For the next couple weeks Helga was trying to avoid having long conversations or too much physical contact with Arnold. She greeted him in the mornings and said goodbye to him after the last class of the day and had small chat over the phone or by text, but that was all, she was trying her hardest to keep Arnold at bay from her problems.

Arnold didn't want to force her to talk to him if she didn't want to. He knew how Helga was and when she had that look in her eyes so overprotective over her space it was best to stay behind. Still he could watch Helga from a distance but watching Andrew trying to make a move on Helga was something completely different. Arnold had all the patience in the world for Helga, but not when another guy was around her.

Andrew talked to Helga every now and then by phone or text but he knew she was going through some hard times because of her mother. Still he was always there for her if she needed to talk to him about anything after all Andrew was really good at giving advise and Helga felt in control over her feelings around him, unlike when she was around Arnold. Andrew did invite Helga to hang out with him during the weekends but she was alway too busy or didn't feel well to go out. But she kept telling him it will happen eventually.

The days passed fast, Helga was busy with ballet and volleyball. Arnold had his basketball season and the team was doing some major competitions that year, it kept Arnold busy everyday after school till seven at night. Andrew had upcoming tournaments for boxing so he was training everyday for it, than his father sometimes work till late and he had to stay home babysitting his sister.
On top of it all the seven teacher they had left a lot of homework, projects and special assignments to work on.

Helga was at Phoebe's house working on an assignment.
"Did you ever found a rehab center for your mother Helga?" Asked Phoebe
"Yes I went online and found a non profit organization that provided help for people in need. I filled out an application for her to see if she qualified and after a couple of days I received a response back by email and she was approved for their program, she just has to check herself in at their center to start the program." Said Helga has she was on the floor writing some notes on her workbook.

"That's great news Helga you did it all for her, how long is the program?"

Helga was disappointed even if she had done good for her mother.
"They have forty five to ninety day programs,
it all depends on her improvement." Explained Helga.

"Then why aren't you happy for her?" Asked Phoebe concern.

Helga was quiet for a minute and had stopped writing.

"What's wrong Helga?" Asked Phoebe again.

"SHE DIDN'T ACCEPT THE PROGRAM OKAY!" Yelled Helga upset

Phoebe was stunned by Helga's reaction.
"Gosh Helga I'm so sorry I didn't know... and you been trying so hard to help her this past couple of weeks."

Helga stood up and sat on the bed while she took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Phoebe for yelling it's just that...every time I do something right...it gets thrown back in my face."

Phoebe sat next to Helga and hugged her.
"Don't be sorry Helga it's only normal for you to be so furious and disappointed by her rejection."
"Thanks Phoebe you're always such a good friend and so understanding. I don't know what I could have done if I didn't have you or...." Helga was thinking by the last words she was going to say.

"Or what Helga?" Asked Phoebe
"Well Arnold has always been part of my life since I first met him but now.... Andrew has been such a good friend as well so understanding and patient with me." Helga was just thinking of all the great conversation she had with Andrew the past couple of weeks.

"So you haven't made a decision about them yet?" Asked Phoebe pulling back her glasses.

"No" Replied Helga thoughtful

The girls were quiet for a moment.
"Well I have to finish this assignment today Ms. Stark wants us to turn it in tomorrow." Said Helga has she was working on her assignment again.

In the boarding house Gerald and Arnold were also working on some school work.
"So any new news from Sid, Arnold?"
"The last thing he said, was that Andrew was clean no bad records in his previous school and that he lived with his father and sister."
Said Arnold disappointed by the information Sid had giving him.
"And what about his mother?" Asked Gerald
"Sid thinks she passed away." Replied Arnold
"Oh that's bad, poor guy having to live without your mother must be hard." Said Gerald.
"Yeah it's even harder to live without your parents."
"Yeah man but you were little when you lost your parents in the jungle. When did he lost his mother?"
"I don't know Gerald. Sid didn't say."
"Well have Helga and Andrew gone out?" Asked Gerald.

Arnold smiled "No, that's the only good news."
"Have you talk to Helga recently?" Asked Gerald.
"Not much, we do talk a little some nights but I feel like she's keeping something from me...like there's more to her than what it seems. I don't know how to explain it." Said Arnold has he was seating on his desk working on his computer.
"Well at least she's talking to you and she hasn't gone out with Andrew, that's a plus." Admitted Gerald.
"I promised Helga I will give her some time to clear her mind, but I don't know how much of this I can take."
"You just have to be patient man." Said Gerald
"For her I can do anything, but having to see that jerk around my Helga it's unbearable."
Arnold looked stress.

As Gerald was walking around Arnold's room he saw a black notebook on his bed stand.
"What's this?" Asked Gerald and he held the notebook.
Arnold quickly took the notebook from his hands.  "Ummm it's private." Said Arnold has he was blushing.
"Oh now I have to see it." Said Gerald as he laughed. Arnold had a serious face looking at Gerald.
"Gerald this are just some thoughts I wrote in paper."

"Thoughts?" Gerald looked at Arnold oddly.
"About my feelings for Helga." Said Arnold blushing.
"Mmm, mmm,mmm you're now a romantic poem writer. You never liked to write before."
"Yeah but now things are different." Said Arnold
"Oh yeah how so?" asked Gerald

"It's like imagining Helga brings all this words to my heart that I can't just described by saying them it's so much easier just writing about it. Even when I talk to her and I want to express how I feel, I find it so difficult."

"Yeah, you got it bad for her Arnold man, I don't even feel like that about Phoebe and we been going out a couple of weeks now."

"Yeah Gerald, but that may change later on."

"Maybe but I will never get it as bad as you man, you're one weird dude." Gerald laughed.

"So what are we doing for the talent show?" Asked Gerald.

"We're doing something?" Asked Arnold confused

"Of course we are, we have done talent shows before and we always won first or second place, and this year we're going to get credit points for high school and gift certificates." said Gerald

"I don't know Gerald are you planning to do anything?" asked Arnold

"Me no, I don't think I can pull it off, but you can." Suggested Gerald.

Arnold thought for a while and grabbed his black notebook as he flipped the pages.

"What are you thinking Arnold?....What ever it is I don't think it's a good idea by the way you look."

"I was thinking what if.... yeah, I think I can do something very special for the talent show." Said Arnold while looking at the black notebook.

"Oh man, I'm sorry I ever put that idea in to your head. Forget about it Arnold, I know what you're thinking and nope, I'm not going to help you."

"Come on Gerald, I need you on this and the talent show is in a couple of days, you're my best friend, the only one that can help me with this...Please" Arnold was begging.

Gerald rolled his eyes. "Shit....okay you got me man, tell me about your plan, what do you want me to do?" Asked Gerald as he was crossing his arms.

Later that night Helga walked to the kitchen and saw her mom washing the dishes, "It's good to see you doing something around the house Miriam." said Helga

"I always do stuff around the house honey." said Mariam as she continue to wash the dishes.

Then Helga saw dirty smoothie cups in the sink. "Crimity I knew it, your washing the evidence aren't you Miriam!"

"No honey I'm just washing dishes."

"Crap Miriam when are you going to realize your drinking problem, here take this." Helga gave Miriam a letter of approval from the rehab center.

"What's this?" asked Miriam wondering about the paper.

"I gave you this letter days ago when you were approved for the alcohol rehab program, you just have to check yourself in for a couple of weeks and you'll be cure."

"I don't have a problem Helga I don't know why you keep telling me that."

Helga bit her lip in desperation "Just keep the approval letter, all the information is there, the address of the rehab center your approval confirmation number, everything... please Mom think about it before you get yourself hurt because your addiction."
Helga walked out of the kitchen to her room and started to write on her pink diary, it was the first time she was going to write in a long time. She wrote:

The waves keep pushing me down,
the wind blows on my hair
my mind can't comprehend
how to walk away from her.

Helga couldn't write anymore, she closed her diary and put it away as she grabbed her phone. "I need to relax about all of this, maybe I should accept to go out with Andrew he does make me laugh." She called Andrew.

"Hey Helga" answerd Andrew

"How did you know it was me champ?"

"caller ID" Said Andrew

"doi, of course silly of me" replied Helga

"I'm glad you decided to call me, how's everything?"

"Yeah well not so good...I was thinking of you." Replied Helga

"You where!" shouted Andrew

"Calm down champ, I was thinking of you as a friend."

"Mmm...as a friend?" "  Said Andrew

"I was" Helga confirmed again

Andrew laughed...

"Okay smart guy I was going to tell you something but I think I should just hang up and keep you waiting on your so call date."

"What! No..tell me...it's just that it's the first time you call me and then you tell me you were thinking about me, it's just so great to heard you say those words." said Andrew sounding happy.

"The reason why I was calling it's because I want us to hang out." said Helga.

Andrew was quiet on the phone.

"Andrew?" She asked

"yes, yes I'm here it's just that I can't believe it." He was very stunned

"which part?" asked Helga

"About you wanting to go out with me, like a date." He still couldn't believe it.

"yes but a friendly date." Helga wanted to make it clear.

"Yes sweetie it can be friendly" said Andrew with a sweet tone.

"What did I tell you about calling me sweetie!"
She raised her voice.

"That you love it...." Andrew tease her.

"Andrew!!" She Shouted

"I'm just kidding. So, where do you want to go?" he asked

"I don't know somewhere fun" suggested Helga.

"Mmmm, okay we can go boiling, skating, or to the movies." he suggested

"What about skating and than the movies"

"Great! When do you want to go" asked Andrew

"oh what about this Saturday?"asked Helga

"Saturday I have a tournament in the morning. But I'm free after three unless if you want to watch me at the tournament. which you are welcome to come if you like to see me fight."

"I don't know about seeing you fight, I'm not in to boxing, I prefer wrestling."

"Really wrestling...you don't look like the type of girl that likes wrestling." Said Andrew laughing

"I'm a really amazing girl, there's a lot of things about me that you don't know about." Said Helga proudly.

"I knew you were very special from the begging." Said Andrew with a soft sweet tone.

"Don't start with the flirting Andrew, you know how I feel about that."

"I'm just saying the truth Helga."

"We can hang out Saturday after 3 o'clock if you're not to beating up after your tournament, what do you say?" Asked Helga.

"Great, I can call you tomorrow." Said Andrew exited.

"Till tomorrow Andrew."

"Good night Helga and thank you for accepting going out with me this weekend."

"Don't mention it Andrew, you're a great guy."

"Is that all I am to you, just a great guy?"

"Crimity, what more do you want!?"

Andrew laughed "You know what I want."

Helga rolled her eyes smiling.

"Good night Andrew"
"Good night Helga"