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 59: Explanations and Apologies

Previously

"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.


Drake Sanchez found himself surrounded by a large group of acquaintances...and Arnold.

He saw his friends and teammates here. He saw Molly, Elmer, Sara, Tara, Dennis, Wally, Park, Pea-pod Kid and Katrinka, who also looked like they were expecting an explanation. Even Harold, Sid and Stinky were here, along with Gerald, who came with Phoebe.

With Helga's hand gently squeezing his, he looked at his friends...hoping that they still are his friends.

"Okay...now...as Helga said, the reason you guys are all here...is because...I...I..."Drake trailed off a bit, not sure how to continue.

Helga squeezed his hand a bit more to calm him down.

"What Drake is trying to say is that you all have questions about the whole "Drake: Friend or Foe?" hooey...well, Drake is going to explain his side of the story and if you have any doubts, I will let you know that it's true..."Helga said in an edgy tone.

"So, any questions you might have, me and Drake are more than happy to answer and let you know truth from meaningless gossip..."Helga said as she turned to Drake.

He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Okay, I'm ready..."Drake said, wanting to get this over with and hoping that Helga is right.

"Drake? Is anything in the newspaper true? Are you...like that?..."Molly asked and Drake sighed.

"No..not anymore, at least..."Drake said, getting everyone's attention.

"It was a few years ago...back at my old school...I...did things that I'm not proud of..."Drake said as he began to explain about his past misdeeds.

Since the newspaper didn't mention anything about Gwen, The Dragons or military school, he wondered if he should mention it, but Helga whispered that it's not necessary...for now at least.

Baby steps...baby steps...

He explained to them the things he did like cutting class, pranks, getting into fights, disrespecting teachers, harassing the other students and some petty school vandalism, admitting them.

"I know now that doing those things were wrong and I regret them, but for what's it's worth, I have already been punished...i just don't know why I have such a short temper..."Drake said, looking down.

Helga squeezed his hand a little tighter, soothing him a bit.

"Look, the point is that..yeah, he did some stuff but he regrets them and he has changed...I know that he has..."Helga said to the others in an emphatic way.

Sid stepped forward.

"Yeah... well...your stamp of approval isn't exactly comforting with everything you've done..."Sid pointed out.

"Yeah, even Arnold doesn't like the guy and he gets along with everyone..." Harold said.

"Not everyone Harold..." Arnold said looking Helga for a second before looking away.

Before he could voice his concerns, Park spoke up, on behalf of Drake's friends.

"Drake? What made you change?...'Park couldn't help but ask.

Drake flinched, before he sighed, knowing that he can't lie anymore.

"I...did something really, REALLY stupid...there was this group of bad kids that I really wanted to join and...they told me to do something that...ended up with someone innocent getting hurt and..I had to confess..."Drake said, looking away now.

Everyone was looking at him now, he felt more shame.

"I am sorry that I never told anyone about this...I...I was just ashamed of my past and I wanted to put it behind me but...I am sorry..."Drake said, looking down.

"I meant it when I said that I wanted a new start and...I did love being on the soccer team and making new friends here...I understand if...you guys all might be...mad at me...and might not want me on the team anymore..."Drake said, feeling so vulnerable.

Helga felt so sorry for him right now. She knew personally how this kind of vulnerability could make a tough person feel.

"Look guys...I know that we haven't always had the best relationship but I can say for certain that Drake means what he says..."Helga said.

"How can you be so sure?..."Gerald couldn't help but ask.

"Because I trust him..."She said without hesitation.

It stunned Arnold to be honest.

"She still trusts him?! Even after what happened?..."Arnold thought incredulously.

"Can I say something?..."Arnold said, only for Helga to send him a glare.

"I am NOT done talking here..."Helga hissed, surprising Arnold by her tone.

Phoebe saw this and decided to intervene.

"Arnold...shush..."Phoebe whispered harshly to the oblong headed boy.

Helga then continued with her little speech here.

"Look...it's true...Drake made some bad choices, but it is also true that he has learned from them and that he is not that kind of person anymore. I know because I gave him a chance to show me the kind of person he is now..."Helga said, feeling so strange.

Usually, it is Arnold who goes around spouting stuff like giving people second chances and learning from your mistakes.

"And what kind of person is that?..."Elmer asked.

"Cocky but skilled, loud but fun, tough but also nice...In other words, the same kind of guy that we have been seeing since we met him..."Helga said.

"Come on guys...we have known Drake since the start of the semester and I want you all to mention one time he tried to bully or hurt anyone here personally..."Helga challenged.

No one, not even Arnold, who desperately wanted to say something, couldn't honestly say that Drake has done anything bad to him. The closest would probably be when he acted so hostile to him when he thought he had been the one to spread the rumors but he doubt that be any good.

Everyone else realized that they couldn't say anything like that and Helga nodded.

"You see...if Drake still was that awful person, he wouldn't hesitate to do those things and not care who thought..."Helga said.

"He's a changed person and he is still the cool guy that you all considered a friend...he just made some bad choices, that's all..."Helga said.

"Besides, we've all pulled a few doozies once or twice...me a lot of time...at least Drake admits he was wrong and is trying to be a better person..."Helga said as she sent him a smile.

"And he's been doing a good job on that..."She said.

Drake looked at her in amazement, feeling something deep in his gut when she said that.

It made him smile, among other things.

"She really is something else...'Drake thought.

He then saw the entire audience, and sighed.

"Once again, I am sorry that I never told you guys but I mean it when I said that I have changed and I am not that person anymore..."Drake said, looking down.

He was silent...until Molly step forward.

"I believe him..."Molly said, surprising everyone.

There were some surprised gasps and whispers from the gathered kids but Molly stood her ground looking Drake in the eye

Arnold shook his head, unable to comprehend her words.

"Really?!..." He asked.

"Yeah..." Molly says. "He's honest. I can tell..."She said.

"You can?" Drake asked.

"Yeah. You regret what you did, right?...She asked.

" Drake nodded.

"And you want to be a better person?..."She asked again.

"Of course..." Drake answered.

"Everyone deserves a chance to fix things if they genuinely want it." Molly said. "We shouldn't condemn you for something you've clearly grown to regret..."She said wisely.

Drake smiled.

"You mean it?..." He asked.

"Yeah, Molly Rivers is a good judge of character and I can tell that you aren't lying..."Molly said and Drake looked relieved.

The rest of the soccer team and the others all began to nod and realize her point.

Helga smiled, seeing this.

"Yeah...Drake's awesome" Wally said.

"He's one of the best guys we have on and off the field..." Park said

"Exactly! Besides, Helga's been nice this year, so if she trusts him and Molly trusts him than I'll trust him..." Peapod kid said.

Molly smiled when she saw that the others began to nod in agreement.

"Besides, you are a great team mate..the soccer team wouldn't be the same without you..."Molly said

Both Drake and Helga cracked a smile at that.

"Thank you..."Helga mouthed to Molly, who despite their tense relationship, smiled back.

"Pay me back on the field Pataki, I want that trophy..."Molly whispered.

Helga smirked.

Drake sighed, feeling a great weigh being lifted from his shoulders. His friends weren't going to abandon him like he feared.

It's a miracle!

Everyone's giving him a chance...everyone but one, that is...

Arnold was unfettered, to say the least.

"I...I can't believe this..."Arnold thought, stunned by what he was witnessing.

Everyone was forgiving Drake and Helga was still letting him hold her hand!

It's...it's just absurd.

The crowd began to disperse seeing that Drake was done talking, Gerald even left with Phoebe...

There only a few stragglers, one of them being Arnold.

"What was with him?..."Helga thought, noticing that he hasn't left yet, even after Drake explained everything.

She also notice the glare in his eyes.

He still kept his glare at Drake. One that Drake returned.

"This doesn't make any sense...I thought he would have forgiven and forgotten once he got the whole story, like he always does..."She thought, confused.

Helga had known Arnold for years and he never acted like this before.

True, there were people he couldn't get along with, such as the river pirate La Sombra but he never went out of his way to pick a fight with them.

"What is on his mind?..."Helga thought, while Drake and Arnold had their own thoughts.

"Football shaped little big mouth..."Drake thought hatefully.

"Ill-behaved juvenile delinquent..you might have Helga fooled but not for long..."Arnold thought scornfully.

He decided he needed to speak with Helga and approached her.

"Helga...can I speak to you alone...for a moment?..."Arnold said through clenched teeth.

Helga was surprised by this.

She still didn't understand why the explanation and Drake's sincerity didn't change his tune.

Drake frowned as he stepped forward.

"Anything you've got to say to her, you can say in front of me...'Drake said, holding back his anger.

"I am sorry, but this is a private matter that involves her and me..."Arnold said.

"Do you think that I-

Drake was silenced when Helga placed her hand on his shoulder, sending him a look.

"Chill, Drake..."Helga said, before turning to Arnold.

"Is it really important, Arnoldo?..."Helga asked and Arnold blinked.

It's been a while since she has called him by that nickname...it was almost refreshingly strange.

He nodded.

Helga sighed in the only way Helga was going to get answers out of that stubborn football head was to confront him

"Fine...five minutes, but then I am leaving..."Helga said and Arnold nodded.

Drake didn't like this. He wanted to argue but Helga just gave him a look and said this.

"I'll be right back..."Helga said before Arnold lead her to the other end of the field, too far away for his ears to hear.

"I still can't believe she's talking to that jerk..."Drake thought with his arms crossed.

Drake didn't like watching that jerk Arnold talking to his girlfriend like this.

He didn't like that jerk Arnold, period!


With Arnold

Arnold lead Helga to the far end of the field.

He would have her as far away as possible from Drake Sanchez, but Helga angrily snatched her hand out of his.

"What's the big idea, Arnold?..."Helga shouted, well passed annoyed right now.

"Why did you defend him?" Arnold questioned.

He is obviously referring to Drake.

Helga folded her arms and sent him a serious look.

"Because he's my boyfriend... doi!..."Helga said.

"After all that, you still want him for a boyfriend?!..." Arnold was dumbfounded.

Helga gritted her teeth. She was very well passed annoyed by his "over-protectiveness" so to speak. It got under her skin a LONG time ago.

The pony tailed blonde marched up to him, staring to him face to face with a heated glare.

"Listen here, Football Head! Who I date is none of your business..." Helga said with arms crossed.

"Helga, I am just trying to look out for you, Drake is-

"A nice guy who made a mistake...he's changed and move on..."Helga said.

"How can you believe what he says?...'Arnold exclaimed, getting worked up here.

So is Helga...

"Because I like him and I trust him..."Helga said.

For reasons she couldn't figure out, Arnold looked even more upset when she said that and got more frantic.

"You deserve better!..." Arnold said.

"Who are you to think that?!..." Helga yelled.

"Helga, Drake Sanchez is trouble and that's all he'll ever be! You're better off without him!..."Arnold yelled back.

Helga was both stunned and outraged by his attitude...and also confused.

"What's with you, Football Head?!..."She shouted at him.

Arnold was genuinely clueless toward what she was talking about, evident by his eyebrow raising.

"What do you mean?..."He said and Helga got madder.

"Why are you so against Drake? What'd he ever do to you?! Heck, you've even forgiven everyone who ever wronged you, even me! If anything, I am the one who probably deserves this attitude the most yet you forgave me..."Helga said.

"Why can't you just forgive Drake? What makes him so different?..."She accused.

Arnold froze there.

"Why AM I like this with him?..."He thought.

He had no answer.

At least not one that Helga wouldn't argue with, that is. He already tried to explain to her about his past, his violent actions and how he is no good for her but she won't listen.

He was silent for a few moments before Helga lost her patience.

"Well?! What's your answer?!..."She demanded.

Arnold just remained silent, unable to come up with anything she'd listen to. Unfortunately, Helga got the wrong idea of his silence before turning around.

"Criminy, Arnold! I don't know what's going on with you but leave me and Drake out of it!..."She said before storming away from Arnold.

She then went back to Drake.

"What was that about?..."Drake asked as Helga wrapped her arm around his.

"Nothing important...now come on...let's get out of here..."Helga said.

She soon left with him, not bothering to look back at Arnold.

Arnold just watched her go, unable to understand what's wrong with him.

"Why can't I accept Drake?..." He asked himself in a whisper.

-To be continued-

Next time on A Broken Heart

Now What?


A/N(1): Special thanks to NeoMark and 61394 for helping me out. You guys rock :)


A/N(2): I dedicate this chapter to my friends, my family and my love for God :)


REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewer:

Invader Johnny: At the very least, Drake's friends are willing to forgive him...but not Arnold.

Kimagure Bijin: You don't have to feel bad...feel free to enjoy it...

Ezza: How's this?

Guest: Sorry but it seems that they still are holding their grudge.


:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)