A/N:
Hey there, guys :D Wow, I haven't updated for six weeks? I'm sorry ^^;; I've just been crazy busy and also these chapters still manage to take FOREVER XDXD Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this latest LTBH installment : 3 Oh and btw, at the end of the last chapter, a little bit after it was published I added a small paragraph to the Gerald/Phoebe stuff. You can find an explanation about it in the "Second A/N" at the top of the chapter page ;)
Also, before we start, I'd like to give a special thank you to NintendoGal55, KasuKAPL and BrokenRose. They were really helpful and supportive about something that happened with the last chapter of this fic, and I appreciate it with all of my heart. And extra hugs to NintendoGal who probably caught the brunt of some stuff about all of this, and who's been sweet enough to put up with me and my basketcase-ness. ^w^ Thank you, and thank all of you girls!
Alright, let's get to it, shall we then ;) Read and review please! Thank you!
LEARNING TO BE HELGA
Chapter 21:
For Better or Worse
Lunchtime. Recess.
A total of a full hour of nothing but social interaction.
And Arnold and Helga were center stage…for better or worse.
"Hey, Helga! I like your new hairstyle. I almost didn't recognize you. It's really pretty."
Helga just let out a good-natured sigh and tried not to get too annoyed at yet another compliment on her hair this morning (the first had come from Sheena on the way to lunch and then Eugene when they had all finally entered the cafeteria…and now it appeared to be Nadine's turn). It wasn't that Helga didn't enjoy these few words of praise that she had been getting today from these few classmates about her new look (hey, they beat out the strange secretive whispers she kept seeing half the guys in the class engaging in while pointing at her and Arnold and sometimes in the direction of her old desk near where Lila and Brainy were). But the point was that Helga really didn't like being the center of attention, at least considering the circumstances of this day…
But of course, she wasn't about to blow up at a person genuinely trying to be nice to her just because she was having a stressful day. And so, Helga just glanced up at Nadine from her place sitting alone (for now) at a lunch table and did her best to smile at her and reply appreciatively, "Uh…thanks, Nadine. Just, uh…going for a shift in the Helga G. Pataki image." She gave a small shrug and nervously brushed a strand of hair behind one of her ears.
Nadine just smiled warmly and nodded. "You're welcome, Helga." And then she went over to her usual table to join Rhonda and some others.
Upon Nadine's departure, Helga let out a breath and slouched down in her seat, rubbing her temples and mumbling to herself with her eyes closed. "I'm going to need a sedative after this day, aren't I? Or at least a serious nap…or a permanent vacation to the funny farm for not only coming up with but actually GOING THROUGH with a stunt like this! Going public with my soft, mushy, good-hearted center, complete with my feelings for Arnold as the icing on the cake!" She moaned slightly to herself. "I am either ridiculously brave or ridiculously stupid, aren't I?"
"I'd…go with the first one, Helga. Like I said once, you're the bravest person I know…" suddenly came as a warm response in a familiar voice to Helga's rhetorical question to herself.
Her eyes opened and she let out another breath and sat up straight again, glancing at up her beloved's smiling face as he stood right beside her now, two full lunch trays in his hands (his and hers…She had told him several times upon arriving here that she was more than capable of getting her own lunch, upon which he had told her more than several times right back that he had been practically pining away for weeks to be allowed to act like her boyfriend in school, so if she wasn't going to let him carry her books or pull out chairs for her or open her locker door for her or let him scoop her up in his arms to carry her on an off the bus each day—all requests he had made via little notes in class today and all requests that had been denied—the least she could let him do is get her lunch just like Phoebe might have done any other time, to which Helga had finally agreed) . "Hey, Arnold…" Helga addressed him now in a casual voice, "…catching me in the middle of talking to myself again, I see. And after four weeks are you sure my little one woman conversations still aren't freaking you out?" She gave him a half smile.
Arnold just shrugged, half smiling right back at her as he sat down in the chair beside her and placed their respective trays in front of each other…and a single carton of chocolate milk between them. "Actually, they always make me smile. I like getting to hear what you're thinking every once in a while, Helga. It's fun." He grinned fully now, warmth in his obviously enchanted eyes.
Helga couldn't help but roll her eyes and almost chuckle at his response as she picked up a spork and did her best to try and take a bite or two of her food, though she wasn't really feeling in the mood to stomach much of anything today. "You know, I still say you're even more of a loon than I am, Arnoldo—I might come up with all the crazy stuff I do and say but you're the one who's always just pleasantly okay with it." She smiled to herself and turned her own warm eyes upon him now. "You seriously need to explain to me in detail one of these days the logic behind how the heck it is again that me loving you actually managed to make you happy instead of freaking you out beyond all reason like it looked like it was going to do at the beginning there." She smirked a little as she finished.
Helga was met with Arnold just laughing to himself a little and giving a little shrug as he picked up his own spork to start in on his own lunch, though he was more interested in being with and talking with her at the moment than eating the last day of cafeteria leftovers. "Hmm…" he started just a little playfully, "…well, not to give too much away about your anniversary surprises and presents but…after tonight I think you'll definitely understand what it is about you that makes you so impossible not to love…" His eyes went a little half lidded, just a little sultry looking... But then, reigning in the flirting for now, considering that they really were in a rather crowded cafeteria and also the center of attention for the fourth grade for today, Arnold let out a breath and his normal smile returned and he turned his eyes to his tray and began to play with some peas and mashed potatoes. "For now though…why don't we just worry about lunch, okay?" He glanced over and gave her a wink, unable to help at least doing that.
Helga just sighed and smiled and tried not to blush too much at all of his adorableness, and then glanced to the chocolate milk cartoon between them…and couldn't help blushing a little a the fact that her beloved had prepared the single beverage with two straws as per her suggestion to him this morning (and one of them was even a bendy straw which Helga hadn't even had to especially ask him to get since he knew her and her tastes so well, she noticed with an impressed glance). "Whatever floats your boat, Football Head…" she replied in her own little playful and coy way. She leaned forward took a sip from the carton and then added in a slightly more sassy voice and with a grin at him, "But quit dangling these anniversary surprises in front of my nose, already! I know you're enjoying finally having a secret from me for a change, but I'm already anxious enough about today without having to worry about what nutty romantic plan you've come up with the sweep me off my feet tonight." She gave him a little elbow nudge, her playful grin picking up a little on one side as she added, "Heck, on our last anniversary you practically gave me a heart attack by sneaking into my room, then put me through a major emotional crisis, then made me guide you out of a major emotional crisis, and THEN nearly gave me pass out from elation when you came back to finish up the night! And all of that was just for celebrating one week together. I shudder to think what that wide head of yours has been cooking up to celebrate our first blissful month of love!" She laughed, barely making an effort to hide it behind her hand, and mostly doing that just to bug and tease him a little more as she added with a slight roll of her eyes, "Are we gonna elope or something?"
"Mmm mmm…!" Arnold, who had gone for a bite of his mystery meat right before that last humorous observation of hers, had to clear his throat as he was now choking on the mouthful of 'meat' he had managed to take in though not successfully to swallow as her comment fully processed. He picked up his napkin and dabbed it at his mouth and just tried to play it cool.
Helga blinked at his slight bout of intense coughing and then a touch of worry came to her face. "You okay, Arnold?" she asked in concern.
Finishing up clearing his throat, Arnold gave a small nervous nod and then put down his napkin and took a sip of their milk to clear his throat (feeling a little bubble of giddiness come over him at actually getting to share a drink with Helga in public WITHOUT some shame of a platonic excuse to cover up the romanticness of it all), upon which he let out a breath and looked at her again, a funny smile threatening to come to his face. "Uh…yeah. No problem. Heh, mystery meat's always so dry. Thanks, Helga. A-And, elope?" He rolled his eyes with an almost amused grin now and shook his head a little. "No, not quite yet, Helga." He winked and she giggled, and then, feeling calm once again, he smiled appreciatively at her and then went on much more casually and sweetly, "And, um…as for tonight… I'm just…going to do my best for your a-and hope the whole time that nothing happens to mess anything up." He smiled a little sheepishly in his slight nervousness about making tonight really perfect for her, but then had to add appreciatively, "And I'm really glad you let me take care of everything tonight in secret as part of my present to you…" He reached over and lifted up her hand slightly, causing her to blush. "It really was a lot of fun planning everything out…I've never had an anniversary with someone as big as this one…and it was nice to work on something special to make you happy, Helga." He let out a small sigh and then softly and quickly kissed the back of her hand before dropping it gently to the tabletop once more and returning to playing with his, all the while utterly thrilling inside about having done something like that with her public!)
Helga was paralyzed at first: handhold, hand kiss, public… And yet…despite the fact that not too long ago she was sure that if Arnold had showed her such blatant affection in public or vice versa she would have died from humiliation, instead Helga right now just felt a warmth and happiness come over her at his small kiss…maybe there was a vague awareness there too that the outside world might be observing them for all she knew, but otherwise…she felt very good and okay. Indeed, somewhere along the line of their courtship, being happy with Arnold had genuinely shifted to a place of greater importance to Helga than her false pride or social fears. Helga sighed internally, feeling so very just…blissful. 'Wonders never do cease do they?' And then she did her best to resume eating…and to hide her slight blushing underneath her hair. Glancing out of the corner of her eye at her beloved she couldn't help but notice that not only was he glancing at her as well as he went back to eating a little, but that he was blushing just a bit right along with her. And in this moment, as in several so far this morning, Helga felt perfectly very grateful for about the millionth time today that Arnold was here to share in this 'coming out' experience with her.
"Hey guys, how's taking 'Helga and Arnold' public treating you so far?" Gerald asked with a smile, interrupting the afterglow of the Arnold/Helga moment as he and Phoebe, both with full cafeteria trays of their own, approached the table and took seats on the other side of it to join their best friends.
Helga just sighed at the tender moment being interrupted and rolled her eyes at Gerald before looking to him and responding to his question. "Well, let's see—the entire female population of our class plus Eugene officially has an unhealthy obsession with my hair, Sid and Stinky caught me holding Football Head's hand coming up the hall this morning and before they knew it was me I think Sid was trying to come on to me, I'm pretty sure I'm deaf from the amount of snickering from the guys that went on behind us during Simmons' class when I was sitting next to Arnoldo, oh and Rhonda informed me just before she took her seat this morning that she's circling overhead to swoop in for the kill, on top of which I think she's actually taking the whole 'me and Arnold' thing personally for reasons far beyond the comprehension of those of us who haven't fried our brains with hairspray and highlights for the last decade!" She smiled with sarcastic over enthusiasm as she finished, swinging a fist through the air, "And the day's barely half done, guys! Isn't that exciting?" She glanced at the three other members of her table, feigning brightness and excitement in her eyes, and then she pushed her barely eaten lunch tray away and lay her head down on her arms on the tabletop with a dramatic sigh, just needing a minute to let all of this chaos that she had gotten herself into absorb yet again.
From across the table Phoebe frowned and paused in eating her own lunch for a moment. "Helga…" she started in consolation, "Please don't worry. If it's any consolation I think you're doing a wonderful job of sharing your and Arnold's relationship with our classmates. The worst part of it with your initial revelation of the truth is over with and now I'm certain that things will only get better." She smiled encouragingly.
Helga sighed once more and popped her head back up, resting her chin in one of her palms. "Actually, Phoebe, with the few other 'honest' things I've got planned to do for today, things are pretty much guaranteed to get worse before they get better…" Seeing Phoebe's look of concern grow, Helga smiled at her best friend and added reassuringly, "Don't worry about it though, Pheebs—I've been mentally preparing for this for a few days now and I'm ready to face whatever the world can dish out. Oh and thanks for trying to help back in the classroom by the way when Rhonda started interrogating me…" She glanced at Gerald, likewise with a smile, "And thank you too, hair boy…I appreciate the effort. I only told you to stop though because I don't want to drag anyone else into this today who doesn't have to be in it, and also I…I think it might be important for me to kind of handle this stuff on my own—you know, face the consequences and see for real that my world actually isn't going to end if my love for Arnold becomes public knowledge…" Helga did her best to recall the words of Dr. Bliss at yesterday's session when our blond heroine had revealed her plan for 'Operation: UN-garde' to the psychologist (a plan which had, needless to say, met with the good doctor's distinct approval).
Gerald and Phoebe smiled back at Helga in approval of her strategy and logic…
…But Arnold, focusing on a different part of what she had just said, blinked and turned to look at Helga curiously. "Wait…what do you mean 'other honest things' that you've got planned for today, Helga? I mean…" he appeared to be seriously considering the possibilities for a second, but drawing a blank no matter how hard he tried to come up with something, "…what else is there besides us just spending time together and sitting near each other?...And also I guess you wearing your hair differently because you want to?" he finally asked her with genuine curiosity.
Helga smirked at his little query and, without missing a beat, leaned her head resting on her palm closer to him. She batted her eyelashes and whispered in a low, suggestive voice, "What do you think I mean, my lunch bringing little boyfriend?" She winked and let out a small giggle.
Arnold's eyes went a bit wide and he felt a blush come to his cheeks and his heart pound just a bit at that familiar look on Helga's face and at that tone of voice she was using…the look and tone she always gave him right before…she…and he… Would she really…in public? Would she really…possibly kiss him in public? On his lips? And not like in a 'school play' or 'Babewatch mouth-to-mouth' scenario? He gulped at the very notion, as the first image that entered his head wasn't some sweet little peck in front of their friends like he had always actually kind of wanted from her, but rather, considering her flirtatiousness right now and their kissing history together...an image of Helga clearing away the trays from the lunch table with a sweep of her arm, then tossing him back onto said table (much as she had tossed him back onto her coffee table during their first date four weeks ago), then tossing herself on top of him and announcing to the whole cafeteria that he was hers and she wasn't going to hide it anymore, and then just…just…just undoing seven years of a public façade of hatred toward him with one passionate and perpetual kiss…and…
Arnold was very lost in daydreams. To those watching him, he appeared wide-eyed and blushing and his little jaw hung open and he was barely breathing anymore.
Helga, seeing all of this, just pulled back from him a little and laughed to herself at his adorable and hilarious fluster. "Hey, relax, Football Head!" She gave him flick on the ear, which brought him back to reality with a small cringe of pain. "I already told you before—no spontaneous makeout sessions in the cafeteria…though it's interesting to know you wouldn't exactly not be open to something like that…" She raised her brow twice and winked at him, and then pulled her tray back in front of her and managed a bite or two more of food, feeling a lot more relaxed and mellow now.
Arnold let out a sigh deep, trying to get his blush under control and smiling the whole time, both from his private thoughts and from her little jest, unable to help it. "Very funny, Helga…" He picked up his own spork as well and took another bite from his own tray, all the while trying to keep his heart from pounding at the idea of that daydream he had gone off into…or how the location of it could easily be switched from the crowded cafeteria to maybe…their dinner table…tonight…and how maybe he could be the one doing the 'clearing away' and the 'tossing back'…
Helga, not privy to any of these intimate thoughts of her boyfriend of course, just sighed in satisfaction at having successfully gotten him all flustered, and reclined back in her seat a bit, laughing to herself. "Hey, just keeping you on your toes, Arnold. And as for what I really meant by the other honest things I've got planned for today, well…let's just say I've got at least a stunt or two more up my sleeve to try before 'Operation: UN-garde comes' to a close that might shock people a little to see in Helga G. Pataki. Some stuff in class, some stuff after class…you'll find out as we go along, Football Head." She winked at him with a half grin.
Arnold just sighed and rolled his eyes, half grinning right back at her. "Don't I always?" He raised one of his eyebrows.
The two shared a small mutual laugh, which caused Gerald to turn to Phoebe and fake a gagging motion at the obvious overly-sweet flirting between their two friends, which caused Phoebe to giggle in amusement at his dramatics and little joke.
"Oh, hello, Arnold, Helga, Gerald, Phoebe, how are you all doing today?" Lila suddenly approaching their table with a smile and this cheerful greeting interrupted the joking of the four friends and caused all of their attentions to turn to her.
"Oh, hi, Lila," Arnold smiled up at her and gave a small wave. "We're doing okay, thanks."
"Yeah, we're all getting by," Helga seconded with a shrug and a smile. "Oh and hey, Ms. Perfect…" she then added, grinning and leaning back a bit more in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "…You know, you've only been absent from our house for 24 hours and Olga's already just busting to get you back over." Her smile grew and she gave a casual shrug and pretended to be checking her nails as she added jokingly, "Me, I could take you or leave you, of course, but Olga seems bent on 'bonding' so I'm sensing another girly slumber party in the works for all of us. I…take it you'd be down for something like that in the very near future, Lila?...Like sometime in the next two weeks…even if it'll probably drive what little sanity I have left over the edge, of course…" She raised part of her brow at the cheery red-haired girl, doing her best not to chuckle the whole time at the idea of the response she was probably about to be met with…
Lila positively beamed at Helga! "Oh I'm ever so certain I'd love to spend some more time with you and Olga, Helga!" She raised her hands and clasped them together enthusiastically over her heart. "Oh and could we really have another ever so fun slumber party with you and me and my big sis and Phoebe too of course that soon!" she asked with lights practically dancing in her eyes.
Helga let out a good-natured sigh, shifting the front of her chair forward to sit normally again and nodding to her bubbly buddy. "Yup, it's pretty much official. And as for the exact date, you and Olga can hammer out the details of course when you plan our little get together since I would have no patience for that. Besides, it's been almost a month since our last little soiree, which means that I'm a bit overdue for psychological torture from both of you at once. Not that it hasn't been fun to de-stress a bit and spend most of my time with the Football Head, but a little mayhem to keep me in practice dealing with you two wouldn't hurt." She winked at Lila.
Lila just giggled at the observation, obviously absolutely thrilled that her summer was going to be starting out like this. "Oh, Helga…" she replied pleasantly and with a warm smile, "…you know, I'm ever so certain you like spending quality time with Olga and I a little more than you let on…don't you think she must, Arnold?" The red haired girl turned, with a bright smile, to the football headed boy for support.
Arnold smiled back at her and then glanced at Helga smugly as he replied to Lila, "Oh yeah—you know, Lila, when Helga and I are alone she goes on and on about how much she actually loves all those romantic movies and the makeovers and the gossiping and giggling with you and Olga. Don't listen to what she might say about it to you—she's just being stubborn, aren't you, Helga?" He grinned at her more, first at Helga and then at Lila.
Helga just rolled her eyes to the side and gave her boyfriend a little punch in the shoulder and did her best to smirk at him despite feeling the need to just smile and laugh. "Oh, ha ha, you're hysterical, Football Head." Arnold chuckle and Helga just sighed and smiled and turned back to Lila. "Anyway…okay, yeah, MAYBE I don't ENTIRELY hate spending time with you and Olga. There, are you two happy?" She glanced between a smiling Arnold and a smiling Lila. "So, yeah, give Olga a call and set something up so we can 'get this over with'…" She sighed and laughed a little to herself and rested her head on one of her palms again, but then suddenly she blinked as though something had just occurred to her and she turned to Lila once more and added, "Oh but of course don't plan it for this weekend…since I've, uh, you know, got a lot of plans already…" She shyly and barely gestured with her head over to Arnold.
Helga then felt a blush bloom in her cheeks as she felt Arnold allow his hand to rest upon hers on the cafeteria tabletop again today. Was this going to become a regular thing or something? And if it was—how in the world was she to keep herself balanced between freezing up in nervousness…and melting in utter bliss? 'Eh…' Helga thought to herself, almost starting to smile, 'A-As long as I've got the 'bliss' part of it all…I can work with this.' She almost wanted to giggle inside.
Arnold's voice speaking brought her out of her thoughts as she listened to him with blushing interest. "Yes, we've got lots of plans…" our football headed hero nodded and looked at Lila with a warm smile, "We decided to take the whole weekend to celebrate our month anniversary…four weeks since the first date you and Olga set up for us before that sleepover."
Helga just let out a sigh and gulped, and managed to quip quietly, "Yeah, yeah, it's an anniversary extravaganza." She looked to her boyfriend with half lidded eyes and a smile and a small shake of her head…. "Crimeny Arnold, I know I'm finally giving you your wish of being able to shout about our love from the rooftops, but rope it in, Mr. Eager. Just spilling all over the place that it's not just our anniversary, like I already had to break down and tell Miss Perfect yesterday when I was setting up our whole 'seat swapping' thing and also because I knew Olga would fill her in if I didn't, but also filling her in on the fact that I'm dedicating the next three days of my existence to you and only you? Some girls don't like to kiss and tell you know." She winked and then giggled warmly, and then she shifted her hand, partly consciously and partly unconsciously, so that they were now holding hands on the table.
Arnold just chuckled as well and squeezed her hand a little, not missing a beat. "Ah but as of today shouldn't you LOVE to kiss and tell?" he asked with a grin and a wink.
Helga blinked and then rolled her eyes with a grin, blushing once again. "Oh shut up! Crimeny, such a egotistical and bold little bad boy I got myself roped in with..." She winked right back at him, and Arnold was the one smiling shyly and blushing again this time…
Lila just put a hand to her mouth and giggled, finding their little couple exchange ever so adorable. "Oh well I'm ever so certain that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard, you two—a whole weekend of celebrating. I hope you two enjoy yourselves! And I'm ever so happy things are going alright with letting everyone know about your ever so charming relationship today!" Lila, with a smile and a small wave, was about to turn and leave to eat lunch at her usual table with some of the other girls when she stopped at the feeling of a hand hesitantly grabbing one of her arms…Helga's free hand not holding Arnold's, to be precise.
"Hey, uh…Lila?" came Helga's nervous voice then.
Lila blinked and turned back to Helga with a smile. "Yes, Helga?"
Helga swallowed, took a breath, and lowered her voice…and then asked, "Uh…from an outsider's perspective…really…how…how obvious is it that I…that Arnold and I…I-I mean, I just keep not getting any real direct comments on it all from people about it, and honestly I also feel like I'm getting some mixed signals from some people…So I'm just curious—I mean…a-am I being to subtle about us being in love or something? Or is it really obvious that we're a couple?" she finally asked point blank, genuinely curious, especially considering the morning she had had.
Lila blinked at first at the unexpected question, but then smiled again and put an understanding hand on Helga's shoulder and leaned a bit closer to her. She sighed, carefully and kindly choosing her words. "Well…I don't believe anyone would guess that you're preparing to celebrate your one month anniversary, Helga, or necessarily that you're 'in love'…but people have been noticing and…talking quite a bit… Or at least…" a puzzled look came to her face for a moment, "Well, I'm ever so certain, now that you mention it, that I can't tell what exactly it is some of the boys seem to be whispering about but…Sheena and Nadine and Eugene and even Curly have definitely been noticing how nice you and Arnold have been to each other today and finding it ever so charming." She smiled again, but then frowned for a moment though as she added, "Well, except for Rhonda, of course…she seems ever so upset today. But, like I said, I was talking with Nadine and Sheena and they definitely find your new behavior just oh too fascinating and delightful," she assured brightly in finish.
Helga let out a sigh letting all of that absorb and considering it all and all of its potential implications and consequences. "My 'new fascinating and delightful behavior', huh?…" were the first words to pop out of her mouth. She chuckled a little at the idea. 'Crimeny, am I really that pleasant today?' She glanced back at Lila with a grin and just shrugged. "Eh, I'm just kind of trying to turn over a new leaf…Didn't realize I was coming off as that enjoyable but, hey," she jerked her thumb in Arnold's direction, "I blame Football Head here for getting me all good humored." She chuckled a little more to herself. "Anyway, thanks for the run down, Lila. I figured it wouldn't take too long for everyone to figure things out but I was just wondering how bad it had gotten…So some of the guys are snickering behind my back—expected. Rhonda's still a mystery. And, well, at least Sheena and Nadine and a couple other people are cool with it, right?" She smiled in genuine optimism.
Lila removed her hand from Helga's shoulder and couldn't help but smile and giggle with an encouraging nod. "I'm ever so certain that's the spirit, Helga. And, as for the effect of your ever so charming new behavior, well…that has certainly been part of the reason for people's oh too various reactions to you today…along with your ever so delightful new hair-do, of course, which looks great by the way Helga. Did Olga—"
Helga sighed and rolled her eye, waving her off with a half grin. "Yeah, yeah—Olga may have assisted slightly with making me look like a girly girl today. Now please get back to your conclusion about what other havoc my charming new behavior has wrought…" she prompted politely but sassily nonetheless.
Lila giggled at her friend's always direct attitude and then cleared her throat and went on. "Oh, well, like I said, Helga, I'm oh too certain that your new sweeter disposition and your new hair style caused a small bit of commotion by themselves…but I believe the fact that Arnold was staring at you for all of class this morning might have contributed the most to whatever gossip is going around."
"Huh?" Helga blinked and her jaw fell open in curiosity and instantly she whipped her head around in Arnold's direction.
She found him blushing and coughing from the milk he had been in the middle of drinking from their carton while Lila had been speaking, which had apparently just come out of his nose in his surprise at the red haired girl's words. With a hot blush on his face he proceeded to try and clean up the area in front of his tray with a napkin, totally avoiding eye contact with Helga.
The young and still rather surprised blond girl turned her eyes to Gerald and Phoebe now questioningly and for some confirmation about this whole thing. The young couple looked at each other and then back to Helga, both shrugging and then nodding their heads.
"Sorry, man," Gerald looked to Arnold, who was very deliberately continuing to try and occupy himself with cleaning up the small mess he had made, "…But, uh…everyone including me and Phoebe might have caught a nice little show of you practically boring holes into Helga during the entire class. I mean seriously, man, I was ready to poke you with a pencil to snap you out of it before you lost it and dove on her or something." He gave his best friend a bit of a smirk and a look.
Arnold, his blushing at its peak at this point, just let out a very deep exasperated sigh, pushed to one side the napkins he had just finished using to clean everything, and then rested his head on one of his hands and barely glanced at his best friend as he scolded, though a smile could be seen trying not to form on his face, "Gerald…"
Gerald just shrugged again, still smiling. "Hey, man, I call 'em like I see 'em…and me and Phoebe and the rest of the class apparently saw you staring at Helga G. Pataki like she was the clock ticking away the final seconds until summer break." He chuckled and snickered a little to himself, eating some more from his tray.
Phoebe cleared her throat and couldn't help but add in further confirmation, though she at least did try her best not to join her boyfriend in his laughter, "Yes, Arnold…It was very obvious that you were looking at Helga the entire time. And the smile on your face while you were doing so made it a bit obvious that it wasn't one of your usual glares at her in response to one of her usual tactics to annoy you." Phoebe looked to her best friend now and asked with curious amusement, "Certainly you must have noticed, Helga? I assumed it was just another part of the efforts you've been making today to be more open about your secret."
Helga just blushed more and blinked again and looked to Arnold (who was now just sitting there with his eyes closed and a hand resting on one of his temples with a half sheepish smile on his face) with surprise once more. "No, I, uh…I wasn't aware…." she managed to reply to her best friend in an incredulous voice.
Lila giggled from behind her. "Oh yes Helga," she chimed in cheerily, "…it looked very sweet to me. You just sitting there taking notes and Arnold watching you and looking ever so happy and thrilled and adoring just at the sight of you and every move you made. Just like what you used to do to him from the back of the classroom, right?" she observed, looking at her favorite couple ever so dreamily.
As all of these confirmations as well as Arnold's total embarrassment at the moment finished sinking in, Helga finally felt some of her shock start to melt and ebb…followed by the feeling of a small pull upward at the corners of her mouth. She rested her chin upon one of her hands and addressed her beloved…her grin only growing as she spoke… "So…Football Head…" she was seriously trying not to laugh. "…Where to begin? Yes, where, oh where, to begin…"
At the sound of her voice Arnold opened his eyes, still half smiling, and sighed and then finally turned to her to face the music. "U-Um…sorry, Helga…" he gave a small, sheepish shrug, his face all flushed still, his little smile still there and unable to depart him… "I…guess I'm just not used to you sitting next to me yet. I…I didn't even realize I was doing it…much." He sighed once more and almost laughed, squeezing her hand a little on the tabletop (and reminding Helga that they were still holding hands like that in public—the touch had felt so natural to her that over the last few minutes she had almost forgotten it was there). "I guess I just thought it was funny to see you sitting there doing something besides preparing a few dozen spitballs to throw at me. And also…you're very cute when you're studying, Helga…" He added that last part in a bashful mumble.
Helga went all blushy and goofy for a moment at that last little comment of his about her (as well as at the feeling of his warm hand still lovingly holding her own), but she managed to get it under control quickly enough and then just sighed and rolled her eyes and replied playfully, "Y-Yeah, yeah, a likely 'innocent' excuse, lover boy…Barely knowing you were doing it and liking how I look when I 'study'…" She winked and laughed and Arnold just smiled more at her and laughed a little himself. Then Helga turned to Lila, and mentioned, before she forgot, and as long as this topic of conversation was reminding her of it, "Oh and speaking of Arnold and his ability to look at me during class which seems to be a wish come true for him, thanks for the seat change this morning, Lila. I really appreciate it." Helga smiled up at her gratefully.
"Of course, Helga. Anytime." Lila replied graciously, and then she smiled at all members of the table and took a step back. "Well, I'm ever so certain I should get back to my table before lunch ends." She glanced specifically at Arnold and Helga once more and added, "But I'll let you know if anything else starts getting said about you two. I'm ever so certain I wish you good luck with everything!" She turned and was about to leave the table again…when she was stopped and compelled to turn back again just one more time…though this time by the request of a different friend than Helga.
"Hey, uh, Lila…?" Gerald Johannsen's voice suddenly timidly questioned, a sort of a nervous though trying-to-seem-casual grin on his face. "…Anyone, uh…anyone saying anything about…you know…us?" he suddenly asked, gesturing with his head between Phoebe and himself and then looking back up at Lila imploringly. The question aroused Phoebe's attention too, who turned to Lila as well.
Lila smiled down at the other young couple, understanding what Gerald meant. She brought her arms behind her back with a shrug and replied simply, "Well, so far all I've heard is one or two people remarking that 'it's about time.' I'm…ever so certain that pretty much everyone has suspected about you and Phoebe since the beginning, Gerald. After all, between all the smiles and looks and small bits of time you two always spend together, even before you started dating…To be just perfectly honest, I've only lived here a few months and it's even become obvious to me. So, overall, you and Phoebe holding hands and sitting together and smiling at each other doesn't seem to be affecting everyone all that much. I'm ever so certain Arnold and Helga are the big surprise to everyone. Well, have a good recess, you four! Oh and Helga, thank you ever so much again for giving me Arnie's number last week…" a coy and enamored half lidded gaze and smile came to her face, "I've been calling him and he's actually finally stopped hanging up on me! Isn't that just ever so wonderful? I'll tell you more about it during the sleepover! Well, bye!" And with that final happy statement and a sincere smile and a wave, Lila went to rejoin the other girls.
Gerald's' eyes were just wide and he was blushing considerably…and the same could be said of Phoebe.
Arnold and Helga just remained silent across the table, trying to eat their food casually…though upon each turning to catch a glimpse of the other and their eyes meeting, they both couldn't help but let out quick snorts, which then turned into small chuckles, which soon grew into full blown laughter on both their parts.
Gerald just cringed a little at first. "Alright, first of all…Arnie and Lila—I don't even want to know." Then he rolled his eyes and put a hand on one of his hips, scowling at them a little. "And second of all, oh, ha, ha, very funny, guys. Meanwhile was anyone going to tell Phoebe and I that we were being that obvious all these years?"
Helga barely managed to get her laughter under control to reply with, "Hey, I filled you in over a month ago about the fact that all those little glances you were giving her were the most obvious thing in the world. Don't blame me that you can't keep a secret, Hair Boy! Doi!" She went back to laughing fully, and thoroughly enjoying it!
Gerald just rolled his eyes, though it was obvious that maybe a small smile was trying not to come to his face. "Oh, yeah, well…hey, some of us express our feelings by actually trying to spend time with the person we like instead of, you know, designing secret monuments to them in a closet for a few years…" He smirked at Helga, happy for having come up with the joke as a comeback.
Helga's laughter ceased for the moment and she blushed brightly, her eyes going wide for a second, though she quickly followed things up with a scoff and crossing her arms over her as she shot back sarcastically yet good-naturedly, "Oh, low blow, Geraldo, low blow...Seriously it's been three weeks—let the shrines go! Besides," she grinned more, "I'd rather be the one building shrines to Arnold than the one who had to ask Mr. Goodie Two Shoes for dating advice last month before you could even take my best friend to dinner and an outing for the first time!" Helga raised her brow at him, awaiting his next move in their little exchange.
Gerald though, rather than shooting an 'all-in-good-fun' line right back at her, just went wide eyed and blushed distinctly at her words! Then he looked to his best friend in frustration. "Arnold! You told her about that phone call?" Then his eyes went wide again and he glanced in Phoebe's direction and rolled his eyes away and quickly added, "N-Not that I'm admitting that such a phone call actually took place or anything, heh…"
Helga snickered a tiny bit more to herself at Gerald's attempt at a save.
Arnold, his own full blow laughter finally subsiding a bit, just finished up with a chuckle or two more and then sighed and shrugged at his best friend. "Sorry, Gerald…It just kind of came up one day when Helga and I were talking."
"Yeah," Helga chimed in with a grin, "And if it makes you feel any better, of course I had an epic phone call from Phoebe the morning of that first date. Something about her dying for you to kiss her…And Phoebe, don't even start with me…" Helga, seeing Phoebe blink in a touch of anxiety and turn scarlet and then open her mouth, cut her off, smiling all the more, "You know it's true and besides, even if he knows now, who cares? You're together, just like Arnold and I are together. The time for secrets has passed." She shrugged.
Phoebe's jaw popped closed and she blushed a little more…but then in the end a little smile couldn't help coming to her face at Helga's rather valid points.
Gerald just sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumb and index finger as he glanced over at his girlfriend with a grin. "Phoebe, I know we've been saying this on and off for weeks but really, we've gotta find some new couples to hang out with…"
The comment actually made Phoebe giggle slightly and put a hand on Gerald's shoulder. "Oh, Gerald, daijoubuna." She looked at him with a warm smile.
Gerald sighed and smiled at her as well…and he kind of liked her hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, I know, I know, it'll all be okay." Suddenly a touch of concern came to his face though as he added…just having to ask her, just to be sure and safe, "But seriously though, babe…are you really okay with everyone pretty much knowing that we're, uh…you know…together…but like…officially now?" He gulped, awaiting her reply.
Phoebe removed her hand from his shoulder and blinked at the question at first, of course, not really having expected it at the moment. But then her familiar pleasant smile returned and she just shrugged and nodded and replied, quite truthfully, "Of course, Gerald. I'm perfectly fine with the situation…And…are you alright with people being aware of our situation as well, Gerald?" She had to ask too, likewise just to be sure and safe.
Gerald just smiled brightly at both her response and inquiry and nodded his head, "Sure thing, babe. What cool dude wouldn't like everyone knowing once and for all that he's dating the foxiest girl on the planet?" He winked at her, unable to help himself. Perhaps it was a bit flirtatious for him, considering Arnold and Helga's proximity coupled with the full cafeteria around them, but, hey, he wanted her to know as completely as possible that he would never feel bad about people knowing he liked her…like liked her…Heck, maybe one day that he even….he even…
Gerald swallowed quickly and focused on reality again, pulling himself out of that potential thought that had been creeping up on him lately…and especially when around Arnold and Helga.
His eyes went first to Phoebe and she was blushing brightly with a flustered smile on her face. "G-Gerald…Yamete…Watashi no kawaii shonen desu." She was doing her best not to giggle at the little extra Japanese she had added under her breath.
Gerald caught her words though of course and instantly blushed about as much as she was doing and blinked and then glanced down nervously and sheepishly. "U-Uh…thanks, b-babe…I-I mean, arigtoo."
Both kids were just sitting next to each other and blushing and looking shy and smiling privately and goofily.
And of course, Helga just couldn't resist. After letting them have their moment for about ten seconds (lunchtime really was drawing to a close, after all, and they really were getting pressed for time here), Helga finally let an audible giggle escape her to snap them both back to reality again. And just to be sure they got the message (and just because of the adorableness of the two of them), she then released slipped her hand away from that of her boyfriend (who had been both watching Gerald and Phoebe as well as eating more of his food) to give him a slight elbow nudge, and said to him openly and with a grin, "Aw, football Head, seriously—remind me to carry a disposable camera this summer whenever the four of us do stuff together because Gerald and Phoebe looking like they do right now would make the most adorable Christmas card picture or something." She shifted her chair around the table slightly right up next to Arnold's so that she could get a better view of Gerald and Phoebe. Arnold couldn't help but laugh, and especially as Helga then added, all for his benefit and all the while glancing specifically at Gerald, "And meanwhile, NOW who's staring down their girlfriend? Hmm?" She raised her brow triumphantly.
Gerald was just blushing and blushing and blushing away and getting a little exhausted from feeling like a summer heat wave had just entered the cafeteria to visit only him. And so the tall haired boy just let out a deep sigh and scowled slightly but also half grinned a little at Helga and was about to resume his playful sarcastic banter with her…when the reverie of their table was interrupted by the sound of several people approaching from behind its two blond occupants (most of the other kids had finished their food at this point in the lunch period…leaving the rest of the time until recess for… 'recreation').
It was Harold, Sid and Stinky…and they were snickering to each other like crazy.
Harold spoke first, a very sly grin on his face. "Hey Awww-nold. Hey Helga." And then he laughed loudly and dropped the bomb. "So…Awwnold likes Helga now, huh?" came the sound of his voice followed by some amused stifled chuckles.
"Yeah," Stinky chimed in with a smile and a big wink in Arnold's direction, "I mean, garsh, this is kind of an unexpected turn of events. I reckon it's a bit more understandable though considering how she looks today…You do look right purty, Miss Helga…" Stinky nodded to her, and though he was a bit more polite about it than Harold, it was obvious that he too was fighting back a laugh about something.
"Okay, just for the record though, are we really still sure that's Helga?" Sid suddenly piped up, stepping forward so that he was between Arnold and Helga.
Meanwhile, during this entire little banter going on behind them Arnold and Helga had just been continuing to sit with their backs to the direction from which the three boys had come with totally shocked and pale faces. Finally, though, the quite startled couple caught peripheral sight of one of their visitors as Sid, after voicing his concern about the validity of Helga being Helga, went to Helga's side and glanced scrutinizingly at her face. "I mean…" Sid continued curiously, putting a hand to his chin, "Arnold had a weird cousin who was like the creepy version of him, right? Maybe this is like the nice pretty cousin version of Helga…"
The comment only took a second to process (and to effectively snap a certain blond heroine of ours right back to reality), and then Helga instantly scowled and, very much to Sid's surprise, turned on him and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close. "You want proof that I'm the one and only Helga G. Pataki, geekbait?" she hissed, the acid in her voice making it obvious that she wasn't messing around.
Sid gulped and his eyes went wide as could be, his pupils even dilating a little. "Uh, no, no…I believe you, Helga. Just checking, heh, heh, heh…And really, uh, nice look by the way! And kudos on Arnold…" he managed to get out in a high pitched and obviously terrified voice. Then he got a desperate look in his eyes and added quietly with a small cringe, "Please don't kill me."
Helga just let out an exasperated sigh and pushed him away a bit forcefully, still scowling to herself as she did so, "Yeah, yeah, whatever—like I'd go and do something like that and get detention from Wartz on the last day just to teach YOU a lesson…"
"Oh so, what—now we're supposed to believe that you'll hit one boy while making nice with another at the same time? Pick a personality, Helga! Hate Sid or 'like' Arnold, but just choose already so we can all get on with our lives! Hmph!"
Helga absolutely spazzed and almost fell out of her chair at this surprise attack question from none other than Rhonda Wellington Lloyd (who had apparently stopped by for a visit as well) suddenly entering her ears! "IDon'tKnowWhatYou'reTalkingAbout—IHateThatStupidFootballHead!" the still discombobulated young blonde quickly shouted back in a high-pitched and nerve-ridden voice!
About a second or so of silence then passed during which the only sound was Helga catching her breath. The ten-year-old girl then blinked several times and finally turned her head around, upon which her eyes finally fell on a frustrated-looking Rhonda now standing right up beside her, complete with Nadine, Sheena and Lila in tow (the latter three who were obviously, from the looks on their faces, there more because they had been ordered to accompany Rhonda than for any other reason). Taking in that sight, Helga then swung her head around to the other side to glance once again at the 'Harold, Sid and Stinky group', all the members of which just had eyebrows raised in confusion. And then Helga's gaze went over to Gerald and Phoebe for a brief moment, who were looking at her with interest, and then finally her eyes found their inevitable way back to Arnold…who just had a very inquisitive eyebrow raised at her…and from the ever growing smirk on his face he was obviously trying to fight back a lot of laughter, obviously at the retro exclamation that had just flown out of her mouth.
Now done taking in the state of her surroundings and feeling a bit calmer, Helga took one last deep breath, straightened herself up in her seat and pulled it back in to the table, cleared her throat and then looked to Arnold again with a little sheepish shrug. "Sorry, uh…reflex. She surprised me a little, heh…" She jerked her thumb in Rhonda's direction. And then…obviously with a great deal of self imposed force…but suddenly determined to do it, no longer wanting to be afraid or hold back anymore in her life…Helga, in front of all of these people, managed to reach up and over and…put her hand atop Arnold's on the table, just has he had been doing to her for the better part of this entire lunch period so far.
Arnold's eyes went very wide for a moment…and then they lit up in the loveliest way imaginable and he smiled so very much and in such a very appreciative and grateful and warm way, knowing full well how difficult it must have been for her to do such a thing and especially with so many other people around. And then, to give her as much of a source of comfort as possible and also as a further gesture today that they really were in all of this together, for better or worse, he shifted his hand a little and placed his fingers among hers, and now they were holding hands with each other. In response to her little explanation of her exclamation just now, he just smiled more at her and chuckled a little and replied warmly, "No, don't worry about it, Helga…Actually it was kind of…" he blushed slightly and swallowed, but then continued, despite the audience they had, "It was actually kind of cute."
Helga had felt a VERY unwilling blush threaten to enter her face at the sight of herself and Arnold now indefinitely holding hands so very close to so many people. But at this reply from him all color instantly drained away in shock and wonder, and she really did all but need to pass out. Being called cute…by Arnold…in public! It was both a nightmare realized and a dream come true. She gulped, and said the first thing back that came to mind… "O-O-Oh…uh, thanks, Arnold…" Yes, the 'dream come true' factor won out over the two in the end as she softly and sincerely and sweetly responded with these words to him.
Arnold and Helga then couldn't help just looking at each other shyly for a few seconds, lost in each other's eyes and smiles…their handhold going on…
The sound of Gerald loudly clearing his throat who-knew-how-many seconds later broke through the romantic tension of the moment though. Not that the tall haired boy ever wanted to interrupt his two friends in one of their 'moments' (provided things weren't getting too gross for him to stomach, of course), but knew how very much potential the two blondes had for 'gross-out worthy intimacy' when they got lost in gazing at one another like they were starting to get right now, and so he had figured, just to be on the absolute safe side, that a friendly reminder to bring them back to the reality of their current location and rather large audience wouldn't hurt either one of them. "So, uh…" Gerald watched as his effort met with success as Arnold and Helga instantly blinked and then cleared their throats sheepishly and broke the gaze they had been sharing (though their hands still remained together, of course). The tall haired boy then turned his eyes to the other members of their class currently surrounding their table and addressed them, "Anyway…is there something we can help you all with or is it okay for us to finish up our lunches?" He smiled politely though his tone was very obviously firm. After all, it WAS a little hard to finish one's tapioca with one's significant other when over half a dozen people were flocking around your table to point and ask questions and make side comments.
BRRRRRIIIIIIIIIING!
The sound of the bell ringing answered Gerald's question before anyone else could though. Lunch was over.
Now it was time for recess.
From her side of the table, Helga let out an incredible sigh of relief and before anyone could say anything more she squeezed Arnold's hand tightly and suddenly pulled him out of his seat, up from the table, through their surrounding peers, all the way across the room and finally out the cafeteria doors to the playground. She glanced around only for a second at the still empty recreational area and then continued her little journey by pulling (a very stunned and confused looking, at this point) Arnold across its full expanse and over to a dumpster on the playground's far side of the playground, behind which she finally released him and then collapsed to the ground with her back against the schoolyard fence, panting a bit to catch her breath in the cover of this little private space.
A few breaths later she let out a deep sigh and then finally spoke, her eyes closed, as she let vent to some of the panicking she had been doing her best to bottle up and/or dismiss for the better part of the morning and especially during all that stuff in the lunchroom just now. "This is the most INSANE idea I have ever come up with—actually sharing my feelings with other people. What am I THINKING?" She opened her eyes and scowled slightly to herself, looking down in thought and gesticulating with her hands. "Things were working out perfectly fine until I decided to screw it up by trying to be 'honest'. Ha—me, honest? Yeah, I totally have the capacity to pull that off." She rested her head in her hand and moaned slightly. "And now our friends know everything and we'll be mocked and ridiculed for the rest of our lives everywhere we go, just like today, and we'll never know a moments peace, and I dragged you into all of this, Arnold, which is the worst thing of all and I—"
Helga now ceased talking at the feeling of something very warm sitting down upon the ground beside her…or more specifically sitting down beside her and leaning up against her and nestling it's oddly shaped head deep into her shoulder and neck.
The sound then of Arnold laughing slightly made Helga's heart flutter and calm... He spoke to her right near her ear in the happiest, sweetest voice she had ever heard from him. "That was the first time you ever touched my hand all on your own in front of everyone, Helga… Thank you."
Helga could feel her heart beating wildly all of a sudden again at his words, though this time of course from love rather than panic. She glanced to the side in an attempt to see the look on his face right now, but couldn't because of the angle he was at and how his head was tilted slightly downward as it cuddled against her…His soft hair grazing her cheek and mixing with her own soft hair…She did her best not to swoon and collapse upon him entirely.
Arnold continued then, that bit of a laugh still behind his voice his he spoke. "I don't know why you think you don't know how to be honest with people, Helga. Dragged me into this?" Upon recalling these words of hers, he suddenly sat up a little and looked at her with a smile. She turned to face him with part of her brow raised, still feeling a little confused and curious about this response of his to her small rant. Arnold just chuckled a little at the adorable questioning look she had, and went on warmly and sincerely, gazing into her eyes. "Helga, I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing than helping you get through this today...sharing our love with everyone. What you're doing, what you did…" he took her hand in one of his own again and raised it a little to show his was referring back to the gesture she had made in the cafeteria, "…The desk change and the hair and how you're acting and the hand…Helga…I can't even imagine after seven years of doing nothing but trying to keep your feelings a secret how hard all of that must have been for you. And I'll never be able to thank you enough for it ever…my beloved Helga…" And then he inclined his head and gave the back of her hand a gentle kiss before lowering it again and raising his eyes once more to look into hers.
Helga swallowed and blushed, feeling not only flustered but also just a touch of pride at how much Arnold seemed to be appreciating her new openness and also at the idea, now that she thought about it, of just how far she really had gotten herself to take things back in the cafeteria. And he appreciated her efforts so much…and was so supportive…so kind. All of that random panic of hers melted away entirely again today, just as it had done this morning during their walk to class when Arnold had assured her very sincerely that if she wasn't ready for this he wouldn't force her but that he had faith in her to be able to do it just the same. She smiled and even managed a small giggle and a joke to him now, "Yeah, well…hey, it's not like I whipped out the Arnold locket and its contents or anything during show and tell…Just a little hand hold and some smiling at you right in full view probably wasn't going to destroy the cosmos too much…" She gave him a little sheepish and sarcastic shrug.
Arnold smiled a bit more, shaking his head playfully. "No, it was a brave thing to do, Helga. Come on, admit it…you're really, really good at being honest…"
Helga rolled her eyes, her smile growing. "Hey, I am just as sneaky and crafty and deceptive as ever!"
Arnold laughed and leaned in a little towards her, almost smirking a bit. "No, no…I think deep, deep down you've got a conscious and you like telling the truth…You're almost as good at doing the right thing as me…" He winked at her.
Helga rolled her eyes and scoffed, fully grinning now at this familiar little game between them. "No, I'm not, Arnold. You're the goodie two shoes and I'm the evil genius. I am NOT good at being honest!"
"I think you are ,Helga…" He leaned a bit closer, smiling.
"No, I'm not, Arnold…" She leaned a bit closer, smiling right back at him.
"Helga loves being like Arnold…" Arnold whispered to her in a singsong voice.
Helga both blushed and smirked fully. "Okay, that does it!" And then suddenly she lunged forward as though to playfully pin him down…though agile Arnold managed to duck her and slip away with a smile at the last minute.
"Oof!"
The result was that Helga ended up hugging the ground instead of hugging her favorite Football Head, who was now just standing near her with his arms crossed over his chest and looking down at her with a slightly proud smile. "Missed me, Helga…" he couldn't resist pointing out with a small little laugh.
Helga blinked several times, still a touch surprised that he had gotten away, and then sat up on her knees and looked at him with a slightly impressed smirk, her hands on her hips. "Oh ha-ha, very funny. Meanwhile, Football Head, someday you've got to teach me how you ever got that quick!" She stood up from the ground now as well, dusting herself off as she went on. "I mean really-ducking me on the FTi building and in the janitors closet all those weeks ago…if there's anyone I should be able to keep from slipping out of my arms it's you, you know." She laughed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him with a smile.
Arnold just laughed as well, putting his own arms behind his back as he replied with a little half grin, "Well, if you'd let Grandma and I teach you some karate like we've been offering to do lately…"
Helga let out a breath, still smiling, and waved him off. "Hey, I told you, I'm not into all of that precision and practice. If I have something physical to settle with someone, Old Betsey and the Five Avengers take the reins." She held up her two fists. "We've been together over a decade and they haven't failed me yet. Just ask Brainy!" She winked and gave into some chuckles she couldn't resist.
Arnold joined her, unable to help chuckling a bit himself at the joke, and then the young football headed boy casually took a step forward and toward the girl before him, looking at her with a half lidded gaze. "Well, then…" he shrugged and let out a 'forlorn' sigh, "I guess you'll never be able to catch me…" His grin picked up a little on one side.
Helga processed his proximity and response…and the obvious bit of a challenge underlying it, and at first she felt her eyes go wide for just a second in a touch of surprise and fluster…The tiger/kitten thing, the gum kissing during chess…and now a little chase? Her formerly mild-mannered Arnold really was getting into 'games' lately, wasn't he?
Of course, despite the initial surprise that she would always have throughout her life at Arnold's dark and daring side suddenly shining through, Helga quickly got used to both his closeness now as well as the idea of what he was suggesting, and she grinned right back at him. "Oh, you are ON, paste for brains! Your reflexes might be quicker than mine but you've only got those shrimpy Football Head legs to run on! Whereas, you know…I've got my nice long pretty legs to work with…" She gave a coy giggle and winked, and then seeing the ruby blush that flooded Arnold's features and the tiny goofy smile now upon his lips, she was fully prepared to use the flirting advantage she had just secured herself over him, and she instantly sprung forward to snatch him…though to her immense surprise Arnold snapped back to reality quickly enough at her movement to slip out of her grasp yet again! And now he began to run away from her with Helga quickly following behind him, the two of them completely forgetting that they were behind a dumpster and on a playground that was by now probably full of kids.
The dumpster thing was the first thing to trip them up though…or specifically a small used tire was the first thing to trip up Arnold. 'Well at least a good race might take Helga's mind off of—' "WHOA!" Arnold's thoughts ended and he fell quite swiftly to the ground.
He was down on his back and about half a second later Helga, who had been just behind him and heading into a full force run, managed to trip over him land upon him on the ground herself as well. "OOF!"
For the first moments of just processing their initial falls and slight discomforts, both children just reached up and rubbed their respective heads for a second with their eyes closed.
Eventually their eyelids fluttered open and they found each other staring into each other's eyes, at first with looks of nervousness…but then quickly with knowing and familiar smiles.
"Are you okay, Helga?" asked Arnold warmly first, looking up at her…Her lovely hair falling around her head and framing her face like she really was an angel or something.
Helga giggled slightly in reply, looking down at him…and at how adorable his flushed and dazed little football headed face could be. "Indestructible as always. You, Arnold?"
He laughed a little, and nodded. "I'm fine. …Just happy you landed on me instead of the ground, Helga."
The comment made Helga blush quite a bit more and her eyes glance down shyly for a moment…the fingers of one of her hands starting to play nervously with the button at the top of her beloved's shirt collar. "Uh…what a coincidence…me too." She giggled a tiny bit again.
Suddenly a piece of Helga's hair fell forward a bit from behind her shoulder to rest just above Arnold's face. He chuckled once or twice as the ends brushed his cheek. "Helga…your hair tickles…" He laughed a bit more.
Helga felt her blush grow stronger and a nervous little flutter go throughout her body. She smiled a bit sheepishly. "O-Oh, uh, sorry, I—" She had been about to brush the piece back behind her ear when she felt Arnold's hand come up to rest upon her mid-raised arm, stopping the gesture.
"No, I…I like it…as long as you like it…" Arnold assured her quietly, looking away a little shyly. "I'm really happy you decided to wear it down today. I told you, it's…it's really pretty…it's always really pretty…" He let out a small breath and his eyes managed to go up to hers again…his green jelly beans half lidded and so very warm with affection. "You look like an angel…" managed to escape him before he could stop the love-induced observation.
Helga couldn't help giving into a chuckle at this point. 'Loopy little thing…' "Football Head," she started in a quiet voice and with a coy smile, her fingers starting to play with the top button of his collar much more deliberately now, "You know…if you're bucking for a kiss or something, not that you aren't going about it right, but on the playground? Where all that separates us from the eyes of the world is a well-placed dumpster? Sheesh, the goal of today is to give a gentle nudge to our friends about us being together, not to induce psychotic breaks in half the elementary school by introducing them to the 'unthinkable' sight of Arnold and Helga kissing." She laughed and rolled hr eyes to the side. "I mean, I think Sid's already losing his marbles about how I look and Rhonda's practically having mood swings about who the heck knows what… And besides…" she shifted her face a little closer to his, "…what happened to having 'all of tonight and all of tomorrow night together' to worry about kisses?" she asked coyly.
From beneath her Arnold let out a small, shuddery sigh as he just continued to gaze up at her with his half lidded gaze, his smile only growing in response to how cutely she could put things sometimes. "Good point, I guess, Helga…and I-I know we have this whole weekend together, but…well, it…it really is kind of a long time to make a guy wait when you keep acting so nice to me today…all day…in front of everybody…You know how much I like that, Helga…" he tacked on a little sheepishly…But then Arnold looked at her sincerely for a second, removing all the flirting and romance from his tone and gaze, as he added, "But I understand if that would be a little too much for you, Helga…taking that big a risk of someone actually catching us kissing. I mean, everything you've done already today is so much and—"
Arnold was cut off by Helga putting a finger across his lips and smiling down at him mischievously. His breath stopped and his eyes widened a bit. Her smile only grew at the sight. "Oh shut up, Arnold. I had kissing those 'red hot lips' of your half in mind when I pulled you behind here in the first place." And then she slipped her finger away and grabbed his collar and closed her eyes and he closed his eyes and she leaned down, and then…
…And then someone who, Arnold and Helga both noticed pretty quickly, was not either one of them, cleared his throat…and then spoke. Or rather wheezed and spoke. "Uh…hi….heh…"
Helga and Arnold's eyes flew wide open just before their lips had been about to touch, and Helga, in her rather abrupt and total fluster, instantly fell off of her precarious position on top of Arnold, landing on the ground beside him with a light thud.
She sat up a little and rubbed her head and blinked several times and then her confused eyes fell upon the sight of Arnold sitting beside her and glancing away with a guilty and somewhat embarrassed looking countenance, and none other than Brainy standing a few feet away from them both, looking rather uncomfortable at the moment.
"BRAINY!" Arnold and Helga both exclaimed at the same time, sounding about as guilty and embarrassed as Brainy looked.
"Uh…" Brainy wheezed nervously, clearing his throat a little. "Yeah…S-Sorry…a-about…interrupting…"
Of course, Brainy was cool with Arnold and Helga dating, Arnold was cool with Helga and Brainy being friends, and Helga was just happy that her boyfriend and her best buddy guy friend could hang out together without the former slipping into a jealous rant and the latter cowering in fear of being karate chopped.
But, uh…despite all of these facts, Arnold and Helga had tended to cut out ALL intimacy in front of Brainy whenever the happy couple ran into him at the same time. It just felt too awkward for Helga to think of getting close with Arnold while a guy who had almost loved her was right there, it had felt too awkward for Arnold to think of getting close to Helga while a former rival was watching, and, as for Brainy, well…okay, honestly, the idea of seeing Arnold and Helga being intimate like that didn't make him feel all that funny—they were a couple, he had seen it coming from the beginning, and couples were naturally intimate. And yet, Brainy did still have his own share of awkwardness about the subject, though for him it was feeling funny about the idea of his presence making Arnold and Helga feel funny.
It was a transitional period for them all, in other words. The hump had been gotten over with the awkwardness between these three parties…and now it was just a matter of smoothing out the bumps. And this moment was certainly one of those 'bumps': Arnold and Helga had literally been about to touch lips (not to mention while being on top of each other and smiling goofily and all in private) just as Brainy had entered the scene, and they had never gotten that close to a kiss in front of him ever, and certainly never in such an intimate fashion!
"Hmm mmm!" With a loud clearing of her throat, Helga was the one to break the ice and speak first. She stood and let out a breath and addressed Brainy. "Heh…uh, hey, Brainy." She sighed now and crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes to the side with a sheepish grin. "Alright, alright, let's not beat around the bush…This was nearly an awkward moment because Arnold and I were almost off in one of our little 'kissing' states, and then you showed up. Yeah, it shouldn't be awkward but it still is a little and we'll deal with it later." She glanced back to Brainy and shrugged. "Anyway, good buddy, what's up? The other kids start burning Arnold and I in effigy yet for our forbidden love or what?" She couldn't help but smirk a little at her small joke to help ease the mood.
Brainy blinked at first at her sudden bluntness and then transition, but then cleared his throat and smiled at her in his usual way, remembering how grateful he was sometimes for Helga's constant ability to just lay things on the line and move past them when necessary. He pulled out his inhaler, gave himself two puffs, but it away again, and then answered her question (in full sentences now). "No, no flaming pyres for you and Arnold yet, Helga. I'll be on the lookout though, of course. But I knew you two had rushed out onto the playground when the lunch bell rang and this seemed like one of the only places to hide…You used to hide here a lot, after all, to talk to yourself about Arnold…" He did his best not to chuckle too much at the memory.
With a sheepish blush and half smile, Helga just sighed and went with the little jest and even added to it. Honestly, at this point, things like that about the past had become sort of a running joke between her and Brainy. "Yeah, and then you'd always come along right at the most intense part and interrupt things by making me hit you. Crimeny, at least when I used to stalk Arnold he never knew about it—you were just hiding in plain sight, weren't you? Cagey choice, Brainy, very cagey…" She laughed and so did he and Arnold even smiled and chuckled a little, all three unable to help feeling much more relaxed.
Brainy cleared his throat then and continued with what he had to say. "Yes, well…anyway, Helga, I just came over to look for you because I wanted to check on how you were doing after everything in the cafeteria…" He frowned a bit. "I didn't notice so many people flocking to your table until you were all but surrounded, and then the bell rang and you ran out so…I was just a little worried about you and Arnold…Oh and also, I believe Gerald and Phoebe want to make sure you're alright as well. Phoebe seems a bit worried herself about your sudden disappearance and Gerald too though he won't be as open about it, of course." Brainy smiled a little bit at the small observation about Gerald, and then went on with, "Oh and Lila's off with some of the other girls trying to, well…" he cleared his throat, a touch of curiousness coming to his tone and expression, "Well, let's just say Rhonda doesn't seem too happy today, Helga, though I don't believe she's told anyone exactly why. And finally, Helga, I…" a somewhat puzzled and almost…uncomfortable look came to Brainy's face now and he looked very intently at the girl before him, "Helga…perhaps it's been my imagination…or a coincidence—possibly I thought I saw something but it was really something else, or something like that. But…along with people paying extra attention to you and Arnold, and even Phoebe and Gerald a little…I…can't help but feel like I've been a little… 'noticed' as well today…" He actually blushed upon stammering out those last words, thoroughly unable to help the reaction.
Helga had been taking in most of Brainy's message with nods and smiles and an occasional look of appreciation during the parts where he or others had been worried about herself and Arnold, but at this last observation from him about himself she blinked, almost in shock at the strange concern of the boy before her…and also at the sight of him blushing so distinctly and fully like this! 'Crimeny, he's never even blushed like that around ME! This must be huge.' "Brainy, what are you talking about?" she quickly asked in concern, wanting more details.
Brainy shrugged, almost unable to look up at her, he was feeling so flustered and full of worry, to be just perfectly honest. He struggled to find the right words, his usual articulateness failing him a bit, considering the situation. "W-Well, I'm used to…privacy, I suppose, Helga. And I-I know I said I would try to be more social gradually, but…people have been actually glancing at me today…whispering things…pointing sometimes! I really don't know what to do or to make of it!" He looked up at her now with definite distress in his eyes, wringing his hands together, and it even sounded like some of his wheezing was starting to come into play despite his use of the inhaler just a moment ago!
Helga's eyes flew open a bit wider. And then the thought popped into her head: 'I KNEW it looked like people were looking over at Brainy in class this morning…and even at Lila too…Hmm, I wonder if that means she's been getting some extra attention too…Although Miss Perfect is such a social butterfly I'm sure she wouldn't even notice…'. Helga had to roll her eyes and almost smile a little at the idea. But then she quickly blinked several times and shook her head, coming back to the moment at hand. She looked to Brainy (who still seemed so very touched with distress) and spoke to him in as sincere a tone as possible, "Brainy, I…don't worry. It'll…I-I mean…" She paused. She wanted to comfort him but at the same time…for crying out loud, when she got right down to it, she had NO clue why anyone would care about him at all today as part of she and Arnold practically flirting with each other all over the place in front of everyone! So it made trying to find some advice to give (especially when advice giving was really a talent she had to work at) almost impossible for her on the spot like this.
Not so for Arnold though.
The young blond boy had been standing to the side as Brainy had delivered all this news to Helga, and most of that time he had spent in absorbing things and nodding…and also at the back of his mind really trying to tell himself that, with how often he and Helga ended up kissing, said kissing was bound to happen sometimes over the course of their life within eyesight of Brainy, and so it wouldn't do anything but stress out both himself and Helga to hold onto any awkwardness about it.
But then Brainy's last observation—his revelation of his little dilemma, as it were, had snapped Arnold out of his thoughts and made him consider carefully and fully his friend's issue.
And so now, hearing Helga sort of start out floundering a little with trying to help their friend, Arnold stepped up and stepped forward, more than willing to assist. "Brainy…" he started seriously…and then his face shifted into a caring smile, "I know you're uncomfortable. And if Helga and I and…our 'coming out' today caused any of the extra attention you're getting, then we're really sorry, Brainy. You're our friend and we'd never want to hurt you. And we promise we'll try and figure out why exactly people might be giving you attention, and then maybe we can figure out how to stop it. But until then, we just want you to know that we're here for you, Brainy. If you're upset you can come to us and we'll do our best to help you no matter what, because today's not just about me and Helga…it's also about everyone who's helped us with our secret. And…I think just this once Helga will let me speak for her when I say that we both appreciate you keeping Helga's secret all these years very much. So we'll do our best for you, Brainy. That's what friends do after all, right?" He smiled at Brainy…For a moment though he then blinked and cleared his throat and looked down a little uncomfortably, but then his smile quickly returned and he added with a little sigh and a shrug, looking back up at the boy before him, "A-And, um…about…before…" Letting the sentence hang, our football headed hero then suddenly leaned over and gave Helga a small kiss upon her cheek. He pulled back after several seconds (just leaving her standing there with wide eyes and a distinct blush on her face), and then continued addressing Brainy. "I'm sorry about seeming uncomfortable with you before, Brainy. You're my friend just like Gerald or anyone else is my friend, and if I'm going to be willing to show my, um…a-affection for Helga publically now and to people who are going to probably spend quite a while after today teasing us, then I want to be okay enough to show it in front of someone who's supported us from the very beginning…just like you." He gave his young friend another smile, though this one had a touch of sheepishness in it.
Brainy took all of that in curiously, shyly, interestedly, surprisedly almost…. And when it was all over that blush of nervousness finally subsided from his face and relief came to his eyes and he smiled quite amiably. "Thank you, Arnold…I…I feel better. And it helps…that you'll be there to help me figure out why this is happening…." Brainy gave him an appreciative nod and then addressed Arnold's concerns about him and Helga and their 'intimacy'. "And no need to apologize for before, Arnold. Of course both of you would feel funny for a while expressing your love around me . I've felt funny too, to be honest…though mostly about the idea of making you both feel funny. But if you want to move on to the next phase in our friendship, I'm more than willing." Smiling sincerely he held out his hand.
A likewise smiling Arnold held out his hand as well and the boys two shook.
Their gesture finished, Brainy then retracted his arm and gave the couple a small nod. "Thank you. Anyway, I'll leave the two of you alone now to…finish up." He cleared his throat but the smile still remained on his face. "And whenever you two come out, Gerald and Phoebe and Lila and I will be there to support you. I'll see you soon, Arnold…" he nodded to him… "Helga…" he nodded to her. And then with that he gracefully left.
"Bye, Brainy." Arnold watched him go and smiled, happy for the bit of good his advice and words of consolation had seemed to do.
"Whoa….Arnold…"
Helga's rather surprised sounding voice met his ears, and he turned back to look at her, still smiling casually. "Yes, Helga?" he asked.
She was just looking at him with wide, intrigued eyes. Then she half smiled. "Uh…nothing, I guess. That was just…kind of neat." She smiled more as Arnold gave her a curious look about this statement. "I mean, I know you've been hanging out with Brainy sometimes just like I've been doing, but the three of us have kind of avoided hanging out all together until we could get more used to our, uh, 'unique situation' so, I've never really seen how you are with him." She took a step forward, tilting her head to the side, her eyes and smile warm. "You really do treat him like a good friend, just like he says you do, don't you? I mean, it took me weeks to stop treating Lila like some evil cosmic force trying to steal you from me and to become good friends with her, but you're just…so naturally good and kind that even though Brainy's 'the only boy besides you whose lips have ever touched any part of me', " she rolled her eyes to the side at recalling that little observation of Arnold's to her that day after they had had that small blowout about her being over at Brainy's house, "…you can accept that and move past it and be the exact kind of friend he needs, Arnold. Thank you very much for that, my beloved. I appreciate it a lot." And then with a light blush Helga leaned over and gave him a small, soft, reciprocal kiss upon his cheek, pulling back after a second or two to look at him with warmth and adoration.
Arnold, eyes wide, just blinked. And then a grin burst out upon his face, spreading ear to ear as a matter of fact. "Uh…" a goofy chuckle escaped him and he shrugged modestly. There was just…something about a sweet kiss on the cheek from her that could get him even more lovesick sometimes than even making out could ever do…The gesture was so adorably sentimental after all…and she was so cute every time she did it. "You're welcome, my beloved Helga. But it...I…of course I really like Brainy, Helga. Even despite how he might have felt about you… He's been there for you in a way I…couldn't be…until now. He…well…the way I think about it, he was sort of there watching over you a little…making sure you really were okay…until I was ready for that important job. So I'm very very grateful for him, Helga. He kept you safe for me. And also he really is a good person…and he respects you and cares about you and supports you…For all of that, I consider him one of the best friends I have." This speech done, he stepped forward extra close to her, his smile picking up a little on one side. "And besides, what do I have to be jealous about? Sure, you're brilliant, fiery, attractive, witty, charming, beautiful…but, I know now, after everything we've been through and especially lately that you won't leave me, Helga. You'll always be here for me. And I…I plan to always take full advantage of that wonderful situation…and to always be there for you too." He smiled more and then wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes and gave her one of those warm hugs he had been giving her ever since before he could remember whenever she would make him happy. Just another little piece of evidence that he must have been smitten with her too from the day they met…
Pulling back gently, the first sound that met Arnold's ears was one of Helga's giggles. His eyes then went up to hers as he took a small step back from her now, and she was blushing rosy red and glancing down coyly, and her eyes were all warm, and her hair still hung so gently on her shoulders. It looked like she had a soft spot for his hugs just like he had a soft spot for her simple, delicate little kisses of affection…and also like maybe she was tending back into a certain romantic direction which he was tending back into at the moment as well…and well, they were alone again... "Oh Arnold…" she responded so sweetly... "You're such a good boyfriend. And a good friend…to me and Brainy. I'm so happy." And then with a joyous smile she went forward and pounced upon him in a tight little hug of her own, her eyes shut in joy and giggling happily. And then she added into his ear as she still held him close, playfulness coming to her tone, "And of course I'll always be here for you, my Arnold—and I'm so happy you know it now in our lives. Like I could ever get over you even if I tried, Football Head." She opened her eyes and rolled them, a memory suddenly coming to her…something she had brought up around the time of their first argument about Brainy actually… "And hey I think I mentioned to you once that I actually did try to abandon my devotion to you one time, my darling….Not that a full day's break after six years of devotion wasn't maybe a little necessary but overall worst experiment ever! After all, why fight fate? You and I are meant to be!" She chuckled to herself giddily at the lovely sentiment.
Arnold just smiled, totally melting into her hug and mostly doing his best to keep his knees from giving out from underneath him. "Oh…You tried once…like you told me…a full day's…Yeah…"
A second then passed, and then suddenly Arnold's eyes went wide and all color drained from his face. "A full day?" he suddenly exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, his heart pounding in anxiety!
Helga just sighed and hugged him more, barely even processing the tone in his voice. "Huh? Oh, yeah…just me moping around without any emotions at all. And I threw out all my poems and shrine stuff and my locket too—ugh, talk about a nightmare sifting through garbage bags in my garage to get all of that back. But, hey, at least it didn't all end up at the dump like your hat that one time, right?" She winked at him, then went on with, "Oh and hey, a fun fact: that little misadventure of mine was actually where calling you 'ice cream' came from…and in the end I decided I needed ice cream to love, to hate, and to inspire me!" She giggled warmly a little again and then pulled back to open her eyes and look at him again.
Arnold's eyes were just rather wide and he was getting a little late. "I…I-I'm sorry…so…" he looked like he was really trying to comprehend this, "You…loving me and then not loving me…went on for…an actual complete day? And you…threw out your poems and the shrine and…your locket?"
Helga blinked at his question but then just shrugged and smiled. "Uh…yeah. Football Head, didn't we both just agree that I mentioned this shenanigan of mine to you once before?" She looked at him curiously.
Arnold blinked and nodded. "Yes, but…" a touch of distress came to his tone, and his little mouth fixed in a sad pout, "I don't know, when you said it that time you really didn't mention details and I guess I figured that…one day in class you were bored so you decided to try not loving me, tried really hard at it, but then the bell rang or something and you realized you couldn't do it. I didn't realize there were…days involved of…of you just not caring about me anymore…and that you threw out…e-everything…" He frowned a little, looking down in a touch of sadness. "I'm sorry, Helga, I know this probably seems silly...but it…it's a little…scary to me, thinking about that…I just…I know I couldn't stop loving you for a day even if I tried…ever…" He shrugged, feeling both worrisome…and just a touch ridiculous. But still…she was the woman he wanted to marry for Pete's sake? What guy in his position wouldn't feel a touch mindblown at the idea of her love just 'ending' for a day?
"Oh…Arnold…" Helga cooing these words in a sympathetic tone that was like balm to his fears caused Arnold to glance up at her again. She was smiling warmly at him, almost chuckling a little in amusement. "First of all, my love…The only reason back then that I tried to stop loving you was because...well…I make the unrequited lifestyle look a bit easier than it actually is on a girl…and I was so lonely and I didn't have your love. I thought that if I could make my own love go away it might…hurt less if I really wasn't the one for you, my prince…" She looked deeply into his eyes. "But now I know that I am the one for you, and I have your love, and I've also learned the lesson that I can't deny my feelings just because they're hard…So I will never stop trying to love you, Arnold, never like I did that one time. Alright?" She reached out and placed a fingertip underneath his chin, gently inclining his head upward.
Arnold, already blushing, just gulped and blinked and gave a nod as his green eyes were compelled to come into total contact with Helga's blue ones.
She gave a little nod in return. "Good. And second of all, I didn't stop loving you, per say. I just...got myself into DEEP denial and convinced myself I had stopped loving you…That's why I threw out everything. It's complicated but if you'd like I could share the full and complete story with you later. Maybe at dinner tonight? It's sort of a particularly mortifying one—I come off as about as much of a loon as possible. But if it'll help you understand things better then it'll be worth telling it…and plus…" she grinned a little, removing her fingertip from his chin and crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a once over, "…Hey, if I can't trust you with my embarrassing escapades then who can I trust, right?" She winked at him.
Arnold, all calmed and relieved and back to normal now from his worrywart little self, had to smile and even chuckle a little at the joke. "Yeah…you can trust me, Helga." He winked back at her. "And, um…thanks for all that…and for offering to tell me the details of the story later. I feel better. And I'm sorry I got a little funny about for a minute there…I trust our love, of course. I was just a little surprised…But I think I understand better now so thank you." And then he added with a little blush and in a quieter tone, "Oh and…I'm sorry I interrupted, um…us…again...I feel like we've spent all of recess 'almost' kissing…when actual kissing is a lot more fun." He gave a little sheepish shrug.
Helga blushed as well and an amorous little smile returned to her face. "Oh Arnold…I know exactly what you mean, and I really am okay with risking doing it while hiding out on the playground, but…now really, you know we won't be able to stop at just one…on top of which recess has to be over half over…which means we've been MIA from the class for a good twenty minutes at least now, so…we might have to hold off on our desires for now, my darling, and just go out there and face the music…otherwise who knows what people will imagine we've been doing alone back here for so long…and especially when, ironically enough, we haven't had a chance to do anything? Because crimeny if I'm gonna get teased for liplocking with you, I'd like there to be some actual lip locks involved." She leaned a little closer and fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously and giggled…( 'All part of enticing him to get him worked up about tonight…'), and then she pulled back and added, almost casually, though with a grin she couldn't help, "Oh but before we go, Football Head, I was thinking…" 'Hey, as long as he's putty in my hands, might as well go for it…' "…since you're being so stubborn about giving me any kind of clue about what I'm walking into tonight with your date for us, why don't we strike a little deal to satisfy at least some of my curiosity, hmm? You give me a hint about your plans for us for this evening…and maybe I give you a little hint about one of the anniversary presents I'm getting you besides this whole 'open relationship' thing today?" She grinned at him enticingly.
Arnold, for a moment, was too befuddled by all of the flirting that Helga had suddenly bombarded him to even begin forming words for a reply to her offer. But then slowly reality started to come back to his love-drunk head full of daydreams and memories of kisses… Their anniversary, the playground, Helga confessing publically today… Finally he indeed processed Helga's offer now too and had to smile just a little more to himself. She was so adorably curious sometimes, and he loved that little cunning side of her that could come out too…and conveniently right when he was at his most vulnerable about her considering her little coy advances and the fact that he wanted kisses he couldn't have just yet. 'She's so…clever…' He sighed dreamily to himself but then just smiled at Helga and shook his head, his resolve to surprise her standing firm. "No, Helga. I can't do that. I'm sorry…I'm more than willing to wait a day to find out what the rest of my presents are as long as it means you get to be completely surprised tonight." He smiled more at her.
Helga, having more than expected this response from her determined little gentleman but figuring 'eh, a girl can at least try, can't she?', just sighed and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and flipping back a side of her hair that had fallen forward when she had leaned extra close to him just now. "Oh fine, you great big stick in the mud. We'll do it YOUR way." She chuckled and looked at him with a grin, shaking her head a little. "Honestly, Arnold, let me guess—you're one of those kids who NEVER peeks at his Christmas presents, right? Always waits like a good boy until Christmas morning to see what they are…?"
Arnold smirked a little back at her and then just let out a breath and nodded. "Yes, guilty, Helga. I don't peek. But I'm sure you do…and I'm sure that's going to make getting presents for you for your birthday and Valentine's Day and Christmas and our anniversaries a real challenge over the years. But I'm up for it if you are." He winked at her. "I like challenges…and challenging girls…remember?" He put his arms shyly behind his back.
Helga blinked and got all flustered looking again this afternoon and dug one of her feet into the ground shyly, her own arms going behind her own back now. "Y-Yeah, I guess that makes sense…" She chuckled warmly and then glanced at him again.
For a moment, Arnold was just continuing to gaze lovingly at her. Then he let out a sigh and started with a touch of sheepishness, glancing downward and bringing his hands forward to play with them a little. "Hey, Helga?"
She smiled more at him, still looking perfectly pleased. "Yes, Arnold?" She nodded, letting her own hands come forward as well to clasp them in front of herself.
He swallowed, still smiling to himself…almost…meaningfully… "I…I know you told me not to bother apologizing a few weeks ago about something similar to this because the past was the past and I should just 'catch you the next time around', but…I'm sorry for all those Christmases and Birthdays and Valentines Day before this one that I never really got you anything…I-I mean, the few times you had a party when we were really little I know I got you presents but we were so young that I didn't have any money of my own so my grandparents mostly bought those…but still I don't really think that counts, you know? So, I really am sorry for missing out on so much…that we both had to miss out on so many holidays and celebrations and times to give each other nice things to show each other how much we care. But I promise I'll do my best to make up for it from now on." He looked to her with a sincere smile.
He was expecting something along the lines of a giggle and an eye roll from Helga, and her probably telling him again that he needed to not worry about it because the past really was the past.
But instead he got Helga looking at him kind of…funny. There was some sheepishness, some guilt, a touch of a smile, some hesitation and indecision.
"Helga?" Arnold asked curiously at being so unexpectedly met with all of this.
"Huh?" she replied, her eyes opening wide and all attention instantly snapping to him. "Oh! Uh…yeah? Heh…" She gave a half sheepish grin.
Arnold smiled at her, a knowing look coming to his eyes. "Something's on your mind…Will you tell me what it is?"
He could see her about to go into painfully obvious 'Uhh…I don't know what you're talking about, heh!' denial mode for a second, but then she just sighed. She knew trying to keep secrets from each other was pointless at this point in their relationship, just as he knew it as well. So instead she just shrugged and said back to him sort of plainly, "Honestly…it's nothing too big, Arnold. It's just that you were just going on about how it's so nice that we can give each other present's now and how bummed you are that we missed out on a good six years of it, but…" She shrugged again as she spoke and looked at him, "...um…you're kind of the only one who missed out. I've gotten you presents for at least every birthday and Christmas ever since we've known each other, heh. Birthdays weren't too bad for me to still keep my secret…I mean, everyone who got invited to your parties had to bring you a present, obviously, so it wasn't suspicious whenever I did, but I did have to be really careful about what I got you—I wanted it to be memorable but also not suspicious. Usually I picked something right on the line and then when you liked it I acted like I had no idea you'd feel that way and didn't care at all anyway. Christmas was a bit trickier though—finding a way to get you your gift, or what gift to get you in the first place, never was easy." She almost chuckled to herself at some memories and then looked at him again with a smile as she finished with, "But now at least we can give each other stuff openly and freely which is going to make the holidays a MUCH less stressful for me, Football Head…and it'll also make your birthdays a lot more fun…and Valentine's Days too…and of course all of our happy anniversaries." She winked. And then she sighed, glancing up at the sun overhead for a moment to see how westerly it really was getting at this point in the afternoon before she looked back to Arnold again. "Anyway though we really have been back here for a while and recess really is almost done. Let's go let Gerald and Phoebe and whoever else cares know we're alive already." She chuckled and then took Arnold's hand to start leading him from behind the dumpster.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute." This exiting of their private space behind the dumpster was stopped though by Arnold, who was now digging his heels firmly against the playground pavement.
Helga blinked and turned back to him, the two children still not clear of the dumpster's shelter. "Uh…yeah?" she asked, totally cluelessly.
Arnold just looked at her like she should know why he was stopping her. And he really didn't see how she couldn't see it. "Um…" he sighed, removing his hand from hers to bring it to his temple and rub it a little. "Okay, look…the birthday presents I remember and now that you mention it they always were something I kind of liked, which I guess always stuck with me a little. But…I'm sorry, but I don't remember you ever giving me a Christmas present, Helga G. Pataki? What are you talking about?" He looked at her in utter and sincere puzzlement.
Helga blinked at first, taking in his issue, but then she just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Arnold, for crying out loud, can we talk about this when we're NOT in the middle of destroying the social hierarchy of the fourth grade?" At the same time though, she was also blushing just a tiny bit, and some worry was pricking at her. 'Stupid mentioning the Christmas presents, stupid…' She had always liked that those had been anonymous…like little mysteries from a Christmas angel of his or something…and especially the last Christmas's present she had given him... She never wanted to tell him about that one, if she could help it. It had been the single closest thing to an anonymous good deed that she had ever done in her entire life, after all. And, on top of everything else, the existence of that last Christmas present really made her see all the ones before it—all those material gifts—as petty and shallow and not worth him knowing about anyway. No, the only one truly worthy of him and truly worth bringing up had been the last one…and it could only remain truly worthy of him if she never breathed a word about it to him ever.
"I just want to know what you got me for Christmas, Helga?" Arnold asked very simply and sincerely, pulling Helga out of her thoughts rather quickly.
"I got you whatever I felt like getting you, Football Head!" Helga couldn't help but shoot back in stubborn and slightly panicky reflex and with a touch of a defensive scowl now.
Arnold blinked at her response and the attitude that went along with it. It was so strange…Why wouldn't she want to tell him what she had gotten him for Christmas? And why get angry about it?
Seeing his continued dense reaction to her words, Helga sighed and rolled her eyes and then grabbed his hand again. "Look, I usually…I don't know, just wrote 'From Santa' on them and tossed them into a pile of Santa ones, okay? So it's probably been one of those ones every year…I can't remember details…"
"Can't remember…" Arnold almost rolled his eyes with a smirk but instead just let out a deep breath. 'Patience…Patience is everything with her…' Then Arnold remembered a tactic he had used a bit over a month ago to 'jog Helga's memory'…though back then it had been about a certain recent poem she had written about him and her confession that he had accidentally got a hold of one afternoon after class just before Mr. Simmons had assigned her to be his poetry tutor…But Arnold figured the strategy could work just as well for a Christmas present, in this case specifically a recent Christmas present. "Okay, well, Christmas was only six months ago, can you at least remember the last one you got me?" He smiled a little, waiting to see how she would respond to this.
"No!" she shot back though, totally and firmly shutting down his fun. She scowled to herself and rolled her eyes, grumbling. "Christmas…WHY are we even TALKING about Christmas—it's JUNE! Anyway, come on, we've got a public to face and we're burning daylight! This whole 'telling the truth' thing doesn't count if we spend half our time hiding the shadows, paste for brains," and then instantly she was pulling him along and out from behind the dumpster and finally into plain view of the playground…
…Where the two children were met with… a fairly average sight, actually. Kids playing, no mobs demanding the details of Helga and Arnold's love…pretty quiet, overall.
"Too quiet…" Helga couldn't help but mumble to herself with a scowl. Her eyes scanned the playground and then suddenly lit upon Gerald and Phoebe talking together near the school doors, the sight of whom at least managed to put her suspicions on hold for a moment as her worry was replaced by a touch of relief.
Helga let out a breath and then let Arnold's hand go, realizing that if she didn't want to attract attention to them right now in this most social of settings, walking directly across the playground with their fingers laced together probably wouldn't help much…Yes, handholding had publically taken place in the cafeteria for a few seconds but Helga still needed baby steps a bit about it all, especially on only day one of being the 'new, honest Helga.'
Our blond heroine now turned to her beloved, who was currently taking a second to gather himself after being so suddenly pulled from their hiding place like this. He dusted himself off and then fixed his hat, which had almost fallen off of his head from how swiftly she had taken him with her in tow, and then he smiled at Helga (his mind focusing on the present moment for now…He would deal with the Christmas mystery later). "See, Helga," he started brightly, gesturing to the peaceful playground at large, "…being honest really does pay off…no one's bothering us anymore. I bet they even forgot all about everything in the cafeteria and the classroom…"
Helga just rolled her eyes at this little positive observation from her beloved, trying her best to be patient though of course. "Football Head, you are WAY too trusting sometimes. This isn't the rest of the fourth grade 'giving up'…this is the rest of the fourth grade plotting…" A shiver ran through her. "And I shudder to think of the diabolical taunts and jeers and amounts of teasing those chuckleheads might be cooking up for us..." She then gestured with her head some distance behind her and went on with, "Now come on, let's give Gerald and Phoebe a high sign to let them know we're good and then maybe head over to the swing set or something for the rest of recess. I think we'll be safe doing something as simple as that together with our best friends watching our back in one corner of the playground, Brainy keeping an eye on things from the shadows, and Lila probably still dealing with the other girls. Yes sir, strength in numbers and know how to be inconspicuous when you need to be, Arnold. Two rules you need to know and love if you're going to keep being a central player in Helga G. Pataki patented stunts and schemes." She half grinned and winked at him.
Arnold just smiled and did his best not to chuckle too much at her slight dramatics about all of this, though he would respect her concerns, of course. "Okay, Helga," he nodded, "I wouldn't mind spending some time swinging anyway…or pushing you on the swing…if you want." He smiled just a bit more to himself at the sweet idea of an activity she had come up with for them.
Helga actually had to chuckle a little at that unexpected suggestion from her beloved, and then she grinned a little extra at Arnold and couldn't help countering with a smirk, "Anything to get your hands on me, huh, Romeo?"
Arnold instantly blinked and blushed and crossed his arms over his chest and started with a bashful gulp and voice, "I…well, I—" 'H-How does she always…' Not that getting to touch her by pushing her had been Arnold's only reason for offering to help her with the swings…but…our honest football headed hero couldn't necessarily deny to himself that such a consequence had at least been a factor in the suggestion from him.
Helga just laughed to herself once more and reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh relax, Football Head, you should be used to me seeing through your thin romantic plans by now. Besides…" She took a step closer, still grinning away, "I could use a good pusher…maybe we could even take turns, if there's time. What do you say?" She tilted her head to the side and let some of her hair fall a little bit over her shoulder and eye, just for the effect of it all.
Arnold remained blushing and wide eyed for just a second more… and then a half little grin of his own came to his face...and it was only growing. "Taking turns? You really do like being an honest, nice, considerate person don't you, Helga?" He smirked at her a little, very proud of his well-chosen reply.
Helga blinked and then scoffed and blushed and smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh just put a sock in it and come swing with me so we can enjoy this day of 'openness' while it lasts, you little shrimp!" she exclaimed with an eye roll. And then, suddenly finding herself not caring one bit again about what anyone saw or said about them or how much attention they might attract (no one seemed to be bugging them much so far at least—right?), she resumed her holding of his hand in order to pull him over to the swings. Yes, all that mattered today was she and Arnold in love and in public…and anyone who had to say anything about it could just take a hike!
Helga sustained herself with these confidence-boosting thoughts as she and her beloved prepared to pass under the monkey bars, past slide and jungle gym and through the hopscotch court, all of which were all obstacles on their way to the swings and all full of other kids seemingly having an average good time….
Of course…most of these other kids surrounding them (so far) happened to be from other grade levels and were people Arnold and Helga didn't know particularly well…
"There you are, Helga G. Pataki!"
Then the sound of Rhonda's (quite unhappy-sounding) voice and the sight of her storming forward to approach them broke in upon the happy couple, causing Helga to cringe involuntarily and stumble in her walk with Arnold right almost at the heart of the playground. The young blond girl closed her eyes and sighed deeply, doing her best to calm her startled nerves and also to not lose her temper. 'Be calm…you're a lover not a fighter and you know it…unless she really really really REALLY starts bugging you, that is!' "Rhonda, I swear I—" Helga started through gritted teeth in an effort to be calm and use her words…not knowing what fresh misery her classmate had in mind to inflict or what overreaction Rhonda was planning to have this time, but fully ready to shut it down instantly and, at first, at least, with every nonviolent tactic she possessed. 'Having a conscience you actually listen to is such a pain sometimes…' she couldn't help but comment to herself in slight mental complaint though of course.
The dark haired girl meanwhile had now reached Arnold and Helga, and Helga (opening her eyes, though with a scowl) could see, peripherally, that it looked like Rhonda had actually broken from the grasp of Sheena, Nadine and Lila about twenty feet away, who, with worried looks on their faces, seemed to have been coaxing if not actually trying to hold her back.
"Helga G. Pataki. I think I've decided that I would like to have a word with you in private!" Suddenly, all of Helga's attention snapped back to Rhonda, who had made this sudden and rather rude demand right into her face.
Helga blinked, taken aback at first, but then her assertive personality kicked in (not her defensive personality, mind you, or even the tiny part of her personality that was violent—just the assertive part), and she squeezed Arnold's hand, looked Rhonda straight in the eye and said right back to her, "Hey! If you 'want a word' with me that's fine, but at least ask like a civil human being and throw in the word 'please' maybe! And DON'T get in my face! And also, anything you've got to say to me, you can say in front of Arnold so just spill and get it off of your chest, okay!"
Rhonda gave a startled blink, looking a little taken aback herself all of a sudden. "I…I-I…" Indeed, almost a small blush seemed to come to her features, though perhaps it was just redness from the 'apparent' anger coursing through her…
However, before the young ladies could settle this situation, they were joined by a few more fourth grade classmates who, at the sight and sounds of the conflict/exchange in question (and now seeing that Arnold and Helga were out and about again), were eager to get back into a public analysis of the 'Arnold and Helga thing' (as today's latest turn of events had been so affectionately dubbed by the middle grade of P.S. 118).
"Hey Arnold….whatchya still doing with Helga? Ha ha ha!" Harold laughed raucously and elbowed Stinky and Sid, who were positioned on either side of him, all three of them right before the two blondes in question.
"Yeah, who would have thought you had it in you?" Sid chimed in with a grin. "And sheesh, she must have you hooked pretty deep to get all dolled up like that for you." Sid laughed but also hid slightly behind his friends, fully recalling Helga grabbing him by the collar at lunch for his last crack about her appearance today.
"Garsh, I reckon no one saw this turn of events coming," Stinky observed with a grin and a scratch of his head. "I mean, we all knew you were always kind of desperate for a girlfriend, Arnold, but…getting one through Helga?" A baffled look came to his face. "I know she's nice sometimes and everything of course since I had that crush on her once but this whole dang thing seems plum loco!"
Helga was really having to strive to keep from blowing her top or from running off in a frightened panic at all of this—half the male population of her class basically critiquing her love life. She compromised by just clearing her throat and announcing to the group of boys in question, all the while holding Arnold's hand very very tightly to calm herself, "Well, thank you three for trying to socially eat me and Arnold alive. We get it—you all think I'm the creepiest choice for a girlfriend on the planet! Any OTHER predictable responses you want to throw at us today?" She tapped her foot and put her free hand on her hip, looking at them in annoyance.
"Guys…" Arnold was speaking up now too. Yes, Helga really wanted to handle this 'going public' thing today as much on her own as possible but when it came down to it that did NOT mean to Arnold that he was just going to sit there and let her take on everything all by herself for the entire day, and especially when she really had been sort of insulted right now. Still though Arnold tried to be patient with addressing his friends and to keep his own temper under control. "Look, I…I understand that this is all…new for you but…this is the way things are now and they're…not going to change…for a very very long time. Helga and I…um…we…" he gulped, searching in his shyness for the right words, and squeezing Helga's hand extra tightly in hopes of it helping him find them.
"Hey Arnold, come on!" Sid smirked at him a little, crossing his arms over his chest and taking a step closer. He even lowered his voice, like he was suddenly bringing up some kind of 'on the down low' information. "Lila's not anywhere around here so you can tell us the truth."
"Huh?" Arnold stopped trying to find his words and looked at Sid and the other boys with an absolutely blank look. 'Lila?' What did she have to do with anything?
(Interestingly enough, Rhonda also uttered a soft 'Huh?' and a blank look likewise came to her face right in unison with Arnold at Sid's suggestion, though no one seemed to notice much…except for maybe Helga, of course).
Sid shrugged and leaned back again, though he still kept his voice a bit down. "Oh come on, Arnold. Look, we know it was probably supposed to be a secret but…it's just us guys and Helga now…and Rhonda always knows what's going on anyway, so…we know, Arnold…so just spill."
Still, that blank look remained on our football headed hero's face. "Know…what?" he asked, totally, genuinely, sincerely and utterly puzzled.
Sid replied with a grin on his face like the explanation he was about to introduce was the most obvious thing in the world. "…That this is a last ditch, last day of school effort by you to get Lila by making her jealous, and that Helga's helping you by pretending to 'like like' you because the two of you have been secret buddies or something ever since that poetry tutoring thing last month."
Harold and Stinky nodded, likewise in a way that suggested this conclusion was the most obvious thing in the world.
Helga's jaw fell open.
Rhonda's eyes lit up…almost with salvation!
Arnold blushed about as red and fully as he could, in a way that no one (outside of Helga) had ever seen him do so.
"You're blushing…" Sid observed of his friend, his grin growing even slyer, "We're right, aren't we? Arnold, you dog! We really didn't know you had it in you! Well, I mean, okay, we knew you had some of it in you ever since your weird Cousin Arnie was here and you started acting like Helga's slave here and there to make Lila jealous, but this is taking it to a whole new level! You're not even just flirting with Helga to get to Lila—you're making her your full on fake girlfriend! Holding hands, sitting together, smiling, checking her out all during class, running off in private with her, even playing hard to get with Lila to top it all off! Very shrewd!" Sid winked.
Reactions this time around:
Arnold let out the most mortified sounding sigh imaginable.
Rhonda looked curiously to Arnold and Helga now as this latest observation from the boys about their situation fully sunk in and started to process with her.
A small (very small)…un-helpable…little scoff of a chuckle escaped at the back of Helga's throat.
"I reckon your plan's working too, Arnold!" Stinky suddenly chimed in now with a smile. "We all saw Miss Lila talking to you at lunch and she seemed real happy and smiling!"
Harold nodded, smiling as well. "Yeah! That was actually a really neat trick to get to her, Arnold! And plus it means we get to see Helga all dolled up and girly looking! And you having to act like her slave! Ha ha ha!" He broke into laughter again, unable to help it.
The other boys joined him in snickering. "Y-Yeah…" Sid added between laughs, "I-It's been funny enough to watch you and Helga trying to be secret friends with your random walks together and getting ice cream and even pizza together sometimes, and that story about the pranks and even getting handcuffed to each other the other week and stuff, but this TOPS it! Absolutely! She even had ME thinking she was a real girl this morning!" He broke into serious chuckles again, knowing at the back of his mind that there was a physical danger but just not caring—it was too funny to pass up!
Once again, reactions!
Rhonda was smiling like she was very very very VERY pleased about something!
Arnold and Helga were just looking to each other with wide eyes, almost communicating silently. THAT was what everyone thought was going on? That they were playing at some kind of stupid game? That it was a trick? That Arnold still had the hots for Lila? Oh no, no, no, no, no, this HAD to be corrected, right now!
"I reckon the most interesting part of it all though has to be how Brainy must be feelin'!"
"Huh?" Yeah, the mention of Brainy's name definitely warranted this surprised exclamation from Helga. Brainy HAD been something she wanted to look into, after all…
"Oh come on, Helga…" Sid gave her a look. "Don't play dumb—we all know you've been sneaking off with Brainy ever since that whole thing with the love poem he wrote for you."
"Ha ha! Yeah—Helga's got a boyfriend!" Harold couldn't help but chime in with a hearty laugh.
Yeah," Stinky nodded with a grin, "And plus you've been writing all those purty love poems for him that Mr. Simmons reads in class everyday by anonymous. Now that we know you're such a dang good poet, Helga, we all know those poems have to be by you…and now that we've all seen how much nicer you've been to Brainy lately we all know they must be about him." Stinky had to chuckle a little as well while his other two friends went off into full-blown hysterics.
Do I need to say it? Reactions!
Rhonda giggled.
Arnold's face contorted a little and a small scoff escaped him—there was a mix of surprise and confusion and jealousy overall.
Helga blushed. Fully. And no one but Arnold really had ever seen her blush. At all. Ever. She quickly jerked Arnold closer to her and whispered with panic into his ear, "Arnold! You told me the guys made some stupid cracks about me and Brainy that day I went over to his house for the first time…You didn't tell me they were SERIOUS!"
Arnold's eyes went wide and he shrugged a little and quickly whispered back, "I didn't know they were serious!"
"Aw, Helga wikes Bwainy!" Harold clasped his hands together and fluttered his eyelashes for a moment, and then burst into fresh laughter, effectively ripping the attention of Helga out of her mini conversation with Arnold and right back into the fray. "Look, she's all blushing!"
Even Stinky, who really did try to be a bit more polite than his two friends most of the time, couldn't help but grin widely and laugh a little more himself. "Garsh, Harold, you're right—she's the color of a tomato! I reckon she's thinking about all the purty love poems they write to each other all day!"
Sid nodded in agreement, barely able to breathe, the laughter had such a hold on him! "Yeah! Then they probably kiss and snuggle all creepy and nerdy like! Oh Brainy, my darling! Oh Helga…BIG WHEEZE…my dearest!"
Okay, that was it—Helga had learned to tolerate people teasing HER without resorting to her fists and she had even learned to sort of accept that Arnold might have to stand up for himself on occasion about things like this even though, overall, he had said he really didn't care what other people said so long as he could be with her…but so help her, right now they were talking about her friend, and a very dear and kind one to her at that, AND one who was not here to defend himself at the moment. She instantly broke her handhold with Arnold and had Sid and Stinky's collars grabbed in Old Betsey, and Harold's collar grabbed in The Five Avengers. She seethed at all three of them. "YOU…"
"Uh…" the sound of a wheeze, "…Helga?"
The sound of her name being said with an all too familiar wheeze accompanying it snapped Helga out of her bullymode more quickly than just about anything else but a kiss from Arnold could have done. Her eyes went and her breaths stopped for a moment. Her gaze shifted to the side and she could see Brainy now standing right beside her, looking worried.
To give Brainy's sudden arrival now some context…
Brainy had actually been watching this little scene between Helga and Arnold and some of the boys unfolding from a secluded place on the playground for about five minutes now. He had noticed Gerald and Phoebe off in another area discussing something amongst themselves at the time and thus probably unaware that Arnold and Helga were starting to be 'ganged up on' a little again. His first instinct, of course, had been to go over and assist his blond friends, but he had checked the urge initially, deciding it might be hasty to interfere in something that might pass over quickly (especially since recess didn't have too much time left in it) and also keeping in mind Helga's explicit desire to be allowed to handle things as much on her own as possible today. And so Brainy had decided to wait and observe instead…and, if the situation merited it, he had promised himself that despite Helga's preferences or his fear of attention or confrontation, he would go over to her and help in any way he might be able to.
…And then, well…seeing her suddenly go from calmly handling the situation on her own to suddenly hoisting three kids high at once with a mean glare in her eye while Arnold was stuck in too much shock for a moment to try and stop her—yeah, Brainy had figured that that was a sure sign that his assistance might be helpful.
And so now Brainy was right beside her, waiting to help...
And all Helga could think now that he was there was, 'Please go away, Brainy…Please. I didn't realize they really would think that…that we….Oh please, please, please go away, Brainy…Please, before they tease and hurt you! At least Arnold and I have been prepared for it but not you!'
Brainy of course didn't know of any of our blond heroine's internal hopes and pleas. He just smiled obligingly at her now that he had her attention, hoping a friendly face would soothe her a little. "You…okay?" he asked between wheezes, his inhaler having worn off a few minutes ago.
Helga just let out a long, deep sigh and closed her eyes, her grips on the three boys still in her grasp loosening. That one question from Brainy was going to be all it would take, wouldn't it?
Yes, indeed it was.
The three boys burst into even more laughter.
And the traces of this song began… "Helga and Brainy, sitting in a tree…"
"I WILL MAKE ALL YOUR LIVES A LIVING HECK FOR THE REST OF OUR ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH, AND HIGH SCHOOL CAREERS IF EITHER OF YOU SAYS ONE MORE WORD!" Helga announced with firmness and fire and in the most no-nonsense tone she had ever used, and that said flat out that she genuinely and sincerely would go through with this threat if not obeyed!
Her exclamation actually shut up the three boys, at least for now. They just blinked and looked at each other in slight confusion and even worry, very thrown off for a moment…Helga had never spoken like that. Ever. On top of which…they all knew from watching her with Arnold all these years (the present day excluded) that she was more than able to come through on this threat of perpetual if she felt like it…and in spades!
Helga took advantage of the opportunity of her opponents' slight befuddlement and quickly shoved their collars away in disgust, and then reached out and snagged a confused Brainy toward her by his arm. She whispered a quick rundown of the situation into his ear so that only she and he could hear. "They're idiots and think today I'm just 'playing along' with my 'secret best buddy' Arnold so he can make Lila jealous, a-and they also think that you and I, um…h-have been dating ever since you 'wrote that love poem for me' last month." And then she pushed him behind her before he could respond to all of that (and all the while she tried to keep a fresh threatening blush down) and then turned her glare away from the boys and to Rhonda, whom she had all but forgotten about until now. "Rhonda Wellington Lloyd…Did you start THIS?" she hissed firmly, pointing right at the three offending boys and meaning the misunderstanding they were under…which had to capacity to sound an awful lot like a fabricated rumor, and, well, Rhonda was pretty much the go-to girl for those. "Tell me…NOW." Helga finished. Her look, her tone…There was nothing there to be messed with.
"H-Helga…" Arnold started quietly, cautiously from behind her. He knew she wanted to be left on her own with the things like this but…He was worried. Very worried. He had been worried ever since she had grabbed Harold, Sid and Stinky actually but had been just too shocked at the time to come up with the right thing to say to her. But now he knew he needed to remind her that he was here for her…She didn't have to do this alone even thought she wanted to a little…and especially if it was going to lead to something bad…
"Arnold…" Helga merely replied back calmly to him, though she didn't turn to face him and the scowl didn't leave her face, "It's okay. I'm fine. I just want an answer." She turned her words back to Rhonda and glared at her, her eyes flashing. "DID YOU START THIS, RHONDA?" she asked again firmly and in a way that didn't just not allow for a lie but that fully demanded an answer. And an immediate one at that.
Rhonda gulped. Her eyes were wide. She was rather surprised. Likewise, she had never heard Helga speak this way. She did her best to play it cool though…Though doing so wasn't exactly easy as the titles 'Old Betsey' and 'The Five Avengers' kept flashing through her mind. "I…h-have…heard of this…idea about you and Arnold and Brainy…and Lila…before…But I didn't start it…" came truthfully and simply out of her mouth at first. But now that she had spoken, she was gaining more courage, and then a slightly more determined look came to her face as she added, "…But I'm leaning toward it as the truth."
"Well then you're just as much of an idiot as these three chuckleheads!" Helga announced back smugly, simply and instantly, pointing at Harold, Sid and Stinky, and looking right in the fashionable girl's eye.
"Rhonda, come on, I really think you and everyone else should stay out of this." Nadine was speaking, and it was because, unable to just sit idly by anymore and watch her best friend make such a social spectacle of herself and others, she had finally gotten herself and the shy Sheena and even the always chipper Eugene over here to settle and soothe some things (and Lila was bringing up the rear, though she hadn't entered the scene just yet…She had been spending a moment conversing with Curly, actually…)
Rhonda blinked and looked to her best friend. "Excuse me?"
"Rhonda, you heard me." Nadine was scowling now. "I know you don't like the idea of Arnold and Helga together for whatever reason—maybe it's not fashionable, maybe it's not trendy, maybe you're just upset that you didn't figure it out before they came out about it, but it's not fair to them to keep bugging them about it. Besides it just encourages Sid and the others to tease them and assume things." She gestured over to Harold, Sid and stinky.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Nadine, Rhonda," added Eugene with his normal, friendly smile. "Talking behind people's backs and sharing in rumors isn't helpful or nice. If anyone's taught us that over the years it's Arnold."
"Nadine and Eugene right!" piped up Sheena with a determined nod. "Gossip only leads to hurt feelings. And I think for one that Arnold and Helga are very nice together. They've been smiling all day with each other." She smiled at the happy couple. "Congratulations, guys!"
Reactions, reactions, reactions…
Harold, Sid and Stinky just rolled their eyes, probably at the idea of Nadine and others still actually entertaining the idea of Arnold and Helga as a couple.
Brainy was still in the process of blushing in a rather flustered way about apparently having people under the impression that he was dating Helga, though he did smile almost gratefully as Sheena and Nadine's words and the sound perspective they displayed upon things.
Arnold had a pleasantly surprised smile on his face though a touch of doubt was in his eyes—after all, even though they seemed on the right track…what if the girls and Eugene were secretly misinterpreting something too?
Helga blinked and then smiled and seemed rather impressed. She looked to Nadine, Eugene and Sheena. "Wait…so…you three aren't under some loopy impression that Arnold and I being together today is all a ruse to win Lila for him?"
Nadine and Sheena and Eugene each kind of gave Helga curious looks at first but then just smiled and shook their heads. "Nope…" Nadine gestured over to the three boys. "That would be their theory and…I guess Rhonda likes it…and the one about Arnold and Lila too." She shrugged, rolling her eyes in her best friend's direction.
"I'm ever so sorry but…did I hear my name said?" Lila suddenly chimed in, appearing now between Nadine and Sheena with an innocent smile.
Helga just sighed deeply and rolled her eyes to the side at the arrival of yet another person the grand old 'social party' that this was becoming. "Yes, you did, and it's a doozy of a story, Miss Perfect." She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to smile too much at the irony of the fact that she was looking to Lila, of all people, for comfort now in her life.
"Hey Awwnold, Lila's here! Don't you want to smoochy her!" Harold Berman suddenly interjected and then added some kissy noises to this comment before bursting into fresh laughter.
Arnold, who had gone back to silently observing ever since the arrival of his female friends, colored quite a bit at these words and then scowled a little, looking to the portly boy in question and starting to lose his patience a little now. "No, I don't, actually, Harold. I—"
He was cut off though by Sid giving him a shrewd look and smile, glancing back and forth very obviously from him to Lila and back again. "RIGHT. You're 'with Helga' now." He gave Arnold a big wink (on top of which he had made air quotes around the phrase 'with Helga), and then cleared his throat and announced, looking to Lila. "Boy Howdy, Lila, I don't think anyone would blame you if you got jealous."
"Huh?" Lila blinked in total confusion at Sid's suggestion.
"Yeah, Miss Lila," Stinky added with a nod and smile, causing her puzzled sights to turn to him now, "I reckon it'd make sense if Arnold and Helga being together bothered you." Then Stinky turned to Arnold and gave him a big, obvious double thumbs-up.
(Arnold, meanwhile, was starting to understand why Helga felt like just punching people so very often sometimes).
Lila just smiled at Stinky with cheery innocence and shook her head. "Oh but…it doesn't bother me at all. In fact I think it's ever so charming. Don't they make an oh too adorable couple?"
Harold, Sid and Stinky all simultaneously lost their smiles and smug grins and blinked.
There was a moment of silence.
Then Sid quickly leaned over to whisper to Arnold. "Hey Arnold…I don't think your plan's working. Maybe it's time to ditch Helga and go with a different strategy to get Lila. Maybe fake a breakup and play the sympathy cared."
Sid winked and was about to pull back when Arnold grabbed his shoulder and gave him a firm look and spoke in a level voice. "Sid…shut up." And then he let him go and focused on other matters.
Helga, meanwhile, was just trying not to grin too much at having heard Arnold tell someone to shut up for the first time in her life. It was edgy…She liked it.
"Hey Arnold, hey Helga, you two alright?" Yes now Gerald had joined the party, unable to avoid seeing the building conflict even despite his talking with Phoebe. And Phoebe was right beside him to help come to the rescue.
"Yes, do you need any assistance, Helga?" she asked sincerely, looking to her best friend with worry.
"What I NEED…" Helga suddenly started to announce, her fists clenched at her sides, glaring at everyone around her who wasn't willing to accept the obvious truth about herself and her beloved and instead had to come up with a bunch of cockamamie theories to get around it, "…Is for these chuckleheads to shut up and let me lay it flat out on the line for them about what's going on. Because for crying out loud, I—"
"But we KNOW what's going on!" Harold, Sid and Stinky protested at once!
"Y-Yes…and I agree with the boys," Rhonda added quickly and with a frustrated shrug, glancing down a bit shyly for a moment.
"You guys don't KNOW what's going on! You just KNOW the gossip you all made up!" Nadine protested.
"Oh come OFF IT, Nadine!" Rhonda suddenly burst out passionately and totally unexpectedly at her best friend. "What's the other explanation? That Arnold and Helga ACTUALLY are dating or something? That's just…CRAZY!"
"Did somebody just say…CRAZY!" Suddenly, Curly slid in between the boys and girls and right in front of Arnold and Helga (and 'conveniently' right beside a certain dark-haired fashionista) and looked at Rhonda with a smile. He raised his eyebrows and grinned at her as he went on with, "…Because you know I'm CRAZY for you, baby cakes, and all this talk of crushes and romantic intrigue has me in the mood for some alone time…" He got right in front of a shocked and jaw-agape and now blushing Rhonda and grabbed one of her hands before she could even process that he had just done what he was doing. "And now that I finally don't have lunch or afternoon detention anymore from my little escapade with the janitor's closet last month, why don't we head to the Cocoa Hut and—"
Helga quickly turned to Arnold and whispered to him with a smirk, unable to help herself, "See, I told you that EVERYBODY knew about what goes on in the Cocoa Hut after hours, paste for brains!"
"UGH! I AM GETTING A RESTRAINING ORDER, YOU LITTLE FREAK!"
Helga's attention was instantly back on Rhonda as the girl in question all but screamed these words and then moved away and snatched her hand from Curly's grasp just as he had been in the middle of leaning forward to kiss the back of it.
"Whoa!" Her actions caused him to stumble and fall forward onto the blacktop.
Rhonda just looked at her nearly violated hand and shuddered and then she looked at Curly on the ground with a frown and a scowl. "B-Besides," she added in an indignant, shaky voice, "Can't you see we're all in the middle of something? We're trying to have a debate about what the 'Arnold and Helga thing' is about!"
Curly stood up, dusted himself off, and then said in a surprisingly calm and reasonable sounding voice, looking at Rhonda with a shrug, "Well, why don't you just ask them what it's about, yet? I mean, all of you have told them what you think is going on all day but Arnold and Helga haven't gotten a chance to really speak for themselves yet…" A grin grew on his features. "And I for one am DYING to hear what they have to say about each other..." He took a step forward and leaned in, getting close into Rhonda's face with a big, enamored smile on his own. "…And then you'll know I was right about them all along, my sweet. Oh isn't it grand when 'amore' is in the air?" He winked at her.
Rhonda gasped, a look of fright almost coming to her eyes, and her blush reaching its brightest brightness! "I…I…Oh…" She shut her eyes, cringing, and finally spluttered out, "Oh for crying out loud, Arnold and Helga, say whatever the heck you want to say and just get it over with already, okay?"
Arnold and Helga, their attentions rather rapt by the scene that had just gone on before them between these two classmates of theirs, took a second or two to absorb Rhonda's question.
Arnold was the first one to finally find his voice to respond to her though. He blinked several times, then cleared his throat and opened his mouth. "Helga and I…" he started, doing his best to sound confident as he prepared to openly announce the truth once and for all.
…But then the sound of Arnold commencing to make such a final announcement instantly snapped Helga back to the reality of the situation at hand, and before he could go on with one of his epic speeches and finally outwardly profess his love for her like she was sure he intended to do right now, Helga took a step in front of him, scowled, and decided that enough was enough—she was done being pushed around. And she knew just what she wanted to say to get it to stop.
Helga let out a breath and did her best to address both sides of the crowd that had formed around them (snatching up Arnold's hand into hers again for support and courage). "No, you know what? Arnold and I don't have to explain anything to you. To ANY of you! We are what we are—deal with it! Now, it's the last day of fourth grade recess and Arnold and I going to enjoy what's left of it playing on the swings together, and YOU four…" she glared at Rhonda and then at Harold, Sid and Stinky, "…can fight out what's going on between us amongst yourself all you want, but we're out of here! And I hope the rest of you will have sense enough not to put up with the stupid assumptions coming out of all of their mouths! Come on, Arnold!" And with that a firm-faced Helga G. Pataki pulled (a now smiling) Arnold out of the crowd and toward the swings. She hesitated though a few feet away from the surprised mob and with a devilish grin turned back around to face them, a certain gleam in her eyes. "Oh but if any of you are looking for a bone of gossip to have a little fun with since Arnold and I aren't biting…" she cleared her throat and announced so very proudly something she had been keeping , "Two cheese festivals ago Rhonda forced Harold into a tunnel of love boat…and even though he was fighting her tooth and nail when she pulled him on, both of them seemed more than a little reluctant to leave when it was over…Have fun with that!"
And with that she turned on her heel and finished pulling Arnold along with her over to the swings, definitely leaving the fourth grade with something new to talk about, though she didn't bother to tune in much to the whispers and laughing and snickering that started up. The sound of Curly screaming, "A challenger? UN GARDE, you PLEBE!" did at least manage meet there ears though.
As she and her beloved reached the swings now, Helga finally released Arnold's hand, then let out a huge breath and collapsed onto the nearest free swing, closing her eyes for just a minute to recollect herself.
She finally opened her eyes at the sound of the free swing beside her moving a bit, only to see that Arnold had sat down next to her…and he had a very pleased smile on his face again today. She saw him open his mouth to speak to her but Helga instantly cut him off with another sigh and a wave of her hand, rubbing her temples and guessing pretty accurately what might be on his mind right now. "I know, I know, Arnold…me standing up to them all just now was brave and more evidence that I love being honest and you're just so proud of me…And you'll also probably say that maybe I shouldn't have thrown in that last thing about Rhonda and Harold but I can't keep my temper under control all the time, Arnoldo…which I'm sure you'll just smile at because you love accepting everything about me so much, warts and all." She smiled at him "And by the way you need to quit being so supportive, Football Head—it's going to make me go soft one of these days."
Arnold closed his smiling mouth and finally just laughed at both her final observation and at how adorably accurately she had just predicted the direction of the conversation he had been about to start with her. "You? Go soft, Helga?" He closed his eyes for a second and shook his head with a grin. "I don't think that could happen…" He opened his eyes and looked at her with his half lidded gaze as he added with just a touch of smugness, "…Unless of course you had a secret sweet side or something… In that case, I'm not sure—maybe spending time with me would make you go soft and smile and laugh and do the right thing all the time…" He winked at her and chuckled a little, unable to help both actions.
Helga chuckled a little herself and glanced down, gently moving herself a little on the swing by digging her shoes against the ground. "Yeah, well…I don't know about doing the right thing ALL the time—Old Betsey and the Five Avengers have their own schedule and list of priorities to keep too, you know…And besides, if there's anything that would keep that whole 'tough as nails' part of me around it's the fact that it rubs off a little on you, Football Head…or have you forgotten your newfound habits of eavesdropping and breaking into my house and all those little side trips and sidebars we manage to take on our dates to do something besides talk…so many of which you start…and so many of which you don't seem to want to stop, my beloved..." She added that last part of her reply in her familiar cooing, monologuing tone and with a wink, just for the fun and effect of it all.
Arnold's breath was heard to catch in his throat, and he visibly blushed and glanced down. "Oh…um, well I—uh…g-good point, I guess, Helga…" he finally got out with a gulp. And Helga could see to her amusement and happiness that even though her love was embarrassed at her reminders of some of his behavioral changes lately ever since admitting to himself that he loved her, he was trying to fight back a smile…and a very proud little smile, she might add.
Helga chuckled to herself a little again and shook her head in amusement at Arnold. "Eh, don't get so embarrassed all the time about your aggressive side, Football Head…You know I like it. And, hey, if it'll make you feel any less embarrassed…" she sighed and rolled her eyes to the side and blushed, a touch of something both nervous and sheepish coming to her countenance, "I've, uh…got one last big 'at school' thing planned for today to get our classmates a bit more in touch with the real Helga G. Pataki, and I'm pretty sure that the amount of blushing I'm going to be doing before during and after this last little escapade of mine will more than make up for anything I'm getting out of you now…Just wanted you to know that there's at least one more fun thing coming up for today, Arnoldo." She winked at him.
Her words got a big grin and small laugh out of Arnold and he made eye contact with her again, raising an eyebrow. "Really? You have something else planned? What is it, Helga?" he asked sweetly and curiously, likewise starting to move himself a tiny bit on the swing just by pushing the tips of his feet backwards and forwards on the pavement below.
Helga just sighed and glanced to the side…with a coy smile. "Oh…you'll see…Although…" she let the word hang for a moment, let the tension build, "…I might be willing to trade the information for a few hints about our date tonight…" She glanced back at him, feigning the picture of perfect innocence. "Come on, Arnold…just one little hint to the woman you love about how you'll delight her for your once month anniversary together?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him a little and threw in a giggle just for the heck of it, starting to really like teasing him about this little desire of hers.
However, Arnold, as he had done today once or twice before, just sighed at her and shook his head. "Sorry, Helga…you'll just have to wait." He winked at her.
"Then so will you, my love…" She smiled and winked right back at him.
Arnold and Helga shared a chuckle once more, just enjoying and savoring another one of their rare peaceful moments together today.
Eventually, Helga sighed and rolled her eyes to the side with a grin. "Okay, okay, enough flirting and mushy moments for now—the last thing we need is to give anyone who might start glancing over here once that melee over there is over…" she gestured with her head in the direction they had come from…where it appeared that not only was the mob of their classmates still gathered but there was quite a little brouhaha going on right in the center of them—flashes of blues and reds and black bowl-shaped haircuts popping up now and again, "… any more ammunition in this epic debate of confusion over what's going on with us. Let's get to some swinging! Bet ya' I can get higher than you can, Football Head!" And with that adorable little 'friendly' challenge she started to commence said action, thrusting out her legs and pumping them to gain more height and momentum.
And a smiling Arnold readily followed suite (all the while trying not get too distracted by the fact that, well… 'I'm swinging with my girlfriend…' and all the goofy chuckles that inevitably built up within him at the idea).
Meanwhile, as the pair swung together, Helga continued talking to her beloved, unable to restrain her need to comment on certain events any longer. "Oh and seriously, can we talk for a second about he sheer amount of stupidity that went on over there with some of our 'less than brilliant' peers just now?" She jerked a thumb back in the direction of the fourth grade fray. "I mean, okay, at least a few brighter people seem to know what's up...and they're actually being really cool about it." She smiled with pleasant surprise at the idea.
Arnold smiled as well. "You see, Helga..." he began, so optimistic and so happy to see this particular little smile on her face today, "I told you other people could be okay with us...And the other ones will come around too once they see us together more."
Helga nodded, glancing to him, a touch of her own rare optimism in her eyes. "Yes, you and Bliss were right. There are people in this world besides you and our closest friends who won't destroy me for loving you." She smiled appreciatively and winked at him...but then let out a sigh and rolled her eyes and had to go on, with an amused grin, "But sheesh, Football Head, it's like for every one person we've got being cool about this, we've got one to two more who are either stubborn or stupid or some combination of the two! I mean, come on, Arnold, I'm not exactly being subtle here today-CRIMENY, I've done everything but push our desks together, toss you down on top of them, and ravish you with kisses in the middle of class, and half these dolts STILL don't get that we're together? And they're dragging Brainy into this, and Lila…? AND they think you're some kind of shrewd ladies man with enough cunning to use one woman to get another? Sheesh, I really am going to just have to shout it to them all plain and simple in some way that I love you and you love me, won't I?" She smiled to herself for a moment, but then looked over at Arnold with an interested look, losing focus of her pumping for a second, which caused her swinging to slow down a little. "But, um…Arnold? …Do you think I did okay telling Rhonda and the guys that what's going on between us is none of their business—I mean…I don't mind the idea of telling them outright that I love you much anymore, but it was just…it just didn't feel right to have us say something like that under the circumstances. I just don't think we should have to feel like we need to explain ourselves on the spot to them just because they backed us into a corner and 'demanded' it of us or something…you know?" She looked at him hesitantly, hoping she really hadn't been too presumptuous before when she had assumed he would be okay with that decision of hers.
Her beloved's swinging pace likewise slowed, almost unconsciously, to match hers, and at her question he just smiled at her and sighed and nodded. "I understand, Helga. And actually I think what you did was really smart. You're right—we shouldn't have to 'explain ourselves' and especially just because people demand it or because they'd rather believe gossip than what's right in front of them. We should just be allowed to act affectionate to each other, no explanation required. And if we do want to outright tell someone how we feel then that's great, of course, but otherwise it's probably better if we just act how we want to act around each other without letting the teasing get to us." He gave her a reassuring wink.
Helga blinked, almost impressed by how eloquently he had put her thoughts. "Really?" She smiled, glancing downward a little shyly, still swinging lightly…
Arnold smiled more and nodded, still gazing at her, his swinging light as well right now. "Really, Helga…" he affirmed.
A peaceful silence (broken only by the far off sounds of the little 'conflict' still going on over with all the other kids) settled over the happy couple and their light swinging together continued throughout it. And they were thankful for some quiet time with each other on this day.
Then Arnold recalled something and interrupted the tender silence for the sake of an important thought…
"Hey Helga?"
"Yes, Arnold?"
"Um…"Arnold looked at her with a small curious smile as they both gently moved side by side on their respective swings, "Before we saw everyone just now, and when we were talking about our anniversary and presents and stuff…you never let me finish asking you about my Christmas present. Or at least, about what the last one was…since you'd be most likely to remember that one." He tried not to chuckle. "So, now that we're alone and we have a few minutes, can I please know, Helga? I'm just curious." He smiled at her innocently and sincerely.
He was met with the smile instantly leaving Helga's face and her letting out a small sigh. She stopped swinging entirely by digging her feet into the ground. Her eyes went downward. She took in a breath, paused to consider her words, and then addressed Arnold's question, plainly, simply, calmly. "Arnold…you know I would never keep secrets from you, my love, ever. But…it…this is different. I know we're equal and the same in this relationship and that I do have a small conscience but, Arnold, you are…you really are a much better person than me in a lot of ways. And your Christmas present…the last one, at least…it's one of the few small things I have in my life that's ever made me feel like a really decent person ever. But if I tell you what it is then it'll just…ruin it. It'll turn into something selfish. Like something I only did to impress you or something. And I don't want that. So please, Arnold…no more questions about that, alright? I'll tell you what any of your other Christmas presents were…except that one." She looked upward to him again now, her eyes brimming with sincerity and hope and need.
Arnold was just…quiet at first. His swinging had stopped completely long ago.
She had never talked to him like this before. And his first instinct was to smile and maybe touch her and then to assure her that she was just as good of a person as he was, maybe even better at times with how she had secretly cared for him all of these years…
But then Arnold considered for another moment and realized that doing all of that might come off to her as him trying to pressure her a little to tell him about his present, and he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable like that…and especially about something that seemed so uniquely important to her.
So in the end Arnold just nodded at Helga, looking into her eyes. "Alright, Helga. I won't ask you about it anymore. I promise. For what it's worth though…I'm sure whatever it was, it was something very important…and very good…so thank you for it, Helga. From the bottom of my heart. I love you so very much." And then, glancing over and seeing that everyone else was still pretty distracted with the whole 'Harold v. Curly' duel, he quickly stood up from his own stopped swing, got behind her stopped swing, and then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her from behind with a smile. He heard her breath catch in her throat, felt her spin stiffen and arch, and it only made him hug and hold her more warmly and more tenderly.
He ended the hug a couple of seconds later, just to make sure no one really would catch them and start bugging them again. And then Arnold opened his eyes and smiled and put his hands on the swing chains just above where Helga's hands were holding. He leaned his wide head a little over her shoulder, smiling warmly. "I just remembered, Helga…I was supposed to push you on the swings once we got over here, not just swing with you, wasn't I? So, um…would you like me to push you a little now while you swing until the bell rings, Helga?" Something in his tone was so shy…like he really was unsure about whether or not she would say yes, though it obviously wanted her to say it SO badly…Like a little boy with a secret crush just hoping to spend time with the girl he liked. He just couldn't help it—even a month into it all, his Helga was still sort of a miracle to him…and especially in public.
Helga who was just so touched and so relieved (and so utterly mush thanks to that hug from him and how very close he was to her now…and also at the idea of him pushing her while she swung…his warm, strong hands gently pushing against her back over and over again…) just smiled warmly and nodded…and let herself fall back a little against his stomach and chest for a moment. "Yes please, Arnold. You can push me now." A big smile and near giggle both came from her as she glanced out of the corner of her eye at him. "And thank you, my darling…about the Christmas present thing. And I promise, now that we're together, next Christmas you will get to know what your present is, and right when you open it too." She let out a dreamy sigh. Arnold and her together at Christmas—she hadn't even imagined that possibility before but oh what a merry Christmas it would be. 'Remind me to snag one of big bob's beeper delivery trucks and fill it with mistletoe and dump it all over Arnold's house.' She almost giggled to herself in yuletide joy at the idea.
Meanwhile, Arnold just smiled, very happy that Helga was feeling better about all of this…and of course about the fact that she had said yes to being pushed. He was excited for it…Getting to push against her cute little back and shoulders in that cute little pink jumper and white t-shirt combo of hers…watching her loose hair blowing back and forward with every push…He could almost imagine it: he pushing her forward and she giggling as she ascended, glancing over her shoulder and calling back to him playfully, 'Push me harder, Arnold! Come on, my big strong boyfriend!', and throwing in some eyelash-batting for effect.
Barely aware of reality at the moment, a goofy-grinning Arnold just nodded in response to Helga's assent to be pushed as she swung, and, though tongue-tied at first, he managed to find words finally as he pulled her back using the swing chains and set them up to start things. "Y-You're welcome, my love. For everything…And I'll get you the best present ever next year." He chuckled at the idea and let her go forward, which led to her moving backward, upon which Arnold put out his hands and finally started to push Helga a little. Meanwhile, his daydream-drunk brain now started to move on to musing on the idea of Christmas with Helga next year…Sharing hot chocolate, having snowball fights, the decorations everywhere, hanging from the tree, the walls…the ceiling…
The swinging went on for a couple more seconds, and then Helga, still with a certain sprig of something Christmassy on her mind…and suspecting some things thanks to Arnold's dazed silence behind her as he pushed her…and also knowing how in tune their thoughts tended to be at this point in their relationship…finally had to suggest a certain concept. She remained facing forward as she spoke, just enjoying the cool air breezing around her courtesy of the swinging. "Hey Arnold…so…you thinking what I'm thinking when it comes to Christmas for us?"
From behind her, Helga felt Arnold falter a little with his next push of her, but then as she swung back for another push she felt him not only do this one calmly again but she heard him let out an amused sigh from behind her as well. "Is it mistletoe, Helga?" he asked simply… 'innocently'…
Helga giggled a little, unable to help blushing and smiling very coyly to herself (all of which Arnold could just barely see as he did his best to angle his gaze over her shoulder as much as he could). "Very good, Football Head," she replied humorously.
Arnold smiled more and with a touch of pride at having his thoughts coincide so well randomly with Helga's. Then he chuckled and added, after another push to his girlfriend, "You know, Helga, my Grandpa's got this hat where it's a band that goes around your head and attached on a wire at the top is a sprig of mistletoe. I could…borrow that next Christmas, if you'd like…" he suggested humorously, shyly, suggestively before his modesty could stop him.
Helga took in a sharp breath at first and blushed furiously, but then giggled a little but shook her head in amusement, feeling her hair fly all around her face as the swing moved to and fro. "No, no, Arnold, don't wear that hat please…" she glanced at him over the corner of her shoulder. "…if you do then EVERYONE who sees you gets to kiss you, and with my luck the six grade girls chorus would show up at the boarding house door belting out carols and you'd answer, and then you and all of your cuteness would get attacked by every twelve-year-old chick in the neighborhood….maybe some of them would even be thirteen-years-old!" She chuckled a little. "You know how you like teenage girls, after all, Arnoldo!" She winked at him and then resumed looking forward as she swung and he pushed her, an amused and also smug grin on her face. 'Gotchya again, Football Head.'
From behind Helga, Arnold just let out a slightly more embarrassed sigh and rolled his eyes, his own chuckle unable to help escaping him though. 'Chorus of teenage…Only Helga would come up with that…And she's the only girl who could make that fantasy unappealing to a guy…since she wouldn't be one of the ones giving the kisses in it…' Arnold grinned a little to himself, a counter reply to her coming to his mind, which he delivered, still just casually pushing away, "S-So…what then…? Should I give the hat to you to wear instead? What if Brainy pops by for some eggnog and you answer it? Since you two are 'secretly dating' after all…At least, that's what I've heard." He chuckled even more as he finished referencing the idea, any jealousy it might have caused him in the past seriously completely gone right now.
Helga chuckled herself again and rolled her eyes as she continued gently soaring through the air. 'Touché, Arnold…' "Darn rumors…" she rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic sigh, and then smiled and went on with, "And eh, actually, instead of the hat, I was thinking we'd just put mistletoe all over the outside and also hanging from the inside of your skylight ceiling and then we would go and have a very interesting little Christmas date in your room… Oh but meanwhile, Arnoldo, going back to the 'hat scenarios', way to be fair—all I get from you is one moment of heat with a nice guy like Brainy who'd probably be too gentlemanly to take me up on it anyway, while in my scenario you get absolutely mauled by scheming girls dressed up as Christmas angels in training bras. Nice." She smirked to herself in total amusement, blushing a little and loving every moment of it.
Arnold smiled a lot at that random little challenge from his girlfriend…and also blushed a lot too, naturally. He rolled his eyes to himself and sighed and gulped and shrugged, giving her more little pushes. "A-Alright, Helga, fair's fair, I guess. …Would you prefer to get theoretical kisses from Brainy AND a few older yuletide pranksters that might be passing up the street when you opened the door for him…? You know, the ones who would stop dead in their tracks at the sight of a fiery Christmas angel like you…"
Helga giggled a ton and blushed considerably at his words, an effect that, as usual, made Arnold's smile widen and his heart flutter. "Yes that would do nicely," she replied coyly and with a little smirk at him over her shoulder as the swing went back and forth. "Thank you, Arnold!" She smiled proudly to herself and then resumed looking forward again.
Arnold just chuckled a little. He loved that they could really joke about things like this now with no awkwardness or jealousy. Yes, he had had a thing for older women, yes, Brainy had had a thing for Helga…but that part of their lives was all done now and they could move on to the new part…the one with them…together…forever…in private and in public…for better or worse…
Arnold thought about these things, thought about his anniversary plans for Helga tonight, thought about how her hair swooshing back and forth as she swung this whole time had looked even prettier than he had daydreamed it would…
And…Arnold also had another thought…going back to their 'mistletoe scenarios'… 'Christmas angels…angel.'
Arnold pushed Helga a few more times on the swing.
'Christmas…angel…' For some reason that phrase was sticking in his mind a little. Like he had heard it before or something…like a while ago…even before Helga had first brought it up in their conversation just now.
Still though for now Arnold was just happy to be pushing his Helga on a swing in a public place on their one-month anniversary. No more secrets to hide. So he chose to mostly focus on that instead.
Arnold and Helga remained at the swings privately, Arnold pushing Helga and Helga being pushed in total bliss (and making a mental note to return the favor to her beloved one day…Her beloved, with his 'good hands' that she was in…) in content and peaceful silence, ignoring whatever else might be going on in other parts of the playground, until the bell rang. Then they waited for most of the other kids to clear off of the playground first (just to avoid any more last minute confrontations), upon which the happy couple finally ceased their playing on the swings together to head inside the school once more…and to see what the second half of the day and of 'Operation: UN-garde' would have in store for them…
A/N:
YAY another chapter done :D Lol, and for crying out loud I hope half the chaotic stuff in that made sense, because it confused the heck out of me writing it so I can only imagine what weirdness reading it must be XDXD Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed how this story is progressing, and here's hoping I can have it all wrapped up before the winters out ;) Next chapter: allow another four to six weeks please ^^; Sorry, still crazy busy XD But I'll try and get it to you all asap ;)
Love you guys!
And YAY for HA! being on the 90s Are All That block now 8D We did it!
AXH Forever!
Happy Reading!
~Azure129 aka Jenna