Bye!" And then Arnold hung up with a laugh before she could say anything in response to the little pass he'd just made at her.

At some point, Helga felt herself press the button on the phone to hang it up, and then she just sat there for a few seconds, still with a shocked look and a bright blush on her face, and her blue eyes as wide as ever. Then instantly she collapsed back onto her pillows with a girlish sigh and a goofy grin, hugging the Arnold locket to her chest and doing everything she could not to just outright squeal in delight! 'He…he called me his Helga…he…called me a romantic pet name…and he…he's actually going to kiss me…in the dark…at the movies…on a date…and he's going to try and impress me with his skills at it…like a contest! I…Oh Arnold!' She finally grabbed her pillow and released into it one of those high-pitched, unmistakably happy squeals just waiting to get out from inside of her as, for possibly the first time ever, words fully escaped her to describe how she was feeling!

It took several new rings of the phone and a call from Miriam from downstairs for her to 'hurry for breakfast and please answer that—your father's taking out the trash and I'm in the middle of getting the dishes done, sweetie' before Helga snapped out of it enough to actually press the button again on the phone receiver.

"Hello," she started in an airy voice, the grin and gaze on her face both brimming with love, "You've reached the Pataki residence. Helga is unavailable to come to the phone right now as she is currently on cloud nine. Please leave a message at the sound of the—"

"Helga, silly, what are you talking about? Are you okay?" came Olga's voice from the other end of the line

At the sound of her sister addressing her, Helga quickly blinked and suddenly sat up, realizing just how gone she'd been! She cleared her throat and did her best to resume her normal voice. "Oh, uh, hey, Olga…sorry about that I was just…just kind of half asleep and half daydreaming and uh…" She shook her head to clear it. "Anyway, what, uh…what's up?"

There was a second of silence and then Helga heard Olga giggle. "Were you just talking to Arnold, baby sister?"

Helga's blush gained in force. "No! Of—of course not! I was just…and then I…well, I…" And then she just sighed in defeat. 'Once again, why fight it?' "Yeah, okay…" her voice completely lost its edge of embarrassment, "He might have called just now to let me know about something and then I was just thinking about our date tonight after dinner here, and I…" Helga took another deep breath, allowing her heart rate to finally return to normal "Don't worry Olga, I'm fine now." She cleared her throat and did her best to move on, raising part of her brow in amusement. "And anyway, enough about me…Last I heard, you'd called here four times already to hear all about me planting a real one on the little Football Head for the first time. So since I've kind of started to really like you a little and since I know that you'll never give up until you get this story out of me, I'll make you a deal—you just let me get dressed and eat breakfast with Bob and Miriam because I'm starving, and then I'll lock myself in my room and gush to you like crazy until the three of us leave on our 'family bonding day', and then I'll call you up again tomorrow morning to gush about me and Arnold's date later, okay?" 'Besides,' Helga couldn't help but add in thought to herself, 'I wouldn't mind going over the specifics of FTi, (to an extent of course), with another person besides my therapist or Football Head…and as for tomorrow's phone call I've got a feeling after yesterday that me and Arnold's date tonight is going to be memorable to say the least…' A small half smile was on her face.

Olga just giggled in response to Helga's 'offer'. "Oh, okay, Helga…" She sounded a little disappointed, but her usual abundance of cheer was more than apparent right underneath it. "I'm sorry I keep being so eager but you left me with quite a cliffhanger last night, you know!" she added in a playfully scolding way.

Helga couldn't help but scoff and then roll her eyes at her sister's comment. 'Oh wow—she had to wait a whole night…Puh-lease!' Helga smirked, switching the phone to the other side of her head, and replied with good-natured sarcasm, "Yeah well, I was basically living a cliff hanger from the second I told the little jerk I liked him until he kissed me and told me he liked me too, so just go whale watching or whatever the heck you do for fun up there in Alaska, and I'll fill you in after I get some food before Bob scarfs it all down, Olga."

Olga just giggled again. "Okay, Baby sister," she replied warmly once more, "I'll be patient. But don't you forget to make those calls to me…" she started, once again feigning a scolding tone, "Or I'll send my lil' sis over there to pester you until you do!"

The 'threat' made Helga chuckle at the back of her throat and then just shake her head in amusement. "Only you would realize that Lila's one of my greatest weaknesses, Olga…only you…" Helga then yawned and swung her legs over the bed and stretched up once more, knowing that she really did probably need to get up and get downstairs at this point. "Don't worry, I won't forget. You have my word as everyone's favorite anonymous poet at PS 118."

Olga's voice beamed with anticipation and excitement. "Alright, baby sister—I'll talk to you in a little while! Love you!"

"Yeah, talk to you later, Olga." Helga rolled her eyes and with a half grin 'managed' to get out, "And I kind of love you too or whatever…" She heard Olga giggle, in response to which she just sighed with a smile and hung up, ending their conversation for now.

Hanging up the phone and standing up, Helga walked across her room and opened her closet door to get an outfit…but then blinked as the sight that met her eyes upon doing so made her instantly recall the 'Arnold memorabilia related' mess still upon the floor in there from last night that she still needed to clean up before Miriam came in there 'organizing' or something and 'accidentally' stumbled upon it thanks to her newly rediscovered interest in and curiosity about her youngest daughter and especially her youngest daughter's love life.

Helga bent down and began to gather and hide away the assorted pink books and pieces of shrine as best she could for now…a smile coming to her face as her thoughts wandered. 'Hmm…a family breakfast, a sister to sister talk or two with Olga, quality time with Bob and Miriam, a family dinner with my beloved, a DATE with my beloved…' Helga shivered at this last thought, '…And in the middle of it all a best friend to get ready for her first date!'

Finishing up the last bit of cleaning up her closet, Helga brushed the dust from her palms with a satisfied smile and then put her hands on her hips as she turned to her clothes to finally pick out a jumper for the day. 'I think this might actually be the first totally well-adjusted day I've ever lived through in my entire life.' She laughed to herself, reaching up to grab one of the familiar pink items and then a shirt to go with it…as well as something else. 'I should ask Bliss for a ribbon or something…for the first day and then for the first five and then for the first ten…'

Helga turned and then tossed her finally chosen outfit over onto her bed before shutting the closet door behind her, still just grinning to herself in pleasant disbelief at her own good fortune. She then closed her eyes and took a breath and shook her head, trying to stay focused despite the newfound feeling of contentment and happiness threatening to all but consume her just as her hidden love for Arnold sometimes had over the years. "First things first though…me and Arnold are set and Bob and Miriam seem to be starting out okay, so now I've really gotta make sure Phoebe and Gerald work out tonight for sure!" She giggled to herself, opening her eyes…thoughts of makeovers for Phoebe to blow tall hair boy humorously away already forming in her mind. "This is going to be almost as amusing as it is sweet, isn't it?"

"Helga, sweetie, I mean it—everything's going to get cold if you don't get down here!" came Miriam's slightly pleading voice from downstairs, interrupting Helga's contemplations.

"Yeah, come on, girl! I'm starving!" came Bob's voice now suddenly as well, sounding just a bit cranky with hunger indeed, much to Helga's amusement.

"And don't worry about what to drink—" Miriam suddenly added brightly, "I found some mix in the cupboard and I made you a big glass of strawberry milk!"

Helga rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help smiling. Hey, at least Miriam was TRYING. And everyone was entitled to a miss or two to start out with. Besides, at least strawberry milk was more age-appropriate than coffee, right? She was about to announce as gently as possible to her mother her mistake when…

"Hey, hey, hey—Miriam, she's allergic to strawberries!"

…When Bob's quite concerned sounding voice suddenly did it for her.

Helga felt her jaw drop. 'He…he actually remembered?' She recalled that day when Miriam had been away when they'd been grocery shopping and her father had grabbed a carton of strawberries for her only to be met with her angrily announcing in shock that he couldn't just buy stuff only he liked because she was allergic to strawberries and they gave her hives! But even though he'd seemed like he hadn't been listening to her that day…he had actually remembered! Impressed didn't even begin to describe how Helga was feeling right now…she considered for a second and then with a small smile realized that the word 'loved' was actually the only even close to accurate word coming to her mind. 'Heh…well, what do you know…?'

Then Helga's ears were met with the slightly sheepish reply from her mother of, "Oh…uh…of course. She's allergic to strawberries. I…I knew that…" Her voice got a bit louder and she was obviously trying to talk more to Helga now. "Sorry, Helga—I'll pour you a plain glass of milk right away!" Helga could just make out the sound of her mother scurrying across the kitchen linoleum and opening a cupboard or two. The ten-year-old blonde just did her best not to laugh too much to herself at her mother's good-natured mistake and sudden hurry to correct it, or at how happy her father actually remembering this one simple fact about her had actually just made her feel.

Letting the incident absorb, Helga then sighed and suddenly remarked to herself with interest, "A lot of random things are never gonna be the same now, are they…?" Helga then felt her eyes shift to the fresh pink book in her hands that she'd just snagged from her closet after grabbing her clothes, ready to be filled with poems about how much she loved being with Arnold instead of how much she LONGED to be with him… Next, her gaze moved back to her closet with it's slowly less and less revered Arnold shrine in its ceiling (and quite a few little reminders of her beloved now tucked away in several random shoe boxes in the lower section until she'd have the time to properly store them in the attic space once more)… Her eyes then proceeded to move to the Arnold locket still around her neck and still with her beloved's poem for her in it along with her engraving to him of course…and then she looked up and over to her window where he'd snuck in to celebrate their one week anniversary not many hours ago...and then turned back to the door her mother and father had come through last night swearing that they'd keep trying hard to be better to her like they were actually doing this morning…and finally Helga's eyes rested upon the phone on her nightstand that she'd suddenly been finding herself using to have heart-to-hearts with her big sister, and open and honest chats about boys with her best friend…and that had, of course, finally been the source of yet another romantic conversation with her beloved: all things totally unforeseen and totally unexpected not too long ago.

Another moment or two of contemplation passed for her and then Helga chuckled once more to herself, before just sighing and shrugging. "Eh, what the heck, I'm game—bring on the change!" Her happy face then fell to her Arnold locket around her neck once more, and she spoke in a slightly lower and dreamy voice as she added, cupping it and then allowing it to rest delicately in one of her palms so that it was facing her, "Especially if that means a kissing contest with you in a dark theatre my interesting and apparently quite a bit more enthusiastic than I would have ever guessed you could be beloved."

And with this thought causing a blush to rise in her cheeks and a slight giggle to escape her lips, Helga took one more final stretch up in the middle of her sunlit room and then began to prepare for the long and wonderful day ahead of her.


"Yeah…And also, well…Since we have to go right back to your house after the movie to get you home on time…" he spoke a bit lower, "The more alone we are, the more comfortable I think I'd be…you know…settling this 'who's the better kisser' thing once and for all…THERE." He paused for effect. "See you tonight, my Helga! And I'll make sure Gerald's in a suit. Bye!" And before she could reply Arnold hung up the phone, feeling butterflies all inside of him at Helga's new little 'my' before his name…and at having just used it with her.

" 'My Helga…' " He couldn't help but smile just a bit goofily to himself and feel his heart skip a beat as he hung up the receiver, now fully dressed and ready to head downstairs for breakfast and chores as he awaited his evening with the charming, surprising, captivating Helga G. Pataki. He took a moment first, though, to let those two affectionate words she'd just called him, and the ones he'd just called her, sink in. Then he just shrugged happily. "Why not? She is kind of a part of me now…and it looks like I've always been a part of her." He smiled and let out a sigh, his eyes going lovingly half lidded … "My Helga…" he had to whisper at least once more to himself.

"Arnold, breakfast's ready! And get down here so I can show you I was right—it looks like a Polynesian resort in here! Heh, heh, heh!"

"Yes Kimba come on before it gets cold, otherwise I'll have to heat things up using the volcano again! Ha, ha, ha!"

"Pookie!" More than a bit of warm happy laughter underlied Phil's voice.

"And there's another raspberry turnover for the Big Kahuna!" Gertie suddenly announced.

"Ooo, my stomach…uh, thank you, Pookie…"

Arnold blinked at the sounds of his grandparent's voices calling up to him (and couldn't help but laugh just a bit to himself at the final part of their conversation) and then he recalled once more breakfast and his chores and how he still had a lot of the day to get through before getting to finally see Helga in person again. "Be right there Grandpa and Grandm—uh, Bwana!"

With a smile at his grandmother's nickname and the whole concept of the joke that it was, Arnold then stretched up to get the last bit of tiredness out of himself, and finally stood up from his couch. As he made his way across his room toward his door, he suddenly he couldn't help but find himself wondering with just a tiny bit of curiosity (speaking of Helga), "I wonder if she's got any other nicknames saved up to call me…I mean she has a lot of interesting ways of talking about me in her poems, but as for calling me any of them…regularly…" His blushing grew as he opened his door and proceeded to head down his ladder…memories of 'flaxen haired angel' and 'idol of my preteen heart' and 'green eyed troubadour of romance' and 'eternal emperor of emotional ecstasy' among others instantly popping into his mind. Still, though, as the amount of warm scarlet grew in his face…so did his smile. "Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see…" He glanced at the stack of pink books just before losing sight of the inside of his room as he finished he descent down the ladder. "Until tonight then, my Helga…" and then with another warm chuckle to himself he stepped into the hallway, ready to begin the day…and more than anticipating the night to come.


A/N:

And that's all she wrote! :) J/K…actually she's also written close to another 150 thousand words of drafts….this will never end, will it? Ah what the heck, I'm loving every minute of it, and at this point we're looking at 25 chapters now so I'm just going to keep going with it ;)

Okay, as for the next update, while I love all of you and this site and this story and HA! I just recently started working full time and I'm taking some classes and on top of it all I have to take two GRE exams in about seven weeks and I've got to study like crazy for them because they cost a hundred and fifty bucks each and I am SO not taking them over again, lol. For my non American readers I believe that at this point 150 bucks translates to about a loonie and whatever change you can find in your couch in Canadian money, and like tuppence or something in British money. Actually, on a totally random note, do tuppence even exist? They mentioned them in Mary Poppins but then again there were also flying nannies in that movie so…

Alright, 'Getting off topic' alert for me ;) Anyway, I'm not putting this on hiatus or anything but updates will probably take a minimum of three weeks or so instead of two. Keep looking for stuff with me and NintendoGal's collab fic though and if you vote in my poll maybe I'll try and post one of those things too!

Happy Reading and much HA! love!

~Azure129 aka Jenna