Hey, guys.

I'm back with another update (relatively) on schedule this time around. Told you I wasn't abandoning it xD

This was one of my favorite chapters in any fandom to write for. I wanted to make it as heartfelt and sincere as possible without making it cheesy or cliche. Not an easy thing to balance of course haha but I really hope you guys enjoy it. I've been waiting for years to write this scene and now it's finally come to fruition.

So I'm not going to say much other than there are two more chapters to go and we will see what happens in the future.

For now, enjoy the chapter! :)

Chapter 20. About Time

The end of May also brought an end to the muddy, concrete rains that usually dominated springtime in Hillwood. It also brought the end of the school year, the last one the current crop of sixth graders would spend at P.S. 118 before the transition to middle school. For many, the feeling was quite surreal. Those who had older siblings could expect a certain degree of preparation, but the prospect of junior high brought a mixed atmosphere among Mr. Franks' class. Mr. Franks himself held little sentimental attachment to the occasion but Park swore to the heavens he saw Mr. Simmons crying in the teachers lounge over the impending graduation of his pupils. Even Principal Wartz seemed to be in an odd mood.

Such emotion wasn't limited to the teachers. Harold nearly had a nervous breakdown in class one day due to the idea of 'middle school being scary' and Sheena was seen crying by herself on the blacktop due to the chance of redistricting that would force her to attend another school. Even Rhonda, ever proud and popular, was noticeably subdued, giving Nadine several sad, affectionate glances at lunch time. It was a palpable feeling that escaped no one- the bittersweet sense of goodbye that exists only when it's time to move on from one part life to another.

For Arnold, the situation was made more complex due to his current situation with Helga. He didn't know what to say to her or how he should say it even if he wanted to. It took some more eccentric but friendly advice from his Grandmother to truly put everything in perspective.

The evening of the party Arnold sat twiddling his thumbs in the living room waiting for Gerald to show up. He was dressed in a light blue golf shirt with light khakis and sneakers. There was no telling if that would be acceptable to Rhonda but at this point, he didn't much care. He was too caught up in his own thoughts and the sense that tonight was somehow fateful in a way. You couldn't put a finger on it but that same instinct he had a knack for was back again.

"Well howdy-ho, deputy!" Gertie announced cheerfully. She was donning her Wild West attire today and held a pot of what looked like chili in her hands.

"Hey, Grandma."

"Everything alright, young buck? This is no time for long faces. Matter of fact we don't see much cheer from ya round these parts."

Arnold gave a small uptick of his mouth to indicate he was fine.

"I'm okay, Grandma. Just thinking is all. Where's Grandpa?"

The sound of a toilet flushing could be heard from upstairs as if to answer the question.

"Slim's having a rendezvous with the commode. The man never could take his raspberries."

"Right."

There was a pause where Arnold didn't say anything. He knew that his grandma would continue on her merry way or continue with her usual schtick but something in her eyes softened. Putting down the chili pot she walked over to the couch and sat down next to him.

"Arnold," she said softly. "What are you thinking about? Heaven knows you've always had a mind for the sky but your grandfather and I barely know what's going on these days."

It was in moments like these that the blond preteen knew that his grandmother's true character shined. His life had been so topsy turvy for the past two years he almost didn't know where to begin. But that wasn't strictly true either, he did know what the primary cause was. The girl who was always on his mind.

"Mom and Dad have been gone for a long time," he spoke quietly.

Gertie gave a sad sigh.

"They have. I wish that weren't so. They loved you Arnold. More than you could possibly imagine."

"I've been told that, and I believe it. But it stopped being enough after a while. The memory, the stories, it all became too painful. Ever since…I think I've been looking for a way to forget."

He turned and faced his grandmother directly.

"But that's just it. You can't forget because it's too strong to ignore. At some point something needs to replace that hole you feel all the time and I thought I found it. I did find it but…things got complicated."

"You're referring to the Pataki girl." It wasn't a question.

"Why do I get the feeling you've known for years?" Arnold inquired.

Gertie gave a hearty cackle.

"Because I have known for years. Poor Eleanor Roosevelt. She's been trying to express how she feels about you for some time, but something always gets in the way."

"Eleanor Roosevelt…wait, how do you know all this, grandma?"

"Because my dear grandson, I've gone through the exact same thing as her. Acting mean and tough to hide my feelings, making sure the boy I loved never got wise to what kind of person I really was."

Arnold felt like he was getting hit with a Mack truck as he put two and two together.

"Hold on. Grandpa told me the story of how a girl used to pick on him all the time at school. Was that-"

"That's right," Gertie laughed. "I assume he discussed that with you at some point, but he failed to mention that feisty little girl was your dear old grandmother."

In a month filled with surprises and revelations, even the attempted murder at the hands of Frankie G paled in comparison to this.

"But..how- I mean…."

"How did we end up together?" she finished for him. "Because things change Arnold. It's the one of the few consistent things in life you'll find everywhere you go. People don't stay the same, especially not in elementary school. In our case, it took some time- the Depression and the War certainly didn't make it easy. But eventually I realized the desire to tell your grandfather how I felt outweighed my fear. The moment I became willing to be vulnerable and show him there was a genuine person underneath that sour exterior was the moment I knew I was truly in love. And so did he."

Arnold felt numb for a quick second before it was replaced by thoughts of the girl he had gotten to know the past few months. Not the snarling, unibrowed girl in pink who bullied him, but the kind, compassionate, beautiful person that she truly was. On some level, he had known all along. But thinking back to when they had pranked Wolfgang together, gone to the dance, even the moment she kissed him on the sidewalk, that was where it had really come forth. As he did so, the numbness gave way to a force building so rapidly in his heart he could scarcely contain it.

"She….she's been trying to tell me all along," he finally spoke aloud. "The day she sat down and talked to me about my parents. That was it."

"I sensed Eleanor had been wrestling with her feelings for you for a very long time," Gertie said sagely. "And that you two were finally growing closer."

"We were. But our relationship is so insane. Just as I thought she was past her old ways, everything backfired."

"Sometimes people have to take two steps back before taking a step forward."

Arnold shook his head.

"It was more like ten steps back. And I'm not blameless either. I was very…unforgiving."

Gertie placed a hand on her grandson.

"I don't know the whole story and it's not my business to interfere of course. But I can see how much you care about her, Arnold. Let your heart guide you and listen to what it says."

Giving an emotional swallow in his throat, the blond boy gave a wide smile and gave his grandma an affectionate hug.

"Thank you, Grandma."

She returned the gesture with a wink and a tip of her ten gallon hat.

"Any time, deputy. Now don't be a cowpoke. Slim and I can have a nice evening by the fire and rustle some cattle in the morning. You got yourself one heck of a rodeo to go to."

As if on cue the doorbell rang, signaling Gerald had arrived.

"I'll see you later, Grandma!" he called out as he sped out the door.

"Watch out for the Capache young deputy!"

Grandma Gertie turned to herself and smiled as she watched her young grandson take another step towards growing up. Really it was about time Eleanor and the President made up.

Surprisingly enough, Rhonda's party did not turn out to be an affair solely for the purpose of stroking her own ego. The most popular girl in school even invited those she considered "geeks" and it was clear that it was her way of giving back to those she usually ignored or had little time for. The DJ played popular songs, the punch was exquisite, and even hors d'oeuvres were replaced by comfort food that most people enjoyed.

And Helga could hardly enjoy any of it.

There was light small talk with some of the other girls and Phoebe was company enough. But she also spent time with Gerald, leaving her to stand awkwardly in a corner unsure of what to do next. And of course, there was Arnold. He had arrived shortly after she and Phoebe to the delight of everyone there which was no surprise. The boy was immensely popular, especially given that he was the hero who conquered Frankie G. No one would ever know it had been her who saved his life.

And I'm just fine with that, she thought to herself taking a swig of her drink. I don't need people gawking anyway.

But there was one in the room whose attention she did seek. Criminy it was hard not to stare at him as he mingled about or when he laughed at some dumb hick joke Stinky made. More than ever she felt desperate for his company and an equal amount of fear at even uttering a single word to him.

Arnold on the other hand was having a much better time on the surface. Gerald had been correct in that time with his friends was a good way to end sixth grade before their impending graduation. Everyone was delighted to see him and sought his presence. But as the night went on he felt himself increasingly distracted due to Helga's presence. He knew she was there as he had suspected all along and he wondered if Gerald had been purposely coy about the possibility of her showing up. Through the banter and music he occasionally checked over his shoulder to see if Helga had noticed him or was headed his way. Unfortunately, the blonde girl seemed content to either make small talk with Phoebe and Nadine or simply sulk in the corner.

This fact was not lost on Gerald or Phoebe, who briefly got together to discuss the situation, pretending to dance while they talked.

"Well they're both here, but nothing's happened," Gerald shouted above the noise.

"We can't force them to talk to each other," Phoebe countered.

"But that was the whole point of getting them to come to this party!"

"What would you have us do?"

Gerald shook his head as he spun his girlfriend and pulled her back in.

"I don't know…but come on. They keep looking each other and neither one will do anything about it."

"I confess, I don't know how much longer Helga will want to stay. She doesn't seem very happy."

Before they could continue however, the song 'Semi-Charmed Life' by Third Eye Blind ended and the crowd began to cheer as Eugene Horowitz took the stage and took hold of the microphone from the DJ who seemed confused but nevertheless allowed him to speak.

"Hey, guys…if I could have your attention for just one second. I don't think I need an introduction, none of us do really."

There was a surprising silence as the usual culprits seemed more curious as to what Eugene had to say than ruin the moment.

"We've gone to school together for a long time now. And in that time, we've all received reputations: popular kid, geek, nerd, smooth…jinx," he added with a nervous laugh. "But even through all the stuff we put each other through I still wouldn't have it any other way. Because P.S. 118 will always be in our hearts."

"Here, here!" Sid cheered.

Eugene then turned and faced towards Arnold, gesturing in his direction.

"Above all else, there's one person who has never failed to assist, help, or uplift us. He thinks of us before himself and pulled us out of more tight spots than anyone can count. He's the true hero of our class and one we don't deserve but have anyway. Thank you, Arnold for being the true rock of our class. The good Samaritan who put Frankie G in jail!"

In truth, Arnold was more embarrassed by the attention than anything else. But he grinned sheepishly and gave a small wave of gratitude all the same whilst his classmates clapped and began chanting his name in succession.

"Uh, thanks guys. No really, Sid, you don't need an autograph. I'm literally going to see you tomorrow."

Helga took in all of this and felt a wave of nausea surge in her gut. Resisting the urge to spit on the ground, she hated every second of this. Not because of her beloved but because the likelihood of actually getting to speak to him lessened with each passing hour. It was entirely representative of who he was and what she wasn't.

Screw this

She turned to make a detour into the hallway to grab her jacket and head out the door when she smashed headlong into Rhonda.

"OW!"

"Hey!"

The brunette had been carrying a tray of snacks to replace the ones already eaten and now were spilled all over the floor.

"Watch where you're going, princess!" Helga snarled.

"Watch where I'm going? You can't even go one party without spoiling something with your clumsiness. This is a rare cherry, hardwood floor!"

"Can it, sister. You can take that floor back to the Amazon Rain Forest for all I care it makes no difference to me."

Trembling with rage Rhonda smoothed out her A-line red dress and began picking the mess up off the floor but not before adding.

"Is it your mission in life to be as rude, inconsiderate and as miserable as possible to everyone you come across? In all of our time together I have no clue why anyone put up with you, especially Arnold."

Helga was about to reply with an equally scathing retort until she registered the last sentence Rhonda spoke to her. Suddenly, any sense of anger evaporated.

"You're right."

"And another thing, I don't know-" Rhonda paused for a second and stood up, her expression confused as though she didn't quite believe what she heard. "Wait, what?"

"I said you're right, Rhonda. For once I don't have a comeback."

The socialite eyed her suspiciously hardly daring to believe Helga would give up a verbal spar so easily.

"What do you mean?"

"Just take a look," Helga said quietly, indicating her head over to where Arnold was still receiving the praise of his friends. "All this time I've been obsessed with that boy, waiting for the day where I'd be worthy of his attention. But I'm not like him. He's kind, sweet, sensitive, and caring. And I'm….not."

Rhonda seemed to finally understand as realization dawned on her featured.

"So it's true. You really do love him."

"More than you could possibly imagine," came the sad reply. "But it's long past time to accept that it's a fool's errand. A warped fantasy that only exists on the Disney channel where dreams are made into reality. Unfortunately for me, my reality is quite different."

She bent down picked up the tray and handed it to Rhonda.

"I'm sorry I bumped into you. I'll be on the deck getting some air."

As Helga walked away the brunette grabbed her arm.

"Wait, Helga. I'll meet you out there in five minutes. Maybe we can talk about it."

The blonde looked up and down before nodding in affirmation, seeing that the offer was genuine.

It wasn't until Helga was out of sight that Rhonda's mouth ticked upwards in a sad smile. It wasn't often something could pull on her emotional strings like that…but even now she felt sympathy for her long time adversary. This was not an unfamiliar situation and she had seen it played out numerous times in the collection of romcoms she owned. There was only thing to do for a case like this.

In her mind, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd formulated a plan.

Arnold was almost out of breath from all the talking, praising, and reenacting of past noble deeds when he was saved by an unexpected source.

"Out of the way! Move it people! In the name of God will you give the boy some breathing room?"

Rhonda gave a particularly nasty glare to Harold, who shrank back from her glower.

"Ah come on, Rhonda! We were just having some fun! I was telling the story of how Arnold stood up to Wolfgang."

"Then we were gonna play some of that popular music made by the beautiful people," Stinky elaborated.

"He's not a collector's item to be passed around among you numbskulls. He needs some space. And in any case, I need a private word with our resident neighborhood hero."

"Good idea," Gerald agreed. "See you in a minute, buddy. DJ! Spin that thing!"

The music resumed as did the party and Arnold was highly grateful for his host's rescue.

"Thanks, Rhonda," he said as they entered the lavish kitchen away from the scene. "I was getting kind of overwhelmed back there."

"No trouble, doll," she replied in an artificially sweet tone. "I can only hope some of those boys grow up before we enter 7th grade."

"Right. So what did you want to talk about?"

Rhonda began to embellish in a way that was extreme even for her.

"As a matter of fact, I was wondering if you could do me a small favor. You see, my parents are upstairs, and they need to see me in a few minutes over some incredibly boring affair. I need someone to fetch my cardigan while I'm gone. It's out on the back deck. Would you mind grabbing it for me?"

Arnold raised an eyebrow at the seemingly out of place request but nevertheless agreed.

"Uh, sure."

"Oh, thank you, Arnold, doll. It means a great deal."

She left to go upstairs but not before adding one last interesting remark.

"By the way, don't feel the need to rush. I suspect I'll be at least ten to fifteen minutes. Ciao!"

Arnold wasn't entirely sure what was going on given Rhonda's odd behavior, but he shrugged and figured he would piece it all together soon enough.

"Where is she?" Helga muttered looking at her watch. "It's definitely been more than five minutes."

The night air was warm but that did nothing to soothe her impatience. She resolved to wait another thirty seconds before going back inside and heading home. It really was turning into that kind of night, one she was all too familiar with: the type that ended in disappointment and a lonely walk back to her house.

Just as she gave up on Rhonda ever arriving, the glass sliding door opened.

"Ugh, criminy! So much for punctuality princess what took you so-"

She immediately ceased when the sight greeted her turned out not to be Rhonda, but Arnold himself.

"Uh..I-uh…"

Damn it! Why can't I ever form a proper sentence around him?

"Sounds like you were expecting someone else," Arnold surmised. He could see her in full for the first time that night. The blonde girl looked radiant in a light pink sweater, matching skirt and ballet flats. Similar to the dance, her hair was down again, topped with her usual pink bow, the one he adored so much.

She's beautiful. I don't know why it took me until sixth grade to notice

"Yeah…I was," Helga responded lamely.

"Rhonda told me to search for her cardigan. But I think she had something else in mind."

Did she really try and set us up out here? I will kill her!

Holding in her temper, Helga looked away unable to gaze her long-time love in the eye.

"Well, I wouldn't want to impede your search. You know how particular Rhonda is about her clothes. I'll just get going…"

The voice was firm but gentle as Arnold stopped her.

"No. Please….stay."

The touch of his hand on her shoulder almost made her melt into a puddle of goo right then and there but again Helga steadied herself.

"Why?"

"Because I want to talk to you. We need to talk. I think it's overdue anyway."

"Arnold…"

"Please. I don't want to see you walk out that door tonight. Not this time."

Helga sighed as she acquiesced. She was scared out of her wits at how this little chat might go but resistance against his request was futile.

"I never could say no to you."

"On the contrary, you have plenty of times," Arnold joked.

"Not like this," Helga responded as they headed over to the railing. "Never in my dreams."

To her this was a dream. Spending a night on the rooftop of their rustic neighborhood with the clash of stars and city lights bearing down on them from above. A warm breeze served as a gentle reminder of the spring that was to lead into summer and all of the long days ahead. Below, various citizens walked their dogs, checked the mail or even hung out on their front stoops just chatting away the evening. It was truly a sight to behold and Arnold was here with her.

"It's rare you get a night so peaceful like this," Arnold observed.

"I've never had a peaceful night in Hillwood," Helga replied.

"And why would that be?"

Helga chucked a rock off the deck and onto the rooftop of the building next to them.

"You already know the reason, bucko."

That brought out a curious response from the blond boy.

"You've never said it out loud."

"Come on, Arnold do I really have to spell it out for you?"

"I wish you would sometimes. We've been playing this game for so long I don't even know where it begins or ends anymore."

Helga heaved a huff of frustration.

"Can you blame me? Given everything that's happened in the last few months…the past six years! Is it really all that crazy to think I might be scared out of my mind just to talk to you?"

Arnold tried to slow down and remembered his grandmother's words. As long as he had known Helga, she was deathly afraid of shedding any of that tough exterior that had been there since preschool. He needed to be patient but direct.

"You're not crazy, Helga but you are confusing. For years all you did was bully and make fun of me. Then all of a sudden, we're laughing, getting along, and slow dancing together. Next thing you know, we're enemies again until you knock out my would-be murderer and kiss me square on the lips. I think anyone would want some proper answers."

"Look, I didn't know if you even wanted to associate with me, even after what happened at Mr. Green's. I couldn't bear the thought of being rejected. Even worse, I couldn't bear the thought of saying the wrong thing and hurting you again."

"You're not going to hurt me, Helga," Arnold reassured her. "All I want is the truth. And I want to hear it from you. Not Gerald, Phoebe, Rhonda, or anyone else at P.S. 118."

Helga was fighting back tears now and it took an immense effort not to breakdown right then and there. She was on the verge of admitting what she had felt since she could finger paint and even now it frightened the life out of her. But the blonde also recognized that this moment was the last chance she would receive to properly express her feelings and it was a chance she had to take. Loosening her tight grip on the railing, Helga finally tore down the wall and spoke true.

"The truth? The truth has been right there from the beginning. From fifth grade when I tried to give you a slice of pizza and ended up placing it in your lunch seat. Fourth grade when I basically tricked every girl in school in order to play Juliet alongside your Romeo. Second grade during recess as I desperately wanted to offer you a soda and sprayed it in your face instead. Preschool when you shielded me from the rain and told me you like my bow…"

She took a deep breath and continued.

"And ever since that day there is not a moment on this earth where I haven't thought about you- the kindness of your heart, the assistance you give everyone in need, the willingness to tolerate and even try to befriend the one who made your life hell for years. You are the light of my life, the one thing I can count on because nothing else even comes close. Between the poems, letters, and every other symbolic token I've devoted to you, not a single piece of it can properly express the depth of how I feel and how I'll always feel about you."

Blue eyes stared into green ones as the fateful sentence was uttered.

"Arnold Shortman, I love you."

Helga briefly closed her eyes waiting for the feelings to go unshared, relegated to a friendzone or even outright rejection of her presence altogether. But it never came. Instead, she felt a hand interlock with hers as Arnold gave the kind smile that she had fallen for those many years ago.

"It's no secret that ever since my parents disappeared that I've felt something was missing in my life," he said aloud. "I told you that on the steps in front of the boarding house. Because for all the praise I get for good deeds and helping others, I've never been very good at helping myself. I thought I was going to live the rest of my life with this constant blackness gnawing within me day after day. Until I found you."

Helga felt herself grow stiff, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing.

"Don't get me wrong," Arnold chuckled. "You bugged me in those days. You still do sometimes. But the more I got to know the real Helga, the selfless, kind, creative, compassionate one- the more I found happiness greater than I could ever remember. I saw what kind of person you truly were and wanted to be. That's what I ended up falling for. And that's exactly what I see in front of me right now. The smartest, bravest, most beautiful girl I've ever known and will know.

"You said I give you something to believe in. But the truth is you were the one who restored that same faith in me when I had lost it."

Arnold placed his other hand on top of hers and leaned in closer. Helga could smell his wonderful scent by now and it was driving her wild. Everything she had ever dared dreamed about was about to come true. Did she dare dream now?

"What I'm trying to say is…I love you too, Helga Pataki."

The next few seconds became a sea of bliss for the two preteens as Arnold placed his lips on hers. It was a tad awkward at first as the two held a rather robotic position, but once Helga's brained clicked, she had no trouble melting into it, throwing her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. It was pure ecstasy and she never wanted to let go. Neither one did.

Time seemed to lose all proportion and meaning- a lifetime or a millisecond could have passed, and the two blondes would have been none the wiser. But that didn't register as Arnold and Helga stared into each other's eyes beaming with a lovesick happiness that blocked out all else from their minds. So powerful was that feeling, they almost didn't hear a slow clapping of hands in the background.

"Mm, mm, mm. It's about time," the voice of Gerald called out.

The serenity shattered like glass as both blondes looked out towards the edge of the deck only to see nearly the entire class watching them with intense interest.

"Well what do you know. My plan worked after all," Rhonda boasted. "By the way, I was totally right in my prediction: you two are absolutely adorable together."

"They're so cute!" said Sheena clasping her hands.

"I concur," giggled Phoebe.

"Arnold kissed Helga Pataki?!" Harold exclaimed. "Someone pinch me!"

"Okay."

"OW! Cut it out, Stinky!"

"You said to pinch you, Harold."

"Not literally you dumb hick!"

In the midst of this observation Helga was trembling with animalistic rage, unsure of who she would introduce old Betsy to first.

"Why you little…RHONDA! You set up this whole thing! I am going to-"

Words failed her as she continued to sputter like an old motorboat. Forgetting herself she began to march forward, fists clenched in anticipation of a scrap. Fortunately, she was pulled back by Arnold who gave her another long kiss, this time dipping her forward while holding her back as he did so.

This caused the crowd to cheer and holler in celebration as Arnold pulled her back up.

"I guess the secret's out," he laughed, going red.

Helga blushed while simultaneously rolling her eyes but smiled all the same. She was far too filled with joy to complain.

"I guess that also means you have to admit I'm your girlfriend now, football head."

"Hmm I think that works for me."

The crowd continued to cheer them on, Gerald and Phoebe grinning ear to ear in the background giving them a thumbs up, ecstatically happy for their best friends.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they chanted.

"Care to give them one more?" Arnold grinned at his beloved.

Helga gave a mischievous smirk as she placed a loving hand on his cheek.

"Sure, why the hell not."

They kissed once more, long and deep, capping off the evening as the children of Hillwood celebrated a romance coming into full bloom underneath the lights and stars of the sky.

Sixth grade ended that warm, spring night; a night that was never to be forgotten in the incomparable lore of P.S. 118. The ballad of Arnold Shortman and Helga Pataki.

And there you have it folks. Arnold Shortman and Helga Pataki are an item. Seriously though, I cannot get enough of those two xD They are one of my favorite pairings of all time and a joy to write about.

As I said earlier, there are two more chapters folks, the last one being an add on I only decided on recently. Keep your eyes peeled.

~The Wasp