A/N:
Hi everyone! Thank you for your patience—finally an update! Yay! I know they've been few and far between, but thank you all for sticking with me. I'm just working a lot right now, considering applying to schools again, finishing up my novel manuscript and trying to find agents, etc…It's been a full year so far XD I'm hoping to finish up this story in the next couple of months (and the Danny Phantom fic I have posted on this account). I'll be posting a one shot in the next week or so in the My Little Pony section, and possibly some Nightmare Before Christmas stuff soon. Once winter comes and I have some time off again, I'll most likely finally be starting a new fic here that I've been looking forward to writing for some time and that I hope you all enjoy.
Anyway, thank you all again for your patience and I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please review!
April 2nd:
Chapter 6:
Trying To Make This Work.
Arnold really had no idea what to expect at school Monday regarding himself and Helga.
After all, she had thrown around the hypothetical idea a few times over the weekend ever since the dance that she might be willing to treat him with a bit more 'friendliness' in public. And it seemed to him, following their 'date' on Saturday, that there had even been the slightest suggestion of her being willing to treat him with something like actual affection in public even if the exact nature of any romantic relationship between them was still a little shaky and even if she wasn't ready to 'share her love with the world' just yet. Then again, though, she had been rather skittish on Saturday about even just walking down the street in public with him. So perhaps he would still have to expect some nervousness and shyness from her around others for at least a little while (though he was certain that state of affairs would have to give way to a normal, open, casual, easy open relationship between the two of them quickly enough…right?)
"Move it, Football Head!"
These blaring words met Arnold's ears as he stood just outside the open doors of the bus in front of P.S. 118 waiting for Helga to disembark so he could ask her if he could walk her to class.
"Hey!" And now he found himself roughly shoved to the side by the girl who had delivered the familiar phrase in question.
As Helga stomped past him, Arnold blinked, dusting himself off a little, and looked after her in confusion.
"Some of us are trying to walk here, Arnold—you can't just stand in front of the bus doors off in some loopy daydream. Hmph!" Helga merely added to him over her shoulder, giving him a look somewhere between a scowl and mild interest before going along on her way.
Arnold just continued to watch her as she left, an eyebrow raised. 'Oookay. I….' He really considered giving himself a pinch. 'I didn't dream last weekend or all of last week or something, did I?' There wasn't even an acknowledgment from her of their closeness, not even a good morning. 'Maybe she's just joking around…?' He tried to keep his optimism winning out over his frustration and disappointment.
"Hey, Arnold, trouble in paradise?"
Arnold blinked and blushed a little at the sound of his best friend getting off the bus and delivering this question to him now. "Gerald…" Arnold sighed, his look turning dry as he walked forward and a smiling Gerald followed alongside him. "It's complicated…I think." A touch of uncertainty returned to Arnold's features.
"Oh gee—trying to date the most insane girl at school is turning out to be complicated. What a surprise man." Gerald smirked a little, though his tone was good-natured. "So, anyway, how did that date of yours go? I haven't heard from you since Saturday afternoon. And seriously, I still have a ton of questions about this Helga thing…" He glanced forward as they pushed open the front doors of the building and entered the school. "The first one being why, if she's so happy with you, is Helga still acting like there's a massive bee in her bonnet?" He shook his head a little at the sight of Helga G. Pataki storming down the hall up ahead of them, shoving younger kids out of her way and giving nobody the time of day until she got to Phoebe. "Did I say a bee? I meant a whole wasp's nest," he added with a dry look of his own.
Arnold appeared even more perplexed as he looked on at the sight too. "I…well…I think this is just a big transition for her. She needs time, and we're still not really sure where we stand and…" He sighed and turned his attentions entirely to his best friend for a moment and away from Helga's distracting and illogical behavior. "We'll talk, Gerald. You'll see. We'll talk, and everything'll just kind of ease into place." He smiled, trying to be optimistic again.
Gerald just raised an eyebrow as they finally headed forward themselves and reached their lockers where they paused to put away their backpacks and grab some books. "Arnold, try not to take this the wrong way but, did you mess something up on the date with her?"
"What?" Arnold blinked at the sudden question and shook his head. "No, of course not. Why would you say that?" He frown a little as he started putting his things away.
"Hey," Gerald held up his hands. "I didn't mean anything, man. It's just according to you she's 'perfect' and you were kind of a nervous wreck Saturday afternoon. And, like you said, your track record with the ladies is sort of…"
Arnold sighed, his look becoming dry again. "I know, I know…. It's bad." He closed his locker door and turned to lean back against it. "But nothing went wrong on Saturday." He shrugged. "Actually…" he thought more to himself, "Actually, the whole thing went more perfectly than I ever could have imagined." He looked to his friend with a touch of surprise. "Helga and I work really, really well together. We connect…a lot. We like each other so much, even just as friends if nothing more than that ends up working out. It's almost kind of weird."
"It's beyond weird," Gerald couldn't help but remark with a small smile as he put away his own stuff. "But if the date went that perfectly…" He raised an eyebrow. "And it really was that good, huh?"
Arnold nodded, looking to his best friend again. "We ate, we talked, we watched a movie together, we laughed. I walked her home. We even kissed again." He blushed a little then a small laugh of disbelief escaped him. "I had a date and a kiss with Helga G. Pataki, and I liked every minute of it. And I really think she did too."
Gerald just sighed and shook his head, trying to block out the image. "Okay, okay…so…uh…well, then, hey, you've got nothing to worry about. Maybe she does just need some time to adjust." He smiled encouragingly, closing his locker door.
Arnold smiled again too. "I know. I just have to be patient. But…hey, it's Helga. I've been learning how to be patient with her since preschool." He shrugged, seeming confident now. "I can make this work. If you and I and Helga could save the neighborhood, then anything's possible." A sudden look of determination came to his features. "In fact, maybe I'll make the first move and get things started right now with the two of us acting close together in front of people. I think it could help Helga if she saw me taking the first step."
Speaking of Helga, the girl in question was walking up the hall just now alongside Phoebe from the direction behind Arnold, and the two girls were actually passing the two boys at this moment.
As Helga went by, Arnold saw her. His features brightened and he took a step toward her and waved a hand. "Hi Helga. How are you? You look nice today."
Helga paused entirely for just a moment in her walking, her back to him, but then managed to resume and maintain her steady gait. She merely sighed over her shoulder, a hand going to her temple. "Football Head, I don't know what you're kissing up to me about, but I have a headache today so I'm not going to stuff you in a locker for that 'nice' crack, but please just take a picture, it'll last longer, okay?" And then she was on her way, Phoebe looking a touch concerned as she followed after her.
Gerald watched them go. "Wow. That went well." He looked back to his friend then blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Arnold?"
Arnold was looking after Helga in such confusion once again. Then he frowned a bit. "You know…" He took a deep breath. "I could lose my patience but…I'm not going to." A look of determination came to his face. "She wants to be nice to me and spend time together, I know she does. So I'm just going to keep being nice to her myself and encouraging her, no matter what."
Gerald looked hesitant, to say the least. "Are you sure that's the best thing to do, man? It seems like maybe she just wants a little space. Why don't you just give it to her like you usually do?"
Arnold shook his head. "No, no, this is personal, Gerald. I can do this, I know I can do this. Besides, she loves me," he couldn't help smiling a little, only a touch of a blush coming to his features. He shrugged, looking to his best friend. "What could go wrong?"
After school that day, Arnold, letting out a deep sigh and collapsing onto his bed in his room, knew the answer to that question.
'Everything. Everything could go wrong.'
He turned onto his back and gazed up at his ceiling and the sky with a look of frustration. "It's just the same as before the April Fools Dance—it's just the same as before I found out her secret. This whole day at school she acted like nothing's ever happened between us no matter how much I tried to be her friend." Well…okay, if Arnold did have to name one difference now between before the confession/dance and after, it was obvious. "She scowls at me less, I guess," he admitted to himself in perplexity. "She says the same things to me like she's a bully, but she doesn't scowl. She just gives me this blank look while she teases and pranks me…." Arnold let out a deep breath and tried to consider things more calmly. 'But I still like her. And I know she likes me too.' He imagined shapes in the clouds and let his reason try to make sense of things. "I know she's nervous about other people finding out how she feels. No one should say anything to her about it, but they'll tease her. I know they will, and so does she. And she cares a lot about what people think of her, a lot more than she says. And it's not like we ever officially agreed to act differently around each other in front of people." Arnold sat up on his bed, coming to a decision. "I like her. A lot. But maybe she's right…we can't expect people to understand, at least not right away. It even took me a while to understand." Arnold nodded to himself. 'I know she doesn't like bullying me even if she has to pretend to. I know deep down she loves me, and that's all that matters, and that one day she won't be afraid to show it.'
Just then there was a very light knocking against Arnold's skylight ceiling.
He blinked and looked up only to see Helga G. Pataki peeking in from near the entrance to his fire escape.
Arnold crawled across his bed and up his wall ladder, opening the glass panel. "Helga?" He raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?" he asked her curiously.
His female 'friend' blushed a little, giving a small shrug. "Uh, hey, Arnold. Can you come out here for a second? I promise it'll be quick."
Arnold nodded. "Um…sure." Helga backed up a little, and he climbed out of the window and onto the fire escape landing. "Did you need something?" he asked, a touch of concern and confusion still in his features.
Helga sighed deeply. Her tone was sincere, and her eyes wide and truthful as she spoke to him now. "Arnold, I know this is going to sound out of character for me, but I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for pushing you in school today and for calling you names and for shooting all those spitballs at you and for squirting you with the water fountain twice. I'm sorry for being a jerk, basically, even when you were clearly just trying to be nice to me today." She let out a breath as she finished, arms crossed over her chest, a light blush on her cheeks as she looked down contritely.
Arnold blinked. An apology from Helga G. Pataki—yes, that was definitely an out of character occurrence for her indeed. Arnold smiled as supportively as he could. "O-Oh, that. You don't have apologize, Helga," he did his best to reassure her. "I understand."
Helga blinked and raised part of her brow. "You do?"
Arnold nodded. "Sure." He leaned back on the rail of his fire escape a little, trying to seem casual. "You told me already that the idea of people knowing how close we are now and knowing that you more than like me makes you a little nervous, and things really are still a little hard to explain between us. Today whenever I tried to talk to you, I-I was just…trying to act like my usual self—you know, always being nice to you no matter what and putting up with anything you dish out to me. I guess I just maybe laid it on a little too thick." He shrugged, trying to look as honest as possible.
Helga still eyed him curiously. "I…are you sure, Arnold?" She frowned and scowled just a little. "Tell me the truth. Did you have a problem with how things went today?"
Arnold let out a breath and decided to split the difference between telling her exactly the truth and outright lying to protect her feelings. "Well…okay, maybe I was a little thrown off by the difference between how we could be together over the weekend when we were alone and how we ended up having to be together now when we're around our friends. I already told you I wouldn't mind being nice to each other in public. But you still bullying me really wasn't a huge surprise, and it really doesn't need an apology." He smiled sympathetically, moving closer to her. "We're both still getting used to things. And I want you to take as much time as you need before we start letting everyone know about how things have changed between us."
Helga bit her lip, looking at him hesitantly. "It might take me a while, Arnold. If it would help at all, instead of bullying you I could just ignore you." She frowned. "I'm sorry. That's the best I can come up with for now." Helga blushed a little and looked down. "Arnold, I love you, but I can't…I couldn't stand people mocking that love. And I couldn't stand them mocking you either, my beloved." Her blue eyes glanced up at him.
Arnold felt his smile grow and his face warm. He told her the complete truth now. "I understand, Helga. And it's okay…I know everything will work out right in the end. And I can be patient for it." He smiled a little more as he added warmly, "You were patient with me for seven years, after all."
A little smile of appreciation came to Helga's lips. "Aw…come here, you big lug!" Then she suddenly dove forward and caught him up in a bone-crushing hug.
Indeed, it was quite bone-crushing—Arnold was almost lifted off the ground by her action, and it took him a moment to catch his breath. "S-Sure, Helga, no problem," he replied back in a strained voice. "Um, Helga, not that your hugs aren't nice, but I can't breathe."
Helga released him finally and pulled back, looking sheepish. "Sorry, guess I don't know my own strength sometimes."
Arnold just smiled and straightened his shirt and sweater. "It's okay. You're…passionate. I like it." He clasped his hands together in front of himself. "I'm just glad we had this talk. I wouldn't want you feeling bad about anything."
"I wouldn't want you feeling bad either, Arnold," Helga added softly but sincerely, likewise with her hands clasped together. Then she sighed. "So…we're still definitely on for this weekend then at my house? Another date? Sunday maybe?"
Arnold nodded. "Of course, Helga."
Helga smiled and gave a small sigh of relief. "Perfect. I can't wait, Arnold." Her eyes went a little half lidded and her tone became a touch poetic. "Besides, it's maddening to me having to shove you and insult you all day when all I want to do is cradle you in my arms and soothe your fevered brow and kiss your boyish lips. My dreams no longer sustain me. I need you, Arnold, the real you. You're even better to be close to than I imagined, whether we're friends or something more."
Arnold blushed bashfully for a moment at her poetic interlude. "O-Oh, I…thank you…" An almost loving look came to his eyes. "I really like the real you too, Helga. It's been nice getting to know you a lot more. And I'm happier than I can say that you were the one helping me save the neighborhood last month."
Helga giggled a little. "Ah, quit sucking up, Football Head." She gave him a little nudge and winked. Then she sighed. "Well, I should probably get going—I promised Phoebe I'd meet her to throw rocks at a dumpster, and I've got some appointments to take care of and a whole night of mushy poetry writing and homework ahead of me. Bye for now, my beloved." She kissed the palm of her hand and blew it to him, giving him a coy little wave. "Try to make it through without me for a little while." She started to descend the fire escape.
Arnold came forward to watch her go, trying not to laugh. "Bye, Helga. And if you really do miss me too much, you can always dream about me again." He blushed a little. "I insist," he added playfully.
Helga just laughed to herself and shook her head as she dropped down to the street below. "I'll keep that option in mind, Arnold. Not the real thing but it is an incredible simulation." She chuckled more to herself, then started to walk off.
Arnold laughed a little too. He hesitated then called out to her. "Hey…Helga?"
She turned to look back at him just before exiting the alley. "Yeah, Arnold?"
His smile took on something serious. "Thank you for coming here and explaining things to me and apologizing even if you didn't have to. It was sweet of you. And I appreciate it a lot."
Helga blushed and smiled a little, though she tried to play it cool. "Yeah, well…I'm a bit mushy deep down inside, but you knew that, so sue me." She grinned. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, Football Head. And I'll try to mellow things a little." She winked up at him over her shoulder.
Arnold just smiled and gave her a little wave goodbye. "I'll see you then, Helga. And I'll be looking forward to however things are."
She gave him a little wave herself and then was off.
As soon as she was out of sight, Arnold sighed deeply to himself and frowned just a little. A lot was on his mind again suddenly. "Maybe I should have told her the whole truth about how today made me feel…" Disappointed and frustrated and sad and a little insulted on top of any compassion understanding he might have summoned regarding her behavior. "But I don't want her to feel bad. She loves me. And she's trying in her own way." He smiled to himself, trying to feel hopeful. "I'll just give it a little time. I know she'll do the right thing. And I can be okay with pretending not to like each other in public." He started to climb back inside to his room. "Keeping a secret…hiding things from our closest friends…worrying about getting caught…" His smile had a touch of nervousness to it. "I-It'll be fine. I can do those things…for Helga. It'll be just like having a secret crush, and I've had those before so…no big deal." Arnold dropped down to his bed and let out a breath. "I saved an entire neighborhood a few weeks ago—I can handle trying to date Helga G. Pataki, no problem." He nodded confidently to himself.
Safe in his denial and optimism, Arnold started to go about his homework in an attempt to occupy his thoughts for the moment.
The rest of the school week passed in a way not dissimilar to how Monday had gone. Helga didn't pick on Arnold in particular unless of course something (an accidental bumping into each other in the hall, getting partnered up in class, Arnold coming up to bat while she was playing catcher during baseball practice) shoved them together. In such cases, Helga would be insulting to him as usual…though in a slightly less unnecessarily excessive way than she had ever been before her confession, and with much less malice in her eyes. And each time moments like these happened, Arnold just did his best to let things go and bear the façade, though he had to admit he found tolerating Helga's hostile behavior now much more difficult than he ever had before in their lives.
Then again, before her confession Arnold had merely assumed Helga only knew how to relate to people in a sort of defensive way, and so he had found no reason to take her hostility toward him personally and no reason to expect anything better from her on a regular basis. Now, however, he knew she could relate to people so comfortably, so sincerely, even passionately…and he knew how peaceful and satisfying it was to have her treat him better. She didn't even have to dote on him affectionately—he just wanted a little civility, a smile, a nod of friendship. Maybe she was hyper-aware about her reputation and how other people might on their relationship together, but Arnold, despite trying to respect her wishes on the matter, really couldn't help but feel deep down that she was being ridiculous. Every one of their friends had their own problems (Arnold knew that for a fact since they were all always coming to him about them), and none of them would probably even tune in to Helga not snapping at Arnold all of the time anymore. Heck, he didn't think any of them would really do anything that bad even if they actually found out Helga and himself were considering a romantic relationship together. Oh, sure, there might be some good natured teasing, maybe a few stifled laughs in the cafeteria for a while, but really he was sure it would die down quickly and then people would be on to the next big social situation—a fight, an awkward moment, a new popular pursuit.
Yet still, Arnold decided, despite how over the top he found Helga's need to conceal their liking of each other so completely, he really would continue to try and be patient for however long she needed him to be. He could accept the challenge of this relationship they had, and he believed he could make it work. In the end, he just liked being close to Helga—he liked getting to know who she really was, he liked that they could relate now, and he wanted to keep their friendship deepening. Though only a little bit of time had passed, he actually somehow already couldn't imagine not having her to talk to sometimes.
It was Sunday now, they day Arnold and Helga had set aside for another get together, and Arnold stood just outside of Helga G. Pataki's brownstone where he had been going over all of these thoughts in his mind once more if for no other reason than to remind himself to be happy at having found such an enjoyable companion in Helga instead of just frustrated or upset with how their relationship had so many strings attached. Satisfied and optimistic as ever now, he let out a deep, centering breath and then reached out to ring the doorbell to Helga's house.
The doorbell buzzed, and Arnold waited patiently.
Her heard a muffled call from inside. "Miriam, would you get that, I'm watching the wheel and waiting for my new beeper commercial to go on!"
"Mmm…okay, Bob, okay…"
"I'll get it!" Helga's voice definitely, and much clearer than the other two. "I'll get it, crimeny, just give me one second!"
Suddenly the door was opened, Arnold blinked and was about to smile and say hi to Helga, but then he found himself suddenly grabbed by the arm by her and instantly pulled up the steps to her room.
Once they got upstairs, Helga pulled Arnold inside of her pink room very quickly, closed the door behind them, and then rested against it, letting out a few deep breaths.
Helga tried to resume her normal calm before her actions could seem TOO suspicious to Arnold. 'Crimeny, I don't want him getting close to Bob and Miriam. They aren't like his wacky but loveable family—he'll just feel sorry for me if he sees how they are most of the time. My parents suck on a regular basis—I get it, I accept it, I deal with it. No need to have the Football Head becoming a worry wart over it.' Helga let out a final deep breath and then plastered a smile on her face and stepped away from the door. "Hey, Football Head—sorry about the quick trip up here. Uh…Bob and Miriam are kind of a bore, I just thought you might want to skip introductions with them. Besides, if you started getting them talking, they'd never leave us alone, heh." She rubbed the back of her neck and glanced away sheepishly.
Arnold was still kind of trying to get used to having been outside five seconds ago and now suddenly upstairs in the Pataki brownstone. But at her words he blinked a few times and tried to smile as he came to the present moment. "Oh, uh, that's all right, Helga. Besides, you're the one I came here to see, and I know it can be a little…embarrassing trying to explain to our families how close we've gotten." He still felt funny about such explanations himself around his grandparents and the boarders. Adults always made such a big deal out of things.
Helga nodded, relaxing a little. "Yeah, exactly. I'd just rather spend time with you and not have to involve the two of them, that's all." She swallowed and walked past him away from the door, rubbing one of her arms.
Arnold watched her with just a touch of curiosity. He could tell there was maybe a little something more bothering her about this topic, but decided not to press it. Patience was his motto with her—she would tell him when she was ready just like she would start acting nicer to him all the time when she was ready.
Helga sat on the edge of her bed now and glanced around, giving a shrug and then looking to Arnold. "So, um…anyway, glad to have you here, and this is the place, Football head. Not the most intimidating room, I guess, but it serves my needs."
Arnold smiled a little more and moved a few steps closer to her, taking a good glance around now, which he had really never done the few other times he had been in her room. "Oh…yeah, Helga, it's nice. Very pink…" He tried not to chuckle. "I like it." Then his eyes went back to her on the bed where she sat on a pink and purple comforter with a few pink pillows to her right at the head of the bed and a couple of stuffed dolls to her left at the end of the bed.
Then the fact suddenly hit Arnold that he was alone with a girl in her room—an event which had never happened to him, at least not in a romantic sense. The closest he had ever gotten was…come to think of it, it was a couple of weeks ago when he had come up here to get Helga during the celebratory block party for saving the neighborhood…the time when he had finally known her secret and he had caught her dreaming about him. He felt very bashful all of a sudden and wasn't sure where to look or what to do with his hands. He settled for crossing his arms over his chest and looking away from Helga.
Helga watched Arnold with interest. "Arnold…you okay?"
Arnold sighed. Telling her something that wasn't the truth wasn't an option—he knew she knew him too well not to see through any excuse he might make up. It would just be a waste of their time together. "I'd rather not talk about it," he merely mumbled, hoping avoiding the topic might suffice if a lie wouldn't.
Helga tilted her head to the side curiously. "Are you sure?" she gently prompted.
Arnold nodded, looking up at her with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I'm sure. Um…is there a place I could sit?"
Helga blinked and raised part of her brow. "Well, how about next to me here?" she patted an empty space alongside her on the edge of her bed. "I don't bite after all, and this private time is the only chance we have to be close to each other without me having to insult you to throw other people off the scent of us." She grinned in a touch of amusement.
Arnold tried not to let a touch of annoyance come through. Instead he sighed and attempted smiled. "Um…well…okay, I guess…" He could feel his face heating up with blushing, and he hated it. 'Why do I have to blush like that every time I feel embarrassed? Everyone can always tell when something's bothering me and especially Helga.' He finally did come forward and sit down beside her on the bed. Then Arnold took a deep breath and tried to smile normally as he spoke to her. "So…how's your week been, Helga? It was nice of you to stop by my house every day after school and apologize to me about how things are." His gaze softened with sincerity. "I appreciate it."
Helga still eyed him curiously but then just sighed and smiled too. 'He'll tell me if something's upsetting him when he's ready.' "Sure, Arnold, no problem. And, oh, I can't complain about my week, I guess—goofed around, wrote some poetry, spent some time with Phoebe, thought about how nice it is that the bus accident after FTi clearly rendered you totally insane so that suddenly you find me of all people interesting and captivating and worthy of your boyish attentions. That kind of thing."
Arnold's grin picked up a little on one side. "Helga…" He tried not to laugh.
She rolled her eyes, grinning more. "Oh don't 'Helga' me, Arnold. Come on—look at everything that's happened so far. There's been dating and kissing and giggling and friendship promises and secret rendezvouses all between two people who supposedly couldn't stand each other a short time ago—you can't tell me some form of 'football' head trauma didn't contribute to that." She gave him a little nudge.
Arnold couldn't help laughing just a little. "Well, you do make a good point, Helga—unless of course you're the one with the head trauma." He raised an eyebrow, smirking at her just a little. "After all, the last time you got hit on the head you not only got amnesia but you were kind and affectionate and very sweet to me—for all I know, you got hit on the head again at some point when you were sneaking around and spying on me, and I'm going to lose this interesting girl I've gotten to know over the last couple of weeks the second you bump your head again."
Helga just smirked back at him, leaning in a bit closer. "Ah, but even if my sudden revelation of my love to you was caused by some head trauma of my own, why would I have been spying on you and helping you and making sure you were safe in the first place unless I really had loved you forever?"
Arnold smiled more. "I guess I can't argue with that." He leaned in a little closer too.
"Oh please," she scoffed, eyes a little hazed in affection, "You could never argue with me at all, period. I always win a battle of words, you mild mannered little shrimp."
Arnold sighed and playfully rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Helga, whatever you say…"
"Ugh, I love when you give in to me," she couldn't help but coo.
"And I actually love that all I have to do to make you stop fighting with me is give in to you," Arnold couldn't help adding with a light blush.
They were quiet for moment.
Then they both couldn't help suddenly breaking into warm, blushing laughter together.
Helga leaned back on her arms. "Wow, we are so weird—I'm pretty sure flirting and fighting and witty banter aren't all supposed to be able to occur at once. And I'm pretty sure it's unusual for two people to like best when they can each make each other shut up."
Arnold just shrugged. "I never minded how we would 'fight', before or now. And it's kind of nice when we both shut up…when I stop talking all about what's right and what's wrong, and when you stop announcing all of your opinions and demands. Then we just get to enjoy our time together and maybe understand each other a little better." His smile pulled up a little at one corner of his mouth as he looked down shyly.
"And we get to kiss," Helga added 'innocently,' sitting up. "There's that too." Her grin picked up on one side.
Arnold sighed deeply and blushed more. "Yeah…that too." He swallowed. "Kissing is nice."
"Hmm, you're telling me." She nudged up against him and then turned her head so that they were eye-to-eye, foreheads gently pressed together. She smiled.
Arnold's green eyes went wide and rosy circles blossomed on his cheeks.
Helga giggled. "Awfully skittish this afternoon, aren't you?" she asked softly.
"Sorry," Arnold replied back quietly, eyes still wide. "I just, um…I'm still getting used to…and I've never really been alone with a girl in her room before." His face felt on fire. 'Why can't I ever lie and especially to her?'
Helga blinked at this information. But then she smiled in understanding. "Oh, so that's why you were a bit shy when we got up here. I swear, you are too cute, Football Head…" She came forward and gently kissed his lips.
Arnold closed his eyes tightly and felt his heart racing while his mind just tried to sort out how he had gotten here at this point in his life, alone with a girl in her room and the object of Helga G. Pataki's affections and actually kissing (an act which he was pretty sure most of the sixth graders hadn't even done yet). It was all too much to sort out at once though, and so he just sighed and let it go and kissed her in return now.
Soon enough their mouths gently separated and they opened their eyes to gaze at each other, smiling.
"Feel a little more relaxed, Football Head?" Helga grinned a little.
Arnold nodded. "Yeah, actually. I really do. And thanks, Helga…that was nice." He glanced down shyly. "You know, I…" He sighed. "Never mind, it sounds too stupid."
"Oh, well, now of course I have to hear it," Helga announced, looking at him with interest. "What is it? Come on, Football Head, you can trust me—it's not like you don't have the biggest dirt on me in the world after all." She smirked a little.
Arnold's smile picked up on one side. "Okay…well…about saving the neighborhood, everyone sort of tried to say that I was a hero, but all I really felt like was a person who just did his best to do the right thing and luckily managed to have it work out in the end. But ever since everything with you, I feel like maybe I'm not just a kid who got lucky. Maybe I was sort of like a hero a little…. After all, along with all the adventurous stuff they do, and like I did, heroes always seem to get the girl. And for once I actually got the girl." He felt so warm with blushing and embarrassed to admit the thought, but he couldn't help smiling ear to ear. "It sounds stupid, I know."
Helga just watched him with wide eyes of interest, a blush on her features. "I'm…the girl. And you got me…" She looked forward. Then a very small laugh escaped her. "I…wow…I'm the girl and you got me."
"See," Arnold sighed and shrugged, "It sounds really embarrassing when you say it out loud. Forget I mentioned it."
"No, no," Helga assured, holding up a hand. "It's not stupid…I mean, no stupider than maybe, let's say…me thinking I was sort of the hero of the day too and in part because when the dust had settled I got the guy. Swept you right off your feet, after all, and straight through the air on a flying bus."
Arnold looked to her, smiling more. "I guess great minds think alike then."
A soft smile of appreciation came to Helga's lips. "You are such a kiss up, Football Head."
The two of them sighed softly. Then Helga rolled her eyes and nudged him hard in the shoulder. "All right, all right, enough with the corny mushy stuff already. Anyway, how has your week been, Arnold?"
Arnold blinked. "Huh?"
Helga explained. "Our conversation spiraled off from you asking me about how my week had been and me answering. So now I'm bringing us back to the start of things and asking you how your week's been. Anything interesting I should know about?"
"Oh," Arnold shrugged. "Well…no, not really, I guess." 'If we could just act nice to each other in front of everyone and spend time together, you'd know how my week was already.' Arnold pushed aside the somewhat selfish thought. "Everything's starting to die down now about the saving the neighborhood thing, so at least things are getting back to normal. I'm just grateful for that."
Helga nodded. "Yeah, it's nice to feel like everything's getting back to normal after all of that insanity."
Arnold nodded too. He was quiet for a moment, considering, and then he asked her, "Helga, did you have anything particular you wanted to do today now that we finally have some time together again?"
Helga blinked at that question. Then she looked forward. Then she let out a breath. "Honestly…I'd kind of like to go out somewhere. 'Out' out, you know?"
Arnold blinked now. "Really?" 'But how…'
Helga nodded. "Yeah. Don't get me wrong, our cozy, private date in your room last week was nice." She smiled softly. "It was perfect, in fact—everything I ever wanted a first date to be, very formal and personal and intimate. But if we're going to make hanging out together a regular thing, and especially if we're taking things slowly and not really sure yet where things are going to end up between us, something a lot more casual is more my style." She looked at him, a touch of sheepishness coming to her features. "I don't mind getting dolled up every now and again like for the April Fool's Dance of last Valentine's Day, but mostly I'd just like to spend time with you doing normal things. And I'm a pretty extroverted person for the most part, Football Head, so most normal things I'd like to do would involve going 'out' out." She smiled a little. "I'd like to see a baseball game or stop by a wrestling match or go to Dino Land or catch a movie or drop by Slausens again for a sundae, you know? And especially now that you saved the whole neighborhood, might as well get out there and enjoy it, right?" She shrugged.
Arnold's smile grew and he nodded in full enthusiasm, his green eyes bright. "I agree, Helga. Completely. Not every time that we spend together needs to be as formal as last week with our date, and it would really be great to spend time together just doing normal things as two friends who have gotten really close." His eyes grew a little hazed and he picked up one of her hands. "I'm just so happy that you're getting comfortable with the idea of us being close in public and maybe even in front of our friends." After all, their friends did frequent a lot of the activities Helga was suggesting—they were bound to see the happy duo out and about at some point.
"Whoa, whoa, what?" Helga blinked, raising part of her brow in confusion. "Arnold, sheesh, slow down." She took her hand from his. "I didn't quite mean I was ready to put my giggly, sweet, lovesick self on display for all of our friends from now on."
Arnold frowned a little and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "So…what did you mean?"
Helga shrugged. "Well, that…that I'd just like to be out there and that I'm an outgoing person, but…there's still the problem of us and what people would say, of course."
Arnold couldn't help frowning a little more. "It doesn't matter what people would say, Helga," he offered sincerely. "So you 'like' like me and I like getting to know you. It doesn't matter if people have something to say about that."
Helga smiled a little but shook her head. "Arnold, that's sweet of you, but it does matter in a way…" 'They'd tear me to pieces, but I could live with that…. It's what they would do to you, my beloved Arnold, that I couldn't bear.' She let out a breath, putting aside her worry for a moment to resume one of her usual, confident smiles. "Look, don't worry, Football Head, you're dealing with a pro here—I'll think of a way for us to keep our secret and still not be trapped in your room or my room. I've gotten out of much trickier situations than this one and only failed once—you remember, my confession? Only time I completely blew it." She assured him with a nod. "I've just got to consider everything for a moment." And then she lay back on her bed, legs still hanging over the side and arms behind her head, and gazed up at the ceiling to think through the situation.
Arnold let out a small sigh, looking down at the floor with a frown he couldn't help. He just felt bothered. 'It's almost like she's embarrassed about me…ashamed of loving me… Maybe she never meant it when she told me she hated me all those times over the years but maybe deep down she actually did hate just a little that she loved me…' He sighed again. 'It's not even like I'm asking her to act like she loves me in public. Even I couldn't handle being called 'beloved' and being kissed in front of everyone we know.' He blushed at the notion. 'But what's so wrong with us just spending time together out in the open and being close even as friends?' He sighed again. 'Maybe I really should say something to her and tell her how I feel.' He looked to Helga and opened his mouth.
But then Arnold paused. He watched her instead.
Helga was still lying on her back. And, as she worked out the problem of the two of them being seen together, she gazed up at her ceiling intently, seeming both lost in the sight of what was above her as well as deep in thought about the issue at hand.
Arnold's features softened. 'That's…That's exactly how I am when I think about problems. I lie down on my bed and look up at the sky and get lost…' They were so much alike in the strangest ways. She felt like more than a bully or the girl who loved him right now—she felt like an old friend whom he had always cared for in a special way deep down. Relating to her like this, he felt closer to her than ever before. She was smart but more than smart—she was clever in a way very complimentary to his. And to watch that cleverness in action softened his heart and resolve a little. 'I'm not happy with the way things are now…but I'm also not used to having a girl like me let alone love me. And I don't know how much of a strain all of this has been on Helga over the years. And she's trying in her own way.' She really had come to him every single day after school this past week and apologized to him for her behavior after all. 'I won't push her. I couldn't even if I wanted to.'
Arnold glanced away and considered for a moment. Then he opened his mouth to make a suggestion. "Why don't we skip baseball practice one day after school…like the first practice we have this week, the one on Wednesday?"
Helga blinked and glanced over at him. "Huh?"
Arnold shrugged and explained his sudden statement. "When it's time for baseball practice, we know where all of our friends are and we know that they're all in the same place and that they'll stay there for at least an hour or two until practice is over. So if we skipped practice one day, then we could go 'out' out together to the movies or the park or something, and no one we knew would see us."
Helga sat up, raising part of her brow. "But if we both skip practice, don't you think everyone'll get suspicious?"
Arnold smiled more and gave her a bit of a look. "Well, I'm sure their first thought isn't going to be that you confessed you love me and we're trying to have a date together, Helga."
Helga glanced to the side and considered. "Well…" she smiled a little too, "Maybe you've got a point… but we couldn't make it too regular of a thing." She grinned at him playfully. "I just never expected the suggestion to play hooky and deceive all of our friends to come from you, Football Head. Am I rubbing off on you that much already?"
Arnold blushed a little and rolled his eyes. "Helga, could you maybe try not putting it like that, or at least using different words than 'hooky' and 'deceive'—otherwise I'll feel too guilty while we're doing it to have any fun."
Helga chuckled. "Point taken, goody two shoes. Okay then, I meant 'we'll privately take some legitimately earned time off together away from our peers.' " She moved a bit closer to him on her bed. "Thanks for the suggestion, Arnold…and for meeting me half way about keeping things a secret. I appreciate it." She leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek.
He smiled shyly and blushed quite rosy as she pulled away from him.
Helga chuckled. "Wow, being in a girl's room really does get you all flustered, doesn't it, Football Head?"
Arnold swallowed and looked down a little more, his smile growing. "It's not…entirely that."
"Something else I should know about that's putting your shy, modest nature into overdrive?" she asked with a touch of amusement.
Arnold let out a small sigh. "Lately you keep…thanking me for things and apologizing about things and telling me you care about me and telling me how grateful you are that I've been taking everything lately so well." He looked at her. "I've never seen you this polite and considerate in our whole lives…and I like when you're passionate and outspoken, but I also like polite and considerate in general. It's attractive to me…a little."
Helga blinked at the admission. Then she smiled and looked down a little shyly herself. "Yeah, well…" her voice was a murmur, "If you ever tell anybody else about my mushy, good hearted, considerate center, I'll pound you. Just so you know."
Arnold's grin picked up a little on one side. "Sure, Helga, whatever you say."
They shared a small laugh together.
Arnold sighed. "So, um…what would you like to do with the rest of our time together today, Helga?"
Helga considered. "Want to hang around here until dinner time when all of our friends'll be home, then tell our families we're eating out and go to the boardwalk for food and sodas and some games?"
Arnold blinked and smiled in interest. "Sure, Helga. That's a good idea."
"Hey," she shrugged, "You inspired it, Football Head. For now though…" she glanced to the clock on her nightstand, "we've got about an hour to kill. Anything particular you wanted to do until then?"
Arnold considered. "We could go downstairs and you could introduce me to your parents, if you're ready." He blushed a little. "You don't have to tell them details about what's going on between us. I know it's awkward but…well, aren't they going to have questions if we just stay up here and then sneak out after we snuck up here in the first place? And especially if we do that a lot?" He raised an eyebrow.
Helga bit her lip and glanced to the side. "Heh, um…well, you make a point, Arnold, but I think it would be best to just avoid Bob and Miriam overall. I mean, I'd really rather just avoid Bob and Miriam overall."
Arnold frowned a little. He couldn't help asking the question. "Why, Helga?"
She sighed and her tone and features grew firm. "I don't want to talk about it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I just don't want to go downstairs and bring you along to pal around with them…at all…okay?"
Arnold knew when Helga put up defensive walls like this it was better not to push her too much. 'She'll come around and explain things to me when she's ready.' "Okay Helga," he offered fairly. "If that's what you want. Do you have any games up here that we could play or something instead maybe?" He smiled encouragingly.
Helga nodded and stood up. "Sure." She looked at him with a smile slowly returning to normal. "How about some checkers?"
Arnold smiled a little more. "You don't have chess, do you?"
Helga blinked but then waved him off and went over to her closet. "Nah, too many rules. I never had the patience to learn it."
"I'll teach you sometime if you want," Arnold offered with a smile. Then he thought more and added, "What about Chinese checkers?"
"Oh, wow, I haven't played that in years, but, yeah, I think I have a board somewhere. Sounds like fun, Football Head!" she called out to him from deep within her closet.
"Yeah," Arnold nodded, smiling warmly. "It does sound like fun." Fun with Helga G. Pataki—what he had been wanting for weeks now.
The two of them enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon together.
A little later that evening, Helga and Arnold were just sitting at a table on the mostly deserted boardwalk watching the sunset over the water of City Lake while eating hot dogs and French fries out of cheap paper containers.
Helga nodded to something Arnold had just said. She sipped some of her soda and then replied to him. "You're right, you're right…however rude I never mind being, we really can't just not show up to practice without saying a word. We need excuses beforehand. It'll seem less weird without excuses anyway. And I know making excuses before hand will make you feel better about everything, you goody two shoes." She smiled and rolled her eyes.
Arnold smiled too, wiping his face with his napkin. "It would help, yes. And it really will make things seem less strange to everyone else. "
Helga nodded, munching on a french fry. "So do you want to make some announcement to everybody like a recess or something on Tuesday about missing practice this Wednesday? Or…well, if we did that we'd really have to do separate announcements, otherwise we'll seem like we're coordinating, so I could do mine Monday and you could do yours Tuesday."
Arnold considered but shook his head after taking a sip of his soda. "I don't think we need to complicate things that much. We can just do what we'd normally probably do if we had to miss practice—tell one of our friends. You can tell Phoebe and I'll tell Gerald that you and I are just…" Arnold paused, his eyes going wide. He realized suddenly that while he was pretty sure Phoebe must know something about Helga's feelings and had accepted the fact already, Helga didn't know about Gerald knowing anything about what had been going on between them lately. How to tell her…and more importantly how would she take it? "Um…Helga…" Arnold started, smiling innocently, actually trying to seem endearing and a little charming, he realized, in hopes she would take pity on him. "Can I tell you something?"
Helga just sighed, her eyes a little closed as her grin picked up on one side. She finished a bite of her hot dog. "Let me guess—you already blabbed my secret to tall hair boy?"
Arnold blinked and blushed furiously. "I…but…how did…?" He sighed deeply, putting a hand to his head. "I'm sorry."
Helga just waved him off, finishing another sip of her soda. "Eh, don't sweat it, Football Head." She smiled and glanced at him. "Phoebe told me that she and Geraldo caught us after the April Fool's dance doing all of that flirting in the pool. I blame us both." She rolled her eyes. "You never could keep a secret, and I've gotten very sloppy now that I don't have to worry about you finding out my secret anymore. You probably didn't have to confirm it for Gerald as you clearly did at some point…" She gave him a bit of a look, though she was still smiling. "But, like I said, I know deception isn't your strong suit, and Gerald hasn't started parading up and down the neighborhood making me into the most embarrassing urban legend ever…and it looks like him knowing might come in handy for us so…I'm cool with it." She shrugged. "You tell Gerald what we're doing, I'll tell Phoebe, and they'll deliver our excuses for us on Wednesday, simple as that."
Arnold watched her with an appreciative smile that turned a touch sheepish. "Delivering excuses isn't the only thing Gerald can come in handy for about all of this."
Helga raised part of her brow at him.
Arnold went on, taking a sip of his soda and barely glancing at her. "Last weekend after, um…you know, after the dance and what happened after the dance…and then we talked and decided on a first, official real date…I was sort of nervous."
Helga's brow went up a little more as she listened.
Arnold noticed and sighed. "Okay, I was terrified." He looked down a little. "I know this seems kind of weird after the kind of 'friendship' we've had together all these years—the fights and the frustrations…but I…I really do like you, I've always liked you, and I especially do now after what I've gotten to know about you ever since saving the neighborhood." His smile softened into something a little more serious. "I just wanted more than anything else for you to like me too. After all, I'm not exactly the best when it comes to girls."
"Yes, you do tank with the ladies frequently," Helga observed, her grin growing a little.
Arnold gave her a bit of a look but then went on with a sigh and a smile. "I just didn't want you getting to know me and realizing that I couldn't live up to your expectations of me. So I started to panic a little at the idea of an actual date, but Gerald calmed me down. Believe me, if he hadn't helped, nothing would have gone as smoothly as it did last weekend." He smiled at her.
Helga smiled in return. "Well, I'll have to thank him then." She sighed and moved a little closer to him. "You know, I've been nervous too..." She shrugged and looked down. "Of course, you tell anyone that ever and I'll 'kill' you." Her smile picked up on one side. Then she went on seriously again. "I'm not very good at opening up to people—I never trust anyone enough. And people can hurt you when you let them get too close." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw him frowning. "But you never hurt me, Arnold, not even when we're this close. You've never hurt me no matter what I've done to you." She smiled appreciatively. "I trust you, I…even if none of this weird dating thing we're doing works out, I think I'd still want to be friends, close friends…I'm just happy when I'm with you. You know?" She rubbed the back of her neck.
Arnold nodded, understanding. He took a deep breath. "Helga, I really can't say if I'm ever going to feel the exact way about you that you feel about me, or even if the feelings I think I have now are going to keep being as strong as they are. But I'd like to stay close too no matter what." He smiled a little again. "You're special…and, um…special to me." He blushed a little, trying not to smile too sheepishly. "I just feel like it's right that we should be close. I don't know, maybe I always felt like that a little. I'm just happy we can talk like this now." He glanced out to the sunset. "I don't even feel nervous anymore…" He swallowed and then let his hand come down to rest on Helga's on the table bench they shared. "And I just want you to know, no matter what happens…you're a really cool girl, Helga. Any guy would be lucky to have you give him a kiss on a rooftop."
Helga sighed softly and blushed lightly too. "Y-You know, I think I'm actually starting to not regret confessing my guts out to you on that rooftop. I think I'm actually starting to be really grateful I did it. Heck, I'm even starting to regret not having done it sooner." She took a deep breath, getting her blushing under control and returning her tone to something casual. "But what's past is past, I guess. And at least now everything just feels like smooth sailing." She moved her hand against his and rested her head against his shoulder a little.
They were quiet together for a few peaceful sunset filled moments.
Then Helga sighed. "Not that I'm not grateful that we're both comfortable around each other now and not that I'm not savoring a calm evening together like this one, but I think you and I always have more fun together when there's a little mayhem involved." She sat up and looked at him and smirked. "How about when we play hooky from practice we head to Dino Land and sit front row on every terrifying ride we can think of together?"
Arnold blinked and almost laughed a little. "Well…sure, okay, why not? Are you sure you can handle that?" He raised an eyebrow—some of the rides at Dino Land were a little intense after all, and also he was sort of flashing back to trying to go on the bigger rides with Lila during the last Cheese Festival and how sick she had gotten and quickly.
Helga just smirked at him more and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hey, I survived Geraldo's insane bus ride through the city to save the neighborhood—Helga G. Pataki can always take a licking and keep on ticking. Unless you think you can't handle it," she couldn't help but challenge playfully.
Arnold grinned a little more. "I can handle it. It sounds like just the type of fun we like best."
Helga nodded. "Perfect, it's a date then." She kissed him on the cheek. Then she stood up and gave a stretch and a yawn. "Meanwhile, though…maybe you could walk me home now, Football Head? I'm bushed."
Arnold nodded and stood up, giving a little yawn too. "Sure, Helga, let's go." He gestured forward with his arm and bowed just a little. "Ladies first."
Helga blinked and blushed but went on ahead of him, making sure to roll her eyes and smile as she did so though. "Oh brother, don't tell me you're going to start pulling out my chair for me and throwing your sweater over mud puddles for me to walk over, Football Head. Yikes, what the heck did I start with all of this?" She shook her head, laughing to herself.
Arnold straightened up and followed after her. "What's wrong with letting you go first?" He smiled and shrugged. "After all, you're a lady." He blushed a little.
Helga blushed more. "O-Oh…stop trying to flatter me, Arnold…" was all she could manage to mumble, though her eyes grew hazed and her smile soft and sweet.
Arnold noticed. His smile grew sweeter too. "Whatever you say, Helga." 'She's so…different. Passionate one minute then funny the next then angry the next and then…shy.' He sighed softly. 'Who knew?'
Arnold and Helga finished the walk back to Helga's house in gentle and peaceful silence, arriving at her stoop to say their goodbyes just as the sun finished setting and the streetlights came on to dot the night.
Later that night just before bedtime, Arnold was lying in his bed in his pajamas trying to read a book (but mostly stopping every few sentences, letting out a deep sigh and looking up at his skylight ceiling to do some thinking), when a light knock met his ears.
Arnold put his book down and sat up a little more. "Come in," he called out, glancing to the door.
The door opened and his Grandpa shuffled in, wearing his familiar nightshirt and nightcap. "Hey, Shortman, just wanted to wish you sweet dreams. Oh and to bring you a tray of 'bedtime snack' cookies to share with me." He produced a tray from behind him and smiled more. "Got your Grandma to make these in a rare lucid moment—they're normal chocolate chip and without a raspberry in sight, heh heh!"
Arnold smiled and lay back down on his pillows, looking up to the sky again. "Thanks, Grandpa." He gave a small yawn, unable to help himself. "Maybe you could just leave some cookies here for me instead though? I'm a lot more tired than I am hungry right now." He stretched.
Phil rested the cookie tray on his Grandson's nightstand and sat on the edge of his bed. "No cookies, huh? You must be tired. Still getting over the excitement of saving the neighborhood?" He smiled a little.
Arnold shrugged, sitting up a bit again. "Sort of…but it's something else too." He considered. "It's funny, Grandpa. I tried to help the neighborhood because I didn't want anything to change…but no matter how perfectly everything worked out, some things did change anyway." He rested his head on his fist.
Phil smiled a little more. "Well, it's good to try and hold on to things you love, Arnold. But change is what life's all about, and some of it is just bound to happen and you have to make the best of it that you can." An all-knowing look came to his features. " This is about your little friend with the pink bow and one eyebrow, isn't it, Shortman?"
Arnold both blushed and smiled just a little. "How did you guess?"
Phil's grin picked up on one side and he shook his head. "Well…catching you two smooching on the couch after your little post-dance date sleepover the other night did tip me off a bit." He chuckled a little. "She's really got you hooked, hasn't she, Shortman? I told you she liked you."
Arnold blushed more and glanced to the side. "It's sort of complicated, Grandpa. But…yes, she does like me—like me like me. And I…well…" he thought very hard about it, "I never really imagined something like this actually happening with her, but now that it has, I really like it. She's a really interesting girl to get to know, Grandpa." He blushed a little more. "I almost think that eventually I could close to kind of feeling about her how she feels about me. I already care about her…a lot…actually."
Phil smiled and shrugged. "So what's the problem? I know you like to be responsible, Shortman, but you really can't go overthinking this too much without taking all the fun out of it. The girl likes you and you like the girl—I say you two just enjoy yourselves already, for Pete's sake."
Arnold sighed and looked up at his ceiling again. "But there is a problem, Grandpa…more than one, I think. Her feelings are very intense. They're overwhelming to me sometimes, and I'm not really sure how to handle them. But that's not even the biggest problem. It seems like everything should be simple now that I know how she feels about me and she knows I'm sort of starting to feel the same. But trying to be close to Helga isn't turning out to be simple at all." He lost his smile a little. "She…" he sighed, "It's hard to describe. She likes…she more than likes me…but I don't think she completely likes that she likes me, in a romantic way or even just as friends. I think it almost bothers her a little, and that she's actually embarrassed by how she feels about me." Arnold sighed and just focused on the stars overhead again. "I almost think she'd be happier if she didn't have any feelings about me at all."
Phil considered deeply and now did his best to reassure his grandson. "Now, Arnold, you of all young people know it can be a little embarrassing to have a crush, let alone to have people find out you have a crush and especially to have the person you have a crush on find out. I'm sure she doesn't mean to make you feel like she's ashamed of you or anything." He smiled encouragingly.
Arnold sat up a bit on his pillows and gave his grandfather a bit of a dry look. "She won't admit to anyone else that we're friends, let alone how she feels about me. She only talks to me at school to insult me so that no one will suspect she actually likes me. Every single one of our 'dates' involves sneaking around to avoid being seen by any of our friends. And today she acted like introducing me to her parents was the most horrible thing in the world that she could think of."
"Ooo…" Phil grimaced a little. "That is a little rough, short man. You tried talking to her about it yet?"
Arnold sighed and shrugged. "No. I know I should, but I don't want to pressure her, Grandpa. Besides, maybe I can't blame her for not really knowing what to say to people. Like I said, things are…still a little complicated. I'm not even sure yet what we're becoming exactly."
Now it was Phil's turn to give Arnold a bit of a dry look and also a wry little grin. "Shortman, two weeks ago you took her to a dance and then came back here to kiss her and fall asleep hugging her. Everyone in this house knows what you're becoming exactly."
Arnold blushed a lot. "Grandpa, it's really not that simple. That was just…" He didn't want to say 'the heat of the moment' because it really hadn't been—it had been the result of her surprise confession followed by his sudden desire right after it to be close to her followed by a week of trying hopelessly to pretend like he hadn't discovered something wonderful about her followed by, well…some intense dance together followed by a calmly decided plan to return to his house together at the end of that night. He had wanted that evening of emotion and passion, thought it through a bit as the whole thing had been progressing, and consented to it all with full awareness of the potential consequences. "We were just trying something new. But nothing's definite. I'd need a lot more time before I can be sure about exactly how I feel about her, and…I need to feel like she doesn't see liking me as something wrong." He frowned just a little.
Phil nodded, rubbing his chin. "Mmm hmm, I see… And that's understandable, Arnold. Besides, you've always been a very open young lad—it makes sense if you're not too comfortable with all the secrecy. Let me ask you this though—if Helga wasn't acting so secretive and embarrassed, if you could put that aside for a second, how do you think you'd be feeling about her and what's going on between you two?"
Arnold blushed just a little more and looked down at his blankets. "Well…Helga wants something kind of intense from me, but I'm not really ready to give her something like that, I don't think. I just want to keep getting to know her… We really understand each other." He smiled warmly to himself. "And she's smart and funny and creative and really passionate and really cool and…kind of sweet…and she's cute…and I like talking to her." He blushed a little more and smiled a little more as well, giving a small shrug. "She feels like an old friend I never realized I had…but, she's a girl. And she's a little in love with me." He blushed a little more. "I guess I'd be feeling confused about how we are together now but…kind of excited too if there was really nothing else to worry about. And I'd be curious about where things could go from there."
Phil just smiled down at him in an understanding way. "Shortman," he put a hand on his grandson's shoulder, "You're growing up. So I think instead of telling you how you should handle this, I should just tell you to follow your best good instincts. But I will say this, Arnold—you've got a good head on your shoulders, you're responsible and you're sincere. So even if things don't work out perfectly, you'll have tried your best. And somehow, someway things will work out for the best eventually, Shortman. Just be patient."
Arnold nodded, smiling contently to himself. "Okay. Thanks, Grandpa."
Phil nodded, then he stood up from the bed, cracking his back a little. "Ooh, well, I'm off to bed now, Arnold. I'm a bit too tired for cookies now, I think. I'll just leave you the platter for a midnight snack if you want it. Sweet dreams, Shortman, and—" Suddenly a gurgling sound was heard and Phil clutched at his nightshirt over his stomach. "Oooh and never eat raspberries—I knew I shouldn't have had any of that berry surprise cobbler your grandma whipped up for dessert tonight. Thank heavens for my private bathroom. Goodnight, Arnold!" And with that and a wave Phil dashed from the room, closing the door behind him.
Arnold just looked after him, smiling and shaking his head. Then he let out a deep breath and laid back down on his pillows, using his room remote to turn out the lights. The only illumination came from the moon and stars overhead.
Arnold decided to watch the stars and consider things until he fell asleep. 'Helga and I can take things once step at a time. That's probably the only choice we have.' His smile fell a bit. 'I just hope that in the end, I find a way to make Helga happy and still be honest about how I feel. And I hope she feels better about us being close no matter how things work out.' He yawned and his eyes started to drift closed. 'Love is complicated…I hope she knows she deserves to be loved…' A vague concern about whether or not Helga did indeed realize that fact considering how hard she could seem to him to be on herself sometimes crossed Arnold's mind, though it soon faded for the moment as he drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep.
He was very tired. And his life now was going to take quite a bit of getting used to—an experience with which Helga already felt all too familiar.
A/N:
That's all for now and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I'm thinking maybe ten chapters in total for this story, so hopefully I can have it wrapped up soon for you all. Again, your patience with updates is very appreciated and thank you all so much again for your support and readership : ) Have a wonderful summer, everyone!
Happy Reading!
~Azure129 aka Jenna
