This chapter takes place after the last chapter.

Sometime after lunch:

She chickened out. We are officially cementing them together!

Arnold had to glance down at the text as casually as possible seeing that it came from Helga. His History teacher didn't want to take his attention away from his class as he stood there droning on in a Ben Stein way. So hoping and praying he would turn around to point at a map or something, Arnold waited.

"Now let me point on this map that I have here that shows how the territories once looked. Not this one since this is our current one." The teacher spoke as he tried to fiddle with the current map showing in front of the board.

Taking a chance, Arnold's fingers flew over his touchscreen. We have plenty of cement at the boarding house where I live so let's do it there. Putting the phone down casually on his desk he almost laughed at the teacher still messing with the map.

TIE THEM UP AGAINST A TREE AND LET THE SWANS ATTACK THEM! - H

Arnold had to suppress a chuckle behind his hand at her text. I take it you've been attacked by swans. Was his response to her text.

What can I say? I have shitty luck. Still we need to do something with these guys. - H

Thinking about it, Arnold still had time before the teacher got the map down. Want to talk about this after school? I can drive you home if you didn't drive here. Her response wasn't quick this time. In fact it was close to five minutes before he left his class before she responded.

Sure. Just tell me where to meet you since I don't know what you drive and I don't want your date jealous. - H

Arnold smirked at that. Meet me at the gate entrance to the student parking and I wouldn't worry about her.

Just being thoughtful. See you there so we can ready the swan attack. ;) - H

Hearing the bell ring dismissing him from the class Arnold felt it safe enough to laugh at that last text.

At 3:10 pm he saw Helga waiting for him at the entrance to the parking lot with plenty of males checking her out on the way past, but it seemed she didn't care while her nose was stuck in the book she was reading.

"Hey Helga! Sorry if you were waiting long." Arnold called out.

Closing her book she shook her head. "Hey baby you have limbs as tall as a tree that I can see myself barking up at you."

Stopping, Arnold blinked his eyes rapidly. "Excuse me?"

She rolled her eyes. "The most lamest pick up line I received from one of the guys passing by here." Pushing away from the fence she joined him. "I hope he doesn't reproduce. You I give permission to reproduce in the future. Not him."

Stopping to bow to her in a mocking way, Arnold couldn't help himself. "Why thank you kind lady. I will heed to your wishes." Straightening up he readjusted his backpack.

"Yeah you'll have smart and clever kids one day." She complimented as they walked toward a slightly older Chevy Pickup with faded green paint. "Nice and I'm not mocking you."

"Thanks. Gets me to point A to point B so I have no complaints." Opening the passenger door for her he waited till she was in before he closed it and went to the drivers side surprised she took the effort in reaching across to open his side. "Thanks. Not many girls do that."

Helga shrugged. "So where shall we talk?"

"Depends. Ice cream or something to eat?" Starting up the engine he waited for her to decide.

"I'm a little hungry and I know there isn't any food at home."

Arnold saw her pull the puppy dog eyes on him. "Food it is and we'll steer clear of swans."

"Swans are beautiful, but man they can get pissy." Helga noticed that the inside of his cab smells like him. He smells of fresh apples. She never smelled a male with that scent ever. Also she felt she could automatically trust him which was not something easy for her to come by since the only other person she has ever trusted immediately was, Phoebe.

Soon they arrived at a small restaurant that usually didn't have many teenagers frequenting it during the weekdays so Arnold figured it would be a good place to go to so they can talk about their friends. Being seated next to a window, Helga started looking over the menu while Arnold called the boarding house.

"Hey Grandpa, it's me Arnold."

"Oh hey Arnold. You calling to tell me you'll be over at Gerald's for dinner?" Phil questioned.

"No, I'm not at Gerald's. I'm with another friend and we are getting something to eat." Arnold scanned the menu.

Phil's lips curved up in a knowing smile. "Ohhhh I get it. A lady friend. Wink wink."

Arnold groaned. "Yes my friend is female."

"Oh that's fine then I just hope you remember to bring protection you young scamp. I remember when I was young..."

"Grandpa! It isn't like that. We are just eating and that is it." Arnold knew his face was burning up and looking up at Helga's face he saw her laughing quietly at his embarrassment.

"You know I'm just fooling you. You have a good time, but not that good of time and I'll see you later." Phil couldn't help but cackle.

"Bye." Hanging up he groaned as he closed his eyes. His grandfather enjoyed doing these things to him and once he got older it just gets worse. Feeling a hand on his own, Arnold looked into her blue depths.

"I have news to share with you, Arnold. I feel it is dire."

Hearing the seriousness of her voice, Arnold forgot his embarrassing problem to focus on her. "What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, Helga squeezed his hand. "I'm afraid that your phone got me pregnant after too many vibrations in class."

"Helga!"

Pulling her hand away she continued. "It's true. We are having a smartphone."

Hearing her laugh was very contagious as he started to laugh. "What do we name it? LG, Samsung or Motorola?"

Arnold knew a lot of girls, but never one who could light up the way she did when she laughed or simply smiled. It was so great to be around. Also when their food came and she was eating her burger and fries with her Yahoo soda she obviously didn't care like other girls seemed to as she downed her food. They did discuss their thoughts on how to get their friends together with cement being the last resort. He also found out that she loved writing poetry and short stories. She has a book obsession, and will occasionally draw even if she is lousy at it. She also loves to exercise and use to play baseball and do all sorts of other things.

"What about music? What are you into?" Arnold wondered as he downed his fries.

"I'm into things that don't make my ears bleed." She said seriously. "I don't have a favorite genre because it can change depending on mood, but I will listen to alternative, classic rock, I do like some pop it depends, opera, some country, blues, and jazz. Jazz is cool. Somehow you see their lyrics without the tune of music and you are thinking what the hell is this? But when you place music to it you suddenly get it and it becomes ingenious."

"EXACTLY! I love jazz the most. Dino Spumoni is my favorite."

Helga smiled. "For some reason I get that from you. You have old world to you. It suits you."

"Thank you. I don't really listen to alternative or pop though. Classic yeah at times when I feel that mood, but it is mostly jazz." Watching her tap her lips, Arnold wanted to know what she was thinking about but at the same time enjoying looking at those lips.

"Does your grandfather tease you all the time about protection?"

"You heard that?"

She tapped her ear. "I have excellent hearing."

Arnold blushed. "Yeah he does, but I know my grandparents trust me."

"What about your parents?"

Arnold quieted down. "My parents left me in the care of them when I was still a baby to go to San Lorenzo to take care of the Green Eyes who were suffering a disease. My grandfather told me they didn't want to, but they were the only ones to help. Last I heard... They were missing and still to this day nothing."

Mouth opening up, Helga reached over to take his hand. "I'm so sorry, Arnold. I hope that one day you'll be reunited with them."

Arnold smiled a little at that. "I pray for that too. My grandparents are great people. Eccentric and fun. I've learned a lot from them. They own the boarding house. The Sunset Arms on Vine."

"I've seen that place. I like that building. It has this artistic quality to it that I find comforting."

Arnold's heart swelled a bit there at those words. "I love that place and I really like the boarders there. We think of ourselves as one huge family." He smirks at the thought. "What are your family like?" Feeling her hand suddenly disappear he watched how her head went down. Suddenly he felt the light he saw from her drain away at the question and without another word a storm cloud seemed to appear over her head.

Hearing her phone go off Helga groaned when she looked at the i.d. "Hi Bob." Her eyes screwed tightly closed. "Miriam is what?" Looks outside angrily. "I know you are at the store, but does she remember how old I am and can't purchase liquor for her?" Raising her hand up for the waitress to come over to ask for the check she continued to listen. "Yeah I'll talk to her when I get home. Later." Hanging up she tried hard not to cry in front of Arnold. "I need to get home."

She sounded dead. "Helga, I'll take you home, but I want to say something to you. You can share anything with me and I swear I won't share it with anyone else." Seeing her nod, Arnold took some money out of his wallet just like she did.

"My father is Big Bob Pataki. He is the owner of that new electronics store. He never gets my name right or my age so in order not to invoke his wrath by him yelling at me over the phone, I had to say what I did to placate him."

Both getting up, Arnold asked her since he was close to her so others couldn't hear. "Who does he think you are?"

"My older sister Olga who is about 27 years old. No more questions please. Those are the only safe things I'll share." Though she tried to smile, Helga felt like her mouth fell off after that phone call.

Driving to her place, Helga was mostly quiet until she pointed up at her house. Arnold couldn't believe the size of it. As for Helga this was just nightmare sweet nightmare.

"Well thanks for driving me home, Football Head." She said going for the handle.

"Football Head?" It wasn't said in mirth, but it took him aback.

Helga giggled for the first time in a while. "Been thinking your head looks like one since I met you. Don't take it personally. I love how it is unique and sets you apart."

The way she smiled at him told him the truth of her words. "Well just as long as it is only you that gets to call me that and no one else than I'm fine." He just wanted to see her smile again.

"Sure and if you can think of a name for me than go for it." Winking at him she slid out of the passenger seat before closing the door.

Arnold waited till she got in safely before pulling away wondering if he can pull up any research on the Pataki's since that mood shift from Helga was a tall tail sign that there was something deeply troubling with that family and he can already see a good person in her.

Helga leaned against the stairway after noting the empty bottles on the floor in the living room and a passed out mother snoring away on her chair with a welt on her arm. Screwing her eyes shut she shook her head in misery before heading into the kitchen to grab a hefty bag to put all the bottles in to haul outside. Walking back into the living room, she stood next to her prone form.

"Oh mom I really wish you'd stop drinking yourself to death." She pleaded with her so many times to stop this growing up, but to no avail.

When on the days she was sober she was a good mother, but those were rare. Now as Helga has gotten older she is so afraid that one day she'll come home to find her not breathing anymore. Scratching her forehead she bent over to give her a kiss on the forehead.

"I want my mom healthy and alive for years to come." She wished out loud. She stood there staring till she started to move around cleaning up the place.

Now you know this last part shows that not everything is fluffy.