VI. Revealing the Obvious

Arnold stood at his open locker transferring books he needed for the next couple of classes, his mind on the night before. He hadn't planned for that to happen; he'd assumed the furthest they'd get was a interesting make out session and maybe some heavy petting, but never in his wildest dreams did he think it would have gone as far as it did. If his grandfather hadn't knocked on the door when he did, Arnold was almost positive he would've kept his part of the bargain two days early.

His mouth quirked up slightly, remembering the night before: the noises she made, how she felt under his hands, his mouth. Her nails scratching his back, digging into his hair.
If last night was a taste of what was to come, then he couldn't wait for tomorrow night.

"So?" a familiar voice asked. "You ready for tomorrow night?"
Arnold blinked, frowned, then moved his locker door slightly. The image of Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd came into view, her hair and clothes flawless as usual.
"Excuse me?" he asked her, pulling out a notebook. She gave him a small smirk.
"Don't play innocent with me, I know it's you." she chastised. "Are you ready for tomorrow night?"
He blinked, realization flooding his face. "It was you." he stated. "You were last weekend."
She gave him a knowing look, then brushed a lock of hair from her face. "And you're this weekend. Are you ready?"
He slammed the door of his locker shut, then took her arm, leading her away from his locker and down the hall where they could disappear within the crowd.
"Kind of, not yet." he answered her. "How did you know it was me anyway?"
"Oh Arnold please," Rhonda waved away his query with a dismissive hand. "Who wouldn't know it was you? She's been crazy about you for years. Actually I'm surprised you didn't know it was me."
"Yeah, well, I've been out of touch lately." he muttered. Looking back at her, he frowned thoughtfully. "Why did you do it? I didn't think you even liked him?"
The raven haired teen shrugged. "Actually, he hasn't been that bad over the past years. Yeah, I mean I know he still likes me, but he hasn't done any of the things he used to that made me so crazy." She smiled secretly at him. "I do have to say, it was a high knowing that I got to be his first. And he was really quite good."
Arnold rolled his eyes, his hand on the small of her back as he led her down a side hallway.
"Too much information." he told her. She smiled coquettishly back at him.
"Trust me Arnold, the things I could tell you..."
She stepped forward and stopped right in front of him causing his to stop suddenly. "What I want to know is why you haven't done it yet? I know you said yes."
"How do you know I said yes?" he asked her.
"Because you're too much of a nice guy to say no." She gave him a look. "And I know you Arnold. Deep down, in a place you don't talk about, there's always been this thing between you and Helga. A different type of attraction. You were probably stunned when she asked you but after you thought about, the idea appealed more and more." She shrugged. "I'm just surprised that you've managed to wait this long."
"We almost didn't." he muttered. Rhonda's eyes lit up in delight.
"I knew it." she announced happily. She leaned in slightly. "What happened?"
He shrugged. "My grandpa knocked on the door."
Rhonda laughed lightly.
"Face it Arnold, when you two come together..." she trailed off.
Arnold sighed, rubbing his face with his free hand. "Why did you do it Rhonda?"
She sighed. "I don't know what made me say yes when Tad asked me. All I know is I got his letter that Helga handed to me, and I met him at the gym after school. He gave me the offer and I said yes. I'm not sure who was more surprised, me or him." She gave him a look. "But last weekend, without giving too much away, I got to see a different side of Tad, and, I kind of liked it...a lot."
She placed a hand against his chest. "Arnold, you both need this. Get it out of your systems. You've both been doing this dance since I can remember. It's time for it to come to its natural conclusion."
She looked over his shoulder and moved her hand, the look on her face changing. Arnold frowned, and turned around to see Phoebe, Tad and Helga frozen in the hallway all looking like they'd walked in on something embarrassing. Arnold knew from the din of the crowds around them that the three hadn't heard a word they'd spoken.
Tad was the first to speak up.

"Um... if you two need some time alone, we could come back later?" he teased. Rhonda stepped to the side, her eyes on Tad. The look on her face changed as she pointed to the dark haired teen.

"You."

Tad pointed to himself and she nodded.

"You. Saturday night. Eight pm. My house." she stated.

Tad just blinked. Slowly a stupid grin grew across his face.

"Whatever my dark goddess commands." he told her.

Rhonda rolled her eyes and shook her head. She leaned back towards Arnold.

"Enjoy yourself tomorrow. And make sure she enjoys herself."

With a parting smile, she turned her attention back to Tad as she walked towards the three.

"Right now, your dark goddess commands you to carry her books and walk her to class."

Tad's grin grew wider. He glanced at Phoebe and Helga.

"Sorry ladies. I've been given an executive order. Gotta go."

Taking her books he held out his arm and together they stepped back into the crowed hallways of the school to be eaten by the crowd.

Phoebe and Helga shared a look, then turned their attention back to Arnold. He grinned at them.

"Guess it's up to me to escort you two lovely ladies to class." he said.

Phoebe grinned. "You know these halls are dangerous." she teased.

Arnold waved his free hand towards the now less crowded hallway.

"After you."

Arnold sat in his History class, half listening to the teacher talk about World War II and half thinking about Helga. He'd noticed this morning that her shirt had a high collar and her hair was down. Pulled back in a clip, but hanging down over her shoulders. He'd met her outside the lunch room right before this class and had walked her to her next class. As they reached her classroom, his hand had reached up in the pretense to brush something off her shoulder, instead lightly brushing the spot he knew she was marked. She'd shuddered lightly, her breath drawing in quickly. She shot him a glance, then walked into her class.

Arnold smiled to himself, Rhonda's words coming back to him. She had a point; as long as he could remember, the two of them had been locked in this dance, circling around each other. Even before he knew what hormones, sex, romance was; when his idea of dating was telling a girl that he liked her liked her. His crushes of Lila and Ruth were just that, crushes. After time, they had faded. He and Lila had tried to date in middle school but after a week realized there just wasn't anything.

Helga was different. She infuriated him, frustrated him, made him so mad that sometimes he just wanted to shake her. Other times she could make him laugh so hard his stomach would hurt and tears would pour down his face. She could make him smile when he'd had a really crappy day. Some days he would smile when he saw her, other times, it would be a resigned sigh of frustration. She could pull such a myriad of emotions from him at any time. On the same day she could be both his angel and his demon. Yet he couldn't imagine what his life would be like without her.

And Rhonda was right, When they did finally come together...

"Psstt, dude." Gerald hissed in the desk next to him. "Pay attention."

Arnold blinked, and looked at the teacher who was now raking his eyes across the class to see who'd zoned out. His eyes crossed over Arnold, settling on the poor kid sitting in front of him.

"Ah, perhaps Mr. Johnson can tell us what the Battle of the Bulge is?"

As the poor kid in front of him stammered for an answer, Arnold glanced over at Gerald smiling his thanks.

"So...who is it?"

Arnold and Gerald walked out of history, aiming towards their final class of the day.

"Who is what?"

"Whatever chick that has got your attention." Gerald stated. "You never zone out in Mr. Grant's class. You know better. Today you just sat there with that stupid grin on your face."

Arnold grinned at him. "Nothing. Just...thinking."

"About that hot chick you saw last night?"

Arnold shrugged noncommittally. Gerald laughed.

"You seeing her this weekend?"

"I...may have plans on Friday. And possibly Saturday, depending." He glanced at his best friend as they walked down the hall. "Do you mind?"

Gerald laughed. "Hell no bro! It's about damn time you've gotten some play. Don't worry about poor old Gerald. I've got plans with Shayla this weekend anyway."

Arnold sighed. "Would you just ask her out already?"

"Arnold, my man, I am not a one woman man."

Arnold gave him a look. "Uh hu."

"Good afternoon Skippy people!" Tad announced as they two neared Arnold's class. Gerald rolled his eyes and bumped Arnold's fist.

"I'll catch you after school."

"Later." Arnold said, finishing his journey into College Algebra with Tad.

"So, how was the walk to first period?"

Tad grinned happily. "I told the girls I was that good. I have a date on Saturday because, according to her, she thinks I should take Phoebe out on Friday night."

Arnold looked amazed. He didn't think the teen fashionista would be that thoughtful. "That is a pretty good idea."

Tad nodded as he took his seat. "Yep, my dark goddess is full of them." Tad waited until Arnold was seated before looking over a the blond.

"You do know her parents are out of town until Tuesday afternoon."

"Well, I can't see her inviting you over to her house if they weren't." Arnold said. Tad shook his head.

"No. Not Rhonda's. Helga's. Her parents left yesterday morning to go on some business trip in Toronto. They won't be back until Tuesday afternoon."

"Why would they leave her by herself?"

Tad gave him a look. "This is Bob we're talking about. It's for his business. And she's old enough to take care of herself." He grinned. "I think she grabbed some money and possibly a credit card before they left so she at least has something to fall back on."

Before Arnold could say anything Miss. Clark walked into the class and Tad whistled.

"Every day you just get more beautiful Miss. C." he announced.

"Thank you Tad. Now today we're going to be reviewing chapter 7."

Walking home after school, Arnold's mind was in a flurry of thoughts: what Rhonda had said to him this morning, his conversation with Gerald during History, what Tad had told him before class about Helga's current living arrangements. He now had an idea where they were going to be tomorrow night, he was just waiting for her to make the final decision.

Even now, he was still unsure if she would actually go through with it. Last night, she'd been so open, passionate; yet this morning, she was her cynical self, smirking at Tad's jokes, sharing looks with Phoebe.

His steps faltered slightly as the realization that Phoebe was right, there was no way he could ever know the true Helga. Not in a week. He hadn't even scratched the surface, hadn't even made a dent in the coating. He sighed heavily, it looked like this deal was going to be one sided. And he still didn't have the answer to the one big question still burning in his mind: why?

He'd asked her in the beginning and she'd very easily dodged the question; she trusted him, they were friends. Even Phoebe, who had told him before their conversation that she was the secret keeper to Helga and would never tell gave him the same rote answer; Helga trusted him.

But why? Why did she trust him? What was so damn special about him that made her trust him enough to want to give something as important as her virginity to him?

Rhonda's words from that morning came back to him. Deep down, in a place you don't talk about, there's always been this thing between you and Helga. A different type of attraction. That sent Phoebe's words from a couple of days before back into his memory. I'm afraid she might think it's more than that and come Monday, she's going to get hurt.

Arnold walked around the corner, passing a cafe. Three steps passed and his footsteps stopped. He looked up at the image that had caught his attention.

In the cafe sat Helga, a salad and a book in front of her. Arnold backtracked, entering the cafe and sliding into the booth across from her.

Her eyes flicked up slightly, then her head raised, her hand marking her place in the book.

"Fancy meeting you here." she said dryly. He grinned, and asked the waitress who came by the table for a coffee.

"Literally walking by and saw you in the window." he answered. "What are you doing?"

An eyebrow rose. "Reading. Why, what do they call it in your world?"

He gave her a look. "Funny Pataki. I meant, why aren't you out with Tad and Phoebe?"

"Oh, Phoebe has clubs and meetings on Thursdays and Tad had to go home after school and help out his parents." She moved her free hand. "Hence, my lovely dinner."

He nodded his thanks when the waitress brought his coffee then waited until she'd left. Reaching over, he picked up the scrap of ribbon sitting next to the book, placed it into the book, and gently closed the paperback, moving her hand from it. She allowed him, watching him warily.

"What's up football head?"

He gave her a smile, continuing to hold that one hand. "We need to talk."

She gave him a smirk. "You're quitting."

He shook his head slowly. "No. In fact you need to tell me what I need to do for tomorrow night. Where we're going."

Helga's free hand rose to rub at the back of her neck. "Oh. I...um... my parents are out of town until Tuesday afternoon. If you aren't too...I mean...my house is empty, if you don't mind. If it isn't too weird."

"You're going to let me see your room?" he teased. That earned him a glare.

"Like you haven't seen it before."

"Your house is fine Helga." he soothed, his fingers gently rubbing her knuckles. "But actually I want to know one thing before tomorrow night."

She cocked her head questioningly.

"Why me?"

She frowned in confusion.

"Why did you choose me? I need the truth Helga. Why me?"

He didn't move, still sat leaning forward, her hand still in his, his fingers still rubbing over her knuckles. But he braced himself. She sat there, her face going through a myriad of emotions. Just when he thought she might explode, she exhaled loudly, shaking her head.

"That...that's a part of my soul I'm not ready to share yet." she told him. He blinked, expecting anything but the raw, truthful answer she'd just told him.

He sat back, not releasing her hand. "That's fair." he admitted. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze then released it and picked up his coffee.

"So, what time do you want to meet tomorrow night?"