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 76: Misunderstandings and More Tension Part 2
Previously.
Drake stepped onto the welcome mat, when he heard something crumpled under his foot.
"Huh? What the?...'Drake said as he notice what was on the bottom of his shoe.
Curiously, Drake looked down and saw a note.
His eyes narrowed when he saw what was on it.
Picking up a note, reading what was written in messy black handwriting. Once he did, he felt a burning hot rage fill his chest as he saw the words written on the piece of paper.
"She'll see who you REALLY are, Mad Dragon..."
Drake ran away from the door, looking to see if he could spot that rat.
He saw no one, but he could still feel threatened and when he feels threat...he gets mad.
Drake crumpled up the paper
"This isn't over...Shortman...'Drake hissed as he gripped the crumbled paper in his fist.
He went straight to thinking Arnold was responsible. Sure, it has no name and he doesn't really know Arnold's handwriting but it HAS to be him. He is making threats again and is trying to get in his way and trying to ruin things with Helga...AGAIN!
Drake kicked a nearby trashcan in anger, not knowing or caring that it wasn't the right moved. It didn't tip and Drake hurt his foot, but the pain only aggravated his rage.
Feeding it.
As he rubbed his foot, his anger about being threatened still didn't fade.
"Shortman..."He hissed out, almost like it was a curse word, before he left back for his apartment.
His good mood from his date, now replaced with anger and apprehension over the potential threat he is facing here.
From down the block, someone spied from around the corner, where Drake couldn't see him.
"I know you haven't changed...Mad Dragon. You just be you, and I'll show everyone who you really are deep down inside..."This person said in a low tone, a smirk forming on their face.
While Drake had received his...um...message, a very frustrated Arnold had returned home to the boarding house.
After what had happened at Helga's, he tried to see if he could get in contact with Voz again but he is not responding. Arnold had spent his time still thinking about Helga's misfortune...and her refusal to let him help her.
He was even more upset at the fact that...even if she did let him help her, he wouldn't know how.
"Poor Helga...I still can't believe that she has been hiding all of this for almost a year now..."Arnold thought, still sorry for her...and still upset over the thing with Drake.
However, he was more focused on Helga's financial situation. I mean. Losing your own home and being forced to live in a STORE of all places?!
What's worse is that, if Helga wasn't exaggerating and he knew that she wasn't, it could have been avoided if her dad just switched to cell phone but he didn't and the end result is Helga being virtually HOMELESS...and he didn't know what he could do.
I mean, what does he know about business?
Even worse, even IF he knew something, Mr. Pataki wouldn't even listen to his own daughter, so there is no way that he'd listen to him, especially since he probably blames him for what happened in San Lorenzo last Summer.
Arnold hated this.
He hated that Helga is going through this.
He hated that he didn't know how to help her.
And even more, he hated that he had to find out about the whole thing this way.
He hated that she didn't come to him. Sure, she said that it wasn't anything personal, that she didn't tell anyone and he knew that maybe he was taking it personally but...he just wanted to be there for Helga, to be her friend, to be closer to her and to make everything better for her.
But she made it clear that she didn't want to ask for his help...and that hurt.
"Helga...what am I going to do?..'Arnold thought, feel sad.
For both her situation...and himself.
"I'm home..."Arnold muttered as he came in, just in time to see his parents and grandparents in the kitchen.
"Hey there, Shortman..."Phil greeted.
"Hi son..."Miles said.
"You're just in time, I made water melon for dinner..."Gertie said, while Phil grumbled something under his breath.
"And we made a little extra too..how does macaroni and cheese sound?...'Stella said, only for her son to shake his head.
"No thanks, not hungry..."Arnold said as he went upstairs.
The adults noticed the expression on his face and Miles sighed.
"Sounds like something happened at Helga's...I better go talk to him now..."Miles said as he got up.
"I'll go with you..."Stella said.
"Maybe We should go too?..."Phil offered.
"Dad, we appreciate it but can we do this ourselves? You guys have been there for Arnold for years...it's our turn..."Miles said to his parents.
They would have argued but they realized that they truly wanted to show their son that they could rely on them. They nodded and Miles and Stella went upstairs.
They saw their son on his bed, looking listless and...angry.
"It's just not fair..."Arnold muttered, still unaware of their presence.
Son?..." Arnold heard his father speak.
"Mom? Dad?..."Arnold said in surprise, while his folks looked concern.
"Is something wrong?..."Miles asked.
"Uh... no..." Arnold said.
His parents were unconvinced.
"Arnold, we may have been gone for so long, but we know you're hiding something..." His mother responded. "Your grandparents let us know all the sure signs you lie..."
Arnold worried.
"They did?..."Arnold asked.
His parents nodded.
"Yes. Arnold, please tell us what's wrong?..." Miles asked.
Arnold sighed in defeat.
"Okay...It's like this..."Arnold said as he began to tell them what is wrong.
The Next Day
It was Sunday and Helga woke up yawning, before hissing a bit, due to the uncomfortable position she slept in, due to the fact that her bed is a sleeping bag and she is forced to sleep in a lousy 5x5 closet.
"Criminy!..."Helga hissed as she stretched a bit, trying to get the knots out of her back.
Being a pubescent, pre-teen girl being forced to sleep like this every night since they lost their house, she hasn't had much of a good night sleep in a long while.
"Yet another thing I owe Bob for..."Helga thought bitterly as she got up and went to grab her clothes and head to the store bathroom to take a lousy "sink shower", yet again in order to get ready for her day.
She saw that her mom was still passed out like a light on the couch and her dad was snoring loudly on the recliner, one of the few things that he managed to keep, somehow.
"Maybe if I am fast enough, I can wash, get dressed and leave before either of them wake up..."Helga said, not wanting to deal with another one of their "I forbid you to see that lousy punk, Drake" lectures.
She just wanted to wash, get dressed, maybe see if there was anymore leftover welfare cereal boxes that she could snag and then leave to go meet up with Drake.
Sure, they don't have an official date planned today but they basically are at the point where they want to spend every day together, whether if there are dates or just hanging out.
And to be honest, Helga noticed that they stopped being different a long time ago.
"I am not going to let Bob and Miriam spoil today for me. Drake and I are going to spend time together, whether they like it or not..."Helga thought as she went to the "family" bathroom, wanting today to just be a simple day of spending time with her boyfriend.
Unfortunately, the youngest Pataki child seldom ever gets her way.
Meanwhile
Unknown to Helga, she wasn't the only person who woke up earlier than normal and had planned to see someone too, but not for the same reasons.
Arnold had just left his house, earlier than usual. He made sure to not wear his everyday outfit. Instead, he opted for a simple hoodie, which he used to hide his head. Though his football shape remained through it. As he made his way to downtown, Arnold stopped by an old, rundown looking building that was Bob Pataki's beeper store, which is still doing poorly.
It broke Arnold's heart a bit.
"I'm sorry, Helga..." Arnold admitted, knowing he couldn't do anything to help.
It hurt worse than not knowing about the problem, if Arnold was honest.
After all, Arnold was just a kid. What did he know about business and making money?
More important, how'd he even get Mr. Pataki to listen to him if he won't even listen to his own daughter?
Arnold resumed his journey to the bus stop. From there, it would be a few blocks to his destination. But now he had a stalker, one who been on his mind lately.
"What are you up to, Shorman?...'Drake muttered, glaring harshly.
Earlier
Drake woke up this morning feeling angsty.
He was still mad over what Arnold did, especially from that note he left. He could barely sleep a wink last night. How could he when that blonde rat is pretty much stalking him and his girl?
What's worse is that he knew that if he told anyone, no one would believe him.
No one would believe that Arnold, the perfect little goody two shoes who never does anything wrong, would do such things.
He's not even sure HELGA would believe him.
Not without proof, anyway.
He hated this.
Arnold was harassing him and he knew that he was harassing Helga too, what with his self righteous "I am your friend and that means you have to listen to me" garbage that he's been spewing since he told her about his shameful past.
Drake woke up earlier than usual, which he blamed on the stress that Arnold put on him last night. Since he couldn't go back to sleep, he resigned to getting ready for his day and having an early breakfast with him mom.
He didn't tell her, since he didn't want to worry her. She has been going through a lot of stress since they moved here, what with her job and all the stress that comes with moving to a new town.
He didn't want to add to that stress unless he absolutely had to. Besides, she taught him that one has to learn to solve their problems on their own and only go for help when they absolutely need to.
Anyway, after breakfast, he went out for some fresh air, trying to clear his mind.
"What am I going to do about that guy?..."Drake thought, feeling a migraine coming and not from his rough night of troubled sleep.
However, the boy was surprised to see another boy dressed strangely across the street. Normally, he'd ignore this since he had better things to do, except the boy had a unique head shape, a shape that belonged to one person he knows.
Shortman?..."Drake questioned as he squinted, before he realized that he was right.
The same height and the same head shape, all hid behind a hoodie.
Drake's eyes flickered open in shock, before they narrowed.
"Shortman!..."Drake hissed as he quickly hid behind the nearest object, a street pole, while the other boy still ran across the street.
"Where are you going?..."Drake thought suspiciously.
He had seen Arnold heading in the direction of the beeper store and he growled.
"Oh, is he kidding me? It hasn't even been a day! Stupid Arnold. Why can't he leave Helga alone?..."Drake muttered as he went there, just to make sure that little freak doesn't try any moves on his girl.
He trusts Helga. But he doesn't trust Arnold not to try anything to convince her to dump him...again!
He still didn't understand why Helga doesn't just tell Arnold to go jump in a lake or something! He has been nothing but a problem for weeks now but Helga treats him as a minor annoyance at worse, but still says he is a good guy.
And now that so-called good guy is going to the beeper store, no doubt to try and flirt with his girl and tell her that she is "wrong and should stop wasting her time with him".
"I am not letting that girl-crazy jerk think he can try and do something funny to my girl behind my back..."Drake said as he went after him.
He was going to go set him straight, once and for all.
A little later
To his surprise, Arnold had walked passed the beeper store, after taking his sweet time looking at it, before running across the street. It made Drake raise a brow.
"Okay, this is kind of weird...what is that geek up to?..."Drake thought.
He suppose that he should be glad that he didn't go to bug Helga, but at the same time, Drake felt suspicious, especially after that note from last night, one that he knows Arnold had to have sent.
He doesn't trust him. He doesn't trust him at all.
"Maybe I should go see what's up..."Drake thought.
Besides, if Arnold catches him, he could just bring up the threatening note from last night and he'd love to see how that condescending egoist will explain that one.
He followed Arnold a few streets down and saw him entering a rather shady part of downtown. Drake looked around, this didn't seem like someplace a "good boy" would go to.
Arnold kept walking down the block. Drake was a few yards behind him but Arnold didn't even bother to look over his shoulder to see if someone was following him.
"What an idiot! Who in their right mind would dress like that and not check behind him every so often? It's basic punk stuff 101!..."Drake thought in exasperation.
He would know. He had plenty experience with this stuff when he had been in the second grade alone!
Arnold stopped at a building that had a sign with the words: Ernie's Pool Hall, on it. Arnold went around the back, through an alley entrance on the side.
Drake followed Arnold, making sure he was not seen by the football headed boy and if he is, he knew how to handle it.
Arnold looked around the building for anything.
"Hello? Anyone...here? It's me, Arnold..."Arnold called out.
Suddenly, Arnold hear a trash can tip over, from the source of the noise, the boy saw a note with the words, 'read me' written on it.
Arnold took the list, but not before drake saw him lean down to grab it. Arnold left the scene in a hurry.
Drake was REALLY suspicious now.
"Okay, that's not totally suspicious..."Drake muttered as he went after him, determined to figure out what this blonde boy's game.
Unknown to either boy, from the corner, a shadowy figure emerged from behind the tilted can. He had seen the whole thing, including the part where Drake had followed Arnold.
He smirked.
His plan was working even better than he had thought and soon, everything will turn out EXACTLY as it should.
"Everything going as planned..."He whispered before he left, eager to see how this will unfold.
With Arnold
Arnold had just left the back of Ernie's Pool Hall, having gotten the message that Voz had sent him.
He told him that things are getting tense on both sides and Drake is becoming very suspicious of him and will look for any reason to cause trouble, so he was advising him to not drawn unwanted attention to himself for the next few days and to also keep a close eye on Helga.
"A little late for that..."Arnold muttered under his breath. He sighed.
He knew that he was in deep, so he had no choice but to see this to the end. He just hoped that Voz is right and that Helga will be alright in the end.
Anyway, now that he got that message, it's time for another, which is to deliver to a certain blonde girl who has proven to be invaluable to him.
He soon came back to the street where Big Bob's Beepers is and he even though he was at the end of it, he could hear the sound of VERY loud arguing, which got louder as he took each step closer.
"LITTLE LADY, I AM YOUR FATHER AND YOU WILL OBEY ME!..."
"NOT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY START ACTING LIKE A REAL DAD AND NOT SOME BLOWHARD EGOIST!
"WAH! BABY SISTER!..."
"SHUT UP OLGA!..."
"DON'T TALK TO YOUR SISTER THAT WAY!..."
"AHHHHH!
Arnold heard all that and he just felt even sorrier for his friend, as he kept braving forward, more determined than ever to do this.
With Helga
"LITTLE LADY, I AM YOUR FATHER AND YOU WILL OBEY ME!..." Big Bob bellowed, not long after he saw her trying to leave and accused her of going off to see Drake.
Helga rolled her eyes in defiance, before she fired back.
"NOT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY START ACTING LIKE A REAL DAD AND NOT SOME BLOWHARD EGOIST!..." Helga snapped.
"Now B...Helga...let's all calm down...'Miriam said, trying and failing to stop this, all the while a certain "perfect daughter" was crying her eyes out.
"WAH! BABY SISTER!..."Olga cried in the middle of the fighting, much to Helga's irritation.
It was all her fault that she was having this argument so early in the morning. Helga had been already to sneak out to see Drake, only for Olga to come barging in, waking their parents in the process as she came back to "forgive her for all the mean things she said" and try to "talk sense to her again".
Helga didn't hesitate to tell her EXACTLY what she felt right now.
"SHUT UP OLGA!..."Helga screamed at the top of her lungs.
"DON'T TALK TO YOUR SISTER THAT WAY!..."Bob shouted and Helga growled.
"AHHHHH! That's it! I am not dealing with this right now!..."Helga said as she marched up the door.
"Don't you dare move!.."Bob warned.
'Baby sister, we love you! We want to help you!..."Olga cried dramatically.
"Then start by actually listening to me when I say that Drake isn't a bad guy and you guys are wrong about him!..."Helga said.
'I'm never wrong when it comes to judging people!..."Olga said and Helga rolled her eyes.
"I guess you already forgot about our chat about Doug!..."Helga said.
The result was Olga crying again and running to a nearby room.
"Olga!..."Bob and Miriam both said as they went to go check on her.
Helga used that to walk out and start running.
'Criminy! Most kids usually wake up to their parents making pancakes and eggs early in the morning, but nooo...not me! I have to wake up to the human embodiment of how NOT to me a family!..."Helga grumbled as she turned the corner fast, wanting to get away from her folks before they stopped consoling that big cry baby Olga and start looking for her to yell at her.
AGAIN!
However, as Helga turned the corner, this happened.
"OUCH!
"OOF!
"ARNOLD?!.."
"HELGA?!..."
As Helga ran to turn the corner, wanting to get away before her stupid parents or sister came out to look for her, she didn't see where she was going and she ended up bumping into the LAST person she expected to see right now.
Arnold!
Oh boy...
To be continued-
Next time on A Broken Heart
Misunderstandings and More Tension Part 3
A/N: Special thanks to BeConfuzzled Writer, 61394 and NeoMark for their help. You guys are the best ;)
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewer:
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Anonymous Latino: Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.
Nina: Thank you :)
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)
