Chapter 7

"Andrea!" Artie said, surprised.

If Artie could have gotten out of his wheelchair and onto his feet, he would have.

"Since Jason's death," I said. "I thought I wouldn't fall in love again. But a month after, I fell for you."

"You have?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I have."

"I've been miserable since you left three years ago," Artie said. "I've been in love with you since the first day of junior high."

"That's a long time to be in love with someone," I said.

"You're worth it," he said.

I walked over to him and took his hands in mine.

Andrea: We were strangers

Starting out on a journey

Never dreaming

What we'd have to go through

Now here we are

And I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you.

Artie: No one told me

I was going to find you

Unexpected

What you did with my heart

When I lost hope

You were there to remind me

This is the start

And

Andi and Artie: Life is a road

And I wanna keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing on

Life is a road

Now and Forever

A wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be

At the beginning with you.

Andi: We were strangers

On a crazy adventure

Artie: Never dreaming

How our dreams would come true

Andi and Artie: Now here we stand

Unafraid of the future.

At the beginning with you.

And…

Life is a road

And I wanna keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

A wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be

At the beginning with you.

"Our friends and family have known for a long time that we were right for each other," I said.

Artie leaned forward, took my face in his hands and kissed me on the lips.

"Wow!" I said, after we broke apart.

He smiled. I got up and sat on his lap. I put my arms around his neck and his arms were around me.

"Should we tell our family and friends that their plan is working?" I asked.

Artie kissed me again.

"Maybe later," I said.

He smiled. We kissed again. Will and Emma excused themselves to the kitchen. I think they were probably calling the others and giving each other high fives. But Artie and I didn't care. We were too busy making up for lost time.