"Is this true, Helga?" Arnold asked.

"Yes..." I admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arnold asked.

"I wanted to tell you so many times... and I tried to. But Summer beat me to it. I'm sorry." I said.

"Helga, who are you talking to in there?" I heard behind my door before it swung open without warning, Inga barging into my room.

"Helga, why is there a boy at the window? You are grounded, no having people over." Inga said.

"Just give us a few minutes-" I started to say.

"You can talk when you're ungrounded. Right now, I need you to stay here and think about what you've done." Inga told me.

"Um... why are you grounded, Helga?" Arnold asked.

"I'll explain later." I said.

"Okay..." Arnold said as he closed my window and walked away from it.

"Helga... I hope you know that I only want what's best for you. I did rebellious things when I was your age and I didn't get disciplined for them. And I'm giving you a chance to think about things. I know you're trying to be a better person... and I can tell from your book that the guy who just showed up is helping with that." Inga explained.

"Thanks, I guess. I'll try not to do anything too crazy again." I said.

"I'll leave you alone now." Inga said.

For the rest of my grounding, I thought about everything. I was so nervous for when I got to go back to school. My talk with Arnold at the window was interrupted by Inga, so I was left with so many unanswered questions for days. Was Arnold mad at me or not? Was he going to act mad at me when I returned? Or would he understand? I nervously paced around my room, thinking about how he would react in several days. I thought about how much I loved him and how much I wanted him in my life forever. I was also nervous that I would most likely see Summer at school for the first time in almost a year. What would she do to me? What would she do to Olga? There were a lot of unanswered questions.

Six days later...

Today was my first day of being ungrounded. I was going back to PS 118 after my week long break. And it was also the day when I was going to get my questions answered after all the nervous anticipation.

I walked over to my locker to get my English textbook, and that's when I heard footsteps towards my direction.

"Hey Helga..." Arnold said.

"Hi, football head." I said.

"You wanna blow off first period to talk?" Arnold asked.

"What has gotten into you?" I asked.

"The golden boy isn't so golden it seems like."

"You don't have to be golden all the time."

"I guess I don't. But I really just wanna skip class because I can't wait any longer to say what I have to say."

"Yeah, I have been dying with anticipation myself. My nanny wouldn't let us finish our conversation."

Arnold suddenly grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together. He then started walking with me as our hands met. This was a good sign. If he was upset with me, he wouldn't be holding my hand, right?

We walked together to the janitor's closet, and I was assuming Arnold wanted a more private place to talk.

"We aren't supposed to be here, are we?" I asked as we arrived.

"I'm not one hundred percent golden..." Arnold said, a chuckle following the words. "But seriously, I just want a more private place to talk."

"Look, I'm sorry for keeping that from you. I tried to tell you, but I procrastinated on it. Because ever since my parents got divorced, I've been scared of people leaving me. And you're very important to me." I explained.

"When I saw that video, I thought I was upset with you. Not for doing what you did, but for keeping it. But after your nanny sent me home and I thought about it at home, I realized that I wasn't upset with you. I couldn't ever be upset with you." Arnold said.

Arnold wasn't mad like I was worried he would be. Weight lifted off of my shoulders when I heard him say that.

"It's true that I did get into a physical altercation with Summer... I know violence isn't the answer, but she always bullied my sister and I guess I wasn't thinking and went ballistic. I had enough. And I was expelled from that school, and that's why I'm here... but I don't wanna do stuff like that ever again. I want to be a better person and you're helping me be a better person just by being in my life, Arnold."

"And I won't hold that against you. I don't usually hold things against people if I know they want to change for the better. I know you were just trying to protect your sister, even if it wasn't in the best way."

"You really made me worry these past days, you know that? I was scared that you were mad at me!"

"I'm sorry, Helga. I'm sorry if I came across that way."

"It's okay, now I know that we're good." I said before leaning in so my lips could touch his.

We shared a short but sweet kiss, and after it, I blurted out the words that had been on my mind for a while now.

"I love you, Arnold." I confessed. I immediately felt my cheeks heat up and change to red. It was my first time ever telling a boy that I loved him. Not just any boy, but Arnold Shortman.

"I love you too, Helga." Arnold said.

My heart fluttered in bliss when I heard those words said back to me. I hugged Arnold while our hearts mended together.

"I want to know everything about you. Every side of your beautiful self. Nothing could ever get in the way of us. Let's promise each other that." Arnold said.

"I promise. Nothing will ever get in the way of us." I said with my arms still wrapped around him, our hearts beating as one. We officially loved each other.

"So... we still got time before class ends. Do you wanna just stay here until the bell rings?" Arnold asked.

"Wow, you don't even wanna go to first period? What a rebel." I said jokingly.

"It's a little too late to go to first period... and I'd rather stay with you."

"And I will gladly stay here."

"I'm just curious... why were you grounded?"

"Funny story... Inga said I couldn't go on the trip unless Olga does. And she didn't want to because... well I'm sure you already know. So I told Inga that Olga was going on the trip, but really she went to stay at a hotel."

"Haha wow, can't believe you did that. Why did you?"

"Because I was just starting to have a huge crush on you and... I wanted to spend time with you on the trip." I admitted with an awkward chuckle and a slightly red face.

"I'm glad you say that because... I was just starting to crush on you hard myself." Arnold admitted with half lidded eyes.

I didn't say anything after that, but my face showed that I was swooning at that confession. I just stood there with this lovesick smile on my face. It was like hearts were coming out of my eyes.

"So... since Olga was so reluctant to go to Anaheim... how is it gonna be now that Summer is here?" Arnold broke the silence.

"I'll make sure she doesn't mess with Olga again... not in the same way I did last time I saw her of course. I won't let her label people either, because you know I don't like that." I said.

"I like how protective you are about the people you care about." Arnold said.

"And I like how you um... exist." I said. I immediately started chuckling awkwardly afterwards.

"Sorry, I'm not good at compliments or flirting." I said.

"I loved it when you said that. Also, something else I love about you is that you know I'm not perfect, but still treat me like I am."

"That's exactly something I love about you too."

"Are we taking turns saying stuff we love about each other now?"

"Yeah, I guess we are."

Arnold and I just stayed in the janitor's closet for the remainder of first period. When the bell rang a few minutes later, we went out into the hallway.

And that's when I saw Summer in person for the first time in almost a year.

"Oh look who we have here. Helga." Summer said.

"It's the aggressive girl." Some random student said.

"I'm here for you. You got this." Arnold said to me.

A/N: The next chapter is the finale.