A/N:
Hi everyone! Sorry, probably a relatively short note from me, I'm very tired at the moment. XD Anyway, sorry for a lack of updates for a while. I've been working a lot, I just finished my master's degree (thesis regarding the educational benefits of fan fiction to follow), and I've been starting to work on some of my own original writing projects. Just very busy, very overwhelmed XD Anyway, anyone still keeping up with my stories I just want to thank you for your patience. This will hopefully be my last batch of updates, and from now on I'll just try to update one thing every month or two until I wrap up my in progress stories entirely so that I can move on to some new things.
Anyway, here's the basic schedule. This story is getting an update tonight along with "Dinner and a Show." Next to follow shortly should be a somewhat lengthy update to LTBH (which will be wrapping up very very soon hopefully), followed by a second update to "Dinner and a Show" since the original chapter draft I did ended up too long and I had to split it up into two chapters.
I hope you guys enjoy these updates, thank you again for reading.
April 2nd:
Chapter 5:
Remembering to Be Yourself
With panting smiles, Arnold and Helga finally came upon Arnold's front stoop…and Arnold, just a step or two in the lead, actually made it there before Helga.
He leaned against the side of the building for a moment, catching his breath. "Hey, I…I won!" He turned back to Helga, smiling proudly. 'Alright, at least I showed her I'm okay at one thing.'
A smiling Helga finished catching her breath as well and then straightened up, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. "Hey, hey, you had an advantage. I was spending the whole time trying to keep my hair out of my eyes and from turning into some kind of nightmare." She straightened the blond, loose strands that had managed to get out of place as best as she could.
Arnold just smiled and chuckled a little. He had never seen her worry about anything with her appearance…until now with him. He felt almost a little unworthy of the attention. And why should she care about how she looked around him anyway? He liked so much about her that her hair could have been any which way she pleased and he still would have thought it was the prettiest, sunniest, silkiest hair in the whole wide world. He decided to tell her so. "Helga…" he went forward and gently took her hand fixing her hair, causing her eyes to come to his, "Your hair is…i-is…is…I-I mean, I…" 'Wh-What's going on?' Arnold just…he had suddenly locked up inside. It was just…she was so close…he was touching her…those blue eyes of hers were looking into his own…and he felt like…and he really could almost see it too…he felt like he could tell her how lovely and nice her hair was…and then maybe he would reach up and touch it, running his fingers through it like he had almost wanted to this morning with her…She would blush…He would tremble…and then…and then…His heart thundered away in his chest at all the things that might come next…and all from something as simple as being close and liking her hair.
"I-I…" Arnold gulped, feeling so awkwardly nervous. 'Okay, this…parts of this are going to be more complicated than I thought they would be. I can deal with that. I just…need to keep things innocent and light so that there's not too much pressure, and I need to make sure that we're not this c-close when I want to compliment her. I can get used to this, liking Helga. I-I can.' Arnold let out a breath and did his best to smile. "Um…Helga?"
Looking at him very curiously, she nodded. "Yes?" 'What's up with him? He was about to say something about my hair and then he got this whole deer in the headlights look.' She gulped and felt a shadow of sadness creep over her. What if he hadn't been able to say anything because he didn't like her hair? Like he had started to say something about it to be polite but then his inability to lie had left him in an awkward position, and so now he was changing the subject? Helga felt very very self conscious all of a sudden—she hadn't changed much about herself for today but every little thing was suddenly magnified in her mind. She almost felt foolish for all of it really, sort of like that time she had made herself over for Rhonda's girls only slumber party, but worse because quite frankly she really didn't give two cents whether the girls in her class thought she was foolish or silly, but she did care about what Arnold thought about her actions immensely.
The sound of Arnold speaking more caught her ears again.
He was smiling at her still. That was a good sign at least. "Um…why don't we go inside now?" He bent a little low and reached out to take the handle of his front door to open it for her.
Helga gulped and just nodded shyly. "O-Okay…I-I mean, whatever floats your boat…heh…" 'Okay, okay, just don't think about it. You're just being paranoid and self-conscious. Remember, he has a crush on you and really really likes you…He told you so this morning, and Arnold never lies. And heck, he spent last night wrapped around you with his lips tenderly caressing yours so, yeah, I think there's a pretty safe bet he really does have a thing for me!' She smiled and took a step up the stoop.
A still smiling Arnold opened the door.
About a million animals ran out of the house.
Helga only escaped them by jumping to the side in surprise, and Arnold, on instinct, luckily managed to catch her in his arms, cradling her.
The animals came and went.
Helga's thoughts: 'Why the heck does that only randomly happen?'
Arnold's thoughts: 'I am such a geek, aren't I? Who else has random packs of animals run out of their front door half the time? I asked Grandma to stop letting Abner have 'play dates' with the other pets in the neighborhood and those sled dogs she likes to keep.'
The animals passed. Arnold and Helga's thoughts finished. Then the two kids looked to each other. And then they became very aware of Helga being in Arnold's arms…just like this morning.
Helga felt her heart pleasantly fluttering. It was tempered a little by her doubts about her appearance from before, but still…major heart fluttering. She just looked at him with wide eyes, wondering what he might do next.
Arnold just… 'Holding her…' It was so interesting now that he knew how she felt about him, and better yet it was just like this morning when she had jumped into his arms only without the awkwardness of a third party (aka his Grandpa) there to make him too self-conscious to focus on it. Now she was in his arms and all to himself.
He took a breath in and let it out, and decided to try and handle this situation as smoothly as possible. He let his eyes go a little half lidded and half smiled to Helga. He spoke in as steady and smooth a voice as he could. "Sorry about that…Sometimes there are some surprises around here. You're okay though, right?"
Helga blinked a few times and swallowed and nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, I'm good…" She blushed a little and added with a small smile, glancing away shyly. "Thanks for catching me. My hero." She chuckled a little.
Arnold's smile grew a little. Yes, it was a joke, but it was a joke that suggested he might be doing something right with all of this. "Good…and thanks, Helga." he replied sincerely. Then, the door still open, he proceeded to carry Helga inside. "Well, inside we go then…" He blushed and just tried not to spazz too much about the fact that he was carrying a girl in his arms.
Helga gasped, on instinct clinging her arms more around his neck. Her breaths became shallow. "A-Arnold! I-I…" She had never expected this! The rare chance to dive into his arms was one thing, but he was actually in the process now of carrying her over the threshold of his house… 'L-Like I'm his bride…' Oh she just wanted to swoon with all of her strength and bury herself against him in total bliss. She settled for a deep blush and goofy grin. "Arnold…" she whispered, "You don't have to carry me if you don't want to, Football Head…I've got two legs that work fine enough…"
Arnold chuckled as pushed the door shut behind them with his hip and started to make their way down the foyer. "I know…but I figured…as long as I was holding you again anyway, I might as well…" He winked 'Yes, yes, this is going great!' He smiled at her suavely. "So, are you liking our date so far, Ms. Helga Pataki?"
"Oh Arnold…it's dreamy…just like you…!" Helga giggled, cuddling against him.
Arnold let out a very content sigh. 'Oh yeah…I'm definitely sweeping her off her feet…'
Yes, in a perfect world for Arnold things would have gone like that. He would have been quick enough to catch Helga in his arms when the animals came out, he would have been clever enough to say a smooth line to her and to then carry her into the house, he would have gotten every cuddle and giggle and nice thing out of her he could, and all the while he would have been so suave about it all.
But no. Instead, in reality, this is what happened.
A still smiling Arnold opened the door.
About a million animals ran out of the house.
Helga was quick enough to jump out of the way just in time so that she was sitting safely on the wide railing of Arnold's stoop.
Arnold, all distracted by his date, totally forgot about the constant possibility of this happening with the animals and was instantly trampled to the ground by everything from Gertie's random huskies to Abner right at the very end.
The wind knocked out of him, flat on his back on his stoop, sore as all heck, Arnold just lay there and didn't open his eyes. 'Oh…brother.' He didn't even want to get up. He mostly just kind of wanted to throw in the towel. Helga was probably laughing hysterically, and that idea made him cringe a little in embarra—
"Arnold!"
Her voice cried his name in a gasp and caused Arnold's eyes to fly open. Then instantly her eyes were looking down upon her face as she hovered over him. She was kneeling beside him on the steps, it seemed, looking down with so much concern, and those blue eyes of hers searched all over him with love and worry. Her hands were upon him now, gently helping to lift him up from the concrete stoop. "Did they hurt you, Arnold?" she asked so sincerely.
"Uh...n-no, I, um…I meant to do that? Heh…" He got up, brushing himself off, trying to straighten his bowtie and smooth back his hair again, and all the while blushing thoroughly. The worst part, he realized, was that he had phrased 'I meant to do that' in the form of a question.
Helga, now standing up as well, just raised part of her brow and looked at him with her mouth quirked to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. "Arnold, you did not mean to do that. What are you talking about?" she asked bluntly.
Arnold just blushed more and looked down, clasping his hands in front of himself. "I…um…" Finally he just gulped and admitted, looking down and to the side. "Sorry, I was just embarrassed." He gave a little shrug. He couldn't lie to her. Not that he wanted to lie to her, but it would just have been nice if he could have pretended not to do some of the million embarrassing things he was bound to do on this date now that he had these feelings for her.
Helga blinked at that response from him. It had been honest and surprising. "Arnold…" she looked down like she was in thought for a moment and then stepped forward used her hand to lift up his chin so that he was looking her in the eye again, "Look, Football Head, I need to explain something to you before we get farther into this whole 'date' thing. Are you listening carefully?" She smiled compassionately.
Arnold nodded, not blinking, his eyes never leaving hers.
She smiled more. "Good. Now look, I get that you've got a lot of new and very weird things going on inside of you about me right now, but you need to remember that I'm still just me, just Helga G. Pataki. I'm not one of those random, froo froo, stuck up older chicks you always tend to pine after—I'm not waiting to be impressed by you, and I'm not looking for a reason to laugh at you or to make myself feel like I'm better than you. I like you, Arnold, we're friends, and everyone makes mistakes and trips or says the wrong thing or spills something or whatever. So don't worry so much about trying to seem cool or sophisticated or anything to me, it's only going to make you nervous and clumsy—believe me, I know, I've tried those things for you…" She rolled her eyes with a smirk at the memories and then finished, "Just be yourself and we'll be fine, okay?"
Arnold kept looking at her with wide, unsure eyes for another moment…but then finally he nodded. "Uh…oh…okay." Then he smiled as it finally sank it. She wasn't looking to be impressed? That didn't change the fact that he still did want to impress her, though, of course, but at least it took some of the pressure off. And it was nice of her to let him know all of this, to make them on equal terms. He should have realized though—after all, Helga G. Pataki had never liked a lot of nonsense. "Thanks, Helga." He smiled at her appreciatively. Then he swallowed and gestured for her to go inside. "Um, ladies first."
Helga blinked at the sudden offer and blushed a touch but then smiled and walked in, shaking her head with a sigh. "I should probably give you a chivalry talk too pretty soon but, eh, one thing at a time. Besides…" inside now, she turned around and took his arm and pulled him in with her (and pulled him close), the door shutting behind them, "It's kind of nice to finally have you doing all of those things for me that you used to only want to do for other girls who caught your eye."
Arnold blinked a few times and swallowed. He was reminded slightly of their April Fools dance last night. A lot of pulling and twirling and grabbing the other person close by surprise… He did his best to put the blush-worthy thoughts behind him for a moment, and just managed a smile and replied, "Oh…well, yeah, I…like I said, I like you a lot and…I want to try to show you that I like you." He cleared his throat then and moved away from her a bit. "Uh, come this way, Helga—I figured we could have lunch in the kitchen. I talked to my grandpa and made sure that no one will bother us…" He took her hand in his and started to lead her along in the kitchen's direction.
Helga giggled a little, following along with him. "Ooo, getting me all alone, huh? You're secretly one smooth operator, aren't you, Arnol—Oof!"
Helga's slight exclamation of pain was due to the fact that Arnold had suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, causing Helga to slam right into him. "Helga!" He turned around and looked at her with bright cheeks and his eyes wide almost in panic, barely even registering any discomfort from her crashing into him.
"Sheesh, Football Head!" Helga, meanwhile, cringed and rubbed the side of her head. "A little warning next time you're putting on the brakes, huh?" She blinked a few times and then looked at his distressed face with a confused half smile. "What?"
"You…I…we…" Arnold then sighed deeply and took a moment to compose himself and his thoughts. He then put his hands together and spoke to Helga then in much more straightforward and serious tone. "Helga, I know you like to tease me, but can you not do it about this? About romantic things and girls and stuff? Please." The way he delivered the request suggested he was being serious—he wasn't whining that he wanted her to quit bugging him, he wasn't expressing some mild annoyance with her antics that he didn't really mean, he was asking her a personal favor, one old friend to another. "I'm…shy about those things," he quickly explained. "I don't handle it well." He looked down in a touch of embarrassment at having to admit that, arms crossed over his chest now.
Helga didn't protest or joke further though. In fact, she just smiled and moved closer to him, arms behind her back and seeming very satisfied about something. "And that is what I have been trying to get out of you, Arnold—an honest response. Not you sucking up to me or not telling me how you really feel. Arnold, seriously, if you're annoyed at me—I mean more annoyed than normal—or I bug you too much about something or cross a line, just tell me. You have to keep doing that or we'll never get anywhere. I know this is strictly against everything I've ever told you before but don't let me push you around—push back a little. Just like you've always done from time to time…" Her voice softened and she finished, "And I do promise that I won't make jokes like that if they embarrass you. Alright, Arnold?" And then she blushed a little and added quietly, "And, um…I like that you're shy about this. I think it's cute actually." She looked down bashfully. It was so…neat! Getting to actually tell Arnold when she thought he was cute.
"I…" a now blushing Arnold started to reply, having a thorough appreciation for all of her words, "I think it's cute when you're shy too, you know…like how you are sometimes around me now…only me…" And then Arnold's hand was holding Helga's again, and he lifted it up to give a light kiss to the back of it. Helga looked up with a blink and Arnold was just smiling sweetly up at her. "Thanks, Helga." He laughed a little. "And okay, I'll try and let you know how things really make me feel like usual and I'll try and stand up for myself."
Helga smiled and they now both finally found their way into the kitchen. "Sounds good to me, Arnold." And she giggled at all the stuff he had said to her about being cute.
Once they were in the kitchen Arnold led Helga over to the table and pulled out her chair for her. "Um, you can sit here, Helga."
Helga smirked at him a little, part of her brow raised as she sat. "You're really into this gentleman thing, aren't you, Arnold?"
Arnold shrugged, smiling at her and helping push in her chair. "I can't help it. It's part of who I am, I think."
Helga just giggled and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and reclining back a little. "Works for me."
Arnold chuckled in return. Then he leaned back on the edge of the table a little. "So, what would you like to eat, Helga?"
Helga's eyes widened a little and her grin picked up on one side. "Wait wait wait—I get to choose? And you're going to cook it for me?" She pointed at him.
Arnold nodded, smiling humbly. "Yes. Or, I'll do my best at it at least. I mostly cook with my grandma and she makes a lot of, um…unusual things, but I'm sure I could figure out something basic."
"Hmm…" Helga considered, reclining her head back to gaze up at the ceiling a little. Then a thought dawned on her. "Okay then. Well, I'll have whatever you're having, Football Head. I'm a pretty easy fit." She put her arms behind her head and then added a touch seriously, "Oh but no strawberries—I'm allergic to strawberries."
Arnold blinked at the information. "Really?"
Helga nodded. "Yup. Can't have a one."
"Hmm…" Arnold smiled a little, "That's kind of funny. I-I mean, it's not funny that you're allergic but just that you can't eat strawberries even though so many pink foods have strawberries in them and you like the color pink so much." He blushed a little as he stumbled over his words but managed to get them out relatively calmly and smoothly nonetheless.
Helga laughed a little at the idea. "Huh, never thought of that. Yeah, me and pink…" she sighed, glancing down at her jumper, "Darn you for making it stick with me so much, Mister 'I like your bow because it's pink like your pants.'" She giggled.
Arnold smiled more as he went over to the fridge now to get some ingredients out. "Well, it is a lovely shade of it that you wear…I guess I couldn't help myself back then." He went over to the stove with a few things. "Is grilled cheese okay, Helga? And Yahoo sodas?" he asked over his shoulder.
Helga nodded, her eyes brightening. "Yeah, sure! And make mine with pepper jack if you have it, and extra cheesy."
Arnold nodded, still smiling. "Okay, Helga, pepper jack it is…"
About fifteen minutes later everything was done and Arnold had two plates of grilled cheese in front of himself and Helga respectively along with two bottles of Yahoo soda and even a little vase with a flower in it at the center of the kitchen table for effect.
As the two children ate they talked.
"Wow, it's nice to spend time here without being terrified about being caught or sleep deprived from spending a night crammed in a closet," Helga laughed to herself at the idea, taking another big bite of the grilled cheese.
Arnold laughed too, swallowing a bite he was currently working on. "Well, it's nice to have you here. You never really came over much before…everything. But I like it. You're fun, Helga."
Helga grinned a lot and blushed. "Oh…well, thanks, Football Head." She felt so giddy, she barely knew what to do. So she settled on reaching across the table and giving him a playful shoulder nudge across the table.
He winced a little but mostly smiled. "You're welcome, Helga."
There were quiet for a little bit.
Then Helga put down her sandwich for a moment and looked at Arnold with a touch of hesitation. "Hey…Arnold? S-Sorry, I don't like beating around the bush but I was wondering, um…you know how at Slausens today I sort of spilled my guts to you about a lot of stuff about me? Well…could I ask you some things about you now too maybe? I mean besides just 'how do you feel about me and when did that start' ?" She was trying to be casual but her voice sounded hopeful.
Arnold blinked at the sudden request. "Oh! Um…well…sure, Helga." He smiled at her. "I don't mind sharing."
Helga smiled a little and gave a nod. "Thanks, Arnold. It'll help. Really." He swallowed another bite of her food and then took a deep breath and began, as casually as she could manage. "So…you and Lila, um…those pesky feelings you had for her are gone I guess, huh?"
Arnold looked a touch embarrassed about the question, but before Helga could consider retracting it for the moment for his sake, he swallowed a bite of his meal and nodded a little. "Yes. No more feelings for Lila. None at all."
Helga felt a little better right now. She had been concerned for a bit, thinking about it this afternoon while getting ready now that she'd had some time. She had been worried Arnold might be feeling torn between his liking of Lila and his liking of her, and for all she knew that might lead to another Valentine's Day 'two dates on one night' situation. But she was very glad to hear that Lila was emotionally out of the picture for him. Helga then looked curious and asked further, "Is that because of me, Arnold?" She quirked her mouth to the side a little, looking at him. "I-I mean, did…did what I did to you on that rooftop make that happen?"
Arnold shook his head, not even having to think about the answer to that. "No. I mean…" he considered a little, wanting to explain his response to her as clearly as possible, "what happened on the rooftop and everything after, that definitely helped move me past the end of my feelings for her but…they've been fading for a while…and then I just gave up." He looked at her a little dryly, leaning his head on one of his hands. "It was getting a little ridiculous. Even I could see that."
Helga just looked at him even more curiously. Just gave up? That did not sound like Arnold. Besides which, she had noticed during their lives that Arnold's feelings for girls never seemed to slowly fade—something specific tended to happen to take them away. So what had happened exactly regarding Lila that Helga apparently was not aware of? "Arnold, what happened, exactly, to make you not like Lila like that anymore?" Then she tacked on for his sake, "If you don't mind my asking."
Arnold looked down a little, playing with his napkin. Perhaps it was awkward to talk about with the girl he was currently on a date with, but at the same time he felt very comfortable sharing with her. "Well…um…the feelings stopped after I did something I'm sort of not proud of. And the feelings actually started to fade a bit before that anyway right after, um…" he sighed, rushing a little now and picking up his soda to have something to do and distract himself, "…I had this dream. It was kind of silly, heh. Very awkward dream." He swallowed about half the bottle in one shot and put it down, folding his hands in his lap and looking upward, trying to seem casual but clearly feeling nervous.
Okay, Helga NEEDED to know what this embarrassing thing was, AND what this probably even more embarrassing dream was all about. She just had to. But she knew she also needed to rein it in a little, give him some time. She settled for smiling a little and replying in as no pressure a tone as she could manage, "Aw, Arnold, come on, don't feel embarrassed. Heck, you WALKED IN on me having an embarrassing dream the morning after we saved the neighborhood, and I'm sure yours couldn't be any worse. And so you did something you're not proud of," she shrugged, "Well, shocking news, you're not perfect—but you're human, so I think we all kind of expected that. But even if you don't come off good in the story about whatever you did, hey, just think of all the crazy stuff I told you today that I did, and how awfully I came off in most of that. I told you Arnold, don't judge yourself so harshly with me. There's no need." She smiled a little more and then added, looking down, "I have a lot of respect for you, Football Head. Despite all the insults and pranks, I always have. And I don't think there's anything you could do or think that would shake that."
Arnold was looking at her with pleasant interest. She made good points, and she was supportive, and she even seemed sort of sympathetic. He always knew Helga had been that insightful and caring deep down—it was nice to see her letting it out, even if it was only with him at the moment. "Thanks, Helga. I'm trying. And I'm happy to hear that…" He looked down, playing with the crust of his grilled cheese and decided to tell her. "Gerald's got this little sister, Timberly, and I always try to be nice to her, but then one day she got a little crush on me. I started trying to tell her that it was sweet of her but I really didn't feel the same way, but then Lila thought it was cute the two of us were hanging out together so then I tried to keep hanging out with Timberly—a-and Lila—as much as possible. I thought me pretending to give that much extra attention to Timberly would make Lila like me like me. I didn't even think about what I might have been doing to Timberly. But then Lila just…wouldn't. And I finally told Timberly the truth. She was okay, actually. It was like she had forgotten about the crush. But Lila was 'disappointed' with me for trying to get her to like me like me again." He sighed, shrugging, really not feeling so very embarrassed anymore. "It was just such a hassle, Helga. It felt like even if I did manage to get her to like me like me again, I'd have to just become a totally different person and try at it and try at it for the rest of my life. I don't want to do that, Helga. I just want…someone I can relax with, that's all." He smiled more. "I just want to be myself, just like you said I should be, that's all."
Helga had listened to all of this with deep interest. She smiled at the ending words. She approved of them greatly. "Exactly!" She laughed a little, but it was warmly and happily. "Oh Arnold," she rolled her eyes and rested her chin on her hand, "Really, don't feel too bad about what you did. It took me until not too long ago to realize the same thing—no sense being with someone who you have to be a totally different person with. That's not an enjoyable relationship for anybody. And I'm not just speaking from my personal bias against you and Lila—I'm speaking from personal experience, Pataki's honor." She half smiled, making a gesture with her finger of crossing her heart in a pledge of truth.
Arnold smiled more and was even able to laugh a little. "Yeah. It's really nice to spend time with someone who likes you for you…who 'like likes' you for you."
"I agree, Arnold," added Helga softly, as she played with her own food casually a little, "one hundred percent."
Arnold smiled a little more and blushed a little. Then he added kind of sheepishly, "I'd rather wait to talk about my dream, Helga. It was just very strange and kind of a nightmare really." Trying to talk to Helga about Lulu and Hilda and ever so private swims and making out at the movies and just all the weirdness in general…He would need some time before he could do that. "It just…I sort of got a little too much of Lila in that dream, and I started to think that maybe I really wouldn't want her even if she did start to like me like me again, that's all."
Helga nodded in understanding. "Okay. That all makes sense. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't confusing you by making you have feelings for two people at once, and that you didn't give up on Lila just because I kind of confused and overwhelmed you. I wanted it to be your choice and it looks like it was." She smiled. "Thanks for helping clear that up for me, Football Head."
"Sure, Helga." Wow that really hadn't been so bad. Arnold had been just a little worried at first that whatever she asked him might be embarrassing, but so far her questions made sense and he could work his way through them if he tried hard enough.
"Can I shoot another one at you, Football Head?" Helga asked casually, starting in on her second half of grilled cheese.
Arnold nodded, picking up his second half as well. "Sure, Helga. What is it?"
Helga smiled just a little as she swallowed. "So…am I the only girl you've ever had a kiss with, Arnold?" She knew it was prying a little but…she wanted to know. After all she hadn't been able to watch Arnold with Ruth and Lila and any other girls 24/7—who knew what could have happened? And, really, his skill at the kissing was much more impressive than she had ever thought it would actually be. Perhaps it might be from practice? The idea…she couldn't necessarily blame him if he had, she guessed, but it did fill her with a touch of discomfort and worry nonetheless.
Arnold went bright red, and was instantly gripping his napkin very tightly. "Um…" he started shyly—he had to tell her the truth, he couldn't even begin to think of a way to lie about this that wouldn't completely blow up in his face in two seconds. She was just too smart and he was just too bad at lying. And he didn't want to not answer. He really did like sharing with her. It was interesting. "Yes. You're the only, um…girl I've ever had a kiss with, Helga." He looked to her eyes, his heart racing…and his eyes uncontrollably falling to her lips…the only lips that had ever touched his own in his entire ten years of life. He glanced away again, blushing even more. All of this physical stuff really was starting to overwhelm him a little. He knew he would just need some time—already he was better than he had been on that rooftop. But still, kissing was overwhelming enough with Helga: talking about kissing, though, was almost entirely too much for him.
Arnold barely glanced back toward the girl across from him and watched Helga's smile as she finished eating instantly brighten a little, her mouth picking up on one side "Oh, um…" she was trying to sound casual. "Great, then! I-I mean, um…cool…" She shrugged. "Just curious, that's all." She felt very nice thinking that she had given him both his first and only kisses.
Arnold took a breath in and let it out. This whole question and answer thing was even harder than Helga had made it look back at Slausens earlier. "Um…did you ever have a kiss with another boy?" It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. And he knew he had asked and received answers to more than his fair share of questions so far today but suddenly it occurred to him that he wanted to know the answer to this particular question very much. After all, she was so good at it. What if she had—
"Never. Never in my entire life." Arnold's eyes shot up to meet Helga's as she gave this simple and direct reply…and she looked almost shocked at the very notion, like it had never occurred to her ever before. She went on. "I've never ever even wanted to, Arnold…You're the only boy for me." She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, almost looking at him in concern a little.
Arnold felt his heart pounding and his blushing growing more and more. He was the only boy for her? The only one…not even just the most important one or the only one now but the only one ever it seemed. He'd never felt so…special in his entire life. "Really?" He almost smiled a little and wanted more than anything else for her to confirm it, to say it again. This new relationship of theirs was really starting to grow on him.
Helga just tilted her head to the side a little but then smiled. "Really, my love. You're the only boy I've ever had a kiss with. And the only one I've ever wanted to with." A touch of something smug came to her features as she couldn't help but add, "Well, you and 'dream you.' But I've explained to him that now that I've got access to real you, you're the top priority." She laughed a little and went back to her grilled cheese.
"Wonderful…" Arnold couldn't help sighing out the word dreamily in response to her and chuckling at her little joke at the end…But then he blinked and cleared his throat and glanced to the side. "I mean, um…cool…J-Just curious, heh." He shrugged and picked up the last of his sandwich to finish it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your questions, Helga," he told her politely.
Helga just smiled, taking the last sip of her soda. "No problem, Football Head. Since we're about done eating, though, I guess I should wrap it up anyway. Just one more question from me, Arnold, if you don't mind." She smiled more and added, "And thanks for being such a sport about all of this. And I promise this one will be the least awkward of all." She cleared her throat with a little sheepish grin, crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay, well, Arnold…I already know you like monster movies, that you always do the right thing, that you like baseball, that you're pretty good at electronics considering that room of yours, and now I know that you can cook …So, um, besides all of those things, would you be willing to tell me something about yourself? Preferably something that no one else knows…or at least something that only Gerald knows…?" She shrugged… "Sorry, um…I just like knowing about you. And the point of this is to get closer after all."
Arnold understood…and he thought a little… "I like to daydream a lot." It was the first response to this question that occurred to him.
Helga looked at him with part of her brow raised in interest. "Really?" 'Huh, I thought I was the only one who did that…and it's usually about Arnold.' "About what?" she couldn't help asking, then added, "I-If you don't mind telling me. I mean, if they're private like that dream you had I totally understand, Arnold." She blushed a little and added, pushing back some of her hair, "I'm a little shy about discussing my dreams and daydreams too—unless of course you walk in on me right in the middle of when I think I'm having one and then I just spill the beans all over the place, heh…" She half grinned sheepishly.
Arnold just smiled softly, his gaze a little half lidded. She didn't have to be shy with him about things like that. He would understand any dream or daydream she might have…even ones about him. And so maybe he didn't have to be shy with her either. "No, it's alright, Helga. I mean, you might think it's a little silly but…I just daydream about different things I could be doing, adventures I could be going on. I kind of create fantasies, I guess, and then I revisit them a lot." He glanced at Helga and noticed that she was looking at him with a lot of curiosity and interest. He went on. "Things like floating around in outer space or surfing with dinosaurs or exploring in the jungle or swimming deep under the sea and finding new things. I used to do it a lot in class but I've started to get better about it there. Now I mostly just do it whenever I'm upstairs alone in my room listening to my jazz music." As he continued speaking now he stood and started clearing their plates.
He walked everything over to the sink and starting rinsing. By the time the water had turned off Helga still hadn't said anything to him, and so he turned around and asked with an eyebrow raised and a soft, half smile on his lips, "Helga?"
She just looked like she was deep in thought, and concentrating quite a bit.
Arnold walked back over to her. "Helga?" he tried again, standing near her, ready to tap her shoulder if necessary.
"Hmm?" Helga came out of it a little now and blinked and then glanced at him. "Oh. Sorry, Football Head." She turned more in her chair to face him. "I was just thinking a little." She looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds then looked back at Arnold with a soft half smile. "Thanks for sharing with me again." She smiled more. "I like to think I know everything about you, but I really don't, do I?" She stood up now, pushing her chair into the table. "I think that'll make this more fun, Arnold. I figured all I'd be doing on this date thing was letting you know more about me, but I get to learn a lot about you too, I guess." She headed over to the sink to wash her hands, then grabbed a paper towel. "Oh, and I think your daydreams sound pretty creative, Football Head. So you know this means I'm totally upping the creative responsibilities you get whenever we get shoved together for school projects, right?" She grinned a little and winked at him over her shoulder, tossing the paper towel in the trash bin. "You've been holding out on me, and I'm not going to let it slide anymore, bucko." She laughed, and then turned, leaning against the kitchen counter.
Arnold just looked at her with interest. A part of him felt like he should be frowning and rolling his eyes now and ignoring her…that was how he had always handled Helga G. Pataki…but it wasn't really the right way for him to handle Helga G. Pataki, was it? It had never felt entirely right, to be honest—just the best he had been able to come up with so far. And so he thought for a second and then smiled and walked past her toward the kitchen exit leading to the stairs with a little grin of his own and a shrug. "Whatever you say, Helga. But you have to do all of the writing from now on, especially the creative writing…especially the poetry. Deal?" He turned around and smiled with as much smugness at her as she was doing at him.
Helga's eyes lit up in a touch of intrigue. She walked closer to him, following his lead. "Fine, but I haven't mastered writing about things besides you yet so I really hope the project's about footballs or do-gooder shrimps or jelly bean green eyes, or sadly we're never going to pass, Football Head." She gave him a little nudge as she moved to the end of the bannister and waited for him to join her.
Arnold still felt a little giddy about this new way of interacting with Helga but he did manage to smile more and lean a little closer and add, "Helga, please don't be modest about things. I'm really not used to it. And I thought modesty was my department. And also I'm sure you could write about anything beautifully, not just me." Then he took her hand and started leading them up the stairs.
Helga just smiled more and then she laughed as she followed after him, shaking her head. "Football Head, you crack me up sometimes."
Arnold laughed a little too. "You're funny too, Helga," he replied sweetly and sincerely.
The two just walked alongside each other as they ascended to the second floor hallway above.
Then Helga glanced at Arnold, some of her smile still present. "Hey, Arnold? Can I ask you just one more question?"
Arnold nodded, looking to her with a smile as well. "Of course, Helga. What is it?"
Helga turned forward and swallowed a little, and then finally asked, trying to sound like it really didn't matter to her much either way, "Do you, um…like my hair like this, Arnold?" She looked down more. "I-I mean, you really didn't say anything about it when I came in, and I wanted to change things a little for our first real date, and I guess I'm just curious if...well…"
And then she stopped and her eyes went wide and her jaw fell at the feeling of the fingers of Arnold's hand softly entwining with hers as they walked. "I'm sorry, Helga," he started sweetly and sincerely to her, "I wanted to say something when we were out on the stoop but…every time I kept trying, I just couldn't find a way to, um, put it…But it looks pretty. You look pretty, Helga. Um…like I said earlier. Prettiest girl in the whole world." He was blushing and looking down a little himself now as he smiled.
Helga just sighed softly and smiled as they made it to the top of the second floor landing and started walking down it toward the attic doorway at the end. "O-Oh… Hmm, what a little Casanova I got myself mixed up with." She laughed. "Come on, let's just do this movie…" She cleared her throat and added in a whisper. "And um…thanks, Arnold. I'm happy you think it's pretty…and that I'm pretty." She smiled brightly and squeezed his hand.
Arnold smiled pretty brightly too. "You're welcome, Helga."
"Hmm…" Helga half laughed, "It'll be nice to go up here without sneaking through a window or a wall."
Arnold laughed a little himself. "Yeah, I've always found the door to be the easiest way of entering a room."
She rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow again. "Shut up, geek bait."
Arnold (wincing a touch at her nudge, though he did his best to hide it) just shook his head with a smile as he reached up for the attic door cord which was now dangling above their heads. "Whatever you say, Helga, whatever you say."
"W-Well, um…here we are…" Swallowing nervously, Arnold, standing in the doorway of his room with Helga, gestured over to his couch. "Um…have a seat please, Helga, and I'll set up the little TV and the tape player."
"Okay, Football head. Sounds nifty." A smiling Helga gave him a little nod and then went over and lightly sat down, doing her best to be demure still to an extent. No legs open, hands on knees, hunched over, belching from the meal. She sat with her legs pressed together and tilted to the side a little, hands folded in her lap, back straight against the back of the couch…and just looking down shyly, and pushing her hair back behind one of her ears nervously. After all, she was in Arnold's house in Arnold's room on Arnold's couch for a date! He had actually invited her up here for romantic privacy! It was pure fantasy, plain and simple.
"Okay, um, here, let me just—Whoa!" Arnold had been carrying the little TV over to the middle of the room to put on his desk chair that was set there so that they could watch when he tripped forward! Luckily the TV slid right onto the chair, though he himself unfortunately fell to the ground. "Heh, heh," He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck as he stood up. "Um…must have been a groove in the rug or something." He shrugged and then hopped over to his bed, got on his knees and reached up to one of the higher shelves. "Um, what did you want to watch, Helga?" Honestly he wasn't sure—but Helga was a girl, as he often had to remind the other guys, so… "Um…I have Casablanco, That Oh So Special Someone (he rolled his eyes to himself—a film bought during his days of Lila obsession when he'd wanted to watch it to see what she saw in it, though after only a scene he'd had to turn it off). Um, I think Gerald brought over a princess movie his little sister liked once when we were babysitting her together…it might still be here."
"Um, Arnold…seriously?"
Arnold blinked at this random and confused sounding exclamation from Helga, and then turned back to look at her curiously. She was just sitting there with part of her brow raised and an amused half smile on her face. "Football Head, I love you and, yes, I'm a big hopeless romantic sappy and pathetic mush deep down in my heart, but I'm not some closet princess. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've watched my share of girly romantic movies—gave me plenty of ammunition for dream and daydream scenarios about you, but…for crying out loud, tell me you've got an Evil Twin movie or something up there, my love!" She chuckled as she finished and crossed one leg over the other, keeping her hands in her lap.
Arnold absorbed this information…and then his eyes lit up and he smiled. "You like Evil Twin movies…" He let out a sigh and shook his head and then turned back to his shelf and instantly went to a particular section of his movie collection. "I should have known…"
"Hmm… Why because I'm such a tomboy?" Helga half joked, figuring though that that was seriously the reason.
"No. Because you're perfect. And of course the most perfect girl in the world likes monster movies along with romantic ones," was Arnold's simple response over his shoulder to her before turning back to the movies to take down the three he was looking for.
Helga instantly froze up and blushed! And she was about to say a quiet shy little thank you back when…
"Now let me just—OOF!" Arnold had been pulling down the three Evil Twin movie boxes when suddenly his hand slipped and all of the tape boxes landed on the bed and he fell back onto the bed as well.
"Arnold! Are you okay?" Helga asked with genuine concern, standing up!
Arnold just blinked a few times and then sat up, that sheepish smile on his face again. "Uh, yeah…I-I'm fine, Helga. Sorry about that…um, slipped, I guess. I-I've got the tapes though—WHOA!" He'd had the three boxes held together in one hand but his grip slipped and suddenly all three flew up and then dropped to the bed once again.
Helga put a hand to her mouth, unable to help a slight laugh escaping her at the little accident.
The sound made Arnold blush, and he instantly scrambled to get the tapes together again and to get off of the bed (though a few other tape boxes fell to the bed from his shelf with muffled little bangs as he got up). He just ignored it. "Okay, um…Evil twin I, II or III Helga?" he asked with a smile.
"Hmm…" Helga waved him off, "eh, surprise me, Football Head." She sat back down on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest with a smile.
Arnold smiled back. "Okay." He looked at the three boxes and then tossed two over to his bed (they slammed into the wall near his bed by accident, making him blush a little). He just tried to focus though. "Have you seen Evil Twin III yet, Helga?"
"Nope," came her voice from across the room. "Meant to but it was a busy few weeks for me when it came out in theatres. Plus, I usually drag Phoebe along, but after the last two Evil Twin installments she point blank refused to go to anymore: horror's not really her thing. And a movie like this is more fun to watch with someone, you know?" She shrugged.
Arnold nodded as he headed across the room with the tape and then knelt down by the little TV to put the movie into the VCR. "I know, Helga…" Indeed, he knew very well that scary movies were often better in pairs. In fact, he had chose Evil Twin III: Country Cousin specifically because it had a lot of suspenseful jumping out parts…ones that made someone watching it wish for someone nearby to scream with…ones that made people watching it want something (or someone) to jump and cling to, and he still felt that way even though he had seen it three times…so it stood to reason that it would make Helga feel the same and feel it like crazy if this was her first time…and he'd be right there for her to cling to. He blushed as he fiddled with the VCR. Making little corny plans like this so she'd hug him… 'If you told me two weeks ago that I'd ever…I swear I would have…' He let out a sigh and shook his head and smiled to himself, finally having things all set up. No time to marvel about all that now, he had a date to finish.
Arnold stood up, brushed his hands together, and turned to his date. "Okay, we're all set, Helg—" He gave a serious gulp before finishing her name, "…ga…"
Arnold's severe stutter here was the result of the fact that he had turned to find Helga now sitting there on his couch not just relaxing like before but positioned very distinctly…with some of her hair over one of her eyes, a light blush upon her cheeks, her legs crossed and bent to the side coyly, and her arms shyly at her sides…and with one hand she was patting the free space on the couch right next to her. "Okay…" she said back to him in a light, kind, sweet voice, "Guess you should take your seat then, my darling, and we can…start the next part of our date, huh?"
Arnold's heart pounded in his chest. She looked so cute and pretty, so shy and sweet…and yet deep down she was still her same old funny, sassy, unstoppable self (just as she'd shown when talking about the movie selection for the evening just before)…and she was fluttering her eyelashes and gently beckoning him to join her…right near her…all alone up here with his Helga. He was blushing brightly and so very nervous! His smile was all goofy. "Y-Yes, um, m-my Helg—Whoa!" He'd taken not a step toward her when he instantly tripped over his own feet and came forward. "Oh, sorry I—" He froze and locked up! He had been about to apologize for tripping like that right into the couch...but he now realized he had tripped forward with his knees on the floor…into Helga…and his hands were on her dress over her knees! He turned bright scarlet and instantly backed away, still upon the floor! But then "OOF!" His head bumped right into the chair and TV and he rubbed the sore spot. "S-Sorry, I-I…" He managed to stand and then made his way over to the couch and sat down next to Helga, practically shaking! "Um, heh…there's a…a lot of grooves in the floor today, heh…" He swallowed at the sight of Helga still sitting there legs still crossed, hair still over one eye, resting her head against the back of his couch and practically smirking, though she was obviously trying to hide it.
"Um…" Arnold did his best to go on, wishing all this horrible awkwardness would end—he couldn't believe he was still this on edge. "I'll just press play then and we can-OH!" He'd grabbed the remote and fumbled it so badly but finally caught it, breathing heavily, and pressed play. He then put it down…and hoped she wouldn't think he was some kind of complete loser for all of this.
"Um…Arnold?" Arnold heard Helga ask, still in her nice voice but with a definite undertone of something sarcastic.
"Mmm hmm…" he replied, kind of glancing away, waiting for the blow to drop.
"Since I'm usually just kidding when I call you a klutz…" and then after that the sarcasm all slipped away as she finished, "Are you, um…nervous?" And indeed the word had just occurred to Helga…and it struck her as fascinating. She'd known he had felt a little awkward, a little unsure, a little overwhelmed maybe…but was he really actually this nervous about being up here with her?
Arnold's eyes went wide at the question and he blushed more. "Um…well, I…I mean…" He tugged at his collar and bowtie.
"Because, um…if you are…it's okay…I'm nervous too…" Helga quickly explained, glancing away. "But…you don't have to get so worked up about me…It's still just me. Helga. Just like I've been saying. I promise. Okay? I'm just smiling a lot more and threatening to hit you a lot less. And also, according to you, I'm pretty." She chuckled a little, trying to give him a light, little playful nudge to help make things better. This was probably a really big deal for him—his first officially planned date upstairs alone in his room with a girl. She wanted to be understanding.
Her little speech did the trick. Arnold warmly chuckled a little, and then finally managed to look at her, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um…thanks, Helga. And, um…I-I know it's still you. It's just that, well…" he glanced to the side sheepishly, "I don't, um…have the best track record with girls…and I really don't want to mess this up because…. I…I really like you a whole lot, Helga." He smiled more. "I like like you…But I'm just…scared my old bad luck is going make me do or say something stupid and ruin it all." He shrugged, looking down with a touch of sincere concern.
"Arnold…" His eyes lifted as he felt her place a single finger under his chin, raising his head and turning it to face entirely in Helga's direction. She looked at him so very kindly. "All those other times with other girls…and um…I've kept track…as part of the whole 'stalking thing', heh…Well, um…they mostly weren't your fault. They were just…silly girls not appreciating you or seeing how wonderful you really are. But you tried and did your best every single time. It was always more them than you. You make mistakes, but you never screw up that badly, I promise." She winked at him.
Arnold's smile grew so much. "Really, Helga?" He raised an eyebrow with interest.
Helga nodded, releasing his chin. "You have my word, Arnold."
Arnold smiled. And then he considered…and then added with a small smile. "And, um…Helga…you know…I like you for you too… So, um…I mean, I'm starting to understand how you can be both this really loving sweet person and also your same sarcastic, funny self…So I want to make sure that you're being yourself around me as much as possible. I just want you to be comfortable…even if it means you act a little less girly or something. I'll still think you're great." He looked to her with so much honesty in his eyes.
Helga blushed. And then smiled. And then…
'Burp'
A tiny little burp escaped her.
She blushed more and shrugged sheepishly. "Um…excuse me, heh…What can I say, it was good grub."
Arnold just looked at her with an eyebrow raised…and then smiled warmly and burst into laughter! "Helga…you're funny."
Helga laughed too now, and they both just enjoyed the warm, happy moment together.
Arnold looked at her eventually, his laughter subsiding. He sighed and spoke to her normally. "Alright, well…now that that's all taken care of and we're a lot less nervous…"
Helga cleared her throat, crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look and a smirk.
Arnold rolled his eyes. " Okay, now that I'M a lot less nervous…I guess I should start the movie."
She giggled. "Yeah, that would be nice, Arnold."
Arnold just gazed at her half-liddedly, chuckling a little too.
About ten seconds later he realized he was still just staring and he blushed and cleared his throat and turned away shyly. "Uh…I'll just, um…press play…" He heard her giggle again as he did so.
The movie began.
A few moments passed, and then Arnold's eyes glanced the side…and he scooched just a little closer to Helga with a blush.
She didn't seem to notice, luckily. She just sat, watching the movie with a smile.
He scooched a little closer…swallowed…and then faked a yawn…and let his arm come up around her shoulders.
Arnold felt Helga stiffen entirely and saw her blush out of the corner of her eye…and then she smiled. "Um…Arnold?"
"Y-Yeah?" He tried to sound casual. What if she didn't like this?
"Um…you're okay with me being myself, right?"
Arnold nodded. "Yeah."
"Okay…" And then suddenly Helga was snuggling completely against him from the side, and she took his arm and put it around her waist instead of shoulders. "I'd be a lot happier if you put the moves on me like this instead, Arnold."
"Uh, I, um…well, I…" He blushed so much! Putting the moves on her! And now his arm was around her waist and she was practically burying herself against him. Yes, she'd gotten this close last night but that had just been…something special between them…Would it…would it really be happening regularly? "Um…" his voice cracked a little. "O-Okay…"
"But only if you want to, of course!" Helga quickly added, glancing up at him seriously. "I don't want to make you uncom—" She paused…and trembled a little…and smiled.
Arnold had just pulled his fingers through the length of her hair. "I…am very, very comfortable like this…And, um…is it okay if I touch your hair sometimes? It's just…really pretty…and I've been wanting to touch it ever since this morning."
"Sure thing…Arnold…" She let out a sigh and got herself nice and cozy against him as the two of them watched the movie together…
Every once in a while a small, scary moment would happen that actually did make Helga jump a little and cling closer to Arnold (and every once in a while something even made HIM jump and cling to her a little)…and Arnold had NEVER been happier about one of his dates working out in his entire life.
Two hours later the movie ended…and Arnold and Helga were still cuddling on his couch…Arnold playing with Helga's hair a little sometimes, arm still around her waist…Helga just holding against him never having felt warmer or happier in her entire life (not counting last night of course).
"Well…that was a great sequel, Football Head…" she observed with a sigh as the credits rolled. "And it was nice to watch it with you…I like our dates, Arnold…I like you, Arnold."
Arnold's heart fluttered and he blushed a little. "I like our dates too, Helga…and I like you, Helga…"
Helga chuckled a little. "You're so corny, Arnoldo. Glad we're on the same page though."
Arnold gulped. "Yeah, we…seem to go really well together, don't we?"
Helga nodded, smiling to herself. "I always thought so." They were quiet together for a moment or two. Then she added softly to him, "Arnold…do you really think this is gonna work?"
He was quiet, not sure exactly what she meant, but he listened intently, waiting for her to go on.
"I mean…" Helga continued quietly, still trying to smile a little, "Do you really think that us like this could work out and last?" She glanced at him. "I'll understand if it doesn't, Arnold. I know it's a long shot in a lot of ways. But just, um…you know, promise me if this ends up not working for you that you'll let me know, okay? I'd appreciate that." She glanced down again and was quiet once more.
Oh, she… 'Oh.' Arnold leaned in a little closer to her. "Helga. You trust me, right?"
Helga glanced up at him and nodded, her eyes a little wide. "Of course."
Arnold went on. "Do you trust me enough to believe that…I…that even if…this didn't, um, work…that I'd…do everything I can to make sure you didn't get hurt…and to help you?"
Helga blinked a couple of times. Then she considered and nodded. "Yes, of course. But I just—"
He touched the side of her face, looking into her eyes. "Helga, if I felt like any of this was wrong, I'd tell you right away. I'm taking this whole thing with us very seriously. And I want the same thing from you—if something about this turns out not to work for you, just let me know too and we'll figure something out. But whatever happens, I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't get hurt." He smiled softly. "Just trust me enough to try with me a little with this, that's all I want from you."
Helga smiled softly in return. Then she hugged him from the side. "I love you, Arnold," left her in a warm sigh.
Arnold just savored her hug, and then when it was over her sighed happily and they just continued sitting beside each other again, very near each other.
And they were sort of glancing toward each other now because their faces were sort of close.
It became pretty obvious then to both of them what they might have wanted now.
Helga spoke very softly, blushing. "Arnold, we don't have to if you don't…if it'd be too much for, um…I know the last few days have h-had a lot to do with the heat of the moment…"
Arnold swallowed and blushed too, though he was smiling slightly, just like Helga was. "No, um…I wouldn't mind. Um…just slowly though, if that's okay…"
Helga nodded, smiling more. "Sure, that's fine." She leaned a little closer and moved some hair from her eyes.
Then they moved closer and kissed softly.
It was one kiss, but it lasted for several moments. Then they pulled apart slowly.
They were both a little flushed and breathing a touch heavily.
Helga let out a few more breaths before swallowing and speaking. "Um…that was nice. Really nice. Th-Thanks…"
Arnold caught his breath as well, "Yeah. Nice. Thank you too, Helga…" He moved away from her a little, blushing and with a funny smile on his dazed face.
Helga just smiled a touch hopefully to herself. But then she sighed. She had been trying to avoid it, but now (especially judging from how orange the sky was turning with the setting sun), the time was upon them. "Well, um...anyway, however 'nice' all of this has been, I think it's getting late now, Football Head, and I should probably get home soon." She didn't want to linger too long here. She had already spent the night last night and had him all to herself this morning. She wanted to leave and give him some time to think about their date and to think things over in general about them before he ate dinner and went to bed. Hadn't that been what he had seemed to want ever since her confession—time to think? She was definitely willing to give him some of that. She needed some of it herself actually.
Arnold couldn't help a touch of disappointment to hear she would be leaving now. But he understood. It had been a really full couple of days for both of them. She probably needed some time alone now with all of her thoughts and feelings—he knew he did at least. "If you want to, Helga." He shifted a little closer to her, swinging his feet a little. "Can I walk you home though? I-I promise if we see anyone I'll duck and hide somewhere." He laughed a little at the joke.
Helga laughed a little too, and she nodded of course. "Sure, Arnold. I'd like that a lot." She stood up from the couch with a smile and held out a hand to help him up. "Come on, let's take the fire escape—one of my favorite ways to get in and out of here." She grinned and headed over to his bed, climbing up to the skylight and out to the balcony of the fire escape. She popped her head back in through the window with a smile. "Not getting any younger out here, Football Head—what are you waiting for?"
Arnold just smiled up at her for a moment. He had just been watching her being so happy, and so open with him, laughing and being almost playful. His time with her like this was really starting to grow on him, and he had just wanted to savor the final moments of it before officially leaving his house and walking her home. Now he sighed and headed over to the bed, following after her. "Coming, Helga."
He joined her quickly and the two of them found their way down to the street and proceeded with the walk back to Helga's house.
"Well, here we are, Football Head, home sweet home for me. And thank you and your chivalry for 'escorting' me home." Helga grinned, leaning back against the rail of her stoop. It was twilight now, but there was still enough light for them to linger in their goodbye and for Arnold to get home before the streetlights came on.
Arnold, standing on Helga's stoop with her as he leaned against the opposite rail, just smiled at her with a half lidded sweet gaze. "You're welcome, Helga. I like getting to walk and talk with you, anyway. It's always, well…really interesting, like I keep saying." He shrugged, unsure of how else to put it. He just liked being with her a lot, that was all.
She grinned at him. "You sure are stuck on that word, aren't you?" Then Helga chuckled…and then she swallowed, digging one of her feet into one of her steps. "Well, um…maybe we could do it again soon. It and the whole date thing…you know, if you wanted." She shrugged.
Arnold's eyes lit up a little. "I-I'd like that a lot actually, Helga. When would you want to try?"
Helga's eyes lit up a little too now. "H-How about next weekend? We could spend some time in my room this time? Um…maybe go for a movie or a walk or something first. Whatever works."
"I'd like that, Helga. A lot." Arnold moved closer to her, and he spoke warmly and sincerely.
Helga smiled more and leaned a little closer. "Me too, Arnold."
Arnold was thinking of giving her a kiss goodnight. But then he bit his lip. He'd sort of had something on his mind, or rather at the back of his mind, since this morning. And he wanted to ask about it now, especially considering how well their date had gone and the fact that they had just planned another one. "Hey Helga?"
"Mmm hmm?" she asked, still smiling but raising part of her brow.
He…He really wasn't sure how to do this…so he just asked the question point blank. "A-Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?" He felt himself turn scarlet—it had sounded utterly stupid to him coming out of his mouth.
Helga didn't say anything for a moment…quite a long moment (this fact didn't exactly do anything to boost Arnold's confidence about the validity of his question).
"A-Arnold?" she started slowly finally.
Arnold looked up into her eyes. "Yes?" He wanted to tell her that it was okay if she found something wrong with his question or wasn't ready for it, but he was lucky he'd managed to get out the 'yes' considering how nervous he was right now. He just hoped he could express it well enough with the amount of caring and consideration and compassion in his eyes as they met hers.
Helga looked down at him and gave a small but warm smile. "I would really love that one day…very very very much…and even more than that one day." She blushed and went on. "But, um…this whole thing is very important to me and so much has been happening so quickly. I need some time to adjust, to kind of feel like I'm on firm footing, you know? So, um…maybe after a few more dates…maybe after I'm sure that…that we really do work and that this isn't just some blissfully lucky fluke…we could cross that bridge? Is that alright with you too, Arnold?" She waited patiently for his response.
Arnold had been taking her words in and listening very carefully. He felt a tug of disappointment of course. It sort of would have been nice to have her grin and say 'yes, oh yes, of course we are!' and then dive into his arms or something passionate like that. But this kind of made more sense, in a way, he realized now. He nodded, smiling back to her. "That's alright with me too, Helga. I just wanted to check…but I think all of that makes sense, and I understand. We'll just take it one step at a time together."
He looked down then and stepped back shyly. "Anyway, I know you're probably tired and have stuff to do, so I should probably get going. Have a good ni—" Arnold paused, in movement and speech, as he felt Helga lean down and kiss him sweetly on the cheek.
When she pulled back he was still just standing there, eyes wide, cheeks rose, a little grin turning up at one corner of his mouth.
She just laughed warmly and shook her head. "You get flustered and surprised so easily, my beloved Arnold." Then she reached out and shook his hand. "Thanks for the great date, Football Head, and I'll see you at school tomorrow." She walked up to her door and opened it, and was about to slip in but then paused, leaning her head back out of the door toward him. "And thanks for being such a good sport. Goodnight to you too, Arnold." She blew him a kiss and then went inside.
Once officially inside and a good ten feet from the door, Helga proceeded to bound upstairs as quickly as possible and then shut her bedroom door behind her. Then she walked right over to her bed, collapsed upon it in ecstasy, and her phone was in her hand in a second. "Hello, Phoebe! Oh Phoebe, Oh Phoebe, Oh Phoebe!" She practically laughed as she spoke, she was so happy. "I just got back from my date!... Oh screw calling him ice cream, Phoebe! I just got back from a date with ARNOLD and it was heaven…" she sighed blissfully, "and he said he 'really really really like likes me!' Forget half way there! Forget more than half way there! We're like 85% there, Phoebe! That's a solid B! Oh Phoebe…I'm really happy…" Helga let all of that wash over her, "O-Oh and, how's stuff with Gerald…" Helga did her best to listen to her best friend (however much Phoebe would spill—she was even more of a private person than Helga in many ways), though her head was lost in other thoughts of a certain vein a fair amount of the time.
Outside, meanwhile, Arnold just leaned against the bottom of Helga's stoop for a bit with a dreamy grin on his features. Then finally, when the streetlights really did start to flicker on already and he knew he had to get home now, he sighed and started to walk down the street.
If this was love, Arnold figured he liked it.
Suddenly he blinked and blushed a lot. His thoughts raced quickly in an effort to comfort himself. 'Erm…h-her love. Love from her, if this is love from her, I like it. Not, um…not love as in love between us…mutually…a-as in I love Helga.' This very strange, sort of numbing feeling came over him for a moment and he felt a little woozy. "Maybe Helga's right…" he mumbled to himself, "Maybe we do have to take things very very very slowly…" He swallowed and nodded to himself, continuing his walk to the corner of Vine Street.
And yet, deep down, underneath the fear and uncertainty and wonder, Arnold hadn't necessarily disliked that sudden feeling that had come over him. It had just been very new to him…and new things, wonderful or terrible, could always be a little scary at first.
He would keep that in mind and try to really let himself get in touch with the truth of his feelings as this whole thing between the two of them continued to endure and blossom.
A/N:
Thank you again for reading, and please review if you can. Like I said, next up is another Dinner and a Show update and an LTBH update, followed by as many regular updates as I can reasonably manage. Thank you all again for your patience!
Happy Reading!
~Azure129 aka Jenna
