"Foolish Heart, Chapter Four" by Black Nightshade
Disclaimer: Hey Arnold! And all it's characters do *not* belong to me, no matter how much I dream that they do. Hey Arnold! is copywritten to it's respective owner(s), though all contents of this fanfiction are purely mine and are not to be copied without permission by yours truly. Please R&R!! Let me add in an EXTREME sorry for not getting back to this story before. I finally got the inspiration to continue it .. so.. hope you like this chapter!

The yellow-orange sun rays shown in through into the confinement of Arnold's room. Gentle beams in intricate patterns found their way into Arnold's tired eyelids. With a wince his eyes fluttered open greeting a new day. Arnold sat up with a yawn, flailing his arms out in a stretch. Something to him just didn't feel right... Arnold turned to the clock sleepily, his eyes just clearing from the blur.. funny.. it made not a sound. Arnold reached out and gave it a good shake. Still no sound... getting frustrated he shook it madly. Then he caught the fact that somehow a wire had become undone. He froze, the clock slipping from his hand. It never went off... Arnold rushed to the window peering out. The sun was high in the sky glittering down on the new-fallen snow. Should it be so high in the morning? In a panic Arnold tugged his cloths on and dashed out the door. Arnold nearly tripped down the stairs before skidding to a halt in the kitchen, his voice calling out. "Grandma!!"

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock... Helga's eyes watched every second.. every moment slipping by her. Her eyes felt heavy from watching it. She hadn't taken her eyes off the damned things the moment she found out Arnold hadn't been sitting in his seat. Each little chime was like a hard bash against her.. she had prayed to keep hold of the notion that Arnold would walk through that door any moment.. corn-colored hair wafting in an unseen breeze. That there had been a delay, or something held him up but it wasn't her... finally, the sound she had been dreading resounded throughout the entirety of the school like the echo.. the shadow of the day through her heart like a steal blade. School was over. Papers flew up in the air as every pushed their way out of the classroom.. leaving poor Helga on her lonesome. Gathering her things up she walked forlornly to her locker, slipping them in. Brainy stood behind her... but not even his heavy breathing could strike up enough moral in her to hit him. She felt no use. She just walked off leaving Brainy standing there like a fool until he finally punched himself. Helga wandered out of the school to the streets.. it was like the day never happened...she was never there.

"Why Kimba you're awake! I plum thought the caravan had left you behind! I hope you've got the fixin's for a western-jungle surprise for dinner!" The first thing Arnold did was turn a lovely shade of green. Then he soaked up the last word.. "DINNER?!" Grandma nodded. "Why yes! You've slept through the entire kangaroo round-up!" Arnold stood dumbfoundedly. "Why didn't you wake me up?!" Grandma looked at Arnold with gentle, caring eyes. "After all the jungle has thrown at you me and Tarzan figured it would be best if you slept in for a day..." Arnold sighed, how could he be angry? They where only thinking the best for him. His gaze lowered. "Thanks grandma.. I'll be out for a bit, if I'm not back in time for dinner don't wait up.." Grandma nodded. "But you'll be missing out on wild bore and hay steaks! Ye-haw!" Arnold shuddered on his way out, pulling his coat on over him.

Helga took her anger out on a nearby can..kicking it various feet infront of her. She cast a glance to the sound of her class-mates playing baseball... snow or not they'd always be out on Gerald Field. Helga sighed and turned away. What would the use be of playing if Arnold wasn't there? Absolutely nothing. With a heavy sigh Helga kicked the can around the corner, not seeming to notice the "ow!" that had accompanied it let alone the fact that she fell backwards... only feeling as if she had ran into a brick wall. Helga looked up with a snarl. "HEY! Watch we're your going budd-....ARNOLD?!" Helga screeched. Arnold felt himself fall backwards after a hit-and-run can had nailed him right in the shin. He grimaced, the screech of Helga's voice all too familiar to him. For a awhile the entire few days that had happened.. along with their contents completely slipping his mind being disregarded as a dream. He for a moment thought he should still be mad at Helga for saying such cruel things to him... if she even said them. In any case, He waited for the onslaught of verbal harassments.. but to his astonishment got not one 'football-head'. He finally got up enough nerve to peek his eyes open. He saw Helga blinking back at him confusedly. "Hey, Arnold, you okay there? You look a little zoinked out... I didn't scramble your brain did I? Arnold stared at her in astonishment for a moment. What was this? Why was she acting this way? "Uhm.. I'm fine Helga..." Helga looked at him skeptically. "Arnold! You keep looking off into space like that! Your starting to freak me out-here... let me help you up!" Helga grabbed a hold of his hands and pulled him to his feet. Helga... helping him?! Now that just didn't seem right... "No..Helga...I'm fine...really... just...why are you being so nice?"

Helga quirked her eyebrow. "I'm acting like this because I want to! If I want to help you I will, doi!" ...That made a world of sense Helga ol' girl. Let's just confuse him some more, shall we? Crimany! ...had he forgotten the entire past days? "Listen footb-..Arnoldo you really don't look to well right now." She saw a flicker in his eyes like he was shocked at the fact she didn't call him football head.. now what the heck was this about!? "Yes...of course...uh...Helga..ehm... what did we have for homework...if you don't mind me asking?" Helga leaned in close trying to figure out what was going on. "Only that stupid 'uniquely you' project!" Arnold's face switched from confusion to panic. "Oh yeah! I totally forgot about it!" Helga raised both eyebrows this time. He forgot his homework?! For a brief moment she looked up in the air waiting to see Abner flying above her head. "Uh, yeah, doi. Listen, I didn't start it either." Arnold let out a sigh of relief. "Listen, Helga, you wouldn't mind me coming over later tonight to do it would you? See, I'd normally ask Gerald but..well.. I haven't talked to him much these past few days and I figure it'd take too long to explain to him." A blush shrouded over Helga's face... Arnold picked up on it making it worse but she had to restrain from shouting out at him. First the onslaught of questions now he tries to search every one of her emotions.

"Yeah, yeah sure, sure. Come at 5:00 if you REALLY want to do this. I have to go though.. Mariam will be watching soups and Big Bob will be at the Beeper Emporium. If you don't come then...well..then you can't really come over. Not that they care or anything.. but if I ever want dinner I'd have to be free any time later and you have to give me some time to set up, right?" At the moment everything was confusing to Arnold so all he could do was nod. So maybe the past few days hadn't been a dream at all. He beamed her a smile and pretended to understand the load of gibberish she spouted. "Yeah, 5:00 will be just fine. Just give me some time to get some things back over at the boarding house and I'll meet you there."

Helga kept her eyes glued to him for a while as he walked off to join the others at baseball... Taking in every movement and emotion. The conversation that just happened had her brain in a scrambled manner until she finally came to the reality that Arnold.. the football-headed boy she worshipped from afar would be coming to her place of residence. With that she let out an excited squeal and started a mad-dash towards her house to get everything ready for Arnold's arrival. Her beloved! Actually with her to do a project... by his own accord!

Gerald looked over at Arnold who once more had been staring off into whatever land he had inhabited.. and gotten creamed with a ball through. He took more hits then Eugene! "Hey.. bud.. what's going on with you?" Arnold once more returned to reality. "Huh?" Gerald shook his head. "I saw you run into Helga..you two talked for quite some time.. what was that about?" Arnold looked up. "I don't know, Gerald. It was just an innocent, friendly conversation." Gerald sputtered. "Innocent, Friendly, and Helga all in the same sentence...something isn't right. What is this really about, Arnold?" Arnold looked over at him. "I'm serious!" Gerald coughed. "Whatever you say man... whatever you say." Arnold gave. "Fine, if you really want to know I was talking to her about going over her house to do that 'uniquely you' project". Gerald almost doubled over. "WHAT?!"

Helga quickly thrust the door open. She saw Mariam bawling with a tissue in her hand while watching a nother soap opera re-run. "Mom, I'm home!" she shouted out. No response. "Well.. I guess some things never change" She sighed some but refused to let something like Mariam and her soap opera's ruin a good thing. Rushing to the kitchen Helga began to set everything up. "Let's see now... scissors... ruler... cardboard boxes... poster board... paper... markers... glue... heart-shaped locket... pencil... wait a second... HEART-SHAPED LOCKET?!" With a bright blush she stuffed her locket down her shit before looking back at the items and restarting her list. "Scissors... Ruler..."

Arnold sighed. "Listen, Gerald..she's been acting really nice lately and...well... if she feels like acting nice why not give her a chance? I mean, she's been showing me a really good side to her lately." Gerald listened... but didn't comprehend. "Arnold you went from two days ago hating her existence.. now your going over her house to do a project?! That's a pretty drastic change, man! I mean, I beirly ever see you like you where on the bus that day.. you should've seen her face when you blew up at her." Arnold frowned. "Woah, sorry man.. but it's true. You where in rare form, then." Arnold paused. "So can't Helga have a side you don't see a lot too? A really nice one?" Gerald looked thoughtful. "Your a kind kid, Arnold. Crazy...but kind. I mean, who would think that Helga G. Pataki had a good side?!" Arnold let out a laugh. "I don't know Gerald.. I honestly don't!" Gerald smiled at Arnold. "Well, bud, I'll take your word for it." Arnold nodded and did the thumb-wiggle thing with Gerald. "I'll catch you tomorrow, Gerald. I have to go get ready! You'll see about Helga though, she really isn't that bad sometimes!" Arnold jogged off, bat over one shoulder. Gerald watched him, mumbling to himself. "...and if I didn't know any better I'd say you got it bad. But Helga, Arnold...?" Gerald laughed. "What a thought!" He continued cracking up all the way in the opposite direction.

Helga struggled with deciding where to place things. It had to be exact... it had to look good... she had to make a good impression. She knew very well the sight of Marium on the couch clicking away at the stations wasn't going to do the job. She paused and let out an agitated groan. "How can I make this look any better? It's just a bunch of junk!" She peered down at the design she had made...and pulled in a gasp. It was shaped in a design of Arnold's head. Helga let out a shriek of terror and quickly started to rearrange it..that's the last thing she needed him to see. Table-top tributes to himself... "Crimany!!!"

Arnold had finally made it home. He tried to recall the jumbled words Gerald had uttered when he was walking away. He knew he said something.. but it haunted him that he didn't know exactly what. Pulling the door open Arnold carefully sidestepped the chickens and pigs that had dashed out of the door before stepping in. "Ah! Shortman! Your home! Did you finish whatever you had been doing?" Arnold nodded...then seeing the war going on over the 'wild boar' he decided it best he just go straight to his room, grab his backpack and throw in pad of ideas he had been making out..along with some odds-and-ends that would help make a good project. He jogged up the stairs and looked around, exhaling the scent of his room. It always smelt the same..he decided. It smelled of pigs and the strange smell of Grandpa's old cologne. Grabbing his backpack he shoved the items in and thrust it over his back. Stopping, he turned and looked in the mirror at his reflection staring back at him. "What are you thinking..?" he whispered to himself. To be honest, he didn't even know himself. He tried not to doodle too much as he raced down the stairs. "Not so fast-shortman! Where are you going?" Arnold grumbled and turned to face grandpa. "Over a friends house, Grandpa..." Grandpa looked up from his chicken while swatting at Kokashka who kept trying to take things from his plate. "Gerald?" Arnold shook his head. "No, Grandpa." He thought for a moment, just as Arnold went to open the door. "Must be that little pigtailed girl, eh, shortman?" Arnold released the handle. "How did you know?" Grandpa winked at him. "Instincts." Then he went back to trashing the tenants. Arnold stepped out of the boarding house..finding himself wondering exactly what people where seeing that he wasn't.. he knew there was something there...he just.. didn't know what.

Helga stood back and admired her work. It looked perfect. She even had snack dip and apple juice set out. Well...she hoped it was snack dip. Helga secretly pulled out her locket once more, staring dreamily at it. "Oh my oddly-shaped love god soon you will arrive... of your own free will... to do a project of affections! My golden-haired savior I will make this pledge that I, Helga G. Pataki, shall swallow my pride and-" Helga looked up to see her mother staring at her oddly while she had her nose pressed against the picture. Helga scowled. "What?!" Marium shook her head. "Oh yes, I came in her to tell you your little friend..uhm..what's his name..oh yeah.. Donald was here." Helga choked and stuffed the locket down her shirt. "ARNOLD?!"

Well then, if you liked this and you want to read more chapters on "Foolish Heart" PLEASE respond saying so. I really don't want to continue a story no one is going to want to read. So remember to keep those reviews coming. Next chapter, if I get enough interest, will be on the project... and what happens when Arnold is stuck at the Pataki House...and why Phoebe has Gerald over hers! Bye for now!