Here's the first chapter/episode, depicting 'Downtown as Fruits'! Keep in mind, this is from Rhonda's point of view, so this is just focusing on the play! Enjoy!

The stage was almost all set, the play was about to be perfect. I, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, was very sure of the success of this play... but directing the play as assigned by our teacher... boy, was it tough. It was bad enough everybody is just reciting the lines, but every day, I have to deal with Arnold, who's off somewhere in his little imaginative world... not that there's anything WRONG with it, I think it's really cute the way he starts going into that trance... I had to shake my head to get that image out.

It was one of the final days before the play was about to begin, my friend Phoebe and Eugene were practicing for their scene for the Four Food Groups. I get that it's supposed to be educational, but I wanted this to be special... and I didn't want to be a witch about it, but I was. Maybe it was the responsibility, maybe it was my want for perfection... but either way, I was pretty frustrated. Arnold just walked onto the stage again... in that cute little trance of his... I shook my head as I groaned.

"Arnold, Arnold!" I yelled, getting his attention. Everybody was now laughing as, once again, Arnold looked down in embarrassment. I groaned in frustration as I yelled, "Please get off the stage, and snap out of that stupid trance of yours! I am TRYING to make the perfect scene here!"

"Yeah, sorry." Arnold sighed as he walked to the side. I sighed a little bit. I don't mean to yell at Arnold like that, I mean, he HAS been cast into the play as a fruit, but I've been taking this play REALLY seriously lately, and I didn't want that fowled up by someone who goes into a trance.

"All right, all right, let's try this again." I said... before the bell rang. Hmm, I guess school was ending... but I wasn't quite done with my cast members yet. "Hold up, people, hold up!"

"Oh come on, Rhonda, we know our lines!" Harold, the bully that would always either torment or be friendly with Arnold whenever he needs to, complained.

"I KNOW!" I almost yelled, but then took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I know, I know, but I don't just want to hear simple 'lines'. I want to hear you say these 'lines'... from your soul."

"Do vegetables have souls?" An irritating voice asked.

I groaned mentally. In case you didn't know, yes, one of my other classmates, Thaddeus Gammelthorpe... or "Curly", as all of us, including himself, call him, was in this play. Why or how I even let this bipolar geek into the play, I have no idea. Nevertheless, in my own fashion, I yell at the psycho geek that always keeps staring at me, "Maybe not, but the audience wants to see food with feelings, and this is what we want to give them!"

I looked around the cast, and spotted Iggy, looking at his script. "Iggy, what's your motivation?"

"Uh, I don't know. I'm a utensil." Iggy shrugged.

"Stinky, your motivation?" I barked.

Stinky, the southern speaking boy with the pointed ears and long nose, shook a little nervously as he fainted like a wet noodle. I had to groan. "I was afraid of this, you all suck."

I paused as I said to everyone in a firm voice, "Look, tonight is the play, so I want all of you here a half-hour early! If any of you happen to be late for at least ONE minute..."

I glared at Gerald, who I swear was making a face at me. ME! Who does that? "...well, I don't what I'm going to do, but you'll never know! That is all. You are dismissed!"

About ten minutes later that day, I was walking with my two friends, Phoebe and Nadine, I just sighed as I turned to them. "Hey guys, do you think I was being a little... too harsh back there?"

"Oh no, Rhonda. You were just showing some authority." Phoebe assured me. Ah, I can always count on good old Phoebe to back me up.

"It's probably just the stress and responsibilities talking." Nadine told me. As usual, the one with the pet tarantula was right.

"I guess so..." I sighed as Phoebe and Nadine took both my arms.

"You're worried about being harsh on 'him', aren't you?" Phoebe asked.

Boy, Phoebe ALWAYS knows what I'm thinking about, even when it's no big deal, they always know. "I don't mind being harsh at times, and Arnold's really cool. He and Gerald are perfect, in my opinion, their performances in rehearsals are great! Sure, I only ask them at least once or twice to do it again, but..."

"But the pressures of writing a play can be very hard at times." Nadine said as she patted me on the back. "I know life can be very difficult."

I sighed as I looked over to my friends. "You know, you're right. Despite everything I put them through, they all do good. Maybe it's all the stress talking."

"Do you have any idea when you're going to tell him?" Phoebe asked.

I sighed. "You know it's not that simple, Phoebe. I can't just march right up to Arnold and tell him, 'Hey, Arnold, I have something to confess, I've been secretly in love with you since preschool, will you be my special boy?' It's just doesn't work like that."

"Okay, okay, but you have to tell him eventually." Phoebe said as we all arrived at her house. "Well, I better get some homework before I get to the play tonight. See you guys then?"

"No worries, Pheebs." I smiled as Phoebe entered inside her house. "Come along, Nadine. We have a few things to do."

Nadine smiled as she stuck by me. "Lead the way."

After a little walk around and getting some work done with Nadine, I flopped down on my bed, a little exhausted, but relieved. I looked towards the clock. Five o'clock. Only three more hours until the play started.

I decide to sit down and relax as I look up towards the ceiling... I don't know if I can help it, but for some reason, I keep seeing images of Arnold. I just sigh lovingly as I pull out a little pink book and started to write down a little small poem.

'My sweet, my sweet, your pretty eyes,

They tangle like the stars at night.

No matter how I have some tries,

I just can't get you out of my sight.

I have my rights, you plainly see,

I really love you, can it be?'

Could it be? I sighed as I lay my head beneath my pillow, closing the pink book and closing it. I sighed. Maybe Phoebe and Nadine were right. I've been letting all the stress do the talking for me... well, I knew what I had to do.

I dug around my room to find the milk costume that was made.

It was later on tonight at around ten minutes to eight, everybody was sitting down in their seats, ready for the play to begin. I looked down at the milk costume I was wearing. I sighed in relief that that it was one of those slim bottles of milk, and not one of those cartons. I feel it fits me better than the carton. Phoebe was next to me, dressed as a piece of cheese. Everybody else was there, including my friend, Nadine, who was dressed as a piece of bacon for the meat section. Nadine never understood why I casted her as a piece of bacon, even though she's a vegetarian. Even though I think the costume is darling and I imagine what it would be like if I wore it (nice fit, but not really my fashion), I looked around at the kids that were there.

"Okay everyone, settle down, settle down." I said, gathering everyone's attention. "Now, I know what I said to all of you, and I may have been a little rough on all of you during the last couple of weeks..."

"A little rough?" the kid with the big nose, known as Sid, rolled his eyes as he was moving around in the egg suit provided.

"All right, all right, maybe a lot of rough. But I just want to tell you all, you all have been doing really good, and all I ask is for you to make me proud, okay?" I ask. "I'm sorry if I've been rough, but tonight's the big night, and I don't want to blow it. Anything that happens would fall right to me, and I was just worried. I guess I had nothing to worry about... what matters though, is you do a good job and you have fun, all right?"

All the kids nodded as I smiled. "Great. Okay, here's what we'll do. First, the legumes."

"I thought we were beans." A kid with glasses, though most of us refer to him as 'Pea-Pod Kid' said in confusion.

"They're the same thing, Pea-Pod Kid." I laughed a little. "Anyway, you're on first. Next up, meats, pull off your number and we should be fine. Fruits, you're..."

I suddenly stopped as I realized... we were missing two people. "Arnold, Gerald? Has anybody seen them?"

Phoebe then whispered in my ear, "They're not here, Rhonda, they never showed up."

"What?" I said in worry. Gerald I could understand being late, but it wasn't like Arnold to show up late. I took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, that's fine. So they're a little late. If they don't show up after the meats, we'll move on, and when they arrive, we'll get them to do their number quickly. Hopefully before the big finale. The fruits are our best acts yet!"

I turned to the others. "Proteins, break a leg, me with the dairy and utensils will, of course, be fabulous, and vegetables, you're our last group unless the fruits show up last. If they don't show up when you finish, stretch when I give the signal."

Everyone nodded as I said. "Okay, let's make this the best play of our lives!"

Everyone gave a cheer of excitement quietly as they were all prepared. I looked towards the door, worried for Arnold. Is he all right, I wonder?

The play started going great, but the fruits didn't arrive after the meats were done, so the proteins were the next number. I kept looking towards the door in concern. I was hoping nothing awful happened to Arnold.

"What if his bus got hijacked?" I whispered quietly, looking towards the door. "What if Arnold and Gerald got mugged? What if they're in the hospital? Oh God, I'll never live with myself if something bad happened to them..."

"Rhonda, we're next." Phoebe called to me.

"Of course we are." I sighed as I passed by Nadine. "Nadine, keep an eye on the door. If Arnold and Gerald come in, send them in after us, okay?"

"You got it." Nadine nodded as me and Phoebe went onstage to do our musical number.

Naturally, I gave out the best performance out of all the others, Arnold and Gerald notwithstanding... maybe it's the costume. After all, I look slimming in a bottle costume.

As soon as the vegetables came onstage, I walked up to Nadine as I asked, "Did they show?"

Nadine sadly looked down as she shook her head.

I was really starting to worry. Arnold would never show up late unless it was for a good reason. I looked towards the vegetables as they were doing their number. There were only three more minutes before their number ended. I sighed. "Something's wrong. I have to go look for them."

"Rhonda, you can't leave!" Phoebe said, trying to stop me.

"What about the finale?" Nadine asked. "The whole play? Aren't you worried it'll be ruined?"

"I know the play will be in ruins, but right now, I'm too worried about Arnold and Gerald. Something horrible must have happened. I'm going out to find them!" I said, grabbing a first aid kit.

Phoebe and Nadine looked at each other and smiled as they said to me, "You really are someone who cares."

"Of course I am." I smiled. "Actors before play, am I right? Phoebe, I need you to tell the vegetables to stall while I find them, Nadine, if things go from bad to worst, just move on without us."

"Rhonda."

"I know, I know, the fruits need to do their number, but if they're not here, what good is the fruit number? Nadine, just move on with the finale like nothing is wrong, okay?"

"Rhonda. I don't think you need to worry about the play getting a move on." Nadine asked.

"Why not?" I asked in concern.

"Hey, Rhonda, sorry we're late."

I jumped in shock as I turned to see a banana wearing Arnold and a strawberry wearing Gerald running inside. They seemed exhausted, and for some reason, both of them smelled like garbage.

"Arnold? Gerald?" I said in surprise. "So... your bus didn't get hijacked?"

"No." Arnold shook his head.

"You guys didn't get mugged?" I asked.

"No." Gerald shook his head.

"You're not in the hospital?" I said in relief.

"No." Arnold and Gerald shook their heads.

I groaned as I felt angry. "Then where have you been, and why do your costumes smell like they were in the dumpster?"

"Rhonda, the vegetables are done." Phoebe whispered.

I sighed in relief. "Never mind. You guys are on. We will be having a talk later, though."

"All right." Arnold said, understanding, but Gerald gave a slight frown.

I realize that my stress was talking to me again as I calmed down. I smiled to the two as I said, "But seriously guys... good luck."

Arnold and Gerald nodded as they slid onto the stage, doing their number.

The play was a moderate success... as of course it would. But I wasn't quite finished with Arnold and Gerald yet.

I sat down with the two, still a little peeved that they chose near the end to show up. "Okay, I would like an explanation as to WHY you two were late... and why your costumes smell like garbage?"

"We're sorry, Rhonda. We didn't mean to make you worry." Arnold explained as Gerald rolled his eyes a bit. "You see, I guess it started in the afternoon, after you threatened us to show up a half-hour earlier... and me and Gerald made it to our bus, but we were in our costumes."

"...Why were you wearing your costumes on the bus?" I asked curiously. "Wouldn't it have made sense if you took your costumes with you and changed in the dressing rooms once you came in?"

"A lot of our clothes were in the wash, and these were the only things that we had." Arnold explained.

I blushed a bit. "Oh, okay... I guess I can see why you would desperately wear the costumes..."

"Anyway, we didn't mean to make you worry... but you've been being witchy lately to us during rehearsals, that we were afraid you'd probably do the same when we came in for doing the play." Arnold said. "Gerald got the crazy idea to just keep riding the bus, forget about the play... and I went along with it. But we got too far downtown, we got lost."

When I heard that Arnold and Gerald didn't show up because of me, I looked down, guiltily. "Keep going."

"Anyway, we tried to call Gerald's parents, but a line on the pay phone was cut. The next thing we knew, somebody threw us a sack of money, and the minute we had the money, we ditched the costumes and put them in the dumpster, after we bought some new clothes. We went for a little stroll around downtown, but it turned out the money was meant to be given to someone else, because we were being chased. The next thing we knew, we were at a psychic's tent inside an apartment as we talked to him, as Gerald and I realize that your play was about to be ruined unless we did something... we imagined you crying, Rhonda." Arnold explained.

I looked up to Arnold. I guess I could understand WHY Arnold and Gerald would ditch. If someone was being witchy to me throughout rehearsals, I'd probably have done the same.

"So we took the costumes back, called a taxi, gave the remains of the money to a nearby family whose car was broken down, and we made it to the play." Arnold said. "You're not angry with us, are you?"

I sighed. "No, honestly, I'm not angry... I'm actually relieved. Arnold, Gerald, I'm sorry I've been putting you through a rough time, but you have to understand from a director's point of view, it's not easy trying to do this play."

I looked up to the two as I said, "I guess I just want everything to be perfect. And the only reason I get witchy to both of you is because I want you guys to work harder. I'm not being angry with you, I'm just giving you helpful advice. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I guess." Gerald rolled his eyes as he laid his head back.

"Sure. Sorry we ditched." Arnold smiled.

Oh, that smile of his... I'd have confessed to Arnold right then and there.. if I wasn't reminded of the smell of the costume. "Uh, that's okay, Arnold. Listen, thanks again for giving a good performance. You two better get on home, though... and go shower. You two stink."

"Okay, Rhonda. We can do that." Arnold said as he and Gerald got up and walked off. "See you tomorrow at school."

"See you, Arnold." I waved as he and Gerald decided to go on their way.

As soon as they left, I gave a little bit of a lovesick smile as Phoebe came out, out of costume. "Did it go well?"

"I got their reasons, and they forgave me." Rhonda sighed. "I would have told Arnold... but that smell..."

"Yeah, we could smell the garbage from here." Nadine said as she patted me on the back. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance."

I smiled at my two friends. I can always rely on them for help. All in all, it was a successful night.

And there is the second chapter! How do you like it? Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!