Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.
A Broken Heart
Chapter 58: Not Broken
Previously
"Everyone is afraid of me now..."Drake said sadly.
"Everyone used to be afraid of me too, and some of them still are...look, Drake...you are a good guy, who has already did your time...you've changed and so have I...we just have to show everyone that you are not that kind of Drake anymore.."Helga said.
"How?..."Drake asked and Helga didn't know how to answer, but she gave him a soft smile.
"We just have to work on it, one day at a time...you said back home that everyone at your school forgave you..."She said.
"More or less..."Drake said.
"Then we can do that again...we'll work on it..."Helga said as she remained close to him.
Despite his humiliation and suffering, Drake sent her a small smile.
"How did I get someone like you to stick by a mess like me?..."Drake said, actually sounding happy right now as he held her hand.
"Just luck, I guess..."Helga shrugged as she remained with him in the Janitor's closet for the time being.
Rhonda Wellington Llyod is many things.
She is the richest, most fashionable girl at PS. 118, an and coming video blogging super star and very prim, posh, pretty and practically perfect and that's just her own view of herself.
However, aside from all her wealth and taste, there is one other thing she has in a similar quantity.
Pride...
She has a lot of that, and it is very hard to convince this girl when she is wrong.
Though at times, someone does manage to do that...
Helga had called her out for exposing Drake and she said some things that unfortunately struck a nerve with the dark haired girl.
"Was I wrong? I mean...he is a jerk and so is Helga but..."Rhonda thought, shaking her head.
She didn't do anything wrong, that is what she told herself. Drake was the one who broke the rules and got into fights, not to mention that he has been especially rude and nasty to her since he got here.
Rhonda made her dislike for Drake obvious since his first week at PS. 118. It wasn't because of what happened to her shoes...anymore, at least.
It's just...he was just so infuriating.
Sure, maybe some girls might find him to be cute and funny and admittingly, even Rhonda had to admit that when she first saw him, he wasn't hard on the eyes but that was before she was exposed to his less than appealing personality.
He is very rude, always cracking jokes at her expense, calling her that insulting nickname "Ms. Priss" and acting like he is some big shot just because he won a few measly games of soccer. He also seems to have poor taste in women if he finds someone like Helga to be girlfriend material...that was what she thought at first.
However, discovering that he was also a delinquent actually made sense as to why he would be interested in someone like Helga, even if she is still a very uncouth, unfeminine, aggressive and anti-social girl and Drake is an arrogant, rude, self centered brute.
That was what she thought when she first discovered his nasty little secret.
It also frustrated her that so many of their peers actually liked him and thought he was cool, strong and funny. He was a new kid and a jerk, but for some reason, he was well liked too. It was inconceivable to her.
Drake Sanchez is a total jerk and even Arnold has made it obvious that he can't stand the guy and if someone like Arnold doesn't like you, you know that they are no good.
That is Drake Sanchez.
He was a cocky, loud mouth jerk and Helga has a lot of nerve calling her a hypocrite, considering all of the nasty stuff she has done over the years.
They are the ones who did something wrong, not her!
He deserved what she did to him. He did!
The dark haired girl kept walking through the halls, only to hear something coming from a nearby janitor's closet.
It sounded like people talking.
"Huh?..."Rhonda said as her snoopiness...I mean...curioisity got the better of her and she pressed her ear against the door.
Just then, she heard two voices that she recognized: Helga and Drake...
She also heard that one of them sounded like they were trying hard not to cry..
"Huh?..."Rhonda thought as she continued to eavesdrop.
"Look...Drake...you and I both know that you didn't mean to hit Iggy and you aren't that bad guy the paper described you as..."She heard Helga say.
"He hit Iggy?..."Rhonda thought, confused.
Then she heard Drake speaking.
"Yeah but thanks to Ms. Priss, the rest of the school thinks that..."Drake said.
Rhonda frowned when she heard her hated nickname but Helga continued, obviously trying to give him some sort of pep talk.
"They are morons and sheep who believe anything in print but we know that you aren't like that..."Helga said.
It actually surprised Rhonda. Helga has never been the sympathetic, comforting type before...and the more she listen, the more hurt Drake sounded.
"You don't get it Helga, even Rhonda can't take back what she wrote down, everyone already saw the picture and they now see me as...the old Drake..."He said.
"Old Drake?..."Rhonda thought, only to hear that his voice was practically breaking at the next line he said.
"This whole thing was suppose to be my fresh start and it's ruined..."Drake said, sounding like he was miserable.
"Ugh! We have already been over this..you made a mistake and you were already punished for it, learned your lesson and moved on, forgive and forget...so just forgive yourself, forget this and move on like you did before.."Helga said.
"Forgive and forget?..."Rhonda thought, surprised.
"Drake, you are a different guy now, and I know that and your real friends know that too...Katrinka, Park and Peapod Kid just need to be told the whole story..."Helga said.
"I will tell them...'She said.
"But what if they don't believe us... everyone else doesn't..." He said.
"They all see me as who I once was..."He said, sounding like he was sniffeling.
Rhonda heard Drake's tone and even if she didn't see his face...he sounded like he was really, REALLY hurt...and it made the dark hair girl back away.
"What have I done?..."Rhonda thought to herself.
She didn't want to hear any more of this.
Her smugness, her satisfaction and conviction from earlier was now gone...
She didn't feel so prideful anymore.
With Helga and Drake
Both of them would have remained hidden in the janitor's closet all day if they could but they knew that it would only suceed in making Drake look even worse.
They went back to class, but once they got there, eveyrone was looking at Drake funny. Helga could only do her best to be there for him.
She saw the looks on Park, Katrinka and Peapod kids faces and she knew that as close as she has become to them now, they were practically Drake's best friends since he got here.
Their reaction was hurting him so much.
She quickly wrote three seperate notes for each of them and when used the excuse to go sharpen her pencil, discreetly placing each note on their desk, before she casually walked back.
Mr. Simmon's didn't notice, but Drake did.
'What did you do?..."He whispered.
"I said that I was going to help you clean up this mess...this is me doing it..."She whispered back.
"Helga, is there something you'd like to say?..."Mr. Simmon's asked, having noticed her talking to Drake.
"No Mr. Simmons..."Helga said quickly, knowing that this is a really delicate matter.
Helga focused entirely on trying to fix Drake's ruined reputation. She didn't notice or care that another pair of piercing green eyes was looking at her.
Arnold kept glancing at her every few moments. He couldn't focus on class, all he could focus on the fact that she was still with Drake, sitting next to him and actually feeling sorry for him of all things, instead of dumping him for being a brute and a delinquent, like she should have.
"Helga, why are you doing this? He is just a delinquent and a jerk...he's no good for you...you deserve better..."Arnold thought, his eyes still on them.
"Hey Arnold..."Gerald whispered, having notice his expression.
"What?...'Arnold said, his tone was even edgy.
That surprised Gerald to be honest.
"What is going on with you?..."Gerald asked.
"I have no idea what you are talking about..."Arnold muttered, but his tone is bitter.
It makes Gerald even more worried. He would have asked but Mr. Simmons then issues a pop quiz and he knew that he would have to wait until after class in order to find out what is wrong with his best friend today.
Unknown to him, Arnold wasn't the only one looking at the unusual couple.
Rhonda had sent a few glances in their direction too, remembering the conversation that she had heard earlier. Seeing the look on Drake's face made her feel worse.
She sighed as she just tried to continue with the quiz. She was so out of it, that she didn't even notice that a note had been placed on her desk earlier...
Later
With Arnold
The bell rang and after the quiz, all Arnold wanted to do was talk with Helga. But she was sticking with Drake, despite the fact that the entire school was scared of him and knew about him being a delinquent.
"Why is she doing this? She can do so much better..."Arnold thought as he place picked up his books.
He did notice a note on his desk.
"Huh?..."Arnold questioned.
He opened it and read it.
"I know that you are confused and have questions...meet me at the soccer field after school, at 3:30 on the dot...we have to talk
-Helga G. Pataki..."
"Helga?!..."Arnold exclaimed, earning some looks but he didn't care.
He was so happy to have gotten this note and the fact that SHE actually was going to talk to him. Maybe what he said finally sunk in.
"Arnold, what's wrong?.."Gerald asked, only to see a smile on his face.
The first one that he has seen all day.
"Nothing...nothing is wrong..."Arnold said, placing the note in his pocket for safe keeping.
After School
Drake Sanchez thought the final bell would never ring. He had spent the day trying to convince everyone that he wasn't that jerk in the paper.
He even went to Iggy to apologize and explain what happen but it was obvious that he was still shook up over being hit.
It really hurt Drake.
He actually liked Iggy and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt him. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt anyone.
He wanted to go home, but unfortunately, Helga wouldn't let him. She was currently dragging him who-knows where.
"Where are you taking me?..."Drake asked.
"To the soccer field..we are going to fix this with the people who matter and after that, the rest of the world..."Helga said.
Drake was confused as he made it to the soccer field, only to get mad when he saw that only one person was already there.
"YOU AGAIN?..."Drake shouted, causing Arnold to turn around and look upset.
"What is he doing here? Helga, you said that you had to talk to me..."Arnold exclaimed.
"About what?..."Drake asked.
"Cool it you two...Arnold, the reason I asked you to come is that Drake and I have to clear this mess with everyone..."Helga said.
Arnold was going to argue, only to blink when he heard what she said.
"Everyone?..."Arnold questioned.
"Why did you have to bring him?..."Drake asked.
"Because he's involved in this too..."Helga said.
Before either could say anything else, someone else came to the scene.
It was Park, Peapod Kid, Katrinka and the rest of the soccer team. Even Molly is there too. Phoebe also appeared to, no doubt by Helga's request.
"What is this?..."Drake asked.
"Your chance to say your side of the story..."Helga said to her boyfriend.
She check and saw that everyone she summoned arrived...all but one that is...
"She is impossible...'Helga thought as she was even madder at a certain flashy gossip monger who didn't show up.
"We got your note, Helga..."Katrinka said, showing a note she received, telling her to come here.
"What is this about?..."Park asked, looking lost.
"I take it everyone here has heard or is involved with what was shown in today's school paper..."Helga said with edge in her tone.
"The reason I called you all here, is to straighten everything out and have Drake tell his side of the story..."Helga said and Drake was surprised.
"You all have an image of Drake Sanchez in your head...well, I invited you all here to show you how wrong you guys are..."Helga said.
"H-Helga...I don't think..."Drake was silenced when Helga placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Drake...you are a good guy...I am just giving you a chance to tell your side of the story and prove it..."She whispered to him.
Despite what he felt for most of this day, Drake suddenly felt like he could do anything, just because of the kind of look she gave him.
He felt so broken today...but he realized now that with Helga by his side, he can't be broken.
Not with her around, at least.
He nodded and then decided to do this.
After all, what does he have to lose at this point? At least now, he could tell his side of the story...
He just hoped that Helga is right and his friends would be able to tell that he truly has changed.
"Here goes everything...'Drake thought as he prepared for what would probably be the most difficult explanation of his entire sixth grade life.
Oh boy.
-To be continued-
Next time on A Broken Heart
Explanations and Apologies
A/N: I dedicate this chapter to my friends, my family and my love for God :)
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewer:
Invader Johnny: You were right about that...
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)