(Sorry, I want to get this story out of the way to start on my sequel )

…..

…..

The rest of the year went off without a hitch. Arnold and Helga were in almost constant contact. Graduation was a couple of days away, then Arnold found out he could get to Hillwood in time to see Helga graduate. Their graduation was two days after his. IF he skipped the party with his friends here.

"No way, man!" Steven said. "You have to come with us! Party it up hard for the last time. With. Us."

"I'm with Steven," Alix said. "We might not see you for years after grad!"

"Stay with your friends, Arnold," Helga had said, when he spoke to her about it. "All you'll be missing is glares and boring speeches. If I could avoid it I would."

So he decided to stay.

"How's the whole Lucas problem?" he asked.

"Meh, cops had a talk to him, haven't had a problem since," she told him. "There's coming on strong, then stalking. Even Brainy was shocked. And that's Brainy!"

Arnold laughed.

"Rhonda isn't talking to me though, but no big loss," she said.

"Tell Arnold I say hi," he heard someone say in the background. Helga sighed.

"Lila say's hi," she told him.

"So you two are talking again?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's not our fault our parents are horn dogs," she said.

"Eww, Helga, yuck! don't talk about them like that! Oh, god! I'm having flashbacks. Thankyou just ever so much!" he could hear Lila yelling in the background, and laughter. "It's not funny, Phoebe!"

He didn't hear what Phoebe said, but Helga burst out laughing.

"You had to have been there!" she told him.

Clarissa approached him the morning of graduation.

"Hi, Arnold," she said, quietly.

"Hey," he said, picking up his cap. He went to walk away.

"Arnold, please!" she said, grabbing his arm. He flinched. "I'm sorry. I should have just accepted the break up in the beginning instead of prolonging the agony."

He didn't say anything, but turned to face her. Polite, but not nice, he told himself.

"I want you to forgive me," she said. "I don't want to walk away from all this knowing that you hate me."

"I don't hate you," Arnold said, sighing. "But I don't care for you the way you want me too. I never will."

"You don't know that," she said.

Arnold sighed in frustration and started to walk away.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, grabbing his arm.

"I forgive you, no I don't think we can be friends, have a good life I hope it all works out well for you," Arnold said to her, pulling his arm away. "Goodbye Clarissa."

…...

The Graduation ceremony was as boring as Arnold thought it would be. He looked around. No one was really paying attention to the speeches going on in front of them. Some were on their phones, one guy looked like he had gone to sleep, and Steven and Alix were whispering away. Regan was on his phone. Riley was the only one who seemed to be paying attention. There was clapping all of a sudden and everyone clapped.

The valedictorian, a.k.a Goody-Two-Shoes of the school, got up at last and smirked at everyone.

"Fuck you all!" he said. That got everyone's attention. "You were all a pack of dicks and bitches and I cant wait to get away from you. All of you and -"

The principal seemed to finally get over her shock and jumped up, pulling her away from the mic and dragging him off stage.

Everyone was in shock, then someone started laughing. Everyone was whispering and talking, hardly believing what had just happened.

"Calm down, everybody please, calm down," the Principal said, coming back on stage.

"Well, it will definitely be memorable," Regan said to Arnold.

"I'll say. Has anything like this ever happened before?" he asked.

Regan shrugged.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch. Then came the time to get their certificates. When Arnold went up, he looked out and saw not just his parents, but his grandfather there too. He smiled, even though he felt a small pang in his heart.

He wished his grandma could have been there.

…...

"Wow, they went all out for the party, huh?" Riley said, taking a sip from his drink and looking around. There was a banner saying "We're Fucking Outta Here, Seniors!" hanging above the door.

Cally, who was throwing the party, was one of the better off students at their school. Legend had it that no private school would take her. But she always seemed nice, so people who knew her didn't believe it. Arnold didn't, but kept his distance. Lately he had noticed a few girls flirting and trying to hang around with him. He had a feeling Clarissa had something to do with it, seeing as how two of the five girls were friends of hers. What was she up to?

Arnold shook his head, trying to get her out of his head, but he couldn't help it. He looked over and saw her staring at him, while one of her friends whispered in her ear.

"Drink?" a girl asked, handing Arnold a drink, then walking away.

"Thanks!" he called out, completely missing who it was.

"What's up with you, man?" Riley asked.

"She's freaking me out," Arnold said, looking Clarissa's way. She smiled and waved to him. He took a sip of his drink, then stopped, looking at it. Was he being paranoid? Of course he was. Some random girl gives him a drink and he's thinking maybe Clarissa has put something in it. Like cyanide. He laughed. Helga's wild imagination must be rubbing off on him. She always came up with the craziest ideas. She'd make a great fiction writer.

He smiled thinking of her. He wondered how her graduation preparations were going. Hers was the day after tomorrow. He made a snap decision.

"Here," he said, handing his drink to Riley. "I'm heading home. I want to get to Hillwood to see my girlfriend graduate."

"What? Your leaving?" Steven asked, coming up behind him.

"Yeah. Sorry guys, I love you guys, and maybe we can catch up over summer, but I really want to be there for Helga," he told them.

"We'll do a road trip to you, then another to somewhere else," Steven said. "Like Mexico."

Alix came forward and gave him a hug.

"I hope it all works out well for you," she said. "Tell Helga I say hi."

"Yeah man," Steven said, also giving him a hug. "I'll miss you too"

He got guy hugs from Riley and Regan, and they walked out with him.

"Where are you going?" Clarissa's voice rang out.

"Home," Arnold said. "See ya guys".

…...

"What are you doing home?" Stella asked in surprise as her son walked through the door.

"Getting ready to go to Hillwood," he told her, racing up the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Miles asked. "We don't leave til after the weekend."

"I want to be there to see Helga graduate, dad," he told them.

"I'm not sure you'll make it on time," Stella told him.

"Gonna try," he said, coming back down. He disappeared out the door. He almost ran right into Steven and Alix. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Road trip," Regan said simply. "Man, we're not letting you go all that way on your own."

"Are you serious? After what happened that last time we were all there?" he asked.

"All the more reason you'll need some back up," Regan said.

"Shotgun!" Riley yelled, running off to get in the car.

"What's up with him?" Arnold asked.

"Let's put it this way: it was a good thing you didn't drink that drink you were given," Steven said. "I think there was e in it or something. About ten minutes ago he started making out with the back seat."

They laughed.

"He's going to be so sick, soon," Alix said. "Maybe he should take the front. I don't want to be stuck in the back with him if he throws up."

Just as she finished saying that they saw him hurl. Regan and Arnold rushed over to help him, so he didn't collapse in it.

"What's going on?' Stella asked, coming out. She went rushing over to Riley as well.

"We think his drink was spiked at the party. If it makes you feel any better we think it was meant for Arnold," Steven said, sauntering up.

"Why would someone spike Arnolds drink?" Stella asked, looking at Riley with concern. "Bring him inside."

Arnold and Regan carried him up the stairs and into the house. He looked at his watch. He needed to go if he wanted to be on time.

"Clarissa," Alix said. "She spiked it to get you in an amorous mood. She wanted to get you alone for "sin", and was going to take photos and a video and send them to Helga."

Everyone looked at her in shock.

"Why?" Stella asked. "What is wrong with her? She seemed like such a nice girl."

"She was until the Lacey incident happened," Regan pointed out. "After that . . . she went crazy or something."

Stella shook her head. "I'll look after him," she told them. "Continue with whatever you were going to do."

"Road trip!" Steven called out.

"No, no road trip. I need to get there before the graduation. Not after," Arnold said.

"And you will, my man," Steven said. "Let's go!"

…...

"That was the most uneventful road trip ever!" Steven cried, slamming his door. "Nothing happened!"

He turned and pointed at Arnold.

"This is your fault!" he yelled.

Arnold ignored him and entered the school. The others followed nervously. When they finally made it to the hall they saw it was packed.

"Can I help you?" a voice asked from behind them.

"Um, yeah, our friend is graduating today," Arnold said.

"And you?" the woman asked.

"Oh, we graduated the other day," Steven said.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Did you reserve seats?" she asked.

The group shook their heads. The woman sighed.

"Well, you'll have to stand at the back, then," she said. She narrowed her eyes at them. "I want no trouble." she warned. They all nodded then looked back to the stage. He'd made it on time to see the certificate handing out. The were only up to H. he watched as Phoebe, Gerald, Rhonda, and a few others he knew went up and got their certificates. He saw that Gerald had obviously seen them, because he stared straight at Arnold. Arnold raised his hand in greeting. Gerald smiled.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Helga got up on stage, and looked straight to the back and beamed and waved. Arnold waved back. Gerald must have let her know he was there.

…...

"Mm mm mm, I can't believe the balls you and your friends have, man," Gerald said, walking up to him.

Arnold shrugged. Then something big and heavy and fast hit him, and he stumbled backwards, realising suddenly that he was suffocating. Then it pulled back and he was looking into the bright blue eyes of Helga.

"I cant believe you came!" she shouted, kissing him, then going back to hugging him so tightly. Phoebe and Lila came over and stood by, watching it all unfold.

"Did you really think I'd miss this?" he asked.

"I missed yours," she said, sniffing.

"Are you crying?" he asked pulling back.

She nodded.

"I love you," he said, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, too!" she shouted. "I love you, love you, love you!"

"Naww, do you love me, Steven?" Alix asked, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yeah, I suppose," he said. Alix hit him in the shoulder. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Being a boy."

…...

Helga was in her wardrobe looking for something to wear to the graduation party that night. Rhonda, party girl extraordinaire was hosting.

"I have to at least show my face for a little bit, then we can meet up with your friends and do something else if you like," Helga said. "I'll bring Lila. She's single at the moment. She can keep Regan company."

Arnold nodded, sitting at her desk and looking at the papers there. He saw four acceptance letters, but it was the one under the NYU letter that caught his attention. He pulled it out and looked at it. Then saw another one that was sitting there.

It was from the arts schools, one in Paris one in England. He looked over at Helga. She had been accepted to both? But when he looked at the NYU letters, he saw she had filled out the confirmation of her attendance there.

Arnold couldn't believe it. She was giving up Europe for him?

A horrible feeling of guilt stung him in the heart.

"What do you think?" he heard her ask, as she came out and twirled around for him. She was smiling, but stopped when she saw what was in his hands.

"Arnold-"

"Don't go to NYU just for me," he said.

"What? I'm not," she said.

"You got accepted to so many places," he said in wonder.

"Yeah, and requested," she told him.

He looked at her, askance.

"This one performing arts school, it's in New York. You don't apply to them, they apply to you. It's run by some old French actress slash songstress slah ballerina or something," she told him, waving her hand. "Apparently her son goes around recruiting. It was bizarre, I went to the audition for her school, seriously, she auditions people, heard nothing, not a hi how are you, goodbye your not wanted, so assumed she didn't like me. Then I get a letter yesterday telling me, not asking me, telling me that I have to report to her school on a certain date, a list of rules and regulations and a date for fees to be paid by."

"Really?" Arnold asked.

"Really," Helga confirmed. "So weird."

Arnold was quiet for a moment. Then asked "What are you going to do?"

"Come to NYU with you," she said.

"Is that really what you want?" he asked. Helga looked away, then back at him. "Honestly, Helga. Is it?"

"No."

Arnold nodded. "So, New York, France or England?"

Helga walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Arnold. I always have and I know I always will," she said, giving him a kiss. "If I'm honest, I want to go to France."

Arnold felt like his heart was breaking.

"This other one in New York, is fine, but they only focus on performing arts," she told him. "There's more to me than just that! But let's not think about it now."

Arnold nodded and got up, following her out of her room, down the stairs and out the door. He noticed Helga didn't even say good bye to her parents.

…...

They showed up at Rhonda's for a little while, mingled, Arnold caught up with old friends again. Some completely ignored him, Rhonda glared, but got over it quick enough when a cute guy passed her by. He noted that Helga didn't drink, and followed her example. After a couple of hours they left, dragging Lila with them. She felt embarrassed being set up, but was glad they did it in the end. Her and Regan hit it off instantly. Meeting up with his friends and go to a club, where they danced til the early morning. Arnold and Helga snuck up to his room. Arnold took his time, enjoying her. Because he had come to a decision he didn't want to come to, but he couldn't tell her he loved her, then keep her caged. As they laid there, Helga drifting off to sleep, he simply said "Go."

"What? Your kicking me out?" she asked, confused.

"No. to France. If that's really what you want to do," he told her.

"Really?" she asked, laying her head on his chest.

"Yeah."

Helga was quiet for a long time before she finally answered.

"Thankyou."

And they fell asleep.