Okay, gonna make this short because I just got home from work and I am tired and hungry and whoever invented this work for money thing to pay one's bills needs to be dragged out into the streets and shot.

So an explanation for the last chapter, first. I think if Helga really told Arnold her feelings without being a complete freak about it he would be won over like feeding a homeless puppy your scrap pieces of hotdog. The thing would fall instantly in love.

Just an opinion. Arnold loves everyone. Why not Helga?

I do not own Hey Arnold or its characters, blah blah love them blah. It should be clear by now.

Chapter 5 Public

It was official; Arnold had been Helga's secret boyfriend for three weeks yesterday.

Helga lit a stick of incense to burn as observance to this auspicious day in her life, and set it in front of her shrine to purify the air. A week ago, she had seriously considered throwing it away, but decided she wasn't ready to let go of it just yet. One step at a time. Besides, this whole wonderfully magnificent situation was probably doomed anyway, just like every other good thing that had ever briefly lit up her life.

She watched the stick put off smoke for a few moments before retrieving a nearby notebook. Poetry was in order.

Helga thought seriously about the last three weeks of her life. She had gone to school like every other day, bullied some very deserving classmates, played baseball, gone to the movies, done what she had always done her entire life.

With one very acute distinction.

Her cruelty towards her beloved eased up greatly. She had stopped throwing spit wads at him in class, taking the best ball from him at recess, and making sure he didn't get any tapioca pudding at lunch. Nope, that was the Helga G. Pataki of the past. Sure they still argued over the blue crayon for projects and she still called him football head and hair boy and klutz, but hey, she couldn't go completely soft.

After school each day they would walk home together like they had on the first day, only their friends were always by their sides. They played baseball on Saturdays and explored a new part of the city or undertook some new adventure on Sundays. Things were like they always had been.

Except Helga. The world had tilted into a new angle. The sun shone a little brighter. She didn't even care when there was nothing for dinner again because Miriam had burned the rice or when Big Bob called her Olga. She felt more peaceful.

Because the object of her entire childhood affections noticed her.

The blonde girl did take note of the fact that Arnold had not yet even actually uttered the words that he liked her liked her, but if he felt that she was worthy enough, even if she wasn't, to be his girlfriend, that spoke for itself.

Love was out of the question. Helga put that idle fantasy aside all together when it came to her new relationship. Sure, she had imagined it and pretended that they loved each other equally before, but she knew that to be exactly what it was, a fantasy. And she was no better. She had told him she loved him and basically worshiped him twice now, but still couldn't bring herself to be nice to him all the time or stop caring about what others thought of her. She could not let others know that she was weak.

Four poems were written in the next hour before she grabbed her coat to head over to Phoebe's. Both girls had agreed to meet Arnold and Gerald in the park. They were all going down to the docks to fish.

Helga pulled her coat more closely around herself as she stepped outside. The clouds were looking ominous and the wind was biting more than usual for so early in the fall. She felt rain coming, but went to Phoebe's house anyway. If they couldn't fish, maybe they could all go to the arcade for video games.

"Hi, Helga!" her best friend called brightly from the stoop of her own home, jacket already on and ready to go, "Looks like it might rain."

Helga nodded in agreement, but nodded her head towards the park anyway, "I figured we could go to the arcade if it rains," she mentioned, "Bring an umbrella in case."

"Bringing!" the little Asian girl chirped, darting inside and back out in a flash.

The girls walked in amiable silence for a short ways before Helga noticed the air of apprehension that practically enveloped her best friend. She had an idea of what it was all about. "So I reckon Gerald is coming with us..." she stated, keeping an eye on the blush that formed on Phoebe's features as she nodded sharply. "Yeah I guess he would be quite a catch..."

Beside her Phoebe giggled, "Yeah...he..." but the small girl gasped at her unwitting admission and looked inquiringly up at her friend, "I mean, he certainly is a nice boy. He is a good friend to Arnold and..."

"Can it Pheebs, the way you moon over him, I'd be surprised if the world didn't know, especially him," Helga said callously. She noticed her friend's face fall and immediately recovered with another admission, "Of course, he does the same. Honestly, I don't understand why you all didn't hook up a long time ago..."

The conversation continued in a similar fashion until the girls spotted the boys on the designated park bench.

"Hello ladies," Gerald purred, causing Phoebe to blush and Helga to roll her eyes. Oh brother, she thought, laying it on a little thick today are we?

But her sarcastic mind took a holiday when Arnold stood up beside his friend and smiled at her. "Hey Helga," he greeted, then turned to Phoebe and politely greeted her as well.

Oh my love, how polite you are, how chivalrous, valiant, and true! What a kind heart you possess to treat everyone with only friendship and respect! How the heavens shine a little brighter when you wake in the morning. How wonderful you are! How lucky I am to be blessed with your secret affections...

"What's up, football head?" Helga greeted, "So it's probably gonna rain and me and Phoebe thought we should go to the arcade instead." All four friends agreed with this plan and they all set off.

They walked, taking up the whole sidewalk, Phoebe on one side of Helga, while Arnold was on her other. There wasn't enough room for them all when a man passed, and her hand brushed against the blond boy's fingers as they got close. Both kids blushed. They had not held hands since the first day. They had never been alone. But Helga felt like she was suffocating in between two people and finally gave up with patience.

"Criminy, Phoebe! Can't you walk in front of me with Gerald or something! I'm gonna trip over my own feet soon!" she spat.

The Asian girl blushed, but looked around them to Gerald on the other side. He smiled confidently and paced ahead of his best friend and held out an arm. "For the lady?" he offered, arching an eyebrow. Phoebe giggled again, blushing, but paced ahead as well and took his arm, leaving the secret couple behind.

Now awkward silence set in between them. Occasionally, Arnold would move as if he were stretching an arm and would brush her fingers, sending a shock up Helga's arm, but she couldn't grasp hold. People would see her for what she was...

Gerald and Phoebe were ahead now and Arnold stopped stretching and sighed. Then his face perked up and he elbowed Helga. "They look good together, huh?" he asked, acknowledging their respective best friends.

Helga reluctantly drew her eyes away from him to look at the subjects of inquiry. She snorted, "Yeah, I told Phoebes on the way here about how goofy she looks when they're together. Like she lights up and all he can notice is her. She didn't believe me, of course..."

Arnold nodded knowingly, "Yeah, Gerald's got it pretty bad. And they look so comfortable together, natural, you know?"

"Yeah, I wish they would just get over it and admit to themselves what everyone else already...knows..." Helga trailed off and whipped her head around at Arnold, who was smiling softly and blushing. But he didn't say anything, just nodded in agreement. Helga could feel her own face heat in recognition.

They were almost out of the park. Gerald and Phoebe had already disappeared around the corner and onto the street just a couple blocks away from their destination. Helga realized how pathetic she had been so far. Heck, she was with Arnold, only most wonderful boy in the whole entirety of the world! How was that something to be embarrassed about? Criminy, if anyone poked fun it could only be out of jealousy. No one was better than the blonde football head next to her.

Helga felt a drop of sweat trickle down her neck as she noticed out of the corner of her eye his free swinging hand. And she reached out and snatched it up.

When the young couple turned around the corner their best friends had stopped and were waiting for them...with Rhonda, Nadine, Harold, Sid, and Stinky. Everyone looked at them. Helga could feel her face scowl so fiercely it could stick and she saw Arnold's eyes get wide in surprise. "What are you all looking at?" she napped nastily, tightening her hold on Arnold's hand guardedly.

Rhonda's brows shot up in defense, "Nothing, jeez, don't be so uptight Helga. It does nothing for the pores."

And that was that. All of the children walked together to the arcade, arriving just as the rain began.

Okay, so one more chapter to go and I am still starving and there is hot food waiting on me. Reviews and critiques are very welcome and appreciated, but if you just enjoy reading then that's okay too.

Last one will be up tomorrow and I can call this officially complete. *excitement*

P.S. Did I mention that working is for the birds?