A/N: Hey, guys! I hope you all enjoy this long overdue chapter. I know it's been about a million years, and there's really no excuse. I've just been mostly stumped on the direction I wanted to go in next. This chapter is sort of a lead in towards that new goal. Thanks for the patience if you were one of the few who wanted to know what happens next, and again please enjoy!

As much as Helga loved Arnold, she could tell he was about to open Pandora's box.

And as everyone knows, opening Pandora's Box only sets forth a whirlwind of trouble.

So of course she was a little nervous about it.

They were at school, and Mr. Simmons was droning on about…something she hadn't been able to pay much attention too. Not like this was really anything new, but there was a test coming up that she couldn't afford to fail. Getting the notes from Phoebe would be a top priority later. Right now, all she wanted was for Arnold to stop staring at her….okay, not really, but it was far too risky while they were at school of all things, sheesh. She wasn't sure how she felt about letting their classmates know about their new found relationship. If it could even be called that. Yeah sure he said he liked her, but they never fully established that they were, well, together.

She looked up from over her math book, taking a quick peek at Arnold as she usually did around this time. He too was staring at her, something that still shocked her, and their eyes immediately locked, making her heart speed into over time. Not good. She could feel the same lovesick gaze he currently had on his face begin to cross her own…no, snap out of it Pataki! She scowled at him, and tucked her head back into her book, her heart still beating loud in her ears. She wasn't used to that sort of attention from him. She…liked it, but it was going to have to stop. At this rate, everyone would know, and while the guy himself knew of her feelings now, she wasn't sure how her classmates would react to the news, and that made her a ball of nerves. No, she wasn't quite ready for that yet.

Arnold grinned as he watched Helga scowl at him before ducking her head back into the math book she was holding, which didn't correspond with the lesson if Mr. Simmons talk of space molecules was anything to go by. Her hot and cold attitude didn't really affect him much anymore. He was positive at that point that she liked him, and that was enough for him…for now. He actually missed seeing that other side of her. A lot, if his jealousy towards her locket, well the picture in said locket anyway, was anything to go by. He wondered if there was something he could do to influence it to come out from behind the guard she insisted on wearing...

As the lunch bell rang, he stood up, and walked towards the door, his thoughts still in a jumble over Helga. There had to be some way without hitting her with a baseball again...right? Once out in the hall, an arm draped around his shoulders and he turned to see Gerald walking in step with him. A huge grin was plastered on his face. Arnold sighed, already knowing what was to come.

"Hey, Arnold. So I didn't get to ask earlier, but how was your date Saturday?" Gerald asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arnold immediately smiled, his thoughts remembering the events that took place that day. As far as he was concerned there were no words good enough to describe it, but he tried anyway. "Gerald it was…it was…"

"Amazing?"

"Yeah, amazing." He said, with a sigh. Gerald shook his head, but grinned nonetheless at his best friends obvious love sickness. Arnold immediately snapped out of it however, a slight blush growing on his cheeks. "Oh, but how was your date?"

Gerald bristled, blushing slightly. "It wasn't a date Arnold."

"An outing between friends then." He couldn't stop the smile, even if he wanted to.

"I'll accept that," Gerald said, grudgingly. "And it was awesome!" He answered, immediately perking up. "Pop Daddy never disappoints! Man, you should have been there."

"I don't think my company would have been as enjoyable to you," Arnold said, grinning.

"What you mean to say is my company wouldn't have been as enjoyable to you, if the fact you ditched me for Pataki is anything to go by."

"I didn't ditch you Gerald. We already made plans before you asked me."

"Eh, potaetoe, potahtoe." Gerald said, shrugging. "Coulda rescheduled."

Arnold shot him an incredulous glance. "You do know you're talking about the girl who used to be my bully…right?"

"No, I'm talking about the girl who's still your bully man. And speaking of…"

Arnold looked in the direction that Gerald was, and watched as Helga stalked towards the cafeteria lunch line, pushed Eugene aside causing the poor boy to fall, and grabbed a tray. Arnold had a hard time not being transfixed by her soft golden hair, hung up in a simple ponytail, and her pink bow, slightly worn from the years of use. Her bright, blue eyes blazed with determination, and the soft smile that she was currently sporting, a rare sight at any time, nearly took his breath away. Simply put, she was beautiful.

"What are you waiting for man?" Gerald asked, nudging his best friend as he saw the effects Helga had on him. "Aren't you going to say hi?"

"Uh…" He could feel nerves crawl up his back. Talk to Helga? In school? "I dunno…"

"You say she likes you right? What can possibly go wrong?"

Arnold heard the challenge in Gerald's voice, and knew he would rise to the task, even though his stomach flipped over the prospect. Even if things went wrong, as was often the case, he was prepared for it…a little.

He walked into the line and stood next to Eugene, who never seemed to let things like bullying from Helga stop him from enjoying what life had to offer. Honestly, if there was anyone who looked on the bright side more than he did, it would definitely be the class jinx.

"Hi, Arnold!" Eugene greeted with his usual good cheer.

"Hey, Eugene, um, would you mind switching spots with me?"

"Why?" Eugene asked, still smiling and placing various foods on his tray. Arnold did the same.

"I want to talk to Helga, but only if it's okay with you."

"Oh, of course it is!" Eugene said. "Why didn't you just say so?"

Arnold thanked him, not bothering to point out, that was just what he had done, and stood side by side next to Helga. She gave him a sidelong glance; similar to the one he was currently giving her, and proceeded to ignore him. It wasn't really all that odd on the surface, but after Saturday he expected more of a reaction than the indifferent look she was shooting him.

"Hi, Helga," he greeted almost shyly.

"Hey, football head. Tapioca pudding?" She asked, holding out what was the last one to him.

He flinched, remembering the last incident with trepidation. "N-no thanks."

"I'd love it!" Eugene said, startling the two. They watched as he stared at the treat with wanting eyes.

"I didn't ask you though now did I?" She glared at Eugene as she placed the dessert on her own tray, and walked off to her table. Arnold followed.

"Um, there was something I wanted to ask you..."

"R-right now?" She glanced around frantically, and bit her bottom lip.

"Yeah...unless it's a problem for you?"

"Doi, it kind of is, football head," she said, rolling her eyes, as if this should have been obvious. "I don't remember us becoming all buddy, buddy, so can you stop following me around like a little lost puppy already? Criminy. As if I'd want to be seen within fifteen feet of you." She laughed darkly, one he hadn't heard in a long time. "Fat chance."

He stopped walking as she continued on to the table where Phoebe was sitting, stunned by her harsh words. He stayed there until Gerald placed a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his surprise and utter humiliation. He was also really hurt by her words.

"You okay man?" Gerald asked.

"Yeah..at least I think so." But his weak voice, told his best friend otherwise.

"Come on. Let's go sit down." They took a seat at their regular table, Arnold feeling like he had been kicked in the gut. Well, he knew something like this could have happened, but he had hoped it wouldn't be the case. He thought that maybe something had changed between them on Saturday, but obviously not as much as he had assumed. As Gerald did his best to pull him into conversation, he continued to glance at Helga, shifting his food around on his plate, suddenly not very hungry at all.

"Why am I such a moron?" Helga asked, talking to her Arnold picture, distress in her voice. It was directly after lunch, and even Helga was dismayed over her actions. So much progress nearly destroyed thanks to her stupid, stupid pride! "Here I have your heart, your devotion, dare I even believe your love, and I throw it all away! Why must I treat you so, my love? Why can't I bestow upon you all the love I hold within my heart, showering you with tender words of compassion that you have done time and again to me?"

"You do this a lot don't you?"

"Arnold!" She fell back, clutching her locket close to her chest. "Must you sneak up on me like that?"

"I wouldn't if you'd just talk to me instead of that stupid locket," he said, his eyes showcasing his obvious annoyance over her habit. She was thankful that was all she could find in the tender depths of his amazing green eyes. She wouldn't have ruled off hatred over her disgusting actions during the lunch hour.

"What locket?" Helga asked, still trying to play dumb. She already knew he knew about it, but he never actually spoke about it until now. It was a bit…unsettling to her. As if two different worlds that was never supposed to meet had now crashed headlong into each other.

"The one in your hand."

"Oh."

"You know...you really hurt me back in the cafeteria," he said, not looking at her anymore. "Why'd you do it?"

"I don't know Arnold," she said, answering honestly. She tried to be civil, but the eyes of their classmates upon them made her want to revert back to distancing him the only way she knew how. "I was…nervous I guess."

"I was too, but I didn't brush you off because of it." He looked at her, frowning.

"Well, goody for you. We all know you're better than I am."

His frown deepened. This wasn't going as he expected it to. "I'm not trying to make you a victim Helga."

"I-I know that." She looked away from him and glanced down at her locket. Arnold noticed this and sighed, slightly bothered by this.

"Tell you what, let's play a game." Arnold said, moving so that he was kneeling in front of her.

"What sort of game?" She asked, defensive.

"We're going to play...pretend."

"Gee, are we in kindergarten now or something?"

Half of his mouth went up. "No, we'd need rain, an umbrella, and a difficult girl clad in a mud covered dress for that. We have none of those."

Her breath hitched, and she looked down again. "Fine, what did you want to pretend about?"

He grabbed her hands. "Why don't you pretend that I'm that picture you care about so much and express yourself?" He whispered, knowing he was asking for the moon and more with such a request.

"I can't." She looked at their hands in a daze, a slight blush moving up her cheeks.

"Why?"

"I just…can't."

"That's not good enough Helga." He bit his lip, not wanting to voice why this was so important to him. "How am I ever supposed to know anything if you never voice it to me?"

"Maybe you should become a mind reader?"

"Helga." He said, in that way he did whenever she said something completely outrageous.

"It'd be a good gig."

He shot her a look of disbelief. "Do you really plan to repress your feelings for me…forever?" He asked, fearing the answer would be yes.

"…No…"

"Then let me try to help you."

"Criminy! There you go on one of your do-gooder missions. Well news flash Arnold! I don't need nor want your help."

He sighed out of frustration. He wasn't getting anywhere like this. If she was stubborn enough this could definitely go on for a while. It was time to try a new tactic. He slowly rubbed his thumb over the skin of her hand and watched as her bottom lip trembled. He held back a smile over her reaction. That was a small step of progress.

"Would you do it...if I kissed you?"

She blushed scarlet all the way up to her hair. She pulled her hands away from his, and he immediately regretted the loss of them.

"Bribery Arnold? I thought you were better than that."

"Not bribery," he shook his head. "More of a...reward?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" She asked, studying his face.

"Telling." He said, playing with the end of his sweater. Now he was nervous.

She sighed. "I just need a bit more time okay? It's...well I'm not quite ready for our classmates to know about...us."

"That's what you think this is about?"

"Isn't it?" She asked, confused.

"It was at first," he told her. "But only because I felt hurt by your actions."

"Yeah, and if it's worth anything...I'm sorry about that." She said, rubbing the back of her neck and looking embarrassed.

He waved his hand. "I know why you did it, and after thinking about it, if you're not ready for our classmates to know that's okay with me."

"Really?" She asked, skeptical.

"Yeah." He smiled to reassure her, and she began to relax.

"Oh, well, thanks Arnold."

"Just try not to bully me too much to make a point out of it, okay?" He asked, taking hold of her hands again.

"I won't, my love." She said, smiling. She realized what she was doing, and sat up, clearing her throat. "And that's another thing."

"What?" He asked, curious.

"Stop trying to make me go all...love sick."

"Hmm," he smiled, and his eyes went half lidded. "Okay, that's fine, but then don't try to have my other side come out."

Her eyes widened in remembrance and she frowned. "But that's not-"

"What fair? But I thought all was fair in love and war?"

She scowled. "Fine. That's...fine with me then. Great even."

"Shake?" He asked, grinning. She hesitated, but took his hand in hers and shook it. "I guess it's final now, Helga." He leaned close enough that their lips were almost touching. Her eyes widened at his sudden close proximity, and she tried to shuffle away from him, her face a flame of red. He smiled enjoying her actions, and wondered how he missed seeing her obvious affections to him for so long.

Oh yes, he thought then. He was going to get her to show her other side more to him. No matter what.