Chapter 4: I Can Do This

Porch

Helga stood on the porch, having run down the street without actually thinking about what she was about to do. She was about to have dinner with Arnold, after he found out that book of poems about him was written by HER.

Not only that, it wouldn't just be the two of them for dinner (according to her assumption). He lived in a boarding house; what chance did they have of having the place to themselves? Even if they did, could she handle such a thing so shortly after him finding out how deep her feelings for him are (when she didn't have a clue how he felt about her)?

What reason DID he have to invite her over for dinner? She hadn't done anything nice for him recently. Unless he was willing to look past her dark side, and felt the same way about her, it didn't make much since.

Helga hesitantly rang the doorbell, as she stood there rubbing her arm nervously, worried about how this would all play out. Before she knew it, the door opened, and her being in her own world caused her to be knocked over by the stream of pets that poured out.

Helga fell into Arnold's arms, not knowing what to do at that point. Luckily, he set her down and said "Sorry about that. The animals run out every time they hear the door open."

"Pttss...what do you live in a zoo or something?" Helga asked, not realizing she was already letting her bitter side out.

"No, my grandma just likes to have them around when she uhh…." Arnold began to blush, not knowing if he should reveal how eccentric his grandmother was yet.

Luckily he didn't need to finish his sentence. When Phil heard the commotion, he came in towards the kids and said "Hey there short man! This must be your new someone!"

"Uh someone?" Helga gulped while Arnold began to blush.

Phil patted his grandson on the back before walking away and said "I told ya she liked ya Arnold hehe."

"Grandpa…." Arnold said in a frustrated tone, as Helga started to blush. How much did they talk about her outside of school? How much had he been suspicious of the idea that perhaps she liked him? Was THAT why he tolerated her behavior, or was he just the goody two shoes she fell in love with?

The three of them began to hear singing in the kitchen…"Oh bury my not...on the lone' prarie!"

Phil then headed towards his eccentric wife and shouted "Pookie would ya knock off that racket!"

Arnold then looked at Helga's nervous face and asked "So, you hungry?"

"I…"

Dining Room

Before Helga could finish attempting to come up with a polite response, the kids heard the rest of the boarders walking into the dining room.

"I get first helping right? Because I got up so early." Oscar pointed out.

The family looked glared at his idiocy, while Mr. Hyunh said "You are a paperboy. What is so special about that?"

Helga cocked her brow after hearing this. A middle aged man delivering newspapers? Maybe Miriam wasn't the most pathetic person she had ever known. Then again, Oscar at least had a job; unless you consider smoothie maker/taster Miriam's.

Arnold took a seat with Helga at the table just as Pookie was entering the room with dinner. After hearing Oscar's request, she said "I believe it's Lady Eleanor who will be getting first servings tonight."

Helga cocked her brow after hearing this, and asked "Lady who-now?"

"Why you my dear. You must be tired after a day of work at your office."

Arnold began to blush, not knowing why. All his friends knew how crazy his family was, so why was this bothering him?

"The only thing that's tiring is putting up with you, grandma!" Ernie snapped, as opposed to being grateful his plate was being filled.

Already, Arnold felt as though things were turning into a disaster, so he asked "So Helga, what did you do when you got home from school?"

Before she could respond, Oscar whined "Yeah! Why were you so late, we had to put off eating for a whole hour?"

Suzie bumped Oscar's shoulder and said "Oh Oscar!"

The apathetic man shrugged his shoulders and said "What? I'm just asking a question."

Helga tugged at her collar as she replied "Yeah sorry about that. I didn't sleep well, so I laid down when I got home from school."

"First lady needs her rest everyone!" Pookie looked at the table.

Helga then whispered to Arnold "Why does she keep calling me that?"

It wasn't hard to overhear her with everyone squeezed together at the table. Phil laughed at the question and said "Hehe Pookie's got all sorts of names for us, so you better get used to that one."

What did he mean, get used to? Helga was starting to worry everyone was seeing them as a couple without even hearing how Arnold felt about her first.

After barely touching their meals, Arnold had a choice. He could invite her upstairs for a talk, or while walking home.

Pookie watched Arnold help her up from her chair as they listened to Pookie say "Are you sure you can't stay for some raspberry cobbler dear?"

Phil shook his head as though he was saving someone's life.

"Which way would you like to go Helga; up or down?"

Helga had seen Arnold's room already, and If she wasn't able to act completely clueless, things would become awkward. After thinking about it, she supposed things couldn't get much more humiliating, but why not take a walk?

Walk

The two were silent at first, not knowing where to start their conversation. Helga at last said "So...you have an interesting family."

Arnold looked over at her and replied "Yeah. I'm sorry if they made you feel uncomfortable. Grandpa just likes to joke around a lot, and the rest of the boarders don't always get along.

"Pttss… A family that doesn't get along; how unfamiliar." Helga rolled her eyes after hearing that, thinking about how neglected she was in hers.

Arnold continued walking as he thought to himself…

Everyone needs something to make them happy; something to hold onto. It's obviously not her family, but maybe it could be me.

The conflicted boy then took Helga's hand as he looked at her and said "Helga, I'll be honest with you. I don't know how I feel. That disturbing dinner didn't exactly help me figure things out. Now that I know how you feel, I know if anything I should take it personally. Maybe one day we'll have the courage to show the others how we feel.

Helga began to swoon as she heard her beloved add…

"One thing though. If it really is you writing those books, I wouldn't sign my name anymore."

As he winked at the scowl forming on her face, Helga pushed him and said "Oh shut up leave."

THE END

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