….

"Hey! Hey Arnold, you coming?"

Gerald's voice could be heard in the distance, standing out amongst the loud crowd of kids behind them.

Snapping out of his daze, Arnold turned around with a smile towards his best friend and waved. "Yeah! Sorry Gerald, I'm coming."

Gerald shook his head and continued to walk down the hallway, his friends close behind him, "It's pretty amazing how suddenly your parents are in your life now man. I can't imagine how you're feeling but it's gotta be good!"

"You got that right! It's just…" Arnold's voice slowly faded as he dug within himself for a suitable answer "It's just unbelievable. I'm not sure how else to describe it. It's like one moment I've given up all hope on ever finding them, let alone them being alive and the next moment they're following me to school!"

While the conversation continued as they reached their new classroom, Helga and Phoebe followed behind about a foot from the boys. Although the topic was important, the girls had something slightly more important on their mind.

"So, how are YOU feeling, Helga?" The small Asian girl whispered to her best friend.

"Huh? W-what are you talking about Pheebs? I'm fine! Totally fine! Fit as a fiddle..." Helga blurted out loudly with a hint of nervousness in her voice and unconsciously rubbing the palm of her left hand with her thumb.

"Well…" Phoebe continued, noticing the topic wasn't going to go smoothly, not that she even thought it would. "So much has happened in the last month and I couldn't help but notice but you didn't let Arnold hold your hand…"

"Yeah? SO?!" Helga replied, sounding angrier than before.

"I just thought..." Phoebe began but was immediately cut off by her progressively frustrated friend who stopped in the middle of the hallway, allowing others to pass around them and giving Arnold and Gerald the opportunity to get into class before them and not listen in.

"You just thought what?" Helga started as she threw her hands in the air. "You just thought everything would be all hunky-dory and full of sunshine and rainbows? That I would just lovingly hold the hand of the boy I've been pining over and secretly loving for practically my entire existence? That I would proudly announce to the world that he actually ACCEPTED said love over the vacation period and go about life as if our whole past didn't exist?!" Phoebe remained quiet and calm as her blonde companion continued to rant on, even if she was a little confused as to why she was so upset in the first place.

"I'll fill you in on a little fact there, Phoebe, the past DID happen and I'm Helga G. Pataki!" Helga began stomping around and kicking a few lockers as she did so. "I'm the biggest, baddest and meanest bully in all of P.S 118 and you better believe it will always be this way!"

"But you don't have to be." The small girl finally got a word in between the loud bangs of Helga kicking a locker and almost tripping a kid passing by.

"What?" Helga turned and looked at her, her anger still present but also curious as to what Phoebe was about to say.

"You don't have to be that anymore, Helga. You don't have to keep putting up this facade to make everyone near you run away." Phoebe knew it was a long shot to try and talk any sense into Helga but didn't stop. "We are in sixth grade now and you finally have Arnold's affection! Why not turn over a new leaf and just be you? The Real You."

Suddenly the class bell rang, interrupting the heated battle. Helga heaved a heavy solemn sigh and reached for the door handle "Because… Phoebe," she replied with pain lingering in her voice "The world can't handle the real me…" and with that entered the classroom, leaving her Japanese American friend standing in the hallway.

"Yes… it can… if you would let it" She whispered to herself sadly and followed.

The sixth grade classroom was just as same as the rest of them. Same size, same chairs and same old cabinets and white board with the exception of heavily erased graffiti on the desks and walls. It seemed that with age grew more immaturity… which was counterproductive to say the least.

Mr. Simmons stood at the small podium given to him and tried his best to settle the class down. He had been very familiar with his class but nevertheless still challenging to silence them when trying to make announcements, especially the trio of mischief.

"Good morning class!" He warmly and energetically sang. "Welcome to the sixth grade! Isn't it exciting?! You are now in your last year in P.S 118, so this year is sure to be exciting and full of special and wonderful moments!" He continued despite being talked over by Harold showing Sid and Stinky his new pair of shoes that lit up when he stomped hard. The aging teacher pushed back his impatience. "Harold, you can show them your shoes after class so please quiet down and face forward, thank you. I don't want to have to make another call to your mother about these frequent disruptions…"

"Awwww man!" Harold cried and slumped down into his seat while his 2 friends laughed in spite of him.

"Don't get in trouble Harold or Mommy is gonna find out!" Sid jeered as he jabbed his chubby friend in the side.

"Yeah or she might take away your Mr. Fudgey's" Stinky chimed in before continuing the laughter.

"Shut up you two or I'll pound you!" Harold hollered and threw his fists on the already breaking desk.

A familiar grown of annoyance came out of Rhonda as she whipped her head around and scowled at the three. "Will you guys ever GROW UP?! You're like a pack of screaming monkeys for crying out loud!"

"Class, Class please!" Mr. Simmons raised his voice once more in an attempt to silence the commotion. The image of them all being screaming monkeys gave his temple a throb and a rather unpleasant flashback to only a few weeks prior. Stress had taken over his normal, orderly self and he wasn't in the best state of mind then, giving their circumstances, and would rather not remember it all again.

The classroom slowly quieted down and he was able to continue. "As I was saying, this will be your last year here and thus will also be your last year with me being your teacher, sadly, as I cannot follow you into middle school. Let us all make meaningful and special memories while we venture forth onto the path of knowledge!"

"Criminy! I feel like the school year has already passed with how long this is taking…" Helga mumbled as she fidgets with her pencil.

The teacher chose to ignore her comment and continue on by explaining the upcoming year's lesson plan and what he hoped to have them achieve by the time they graduated. Meanwhile the speech fell on deaf ears as Helga had more pressing things to think about.

So much had happened since the end of the last school year. Things she didn't even think were possible. She had gotten the class to go all the way to Central America and rescue Arnold's lost parents. She had trekked through the jungle and fought bad guys and even gotten a kiss in the end for it…. A kiss… Helga could feel her heart race at the memory. All she had wanted to do was quickly and silently get her locket from that weird contraption. Her plan was simple. Everyone was distracted so why not race off and pry it out of the stone it was currently lodged in? No one had to know or remember it even existed, but unfortunately that plan was foiled when Arnold, being oddly attentive as he was, saw and followed her to that very spot. He had started his own little speech and began to nervously say things that seemed like a dream. That she was really brave and loyal. That he acknowledged her feeling finally and didn't chalk it all up to the heat of the moment. She remembered how his hands felt when he softly took her wrists; hot and sweaty as if this was the first time he had ever done something like this. Her mind became hazy and as he offered to share their first mutual kiss…

Helga began to unconsciously swoon in the middle of class until noticing and kicking herself in the leg to come back down to earth. "Ow!" she said to herself, now interrupting class and causing everyone to look over at her. "What?!" she shouted to keep composure and the class went back to its usual state, save for one person.

Arnold stared at Helga silently as Mr. Simmons started his first lesson topic of the day. Having no interest in it, he too remembered his awkward confession and began to turn a nice hue of red. Why wouldn't she let me hold her hand…? He wondered to himself. Sure, Helga would always be Helga and that was fine in its own charming way but hadn't things changed now? What were they exactly?

Shortly after arriving back in Hillwood, Arnold's family became top priority to him as he finally got to be a whole family for once in his life. With a mom and a dad along with his grandparents! The feeling was pure unimaginable bliss and something he had only dreamed could be a reality, however this did neglect something else now major in his new life…

The young man propped his elbow on the desk and held his head with his hand, looking over Helga from a distance. Normally she sat behind him while he was closer to the front, however this year his assigned seat was closer to the back with her being in front. Had the seating been on purpose or just random? It didn't matter to him. Now he finally had a chance to actually view her naturally, something he had never really done before.

Her hair had gotten a bit longer, but still obtained its original state. Her body had gotten a little taller and figure more pronounced. He watched as she started to actually pay attention to class and chew on the tip of her pencil eraser. Had she always done that? Arnold began to feel a familiar feeling grow in his chest. A strange yet calming warm type of feeling. This feeling had been born at the start of the fifth grade year, after she had eccentrically yelled her own feelings to him on top of a building in the pouring rain. Although, at the time, it felt absolutely crazy and he couldn't process any of it, looking back now it seemed almost poetic. A loud storm, heavy rain in the dark of night and there she was screaming about how she loved him. The girl who had done nothing but make him the target of her anger and tormented him for most of the years of his life, screaming how much he meant to her and then forcefully kissing him. That had to be something only capable of Helga G. Pataki. She was the only person he knew capable of such amazing things, whether they be good or bad. Over the last year, he had started to recall little amazing things about her that he had never really realized. Her tenacity. Her passion. Her talents. Had she always been this way? Was the only reason he never saw it before because of all the negative things she did towards him? The more little things he learned, the more this strange little feeling grew and the more interested he became. Many times he had tried to outwardly pursue a friendship with her only to be pushed away and resume the status quo.

Things won't return the way they were… will they? The thought started to make the nice feeling disappear and his heart clench in anxiety. He made his feelings to her clear, right? Surely she understood how much she meant to him… right? The uncertainty began to taunt him until his calm mind came back to take over. I'll just talk to her after school, he decided. I'm sure I'm just overthinking this. Everything will be fine.


Hours had passed and soon it was time to go home. Helga had made plans to go over the new English assignment with Phoebe in the library before going back "home" to the Beeper Emporium, little did she know that a anxious little football head waited for her outside the school. Once school had ended, he knew his parents were still waiting for him so he promptly met them outside.

"Hey son! Is school finally out?" Miles asked, his arms wide open for the awaited embrace with his son.

"We missed you so much, honey! How was your first day back?" Stella added, patiently waiting for her own turn to hug the boy.

"It was fine, pretty normal really" Arnold explained after hugging them both.

"Well come on! Let's go home so you can tell us all about your pretty normal school day!" Miles said while motioning his hand away from the school. "I'm sure it will be exciting for us to hear."

As his parents started to lead the way, Arnold nervously hesitated and remained on the stoop. "Actually guys, I have to take a rain check and tell you tonight…" he started, sounding disappointed. "I have to take care of a few things here first, projects and all…"

His parents stopped and nodded their head. "Oh, of course honey. You take care of your work first and then you can tell us when you get home." Stella smiled, understanding even though she had been looking forward to seeing him since he had left that morning.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Arnold frowned "I promise I'll be home as soon as I can!"

He knew reassuring them was the only thing he could do and was glad they didn't take the news too hard.

"No problem, son!" Miles nodded. "We'll see you when you get home then."

After another warm hug from the both of them, Arnold waved goodbye and headed back inside to where he would wait patiently for Helga.


"Geez, Pheebs! You'd think they might give us something a little more challenging for homework but this is a breeze!" Helga laughed, scribbling down the answers on her worksheet.

"Yes, however I'm sure this is just more of a refresher, so to speak, to prepare us for what we will have to do later on." Phoebe replied, continuing her own copy of the work.

Helga frowned, erased a sentence she had written and rewrote it. "Come on, don't jinx us."

Her best friend's response made Phoebe giggle. The mood was much nicer now then it has been at the beginning of school and for that Phoebe was glad. Helga's negativity really worried her but hopefully things would progress better for the new couple. She also had her own relationship with Gerald to think about.

They had become official towards the middle of last year so some time had passed but everything was still sort of new for her. Public view of affection was something Gerald was much fonder of than her; however she grew to enjoy it here and there. With new advancements there would be new found joy as well, she liked to think. Helga wasn't one of the most stable when it came to feelings and change but Phoebe knew she was strong. She was the strongest person she knew actually, and this was what made them the best of friends in the first place. Phoebe, the small and meek could always depend on her harsh, loud mouth, boisterous friend to be there for her even in the toughest times.

Finishing up her work, Phoebe closed her book and placed her school papers inside her new backpack and Helga followed soon after.

"A job well done?" The blonde questioned, her eyebrow raised with a smirk on her face.

"Yes." Phoebe nodded, "a job well done." She slung her backpack on and opened the library door to unexpectedly see Arnold sitting on the floor adjacent to them. "Arnold? What are you doing here? And on the floor, I might add."

"A-arnold?!" Helga gulped from behind her shorter friend before instinctively taking a step back to possibly become unnoticed.

Although He had expected them to eventually leave the library, the sudden act of it startled him and left him searching for words. Realizing he had no reason to panic, he simply got up and answered Phoebe truthfully. "Oh, hey Phoebe! I was just hoping to talk to Helga before she went home..." he slowly glanced over the Asian girls shoulder to make sure his intended was still there, "If that's okay?"

Phoebe knew it was for the best and nodded to him and turned to her panicked friend behind her. "I'll head home then," She said as she checked the time "Mother is expecting me home soon anyway. I'll see you two tomorrow!" and with that, took her exit leaving Helga to fend for herself.

Mustering up her courage, Helga slowly walked out of the library and put on her usual act. "So what is it you wanted to talk to me about, Football head?"

Arnold shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his arm, unsure on how to start the conversation he had planned hours ago. How come he had become so nervous? He was just talking to Helga. It was no big deal, right?

"Well out with it, Bucko! I haven't got all day!" She was becoming impatient. Everything is normal, Helga ol' girl! No need to worry! He probably just wants to ask some silly question. Nothing big or detrimental or important like us or his feelings. Probably… school work! Ya, that's gotta be it.

Taking a deep breath in, Arnold regained his courage and smiled. "Can I walk you home?"

The question was so simple yet so unexpected that both of them stood dumbfounded in place. "Uhhh…" she cocked her eyebrow and looked around "s-sure… Arnold, if you want… I mean," suddenly she kicked herself back to normal. "I mean- why would you wanna do something like that?! I'm perfectly capable of going home on my own! Sheesh! Do I look like a damsel in distress to you?!" she yelled loudly, becoming her normal animated self.

Smiling from her usual reaction, Arnold couldn't help but chuckle."No of course not, Helga. I know you can take care of yourself." An unintended blush came over his cheeks as his face softened, "I just wanted to walk you home, that's all."

As innocent and sweet as the offer was, Helga didn't know how to respond. Willing her guard to fall, she looked around again to make sure no one was listening. "T-that's all…?" she squeaked out.

Arnold nodded and offered his hand with an expression she had always wished to see aimed at her. Her darling football headed love God was looking at her as if she was the only one he could see. They were the only ones in the hallway, of course so logically she really was the only one he could see but that wasn't the point. His half lidded gaze made her begin to melt into place as she took his hand in her trance. The moment their hands met, she could feel their body heat colliding in some sort of unison. His strong yet soft grip is like a long lost lover reuniting to their partners embrace after a year's long separation. It's like rain after a century's long drought. It's like, it's like –!

"Uh Helga, you okay?" Arnold asked, interrupting her moment and awakening her back into reality.

Looking at him and then their hands, she forced herself to break away again, causing him to frown and become concerned. "I don't understand…" He started only to be ignored by her marching away towards the school exit.

"Helga! Wait up!" the young man yelled before chasing her until them both stopping at the heavy metal doors. "Helga, why?"

"Why what, Arnoldo?" She responded almost flatly, trying to suppress her feelings deep down inside.

Arnold scowled. He was confused and even a little hurt. "Why can't I hold your hand?"

The question was simple but yet the answer such a complex one that Helga hadn't really sorted out herself yet either. She loved him and he at least like-liked her in some way, right? Enough to share a moment of pure bliss with her so why was accepting his affections so hard?

The silence between them became thick and unwelcoming. Unsure of how to approach her now, Arnold at least held the door open for them both to finally exit.

The gesture was much appreciated, and Helga stepped outside. It was almost 5pm but the sun was still shining and a hot breeze blew past them. Everyone they knew had gone home and all that was left was them and some straggling fourth graders playing kickball on the playground. She knew he was waiting for an answer still and didn't want to sour what they now had between them.

"Arnold…" she hesitated and looked at him. He looked so concerned and thoughtful. He cares so why not just let him in a little. It can't hurt, right?

"Yes, Helga?" He answered as he put on a reassuring smile, hoping she would give in and help him out.

She nudged a motion to forward. "Let's walk."

In agreement, they began in the direction of her new place of dwelling. After a good distance from the school and the ear shot of anyone significant, Helga decided to start but first she would give in and enjoy what little she could have of him and shyly grabbed the hand she had pushed away twice in one day. Arnold, admittedly surprised, welcomed her hand in his and smiled as he waited patiently.

"It's just new for me, Football Head... This whole thing," she explained as she waved their entwined hands to make a point. "It's not that I don't want to. I do, oh trust me I do…"

"Then why act like you don't?" He asked sadly.

With a sigh of annoyance, Helga stopped walking and faced him with an open heart. "Because I'm scared!" It was the blunt and honest truth. Before he could question it, she continued, "What if people see? What if they think I'm a fraud now? Oh look, Helga G. Pataki has grown soft and- and weak!"

"But you're not weak, Helga! You're really strong and I've always admired that about you!" Arnold debated back, his confidence renewed. "You've always just gone ahead and did what you wanted no matter what the cost! So why is this different?"

"Because it just IS! Okay?!" She retorted back, angrily with a heavy heart. "I just don't want others to see us together yet!" Helga started walking again out of frustration and Arnold followed along awaiting her explanation. "Of course I want to stroll around town, hand in hand with you all lotty-freaking-da! It's something I've always wanted to do but…" her voice began to soften and her frustration turned into regret, "but I'm just not ready to... "

Arnold could clearly hear the sadness in her voice and knew not to press further. Reassuringly, he squeezed her hand and smiled as she looked over at him. "Alright, Helga. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."

"No." She shook her head and looked toward once more, "I'm sorry that things are STUPIDLY complicated. I wish I could fully explain WHY but I can't. Not yet."

Doing his best to understand, he allowed the subject to rest as they were nearing her family's business.

"How long are you gonna have to live here?" He asked as they approached the unsightly building.

"I'm not sure." She replied, "Until Bob decides to stop being stubborn and give up on his stupid idea that people are gonna want his crap relic of technology."

Arnold frowned at her answer but knew it was reality. Bob was one of the most stubborn, hard headed, disgraceful men he had ever met and he knew those traits wouldn't die any time soon. "I hope for your sake that it's soon."

A breeze blew by the couple carrying an old newspaper and some rubbish along with it. "Thanks Arnold. It's probably best if I, Ya know..?" Helga sadly looked at her current place of dwelling then back at him. This was one the first time she had ever really opened up to him and the air about her seemed sad, but he knew he had to let her go for now.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow…" He said as his voice quietly trailed off and he looked to their married hands. She noticed it too but didn't want to be the first to let go. His hand was so warm and comforting that she could live in his palm and die happy. With a few more seconds of silence between them, Arnold decided it was time to do something that might lighten the mood a bit. It wasn't something he was used to doing but now might be a good time to start. "Hey, Helga?"

"Yeah?" She replied calmly, her eyes not breaking away from his.

Suddenly he lifted their gripped hands to his lips and kissed the top of her own. "Have a good night" He smiled warmly as he let go, admittedly a bit nervous to how she would take it.

Helga looked at her hand quietly until a smile graced her lips and a small hue of red came to her cheeks. "Same to you, Football head."

Arnold gave a half embarrassed smile, scratched the back of his head then turned around and made his escape. His heart was pumping a mile a minute and he wasn't sure if he loved it or if he was gonna die of anxiety. I can't believe I just did that... He thought in astonishment, still making quite a nice pace as he headed home. He had a similar feeling about himself when he allowed their kiss to happen back in the jungle but this felt a little different. Was it because of their small progress? Her opening up on her own accord and his quick decision to make her happy? Who knows but his face broke into one of the biggest grins he could muster.

Helga watched him as he hurried away from her, swooning on the sidewalk. Gripping her precious kissed hand with her other, she clutched it to her heart, letting out a loud sigh of happiness.

"Oh my beloved..." She started before twirling around in place, "How I dreamed for this day to finally arrive. For you to walk me home, for you to be so concerned over how I was feeling, for you to give me the sweetest gift I could ever dream of..." Helga looked down at her hand again then gave a little smirk. "Well technically, second sweetest..." and she pursed her lips together, doing her best to relive the moment of their kiss."One day, I hope we can openly show the world our love. One day..." Suddenly she felt a twinge of annoyance with herself, knowing full well that the reason the world couldn't know was because of her own insecurities. "Unless I screw it up. Oh, how I wish I was a little bit more open with you!" She pulled out her dated locket and peered into the face of her loved one. "How I wish I could show the same enthusiasm about us in front of you like you can with me! How horrible I am for making you worry..." With a solid mind and steeled will, Helga nodded to herself and quickly walked to the doors of the Emporium. "I'll figure out a way to make it up to you, even if it means taking some stupid potion again or having to go back to that shrink!"

Helga swung the doors open and stomped inside, causing little to no attention from those already there. No one ever felt the need to really acknowledge her presence unless it meant they benefited from it, and sometimes like now, it was even a blessing. She didn't need anyone nosing into her business! Quickly, she ran passed the towers of unsold beepers covered with dust and her parents, who were occupied with their own life, and made her way into her new "bedroom", as it was called. In reality, it was an old janitorial area that had the guts cleaned out and her bed shoved into a corner. There wasn't much room in there, but she had all she really needed in her "utility" room in the basement, which the entrance was conveniently located inside said bedroom.

Moving into her new closet, Helga pulled on the rope lever above her Arnold shrine and made her way down into her sanctuary. Inside there was much more than just more Arnold paraphernalia but her computer, poetry books and journals as well. There was where she could really be at home. Luckily she could hear her booming father walking around upstairs and knew when she had to retreat back into her closet but now wasn't that time. Now was the time for own personal reflection and self improvement so she could be closer to her football headed dream boat!


As Arnold got to his boarding house, he knew he had to make up his lost afternoon with his parents but wasn't sure how. They were expecting a full recap on his day but... he knew he had to make something up for the last few hours as he wasn't fully comfortable with them knowing his intimate life yet. He opened the door and casually walked inside. "I'm home!" He called out and strangely, no one came out to greet him. Tilting his head with concern, he walked through the house in search for pretty much anyone. As he approached the kitchen, he could hear muffled talking so he made his way inside. There, his parents and grandparents sat at the table and what seemed like them recalling the good old days.

"Oh Arnold! We didn't hear you come in!" His grandpa waved as he gave Arnold a welcoming gesture.

"Come in and have a nice cup of green tea, dear." Smiled his grandma as she pulled out a chair and went to pour him a cup.

Taking the offered seat next to his parents, Arnold beamed up at them "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh you know, this and that." His mother answered, scooting herself closer to her son and placing her hand on his back. "How was your day at school?"

"Yes! We're still eager to hear how your first day went!" His father chimed in, raising his cup of tea in cheers of his son coming home.

"Now, now you two..." Phil said, placing his hand on the table to draw attention to himself. "Let the boy breathe. I'm sure he'll tell us all about his adventures about being a new sixth grader!"

Having all eyes on him, Arnold slowly re-accounted the day in his mind before explaining it in great detail as to not disappoint. His listeners nodded and asked questions, making the conversation very wholesome and enjoyable. As he got to the end of his day, he took a big gulp of his tea and let out a satisfied sigh. "And that's about it." He finished.

"But what about your project that you stayed after school to start?" Stella asked, turning to her husband for confirmation. "How did that go?"

"Yes!" Miles coaxed, "What was the project on?"

Arnold nervously pushed his tea cup aside and rose to his feet. It wasn't like him to have to lie or make something up and, although this wasn't his first time, it was never easy for him. "Umm... It was just a normal project, you know?" He smiled nervously to his elders.

"On what?" His father said curiously, continuing to push the subject.

"On..." Arnold wondered to himself, looking around the room for some ideas. He glanced at his parents, then grandparents before having an idea. "On public relations! Yeah!" Arnold almost felt proud of himself as it was almost the truth. It had to do with relationships of a rather public kind... sorta?

Miles cocked his eyebrow and chuckled a little in what seemed to be an uncomfortable way, "That's rather odd to have a project on."

Phil hummed and grabbed his grandson's attention. "That is a little odd... It makes me wonder if maybe it had something to do with behavioral science... maybe bullying in the workplace?"

Arnold felt a little shocked at his grandpa's suggestion, however the elderly man knew Arnold well enough to tell when he was lying and he could feel himself get a tad more comfortable. "Yeah, you could say that."

The parents exchanged looks of confusion but decided not to press further. "Well okay, I hope your project comes out alright. A little heavy of a subject, if you ask me." Miles crossed his arms and rested his back against his chair.

"Oh I dunno, son" Phil continued "I'm pretty sure our Arnold her has a rather knowledgeable partner he's working with, dontcha Shortman?"

Feeling the red rush into his cheeks, he watched as his parents began to get an idea of his grandfather's implications and decided to move the subject far away. "I'm getting pretty hungry guys! What's for dinner?" He did his best in improvising.

This made his grandma's eyes light up as she had a rather interesting idea for dinner and she began to explain. "I'm preparing a nice fish eye stew for us tonight, Kimba! With a side of pig ears and cricket cornbread for extra protein that you'll be needing on your hike through the Appalachian mountains tomorrow!"

A shiver went through Arnold even though he knew his grandmother was joking. "That sounds... great Grandma!"

"Actually, it does sound like a pretty nutrient filled dinner." Stella smiled at her mother in law, causing the old woman to get excited. "All of those things are very common meals in other parts of the world! In fact, in most cultures eating bugs is a common everyday thing! You wouldn't believe how good for you they are!"

"Uh huh..." Phil said, looking at Arnold for the same mutual feeling of disgust. "That's very interesting however I think meatloaf sounds like a better plan for tonight. What do you think, Arnold?"

Arnold laughed and headed towards the kitchens exit. "That sounds pretty good too! I'll be in my room doing some homework, call me when it's done!" He waved before exiting completely. The sooner he could get up to his bedroom the better.