~Hello everyone and welcome back, sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter up. I've been dealing with car troubles and the process of having to get a new car. Plus work and home issues pile up. But all is well, and now I am back in action. With that, I say grab your drinks and snacks, kick your feet up, and enjoy the chapter!~


Chapter 2

Arnold walked down the stairs, grabbing his shoes and sitting on the edge of the stairs. Miles looks from the couch and smiles.

"Heading out? I thought Helga was out of town?" Miles asked as Arnold switched shoes.

"She is dad, same with Gerald. Phoebe and I are gonna go do some shopping today at the mall" Arnold said as he tied his shoes. "To be honest, there is something I've been wanting to buy Helga for a while" Arnold said as he got up and walked over and joined his dad on the couch. Miles smiled and folded his paper, putting it on the coffee table.

"Would this something happen to go on someone's hand?" Miles asked as he looked over, the smirk on his face saying he already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from Arnold. Arnold nodded and looked over at his dad.

"Not an engagement ring...but a promise ring. I want to give it to her for our 2 year anniversary" Arnold said as he looked at a spot on the rug. Miles only smiled as he looked at him.

"Are you sure? Cause making this level of promise is no joke" Miles said as Arnold turned to look at him.

"I'm sure dad. It's not just a feeling, or a phase or anything. This...this is coming from the soul. This is the woman I love, have loved, and want to give her everything in life" Arnold said as Miles smiled at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, handing over the credit card.

"Go out, get what you need to get, and go ahead and do some shopping" Miles said as Arnold hesitantly took the card.

"Are you sure?" Arnold asked. Miles nodded.

"Don't worry about the money. We didn't realize we were still getting paid for all those years we were in San Lorenzo, so we can cover it. Oh I also want you to go and get yourself a cell phone at Horizon. They have a store in the mall, and we have our plan through them. I think you've earned it bud" Miles said with a smile on his face. Arnold leaned over and gave his dad a hug.

"Thanks dad, it truly means a lot" Arnold said as he broke the hug. The doorbell rang and Arnold got up.

"Don't mention it. Don't be out too late and we can talk more. I got to see what you got later anyways. Go go, have fun" Miles said as Arnold reached the door. He opened it and there was Phoebe, waiting for him as he waved goodbye and headed out the door. Stella came into the room as the door closed.

"Did Arnold just leave?" Stella asks as she comes into the living room. Miles doesn't say anything. He just sits there with a smile on his face. Stella comes over and sits next to him, looking a bit confused. "Did I miss something? What were you two talking about in here" Stella asks.

"Oh, nothing much, but I think it's safe to say our little Arnold is growing up to be a man" Miles said with a smile as he put an arm around his wife.

"You're not going to tell me anything are you?" Stella asked as she looked at her husband with a dead pan look. Miles shook his head no. Stella laid her head on her husband's shoulder, giving him a little pout, causing both of them to chuckle.

"Say why don't we go out to dinner tonight? It's been a while since we've had a date night" Miles says with a smile as they both start to chuckle. They agree, Stella getting up and returning to the kitchen as Miles gets up to go get a drink.

"Thanks for doing this again Phoebe" Arnold said as they walked down the road. Phoebe giggled and smiled as she wrapped her arm around his waist. Arnold drapes his arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer to him as they walk.

"No worries, It's what friends are for. Plus I've been needing a good shopping day" Phoebe said as they walked down the street. The mall wasn't far, only bout 10 minutes from the school.

"Have you heard from Helga?" Arnold asked.

"No, she said she probably wouldn't be in cell service" Phoebe said. You know how Bob is with the whole camping experience, or should I say, the best money can buy camping experience is going how you would think" Phoebe said as she let go of Arnold for a bit.

"Yea, Bob always loved to flaunt his money, especially when we were younger" Arnold said as he stretched his arms high into the air.

Cutscene

Big Bob had Helga and the family camping all week. Why he didn't do it before school started is a mystery. He considered this to be family bonding time, but all it really meant was Helga was stuck in the middle of nowhere, when she needed to be studying for classes. She also missed being close with Arnold.

"C'mon baby sister, we're almost there" Olga said with a smile as she trekked up the path behind her mom and dad. Helga smacked at a bug that had landed on her, causing her to groan.

"Why? Why of all times do I need to be hiking up some damn hill to look at a mountain range?" Helga asked with an angered look on her face.

"Because it's good for ya. Now quit griping and keep up, not too much farther now" Big Bob said as he picked up the pace. Helga sighed and continued along, not wanting to be left out for the wolves. She made it to the top of the hill, letting out a sigh as her foot slipped, sending her into a mud puddle with a thud. She sat up and groaned as she looked at the state of her body. She let out a small whimper as she sat back on her legs in defeat.

"Could this day get any worse?" Helga asked as she started to hear thunder, little rain drops pattering all around her. Her eyes went dead pan as she got up and caught up with the others.

End Cutscene

"Well I'm sure she's ok. Plus its only a couple more days until she gets back" Phoebe said with a smile.

"True, you got to wait a week for Gerald to get back" Arnold said as Phoebe pouted her bottom lip.

"I know. I don't understand how people can take a vacation this time of year. Especially when school just started" Phoebe said. Gerald and his family were in Jamaica for their annual trip, which had just started yesterday when they left. So it was just Phoebe and Arnold. They walk for a bit more and make small talk as they headed towards the mall. Thankfully it wasn't too far from where they were, so they decided to walk it and save their bus fare. "So why did you want to go shopping? You're usually pretty easy on that front, why did you need me?" Phoebe asks.

"Well if you must know...I'm going to give Helga a promise ring on our two year anniversary, and I need your eye to make sure it's perfect for her" Arnold said with a smile. Phoebe gasped as she took his hand in excitement.

"Arnold, no matter what you choose she is gonna love it" Phoebe says with a smile as she hugs her friend. "Guess I need to look at something for Gerald too then" Phoebe says with a smile as they turn the corner and see the mall right in front of them. They follow the line of people heading in, turning right to the jeweler who is already open. The two ladies standing there look up and smile as they greet them both.

"What can we help you two find today?" one of them asks Arnold.

"I'm looking for a dark band for my girlfriend, something either onyx or black gold" Arnold said as the worker took down some notes. "Well, let's take a look at our dark bands and see what we can find" she says as they move around the desk and over to a display case. They look over several, but nothing stood out to Arnold. He scanned the case a few more times, until his eyes landed on one in the back

"Ah, you have a good eye" the lady asked. She slid open the back of the case and pulled it out, handing it over to Arnold. "This is a black gold band, with a woven leaf pattern, and a teardrop shaped Moss Agate Stone" She said as she pulls it out and let's Arnold inspect it.

"What is Moss Agate Stone?" Arnold asked.

"Natural moss agate symbolizes vitality and beautiful love. It represents that love is entwined for a lifetime like water plants in the river, and will never leave, until death. The rich colors of water grass agate can show charm and represent vitality. The best part is, no two stones are the same. So each stone is unique for that special someone" the lady said as both Arnold and Phoebe were mesmerized by the beauty of the ring.

"That's the one Arnold. She will absolutely love it" Phoebe said with a smile as she jumped up and down with glee. Arnold nodded and said he would take it, needing to fill out paperwork for the ring. "Oh, I need to go do shopping now" Phoebe said as the other worker brought her over and started helping her out. Arnold finished up the paperwork and paid and went over to see how Phoebe was doing. She ended up finding 2 bracelets with purple and red gems woven into the gold metal. Phoebe didn't want to go traditional, plus they were wanting to tattoo their wedding bands when they got old enough. Phoebe paid and smiled as the lady boxed up her items and handed them over, thanking both of them for their time and their business. They left the jewelry store and looked at the time.

"Well, what now? It's too early for lunch, and we just got here" Phoebe asked with a smile.

"Well, we got time, let's go do some shopping" Arnold said with a smile. Phoebe smiled back and gave him a high five. They headed deeper into the mall, finding the a good clothing store for some new outfits. They spent an hour going over new clothes, with Arnold finding some new Jeans and several new shirts and a bomber jacket for the winter. Phoebe was able to get some new leggings and jeans, also getting some new jackets, shirts, and shoes. They walked to the next store, which had some adult wear in the window.

"Sorry Arnold, don't need you for this store" Phoebe said with a giggle in her voice. Arnold chuckled and shook his head.

"I figured, let's meet up at the food court in an hour?" Arnold suggested as Phoebe nodded. She gave him a fist bump and headed inside, while Arnold turned and headed toward the other side of the mall. While he was walking, he saw the Horizon store and quickly headed in, figuring he could get it knocked out before lunch. The worker smiled and guided Arnold through the store, already having pulled up the family account and getting the line added. Arnold settled on a Galaxius Note 14, one of the newer models on the market. Arnold sighed as he signed paper after paper to get it all done. After getting his phone in its new case, they bagged everything else and thanked him for his business. He walked out, smiling at the fact he was now a modern kid with a new phone. The possibilities were endless, especially now between him and Helga. He decided to hit the record store, knowing it was only a few stores down. He was greeted by the store owner as he walked in, heading for the jazz section. He was able to find himself some new records he had not been able to find before. He also found some new Lo-fi Hip Hop records that he was surprised was in stock. He walked up and smiled.

"Looks like you got a good haul today" the owner said as he started ringing everything up.

"Yea, it's been a minute since I added to my collection. I'm surprised you had a few of these, I've been looking everywhere for them" Arnold said with a smile as he pulled out his wallet.

"Just got a new shipment in this morning. How big is this collection you got going?" The owner asked as he started bagging everything.

"Only about 150 or so right now" Arnold said as he swiped the card and saw it was approved. The owner whistled at the number of records.

"That's quite a collection there for someone so young" the owner said with a smile as he grabbed the receipt and put it in the bag. "Hope to see you to add to that collection of yours" the owner said with a smile.

"Oh don't worry, you will. Have a great day" Arnold said with a smile as he picked up his bag and headed out back into the mall. He decided to walk a bit further and find another store, one for which he could get some shoes and maybe some more outfits.

After a few more stores and several shopping bags later, Arnold was almost completely done. He looked at his watch, hearing his stomach rumble. He let out a small chuckle as he turned and headed for the food court escalator. As he got to the top, he was able to spot at least one of every type of food open that day. He settled for a local Chinese spot., getting his usual General Tso's Chicken with Chow Mein. He paid for a bottle of water as well and headed to go find a big enough booth for him and Phoebe. He knew she would be coming soon, but he wasn't going to let his food get cold. Just as he was about to dig in, a figure came out of nowhere from behind.

"Arnold is that you?" the female voice said. He turned around to see a brown haired girl standing near him.

"Uh, yea...do I know you?" Arnold asked.

"Yes, silly. It's me, Lila. Do you not remember me?" Lila said as she moved over a little more. It took Arnold a second. She had changed from the fourth grade. Her hair was no longer in braids, now half was sporting several colors while the underneath was shaved low and close to the skin. She was sporting a green jacket that looked to be covered in different colors of paint and ripped with several holes. Her jeans were no better, with holes in both knees and black boots to top it all off.

"Oh Lila! Wow, it has been a while. What are you doing back here?" Arnold asked as he got up and gave her a small hug. She wanted the hug to linger a bit longer, but didn't want to push it.

"I live here, again. Daddy just got a new job in the city, so we moved back just a few weeks ago" Lila said with a smile as a few people yelled over to her. "Sorry, my friends are waiting. It was good to see you Arnold. Maybe we should hang out some time, but I got to go. Bye" Lila said as she turned and left Arnold standing there, confused as to what had just happened. He shrugged it off and sat back down, picking up his chopsticks and biting into the steaming hot chicken. Within a minute, Phoebe came with her own meal, setting her own bags in the booth with his.

"Who was that?" Phoebe asked as she took a sip of her water.

"That was Lila Sawyer. Remember her from fourth grade?" Arnold asked as he ate into his noodles.

"Wow, that was her. I don't even recognize her" Phoebe said as she took a bite of her roasted vegetables.

"Yea I said the same thing. Apparently her father got a new job here in the city and they just moved back" Arnold said as he wiped his mouth and took another sip of water.

"Oh that's interesting, so we will probably see her in school then. Do you see the other people with her?" Phoebe asked as she kept glancing over there. Arnold did the same, feeling a pair of eyes on him like it was something personal for some reason.

"Yea, something feels off about them" Arnold said as he took another bite. Phoebe finished her bite and swallowed.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know. I'm just getting a weird vibe from them. Could be me, but the stares aren't helping" Arnold said as they decided not to worry about the others and continue eating their food. They went over most of the items they bought, with Phoebe in the lead with the most bags. Arnold had quite a few, and still wanted to get some more items. He pulled out his new phone and flashed it at Phoebe, who went wide eyed.

"You finally came in to the modern era I see. And with the Galaxius Note 14 no doubt" Phoebe said with a giggle in her voice.

"Hey I'm modern" Arnold said in a defensive tone, that was meant to be funny.

"Says the guy who just bought more records for his record player in his room" Phoebe said as they both laughed. They finished up their meals and smiled as they dropped off their trash and their trays and headed out of the food court. Arnold could feel someone watching him, causing him to take one last glance over his shoulder. He saw Lila, and all of the people she was with looking at the two of them. He shrugged and decided not to worry about it. The two friends turned the corner and found another store that worked for the two of them.

Several hours later, both of their hands were filled to the brim with large shopping bags. They had gotten shoes, clothes, jewelry, records, and even some stuff for school.

"Damn, I didn't realize we had spent all day in there" Arnold said as he and Phoebe started walking.

"Yea time flies when you are having fun with friends. Plus we did a lot of shopping today" Phoebe said with a smile as she led them back towards their neighborhood. "Let me see your phone, I have everyone's number saved in mine, so I can just transfer it over, plus I can get you in our group chat so everyone can contact you if need be" Phoebe said as she took his new phone and started tapping away at the screen.

"Well, this will be interesting. Plus I've got so many thing to learn with that, it's not even funny" Arnold said with a smile as they turned onto the next street.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted the best. And the best comes with everything, so start learning" Phoebe said as they both laughed. They walked and talked as Phoebe finished up everything she needed to, handing the phone back to Arnold. "All set, don't play with it all at once when you get home, or you could go blind" Phoebe said as they both laughed. Within a few minutes, they arrived at Phoebe's house. Arnold gave her a hug and thanked her for all the help she gave, and the fun friend date they had. She thanked him and told him he would see him at school. She walked inside and closed the door. Arnold looked at his watch and smiled as he saw it was getting close to 4 PM. Arnold headed down the street and enjoyed the cool crisp breeze as he strolled to his home. Just then a car pulled up alongside him.

"Hey Arnold, what are you up to right now?" Lila said as she poked her head from the back seat. Arnold looked at her in confusion.

"Um, heading home?" Arnold said questioningly as he continued to walk. The other car didn't stop, and Arnold wasn't about to get into it either. The poor thing was barely held together with duct tape and bubble gum, and that was a stretch. Not only that, it looked like the car was completely filled with people, so he wasn't about to ride on someone's lap.

"Well why don't you hop in. We can give you a ride" Lila said as she gave him a look that was a mixture of lust and hunger.

"No thanks, I'm not too much farther, so I don't mind walking" Arnold said as he continued down the sidewalk.

"Arnold, I think you should get in the car" Lila said in a much more harsher tone, her eyes now showing anger. Arnold looked right back at her and sighed.

"Look, Lila. I don't know what is going on here, but I've had a long day. I'm going home, my way, and that's it" Arnold said as he turned away from her and continued walking. Lila just stared at him as she signaled the driver to go on ahead. The death metal music blared through the speakers as the tires screeched and the car took off down the road. Arnold shook his head as he watched the driver blow threw a red light, almost causing an accident. He got to the intersection and crossed when able, coming up to his house within a matter of minutes. He walked inside and kicked off his shoes at the door.

"Mom, dad. I'm back" Arnold said and got no answer. The entire boarding house was empty too, which was odd. He walked into the kitchen to see a note on the fridge.

Arnold,

Your dad and I went out to dinner and a movie for date night. I put some money in your room for a pizza. See you later tonight. Love you!

Mom and Dad

Arnold chucked at the note. He headed up the stairs and to his room and putting his stuff on the bed. He changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top, throwing his clothes down the laundry chute. He grabbed the bag with the shoes and set them by the door, then moved onto the records. He pulled out a Jazz hip hop record and opened it, heading over and putting it on the record player. He turned it on and allowed the music to play through his room. He smiled as he bobbed his head to the music and continued putting away his new records. Once he was done, he laid out his new outfits, smiling at his choices, and Phoebe's choices for that matter. Without her, he would have been totally lost on the whole clothes front. He had already tried everything on in the store, so he got to work getting off all the stickers and tags. Putting them in the chute as well. Once done, he set the phone bag aside and then grabbed the jewelry bag and smiled. He sat down on the bed and pulled it out, opening it one more time to look at it. The darkness of the ring glowed in the light of the sun as it was setting. He kissed it softly and set it back in the box, putting it in the overhead compartment above his bed. As he was putting it in, he saw the money mom had left him. He pulled it out and put it in his pocket, grabbing his phone and deciding it was time to order some food. It took him a bit to figure out how to get to the web and how to actually order some food, but he finally got the hang of it. Once he ordered his food, he decided he should probably try and text Helga.

Arnold: Hello, is this thing on? Is my girlfriend around here somewhere? currently having to deal with her family as she hikes through the mountains.

Helga: Arnold? You finally got a phone?!

Arnold: Yea, dad said it was time, so Phoebe and I went shopping today at the mall. Got lots of goodies

Helga: Wow, you and Phoebe got to go and hang out all day, and I've been over here trudging through the mud. Thank god we are on our way back and it should only be another day or so.

Arnold: I know baby, home stretch and then you can snuggle up to me as much as you want.

Helga: God, what I wouldn't do to be next to you right now. I haven't slept right since we started this whole thing, so be ready for me to sleep over a few days.

Arnold: Haha, no worries, As long as it is cool with your folks, my folks are good with it

Helga: You know they ain't gonna care. As soon as we get back, Bob is leaving on a business trip for 3 months and Miriam is hardly awake to even know that I am there. So I will ask, because I respect your parents, but it won't be an issue.

Arnold: Well that will work then babe. Oh, I ran into Lila Sawyer today

Helga: Why does that name sound familiar?

Arnold: Fourth Grade, PS 118. You hated the fact that I had a crush on her and she was a goody two shoes.

Helga: Oh yeah, I remember her now. What is she doing there? Also is she about the same as she was before?

Arnold: Her dad got a job around here just last week so they moved back. And nowhere near the same person as before. Like death metal goth mixed with punk rock...she's giving off a weird vibe If I am being honest.

Helga: How so?

Arnold: I don't know. She was very short when she came up to me in the mall, and the people she was with were just looking at me for some reason. But more glaring then actually staring, like I had called out their mother on something. Then on the way home, she kept trying to get me into the screaming metal death trap they called a car. But like...she was getting forceful, almost as if I had to do it or else kind of situation.

Helga: Am I going to have to pay her a visit?

Arnold: No Helga, I think it was just a misreading of minds or something. I mean it has been 5 years since we have seen her. Don't worry bout it too much.

Helga: Ok if you say so. I got to go, Bob just pulled the food off the portable grill, and for once, I am actually starving.

Arnold: Ok babe, you go eat. I am waiting on pizza to get here

Helga: Oh, that's just evil. Now you owe me pizza when I get back

Arnold: It's a date. Love you Helga

Helga: Love you too football head

Arnold set the phone down and smiled, happy to have at least been able to talk to Helga. The door bell rang, causing Arnold to get up and head downstairs to get his food. He opened the door and the pizza guy took everything out, handing it over as Arnold handed him the cash. He got his change and gave the guy a good tip. He closed the door and smiled as he went to the kitchen and grabbed a few sodas from the fridge. Once he was back up in his room, he set everything on the bed and went over to his collection. He grabbed a hip hop record that he had been wanting to listen to for a while. He switched out the records and did a little dance as the music started. He grabbed a slice from the box and enjoyed a few bites, setting it down and wiping his hands. He then moved around the room and started organizing some stuff. After going through his closet, he had made some room for his new stuff. He finished off a slice and headed downstairs to the laundry room, finding all his new clothes ready and waiting for him. He quickly sorted everything and started a load.

After a few hours, his clothes were done and dry, allowing him to bring them up and get them on their respective hangers. He laid out his shoes perfectly at the bottom. He organized his records and switched out the current record for a different one, loving the sounds that came from his speakers. He smiled as he sat down and looked at his room, noticing his handiwork. He had organized, cleaned, vacuumed the floor, cleaned his bathroom, and done his laundry. He smiled as he leaned back on his bed, smiling at everything. He got up and grabbed the laundry basket, heading downstairs to put it back where it belongs. As he got down the stairs, he saw his parent's in the living room with a glass of wine each, enjoying some soft jazz as they just enjoyed each other's company. He payed them no mind as he walked past and headed to the laundry room. After putting the basket back, he walked back towards the living room and saw his parents kissing each other.

"Hey, don't be doing that now. There are children present in this household" Arnold said with a parental tone. Both Miles and Stella jumped at the sound of his voice, like two teenagers who just got caught by their parents. They relaxed when they saw Arnold.

"Sweetie, don't scare us like that, you're gonna give us a heart attack" Stella said as Arnold laughed in the corner.

"It was too perfect mom, I couldn't resist" Arnold said as he leaned against the opening.

"So how did your day go? I'm guessing since you were out all day it was a success?" Miles asked with a curious look. Arnold nodded and held up one finger, running back upstairs and grabbing the box, and his dad's card as well. He came back down and smiled as they waited for him. He first handed his dad his card, then handed over the box. Miles slid the card into his pocket and then looked at the black ring box. Stella moved closer as Miles opened it, showing off the beautiful black gold ring. Stella let out a gasp as Miles gave a small whistle.

"Arnold, this is just beautiful. Helga is going to love it" Stella said as Miles handed it to her, she held it into the light, letting the stone shine. "What kind of stone is this? I've never seen anything like it" She asked

"The stone is Natural Moss agate. It symbolizes vitality and the love between two people is entwined for a lifetime like water plants in the river, and it will never leave until death. The best part is no two stones are the same, so Helga is going to get something unique" Arnold said with a smile as he felt his cheeks blush. His mom put the ring back in the box and held it out for him to take, but she didn't let go when Arnold grabbed it.

"Arnold. I want you to answer this questions for me right now. Do you really love Helga?" Stella asked

"You already know the answer to this mom, but yea. I do love her" Arnold said with a serious tone. She let go of the box and scooted over to the middle of the sofa, padding the seat she was just in for him to sit. Arnold took the seat and looked at them both.

"Make me a promise right now. Promise me that you will love and cherish her, and never break her heart" Stella said with a small tear in her eye.

"I promise, mom. I cross my heart and hope to die" Arnold said as they all laughed and chuckled. They soon got to talking about their days and what they had done. He showed off his new phone, talked about the shopping he had done, and also talked about Lila and the people she was with. His parents showed concerned with that, but Arnold told them not to worry. He listened to them as they talked about their date night and all of the fun they had downtown.

"Wow, I can't believe it's almost midnight. I think I'm gonna go upstairs and crash" Arnold said with a yawn, causing his parents to yawn as well.

"We will be right behind ya, bud. Good night" Miles said as Arnold hugged him and kissed his mom on the cheek and hugged her as well. He headed up the stairs and into his room.

"He really is growing up on us" Stella said with a smile on her face.

"I know. Makes you wonder how long we become grandparents" Miles said. Stella slapped his chest, causing him to laugh as she shook her head. They finished their wine and turned off the music and the lights, making sure the front door was locked as they headed to bed.

Arnold closed the door to his room. The record had finished, which he promptly put it back in its case. He turned off his record player and flipped over to his surround system, turning it down as he played his nighttime jazz. He plugged in his phone and smiled as he thought about Helga, hoping she was doing the same. He couldn't wait for her to get back. He missed everything about her. The touch of her soft skin. Her warm lips on his, and just the peace she brought him. He took off his shirt and set it to the chair as he crawled into bed, smiling as he stared into the stars. He blew a kiss up to them, hoping it would find it's way to her, as he finally closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall asleep.


~Well that was a fun chapter. I am so sorry it took me so long to get this out. Work, car troubles, and overall depression are an evil pain. But I am gonna get back on a better schedule to get these out more timely. They will be pretty long too, cause I like detail, but more on that later. Thank you all for reading. If you have any suggestions or ideas you want to see incorporated, leave a review or shoot me a message so I can look at the possibility of adding it in. Thanks again for reading and we will see you on the next one.~