Author's notes: Thanks to my reviewers, and rest assured, the story will continue for quite some time. I can only see as far as the halfway point, and that's still a long ways off.

Here's the second chapter. I'm mostly giving the other characters some "screen time" here, and setting things up for chapter three, when the plot really gets rolling. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold! (And this applies to every chapter in case I forget to put it again)

"Last name?"

"Petersen, ma'am."

"Petersen…Petersen…ah, here you go, Stinky, room 206."

"Thank you, ma'am." He began to walk away from the registration tables. "Hey, wait a minute! 206?"

"What gives?" cried out Harold. "Why are we back in our old classroom?"

"Man, Arnold. It feels even more like we're still in 4th grade!"

"There's gotta be a mistake somewhere, Gerald. I'm sure someone will find out and correct it."

"Whatever you say. I just hope they hurry up; I'm getting flashbacks to last year already."

With that, the door opened and in walked a teacher. The classroom fell silent at sight.

"Good morning, class!"

"Mr. Simmons?"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"No, class, it's not a joke."

Gerald approached the front of the room. "Look, Mr. Simmons, we think there's been some kind of mix-up. I mean we're starting the fifth grade, yet we've all been assigned to room 206 again. And to top it off, you come walking in here as the bell's ringing. What gives?"

"Well, Gerald, class, I can answer your questions in a moment, but first, I've been told that Principle Wartz will be making an opening address in the auditorium this morning, and we all need to proceed there in an orderly fashion—"

"Just wait a minute." Arnold approached the front and took his place next to Gerald. "Could you please tell us what's going on?"

The class verbally concurred with Arnold. Mr. Simmons paused for a moment, then responded. "Okay, Arnold, class. The teacher that was originally assigned to your class, Mr. Packenham, transferred schools just last week. On top of that, Ms. Slovak is returning to work after spending almost a year on the women's pro golf tour. So with her back as the fourth grade teacher and the fifth grade teacher gone, I got bumped up to this class."

"Hold on a sec! You mean you're going to teach us again for another year?"

"Yes, Harold, that's right!"

The class let out a loud groan. Gerald then spoke up, "But how come we're still in the same room as before?"

"Oh, about that, there was a fire in the fifth grade room over the summer and they're still fixing it up."

Another loud groan filled the room. The groaning lowered as Principal Wartz came on the public address.

"Good morning, pupils, and welcome back. For those of you who may be new here, my name is Principal Wartz, all-around fair and benevolent school administrator."

Low muttering could be heard in the classroom directed at Wartz's comment.

"The all-school meeting in the auditorium is cancelled, due to the fact that the, uh…air conditioning isn't working in there. Yeah, that's it. Anyway, I thought you'd all want to get right to your studies instead, so I won't take up anymore of the teachers' time. This is Principal Wartz, wishing you all a safe…productive…school year, and…that is all." Wartz switched off the P.A. and went back to playing with the toy animals from his desk drawer.

"Well, okay class, I guess we'll get down to business then. I've made a new 'special' seating chart for you all," evoking more loud groans, "so if you would all move to the front of the room, and I'll start reading off names." The class huddled behind Mr. Simmons' desk as he moved around the room calling names and pointing kids to their desks.

"Man, Phoebe, I didn't actually think I'd rather be at home than here today, even with Miriam and Olga still lurking about."

"I must admit, Helga, I too feel a bit of animosity and disappointment in getting reassigned with Mr. Simmons."

"Okay, first row. Park, Sid, Stinky, Nadine…"

"I can't believe we've gotta put up with Simmons again for a whole 'nother year!"

"Come on, Harold, it won't be that bad."

"No, Arnold, it will be that bad! I went nuts having him as a teacher last year; I don't think I can make it through another! And then what if I got held back again?"

"Second row: Harold, Rhonda, Curly, Eugene."

Rhonda gave Curly a steely glare. "Don't even think about it, don't get a single idea in your head!"

Curly smiled back at her sheepishly, causing her to shudder.

"Okay, third row: Arnold, Lila, Sheena, Helga."

Mr. Simmons finished reading off the names as Helga sat down in her seat at the back of the room. She surveyed the arrangement. Let's see, Phoebe's one seat up and to the right, I guess that works. Then she noticed the distance between her and Arnold. Three desks! Such a distance to be separated from my love, so near, yet so far! How can I longingly gaze at your beautiful head with Sheena and Lila in front of me? And especially Lila, why did Simmons put Lila right behind Arnold? I should be up there!

"Okay, class, before we begin working, is there anyone who needs to be moved to the front so that he or she can see the board better?"

Yes! A loophole I can exploit!

"I need to move, Mr. Simmons!"

"Um, okay, Helga, but I don't remember you having any problem seeing the board last year."

"Yeah, well that's because I spent a lot of time over the summer, uh…staring at the sun! Turns out it's not so good for the eyes."

"Oh…well, try to be more careful when you're outside. Is there anyone who would be willing to give up their seat for Helga?"

Lila! Come on, Ms. Perfect, be your courteous self and give it up!

"I'll move Mr. Simmons!"

Harold? No! No good! I have to be behind Arnold!

"Actually, Harold, I'd rather have you up here in the front so I can keep an eye on you."

That's right, fat boy; sit down.

"I'll move Mr. Simmons. I don't mind."

"That's very nice of you, Arnold. Helga, does this work for you?"

Of course, it works just fine, now I'm in front of him! Come on Helga, think of something! She walked up and stopped before she reached the front.

"Well, uh, actually, Mr. Simmons, things look real good from here."

"But wouldn't you rather sit at the very front?"

"Oh, no. See, I'm actually a bit farsighted, so it's better right here."

"I see. Well, that's fine if you don't mind, Lila."

Lila glanced up. Helga stood glaring down at her, quietly cracking the Five Avengers.

"Well, I…"

Helga's changed her expression, remembering whom she was dealing with. She gave Lila a pleading look, and cocked her head in Arnold's direction. Lila followed Helga's lead and nodded in understanding.

"Okay, I'm ever so certain I can accommodate your needs, Helga."

"That's great, really appreciate it, now move it or lose it, sister."

"All right, then. Class, let's take out our new math books and get started."

Yet another groan arose. Helga took out her math book and opened the front cover. She began to trace an outline on the first page, using the boy in front of her as a model.

"Boy howdy! Look at that spread!"

"Don't get your hopes up, Sid. Remember they always put out the good stuff on the first day back."

"Are you kidding me, Gerald? Pizza as far as I can see! Sloppy Joes—" Sid took a bite as he spoke, "that actually taste good! And lemon and tapioca pudding, piled high, all the way to the ceiling! And to think, today's all you can eat!"

"Looks like the school lunch program's going over real well with you, Sid." Gerald walked out of the lunch line and sat down at a table with the gang. "So did anyone here do anything interesting over the summer?"

The whole table murmured quietly, "No, not much, nothing really…"

"I did something really neat over the summer, you guys!"

"And what was that, Eugene?"

"Well, my parents took me to Dinoland one day, and you know that new ride where they strap you to a long cable and drop you from the top? It was so great; I was soaring like a majestic eagle! And the best part was, nothing went wrong! I was sure something would happen, like the cable snapping or something. But nothing happened! Isn't that something, guys?"

"Actually, come to think of it, it is pretty amazing Eugene went on something that dangerous and came out without so much as a scratch."

"I know, Stinky! I think I might have grown out of being a jinx!"

"Hey! Come back here, kid! All you can eat means one at a time!"

Curly came running out of the lunch line carrying a stack of trays with several dozen bowls of pudding. Eugene stood up to go to another table after telling his story, and Curly smacked into him, dropping the stack of trays and burying Eugene in pudding and broken bowls.

"I'm okay…"

"Man, that's pathetic. All right, one side, fourth graders, VIP coming through! Move it, bucko, you're now in the same lunch period as Helga Pataki, which means make room so I can get to the food!"

All the fourth graders standing in the lunch line stepped aside as Helga grabbed a lunch tray and zipped down the line, grabbing a bit of everything. She quickly made her way to a table.

"Darn it, forgot the milk! Phoebe, go fetch me a milk, and if those little punks give you any lip for cutting, point 'em in my direction."

"Fetching!"

What a sure fire trick for getting rid of her, she never seems to wonder why I always forget the milk. Helga put a piece of pizza to her lips and slowly worked her way to the crust as she stared across the room.

"So, Arnold, what are we doing after school today?"

"I thought we could all go bowling, they've got a special running this week, half price for everything."

A collective agreement of "yeah" and "sounds great" rose from the table.

"Sounds like a plan, Arnold. Hey, you think we could get a few girls on this, too?"

"Aw, come on, Gerald! Every time we tried to do anything all summer, you always brought that up!"

"Yeah, what's it to you, Sid? Can't a guy have a healthy interest in the opposite sex?"

Arnold turned his head back to the table after glancing across the room from Gerald's suggestion. "I think I'm with you this time, Gerald. Let's invite the girls."

"Hey, you guys want to go play baseball instead?"

The rest of the table seemed to agree with Harold's suggestion. They all turned to Arnold and Gerald for their decision. Gerald wasn't sure now. "Well, I don't know—"

"You guys go play baseball; we'll be at the bowling alley if you need us."

Gerald looked at Arnold, surprised. Since when did he want to spend the afternoon with a bunch of girls? The rest of the table stood up as the bell rang.

"Sounds to me like those two are goin' on a double date."

"Yeah, good luck, lover boys!"

Gerald followed Arnold to the other side of the room. "Hey Arnold, where'd that come from?"

"What? I just really wanted to go bowling."

Gerald noticed Arnold looking off in another direction. He followed his line of sight and caught on. "Oh, I get it now. Just don't get any ideas, Arnold, at least not while I'm around. It's not really supposed to be a double date or anything."

Arnold didn't respond. He was already thinking about spending the afternoon with her.

I didn't plan that cliffhanger; I finished that sentence, reread it, and decided it was a good place to stop. Speculation about who the girl is, as well as reviewing is appreciated. Thanks for reading.