Escalating Love 4

"And the third prize goes to...Helga Pataki!" Mr. Simmons gleefully announced to the assembly crowd. Or lack thereof, given that there weren't many students in the auditorium at the moment.

Helga jumped in surprise in her seat, unable to believe she had actually WON something, and for this cause no less. A few rows down, where Arnold sat with Gerald, she saw him looking over at her with a big grin, giving her a thumbs-up in congratulations. She immediately turned her head away as she blushed madly, but kept her composure as she marched up onto the stage to collect whatever the heck was in store as a prize. That was her plan. Take it and go, moving right along. She just wanted to get out of here and walk home with Arnold already!

"A coupon for a free dinner for four at Chez Pierre!" Mr. Simmons announced, holding the coupon to Helga as she came up to the podium. "Congratulations, Helga!"

"Yeah yeah, thanks." Helga muttered, taking the coupon from him as she proceeded to walk backstage. "Dinner for four at some fancy-schmancy French restaurant...hmph! Just what I need." She grumbled to herself.

As she passed the red curtains, Helga blinked as she realized something. Dinner for four. She and three other people could dine out. In a fancy French restaurant, in a practically romantic setting. If she were, let's say, to dine with Phoebe, who would invite Gerald, who would invite Arnold...she could dine with Arnold! And he wouldn't suspect a thing! He'd figure she invited them to have a fun friendly outing all four of them together.

"Wait a minute...it IS what I need! A perfect excuse to dine with Arnold, and with our best friends there with us, he wouldn't suspect a thing! It's perfect! And not to mention I could even impress him with how utterly sophisticated I can be! Oh, it'll be just our first date! Except ten times better!" Helga wrapped the curtain around herself in excitement as her idea came flowing to her mind, as well as the fond memories of their first date back at Chez Paris. "I'll get him and our carefully picked stooges to come with me, namely Gerald and Phoebe... It's perfect! And he won't be any the wiser..." She smiled gleefully before tucking the coupon into her pocket. "Now that my plan is set, I just gotta find a way to invite Arnold without actually inviting him myself."

As she left, a thought occurred to her, and that was when the first part of her plan was put into action.

In the name of her little best friend, Phoebe.