A/N: Hey, what's up? Well, these two have been in my head for way too long. Rhonda's been yelling at me for two weeks, I mean, see this:

Rhonda: SideshowJazz1, are you going to write about me ever?

Me: If I write about you, will you go along with me and fall for Curly?

Rhonda: Me? Are you crazy? Me fall for that little freak?

Me: *smirks* Yes, Rhonda. I'm in charge here.

Rhonda: *sighs* I hate you. Fine, as long as you write about me and let me go...

So I present to you a story about Stockholm Syndrome. Full of RhondaXCurly, since there isn't enough love for these two. I mean, I'm first and foremost an AXH fan, but these two aren't paired up enough!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from "Hey Arnold", and if I said I did, it means I need Helga to come knock some sense back into me with her fists. But I own this story. Enjoy!

"Kidnapping's not my game. Too messy." - Thaddeus "Curly" Gammelthorpe, "Ransom"

Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd stared moodily into her mirror, pushing her straightener through the last lock of hair. It curled again, and Rhonda sighed irritably.

"Stupid cheap straighteners." she muttered. She usually wouldn't have used that particular make of straighteners, but her old ones had broken two days before and she didn't have enough time to get one from any place except Wal-Mart. Still, she had to admit, apart from her hair problem, she looked fabulous. Her short black skirt, her figure-hugging strapless red top, her high stiletto heels – and the figure she wanted. Her makeup was done perfectly, her clothes were in the classic style that would never go out of fashion, and apart from the slight curl on one side of her hair, the dark strands were perfect.

There was a knock on her door. "Rhonda, darling, Nadine's here!" her mother's voice called.

"Coming, Mom!" Rhonda called back. Nadine was Rhonda's best friend and second-in-command, and the two girls usually hung out together at school...not that they'd be at school any more. Tonight was their last ever prom, and then the after party, when everyone would go back to her mansion. The main reason Rhonda was in a bad mood was because she didn't have a date. She'd never gone to anything without a date since she was ten years old. It wasn't like she hadn't been asked to prom a few times. Sid had asked her, but she'd turned him down. Harold had also asked her, but she turned him down too, this time mainly because she knew he'd only asked her because he wanted a date and he couldn't bring Patty, his girlfriend, since she'd graduated before them (Harold was twenty-one, but he'd been held back a few years, while Patty was two years ahead of him in brains even though she was a year or so younger). And while Rhonda had expected it, she'd reacted the most negatively when Curly tried to ask her. Even at the age of eighteen, the kid kept his childhood nickname, although most people couldn't blame him (who would want to be called Thaddeus?). But not only had Curly's name not changed, but nor had his personality. He was still less than sane, a bit creepy, and still crazy for Rhonda. Sure, he'd become taller than her and his teenage years had turned him into one of the best-looking guys in the school, but all Rhonda had to do was look at his face – the hidden eyes, the manic grin – and see the psychopath that had stalked her. Of the three boys that she turned down, it was Curly who she'd been the most firm about.

Of course, it wasn't like Rhonda had any shortage of dates before. She'd had multiple boyfriends. She'd even briefly dated Arnold in freshman year, but both decided that they were better off as friends. Arnold had started dating Helga in junior year, anyway, and they were going to prom together.. No one had expected Helga to even say yes to one date (well, no one had noticed the uncharacteristically sly smirks on the faces of both Phoebe and Lila), but after two years of being together, they still seemed to be going strong. Gerald, of course, had asked Phoebe to the prom. Even in fourth grade, Gerald had been flirting with her and making her giggle, so it was inevitable. Everyone except Rhonda had a date, except for Nadine, who had gently turned down Peapod Kid so she could keep her best friend company (although now he was known as Peapod Guy).

But, after all, it was prom, and date or no date, wavy or straight hair, Rhonda was determined to enjoy herself. She pasted her best smile onto her face as she hurried downstairs to join Nadine.

"Hey, Rhonda." her best friend greeted her. "Ready for the prom?"

"Of course, Nadine." Rhonda responded in her usual tone, confident with a touch of superiority. "Let's go knock those guys dead."

The prom was everything Rhonda had expected – innocent, sweet, but fun. The teenagers that actually came together stayed together for most of the night, occasionally dancing with someone else. Everyone was joining in. Even Brainy asked Helga to dance at one point. She'd accepted reluctantly since Arnold was talking to some of the guys at the time, but she'd warned him what she'd do if he asked her again – punch him in the face, as she always did.

But it was the after party that everyone was looking forward to. Even when Rhonda was a kid, she was always the one that threw parties, and most of the time, they were good. She'd learned from her mistake the time she'd only invited the kids on the "cool" list to her party, and it was so Rhonda-centred that everyone left after they discovered Arnold was holding a party for everyone that wasn't on her list. In her teenage years, party invitations weren't necessary, and this party held the promise to be the wildest, since it would be one of the last chances for most of the kids, since most of them were going off to college after the summer and only a few were staying in Hillwood.

Rhonda had her own suite at her house that was like a mini-mansion, and she'd promised to keep the after party there. It was still pretty huge, and the party went on for a long time. Everyone seemed to be getting drunk and just generally enjoying everything.

Well, nearly everyone.

One person stood in the shadows, his dark eyes following one girl in particular. He stayed on the sidelines, staying focused. No one else noticed. As it had been for years, no one noticed unless he did something drastic, something that everyone would see. He smirked bitterly to himself. That was why the plan was so perfect. No one would remember he was even there.

He'd kept away from her for the last year, only admiring her from afar, and only now had the perfect plan come to him. He'd had to check it through several times to pinpoint any flaws, and he could now proudly say that his plan was completely flawless.

The intoxicated girl turned away from her vodka-filled glass for a moment, setting it down near him. He could hardly believe his luck.

"I'm sorry to have to do something so desperate, Rhonda," he murmured, "But I had no choice. There's only one way you can look past what you've always seen. Rhonda, my love, I will win you, no matter what." He pulled out the liquid-filled pill and slipped it into Rhonda's glass, just before she turned to pick it up, still not realizing he was there.

Thaddeus "Curly" Gammelthorpe's eyes were bright and alert behind his glasses. Even without the frightening smile on his face and his eyes hidden, he would have looked as insane as ever. Within 24 hours, Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd would be all his.

Curly's still that twisted psychopath he always was, albeit pretty cute. So...what do you think of my first chapter? Please review!