Chapter 4: 7 Minutes In...

Phoebe's House

"That's quite a story Helga; what do you intend to do about it?" Phoebe asked, after finally hearing about Helga's encounter with Arnold on top of the FTI building.

Helga cocked her brow at her best friend's question and asked "What's that supposed to mean?"

Why did anything need to be done about it? Yes it was embarrassing, but why not just wait for him to make a move. She had already let out her emotions. Whether or not he believed them, it still had to make him question the idea of the two of them. Why not wait to see if anything is was at least implied from him about his feelings since that night?

"I mean, from the way it ended, it sounds as though he was a bit nervous; you both were. You weren't able to bring yourself to calmly explain the situation and it seems as though he could sense that. Perhaps the stress of the major event you had all just encountered (saving the neighborhood), made him too distracted to think about something so deep as a relationship at that moment?"

Rhonda's House

While Helga was pondering her friend's words, Rhonda knew exactly how she was going to handle the party.

"Do you have any plans for tonight Rhonda?" Nadine asked her sly friend.

Rhonda turned to face her friend who was sitting on her bed. As she held a bowl with several sheets of paper in it, she replied "I'm glad you asked Nadine. Here's my plan…

Have everyone except Arnold and Helga pick a number at the beginning of the party

Boys Odd/Girls even. I have the numbers labeled on the outside of the sheets.

When I bring the bowl out, Arnold and Helga will be left with no choice but to be paired together for the game.

Nadine wasn't one to spill the beans on people, but she felt her friend maybe taking things too far. They were just on the verge of reaching the age when people become comfortable exposing their emotions. It didn't seem fair to force them into something they weren't ready for.

"Uh huh. Well then I guess I better get home so I can shower and find a decent outfit to wear." Nadine said, knowing her friend would love the excuse.

"Excellent idea!"

Walk

Arnold and Gerald had just finished playing catch in the park. As they were walking back to Arnold's place, Gerald brought up the party. "So, you ready for Rhonda's shindg?"

Arnold shrugged his shoulders and replied "I guess. I don't know what could be different about this one than any of her others?"

The blonde boy stared at the ground, feeling terrible about what he had just said. If anything was going to be different, it was that he would be in the same place all night with the girl who may or may not have been serious about the feelings she confessed to have for him.

Not only that, it was so terrifying, it was keeping him from being honest with his best friend. If they really didn't have any secrets between each other, now would be the best time to say something (in case the worst should happen at the party).

"Gerald, I have something to tell you…"

His friend lifted an eyebrow at the blonde boy's unhappy face and asked "What is it man?"

The two then turned the corner of the sidewalk and bumped into someone...OOF!

Rather than falling to the ground, Arnold shook his head and said "Oh, sorry about that Nadine."

The nature girl store quietly a moment, wondering if this was a sign to let Arnold in on what Rhonda was plotting. Normally, she let Rhonda be herself, and did her best to stay out of things. Something just didn't seem right about it in this case however.

"Uh yeah, listen Arnold, I have some news about the party."

Both Arnold and Gerald listened attentively as he asked "What is it?"

Nadine then looked over at Gerald and asked "Gerald, would you mind if Arnold and I are alone a minute?"

Gerald lifted an eyebrow, wondering what was going on. First Arnold needed to tell him something, now Nadine wanted to speak to him privately.

"I'll catch up with you Gerald." Arnold insisted as Gerald walked away and sighed "Whatever you say Arnold.

Once Gerald made it to the end of the street, Nadine explained to Arnold that Rhonda had seen him and Helga kiss.

Arnold's face began to turn red as he listened to her add "That's not even the worst part."

The blonde boy began to sweat while listening to his classmate add that the party was basically a set up for him and Helga.

"Why would she want to do that?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Nadine then side and said, because she lives for gossip. I guess it's like Helga and Phoebe. Helga's always a jerk to her, but Phoebe knows how much Helga still appreciates what she does for her."

"I get sick of Rhonda's attitude, but we do have a few things in common that we enjoy doing together."

This once again made Arnold think about what he was holding back from Gerald. The troubled boy then sighed and replied "Yeah, well thanks for the heads up."

Phoebe's House

"The party will be starting soon. If you're not ready to tell him everything you meant was true, you could at least work on your behavior towards him."

Helga gave a quick scowl that didn't stop her friend from going on.

"Don't play any tricks on him or act disrespectfully towards him. Forget about your reputation for one night, so he had a chance to see the real you."

Helga then smiled as she got up to leave. She patted her friend on the back and said "Thanks Pheebs. See you there."

The Boarding House

"So, feel like sharing your intimate conversation?" Gerald joked when Arnold caught up with him.

After catching his breath, Arnold replied "No, but there is another I've been trying to tell you about."

Gerald stopped at the porch and listened to his friend let out a deep sigh before explaining what had happened between him and Helga.

His eyes grew nearly as wide as Arnold's had on top of the roof.

"What the heck man?!"

"I know, and apparently Rhonda is trying to set us up at the party. I don't know if Helga will just stick with her reputation or not, since I let her off the hook."

"Mm, mm, mmm! Talk about 'Love Hurts.'"