Chapter 6: Dinner Party
Boarding House
It was almost time to leave for the party. Arnold was in his room taking one last look at himself in his new suit. As he was standing in front of the mirror, he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
"Hey there shortman!" Phil said, seeing his grandson in the handsome dress attire he had purchased for the occasion.
"Hey grandpa."
"So, ya ready for that dinner of yours?"
"I don't know. I don't really have a choice." Arnold sighed, heading for the door.
"Well, you remember what I told you. She'd be crazy not to love you." Phil winked, patting his grandson on the back.
"Thanks grandpa." As appreciative as Arnold was of these words, they only made him tense at the thought of telling Helga how he felt about her. Even more so, when he was going to do it.
Rhonda's House
Rhonda was in the dining room, lighting the candles and straightening the tablecloth while the food was being brought in. As anxious as she was to have the evening start, she was even more anxious to know how it would end.
Moments later, a knock came to the door and she raced to the front room, where she saw her friends waiting to have the night over and done with.
"Hello everyone! Please have a seat in the dining room!" Rhonda insisted, as Helga smirked "Pttss...you sure you don't want us in the kitchen?"
As the class followed Rhonda into the dining room, Arnold took notice of how beautiful his girlfriend looked. In her white dress that complimented her porcelain skin. Her golden hair was clipped high and flowing along the sides of her sweet face.
The nervousness he felt at the idea of revealing his true feelings for her began to remind him of what he witness the two times Helga had done it to him…
I guess I can understand why she acted the way she did.
Each person was instructed to sit beside their match. Rhonda sat at the head of the table, ready to judge everyone on their behavior. "Okay everyone, I have here a list of basic table etiquette manners for you all to follow. Whichever couple can cooperate best with their spouse while following these rules, will be named best couple!"
After glancing over to look at the list, Helga scoffed and said "I'd say half the people at this table are screwed."
"No kidding man!" Gerald said, while Rhonda grinned at the chance to jump on Helga. "I'm sorry to inform you, you have already gone against the first rule. No hostility!"
Although Helga's hostility wasn't Arnold's favorite thing about her, he couldn't stand Rhonda's need to take advantage of the chance to torture her.
"It's not fair to make us do this Rhonda. We were just supposed to be having a nice dinner together." Arnold said.
"And I'm testing just how nice it is by seeing how well you all follow these rules with your mates. Now the food is here. Everyone, let's eat!" Rhonda smirked.
"How much are we allowed to eat? The sheet said no over eating." Sid pointed out, before attempting to fill his plate.
"Just don't go back for seconds or sadly thirds as some people would." Rhonda smirked, looking in Harold's direction.
Already having enough of the demanding, Helga scowled "Criminy! What are you? His wife or our mother?!"
Rhonda stood to point a finger in her angry friend's face as she said "I'm simply trying to help you better yourselves."
"How?! By pointing out every possible flaw known to mankind? Sheesh!" Helga scowled, leaning over her boyfriend.
Arnold sat in between the two angry girls hovering over him. Glancing over at his friend, Gerald shook his head and said "Mm, mm, mmm! This is definitely not good."
"I'm afraid I've no choice but to disqualify you and Gerald from the list of best couple." Rhonda smirked.
"Does that mean we don't have to act like a couple anymore? If so, I wish I would have known about this sooner." Gerald said wittingly.
Arnold took notice of the rage building inside his girlfriend as she began to clench her fists at her sides.
"Knock it off Rhonda! You're acting crazy." he insisted, standing from his seat.
"She's the one ruining dinner with her sassy remarks and inability to follow proper table manners. Why should I stop?"
Without thinking about his next words or anyone's reaction to them, Arnold shouted "Because I love her and don't appreciate the way you've been making her feel!"
The room became silent as everyone's attention was directed towards Arnold. No one was more surprised than Helga. As she unclenched her fists, she let out a loud gulp, thinking to herself….
He loves me? He actually loves me? Oh my beloved! Willing to go to such lengths to protect my feelings! To make our relationship work! The price you've put your dignity in all to confirm the existence of my happiness!
Rolling her eyes at the excuse, Rhonda replied "Yes Arnold, we get you've recently acquired feelings for her. Perhaps you're pushing it a bit by going so far as to say you love her however."
Helga began to shake at the sound of these words. He did say it rather quickly. After all, Rhonda had been getting on everyone's nerves more than usual that weekend. He could have been desperate to say anything to shut her up.
Taking Helga's hand in his, Arnold turned to look into her sweet eyes and said "I do love her. I would do anything if it meant making sure no one ever made her feel as miserable as you've been making all of us feel. No one's happy with the way things are right now."
"I believe Arnold's correct Rhonda. While the purpose of the weekend was in its own way creative, the restructions you insisted on including removed any chances of enjoyment in the activity." Phoebe explained.
"Fine! If you people wish to spend the rest of your young lives poorly prepared for what the future brings, suit yourselves." Rhonda said as she exited the dining room, no longer caring about dinner.
Arnold turned to smile at Helga, thinking about what he had just said to her. Before he could say anything, he heard…
"Did you really mean that Arnold? Do you really love her?" Sid asked, while Arnold could feel Helga trembling with anxiety at the touch of his hand.
Rubbing her hand with his thumb, he said "Yeah, I do Sid. She's my best friend...uh sorry Gerald."
After hearing this, Gerald turned to look at his sweet girlfriend. He knew exactly how his friend felt.
"I think I know where you're coming from man."
Helga's House
Standing outside his girlfriend's house, holding her hand beneath the stars, Arnold looked into her sweet eyes and said "I'm sorry if I went to far saying that stuff. I just couldn't continue watching what Rhonda was doing to you...or any of us for that matter."
A sad look formed on Helga's face as she said "You didn't really mean it did you? You just wanted to shut Princess up. Can't say that I blame you."
A perplexed look formed on Arnold's face as he squeezed her hands tightly and said "Of course I did! I've been having some intense feelings lately, and didn't realize how big a deal they were until I talked to my parents.
They made me realize you're not just important to me because you're always helping me. I'm not just thankful for you because you saved my parents. I don't just spend time with you because you're my friend. I'm grateful for all those things and more because I love you and can't stand the idea of anyone making you unhappy.
Helga began to blush heavily. She had waited her whole life to hear those words from her beloved. Just having him kiss her willingly their night in the jungle was astounding. Now here he was, returning the passion she had felt for him all her life.
"Uhhh thanks. I love you too."
How she he knew she could be always brought a smile to Arnold's face. It was just more proof there was more to her than meets the eyes. As he pulled her close to meet her sweet lips, they shared their first ever kiss that possessed equally passionate feelings.
Arnold could feel his girlfriend shaking in his arms at the thought of him at last returning her heartfelt desires. After slowly pulling away, he said "I guess it's a good thing Rhonda wanted to have that party."
Helga stayed silent, as she waited for him to continue.
"I'm not sure my extreme feelings would have had the guts to show themselves if she hadn't treated you that way."
"Yeah well she can set anyone off." Helga scoffed.
"Maybe so. I'll be sure to thank her tomorrow for doing so." he winked, seeing his girlfriend's eyes fall back into their peaceful gaze.
THE END
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