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 77: Misunderstandings and More Tension Part 3

Previously

"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...


Helga had been stunned to see her former beloved here. Especially after what she told him the last time they spoke face to face.

"Arnold...what...what are you doing here?..."Helga said, in a startled tone.

Arnold blinked, a little surprised to see her, before recovering.

"I...I wanted to speak to you..."Arnold said.

Helga heard this and sighed. She knew personally now that Arnold was just going to keep hounding her until she gave in. She ignored his hand offering to help her up, by getting up herself and dusting herself off.

Maybe listening to whatever he has to say and THEN telling him to leave might work.

"Ugh! If you need to talk, let's talk fast, I got plans.."Helga said with her arms crossed.

"With Drake?..."Arnold said and Helga glared.

"If you just came all this way to badmouth my boyfriend again, then I don't want to hear it..."Helga hissed.

Arnold blinked, before realizing that this probably isn't the best way to start.

"A-Actually, there...there was another reason I wanted to talk to you..."Arnold said, looking down.

"Then make it quick, I don't have all day..."Helga said.

Arnold, for reasons he didn't understand, felt a strange sense of normalcy over this. Helga wasn't telling him to leave and the sarcastic, impatience way she spoke sort of reminded him of the old days...before him.

It was weird, but it felt normal.

Or what normal used to be for him...

"Come on, let's sit down for a minute..."Arnold said.

Helga, raising a brow, reluctant nodded.

The sooner they have this little talk, the sooner she can go over to Drake's.


A few moments later

Arnold and Helga were sitting on the curb together, both with unreadable expressions on their faces.

"So, what is it that you want, Arnoldo?..."Helga asked, wanting to get this over with.

Arnold took a breath.

"I want to say I'm sorry... for thinking Drake made you not say what was going on with your home situation..."Arnold said and Helga raised a brow at that.

"I see..."Helga said.

"Heh, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. This is Arnold. Honest to a fault, as always..."Helga thought.

"Also, I wanted to give you this..." Arnold reached into his pocket and pulled out a few dollar bills.

Helga while not as money obsessed as Bob, she could tell it was a decent amount.

"Twenty five dollars?..." Helga asked

"I know it's not much but I want to help you..."Arnold said and Helga looked at the money and sighed.

"Why can't he be a self absorbed jerk? It'd be easier to get over him if he weren't so nice..."Helga thought in frustration before handing the money back.

"I can't accept this..."Helga said.

"Helga, please. I want you to know that I want to help you. You know I want to help you..."Arnold said.

"Football Head, I-

"And why not tell me or anyone? Huh?..." He pleaded.

"What?..."Helga asked, wondering where that came from.

Arnold did too, but now that he said, he wanted an answer.

"I'm sorry but I...I just have to know why you didn't at least come to me for help..."Arnold said.

"I already told you that I was mortified beyond all belief and that there are things that even YOU can't help with!..."Helga said.

She then saw that Arnold looked sad and...she didn't know if it was the minuscule amounts of compassion that she has recently developed of the phantom of lingering feelings that are deep inside her. She just knew that she didn't like seeing him like this.

"Look, Football head..." Helga pauses for a minute. She had to be serious here.

"Look, Arnold..." Helga started. "We've known each other for, like, forever. And I know that means a lot to people..."She continued.

"Yeah, okay..."Arnold said.

"And to me, it does mean a lot...more that you know..."Helga admitted.

"Seriously!?..." Arnold was surprised to hear this and leaned in to Helga. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"More than you'll ever know," Helga thought to herself.

"Arnold, I know you're just trying to help but you don't need to. I don't need you to. I've got everyone I need in my life as it is...Phoebe and Drake..."Helga said.

She had no way of knowing that those words hurt Arnold, since she was telling him that he isn't among the people that she needs in his life.

It hurt.

It hurt even more as Helga stood up, about to walk away

"Why?..." Arnold butted in.

"Huh?..."Helga questioned.

Helga looked back to Arnold, confused.

"Why what?..."Helga asked, annoyed as Arnold stood up.

"Why Drake?...'Arnold asked, just not getting it.

Arnold wanted you know what was special about Drake. Helga, who found the question awkward, stood with embarrassment. She averted her gaze from Arnold.

"What do you mean? I don't think I understand..."Helga asked and Arnold just shook his head, looking perturbed about something.

"Then let me make it clear...why are you going so far to be with Drake, even after everything you learned about him? Why do you constantly hang around that guy? Heck, you hated him when you first met..."Arnold said and Helga even more annoyed.

"I don't have to answer you, Football Head!..."Helga spat.

Arnold wasn't backing down. He pressed forward.

"Humor me.." Arnold said... "What changed?..." He asked, still not understanding.

"Well...he that...well," Helga muttered the last part with a low voice.

"Say that again..." Arnold said. He placed a hand to his ear.

"He said he ...liked me..." Helga was so embarrassed, evident by the blush on her face.

"What?..." Arnold couldn't believe it.

Helga heard that and soon went from flustered, to angered.

"He said that likes me, okay! He's seen the real me and doesn't care. He knows the kind of person I am and he still accepts me for me..."Helga admitted.

"Not only that, but as I got to know him, I learned that we have a lot in common and...I guess I can say that..he grew on me. I like him..."She continued.

To her surprise, Arnold was silent. She saw the look on his face. He looked like she just admitted that she was an alien bent on world domination.

"Uh...Football Head? Arnold?..."Helga said as she even waved her hand in front of his face.

That snapped him out of...whatever it is that he was in.

But what he said confused her.

"What? That's what changed? All because he said he liked you?..."He said incredulously.

Helga nodded.

"You gotta be kidding me!..."He said... "So you just hang around him... you're dating him because he says he likes you?! That's all it takes for you to like a guy? Helga, that's not a good reason to be with someone at all!..." Arnold said.

Helga heard this and got mad.

"It's a better reason to like someone than just thinking they're cute and following them around like a lost puppy until it sinks in that they are flawed people and not whatever fantasy you conjured up, like say, you with half the girls you've ever liked..."Helga argued.

"Helga...we're...we're not talking about that. You basically admitted to me that you stuck around Drake because he told you that he likes you? Is your self-esteem really so low that you'll date any guy who says that?..."Arnold said, looking dismayed.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!..."Helga shouted, looking insulted.

"I'll have you know that my self esteem is just fine and it has nothing to do with Drake. I am not with him because he said he likes me, I just gave him a chance and decided to get to know him and I learned personally that despite his flaws, he's a really cool guy that I CAN see myself with. He likes me and I like him and that's enough of a reason to start a relationship, thank you very much!..."Helga said.

"Helga, this is serious! What if I said I liked you, would you have dated me?..."Arnold asked rhetorically.

The moment those words left his mouth, Arnold and Helga stared at one another. The boy realized what he said, but wondered why he said it. There was an uncomfortable silence, before Helga laughed sarcastically

"Don't even joke about that Arnold..."She muttered.

Before Arnold could even begin to explain where THAT came from...someone caught them.

Someone who looked very, VERY mad.


Earlier with Drake

Drake followed Arnold onto a bus looking. At the route, he knew where he was going and it made his blood boil all over again but for now he'd wait he'd keep his hands to himself...

For now.

"If that creep's doing what I think he's doing, I'm gonna-

The bus came to a stop and Arnold got off the bus, walking towards Big Bob's Beepers.

Drake followed at a distance. He watched that weasel go to his girlfriend's so-call home and bump into her, knocking her down.

Drake was worried that she might of gotten hurt, but Helga was okay and seemed more distress to see the Football Headed freak was the one to knock her down.

He shouldn't be too surprised, she's always been a tough one and he knew that she was REALLY annoyed with that big headed goody two shoes busybody.

Which admittedly he was but being a local hero, other than Monkey Man didn't give him a free pass to his girlfriend or anyone else's!

"That little football headed freak better not be stealing my girl..." Drake venomously muttered with dagger eyes.

He was about to go to them, only to hear this part of their private conversation. He could only hear bits of it due to distance and how loudly they are talking.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!..."Helga shouted, actually surprising Drake by her tone.

"What were they talking about?..."Drake wondered, wanting to get closer but he didn't want Helga or Arnold to know he was eavesdropping on them.

Plus, even he found Helga looking VERY, VERY mad. He rather it be directed at Arnold than at him.

"I'll have you know that my self esteem is just fine and it has nothing to do with Drake. I am not with him because he said he likes me, I just gave him a chance and decided to get to know him and I learned personally that despite his flaws, he's a really cool guy that I CAN see myself with. He likes me and I like him and that's enough of a reason to start a relationship, thank you very much!..."Helga said.

Drake smiled. He didn't know what they were talking about, no doubt Shortman was trying to get her to dump him again and she was finally telling it as it is.

Yes, that's his girlfriend that he knew and loved.

"Take that, Shortman!..."Drake said happily.

He was about to go to her, only to hear this bit from Arnold.

"Would you have dated me?..."Arnold asked.

"What?!..."Drake thought enraged

The moment of silence between the two brought different ideas to Drake.

"That punk is after my girl..." He thought

Before he could make his presence known and have a few choice words with the little would-be-girlfriend-stealer, someone beat Drake to them.

Someone bigger, louder and much less intelligent.

"What's going on here?!..." A familiar voice yelled as Helga's dad stormed down the street followed by a tired looking lady and a twenty something blonde who looked a lot like Helga dressed in what, honestly to Drake, looked like a private school uniform

'Must be her sister..."Drake thought, seeing some resemblance.

"Why's she dressed like that, though?...'He thought.

He remained in his hiding spot as he watch Helga's dad make a big fool of himself, again.

"Helga's dad looked from Helga to Arnold , locking eyes on the football head. His pupils narrowed and his face turned red.

"YOU!..." He yelled.

Helga looked to Arnold with concern, which to be fair, seeing a giant man like Bob Pataki look that murderous, he'd be concerned too.

"Arnold run!..." Helga said concerned

"But Helga..." Arnold said

"Don't talk, run and don't come back!..."She yelled.

Arnold looked unsure but in the end complied, running across the street as Bob Pataki yelled at him.

"You goody two shoes orphan! You got my daughter kidnapped by MEXICAN PIRATES! IF I EVER SEE YOU HERE AGAIN, I'M PUTTING YOU IN A HEARSE!..." Bob yelled at Arnold's retreating form.

He than turned his anger towards Helga

"As for you young lady, it's bad enough you hang around that gangster but him?! He nearly got your sister killed..." Bob yelled furiously.

Helga stood up to Bob

"No, he didn't! He was kidnapped, like me and the rest of my class! And Drake is NOT a gangster, he's gone straight!..." Helga shouted.

As angry as she is about his unfair treatment of Drake, another part of her was still upset of his blatant favoritism...yet again.

"Daddy, we shouldn't be to mad at baby sister for picking someone better than that hoodlum predator..."Olga said and Drake got annoyed.

That's when he got out of his hiding place and marched up to them. They can yell at him or anyone else at the world, but he won't stand by and let them treat Helga that way.

"That hoodlum is right here..." Drake said stepping out of his hiding place. Helga looked at him surprised.

"Drake, what are you doing here?..."She asked and Drake shrugged.

"I was in the neighborhood and I heard a couple of blowhards were threatening the cutest girl in the world..."Drake flirted and Helga blushed.

"Not in front of people, you flirt..." Helga said.

Drake grinned while Bob and her sister frowned and her mom, at least who Drake thought was her mom, looked ready to pass out standing up

Drake questioned how some people so awful and sleep deprived could produce something as wonderful as Helga.

It was one of the great mysteries of nature.

"YOU?!..."Bob yelled.

"This is who my baby sister is dating?..." Olga questioned, seeing her dad not liking him and already decided that she didn't like him either.

"This is the punk..." Bob answered.

"Seriously? Helga should just learn to be more mature! Like me!..."Olga said.

"Seriously?!" Helga shouted as she ran to Drake's defense. "What's with you, Bob? Drake isn't the bad guy you think he is!..."Helga shouted but her family ignored what she had to say.

Again.

"You rotten punk! I told you what I'd do if I ever saw you near Olga..."Bob yelled and both pre-teens rolled their eyes.

"It's Helga!..." Drake and Helga said in unison.

"¿Cómo es esto tan difícil de recordar?..." They said in unison.

Drake looked at Helga with a grin. Did he mention how amazing it was hearing her speak Spanish? Because it was

Her family didn't look pleased, however.

"Great, now he's teaching my daughter how to speak Mexican..." Bob said.

"For the hundred time, I'm not Mexican, I am Puerto Rican and it's called Spanish....."Drake said.

"Don't sass me punk, you're nothing but a bad influence!..."Bob yelled and Olga nodded in agreement.

"That's right! Stay away from my baby sister, you Cartel delinquent!..."Olga yelled.

"I don't even know what that is..."Drake said.

"My sister can do much better than you. I even have one particular boy in mind..."Olga said, thinking of the poor boy who her father scared off before she could get the chance to explain that he was a better suitor in her opinion.

"Good, maybe it's a decent boy instead of this punk or that orphan..."Bob said.

"He's not an orphan!..." Drake and Helga yelled.

Drake questioned why he was defending Arnold in the first place.

Well, he might hate Arnold Shortman but he hated Helga's dad even more.

To be fair the guy made it really easy to hate.

Especially with his specific prejudice against orphans...

Did he hate losing to an 80 year old man that much was his masculinity that fragile?

"I already told you a million times, his parents were in a coma and they awoke last Summer. Criminy, you SAW them in San Lorenzo, Bob..."Helga loudly reminded.

Drake, meanwhile, gave Olga a quick onceover, one of judgement, that she noticed.

"What are you looking at?..."Olga demanded.

"Psh... not much. Seriously, how are YOU the favorite? You're so boring and obnoxious...'Drake said rudely.

That made Olga gasp, while Helga snorted.

"I think he made me like him all over again.."Helga thought in amusement.

"B-Boring?!" She questioned before tearing up.

Bob got even madder.

"THAT'S IT!..."Bob shouted he grabbed Drake by his shirt collar.

Drake didn't look intimidated, just defiant until the end.

"You do realize that I am 12! You hit me, you'll get locked up..."Drake said and Bob growled.

"Not if it's self defense..."Bob yelled.

"Bob, let him go!..."Helga demanded.

"Stay out of this..."Bob spat.

"Wow..." Drake said sarcastically "I didn't think a Neanderthal like you knew what self defense was..."He mocked, still not intimidated.

"Who are you calling a Neanderthal, you punk?!" Bob yelled spitting in Drakes face as he looked ready to punch the pre-teen Puerto Rican in his face.

"Drake!..." Helga said, worried.

Drake wasted no time in breaking free of Bob Pataki grasp, using a trick from his fighting days when he had to fight a bigger guy.

"You feel good about yourself, Big Bob. Feel proud that you nearly hit a kid!..."Drake challenged.

"Drake..."Helga said, knowing that he can be a hothead and right now, that's the last thing they need.

"You horrible little delinquent!..."Olga said, having stopped crying to yell at him.

"You belong in prison!..."The 20-something year old yelled and Drake shrugged.

"Well, you would know about guys who belong in prison, what with your ex boyfriends: the con man and the river pirate...who's next, a jewel thief or a bank robber?..." Drake asked, getting Olga to cry all over again and make Bob mad or well madder.

Helga was impressed. She'd never seen Bob turn so red. To her horror, he looked ready to deck him.

Thankfully, that's when a car pulled up.

Stepping out was a older man with red hair, wearing a green apron with Green's Meat on the front.

It was Mr. Green, the local butcher and also one of their city's most respective councilmen.

"Bob..." He said, looking tired.

"Mr. Green..." Helga said.

"Yeah, good thing you're here, councilman. You can arrest this brat for attacking me and verbally harassing my daughter..."Bob said, ignoring the dirty look his daughter and her boyfriend sent his way.

"The same kid you threatened to put in a hearse if you saw him again..." Mr. Green said and Bob shook his head.

'No, that was that orphan Alfred, but you might as well do that to-..."Bob stopped when Mr. Green started speaking.

"Shut up and listen, Pataki. I could hear you from three blocks away, then Arnold stops me and tells me you're on the warpath..." Mr. Green said.

"I've got half a mind to call the cops right now but that would bring trouble to someone whose had enough of it in her life..." Mr. Green said, winking at Helga.

"Now hold on, you good for nothing butcher... that good for nothing orphan nearly got my Olga killed and then Olga's been running around with this good for nothing Mexican gangster from some hick town south of the border..."Bob said.

"I still can't believe you can't remember your own kid's name. Also, FYI, I'm Puerto Rican and born in Boston..." Drake defended.

Mr. Green sighed

"Bob, I hear this from you every time you come into my shop. The only reason I haven't turned you away is because of Helga..." Mr. Green said, getting angry.

"Here's what's going to happen...these kids are going to walk away and you're going to go home and if I hear as much as a syllable of hate against anyone from you in my shop...I'm kicking you out. Is that clear?..."Mr. Green shouted.

Bob grumbled, looking unwilling to back down

"Or I can knock you on your overgrown Kiester and call the police for three counts of child assault...Mr. Green threatened.

Bob didn't answer him, instead, he took the tearing Olga by the arm.

"I'm going to get your sister ice cream to calm her down... by the time we get back... this punk better be off my property..." He ordered Helga, with his back turned, before he walked off with his wife and favorite daughter.

Mr. Green sighed looking to Drake

"You all right, son?..."Mr. Green asked and Drake nodded.

"Yeah, no harm done..."Drake said, physically unharmed.

Mr. Green nodded.

"Good, tell your mom I've got that fresh shipment of ground beef she wanted..." Mr. Green looked to Helga "and you, young lady... remember there's plenty of people who'd help all you've got to do is ask..."The butcher said kindly.

"Thanks, Mr. Green..."Helga said, somewhat relieved.

She was almost scared that her dad was going to seriously hurt Drake just now and as tough as Drake is, her dad is BIG and an adult. It didn't look good from any point of view.

"Hey, no problem. Now run along, you two should get out of here while Bob cools off..."He recommended.

Drake and Helga walked off, while Drake seemed to be in a better mood.

"Okay, when I'm old enough, I'm voting for that guy..."Drake said.

He already knew Mr. Green since he often went to his shop to pick up some things for his mom and he always treated him good. At first he thought it was because he was an adult and he was one of his customers, but this made Drake respect him even more.

"He's one of the good ones..."Helga said, meaning it.

The young couple walked down the street. Drake looked unsure.

Should he make contact with Helga? Would she want him to touch her after what happened with her dirtbag dad?

"Are you okay?..." Helga asked.

Drake looked shocked.

She was asking about him that, after her dad basically threatened two people.

Sure one of them was Arnold but still...

"Yeah, I'm fine. And are you okay...Drake said..."With everything that happened?..."He asked.

"Believe me, I've been through worse..."Helga said.

That didn't ease Drake at all. He wanted to do more to help her, but there is only so much a 12 year old boy can do.

"You shouldn't have gone through worst..." Drake said to her.

"Don't worry, you know I'm tougher than I look!..." Helga insisted.

"If you say so..." He said to her.

"Helga I-" Helga interrupted Drake by kissing him, which was the best way to interrupt someone in his opinion

"What was that for?..." Drake asked when she moved away.

"For being you..." Helga said before she grinned

"Come on... Lucky for you I managed to "borrow" about five bucks from my folks. Let me get you a treat as a thanks..."Helga said.

Drake rose a brow.

"For challenging your dad?..."He questioned.

"For making Olga cry..." She answered.

Drake smirked, before he shook his head.

"Helga, you should save that for your lunch at school or something..."Drake said.

'Oh no. Not happening. You've treated me on most of our dates, now I want to treat you to something. Maybe an ice cream at Slaucens or something, but I am treating you.."Helga said pridefully.

"I do it because I care..." He told her.

"Yeah? Well, so do I! Come on, I ain't budging until you say yes!..." She said.

Drake wanted to protest but he knew Helga would just kiss him again to get his compliance. So for now, he'd go along with the Pataki pride.

"All right, lets go..."He said. Helga gave that smile that he loves so much.

"Great!..." Helga said as she dragged him along.

Drake was just happy to spend time with the greatest girl in the world. No pesky Football headed weasels and no hulking, egotistical jerks of fathers who can't even remember Helga's name.

Just him, his girl and an entire day ahead of them.

That's how he likes it.

To be continued-

Next time on A Broken Heart

Meddling and Fights


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:

Invader Johnny:Complicated, yes but at least now, she is with Drake.

Kryten: We'll see how things turn out...

The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbuh i: He never learns.

Guest and Madi Anivar: Thank you :)


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