Chapter#18: Going, going, gone… forever?.

"What!." Arnold asked surprised after his parents told him the news that they'll be moving soon.

"Arnold, honey we're sorry it had to be like this, but there are people who need us." His mom calmly explained.

"So we're going back to San Lorenzo?." He asked, his eyes still on the ground.

Stella gently lifted his chin and nodded.

"We can come visit Hillwood every holiday son." Miles assured.

"Or… " Stella sighed. "If you wanna stay here…"

"But I wanna be with you guys." Arnold sadly mumbled. "… and her."

Bing! The sound of the microwave's timer announcing that the microwave popcorn was ready.

Rhonda emptied the contents of the sack into a large plastic bowl and headed to her guests who were gathered in her bedroom.

"Here's the popcorn." She announced and the excited girls all dug in into the butter covered white, fluffy goodness.

"So Rhonda, tell us about Curly." Sheena eagerly asked.

"Welllll..." Rhonda popped in a popcorn, "he's sweet, really romantic… I dunno why I didn't agree to date him in the first place!."

"And all it took was a pseudo-suicide attempt." Helga mumbled to Phoebe.

A beep on her phone made everyone turn to Helga. It was a message from Arnold which simply said:

'Meet me at the park tomorrow at 10am.'

She wondered what it could be, Arnold never texted her unless it was something important.

"Uh, Rhonda? I need to make a call." Helga got up.

"I got a phone right there." Rhonda pointed to the corner of her room where a phone covered in pink fake fur was perched over a tiny side table.

Helga kind of hesitated, she meant for this to be a private call but since she was too impatient to find out what's going decided to call from that phone anyway.
To her 'Unsurprise' everyone fell silent to eavesdrop on her conversation.

"Hello?."

"Hey Arnold, I got your message. What's up?."

"I… um… I'll tell you tomorrow. I promise."

"Ok…?"

"Well I got some homework to finish. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok. I love you."

"… me too."

Helga slowly hung up the phone, she still felt like something was up.

"Where are you going?." Rhonda asked Helga who changed into her jeans and t-shirt.

"I'm going over to Arnold's place."

"What's wrong Helga?." Phoebe asked worriedly.

"I'm gonna find out." Helga replied secretly hoping it had nothing to do with Little Miss Perfect who hadn't come to Rhonda's sleepover.

"Well you can't go out alone, it's almost 9pm. We're coming with you." Rhonda got up and grabbed her phone mumbled something and then turned it off. "Daddy's limo driver will be here in ten. Let's go change girls."

"Rhonda, I can go alone."

"Did you hear about that 16 year old girl who was raped and murdered last week when she walked back home on her own after a party?."

Helga huffed and rolled her eyes, "Fine! But all of you are staying in the limo when we get to the boarding house."

"Whatever you say Helga." Rhonda winked at her.

As soon as they reached the boarding house Helga quickly ran up the emergency exit stairs and climbed up towards Arnold's room.

"Why doesn't she just knock on the front door?." Rhonda asked.

"Old habits don't die." Phoebe simply replied.

"Old habits?."

Phoebe just giggled.

Meanwhile, Arnold was laying on his bed staring at the sky through the sky light. He tried to think of how to break the news of him moving with his parents to another city a thousand miles away.

"Helga?." Arnold got up his girlfriend came into view through the sky light and he quickly went up to her.

"Why are you here?." He asked.

"Everything ok Arnold?."

Arnold took a deep breath and tried to meet Helga's eyes…

Why is this so hard?...