They stopped outside Helga's front door. The light in the landing of her apartment worked fine. The bitter gusts of wind had turned into gentle whispers of air. Their fingers were still intertwined, hands clasped tight together, their grip on each other a beautiful metaphor for their blind confusion and hope. Helga smiled as Arnold brushed a lock of hair from her face and gazed into her eyes longingly. "Look, Arnold, things aren't the same as-.." Helga's sentence was cut off by Arnold embracing her in the sweetest of all the kisses she'd ever had in her life. And for once, she didn't resist it, she let herself go.

"Arnold, you didn't let me finish." She whispered, smiling sweetly, contented.

"I didn't need to, I know what you'll say. You're over me, things aren't the same as they were in Elementary school. And I know why you'd say that. You're afraid of getting hurt."

Helga looked away, embarrassed because Arnold was right. She was afraid. Afraid of getting hurt, yes, and rejection, disappointment and awkward silences and... then it dawned on her. The boy she had been in love with for so many years was declaring his love for her. And she was rejecting him?

"Arnold, look, I want to love you, but it's going to take more than that to make me really fall for you again." She murmured, jamming her key into the door and opening up.

Arnold paused. "Again? You loved me before?"

Helga sighed, hanging up her coat and sauntering over to her bedroom where she sat down on her bed and slipped off the heels she had worn only so she would feel adequate in Rhonda's company. Arnold followed her hesitantly. "I guess I have some explaining to do." She laughed, breathing shakily inwards.

Arnold nodded before sitting down on the edge of her capacious double bed with her, his hands subtly stroking the sheets.

"I've loved you since I met you!" She burst out, her voice frantic. "Remember that day? You said that you liked my bow because it was-.."

".. Pink like your pants?" he continued, smiling warmly as he recalled the moment himself.

"You remembered?" Helga beamed, her hand edging closer to his then pulling away in case it was an inappropriate gesture for the exact moment.

"Of course," he replied "How could I forget the moment when I met you? I've always liked you, I guess. There's something intriguing about you. I mean, sure, I couldn't quite put my finger on it back in Elementary school, and I suppose I was denying it because you weren't exactly the nicest to me back then. Then Lila happened, and I only really liked her-liked her because I couldn't have her. Over the past few years I've just been noticing you more and more and you've become so... beautiful." He stopped his monologue to stroke Helga's cheek and gaze longingly into her eyes. "Not that you weren't beautiful to begin with. I just want you to know that I've always loved you."

Helga stared at him in raw shock. "I... I thought you hated me.."

"No, not at all. The opposite. I guess.. I love you."

She felt her eyes welling with sweet, hot tears from the sheer shock of it all. She had been waiting nearly all her life to hear him say those words.