Okay, so before you read this Chapter, you should understand- I feel like Helga and Arnold connect on a deeper level than most people, and Helga is truly herself around Arnold, so if you think they are out of Character, then I'm sorry but this is my story. Enjoy! Doi!

They had been sitting on the bed, then Helga shifted away from him. Helga's hands were clasped together, and she was twiddling with her feet.

"Helga… Are you nervous about telling me?" Arnold put his hand on her shoulder.

'Breath Helga Ol' Girl, You can do this. Steady…'

"Helga?"

"Arnold…" she was shy, timid. Arnold found it adorable. He never knew he had this much control over her emotions, but he was the type of guy who would never manipulate another person, especially a girl.

"Helga, look, I just want some answers. Its just me and you here. See?" his arm moving to display his room, proving they were alone. "I wanna ask questions, and if you're uncomfortable with one, we can come back to it when you're ready. Does that sound okay?"

Helga nodded.

"Okay…" Arnold grabbed her hand and kissed it. "So… My first question… When did you start liking me?"

Helga mumbled to where it was barley audible.

"What…"

Helga mumbled a little louder this time, but he still didn't get a clear answer. She was looking down, and her feet were fidgeting.

"That day in the rain…" She said loud enough for him to hear clearly.

"What? But Helga, we were 3. How could you have possibly known?"

She turned to look at him. She was quiet as she spoke, but she was audible "I just did. You were the first person who had ever shown me kindness besides Olga." That last part slipped, but Arnold was too shocked to notice.

"So… you've liked me since we were 3?"

"You got it." She sighed

"But… if you liked me, why were you mean?"

She looked at the floor again "I never meant to be…"

"What do you mean? No offense, but you've bullied me for as far back as I can remember. You've been nice at times, and I love seeing that side of you, but for the most part, it was like you purposely tried making me miserable."

"That's the thing though, if they had never laughed, I don't think I ever would have been mean…" Helga didn't realize she was talking without thinking. 'Criminey!'

"Wait? Who are they? And why were they laughing?"

She took a deep breath "…You remember the Gram Crackers you gave me when Harold stole mine?"

He thought about it for a second "Yeah…"

"I guessed they noticed I swooned a little over how nice you were to me, and they started laughing… I was so tired of being last, of being laughed at. When I heard them laughing, it hurt." She was on the verge of tears, but her mouth kept talking for her "I was so tired of it, and I was only 3. I couldn't handle it anymore, and so I guess I just snapped…" she wiped some tears before speaking again as Arnold grabbed her other hand, now listening more than ever. He had never seen Helga cry, and he was too shocked to move. "Harold was laughing, along with some other kids. If I remember correctly, Rhonda, Stinky and Sid were at the table too. They were pointing and laughing and I snapped."

"But why be mean to me? I've never laughed at you."

"They laughed when they found out, and I was scared you would too… Remember when I threw paint on you later that day?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Do you remember what Gerald said?"

"No."

"Me and you were painting at your art easel, and Gerald pulled you away. I don't know what he said before, but after a minute he yelled, "Helga Likes You!"" she looked down, ashamed of her actions that day. "I never had a problem with Gerald, until that moment. In fact, the first day of Pre-School, I was hoping Me, You, Gerald and Phoebe would all end up being friends. Gerald seemed really cool, until he pulled a stupid move like that. Ever since then, I've had a problem with him. He only hates me because I treat you both so badly." Helga stopped to let him process this. "Anyways, after that, everybody was laughing again, and even though I didn't want to- I knew being mean was the only way to protect my secret. So I shoved my way to where you were standing and said "Why would I ever like a stupid football head like him?" Everyone had shut up by that point, and I hadn't realized I was holding finger paint. I meant to throw it on Gerald for being a big mouth, but it ended up on you…"

She looked up at him, while he started to remember it all. He remembered it very clearly as she spoke of events. Now he understood everything.

"So… I guess I was… scared." She was fiddling with her thumbs and her eyes were brimmed with tears.

"So, it was all an accident?"

"Yeah… Honestly, I never meant to be mean to you. I was finger painting with you to try and be friends, hoping someday you would feel the same about me. I know we were little kids, but I've never liked anyone else besides you..."

She, Helga Geraldine Pataki, just admitted everything to him, Arnold Phillip Shortman. Except for the shrines, endless volumes of poetry books, etc., but she knew those skeletons would get dragged out of the closet too. Either way, she had just told him what really happened, when she fell in love with him, and why she was so mean. She couldn't believe she just did that…

'There is no way it could've been that easy to admit it! He must think im an absolute basket case! Stupid mouth! Why did you talk without me giving you permission?!'

Shocked was an understatement to how Arnold felt. All this time, he had missed every single sign she gave him. 'She's practically been telling me for years! She even admitted it on a rooftop! How could I be SO dense!'

Suddenly, Arnold noticed how uncomfortable Helga looked, and decided it was his turn to be honest too. "Helga… Can I tell you something?"

'Great, he's going to kick me out! He's gonna send me to the funny farm! Criminey what's wrong with me!?'

"S-Sure Arnold…" she was literally sweating bullets.

He took a deep breath "That day I saw you in the rain, I felt funny. Something told me to help you, besides my good nature. I've always had a strange feeling about you. After the whole FTI thing, which I do remember, I've been feeling funny." Helga blushed sheepishly because she had hoped he would've forgotten about that. Arnold continued "Grandpa told me I used to come home everyday with Pink Bows on my drawings, and said I always talked about Gerald, and this girl in pink. He told me this when I was 6, and I didn't believe him because the only girl who fit that description was you, and you had pulled a prank on me the day he told me. You shook up my Yahoo Soda and made it explode on me, right before class pictures. I didn't want to believe him, until now." Arnold reached for Helga's hand, even with the blush deepening on his face as he spoke "I always feel funny around you. Even when you're mean, I still look for the best in you. I never knew why I did though, but seeing you like this- I realize there's always been a nice side to you, and now I know you were only afraid of being hurt. So thank you for being honest with me Helga." Arnold leaned over and kissed her left cheek, causing both their blushes to deepen… Arnold rubbed Helga's hand lightly with his thumb.

Neither one could believe what they were hearing from each other. They had both been honest, and this was only the start.

It was quiet for a few minutes, but it was a peaceful silence. They both just sat holding hands quietly, as they absorbed all this new information.

Helga had come up with at least 3 poems by now, and a blush on her face that made the color crimson jealous.

Arnold had a dreamy grin plastered on his face, with a deepening blush every time he glanced at her.

"Arnold…"

"Yeah Helga?"

"I have something I need to show you…"