Arnold was stuck. His ability to talk to girls didn't really exceed his futile attempts at impressing Lila or trying to help them in the same way he would anyone else. No, girls made it hard for him to put his thoughts into words...

And "girls" was the word he tried to convince himself he was so lacking in experience with. Truth be told? "Girls" meant Helga Pataki. Ironic considering she often behaved in the exact opposite manner to the qualities he believed made up the stereotypical young lady... Then again, despite the brash personality she insisted on using as some kind of façade, Arnold often had to remind himself that he had seen a softer side to Helga.

"Jeez," he heard her say, pulling him from his own frazzled thoughts. "Spit it out already, will ya? This is just painful."

Arnold could feel himself pale slightly. He also forgot how aware she seemed to always be, even if she did pretend to be apathetic toward anyone but herself. There was a hint of amusement in her tone and it made him feel all the more anxious. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin the mood she was in. Not that she looked particularly happy... Just, neutral.

"Spit what out?" Arnold asked, attempting to play dumb despite being aware of the sickening amount of times he had cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. It was just so difficult; he wished he'd planned what exactly he was going to ask beforehand.

Helga laughed tightly. "Oh, please, Arnold. Do you really expect me to believe that you'd ask me to wait for you just so you could berate me about my attitude and ask if I like-like Brainless back there? No. I don't think so." She rolled her eyes away from him with a shake of her head.

Arnold swallowed. She was right, of course.

"Okay, yeah," he replied, unable to look in her direction for fear of her reaction to his daring stupidity. "I guess there is something else I wanted to..."

Arnold trailed off as his eyes fell on the wall at the end of the alley way to the left of Helga. His heart seemed to stop beating momentarily as everything around him slowed in the cliché way action movies always portrayed something dramatic.

The writing wasn't as bold as before; parts of it were faded or completely missing but he could still make out Helga and Brainy's names. Arnold stopped walking and studied the graffiti, his lips parted in mild surprise. Suddenly Mrs Vitello came into view, holding a bucket in one hand and a sponge in the other.

"Young whippersnappers vandalising my wall all the time," she grumbled, placing the bucket on the ground and dunking the sponge into the soapy water.

"What now, Football-Head?" Helga hissed, placing her hands on her hips as she followed Arnold's gaze but before she could focus on the supposed confession, she felt herself being pushed by the small of her back away from what ever had caught her Muse's attention. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden and unexpected physical contact.

"Nothing," Arnold finally replied, letting go of her and retaking his place next to her on the sidewalk. He didn't know why but letting her see the real thing felt like a bad idea. The picture was still the safest way to go and even that was daunting enough. At least the offending chalk was finally being disposed of. Until now he'd assumed that it already had been.

Arnold froze a second time; remembering the photograph. It was the sole reason he was speaking with Helga in the first place and he'd already misplaced it! ...Well, not misplaced exactly. He knew where it was, he'd just left it behind.

"Aw man," he groaned, glancing back in the direction they had come from. He was so caught up in trying to figure out where he stood with her, he'd completely forgotten about sabotaging his friends' plans.

"What the heck is wrong with you?!"

Arnold pointed back towards P.S. 118, a panic in his tone and an apologetic look on his face. "I forgot something... I-I guess I'll see you later!" And without another word, he began running in the opposite direction.

He sure was acting strange. Helga watched him leave in disbelief. So much for walking her home. Arnold always did this to her; just as she was beginning to feel a little more comfortable being herself around him, he up and left. Maybe it was something she was doing... Or maybe it meant that she would never be able to trust him. No... It would be foolish to believe that Arnold couldn't be trusted. Either way, she felt frustrated by his aloof behaviour.

One thing Helga didn't understand was Arnold's sudden interest in her relationships. He never used to be so concerned with the way she treated people or who she supposedly had a crush on. He used to avoid her like the plague until her "hatred" of him forced him to retaliate. She kind of missed those days. Things were much simpler and, as miserable as she made Arnold, they were much more fun for her.

Having said that, Helga couldn't deny the fluttery feeling she felt at the attention he was undoubtedly focusing on her. She just wished that the circumstances were a little different.

...

"Yeah, what?"

"I got it."

Sid sat up from his bed slowly, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him as he gripped his phone tighter.

"Unless you're talking about my picture, I suggest you hang up," he warned flatly. Sid was tired of worrying about it and picturing every possible set of hands it could have fallen in to, many of which made his his stomach lurch.

"Don't worry, bub," his saviour reassured him smoothly, a smirk in his tone. "It's in safe hands."

Sid jumped away from his bed, whooping at the top of his lungs and spinning around in a circle. Just when he'd begun to think that there wasn't any hope left for his perfect prank, he'd received the best phone call he could ever hope for. "Gerald, I could kiss you!" He cried, flopping back onto his bed dramatically.

On the other end of the line, Gerald's look of disgust was mirrored by his tone. "Yeah, well... Don't, okay?"

"Where'd you find it?" Sid asked excitedly, ignoring the request. He'd looked in every inch of the school, thoroughly inspecting under every desk, table and chair, between every shelf and he'd even snuck into the girls' bathroom out of pure desperation. It was a new low but he didn't care. He was sure it had been stolen!

Gerald rubbed the back of his neck as his confidence dissipated. "I, uh... It... It was on Mr Simmons' desk! Yeah, that's right! I went back to class to hand in some homework and it was just sitting there."

"Simmons' desk?" Sid echoed, cocking his head to the side thoughtfully. "Why was it there?" He deadpanned, gripping the phone with both hands. "Oh gosh! Am I in trouble?"

"No!" Gerald replied quickly. "He probably found it on the floor when we left or something. No big deal."

Sid smiled with relief. "Okay. D'ya want me to come get it now or-"

"N-no," Gerald interrupted before Sid got too excited. He regained his cool composure. "It's getting late, man. I'll give you the picture first thing tomorrow."

Sid faltered at the idea but figured he could trust Gerald. He was the most trust-worthy guy in class. Well, after Arnold... but he had been pretty quiet about the whole deal. Sid shook off the last thought. "Don't let it out of your sight, Gerald."

Gerald swallowed. "Don't worry, it's in safe hands," he reassured him a second time and without another word, he hung up, a sigh escaping hips lips. Gerald couldn't lie to himself; he felt guilty. Arnold was his best friend and he hated betraying the guy... but Arnold was out of line this time. Not only was he a thief but he was jeopardising his friendships! Gerald couldn't sit idly by and watch him do something so foolish.

And for Helga of all people.

…

Arnold wasn't mad that the photograph had once again disappeared. He wasn't even upset. He was just tired and a little frustrated with himself. He assumed that Sid or Rhonda had stumbled upon it or maybe even Brainy. Either way, he just hoped whoever had it didn't know the textbook was his. He decided not to dwell on that considering the whole class had a copy.

What was he going to do now? Arnold dragged his hand down his face with a groan before retrieving his book and deciding the best thing to do was just head home. It was almost dinner time anyway and there was nothing he could do about the picture now. Perhaps he could simply warn Helga of what was to come? She didn't need to see it. As long as she was prepared in some way, the blow wouldn't be so painful and they could try to prevent it together... but that plan didn't exactly ease Arnold's worries. He still needed to convince the guys that they were wrong; that they needn't waste their time because they were wrong. Helga had nothing to do with the confession. Well, that's what he'd decided to believe anyway. Helga had lied to him before but this time he'd seen the sincerity and confusion in her denial. It was genuine.

Arnold stopped outside Gerald's house, studying the front door with a frown. It was kind of a bad time to knock on someone's door but he really needed to talk to someone who understood him, and Gerald wasn't exactly the kind of guy who took phone calls seriously.

He made his way up the stoop and knocked a couple of times. He heard shouting coming from inside as Mr Johanssen opened the door, peering over his shoulder. "Jamie O, cut it out! And give Timberly back her alligator... Oh, hey, Arnold."

"Hi, Mr Johanssen. Is this a bad time?" he asked, reeling back as Timberly's high-pitched cry grew louder.

"Probably for you," Martin commented with a shake of his head. "Gerald's in his room," he added, stepping aside to let Arnold in.

"Thanks." Arnold scurried past the living room, avoiding Gerald's siblings and made his way upstairs. The last thing he needed was to get mixed up in Timberly and Jamie O's squabble which would have been inevitable if they knew he were there.

Arnold neared Gerald's bedroom door which was open a mere crack, reaching up to push it open but froze as Gerald's voice caught his attention. It was hushed but still intelligible.

"It's getting late, man. I'll give you the picture first thing tomorrow."

Wait, what? Arnold's jaw fell open as his hand lowered back to his side. He couldn't believe it.

"Don't worry, it's in safe hands."

Arnold heard a click as Gerald placed the phone back upon its base. His fists clenched as did his jaw before he threw open the door. Gerald sat up in fright, his eyes wide as Arnold suddenly appeared without warning.

Arnold inhaled sharply, trying not to lose it just yet. "Who was that?"

Gerald looked around the room as though he was hallucinating. "Say what?"

"Who was that, Gerald?" Arnold sounded angry, his voice cold and unwavering.

Gerald laughed nervously, standing in order to back away from his best friend. He was busted. "Chill out, man..."

"Answer me!"

Okay, so Arnold wasn't kidding. "Nobody- I mean, no one important."

Arnold huffed loudly in disbelief, taking a step forward. Out of the few times he'd been angry at Gerald this definitely took the cake. "It was Sid, wasn't it?"

Gerald swallowed. His heart was beating so fast he thought it was about to jump out of his chest. Not only had Arnold scared the crap out of him but the guilt he'd been feeling was finally staring him in the face... and so was Arnold who was awaiting an explanation. Gerald was a smooth-talker, a witty smart-alec who always knew just what to say in tense situations... so why was he suddenly at a loss for words?

Arnold had a million things to say, however. His head was swimming with questions and uncharacteristically yet justifiable insults. "What happened to "I got your back"?" He said somewhat sadly, casting Gerald a look of disgust. "I can't believe you lied to me. Did you tell Sid I took it, too?

That hit a nerve that caused Gerald's voice to return. He frowned, opening his mouth to defend himself. "No! When I said I had your back, I meant it! I told Sid I found it so that you wouldn't lose your friends, Arnold. You're acting crazy!"

"I'm acting crazy?! I'm not the one going along with Sid's stupid scheme!"

Gerald raised an eyebrow, an uncertainty in his expression. He knew that this wasn't just about Arnold "doing the right thing". Not entirely, anyway. He was far too bothered by their friends' actions.

"What is this really about?" Gerald sighed, more sad to see his best friend so worked up than anything else.

Arnold looked taken aback by the question. He'd told Gerald what he was trying to do. He didn't like seeing people taunted and belittled for another's amusement and until now he'd assumed that Gerald held the same view on the matter. "Bullying."

"Bullying," Gerald echoed, a small laugh escaping his lips. "And how do you protect a bully from getting a taste of their own medicine?" He didn't buy it. He placed his hands on his hips, noting Arnold's sudden silence. The shorter boy was no longer staring him down, his eyes on the floor with a frown.

Helga wasn't a bully! Well, maybe she was but not in the same way Wolfgang and his friends were. She didn't pick on younger kids or give people wedgies. In fact, he'd never witnessed her physically harm anyone. Sure, she could be a little quick to insult people, Arnold especially, but if she really hurt somebody's feelings, she apologised. Gerald made her out to be a savage with no real respect for anyone around her and that wasn't true in the slightest. She'd proved that by single-handedly helping them to save the neighbourhood. That wasn't selfish or mean. Helga had helped them out of the sympathy and the kindness Arnold had never ceased to believe she possessed... Maybe now was the time to tell him about the conversation he and Helga had shared atop the FTi building. He'd been avoiding it at all costs but apparently it was something Gerald needed to hear.

Arnold sighed, looking up to meet his friend's eye. "Remember the night we snuck into Future Tech Industries?"

Gerald's confusion only increased. He hasn't a clue where this could be going. "Uh, yeah?"

"Helga was with me when we left..."

Gerald nodded slowly, recalling the moment that the hostile girl had sporadically appeared from nowhere. "You never did tell me what she-"

"I'll tell you now," Arnold interrupted him, irritation in his tone. If Gerald dared to mock him for this he didn't want to be held responsible for his actions. "She helped us, Gerald. She was the guy on the phone the whole time."

Gerald wrinkled his nose at the news, cocking his head slightly. "Helga was Deep Voice?"

"Uhuh. She found out everything we needed to know from her dad in order to save the neighbourhood. We wouldn't live in this city any more if it wasn't for Helga!" Arnold's mind raced back to the moment he discovered who the mystery voice was; a girl with one eyebrow and a pink bow in her hair. She wasn't friendly or proud of her deeds. In fact, she seemed a little sheepish yet extremely defensive... until he pried out of her the real reason for her uncharacteristic actions of good will.

"Why did she do it?" Gerald asked, genuinely intrigued. He was very confused.

"She said she..." Arnold trailed off, swallowing painfully. The "L" word made him feel a bit light-headed. He didn't really know how to express his own feelings regarding what she'd told him, let alone try to explain them to Gerald. He decided to improvise, instead using a word he was a little more comfortable with. "She said she doesn't hate me as much as she thought she did and that she might even like me."

This went straight over Gerald's head who blinked, ready for Arnold to continue his story.

Arnold made a couple of hand gestures, encouraging Gerald to say something but he remained silent. "She likes me, Gerald!"

"So? Everyone likes you," he stated, still wondering what Arnold's point was.

Arnold gave a frustrated exhale, throwing his arms in the air in defeat. "No, Helga like-likesme!"

Gerald processed the suggestion for a moment before his eyes widened in pure horror. "No she doesn't!" He shook his head, eyeing Arnold's serious expression, hoping for a hint of amusement to suggest that he was kidding. "That's funny, man!" Arnold frowned as Gerald chuckled uncomfortably. Slowly his smile fell. "...you're not kidding."

"I wish I was," Arnold assured him, feeling guilty for saying such a thing although it seemed like the best thing to do. He conveniently missed out the part about Helga kissing him. He didn't think Gerald was ready to hear that just yet. "Anyway, I just wanted to show you that she doesn't deserve to be tortured, Gerald. We owe her!"

Gerald scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. "I wouldn't say that," he murmured.

A silence fell between the two boys, an awkwardness that neither of them were used to. A mere two days ago the pair were playing checkers on Arnold's bedroom floor and laughing about the awful mistakes in Evil Twin II. Now they felt like rivals desperately trying to win the other over despite knowing it was futile... Arnold was too considerate of people's feelings and Gerald couldn't shake the resentment he had against the girl Arnold was trying to protect. The whole debate was a lost cause.

"Look," Gerald decided to reason. "I can't pretend to like her just because she suddenly decided that you weren't all bad and gave us a kick in the right direction. Okay? She's still not worth that to me."

Yeah, Arnold could understand that. After all, he had taken the majority of her tongue lashings and name calling over the years. She had been downright malicious in the past but he forgave her. He didn't see why Gerald couldn't just give her a chance at least. She really was an intelligent and passionate person on the inside.

"Okay," Arnold agreed warily. "But take Harold for example. He can be pretty mean at times. His favourite thing to do is laugh at other people." He shrugged before continuing. "And Rhonda. You can't deny that she has offended near enough everyone in class. In fact, I'd say she's way more judgemental than Helga."

Gerald eyed him sceptically. "What's your point?"

Arnold sighed. "You know what my point is. If Helga deserves what Sid is planning to do to her then Harold and Rhonda and Sid himself deserve that too." He continued before Gerald could argue. "And she doesn'tlove Brainy anyway."

Gerald dismissed the former comment although he knew it was true in a way. "Right, because she loves you."

"I-I don't know," Arnold faltered. He still wasn't comfortable thinking about it.

Gerald raised an eyebrow, sensing his discomfort. "I don't regret taking the picture from you and I'm giving it back to Sid."

Arnold shrugged lightly. "You can keep it." He turned to exit Gerald's bedroom. "But I'm telling Helga what the guys are planning to do and I'm still going to put a stop to it."

"Do what you will, buddy," Gerald replied quietly before clearing his throat. "Hey, Arnold?"

The blond turned to face his best friend once more, a neutral expression on his face.

"Sorry I betrayed you but I don't think we're gonna see eye-to-eye on this one."

No, that much was evident. Arnold couldn't help but smile. After all, Gerald had been trying to save him from losing all of his friends. "It's okay." He was used to having Gerald by his side most of the time but maybe he didn't need him on this particular occasion. Agreeing to disagree was probably the best option to avoid any more arguments. "I'm sorry I accused you of being a bad friend."

Arnold closed the door behind him, leaving Gerald alone to think. Perhaps there was a way of helping Arnold and Sid without directly helping Helga. She was possibly the only person he refused to give the benefit of the doubt to and if Arnold was letting everything she'd ever done slide, that definitely said something about his resentment towards her... but that wasn't the only thing irking him about the whole situation. Suddenly something clicked inside Gerald's mind...

For a few weeks now, Arnold hadn't been himself. He was quieter, if that was possible, and less eager to get involved with everyone else's problems. Helga has also kept to herself. Sure, she shoved past him to get out of the classroom before he could or grabbed the pudding cup he'd been reaching for at lunch but that really was the extent of her rudeness, as though her heart was no longer in it. During baseball games she didn't yell insults at him and she didn't even laugh when his pen leaked ink all over his desk during class. It was odd but her vocal lashings had completely dried up... well, that was until Harold and Rhonda began to provoke her.

It was typical. Arnold cared too much about Helga not being herself that he'd lost sight of why this was a good thing. Unless...

Gerald didn't know whether to feel disgusted or amused by the possibility that Arnold was suddenly invested in Helga and her crush on him... a part of him refused to believe it until he heard it from the horse's mouth. Or rather the Pataki's mouth. It made sense though. One thing was for sure; Gerald wasn't about to trust her and he needed to knock some sense into Arnold as soon as possible.

Pretty much everyone is confused or angry. What a lovely middle-ground for a story! Some nice things (and also dramatic things) are coming soon, don't you worry! Stay tuned!

Brainy - 9

Lila - 6

Gerald - 4

Sid, Rhonda - 2

Big Patty, Curly, Harold, Helga, Arnold - 1