We decide to walk instead of take the bus and I'm glad. I need to burn off my nervous energy. It's only been a few months since I've been to the boarding house, but it feels like years.

"Thanks Helga, I wouldn't take you up on this unless I really needed it," he says, absentmindedly flipping his old phone open and shut. "My phone's been acting weird lately… shutting off randomly, not getting calls-"

And as if on cue, his phone snaps in half. He stares at it in disbelief as I roar with laughter. I would've chucked it down an alley but of course responsible Arnold slips it into his other pocket. We continue walking.

When we reach the boarding house, Arnold opens the door for me. I know to step aside and let the flood of animals run out.

"Is that you, Kimba?" calls a familiar voice from the kitchen.

"Hey Grandma, we're just-" he starts, but I brush past him.

"I'm thirsty," I say, though Arnold doesn't buy it. "What?!"

"Kimba? Oh Helen it's you!" Grandma says. "It's been too long. How's Troy?"

She is, of course, referring to Helen of Troy, who she's mistaken me for countless times. She's a riot and I've missed her crazy banter.

"Up in flames," I respond casually, grabbing the bottle of juice from the fridge.

"Oh, what a shame!" Grandma exclaims. "You know Kimba and I have always wanted to see the city. But you know Kimba, it's hard to tear him away from his excavations in the Botswana."

"Tell me about it!" I say, stifling a laugh as Arnold walks in.

"Kimba, you should have told me Helen would be joining us! We'll be barbequing just after I catch dinner," she says, fly swatter in hand.

She lets it fly forward, and we are silenced by a revolting slap and squish. We look at each other before carefully making our way out.

"Wish we could but-uh we've-uh," I stammer

"We've already made plans," Arnold finishes.

"We have? I mean, yes! We have!" I say. "Good to see you Buwana!"

She's caught up in catching "dinner" though, and she doesn't seem to hear me. We make our exit swiftly.

We just about reach the stair case when another familiar voice reaches us.

"Is that you Arnold?" calls the voice of Grandpa.

"Hey, Grandpa," he replies. "It's just me and Helga."

He sitting in his rocker in the living room reading a newspaper. He peers around the corner and looks surprised to see me.

"Oh, Helga, didn't expect to be seeing you around," he says, confirming my thoughts.

What the hell does that mean?

"We're going up to my room."

"Alright, just leave the door open, ha ha ha," he laughs to himself.

What the hell does that mean?

Okay, I know what that means, but why would he say that if Arnold and I weren't back together? I mean, he wouldn't be surprised to see me if we were back together, right? Did we even break up though? I wave sheepishly to him, his comments has my mind doing somersaults. It's best for me to stay silent.

Of course, I never do what's best. I quicken my pace to catch up to Arnold. I grab him by the elbow and blurt out, "Hey, what was that-"

Before I am, thank god, interrupted by another familiar face heading down the stairs.

"Hello Arnold and Arnold's friend," greets Mr. Hyunh in his broken English.

"Hey, Mr Hyunh," Arnold said, now pulling my along by the wrist.

We escape a tedious and potentially humiliating conversation with him. I'm not sure if he ever connected the dots between me and his daughter Mai. I've seen her around here a few times and, just to my luck, she remembers me. Of course he doesn't seem to know me as anyone other than "Arnold's friend," so I probably shouldn't be worried.

We almost make it to the end of the hallway, key word almost. We would be climbing up the ladder to Arnold's room had not a door flown open, Arnold crashing into it and me crashing into him. Out walked that little creep.

"Hey Arnold," boomed Mr. Pots.

Arnold isn't listening though. He looks back to me and asks if I'm okay. I am now, my love.

"When are you guys gonna get around to fixing the plumbing? The dripping is driving me nuts!" he continues anyway.

"I don't know Mr. Pots," Arnold says.

"What's all this banging about?" calls another voice.

Another door swings open.

"Oh, criminy," I mutter just as Arnold groans, "You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh Arnold, sorry, I didn't see you have the misses with ya," Mr. Pots says, finally acknowledging me.

Just then Oscar emerges from the opened door and asks too loudly, "Hey, who is that girl? She looks familiar?"

"That's Arnold's girlfriend, Helga," Suzie whispers from behind him.

"Hmmm…"

"I think she's is Big Bob's daughter, the cell phone guy."

"Ohhh yeah, she's on that commercial, a-heh heh heh."

The commercial in mention is Bob's latest charade, where he claims to be a big "family guy." What a crock, all to sell more family phone plans. Of course Olga was all about it. She really put on a show. As for me, I don't see how anyone would believe my fake smile.

"Smart of you to get a girl with money, Arnold, A-heh heh heh," he laughs, slapping him on the back.

"He would know," I growl under my breath.

"Ok, good to see you all, but now we really have to get going," he says, grabbing my wrist again and pulling me away from the chaos.

"But Arnold, what about my plumbing?"

"Hey Arnold's girlfriend, do you have any "family" discounts. Like free phones?" Oscars asks.

"Oscar!" hisses Suzie.

"What? I was just asking a question!"

"Don't talk to her like-"

But I never caught the end of Suzie's sentence. We were already slamming the door shut.

"What a circus!" I exclaim, throwing my arms in the air. "I can't believe you have to live with that."

"Yeah, they're a different kind of special," Arnold says, sitting down on his bed.

I want to join but stop just short, standing in front of him. For a moment we don't say anything or even look at each other. The commotion outside seems to exaggerate the now deafening silence we have. I feel a little anxious. Arnold seems to feel that way, too. He runs a hand through his hair, still not speaking. I don't know what to say, so I playfully kick at his feet. His eyes meet mine, and he gives me a look of fake annoyance.

"What?" I say in mock innocence.

He smiles and grabs for my legs. I dodge him the first few attempts, but then he grabs me behind the knee. I am wild with laughter now. He pulls me closer and I collapse on top of him.

We play fight for a minute. I pretend to be disgusted and push him away. He holds on tight enough so I can't escape. Then we're quiet again, and all I can think about is kissing him. He reaches forward and tuck a stand of my hair behind my ear. Ok, now he's definitely thinking of kissing me. Heat rises from my chest to my head as we both lean in, and then-

BANG!

My forehead crashes into his mouth. I can feel his teeth scrape my skin.

"Ah!" we both cry out, jumping back.

And then, something jumps on me. Totally caught off guard, I tumble backwards and off Arnold's bed. Next thing I know, my face is being liked by a goddamn pig.

"Abner!" Arnold exclaims.

I shove the pig off me. Usually, I like him, but right now I'm fuming.

"Helga, are you ok?" he asks, rubbing his lip.

I feel my forehead. There's a trace amount of blood, but I don't think it's mine. I sit up and look at Arnold. There's a small cut on his bottom lip.

"If it were up to me, that pig would be bacon," I huff.

He shakes his head at me, laughing.

"Ah, come on Helga, he didn't mean any harm. He has no idea."

I ignore that and growl, "Why'd you install that door for him anyway?"

I'm referring to the little doggie door he installed. I think it's stupid, especially right now. Not only did that stupid pig ruin a perfect moment, but now I'm covered in slobber. I'm not exactly feeling seductive anymore.

I stand up and walk around aimlessly, not saying anything. I fiddle with some of his book absentmindedly. Then I look up to his glass ceiling. I don't want to be inside anymore, not with that pig, any of those crazy boarders, or his grandparents. So, I start climbing up and out. Arnold follows and we're alone at last.

I could kiss him now. A roof top reunion would be romantic. Yet there's something in me that holds me back.

Instead, I turn to him and say, "So Romeo, where are you taking me tonight? You know, our 'plans.' It better be good, nothing on the cheap."

He gives me a broad smile.

"Oh I was thinking of going down to the river, stopping by the food trucks. Maybe Omars?"

"Ha, how romantic," I scoff, despite the fact that it was.

In fact it was perfect.

"And if you're nice, I'll take you to Slausens afterwards," he adds.

"Hey!" I object, but were both grinning.

"Come on," he says.

I follow him down the fire escape and we head towards the river. A night on the water with my love; if only this night could last forever.