HEYYYY haha sorry for the lack of updates, i can explain! Life has really been rather demanding of my time lately, but I am determined to see this plot through! Thank you so much for reading and bearing with me, ily 3

Arnold seemed to appreciate his part-time job at a cozy little video and CD store in Lowertown, as far as Helga could tell. And for teenage employment, it was almost cushy. The store was a very small business that employed maybe five people, with Arnold working his shifts alone most days. The shop boasted a huge collection of offbeat, niche films that Helga had never heard of, most of them being too indie, artistic, and/or foreign to make the mainstream. A slew of CDs and vinyls as obscure as the rest had their own separate display. According to Arnold, the shop wasn't ever very busy, and if he had no other duties, he would usually occupy himself by catching up on homework or watching a movie on the wall-mounted television. This kind of work was automatically preferable to the high stress of the fast-food or retail position most of their peers found themselves in.

The establishment seemed to resonate with a strange subculture that Helga hadn't yet delved into (Lowertown as a whole did too, for that matter.) It was evidenced by the effortlessly grunge attitude of the brick wall interior and the demeanor of the people that frequented it. They were almost all beatniks that had come to absorb the artistic expressions of unappreciated filmmakers. Movie buffs would bump into each other and begin discussing things as esoteric as the qualities of 65 millimeter film. Absent-minded, gaunt-looking college students would pore through the stacks of VHS tapes for ages.

They were all pretentious, of course. Helga could feel them assess her from over their noses and wide-rimmed glasses. If only they didn't stare so much, she might have visited these artsier establishments more often. That was the thing about artists and art connoisseurs, she thought. They were so aloof and indifferent that they drove away everyone who wasn't equally aloof and indifferent. Though, Helga wasn't going to lie, the scene fascinated her.

Arnold himself had become a bit of a movie snob since he started working there and interacting with the store's regulars. His refined taste in media had carried over from music to film. To Helga's relief, this didn't mean that he was incapable of appreciating the simpler humor of mindless TV and movies. But he did occasionally try to expose her to stranger, more cryptic films, most recently Donnie Darko and Akira Kurosawa's Dreams. They were deeper, more intellectual movies than most. And though Helga could appreciate them for what they were, they didn't necessarily appeal to her on any level beyond that. She just wasn't engaged.

Thankfully, he understood this about her. And if she prompted him, he was always down for something more attuned to her own interests. They had ended many a night watching kung-fu movies together because of this.

Helga stepped off the city bus not a block from the place. She had her headphones on, playing yet another CD he had let her borrow. It was evening. The city was cast in a dim blue light as the sky darkened. Arnold's shift normally ended at 6 PM on weekends. Her watch told her that it was almost ten minutes 'til. The bus pulled away from its stop, and Helga made her way down the street.

The door's store bell ting'd as she entered. There were only two patrons perusing the collections on a weekend night. She slipped off her headphones. An experimental, yet approachable hip-hop track was playing. Arnold wasn't behind the counter, which implied that he was in the back room of the store. Helga didn't feel as though she was yet privileged enough to intrude that space, so she leaned her elbows against the counter and analyzed the storefront.

The walls were layered with artfully designed posters and album art. The two dudes browsing the shelves couldn't be more different from each other. One of them was incredibly wide. Though his hair was long, he was very kempt and clean looking, his clothing almost business-casual. The other was lanky, slouching, and disheveled. And a little creepy. Helga didn't feel inclined to speak to either of them.

She waited there for a time before noticing a small service bell on the counter. She tapped it. Scuffling could be heard from the back before Arnold poked his head out of the doorway in the rear of the room, his face lighting up upon seeing her.

"Hey!" He stepped out, lugging a case of records. "Sorry, I was doing some inventory right before I left. I'll finish it tomorrow, though."

A small grin escaped her as she watched him approach. His sleeves were rolled up, and his button-down looked almost professional on him. It was a nice sight.

"How was your day?" She asked as he placed the box on the counter.

"So slow." He rolled his eyes. "But that's okay. It makes me look forward to the time after all the more.

Helga averted her eyes. "So sappy."

He rested against the tabletop. "How was yours?"

"A bit boring. Read a book. Avoided human contact until now."

"You came out of isolation for me? I feel rather special."

"You should. I don't get out for just anybody."

He was smiling. "I have to close the register, so just hang out for a bit. I'll get you when I start locking up." Arnold winked.

The scruffy punk-looking guy had approached the front, clutching a VHS tape. Helga sidestepped to make way for the transaction. The two apparently knew each other and began chatting about the movie he had brought to the counter.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she sidled back out of the front doors. Had he glared at her just then or was that just how his face was? Sometimes she thought it might actually be nice to smoke if it meant having an excuse to be by herself from time to time. She leaned against the wall of the storefront, put her music back on, and thought about Cordelia. The underage smoker was supposed to be pulling some kind of scheme to put Mary Beth in her place right about now. Helga didn't care to know what it was (it was probably better that way,) but whatever it was, she hoped that Cord would let her know what was up as soon as it had happened. She was itching to text her first, but one never knew what kind of situation could be compromised by a phone's text tone going off. She mentally kicked herself for not asking yesterday if texting was okay.

She had the CD turned up so loud that she hadn't caught the gradual approach of two figures from down the sidewalk on her side of the street. Upon spotting them, she recognized the two silhouettes unmistakably as those of Gerald and Harold. She didn't catch them in her peripherals until they were too close for her to duck back into the store without them noticing. Not really knowing what to do, she continued to hang out.

The two boys' chatter became more distinct as they got closer, Helga now painfully aware of them. She could feel Gerald's eyes as he walked up to her.

"Pataki." He said indifferently. "Are you waiting for Arnold or something?"

She lifted one of the speakers off of her ear. "What?"

"I said... 'Aren't you waiting for Arnold?'" He repeated. Harold stood sheepishly to the side. (Helga found his fearful wariness of her hilarious, especially because of how this conflicted with the outward masculinity that he and his quarterback status tried to achieve.)

"… No. Why?" She glanced behind her at the video store. "Does Arnold work here?"

"Girl, cut the crap, I know you are."

"You think you know. Dude, look, I'm just waiting for the bus."

"Then why are you over here and not at the bus-stop?"

"There's a really creepy guy in it. See?" Helga gestured over to it, entirely improvising.

Sure enough, there was a strange, sick looking man in a long coat waiting there. A happy coincidence.

Gerald narrowed his eyes. "Okay, I see your point. But yeah, Arnold works here on Saturdays. Should be getting off pretty soon now, actually." He noted, checking his watch. He turned inquiringly to Harold, "You wanna see if he wants to come with?"

Does Gerald know about Arnold and I yet? Like, beyond our first date? Helga was pretty sure he didn't. And she knew for a fact that Harold was still oblivious. But If they encouraged Arnold to join them for whatever romp they were going on that evening, as honest as that boy was, surely there was no way he wouldn't tell his best friend that he already had plans with the girl waiting outside. And after she had so obviously lied to cover it up? It'd be too embarrassing.

So what? Does she come out to them now to save face? Does she stitch together some tall story about having overheard his plans with a broad from the next school district over with the hope that they wouldn't bother? Does she ditch the scene entirely? Her mind raced, so determined to work out all of the factors that she didn't have time to act before the two boys brushed past here to push open the doors to the building.

They were inside. Dammit.

She sighed. Helga didn't think she could bring herself to stand Arnold up just because his friends had decided to insert themselves unknowingly into what was meant to be their night together. She shifted on her feet in frustration for a moment before slumping back against the wall. Though she desperately didn't want to stick around to see Gerald's smug and critical expression once he knew, she couldn't just leave.

She'd wait for Arnold. It's what he would do. A few more names could go on the list of people who knew. It would be okay.

A few minutes passed. The door swung open and one of the customers, the one who had glared at her earlier, left hurriedly. Moments later, the second customer filed out, followed by Gerald and Harold. The two waved their goodbyes to Arnold through the open door and proceeded down the street without so much as a glance her way. She looked on curiously, their indifference puzzling her.

Helga could see the lights shut off inside the building. Not long after, Arnold finally stepped out, shrugging a coat on.

"Sorry about the wait." He chimed, locking the door behind him. "You okay?"

"It's cool. And yeah, I'm good. What did they want?"

"They were gonna go meet up with some of the guys from the football team. Practice had just got out, evidently." He smiled as they began walking the direction opposite the other two had gone. "Not really my scene, though."

"Ha. Yeah. It would've blown anyway. They're all pretty douchey."

"Well, I mean… It's true, but that's not really the reason I declined. I sort of had a prior engagement to get to, y'know." The boy was grinning. He grinned a lot at her, she had noticed.

"Uhm..." She hesitated. "… Is that what you told them?"

"That I had somewhere else to be? Well, yeah."

Helga shook her head. "With me, though."

"Oh. No, why? You think I'm gonna blow our 'cover'?"

"I-I just had it in my head that you'd be perfectly frank with Gerald for some reason…"

"Pfft." He nudged her playfully. "Give me more credit than that. We're best friends, but I don't have to tell him everything." He rolled his eyes while saying the word. "Especially because I know you wouldn't be comfortable with it."

Holy shit. Helga could only stare forward for a moment as they traipsed down the sidewalk. I think he gets me.

"I, uh… guess I like that about you, Shortman." She admitted.

Arnold seemed satisfied by this reaction. Though, a second later, his expression suddenly changed as if something had dawned on him, and he turned to her to ask, "But you're down to walk around together, out in public?"

"It doesn't matter if strangers see us, dude."

"Yeah, but anyone could see us. We could bump into a number of people who know either you or me."

Helga was silent for a moment. This possibility had crossed her mind a few times before tonight. She had wondered why it hadn't bothered her as much as it ought to.

"… Fuck it, then." She stated casually.

Helga saw Arnold's face light up at her carefree and discourteous answer. It was a look he got when he felt adventurous, she had surmised. She raised a brow at him, amused.

"Well then, if that's how we're doing things," He began, "How would you feel if we did this?" He reached around her back to clasp his hand to her waist, pulling her against him as they continued walking. Helga found herself caught rather off guard.

"Oh! Uh…" She wasn't able to disguise her smile. "Yeah. This is good."

"You're down with being seen like this?"

They had walked along the walk far enough that they had arrived next to a small fenced-in park. A light breeze rustled the trees overhead, silhouetted against the dusky atmosphere. The street was cast in a brilliant orange by the streetlamps that had just recently flickered on.

"Are you... testing boundaries?"

"But are you?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Works for me."

"Then how do you feel about this?"

Helga had had a snarky reply ready for him, but it would be long forgotten. In one fluid motion, Arnold had swung around and wrapped his arms around her, hoisting her off of her feet.

"Ah!" She cried, genuinely surprised.

He spun her around and around in the nearly empty street, her legs flying out from under her. Helga felt her ballcap lift from her head and her hair whip freely about. Before her, the unfocused cityscape was a horizontal stretch of bright, colored streaks against the cool, inky night and looked wholly unreal, almost mesmerizingly so. She could feel the hearty laughs emanate from Arnold's body and into her own chest, but there were other peals of laughter echoing off the storefronts that she didn't recognize at first. It took Helga a moment to realize they were hers.

She felt herself being lowered, slowing to a stop as her feet caught the ground once again. The two stumbled on the pavement, still clutching one another. Helga was pleasantly light-headed as she regained her balance, and Arnold drew her in in an attempt to support her. He met her gaze with a sheepish, adoring grin.

Helga felt her cheeks flush. "Ah.. ahaha. I, uh… didn't expect that."

"Heh… Sorry."

"No, no. You're a… a fun guy, Arnold. Yeah." She couldn't stop a rather awkward smile from spreading across her face.

"Think so?" Arnold knelt to snatch up the little fallen ballcap and gingerly fit it back over her head.

"... Uhuh." Normally, during something like this, she would've broken eye contact this intense and drawn attention to something else. But for some reason or another, she hung on. He seemed so happy. She liked seeing that.

"Where were we even walking to?" She asked absentmindedly.

"No idea." He replied, still focused on her. She noticed a twinge of nervousness flit across his expression as he cleared his throat. He shuffled his feet and seemed as though he was focusing on mentally preparing his words. Oh god, he's acting like he's about to confess something.

Arnold finally began, stammering, "Can… Can I tell you s-"

He was interrupted before he could even begin. Helga's ringtone cut through the evening air like a crying child in a church building. Her ringtone (which had since been changed from it's former to a psychedelic track by the band Love. Something that Arnold had shown to her, of course) blared, barely intelligible from her pocket. She fumbled to retrieve it and at last flipped it open to read the contact name.

"Holy shit, it's Cordelia." She's calling her? That can't be good.

Helga looked back up to him with the most apologetic face she could muster. "She wouldn't be calling me if it weren't important. I-I'm really sorry, dude, I gotta take this."

She turned away to answer the phone, a last glance at Arnold showing him to look rather deflated. But this was important, and as convenient or inconvenient as the timing may have been, she knew she sincerely wasn't using this as a means of escape. Feeling justified, she hit the answer button.

"Cord, what's happening?"

"Helga? Fuck, dude, I just got mugged!"

"You what?"

"Yeah, I'm at… uh… the corner of Labelle and Court Street. You got any transportation right now?"

"Cord, are you alright? Are we gonna take a trip to the hostpital?" At this, Helga could see at the edges of her vision that Arnold's eyes were now wide with alarm.

"No, I'm fine, don't worry. But you're not gonna like this other thing… They, uh, took some of the money. From the, uh… fundraiser."

"Wh-... how much? Wait, why did you even have that on you? You told me-"

"Yeah, I know, I know, I screwed up. It wasn't a lot. I'm like… 50% sure that is has something to do with the Marie-Beth bitch. But I'll tell you the details in person, alright? For right now, I really don't like being here by myself. And we need to talk."

"Fuck… Do your folks know? They could probably pick you up faster than I could."

"Man, they don't need to know what part of town I'm in. They'll flip. And no, they don't. You were the first one I called."

"Okay. Then, we're on our way now. Should be like... twenty minutes or so from here, probably."

"Alright, I'll be waiting in that first shady dive on the corner. Wait, Helga, who's 'we'?"

Helga hung up before having to explain Arnold to Cordelia with Arnold standing right there. She would text her the situation in a minute. She quickly explained her friend's predicament to him.

"Let's get in the Packard. I left it parked behind the video store."

"Oh, thank you, Arnold." She embraced him before they began hurrying back up the street. "I'm kinda sorry, though. We hardly stepped outside before-"

"Don't be sorry for this! Her safety is way more important."

Helga nodded, pulling out her phone once more to get back to Cordelia,

Sorry for reflexively hanging up. My friend is gonna drive us in his car. He's cool, but we can't let him know anything if we're gonna talk about MB.

She received a prompt response.

"Friend" huh? did my role as the physical assault victim interrupt something? ;)

Helga sighed.

You stop that.

Arnold spoke up as they approached the vehicle. "You know, our night doesn't have to be over after this."

"I mean… it might, depending on if she needs me." She said as she tugged on the door handle. Arnold hadn't yet unlocked the car and had instead joined her on the passenger side.

"Yeah, you'll probably want to stay and comfort her."

"Well, who knows? We'll just have to see."

He had approached her, putting his hands around her waist. His face was rather close to hers now. Helga held his almost challenging gaze.

She ventured quietly, "You were going to tell me something before?"

"Later." He answered under his breath just before pressing his lips to hers.

She couldn't keep her heart from lightly fluttering. They had kissed before, but it had all been sensuality for sensuality's sake (and, admittedly, a result of her own desire to postpone a deeper emotional connection.) She didn't think she'd ever been properly romanced before.

She had to gently nudge him away to get him to part from her. Once they did, Arnold was smiling again.

"We should really go. We're expected." Helga reminded.

"Ahh… right."