You Don't Know Me, Arnold

Chapter 6: Assistance

Hey guys! Glad you all liked the chapter but I was sad that no one noticed the irony to Arnold giving Helga her bow back. She gave him his hat back and one year later he gave her the bow xD Darn.

Dear Guest,

Your review flattered me so so much! Glad you loved it! Woke means aware, up to date and, well, NOT DENSE! Gerald was basically saying that even Arnie is aware of Arnold's "possible" feelings for Helga ;) Sorry if that confused you :)

I couldn't get Helga's lit up expression out of my head.

It had me smiling the entire way home.

Look, if Helga wasn't going to hear me out so that I can express my gratitude, might as well express my gratitude a different way.

Giving her the bow back was only the beginning.

Anyway, Gerald and I decided to go small this year and we decided to just trick or treat. Y'know, because we scared the living daylights out of everyone last year.

"I'm ready Arnold!" Gerald said as he stepped out in a ghost costume.

"Gerald?" I asked, "Didn't both of us agree we were going to be dressed as pirates?"

Gerald shrugged, "Change of plans man."

"Yeah right!" Jamie O said as he stepped out of the room, "Your haircut is the reason you're wearing that hideous costume."

"Haircut?" I asked as Gerald groaned.

"Jamie O!"

"You got a haircut!?" I asked, suddenly excited with this revelation. "Show me!"

"No way man!" Gerald said as he waved his hands back and forth.

"C'mon Gerald I'm sure it's not that bad," I offered as Jamie O nodded.

"Yeah squirt, this hairstyle is actually better than the one you had before."

"That's because I look like you!" Gerald exclaimed as he turned to Jamie O.

I then took my opportunity and took off his costume, revealing his typical haircut except it was cut diagonally to look similar to Jamie O's. (A/N: This is the haircut Craig Bartlett introduced as Gerald's redesign for The Jungle Movie.)

"Woah..." I simply said.

"Give it to me straight Arnold. It's terrible, isn't it?"

"I think it looks good actually," I responded.

"You're just saying that cause you're always looking on the bright side. Watch, people are going to make a laughing stock out of me tomorrow."

"No, I'm serious Gerald! Besides, I think you should embrace this change, the majority of the fifth grade class is changing their look anyway."

"How so?"

"Well for starters Stinky, Phoebe, Rhonda and Helga changed their style of clothing. Phoebe's hair got longer so now she wears half of it in a ponytail rather than a bun. I started wearing my blue jacket and you started wearing a new hoodie, so it shouldn't matter."

"You know what? You're right Arnold," Gerald responded as he and I did our handshake.

"Hello Gerald and Arnold."

Gerald and I turned and smiled at the sight of Phoebe, Brainy and Eugene.

"Hey guys!" I exclaimed. "How's it going?"

"Great, we were wondering if we could trick or treat with y... wow Gerald, I like your new haircut!" Phoebe exclaimed and I could have sworn Gerald was blushing.

"Thank you Phoebe! And of course you can trick or treat with us, right Arnold?" Gerald asked as I nodded, until I noticed something strange.

"Where's Helga?"

Phoebe's smile faded as she shook her head, "She's not coming."

"Yeah Arnold, don't you remember what I told you," Eugene said as I frowned.

"But I thought she'd change her mind, this is her favorite holiday."

Phoebe shrugged, "I guess she just feels too grown up for it."

I noticed Gerald raising an eyebrow at me, ugh, I'm definitely going to get a talk from him.

We continued walking and trick or treated at a few houses before we landed on Helga's street.

I noticed that only one light was on and I turned to Phoebe, "Do you think Big Bob and Miriam are home?"

She shook her head, "I think they went to a Halloween Party."

"So, Helga's home alone?"

"I suppose so, she didn't really tell me."

I decided to take my opportunity.

"Look guys, I'll be right back, you guys can go trick or treat across the street."

Gerald turned and raised an eyebrow at me again and I made sure to act like I didn't notice.

"Okay Arnold, we'll see ya!" Eugene said as the four of them crossed the street with Gerald giving me a concerned look.

I then walked toward Helga's and knocked on the door.

"Coming!"

I jumped back a bit, that wasn't Helga.

The door was opened to reveal Olga, who was holding a bowl of candy.

"Oh Arnold, it's so good to see you, want candy?"

"No thanks, I'm actually here to see Helga."

Olga's smile faded as she shook her head and looked like tears were threatening to come out.

"My baby sister is unfortunately not receiving any guests, she hasn't been feeling herself lately."

"Can you talk to me about it?" I asked, suddenly concerned.

Olga nodded and motioned for me to come in.

I walked in and sat down on their couch as Olga sat next to me.

"So... when did you fly in?" I asked.

"Yesterday, when mommy and daddy came back from the countryside. I was so excited to spend time with my baby sister but she just isn't the same anymore!"

"How so?" I asked, I needed to get to the bottom of this.

I mean, I know Helga isn't necessarily the nicest when it comes to her sister, but I want to see how much she has changed around her family.

"Oh, Arnold it's like she doesn't care anymore! I wanted to do her make up yesterday and she usually argues with me because she doesn't like doing that very much. But instead of arguing she just said 'okay' without a single hint of emotion. Every time I want to do something with her, she just says 'okay.' I think indifferent is a good way to describe it, it's so... concerning. At first I thought it was because she lost that pretty pink bow she always wears, but she found it today and she still acted the same."

I frowned, so Helga acts like this around her family too.

"What about Bob and Miriam? Does she act like this with them?"

"Yes, actually I was talking to mommy and daddy about it this morning and they told me that they've also noticed this strange behavior. We think it's depression. So mommy started packing her better lunches and Daddy has even started remembering her name because we're all worried that something may be really wrong with her!" Olga exclaimed as she started squealing and crying.

"I don't think it's depression Olga," I said as Olga turned to me.

"Then what is it Arnold? What is it?"

I stayed silent.

I... have no idea.

I think my outburst was only a part of what caused Helga to act this way.

"I don't know, but it's definitely not that. Is there anything else that changed about her?"

"Oh yes," Olga said as she stood and motioned for me to follow her.

We walked into the kitchen and she opened the fridge, revealing many greens and salads.

"This is all she eats, Daddy and I tried to convince her to eat some pizza yesterday and she just wouldn't. I mean there is nothing wrong with that - but her change was so abrupt - and she won't tell us why she's changed so much."

I frowned, Olga was right, being a vegetarian was great but Helga loved meat.

"Then I asked her if she was going to go trick or treating with her little friends and she said she wasn't because she was too old for that. Which makes no sense because she loves Halloween!" Olga exclaimed and I nodded, agreeing with her. "Oh, Arnold you have to do something!"

"I've tried Olga. But I haven't spoken to her since the beginning of September, she just refuses to talk to me. That's why I came."

Olga looked at me and wiped off her mascara, "I can try to take you up to her room, but I don't know if she's going to open the door."

"Doesn't hurt to try," I offered with a smile.

Olga smiled and nodded, I honestly don't know why Helga complains about her so much, it's clear that Olga cares about her.

We headed toward her room and knocked on the door.

"Helga, baby sister, can you open the door please?"

"I already ate Olga, but thank you."

I blinked and slightly widened my eyes, Helga's voice sounded so... dull! So out of life!

"I have a friend who wants to see you," Olga offered nervously.

"Phoebe I told you, I don't want to trick or treat..."

"It's not Phoebe - Helga," I said. "It's me."

Silence. Nothing was heard from the other side of the door.

"Helga?" I asked nervously. "I really need to talk to you, please open up."

Nothing.

Olga turned to me apologetically and I whispered, "Is it okay if you leave me alone with Helga for a bit?"

Olga nodded and went down the stairs, "Just tell me if you need anything."

I nodded and sat down in front of the door, sliding down on it.

"Okay Helga, if you don't want to open the door that's fine. All I ask is for you to listen, Olga is gone."

Nothing. I assumed she was listening though.

"Look Helga, I've been trying to talk to you so that I can not only apologize for what I told you, but also so that I can thank you for all the things you've done for me. And I'm not just talking about Deep Voice."

Silence.

"Helga, I know about you throwing yourself in a food disposal pile just to get my hat back and I also know that you were the one who helped Gerald and I get our eggs back from those bullies."

I left the part with Mr. Hyunh's daughter out because somehow it didn't feel like the right time to tell her.

I paused so that I can let her sink it in, suddenly I heard something shuffle in her room and I heard her door unlock - she opened the door and I turned to look at her.

She was wearing pink pajamas and her hair looked messy, not to mention the bags under her eyes. She wore a shocked but afraid expression.

"H-How did you find out about the hat?" she asked nervously.

"I ran into a Garbage man and he told me, I'm still confused though. How did you know it was there?"

I noticed her widen her eyes and blush, "L-Lucky guess?"

I blinked but didn't question it further, I didn't want to scare her off.

"I also know that you weren't Hilda, why didn't you just tell me it was you?"

Helga avoided eye contact with me and was about to close the door until I put my foot in between the door and the wall to block it. "Helga please - talk to me - at least tell me why you decided to name yourself Hilda."

"I... I heard you telling Gerald about the dream you had."

It was now my turn to blush; does that mean she also heard about me like liking Hilda... yikes.

"Helga, what's going on? You're not being yourself."

She flinched and I assumed that this was the topic she didn't want to talk about.

"Arnold, please, move your leg..." she pleaded as I still held my foot in between.

"Okay Helga, I won't pressure you into talking to me. But please know that I'm here if you need to talk."

She nodded slowly as I moved my foot, causing her to shut the door and lock it.

I sighed and was about to turn until I heard Helga say, "Oh and Arnold."

I turned to the door and I heard her sigh, "Thank you... for my bow."

I nodded and after bidding my goodbye to Olga I stepped outside and leaned on a trashcan to take a deep breathe.

Suddenly the trash can fell to the floor and I turned, noticing that a lot of items had fallen out.

It was a football... with feathers sticking out of it. I think there were two bottle caps on it and a button in the middle.

If I knew any better and if it wasn't for the fact that it was Halloween... I could have sworn it looked like my head...

Gerald and I headed to the boarding house after trick or treating so that we can count and exchange candy.

"Let's go to the kitchen since Grandpa's party is still going on," I said as Gerald nodded and the two of us sat down.

"Man did you see how much candy Harold had!? The boy had two bags full!" Gerald said as he extended his arms for emphasis.

"That's Harold for you."

"Heh heh heh, what did you boys bring for me?" Oskar asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Nothing Kokoschka, now scram and let the boys enjoy their candy," Grandpa said as he walked into the room.

"Awww," Oskar said as he left the room.

"If I were you two, I would give him the candies that were already open," Grandpa whispered.

"Grandpa..." I scolded as I crossed my arms.

"I'm just kidding Shortman, so how'd it go?" he asked as he sat across from us.

"Great," Gerald responded. "33rd street gave out lots of big ones!"

Grandpa laughed, "Oh yes I remember when me and my best friend Jimmy Kafka would race and see who got the best candy from 33rd street, hee hee hee, I totally kicked his keister."

"We should've done that Arnold! Guess we'll do that next year."

I nodded as Gerald's parents came into the room.

"Ready to go Gerald?" Mr. Johanssen asked as Gerald nodded.

"Yep, see ya Arnold," he said as we did our handshake and he left the boarding house.

"Alright Arnold, Gerald is gone. So fess up, what's going on?" Grandpa asked as Grandma came in.

"Ah, Kimba! You're home! How's Eleanor?"

"She's doing fine Grandma," I responded.

To this day, I still have no idea who Eleanor is supposed to be, but Grandpa told me not to question it.

"You sure another candidate didn't make her feel miserable to the point where she even dropped out of the race?"

I blinked, feeling a sense of familiarity but not quite understanding what she said.

She then hopped away, causing me and Grandpa to shrug.

"So, Arnold, are you still stressing over the girl with the pink bow and the one eyebrow."

"You wouldn't believe what I found out about her Grandpa," I said as I told him everything.

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Yes, I tried today, but she wouldn't have it."

"You need to give her time Shortman."

"I know... I told her to come talk to me when she was ready..."

"That was the right thing to say, we don't want to scare her off. You know this reminds me of Gertie."

"Was that your childhood bully?"

"Yep, it was back when I snapped at her. Ooo the girl spent months acting different!"

"What did you do Grandpa?" I asked, hoping he could help.

"Well Shortman, at first the lack of negative attention was great but overtime, I realized that I loved her," Grandpa said as he stood up and left the kitchen. "Pookie don't use that!" he yelled as he walked over towards Grandma.

I realized that I loved her...

Great, now I'm even more confused.

I think you Arnold's Valentine episode fans are going to like the next chap... oops, I've said too much...

Thank you all for your feedback!