Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

Helga's Makeover II

Chapter 5: Just the Way You Are

Miles and Stella Shortman had been talking to Principal Wartz, who had just run into to them and wanted to talk to them.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Shortman..."Principal Wartz said.

"Good evening to you, Principal Wartz..."Stella said, being polite to the principal.

"Yeah, nice night to look at some art..."Miles said.

"Yes, it certainly is..."Principal Wartz said. "Isn't wonderful that that the students share this artistic experience, Mrs. Shortman..."Principal Wartz said.

"We agree wholeheartedly, Principal Wartz..."Stella said to the man.

"Yeah, I think that they have much to learn here while being surrounded by such amazing works..."Miles said as they chatted.

Once done, they wanted to go see how their son was doing, however, they didn't see him and notice some crowd was gathering together.

"What's going on over there?..."Miles questioned and Stella also looked confused as the kids looked stunned and almost appalled about something.

They both realized that something was off and wanted to investigate.

Outside

Helga had stormed out of the art gallery, fuming as she recalled what happened back in there.

"Criminy! The nerve of those idiots!..."Helga muttered in anger as she marched away from the art gallery in anger.

She still couldn't believe what happened moments ago, that boys were so blind that they didn't recognize her after she got all dolled up and they all acted so crazy.

She's furious about whole ordeal altogether. She was about to leave, only for a familiar voice to call out to her.

"Helga!..."Arnold's voice was heard.

She saw her beloved football headed boyfriend running up to her, looking concerned.

"What is it, Arnold?..."Helga asked.

"Are you okay?..."Arnold asked and Helga simply acted like she didn't care.

"I'm fine..."She said but Arnold didn't buy it.

"Helga..."Arnold said in a stern way and Helga groaned.

"Please...just drop it, Arnold..."Helga groaned before sitting on a nearby bench.

Arnold saw her somber expression and sat next to her.

"Helga, what happened?..."Arnold asked and wanted to comfort her.

"I told you, those chuckle head classmate of ours are even bigger idiots than I thought and-..."Helga said but was cut off.

"No, I mean really, what happened? Why did you put so much effort on your appearance and dressed up as Cecile tonight?..."Arnold asked and Helga looked away.

"I told you, I wanted to look a little dolled up for tonight, plus we were going to an Art Gallery and-..."Helga stammered but he sent her a stern look, showing that he was serious.

Helga didn't want to but realized that she couldn't keep it hidden anymore) and she sang like a canary.

"I...I was...I just wanted to show everyone that I can be feminine and...and act girly. I wanted to prove that I can look like a real girl and show everyone that I'm pretty enough for you..."Helga confessed. "I was getting sick and tired of people talking about us behind our backs and saying things like we're never going to last because of my unfeminine ways and...ungentle tendencies.."She said, looking down.

Arnold heard this and looked a little surprised but quickly understood as he spoke up next, in a very serious tone of voice.

"Helga, you know that I love you and that I would never break up with you over something so trivial like looks or even the you act at times. You know that..."He said seriously as he held her by the shoulders.

Helga looked into his green eyes and just knew he was telling the truth.

"I know but Connie and Maria-..."Helga didn't finish as he cut her off.

"Connie and Maria are wrong and deep down you know it, Helga. You are a hand full times I'll admit to that..."He said and Helga frowned at that before be continued. "But you're strong, you're smart, you're brutally honest when everybody else sugarcoats the truth, you have your take charge attitude when no one else will step up and your gentle and kind nature that usually goes unnoticed except in front of the people you care for. Those are some of your best qualities and I love you just the way you are..."Arnold said, meaning every word of it.

"You mean that, for real?..."Helga said and Arnold nodded.

"I really do. I'm just sorry that I didn't tell you sooner..."He nodded before he pecked her on her cheek.

He then sent her an adoring look as he moves back some of her hair in front of her face, since her bangs had covered part of it again and smiled at her.

"There you go. You know... I think you look much better this way..."Arnold said sincerely as Helga kept blushing.

"You think so?..."Helga asked in a flustered tone.

"Yes, I do, Helga..."Arnold said lovingly.

"Oh, Arnold~.."Helga swooned.

The two stared at each other for a moment, before sharing a tender kiss. Once they pulled away, both had dreamy looks on their faces.

"I love you..."Helga said in a smitten voice.

"I love you too..."Arnold said before he kissed her again.

Once done, the two just stared lovingly at each other.

"So, wanna go back inside?..."Arnold suggested and Helga sighed.

"I dunno, I'd really rather not be the center of attention for all those slack-jawed dunderheads in there..."Helga said and Arnold thought about it.

On the one hand, half the guys in there tried to hit on his girlfriend (something he is still ticked off about) but on the other hand, they didn't know it was Helga but still acted so crazy to get her attention.

The oblong headed boy frowned as he recalled seeing Wolfgang, of all people, hitting on her.

He didn't like it.

"You're probably right..."Arnold said, looking away, trying to hide his annoyance over that whole situation back in there but Helga noticed.

"Did I just see a twitch of jealousy on your face?..."Helga teased.

"I guess I can't hind much from you, Helga..."Arnold admitted and Helga giggled.

She kissed him on the cheek for that and hugged him.

"Let's go home, Football Head..."Helga said.

"Okay, but can we at least tell my parents that we're leaving together?..."Arnold said and Helga sighed.

"Yeah, sure...I guess that's fair..."She nodded since they are Arnold's parents and she still wants to stay on their good side, since they could possibly be her future in-laws, if she plays her cards right.

Plus, they are some of the few adults that she actually liked and respected.

Anyway, the young couple went back inside so they can find and talk to them.

Inside

Arnold and Helga soon went back inside, though they were still cautious around the boys.

Helga was at least relieved to see that Wolfgang, Edmund and Mickey the snitch were gone, no doubt still mortified about Helga's sudden transformation and the fact that they openly and publicly flirted with a lower grade girl.

They also notice that most of the guys who hit on her earlier were now trying their best not to make eye contact with either Helga or Arnold, especially Helga.

"What a bunch of pansies!..."Helga said, still upset from that experience and fuming.

"You may be right but let's just find my parents and tell them that we're leaving early. Okay, Helga..."Arnold said, upset too.

Just then, their friends saw them.

"Arnold..."Gerald called out.

"Helga..."Phoebe said as they ran up to them.

"We heard what happened..."Gerald said.

"Are you alright, Helga?..."Phoebe asked in concern.

Her friend sighed in annoyance.

"Eh, I'm fine. It was just annoying that those morons acted all dopey from seeing a pretty girl..."She admitted.

"A pretty girl? But Phoebe's right here..."Gerald commented and Helga rolled her eyes at that.

"Ha ha, real hilarious..."She muttered and Arnold sighed.

"Let's just find my parents and then leave..."Arnold said.

After a few moments of talking to their friends, who wanted to make sure that they were both okay, Arnold and Helga went to do just that.

They managed to find his parents, who had been looking for them.

"Arnold..."Miles and Stella said as they saw him.

They had asked the crowd earlier what had happened but for some reason, the boys they asked seemed embarrassed about something to answer and when they asked Rhonda, she seemed speechless.

They would have questioned more but soon spotted their son coming back inside to the art gallery.

"Hey there, mom and dad..."Arnold said.

Helga just stood there as Arnold's parents talked to him before they noticed her.

"Helga, is that you?..."Miles said.

"Why Helga, don't you look so lovely tonight..."Stella complimented.

"Yeah, I barely recognize you at first..."Miles agreed and Helga looked down.

"Thanks, that's really kind of you both to say..."Helga said sheepishly.

"Anyway, mom and dad. Me and Helga are going home..."Arnold said.

"So soon?..."Miles questioned and the two pre-teens nodded.

"Uh-huh..."Arnold said.

"Any reason why?..."Stella asked and the two pre-teens tried not to think about what happened.

"It's just...Helga and I are both feeling a little tired, so we decided to leave early..."Arnold said, not wanting to mention what happened earlier since it was pretty upsetting.

"Well, that's a real shame. Did you at least have an unforgettable experience here?..."Miles asked.

"Yeah, unforgettable is definitely the right word for it..."Helga said, not wanting to tell them what happened earlier with the boys.

Miles and Stella thought about it and nodded.

"Alright, do you need a ride?..."Stella asked but the kids shook their heads.

"No thanks, me and Helga are just gonna walk together..."Arnold said, hand in hand with his girlfriend.

Since the boarding house is just a few blocks from the art gallery, his parents nodded.

With that done, Arnold and Helga were about to leave. However, Connie and Maria saw Helga and frowned, both slightly peeved off about the whole ordeal.

"Well, good riddance to the rough and rowdy tomboy. How pathetic, pretending to be anything like us..."Maria said snobbishly.

"Yeah, you said it. She should have stuck to something boyish and lame like football or whatever..."Connie said in a condescending way.

Helga growled at this. Before she could retort, Arnold beat her to it.

"Hey! Why don't mind your own business?!..."Arnold said, surprising all three females.

"Arnold?!..."Maria and Connie both said, surprised.

They didn't expect Arnold Shortman to raise his voice at them. Sure, they haven't talked much since that incident at the dance two years ago but yet here they are.

The football headed boy didn't back down, he kept glaring at them as he spoke.

"You know, you two aren't as pretty as you all like to think you are. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I saw your boyfriends walk out of the art gallery together to go spend time with some other girls half an hour ago. So, why don't you quit picking on Helga here and start looking twice in the mirror to better hind all of your faults..."Arnold said, shocking them and amazing Helga.

"Oh, Arnold~..."Helga internally swooned as her boyfriend took her hand again.

"Shall we leave together, Helga..."Arnold said as the snobby eight graders still looked shocked by him telling them off.

"We shall, Arnold..."Helga said and her boyfriend smiled at that.

"After you, my sweet..."Arnold said as they left the two mean girls behind, who were still stunned.

As the two were on their way out, some people approached them.

It was the guys from earlier, looking a little shameful...okay, a lot shameful. Arnold and Helga frowned at them.

"Now what?..."Helga said harshly and the guys flinched at that.

"L-Look, Helga...I...what we said earlier was ...ummm..."Sid began but stammered.

"We're sorry, you guys. I reckon that all of us got a little carried away back there..."Stinky said, looking down and the others did the same.

Even Rex apologized. He might be a snob but he is willing to admit when he made a mistake.

"Yes, I do believe that I own you both an apology. I was unaware of that fact that this lady had a boyfriend. So, I hereby give out my sincerest apology to you both..."Rex said politely.

Arnold and Helga looked at each other and simply shrugged slightly at that.

"Well, we'll think about..."Arnold said since he's still ticked off that they hit on his girlfriend and harassed her but they seemed to be genuine here. Helga, on the other hand, had an unimpressed look as the boys kept pleading for their forgiveness.

"So, will you forgive us...Helga?..."Sid said, apologizing.

Helga sighed.

"Fine, whatever. Just don't ever approach me like that again..."Helga said, mostly since she wanted to get out of here. "But here's some advice, if you chuckle-heads really want a girlfriend, then, don't ever act like you guys did tonight. It was really annoying and kind of creepy. Understand?..."Helga pointed out.

The guys all looked embarrassed by that but took what she said to heart.

"Understood..."The all said.

Once that was done, the young couple soon walked outside and looked to each other before they decided to take the long way home.

"Shall we take the scenic route though the park? My beautiful tomboy..."Arnold suggested as he offered his arm to her.

Helga giggled and took it.

"Lead the way, my dashing dogooder..."Helga said a she held his arm and fluttered her eyelashes.

The young couple soon left. Both in love as ever and Helga just felt so happy to be with her beloved, whom she knew loved her for who she truly is, not so much from the outside but from the inside and she knew now that she didn't to get all dolled up to prove it.

"Still..."Helga thought as she looked at her beloved, who looked so handsome in the moonlight.

On second thought, she wouldn't mind getting dolled up again, so long as it was only her beloved Arnold who around to see her that way. Especially since he is the only one who didn't care for her looking so feminine all the time and that made her feel so happy and accepted.

"Oh, Arnold~..."Helga swooned as she held onto his arm and gazed at him.

Her beloved Arnold, who loves her just the way she is and Helga, who loves him even more than she already did.

The End.

A/N(1): And done :)

Before I continue, I would like to give a very special thanks to Anonymous Latino, Jay The Average Fanboy and NeoMark for assisting. You guys rule ;)

A/N(2): I would like to personally give a shout out to my totally awesome reviewers for sticking by me since this fic started.

Let's give some love for: Annah Woods, BeConFuzzled Writer , Boris Yeltsin, Cre8ivelybankrupt87 , Escorpio96, EugeArg, Guest, Invader Johnny, Kimagure Bijin, Naolang, RonaldM40196867, Starlord Master, The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbuh i, Yael, and Yoonminshxt.

Thank you all, you guys are part of the reason I love doing what I do :)

For old times sake, here are some REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:

REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:

Guest and Naolang: Thank you :)

The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbuh i: Maybe she would have in the past but remember, Helga is dating Arnold at this point and has better control of her temper.

Invader Johnny: :)

RonaldM40196867: Eh, makeup is alright but I don't think people should go overboard with it.

Kimagure Bijin: How's this?

:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)