I ran. My cornflower hair whishing in the breeze. I ran from something but I did not know what. Today I was seventeen, today marked seventeen. It did not feel like an average October 7. It had been over five years since I had run these neighborhood streets with my childhood friend Gerald. I had moved with my grandparents to Isle Island New York where we lived quite comfortably until their passing. My grandmother went first. My grandpa due to lonesomeness passed shortly after. Though my old yet newly found roommate Oscar swore it was because Grandpa could not find where Grandma had hidden his pills.

Mr. Hyunh had traveled to the funeral and after insisted I move back to the boarding house with him. So with no family to turn to I returned to my old bedroom and old Boarding house family. Today was a mockery of a birthday. My first day back in Hillwood so far was lonesome and aggravating. I had nothing to go by but the hollow echo of a childhood memory. It was this same memory I used to guide me as I ran all over town, with no starting point or finishing point.

What was a birthday anyway? A birthday was nothing more then a marking point, something for humankind to document. A birthday was nothing more but a rotten recognition that you were one year closer to dying. I was seventeen but without a family to celebrate it with, I felt like I was a hundred and seventeen years old today. My ivory hands clutched my blue New York Yankees hat as I raced across town. I clung tightly to my hat it felt like the only object gravitating me to reality. I had passed many shops that remained in a sleepy town that had once held so much promise of happiness to me. I figured I would run as fast as my large Blue converse could carry me. The question was where or to whom they would carry me towards. My answer came sooner then later.

As I raced around the corner, I felt a forceful impact. I collapsed hard my head hitting the dirty pavement. I was dazed; I could feel myself close to fainting. First, fear sprang into my spirit, how badly had my lack of attention hurt whoever I had just rammed into? Second, embarrassment as I heard a raspy Tara Reed voice groan. I wanted to lift all 6'0 of my brawny body up. I wanted to pick the girl with the raspy voice up. I wanted to be a man to protect her, even though I had been the one to initially put the girl in danger. I wanted to do many masculine things, but I could not my vision was blurry as I realized my head was bleeding.

I had learned through my parents, grandparents, and life in general, live comes to you when you are born; and life will leave you just as quickly. I had learned when your number is up it's up no questions asked. My head began to throb as I continued bleeding. Was this my number? Was my number 17? "Hey Arnold!" The raspy yet feminine voice shouted with mixed anger and surprise. A smile curved across my face from ear to ear. If it was my time, at least I went out with one hell of a babe for an Angel. I could not recognize her but she was perfect. Her wavy blonde long locks caressed my flaming blushed cheeks. Her Sapphire eyes deep as the blue seas switched from anger to alarm as she too noticed I was bleeding heavy. Her plump pink lips curling into an oh of alarm.

Now normally though I was quite the lady's man, I was such do to being an impeccable gentleman. This girl though, I couldn't help myself. The way her pink dress clung to her hourglass body, and how her dress, though unrevealing clung to her full D cup chest did not leave my seventeen-year-old hormonal mind much to the imagination.

Her cream skin turned a deep scarlet as she took notice to my wandering eyes. "My eyes are up here football head!" She scowled. "I'm going to get you to a hospital and after that if you look at my boobs again you'll meet old Betsy and the Avengers you hear!" I chuckled the girl's raspy little voice was just too adorable when she tried to make it sound aggressive. Something about her snide comments were so familiar to me but you can't really focus on much when you feel like you're on the verge of a coma. I pulled her on top of me. I clutched her arms bringing those blue eyes as close to my own light blue shade as I could. If I was going to die right now there was something I needed to tell someone, anyone, and so why not this radiant creator?

"Under the floor boards of my house I have a stash of collected coins. I was going to save them for my kids. Since I'm dying or whatever though, go to my friend Gerald Johanssen, tell him to take you to my boarding house and split the coins. It's worth a fortune. Tell Albert: "That'll do pig; that'll do." I laughed at my own movie related humor the girl did too. My pet pig Albert was all I had left of my family. Her laugh was a serenade. "Arnold. You'll be alright, thanks for telling me about your stash though, after all this help I'll be giving it'll make it easier for you to pay your fee to me." I patted her hair and winced as I watched the platinum blonde shade become tainted with crimson from my head wound, I'd forgotten I'd been touching my head.

"Close your eyes now, my friend Phoebe's called an ambulance." The girl assured me as she put my head on her lap letting my wound stain her perfect pink dress. "Thanks stranger." I sighed in relief as I began to rest my eyes. "I don't know about stranger; but I haven't been in a stranger situation before." The girl teased. Her joke and sirens was the last thing I heard before the world began to tilt and fade into black.

Chapter 2 Football Fantasy

Young love is the sweetest, old love is the deepest.

Arnold had been in the hospital for two weeks now. He'd finally come around a few days ago and all of our old neighborhood friends had already visited and promised him fun times once released from the hospital. Everyone except me. I was nervous my mind replaying the events repeatedly. I shivered recalling as his eyes had wondered across my body making it plain where his mind wandered. I frowned it was only because he didn't realize I was Helga G. Pataki.

My frown deepened. Why did I care anyway? Arnold had been gone for years. I wasn't the same obsessive little girl anymore. In fact, I shouldn't be thinking about Arnoldo at all, I was the most popular girl in high school right next to Rhonda and my boyfriend Hector. I smiled Hector was perfect for me. Hector was hot, popular, and spunky, even our names went well together. Therefore, if Hector and Helga is such a perfect match why did my mind wander to Arnold I wondered to myself. My eyes strayed to a notebook I'd long forgotten since sophomore year. A notebook that was filled with love letters never sent. All letters that were to Arnold Phillip Shortman.

My heart hurt slightly as I thought of seeing him later today. Once Arnold realized Helga Pataki had been the one to bump him straight into a one-week coma the delusion of his possible attraction would be gone. However, I enjoyed Hector's company and his fooling around I knew it wasn't love. I'd created the illusion I no longer loved Arnold but I knew in the deepest repressed spaces of my soul I would always love Arnold. He'd been the first person to ever show me affection or self worth. No matter how old I got I'd always remember the boy who had shielded me from the rain in preschool. The boy who gave me my first compliment in life. "I like your bow cause it matches your outfit." I smiled to myself. Old crushes die hard I pondered to myself as I finished applying mascara.

I smiled as I wrapped a bright pink bow around my head like a headband. I had spent all morning curling my hair, plucking my eyebrows, putting my best make-up on. If I was going to have my heart stomped out by the guy of my dreams, then I was going to at least look like the girl of his. I glanced in the mirror. Mother Nature had blessed me with a nice pair of breast but I was not the type of woman to flaunt it. I wore a plain pink t-shirt that had a small pocket on the chest. I matched my top with black shorts to complement my long white silk legs; finished with classic pink slip on Vans. The outfit was plain but it hugged all the right places and balanced out my overdone face and hair.

"You look perfect as a picture." Rhonda approved. "Arnold is usually wide awake at this time, I'll take the bus with you, but I won't be visiting Curly and I have a date." Rhonda added as she swiped her long luscious dark hair out from her brown eyes. I cracked a grin, I guess after years of a guy sending you flowers you forget he's a weirdo. I was still close to Phoebe but Rhonda and I had built a friendship as well. Our friendship was not one of comradeship like Phoebe and I but that of power.

Together Rhonda and I ran the entire school. No one would dare approach us or deny us. I was school president. I was leader of the girl Lacrosse team, School newspaper editor, and dance planner. Nothing went through that high school without meeting my approval first. I was someone who made Big Bob proud. Just as big Bob ran his corporation I ran my high school. Miriam even appreciated me now that I was as physically appealing as my sister Olga, though I would never be as soft spoken or weak as my older sister.

Before I realized my wondering thoughts had led me through my bus trip all the way in front of the hospital room door. My hand quivered and I smacked it down. I tapped the door lightly. It wasn't too late to turn back. I could run out of the building keep locked and safe inside my delusion of Arnold's desire for me in return. I could've done that had I not knocked on the door. "I'm up come in!" Arnold called his voice much deeper then the nine year old I recalled obsessing over in Elementary.

"Football Head," My voice teased lightly. "Helga, I thought after how weird it got I wouldn't be able to see you, I've been wanting to talk to you." My breath shortened, damn him how could he still have so much power over my body. My mind was clear but my senses were jittery just by being face to face. I gave up trying to understand Arnold was my first taste of compassion and passion. I'd always have a soft spot for Arnold. "So, what's up?" I asked relieved that my voice did not sound like the fact that my heart was hammering in my throat. "Long time no see," He joked, but given the circumstances that even brought on this reunion it was dark humor.

It'd began when Phil and Pookie got word of mouth that Arnold's parents may still be alive. Rumor had it that a group of missing people had legitimately rescued a group of lost archeologist and explorers. Some had even been transported back to the states to their families. It was a very private affair. Helga only knew the whole story because Gerald had told Phoebe when they'd first got together and Arnold was still sending letters. Therefore, since many of the missing was being transported to Isle Island Arnold and his family moved away. After a few months, his grandparents grew discouraged that, their child was among those found. Yet, they could not bring themselves to leave. Eventually news came to them that his parents had indeed passed. They'd been ship wrecked many years ago. After that, Helga had no idea what had happened to him. The letters eventually came back to Gerald big letters stating; Return to Sender.

"So break it down to me cliff note version." I told him my eyebrow raised. "Gerald told some of the half notes so lets not beat around the bush and get to the details." Arnold said this with a swipe of his hand as if a light topic over coffee. "Once the news about my parents came my grandparents could finally grieve. No one should pass before their children." Arnold paused as if not how to place his words to her. The airy nature of his tone forgotten. "It was a sad time my grandparents fell ill with grief I started working and supporting our little house," He paused. "Had to be the man of the house support my little family." Helga looked into his eyes only imagining how bitter it would make someone, of course not someone kind-hearted such as himself however.

He smiled. Helga couldn't help but let the corner of her lip curl up. He had a vibrant smile it was infectious. His light blue eyes still had a kind gleam like when they were in Fourth grade. Her stomach repeatedly did flips and she felt like she was right back in fourth grade. An anger brewed inside her too. How could he forget them so easily. So many wasted letters. So many nights of emptiness there was no one else I could call football head, run into at the corner, or a face that fit more perfectly into my locket. It had taken me a while to destroy my shrine, my locket however I kept in a little keepsake box under the floorboards.

"Well what happened," Helga insisted a polite but persistent listener. I got lost in taking care of my family. The grief. I didn't just loose the hope of my parents that day. My family existed in that little house by the beach, but it wasn't a home. There was always an air of sadness. Without anyone with me to go through it. I guess, well, I became my own shoulder to lean on. I didn't want to burden Gerald with my lack of luck so I isolated myself. What started as forgetting to write one week turned into a few weeks. When I'd saved up enough I moved them into a cozier house and lost the final connection. Grandpa Phil still talked to some of the people from the Boarding House so when he passed I notified them. So now here we are." He finished the last sentence so suddenly he was almost out of breath.

I looked over unsatisfied. "So Tell me, after all this time I was that easy to forget. You wrote Gerald but to the rest of us you were gone. How could you not know me last week." I couldn't quite stifle the sting in my voice. There was a look in Arnold's eyes that sent a shiver down my spine an unspeakable chill. Almost as if he saw through me! "Helga, I thought of the girl with the pink bow in her hair. The girl who bullied only because she had a hurt to hide. Wondered if she'd ever found whatever it was she was missing inside." He stared intently into my eyes. This moment was so surreal! I'd fantasized many times in my head the exquisitely deep reunion. Now that it was actually here I was in shock! There was no way Arnold would see through this gal's poker face.

"Who do you think you are Arnoldo?" I scuffed, "Thinking after five years bucko you can waltz back into my life and tell me what my story is?" The distaste seeped from my voice, only perhaps because he hit the nail on the head. I had some hurt but mainly a secret to hide. I was in love with Arnold wanting nothing more but to have been childhood sweethearts. I would never tell then and I would never tell now. Hector was a good thing could I throw him away for a kid crush?

"I'm getting released from the hospital in a couple hours. Share a few chapters with me then." He smiled, "You can't judge a book by it's cover." Arnold looked at me in a way my nine year old self would have killed for. "Yes, see yeah over by Mr. Green's beef shop." I didn't even bat an eye lash as I accepted.

Now however I wasn't sure what to say or what to think. Was this betraying Hector my steady man? No, it was only to catch up. Only one last chance to show the side of me he could obviously sense was always there. For the sake of the kid in me, the Pataki I once was, I couldn't deny this twist of fate.

If only I knew what this night was to bring Arnold, I, and our whole group of friends. It was more then just a mere twist of fate it was a turning point of misfortune.

Chapter 1 Live Comes to you and Life Leaves You