This is my first post on here. I love Hey Arnold and all old Nicktoons. that's all you really need to know, right? Oh yeah, and I don't own "Hey Arnold" or any of it's characters. Hats off to you, Mr. Bartlett!

Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, if anything, had power. Sure, she had money, looks, and a flawless personality (If she could say so herself), but she prided herself most on her iron clad control over her surroundings. She, as the most popular and fashionable girl, had power at school. At home, she had power as she was an only, and very spoiled, child. And within herself? Beyond of course shoes and coats and material things, Rhonda had NO weaknesses.

In fact, the only thing other than the weather that Rhonda had no power over seemed to be her love life. Or rather, those who wanted to be a part of her love life.

In other words, Thaddeus "Curly" Gammelthorpe.

Oh, the countless times she caught him following her home! The innumerable candid pictures he had posted in his locker that she ripped to shreds! Oh, the infinite number of times she had to bend to reach the twerp's eye level and scream "I WILL NEVER, EVER BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"

But, for some seemingly ridiculous reason, he continued on without a moment's hesitation. How it drove her insane! How she wanted to just pound the little geek's face in! But, as a Lloyd, she had an image to uphold. She was a young lady. She would NOT sink to those levels.

At this point, did it really even matter anyways? Fifth grade was ending soon. Besides the wonderful fact she and her classmates would be off to bigger, better things in middle school, Curly- having got himself into one too many battles with school administration- was being sent to - Oh joy!- a correctional school out in God-knows-where, very-far-away-from-here, U.S.A! Rhonda could just cry in bliss!

But, in the meantime, she would have to endure her last few weeks of Curly's..."antics." Which were becoming increasingly more desperate. And increasingly more creepy. Just the other day, in fact, a maid had to chase him from the house with a broom after stealing some of Rhonda's socks from the dirty laundry. Rhonda shuddered at the thought. She had to make an inventory list of all her clothes to keep track of them. Since the "incident", she had lost another pair of socks and an old tee shirt. What use they were being put to now, well, Rhonda certainly did not want to know.

At school, things weren't much better. Last Tuesday, for example, he serenaded her with "That's Amore" while playing his father's accordion, causing everyone in the hallway to stare at the pair and laugh. Friday, he filled her locker with love notes that he slipped in through the cracks. It was beyond mortifying, especially when Helga grabbed one and began reading it to the entire hallway, who, again, stared and laughed...

But, Rhonda could handle it, as long as she reminded herself that it was only 2 more weeks. Then Curly would be gone from her life. Forever. Forever! Oh, she almost felt like dancing up and down the street, or throwing a parade, or detonating a bomb of happiness that rained candy and love across the world! Curly was leaving!! No more creepiness! No more stalking! No more nightmares that he watched her through the window, only to wake up and find that he actually was! Things were gonna be different for Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. In a matter of a few short weeks, she would finally have the control she craved. She was enraptured.

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At this point in time, however, Curly's feelings couldn't be more opposite.

In two weeks, school would be over. In three, he would be off in Santa Cruz, touring the town with his parents, so he could become more familiar with it before they shipped him off and abandoned him there.

In other words, he had three weeks to make Rhonda realize her feelings for him- other than the usual ones of repulsion of course- so that, at minimum, she would actually WANT to keep in contact with him while he was away.

As for the other saps at his school? He could care less if they were aware of his existence. But not Rhonda. Rhonda was...well, indescribable. And she liked him, he was sure of it. The tension in the air when they were semi-alone...it was alive with electricity. Sometimes, even, when he'd forget to stare at her in class, he'd remember and turn to look at her beautiful face, only to find her already staring at him. She'd go pink in the face and turn away as casually as she could, as if she hadn't actually been watching him.

But he knew she was. Just like he knew, deep down, Rhonda loved the attention he gave her, and deep down, didn't hate him as much as she said. In the great words of Shakespeare, (he'd think after every time she insulted him) "The lady doth protest too much." Curly smiled inwardly at the thought. He was a hopeless fool in love, and though he couldn't explain it (as he never DID get an answer to the question "Why do fools fall in love?"), Rhonda had consumed his 5th grade heart, body, and soul.

Not that she actually CONSUMED those things literally- Rhonda was far too much of a lady to resort to cannibalism, and that was just one of the millions of reasons why Curly loved her.

Unfortunately, she hadn't responded to his more...colorful...attempts for her heart in a very positive fashion.

Two Wednesdays ago, after he presented her with the painting he did of them kissing on the shore of a moonlit beach, she dumped her tapioca pudding on his face. Delicious though the pudding was, Curly couldn't help but feel a bit dejected. Even Helga, after the initial disgust for the subject of the painting, admitted it was well done. Then of course, she made fun of him for being so "pathetic." Like she could talk! It was pretty much common knowledge by now that she was crazy for Arnold, but didn't have the courage to admit it. Probably the only one who didn't know was Arnold.

But what concern did Curly have for the situation? Zilch. The only thing Curly was worried about was Rhonda. He had to win over Rhonda. If he could do that, things wouldn't be so bad.

So, days gradually came and went. Curly racked his brains for any and all strategies he could concoct to win Rhonda over, yet none succeeded. And he had been so sure that she would be charmed by the declaration of love he burned onto her lawn with gasoline! At least her parents thought it was cute, he didn't need another arson charge on his record...

Fifth grade promotion finally passed. Curly was close to feeling defeated, dejected, yet he clung to his hope that maybe SOMEONE up there was looking out for him, that SOMETHING would go right.

It was all he could do, after all, right?