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

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Roadside girl"

In the last chapter: When Helga and Arnold arrived at Civic Opera, the director Brent Anderson offered them free tickets in substitute for Helga giving the opera a positive review on her blog. In order for them to play the part though, they needed to be dressed properly, much to Arnold's horror but also happiness once he saw what Helga was wearing.

While Helga throughout the evening managed to lay some cards on the table and swept Arnold off his feet, he collected enough courage to officially ask her out some other time.

Author's 1st note: Sorry it took so long! Again… xD

[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]

Chapter 12: "I have an idea"

"Well, aren't you happy?" Gerald asked sarcastically when Arnold jumped out of the front door with a big grin on his face and on bouncy feet. "Yeah, I'm happy." He answered before practically starting to skip down the street. "How can you be this happy just before an exam?" Gerald asked before he yawned as he followed Arnold lazily. "Well, it is the last one." Arnold pointed out, still grinning widely. Gerald looked at him with his eyes only half-open. "Ok, man, what's happened? No one should be this eager for an exam. Even if it is the last one." He said before managing to get beside Arnold rather than behind him. Arnold slowed down, folding his hands behind his back. "Helga and I went on a date last night."

"Whoa-whoa, wait. What?" Gerald asked and grabbed Arnold's shoulder, stopping the grinning boy from walking any further. "When did that happen?"

"Last night, I just told you."

"No! I mean when did you ask her out?"

"I didn't"

"… You gotta explain that."

"We, uh… We were on our way home after yesterday's practice and then we decided to go to the opera first."

"… Who randomly decides to go to the opera?"

"Gerald, it was amazing! Helga knows people."

"Knows people?"

"Yes, she knew the director of the opera that had premiere last night so we got in for free and Brent Anderson let us borrow some old costumes so we didn't have to sit in our sportswear inside the opera."

"You wore costumes to the opera?"

"Well, it was better than sportswear. You should have seen Helga! She had this big Victorian black and blue dress on and oh, God, she looked so - - "

"I refuse to hear the Arnold loves this girl to death rant about Helga of all people! I get it. You love her, you wanna marry her and you want the whole nine yards." Gerald interrupted with a look of disgust on his face. Arnold didn't care about his snide remarks though; he was in fact too happy to even notice. He started walking in this bouncy way again, his bag hanging heavily on his shoulder, but the rest of him felt light as a feather. "I guess it was a good date?" Gerald asked, wondering how good a date at the opera could be of all places. "It wasn't so much the opera as the way home." Arnold answered, swinging softly from side to side."

"You got a good goodnight kiss?"

"Oh, I got more than a kiss."

"Do tell." Gerald said with a boyish grin and Arnold looked at him in surprise at his tone. "No! Get your mind out of the gutter!" he bellowed with reddened cheeks, but his smile was still bigger than his cheeks. "Then what?" Gerald asked with a sigh. "I… asked her out." Arnold answered with an innocent shrug and Gerald knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. "So you're dating her now?" he asked, but Arnold shook his head. "Not really. I just asked more officially for a second date." He answered and Gerald rolled his eyes. "One thing at a time, but yeah, I'm… hoping we'll end up dating for real."

"You wanna go steady?" Gerald asked while wiggling his eyebrows and it was Arnold's turn to roll his eyes. "Why must you make fun of me?" he asked. "If you don't like it, stop making it so easy!" Gerald answered, his grin just as big as Arnold's by then. "You can do and say what you want; I am too happy to care." Arnold said and blew a raspberry at Gerald who simply smirked at him. "I'm finally going in the right direction with Helga. This is a huge step forward and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep it that way."

"Hi, Arnold! Today was your last exam, right? How did it go?" Maria asked once Arnold was inside the auditorium. He eyed her clothes first though. "Uh… it went pretty good, I think. Um… what are you wearing?" he asked and she looked down at herself. She was wearing a black leather dress, which barely covered the essentials. "Oh, the girls' costumes are ready so we're all trying them out." She explained and made a twirl. "How does it look?" she asked and struck a pose. Arnold snickered at her energy and then hummed dramatically. "Well, I'm sure that's what a prostitute would look like."

"Why, thank you." Maria said in a sweet voice and laughed with Arnold. "So Helga is changing too?" he couldn't help but ask before stepping onto the stage. "Yeah! Her costume for this song resembles ours, but it has more details of course so it takes more time to put it on." She answered and smirked at Arnold. "She seems to be awfully happy today." She added nonchalantly enough for Arnold not to notice. "Yeah?" he inquired, fighting to keep the smile off his own face. "Yeah…" Maria answered and held back a snicker. "She keeps on singing this old love song. Something about dancing…"

"Shall we dance?" Arnold asked before he could stop himself and Maria snapped dramatically with her fingers. "That's the one!" she bellowed and watched as a big grin spread on Arnold's face. "Ok, Arnold. Spit it out." She ordered and he turned to look at her again. "You and Helga are both so randomly happy all of a sudden and I think your happiness has to do with each other so…" she said and then jumped towards him with every syllable she said. "What's going on?"

Arnold snickered at the way Maria was smiling excitedly at him and he was very tempted to tell her; he just didn't know what Helga would think of that. "Nothing happened!" he insisted, but she gave him a slanted look. "You're saying that, but that smile on your face speaks against you." She said as she poked his cheek and he stepped away in embarrassment. "Come on!" she begged and them jumped towards him again. "Tell, tell, tell!" she begged excitedly. Oh, boy. How do I get out of this? Arnold wondered, still trying to conceal his grin.

"Tell what?" Helga's voice asked not too far away from them. Saved by Helga! That's a new one… Arnold thought and gulped once he caught sight of her. Like Maria, Helga was wearing a short and black dress made out of leather. There were two zippers made out of silver on the dress; one from her chest and to her lower stomach and the other in front of her right thigh. The latter one was naturally much smaller and was obviously only there for show. She was wearing black leather gloves around her hands, but her fingers were bare. A simple, black choker decorated her throat and a pair of very high-heeled black go-go boots with shoelaces were pulled over her feet and calves.

Arnold gulped audibly at the sight of Helga and she seemed to be completely in character as she sauntered over to him. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked sarcastically and used her index finger to lift his chin. His whole body shuddered at the touch and then her exterior faltered. She snickered loudly as she let go of his chin, hunching over with laughter. "You should have seen yourself!" she mocked and he blushed heavily. "I didn't expect you to come out looking like that!" he defended, but she just gave him a sexy pout that shut his mouth.

Helga kept snickering for a bit before she looked at Maria. "So, what were you two talking about?" she asked with a smile. Maria put her hands on Arnold's shoulders as she grinned. "Oh, Arnold was just telling me about his night." She answered as she wiggled her eyebrows. Helga arched one of her own and turned to look at Arnold who seemed very uncomfortable between the two girls. "Really?" she asked and Maria nodded. "Yup." She answered with no hesitation, but Arnold shook his head at Helga, begging her to believe that he hadn't told her anything.

"Uh-huh, so tell me, Maria. What did happen last night?" Helga asked as she crossed her arms, unconsciously causing her breasts to bounce upwards. Oh, God. Arnold thought and shut his eyes. It would be a very horrible moment to start feeling aroused though no one could really blame him if he did. "You two got a little closer." Maria answered and Arnold had to give her credit for the vague response since she didn't really know anything. "Oh?" Helga inquired and hummed thoughtfully. "What kind of closer?"

"Um…" Maria muttered, obviously unsure of what to answer. "Physically?" she suggested and Helga snickered. "You know squat." She stated and Maria whined. "Oh, come on, Helga! I'm your biggest fan! You gotta let me know about my favorite actress' love life just a little bit!" she insisted before pushing Helga towards Arnold and stepping aside herself. "Come on. Tell, tell, tell!" she begged as she bounced joyfully. "There's nothing to tell." Helga insisted and Maria pouted. "Oh, so you're both just randomly happy on the same day?" she asked sarcastically and crossed her arms. "It's a small world, Maria. Somewhere in Japan a guy just won the lottery and is now yelling banzai." Helga retorted and Arnold snickered at the random joke. Maria pouted again. "Oh, Helga - - "

"Maria, David just got here."

"Oh. Good morning, David!" Maria said, waved excitedly and then went to jump off the stage. Arnold and Helga watched her as she approached David who smiled at her. "Looks like your plan is working." Arnold observed when Maria hugged David and he hugged her back. "Oh, it's working all right." Helga answered and nudged her elbow at Arnold, causing him to turn and look at her mischievous smile. "So I didn't just dream all that last night?" he asked and she shook her head. "Not unless you dreamt about it afterwards."

"Wouldn't be the first time…" Arnold whispered innocently and Helga's eyes widened. "You dream about me?" she asked, a disbelieving smile spreading on her face. She was most of all surprised that he would admit it. "I'm only telling you because I figured I owed you after you told me about Cecile." He retorted and she nodded thoughtfully. "So you have dreams about me… Good to know." She stated as she smiled at him. He started to smile as well and his smile stayed on until she frowned. "Wipe that smirk off your face."

"You wipe it off." Arnold challenged and Helga's chin hung open in shock at his boldness. "I can't do that here." She whispered, but the thought was making her feel giddy. "Fine. Then it'll just stay on…" Arnold hummed with the smile still plastered on his face. "All day." He added teasingly and she growled in amusement. She looked behind him for a moment, watching if the coast was clear. No one seemed to pay any attention to them, so she grabbed him by the front of his collar and clashed her lips against his.

Arnold moaned into the kiss, but when he did, Helga leaned back. "You're gonna have to do better than that." he whispered desperately, but she just snickered and slapped his chest gently. "Be patient." She scolded and he sighed dramatically. "You're gonna have to be patient… especially since we are going to rehearse what we are going to rehearse now." She pointed out and he looked at her in confusion. "Arnold." she said and stepped back, her hands gesturing to her dress. "In what scenes is Adrasteia wearing this?" she asked. He eyed her clothes, desperately trying to ignore the growing heat in his lower stomach and focusing on when this particular dress is mentioned in the play. When he remembered, his eyes widened and he looked at her in realization. She was grinning mockingly and he almost felt like fainting. Oh, dear God, of all days…

"Hey!" David's voice boomed and both Arnold and Helga turned to look at him. "Since when did you two become opera lovers?" he asked with a smirk before walking up on the stage. The blondes looked at each other in confusion. "Wait. What?" Helga questioned and David showed them the newspaper he had in his hands. "There's an article with a picture of you two at the Civic Opera. Apparently from last night." He said and offered the newspaper to Helga. "What?!" said girl exclaimed and tore the newspaper away from his hand and opened it. She leaned towards Arnold when she felt him trying to look over her shoulder. "Famous theatre actress Helga Geraldine Pataki was seen last night at Civic Opera during the premiere of Murder she wrote by director Brent Anderson. Accompanying her was an unknown face whom she introduced as Arnold Shortman, her male co-star for the play Roadside Girl which will premiere - - "

"I knew something happened between you two!" Maria interrupted, but Helga didn't try to continue reading the article. "What the hell! We're theatre actors, not movie stars! How did they get this information so fast?" she wondered aloud. "You were at the premiere of Murder she wrote, Helga, a long-awaited opera. Of course there was going to be journalists there." David told her and she frowned at his tone. "Brent Anderson took us by surprise when he suddenly mentioned us. This is not our fault!" she insisted. "Who said anything about fault, Helga?" David asked, his face growing a little angry. She simply shot him the same look though. "Your tone is accusing!"

"Stop it." the director's low voice interrupted and both David and Helga turned to look at him. He approached them, his own newspaper in hand. "Listen. Usually, I wouldn't be very fond of this, especially not since the article starts to mention how they believe a romance is going on between Arnold and Helga, which is considered highly unprofessional… but, I have spoken with our writer and he has been getting e-mails from many important figures in the theatre industry last night. There's developing a big interest in our play now and even though I am not very fond of the play only getting extra attention because of the drama of a juvenile, unprofessional romance… then I am going to let it slide."

Both Arnold and Helga exhaled in relief. "Thank you, sir." Arnold said and the director smiled at him. "Oh, don't thank me, Arnold. Any publicity is good publicity. The more interest the play gets, the more money we earn and the more money we earn, the happier we all are in the long run." He responded, earning a laugh from his actors. "In fact…" he said and pointed at the actors with his newspaper. "I recommend that Helga write on her blog that she is going out partying with her fellow actors this Saturday. Plan to meet up at some club or whatever you youngsters do today and create some rumors and publicity."

"Why, aren't you cunning!" Damon stated with a grin. Arnold hadn't even noticed when Damon had gotten there, but he had obviously been following the conversation for a while. "Some journalists or at least some of Helga's fans will be bound to show up to get either pictures, autographs or hoping to get some good gossip. Give them that, but with taste." The director continued. "Yes, sir." Helga answered with a smile and after nodding, the director turned his back to them and walked off. Helga took a step forward and turned around to look at the others who were dumbstruck. "I knew the man was smart, but not that he was an evil genius."

"Looks like we're partying this Saturday." David stated and Maria bounced happily. "Where should we go?" she asked with her hands folded. "Well, that would be up to the couple." Damon said with a smirk. Arnold and Helga frowned in embarrassment, but didn't get to correct him before he continued. "You two grew up here in Hillwood. Any place you would suggest?" he asked. Arnold and Helga closed their eyes, deep in thought until they snapped open and they pointed at each other. "Circle Theatre!"

The others looked between Arnold and Helga in surprise. "Whoa, in unison and everything. You're that kind of couple." Damon said and rolled his eyes in amusement. "What is Circle Theatre?" David asked and Helga turned to look at them. "Circle Theatre is this big venue that is mostly known for being the place Dino Spumoni had his big break. Mayor Dixie also announced it as a city landmark back when we were children." She explained. "It's also the place where my grandparents had their first date." Arnold added a little sheepishly. "Aww…" Maria hummed and folded her hands again.

"Wait. If it's a city landmark, are we allowed to party in there?" David asked and Helga looked questioningly at Arnold. "Uh… it's still called Circle Theatre and the building is still the same, but it's been remodeled and is now used for either private parties or official gatherings so it shouldn't be a problem." He explained and Helga smiled. "Well, that's to our advantage. We'll call and schedule a party, I'll write about it on my blog and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, we got ourselves some advertising." She said, but then Arnold frowned. "Wait. If we schedule a private party, how are journalists supposed to come in?"

"We'll call it an open party." Helga answered and Arnold smiled at her. "Is there anything you don't know?" he asked sarcastically and she smirked at him. "How to stop making you impressed of me seems to be one of them." She retorted before taking his nose between two of her fingers and wiggling it. "Oh, keep the PDA to a minimum, would you?" David begged dramatically and hunched over to hide behind Maria, who just giggled. Helga had a feeling that Maria loved this newly developed friendship between herself and David. It was only a matter of time before it would develop into something more. "Speaking of PDA…" Maria said and then snatched the newspaper from Helga's hand. "Explain this!"

"There's nothing to explain. We were on our way home, saw the Civic Opera and made a spontaneous outing out of it." Helga explained nonchalantly. "Outing?" Damon repeated in disbelief. "What do you mean spontaneous? If it you didn't plan it, then what's with these outfits?" Maria asked and pointed at the picture for good measure. The blondes leaned towards the newspaper and noticed the picture for the first time. It was the two of them next to Brent Anderson, all of them clapping together.

"Well… I know Brent Anderson, the director, and he… offered to let us in for free, borrow some more appropriate clothes all in exchange of me mentioning Murder she wrote on my blog." Helga explained, again with an indifferent voice. "You look gorgeous in this, Helga." Damon observed, as he looked closer at the picture. "I mean, the dresses you wore for The power of love were good too, but whoa." He added and Helga smiled a little shyly. "And, Arnold. Don't you look dashing!" Maria teased and couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, yeah. Haw-haw." Arnold retorted. "You did look good… but it's true that you kind of fade compared to me." Helga teased and started laughing when Arnold pretended to have been shot by an arrow in his heart and then fell backwards as if dying. "Oh, you big drama queen!"

They all laughed together before the director's voice told them to get in their places. "Ok, back to the cheap seats where you belong, Shortman." Helga mocked and waved at Arnold. He rolled his eyes at her words, but jumped off the stage anyhow and went to sit next to the director. While Helga, Damon and the other boys and girls went to their positions, David went to sit down next to Arnold. The director talked into the mic, telling the sound technician to start the song. Arnold then remembered what scene they were about to practice and he leaned forward instantly, knowing full well how this would turn out. Even just the name of the song said everything… S.E.X. He felt David pat his back sympathetically and Arnold turned to smile at him over his shoulder before the music started.

The echo of a low bass repeated four times before a heavy guitar riff overlapped it. The pattern repeated itself while the girls and boys walked towards each other, Helga being the exception. She stayed in place while Damon went to the middle front of the stage, the other dancers behind him. When the speed picked up, a new instrument playing with the others, Damon started dancing while Helga continued to stay in the background. Arnold was a little unsure of whether she was supposed to actually be on the stage in this scene or if she was pretending to be hiding behind a wall.

Arnold almost shuddered when Helga's sultry voice suddenly started singing. "No is a dirty word. Never gonna say it first. No is just a thought that never crosses my mind." She sang and Arnold was almost afraid of looking at her as she leaned backwards towards the wall and slid down seductively. The play was sexual; it was known for it, but this scene was the scene, which the writer, the director and anyone who knew about the play suspected to become one of the most infamous scenes. Damon seemed to offer his hand towards Helga who started to walk towards him when one of the other boys took her hand and made her follow him.

"Maybe in the parking lot, better bring your friend along. Better off together than just one at the time…" Helga sang, caressing Damon's cheek as the other boy's hand glided down her bare thigh. Arnold would have been green with jealousy if he didn't know that Damon at least was gay, he didn't know about the other dancer, but he was going to pretend that he was gay too for the sake of not losing his mind. A heavy beat of some drums set the mood to the big and sudden movements of Helga and Damon's steps. For a moment, it looked like they were dancing jitterbug until Helga started singing again.

Arnold couldn't bear listening to the lyrics though, he felt mesmerized by the way Helga moved her body. It would be redundant to say that she was screaming sex and, all things considered, it was starting to get to him on more than one level. He had been shocked the first time he had seen her like this while she was singing I'm your favorite drug, but the shock felt along with the reunion had been shadowing everything else, every other feeling he would have felt. Needless to say; Helga had become a distraction in many ways since then.

It felt like it had been hours and yet only seconds before Helga emerged to the end position. Her legs wrapped around Damon's waist and he tilted her backwards until she was looking at the imaginary audience with her arms hanging like vines from a tree down towards the floor. Arnold could have been wrong; his mind was clouded with lust after all, but he could have sworn that she had winked at him before Damon had helped her standing up. "Jesus…" David muttered under his breath, earning Arnold's attention. The young men smiled awkwardly, but knowingly at each other before clapping with the director. "Spectacular." He complimented before Ludmilla whistled and Kimberly hollered in the background.

"Dancing in the dresses really makes it more difficult…" Maria observed and pulled her skirt down her thighs for good measure, not that it did any good. "Once the boys' costumes are finished they'll be wearing leather too." The director pointed out, but Maria just shot him a slanted look. "It's not the fabric that is the issue, sir." She retorted. "I know." He responded matter-of-factly and perhaps even teasingly. "You'll be wearing the costumes all day in order to get used to them." He continued and Arnold gulped. All day?! He repeated in his mind and looked at Helga whose eyes looked at him as if she could see right through him. It's going to be a long day…

Arnold had been right in his internal anticipation before; it did become a long day. With Helga wearing such a dress 24/7 it was hard not to get distracted from time to time. Time to time being almost every single moment of every single minute. Arnold had been able to get by though at least until the director had told them to practice one of the few scenes they had yet to practice at all. Arnold knew his lines: there were very few of them after all. The lines weren't the problem; it was the scenario. While the scenario went through his mind, as the director's directions became mere buzz in his ears, he started to feel his leg bounce. Get yourself together. You're not a fifteen year old hormone-filled boy anymore! You're 20 years old; start acting like it! He scolded himself, unknowing that Helga was thinking almost the same thing. This is ridiculous… This scene is not even all that sensual… Oh, who am I kidding; it is sensual, but that's no excuse! How can I call myself an actress if I can't even do this? Then again… She thought and tried to look as if she was listening to the director. This isn't another actor, I'm working with… It's Arnold… my girlhood love and my newborn one as well. How can I not be affected by that?!

"So, are you two ready?" the director asked, unknowing that both blondes were thinking no in capitals, but were nodding their heads anyhow. "Ok, lights." The director said to the special effects electrician who had been with them through most of the day. The lights were dimmed into a soft orange glow and Helga groaned. Oh, for fuck's sakes. Why not just put a pair of freaking candles around us?! She screamed inside her head and arched her back until she heard it crack behind her. Ow! Shit, I need to get rid of that habit.

"Music." The director continued and the soft sound of a guitar started playing. Helga inhaled deeply and looked towards the director, waiting for his signal even though she knew herself when she was supposed to start walking. He waited for a moment and then nodded at her. Adrasteia took a couple of determined, but also shaky steps. She was looking around, both making sure no one was watching her and also looking for the person who had send her a note earlier that evening. She could hear steps behind her and froze. A pair of warm hands touched her arms and she exhaled shakily. She didn't need to see nor hear his voice to know who it was. "Why did you ask me to come here?"

"I needed to see you again." Aiden answered behind Adrasteia, his hands ghosting delicately over her skin. With a shaky breath, she turned on her heel and put her fingers against his chest. "You must have a sick wish to die if you're so desperate to see me for even a moment." She told him as she pushed him backwards. He didn't fight her before he felt his back touch the wall behind him and he grabbed her hand before she could move it from his chest. They held each other's stare for a moment until Aiden leaned towards Adrasteia to kiss her.

"Stop!" the director interrupted and both blondes turned their heads to look at him, but they didn't let go of each other. "Helga, Adrasteia denies Aiden's kiss." The director reminded her and she blinked in confusion until she remembered that rather than doing what she had supposed to, she had been about to accept Arnold's kiss. "Oh. Uh… s-sorry." She apologized. "Take it from Adrasteia's last line." The director ordered and they did. Once Aiden again leaned towards Adrasteia, she stepped around herself in order to get out of his hold, but he just followed her and she ended up as the one pinned against the wall. Seems familiar… Helga thought and forced her face to go stern despite mostly wanting to turn into a puddle in Arnold's embrace. He gave her a longing gaze before kissing her only to get interrupted by the director once more. "Arnold!" he barked and they looked at him. "Aiden has a line first. Do you remember it?"

"Oh. Uh… y-yeah, I remember it."

"Then say it."

Arnold coughed awkwardly and pulled a little away from Helga. Focus, will you! He ordered himself though he wasn't sure which part of himself he was talking to. "Please…" Aiden whispered and leaned as close to Adrasteia as physically possible without actually touching her. "Please let me have you…" He continued and Helga shivered. Oh, boy. Steady, old girl. This is Aiden and Adrasteia, not Arnold and Helga! She reminded herself and opened her mouth to speak. Crap! She thought and closed her mouth again. "I-I forgot my line…" she admitted dejectedly and the director sighed before reading her line aloud from his own script. "Got it?" he then asked and she nodded. "From Aiden's last line."

"Please let me have you…" Aiden whispered and moved closer to Adrasteia's lips. "Taking me is signing your own death penalty." Adrasteia told him as he put his hands on her cheeks. "Then let the Devil take me." He said before clashing his lips against hers. At first, Adrasteia accepted and even responded to the kiss, but then Helga felt Arnold's enthusiasm poking at her lower abdomen and she gasped into his mouth. Much like her, Arnold hadn't noticed his body's honesty until he had felt that surge of pleasure run through him from the minor friction he had just received.

Both Arnold and Helga jumped away from each other in embarrassment though Helga couldn't jump very far with the wall behind her. "What is wrong with you two?" the director scolded and the blondes flinched at his harsh tone. "Get your head back in the game. Take fifteen minutes to collect yourselves." He continued with an exhausted sigh and turned his attention to Kimberly who had been smirking knowingly at the two blondes through the reprimand. She turned her attention to the director though when he spoke her name and left the blondes to wonder what her look had meant.

It took Helga about two seconds to growl in frustration and grab Arnold's hand to pull him backstage. Unbeknownst to the both of them, the other actors looked at them as they disappeared. "You think she is going to smother him?" Maria asked and David tilted his head from side to side in thought. "Depends on what kind of smother you mean…" He answered honestly. Maria blinked in surprise and turned to look where Arnold and Helga had just disappeared. "I guess we should stay away then…"

Arnold had followed Helga obediently, wondering what she was planning to do once they were away from the others. He wasn't sure what he had expected her to do or say, but kicking a random prop hadn't crossed his mind. "Fuck!" she cursed bitterly and then took the white silk robe with her name on it to put it over her bare and, at this point, rather cold skin. Arnold didn't say anything; he didn't dare. He also didn't get the chance to before Helga spoke. "I refuse to let whatever this is ruin the play." She said, gesturing wildly between herself and him. He frowned at her choice of words, but nodded in agreement. He may not have been a professional actor, but he had a commitment to the play now and he wished to see it succeed. "But what are we supposed to do? We're… both tense." He decided to describe them as. She rolled her eyes at his childish attempt at censoring what they were feeling, but didn't comment on it. "We should get ourselves… un-tensed."

"… Nice one, Helga."

"Oh, yeah, like tense was a proper adjective to describe this situation to begin with!"

"How do you want to describe it?!"

"Horny! We are horny, Arnold!" Helga screamed at the top of her lungs, but at hearing her own words, her face turned completely flushed. Arnold's face was flushing bright red as well and they looked away from each other. "Let's go with tense." Helga suggested and Arnold nodded. With a sigh, he leaned back against the wall. But she's right… We both know what's going on, but… what are we supposed to do about it? He wondered and blushed at the suggestion a certain part of his anatomy seemed the most enthusiastic about.

Helga crossed her arms and started to bounce on her leg in frustration. Arnold was going insane from the sound of it; it was like when a drop of water kept making this high-pitched sound when hitting the sink. "Would you please stop that?" he begged and she did, but only to then step in front of him. "Make me." She challenged and his eyes widened. She isn't telling me… what I thinks she's telling me, right? He thought and looked at her, as her face seemed to be indecisive between being stern and embarrassed. Wait… What did I just say? What am I even thinking? Oh, criminy, I don't even know anymore! She thought and looked away.

"I don't know…" Helga admitted to Arnold's unspoken question. They stayed like that for a bit, switching between wondering what they should or wanted to do and looking at each other, hoping the other now had an answer. Arnold almost flinched when Helga suddenly moved, but all she did was lean on the wall next to him, her arms still crossed and her teeth biting her lower lip in deep concentration. He gulped at the sight of her; it wasn't even the dress' doing, it was her. Just Helga. The way her ankles crossed elegantly, the way her waist hunched forward so that her lower back wasn't touching the wall and her creamy skin. The white robe did little to nothing to hide anything else than her shoulders and back, which frankly, weren't what had his interest right then.

"I have an idea."

Author's 2nd note: Mean cliffhanger, I am aware! Mwuahaha xD

Song:

Nickelback – S.E.X.