39.
Phoebe was shoved out of the harsh fluorescent light of the hallway and into a warm, soft, pink light she didn't recognize. She looked around, confused, and slowly started to register that she now stood in room 143 - the largest classroom on the first floor. But - but someone - well, obviously Helga - had dressed the room in glittery paper and lacy doilies and - she bumped into something hanging at her height. She flipped around the swinging paper heart to find her favorite picture of her and Gerald. It was from the cheese festival two years ago. Arnold had snapped it while they weren't looking, but were laughing and clutching each other as they got off the bumper cars. Their faces were split wide in big, open smiles, red in the cheeks from laughter.
Phoebe noticed a choked feeling in her throat as she looked around and saw more pictures and then heard "She's just the most incredible person I know." Gerald's voice was coming from above her, mixed with low sweet music. "Phoebe doesn't take her smarts for granted. Her curiosity is endless and fierce!" This came out of another speaker, then another spoke. "I'm the one she talks to. I'm the one who helps her. I'm - I'm afraid that if we are separated, she won't ask for help. She's so strong, but she also deserves support."
His voice was so gentle, talking to someone else about her so candidly.
"She is brave and smart and funny and so attentive. She's it. The only one. The standard."
"I want her to know that I will never hold back from the things she wants. I want to be with her when she changes the world."
On the other side of the room, Gerald was listening to Phoebe's voice squeak, "He takes such good care of me - I'm afraid that he won't have anything left for himself. I can't bear to be the reason he doesn't… the reason he isn't all he wants to be!"
Gerald was surrounded by curly-q's of ribbon and paper. A beautiful picture of Phoebe he had taken hung next to their prom photo from last year.
"Gerald takes me to watch the stars every year on our anniversary. He whispers our future to me." Came Phoebe's voice from the left. Then the right, "He is more home to me than - than home is, you know?"
"I get what adults mean when they call someone their partner. He IS my partner."
"I just - I've watched him shift his focus further and further from himself and onto me. And this is the worst time for that. He needs to be looking into his own future. I hope I'm in it - but I don't want - I don't want to monopolize it."
This last one hit Gerald, but the tone of her voice was desperate, a little weepy. This one continued on, "I want us to choose each other, knowing that we can also take care of ourselves. We choose each other because we want to, not because we need to."
Her voice kept going, kept filling his ears as he got lost in the maze of confetti. Until finally he focused enough to see her. Phoebe was just across a clearing in the center of the classroom - oh so subtly encircled in rose petals.
"Hey." Phoebe said in a small voice. She had a wide smile on her face.
"What are you smiling about?" Gerald asked softly, a small smile on his own.
"I'm just happy to see you." She said simply - maybe a tear in her voice. Gerald took her in, in her deep blue dress. She shined with a magical soft aura, standing out blue against the warm pink light.
"You look beautiful." He said so slowly. Gerald took a step forward, but then stopped. The last thing he wanted was for her to run away. He'll be patient, he'll let her choose.
"Thank you… Our friends are really - "
"Yeah - really something." They both chuckled and Gerald let his eyes cast downward.
"Gerald," she said in a clear tone. His eyes shot up to see her bound over to him. She didn't touch him yet, but instead stood beneath his gaze, looking back up at him. She could see the mix of nerves and hope in his face. "I'm so glad you're here with me." She said as she touched his face and brought it to hers. She kissed him for the first time since Monday. He excitedly pulled her into him and lifted her off the ground. She giggled happily and hugged him tight. Later they would talk about how this felt like a new kiss - like a first kiss. In the best way.
"We'll talk about it all, whatever you want to talk about," he said as he put her down. They kept their foreheads together and their eyes closed.
"Perfect. But can we just be here tonight?"
"Of course." they swayed on the spot as a musical interlude took over the soundscape. "Hey Phoebe?"
She opened her eyes and responded with a raise of her eyebrows.
"I love you, always," he said.
"Good. Because I love you, forever," She said.
And for a moment this was all that mattered, so they danced.
40.
Arnold listened at the door to make sure everything was still playing and that their targets were listening. Satisfied with the silence, he turned and walked the long hallway to meet up with Helga.
As he walked, it occurred to him now that the plan was enacted, Helga could easily run from him. She may no longer need him. Maybe she wasn't waiting for him around the corner, at all.
He was holding his breath and rounded the corner hurriedly. But his breath was fully knocked from his lungs as he ran right into a body with a hard thud! He rebounded to the floor and coughed roughly. When he opened his eyes he saw her.
"Jesus, Football head! Watch where you're going!" Helga said, picking herself off the ground. She reached out a hand and helped Arnold to his feet.
"Sorry!" he said, with an embarrassed grin across his face. His blush only deepened when he really took her in. "Wow." was all he could manage. He was finally getting to see her and - he thought it was well worth the wait. She looked elegant and strong. Even with all the glitter and the make up - he could still see the same Helga in there. She was exactly herself and she was…
"What?" She said sharply.
"No - nothing. You just look… you're beautiful." Her eyes widened suddenly at the comment, but her eyebrow furrowed soon after.
"Shut up!" She said and punched him in the arm. "You don't need to go saying stupid shit like that." She couldn't help but beat back the compliment. She was blushing furiously and couldn't meet his eye. He laughed heartily.
"I'm sorry. Sorry - I didn't mean to tell the truth." He smiled and she shook her head, begrudgingly. Arnold was still laughing as he held his arm up for her to take. "Shall we?"
"What are you doing?" She said.
"I'm just offering my date my arm!" Helga just looked a little dumbly at him. "To escort her back to the dance!" Still nothing. "Oh my god, come on Helga." He took her hand and laced it through the crook of his arm and pulled her away back to the gym.
Suddenly Helga felt light headed. She was suddenly aware of how much skin was showing, suddenly aware that he had called her his date. She might just faint - here and now. In his arms?! She thought feverishly. Criminy, Helga, get it together! She gave her face a hard smack and shook her head violently. Arnold looked alarmed.
"There's a bug in here or something," Helga quickly lied.
They walked back toward the gym in a nervous silence. Reflexively Helga gripped at Arnold's arm which sent butterflies through his system.
"You think it will work?" Helga finally said, right as they approached the gym.
"Yeah - I think so." They stood side by side in the doorway, holding onto each other. "But ultimately, it's up to them. "
"Right." She took a tight breath. "I really thought they were gonna ruin it for themselves. Now, I need a drink."
"Oh - well. I got you covered." Helga whipped her head to see him pulling a flask up from the inside pocket of his jacket and then dropped it back in.
"Saint Arnold, how could you?" She smiled slyly.
"Oh, you know, can't be too saintly." He said as they stepped into the dance.
"Why is that?" Helga asked.
"Too boring." Arnold chuckled and led Helga through the dance to an abandoned table, and handed Helga the flask. "Plus I knew you would need a drink." They laughed lightly.
The two sat for a moment trading the flask back and forth in secret. Each keeping a lookout for the other.
Arnold held up the flask one more time and said, "To a plan well executed." He took a swig. Helga swiped the flask and toasted too.
"To a Scheme well scammed!" And she finished it off.
"It wasn't a scheme," Arnold laughed.
"Was too!" Helga sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, the warmth of the liquor loosening her nerves a bit. She didn't even mind that the slit in her dress rose even higher up her leg. "It was sneaky and underhanded and perfect."
"Yeah - well. It was a good scheme then." He said as he caught the pinnacle of the slit in his gaze. He ripped it away just as quickly. "It was probably one of the best ones yet."
"You been pullin a lot of schemes there, football head?" Helga laughed.
"I mean between the two of us - " Arnold looked at her with one eyebrow raised, "We have pulled too many schemes to count!"
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Helga scoffed.
"Come on - like the parade float disaster?" Arnold said, letting his gaze float back to the crowd before them.
"Oh god - yeah, I remember that. We still won best float."
"Yep - and you were dressed like a beeper - I believe." Arnold chuckled.
"I think I was a cell phone?" She laughed back. "Ok - there was also that Alien Halloween debacle. Which was firmly your fault."
"Yes - I will take responsibility for that one. I didn't think the whole town would go all War of the Worlds!"
"You coulda at least let the aliens in on your scheme!" Helga poked him in the arm. "I was chased by multiple adults with torches!" They both rolled into laughter at this.
"You guys looked - ha ha - sooo good!"
"Shut up! It took me hours to get that shit off me." Helga said through a big smile.
"Then, of course, the scheme of all schemes!" Arnold leaned toward her with big eyes.
"What? The world record book thing?" She guessed.
"Oh yeah - but no. FTi!" He smiled big expecting her do the same. But she didn't. "Come on, we saved the whole neighborhood."
"Yeah - heh - I remember," Helga mumbled. Her blood ran cold at the memory of herself at nine years old screaming her love confession into Arnold's face in a wild frenzy of lightning and then forcing a kiss on him. She was really really hoping he'd forgotten, honestly. "Yeah - It's all just such a blur."
"Yeah -" he agreed, seeing a slight change in her demeanor. "I don't remember it all either. But I do remember that you were the reason we got as far as we did!"
"Well, I had to make up for Bob fucking up yet another thing."
"Fair enough. I also remember some lady giving me and Gerald a bunch, like, spy equipment?" He was trying to bring her back up. "Who gives nine year olds grappling hooks?"
She laughed at that, which let him calm a little. "Do you remember anything else?"
Arnold's cheeks went hot. But all he could get out was, "What do you mean?" A dazed look on his face.
Helga took a big breath and relaxed a bit - oh good! He doesn't remember! She now searched wildly for a new topic before she extracted a memory.
"No!" Helga proclaimed looking out at the dance floor. Arnold's head shot up.
"What is it?" He said frantically. "Is it Gerald and Phoebe?"
"No - Katinka is dancing with Stinky!" She said and collapsed against her chair once more.
"So?" Arnold said, looking confused.
"So - I lost the bet! I'm out twenty bucks!"
"You bet against Stinky?" He asked incredulously.
"Of course." She said nonchalantly and he shook his head and laughed.
They sat back and continued chatting about their classmates and the decorations among other bullshit. Arnold pointed out Harold spiking the punch bowl and quickly getting caught by Principal Wartz. Helga spotted Eugene absolutely busting ass on the floor and the two cackled together. Then Arnold also saw Jeremy and Nadine clumsily bumping and grinding out there. He didn't mention this one - just sneered a little and went back to talking about Eugene's track record.
"He is a danger to himself and others," Helga sighed as she got her breathing under control again.
"Haha - poor kid." Arnold coughed out.
"Oh my god!" Helga gasped as she reached out and snatched Arnold's hand. He was stunned at the sudden contact and didn't see it at first.
"What?" He gasped back looking at her. She pointed to the door of the gym. There they saw Gerald and Phoebe walking into the room holding hands. They were focused only on each other and seemed to naturally float to the dance floor. The music shifted as if on cue to a sweet and slow melody. Phoebe gently wrapped her hands around Gerald's neck and he secured her at the waist and they swayed. After a long moment of looking at each other, Gerald leaned down and kissed Phoebe.
Arnold grasped back at Helga's hand and they sat there like that, holding hands and watching their friends be in love.
And while they both were so pleased to see Gerald and Phoebe dancing and kissing - they both were hyper aware of their palms clasped together. Slowly the hand hold shifted and morphed. At first they were awkwardly positioned, but then Helga's wrist relaxed, and Arnold's thumb stroked the back of her hand, and her fingers twitched. And without discussion, their fingers intertwined. Once there, they stayed as still as possible, as if afraid any adjustment might break it.
Helga's breath was shallow and quick. Arnold's mouth had gone a little dry.
And they just sat like that, a couple feet apart, their hands bridging the gap - for as long as they could without thinking about it.
The slow songs finally ended and Gerald and Phoebe were walking toward them. Arnold looked at Helga and said, "We did it." Helga smiled back at him.
"Well if it isn't the two hoodlums who lied and tricked us into their weird little scheme." Gerald said with a sly look on his face.
"Told ya it was a scheme." Helga shot Arnold's way.
"You guys are talking again!" Arnold said with a smile.
"Yes - we are. And we will take it from here," Phoebe said with a laugh. "If you don't mind."
"No problem," Helga said. "I don't wanna do that ever again. So -"
"Good!" Gerald said then looked down at their hands intertwined. Phoebe noticed him noticing - then Helga and Arnold noticed, so they quickly released their hands and tucked them out of sight.
The four of them spent the next couple hours laughing and talking and enjoying the night. Arnold and Helga watched the other two go off to dance a few times, but never made that leap themselves. Everytime a slow dance would come on, they both thought about it, but one of them would make a joke, or they would wait too long. And any pop or rap that played only spurred gyration and grinding amongst their peers. They both seemed to agree that they weren't ready for that - without mentioning it of course.
By the time they were ready to announce homecoming king and queen, they had scooted and shifted till they were shoulder to shoulder, leaning back against the table - more cassual, more comfortable. Helga leaned over and whispered to Arnold, "Take a look at Princess over there." Arnold fluttered at her breath in his ear, then followed her gaze. There was Rhonda checking her makeup and primping her hair rather aggressively.
"Oh my god." Arnold laughed back.
"She is so sure!"
Homecoming King was first. Principal Wartz struggled with the envelope for a while before bellowing, "JOEY STEVENSON!" The crowd went wild while Joey made his way to the stage. He wore a slick black suit that fit him well. He smiled his big grin, one tooth still missing.
"How much you wanna bet she loses?" Helga whispered.
"No way, I hear she paid people off for the votes." Arnold said back.
"Ok - so how much you ready to lose?"
"Loser buys the next Dawg Haus meal." Arnold said. He put it out there, knowing it might push her a little, but he was feeling bold.
She looked sideways at him and said, "deal." They shook on it. As their hands touched they lingered, but then dropped contact again - but only because Helga pulled away in a small sweaty panic.
"And your lovely Homecoming Queen is!" Principal Wartz said as he fought with the second envelope. "Why didn't we just do one envelope. Here we go - LILA SAWYER!"
In the split moment before the cheers began, one loud "HA" rang out from Helga and Arnold's table. "Told ya, Hair boy."
"Damn. Fine- next corndog is on me." He smiled, happy to lose, honestly.
"There she goes - " Helga said, pointing at Rhonda who screamed at Sid while the crowd cheered. She threw her arms in the air wildly, and stormed out of the gym while Lila ran up to the stage.
Sid ran by, after Rhonda, and shouted over the noise, "Rhonda's party is starting early!"
Helga and Arnold collapsed into fits of laughter as Joey and Lila came down for their first dance as royalty.