A/N: Hi everyone! I am so sorry that I haven't updated in over a month! Online school has really been kicking my ass, but I've finally found a time to update. Let's get started with chapter 9 :3

"You like me like me?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do. Is this too soon? I'm sorry if it is, I just-" Arnold started to say.

"It's not too soon. I'm just surprised that you feel the same way."

"You like me too?"

"How could I not, football head?"

"Thank god, I was worried you wouldn't feel the same way-"

"Shut up and kiss me again."

Arnold's face turned red as a tomato as he widely smiled. He then obeyed me and pulled me into a kiss. My heart started racing as our lips locked again. I had realized that I was allowing this boy to make me soft, and I didn't really mind.

We broke our kiss after a few seconds and I tried not to blush afterwards. It made me kind of mad that I was able to harbor these kinds of fuzzy, lovey-dovey feelings because I didn't see myself as that type. But at the same time, I liked the way it felt. I liked feeling this different unfamiliar feeling and I was willing to go out of my comfort zone for Arnold. I've never met anyone like him before and he was worth it for me.

Next thing you know, my dorm door bolted open, entering Phoebe.

"Helga, it's time to get on the bus. Same with you, Arnold." Phoebe said.

"Let's go, Arnold." I said.

Phoebe, Arnold, and I had boarded the bus for our first field trip. And secrets were still unvraveling...

I made my way to the back of the bus with Phoebe. That's when Lila came up to us.

"Hi Phoebe, I'm ever so sorry to bother you, but can I sit with Helga today?" Lila asked.

"Why do you want want to sit with Helga?" Phoebe asked.

"I just need to talk to her about something." Lila said sheepishly.

I was sure of what Lila wanted to talk to me about. She had wanted to talk to about what I saw in the girl's shower room. And possibly about Arnold as well. I knew I couldn't avoid it forever.

I sighed. "Let her sit with me, Phoebe." I said a tad bit reluctantly.

"If you insist, Helga." Phoebe said.

"Thanks ever so much, guys." Lila said.

Phoebe got up from her seat and went to go look for a new seat. Lila sat down next to me, and I felt kind of weird. I mean, talking to the ex of a guy you are developing a thing with is awkward enough. But talking to the said ex after catching her kissing a girl not too long after the break up is even more awkward.

"This may be ever so awkward for you, but I just want to clear the air with you about some... things." Lila told me.

Wow, this girl read my mind. Also, I noticed a pattern in her speech. She couldn't go a sentence without using the words "ever so." I didn't know what was up with that.

"What things?" I played dumb a bit.

"About me kissing Jill and what you asked me about it." Lila whispered.

"Oh yeah, I did ask you if you dated Arnold to hide the fact that you liked girls. That might've been a bit harsh of me. I just say things without thinking sometimes." I told Lila.

"It's ever so fine. That's not entirely true though. I really did like Arnold at one point. But it was oh so superficial."

"Are you really comfortable telling me about all of this? We barely know each other."

"Yeah, why ever not? You and Arnold seem to be developing a thing, and you deserve to know the truth."

"Alright, then. Opening up to people I barely know is weird to me personally, but we are all different, after all."

"I sure can understand that. But I'm fine with telling you about this. I really did like Arnold at one point, or at least I thought I did, but that was short lived. I think we were bored of each other for a while, but didn't say anything for a long time. And along the way, I realized that I didn't like guys in that way. I'm a lesbian. But I stayed with Arnold because I didn't want to hurt him. I was scared to tell him the truth." Lila explained.

Arnold had explained something similar to me. He basically said the same thing, minus Lila being gay of course. I did not expect this kind of explanation for their break up at all.

"Do you realize that you were hurting Arnold either way? You were still hurting him by staying with him when you didn't like him anymore." I said.

I was surprised at what just came out of my mouth. I usually wasn't the type to give insight like that.

"I know that now. I was just ever so afraid. But I realize it now." Lila said.

"This whole time, I thought that me kissing Arnold was the reason for your breakup." I said.

"Not fully, at least. We lost feelings for each other a long time ago. But to be honest, I was in on the dare with Rhonda..."

"Wait what?"

"I know, it's ever so strange. But that's why I was okay with it. We could both tell you two like each other... and Rhonda already knew that I wasn't exactly happy being with Arnold."

"Wait, it was obvious that I like him?" I said a bit frantically.

"A little..." Lila giggled.

There was an awkward silence for about five seconds before one of us talked again.

"This conversation has been a bit crazy. But Lila, I can tell that you don't have bad intentions, so I applaud you for that." I told Lila.

"Thanks, Helga. And thanks for keeping my secret.

The reason I wanted that secret kept is because I'm secretly scared that people won't accept me."

"Anyone who won't accept you for your sexuality is an idiot, Lila. Trust me, I've witnessed my sister not get accepted for who she was. And those people who didn't accept her are stupid."

"Wow, thank you ever so much, Helga."

The bus had stopped shortly after Lila had thanked me. I had heard some things that I didn't expect to hear. Not only that, I had also said some things I didn't expect either. I normally wasn't good at comforting people, so telling Lila what I told her was a bit... different for me.

"I hope you guys learn a lot about this city while we're here! It's so special!" Mr. Simmons announced.

We had arrived at this restaurant where I had actually never been before.

As our class made our way out of our bus, I saw this gray haired, strong looking man with a unibrow that matched his hair color. He was wearing a light green polo shirt and brown trousers.

I couldn't believe it. This man was no other than my father. I hadn't seen him since before he left my mother. Which was three years ago. I didn't think I'd actually see him here, let alone on the second day of the trip.

3 years ago...

I woke up early to get ready for my first day of eigth grade, my last year of middle school. I was going to be away from Olga a lot of the time, because she was starting high school.

I went to the kitchen to eat breakfast and ask my parents for a ride to school. Not that they'd want to, but I'd at least try. Bob and Miriam really didn't care about me. Not one bit, even. They always neglected me and treated me like I didn't exist. It made me so angry. I spent a lot of time resenting the fact that my parents didn't pay as much attention to me as they should've been. Going to therapy helped with that anger, but it wasn't surpressed every minute of everyday of course. If it was, I wouldn't have broke the arm of Olga's bully.

The second I walked into our kitchen, I heard loud, piericing screaming. It was already giving me a headache. The yelling was coming from Bob and Miriram. They were fighting all summer, and I was sick of hearing it. The arguing had followed into the morning of the first day of school.

"I'm so sick of your shit, Bob! You don't care about me, you don't care about the girls, all you care about is yourself and your job!" My mother screamed whole holding a bottle of Moonshine.

"You're one to talk, Miriam! You won't stop drinking! That's all you do." My dad screamed.

They proceeded to say a bunch of horrible things that I don't exactly remember. I just remember they were intense. I do remember the last thing said and done in that heated argument.

My mom took the last sip of her Moonshine, the bottle now empty. She then chucked the bottle at my dad, and glass shards were all over the floor.

"What the hell, Miriam?" Bob yelled.

"We are done, Bob. I don't even know why I married you." Miriam told Bob, shedding a tear.

And then not long after that incident, they filed for divorce.

Present day.

When they got divorced, I built walls around me in fear of getting hurt. I didn't want to experience something like that again. It sure was scary and a bit confusing for thirteen year old me.

And the fact that I built a rough exterior after that incident is why I like to consider myself tough.

But Arnold is causing my walls to break down a bit, and that scares me, but I guess I'm willing to get outside of my comfort zone for him. I think... it's a risk I'm willing to take.

Yep, in this AU, Helga still has an incident to make her build walls around her. It just happens much later than it did in the canon universe...