Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Blackmail toy"

In the last chapter of "Blackmail toy": To Helga's huge amount of unhappiness, Arnold's cousin Aaron has found out she's in love with him, and she's just waiting to hear how he wants her to pay him for keeping her secret. In the meantime he seems to be having quite a lot of fun with poking at Arnold, to see if he shares Helga's feelings. He's most definitely jealous at Aaron's interest in the blonde girl. And it's hurting Arnold far more than he had ever imagined.

Author's 1st note: Fourth chapter already! O_o Man, I am on a roll! This was a bit harder to write actually. I kept going back on forth between some places for Helga and Aaron to meet up, but eventually I went with… Well, this one ;) Enjoy!

Chapter 4: "Something in the air?"

"Helga, please let go!"

"No way! I told you not to touch me, and yet you did in front of the entire class! Now, what would be the point in threatening you, if I didn't follow through?"

"Helga, let go this instant or I'll tell on you!"

"Why, you little…!" Helga said in deep anger and finally let go. Aaron felt to the ground with a thud and started coughing while holding around his neck. It was sore. "Damn it, you could have killed me!"

"There's no way I'd kill anyone. I know the human's limit to these kind of things. Besides, you were able to talk, so there's no way you couldn't really breathe." Helga quickly dismissed while stretching her arms. One of them felt particularly tender, because it had held the body weight of Aaron up for a good amount of time.

Aaron coughed one last time and stood up. "You're dangerous, you know that?" he asked her, still trying to get a steady breath. "Can't say I didn't warn ya'." She simply reminded him and let her arms fall down to her sides. He smirked a bit and nodded. "Yeah… Yeah, you did. But I didn't think you were actually strong enough to hold me up against the wall with your arm."

"Well, now you know, and what does that mean?"

"That I won't do it again?" Aaron suggested. "Atta boy!" Helga said with a huge grin on her face and smacked his back a little harder than he could handle at the moment. He coughed a little again. "Ok, that's enough, you big crybaby."

"You're cruel, you know that?" Aaron asked with slight amusement in his voice. Helga shrugged. "Hey, that's who I am. That's what makes me special."

"You're special alright." Aaron mumbled and straightened his back. "Ok, you figured out a place where we can speak in privacy?"

"Well, honestly it was a hard decision. First I thought we should just talk here at school in a janitor's closet or something, but if someone busted us there, it would be hard to explain."

"Yeah, that seems right."

"Then I thought of going to my house, because then we could seriously be alone."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"A bunch of things! Firstly, I don't want you to know where I live. God knows how you'd take advantage of that! Secondly, my dad would have a cow if I brought a guy home. You'd be dead as soon as you walked onto the front porch."

"… You're not even joking about that, are you?"

"Nope. Where do you think I got my strength from? Thirdly, I don't wanna risk anyone finding out I took you home with me. That'd be beyond suspicious, and you already made me the target of Lila and Rhonda's teasing, since you pulled me out of the class holding me like that, bucko!" Helga said and slapped the back of his head.

Aaron started rubbing the area, where he could still feel the sting of her slap, with a sigh. "So… where are we gonna go?"

"To the only place, I could think of after crossing both school and my house off the list."

"Yeah? And where's that?"

"Mighty Pete."

"Hey, Arnold?"

Arnold slowly lifted his head from the table to look up. It was Gerald. He was looking worried at him. "I don't feel like talking, Gerald." Arnold said and put his forehead back on the table again. "I know, since you haven't said anything yourself yet." Gerald answered and took his seat next to him. "But that doesn't change that I worry about you, man. What's eating you?"

"… What's eating me…?" Arnold showed one of his eyes. "What's eating me?!" he repeated and sat straight up. Gerald quickly shot back in his seat at seeing this angry Arnold in front of him. "What's eating me is my cousin! Here he comes, out of nowhere, and accomplishes something within one stinkin' day that I've been trying to accomplish for years!"

"And what, exactly, have you been trying to accomplish?" Gerald asked with shock in his voice, mostly because of this angry outburst. "To win over Hel - " Arnold let his sentence stop there. He shook his head, as if to say that he'd changed his mind about talking about this again and slumped back in his seat.

"You've tried to accomplish… to win over Hell? No, why would you do that, Arnold? You're a pure saint! You've already won compared to Hell." Gerald said, half-jokingly and half-seriously. Arnold gave him a tired look. "Gerald, I really don't - "

Arnold was interrupted by the sound of the door into the classroom opening. At first he was just going to finish his sentence, until he recognized that blonde hair which belonged to Helga. He straightened his back a little to get a better look at her… still with Aaron.

Arnold groaned a little and put his chin back to the table. He still kept an eye on them though. He couldn't hear what they were saying because they were whispering, but it made him raise an eyebrow. While Aaron looked playful, almost as if flirting, Helga looked like someone who wanted him to disappear as quickly as possible. She even just pushed him at his cheek!

Aaron kept laughing while making his way over to his seat, leaving Helga at her own. She slumped back into her chair and sighed heavily. This is torment enough. She thought. There's really gonna be more? If I hear one more innuendo coming out of his mouth, I swear I'll -

Helga shook her head thought before she could finish that sentence in her head. I won't do shit, because I can't. If I do anything to him, he's going to tell Arnold everything. I can't touch this guy! Why oh why did I have to monologue at that very moment?! I'm such a basket case!

Arnold could feel his confusion grow. Why did Helga look so dissatisfied now? If she wanted Aaron's interest, then that was definitely a funny way to show it. He looked over at Aaron who was playing with his cell phone.

"… I gotta know." Arnold mumbled and stood up. "Hey, where you going, Arnold?" Gerald asked. Arnold looked over his shoulder. "To talk to my cousin." He answered and walked over to Aaron's table. He sat at one of the tables next to him. "What's up, Arnold?"

"… I'm sorry, Aaron, but I have to ask you something that you might not like."

"If I don't like your question, you won't get an answer."

"I'll try my luck anyways. Are you bothering Helga?" Arnold asked with a piercing tone. Aaron looked at Arnold in feigned shock, but he couldn't see that. "Why would I be bothering her?" he asked.

"Well… it's just that… I mean, look at her." Arnold answered and twisted his head towards Helga, who'd just started writing furiously in a little pink book. "She looks fine to me." Aaron commented.

"She is not fine. Usually when she writes in one of those pink books, she looks happy. Also, she's never done it in the classroom before. She writes in it, when she's at the park with this big happy smile on her face."

Aaron looked at Arnold with huge eyes. "Arnold, are you stalking her or something?" he asked almost in all honesty. Arnold just stared back with a little disgust. "No! I wouldn't do that to her! It's just… well… When you've seen Helga smile like that, then you kinda don't forget, ok? I just noticed her once in the park like that and ever since then, I've caught her writing at that tree a million times. It's all a coincidence."

"What do you mean 'smile like that'?"

"Huh? Oh, well… you've probably already noticed that she doesn't smile a lot. A scowl is usually more her thing."

"Huh," Aaron said thoughtfully and leaned back in his seat. "I guess I have to take your word for it… since the first time I saw her she had a huge smile on her face."

Arnold could feel his heart stop beating. Aaron had seen that kind of smile on Helga? Why?! "Was she writing in one of her pink books, when you saw her?" Arnold asked. Aaron looked at him in slight disappointment. "Arnold, isn't that prying? I don't think Helga would like if you pried into her privacy. I promised her to keep it a secret, so I can't tell you."

Arnold began gritting his teeth. "It's just… I have a hard time believing that Helga would tell you anything, when I have known her since preschool and she won't tell me." He explained with a pained look in his eyes.

"Well," Aaron said and leaned forward in a slightly hostile way. "maybe it's that kind of cocky attitude that's stopping her from telling you."

Arnold could feel his heart get stuck in his throat. What cocky attitude? Was he cocky? Him? No one had ever called him cocky before! He'd been called a buttinski, geek bat, football head, but never cocky! How was he cocky?!

"Wh-What do you mean?" Arnold asked. Aaron sighed slightly and leaned forward again. "Well, if I had to give you my advice, then it would be better for both you and Helga, if you just - "

At that moment, the rest of the class barged in, almost as a stampede of wildebeest in Central Africa. What rotten timing! Arnold thought and turned to Aaron again, but he was already seated back properly. "Aaron, any chance you could give me that advice later?" he asked hopefully. Aaron turned his eyes to look at him and then sighed. "Well, sure, Arnold, but honestly I don't think you can use my advice all that much."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't think I can help you, that's all. You and Helga… it's pretty much a lost cause, don't you think?"

Arnold barely remembered anything his teacher had said through the former lesson in math. His brain had completely shut down as Aaron's words were going on repeat in his brain. You and Helga, it's pretty much a lost cause.

Were they a lost cause? True, they had known each other since preschool, but they didn't really know much about each other. They never talked about private stuff, counting out the few brief moments when she'd had a problem with her sister, mother or father and he just happened to be convenient at that moment. But she never actually confided in him. And the more he thought about it, then neither did he.

How could he expect Helga to tell him about her family problems, when he didn't do the same for her? Maybe he had been cocky. Everyone else trusted him completely and always went to him for advice, be it for a big or a small problem. Helga never sought his help. It always seemed just… random.

Maybe because of that, he'd just assumed Helga was the same. But he knew she wasn't. She was more complicated than the rest of his class, and even if she had never told him in details about her family, he knew her problems were bigger than those of their classmates.

He suddenly regretted never talking about his parents to her back when they were missing. Then again he didn't really talk about it to anyone. Except Gerald, but even that had been pretty short-lived. It was just too painful to talk about back then.

That must've been how Helga felt too. It was too agonizing to talk about. So how could he make her trust him enough to talk? Even if he couldn't help, he could at least listen. How could he prove to her that maybe they weren't so different parent wise? She always felt her parents didn't love her, and he'd gone through the first 11 years of his life without any parents. They at least had the need of parents in common.

So how was he supposed to approach her with something like that? He couldn't just walk up to her and randomly asked her, if she wanted to have a heart-to-heart with him about parents. No way, she'd pound him for something like that.

It felt like forever, and yet somehow time had just flown by, when the school bell suddenly rang, telling the students it was time for lunch. Arnold had no appetite whatsoever, but let himself get pulled at the arm by Gerald anyway. Much like him, Helga wasn't very hungry either, but was also pulled into the cafeteria by Phoebe.

"Hey, babe!" Gerald called, when he noticed Phoebe and Helga a little in front of them in the line. Arnold suddenly registered Gerald's words inside his head. Wait, if he's calling someone 'babe' then that must be Phoebe, and if Phoebe's close by, that would mean…

"Hi, Gerald." Phoebe answered a little shyly. Helga instantly woke up from her daydream consisting choking Aaron with some of that huge amount of unnecessary wax he used for his hair. Gerald? If Gerald is close by, then Arnold must be too!

Helga and Arnold almost simultaneously turned around and caught sight of each other. Their heartbeats started raising at an incredible speed at finally being able to see each other without Aaron nearby. Helga could almost have kissed him out of sheer happiness, and that's also why, she smiled so genuinely at him.

Arnold was sure he was either hallucinating or had finally banged himself unconscious at his desk or something, because Helga was wearing the most gentle smile he'd ever seen on her – Or on anyone else for that matter! He couldn't help that big goofy grin that was now smeared on his face as if by glue.

Helga just felt all giddy inside and tried to hide a giggle behind her hand. She kept on smiling and waved a little at him. That giggle made him pull on a lovesick gaze and he waved back at her with a smooth motion of his hand.

"What do you want, missy?"

The voice of the cafeteria lady asking for Helga's attention, broke the moment they'd currently been absorbed in. Helga sighed and turned to her to answer, much to Arnold's disappointment. But he still had a small smile on his lips. Hey, at least the moment had been there. And Aaron was nowhere in sight, so maybe he could finally ask Helga what was going on.

When all four of them got their lunch, Gerald and Phoebe insisted on sitting together. So naturally their best friends followed them. While Gerald and Phoebe had absolutely no shame in sitting close to each other on their side of the table, Arnold and Helga felt slightly embarrassed at even sitting with normal proximity next to each other. Not that it was unpleasant for any of them, oh no.

Arnold noticed that Helga's eyes were darting around at first though, clearly looking for something or… someone. When her eyes finally landed on what she was looking for, he made certain to look in the same direction.

Apparently, Helga had been worried about where Aaron was. He was sitting at another table at the far end of the cafeteria, surrounded by most of the girls in their class. Arnold just stared at him in anger for a couple of more seconds than Helga, and therefore missed the relieved smile she made before digging into her food.

So, Helga's that unsatisfied with having to eat with me, Gerald and Phoebe, huh? Arnold thought in pure anger. Then why is she even here, when she could just prance over to Aaron and sit with him together with the rest of the girls?! Oh, right! She probably wants him for herself. That's why she's not trying now, since his attention is so divided at the moment. Clever, Helga, nice thinking.

Arnold violently stabbed a fork into a pasta screw on his plate, earning the attention of the rest of the people around the table. Helga was the one mostly worried. He'd seemed on such a rollercoaster ride of emotions this day, and she had no idea what to make of it. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but someone beat her to it.

"You unsatisfied with something, Arnold?" Gerald asked, knowing he wouldn't get a proper answer. Arnold kept looking down at his food, before making a very obvious turn to look at Helga. She stared at him in shock, while he sighed and returned to his food.

Me?! She thought and couldn't help the O shape her mouth formed into. She stared, bug-eyed, at Phoebe and Gerald in front of her, who just shrugged, just as in the dark as she. "If you have a problem with me, Arnoldo, then just say it." She told him, trying to contain her anger.

"I never said I had a problem with you, Helga."

"Oh, no, you just said you're unsatisfied with me." Helga corrected. Arnold threw his fork onto the plate and looked at her as if she was the plague or something. She frowned deeply at him. "What?!"

"What's the deal with you and my cousin?" Arnold asked. Helga went wide-eyed again. "Excuse me?"

"What, are you deaf all of a sudden, Helga? Hard of hearing?"

"What's your problem?!"

"You, Helga! You." He answered. "What is it with you and my cousin?"

"I'm your problem? Well, you're mine too! What's with that attitude of yours all of a sudden?"

"Answer my question, Helga."

"Hell no! Not when there's no reason to even ask that question to begin with!" Helga answered while crossing her arms over her chest. "There is a reason!" Arnold answered.

"Then enlighten me, Arnold."

"… Why aren't you eating with him?" Arnold finally asked, reaching the end of his patience. Helga couldn't believe her own ears. So he hated her so much, that he wanted to be rid of her? "Huh!?"

"You heard me! You were just looking for Aaron! If you wanna eat with him, then go right ahead! What's stopping you?"

"Hey! I don't want to eat with him, bucko!"

"Why?!"

"Because I ha - " Helga stopped herself and shook her head. No, no, no, do not tell Arnold that you hate his cousin! She reminded herself. Don't insult his family, you stupid girl! "That's none of your business, Arnold!"

"Why is it none of my business?!"

"What!? Are you kidding me?! So you think that I have to report every single feeling I have inside of me to you, paste for brains?!" Helga asked in pure shock, at the sudden - and honestly totally uncalled for – anger from Arnold.

So it is true… Arnold thought while biting his lower lip. She really doesn't trust me. She wouldn't confide in me, but she'd confide in my cousin! "Well, no! It's not like I'm interested or anything! It's just… why would you rather report to Aaron instead of me?"

"I'm not reporting anything to Aaron! Why are you saying that?"

"You're lying, Helga! I know that you told him something!"

"What are you even talking about, football head?! I haven't told him shit! Why would I do that?!"

"Why, is what I wanna know!"

Arnold and Helga was oblivious to the fact that their seemingly increasing quarrel was catching the attention from everyone in the cafeteria. Even the people who didn't know them.

"Listen to me, Arnold, I haven't confided Aaron in anything! Absolutely nothing! Not that it's any of your business!" Helga yelled while leaning a little forward against Arnold, who did the same. "And why is it none of my business?! He's my cousin! You're my friend! I've know you for thirteen years!"

"So what if you've known me for thirteen years?!"

"You'd think that would make you trust me! Even if just a little bit!"

"Well, I don't, Arnold!" Helga screamed this time with more hurt than anger in her voice. She was lying right through her teeth, but she just felt so attacked right now. There was no way, she could just tell him that she trusted him more than anyone in the whole world. Her pride wouldn't allow it.

Arnold then shook his head in pure anger. "Fine," he said with such a seething voice that everyone who knew him went immediately bug-eyed. "then I'm done trying." He added and stood up. While doing so, he swept at his food tray at no particular target.

A shriek from Helga made Arnold turn around though. He stared in shock when he saw her covered in his pasta, which had been with meat sauce. She was looking down at herself and couldn't cope at all with the fact that anyone – especially Arnold – had just spilled their food on her. On purpose, she thought.

No one in the entire room could cope with it either. Most people knew Helga Pataki, since she had made her reputation quite well know, and therefore were most people thinking that Arnold either was suicidal or the most idiotic guy on the planet.

Aaron, who had noticed this quarrel a little earlier than everyone else, since he wasn't really all that interested in how big Rhonda's mansion was, was looking on with pure curiosity. He had no idea how this fight had started, but it was clearly about him. Maybe his comment about Arnold being cocky had gotten to him? That was the intention of course, but not really to this level.

Phoebe and Gerald, who had absolutely no idea what to do or how to react to this sudden fight between their best friends, just sat with pure shock across their faces at the sight before them. Arnold having just swept his food onto Helga's clothes and that she was now covered in this red and brown substance.

Arnold was looking at Helga in pure terror. He hadn't meant for the food to land on her! Not at all! He was just angry and wanted to punch something, but the only thing near him had been that stupid food tray! So he just… He just swept at it and he hadn't meant for it to…

Arnold's mind was one big fuzz at this moment. He couldn't see Helga's face right now, since she was looking down at her shirt - which had been white just a minute again, he painfully noted in the back of his mind. Seeing Helga's face or not, he was pretty certain that she was furious at him.

Who wouldn't be?! He was furious at himself! He'd gone way too far! It didn't matter how mad he'd been at Helga a minute ago. It wasn't really her fault. He was just boiling with jealousy and envy at his cousin, but how was she supposed to know that? And he didn't even really have the right to be jealous. Helga wasn't his girlfriend or anything like that, even if he did want her to be.

It didn't matter to Helga right now, that she loved Arnold with all of her heart. He'd just humiliated her in front of the entire crowd around them, whose small 'ooohhh's' had convinced her that they'd seen it all. She was foaming with rage and she wanted revenge.

"H-Helga, I'm…" Arnold started and sat down back at his seat. He was hoping she'd at least look up at him, but she kept staring at her formerly white shirt. "I… I am really sorry. I didn't mean for the food to hit you, and I didn't mean to make you angry. I'm - " He was stopped in the middle of his sentence by Helga, who has lifted her right hand in front of him in a hushing way.

Arnold could see her chest rising and falling slowly, almost as if she was trying to calm herself. In a way he was thankful for that, because an angry Helga was not something anyone wanted to be met with. Even if he did deserve it.

"Don't worry, Arnold." Helga said with such a monotone voice, that Arnold couldn't help but stare at her. A monotone voice could never be good, if it was coming from a girl who was supposed to be angry.

Everyone in the cafeteria were watching with pure excitement as they awaited for whatever Helga was planning. "I don't get angry," Helga said with the same voice while her left hand went to her own food tray. "I get even." She finished before smashing her now tapioca pudding filled hand on Arnold's face.

Everyone in the room started laughing at the sight of Arnold's pudding filled face. Helga smeared it really good on his face, while enjoying her payback. Only Phoebe and Gerald knew for certain that this definitely wasn't the end.

When Helga was satisfied with her job, she wiped her hand on Arnold's shirt before standing up. He just stared at her in pure shock, while she walked away. Ok, so he'd spilled his food on her by accident, and she had smeared pudding all over him on purpose. Now, how was that fair?

Helga didn't get very far, before a yell from Gerald, telling Arnold to 'not do it', made her stop. Before she could turn around and see, whatever tall hair boy was talking about, she felt something cold and wet hit her back.

Helga yelped at the cold chocolate milk that was slowly dripping down form her shirt and onto the floor. Did Arnold just… Helga thought in a mix of being angry and impressed. Did he just pour chocolate milk on me?! A small smile formed on her lips. Despite the obvious humiliation that came with his action, she also couldn't help but feeling a little pride. Way to go, football head. I knew you had it in you.

Of course, the humiliating feeling won as she whipped her hands, trying to get some of the chocolate milk away from them. She slowly turned around to see Arnold looking at her with a smug smile, still with the empty box in his hands. She smirked a little herself.

Like Helga, Arnold also felt a little proud. It was the first time he'd stood up to Helga like that. Even if he did feel it was a little undeserved at this exact moment, then she had actually done worse things to him through the years, hadn't she? Besides, she was actually smirking a little at him.

With those thoughts, Arnold put the box down next to him and crossed his arms in a challenging way. Well, Helga. He thought. Now what are you gonna do? Probably throw more food at me. Well, bring it on.

"Well, ok then, football head." Helga said as she started walking at a quick pace towards Arnold. "If you want a food fight, then let's have one."

That threat of a food fight never happened. As soon as Helga was getting closer to Arnold, she started slipping at the chocolate milk on the floor. She shrieked loudly, as she started losing her balance. "Helga!" Arnold yelled and went to grab her. She also tried to grab him, mostly because he was the thing closest to her and it was a natural reaction. They did grab each other, although Arnold also lost his balance and they both went crashing to the floor.

A wave of gasps echoed in the room and some started to stand up, to look if the two fighting teens were ok. Gerald and Phoebe were two of them to do that, but when they saw them on the floor, they didn't dare to do anything.

"Ow, ow, ow…" Helga mumbled, feeling the pain in her spine come back. "Ouch…" Arnold mumbled next to her ear and used his hand and his elbow to sit up just a little bit. "Helga, are you alright?"

Helga rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, sure, football head! I'm just freaking - " her rant stopped, when she noticed exactly how close her and Arnold were. It was also almost as if she hadn't felt his weight on her until now. She could feel her own heart beat against his chest, and he could feel the same thing with his own.

"Oh, dear…" Phoebe mumbled behind her hand, knowing full well how much Helga's heart must have been raising at that very moment. Unbeknownst to her and Helga, Arnold's heart was beating almost as rapidly. He was hovering above her with his hands firmly planted next to her shoulders. They were practically nose to nose!

The whole room was quiet for what seemed like an eternity, before some of them started hollering and whistling. It was as if reality dawned on both Helga and Arnold at those noises and they started to try to get away from the awkward position.

To their embarrassment they were both covered in too much food and the chocolate milk around them were quite slippery, so their attempt at gently slipping away from each other was quickly flushed down the toilet. Arnold kept bouncing back onto Helga and even landed with his nose in-between her breasts once, before he could finally stand up.

Helga was laying on the floor for a second while trying to stand up, before she saw a hand in front of her. She looked up to see who it belonged to, though she already knew. Arnold was holding his hand out to her with a timid look on his face. She took it without any doubts and let him raise her up from the floor.

Arnold didn't let go of Helga's hand, as he usually would, and Helga didn't push him away, as she usually would. They just stood there looking at each other, until a small snicker came out of Arnold's mouth. He quickly tried to cover it with a cough, but when Helga snickered a little herself, he really had to struggle not to laugh.

Before anyone knew what was going on, Helga and Arnold were laughing with all their might, still holding each other's hand. Everyone was so confused while they kept watching the odd pair in front of them.

"You look ridiculous, football head!" Helga exclaimed while trying to stop her laughing. "Me? Look who's talking!" Arnold answered, having an equally hard time at trying to stop his laughter. She started to cover her mouth and in a way, it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen; Helga trying to conceal her happy laughter.

She looked up and into his eyes, but then she noticed something missing on the top of his head. "Oh!" she said in surprise and started to look around. "What's wrong?" Arnold asked. She didn't answer, before she found what she was looking for. "There." She mumbled and bend her knees for a second to retrieve a small, blue hat on the floor.

Helga quickly dusted off some pudding on it, before placing it on Arnold's head. Of course pushing it a bit to the side, as she knew he always did. "There." She repeated with a small smile and looked back into his eyes.

Arnold could feel the butterflies in his stomach, as he noted that she had been so very careful with his hat. He couldn't help but reach up to touch it. "Thanks." He said quietly and looked back to her. He was then the one to notice something wrong on her head. He looked a little guilty while reaching out to touch her formerly completely pink bow. "Your bow has brown spots now."

"Oh…" Helga mumbled, not really noticing what he was saying. She was too busy with focusing on the fact that he was touching her bow. Their bow. "There." He was the one to say this time and pulled his hand back. "Now it's pink again."

"… Thanks." Helga mumbled with a small smile. Arnold nodded while smiling the same way as her. They didn't notice, but most of the other students in the room had lost interest and was now back to talking about their own business. The girls around Aaron being some of them.

"What in the world was that all about?" Nadine asked completely baffled. "I'm ever so certain that Arnold and Helga just had another one of their fights." Lila answered in equal shock. "It wasn't just a fight, girls! It was a huge fight!" Rhonda corrected and started gesturing at them. "And look at the way they're looking at each other now. Is it just me, or can you feel something in the air?"

The girls continued their discussion about whether Arnold and Helga had a thing for each other, while Aaron's smile only got bigger and bigger. I see… He thought to himself. Well then, this ought to be the most entertaining trip of my life.

Author's 2nd note: That was chapter four, everyone! In case you don't remember what "Mighty Pete" is, then you'll find out in the next chapter ;) It will mostly be dialogue. Aaron and Helga will start talking about the upcoming blackmail :P Well, some of it xD Since he really IS improvising through this. The mature stuff is not too far ahead! But there'll probably be a few more chapters before anything really heavy will happen. I will warn you, when that happens, because it's some heavily sexual things, I'm talking about. Enjoy the innocence there is in this story… for now :P

BTW the next couple of chapters may take a little longer to make, since I'm starting a course to learn about trigger points :3 So I don't have the whole day of until Tuesday xD Monday I'm donating blood, so that shouldn't take too long, but rather that I warn you now than later :P

To my reviewers: After getting some reviews by now, I thought it would only be fair to answer some of them here. I'm not gonna say who said what, or how many said each thing, but it seems like there's a few who seems to have gotten (to me) the wrong impression of a few things.

Statement: "Helga's still such a bully!"

This is in a way true, yes, but not completely. As mentioned in chapter 1, Helga has mellowed through the years and she and Arnold are even friends now. She's still got spunk and she's still got quite a mouth on her, but she's not as mean as she used to be. She's not supposed to be at least xD It's not like she's still throwing spit balls at Arnold or even still being childish like that.

Statement: "Arnold hasn't done anything to try and get with Helga!"

Now, hold on. True, he hasn't told her his feelings just yet. He has no clue she feels the same, and even if she's not his tormentor anymore, she's still a scary girl when angry. Wouldn't most people be afraid to confess to a girl/boy? And especially if this person tends to get angry at small things? And also: This is not shown through this story, but since getting his parents back in San Lorenzo, they DID develop a friendship (as mentioned in chapter 1). So it's not like he's just been waiting for her to come around or anything. He's still trying to get through to her, even while they're still friends.

So, these are just some things I wanted to explain properly: Helga's not as bad as she used to be, and Arnold hasn't been as passive as he seems at this moment.