"Arnold…" I was so surprised I could barely speak. "This is amazing…thank you."

"No problem, Helga. Now, browse the menu and order whatever you like. But before that, we need to set things straight." Before I could speak he continued his apology.

"Helga, I was the biggest jerk and idiot of all time to insult you and ignore you for so long. I feel terrible. I didn't sleep for days, because of the guilt that was overflowing inside of me. I really hope you can forgive me and accept my apology."

"Of course I can Arnold. Apology accepted." I said with a forgiving smile on my face.

"Great, now you can order whatever you like."

About 10 minutes after we ordered food, Arnold and I started talking about what we were doing when we weren't ignoring each other.

"So what else where you doing Arnold?"

"Well…to be completely honest…I was thinking about you." He looked up with naïve smile. "Did you think about me?"

My heart stopped. I got a butterfly feeling in my stomach. Then I realized what my heart wanted and what it felt. I wanted to be with Arnold; forever.

I loved him.

I didn't know what to say, and after a few moments of silence, I thought it was rude of me not to speak. Not thinking, I said "Thanks Arnold."

'Who says thanks? I'm such an idiot! He is being so kind to you, and just admitted to thinking about you when you weren't together, and all you can say is…thanks?', I thought to myself. 'Of course I was thinking of him. Its simple Helga ol' girl, just say yes. It's that simple.'

I didn't want to look up and see how horrified he must have looked when I thanked him for thinking about me, so I started a new conversation quickly about Caressa, while looking down at my drink.

"So, Caressa can say a few short sentences' now." I said looking over to my daughter, who was stuffing herself with mashed potatoes. I had to order them especially for her, because her love for mashed potatoes was immense. I got up and cleaned her face, and asked her to say the few sentences' she knew, to keep the conversation growing.

"Caressa, say 'I love you mamma!'.

"I wove you mamma!" She said, adding more potatoes in to her gob.

Before I could ask Caressa to speak again, Arnold interrupted me.

"Helga, did you hear my question?"

"Huh? What question?" I asked, trying to sound dumb.

"Oh you didn't. I asked, where you thinking about me?"

I built up enough courage, and gave him a one-worded answer.

"Yes."

We both smiled at each other, but not for long because they placed our food in front of us.

We ate in silence, not because we didn't know what to say, but because our newly refined taste was craving the amazing food.

"So Helga, I need to tell you something and get your advice on it."

"Hold that thought Arnold; I have to use the ladies room."

"No problem."

I picked up Caressa, and walked in to the ladies room. After I changed her diaper, I called my best friend Jessa.

After a few rings, she picked up.

"Jessa; you're not going to believe this!"

"What is it Helga?!"

"Well, Arnold took me out to a fancy restaurant that we went to when we were 9, and he just told me he was thinking about me when we weren't together! Now I feel like I actually love him again!"

"Helga that's great news; I'm so happy for you! Did he apologize for being a jerk though?"

"Yes he did. Anyway I have to go Jessa. I'll call you when I get back home! Bye!"

I walked over to the table to find Arnold sitting there, smiling at me with a flirty smile. "What are you looking at…Football-head?" I was giggling, remembering how often my old bully-self used to call him that.

"Umm…nothing. Do you want dessert Helga; because if you do we'll order some."

"Nah, I'm fine; thanks though."

"So, I already paid, you ready to go Helga?"

"I sure am."

"Alright, let's go."

While we were driving, I remembered Arnold had to tell me something.

"Arnold, weren't you going to tell me something?"

"Yea, I was; I can't remember though." He was avoiding my eyes.

"You remember it perfectly well! You're not making direct eye contact!"

"I swear Helga, I don't."

"Fine; be difficult."

He looked over at me, his green eyes pouring in to me.

When we arrived at my apartment building, he got out, and opened the passenger door. I stepped out, picked up the already sleeping Caressa, and walked up the stairs to the third floor.

I got my key and unlocked the door, and told Arnold to come inside for a little bit. I put Caressa in her crib and walked out to the living room, to see Arnold at the front door.

"Helga, I better go. It's getting pretty late."

"Alright Arnold," I said walking over to him. "I had a really nice time tonight. Really, really nice; thank you so much."

Arnold grabbed my arms and embraced me. I melted in to him, allowing him to hold me tighter.

I couldn't sleep, because my head was so full of Arnold. I made a plan in my head to tell him how I felt. I was going to get right to the point.

School was nerve-racking. I couldn't focus on what my professors' were saying; it went in one ear and out the other.

Finally; it was the last period of the day. The period where I would run up to Arnold who would be walking in my direction and tell him how when I see him now my heart melts.

I was looking through a huge group of people, when I spotted a football-head in the middle of the crowd. I noticed he was smiling and laughing at nothing.

As the crowd thinned, I saw it. Immediately my eyes let out tears, my face turned red, and people were watching me; but I didn't care one bit.

My eyes darted to his hands. His fingers were intertwined with another girl. I looked straight into his eyes, knowing he would notice how hurt and angry I was.

He finally caught my glare, and yelled to me, "Hey Helga! What's up?"

I turned and started walking away, not giving him an answer.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a halt.

"Helga, are you alright? Have you been crying?"

I turned around quickly, giving him a dirty eye. I couldn't contain what I was feeling.

"Yes Arnold; I have been crying! Way to figure that one out!" I was shouting at him now; some kids had stopped to watch what was going on hoping for some action.

"Helga why are you shouting at me? Are you angry at me?"

"Of course I'm angry at you! In fact, I'm furious with you!" I wasn't going to hold back now. It was already unraveling.

"Helga if you need to talk, let's go somewhere a little more private." He was down to a whisper, but I wasn't gonna let him off easily.

"No Arnold, let's give everyone a little show! How about we demonstrate to everyone how big of an asshole you are! Let's show your little girlfriend! Give her a heads up on what she's getting into!"

"Don't bring her into this Helga! I don't even know why you're mad at me!"

My eyes were overflowing, and hundreds of tears were streaming down my face. I felt like someone had ripped out my heart, and set it on fire.

"How do you not know Arnold? You hurt me way worse than anyone ever has!"

"Helga, what did I even do? Just tell me!"

"Open your eyes Arnold! I'm hurt to see you with that girl! You lured me in, and let me go! You took me out to that restaurant, and flirted with me all night! You didn't even give me one hint that you had a girlfriend!" My eyes were filled with rage and his with sadness and confusion. "Arnold; after that dinner, I felt like we had such a strong connection! It was stronger between us than it ever was with Rob! EVER! And now you're dangling her in front of me! How long have you two been together, huh? A few days…weeks? When did you plan on telling me?" He was letting me speak without interruption, so I kept going. "You told me, that when we weren't together you were thinking about me all the time!"

"Helga, I-"

"How dare you do this to me, Arnold! You knew what I have been through, and how much damage Rob did to me! So congratulations on making the biggest wound in my heart that anyone ever has. Here's your prize." I gave him the hardest slap I could. I saw him wince, and I heard his girlfriend gasp. I met his eyes for just enough time to see his eyes. They looked sorry, but sorry wasn't going to cut it this time. Sorry just wasn't enough.

I stormed away, and heard Arnold shouting. I didn't turn around until I sat forcefully in my car. I could see his girlfriend sitting on the ground comforting him. He looked my way and got caught in my glare. Hi didn't look like I thought he would. He didn't look angry, nor confused.

He looked like the one that was heartbroken.

I started the engine, and drove off. I had managed to stop crying for about one minute. When I reached the freeway, I started replaying the scene of me seeing them together over and over again. I couldn't take it. I changed lanes until I was off the road, and I started shouting and crying, while pounding on the steering wheel. My heart had shattered into a million pieces in a matter of seconds.

Our song came on, and I violently hit the power button, forcing it to pop off completely. I wanted to just drive. I got off the side of the road, and drove faster than I ever had, not really paying attention to the road.

I swerved into the next lane, not concentrating, and heard a huge bang, and then sharp pain all over, and then it went black.