Hello everyone! Thank you for all your support and reviews for "Hey Helga". Were almost to the end! Summer's here for me so now I should be able to update soon after each chapter! Sorry for the delay!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Arnold…poo.

Chapter 12: "Mixed Contemplations"

"Helga?" Arnold asked again nervously.

Maybe bringing it up was a bad idea…

"I'm here football head!" Helga responded angrily.

"Ok? So…did you mean it?"

More silence.

"Helga—."

"I told you once, already. It was the heat of the moment…and…I was just…afraid." Helga responded unusual. Like she was hiding something.

"Afraid of what?"

"Nothing! Ok? Since when are you so worried about my past anyway?"

"Since you kissed me and now…nothing makes sense!" he admitted sadly. It was true. Nothing did make sense. But it wasn't just the unexplainable kiss that started it. Arnold was feeling confused before then.

"Can you stop saying that word?" Helga burst out suddenly.

"What word?"

"You know…kiss?"

"Well, why did you? Let me guess. Heat of the moment?" Arnold asked in suspicion.

"Yeah…right! It was the heat of the moment…and…" he heard her trail off.

"And…that's why you kissed me?" he continued hoping the truth would surface at some point.

Why wont she just tell me the truth?

"Yes! Exactly!"

"Even though…you hate me?" Arnold asked slowly, running out of hope.

"Look, I don't feel like discussing it anymore ok? Gosh football head, when will you learn enough is enough?"

"When you tell me the truth! I'm not giving up on this Helga. Not until you tell me the real reason. I know your hiding something. And for some reason, you wont tell me. And I wish you would because…" he trailed off suddenly. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

Tell her the truth! Tell her how you really feel…

"Now who's the one with the secrets?" Helga retorted quietly. She must have thought he wouldn't have heard her.

"Because when you're nice Helga…you're actually…fun to be around." He couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Arnoldo, I don't know why you keep trying, I'm not—."

"You are nice. I know you are. You're just afraid to show your true feelings. I don't know why, but I wish you could. When you're ready to tell me the truth, the real truth, let me know. Ok? Bye Helga."

There was a pause. But he wouldn't hang up until he had an answer.

"Later football head." Football head. The way she said it was different. There was no anger behind it. Instead there was something else. It sounded like…sorrow.


"Arnold, please! Will you give up on that woman? Helga's not gonna change!" Gerald looked over at his best friend from playing his Pretendo Gamsphere. Arnold layed on his back, looking up at the stars from his bed. It was moments like this that his skyline was the only thing that he understood.

"No Gerald. I cant. She's hiding something and I've got to know what it is." Arnold said determined.

"Ok. You're startin' to freak me out. I mean c'mon, this is Helga were talkin' about." He laughed trying to fight a pirate on the screen.

"Yeah…so…" Arnold stared at the moon and remembered how it looked that night on their…group gathering.

"Ok, I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that, buddy." He continued to sword slash with the pirate in the game.

"Ooh! Take that!" Gerald screamed at the screen.

"Hey Gerald, if I ask you something…can you promise not to…lose it?" Arnold boldly asked carefully, hoping to not to upset his friend.

But Gerald's my best friend! And this is my choice…he should be supportive of meno matter what.

"Yea. Sup?"

"Well…when did you know…how you…felt about…Phoebe?"

"Oh. I don't remember. I think I always kinda liked her I guess. I remember flirting with her a lot back when we were younger…why what's up?"

"No reason…" Arnold lied quickly. He felt bad. Asking Grandpa for advice was one thing. But Gerald had always stood by him through anything. So why was this so hard to talk to him about?

"Oh, I know. Arnold's gotta crush! Ok dude, dish it." He said shutting off the game for his troubled friend.

"Gerald, it's not like that." Arnold chuckled nervously.

Wasn't it though? He thought.

Oh…no…

"Ok, so why else would you ask for advice?" Gerald asked clueless.

"Just thinking…so what are we gonna do for a graduation party?" Arnold sat up changing the subject abruptly.

"Uh-uh. What was it you wanted to know?" Gerald avoided Arnold's diversion.

"Gerald, I don't want to…"

"C'mon. I'm ya' best friend. You can tell me anything. Just tell me what's eatin' you."

"No…matter how crazy and twisted it seems?" Arnold gulped in embarrassment.

Why is this so hard for me?

"Okaay…that depends, but sure. Try me." Gerald smiled as he joked.

"Well, ok. I have to be honest with you first…remember the other day, when I said, I left Wartz's office, and…nothing else happened?"

"Yeah, ok?" Gerald said confused.

"Well something…did. I ran into Helga and—."

"Aw man, every story with that chick has to have a bad ending."

"Gerald, please?"

"My bad. Continue."

"Well, we talked and then…she…she…"

"She hit you?"

"No."

"She shoved you in the locker?"

"Gerald, no."

"Ok, so what?"

"She…kissed…me." Arnold waited for an angry explosion. But it never occurred. Gerald sat there in a daze. It took only a few seconds before Gerald was doubled over in hysterical laughter.

"Aaaahahahahahaha!" Gerald wailed on, now falling on to the floor.

"Gerald, it's not funny." Arnold chuckled with slight relief, still confused by his reaction.

"Yes…it….hahaha…is…Helga…kissed….hahahha…woooooohahaha.." he pointed at Arnold to say 'you', as his laughter would not allow him to say it.

Now Arnold was becoming offended.

"Ok. That's enough. So, what now?"

"What do…ha ha…you mean?" Gerald asked in between deep chest pains of amusement.

"I mean, what do I do?" Arnold asked seriously.

"What do you mean, 'what do you do'? It's not even a big deal." He laughed.

"Gerald, I'm serious."

"Wait. You're jokin'…" Gerald's laughter began to subside as a strange glance took over his face.

"You're not playin? This really happened?" Gerald's face fell seriously rather quickly.

"Yes. Trust me. I wouldn't joke about that…"

"Oh man. This is worse than I thought. What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you!" Arnold exclaimed.

"So…I gotta ask…how…was it?"

"Well, she was being mean as usual."

"Na, na. The kiss?" Gerald smirked, doing his best to hold back more laughter.

"T-the kiss?" Arnold felt his face turn hot.

"Don't tell me. Now you have nightmares?" Gerald snickered no longer able to hold it together.

"Uh…well…um.."

"Arnold…stop man. Tell me the truth. Tell me you didn't like the kiss." Gerald's face studied Arnold for at least a good minute.

"Gerald," He began nervously.

"Arnold. Ya' scarin me, man. Tell me the truth."

"T-the truth is…"

What is the truth? Why didn't I stop her? What's wrong with me? He screamed in his head.

"Arnold!"

"I…don't know, Gerald. It wasn't…bad. I guess…I didn't stop her if that's what you're asking. But it was kind of a shock."

Why is it so hot in here all of a sudden?

"Arnold? You like Helga. Don't you." Gerald looked at him disappointed. But was he? How could he be?

"Helga's my friend, of course I…like her…" he couldn't look his friend in the face. Embarrassment washed over him at the sound of his own statement.

"You know what I mean, man. Do you like her, like her…?" Gerald asked carefully as if he was afraid of the answer.

Tell him no! Tell him no!

But was that the truth?

Of course it is! Tell him, NO!

Arnold's face was as beat red as his flannel shirt.

"Gosh, Gerald what are we? In fourth grade all over again?" he chuckled nervously. He knew Gerald could see right through him.

"So…ya' not gonna tell me?" Gerald sat there on the floor cross legged waiting for his friend's answer.

"Gerald, I already told you. Helga's my…friend." Arnold had no other response besides "just friends" and he knew it. He knew he wasn't lying. At least his brain didn't think so. Then why did hid stomach feel like it was doing back flips, as if he had told a lie?

I think I have eaten too much of Grandma's cooking.

"Look man. You do, you do. If you don't, you don't. I don't care…Ok," he rolled his eyes.

"Maybe just a lil' bit because it's Helga. But I'm your friend. And I'll be your friend no matter what." He smiled a genuine smile at his blonde best friend. "So for the last time…will you please just tell me the truth. You like this crazy chick or not?"

Arnold took a long silent pause before he mustered up the courage to answer Gerald's question the best he knew how.

"Honestly, Gerald?…I…I don't know." He didn't know what he felt.

"Well, you might wanna rethink that. I saw her today and she was…not too happy."

A/N: What's gonna happen next? Tune in next time boys and girls! Review!