Living with Helga

by DeepVoice'06

Post TJM. 6th grade was supposed to be easier for Arnold. A new relationship with Helga? The Beeper Emporium bought out? That was all it took and he was back to solving others problems. The last thing he wanted was for Helga to be homeless, but living with her was one of the most difficult things he ever did. And keeping it from his parents? Well, that was another story. COMPLETE!

10. Chapter 10: The Birds and the Bees

Hey Arnold! Living with Helga

AN: This is a warning that this story will later become M Rated. This chapter is still rated Teen, but it could easily be changed to M just by switching words around for other words, so read with caution.

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Ezza: Things aren't looking too good for Arnold in this chapter either, and thanks for the review.
The J.A.M: I'm trying to find a balance between him being innocent and wise. It's not easy. I mean, as a twelve-year-old he can't be that dumb, but I don't think his parents or grandparents have told him a lot of stuff either, thanks for the review.
Wicked Intentions: His girlfriend is very tempting in this chapter, and you would be right, they can only keep being interrupted for so long lol thanks for the review.
Ajay435: That is exactly why things are progressing so fast. They are almost forced to work out their problems. Arnold knows Helga will be homeless if they don't. About the physical stuff, puberty doesn't help either of them, plus them sharing the same bed together, plus the door being locked at night, plus the boarders not knowing they're in a relationship. Honestly, they're setting themselves up for disaster, and you'll see the beginnings of that in this chapter. Gerald does react a bit, but Arnold changes the subject. He's trying to keep things private, which is also a recipe for disaster. Thanks for the review.
FullThrottleAmmy: Thank you so much for the encouragement to keep going! This chapter is more risk taking than the last, especially the end. Thanks for the review.
Starfiction123: Well, I don't know about him finding out that he's not broken in this story lol but it will definitely entertain you. More making out in the chapter ahead, thanks for the review. Don't forget the ambulance XD
Acosta Perez Jose Ramiro: You will see Arnold's naïve nature and Helga's worldliness in this chapter. Thanks for the review.
ForeverRogue: I don't think Gerald knows what to think. I enjoy writing every second of these make out sessions between Arnold and Helga. There's a few more in this chapter by the way, and Arnold does understand things a whole lot better in this chapter XD Thanks for the review.
Thatamosgirl: Thanks for the encouragement, and thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy this crazy chapter.
Sakikitty: I'm going a bit deeper in this story, and I hate to say this, but they probably will make a lot of the mistakes you're thinking of. Thanks so much for the review.
Hi Chan: The kids look down on Helga a lot in this story. Helga also stays mean for a while, but things will start to get better in later chapters. Helga is struggling with being nice because she's never been treated that way by anyone but Arnold, Phoebe, and Dr. Bliss. No, it doesn't give the kids a right to look down on her, she's only reacting because of how she's been treated in the past. It's difficult to change a pattern like that. I don't know what you mean by Arnold's problem affecting Helga, unless you put some serious plot pieces together, if you did, congratulations; you're onto something, and it will (Sorry to say) Arnold's family will continue to treat Helga well in this story though, especially Stella. Some very touching moments in this chapter between Stella and Helga you might like. Thank you for your review.
Relaxing Pikachu: Aw, you didn't have to review, I got your long PM, but I appreciate it. 😊 Arnold gets smarter as this story goes on, maybe a little too smart, but he has Helga as a girlfriend, so that would make sense. Gerald is reacting perfectly normal, but yes, Arnold's maturity levels are way higher than his so there's more points he'll be shocked in this story. Helga is worse with her knowledge in this chapter, it might irritate you a bit, so I'm sorry ahead of time lol. I really believe she's very wise with some of the things she says in the show, but I also realize this chapter goes a little extreme with that wisdom. It will crack you up, though, I can promise you that. Thanks for the review. (By the way, who are you on Facebook? I would be taking a guess at this point, and I don't want to guess wrong…)
TheWasp1995: Hey, I got your PM. I appreciate the long honest reviews, that's what I like, and I'll be checking out those two stories soon. I'm curious how you're going to play Arnold and Helga in that last one. Very thankful to hear Arnold is in-character in this story. I've been pushing him to be more in character than any of the other characters because of what's going to happen in the next chapters. He is a very big part of the plot later. If he's not in character now, these M rated chapters aren't going to make sense. I played Helga more aggressive for a reason, mostly to show her struggle to change from being a bully. I have something planned for her later that I know you'll love, and she will mellow out a bit eventually. I try and get inside the characters heads in my stories so that you guys understand what's going on, I've noticed it makes the experience of reading it feel more real and you can picture everything happening as if it's right in front of you. I got that idea from reading Lord Malachite's: "The Sweet Hereafter" back in 2005. Highly recommend it! That story is amazing and so vivid! He inspired me to write, Cafeteria Confessions, but I played my story with a completely opposite plot. I don't know why, but I've always been the queen of drama, and yes, this is way dark for Hey Arnold, I completely agree with you. Thanks for the review!
Anya112: Oh, all the praise goes to my editor for always catching my mistakes. I'm not the greatest with grammar errors. I can only proofread and edit so much. The sexual tension with Arnold and Helga will get worse in this story since they're just starting to go through puberty, but there's a lot of Frenching in this story, two more make-out sessions in this chapter alone. You will have trouble seeing they're only 11-12 at times while reading this. If it helps, pretend they're fifteen. XD The problem is that Arnold and Helga are so emotionally and physically mature for their age, even in the series, they act older than they really are. They will grow a lot in this story, and I almost did get this chapter out yesterday, but it didn't happen. I'm getting over being sick. Thanks for the review.
BurnADarkSoul5000: Wow, that was a lot of reviews, thank you! So glad you're liking this story so far, and yeah, I took a while to come back, but life happens. The Jungle Movie motivated me big time to try my hand at something again, Post-TJM and take another risk. Hope you enjoy this one as well!

Also, I would like to give credit to Starfiction123 for inspiring the beginning of this chapter. 😊

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Chapter 10: The Birds and the Bees

January 5th... 6:59 AM...

Helga was sleeping peacefully that morning. Arnold was behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him in his sleep. It was extraordinary bliss for her, until...

"...HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD!"

SMASH!

Helga growled as she threw his potato clock against the wall. It split in two and finally stopped saying that annoying phrase. She said, "Criminy, Hair-Boy, aren't you getting a little too old to have all those stupid potato clocks lying around?"

Arnold started to stir from his sleep as soon as he heard his alarm clock shatter in pieces. He sighed, still half asleep as he asked her, "Was that alarm clock number nine? Helga, you have to stop breaking them, I don't have many left."

Helga said, "Well, learn to use a regular clock like a normal twelve-year-old," she paused as she felt his arms still around her, "And who said you could touch me? For crying out loud, don't we go through this every morning? What am I, your security blanket?"

Arnold's eyes were still closed, and he yawned, but he didn't let go of her, "At the end of fifth grade, I got used to grabbing my pillow in the middle of the night to hold. That might be why I reach for you."

Helga complained, "Oh, that's just brilliant. Not only do I get to sleep in this cramped up bed every night, but every morning, I'm held hostage!"

Arnold opened his eyes and said softly, "Hey, there's nobody here but us right now and the door is locked. There's no need to hide anything. I thought this was the kind of stuff you wanted in a relationship."

"I do! It's just," she sighed, "I'm just not used to all the physical touchy feely and sappy stuff, all right? Got to remember, Miriam and Bob weren't exactly the world's greatest parents. It was a rare chance I'd ever get a pat on the back or a hug from either of them."

Arnold loosened his grip on her as he woke up some more, "Sorry, I didn't think this might make you uncomfortable. I'll try to stop-" Although he tried, he subconsciously squeezed her tighter for a few seconds before loosening his grip.

She growled in aggravation, "-And what's with you? Didn't you tell me you had nightmares every night?"

He hated that she was so grumpy in the mornings, "I did use to have nightmares every night, but they stopped when you moved in. I keep thinking it has something to do with your presence. I've tried every other resolve, they didn't work."

That put a smile on his girlfriend's face, "Glad to hear I'm wanted around here, Bucko. Now get your filthy hands off me so I can get in the shower before the line starts."

Arnold let go of her as he sat up, yawned again, and stretched his arms out. He didn't want to get up. While sleeping, his body was more relaxed than any other time during the day. He said, "I still don't understand why you feel the need to put up your defenses when no one's around."

Helga got up from his bed, and shrugged, "Old habits die hard, I suppose."

Arnold sighed as he got up from the bed as well, "You're not really going to change, are you?"

Helga scowled, "I don't know, Football Head. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. You got a problem with that?"

Arnold walked over to the door, and glanced back at her, "I'm through trying to change you, Helga. If you really want to be insensitive, inconsiderate, and mean all the time, I can't do anything about it." He walked out.

"Took you long enough! About time you finally realized it!" She was happy about his willingness to leave her alone.

---

Thirty minutes later...

Stella smiled as the two preteens ran down the steps, "Hi, sweetie. Hi, Helga. I've got a sausage and egg sandwich for each of you to eat, and I packed you both a lunch. It's on the kitchen table."

Helga blinked in surprise as she noticed a pink lunchbox on the table. She opened it to find a lunch-meat sandwich, a pudding, a spoon, and a soda. She looked at Stella in shock. She still wasn't used to having lunch packed for her every day. Out of all the places she stayed in, she didn't want to lose this one.

Stella looked at Helga's shocked face and replied, "I want you to sit down, Helga. Both of you, take a moment to eat breakfast before you run out the door." She took notice of her pale and thin figure, that she seemed to be more malnourished than all the other kids she'd seen when she walked Arnold to school. Did she even eat in the mornings?

Arnold sat down at the table next to his private "girlfriend", he looked up at his Mother, "Mom, I thought you and Dad went to work before seven. Why are you still here?"

Stella said, "We're going in the hospital for work tonight instead. Your father and I have an interview with Helpers for Humanity at nine this morning. They heard about our whereabouts and they're interested in hiring us full time. If the talk goes well, we'll be able to help people in our neighborhood like the Green-Eyes helped us."

Arnold beamed, "That's amazing, Mom!"

Helga said, "Wow, that's great! Hope you guys get it."

Miles said, "It's in the Shortmans' blood. We'll get the position; I'm confident about it."

Helga looked down at her empty plate. She was embarrassed for some reason. Maybe it was from lying about everything to her 'boyfriend's' parents, maybe it was because his family was taking better care of her than her own family did. Whatever the reason, she whispered, "Thanks for breakfast, and lunch."

Stella replied, "Oh, no problem, sweetie. Arnold's friend is a friend of ours," she called out to her husband. "Come on Miles, we have to get ready if we want to get there on time."

---

Arnold and Helga walked out the door. She just looked at him in shock, and whispered, "Your parents are some of the nicest people I've ever met." I don't need to lose this family, I feel like I'm part of a home now...

He smiled, "They are wonderful people, and I have you to thank for allowing me the chance to be with them again." I don't know what I would do without my girlfriend. She's changed my life so much in only six months. I'm truly indebted to her...

They both stopped at the corner where their two best friends stopped as well, on the other side.

As soon as Gerald saw him, he said, "Arnold, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Arnold looked at his girlfriend, who shrugged, before he walked over to Gerald to walk the rest of the way to school. Helga walked with Phoebe a bit of a distance behind them, chatting as well.

---

Gerald said, "What did I walk into last night? I mean, I knew you guys made up, that much was obvious, but the last thing I expected was to see you guys getting freaky in an alleyway."

Arnold sighed, he didn't want to talk about it. Even he didn't understand why he reacted the way he did. If I'm going to act spontaneous, I need to find a better way to hide it from people, if not for my sake, for hers... But aloud, he changed the subject, "I don't know what happened last night, but we were bickering this morning."

Gerald just stared a moment, before saying, "Never mind, man, I'm never going to understand you two, just be careful, Arnold. I don't want to see you on the news one day because you've been admitted into a mental asylum."

Arnold replied, "Don't worry, I've got everything under control."

Gerald said, "You're a bold kid, Arnold. That's all I'm saying."

---

Phoebe was having her own talk with Helga. She said, "How did you get him to French you? I've been wanting to try that with my boyfriend for a while, but he's afraid to go too fast."

Helga was stunned, and stopped walking, "What? You've got to be kidding me. I doubt Gerald-o is afraid to go too fast."

Phoebe stopped walking as well, "I realize I should be happy he's taking our relationship seriously at such a young age, but sometimes I crave physical affection just like everyone else."

Helga thought, Well, Football Head sure doesn't lack there... She put her hand on her best friend's shoulder, "Just talk to him. He's probably going slow for you. He probably doesn't know you want to move faster. I'm sure after a talk, he'll be all over you."

Phoebe laughed lightly, "Well, I don't know about all of that, I just want a French kiss."

Helga shook her head, "Trust me, once the Frenching starts, all the other stuff comes in."

Phoebe blushed, "Oh, we're too young for all of that, but I do agree that I need to make my wants known to my boyfriend."

"That's the spirit. Now let's start walking, we don't need to be late for the most annoying class of our lives."

They started walking again.

Phoebe asked, "English?"

Helga sighed, "No, Sex Ed, Phoebs. Remember that dumb project we have to turn in today?"

Phoebe put her left hand to her mouth in shock, "Oh, dear. I forgot all about that! I heard there's supposed to be a few tests today, and that we'll have another teacher teaching us the subject. I sure hope the test isn't too difficult. I forgot about studying over winter break." Maybe I'm spending too much time with Gerald. This is unlike me to forget such an important matter...

Helga shook her head, "You're that worried over a Sex Ed test? You'll ace it, just like every other test you've taken. It's probably going to be a review on what we learned from the fifth grade, anyway."

---

In class...

After getting to P.S 118, the four of them made their way to their class. Simultaneously, they all stopped at the doorway in shock once they saw...

"He-llo, class!" Mr. Simmons smiled at the sixth-grade students sitting in their seats, and then turned to look at the four who were walking in the door: they looked shocked. He had an office cart beside him, with papers on it for the class lesson that day, "Hello, Arnold, Helga, Phoebe, Gerald. Wonderful to see you four special students!"

Helga blinked, "Mr. Simmons? You're our Sex Ed teacher? What the heck!"

Stinky scratched his head, "I'm reckon I'm as confused as you are. Don't you teach fifth grade, Mr. Simmons?"

Mr. Simmons smiled, "No, Stinky, I work at teaching Sex Ed part time and visit schools around the area. I moved on from teaching fourth and fifth grades."

As his three other classmates beside him walked in to sit down, Arnold asked, "So wait a minute, when you told Helga and me that you visit schools around the area, you meant that you teach Sex Ed at different schools?"

"That's correct, Arnold. The different teaching environment along with the places around Hillwood I visit helps me out with erasing some very disturbing images. I guess you could say it gets my mind back on track."

Helga whispered in her boyfriend's ear as he sat beside her, on the left, "Or puts his mind back in the gutter, technically."

Arnold blinked, and whispered to her, "Helga!"

Helga smiled innocently, "What?"

Rhonda said, "I can't believe this is happening. Mr. Simmons? Teaching our Sex Ed class? This is so humiliating!"

Harold said to her, "Oh, don't worry, Rhonda, I'm sure this class will be productive for the both of us."

Eugene raised his hand.

Mr. Simmons smiled, "Yes, Eugene?"

"I was wondering if you were teaching on same-sex relations. I've heard a lot about it in the last few years."

Mr. Simmons smiled, "Fortunately, Eugene, that information is explained in the videos I'm sharing today. The board of education also has given me brochures to pass out at the end of the lesson, and there is information inside about same-sex relations."

Eugene smiled, "Wow, that's great, Mr. Simmons."

As the rest of the students entered the classroom, Mr. Simmons shut the door and turned to his class to speak.

"Okay, class. Now, as some of you already know, Mr. Frank isn't here for today's lesson. I'm teaching your sexual education class for today. Now, if any of you have any special questions on this interesting subject, feel free to ask the partner's Mr. Frank has assigned to you for this assignment, work together to figure it out. The important thing is that you learn about this while you're all going through these special changes in your bodies. It will make it easier to understand, and don't worry, the process you're about to see in the two videos I'm sharing with you is completely natural. Any questions?"

Sid raised his hand. Mr. Simmons said, "Yes, Sid?"

"Are we actually going to learn about the girls this time? Last year they separated us, and we only got to see a video on the boys." All the boys around the class started talking to each other about the subject, until...

Rhonda turned to Sid, "Oh, Sid. You do not want to know what we go through. I'm even willing to bet that once you find out about our monthly occurrence, half of you will be running to the bathroom to vomit your breakfast."

Mr. Simmons said, "Now class, please settle down. Does anybody in here know how sex works?"

Helga rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Oh, I don't know, Mr. Simmons, why don't you tell us?"

Harold laughed, "All you wimps still don't know how sex works, A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

Helga's eyes widened at Harold's words, "You're kidding me. She lets you hit that, what are you, Rhonda Lloyd, eleven? You must be the biggest slut in the whole school!" At least we know why you're dating Harold now...

Rhonda turned to her, and said, "For your information, Helga. My boyfriend and I have not had sex yet."

Helga smirked, "I'll give it four months."

Arnold elbowed his girlfriend, "Helga!"

Mr. Simmons said, "Helga, be nice. Now class, I am going to put in the video about the female body. A quiz will accompany it, so pay attention to the video because the quizzes will be based on them. Also, I just wanted to mention how proud I am that some of you are already learning the meaning of being in a relationship. I've noticed three couples that are together this year: Rhonda and Harold, Phoebe and Gerald, Arnold and Helga. I congratulate all of you on this next step." At the mention of Arnold and Helga, there were a few gasps in shock, but the rest of the class was laughing.

Helga narrowed her eyes. The cat was out of the bag, again, "Simmons, would you just do your job and put on the stupid video for us to watch?"

Mr. Simmons nodded, "Oh, sure, Helga. Gerald, would you turn out the lights for me, please?"

Gerald stood up, "No problem, Mr. S."

The laughter died down as Mr. Simmons played the video. Eugene was yawning during most of it, Rhonda looked interested, and Harold looked bored beside her. Phoebe intensely wrote every couple seconds, Gerald was biting his non-existent nails and looking very sick, and Stinky and Sid looked disturbed and uncomfortable. Most of the boys in the class were uncomfortable when they started discussing "periods" on the video. Arnold was trying to pay attention, but for some reason, he couldn't get his mind off Helga, and she was using the time to catch up on writing poetry in her math notebook she carved a big hole in for that year. She already knew everything they talked about, so why did she need to pay attention?

As soon as the video was done, Mr. Simmons walked over to turn the lights back on. Most of the boys looked completely disgusted, except Harold for some reason. "Any questions?"

Gerald raised his hand, "Uh, yeah. Can I please go to the nurse's office? That was way too much blood discussion in one video."

Mr. Simmons looked sympathetic, "Oh, sure, Gerald. Class, I forgot to mention, if anyone is uncomfortable with this subject, you may go to the nurses or the bathroom as needed." Stinky and Sid ran out of the classroom looking like they were going to throw up, and as Harold raised his hand, Mr. Simmons said, "Yes, Harold?"

Harold smiled, "May I go to the nurses too, Mr. Simmons?"

Rhonda raised her hand, "And can I go too? I need to make sure my boyfriend has no trouble getting to the nurse's office."

Mr. Simmons said, "Sure you both may go, and I'm sorry this video was a bit graphic for you, Harold."

As Harold and Rhonda walked out of the room holding hands, Helga commented, "What a throw-pillow."

Arnold said to her, "Helga, I don't think it's right to pick on some of our classmates because they have a weaker stomach than us."

"Wise up, Arnold-o. I'm talking about Mr. Simmons, and no, Harold doesn't have a weaker stomach than us. He already knows about all of this, he is fifteen, bucko. Didn't you see the smile on both of their face? They're probably going to the cafeteria to get an early lunch." Or a closet to make out if princess Rhonda-Lloyd has her way…

"Oh, come on, Helga, you've got to have faith in people. They wouldn't just outright lie to Mr. Simmons."

Helga shook her head, "Arnold, Arnold, my poor naive, Arnold. Rhonda and he have already been doing stuff."

Arnold blinked in shock and replied, "I highly doubt they're having sex. I mean, didn't they just start a relationship?"

She whispered to him, "Not having sex, doing stuff, there's a difference."

Mr. Simmons said, "Before I pass out the quizzes, I would like everyone to pass up the 5-page essay that's due today along with the old wives' tale. It will be put on your teacher's desk for him to grade tomorrow." After they got out their previous assignments and passed them up, Mr. Simmons put them on top of Mr. Frank's desk. He grabbed some worksheets off the cart he brought in the classroom with him, and started passing them around, "Now, if anyone has any questions, please talk privately about them with the partners Mr. Frank assigned to you. I will give you forty-five minutes to complete the quizzes before I collect them. Answers will be on the overhead after I collect the quizzes, so you can check yourselves, and remember, no matter what the results of this test are, you are all very... special."

A couple students smiled as Mr. Simmons finished passing out the quizzes and the students looked down at their papers to start.

Helga finished the quiz and turned her paper over just as Gerald was walking back in the room. She smirked, "What's the matter, Gerald-o? Is period blood too much for your male brain to handle?"

Gerald said, "I don't know, Pataki. Is it too much to keep your hands to yourself in a back alleyway?"

Helga's eyes widened as she blushed, "Uh, forget I mentioned it."

Gerald winked at her, "Good girl," and walked back over to Phoebe, who was biting the back of her pencil nervously as he sat down beside her and started talking. He turned his paper over to start working.

Most of their classmates started talking to finish their quiz; the questions were much more difficult than the ones they were tested on in fifth grade.

Arnold looked down at his paper. He couldn't even get past question number one. He turned to Helga to ask her what the answer was when he noticed her paper was still turned around on her desk. She was writing feverishly in her... was that her math book? He said, "Um, Helga?"

She jumped at his voice, dropped her math book on the ground, and then reached to pick it up, closing it just as quick, "What, Football Head? Criminy, didn't you see I was busy with something?" I swear, it's impossible to catch up on my poetry, living with him...

Arnold stated, "You haven't started your quiz yet? I don't want you to get in trouble for not doing the questions. We only have 40 minutes left."

"Please, Arnold, the questions weren't that difficult. They just word them to make them sound difficult. I've already finished the quiz."

Arnold's eyes went wide, hearing that, "But Helga, each question requires a detailed response and you... you got that quiz done in five minutes? How is that even possible? Everyone else is still working on the quiz."

Helga sighed, "I blame Planned Parenthood."

He was even more shocked, "You've... been to Planned Parenthood? Helga, I'm afraid to ask, but have you...?"

"Relax, Arnold-o, I didn't go to Planned Parenthood for me, I went for Olga."

He blinked, "I thought you and your sister didn't get along." And I still need to contact Olga and let her know that Helga is okay... He thought afterwards, And Miriam, I forgot all about Helga's Mother...!

"Of course we don't get along, Arnold-o, and that's exactly why Little Ms. Sunshine took me with her. She was pulling one of those tricks Bob pulled a few years ago; she thought we could bond as sisters this summer by going together. What an idiot."

Arnold didn't feel comfortable hearing Helga call her older sister an idiot, but ignored it, and asked instead, curiously, "What happened at Planned Parenthood?"

Helga sighed, "The usual. Olga and I learned how to put condoms on bananas, went over the male and female reproductive systems, talked about birth control, and you know, the whole nine yards. Why do you think I told you I could write a book on the subject? Did you think I was lying? She was getting married to that douche-bag she was staying with that hit the both of us. She went because she wanted to start a family with him. For someone who's supposed to be perfect, she sure makes bad relationship decisions."

Arnold nodded silently, remembering his talk with Olga very well. He made a mental note to himself as soon as he could, to let Olga and Miriam know that Helga was okay.

Helga asked, wanting to change the subject to anything but her messed up family, "So, what number are you on, Football Head?"

"Um," Arnold was embarrassed. He whispered, "Number one."

"Criminy, you haven't done any of it yet? Did you even pay attention to the video?"

Not… not really. I was kind of day-dreaming half of the video… he thought, but said aloud, "Only parts of it. I really didn't want to listen to the parts about the menstrual cycle. Can you help me with the questions so that I don't fail? I think I know a few of the answers, but because half of this is new to me, I don't want to guess and be wrong, so I didn't fill them in."

Helga thought a moment, and said, "It's a shame that you can't talk to your parents or grandparents about any of this. I don't need to be thrown out because I know the kind of stuff you're starting to think about. Then again, when I had to learn the material myself, my parents never had the talk with me, either."

Arnold said, "Why not?"

Helga simply said, "Do Miriam and Bob know how to be parents? Anyway, the least I can do is help you out, how else are you going to learn about sex?"

Arnold shrugged, "I don't know, honestly."

Helga smirked. And this could be kind of fun, picking on the little dweeb and watching him squirm. Yeah, let's do this... She said, "So, what's number one? Refresh me, Hair-Boy."

Arnold looked down at his paper and winced. It was a question about blood. No wonder he couldn't focus, "Um, how long does each period last?"

Helga raised an eyebrow, "What? You're twelve and you can't answer that?" Scratch that. If he's really that dense, this could be the most annoying class of the year...

Arnold said, "Well, I thought I knew the answer, but I didn't want to guess wrong. Is it two to seven days?"

Helga smiled in relief. Okay, so he isn't as dense as I thought... "Correct Hair-Boy, periods can be as short as two days to as long as seven, depends on the person."

Arnold wrote that answer down on his paper, "Okay, that was simple. Question number two, how long does it happen? I'm guessing every two to seven days, because that's how long it occurred in the last question."

Helga hit her head with her left hand, "Criminy, Arnold. Do you really think us women bleed every two to seven days? That's way too much blood to lose every month."

Arnold said, worried, "So then, how much blood do you lose every month? Is it enough to send you to the hospital?"

"Relax, the average amount of blood we lose is 30 to 40 milliliters a month. The answer is once a month, and no, we don't go to the hospital every month." Helga rolled her eyes.

Arnold nodded and wrote that down, "So, you only bleed once a month, for two to seven days? That makes sense." He paused a moment as he put down his pencil. He looked at her, curiously, "Why do you have to bleed in the first place? I mean, what's happening inside of your body during it?"

She said, "The body sheds the lining of the uterus when the egg isn't fertilized. We bleed if you guys don't knock us up! If you knock us up, we're probably pregnant."

Arnold was confused, "But... that would mean every woman's been pregnant before she's hit puberty."

"Before you hit puberty, you're not dropping eggs, now stop with the childish comments and let's get on with the rest of the quiz!"

Arnold looked down at his paper, "Oh, sorry, Helga. Number three, what do you call it when menstruation stops and never starts again?" he paused and looked up at her. "The end of a period?"

Helga rolled her eyes, "They're talking about when menstruation stops completely, not every month."

Arnold said, "You mean, you don't bleed every month for the rest of your life once you hit puberty?"

"If we did, Arnold-o, wouldn't there be a lot more seventy-year-olds pregnant in the world?"

Arnold was confused, "I didn't know seventy-year-olds could have babies."

"Bingo!" Criminy, I feel like I'm talking to a little kid...

Arnold wrote that answer down on his paper. He continued, "Number four, do all women achieve orgasms?"

The question made Helga blush. How was she supposed to explain that? "Um, well? Depends on the woman, heh-heh."

Arnold looked up at her, curiously. Why was she reacting like that? Did that mean… "You've had orgasms before?"

Helga changed the subject, not wanting to discuss it, "Do you even know what an orgasm is, Arnold-o?"

He paused as he thought about it, "I don't think I've ever had an orgasm, not from what the video says it is."

Helga was silent a moment, "You seriously don't know how they feel? You mean you've never..." she stopped as she remembered the conversation they had last night. Oh right, he's never played with himself...

Arnold said curiously, "How do they feel?"

Helga blinked, and turned red, "Why... why would you ask me that? How the heck you think I know?"

Arnold said, "You know a lot about this kind of stuff, and you sound like you've had one before. I'm curious how they feel."

Helga blushed and tried to change the subject, "Answer to number four is no, let's go on to the next question, shall we?"

Arnold narrowed his eyes, "Helga, I need you to explain why the answer is no, so that I can write it down, and I can tell that you're avoiding my other question."

"Well, why do you think, Arnold-o? Some women have a disorder which makes orgasms impossible to achieve, write that down, and did you really think I wanted to tell you just how many orgasms I've had at the mere thought of you?"

Arnold dropped his pencil and blinked, and he looked at her curiously, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Criminy, Arnold," she whispered, "I've been in love with you since the age of three, what did you expect? I read about sex the first time in one of Miriam's trashy novels when I was eight. I wanted to know more, so I went to the library and I learned the basics. I learned I could experience it without somebody, so I started. Believe it or not, Hair-Boy, I've hardly ever had to touch myself. All I needed to do was think about you, and my body would succumb to the throes of pleasure, my girlhood trembling because of you."

Arnold began to feel odd, listening to the way she was speaking about the subject. His own body was starting to tremble. Do I really make her girlhood tremble just by her thinking of me? He swallowed the lump in his throat, and said, "Wow, I had no clue it was so intense. So, how does it feel?"

Helga's eyes widened, "I already told you how an orgasm feels, Arnold-o, what more do you need to know?!" He's not getting anymore information about orgasm's out of me, not no way, not no how…

Arnold chuckled, "Well, that's a girl orgasm. How does it feel when a guy has one?"

Helga raised an eyebrow, "Do I look like a man to you? You'd have to experience it to understand it. Frankly, Football Head, I'm surprised you haven't yet, seeing just how sexually frustrated you've been lately. You're, what, twelve? Hard to believe you've never had an orgasm."

Arnold began to worry, "So, it isn't normal for me not to have orgasms at my age? Should I start?"

She blushed darkly as a shiver went down her back. He's asking me if he should start… whoa-boy, get it together, Helga ol' girl… "How the heck would I know that? Criminy, Arnold, I'm not getting into this. Next question already!"

Arnold sighed, choosing to dismiss the subject, despite being curious on the subject. He said, "Number five, label the openings in correct order: urethra, vagina, anus."

Helga glanced at him, "I'm afraid to ask what order you put them in."

Arnold said, "Um... Vagina, urethra, anus?"

Helga paused a moment before laughing hysterically, "Oh, that's rich, Hair-Boy! You're a guy that doesn't know what hole he's supposed to go in to have sex, why am I not surprised?"

Arnold narrowed his eyes, a bit frustrated, "So, what order does it go in-?"

"-The urethra, Football Head. The urethra comes first. Can't have you trying to nail a girl by going up her bladder, right?"

Arnold looked curiously, "Are there people that actually do that?"

Helga shuddered at the thought, "Hope not, the thought is sickening. Besides, the penis wouldn't fit up the bladder. It's too narrow and not flexible, unless you're on the small side." She paused a moment to think. "No, wait, you're not."

Arnold blushed and felt himself shaking slightly, "How... howwould you know that?"

Helga smacked her head with her left hand repeatedly. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Open mouth, insert foot. Just what you need to explain to him, Helga, the half dozen times you've seen him naked... "Well, I uh, say, look at the time! Twenty minutes left, next question, Hair-Boy!"

"Helga," he narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, "I think I deserve the right to know when you saw me naked. Was it recently? We both agreed to get dressed separately, so how is that possible?!"

Helga laughed nervously and rubbed her right arm, nervously, "Heh, heh. No... not exactly."

Arnold said, "When? And how come I never knew about this?"

Helga said, "For crying out loud, Gerald told you about all the hidden cameras in your room, right? Sometimes I would... watch you undress before you fell asleep."

Arnold was beyond disturbed, "Cameras in my room?! Seriously?!"

Helga covered his mouth with her right hand, "Pipe down, Arnold-o, just because everyone's talking doesn't mean they won't be able to hear your loud mouth screaming."

Arnold was starting to feel tense, just like he did the day before, but he wasn't sure if it was from being turned on, or from shock and fear from knowing she'd seen him naked before they were even dating. He tried to breathe normally, "Do you still have the cameras up in my room?"

Helga whispered, "They ran out of tape ages ago, Bucko, so relax."

Arnold breathed a sigh of relief, although he was still uncomfortable with the fact that his girlfriend had seen him naked.

Helga was uncomfortable, so she did the logical thing: tried to make him uncomfortable, "At least that time was purposely. Never thought all your clothes would drop in front of me before I could grab that stupid parrot."

Arnold paused from writing the answer to the previous question, he looked up at her, eyes widened, "Wait a minute, 'parrot'?"

Helga smirked, "Good night, little parrot. He certainly was a little parrot from what I saw."

Arnold was turning a deep shade of crimson, "You were hiding in my room? How did I not see you?"

"I was hiding behind your red couch! Would you rather I just hid the cameras in there in fourth grade too?"

Arnold was shaking, "I don't know which one's worse. We weren't even dating than, and you actuallywatched me-"

"-Hey, I didn't ask you to take all your stupid clothes off, I was behind the couch, trying to steal that stupid bird. You could've gotten undressed in the bathroom, ever think of that?"

"But..." he shivered, "Why didn't you just ask me for the bird back? Why did you have to sneak in my house to get it?"

"Because it was reciting my poetry, you would've known I was in love with you before I was ready to tell you, sheesh."

Arnold began to sweat a bit, remembering some of what that bird said,

'Arnold my love, my sultry preteen, why must I hold you only whilst I dream? Will I be forever enslaved by your spell? Why must I worship you, and never ever tell? Arnold, you make my girlhood tremble, my senses all go wacky. Someday I'll tell the world my love...'

His heart-rate quickened, his stomach felt tense. He needed to think of something else, he was starting to feel weird and uncomfortable, knowing that he turned his girlfriend on every day.

Helga nodded at his expression, and knew he understood, "Exactly my point, now can we go on to the next question?"

Arnold said, not thinking, "Wait a minute, Helga. I'm not exactly comfortable that you've seen me naked before I've seen you."

Helga chuckled, feeling a lot less embarrassed after he admitted that one to her, "Heh, thanks for the useful information, Arnold-o. Nice to know I'm not the only one that wants to see some skin."

Arnold put his left hand over his mouth, blushing. Did I really say that aloud…?

Helga smirked, leaning over to him to whisper in his ear, "If you wanted to see some skin, all you had to do was ask." Now this is starting to get kind of fun...

Arnold put his hand on his head, now starting to get a headache, "I didn't mean to say that aloud, I was thinking it." Why am I saying what I'm thinking? That's almost as bad as kissing instead of talking.

Helga continued to smirk, "I knew you had a dark side somewhere in that body of yours. "

He explained himself, "I wouldn't try to see you naked. Even though you've seen me and technically it's not fair, I don't think it would be right for me to do the same to you. I want to take this relationship slow, which is why I told you I wanted to stop kissing you. I want to give you every opportunity for the relationship you told me that you wanted to have."

"Appreciate the sentiments, Arnold, but sometimes it's okay to let the dark side come out to play," she grinned. This is going to be so sweet...

Arnold was tensing up just thinking about it, "Helga, I'm not like that, and I would never want to get even with you for what you've done, even though I don't exactly approve of hiding out in my room or putting in cameras to watch me undress. Wouldn't it have been easier to, I don't know, talk to me about it?"

Helga said, "Yeah, I can see how that conversation would have gone. 'Yeah, Football Head, how you doing? We both know I hate you, but I was wondering if you could strip down to nothing, so that I could see you naked.' Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Arnold felt a shiver go up his back, "You would've... asked me to undress for you? Right in front of you?"

Helga said, "No, I wouldn't have. You would've thought of me as a total freak. I mean, let's be honest, you've never seen me naked, right?"

Arnold closed his eyes for a second, trying to stop thinking of the images that were suddenly appearing before him, I don't know what to think of my girlfriend right now... He opened his eyes and admitted, "No, not naked, but I did catch a glimpse of you. When we went to the beach, your shirt didn't hide much, especially when it was wet. In the Babe-watch production we had to do, and you had on that one-piece swimsuit, all your outlines kind of showed, especially up close."

Helga blushed, "You were... you were looking at my body?" She felt a shiver.

Arnold groaned, "Not… not exactly. I just remembered you in your swimsuit when we were trying to get to the Green-Eyes this summer, and I had to save you from that flying arrow."

Helga looked at him oddly, "You were thinking about me in my swimsuit when you grabbed me in San Lorenzo?"

"I accidently grabbed your chest, and although I tried not to think about it, I did notice you were a little bit more... developed?"

Helga blushed, "Oh, I see where your mind was at this summer. So, you only grabbed me to cop a feel, huh? I guess you thought it was entertaining to have Gerald as the third wheel, watching us."

Arnold stammered, "C-copping a feel? Of-of course not! I was trying to save you from that arrow. It was… it was the first time that I noticed your chest, so I had those thoughts."

Helga crossed her arms over her chest, uncomfortable, knowing that Arnold had got a feel of them without her permission, "Okay, can we please talk about something else other than my chest?"

Arnold was beginning to feel a bit turned on himself, and looked down at the paper, thankful he was sitting underneath a desk, "O... Okay, next question. Why does menstruation happen?"

Helga said, "It's due to the rise and fall of hormones, and it happens when the egg isn't fertilized. Next!"

Arnold paused after writing out the answer, "Wait, I have another question. Do you have your period yet? When does that usually start for girls?"

Helga said, "Anywhere between eight and fifteen. I got mine at the end of fifth grade. I think that was another reason Olga just had to take me to Planned Parenthood. Couldn't she understand just because I started doesn't mean I'm a woman yet? Guess I can't complain too much, she was the one to take me to get pads."

Arnold said, "You wear pads during your period?"

Helga was starting to feel uneasy, "Yeah, Arnold, how else am I supposed to keep the blood off me?"

Arnold asked, now more curious about it than disgusted, "Does it feel uncomfortable bleeding like that every month and wearing a pad?"

Helga was fidgeting a bit, thinking about it, "It's been seven months, I'm starting to get used to it. Next question!"

Arnold looked down at his paper, still trying to focus on the questions instead of the way they made him feel, "Um, number seven, what is the disorder for a woman who can't be aroused by normal means?"

Helga whispered, "I actually had to cheat and look in our health book for this answer, Hair-Boy, Female Sexual Arousal Disorder."

Arnold bit his bottom lip as he wrote that term down. He was feeling uncomfortable talking about arousal, so he went to the next question, "Number eight, how many ovaries do women have? Um, twenty-three?"

Helga said, "Good guess, Football Head, but you're confusing chromosomes with ovaries. Ovaries are what produces our eggs, and we have two."

Arnold jotted down the answer, and asked, "Number nine, does a woman produce new eggs the way a man continues to produce new sperm? Yes?"

"No, we can't. We're born with all our eggs and once we use them, they're gone."

"So, you mean," Arnold thought a moment, "a guy always produces sperm once he starts, but a woman can't get pregnant once she runs out of eggs?"

Helga nodded, "Correct, Football Head, technically you could knock some woman up when you're in your seventies, given she's not going through menopause."

Arnold blinked, "What is menopause?"

"That's when us women stop producing eggs."

"Oh." He moved in his chair a bit, uncomfortable physically at this point. He was thankful he was finally on the last quiz question; too bad it didn't make him feel any better reading it, "Uh, last question, can a woman get pregnant without being penetrated." He winced, feeling more tense reading the question aloud.

Helga started to notice his tenseness, and smirked, "Technically, yes. You can get me pregnant without going inside me." He's going to freak...

Arnold's eyes widened, "I can, how? You're not... you're not already pregnant, are you?" I never thought I could get her pregnant just by sleeping with her...

Helga smirked, battling her eyelashes, "No, I'd have to be playing with your sperm and sticking it inside of me for that to happen."

Arnold felt a chill go down his back at the thought, "Why would you be playing with my sperm? Am I even making sperm?"

Helga grinned, I am so going to pick on him... She smirked, "Don't know, Arnold. You'd have to orgasm, and we'd have to see if you come for us to figure that one out."

Arnold felt his stomach become even more tense, "What does that mean? H… How would you make me do that?"

Helga whispered, "Play with you, how else? If you orgasm and stuff comes out of your penis, then you're making sperm."

Arnold didn't know why, but the more they talked, the worse he felt. He knew the discussion was getting him turned on for some reason, but he never felt it to this extent, even yesterday. He was starting to feel like he needed to do something about it.

Helga noticed his uncomfortable glance around the classroom and added, "Oh? You've never felt yourself become really hard, and suddenly it kind of spasms and feels really good?" Poor boy, I'm really getting him hot and bothered, aren't I? I guess I figured out a new way to torture him, heh-heh.

Arnold didn't reply and turned his paper over, trying not to think about it, yet he couldn't help but think about it, "Um, Helga, can we... can we please talk about something else other than, well, that?"

Helga leaned in to him, "Why, you want to talk about mine?"

The bell cut off Arnold's shocked gasp as the class made their way up to drop off their quizzes. Mr. Simmons smiled at his old class, saying to them, "Have a great lunch everyone!" as they ran out.

Helga and Arnold were the only two left in the classroom. She grabbed Arnold's paper, and took both of their quizzes to drop them off. She said, "Here you go, Simmons. All done."

Mr. Simmons replied, "Thank you, Helga. Arnold, are you okay? Why are you still sitting down, are you sick?"

Helga said to Mr. Simmons, "Give him a second, Simmons. He'll be up in no time." She winked at her boyfriend and walked out to the cafeteria.

Mr. Simmons scratched his head a moment, before walking out to give Arnold some space and get his own lunch.

Arnold was trying to calm down enough before leaving, so that he wouldn't embarrass himself around his classmates. He thought. Is she picking on me…?

The taunts, insults, and spit wads were a lot better than this kind of torture...

---

Helga sat down with her pink lunchbox beside Phoebe and across from Gerald. She glanced around. Where was her boyfriend? Did he come out of class yet?

Gerald commented, "I'll be so thankful when this Sex Ed class is over. This has been way too much talk about blood in one period."

Phoebe said, "Blood is a perfectly normal occurrence for a woman, Gerald. Every woman must eventually go through puberty in her life, and without a menstrual cycle, she can't get pregnant. Don't you want to have kids with me later in our lives, Gerald?"

Gerald looked even more disturbed, "Maybe when we're a bit older. Having sex isn't the problem, now having sex while your bleeding, that's something I don't want to think about. I wouldn't know how to act if I started bleeding down there."

Helga narrowed her eyes, "I'm trying to eat. Do you guys think you could stop talking about blood for five minutes?"

Phoebe asked, in a whisper, "Sorry, Helga." She looked around. "By the way, where's your boyfriend?"

Helga looked at Phoebe a moment, and then glanced around herself. She finally saw him, outside sitting on the green bench by the lunchroom. Why was he eating his lunch outside, by himself? Now she was getting concerned. She turned to Gerald and Phoebe, and said, "I'll be right back."

Phoebe glanced at Gerald, and he shrugged, starting to eat his sandwich again...

---

Helga walked over to Arnold outside. He was absentmindedly staring at the playground monkey bars and the swings. She sat beside him on his left, "What's up, Goof-wad?"

"Nothing," he rubbed his arm nervously, "Just felt like eating outside today."

She said, "Where is your lunch, Arnold-o? You're not eating lunch right now, you're staring out at the playground equipment all by yourself for no reason."

Arnold closed his eyes, blushing, "Oh, I have a reason."

Helga thought for a moment, until she realized what might be wrong, "Come on, Arnold. You think all boys haven't gone through the same thing you're going through today? Sid, Stinky, Gerald, they were all in the same class you were."

Arnold was still blushing, and said, "You... don't know why I'm out here, do you?"

Helga thought a moment, and whispered, even though nobody was outside to hear them, "You're not eating so… you're sick?"

Arnold covered his face with his hands, and Helga looked him over again and then, realized it. Criminy, I really have been torturing him. Maybe I ought to tone it down a bit. Wait a minute, he's never dealt with this, has he...? She put her right arm around his shoulders as he glanced in her eyes, embarrassed. "Relax, you're not the first guy that's had that happen to him, either."

He sure felt like he was, and looked up to her and said, "I'm not?"

Helga nodded, "Of course not. I'm sure you're not even the only one in our class today."

"Really?" He was starting to feel a bit better.

Helga watched as some of their classmates walked out for recess, which was after lunch, before whispering to him, "So, why don't you go to the bathroom and take care of it?"

Arnold whispered back, "I don't want anyone to see me, and I don't know how I'll react the first time. What if somebody knows what I'm doing in there? What if I'm too loud? I've never," he paused, stopping from speaking. The combination of looking in Helga's eyes, and being turned on so badly was a bad combination. "Well, done it before."

Helga remembered her first time and nodded in understanding. She could see how that could be embarrassing for him if he was caught. Still, this was partially her fault, so she tried to make him feel better, especially since all the kids were starting to come out for recess and would see them, "It's okay, Arnold. Just, I don't know, can you ignore it? Don't worry about what the other kids think."

Arnold gently took her hand to look deeper into her eyes, "I don't know if I can ignore it, is that normal?"

Helga was just starting to notice how close the two of them were getting, and the look in Arnold's eyes was telling her he was struggling not to do something, "It's... it's probably normal, I mean, I've never been a guy before," she shivered. Come on, Arnold, just kiss me already! Who cares about anyone else, you're torturing me here!

Arnold breathed deeply and stopped himself before he leaned closer to her, "I'm... I'm sorry, Helga. This is... it's getting difficult to stop myself."

Helga whispered back, "Stop yourself from what, kissing me?"

Arnold whispered, "I know you don't want anyone to see us."

Helga said, in a daze, "Relax, Simmons already told the class about our relationship, and like you said, they probably already knew before then anyway. If you want our relationship to be public, let's be public."

Arnold was worried she would regret what she was saying the next day, "Helga... are, are you sure? I mean, I'm not forcing you into doing anything you're not entirely comfortable with, am I? This could change everything."

Helga leaned closer to her love, almost touching his lips. She whispered, "I'm ready, Football Head."

Arnold met her mouth heatedly with his, trying to keep his kissing from going into Frenching, but it was very difficult. He wanted to get closer to her.

---

Sid and Stinky looked up from playing four square. Sid said, "Boy Howdy, is that really Arnold and Helga kissing?"

Stinky said, "I reckon it really must be official, then, on account of their kissing out in the open."

Gerald and Phoebe walked over to Sid and Stinky. Gerald said, "Well, I guess Pataki came around after all."

Phoebe smiled, "I told you to just give her some time, and she would eventually open up."

Rhonda shook her head, "Arnold told me they broke up in October. They have the most turbulent relationship I've ever seen."

Gerald thought about that a moment and said to Rhonda, "Well, this is Helga G. Pataki we're talking about. Anything about the two of them dating is going to be beyond normal. I mean, she picked on him for years before they started dating."

Harold laughed, getting ready to taunt them, until Rhonda elbowed him in the stomach and he said, "Ow, hey, what did you do that for?!"

Rhonda said, "Don't start picking on the poor girl, I think it's sweet. Everybody deserves the right to be loved, even her. And I really must say they are one of the most adorable couples I've ever seen."

---

Arnold was getting breathless and broke the kiss before it could go any further. He turned to notice most of their classmates watching them and gulped. He had almost started Frenching her, more than once, in front of everybody. That was not good. He whispered to her, heatedly, "Do you know any rooms that would be empty around this time?"

Helga blinked, and then smiled slightly. She had yet to notice everybody watching them; she was too lost in his eyes, his sweaty face, his heated expression, "Why? You want to go make out in the janitor's closet?"

That's actually a pretty good idea... Arnold stood up and grabbed one of her hands to lead them inside the building.

Helga was confused, "Wait up, are we really going to a janitor's closet!?" Criminy, I haven't seen this side of him, ever...!

Arnold whispered to her, "Didn't you see the class watching us? I was afraid I would go too far, and I didn't want the class to make your life more difficult."

So, that's why he didn't French me when I was trying to get my tongue in his mouth, and he... he wants to French me there! Be still my beating heart!

But instead of the janitor's closet, he took her into the pool control room, beside the YMAA gym, he opened the door to walk in with her, forgetting to shut it behind him. Out of all the places to go, this wasn't one she even thought of.

Arnold tried to calm his new-found hormones down as Helga asked him, "Isn't this beside the gym where the April Fool's Day dance was held in fifth grade? You know, the one where I pretended to be blind, and you threw me in the pool?" Why would you drag me all the way back here? She raised an eyebrow.

He took a deep breath, trying to control the impulse to just grab her and start kissing her, "The pool is closed during the winter time, and I remember Mr. Frank telling us earlier in the year that Gym classes were postponed in January. This is just the pool control room."

She smirked as she replied, "Huh? Interesting. So, what are you planning on doing now? Jumping me in the pool control panel? Got to say, Football Head, I didn't know you had it in you. Not that I'm stopping you. You can kiss me anywhere you want and touch me anywhere and anytime you want. I'm all yours," she purred affectionately.

And it just about drove him nuts. He whispered harshly, grabbing her shoulders, "Helga, stop that!" he growled.

She blinked, " Stop what? I mean it's obvious you're turned on badly. I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice, feel it in your," and that's when he pushed her against the wall, the switch for the pool turning on behind her, and opening the pool in the center of the gym. Her eyes widened, yeah, she could feel it all right; her heart was beating fast beside his.

He groaned, "Why are you teasing me? As my girlfriend, shouldn't you be making this easier for me?"

Helga grinned, whispering to him heatedly, "Why? I thought you liked it when I made it harder."

He gave up with a whisper, "Helga..." and kissed her passionately, reaching for her tongue.

She was losing her mind. Whoa, this is insane! He's making out with me in the pool control panel, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be in this situation! Oh, Arnold, my love, you feel so good, taste so good, you're everything I've ever wanted!

Pretty soon, Frenching didn't feel like enough for him, and he ran his hand down her curve, until it got to her hip. After she shivered, he went in the opposite direction going from her hip to her chest line. He remembered what she said earlier, if you wanted to see some skin, all you had to do was ask... He shivered, he remembered she wanted to go further with him. Thinking about that, it didn't take long for him to want to see what she looked like underneath her dress. His fingers started itching to touch her; he was sweating.

Helga moaned in his mouth as she felt him touching her but remembered what he told her in class. Even though you've seen me, I don't think it would be right for me to do the same to you. I want to take this relationship slow, which is why I told you I wanted to stop kissing you... She blinked in shock as he got closer to her chest. She thought to herself, Criminy, he wouldn't even be doing any of this if he was in his right mind. He's going to regret it later if he goes any further, but how am I supposed to stop him? Trying to think with the rational side of her brain, she opened her eyes slightly while they were kissing to notice the door open, wasn't there a pool just outside, and didn't he back her into the switch for it? She closed her eyes again as she smirked against his mouth, breaking the kiss. Perfect. She pushed herself off the wall to grab his shoulders and push him back slightly, but he was persistent, and reached out to grab her chest on top of their clothes. She gasped for a second, trying to remember what she was doing and why she was doing it: for him. She met his lips to French him again, hoping that would distract him.

Arnold moaned in her mouth, too distracted to realize he was being backed up outside the door, towards the pool water.

Helga let go of his lips, looked in his heated eyes, and whispered, "Karma," and pushed him back into the pool. Helga laughed hysterically as soon as he went underneath the water, some hitting her in the process. Not a lot, just enough to get her damp. Heh, this whole making out thing is starting to be kind of fun!

Arnold came up to the surface. He coughed as he tried to get some of the water out of his lungs.

Helga simply said, "Karma sucks, Arnold. Too bad you had to throw me in the pool at the April Fool's Day Dance."

As soon as he got control of his coughing, he swam over to the side, and leaned against the gym floor to look at her, "That was almost a year ago, you're getting even with me over that?"

Helga said, softly, "That's just an excuse if anyone hears us. I had to calm you down somehow, you were losing control of yourself, you were practically grabbing my breasts!"

Arnold blushed as he remembered what she was talking about, "I... oh boy, I'm sorry, Helga. I didn't mean to take it that far."

Helga crossed her arms, "I wouldn't have minded Hair-Boy, but I remembered what you told me in class, you didn't want to go that far."

Arnold nodded, still in the water, "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. I just... lost control for a second."

Helga admitted, "Don't worry, it happens. You're not the only one that's wet right now."

Arnold sighed, realizing that the splash probably got her wet as well, "I guess... I guess we're both going to need towels to dry off, huh?"

Helga nodded, "Are you still turned on? You know I didn't throw you in the water to get you off,right?"

Arnold blinked for a moment, and that's when he noticed the tension was gone, all of it! But how did she know cold water would...?

Helga nodded and whispered to him, "Don't say I didn't do you any favors, Arnold-o." She went over to grab a couple of towels and handed one to him as he stepped out of the water.

He took it and weakly said, "Thanks for stopping me from going too far, but what am I going to do about my clothes? I can't wear this to class now, it's too wet."

She wiped her shoulders gently as she thought for a moment about it, "You've got a gym uniform in the boy's locker room, right?"

Arnold blinked, and then nodded, remembering.

Helga said, "Go in and change. Bring me your wet clothes when you're done. I'll sneak them into the dryer in the home economics class. It should be empty with everyone at recess right now. We can pick up your clothes at the end of the day."

Arnold nodded as he made his way to the boy's locker room, changed, and brought his clothes back to her. After Helga rung them out in the pool, she snuck across the hallway to throw them in the dryer. She walked back in the gym, and mentioned to her boyfriend, "Hey, Football Head, turn off that pool switch so that nobody knows we were in here, would you?"

Arnold walked into the pool control panel and noticed it. He turned it off, and the pool began to close.

Helga walked over to him and tried not to laugh when she got a good look at him. He had on blue shorts and a blue short-sleeve shirt at the beginning of January.

Arnold said, looking down at himself, "How am I going to explain this to our class? You know they're going to wonder what happened."

Helga paused a moment and then smiled. She leaned over to him to whisper in his ear, "Cafeteria Mishap."

Arnold thought a second before saying, "You know, that just might work."

Helga laughed, "If they don't buy that, just tell them we got in a food fight. They know how much I fight with you, they'll believe it."

Arnold laughed, beginning to feel a lot calmer and smiled with his half-lidded gaze at his girlfriend, "Helga, thank you."

Helga shrugged, "You would've done the same for me, right?" And that's when the bell rang to get to class. She whispered to him, "Here's what we'll do, I'll walk out first. Wait a couple seconds, and then follow me."

He said, "Why can't we just walk out at the same time?"

"Because, genius, everyone's walking in from recess, and they might figure out what you were doing to me in here. Did you really want them to know that you were trying to grope my -?"

"-Okay, okay, I get it," He breathed, "I'll see you in class."

Helga couldn't resist and kissed him softly on the lips before heading to the door. She smirked before she walked out, narrowing her eyes at him with a smirk, "Enjoyed being reacquainted with Dark Arnold, really ought to do this again someday," and with that, she winked, walking out of the gym.

Arnold shook his head. She was insane, but a good type of insane. He waited a minute before taking the same exit to go back to class.

---

Mr. Simmons was just about to turn the overhead off and put on the next video as Arnold walked in, wearing his blue gym shorts and short sleeve shirt.

Gerald raised an eyebrow, and a couple people in the class gasped at him and laughed, mostly shocked that he was wearing such a thing in January.

Helga saw his embarrassment as he walked beside her to sit down, and said, "That should teach you, Hair-Boy. Next time you dare to even think about dragging me to that cafeteria to start a food fight in the middle of recess, you're going to have food in your hair and shoes, not just all over your clothes. You really think you can beat me at my own game? Fat chance, Bucko."

He sat next to her and said, aloud, "I'm sorry, Helga. I should have thought before I started something like that."

The laughter started to die down as the class realized what happened, and Gerald just turned around to look at Phoebe and shake his head, "She would open up, huh? Sounds like she's back to torturing him again."

Rhonda whispered to Nadine, "Well, so much for thinking that things were getting stable between them."

Arnold whispered to her, "Thanks, Helga. I owe you."

Helga whispered back, "Better than pitching a tent."

Mr. Simmons said, "Okay, class, look up here. Finish checking your answers from the quiz; that way I can turn the overhead off. We have one more video we need to get through, along with a demonstration, and one more quiz. Eugene, could you turn off the lights this time, please?"

"Sure, Mr. Simmons," he stood up and started to walk over, until Harold held out his foot and he fell over, "Ow, I'm okay." Harold laughed.

Mr. Simmons said, "Harold, that wasn't very nice, and thank you Eugene for getting the lights. This video is about the boy's changes, and as I've said previously, if anyone needs to go to the nurses or to the bathrooms, feel free to walk out." He put the video in as everyone watched with interest.

Phoebe curiously watched, Gerald was a bit tense, but more relaxed than earlier, Helga was writing in her math book again, about what happened between her and Arnold in the pool control room. Nadine was smiling, taking notes. Sid and Stinky looked bored, and Rhonda and Harold were watching with interest. After twenty minutes of watching the video, it reached the end.

Mr. Simmons turned off the video. He smiled at his class, putting his hands together excitedly, "This is my favorite part of Sex Ed."

Gerald asked, "Is it the part where we get to leave?"

Mr. Simmons said, "Uh, well, no, it's-"

Harold asked, "Is it the part where we break for an extra lunch?"

Mr. Simmons sighed, "No, Harold, it isn't."

Phoebe smiled, "Is it the part where we discuss in detail all the wonderful new material we've learned today?"

Gerald raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend, "Phoebe, don't take this the wrong way, but you're weird."

Mr. Simmons said, "No, class, this is where you will all receive a bag of donated items from Planned Parenthood, to help you understand how to practice safe sex. You will all get a small packet with condoms, lubricant, and a brochure inside. I will also be passing out bananas." He started passing out the packets.

Harold was excited, "All-right, food!"

Mr. Simmons cleared his throat and stopped walking for a second to glance at Harold, "Um, no, Harold. The bananas aren't being passed out to eat, they are a tool so that everyone knows how to put on a condom."

Harold whined, "Aww, geez..."

Nadine asked, "Do they have female condoms in the packets?"

Mr. Simmons smiled as he handed her a packet, "Good question. Yes, Nadine, those are in your packets as well. Now, before we start our quiz, I would like to see that you learned how to use a condom."

Rhonda was freaked out as she realized what they were going to do, "We're actually going to put condoms on our bananas?"

Mr. Simmons smiled as he passed out the eight bananas he had, giving each group one banana, "You are correct, Rhonda. So, everyone, enjoy, take turns, don't forget to give the condom some space between the top of the banana! If you mess up, don't worry, I put extra condoms in everyone's packet."

Arnold looked at Helga and bit his lip, he said, "So, since you've been to Planned Parenthood, do you think that you could put the condom on for me?"

Helga rolled her eyes, "Are you always going to ask me to put on the condom for you?"

Arnold stammered, pulling at his shirt, "I...I, uh, that's not what I meant."

"Save it. Since I obviously know how to put on a condom and you don't, I think you ought to try it for a change, Hair-Boy. At least when we finally do have sex, you'll know how to use one."

He gulped, shaking with nerves. When we… when we do have sex? Why does she have to say stuff like that…? He picked up the small foil square package, and he ripped it open to see the condom. It was clear, a bit lubricated, and looked to be latex. He pulled it out, stretched it out, and inspected it in curiosity. It was the first time he'd ever seen a condom in his life. "So, I wear this during sex?"

Helga rolled her eyes, "No, Hair-Boy, you eat it, criminy, what a stupid question. Where else did you expect the sperm to go?" she replied matter-of-factly, "Just put the condom on the banana."

Arnold opened the condom up to where he could see the inside of it. He was already beginning to feel tense again, doing something so intimate with his girlfriend.

Helga held up the banana with both of her hands, waiting for him to put the condom on it, "What's the deal, why did you stop? You looked like you understood what you were doing."

Arnold pursed his lips, "Don't we need to use the lubricant first?"

Helga growled in annoyance, "Football Head, are you sticking this banana inside of me tonight?"

Arnold gulped, feeling himself tense up at the thought, "Um, no. I don't think so."

Helga narrowed her eyes, "Than you don't need to use the lubricant, now put the condom on and shut-up."

Arnold sighed, "Whatever you say, Helga." I hope she isn't like this during sex...

---

Harold raised his hand. Mr. Simmons said, "Yes, Harold?"

Harold questioned, "Do we always have to use a condom whenever we have sex? What if we're in the mood and there's none available?"

Rhonda buried her head in her arms in embarrassment, "Uh, seriously?"

Mr. Simmons said, "If you're not using a condom then your partner will have to use birth control. If you both decide against protection, she could get pregnant."

Eugene raised his hand. Mr. Simmons asked, "Yes, Eugene?"

"I'm curious, does the penis have to go in the vagina? Like, isn't there different ways that you can have intercourse with somebody?"

Mr. Simmons smiled, "I'm glad you asked that, Eugene. That information is in your packets that I handed out."

Phoebe raised her hand. Mr. Simmons said, "Yes, Phoebe?"

"What if the banana is too big to fit the condom? Do I need to use a different banana?"

Helga smacked her head, and said, "Criminy, Phoebe, do you realize how you sound right now?" Arnold narrowed his eyes at Helga, she was yelling at her best friend, again. They were waiting for Mr. Simmons to give additional instructions.

Mr. Simmons said, "No, Phoebe, and Helga, that is not a dumb question. If the banana is too big for the condom, you will have to get a larger condom for the banana."

Harold laughed, looking at Rhonda, "Did you hear that, Rhonda? I might need a larger condom for my banana."

Rhonda was embarrassed, "Uh….!"

Mr. Simmons smiled excitedly as he walked over to Arnold and Helga, "Wow, I am so proud of you two!" he reached down to grab their banana with the condom on it. "Now class, look up here, this is how the condom goes on the banana, nice and snugly, with a little bit of space at the tip. Good job, you two!" Arnold and Helga looked at each other and blushed.

Harold laughed, "Guess we all know what they've been doing in the same bedroom together." Sid, Stinky, and Harold all snickered.

Helga scowled, "Shut-up, Pink-boy, you want another black eye? Well, just keep talking and I'll give you one."

Harold stopped laughing in fear. Stinky and Sid only giggled nervously after hearing that.

Mr. Simmons said, "Okay, class. Put both of your names on the bananas and pass them up. When I receive all your bananas, I will pass out the quizzes. Please, work together on the quiz. In forty-five minutes after I collect the quizzes, I will put the answers on the overhead."

The class passed up their bananas, and Mr. Simmons grabbed the bananas to put them on Mr. Frank's desk. He grabbed another paper from his cart and began to pass everyone a sheet to work on.

A couple students started on their papers right away, others stared; this quiz was just as difficult as the first one.

Mr. Simmons finished passing out the papers. He put the rest of the pages that were extra on his cart with a smile. He sat at Mr. Frank's desk and picked up a book to read for forty minutes.

Arnold glanced at Helga as she turned her paper around. He blinked, "You're done again, already?"

Helga said, "And let me guess, you're stuck on number one?"

Arnold blushed, "Well, not exactly, but I want to make sure my answers are right."

Helga chuckled, "You already know I'm the sex expert, don't you?"

Arnold admitted, "I've never seen anyone go through a quiz so fast."

Helga said, "So then, what's question number one?"

Arnold read, "The penis has only one opening, but two tubes leading to it. Where do they come from?"

Helga admitted, "You do realize some of these questions I don't know the answers to, right?"

Arnold was surprised, "Really?"

She whispered, "Yeah, I had to sneak and look up that one. Now what's your guess?"

Arnold said, "The testicles and the bladder?"

"Right you are, Football Head, at least you know your own body. What's the next question?"

"Sure, but first, is it normal for the testicles to grow as you get older?" he asked, worried.

Helga stared at him a moment. Is he seriously asking me that... but then again, who the heck else is he going to ask? She grabbed her health notebook and turned the pages to try to find it.

Arnold was confused, "What are you doing?"

"Don't know the answer to that one, I'll have to find it for you."

"Can I help you find it?" Arnold glanced in the book with her, pointing at the page once he saw the answer, "Oh, it's normal," he read it aloud, a bit surprised at what he was reading, "During puberty, you start producing the male hormone, testosterone, it triggers physical changes…?" he glanced at her, curiously.

Helga nodded, "Testosterone, that's the sex hormone in males during puberty."

"So, then, if I'm experiencing more physical changes, it's because I have a lot of testosterone in me?" he asked her.

Helga thought a moment. That would explain why he keeps getting more physical with me. Criminy, Arnold, you're further along than the rest of the class! She shrugged, trying not to make a big deal out of it, "Apparently, you have high levels of testosterone inside of you, imagine that, heh-heh?" Now, she was starting to feel nervous around him, high levels of testosterone? No wonder he was so argumentative with her, and such a great kisser! She blushed.

Arnold glanced at Helga a moment before writing in the answer to the last question, "Um, what is the name of the tube within the penis itself. Is it the urethra?"

"Right again, hmm, maybe throwing you in that water was a good idea. Cleaned more than just your body," she flirted.

Arnold blushed, "Helga..."

"Anyway, next question?" Helga touched her face nervously, starting to feel excited for some reason.

Arnold asked, "What is the name of the tip of the penis?"

Helga said, "Had to look it up, it's 'glans'."

Arnold looked at Helga a moment, like he wanted to ask her something else about that, but he changed his mind and wrote her answer down. He said, "Okay, number four, can a man have multiple orgasms like a woman can?" He blinked, "You guys can have multiple orgasms at once?"

Helga laughed nervously, "Well, yeah,Arnold. I mean, I thought that was normal."

Arnold asked, "So men do too, right?"

Helga said, "In the health book, it's says it's impossible."

Arnold said, "Impossible?"

Helga said, "That's what I read a couple minutes ago. You guys have a longer refractory period, usually it lasts awhile before you can actually orgasm again."

He asked curiously, "Refractory period, what's that?"

She said, "It takes you longer to recover from an orgasm, where women can just go all night, you guys can't."

Arnold paused a moment, "I may not know anything about orgasms and how they work, but that doesn't seem very fair."

"Try telling Mother Nature that, Football Head. Next!"

He looked down at his paper, to read, "Number five," he winced at the weird question, "Why can't a man... urinate inside a woman? Why would a man want to urinate inside a woman?"

Helga shrugged, "How would I know? I didn't write the quiz."

Arnold didn't enjoy thinking about it, "I hope the answer is no."

Helga nodded, "It says no, but honestly, some weird people are into that stuff."

Arnold groaned, "Okay, can we go to the next question, please?"

Helga said, "No, Football Head, you need to describe why you can't urinate inside of a woman."

"Because it's disgusting," he concluded, at least he wasn't turned on anymore.

Helga said, "Well, yeah it is, but it's because it messes with the PH of the vagina, and you can't do it while your erect because men can't pee when they're turned on. Next!"

Arnold looked down at his paper, and asked, "What causes the penis to become erect: water, blood, or a bone?" He was beginning to feel turned on again just thinking about it.

Helga waited, impatiently, "Well? What's your answer?"

Arnold blushed, looking into her eyes, "A bone?"

Helga smacked her head, "Blood causes it to grow bigger Arnold, blood. Weren't you paying any attention to the video?"

Arnold shivered, his stomach tightening up for some reason. He wasn't sure if it was from talking about it getting bigger, or the fact that blood caused it to get bigger. Either way, he needed to get his mind on something other than what they were talking about. He looked down at his paper and wrote the answer, then asked her, "What is the name of the hormone that makes men, men? Testosterone?" He thought to himself. I must have a lot of testosterone in my body if I feel this on edge all the time. This class is doing nothing but making me uncomfortable.

"Yup. Next!"

Arnold wrote that down, feeling himself shake. He would be so thankful when the quiz was over, "Number eight, does the length of the penis affect intercourse in any meaningful way?"

"No, it doesn't, and you wouldn't have to worry about that if it did," she flirted, battling her eyes at him.

He took a deep breath, feeling very uneasy. He gulped, reading the next question, "What do you call it when a man forces himself on a woman who does not want to have intercourse?" He looked up at her, "Rape?"

Helga nodded, "Yup. Next one?"

Arnold nodded, "Last one," Helga wasn't sure whether he was trying to reassure himself or her that it was almost over. He took a deep breath, and asked, "Why can a man get a woman pregnant even without penetrating her?" He sucked in a breath, "Didn't they... didn't they have that question on the last quiz?"

Helga said, "They want us to practice safe sex, Arnold. Why else would you think they have that question on there twice?"

Arnold grabbed the packet in between them, looking inside curiously, "Is that why they gave us so many condoms?"

Helga blinked, grabbing it from him, "Let me see that thing. Criminy, they even have woman condoms in here? Not happening Hair-Boy! You will wear one of these ten condoms, I won't!"

Arnold asked, exasperated, "But, why do we need these? It's not like we're going to start having sex as soon as we get back to the boarding house!"

Helga shivered at the thought, but said to him, "Yeah, but Planned Parenthood doesn't know that. They'd rather be safe than sorry. Us preteens don't need to get pregnant after all, it will cost them money. By the way, Football Head, hears something Planned Parenthood won't tell you. Condoms are 98% effective, but that's only with perfect use. It's about 85% with typical use, which means 15 out of 100 people using condoms for protection against pregnancy will get pregnant each year. Read it in a textbook once. Thought you might be curious."

"Interesting. Then why only use condoms?"

Helga shrugged, "Some people don't think in the spur of the moment."

Arnold rubbed his arm nervously, "I guess I could understand that." I sure wasn't thinking when I pulled you into the pool control panel…

Helga asked, "Did you even write down that last answer? We've got five minutes of class left!"

Arnold said, "I didn't want to think about it. That's why I changed the subject."

Helga smirked. He doesn't want to think about it, huh? Well, we'll see about that... "What don't you want to think about, Arnold? The fact that one drop of semen near me can get me pregnant?"

Arnold swallowed, "So, the answer is yes?"

"It already says yes in the question." She flirted, "The answer is that your hard rod doesn't have to be inside of me to knock me up, as long as your sperm can get to one of my eggs when you release it, it's already done."

Arnold groaned as he wrote the answer down. He told himself, It's almost over, it's almost over…

Mr. Simmons said, "Okay, class. Pass up the quizzes and as soon as I get them, I'll show the answers on the overhead." The class passed up the quizzes and once Mr. Simmons received them, he turned on the overhead for them to look the answers over.

A few minutes later, the bell rang for the end of school. Mr. Simmons waved at his old class with a smile, "Have a good afternoon, everyone, and a great, productive, and special life!"

Arnold and Helga stuffed everything in their backpacks and got ready to walk out.

Mr. Simmons said to them, "You guys have a wonderful life, and stay safe!"

Arnold walked out as he commented to Helga, "You know, I'm really going to miss Mr. Simmons."

Helga just shrugged in response, ready to go home and relax from the day's events...

---

10:30 PM that night...

Helga and Arnold had eaten dinner. They changed separately, despite previously saying they wanted to see each other naked, and were currently sitting on his bed, the lights were still on.

Helga asked, "Ready for bed?"

Arnold nodded, putting his backpack on the floor, "I'm ready to sleep after today, but I did have one more question to ask you first, if that's okay."

Helga sighed, "What is it now, Arnold-o? Didn't you get all your questions answered in class?"

He said, "Well, yes, you answered all my questions, but there was still one you avoided explaining to me, and it's something I've been curious about."

Helga said, "Well, ask me, Football Head. Better I hear your hormone driven questions than your parents." Man, if his parents knew all the questions he asked me today, I wouldn't have a place to stay! she shivered in nervousness at the thought.

Arnold thought a moment, before saying, "You explained to me you've had orgasms before, right?"

Helga said, "Yeah, I have, and?"

"And... well, I still never got a clear answer from you on how it feels for a guy."

Helga repeated the words she said earlier, "That's because I've never been a guy, Arnold. If you want to understand it, you have to experience it."

Arnold didn't say anything for a moment before replying, "I guess that's the only way I'm going to understand it." He was a bit sad and looked away a moment, in deep thought.

Helga paused a moment, waiting to see if he did anything, before she smacked her head with her left hand, "Oh, criminy, must I show you everything?" She walked over to the door and locked it.

Arnold was speechless for a couple seconds, "Are we going to bed now?" She always locked the door before they fell asleep, but this time, she didn't turn the lights off.

Helga said, "No, Bucko, we aren't. I'm going to answer your question."

Arnold's eyes grew wide, "You're going to... orgasm in front of me?" Just the thought had him shaking with nerves.

She walked over to him, pushing him back against the bed, and getting on top of his hips, "No, you moron, I'm going to show you how it feels for you to have one."

Arnold felt tense, but not from being turned on. He was nervous, scared, worried, and he was concerned about being caught by his parents, "Helga... I, I don't think this is such a good idea. What if we start and we can't stop?"

Helga said, "You want to know how it feels to orgasm, right? Let me show you."

Arnold looked into her eyes in fear. He whispered, honestly, "I'm scared."

Helga backed up a bit, sitting on his waist, "Scared?" she raised an eyebrow, "Of what?"

He noticed her dress riding up as she was sitting on his hips, and he could see the top of her legs. He took a shaky breath. Concentrate, concentrate… He tried to think with reasoning, "I'm… worried it's going to hurt, or I'm going to be too loud. I'm worried we're going to get caught, or you're going to get thrown out. I've never done anything like this before." It was the strangest feeling for him, wanting to do something so badly, but holding himself back from doing it.

She said, "Don't you want to learn how to get rid of that intense feeling that's been bothering you lately?"

"Sure, of course, but I just," he breathed deeply. What was he doing and what was he saying? He couldn't do this, could he?

Helga noticed the pained look in his expression, his eyes closed. She took his hands to entangle them in hers and met his eyes when he looked into hers, "Look, how about this? Let's start off simple."

"Simple?" He breathed, nervously.

Helga nodded, "Let's just kiss right now, no funny stuff. We'll see what happens. Sound good?"

Arnold breathed a sigh in relief. That was one thing he knew they could do without getting in trouble: kiss. She met his lips gently. It was... so soft, so pure. This kiss was so much gentler than all their previous kisses. It was slow, passionate, and full of nothing but love from her. She was taking it slow, for him.

Helga slowly deepened the kiss, trying to take it slow for Arnold's sake, since he seemed so nervous. She met his tongue with hers, slowly moving it clockwise against his, swapping saliva, and breathing softly.

Arnold began to relax into the kiss, meeting her tongue with every turn inside his mouth. He put his arms around her as she Frenched him deeper. He groaned in her throat, his nervousness was starting to go away.

Helga took the next step, running her curious hands down his side until it reached his hips. Her tongue moved out of his mouth from Frenching him, to try something different. She moved her lips closer to his again, to bite down on his lower lip gently, and then suck on it.

He groaned, not expecting it at all. It was a weird feeling. Even though her biting him probably drew blood and hurt his lower lip, his whole body shook. He took the back of her neck to pull her mouth closer, to start Frenching her again.

Helga dueled tongues with him for a few moments before backing out of his mouth for a second time. She wanted to try something else to get him less nervous and lowered her head down under his chin to run soft and quick kisses on his neck.

Arnold felt tension building up at her simple actions, and closed his eyes, trying not to make any sounds that might alert his parents to what was going on in his room.

Helga kissed a few more times, before opening her mouth, and biting lightly on the skin of his neck.

He moaned loudly, he didn't know if it was from the pain or not. If it was supposed to feel painful, it certainly didn't feel painful. He reached for her face to bring it up to his. He looked into her pupils with his big pupils, and whispered to her, "What are you doing to me? You're driving me insane."

She knew exactly what she was doing. She whispered hoarsely, "That's the point." And she met his lips again, moaning in his mouth. She was losing her control as well.

Arnold was ready for her to keep good on her promise, show him what an orgasm felt like, when a knock on the door stopped his thoughts.

Helga broke the kiss and put a finger over his mouth. She whispered, very low, "Don't... say... a word."

Arnold nodded, looking at her.

Stella replied from the other side, "Arnold, Helga, why do you both have the door locked? I was just checking on you both. I noticed your lights still on, and it's almost eleven, you guys have school tomorrow."

Helga knew Arnold wasn't good at lying, and he looked too affected by her kisses to say anything useful, so she replied to Stella, "Sorry, Mrs. Shortman. We both fell asleep and forgot to turn the lights out."

Stella said, "Okay, Helga. Just turn the lights out for me and unlock the door, sweetie. Is Arnold asleep?"

Helga gave him a stern look before replying, "He's asleep."

Stella said, "Let him know in the morning that we went to work if we're not here. We got the job with Helpers for Humanity, but it's night shift right now. We might not be back until eight."

Helga calmly replied, "I'll let him know, good night."

"Good night, Helga. I love you." And with that, she left.

Helga blinked, completely shocked at the last three words she heard Stella say. She loves me! She loves me! I disrupt her life, eat her food, sleep next to her son, show no respect for anyone around here, and she loves me. I lie, argue, yell and scream about minor stuff all the time, and she loves me? And... and I'm doing this in her house with Arnold? I can't do this anymore! I can't be the person that I've been being but… how do I change? She truly wanted to change, but she was at a loss how she could. She had tried for years with no success. She was disturbed with herself and upset that she was risking losing the one thing she had all because of her attitude, and because of the physical relationship she was developing with Arnold. No more, Helga. That's it! You're not going to treat people like this anymore…

But, how…?

She got off Arnold, walked over to turn out the lights, unlocked the door, and then laid next to him on her back, not touching him. She was trying to think back on all the cognitive behavior therapy papers she received from Dr. Bliss, but deep down, she knew they wouldn't work. She had tried it already…

The only thing she had ever wanted to hear from anybody in her life was that they loved her, and now that she had heard it, she was speechless. She felt dirty, ashamed, wrong...!

Arnold replied softly beside her, "Helga, are you okay?"

Helga was silent, "Good night, Arnold."

He said, "You're going to bed?"

She said, "We were almost caught. Did you want to continue and have me thrown out?"

Arnold admitted in a whisper, "Well, no, but I don't think I can fall asleep if you don't." I might have to do something at this point...

Helga whispered back, "Your parents are walking around the house, you can't go to the bathroom and take care of it, and we can't be doing stuff up here either, what if they hear us? What if they know what you're doing? Besides, I just told them you're asleep."

Arnold took a breath. He was extremely tense, but he also didn't need Helga to become homeless because of his actions. Why was the line suddenly blurred between right and wrong? He didn't want to stop at this point. "I don't know what else to do, I won't be able to fall asleep, feeling like this."

Helga whispered, "I'm sorry, can you just... I don't know... deal with it tonight? Just go to sleep; you'll feel better in the morning."

He sighed, uncomfortable, "I'll... I'll try, Helga." He felt his stomach tightening; his body wouldn't calm down. I must stop shaking if I want to sleep tonight... but he couldn't stop thinking about her teeth on his neck, her hand on his hips, her slow passionate kisses.

He could fall asleep like this, right? At the very least, he could do it for his girlfriend, right? He had never felt so… uneasy.

Sleep finally overtook him, an hour later, after much tossing and turning...