"Thanks for letting us sit down for a few minutes." Gerald panted at his best friend. There's no doubt he was exhausted. His legs were ready to collapse, his eyes just wanted to drift, not to mention that he was cold, hungry, and pretty much lost in a Jungle with only he company do two of his classmates. One he respected, the other not so much.
"No problem Gerald." Arnold spoke, "It is the least I can do. You and Helga both helped me escape. Besides, I'm getting pretty tied as well." The two boys got settled on the muddy landscape, making themselves as comfy as they could on the rocky surface surrounded by the cold atmosphere that gave each them chills.
       For a place to rest, the jungle in San Lorenzo at dusk probably wasn't their best option, though it was the only option they got, and the trio had a long and life changing journey ahead of them. The mud on the ground got of there cloths quickly. The  land they rested upon was nothing like a comfy bed. He calming wind sent shivers through the boy's body's feeling coldness touch their bare skin. The leaves of the trees surrounding sang a tune that made it impossible to fall asleep right on the ground. Dusk in the middle of the jungle probably wasn't the best place now time for a rest, though they needed it for the journey ahead.
       "Arnold? Can you hear me?" Gerald socket spoke to his best friend.
       "Yeah." Arnold responded with the same tone.
       "Arnold, I wanted to apologize for being so mad before. I'm your best friend. I should have not pushed you about it. I knew you had a lot on your mind about your parents. And it didn't really help that I didn't trust La Sombra from the start. I felt like he was getting to you and I didn't want you to be hurt like that. Though I know I probably should have minded my own business instead of getting upset like that. I just worry about you Arnold. Your my best friend and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I'm sorry for not giving you your space."
       Throughout Gerald's apology Arnold tilted his head and stared at him filled with guilt in his eyes. In the same tome of guilt from Gerald he spoke, "Actually Gerald, I should be the one apologizing to you. I shouldn't have kept all that stuff from you. I have only known La Sombra for a day though I've blown you for as long as I could remember. You were always there for me. I guess I forgot that since I was so caught up in finding my parents. I don't even know why your still not mad at me, you have very right to be mad? I'm really sorry Gerald."
       Gerald focused on every word that Arnold Shortman spoke to him. A soft smile landed on his face as he questions, "so were cool?" Beaming, Arnold replied, "yeah, were cool." Hough no matter if they said they were cool, neither one of them reached out to do their signature handshake.
       Although Gerald had heard Arnold apologize with as much sincerity as he did, there was still a thought troubling him.  A thought that no matter how he tries just wouldn't go away. This wasn't the only secret Arnold had hid from him. Ever since the beginning of the year Arnold was somehow acting...........differently. He was developing strange behavior, however he couldn't figure out what. One things for sure though, he's seen this behavior before. Head in the Clouds, giving a goofy smile that cannot be wiped of his face, a sudden urge to smell the flowers, cheeks redeeming, and the half loses eyes. Those were all the classic Arnold symptoms to a crush. However there was something about them that was different. Every few days when he would stop at the Boarding House to walk with Arnold to and back from school, there was always something on his mind. Some days he would pluck the petals of of slowest on the way to school,and not to mention he is a lot more positive and suave lately especially when it came to Helga G. Pataki. Every time Helga did her usual antics he caught his bets friend giving those half life's eyes. Though why!
       "Arnold, I know we made up and all though there's still something bothering me." Gerald told him feeling nervous in his chest. Though he wasn't the only one whose heat raced once those words escaped his mouth.
       "What is it Gerald?" Arnold asked curiously. Gerald took a deep breath and spoke, "The secret keeping during this field trip isn't the only thing I've been upset about. It's this year in general. I feel that your acting just...........different. I don't know how to explain it. I just feel that your hiding something big from me and I can't put my finger on it what."
       Arnold looked down for a bit developing that familiar red marks on his cheeks that Gerald has seen all year round. Nervous he responded, " I'm sorry Gerald. I have had something on my mind for the last few months. I have just been afraid to see your reaction about it."
       " Well whatever it is I'm sure it's not that bad. I'm your best friend Arnold. You can tell me anything." Gerald responded. A silence arouse in the Jungle with the only the leaves singing their energetic tune and the cold pushing against the two boys bodies. Arnold's face got even redder than it was before. His whole body shivers not just from the cold, though from fear. His heart pounded wildly as he tightly curled himself to a ball. Dozens of emotions were swirling over him. And Gerald only kept a blank face, waiting for an answer.
       "Well." Arnold started, "there's no doubt that 5th grade has been different for everyone."
       "Definitely, our  class was separated into two class. I still can't believe that even after the separation Helga's still in our class." Gerald spoke in disgust.
       "................. That's who I need to talk to you about. Wait a second we're is Helga anyway?" Arnold spoke as he shot up from his position. His nervousness of telling Gerald became fear when he realized he didn't know were Helga was.
       "Relax Romeo, Helga went a few feet ahead of us to watch the moon or something,m. Don't know why, though I wont stop her." Arnold's nerves calmed down immediately not only feeling more calm, though his cheeks heaters in embarrassment. He slowly settled back down saying, "thanks Gerald. That's........good to hear."

       " Speaking of Helga, you've been acting really strange when it came to her his year." Gerald suddenly roared, " she has done so many bad things to you like pranking you hard last and this years April Fools, calling you Football Head all the time, throwing spitballs at you, and we can't forget about that one time we're she pretended to be the Urban Legend Ghost Bride haunting us a grave yard. Helga G. Pataki has to be the worst person I have ever met."
       "All that stuff is true." Arnold responds with a pinch of hurt in his voice, "however she has also done some pretty incredible things. When our grade is caught in a situation she takes charge and is a really good leader if you think about it. She coaches out baseball team and does a great job pushing us until we make it. This Christmas I visited Mr. Bailey and found it that Helga was the one who brought Mr. Hyunh's daughter back, she did invite us to dinner that one time even if we did end up washing dishes in the end, there was that date one time, and she even helped us Save The Neighberhood Gerald!! When you see her angry exterior disappear for a while you really do get to see her golden heart.
       "Wait hold up." Gerald spoke, "since when did you have a date with Helga?"
       " Ever since that one time on Valentines Day. You know, he one were I had two dates."
       "Though you were on a date with Ruth and Ceci.......................HELGA WAS CELEILE?!?!?!?" Gerald yelled with his jaw almost touching the ground.
       "Yeah." Arnold spoke sheepishly, "I didn't know it was her until about a few months ago were we were assigned that Civilization project to work on together. While we were thinking of ideas Helga spotted the shoe and was extremely mad at me for stealing what was hers. I was going to tell her that ot belonged to Cecile, however I realized the similarities between Helga and Cecile and I put two things together. However the conversation dropped before it started and I didn't get the chance to tell her that I knew. Look Gerald............. I've been thinking about about Helga this year and out of all the girls in out class I just feel..............different when I'm along with her. She makes me feel things that no other girl in out class does. She can make me so angry and yet so satisfied. I'm confused by it to. I still need time to think it all out but I know that Helga has a rough exterior though deep inside, she has a heart that might be purer than she knows. And I know I say that about a lot of people but Helga's not like our classmates, she's much more. And I think......................I think I like her Gerlad. No, scratch that, Ibreally really like her Gerlad. In fact I might even like her more than I ever did with Lilla, Rith, and all the other girls I had crushes on in the past. Do you get what I'm saying Gerald?"
       If Gerald's jaw didn't touch the ground before, it certainly did now. His brain entirely shit off as he tries to process what Arnold just said. However he failed trying this and instead his words just scrambled through his brain trying to find a way to solve the impossible jigsaw puzzle.
       "So what your telling me is that you LIKE LIKE HELGA????" Gerald shouted at him in disbelief.
       " Again, I'm still trying to think through all of this myself. Though if one thing's for sure, she certainly isn't just a classmate or a crush. She's something more special....................... I don't know Gerald, though I think I'm falling in love with her."
       "OKAY I HEARD ENOUGH GOODNIGHT!" Gerald suddenly yelled out of nowhere due to astonishment in the unbelievable. His sudden outburst made Arnold jump a little. Gerald Turnner to his side not even facing Arnold due to disbelief that his own ears just allowed himself to listen to. He's not mad at his best friend, he's just................well..............in shock.
       Arnold sighed through his nose and layers back on the ground now with his own thoughts. His green eyes starred into the sky. It was in the middle of dusk now and there is another half to come. The leaves have finally finished singing and the wind no longer pinched his skin. If was just him, the ground, and the sky. It didn't seem like a good place to rest before you biggest adventure yet. Though this trip was to big to have a single break.
       From his right ear Arnold heard a new song. Not a song from the leaves that made him feel uncomfortable. It was the song of an angel, a song of love. And he had the feeling who exactly was singing that song. It came from further into the Jungle. Arnold stared back at his best friend again seeing that he was about as comfortable as you can get to lying on the rocky surface. Quietly, Arnold started to lift himself from the ground without a crack of the knees. He turned to Gerald once more seeing him still lying in the same spot. And very quietly, he went through the bushes creating a ruthenium to the new song that somehow matched perfectly.