A/N: Alrighty my faithful readers...what do u think of it so far...Oh just to clear up something, everybody in my story is aleast 18yrs. old. For anybody wondering. Any other questions before i begin? crickets Ok i take it that everybody gets it so far...wonderful...lets begin shall we...we left off last chapter at helga's house. Phoebe was sorta giving helga a prep talk. Let's face it, helga deffinately needs one. Alright...

Monday morning at Helga's house 8:oo a.m.

"It's gonna be another beautiful day, highs in the 30's, wind chill 10', 40 possible chance of flurries later on this evening, other than that its clear skies and now with the traffic... click Helga rolled over and turned off her alarm clock radio. As helga sat up in her bed, she rubbed her eyes and yawned, while stretching her hands over her head.

"Man, that was the best sleep i've had in a while." Helga said as she smiled. As helga got up out of bed, she went over to her vanity table and sat down. She looked at herself,

"I can do this...i have to do this...maybe i just can't do this..." Helga said as she turned away from her reflection. Helga was thinking about the conversation she had last night with phoebe. Phoebe was right but helga was so scared to step out of her comfort zone and be herself. "What would everybody think? What would they say?" Helga thought to herself. She looked back at herself in the mirror. Then she heard a sweet voice whisper in her ear "Yes you can Helga"

"Yeah i can...just not today." Helga said as she grabbed her brush and combed her hair. She left it down today...its a start, no more pigtails. RING...RING Helga got up to answer the phone.

"Hello..." Helga asked.

"Good morning Helga, How are you this morning?" Phoebe asked sweetly.

"Oh Good morning phoebe, I'm actually great, woke up happy for a change, what bout you?" Helga said merrily.

"Oh thats great Helga, see i told you everything will be fine...I'm fine, the reason i'm calling is I wanted to know if you would like to go up to the mall and do some christmas shopping with me, i really don't want to go by myself...you know" Phoebe said symphaticly.

"I know phoebe and thank you so much...yeah sure i'd love to go to the mall, maybe you could help me pick up something for...(Phoebe interupts)

"Yeah and you can help me get something for gerald!" Phoebe squealed.

Both started to laugh.

"Ok, so i'll come to your house around 9:30 am and then we'll head up together...deal?" Helga asked.

"Yeah deffinatily!" Phoebe replied with excitement.

"Ok see you then, bye phoeb's"

"Bye Helga.." Click

Arnolds House around 8:15 a.m.

Back at the Boarding House, Arnold was just getting up. HEY ARNOLD...HEY ARNOLD Arnold reached over to his nightstand and turned off his alarm clock. Arnold sat up in his bed and stretched his hands over his head and let out a great big yawn.

"Man i slept good last night! yawns again

KNOCK KNOCK

"Shortman? You up?" grandpa phil asked.

"Yeah Grandpa, come in..." Arnold yelled.

"Yo man, whats up?" Gerald said with a smile.

Arnold was shocked to see his best friend standing there.

"Ok, shortman, i'll leave you and gerald alone, i'll be down stairs if you need me...oh you boys going out anywheres today?" Grandpa asked curiously.

"Oh...you want to do something today Gerald?" Arnold asked with a yawn.

"Well actually that's kind why i came over early. I wanted you to come to the mall with me to do some last minute christmas shopping?" Gerald said with a big smile.

"Oh ok, yeah sure, i'll go with you..." arnold replied as he stepped off of his bed.

"Ok then so you boys will be up at the mall today, ok, oh and shortman..." Grandpa started to say.

"Yeah grandpa.." arnold answered.

"Make sure you spend atleast a couple thousand on me..." Grandpa said with a wink.

Gerald raised his eyebrow. "A couple thousand dollars?" Gerald gasped.

"Sure thing grandpa...(gerald interupted)

"And me to arnold, you can just put mine in a card" Gerald said with an extened hand.

"Alright boys, well i hope you have fun shopping..." Grandpa said as he started to shut the door.

"Bye Grandpa, Bye Mr. Phil..." Both Gerald and arnold said in unison.

"Who else do you have to buy for gerald?" Arnold asked while he was changing his shirt. He decided to wear his blue turtle neck sweater, a pair of jeans and his sneakers.

"Well my little sister and my mom, and phoebe..." Gerald said as he swallowed hard.

Arnold stopped before he finished putting oh his shoes, " Phoebe!" Arnold said with surprise. " Uh Gerald...i'm missing something aren't I?" arnold said with his eyebrow raised.

Gerald looked at Arnold while scratching the back of his neck..."Well you know its a funny story really...(arnold interupts)

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about you and phoebe." Arnold said with disappointment.

"Well were not really anything yet, i asked her to be my date for the party, thats all and I was hoping that things might...well you know...lead us to the next level, being more than just friends..." Gerald said with bashfullness.

"Gerald, and you go and talk bout me...(gerald interupts)

"Don't go there man, I say things to you because your really out there in left field when you do some of the things you do and pull...so don't give me the don't go there...cuz you go to far...(laughs)" Gerald said with humor.

"Hey! (arnold thought about it for a moment) Yeah your right Gerald, (laughs) but hey i wouldn't be me if i didn't." Arnold said with a big smile. He sorta took it like a compliment.

"Arnold, my man, we are some pair, huh, (both laugh) Your not thinking about getting something for Helga are you?" Gerald asked concernly.

Arnold hadn't really thought about what he wanted to get Helga. Hmm...maybe i could get her...He heard a sweet voice whisper in his ear...A silver locket.

"I'm going to get her a silver locket..." Arnold stopped to see a bizarre look on Gerlads face.

"What are you staring at?" Arnold asked.

"Your getting her a silver locket? Arnold you feeling ok?" Gerald said with surprise.

"Uh did i just say that out loud?" Arnold said with this confused look on his face. He looked at Gerald as he nodded yes.

"I don't know, i mean...i hadn't thought about what i should get helga, i mean now that i think of it, i would like to get her something...and what would be the problem if i were to get her the locket?" Arnold asked sternly.

"Nothing man, but it's jewelry...i don't know, you usually get jewelry for a girl if your going out with her. Well that's what i was taught." Gerald said looking at arnold.

"Well that's just being stereotipical. Not everything has to have the same meaning, i mean i would know what i was doing...and (gerald interupts)

"Yeah but what about Helga, she might think you like her like her, and so will everybody else." Gerald said as he handed arnold his jacket.

"I don't know gerald...we'll just look around up at the mall, maybe i might see something else she might like." Arnold said as he opened his bedroom door.

"Arnold you really don't like her like her do you?" Gerald questioned as he stepped out of the room and into the hallway.

Arnold just stood there with this blank stare on his face, it was completely emotionless.

"Arnold?" Gerald said quietly.

Arnold was lost in thought, "Do i like Helga? I mean i did say she was pretty, No i said she had a pretty head, no that doesn't make sense, geez she has a pretty head, what is that suppose to mean...although she was concerned that i was left out in the snow and she tried warming me up, So i mean what would it matter if i started to like her, i mean hey along time ago she did say she liked me, yes she did and then she said i love you and then we had our first kiss, well i didn't engage she kissed me first. Why am i thinking about this...OMG! I think i am i think that..."

"I like her like her..." arnold said with a raised eyebrow.

"Arnold! YOU WHAT!" Gerald shouted.

"What gerald!" Arnold responded.

"You just said you like like helga!" Gerald said with disturbance.

"NO i didn't, " Arnold said deffensively, trying to firgure out if he had or not.

"Yeah you did man, i don't know but after i asked you if don't really like helga, you got this blank look on your face and then you just came out and said out loud, "I LIKE HER LIKE HER", So arnold what's the deal man?" Gerald said as he corrected arnold.

"Gerald i don't know, I really don't know why i said that, seriously gerald, i don't know...!" arnold said nervously.

"Ok arnold whatever you say man...(gerald glanced down at his watch) Ooo...we got to get going before we miss the bus..." Gerald said as he grabbed arnolds arm and ran out the front door.

Bus stop

"Ooo...brr...its so cold.." phoebe shivered.

"Oh there's the bus now," Helga said as she and phoebe stood up as the bus came to the corner.

The bus driver opened the door, "Where to ladies?" He asked nicely.

"Uh the mall please," Helga asked sweetly.

"Sure thing sweetheart" the bus driver said as he winked at helga. He was cute. He was in his early 20's, he had brown spikey hair, blue eyes, he was nicely built and boy did he have a killer smile. Helga just flashed him a sweet, yet sexy smile, and winked back.

As phoebe and helga took their seats, they started to laugh.

"Ooo i'm telling..." Phoebe teased.

"What are going to say?" Helga asked.

"Helga was flirting, (she starts to giggle)" Phoebe laughed as she pinched helga's arm.

"No i wasn't, i was merely ingaging in an innocent 5 second conversation, that included an extra 7 seconds of eye contact." Helga said trying not to admit that phoebe was right.

"Ok helga, you call it whatever you want, but you were still flirting.." phoebe said as she giggled.

"Ok so what if i was, it doesn't mean anything..." Helga said looking out at the passing houses.

"It means alot Helga, your actually starting to relax and have fun, and flirting is a sign of confidence, your confident enough in yourself to respond positively to the opposite sex showing you interest. Helga your on the fast track to Happiness! I mean you kept your hair down today. Maybe tomorrow alittle makeup?" Phoebe smiled.

"Really you think so? I do feel a little more relaxed and calm." Helga said looking at phoebe who was smiling ear to ear.

"See helga, now ICE CREAM will pick up on those vibes and vola what you always wanted." phoebe said cheerfully.

"I guess we won't know til Christmas huh?" helga said looking back out the window.

"Maybe sooner.." phoebe responded.

Back at the bus stop

" Aw man, we've missed the bus!" Gerald yelled with disappointment.

Arnold looked at the bus sign. "15 minute wait"

"We don't have to wait that long gerald...only 15 mins." Arnold reasured gerald.

"Yeah but its cold..." Gerald said as he started to shiver.

"Well i can guarentee you that you won't freeze in 15 minutes..." Arnold smirked.

"Don't you get smart with me arnold, " Gerald said giving arnold the eye.

Arnold just smiled. " Me get smart with you, now why would i go and do that, huh gerald?" Arnold said as he intised Gerald.

" That's it! Your dead!" Gerald yelled as he tackled arnold to the snow covered sidewalk.

And there the two remained, playing in the snow. Til of cours the bus came.

A/N: Ok everybody, how'd you all like that chapter. I'm so sorry, its taking so slow...not enough hours in the day, or night, lol, anyway thanks again for all the reviews, and i'm glad your all enjoying reading this story as i am writing it: ) Go ARNOLD! anyway see yall at the next chapter.