Chapter 4: Just Tell Me One Thing

The Next Day

The Boarding House

Arnold went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast before school. He was almost tempted to miss the day, after finding out Helga was the one who had been his date Friday night.

Pookie placed a plate of pancakes in front of her grandson that he didn't seem too interested in. When Phil saw Arnold picking at his plate, he asked "Hey, what's bothering you shortman?"

"Well, I think I figured out who that girl was at dinner with me Friday night…"

The boy started before Phil butted in "Oohh let me guess! Your cranky friend with the one eyebrow!"

Arnold rolled his eyes, knowing Phil always insisted she had feelings for him. "Yeah, it looks like it was her."

"Hahaha! What'd I tell ya shortman! Bet you're glad your real pen pal showed up late then?" Phil said, bumping Arnold on the shoulder.

After deciding he had no appetite, Arnold laid his napkin down on the table and sighed "Yeah, I guess I better get going."

"Don't be afraid to ask her out in front of everyone! Hehe!" Phil couldn't help but tease Arnold.

"Grandpa…"

P.S. 118

Rhonda was standing in the hallway with most of the girls from the class. Not having been able to forget what she and Nadine had seen Friday night, she said "You girls will not believe what Nadine and I saw when we were leaving the mall?!"

Listening attentively to her story, half the class heard Rhonda go on about Helga's unorthodox appearance.

As she was doing this, two other girls were approaching from the other end of the hall…

"How was your night Helga?"

The vexed girl rolled her eyes at her friend's question and smirked "Pttss… what makes you think there was anything 'nice' about it?"

Before Phoebe could give her response, she felt Helga putting her arm in front of her, stopping her from continuing down the hallway.

"Is something wrong Helga?"

The blonde girl's eyes widened with fear as she saw half the class laughing at what sounded like a vague description of her…

"She looked like a poodle! No wonder she never tries anything new with her hair in the morning!"

Classroom

Arnold and Gerald were the only two sitting in the room, discussing what the weekend had been like.

"So, I guess that just leaves Pataki for you to suspect. Mm…mmm…mmm!" Gerald shook his head, at the thought of that being who Arnold's date was.

The blonde boy sighed with his arms crossed on his desk, as he stared at the doorway, wondering if he should bother confronting her.

He and Gerald hadn't heard the jokes Rhonda was making about her in the hallway. Even if they had, that didn't mean it would be easy getting Helga to open up to him.

Moments later, they saw the class pouring in. Arnold began thinking the easiest way to confront Helga would be with a note. That is, until he saw she was the only one who didn't enter the room.

Restroom

While the rest of her class was sitting at their desks, Helga was hiding in the restroom, regretting ever setting up that date.

"Why? Why did I set that date up? He didn't know who I was, so what difference did I make if he said he liked me?"

Classroom

Before beginning his first class, Mr. Simmons couldn't help but ask "Has anyone seen Helga this morning?"

Phoebe hadn't been directly addressed, therefore she didn't feel guilty about keeping the information to herself.

Arnold on the other hand, noticed the small girl twirling her pencil and thought she may have some information on her best friend.

After not receiving a response from the class, Mr. Simmons decided to get started with his math lesson.

Phoebe was happy to see their teacher moving on, until she saw a note fall on top of her desk.

Have you seen Helga this morning?

After hearing Helga's tongue slip about Arnold at her house the other night, Phoebe knew her friend wouldn't appreciate her revealing any private information.

No, I'm afraid not.

Seeing Phoebe failing to make eye contact with him the rest of the morning was just more confirmation it had been Helga with him Friday night.

A Few Hours Later

Helga's House

After seeing Rhonda had not only seen her Friday night, but informed half the class about it, Helga decided she would just be asking for trouble if she stuck around the rest of the day.

Her assumption that she wouldn't have to worry about being questioned for playing hooky was correct. Not only was Bob at work, but the moment she walked in the door, she saw Miriam past out at the counter.

The anxious girl went up to her room, wondering what she was going to do to solve this dilemma. Normally, her bad girl attitude could get her out of anything. The entire class mocking her about Arnold (with him knowing it was her) was a bit much however.

Cafeteria

Arnold was sitting at his table with Gerald when he heard his friend say "I guess you don't have to worry about Pataki anymore."

The worried boy looked at his friend and replied "Just because she's not here today doesn't mean I'll never see her again."

Just then, they saw a snooty classmate approach their table to add "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"What are you talking about, Rhonda?" Arnold sighed.

Flashback

"Well, if it isn't 'Ms. Poodle Parlor' herself." Rhonda grinned, as she saw Helga making a run for the restroom.

The angry girl then turned (hoping to keep up appearances) as she scowled "What's that supposed to mean, Princess?!"

"Nadine and I saw you attempting to look all dolled up Friday night. Who exactly was it you were trying to impress with that so-called 'hairstyle' of yours?"

Helga felt sweat forming on her brow as she fled the hallway, just as the bell was ringing.

End of Flashback

Cafeteria

"Well, if you ever needed confirmation, there it is." Gerald said to his friend.

Arnold sat there, knowing if Helga was too shy to be honest with him Friday night, being mocked for her appearance wasn't going to make things any easier for her.

"Oh and another thing…" Rhonda was about to continue when Gerald stepped in to stop her

"Well, according to Nadine, your night didn't turn out to be too satisfying either."

"Ingrates!" Rhonda snapped, not knowing what upset her more, that Gerald was right, or that the boys knew she didn't have a date for Valentine's day.

After School

Gerald was standing beside his best friend at their lockers when he asked "Want to go play catch?"

Feeling hesitant about his answer, Arnold replied "Actually, I thought I'd go see Helga. She can't be too happy after what happened."

Crossing his arms, as he leaned against the lockers, Gerald asked "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Helga's House

Laying on her bed, staring at her locket, Helga not only continued to reminisce about her romantic night, but what it would be leading to…

Oh my beloved, was it worth it? Was that audacious dinner worth the cowardly behavior it ended with? Was my dream of being near you, worth the catastrophes of reality we'd soon be facing? Was it…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Hey Helga! You in there? Your little friend Alfred's downstairs!" Bob shouted.

Gasping at what she heard, Helga quickly shot up from the bed and said "Arnold? At my house?!"

Rolling his eyes at the correction made, Bob scowled "Yeah, Arnold whatever. Anyway, he's downstairs waiting for you!"

Downstairs

Arnold anxiously awaited Helga's arrival to the kitchen. There he was sitting at the counter next to a drooling Miriam, while listening to Bob scowl at the TV about his Beeper Commercial not being on.

"They said it'd be on at 4:00 for crying out loud!"

Hearing her husband shout made Miriam begin to budge as she sat up to say "Huh? What? Oh I'm…I'm awake."

Arnold blankly stared at the drowsy woman, about to introduce himself. Before he could get a word out, he felt himself being dragged upstairs.

"WHOA!"

Helga's Room

Arnold watched Helga throw him into her room, away from her parents. Unsure of how to get things going, he asked "So, why weren't you at school today?"

Helga's eyes darted around the room, not wanting to answer that.

Already knowing the answer, Arnold placed a hand on her shoulder and said "It's okay Helga. I heard about what happened."

"Uhh happened? What are you talking about?" Helga yanked at her collar, not wanting him to get suspicious.

Arnold took the nervous girl's hand in his as he added "I know that was you with me at Chez Paris."

"You did?"

"Well, not right away I didn't. I asked a few other girls in the class."

Helga began to shiver, as she began to imagine how many people knew about their night together.

After not hearing her say anything, he added "I wasn't lying when I said it was the best Valentine's Day I'd ever had. Otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time this weekend trying to find you."

Helga swooned when she saw the sweet boy kiss her hand once again. As she shook her head, snapping herself out of it, she asked him "I just have one question."

Arnold shrugged his shoulders, wondering if he had done something to make her mad "Okay?"

"Do I look THAT different with my hair down?"

The embarrassed boy began to blush, as he watched her pull out her pigtails. Thinking back to the night, he said "I guess I was just in a bit of denial."

Thinking about these words, Helga thought to herself…

If he was just going to be in denial the entire time, there was no reason for me to have dressed up at all

"Well, it was a good night bucko."

Kissing her on the cheek, Arnold said "Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

Helga swooned once again as she replied "Sure… I mean, whatever floats your boat football head."

THE END

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