Chapter 4, The Pillow War

I don't own Hey Arnold.

"EAT MY DUST!" Arnold yelled as he got Helga first with his pillow.

"Hey!" The blonde haired girl giggled and aimed at his head with her own pillow. This made him fall a little back, finding it difficult to maintain his balance. They both started to hit each other simultaneously and that's when he finally had enough room to make his planned escape.

"Ha! I bet you can't catch me!" Arnold quickly opened the door to his room, running out of it.

"Oh I bet you, I can-"

She was suddenly met with a slammed door in her face. Swiftly putting her hand to twist the door knob, realization had dawned on her that she was locked out.

"Arnold did you lock me in?!"

She heard a smirk from the other side of the door.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

Helga raised a brow and leaned against it.

"Well how can I win if I can't open the door?"

Arnold chuckled. "Oops. Looks like someone's in a pickle."

She groaned in frustration with her arms now crossed in front of her chest. There had to be a way she could win this. Besides, NOBODY beats Helga G. Pataki that easily. He thinks he's so lucky. Think Helga ol' girl think! The blonde haired girl gazed around his bedroom to see if there was a way she could escape. Looking up, she saw that he had a huge glass roof and stared at it with curiousity. Then she spotted something at the end of his bed. His bed had been long enough to reach the wall.

"Hey...what's that?" She whispered to herself. Walking over to it, she was squinting to make out what it was. To her surprise, there were stairs coming up from Arnold's wall to the glass roof. Helga shook her head while rolling her eyes. "Oh don't worry Arnold, my poor, forgetful, friend...your thought to be victory over me, Helga G. Pataki, will soon come to an end."

She climbed up the stairs with an evil grin and came out of the room onto the roof. "Hehe. I can't wait to see the look on his football-headed face."

Meanwhile,

Arnold was chatting with his Grandpa Phil in the kitchen. He had explained that the girl he saw earlier was Helga and she had just changed her look. Phil chuckled while he read the newspaper. "I knew it!" He exclaimed. Arnold then explained to his Grandpa that she and him were in a pillow war and he was currently winning.

"So...you locked Helga in your room eh?"

He nodded and took a sip of apple juice. "Yeah, it's genious isn't it?"

To his surprise, Phil shook his head.

"Actually Arnold, I see multiple problems with your plan..."

"What do you mean?"

Helga quietly opened the front door to the boarding house and looked at them. She put a finger up to her mouth to let Arnold's grandpa know to be quiet. Lucky for her, he caught on because he gave her a thumbs up from under the table.

"Well for one, you're gonna have to face her eventually when you need something out of your room. Two, Helga's really smart and she's not one to give up that easily. And..."

Helga tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around, only to find his football-head wacked by a pillow and he spit out his apple juice.

"YES! I AM THE PILLOW WAR CHAMPION!" She yelled and ran up the stairs quickly.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE, I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU HELGA!" He ran up the stairs with his pillow in his hand.

Helga was jumping up and down on the bed when she saw Arnold's room door open.

"HA! NO TAKE BACKS FOOTBALL HE-OOF!"

She had been wacked with a pillow into her stomach and was giggling like crazy. Arnold dropped his pillow and tackled her onto the floor. It soon turned into a playful wrestling match with the two of them laughing like children. Their laughter had intensified whenever they started to tickle each other.

"Are you ready to give up Helga?" He asked with a stern look.

"If anyone's going to forfeit in the end, it's gonna be you football-head." She said with a smug grin.

"Pinky."

"Hat Boy."

"Pigtails."

"Tumbleweed."

"Hilda."

"Alfred."

"Madame Fortress Mommy!"

"Igmo."

"Billy Goat!'

The old Helga would've found these nicknames Arnold had called her insulting, but she had told herself that she wouldn't go back to being so defensive anymore. When their laughter had dialed down, she got up from off the floor and went over to his bay window. He hadn't noticed her until a few moments after when she let out a light sigh. Concern had overcome him and he made his way over. Sitting across from her on the window, he found himself gazing at her with curiousity, almost as if she was the most difficult riddle there was to solve. Helga wrapped her arms around her knees, still staring out the window.

"Watcha doing?" was the only thing he felt comfortable asking.

Helga shrugged. "Just looking at the view...the sunset taking its place in the sky. I wish I had a big window to look out of in my room. I asked Bob if I could get one but he declined."

Arnold shook his head and sighed. "I had no idea, I'm sorry-"

"It's okay football-head, it's not a big deal." she responded with a sad smile.

"Well, if you want, you're free to call this here window yours too." He said sheepishly.

Helga's eyes suddenly lit up with hope. "R-Really? You mean that? You'll share your window with me?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, what do you say?" He held out his hand for her to shake, but to his utter surprise, her arms were thrown around him before she could stop herself. She was just so happy! Happier than she had ever been for a while. 'I can't believe it! He's sharing this window with me! Oh my beloved Arnold! How can I ever repay you? You're so friendly, good-natured and kind. I wish you knew how much you mean to me my golden-haired angel! Can this day get any better?'

Suddenly she felt him hug her back very gentle. Pulling away from her, he smiled warmly.

"Thank you Arnold. I would love to share this window with you." She said with a grin.

"No problem Helga." He winked at her and they both heard a knock on the door.

Arnold stood up and went to open it. His Grandpa asked if they both wanted to go to Slausens to get ice cream and they were way ahead of him running out the door to the Packard. Phil shook his head and closed the front door chuckling. "Ah, I'm such a wily old coot."

Soon they reached Slausens and ordered their ice cream. Helga hummed with satisfaction, causing Arnold to smile seeing her becoming more happier by the minute. After they finished their ice cream, it was time for Helga to go home. She grabbed her things and came out of Arnold's room and down out to the Packard. Reaching the Pataki residence, Helga unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. She said goodbye to Arnold's grandpa and gave him a fist pump. As for Arnold, he walked her to her door.

Blushing, she looked down at her feet. "Arnold? There's something I need to tell you..."

He put his hands in his pockets and blinked. "Go ahead."

Taking a deep breath she managed to give him a warm smile, looking into his eyes.

"I had a nice time Arnold. I was feeling kind of blue before I came here...but after tonight-I realized that this was just the thing I needed. Also thanks for being a good listener. It's nice to know that I can come to you to rant and just talk. Like friends."

"Really? You mean that Helga?" He said with his mouth agape.

"Mhmm." She nodded.

"Well gosh, thanks Helga. That was one of the nicest things you've ever said to me. And I admit that it seemed a little weird at first having you over considering our past, but I guess you could say that I had a blast tonight."

"Same here. Well, gotta go Arnold."

But before she could walk into her house, he grabbed her wrist. Blushing madly, she looked down at his hand and then to him in slight confusion.

"What is it Arnold?"

"Friends?" He asked with a pleading look in his emerald green eyes.

She giggled softly and turned around to him. She slid her hand to the palm of his and shook it as if they had made a business deal.

"Friends."

"Also, there's one more thing I wanted to say."

"Go ahead."

"You look very pretty today Helga."

"Oh, uh thanks. You don't look so bad yourself Arnoldo."

He stepped back from her and smiled. "Thank you. Good night Helga."

"Good night Arnold. See ya at school." She winked and went into her house. He nodded back to her right before she shut the door. When Arnold walked back to the car, his grandpa was laughing behind his hand.

"What's so funny grandpa?" He asked getting in the front passenger seat and closing the door.

"Oh nothing, nothing..." He responded as he started the car and began to drive off.

"Wow Helga, you look VERY pretty today." He said aloud with his eyes on the road, batting his eyelashes. Arnold jerked his head around at him, blushing madly.

"GRANDPA!" He growled.

"Sorry Shortman, I couldn't help myself."

Arnold sighed and looked forward at the road. When they got back to the boarding house, Arnold collected the pillow feathers from off the floor, cleaning up the mess that Helga and him made. He took a shower and got ready for bed.

As he had slid into his covers his Grandma and Grandpa peaked their heads into the door.

"Kimba?" His grandma Gertie said to him.

Hearing his grandma's voice, he looked over and smiled to see both of his grandparents in the doorway.

"Hi grandma, hi grandpa."

They went over to him and kissed his forehead.

"Did you have fun with Eleanor?" Gertie asked.

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, that's wonderful to hear. Get some rest now Kimba."

"Thanks grandma, I will." He smiled.

When they both left his room and his lights were off, he layed down in his bed and looked up at the ceiling. His mind had replayed with the events that happened earlier...

["YES! I AM THE PILLOW WAR CHAMPION!"

"EAT MY DUST!"

"Looks like you're in a pickle."

"Hat Boy! Yutz!"

"Pinky!"

He held out his hand for her to shake, but to his utter surprise, her arms were thrown around him.

"You look very pretty today Helga."

"You don't look so bad yourself."

"Friends?" He asked with a pleading look in his emerald green eyes.

She giggled softly and turned around to him.

"Friends."]

His eyes became half lidded with a small smile before he drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile with Helga, she was in her bed, holding her locket to her chest while swooning.

"Good night my beloved." she said in a whisper.

That's all for this chapter!

Stay tuned for the next one.

~Chapter 5: I don't have a crush! Coming Soon...~