As the day went by, as usual, Arnold and Gerald mostly smack-talked to each other. While on the other side for Arnold, he couldn't help but go back and forth with the flirty hints.

After school, Arnold and Gerald were outside while Arnold was waiting for Rhonda.

"Arnold, tell me something. Do you and Rhonda have something between you guys?" Arnold looked over at the open doors as he gave a small lovesick sigh. "You know Gerald, maybe we do."

Gerald only smiled as he patted his back. "Whatever it is you two have going on, I'm proud of you guys… Still isn't stopping me from cooking yo behind in one-on-ones." He then smirked.

"Oh, we'll see about that." Arnold smirked back. "I'll leave you to have some alone time lover boy." Gerald chuckled as he walked off.

Arnold had a raised eyebrow, that was until he felt someone kiss him on the cheek and hug him. "Hey, buddy!" Rhonda hugged Arnold tightly. "Someones now using me as their doll."

"Oh very funny, mm? Is that the thanks I get for hugging you? Fine, how about no hugs from now on?" Rhonda smirked. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry?" Arnold nervously smiled. "Now that's more like it. How about hugging me as an apology now?"

Arnold merely laughed as he hugged Rhonda very tightly. "I didn't mean cut off my circulation!" Rhonda laughed.

Arnold laughed. "So, I'll walk you home and we meet at the park?"

"Actually, just to drop off my backpack, I think I'd rather stick around with you." Rhonda briefly giggled. Arnold only smiled as he held her hand, ready to walk home together.

As the two were walking along, Arnold then asked. "Hey Rhonda, what did you do with the rose I gave you yesterday?"

"I have it in a special little vase with water so it isn't dehydrated. I have it next to my bed, a little reminder I have to remember you by." Rhonda briefly giggled.

Arnold blushed as he smiled.

Soon enough, they reached Rhonda's home. "I'll be quick, wait here." She headed inside to leave her book bag.

A minute later

Rhonda soon exited her home. "Ready to go now?"

"Ready when you are." Arnold smiled at her.

The two held hands as they went to Arnold's place.

As they walked along, Rhonda had some curiosity in her mind. "Hey Arnold, I've always wondered. How come I always see you, you're never spending time with your parents, are they away, or what are they up to?"

Arnold froze for a second. "Arnold? Is… something wrong? Did I say something?" Rhonda looked at Arnold, whose smile was turned upside down. Arnold looked away from her as he held his arm.

Rhonda put a hand on his shoulder. "Arnold, you're scaring me, what's wrong?!"

"It's nothing, it's nothing…" Arnold sniffled a little. "I can tell something's wrong, and you're not fooling me. Arnold please, what's wrong?!"

Arnold sniffled once more before he embraced Rhonda. She could only hug him back as she rubbed his back a little wanting to make him feel better.

"Shhhh… Everything's alright, Arnold. Everything is alright, I'm here. Shhhh, there, there now." Rhonda tried to soothe Arnold as she heard a bit of muffled crying from her sweater.

Shortly after, Arnold managed to calm down, thanks to Rhonda.

"Feeling better, buddy?" Rhonda asked. Arnold nodded as he gave a weak smile at her. "Thanks, Rhonda." Arnold kept hugging her. "I'm always here for you." She gave a small smile as she hugged him.

Arnold soon had a small smile as he gave a slow kiss on Rhonda's cheek, making her blush.

They continued walking along as Rhonda soon asked. "Arnold, you still haven't answered my question, what's the deal with your parents? Are they gone, or what's going on?"

Arnold took a deep sigh. "In all honesty… I have no idea what is of my parents right now. I've seen them ever since I was just a baby. I was told they had to take a trip to try and cure an illness but that was the last time my grandparents ever saw them." Arnold then put his hands in his pockets as he hung his head.

Rhonda reached into his pocket and held his hand. Arnold looked at her slightly confused. "I may not know how it is to grow up without parents, but I can tell you this. Arnold, you're the sweetest and most adoring person I've ever met, and the fact that you don't have your parents with you, it just breaks my heart. But Arnold, just know that I'll be here, alright?" She gave a comforting smile.

Arnold didn't say anything as he just went in for a tight hug. "You really couldn't hug me any tighter, could you?" She laughed a little. Arnold only smirked as he hugged her tighter. "I didn't actually mean it!" Rhonda said as they started laughing.

They soon continued walking to Arnold's place.

Ten Minutes Later

"I never would've thought you ever had cleats. I mean for baseball probably, but for football? I never would've thought that."

"It actually helps against slipping in the grass with regular shoes." Arnold replied.

Shortly after, they arrived at the park where they always play at.

Helga scoffed. "About time you two dorks showed up! Alright, people, I'll be deciding the matchups! Anyone disagree?" She held up a fist. Nobody said anything.

"Alright, anyone not playing just go over there." Most of the girls sat out except Nadine. "Alright, Gerald, you versus Nadine. Football head, you and me are next." Helga glared at Arnold. He merely rolled his eyes.

"Tall hair boy, you'll be wide receiver. Spider girl, you'll be the cornerback."

"Ugh, why can she never call us by our names." Nadine complained. Gerald only rolled his eyes.

Five Minutes Later

Unfortunately for Gerald, Helga was throwing the ball and harder than a normal quarterback would.

He ran one of his trick routes but the ball was thrown too hard his way, making it rather impossible to catch.

"Again!"

Gerald slowly got up since he tripped trying to catch it. He lined back up as Helga snapped the ball barely giving him a chance to catch his breath.

This time he just ran a hail mary route. Helga threw the ball, Gerald tried jumping for it but instead ended up tripping himself along with Nadine. Gerald took a minute to get up as Arnold and Nadine checked on him. Helga didn't even bother as she just tapped her foot impatiently.

"You sure you wanna go once more?" Nadine asked. Gerald nodded as he was breathing heavily. "Yeah… yeah one more." He finally got up.

Nadine and Gerald lined up once more as Helga snapped the ball. Gerald ran a slant route but Nadine kept close. Helga threw the ball his way, Gerald tried jumping for it, and so did Nadine. Unfortunately, they just ended up jumping for no reason and just tumbled onto each other as the ball was way out of reach.

"That ain't fair! Why'd you throw it that far, Pataki!?" Gerald immediately got up in frustration. She only shrugged as if to say she didn't care.

Gerald and Nadine were practically frustrated as they soon went to sit down and watch the others.

"Alright football head, you and me, now." Helga glared at Arnold. He was phased as he tightened his receiving gloves.

Arnold was at wide receiver with Helga as cornerback. Arnold lined up as he looked over at Rhonda. She waved at him as she then winked and blew a kiss to Arnold. Arnold blushed as he smiled at her. Rhonda smiled back at him.

They had Stinky in at quarterback since Gerald was too tired to do it.

Stinky snapped the ball as Arnold immediately took off and ran a slant. Helga was a little slower so instead she 'tripped' herself over and yanked Arnold's foot right as Stinky threw the ball.

The two fell but Arnold immediately got up. "What was that for?" He questioned angrily. "I tripped, yeesh. Can't even trip over once without you getting skeptical." She rolled her eyes as she immediately lined up.

Once again, Stinky snapped the ball as Arnold ran his trick route. He was much faster than Helga so he got wide open with ease. Stinky threw the ball in his direction, Arnold jumped to grab it and managed to pull it in as he roughly landed on his back but immediately got up. Helga was extremely frustrated but had to wait for her chance.

Arnold looked over at Rhonda, who he could see was slightly giggling when he looked over. He could only smile.

Seven Catches Later

It was the eighth snap as Arnold just ran a simple hail mary route. Stinky threw the ball deep to Arnold. Helga had enough as she tripped herself along with him, but Arnold extended out and still made the catch, surprising everyone that watched. Arnold held onto the ball while Helga got up and stomped back into position. Arnold was a little slow to get up since he landed roughly on his arm. Gerald and Stinky went to check on him.

"Yo Arnold! You okay man? Took a hard fall there." Gerald started. Arnold slowly got up as he held his arm. "I'm alright, maybe a little hurt though but I'm fine."

"That was one stupendous catch! I ain't ever seen anyone make that kind of catch!" Stinky said. "You better sit for a minute. You took a college-level hit there man!" Gerald suggested. Arnold only nodded as he went to sit for a brief moment.

Rhonda soon approached Arnold and put her arms around him. "You doing okay?"

Arnold smiled as he looked over at her. "I'm doing a lot better now that you're here." Rhonda giggled as she briefly rested her head on his shoulder. Arnold only smiled as their heads briefly touched. Gerald only smirked at the two.

Before Arnold went back in for one more play, Rhonda gave him a long kiss on his cheek. "Good luck, buddy." She went back with the other girls as Arnold got up, blushing.

Arnold lined up for one more play. The ball was snapped as he ran a simple route. Arnold hadn't realized Helga was backed up. Stinky threw it his way, but right as Arnold caught it, Helga tackled him extremely hard. Not only did it knock the ball loose, but Helga also tackled him extremely hard that he ended up hitting his head against the grass, knocking him out. He just laid face first in the grass as Helga dusted her hands off as if she did something.

Gerald, Nadine, Phoebe, Rhonda, and the others went to check on him. "Arnold, you alright?" Sid looked over. Gerald and Phoebe took a brief look over him. "Okay, he's still breathing. He took a very hard hit." Phoebe said.

"We ain't even talking the professional leagues for a hit this big! This ain't even high school football!" Gerald soon said.

As they continued to check on him, Helga had already snuck out of there, in disgust for what she was basically forced to do. She only pulled out her locket as she walked away.

Rhonda couldn't believe what even happened. She felt helpless to do anything. All she did was run her hand through his hair as she looked at the others. Shortly after, as she ran her hand through his hair, Arnold slightly moved as he groaned in agony.

Phoebe put a hand on him. "Arnold? Are you feeling okay?"

"Phoebe? Is that you talking?" He slowly sat up as he held his head. "What hit me? An eighteen-wheeler semi-truck?"

"I hate to tell you this, it was Helga Pataki." Gerald said. "She was way backed up from you and immediately tackled you hard." Sid said.

"Now that's too far, even for her." Harold soon said.

Arnold groaned as he felt like someone dropped a metal blue whale on him. Rhonda got onto her knees as she leaned close to Arnold and put an arm over his shoulder. "I think we should end this game early. We can't continue after this!"

Everyone agreed with her. "Rhonda's right. After a nasty hit like that, we can't continue, especially with Arnold being injured now." Phoebe started. "Arnold, I think it's just best for you to stay at home and heal up. I don't think it's best for you to do anything else."

Arnold only nodded as he tried getting up, but only collapsed onto his knees. Rhonda helped him up as she put his arm over her. "I think I should help you home. Just to be on the safe side."

"To help him home? Or to MFF-"

"Gerald!" Nadine covered his mouth.

Rhonda only blushed. She then started walking home with Arnold as he held his head again.

Phoebe, Gerald, and Nadine looked at each other. "I think better find Helga, She has explaining to do!" Gerald said. Phoebe and Nadine nodded in agreement. Soon, they left the park as the other kids left as well, hoping Arnold was alright.

That does it for this chapter! Just a little heads up, I probably won't post on Monday and/or Tuesday since I have minor neck issues but I'll soon be back. Hope to see you in the next!