If you like-a me

Like I lik-a you

And we like-a both the same

One live as two

Two live as one

Under the mango tree

Your Name, by Tricky

She stood outside his door for what seemed like an eternity.

Helga knew what she needed to do. She knew. But her brain and legs just wouldn't connect and the awful fear balled up in her stomach was almost bad enough to make her convulse.

He'd offered, though. He had--in so many words--asked her to reveal everything because somehow he knew. How was that? How had he found out?

Helga's mind seized up, barely able to comprehend such a thing. How many people had she told? Lila? If she'd wanted Arnold to know she would've told him a long time ago. Phoebe? 'Course not, she was much too loyal. Dr. Bliss? She could get fired.

Who else knew?

She didn't suppose it mattered now. Somehow Arnold knew that she had...feelings for him. Somehow. And she had to confirm for him. For herself.

And with a head full of steam, she stepped up to the stoop and knocked on the door.

Arnold opened it almost immediately and Helga wondered if he'd been waiting, and just the thought of that made her heart flutter. She said, "Arnold, I have something I gotta' tell you."

He nodded and stood aside and they walked into the hall, beside the stairs. Helga looked around, hoping to God that no one else was around. And then she began to speak.

"Arnold, uh...I thought about what you said and I guess you're right. I can't keep this bottled up. By which I mean, you know, what's inside of me...my, uh, my feelings."

She looked away.

"What I'm trying to say is that I may seem like I hate you a lot, and stuff, but actually I like you...a lot. I really like you. I like you so much that I guess you could say that I love you, I like you so much."

Arnold gaped. Helga stayed firmly attached to the view of the floor.

"I guess...that's why I pick on you so much, and everything. Why I make fun of you."

"This is...this is a lot to process, Helga. I really need some time to think things over. Really. Like...now."

Helga got the idea. She looked up at his face and wished for a moment that she could kiss him and hold on to him and never let go, but her judgement nixed that idea and in a moment she was out the door and down the street, her mind a complete blank, her face contorted into worry and nervous fear.

Arnold stared at the door for a long time after she'd left. Things started to come together: the two times she'd kissed him, both for ages, all the name calling and suspicious happenings. Like when she just happened to walking on his fire escape one night. Or when she jumped in between him and Harold. Or when she took him out to dinner at the Chez Paris.

After a moment he sat down on the couch and cradled his head in his arms.

And he began to think.

Author's Note: The song is from the album Blowback, and if you're a Massive Attack fan I highly reccomend it.

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