"I love you."

The final entry of the "Perfect Storm." Milliardo and Angel perform a improv skit of a talk show. At the end of it all, Milliardo discovers something that might change everything.

“My name is Angel Rimini. I am nineteen years old, my birthday is February 24^th and my most notable trait is my...million dollar high-apple-pie-in-the-sky smile. I am also a literature major in first year of university. My goal for the future? Career-wise I'm not too sure, but as for romance, someday I want to marry my birthday. I could tell you a bit, well a lot about him really, but he could do a better job so...without further ado...”

“Seriously...? First name, Milliardo as in Italian for 'one billion' and my last name is Wright as 'absolutely' and 'about everything.' I'm nineteen years old as well. That's what any document would tell you, but in reality, I'm nobody, I don't want to be anyone and I don't want to do anything but keep my nose out of trouble. Is that good enough?”

“That was wonderful. He may seem cold on the approach, but he's actually a really nice guy. He's sweet and thoughtful. He's shy to admit it, but he's totally in love with me!”

“Yeah...I'm real shy. So, uh, what's going on?”

“Today we'll be doing something a little different. It's a show called Goldfish, in which we'll be doing a little commentary on three topics.”

“Oh great, so it's a talk show? Awesome...now everyone can get a reality check.”

“The point of this Milliardo, is to be generally informative. We're getting right into it now....can I get a drumroll, please?”

“A drumroll? We're working with a low budget here so I'm just going to do this by myself. We're together on this, right?”

“Right!”

“Right then! Here ya go...”

“Our first topic is...Obesity! Hm! It's a rising issue and public health concern as well. To be clear: a person is obese has excess body fat. This is determined by a measure known as the BMI or the Body Mass Index which is your weight divided by the square of your height. If you score more than 30, then you're obese, if more than 25, you're overweight. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and cancer.”

“Okay, you know what? You can stop right there, Angel, because I have seen plenty of shows about this already. You don't need to know calculus to tell if you're fat or not. All you need to do is order six cheeseburgers and a large order of fries. If you can wolf that down and still have room for apple pie and cream soda, then you have a problem. If you're so you have problems walking, seeing your waist or sweat after walking to the end of the street, then, yes, you have a problem.”

“Milliardo...that was kind of offensive...”

“Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with big people, fat people or obese people. I'm just saying you don't need a BMW or whatever...”

“It's BMI, Body Mass Index, Milliardo. I do agree with what you said about overeating, though. The ease of access to fast food and the questionable health and reliability of how it is prepared is another health concern altogether. I've gotten food poisoning before from a fast food restaurant which shall, for legal reasons, remain nameless.”

“People are hungry, Angel, so they are going to eat.”

“Just not six cheeseburgers or fries.”

“Exactly! And you're only scratching the surface there. I'm sure there are a number of psychological issues behind it too.”

“Food can be addictive, that's true. Fortunately, there are specialists who can help. There are professionals who can work with your body and your mind.”

“Yeah, 'cause you need it. The help and the sympathy. All right, enough about fat people, what's next?”

“Geez, okay. Our next topic is...”

“Hm? What? A drumroll? I gotcha...”

“The internet! The information superhighway is-”

“...For high school boys who don't have girlfriends and girls in love with social media. C'mon, Angel, really?”

“Mil-li-ar-do! Don't interrupt me! I have to give out the general information about the topic first and then you do your...spiel. Goldfish is my show.”

“Okay, okay. You got it. I thought we were having fun with this is all.”

“We can have fun all you want, just let me do my bit, alright? Here, gimme a kiss and I'll forgive you.”

“Don't touch me...no, wait! Angel!”

“MILLIARDO!”

“I'm sorry! Don't yell at me! That was reflexive! Don't pout, okay? Come on...”

“Give me a kiss and I'll forgive you...”

“...”

“I'll stop this show right now if you don't!”

“...On your cheek?”

“On my lips.”

“...Okay, okay, I'll do it...mwa!”

“Huhuhuhu! Delicious!”

“Yeah...soft...”

“Thank you, wanna do it again?”

“We...we can do it later! Goldfish is still on air. Why don't you educate the idiots out there on the internet?”

“It was developed back in the sixties and seventies. Back then it was called ARPANet though and has since expanded into the world changing, global phenomenon it is today.”

“...I'm all for human ingenuity and whatnot. It's amazing what people can do, I think. I've heard that the concept of an engine was stolen from aliens. Now, while that's absolute nonsense, I think the existence of the internet itself proves, if nothing else, that God exists.”

“That's surprising. I didn't think you were religious.”

“No, I don't worship. If anything, I worship the Greek Goddess Artemis. I read a novel about her as the main character once and I respect what she stands for.”

“Hmm....the virginal Goddess of the moon and the hunt as well as the twin brother of Apollo, the God of poetry and music. Her Roman counterpart is Diana. Well, virgins among Gods and Goddess certainly is rare. In that respect she stands out.”

“Indeed she does.”

“Funny, though, I would suspected Athena not Artemis.”

“Her name is awesome too. Artemis just sounds cool.”

“I think it's because her names starts with an 'A'...but you worship her do you?”

“If you're seriously asking me that, I do.”

“Hmm...I see...well let's get back on topic now. As a university student, I've made plenty of use out of the information superhighway. It's pretty indispensable when it comes to research and writing as well is made easier and quicker. And, with the advent of social networking sites, it's possible to stay in contact with friends who have moved away or reuniting with long lost family members. Online relationships are also becoming common place. The internet is a useful tool.”

“I agree, but the brighter the light, Angel, the darker the shade. People all around the world are connected. The Net, I believe, has essentially become a world of its own. It's a world of dangerous information and forbidden knowledge. There are predators o those same networking sites and let's not forget scams that a person with less common sense than the average criminal would fall victim to, but let's face it: you have to dumber than a criminal to be fooled by one. If you give people absolute freedom and anonymity, odds are they're just going to become perverts. Women too, let us not discriminate. It's a tar pit and once you're in, you're in.”

“Well, Milliardo, we've got time for one more topic...Relationships. Believe it or not, it's literally impossible for someone to not have a relationship, be it good or bad.”

“Sadly, that's true. Life would go so much easier if we didn't have to deal with others.”

“I disagree, teamwork is essential in progressing forward.”

“Yeah, everyone wants a DVD player in their back seat and a house that is run by a computer system. More brainpower does not mean higher intelligence. Morons will be morons. What do people want anyway? Friends backstab each other all the time.”

“That's...not a real friend.”

“Married couple's cheat, lie and hit each other, too.”

“And that's not true love.”

“What worth has a person if they can just stand by and watch someone get hurt?”

“...Not much, probably, I guess. There are honest people out there though! People who aren't afraid to reach out and give a few dollars or their coat to a beggar and who can bring home a child who needs it and not because they want something out of it, but because it's something that they believe is right.”

“...Could you do that?”

“I could...we all can. It would be great if we didn't have to, but we do. I mean, there are people who die without a name or a proper burial, unthanked for whatever good they may have done in life. I think we all, as humans, owe a certain amount of love and compassion to the next person regardless of how we personally may feel. It takes a true heart to bury your enemy. And when that spreads around enough, real miracles begin to happen.”

“Hmm, well, Angel, the world needs more people like that. A kind word is never thrown away. Let's end Goldfish on that positive note.”

“That's all the time we have. It's been fun, but we gotta run. 'Till next time.”

“How was that? That was the most fun I've had all week.”

“That was the most talking I've done all well.”

“Was it fun?”

“Yeah, it was, actually. You sure know a lot. Compared to that ditzy, airhead girl you used to be...you've really changed. Your name suits you too...”

“'People don't change, their priorities do,' remember saying that to me once before? I know it sounds a bit...crazy, but my priority is you. Has been, actually, for quite a while now. They say the world is small, but I never once stopped believing that our paths would cross someday. If life is all about the people you meet, then you have been what defined mine. Heh, I spend my life chasing that image of you in my heart and now here you are, envying me for more or less the same reasons. Crazy, huh?”

It was probably at that moment I had one of those “love epiphanies.” You know, when your heart skips a beat and begins palpitating out of nowhere just because someone else happened to do or say something to you Or maybe not, who knows? When asked “why do you love this person” or what about this person do you love?' the answers usually range from “everything” to “s/he is a fun person and he treats me right” or whatever. Those kinds of ambiguous answers. Surprisingly, passion is the first thing to go in marriages.

If you ask me though, I would simply reply, “Her smile.”

That's it. It's not something like her beauty or the color of her eyes, or her voice or how sweet a person she is. Her smile...that's it. Well, that's not why I like her, but...that's my point. I fell in love with her smile. There's something about it that makes it seem like having that dream of wanting a house and a brown dog on some prairie with my wife possible and, more importantly, actually obtainable.

Shortly thereafter, Pizza joined in, saying that she wanted in on the fun. She refused to go back to her own room after that and somehow ended up taking the wall spot on the edge of Angel's bed.

As promised, Angel walked me home around four in the morning. The sun wouldn't rise for a while and the streets were deserted. I was a bit paranoid walking through Rosewood Park with the path lit only by street lamps.

I didn't want Angel walking back through this so I agreed to let her stay at my place. If she had her way (which I'm sure she would), she would have done the same anyway.

Before we got there, though, there was something I had to make absolute certain of right then and there.

“Angel, do you really...really believe in true love?”

“Ab-so-lutely! I'm not saying it's impossible to fall for and stay with anyone else for the rest of your life, though. As for me, I just can't imagine myself being with anyone else. No matter how funny or attractive they are, no matter how much they look like you, if it's not Milliardo Wright then I'm just not interested. And maybe...we won't be together forever, but there's just no way I'm settling for anything less. I don't care what anyone else says. It's not that I 'want' to be with you....but I totally believe you're the one for me. Whether I am the one for you...is something you'll have to tell me, but only when you're ready. I believe in you, no matter what.”

Her answer was, as usual, complicated and incomprehensible. However...I got the definitive answer I was expecting. She spun around while we were holding hands as if we were dancing and I took the opportunity to kiss her off guard.

And with that I said the only thing that mattered.