A/N:

Hey all! 8D Okay, so, I had the draft of this done up and I just figured I'd edit it and get it up because I've been really wanting to continue this story for a bit anyway, lol. Please enjoy and please review if you do ^w^

APRIL 2ND

Chapter 3:

How Do You Feel About Me, Arnold?


"Oh, uh…and that poetry reciting parrot you found? Yeah, mine too…" Helga took a final sip of her milkshake before her, and then released the straw from her lips and let out a sigh. "Ugh, worst two days of my life crossing my fingers hoping that thing wouldn't blab the last line of my poem about you!" She crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes at the whole thing.

Arnold, sitting across from her at their booth together right now in Slausens, raised an eyebrow and took a last bite of his banana split. "What was so important about the last line?" he had to ask curiously as he put down his spoon for a moment.

A small half smile came to Helga's face…and then she considered for a moment…and then finally she let out a breath. "Mmm…" She hesitated and then lowered her voice (even though the ice cream parlour was empty except for the two of them) as she finally admitted in a little mumble, "Arnold you make my girlhood tremble, My senses all go wacky, Someday I'll tell the world my love…Or my name's not Hel—"

"—ga G. Pataki…" Arnold suddenly finished, a look of realization washing over him. A smile came to his face and he just let out a little sigh and looked to Helga. "Yeah, I…I think if I'd heard that line it might have tipped me off about things just a little."

Helga just rolled her eyes again and tried not to blush, pushing the now empty milkshake glass away from herself on the table. "Ha-ha, Football Head," she just replied dryly, though she was half grinning as she said it. Ever since her confession, he'd gotten this little particular sense of humor when talking to her and…she couldn't help but find it amusing…even kind of charming actually (and the idea of it as charming, and all for her, only made her blush a bit more).

Arnold glanced down and picked up his spoon and took a last bit of his banana split, and then swallowed it, blushed a little…and then asked (rather unexpectedly), "So, I, um…make you tremble and your senses go wacky?"

Helga, her eyes having been gazing lazily out the wide window alongside them, instantly turned a fiery scarlet at that question. "U-Um…" she straightened up a little and then shrugged and cleared her throat. "F-From, um…time to time…" was all she could think to say back nervously.

"O-Oh…" Arnold merely replied, his smile kind of growing a little as he looked very specifically down at his empty sundae dish... "Okay…um…interesting to know…" He seemed like he wanted to chuckle about the whole thing, which he really did—the idea that there was something about him that could affect the girl seated across from him so strongly…making her little heart flutter and tremble…The very idea made his own little heart flutter and tremble a little…Their little hearts trembling at once together…just like last night. 'Wow…' He almost wanted to…wanted to move to sit beside her…and then to reach out…and touch her…just to…to see it in action…this trembling effect he could have on a girl…

Helga, meanwhile, seeing this awfully goofy look on Arnold's face now as he stared at his sundae dish and just wanting to move past this awkward moment about 'trembling' and 'wacky senses' and whatnot, cleared her throat a little more and then glanced down at the tabletop shyly and did her best to get things back on topic. "W-Well, anyway, that's about the long and short of it, I guess. Um...if I remember any more crazy schemes or ridiculous stunts or secret keeping escapades I'll let you know but otherwise, yup, all that's stuff's the whole enchilada…" Helga was referring to, of course, the fact that she and Arnold really were taking this afternoon together (following their romantic breakfast after waking up in each other's arms) to talk…Which meant that she had just spent the last near hour sucking it up and basically admitting everything to him about her romantic-based hi-jinks from the past. Everything. And honestly, it…really had felt nice to just be honest with him like this. No more lies between them. But…now that was done…and now… "So…" She swallowed, now having to ask a question she dreaded just a little, even though all signs seemed to indicate that his final response actually might end up being an okay one, "…Even after knowing everything about all of my lies and deception—and I mean EVERYTHING…Do you still, um…kind of like me Arnold…?" She brought her eyes to his and didn't take a breath as she awaited his response.

She watched as Arnold blinked at the (apparently unexpected) question from her…remained frozen for just a moment (as though she had suddenly jarred him out of some thoughts)…blushed a tiny bit and cleared his throat…but then smiled warmly again. Then he brought his eyes back up to meet hers, resting his wide head one of his hands. "Helga," he began kindly, "I don't know why you think you caring about me and doing things in secret to express it over the years is going to make me hate you…I mean, if anything it makes me…like you even more…and I already like you a-a lot…." He glanced away shyly, still with a little smile, and Helga observed the light blush on his cheeks only deepening and warming.

Helga felt herself melt inside and a warm wave of relief come over her. And then she couldn't help crossing her legs and letting out a giggle, looking over him in a bit of a daze. "Really, Arnold?" she had to ask in wonder.

Arnold just swallowed and nodded (feeling himself gulp at the sound of that airy, loving tone coming from her yet again in their lives…and how it made him feel inside). "Yes…really, Helga." Then he let out a breath and glanced back up at the girl before him. "But…I…well, I guess there is one thing about it all that…makes me a little sad…" A little frown came to his face and he looked at her rather seriously for the moment, his eyes all wide and really seeming quite sad.

Helga gulped and her own eyes went wide and any smile left her face instantly. "What is it?" Not that she hadn't expected him to be upset by quite a few of the things she had done over the years behind his back to protect her secret but to actually hear him say that he was indeed upset sent such a little stab of hurt through her. She waited to hear what in particular had stuck with him so much, and was prepared to atone for it in any way she could.

Arnold glanced away for just a moment and then looked back at her and asked sincerely, "Helga…really…why didn't you ever just tell me? How you felt…? About everything you told me just now? I…Did you think that I…really would have reacted by just rejecting you and hurting you and not taking you seriously? Don't you trust me more than that, Helga?" His face was a mixture of curiosity and incomprehension and almost…just a little bit of that sadness he had mentioned.

Helga blinked at all of that from him and couldn't help a pitying look instantly coming into her eyes. "I…Of course I trust you, Arnold," she said back so very sincerely, not even having to think about it, "I trust you more than anybody in the whole world. I never thought you would do anything 'bad' to me. I…" She swallowed and shrugged and glanced away, almost with a touch of shame. "I don't know…I guess…even though I knew you were too good of a person to ever really hurt me about this, I guess I was still just…scared. I-I mean…scared that even if you didn't go and mock and berate me or something that you'd start hating me or get freaked out and never want to see me again…scared that I'd lose the small bit of a mutual relationship we had." She glanced back up at him, hesitated for just a second, and then added in the most quiet yet serious tone possible, "You're really important to me, Arnold. REALLY important to me, and…I…I always figured that it'd be a long shot that you'd love me back but at least by not telling you how I felt there was no chance that I'd find out that you…that, well, like I said, that you maybe hated me for all the stuff I've put you through over the years…" She waited patiently for whatever response he'd give to this admission.

To her surprise, the first thing she saw was his eyes go wide and then his face soften, and then the first thing she heard was a small chuckle from him.

She blinked and her eyes went a little wide with uncertainty. She was curious to say the least. "What?"

Arnold just smiled at her a little, much to her interest, and shook his head. "Nothing, Helga, it's just…" He raised an eyebrow at her. "You didn't want me to say I hated you…so you spent years…trying to make me hate you?"

Helga blinked and blushed, quite unsure of how to respond to this paradoxical way of putting her strategy of treating him for their entire lives together up until now. "Uh…" She tried to put a little indignation into her voice, but it mostly sounded sheepish as she ended up replying, "It was a…plan in progress?" She shrugged a little.

Arnold just smiled the tiniest bit more (in point of fact he was doing his best to hold off on a full blown warm laughter, lest he upset her or hurt her feelings or anything, even though her going to all this trouble over the six years and all about him just couldn't help but strike him as kind of amusing…and also incredibly sweet). "Well, I guess your plan didn't work out very well, did it?" he said back just a little playfully.

Helga raised part of her brow, still looking just a little bit unsurely into his eyes.

Arnold just let out a sigh and let his grin pick up on one side as he gazed at her a little and explained. "It didn't work out very well because I don't hate you…Even despite all the stuff I already knew about that you did over the years to me…and the stuff that I didn't know about that you just told me about. I don't hate you and I still want to see you and believe me I'm done with feeling even close to surprised enough to 'freak out' about all of this." He reached forward and placed his hand upon one of hers resting on the tabletop, giving it a warm squeeze. "A nice, interesting, caring girl told me she loves me and gave me a kiss, and spent an hour doing me the honor of getting ice cream with me and telling me all about who she really is. I'm afraid it's going to take a lot more than that to 'scare me off', Helga G. Pataki. If anything it's…only making me want to stick around a little more just to see what's next." He winked at her and then with a little blush shyly took his hand away and picked up his spoon to play with some of the melted ice cream at the bottom of his sundae dish…as he added quietly, "And thank you, Helga. I'm happy you trust me. I trust you too."

The young football headed boy, still a little too nervous and bashful to look anymore but at his dish still, at first was just met with silence from his companion. Arnold decided as a result that Helga maybe needed a moment to absorb all of that from him, and so was more than content to wait and play with his spoon and dish while she worked her way up to a reply to him.

A few seconds later, he indeed heard her voice finally break in again. "Arnold…you…" She hesitated.

Arnold glanced up at her, finding the courage to do so, and just smiled at her pleasantly. "Yes, Helga?" he prompted.

She was just looking at him unsurely, blushing fully, her eyes wide (her looking like that only made him smile all the more unconsciously) and then she just let out a deep sigh and propped up her head in one of her hands on the table and asked, "Arnold, thank you for all of that, but…you…are taking all of this very, very well…Like kind of FRIGHTENINGLY well… You do know that, right?"

Arnold's eyes went a little wide in surprise at this observation, but then as he had a moment to absorb it, his normal gaze returned and he just smiled again and shrugged. "Oh…well, you know…" he copied her gesture of propping up his head on one of his hands on the table, "The idea that you don't 'not like me' nearly as much as you always said HAS crossed my mind before."

He watched Helga's jaw completely drop at this statement, her eyes practically dilating.

Alright, he couldn't control at least a warm chuckle or two escaping him at that sight. "Helga?" he had to ask in curiosity and amusement.

A second or two more passed and then a small squeak came out of the back of the throat of the girl before him and she spoke rather quickly. "I'm sorry—what?"

Arnold laughed a little again at this small exclamation and then just shrugged, finally pushing his empty ice cream dish forward on the table just as she had done with her empty milkshake glass. "Well," he began to explain, quite casually as a matter of fact, "Like I said, Helga, I've always known that at least you're a much nicer person than you act like. I've seen that side of you a lot of times before, after all: when you had amnesia that one time (well, for that one day before you just started faking it, at least) and you were sweet and nice to me, and then that time at the beach when you helped me out with that Summer girl, and also how you helped me after Lila dumped me… All those are times you've really come through for me, Helga, and I've never forgotten them." He smiled a little more at the good memories and then went on with (in a much quieter and shyer tone), "And as for you liking me, you know…romantically…" he blushed a little at the word but ignored it, moving along, "Well, actually my Grandpa brought that one up to me once. I told him he was crazy but…I don't know…Maybe the possibility's been floating around at the back of my mind ever since then…just…a little…"

He let out a tiny little sigh at this confession, and then just brought his eyes back to focusing on Helga's once more, still just pleasantly smiling at her.

He observed now that, it seemed, while he had been delivering this little explanation of his words, Helga had taken the opportunity to just continue turning more and more like the color of the cherry that had topped his banana split not an hour ago. He tried not to let her blush make his own blush strengthen as he waited patiently for her to come out of her apparent little moment of shock.

And eventually Helga did close her eyes, take a very deep breath in and out, and then open her eyes again and manage to actually articulate a response to this…kind of mind warping bit of information from him about his past suspicions. "O-Okay, okay…your grandpa spilled the beans for me…and it stuck with you… And there's no need to let that panic me…I mean, you already know everything now so it's not like I've still got anything left to lose, right?" She turned her slightly nervous sights back to an amused Arnold and now had her arms at her sides, her hands gripping against the soft cushiony plastic of the booth upon which she was sitting. "So…between when your Grandpa suggested that to you and now…how, um…how much did you, um…suspect…exactly, heh, heh?" She just had to ask the question—she wasn't sure why but…along with making her nervous as heck (after all, if Arnold, the densest person on the planet had suspected, then…who was to say others hadn't as well? Like their friends? And also, she…was just plain curious. It seemed like whatever his reply was it would make for an interesting context that his mind must have been in before and then upon her confession).

Arnold, in response to that interesting inquiry, just let his smile pick up a little more on one side and replied, still in that casual little tone, "Well, the idea was there…Not really that you 'loved me' but maybe that you at least felt something for me whether or not you realized it, or at least wanted to feel something for me. But…it just seemed…" he considered, putting a hand to his chin, "I'm not sure… It was like I couldn't wrap my mind around it or something. Like I would have needed something to pull me into it…" He almost chuckled and added ironically, his eyes still upon hers, "You know, like a confession or a date or a…kiss…" He swallowed and glanced down, feeling scarlet beginning to tinge his cheeks again.

Helga had just remained wide eyed during this explanation, taking it all in (and…maybe kind of recalling all those times over the years but especially over the past few months when he had given her a deep look or a small smile that had suggested that maybe…maybe he did know…though she had always shut out the possibility immediately every single time one of those moments happened)…until he blushed at the end of saying what he had to say…and then SHE blushed again…and she was getting a little sick of blushing at this point, considering that she had been doing it about every five minutes for almost a full twenty-four hours now.

And so the young blond girl took a breath and called forth her usual casual tone and spoke to her beloved in a manner taking a bit more charge of the conversation at hand. "Okay, Football Head. That all makes sense, and I'm happy you shared. And on that note I think we're done talking over everything about my part in all of this stuff between us. So, now it's your turn to talk."

That statement made Arnold's kind of half lidded eyes snap wide open and his head instantly snap up from his hand. He looked to Helga very curiously. "Huh?"

Helga smirked just a little, liking that feeling of catching him off guard a little (especially in light of that tiny bit pride and smugness that had been coming to him lately now that he knew the truth). "Well," she shrugged and continued simply, "I just finished blathering on for almost an hour about some of the most embarrassing stuff in my life, laying all my cards out on the table, talking about my feelings, all that mushy stuff, yada yada yada…So, like I said, now it's your turn. You get to be honest!" She pointed right at him from across the table. "Come on, Football Head, honesty is like second nature to you after all." She winked. 'Oh boy, this should be fun…'

Arnold still just gave her a genuinely confused look though, obviously not getting it. "But Helga, I don't have any thing I've done to you over the years in secret to admit. I—"

"Huh?" Helga feigned innocence, cutting him off. And then she smirked again and shook her head. "Oh no, Arnoldo—I'm not talking about that. I know I'm the only one of us with a habit of pulling off secret crazy schemes. What I want is for you to be honest with me now about your feelings, not your nonexistent past misdeeds." She leaned just a bit closer to him, catching him fully off guard and fully savoring it. "How do you feel about me, Arnold?" she asked point blank.

Arnold's eyes went very VERY wide.

Helga's smirk only picked up on one side a little more. "I'm waiting, Football Head…" She supposed she should have been worried and scared about asking and actually getting a point blank answer to this question but she just…wasn't. After all, she wasn't 'flying blind' here anymore with him—there had been a lot of signs…A LOT of signs…and now she mostly just wanted to make him admit it so that they really could maybe move on to something besides coy smiles and little giggles and spontaneous kisses….Something more serious, maybe.

Arnold, meanwhile, just gulped practically audibly. "W-Well, I…" he breathed out at first with an obvious little crack to his voice…his heart starting to pound a little…both from nervousness about answering this sudden direct question…and from, well…the fact that she was so much closer now…and not seeming about to move away any time soon… "I…I already told you that I don't hate you…" He couldn't break from looking into her eyes…couldn't stop himself from saying the truth…no, not to her…and not to those blue eyes…(though he could at least be slow and hesitant about it, which was what he was hoping to get away with right now…)

Helga just let out a scoff and rolled her eyes at that little generic reply from him. "Uh, you'll have to elaborate a little more than that, Arnoldo!" She leaned just a little more over the table. "Still waiting here, head boy…" she said in a voice just a little lower…just a little more arguably enticing.

Arnold shifted back just a little, pressing his back flush against the back of the booth, just…just trying to put a little more distance between himself and her in the hopes that doing so would make him more likely to be able to speak without just blabbing every single thought and feeling that had come into his head ever since her confession! He tugged at his collar and spoke again, doing his best to keep himself okay. "And so, I mean…I like you…since I don't hate you." He could already feel his face heating up with a blush. She was really going to make him say it, wasn't she?

Now Helga just gave him a look, some of the amusement of her smirk fading. "Arnold, you know what I'm waiting to hear about so can you quit taking us there gradually? How do you feel about me…" she had to blush a bit but managed to add nonetheless, "…you know…romantically…specifically?" She began to trace over the tabletop a little with one of her index fingers out of nervousness.

Arnold's wide-eyed and frozen face instantly took on a look of panic and distress. Having to just say it here and now when he'd only officially admitted it to himself mere hours ago. "I…well, I…" But…he just…he just couldn't lie to those blue eyes…couldn't lie to them or disappoint them by refusing to answer…and maybe also he wanted her to know…wanted to answer…just a little… "U-Um…I like you…a little…romantically…" He barely managed to get the last word out, "You know…" he began to ramble a little to smooth things over, "I guess I'd say I…like you like you…and even…a…a lot…Helga..." And then he let out a breath and swallowed and managed to say in a firm though nervous little voice, just wanting to finish this up with an official straight statement. "I-I have a crush on you, Helga." His face burned with blushing.

Helga felt like her insides had just exploded in ecstasy. 'More than half way there! MORE THAN HALF WAY THERE!' "Mmm hmm…" she did her best to maintain though as she backed off a little, leaning back into her own seat a bit more again and glancing to the side. "Okay, well, that's something for now. You…have a crush on me." She had to blush…just had to at those words. But she knew that right now was not the time to harp on this new fact of which she had officially just come into possession or to squeal or twirl around and pass out (she'd save that for her room and shrine later). Yes, now that the mutual feelings of romanticness had been established, something else had to be decided. "W-Well…I guess then…now all that's really left for us to talk about is where you see things going from here with us...like I mentioned back at your house. I-I mean, you already mentioned you don't like the act: you don't want to pretend to not like each other anymore. So…hypothetically…" she stressed the last word, and brought her once again wide eyes to his… "If I…was willing maybe to…consider torpedoing our social lives and having an open and public 'thing' between us…would that be what you want, Arnold? Or would you just like me to cut down on the spitballs a little instead?" She tried to finish in a joke but inside she was a nervous wreck. It was important to her after all how public Arnold would be willing to take their relationship. Not that she was necessarily giving the green light for that but…it was just good to know. How willing would he be to admit that he had a crush on Helga G. Pataki…in front of other people?

She watched as a wide-eyed Arnold was silent for several seconds, absorbing this offer.

And then suddenly his eyes brightened and he grinned widely and suddenly gave her the most eager look in the world! "You'd…You'd really be willing to act like you love me…in public?" 'In public…' The idea was almost too wonderful for him to think about! Getting to…to be with her in public. No more tension, no more pretending, no more having to hide. He could smile at her and talk with her and walk to class with her…carry her books…pull out chairs at lunchtime for her…sit with her at lunch…hold her hand on the playground…steal another kiss, maybe, in the hall while no one was looking…Oh wouldn't they look so nice together in all of those ways!

(Arnold ended up being snapped out of his daydreams about him and Helga as P.S. 118's cutest class couple by Helga's response to his reaction to her suggestion of a public relationship.)

And indeed, at the boy before her being so…enthusiastic, Helga had to blink and her heart dropped into her stomach and instantly she had her hands on the table and was half standing. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute, I said HYPOTHETICALLY! Just…ease up a little, Arnoldo…" She held up her hands a little and then let out a breath, and now sat back down…and, her initial surprise and slight panic over, actually smiled a little…unable to help it. After all, he…seemed practically giddy about admitting not just to her but to everyone that he cared for her. She was a little touched. She let out a sigh and once more put aside a desire to just daydream and swoon and pass out about him right here and right now. "Okay," she brought her eyes to his, speaking in a much calmer, lighter tone. "So…it looks like you wouldn't mind having everyone know that you like me like me and that I love you…" She chuckled a little to herself…and then she had to let out a breath and add, almost a little regretfully (though the smile still couldn't help but remain), "Now all I have to do is see about getting the word 'love' to cross your mind when it comes to me and we'll just be all set, won't we..." She looked to him with a little grin, expecting him to smile and chuckle and blush with her about that idea.

Instead, her eyes fell upon an Arnold that didn't breathe, didn't blink, didn't move a muscle…Just blushed and did his best to 'casually' focus his eyes on a knot in the wood of the tabletop.

Obviously, all of this effort at not bringing attention to himself brought an exceptional amount of attention to himself from Helga… She considered his strange reaction for a moment…and then suddenly her eyes went wide in total disbelief! 'Has that word…has he thought that maybe he might…?' "Arnold…" she said quietly, seriously, looking at him very intently, "Have you thought that you might…love me too?"

She watched as Arnold took in a very deep breath at this question and then let out a very deep breath, and then he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced away in thought.

Several seconds of silence passed…

"Um…hypothetically…" Arnold started with a swallow (and his voice cracking just a little), "I-If I said that it had maybe…popped into my head once or twice…that word…ever since you confessed…what would that mean…for us, I mean…?" The very unsure ten-year-old boy…heart pounding ( 'N-Not because I really do…love her…I-I'm just nervous right now…Heh…')…looked across at the girl before him, waiting for a response.

However, Helga didn't answer…Instead she was silent…and just kept staring at him with the strangest look on her face…the absolutely strangest look…

"Helga…are you okay…?" Arnold asked hesitantly.

That strange look just continued though.

Arnold glanced down and clasped his hands together in front of himself on the table shyly. He began to ramble a little to try and fill the silence, his little feet swinging a bit under the table. "Helga, it…it's not that strange if I've, um…thought of that word about you, considering your confession and everything…And then I mean last night we…we, um…had a date and then there's the fact that we…I guess…um, kind of sort of…made out a little, I think's the word…" He felt like he was going to collapse into a puddle of nerves. "So, with all of that, the word love…I couldn't really help trying to think of it in relation to…you, and—"

He blinked and stopped as he suddenly saw and felt Helga's hand reach across the table and clasp him by the wrist. His eyes snapped up to meet hers…

Hers still just held that strange look…though now at least she finally managed to speak…quietly though. "Um, Arnold…can you come with me for a second?"

Arnold blinked again, looked from her hand on his wrist back up to her and then gave a small nod. "Um…sure."

The girl across from him instantly stood up and pulled him along out of the ice cream parlor, out onto the sidewalk…then glanced around until her eyes lit upon the space between two buildings and she instantly made a swift beeline for that alleyway area, much to Arnold's confusion…


Around five or ten minutes later, Helga walked out of the alley and back onto the sidewalk with a very relieved smile and a content look in her eyes, her arms crossed over her chest. She let out a breath. "Sorry about that, Arnold," she said over her shoulder, not turning around…and blushing just a little. "But in my defense you practically admitted that you're almost in love with me…I, uh…just kind of needed to let a little bit of how that was making me feel out of me…" Finally she put her hands behind her back and glanced fully back in the direction of the mouth of the alley as she heard footsteps signaling that her beloved had gotten out of the little state of shock in which she had left him, and was exiting to the street now too…

Seeing him step back out into full view, Helga had to try very hard not to giggle and blush at the sight of him: his sweater was a little twisted around his body and his hair was shifted in a few ways…and he had the goofiest smile imaginable on his blushing little face.

"Uh, Arnold?" Helga stepped back toward him, still grinning, and waved a hand in front of his face a few times in an effort to get him out of his daze.

Arnold blinked a couple of times eventually and finally found a voice. "Oh, uh…" he chuckled randomly, then seemed to recall what Helga had said to him upon leaving the alley and replied in a dazed little tone, "Uh, no…no problem, Helga…" He swallowed and blushed more as he came more back to reality, and looked down and did his best to fix his clothes a little. "No…problem at all…" Finished returning his attire and hair to their former states, he then blushed extra and glanced at the girl before him. "You…really like kissing me, don't you, Helga?" He had to chuckle again: asking Helga G. Pataki that question—something that, prior to a week ago, would have seemed like an impossible inquiry to voice to her. How could he help but laugh at the wonder of it all?

Helga just let out a sigh and raised part of her brow at him, her grin picking up on one side. "It's…got its appeal, Arnold." Her blush grew a bit more. "And you, uh…like kissing me too…like you said this morning, right?" Her arms were behind her back shyly.

Arnold just swallowed and nodded his head, a small smile upon his lips. "Yeah…definitely."

Helga giggled at the cute response and brought her eyes back to his. "Wow…I got you liking kissing me, like liking me, AND thinking about loving me in only a week…" She laughed to herself and crossed her arms over her chest. "Remind me again why I didn't confess a lot sooner, Football Head?"

Arnold had to laugh at that, starting to feel himself loosening up a little again from all those kisses and moans and touches she had given him back in the alley. 'Boy, she's a good kisser…' "That was my question, Helga…."

Helga just smiled more at him and rolled her eyes. Then she let out a lovesick sigh, and had to say, just to hear it and confirm it all again, "Okay, so…just to recap then: I love you, you…are definitely getting close to loving me, we like kissing each other, we've been on a date together, and you'd be willing to take this public in a heart beat. Did I leave anything out, Football Head?" She couldn't recall ever smiling as much or as genuinely as she was doing right here and now, or how anything else could be added on to all of that to make her at all perfectly happier…

Until…

"Um…m-maybe the part where I, um…ask if you'd like to maybe go on another date tonight, um…maybe…" These hesitant and stuttery and shy little words came from Arnold's mouth and she watched as the young boy in question dug one of his feet into the ground upon finishing his suggestion and obviously couldn't even bring his eyes to look up to hers, he was so very apparently nervous.

Okay, that did it: a full, wide, goofy smile instantly consumed all of Helga's face! Arnold had just…asked her out on a date! And not a 'You're blind because of me and I feel guilty' date…But a real genuine one! And he was acting all shy and nervous about it! Like it was important to him and he was even maybe worried about her actually saying no! So cute! She swooned and instantly replied in a dreamy voice, her hands clasped together over her heart, "Oh Arnold, I'd go to the ends of the earth with you…Of course I'll go on a date with you tonight, my dashing little do gooder prince! Nothing could make me happier, Arnold darling!" And now went forward and scooped him up in a tight hug, giggling like crazy.

Such an enthusiastic reaction was a little unexpected by Arnold but SO very more than welcome. And he'd even gotten her to talk in that lovely 'in love with him' voice again…and to put things so romantically… He just melted under the warmth of her embrace and swallowed. "Th-Thank you, Helga…And I'm happy I could make you so happy but…all of this makes me really happy too so I think we're kind of even." He chuckled, and then let his arms come around her to so that for the first time since last night on his couch they were hugging one another at the same time.

Helga just sighed at his words and squeezed a little more tightly against him. 'Oh…Oh ARNOLD…I…' And then a car passed by quickly and backfired a little and suddenly Helga's eyes snapped open and she recalled that this entire little exchange was taking place IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING PUBLIC STREET and instantly she broke from her embrace with Arnold, and took several steps back and glanced around nervously…Luckily though the street seemed deserted of anyone they knew and she let out a sigh of relief. "Whew…" And then her eyes fell to a very confused looking Arnold. Helga blushed and glanced down sheepishly. "Uh…sorry about that, Arnold…It's just…I forgot for a second that we're outside and I…I mean, about 'going public' I…might need to ease into that a bit, if it's okay…" She brought her wide eyes to his, pouting slightly in her slight continuing fear and also in hope that he would understand.

And, well, she just plain looked adorable like that that Arnold couldn't help but just smile and nod and reply in such an understanding and compassionate and considerate voice, "I understand, Helga…It's a…a big transition. We'll just, um…" and then he reached forward and quickly took her hand and raised it up, "We'll take it one step at a time…together…" He then leaned down and gave the back of her hand a small, tender kiss, and then released it and stepped back shyly, having completed this slightly less intense show of intimacy than that deep hug of theirs had been.

Okay, even though a kiss on the hand was kind of still a big deal to her to be having happen in public, Helga still couldn't help her cheeks going pink and a giggle escaping her. "Arnold!" she replied in that light, romantic voice he liked, "You're such a little charmer!" And then, glancing around to make sure they really were free from any familiar eyes, Helga let out a sigh and took a step back toward him and then coyly reached out and placed the tip of her index finger under his little chin and lifted his shy face up so his eyes met hers. "And I don't know if I've explicitly mentioned this part of my love for you yet but…you are just the handsomest, princliest, cutest boy I've ever encountered in the entire world…my beloved…" She winked at him.

And then she was surprised to feel the pressure upon that single finger of hers holding up his chin increase quite a bit. Shifting her eyes over him she realized that his knees had started to buckle at her words, like he was going to drop to the ground or something. Instantly she removed her finger and now used both of her hands to hold him up by the shoulders. "Whoa, Arnold, take it easy there," she joked with a smile, "Remember? You pass out on me and we already agreed I'd be in my rights to try and get you hitched to me before you woke up, suit or no suit!"

"N-Not helping me not want to pass out, Helga…" was all she got out of that goofy, trembly looking mouth of his, his eyes all dewy and warm.

The response took a second to absorb, and when it did Helga's eyes went wide and she blushed bright scarlet and instantly pulled away from him and pressed herself back against the wall of the building beside them, just breathing in and out deeply through her nose.

Now Arnold really almost did fall, but, feeling himself going down, he struggled a little and finally got his legs steadily underneath his body. He stepped back near the building as well and rested against it to help with standing a little. "S-Sorry I almost fell, Helga…" he began with the shyest smile ever, glancing down, "But no one ever…told me I was…" more blushing, "And then you're a girl and…and one I like…like like…and almost, um…well, you know…" His smile went all trembly again. "You…You really think I'm…I'm handsome and cute, Helga?" And honestly even with knowing she loved him the idea of himself physically appealing to her had never really made it into his mind…Plus his mind had been kind of more distracted lately with processing the interesting new situation of how physically appealing she could be to him

Helga only responded with silence to his question at first though, which made Arnold glance to her to see what was up. She was just plastered against the wall still, eyes still wide, and absolutely red as could be! "Helga?" he asked curiously, trying not to chuckle. "Are you okay?" He glanced around, coming a little bit out of his romantic daze for a moment—had someone seen them or something maybe? But no, the street was still basically empty.

Then he heard her swallow from beside him and say in a whisper, "You…You said that…the idea of me trying to marry you…wasn't a BAD thing…" His eyes went back to her and he saw her little jaw practically trembling. "I…Oh Arnold, I'm gonna be just as likely to pass out from all of this stuff with us as you are, aren't I?" She let out a deep, girlish sigh and brought a hand to her head and tried to take a deep breath or two to calm herself. 'He…not a bad thing…trying to marry…Oh!' She wanted to fall in his arms and have him carry her off into the sunset right here and now!

Arnold, meanwhile, just blinked at first at Helga's strange little explanation of her behavior…but then smiled again and slid close to her, so that now they were shoulder to shoulder against the building. "Well…" he moved his hand slightly over so that the tips of their pinkies touched as their hands laid flat against the brick wall, "Of course the idea of that wouldn't be some horrible thing to me, Helga…" He blushed a little and shrugged. "I…I mean, we're only ten so it's not like we actually really could or anything…and I only just started really…really really like liking you about a week ago but, I mean…I could think of plenty of worse people to get married to, Helga…and I don't think I could come up with anyone better if I had to pick right now, and—"

He stopped at the feeling of a pair of warm, sweet, familiar lips pressing like a blooming flower against one of his cheeks. He felt the lips pull back after a second and then giggle sounded near his ear. "Oh you're such a sweetheart, Arnold…Couldn't think of anyone better than me to…" Helga let out a girlish sigh and then added coyly…letting her pinky finger creep over his now and wrap snugly around it while he just continued to look forward in dazed wonder, "And, um…as to your question before…Of course I meant what I said about you and what I think about you…You're the cutest guy in the whole world…That adorably shaped head, that small little chiseled jaw, those burning green eyes, those gorgeous tufts of blonde hair, those strong arms and hands…cute little chest…that feels pretty nice for a girl to snuggle against, by the way…I could just drink the sight of you in all day and night, my darling." She finished in a whisper and pulled away with another giggle.

Okay this time Arnold really did drop to the ground and now he was just sitting with his back against the building looking about as happy as anyone had ever seen him look in her entire life. At this sight, a still totally enamored Helga just let out a sigh and shook her head at him, just a touch of her normal tone returning now that Arnold was the one needing to be brought back to reality instead of her. "Crimeny Arnold, you're becoming even more of a sap than me. Here, my love, let me help you up. " She reached down, took his hand, and helped yank the poor smitten boy to his feet, putting his arm over her shoulders and doing her best to make sure he was stable. "There you go, head boy. Now come on, dust yourself off—you can absorb the fact that you're a hunk later." She laughed and blushed a little more at her cute little hunk and at him reacting in such a way to finding out just how much of a hunk he was.

Arnold just laughed right along with her and clung to her for a few more seconds before managing to right himself completely again. "I…Okay, I think I'm good now…Thanks, Helga…" A little shudder passed through him and he just smiled more. "Sorry, it just took me a second to absorb that…that you think I'm that cute." And now that he was standing…he glanced to the side bashfully and added, hands clasped in front of his body. "And…I really couldn't fully admit this to myself until last night but…you reminded me, so before we go I'd like to say it." He took a breath and spoke, looking into her eyes and trying not to let himself chicken out from nervousness or shyness, "You're…You're cute too, Helga…and really…really pretty…Especially when you smile and blush and giggle and your eyes go all wide…The prettiest girl I've ever seen when you're like that, actually…."

Taking in such unexpected words, Helga's eyes went wide as could be again and she just blinked a few times and blushed and then glanced away nervously, tugging at her collar and even taking a step back from him. "A-Arnold, um…listen…It's sweet that you're trying to say something nice about me being cute back to me since I told you how much of a dreamboat you are but…you don't have to, okay? I know I'm not exactly a supermodel…you know?" A small frown came to her face. 'I-It's nice of him but…I know that I'm…not…pretty…' Her mind couldn't help but flash back to those few times in her life of walking down the street and having people mistake her for a boy, of all things. She felt so gruff most of the time: what could he really see in her that was at all 'cute'?

Instantly at her words Arnold blinked and frowned too. "But…" he couldn't even begin to… "But Helga…what are you talking about? Of course you're pretty! You're…I mean…" He just blinked a bunch of times, disbelieving that she couldn't… And now he blushed a lot because knew the only way he would be able to convince her…Details. "I-I mean, um…Well, just look at you…" he barely gestured forward shyly with his head. "You've got this…this hair that's the color of sunshine and it...it feels like silk and it's so long and nice to touch, and then your eyes are blue like…like I don't even know what. But they're deep and warm and impossible to look away from once you start looking into them. And then, um…I mean…hugging you and holding you…You're so warm and soft and…it's like you fit in my arms or something, and…" As he'd been speaking he'd been blushing more and more…and also going more and more off into daydreams, "…And you're lips are so cute…like this perfect pink little flower that I never noticed before…You're beautiful, Helga G. Pataki…Most beautiful girl in the whole wide world." A deep shuddery sigh escaped him, and he just stood there, letting all the lovely feelings inside of him wash over him…letting all the lovely daydreams he wanted about Helga…beautiful Helga…come and go as they pleased through his mind.

Eventually he managed to just barely pull himself back into the present moment, and then he got his eyes in Helga's direction and she was just…just smiling and smiling and smiling and…blushing so much but still just smiling away. And then, before he could say anything, she came forward and placed her hands upon his shoulders and gave him a deep, tender, lingering peck upon his lips…and then when she was done she pulled him against her and whispered happily into his ear, her head resting upon his shoulder, "I love you, Arnold…"

Arnold let out a deep sigh and whispered back, to her surprise (just…so very unable to keep things inside of himself when he was close to her like this)… "And I…I love hearing you say that, Helga, over and over…And I'm, um…Well, I've definitely got something big going on inside of me about you, Helga…And I'll try to figure it out as soon as I can and I'll let you know, okay?"

Her smile brightened and she just squeezed him a little extra at those kind, considerate words. "Thanks, Football Head…my beloved football head."

Arnold chuckled and Helga laughed and they pulled back again to just stand before each other once more.

Arnold, with a smile, swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck. "So, um…where would you like to go on our date tonight?" He looked up at her hopefully.

Helga, her heart fluttering at this little reminder of their indeed impending date this evening, just shrugged a little, her hands clasped together in front of herself. "Well, um…I'm fine with anything but…could we maybe try again what we did last night after the dance, but, um, you know, with more time to savor it since we won't be exhausted…? Just going over to your house, maybe eating something and watching a movie on your couch…?" She blushed a lot and quickly added, "I-I mean, um…I'll be sleeping at my own house tonight of course but, um…before that just you and me spending time together and no more beating around the bush about what's going on between us?" She looked at him hopefully.

Her eyes were met with a charming half lidded Arnold smile. And then he leaned down and took her hand in his once more today. "That sounds…perfect Helga." He raised her hand and gave it a small kiss…letting this one linger a bit (she noticed with an extra little blush), and then he lowered her hand, his eyes still looking into hers. "How about you come over for dinner tonight and we'll do the spending time together thing right after that? I'll, um…come by your house to pick you up around 6 if that's okay?" He was the one looking at her hopefully this time.

Helga cocked her head to the side a little at his funny last question, and then rolled her eyes a little, putting her free hand on one of her hips. "Arnold, 6 sounds great but I can just walk over to your house around then all by myself—we only live like three blocks from each other. I think I can manage." She almost chuckled a little.

Arnold just shrugged and smiled back at her. "I know but…this is an official date. I want to do it right. So I'd…I'd like to pick you up for it…escort you and everything. If you wouldn't mind, of course." He smiled more to himself, his little blush still painting his features.

Helga blinked…and then smiled goofily and squeezed his hand a tiny bit, letting her hand on her hip come behind her back shyly. "Oh…Well, um, sure then, Arnold…Guess we could try it like that…" She let out a sigh and some of her normal tone resumed as she added, "Crimeny, quit pouring on the gentlemanly charm so much or I'm gonna start think you use lines like this on ALL the girls, Football Head."

Arnold blushed quite a bit himself and then released her hand, bringing both of his own in front of himself shyly. He shook his head…still with a little smile on his face. "No, Helga…No girl's ever made me want to date her like a grown up would…like how I want to date you. And also no girl ever made me almost pass out in a street twice because she thought I was cute…And then there's the whole sleeping in each others arms thing…The word love…The marriage thing…." He just sighed and looked at her all dreamily. "You're some kind of girl, Helga G. Pataki…and I kind of like it."

Helga just blushed and smiled and raised part of her brow at him. She crossed her arms over her chest and replied with just a touch of something flirtatious, " Well, well, well…I'll just have to keep letting you and the girl part of me get acquainted and we'll see where this whirlwind romance goes from there, I guess, huh?"

Arnold nodded, blushing quite a bit more himself… "Wh-Whatever you say, Helga…" And then the young boy took a shy step back. "Well, um…until later then, m-my um…" He wanted to try a pet name but he suddenly realized he wasn't good at coming up with ones and also he didn't feel comfortable using any of the ones she used for him as most of those either involved the shape of his head or the word 'love', "My…Helga…" He blinked and realized he'd just called her 'my Helga' by accident. But then his heart fluttered a little—honestly, come to think of it, that wasn't half bad. Kind of a transitional pet name. 'My Helga…' And plus…she kind of was his precious Helga—his former bully…and now his…well, they'd have to discuss cementing that whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing later but one thing was certain—she was a special part of his life so… 'My Helga' fit perfectly, in his opinion.

He just watched her blush like mad and grin so happily and brightly at what he had called her…and that told him that 'my Helga' was definitely the best accidental slip of the tongue he'd ever made in his entire life. She giggled again and gave him a small wave goodbye. "Bye…my Arnold…" she said back to him with a little flutter of her eyelashes.

Arnold had been kind of side stepping/walking backwards from her as he was leaving (mostly to try and keep looking at her as long as possible, though admitting that to himself made his little heart thump and thump and thump even more quickly), and now he was just trying to end on a smooth small, little wave back to her…Unfortunately though, between now being called 'my Arnold' back by her and also how just utterly full of fluttery feelings he was at the moment and also just the fact that he was walking backwards, two steps later he half tripped backward over a fire hydrant. His face took on a look of nervousness as he righted himself, but luckily as he got himself stable again he noticed that the little slip of his only made Helga bring a hand to her mouth and giggle and smile at him all the more. He blushed a lot and tugged at his collar shyly but then finally made it around the corner with a last small wave and smile to her.

Seeing him finally finish his departure, Helga just swooned and sighed and raced into the nearest alley. The locket was out in an instant! "Oh…ARNOLD…" she practically purred his name… "Arnold, you're…and we're…and I'm…and you're…Oh ARNOLD!" She squealed and twirled in a circle. "Th-This is…incredible! He…He's…He's totally over the moon for me! He made out with me, he fed me, he thinks I'm beautiful! And he asked me out for a date tonight!" Helga was elated! She was on cloud nine! This was pure heaven! 'Yes, our first real date will be tonight and he'll finally get to see how wonderful it would be if we were really together permanently as a couple!' She was about to do another twirl of delight…

…When something about that last thought of hers struck her…and she stopped in her reverie instantly. Her eyes went wide and she gulped. "This…could possibly be the most important night of my life couldn't it…?" The locket fell a little and her mind started to race. "If…If I mess this date up tonight…in ANY WAY…m-maybe he'll just…really see the last week between us as a fluke! As a stupid silly coincidence! If I mess it up what if that gets him thinking that there's no way we could ever have a real, long term relationship?" Her eyes darted around in fear for a moment…and then a determined, firm look came to her face. "No. Helga G. Pataki is NOT going to mess up this golden opportunity! I will make sure that tonight I show him completely and thoroughly just how sweet and loving and affectionate I am deep down. I won't hide my love for him anymore—in fact I will immerse him in it so thoroughly that he'll never be able to look at me without thinking that word again! Yes, I will prove to him that I can be more than just one of his 'best friends'…I can be his girlfriend too!" She pounded her fist holding her locket into the palm of her other hand, thoroughly set on this course of action.

Wheeze. Wheeze.

Helga rolled her eyes and just turned around with a scowl to see Brainy popping up out of a trashcan behind her…and he was wearing a trench coat? 'Huh, that looks like mine from the FTi thing. Why the heck is he dressed like that?' She just let out an exasperated sigh and shoved her locket back inside of her jumper pocket, not having time for this. "Brainy, I've just got too much on my plate today to deal with asking you why you're here, wasting a bunch of time getting a vague response from you, and then socking you, so I'm going to give you exactly five seconds to just tell me what your deal is and then I'm walking away."

He just wheezed…smiled…blushed a little.

His five seconds were up though.

"Oh brother." Helga rolled her eyes again and kicked his trashcan over. "I'm surrounded." She then turned away from him, recalling her plans. "Okay, time to start putting Operation: First Real Date into effect. First things first…can't make myself girlfriend material alone…" She reached into her jumper pocket and pulled out her familiar walkie-talkie as she started heading up the street in the direction of her house. "Grubworm? Yeah, this is Mighty Falcon. Emergency meeting at my house NOW. You would not BELIEVE the night I've had…OR the morning…"


A couple of blocks away a beaming young Arnold practically had a skip in his step as he raced back to the boarding house, his eyes bright and full of hope and joy. Had the sun ever shone so beautifully? Had the air ever smelled so sweet? Had the simple sounds of the city ever been so lovely? He took in a deep inhale through his nose and into his lungs, his smile going from ear to ear as he ran up Vine street to the boarding house door.

"She…She said yes! I asked her out on a date and she said yes!" He'd been happily repeating this simple fact over and over to himself ever since leaving Slausens…and also leaving (for now) the wonderful, funny, perfect girl who was making all these emotions and bubbly feelings happen inside of him in the first place.

The thought of her and their goodbye though, however overall happy a thought it was, suddenly couldn't help but make that image appear in Arnold's mind again of him waving goodbye to her as he'd left her in front of the ice cream parlour and then tripping back over the fire hydrant only to have her smile and giggle and wave back at him so adorably in response. He blushed a little in embarrassment at having tripped like that and sighed to himself. 'Great…I finally get a great girl to like me and end up liking her back and I can't even say goodbye to her without looking like a geek…' Still though, Helga had seemed to find it more amusing than pathetic and that gave him hope…and besides, his doing that had gotten one of those cute little giggles out of her and…those were starting to grow on him.

Arnold reached his front stoop now, taking a second to lean against the railing to catch his breath, still with that huge smile on his face. "It doesn't matter anyway…There'll be plenty of time to impress her tonight." He nodded to himself, straightening up a little now that he'd caught his breath. "Yeah…She'll forget all about me tripping over the fire hydrant. And she'll smile again…" he started to walk up his stoop to the front door, totally in a daze, "…She'll giggle…I'll be close enough to touch her hair….Her eyes are so blue…M-Maybe we'll even…kiss more….Maybe she'll say 'I love you' again…." He put his hand on the door handle and opened it, not really thinking, a totally gone look on his face.

"Hey, man. So…you have a good April Fools Day?"

A smirking Gerald Johannsen with his arms crossed over his chest stood right on the other side of the door.

Arnold's 'ga ga' look remained for a second longer and then instantly his eyes flew open wide and he blushed furiously! "GERALD!" He almost reeled back a little. "H-How did…When did…Um…Heh…Wh-What are you doing here?" he asked with a sheepish grin, arms behind his back now.

Gerald tried not to chuckle. "Oh, you know…just checking up on you…" He was trying to look casual but there was something smug in the way he was talking and smiling and it made Arnold gulp in nervousness. "I mean, I didn't hear from you after that whole 'pool prank' fiasco last night and I just wanted to see how you were doing?" He smiled at his friend a little more.

Arnold blinked a few times and glanced off to the side with wide eyes. "U-Um…I…W-Well, um…th-there's not…too much to tell. I-I just, um…left the dance and…ended up back here…w-went to sleep…w-woke up…got some ice cream, heh…" There was that sheepish smile again. "Wh-Why do you ask, Gerald?" Inside Arnold's heart was pounding in nervousness—he had a pretty good feeling that Helga did not want things between them to be public yet, and also he himself wasn't too keen on suddenly sharing all of the intimate details of his night of passionate kisses with Helga with someone, even if that someone was his best friend.

A small chuckle escaped Gerald and he just shrugged. "Oh, no reason…just curious…" He eyed Arnold a little, his grin growing. "So…nothing unusual happened last night?"

Arnold gulped again and shook his head. "N-No, not really…heh…"

"Uh huh…" Gerald went on, "And all you did was leave the dance and head back here?"

Arnold nodded, feeling himself blushing more and his breathing picking up. "Uh…something like that….Yeah…"

"You just had an average night?"

"S-Sort of…"

"And there's nothing to report?"

"N-No…"

"And so you've got nothing to hide?"

"Yes..!"

"And you've been crushing on Helga G. Pataki for how long?"

"About a week."

Approximately two seconds later Arnold realized what Gerald and his quick questions had just tricked him into saying, and his nervous green eyes fully dilated and hot scarlet seared his cheeks. "GERALD!" he instantly squeaked out in sad defeat at his slip up!

Gerald just started chuckling uncontrollably, holding his sides, his eyes shut in mirth. "I-I-I'm sorry, man, I couldn't resist! Oh but this is classic—you have the hots for Helg—"

Gerald was instantly cut off by a nervous looking Arnold suddenly grabbing his arm and pulling him into the boarding house, and slamming the door shut tight behind them. Before the very confused tall haired boy could react or respond to his friend's sudden action, a blushing and wide-eyed Arnold was then instantly pulling him down the hall and up the stairs, obviously in the direction of his room.

"Oh, hey, Shortman and Gerald!" Entering the upstairs hallways, the two boys suddenly found themselves passing by a smiling and waving Phil. "Slow down, where's the fire, heh, heh?..." A sly look came into his eyes. "Then again, all things considered, for you at this point, Shortman, 'wherever Helga is' is where the fire is, right? Heh, heh, heh!" Phil held his sides in mirthful laughter.

"Mmm…" Arnold let out a small moan of embarrassed distress but did his best to just keep plowing on through the hallway. "G-Grandpa…n-not now…"

"Heh, heh, heh!" Phil just laughed more to himself as Arnold with Gerald reached the attic door and Arnold pulled down his steps so that the two of them started to ascend. "Okay, Arnold, but if she calls I reserve the right to let her know that 'hot lips' will be down in a second! Heh, heh, heh!"

"Mmm…" Another one of those small distressed moans escaped Arnold as he finally reached his bedroom door, flung it open, got himself inside of his room with Gerald and then shut the door tight behind him. He now just leaned with his back pressed against it, his eyes wide, and his face hot all over. He took a moment to let his nervousness ebb and then let out a deep breath to calm himself….

The sound of his best friend suddenly breaking into hysterical laughter though instantly brought Arnold's eyes and thoughts back to Gerald and he scowled at him just a little in embarrassment. "G-Gerald! None of this is funny!" he did his best to announce firmly though his nerves were so rattled now that his voice sounded pretty shaky at this point, to say the least.

Gerald was still laughing though, holding his sides, trying to stand. He shook his head and wiped a tear from his eye. "A-A-Arnold, this is…you're…you and…Oh man I saw you guys in the pool last night and you were…HOT LIPS! ABOUT A WEEK!" He went back to just laughing and laughing and laughing!

Arnold felt waves of heat going through his face again but he just had to take it in stride because he needed to explain some things to Gerald and quickly! "G-Gerald, listen to me! You can't tell ANYONE about this! Not Stinky, not Sid, not Harold—nobody else!" He moved forward and grabbed his friend's shoulders, straightening his still-laughing self up. "And please don't even talk about it outside or anything just in case someone overhears!" And then a new thought occurred to him ten times more important and more potentially worse than the other ones. "And PLEASE don't tease Helga about this! PLEASE!"

Some of Gerald's laughter subsided a bit and he managed to look at his friend with a grin and reply, "Ooo or what, she won't let you climb on top of her in pools anymore?" His full-blown laughter returned.

Arnold just felt flushed all over with blushing heat at this point. "Gerald!" he squeaked again, holding his shoulders a bit more firmly and again straightening up his once more nearly doubled over friend! "H-How did you even see us?" was all he could think to ask in his fluster.

Gerald got his laughter under control again for a moment and shrugged. "Last night before me and Phoebe left the school, I heard a splash and peeked in and I saw you climbing all over Helga…" He grinned a little smugly. "And hey, way to go, Casanova—she seemed pretty okay with you on top of her like that." He winked.

Arnold just…closed his eyes and let out a very deep sigh…and then he let Gerald go, opened his eyes again…and seemed to consider some things…

Gerald, finally having gotten the bulk of the laughter out of his system, just watched his friend with a curious smile.

Finally Arnold seemed to come to a decision about something and let out a sigh and shrugged…and spoke again (his voice somewhere between level and shaky). "O-Okay…Gerald…there's something I…think you need to know…b-but, um…it's kind of a secret and it's not even my secret so I don't think it's okay for me to say it to you directly…at least not without someone's permission." A puzzled look came to Arnold's face at how to get around that problem. He wanted to explain the situation completely to Gerald now so that his best friend wouldn't make a ton of assumptions and so he would understand the real need for this whole Helga thing to be a TOTAL secret…but at the same time Arnold just plain felt funny saying Helga's secret for her.

"Well, can't you just write it down or act it out or something?" Gerald asked curiously at first…and then his grin picked up and he snapped his fingers. "Yeah, act it out, man! Charades! If I figure it out on my own then you didn't really tell me, right?"

Arnold blinked and looked at Gerald and considered. Charades? "I-I don't know, Gerald…" He still felt a little guilty about the idea of that…But then again…Gerald obviously already knew something big and romantic was up between himself and Helga…and this really would be to make sure Helga's secret was kept safe…and it would also make sure Gerald was straight on the situation and wasn't coming up with any wacky theories of his own… And so Arnold finally nodded. "O-Okay…I guess…"

Gerald smiled and nodded back. "Cool man. Let's start." He sat himself on the couch with an eager grin.

Arnold let out a breath, thought for a moment, and then held up three fingers to Gerald.

"Okay, three words…" Gerald spoke brightly.

Arnold nodded, put a hand to his chin in thought and then went on, holding up his index finger.

"First word…" Gerald supplied.

Arnold looked at Gerald and scowled darkly and then went forward and roughly grabbed him by his collar, yanking him up dramatically.

Gerald's eyes went wide and he gulped…and then it clicked in his head. "O-Oh…H-Helga…heh…"

Arnold released Gerald and smiled and nodded his affirmation and then stepped back into the middle of the room.

Gerald rubbed the back of his neck with one of his hands. "O-Okay, so first word is 'Helga'…" He smiled just a touch smugly at his friend again. "Figures, huh?" He winked.

Arnold rolled his eyes and let out a sigh and blushed a little bit again, but just moved past the little joke and held up two fingers.

"Second word…" a smiling Gerald supplied again.

Arnold let out a breath, really having to think about how to express this one. Then he looked back to his best friend and tugged on his ear.

"Sounds like," Gerald suggested brightly.

Arnold nodded and then looked around. Then he looked up…and then looked back to Gerald and pointed up.

Gerald looked at him curiously. "Sounds like…sky?"

Arnold shook his head, then he gestured down to his floor and then gestured up to his skylight ceiling overhead again. 'Sounds like 'above', Gerald, 'above'!'

"Um…high?" Gerald went on guessing, waiting for a high sign from Arnold. "Ceiling?...Glass?...Roof?..."

Arnold shook his head and gestured once more down and once more up.

"Hmm…" Gerald put a hand on his chin, "Down and up…" Arnold looked at him meaningfully, "Low and high…Um…"

Arnold, seeing this wasn't working, went over to the end table next to his couch and placed one hand below the top of it and one hand above the top of it.

Gerald looked at him curiously a bit more… "Under and on top…?"

Arnold started to nod a little and spun both of his hands in circles at the wrists, gesturing for him to go on, to push things further.

"Below and above?" Gerald asked.

Arnold nodded enthusiastically and smiled brightly.

"Sounds like below and above?" Gerald questioned in confusion.

Arnold shook his head and put his hand back over the top of the nightstand again.

Gerald blinked and smiled. "Okay, sounds like 'above'?"

Arnold nodded, smiling more!

"Hmm…" Gerald put a hand to his chin… "Sounds like above…Dove…Glove…Shove…Helga…Helga shoves!" He looked at his friend enthusiastically!

Arnold shook his head, letting out a frustrated sigh. This was harder than it looked. He scratched his head but then looked to Gerald once more, an idea occurring to him. He reached out his hands, touched the tips of his index fingers together, and the brought them up and around on opposite sides and then back together again at the bottom to make a little heart in the air (and tried not to feel all goofy or embarrassed inside too much as he did this).

"A heart?" Gerald blinked a first…but then a smug grin came to his face. "A heart and rhymes with 'above'…Love, Arnold?"

Arnold nodded shyly, bringing his hands behind his back.

"Ah, okay…" Gerald chuckled. "So…Helga love…"

Arnold shook his head and rotated his hands on his wrists, urging Gerald to expand upon that a tiny bit.

"Um…Helga love…Helga…love…Helga love…Helga…loves…? Helga loves?" Gerald asked.

Arnold nodded, still looking extra shy… Then with a little gulp he held up three fingers.

"Third word…Heh and let's hope it's easier than figuring out the word 'lo—"

Gerald stopped…because all Arnold was doing as his clue for the third word was…looking down sheepishly and…pointing to himself.

It took Gerald a second…and then it all fell into place…and it made him blush himself because he hadn't expected a secret quite like that though he knew that his man and Helga obviously had something going on between them (he'd been figuring, though, that the situation was something more like Arnold had gotten a random crush on Helga since he seemed to love to chase women who wanted nothing to do with him, Helga had NOT seen that coming and been so flustered by it that she actually…might have started to go with it…and now they were both kind of in deep crush mode or something on each other. He…certainly hadn't expected the charaded message of 'Helga Loves Me', to say the least.)

"Helga…loves you." Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Helga…loves you…" He had to try out that sentence again. "Helga loves Arnold… She…She's in love with you?" He just sat there, a rather…fascinated look on his face as he just waited for it to be confirmed once again.

Arnold started with a small nod but then he just couldn't take it and suddenly nodded furiously and spoke again. "YES! She…what you just said!" And now his honest little self was in full confession mode. "That's the secret! And last night she…after the dance I walked her home and we held hands and we talked and we kissed and I went to leave her at her stoop but she ran back around the corner to me and told me she wanted to talk about it so we went back here and had ice cream and talked and kissed…so much kissing…and then we woke up and talked and there was touching and hugging and I have a date with her tonight, okay?" He looked at his friend totally desperately, breathing heavily, full on blushing at just getting this off of his chest.

Gerald was just sitting there on his couch…jaw agape now as he took all of that in. Then he blinked several times, shaking his head. "Whoa, whoa, whoa…" he said slowly. "Okay, time out. Let's take this all one step at a time." He rubbed one of his temples. "Now…let me just get this absolutely straight. Helga G. Pataki…is in love…with you."

Arnold just nodded, still looking so distressed and nervous.

"A-And you…" Gerald looked at him with much interest, "Are….?"

Arnold blinked at the question, then looked at his friend curiously…

Seeing that he wasn't getting it, Gerald went on. "You…are…in love with her too?" he finally asked.

Arnold's jaw dropped and his face instantly turned that bright scarlet color again. "No! I…well, I mean…" his arms went behind his body. "I…I definitely like her like her…a-a lot…b-but I…I don't...know if…I…mean…" He let out a deep breath. "It's complicated," he finally settled on.

Gerald just nodded. He could tell that his friend really was confused right now and (especially after getting in all those laughs before at his expense) he didn't want to pressure him too much. "Okay. So…you're going on this date with her tonight to…figure out how you feel?" He smiled.

Arnold shrugged and nodded. "Well, um…sort of. I guess it's just to start to figure out how I feel and also, well…like I said, I…" his smile couldn't help but get dreamy…his eyes went half lidded, "I really really like like her…a lot…"

Arnold was only brought out of his lovesickness by the sound of another chuckle or two coming unable to help escaping from his best friend, which instantly reminded the young football headed boy that he wasn't exactly 'alone with his thoughts' or anything at the moment. He looked to Gerald again. "Gerald, please…it's really not funny. This is really important to me, okay?...She's really important to me…"

Gerald let out a breath and stood up from the couch now and came forward, putting a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, Arnold, look…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just…I've never seen you look so…nervous before! You're blushing, you're sweating, you're tripping all over yourself…Just calm down, man, it's gonna be okay." He smiled supportively at him. "And seriously, I won't laugh anymore…I knew there was something funny between you two last week at her birthday, and you've been acting a little funny around her all week, and then with that tango last night…and of course seeing you two in the pool…So anyway my point is that I've had some time to get used to this insanity and, well…if you're happy, Arnold, then I'm here for you." He gave him a sincere nod.

Arnold smiled such a relieved and grateful smile at hearing these words, so very happy to finally have someone to talk to about all of this who understood. "Thanks, Gerald. Really…I really really appreciate that. A-And um…" he glanced down a little shyly, blushing again, "I'm definitely happy…believe me!"

Gerald removed his hand from Arnold's shoulder, happy to help his friend. "Glad to hear it, man. So…" a bit of a smug look returned to his face, "You all set to wow her tonight with some smooth talk and a little…uh…" Gerald had to blush a bit and try not to chuckle again, "Do you guys seriously…kiss? Like…kiss kiss?"

Arnold's eyes went a little wide again, and then he cleared his throat and swallowed and nodded. "Uh…" his high-pitched little voice of modesty came out, "Y-Yes…we kiss…you know…on the lips…We might have, um…technically…made out, actually. Heh…"

Gerald just nodded, still with a smile. "Oh, okay, just wanted to che—YOU MADE OUT WITH HELGA G. PATAKI?" Gerald practically jumped up in the air, a look of total shock on his face now as this statement from Arnold fully processed now!

Arnold, hoping but certainly not expecting that that little revelation was going to go over smoothly, cringed and blushed at his best friend's response. "Gerald, please!" He looked around anxiously. "Even indoors don't yell it like that! What if a window's open and someone hears! It's really important that this stays a secret!"

"Okay, okay, I've got it man!" a still in shock Gerald quickly assured, holding out his hands to kind of steady himself. "I-I just wasn't expecting…" He let out a sigh, giving himself a moment. "Okay, okay…I can accept that you m-made out with Helga…on the lips…" He cringed a little but got himself under control and looked back up at his friend, recalling something. "Oh and hey there're a few other details that came out in that little confession you just made that I'd like some clarification on later, if you wouldn't mind. Mostly on when you talked about the two of you 'waking up'…?" He raised an eyebrow about as high as it could go, almost not wanting to know and yet…fully aware that now he was too deep in to be able to handle not knowing everything he possibly about all this stuff suddenly going on between Helga G. Pataki and his best friend.

Arnold looked away so very shyly at the reminder about that little tidbit his honesty had accidently thrown in there when he'd been blurting stuff out in desperation to Gerald. "Um…o-okay…" he managed with a small nod, "But not right now, okay? Later… I…Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do on this date tonight. I really want her to like me, Gerald. And she already loves me, I know that, but…" He sighed and looked back to his friend in distress. "Gerald…She obviously has this built up idea of who I am…Wh-What if I can't live up to that? Last night worked but…it was all so spontaneous. What if I…" and suddenly he was grabbing Gerald's shoulders, looking him right in the eye and speaking with a touch of abandon and hysterical-ness again like he had been doing with his first passionate outburst about all of this. "Gerald, let's level here—I'm horrible with girls! I couldn't get Ruth to see me as anything more than a busboy on our only date, I made an idiot of myself with Ms. Felter, that Summer girl completely used me and thought I was a geek the whole time, and I liked Lila back for five minutes before she completely stopped like liking me! And now this, tonight…it's more important than any of those other times because, Gerald, there's something different about Helga! I don't know how to describe it but it's just…different! And a lot more important! And if she leaves here tonight and doesn't like me back anymore then I'm not sure what I'm going to do!" He was breathing heavily, his eyes locked onto those of a shocked looking Gerald, and all of these fears and thoughts and doubts spilling out of him and flooding over him all at once and making him feel like more of a nervous wreck than he had ever been in his entire ten years of life!

Gerald, meanwhile, just…took all of that in…then just blinked a few times…and then reached up and took his best friend's hands and gently removed them from his shoulders. "Arnold…" he began to reply calmly, almost a touch of worry in his voice, "Calm down…It's okay…" He spoke as reassuringly as he could. "You are going to be fine tonight…I promise you…" He looked him in the eyes. "Now, come on…You know how we're going to prepare for this date?" He smiled. "I'm gonna order us a pizza, we're going to split it and some Yahoo sodas, and then we're going to watch cartoons and you are going to relax…" His smile grew. "And I promise Helga will like you when she comes over tonight, alright?"

Arnold gulped, considered, seemed hesitant at first…but then finally let out a deep breath and nodded. "O-Okay…That…That actually sounds like it might be just what I need, Gerald. Just…to relax. Thanks." He smiled at his best friend gratefully.

Gerald just nodded, smiling back. "Okay, well let's get to it, then!" He winked and began to lead his nervous football headed friend back to his room door. "And, uh…when you've got a few slices in you and you're feeling a little more stable again…like I was saying, maybe I could get details on exactly what happened last night…and this morning apparently?"

Arnold blushed a little and nodded as Gerald opened the door and they stepped out onto his steps and began to head down. He even gave a small chuckle. "Sure, Gerald." He sighed. "I think I should chip in a little extra and get us an extra large pizza though…It's a…long story."

Gerald just chuckled a little and shook his head. "Whatever you say, man."

Arnold smiled more, really truly grateful for the first time since it had happened that he had opened his front door before only to see Gerald standing there smiling smugly, and with that the two boys finished heading up the hall and then headed downstairs to help Arnold relax before his big second date with Helga.


A/N:

Alright, that's all for now :) I've got some cute plans for their little date so please stay tuned, and I hope you all enjoyed this and sorry for delays in updating and stuff ^w^

Also, a slight note: starting next week I am going to be working A LOT—like A LOT—because I'm trying to go back into school in the spring and need money to do that so for the next two months (May, June) updates from me are going to be really scarce. Maybe another chapter of this and a one shot or two, probably nothing with LTBH. Just wanted to let anyone waiting for updates know and thank so much, you guys, for your patience and encouragement and reviews! Have lovely weekends!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna