Author's Note (12/24/2015): It's been like six years...holy cow! Six years since I last updated this story...life happens...what can I say? But I've been recently inspired to finish this. And two friends and amazing authoresses, Pointy Objects and Polkhotness, helped me work through my mind blocks, so finally here we are!

I have gone through and edited/updated it a bit to better fit into my vision-so you may want to reread it from the beginning-I mean it has been five years. So enjoy, please, please review and let me know your thoughts and/or predictions!

Thanks,

Arnold's Love

Chapter 12: Fair Warning

(Arnold's POV)

"Helga and I are going dress shopping tomorrow," Sandy sang, skipping along beside me as we headed to the school parking lot. "It's gonna be so much fun!" she squealed, and hugged me excitedly.

I laughed and hugged her back quickly before she was off skipping around again. "Sounds fun. I've only ever once seen Helga in a fancy dress. We went to dinner with our friends in fourth grade once when she won a coupon for a fancy French restaurant...and that was when we were nine. It's going to be really weird seeing her in a dress," I stated, trying to imagine the pink sweatshirt wearing tomboy in a formal dress.

Sandy stopped skipping and looked at me curiously. "What do you mean?"

I chuckled at the image in my head. "I mean it's Helga-tomboy, plays sports, wrestles in the mud Helga. It's just going to be weird to see her in a frilly dress." I laughed quietly again at the thought.

Sandy rolled her eyes and smacked my shoulder playfully. "Don't be so judgmental, Arnold. Beside I'm going to help her pick the best dress! Something totally perfect, that suits her...well perfectly! Ooh, it's going to be so fun! I never had a friend to go shopping with before!" She did a little excited dance, her green eyes gleaming as she spun around and wiggled her hips.

"What are you saying, Sandy?" Ben chimed in as he caught up to us. "Are you saying that Arnold and I are bad friends because we don't try on dresses with you and let you paint our nails?"

Sandy giggled linking arms with Ben. "Pretty much," she told him. "I've been shopping alone for so many years now! You'd think after all the sports games I've saw through for you guys, the least you could do is let me pick a dress out for you to try on!"

"Look, Sandy. Listen close because I'm only going to explain this to you once, got it?" Ben instructed, pretending to be completely serious, as he leaned closely to peer into Sandy's face.

Sandy and I looked at each and smirked before feigning absolute interest in Ben's next statement.

"Ok, here goes. You ready?" he reiterated, drawing her attention to his face again.

Sandy slugged him daintily and practically yelled, "yes! Go already before I forget what we were talking about."

"Ok," he began slowly, emphasizing each word. "Here it is: lipstick, ponies, and dresses are for girls. Cars, demons, vampires, and machine guns are for boys."

Sandy and I started laughing again. "Quite a list, Ben," I remarked.

Sandy giggled and then looked at him seriously. "I think you're wrong about one of those though..."

"Oh, yah, Sandra-Dee, which one?" he asked, putting his arm around her and giving her a quick laughing hug.

"Vampires. I think girls kind of have dibs on those these days," she laughed, grinning up at him.

"Oh, shoot," he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "You're right. Girls have totally ruined vampires forever. I stand corrected."

I laughed. "Yah, who wants to be a sparkly, romantic vampire?"

Ben shrugged. "Well, actually 'Twilight' does make me have one regret..."

Sandy poked him in the side. "Which is?"

"That I'm not a high school vampire," he observed, his face deadpan.

Sandy and I started laughing so hard we had to stop walking to our cars.

"No guys, I'm totally serious," he insisted, his eyes wide and serious. "Being a sexy vampire would solve all my high school woes."

"Whatever you say Ben," Sandy mock-comforted between giggles.

He grinned down at her. "See you Monday!" He waved as he jogged over to his car.

But Sandy suddenly stopped mid-giggle and looked across the parking lot. "Look, it's Cory," she pointed out, her voice almost emotionless. She shivered and cringed, moving closer to me and almost hiding behind me.

"Isn't Helga's date with him tonight?" I asked her, as he got into his car.

"Yes," she quivered quietly, holding onto my arm. "I really wish she wouldn't go out with him. You know how he is."

"Yah," I replied, echoing her anxiety.

If anyone knew best it was Sandy. Our sophomore year Cory had singled out Sandy and turned on the charms. He flirted with her, spoiled her with attention and gifts until she finally agreed to go out with him. He took on a couple really nice dates and she really started to like him. But eventually it turned out he was just using her to get the attention of a senior cheerleader. In the end he broke it off with her and told everyone she had broken his heart or some such nonsense and that she was the cruel one who just used him. Sandy was currently just moving out of the "heartbreaker" and "user" label he had placed on her in our school's social class. It's why she hadn't been on any dates or been asked to any school dances for a year.

And thus any mention of Cory, let alone a sighting of him left her feeling vulnerable, hurt, mad, and embarrassed all at once. So the fact that her new found friend Helga was going on a date with him didn't make Sandy feel good at all. I could see the color draining from her face as she spoke.

"I thought about calling Helga to tell her not to go," Sandy was saying, "but I didn't want to dampen her excitement. Not to mention it's Helga and I doubt she'd listen to my opinion anyway. I think she likes to figure things out on her own." She had slowed down her walking and was staring at the concrete. "I guess there's always a chance he could really like her but more likely she's just fresh meat for him to use since she's knew here."

We'd gotten to our cars by then and it was growing dark. "Well, I'll see you Monday, Arnold," she whispered, giving me a tight little hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Have a good weekend."

I watched as a much sadder Sandy got into her car and drove away. That poor girl. She didn't deserve to be treated the way Cory had treated her and she definitely didn't deserve the fallout afterwards. She had been bullied by girls for breaking Cory's heart and ignored by boys because they didn't want to mess with a girl who used boys or broke their heart. All of it untrue.

I wondered if Helga really even knew what she was getting into. She had handled herself well at lunch the day he has asked her, but could any girl really handle it if a guy turned out to be a creep who used and broke girls' hearts. After all that Helga had been through, with the way her family had treated her, with the way I had treated her when she moved here, she definitely didn't deserve whatever Cory had up his sleeve.

(Helga's POV)

I didn't really know what to wear. I wasn't sure what I wanted out of this date. I guess I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the biggest reason I was even going was to make Arnold jealous. Or, at the very least, have him notice me or something.

I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy. And hopeless.

All that being said, I didn't know if I wanted to dress like I normally did, or step it up just a bit to appeal to Cory. I mean did I want Cory to be interested in me? Even if it was just to make Arnold jealous?

I did find Cory appealing. And who wouldn't be attracted to a strong, buff, good-looking football player? I couldn't think of any girl who wouldn't want to go on a date with someone like that. He was very charming...and while I could already tell he was a bit arrogant...our conversations, though brief had always been very entertaining and definitely not boring. And I enjoyed his ability to banter flirtatiously.

And yet I still had some reservations about him. I occasionally got a weird vibe from him, like I shouldn't completely trust him or better yet, like he was slyly up to something that I was missing. And then there was those reactions that my friends Sandy and Ben, and even Arnold, had given when Cory had approached us to ask me out. Not to mention when I had talked to Arnold during play practice. Sandy sure didn't seem to dislike anyone-anyone-except Cory...if that wasn't a red flag then what was?

Then again, one date couldn't hurt right? And obviously Arnold was so in love with Sandy and any day now I know I'd be hearing their wedding bells-or at the very least an annoucement of their official status.

It was becoming almost impossible for me to get Arnold's attention. And more and more my mind was telling me-almost warning me-that I needed to move on and find someone else to love at some point, and stop wallowing in despair and love for Arnold-a young man who would likely never return my feelings. I'd known him for 18 years, even confessed my love for him once and nothing came of it, but a "heat of the moment" excuse and maybe a sly smirk. If he hadn't been interested at any point up to now, what in the world would change his mind now?

Oh, Arnold. I couldn't help the heart-sad that escaped my lips.

Just then my phone rang. Looking down at it I felt my eyes widen in surprise at the caller ID.

I pushed accept and put the phone to my ear. "Football head?" I teased, once I heard the answering click.

There was a small huff from the other side before he responded in his perfectly husky voice. "Yah, Helga, it's me."

I tried to hide the elation in my voice at the fact that he was calling me! Me! Helga G. Pataki! Someone I thought he could care less about, not two seconds ago. It was fate! It had to be! "What can I do for you, hair boy?" I asked, pulling out my cool Helga persona.

He didn't answer and it was almost as if I could hear the wheels turning in his football shaped brain and the seconds ticked by.

I cleared my throat. "So, uh, Arnold...are you going to enlighten me with brilliant words anytime soon, or are you just going to keep breathing on the phone like Brainy?"

I could almost hear him rolling his eyes. "Look, Helga, I know you are probably going to just yell at me for saying this and all, but I kind of think we're good enough friends now that I should tell you-well. actually-warn you about something..."

I paused for just a second. He seemed really nervous, talking very fast before suddenly just rattling off to finish his sentence. Criminey! What in the world did he have to tell me?

"Warn me about what?" I questioned, trying to conceal my joy at him referring to me as his "good friend".

"Well, I just don't think you should go through with your date with Cory," he professed finally and then kind of growled under his breath like he was mad or embarrassed with himself for the whole thing.

I felt myself freeze-stunned at the fact that he cared and worried about me enough to ask me to cancel my date. Whatever his reasons, this felt like a big moment. And in my usually defensive nature, I had no idea the appropriate way to handle it.

I forced a loud laugh. (Maybe too loud of a laugh. He was gonna see right through this charade of mine. I was so out of practice fooling him and covering my feelings.) "Why the heck would I do that?"

There was a ridiculously long pause and I could almost see him looking at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck like he always used to when were kids and he was nervous.

"Hey, Arnold, are you there? Did the mad engineer commandeer you and bring you down to the fiery underworld or something?" I teased, trying to rehash old memories and maybe bond a little more with my football headed love god.

He didn't laugh at my joke, but did finally speak up. "Look, I'm just not sure how much I have the right to tell you..." he trailed off again. "So I was thinking and trying to decide how to explain it to you."

"Just spit it out, football head!" I barked anxiously. This was beginning to be too much and I could feel a bit of apprehension starting to well up inside my stomach.

He huffed again, this time annoyed at me instead of himself. "Well, uh about a year ago Cory kind of used a girl and then when he dumped her, he claimed to everyone at school that she used him and broke his heart and stuff, and that label stuck with her for the next year. She was blown off a lot and treated poorly," he finally blurted out. "I just didn't want that to happen to you, so I thought I would call you and...well, tell you and try to get you to change your mind. Because I really don't think it would be a good idea for you to go with him."

I barely held back the thrilled squeal that threatened to rise from inside me at the fact that Arnold was calling to protect me! Me! Helga G. Pataki! He was worried about me! Oh, this is too marvelous! Oh, my precious angel of kindness! Why are you again tormenting me and weaving your spell around my heart! Oh, that I were strong enough to withstand your kind words and soft protections! Oh, that I could move on and no longer love you! But, it is impossible. For it is you I love! You and your kind heart and sweet worry for me. If only…

"Helga?" I heard his voice break through my romantic soliloquies. "Are you still there?"

Crap!

"Yah, I was just thinking about what you said, that's all," I said, the words coming out a bit harsher then I meant for them to since I had been caught off guard in my daydreams.

"Well, you aren't going to go anymore right?" He said this as more a statement then a question, his voice sounding slightly hurt by previously harsh my tone.

"Well, Arnoldo, as much as I appreciate your concern, I'm a Pataki and I can take care of myself," I declared boldly.

How bad could a date with Cory be anyway?

(Helga's POV)

Obviously, I had decided to go. About 15 minutes after I hung up from my phone call with Arnold (I was still swooning over the fact that he called me) I drove over to the address Cory had texted me.

I was more than shocked with what I saw. This was a mansion if ever I saw one. Lorenzo's home was a lowly shack compared to this. I should have known it would be this massive once I read that he lived in Cathedral Forest. Those were multi-million dollar homes. Cory's house was sprawling on a huge pine tree covered lot on a hill with an amazing view of the ocean. Most of it was one story (which if I was going to be a millionaire and own a mansion it would be one story…I hate stairs) and covered in fancy-shmancy Tuscany style stone. The driveway wrapped up to their vast arched entryway where an eloquent and large waterfall flowed down step-like ledges from the top where a huge fountain sprayed out water.

I puffed out air in surprise and twitched my lips back and forth debating whether or not I even wanted to go up to the door. I wasn't feeling very social and definitely didn't want to have to deal with a butler or something. And honestly, Arnold's suggestion of backing out was sound more and more appealing each second I continued to gaze up at Cory's titanic domicile.

Before I could make a final decision he came jogging out of the house and slid across the hood of my car like he was Michael Weston from "Burn Notice" or something. I rolled my eyes. Cory definitely was a piece of work and it was becoming more and more clear every second that passed.

"Hello, there, pretty lady," he greeted sliding into the passenger seat and shooting me one of his most sultry smiles.

"Hey, yourself," I said, continuing to play it cool. After what Arnold had said, who knows what I was up against and I wasn't about to let anything happen to me or my reputation.

We drove in silence for a few moments as he watched out the window as I directed the car out of Cathedral Forest. "So where are we going?" he finally asked turning his attention to me again.

I smiled devilishly as I watched the road in front of me. "You will see."

He made a sound of fake annoyance. "You aren't going to tell me?"

I smirked. "Nah, that would spoil all the fun. And I'm all about fun." I raised an eyebrow at him. "And surprises. Especially if it means I'm having fun and someone else is left stewing."

He rolled his eyes and didn't say anything for a few seconds, until finally he asked, "Okay, fine. Can you at least tell me if I dressed the part?"

I looked over at his outfit and couldn't hide an amused grin from spreading across my face. He was wearing a light pink blazer over a white dress shirt and black tie. The look finished off with khaki slacks and brown, presumptuously pointed dress shoes.

"Sure," I began, "you're dressed the part if you plan on naming your daughter Apple." I allowed only a hint of teasing amusement to cross my lips.

"What?" he sputtered. "Sheesh! A guy tries to look nice for his date...and he gets mocked." Guys like him were so easy to tease.

"Yah, ok, I can appreciate that," I consoled, "but you can't look like you are trying that hard."

"Who says a guy can't look like he's trying hard to look good for his date?" He gave me an incredulous look and drew himself up indignantly.

I gave him a dismissive shrug. "Ever picked up a Preteen Miss? It's in every issue." Waving my arm all encompassingly.

He laughed mockingly. "You read Preteen Miss?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Nah, no way, never," I slightly lied. I read one once when I was nine, but that doesn't count, right? And Cory definitely didn't need to know that. "Not for me. I'm sure it's in there though."

"I was going to say, you don't seem like a silly girl magazine reader," he replied, a mocking tone in his voice. He ran a finger through his hair. "So where are we going that I'm over dressed for? Mud wrestling or something?"

"We're just going to dinner and a movie," I offered casually.

"Aw, the old standby. I can't handle that. I'll just look richly sophisticated." He ran a hand through his hair again and readjusted his jacket.

I rolled my eyes at the self-aware comment. "Yah, whatever. It seemed like a good decision-simple, easy. Plus, That Oh-So Special Someone 4 is out and I've been dying to see it," I dead-panned.

"Oh freak! A chick flick!" he whined, throwing his hands in the air. "You tricked me didn't you? You are one of those girly girls!"

"so what if I am? You got a problem with chick flicks," I threatened, pulling out Ol' Betsy for good measure and wiggling her by his face.

Looking a little nervous he stuttered, "Oh...um...well..."

I laughed at him loudly. "Ha, I'm just kidding. I'm all about Evil Twin 7. And we're here. Let's do this." But before I could get out of the car I started laughing uncontrollably.

"What now?" Cory asked, looking confused and dusting his pink jacket off as if I was laughing at him again.

Finally controlling my laughter I said, "whenever I say, 'let's do this' I always hear that song "Wild Thing" by Tony Loc...that plays in the movie Uncle Buck when he goes to his niece's school to talk to the principle. You know the one." I started laughing almost uncontrollably again. "Please tell me you've seen it!"

He just continued to stare at me like I was a crazy and even started to look around to see if anyone else was witnessing my insanity.

"What? You've never seen Uncle Buck! It's a classic! John Candy and…and just the 80s…I mean it's great," I tried to explain between my laughter.

"Yah, ok." He shrugged and looked around again.

I rolled my eyes. We've got ourselves a live one folks.

Heaving an annoyed sigh, I followed Cory through the parking lot towards theater's ticket window. As we crossed the little street I saw an almost familiar looking green Packard, but I shook my head and tried to ignore the little twinge of interest I felt at the sight of a familiar looking old car and the feelings it brought with it.

"My treat," Cory said, bringing me back to the present, as he pulled out his wallet and pulled out a few bills. I spied a couple hundreds in there and it was all I could do to hold in the eye roll and incredulous groan I felt at the back of my throat.

"I'm pretty sure that was part of the date deal we made," I commented.

"Touche," he said with a grin as he paid for our tickets.

I started to follow him inside the theater but had a crazy feeling I was being watched. I turned around and looked, scanning the parking lot, the ticket line, the sidewalk, but didn't see anything. Shaking my head I followed Cory into the theater.

We chatted a little bit before the movie, pretty superficial stuff, but entertaining the same. Cory was pretty entertaining even though I was learning more and more how conceited and concerned about looks he was. I still kept getting the nagging feeling that I was being watched, but I tried to ignore it and enjoy the movie once it started. The Evil Twin movies are always entertaining…at least amusing, to say the least.