II: Dating the Elusive

At one thirty, Arnold was standing in front of the movie theater, tickets in hand, wondering if she was going to show.

Moments later, an old orange GTO pulled around the corner, stopping in front of the theater. Arnold had at first felt uncomfortable with the fact that Tad knew, but quickly realized that whomever Tad was asking had to know that Helga knew.

He watched her climb out of the car and wave at Tad who waved to them both. Arnold raised his hand as the car drove off.

"Hey," she called out walking over to him. He handed her a ticket and she took it frowning.

"You didn't have to do that."

He shrugged as they entered the theater. "You can buy the snacks."

"So, how did Tad's proposition go?" he asked. They'd gotten the special and some candy and had found some seats in the back.

"She agreed. That's where he was going after he dropped me off. He's spending the weekend with her because, according to her, if she's going to do this, she's going to teach him the correct way to please a lady."
He frowned. "She's just going to do it? Not even a hello, how are you?"

She smirked at him. "Not everyone has your set of morals, Arnold."

The lights went down, stopping the rest of the conversation.

He'd picked the action/thriller combo because he did know Helga wasn't a fan of the romance movies and he wasn't sure if he could sit through a love scene without squirming.

Helga, for her part, sat in the seat, trying to watch the movie, very aware that Arnold was sitting inches from her.

This entire thing had sprung from a bad day. She'd been sitting in Tad's room as he typed on the computer lamenting that even Phoebe wasn't a virgin anymore. Tad had made some off-handed comment about them being the last remaining members. That's when she'd suggested they remedy the problem.

After the first kiss and some halfhearted groping, they realized it wasn't going to work. There was no spark, no attraction other than the fondness they shared for each other as friends.

It was Tad who came up with the suggestion of offering the proposition to the people they were actually sexually attracted to.

Which led her to sitting in a darkened movie theater with her longtime crush while Tad was getting his grove on with…

An uncomfortable sounding noise from next to her caught her attention, snapping her from her thoughts.

She glanced over to Arnold, who was shifting uncomfortable in his seat, watching the screen with what could be called growing dread.

She turned her attention to the screen and was greeting by the naked chest of the main character as he was climbing onto the bed where the leading lady was laying.

Cocking her head, she watched silently for a few moments.

Arnold adjusted himself in the seat for the third time. This was the exact reason he didn't want to see the romance. He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Helga's voice in his ear.

"I never got this in action movies." She said softly. "Cars exploding, guns all over the place, the bad guys five minutes behind you, yet they have time for a long drawn out romp in bed? Personally, I think its just so the leading man can show off all his hard work to beef up for the movie."

Arnold looked over at her, his uncomfortableness forgotten. He began to smile.

"No. It's for the girls who get dragged to these movie with their boyfriends."

She nodded slowly, a smile on her face. "Oh yeah, I forgot most girls don't go to these kinds of movies willingly."

The next movie was a thriller so it was better…or at least safer. No sex scenes, everyone was pretty much running for their lives.

Soon he was so caught up in the film he almost forgot Helga was there. The heroine's female friend rounded the corner when suddenly the killer stepped right in front of her. Arnold jumped, his right hand clutching the armrest. Not a moment later Helga's hand crashed down on his, her nail digging into his hand.

"Ow,ow,ow," he hissed. "Nails."

"Sorry," she whispered back, pulling her hand from his. "Forgot."

He took her hand before she could pull away fully, holding it loosely in his own. He smiled at her confused looked, tightening his grip briefly before turning his attention back to the movie.

She watched him for a bit longer a small smile on her face before a scream on the screen pulled her attention back to the screen. She felt Arnold squeeze her hand again before she relaxed and got back into the film.

"I have to admit," Arnold said as they left the theater. "The second movie was much better than the first."

Helga nodded. "I'm not a big fan of the guy who played in the first movie."
"So, you want to grab something to eat or is the overload of popcorn enough?" He joked.

"Oh, I could definitely go for some food. Not like a full course meal or anything, but some food."

"Cool, how 'bout picking up something on the pier?" He asked, stopping to dig his car keys from his pocket. He glanced up and caught sight of her legs. He really hadn't realized she was wearing a skirt until this moment. Or that it was really short.

He pulled his eyes from the view of her legs as images flooded his mind. Until she'd asked him, he'd never really thought about her in that way. Now it seemed like he couldn't think of anything else.

"Ohhh, I could really go for a coney dog," she said, not realizing he'd stopped. "Or maybe just some funnel cake."

"Um, yeah, funnel cake." He stammered, forcing himself to catch up with her and trying very hard not to stare at her legs. "My car is around the corner."

They spent the rest of the afternoon walking the boardwalk and talking. They talked about school and friends and the past. He found out a little on why she'd become friends with Tad.

The sun was beginning to set when he pulled up to her home." Well, this is my stop." She said, her hand on the door latch. Reaching out, he grabbed her other arm.

"Wait. One more question. You don't have to go yet, do you?" Glancing briefly at her front door, she turned back to him shaking her head.

"Nah. Go ahead. But I get to ask one too, so be careful what you ask."

"Okay." He already had his question. "Tell me something about you only a few people know and something nobody knows."

"That's two questions." She pointed out.

"He shook his head. "No. One question, two parts."

"Hmmm," she looked thoughtful. "Okay, I have my belly button pierced." Lifting her shirt a bit she showed off the small pink butterfly dangling in her bellybutton. "Only Phoebe and Tad know."

He stared amazed. He'd seen girls with the piercing before, but there was something about this one. Reaching out, he gently touched the dangling butterfly feeling her stomach muscles retract as his fingers brushed her skin.

"Okay, enough fondling my butterfly." She said, pulling her shirt back down. He raised his eyes to meet hers, a semi-smile on his face.

"And the second part?"

She gave him a look. "I have a tattoo."

He swore he felt his jaw drop. She grinned at his reaction.

"You're kidding!"

"Nope."

"Where?"

She gave him a coy look. "Let's just say, you might be the first person to see it."

He felt himself blush.
"What is it?"

"Not telling. But it's something very personal for me." Grinning, she sat up a bit. "My turn."

He eyed her skeptically. "Should I be nervous?"

"Too late. Who was the first girl you kissed?"

He smirked, thinking he'd gotten off easily.

"You. Fourth grade production of Romeo and Juliet. I can't believe you forgot."

"No. Not little kisses. That's all we did. I mean your first real kiss." She grinned at his perplexed expression. "You know, open mouth, tongue fighting, sloppy kiss."

He felt his face grow warn and was glad it was twilight.

"Are you serious?"

"Completely. Now spill."

"I can't believe this," he muttered. "Fine. It was Sheena, at a middle school party on a dare."

Helga started laughing. "Sheena? Like the Sheena who's dating Brainy?"

"The same."

She snickered another moment before trying to compose herself.

"So? How was it?"

"Awkward." He answered, trying to remember. "It was dark and it was the first time for both of us. It took a bit to figure out which way we should move our heads so out noses wouldn't bump and then we both forgot to breath…"

This time she didn't try to hide it. She leaned against the car door howling in laughter. Arnold finished the story and gave her a look, trying to hide his own amusement.

"Sure, laugh at my stories."

"Sorry… I can't…the mental picture is just…" she doubled over laughing, holding her sides.

"Sure funny for you. How was your first time?"

Helga wiped her eyes, still chuckling.

"Hu uh. Only one question, remember?" Still smiling, she grabbed her bag and reached for the handle.

"I had fun Arnold, Thanks."

"So did I."

Hesitantly, she leaned towards him, halting a brief moment, before leaning the remainder of the way and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"See you Monday Arnold." She said, climbing out of the car. He waited until she entered her house before leaving to drive back to his house.

There were some people he needed to talk to.