I Love You

Chapter 1

“Helen, come on, let’s go to the park.”

“But mom, all my friends are on vacation. I’ll be bored.”

“Maybe you’ll make new friends there, my daughter.”

Helen thought for a moment.

“Alright, mom, let’s go.”

Helen and her mother left the house and went to the park. Helen was in a bad mood because her friends weren’t there, but maybe, just as her mother said, she could make new friends.

They arrived at the park, and Helen looked at the children playing there.

“Sweetheart, go on, go play.”

“Okay,”
she said reluctantly.

She walked toward the slide and climbed the stairs. When she reached the top, she saw the children on the other side. There were four girls, but one of them was standing in the middle and being bullied. Helen couldn’t stand situations like this, so she passed through the plastic tunnel connecting the two slides and said, “Hey, stop right there, freaks!”

The girls turned toward Helen.

“Who do you think you are? Mind your own business. Idiot.”

“Who are you calling an idiot?!” she said and hit the girl.

The girl didn’t stay silent after the hit and tried to slap Helen, but she failed. Helen knew how to defend herself; she immediately grabbed the girl’s hand and threw her to the ground. The other girls, as cowardly as they were, disappeared instantly. Helen reached out her hand to the girl they had been bullying.

“Hi, I’m Helen. Do you want to be friends?”

“Of course, I do!”
“I’m Opal.”

“Nice to meet you, Opal. Want to go on the seesaw?”

“Yeah. Let’s go,” said Opal, and they went down holding hands.

13 Years Later

“You look so beautiful, Opal.”

“You look beautiful too.”
“I can’t believe it. I’m literally having a double wedding with my best friend.”

“Me too.”

Helen hugged Opal.
The door opened.

“Girls, come on, it’s time.”

They looked at each other and smiled.

“Let’s go, Helen.”

“Let’s go, Opal.”

2 Years Later

“Aaahh!”

“Hang on, Helen, we’re almost at the hospital.”

“Opal!”
“AAAH!”

“We’re here!”
said Henry.

They quickly got out of the car. A nurse immediately brought a wheelchair, and they entered the hospital. The midwife came out of the delivery room.

“Bring her in quickly!”

As the midwife took Helen inside, Henry stood frozen at the door. Every time Opal heard Helen’s pain-filled cries, she clutched Osborn’s arm a little tighter, whispering, “Hang on, Helen, it’s almost over.”
In the corridor outside the door, Henry, Opal, and Osborn waited as if they were breathing as one.