Hey guys!

Sorry it has taken me so long to update! I have been studying for the GRE (the entrance exam for grad school) and getting trained for my new job (:

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the kind reviews! I am so glad you all enjoy the story as much as I do! They helped motivate me to write this late at night! :D

I will keep updating as soon as I can!

Enjoy!

"Man, what was Helga's problem today when she saw you?"

Arnold was walking home with Gerald, and it was one of the activities he missed most while he was in San Lorenzo. He looked over at Gerald, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "I'm not really sure. She's always been kind of an angry person . . .maybe she was just having a bad day." Arnold kicked an old can, and it bounced a couple feet before he caught up to it and kicked it again. "Yeah, I guess. But I thought you guys were kind of a 'thing' before we left San Lorenzo . . .did somethin' happen?" Gerald kicked the can this time. "Oh . . .yeah, well I guess we kind of were . . .it's alright, I'm sure we will catch up later. Plenty of time now that I am back." Arnold shrugged indifferently and quickly changed the subject to baseball, telling Gerald how he did his best to keep up with it while he was away.

But on the inside, he was screaming.

He didn't know what he was expecting. The reaction she did have was far from the worst, yet he couldn't get the expression on her face out of his mind. She looked so hurt, so angry . . .

Everything Arnold wanted to say to her and everything he was feeling; everything came to the surface at once and was caught in his throat. And he just stood there with his mouth open, staring at her like an idiot.

"Nice to see you, foot ball head."

"Hey Arnold!" Gerald waved his hand in front of Arnold's face, trying to get his attention. "You in there, man? You haven't changed a bit . . ." Gerald shook is head, as Arnold smiled shyly. "Y-yeah, just thinking about some things." Arnold replied as he looked up at Gerald's house, "I guess I forgot how close you lived to the school."

"Yeah, it's a short walk. You wanna come in? My parents are gonna be stoked to see you too! And now that Jamie-O's in college, we pretty much have the house to ourselves! Well except for Timberly, but she's always at dance class or at a friends. I have a ton of new games to show you, too!" Gerald said excitedly, running up the steps to his house. Arnold stayed put, shaking his head. "That sounds great Gerald, but can we reschedule? I have some stuff I gotta do now that I'm home . . ." Gerald walked back down the steps and gave Arnold their hand shake. "Sure man, I understand. Not this weekend though, 'cause Phoebe and I got a date!" Gerald winked and Arnold laughed. "Are you guys official now?" Arnold asked. "You know it! Ever since sophomore year!" Arnold smiled, starting to head towards his house. "Good for you guys! I promise we'll catch up later." Gerald nodded and waved, opening the door to his house and disappeared. Arnold made sure the coast was clear, and then started heading back down the street from where they came, heading towards Helga's house.

Arnold didn't know exactly what he was doing; all he knew was that he had to clear this up with Helga. He had to let her know that he wanted to tell her that he loved her, that he wanted to tell her everything that was in his letter in person, he just didn't know how long he was going to be in San Lorenzo at the time and he wanted her to know how serious he was about her. He didn't want her to move on, or forget about him.

He regretted sending that letter more than anything, and wished with all he had that he could take it back. He had tried to explain himself in a second letter to Helga when she didn't write him back for a couple months:

"Helga,

I just wanted to apologize if my last letter was too forward, if I pushed you away or if I scared you. I just needed you to know how serious I am about you. I knew I should have waited to tell you all of this in person, I just didn't know when I would be coming back from San Lorenzo. I wanted you to know so you would wait for me . . .

And that you wouldn't have to wait much longer. My parent's are sending me home to graduate with you, and all of our friends. They see how important it is to me that I see you before you go to college, and seeing how we are almost done we haven't got much time left. I will be home senior year, or a little half way into it. I am so excited to see you Helga, this is seriously a dream come true.

I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and maybe we can talk this out when I see you?

I hope all is still well with you Helga. I miss you more than you know.

Always,

Arnold.

He waited months for a reply, always running to the front of the village when he saw the mail donkey coming into view.

And nothing ever came.

Then one night in San Lorenzo he was sitting by the fire outside his tent, his parents fast asleep. He pulled out the last letter he had received from Helga, and read the last part:

"I miss you Arnold, a lot."

He felt hot tears stinging the sides of his eyes as he folded the letter back into its envelope and put it inside his chest pocket; closest to his heart. He finally admitted to himself:

She's gone.

Arnold shook himself out of his memories. He was back in the city now, and Helga was just a few short blocks away. He couldn't let their relationship end this way, no matter how awkward he felt, or how much she didn't want to see him. He felt that she owed him at this that, a talk. The past four and a half years meant more than this to Arnold, and he wasn't going to let Helga bottle up her emotions and get out of it by being mean and heartless.

Helga's house finally started to come into view, and Arnold slowed his pace.

This is it. You're gonna go knock on that door and ask to see Helga. You're just gonna have to make the first movie.

Arnold took a deep breath and then quickened his pace once again. He climbed Helga's steps, raised his arm, made a fist to knock on her door and then; nothing happened. He couldn't bring his arm down to knock on her door. He took another deep breath, readying himself and then once again; nothing.

He lowered his hand. This is stupid, he thought to himself. Once we are alone I know she'll wanna talk to me. Even if she is this mad at me, she still has to be glad to see me, right?

Arnold lifted his hand once more, and he just couldn't bring himself to knock. It was no use, he was just too nervous. He sighed and turned around, walking down her steps. He turned around for one last look at her house, hoping maybe he courage would show itself then, when he saw a dark figure looming behind a third story window. Arnold stared at the shadow for now more than a few seconds when it disappeared behind falling blinds.

He could have sworn it was Helga.

He blinked, and then started walking back to the boarding house. She saw me, and she didn't come downstairs to answer the door . . .maybe she does want absolutely nothing to do with me. He sulked the rest of the way back home, hands in his pockets and eyes to the sidewalk. What was he supposed to do? He still had all of these passionate feelings for Helga and he was so close to her now, she was within his reach . . .

And she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.

Arnold had never wanted to comfort of his room as much as he did right now, but as he approached the boarding house, he saw his grandpa sitting outside on the steps.

"Hey shortman!" Grandpa called as Arnold got closer. "How was the first day back?"

Arnold waved, and sat down next to him. "Hey grandpa, it was alright. It could have gone better."

Grandpa studied his face, leaning both of his hands on his cane. "I thought you were excited to see all of your little friends! Especially Gerald! Ohhh, and your little blond friend? What's her name?"

"Helga?"

"Yes, her! We're they not excited to see you, shortman?" Grandpa asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arnold sighed. "They were. Well, mostly. Except for one person . . ." Arnold rubbed the back of his neck.

"Your little girlfriend?"

"What?! She's not . . .well I mean, she was . . .I mean," Arnold sighed; he didn't know what Helga was anymore. "Yeah, her." He finished.

Grandpa chuckled. "Love can be a difficult thing to care for, shortman; especially a long distance one. Have you tried talking to her?"

"Well, not exactly . . ."Arnold began, leaning back on his hands and looking into the sky, the sunset starting to bleed into the white clouds floating overhead. "I mean I did try, but before I could, she just yelled at me and ran away . . .I even tried to go talk to her just now grandpa, and I'm pretty sure she saw me at her door from her window. She didn't even come down to see me . . ." Arnold felt hot tears grabbing and his eyes, so he sat up to keep them from falling.

His grandpa studied Arnold's face, turning a little on the stone step to face his grandson. "Wow. Well Arnold, what did you do to upset the little lady?"

Arnold rubbed his neck, sighing. "I'm not really sure, but I have a pretty good idea. We were writing letters back and forth about every week while I was away. We grew so close grandpa, closer than I think we would have if I had stayed here. Then one night, I was writing her a letter and I knew, I just knew grandpa, that I loved her." Arnold blushed a little before continuing. "That I loved her more than anything, that she was the one. I knew I should have waited to tell her in person, but I just couldn't! I was afraid if I didn't act now, she would grow apart from me. That she would think that this was all a waste of time and that she could find someone who could really love her; that could hug her and kiss her and physically be there for her; someone that lived in the city. And then, she just never wrote back. Not once. I tried to write her back, to explain my last letter, but I received nothing. It killed me grandpa."

Arnold stopped to take a breath, not wanting to look at his grandpa. He cheeks felt hot from blushing, and he wasn't sure if he could stop the tears if they started to fall.

"Hmm . . ." grandpa replied, tapping his cane on the cement. "You know Arnold, something tells me Helga was afraid of the same things as you." Arnold finally looked at his grandpa. "What? Really? Wait, how do you know?" Arnold asked, incredulous. Had his grandpa talked to Helga?

"Well shortman, every now and then I would come to get the mail off the front steps and I would see her sitting in this very spot. Sometimes she would just sit here staring off into space, or sometimes she would be writing. I figured they were letters to you." Grandpa looked down at his grandson before continuing. "I know Helga may be coming off as defensive and mean, but I know she missed you shortman. A lot. She just may be dealing with all of this in her own way. Before you take anything to heart though Arnold, you should try your best to calm her down and talk to her. If you love her as much as you say you do, never give up. Never ever, ever, give up."

Arnold blinked, then smiled. "Grandpa, you're the best." He got up, starting to walk over to the park. "Where ya going, shortman?" Arnold looked over his shoulder, "I just need to think about what you said, at one of my favorite thinking spots. And grandpa? Thanks . . .a lot. For telling me Helga came here while I was gone." His grandpa nodded, smiling.

As Arnold walked towards the bridge in the park, he couldn't help but feel somewhat better. She did miss me . . .like I missed her.

Grandpa watched as Arnold disappeared into the sidewalk. "Ah, young love."