Thanks for the review, Guest and snigger can be used as well since it means - a smothered or half-suppressed laugh. (Don't worry I'm not being rude in my response to you since you wanted me to know I'm also showing you what the dictionary is showing me.)

Oh you know Arnold, LeDawn ;)

Monday morning Arnold's friends were gathered around him as Emma gushed about him asking to be his girlfriend. As Gerald and Phoebe shared knowing looks predicting this they hardly predicted Emma to gush to Helga the second she saw her walking down the hallway towards them wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and wearing what looked looked like a ballet dancers black skirt with her blue top.

Arnold had to admit that everything she wore so far looked astounding on her, but the way Emma called out to her made Helga falter in her step a bit as if she wanted to high tail it out of there.

"Hey Pataki what's with the shades?" Gerald called out.

Stopping in front of them, Helga's mouth was firmly set as she looked at everyone with a mood that said not to mess with her today.

"Helga it is so good you are here cause Arnold asked me to be his girlfriend. Isn't that good or what?" Emma gushed being oblivious to Helga's mood.

"I hope you remain happy for the coming semester." Was all she can manage in a very dead tone.

"Just a semester? This is better than a semester type of thing. Why are you be bitchy?" Emma said in a more snide tone.

"Emma, she isn't meaning it like that she is meaning it in another way." Arnold said gently trying to calm the situation down.

Helga sighed. "He's correct. If you don't know but my family moves around a lot so that is why I said it the way I did. I don't mean the harm in it. As for my tone of voice I am just tired."

Feeling deflated and looking guilty, Emma smiled at her. "Well I'm sorry too for acting that way to you. It is all good." Seeing Helga nod, Emma kissed Arnold. "I'm gonna find Ginger and tell her the news. She is gonna like flip."

Watching her run off, Helga wanted to smash her head into the wall hoping she didn't have to stand her throughout lunch period. Looking up she spotted Lila giving her a knowing look before she came up whispering to her.

"My ever so's are a lot less annoying sounding aren't they?"

Helga heard a slight joking tone in her voice making her inch the side of her mouth up a bit in a smile before taking her hand to bring her over to her locker. "This is already the second week of senior year and since knowing her I've counted her use of the word 'Good' more than anything else making your 'Ever so's' far less in count." Giving her another once over, Helga added. "You have a hidden side to you that you should let out or it will pile up and explode. I speak from experience and I don't want to see you suffer from a nervous breakdown like I once did."

"Well gosh I'm so uncertain on how people will think of me if I did though." Lila's eyes darted all around.

Pursing her lips together, Helga needed to consider this more carefully. "How about this, you and I hang out together one day on a weekend or maybe a whole weekend, preferably at your place, and we'll work on it. I understand how nerve wracking it could be."

"Oh I would love that, Helga! Just us two correct?" Helga nods. "I've been so nervous about it and I am afraid."

"I doubt you are a full blown slut or a hidden serial killer. I would sense that from you. I just think that you need a perfect balance that's all. I bet you know how to cut loose and still be responsible. Look at Stinky. He's this good guy, but he's a wild child too. Is that why you were attracted to him?"

"Ever so much. When it came to Arnold I just like he was more of my brother even though I don't have one so I thought it would be strange. His cousin I didn't think that even though he is very low key. Stinky is pretty well balanced and I love him so."

Helga thought she almost went all Hallmark channel right now, but at least it was honest. "You are a good kid.

After school, Helga declined a ride home just so she can take a walk instead. She still had a pounding headache from what happened Sunday night after she got home so all she was granted was two hours of sleep. Feeling a walk would help and she enjoyed exercise, Helga started past Gerald Field when she felt a pair of meaty arms wrap around her waist lifting her up taking some of the air out of her making her feel a little weak, but not so weak that she still didn't stop trying to kick at whoever grabbed her.

Soon the arms shifted before she was turned around and slammed against brick wall staring face to face with Wolfgang. Helga growled spitting in his face. "Let me go!"

Bringing her forward a bit, Wolfgang slammed her against the wall again dizzying her a bit. "Not until I get what I want."

"Rape? What a ladies man you are you pig." She snarled as she tried to kick him.

Bringing his leg between hers and securing her arms up in the air with one large hand, Helga started screaming. "Enough of that." Was all he said before he slammed his mouth on hers kissing her.

Helga was horrified. Scared beyond belief. Disgusted. He smelled horrible and the way his hand was feeling her up was making her whimper while his breath smelled of vomit. Feeling his tongue slide in her mouth made her gag making her bite down on him so hard he loosened his grip enough so she could knee him in the groan before pushing him away. Without another word she ran out of there so fast she almost headed to Arnold's but figured he was with his girlfriend so she ended up rushing inside her house crying.

"Dear?" Miriam's voice sounded clear for once. Her voice so full of concern as she rushed up to her daughter to pull her into her arms. "What happened? Helga talk to me."

Helga didn't smell an ounce of alcohol on her forcing her to look at Miriam wanting to witness this event. "Mom." She wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh sweetie, what happened? Tell me." Miriam kissed her hair trying to comfort her.

"He tried to r-rape me." Helga's tears broke loose again.

Eyes open wide she pulled her back at arms length just to look at her youngest. "Sweetie please tell me. Who tried to do this to you?"

"They call him Wolfgang. Surprised me." Helga needed to hug her mom again so she brought her back into her arms. "Hold me mom."

I will hun. Oh my poor baby." Miriam just rocked her back and forth. "I love my sweet baby."

"Huh what the hell is going on here with the girl?" Came Bob's disgruntled voice as he stomped in.

Miriam looked up at her husband. "B, someone tried to rape our little girl on the way home from school."

Bob looked down to Helga with unfeeling eyes. "She probably deserved it." He stalked past them to head to the kitchen only to be stopped by his wife.

"How could you say that?! This is our little girl? No one deserves this especially Helga." Miriam pointed out.

"Who?"

Helga wasn't surprised he forgot her name once again as she stood up. "She's talking about me. My name is Helga."

"Oh." Bob scanned her up and down. "You still probably deserved it. Might of taught you some manners."

Helga's mouth dropped open. "How about if you end up in jail and become someone's jail wife, perhaps that will teach you some manners? How could you say that to me? I didn't deserve that at all!" Feeling a slap hard on the side of her face, Helga looked up at Bob's angered expression.

"Learn some manners little lady or I'll teach them to you." Bob warned before leaving the room.

Helga felt defeated and as she looked at her mom she gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. "Love you." She rushed out of the house running as fast as possible finding herself in front of the Sunset Arms. Seeing Arnold's truck in front she hoped she wasn't interrupting something as she went up the stoop to knock on the door.

"Helga? What happened?" She was never so happy to have him open the door.

"If Emma is here I'll go somewhere's else." Head down, Helga crossed her arms over her to ready herself to leave.

Arnold stopped her. "No she's at home. Please come in we'll go to my room." He said gently letting her pass him so he can lock the door. "Come on."

Head down still, she followed him up to his room to automatically sit on his couch. "You know it is good to at least for once be able to run someplace where you can hide for awhile instead of wander around or just sit in the park for hours."

"I take it this is what you've done before."

"Yes. It is weird to think about."

Coming over to sit down on the other side of the couch, Arnold looked up towards the skylight. "Maybe you feel at home here."

"Maybe. Who knows." She focused on her fingers for a bit as if they had the answers to life's questions. "Do you remember your first kiss?"

"Barely. I know it was in 5th grade but I don't remember. Why?"

"I haven't known you too long and I can see how much of a good guy you are. A gentleman if you will. Someone to trust always. I do hear girls talking about you and I am not blind that you are a looker so I know you've had your share of kisses."

"But not one that absolutely knocked my socks off literally." Arnold honestly said. He knew she was leading to a point, but figured it was best not to rush her. "I care for Emma, but I don't think it is life long with us."

"At least you are realistic, but I know you are romantic."

"I am. She isn't. Don't wish to say much more than that."

"Au contraire mon frere you just did." Helga finally spared him a look that was so cute to him that it made him smile. "I've only been kissed twice in my entire life. First time when I was 11 and I kinda liked the guy and wanted to kiss him, but I was so nervous that when we were about to do it I laughed right when we were about to make contact."

Arnold snickered a bit imagining that.

"I told him sorry and stood back up saying I was ready and when I did it again I sputtered in his face before laughing and falling to the ground. At least he thought I was cute even though in truth I looked hideous at the time." Helga rolled her eyes at the memory.

"You hideous? Doubtful."

"Very true. One day I'll show you a picture." Helga had to look away at his face to continue. "Anyway once I finally did it I thought it was an alright moment. The guy thought I was the best kisser on the planet. His words, not mine." She fell into silence. "My second kiss was forced onto me today."

Arnold watched as her head bowed down again and a wetness hit her hand making him immediately get up to grab the tissues to bring to her. Watching her take it to dab her eyes, he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I was walking home when I was grabbed and slammed against the wall at Gerald Field." Her lip trembled. "He slammed my back twice hard into the wall, put one leg between mines and held me up with one arm by both my wrists."

Arnold was furious as he brought her closer to him.

"He forced a kiss on me. He tasted of vomit." She nearly vomited at the thought all over again. "Wolfgang was feeling me up and grabbing my breasts so hard that when he slipped his tongue in me I bit him so hard that it gave me the distraction to knee him hard in the groin and run home. I told my mom and she tried to comfort me, but when my dad came home and she told him what happened... He told me I deserved it."

How can anyone say that to their own daughter? How? Arnold wanted to rush down and yell at her father. Hit him. Something.

"Said it might of taught me some manners. I was so livid that I yelled at him and when I did he slapped me. I left and came here. I'm sorry, Arnold. I'm sorry."

Feeling her curling up against him, Arnold wrapped his other arm around her. "Don't ever apologize about coming over here. I'm glad you did. We never turn anyone away here. I will never turn you away."

"I've been a burden since the day I was born so it is understandable if you get tired of me." She whimpered out.

What the hell type of family could do this to her? In the short time he has known her he thought of her as this amazing light that just came into their lives. "I never want to hear you say that again. I know I won't get tired of you."

"You can't be too sure of that." She sniffled against him.

"I can be." He said gently before placing his finger below her chin to lift her face up. "You ever look into emancipating yourself?"

"I've thought about it, but before there was no place I felt comfortable at to want to actually stay. Also there is my mom. I can't get into it, Arnold, but I can't leave her alone." Helga gazed into those green eyes that were so full of understanding and love inside of them that she was amazed by them.

"Perhaps it is time she leaves your husband."

Helga loved that suggestion, but knew what would happen as she fell silent against him enjoying the comfort he was at least providing her. "If Emma was here and you brought me up here with the both of you how would she take it if she saw you comforting me like this?"

Arnold knew exactly why she posed this question. "If she doesn't understand the importance of my friends and raises a fit at it then the relationship will be over with. End of story."

Helga only mostly asked due to all day today Emma kept making it a huge point to her and her alone that she was Arnold's girlfriend giving Helga the impression that either she was jealous of her or she was that incredibly insecure. "You are a rare one indeed, Arnold."

"So are you, Helga. Have you eaten?" She shook her head. "Let me up so I can grab some food for you because I'm sure you don't want others gawking at you."

"You don't have to." She protested as she still let him up anyhow. "I don't want to be..."

Leaning down to gaze into her eyes, Arnold was firm. "I don't want to hear you say that again. Please never call yourself trouble."

"Fine."

Giving her a half lidded gaze, Arnold straightened up and made his way out the room and downstairs leaving her alone to gaze up at the night sky. Helga started to form out a poem inside her head as she stared up not aware how much time passed till when he came back up with a lot of food on a tray.

"You realize how lucky you are to have a room like this?" She inquired looking at the spread he placed in front of her. "If I had a room like this I would be writing so many poems out that my hand would of fallen off and would be in need of duct tape to keep in place since I'd refuse to go to the hospital."

"I find it to be my muse too." Sitting down again, Arnold stared up.

"What does it most inspire you to do?" Eating her turkey and mash potatoes she smiled. "Compliments to the chef."

"I'll tell my grandma that." Standing up, Arnold went over to his closet to retrieve his guitar. "This sometimes."

"How long have you played? I can play piano."

Sitting down again, Arnold was careful not to hit her with the guitar. "There is a piano on the roof if you want to play with me some time. Usually grandma does with me or Gerald."

"Can you sing too?"

"I'll sing but I'm not sure about my voice. Do you know how to sing?"

"A little." Helga smiled that he was willing to share this with her, but in a way he looked the type who would anyhow since he was a warm individual.

Arnold started to play a random song off the top of his head and it was something he did himself during summer vacation after he woke from a dream. He almost sung the words out, but felt that they would reveal too much that he wasn't comfortable to say just yet until he knew for sure. He remembered after he wrote it how it lifted it him up and gave him such love and hope that he knew would last more than a lifetime. It was the strangest he had ever felt and yet the most welcoming. He knew when the song ended even now he felt that same serenity all over again.

Even Helga's voice reflected it. "That is so beautiful. I really love it." Putting her plate aside she hugged his arm. "Is it only acoustic?"

"No there are words, but I'm not ready to sing them yet."

Kissing his cheek, Helga beamed. "Thank you so much in sharing that with me. Words can't describe how it truly made me feel." She had the words, she was just afraid to say them.

Arnold blushed. "I hope I hear you on piano one day."

"You will. I promise." Her tone gentle and sure.

Helga didn't stay the night as much as Arnold begged her to feeling it to be safer instead he drove her home and waited to see a light on the second floor light up before she stepped to the window to wave at him good bye. It was strange how romantic it looked. Arnold had been trying to trace that certain look she held all week long to finally have it strike. She looked so much of a cross between the Victorian and Renaissance that it made him smile. Helga was history in the making and somehow there was a hidden subtext there that had to also deal with that song and him reaching this conclusion that made him question himself.

My friend told me about her first kiss and how it went down so I thought it would of been perfect for Helga to say to Arnold.

Also don't hate me for the Wolfgang part.