The gang are in the 8th grade, age is about 13/14

"Arnold, I'm ever so sorry, but you, and I are not a right fit for each other; I-I've found someone else."

"Lila, you liked Arnie over me. Now Stinky?" Probably isn't right to say that, Stinky is my friend and a good person, but I can't help. Arnold shook his head in frustrations and guilt. But feel bitter about this whole thing. "This doesn't make sense, you and I have more in common."

The redhead girl did a tiny shrug. "I just disagree. Stinky and I share oh so many qualities. Arnold, chemistry is a strange sensation that you cannot fake or force. I tried, but I just don't feel that with you. And it would be ever so wrong to go on with this relationship. It's best we end this now. In time, I know you will realize that what I'm saying is true. I am oh so sorry." Lila leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He groaned at this knowing it was only a pity kiss and watched her as she pranced out of the classroom.

Arnold slumped into his chair. "Hey, football head, why the long face?" Helga's voice sounded upbeat and humorous.

Ugh, the last person I want to deal with now.

Helga put a hand on her hip and leaned on his desk. "What, cat got ya tongue, hair boy?"

She's such a pain. "Helga why don't you go take a hike. I don't want to talk to you."

She frowned at his foul mood and bumped his desk. "What the hell crawled up your butt? I only asked a question football head."

"I'm not joking with you; I'm tired of you and your nasty attitude," He looked up to meet her eyes with a glare.

Where is all this hostility coming from, he better not test me because my tongue is sharper than his. "Like your holier-than-thou attitude is always a pleasure."

"Whatever, I don't care what you think of me. In fact, all you've ever done my whole life is go on and on about how much you don't like me. Okay, I get it, I'm not your favorite person. So that you know, you're not my favorite person either. In fact, I think you're nothing but a hateful bully that's made school miserable for me. I'm sick of you, never talk to me again."

Helga stared at him for a long moment, but he didn't meet her eyes, he only glared at his desk. Wow, I've never seen him this mad before. Maybe he finally does hate me. Maybe I should leave him alone. I could yell out hateful insults, but that will only prove him, right? Curse that part of me that still loves him, won't let me! "Fine!" She spat out with folded her arms and stomped to her seat; which she heard him release a heavy sigh once she sat down. She frowned with determination and started writing rigorously in her diary. If that's what he wants, that's what he will get. I don't need that stupid football head anyway.

The following day Arnold enters the classroom. His eyes float over to Helga, whose nose was in her notebook in the back row of the room. He felt guilty since he had plenty of time to think about everything, involving yesterday.

He lumped down next to his best friend in the front. "I think I may have taken things too far…" He whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Gerald's eyes, glued to his comic book.

"I told her to take a hike and never talk to me again." He sighed. "And other things I'd rather not repeat."

"Who Lila?"

Not that it would have been right to say that to her either. But the fact is, she was the one that hurt me, not..."No," He rolled his eyes as he saw her making dreamy eyes at Stinky. He leaned closer to Gerald. "Helga."

Gerald glanced up from his book and shrugged. "So what, she probably deserved it."

"That's the thing, this time; she didn't … she was just her usual self at that moment, and I snapped at her."

"She snaps at you all the time, so maybe it's a good thing that she finally got a taste of her own medicine. Besides, you two bicker, it's nothing new.

Yeah, Helga could be mean to me. Yes like he said, we do bicker sometimes, but she lightened up a lot since last year. In fact, she hadn't done anything in a long time to deserve that. If this had been in the fourth grade, I would have been a bit more inclined to agree, but she's changed a bit. "No, she didn't deserve it, I was just upset over – " Gerald turned to giving him a look not wanting to hear him vent about Lila. Arnold sighed. "I'm going to apologize to her at some point today."

Gerald turned around to get a glimpse at Helga. "Good luck with that, you're going to need it."

Helga and Phoebe make their way to their usual table in the cafeteria. Helga had made her lunch since she got sick of depending on her mother who usually failed to do so.

She glanced up and saw Arnold as he walked her way. What the hell does he want? He stood in front of her with a weak smile. "Um… Helga, I wanted to apologize for what happened the other day… see I was upset about," He took a swallow. "S-Something and I thought you would pick on me... After thinking it over, I realized you weren't trying to mess with me or anything. And I was only taking out my frustration on you. So, I just wanted to say sorry for what I said. You didn't deserve it. I was wrong, and I didn't mean it. I do consider you, a friend, just like everyone else and I wouldn't like it at all if you did never speak to me again."

HA! Nope, I don't give a shit. You're apologizing because you're a goody two-shoes not because you're truly sorry. Nope, I won't even look at him or acknowledge his presence. He can take a hike! "So Phoebe how's band practice going?"

Arnold looked a bit stunned.So she's going to ignore me? I was at least expecting a sarcastic remark, but now she won't even look at me. Arnold rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed as he felt Phoebe staring at him. I guess I deserve that. He walked away back to his table feeling a bit deflated. Then, getting a front row display of Lila subtly flirting with Stinky. If it hadn't been for the fact they'd dated for a few months, he would have thought her behavior was friendly. But having gotten to know her better, he could tell when she was into someone. He took his attention off his ex-girlfriend and back on Helga due to her loud laughter. Suddenly, he felt a little sick to his stomach. "Ugh, I can't take this…" Arnold got up, ignoring Gerald's calling him and rushed to the bathroom.