See? I told you I'd have another chapter up ASAP! And here it is! And this one isn't super short (well, okay, yeah it kinda is. But I promise there are plenty more ideas coming, so chapters should get longer). This one has some more of my original poetry (sorry if it sucks; I'm no Helga, but this story is pretty much writing itself by now, so if it calls for poetry, then poetry I must write.) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You know the drill

Chapter 17

By Monday Arnold and Helga were still not speaking. They walked through the halls in total silence, but by the end of the day Gerald could see that Arnold was not holding up well.

"Man, you'd better do something fast, before you go completely nuts!" he commented, watching Arnold pretend he wasn't watching Helga while they all got their things from their lockers at the end of the day.

"I don't know what to do, Gerald. She won't take just a plain old apology. I have to do something special!"

"Like what?"

"Like...I know!" he whispered his plan to Gerald.

"Mm mm mm, you are a bold kid, Arnold. A bold kid. But best of luck to you."

"Thanks, Gerald."

Arnold rushed home and up to his room. After finding what he was looking for he rushed to Helga's house. She had once commented that she always came home to an empty house, so Arnold knew his plan would work.

He climbed the front stoop, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell. Helga opened the door, just like Arnold had hoped.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want, Football Head?"

Arnold knelt down on one knee and and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Helga, I really don't like you being mad at me, and I've come to apologize; I overreacted about the ice cream. Also, I...I wrote you this:

A chance meeting at the age of three

Fate brought us together, you and me.

For years I lived unaware

Of your love for me, how much you care.

Now fate has taken another turn,

And of your love I finally learn.

Now every day is shining and bright,

Thanks the blessing of you in my life

So here is my poem, I know it's not great

But it's inspired by the love we've shared since our first date.

I'm telling you honestly, and I'm telling you true,

Helga G. Pataki, I love you."

Finished, Arnold looked at Helga, waiting for her reaction.

"Arnold," she began in a quiet, awed voice, "You actually wrote a poem...for me?" he nodded "No one's ever done anything so...so touching, and sweet, and just so utterly perfect for me in my whole life. That was beautiful, Arnold, thank you!" in one quick motion she pulled him into a hug he gladly returned.

"I missed hugging you, Helga."

"And I missed hugging you, too. Oh Arnold, I was so worried you'd never want to speak to me again! You were right, I should have gone back and paid the extra money. Besides, nothing is worth risking your love!"

"Helga, look at me." Helga removed her face from where she had buried it in Arnold's shoulder to look into his deep green eyes.

"You could never lose my love, Helga. I'll keep coming back as long as you want me to. I promise."

That did it. Helga lost any and all doubts she might have had and, with tears of joy welling in her eyes, she kissed Arnold right on her front stoop in broad daylight!

"Football Head, you really are perfect!" she exclaimed.

"Oh Helga, I'm far from perfect" he replied.

"You're as close to perfect as you ever need to be, Arnold."

"Well you're pretty perfect yourself, Helga."

"Oh Arnold, I'm not perfect. Not at all!"

"You're as close to perfect as you ever need to be, Helga" Arnold said, quoting her. The two stood there with dreamy smiles on their faces for a few minutes until Helga realized how strange they must look just standing there, not to mention who might see them.

"So, um, would you like to come in?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure. Thanks, Helga."

They went inside and up the stairs, but upon arriving at Helga's room Arnold again stopped short of entering.

"Arnold, are we really going to go over this again?" Helga sighed.

"Well, the last time I was in your room was before I was your b-b-boyfriend, and I just don't think that your parents would like it if I-"

"Criminy Arnold, I swear!" Helga interrupted. She pulled him into her room and looked at him seriously, "Arnold, I appreciate that you want to be a gentleman, but honestly! It's not that big a deal! You can be in my room, alone with me, when my parents aren't home; the world won't end, and the sky won't fall, okay?"

"I know, Helga. I just don't want to make your parents mad."

"Please. If they even noticed either of us was in the house it'd be a miracle!"

"...your parents really notice you that little?" it wasn't really a question, even though Arnold said it like one.

"Yeah. Miriam is always "asleep" behind the couch or something, and Bob can't even get my name right most of the time. I'm surprised I even know my name considering how often he calls me Olga."

"That's really sad, Helga."

"Yeah, well that's my life."

"But I still think you're lucky."

"How do you figure?"

"At least you have parents."

Helga couldn't think of an answer to that. Arnold never talked about his parents, and she had never asked because she figured it was pretty personal.

"I'd give anything to know my parents, even if they didn't pay attention to me," Arnold continued, "I mean, Grandma and Grandpa are great, but just being able to say "my mom" or "my dad"...Helga, I'd give almost anything to have that. I know you're parents aren't the best, but at least you have them."

"Arnold...I'm so sorry. You're right; here I am going on about how bad my parents are, when I should consider myself lucky I at least know them. I can't believe I was that insensitive! I'm just so used to you and your grandparents that I forget sometimes what you don't have."

"It's okay, Helga. I've accepted that I'll probably never know my parents. Just promise me...the next time your parents make you mad, just try to be thankful you have them, okay?"

"Okay, I promise, Arnold." silence filled the room until Helga decided to ask a question she had wondered for a while.

"Arnold? Um, if you don't want to talk about it I'd totally understand, but how...how did your parents disappear?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. Would you like me to tell you?"

"Only if you want to."

"Okay" Arnold and Helga sat on Helga's bed.

"My parents names are Miles and Stella..." he began.

As Arnold continued the tale of his parents meeting, then going back to San Lorenzo to help the tribe of Green eyed people, Helga tried to imagine what life must have been like all this time for Arnold. He knew all this stuff about his patents, right down to how they disappeared, but he had still had to grow up without them.

When Arnold finished the story, the first thing Helga did was hug him.

"Arnold, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you. And then me tormenting you for most of that time as well! I'm such a horrible person!"

"Helga, don't say that! You're a wonderful person! I don't know what I'd do without you."

"But all those years, you were going through all of this and I just kept barraging you with insults, and tripping you, and shooting spitballs at you, and...and..."

"Helga. Yes you did all that stuff, but you've also been a wonderful friend when I really needed you. It's not your fault you weren't sure how to express your feelings, and now that you've told me I understand why you did what you did over the years. Please don't feel guilty about it, Helga; I forgive you."

"But how can you forgive me for seven years of torture just like that?"

"Because I love you." Arnold answered simply.

Helga could think of nothing better to do that hug Arnold and give him a light kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Helga."

"Anytime, Arnoldo."

"you want to know something interesting?" Arnold asked after a moment.

"What?"

"My Grandma and Grandpa were just like us growing up. My Grandma would pick on my Grandpa all the time when they were kids."

"Really?!" 'So does that mean...Arnold and I might get married one day?!' Helga thought ecstatically.

"Yeah, all these years and they're still together. Pretty amazing, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty amazing" Helga echoed.