Ok, so what if I updated soon. I don't care! I want to get this one done so I can write those
others! Plus, I can't stand not writing for more than, like, 3 days. But, when I do, I beat myself up
about it. So, here is another chapter, really, really close to the last one. I know, most of you LIKE
the fact that I updated so soon, but I know some like to wait... lol, very funny, me. *slaps head*
ow. Right now I'm kinda in a sarcastic mood, but don't let that get you down! Fear not! *slaps
head yet again* *yawns* well, ok, I'm getting a little tired, so I'm going to stop blabbering so you
can read. Oh! And to fanfic-reader01: they'll all be nine in the one where Phoebe tells, in the one
where Helga finds that new secret they will start nine then go to 14, and in the 'Kindled Spark'
one they are adults.

Disclaimer: oh, yeah, I own it, and pigs fly. *rolls eyes* (so what if I'm acting like Helga?
Whatcha goin' to do about it, huh?)


I bent down next to Arnold, and tapped his cheek. "Arnold... hey, football head! Wake up... wake
up, it's almost time to go to class! Arnold? Are you ok...?" I shook his shoulders lightly, and he
opened his eyes. He groaned, and sat up, holding his football shaped head.

"What happened?" he moaned, and I slightly giggled. Doesn't he remember? Doi, he should!

"Don't you remember?" I asked, shaking my head. He looked at me, and shook his head. Too
much shaking heads. 'Yeah, I'll say, I'm getting dizzy!' hhhhhmmmm... maybe I should shake my
head more often... 'ha, ha, ha, very funny.'

"No, I don't remember. All I remember is something, like... Rhonda and Brainy, together... then
yelling," he said, looking down. He looked back up into my eyes. "Why?"

I sighed, and half smiled. "I'm really surprised that you don't remember most of it. Because I
yelled at you, then apologized, then you asked me to be your girlfriend, and then I accepted.
Remember now? And please, don't faint this time." Arnold, I could tell, was deep in thought. He
was looking down at his lap, frowning. 'He must have hit his head pretty hard not to remember
something like you loving him back...' I do NOT love him BACK!! And I haven't since I was
nine. Uh... I mean... never. 'You're no fun. I wish I could be Arnold's conscious. I bet HE knows
what's going on and stuff.' does it LOOK like he knows what's going on? I DON'T THINK SO!
'Well I do!'

He looked up at me, and smiled. "Now I remember! Does that mean... you really might
actually...?" he stuttered, with his mouth agape; still smiling, however. 'And you know why.
You'd be smiling if you were in his shoes. But, since you DON'T love him, you won't be smiling
until you find someone you DO love. Course, I did notice that you smiled AND gasped when he
asked you to be his girlfriend...' shut up, you stupid conscious! Wait... you're right... WHY did I
smile and gasp when he asked me? 'Oh, NOW you're learning something. Give the girl a long
round of applause, she deserves it, she's SSSSOOOO smart.' oh, shut up!

"What are you getting at?" I asked him, placing my hands on my hips. He slightly leaned forward
so our faces were only a inch apart. "Oh, do you mean I might actually have FEELINGS for
you?" he nodded his head vigorously. I sighed, and moved my eyes to the side. "I don't know,
Arnold. I'm kinda in a battle of whether or not I lo... love... you, or not. Damn, it's even hard to
say it even when I don't know!" I said, slamming my head back against the edge of the table.
"Ow! Crimany!" I moved forward and put my hand behind my head to massage my now aching
head. 'He always does this to you, doesn't he? Brings out these angry emotions that cause you to
injure yourself.' I'm getting tired of hearing you, you stupid conscious! 'Call me Geraldine.' oh,
you're my middle name talking to me? Ok then, you stupid Geraldine! That sounds weird.

I looked back up at him, and he had a small smile. "You mean... there's hope?"

"Yes, of course there's hope, you stupid football head! Didn't you hear about when I loved you
when we were in elementary school!? Crimany, you're DENSE!"

"Hey! Don't call me dense, you're the one that doesn't know whether you love me or not, AND
didn't know I was the same Arnold that you knew during elementary yesterday! I knew you were
HELGA G. PATAKI!" he yelled at me, making people look at us. I looked around, then back at
him. Scowling.

"Listen, football head, you didn't know it was me until I told you my name! And, I'm really
having a hard time trying to know whether or not I love you or not! Plus, I think I do, but you
keep making me have DOUBTS!!! Wow... we're barely girlfriend and boyfriend, but we already
had a huge fight." oh no! The Geraldine part of me took over! 'Hee, hee, hee...'

He looked furious. Then, suddenly, his expression changed from anger, to a smile. "Did...did you
say that you think you DO love me?" I nodded my head slowly, and looked down, then back up at
him again.

"I'm really not sure yet. We'll have to go out a few times first, but, until then, don't keep your
hopes completely up or down. Keep 'em in the middle." I said with a half smile. He laughed, and
leaned a little forward. I did also, and just as our lips were about to meet...

_____________________________________________________________________________


"Ha, ha, ha, ha!!" we heard beside us, and looked over. There stood Harold, Sid, and Stinky,
looking down at us and laughing. We pulled away. "Ooooo... Arnooooold and Hellllllgaaaa are a
couple!" Harold laughed, and I smirked.

"Yeah, so what?" I said, and pulled Helga to me. She looked shocked at first, then looked up at
them, and smiled. They gave us shocked looks, and each one looked at each other.

"Well, we think it's kinda weird, because, I mean, she's Helga Pataki, and you're Arnold
whatever! You two NEVER have gotten along! Well... at least not when we knew you before
now, in 4th grade." Sid explained, shrugging. They walked off, and I looked at Helga.


"You'd think whereas they have girlfriends they wouldn't tease others when they get
girlfriend/boyfriends." I said, and let go of her. She pulled up, and brushed off her shirt.

"Nah, they do that as a tradition. They've done it to EVERYONE, even Gerald and Phoebe.
Believe me, all the others always react the same way as you did, but instead of just hugging...
well, they..." she cleared her throat, "... they confirm the coupleness." she laughed, and looked at
Gerald and Phoebe. "Gerald and Pheebs... well, they confirmed it quite well. Brainy and I... also
confirmed it quite well. Every single one of us couples proved it the same way. Except you and
me... that's the reason they were shocked."

I stared at her for a minute, then looked back over at Harold, Sid, and Stinky, and then back to
her. My mouth curled up into a half smile. "How? Was it something 'french'?" she looked at me
again, and slowly nodded her head. "You want to confirm it...?" I asked hopefully. She frowned,
and placed her hands on her hips.

"Arnold, not yet. Not until I find out if I really do love you or not. Until then, just a quick little
peck. Well, actually, doesn't have to be quick. As long as it isn't 'french'." she said, and stood up.
I stuck out my lower lip.

"But why not? That'll help you find out..." I pouted, and stood up. She grabbed my head as I
stood up, and brought it up to hers. But not in a kiss; unfortunately.

"Now listen here Mr. Pouty; not yet. Not until I find out, alright?" she said with a laugh. I nodded
my head, and she lightly kissed me on the lips. "There, that wasn't exactly what you wanted, but
didn't you enjoy it?" I slowly nodded my head, and sighed. She let go of my head, and sat down. i
sat down next to her, and pulled my food from where it was over to me.

Then the bell rang. I growled, and slammed my fist against the table. Why did that stupid bell have
to ring RIGHT THIS MINUTE?! Oh well, later maybe I can ask Helga to go with me to a
theater.


!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!


After school, Arnold walked up to me. "Hello, Helga." he greeted, and kissed me on the lips,
lightly. Good. He's always been good at keeping his word. "You ready to go home?" he asked,
and I nodded my head, hopping into the car. he followed suit, and then drove off.

I looked at him, then at the dashboard. I bet he's in heaven right now. 'Well, so are you.' no I'm
not. 'Yeah huh!' nu... forget it. It's a trick. 'Oh, there's NO fooling you, is there?' no. Well,
anyway, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted... 'humph...' I bet he's just happy as
can be! Being with me; his crush for 6 years... wait! Now I know why that is so familiar! 'Wow,
you found out all by yourself. I guess I no longer need to baby you. Ha, ha, ha. Like that would
ever happen. You NEED me!' be QUIET for the LAST time! The reason that is so familiar is
because... when we were nine I had a crush on him for six years, and now... it's the opposite! We
switched places!

"Are you ok?" I heard him ask me, making me jump. I turned to him, and my visage relaxed.

"Oh, yeah! I'm ok... just... just thinking! That's... all." I stuttered, looking out the window, and
back to him. He rolled his eyes, shrugged, and looked back out towards the road. I breathed
deeply in my nose, and out my mouth for a few minutes, then finally stopped. Why was the
opposite thing such a big whoop-Dee-doo anyway? I rolled my eyes, and looked out my window.
Soon we were at the boardinghouse, and we both got out. "Hey... Arnold? Aren't you suppose to
be going home?"

"No, my parents are here right now." he said, opening the door, and holding it for me. I walked
in, thanked him, and walked into the kitchen. Miles, Stella, Phil, and Gertie were all talking. Well,
actually, Gertie was just... being scatterbrained.

"Hello everyone." I greeted, sitting down next to Stella. They all greeted me back, and Arnold sat
down next to me. Suddenly the phone rang, making me jump. "I'll get it!" I said running into the
hall to the phone. I picked it up and answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Helga. I heard that you and Arnold are now together. Is that ever so true?" the voice
greeted me. I sighed, and looked into the kitchen.

"Yes, Lila. That's true. Why?"

"Oh, I was just ever so happy for you." this couldn't be right. Lila must be up to something.

"Uh, thanks. I'm happy for me, too. But, I don't know if I love him again yet. So, it might not
last."

"Oh, that's a bummer. Oh well."

"Well, bye."

"Yes, bye." I hung up, and walked back into the kitchen.

"Who was that, Helga?" Arnold asked when I sat down. 'Hopefully he won't go for Lila now.'
didn't I tell you to shut up?

"That was Lila. She was congratulating us." I said, and Arnold half smiled. I bet he likes the fact
that I now get along with her.

"That's cool."

"Yeah, I know." I stated, and looked around the table. Everyone was staring at us. Probably
wondering why we're being congratulated. No doubt of that.

"Congratulate you two on what?" Phil asked in a playful way. I blushed, and looked down at my
hands. Wow, another interesting thing that isn't really suppose to be all that interesting.

Arnold answered for me. "We're dating." he stated, making everyone smile. This is the most
humiliated I have felt in a while. Why did you have to announce it to THEM football head? 'You
wanted him to, and you know it.' I said SHUT UP! 'Ok, ok, fine! Don't listen to me, but I'm just
trying to let you know whether you looooove him or not.' la, la, la, la, la, LA! I'm NOT
LISTENING!

"Good for you two!" Phil exclaimed, patting Arnold on the back. Arnold just laughed.


L-L-I-L-A-L-L-L-L-L-L-L-L-I-L-L-L-A-L-L-L-L-L-L-L-I-L-L-L-L-L-A-L-L-L-L-I-L-L-A-L-L


I hung up the phone, and cracked my knuckles. I looked around my room, and crossed my arms.
This wasn't any fun. I stood up, and walked over to my bed. It was time to think of a plan to get
him; he's just too damn cute! I sat down on my bed, crossed my legs, and got a pen and paper. I
took the cap off the pen, and began to think of a plan.