Here's the next episode of this series, 'Tutoring Torvald'. Even though some of scenes in the episode will take place, we're still going to focus on guess who. Anyway, enjoy!

"One step, two step, three step, four! Up and back and shake some more!" Nadine and I chanted as I had my next turn at hopscotch. I sighed as I nodded.

"Not bad, Rhonda. You're really getting the hang of this." Nadine smiled to me.

"What can I say? Hopscotch is a very simple game, but it's pretty fun." I said. "Okay, let me try this again."

We decided to do the game again as I chanted the lyrics, while at the same time, I overheard Gerald and Arnold walking past, having a math conversation. I must have had the problem Arnold was giving in his demonstration to Gerald, because the next thing I knew, I was chanting, "Eight minus one is seven, seven plus two is nine, thus seve-"

I realized what I was doing and groaned. "Nadine, can I have my turn again, I got thrown off."

"Overhearing gossip/conversations again, are we?" Nadine asked.

"Oh shut up." I groaned... before our eyes spotted a familiar van. "Uh-oh. We may as well go to the side."

Nadine followed suit as she and I hid near the stairs. Walking out of the van was a third grader... however, this is no ordinary third grader. He was an older third grader with a blue bandana, a red ripped shirt, blue jeans and black boots. This was Torvald... and he was a thirteen year old, who, unlike Harold, who is just mean and tough for the fun of it, is just mean and tough to everyone who crosses his path. I watched as he gave a slight glare at Arnold, who smiled nervously. Torvald grunted... before moving along his way.

I sighed in relief... both for myself, and for Arnold's sake. "Why is Torvald always so mean to everyone?"

"Who knows?" Nadine sighed. "I guess being held back for a few years... can do a lot to somebody."

"I guess that's true." I said as we heard the bell ring. "Come on, we better meet up with Phoebe for class."

A little later that day, in math class, Miss Slovak was marching around as she was teaching us. I tried my best to pay attention without making myself look bored as Miss Slovak said, "Now remember people, we have a big math test on Friday, so let's practice our times table, shall we?"

Miss Slovak paused as she said, "Let's see, who shall I ask first? Rhonda, Arnold..."

I just had to roll my eyes at the mention of Miss Slovak mentioning me first. I may not be a good Social Studies student, but I know my math problems. Miss Slovak continued listing the students, "Phoebe, Harold... Torvald!"

All eyes turned towards the back of the class as we saw Torvald looking up, Miss Slovak asking, "What is three times three?"

"Uh... thirty-three?" Torvald guessed.

We all took a laugh out of Torvald's answer. Sheesh, no wonder he is so dumb. I mean, we all knew he would probably kill us outside the classroom if he had to, but in the classroom, we were well protected and Torvald couldn't harm us, so it wouldn't hurt to laugh at his expense. Miss Slovak went on to Torvald about how he was still stuck in class, and concerned for his grades... until she suggested...

"I am going to assign you a study buddy!"

Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!

A study buddy? As in, a tutor? For Torvald? Oh my God, I was praying, as were the other students. Out in the corner of my eye, I saw Arnold trying to hide himself amongst his math book, which I didn't blame him. Being assigned to Torvald equals... well... do the letters, R, I and P mean anything to anybody?

"Okay, how about... let's see..." Miss Slovak looked around. "Arnold!"

Yes! I wasn't chosen! Uh, I mean, oh no, Arnold was chosen.

Everyone in the class was starting to giggle slightly at the sight of Arnold going to be Torvald's math tutor... I think I was the only one, besides Gerald, to not giggle.

At lunch, Phoebe, Nadine and I were talking to each other as Phoebe asked, "Would you rather have been Torvald's tutor?"

"Well... no." I sighed. "But I wouldn't want to put in poor Arnold to be the tutor for Torvald. I've personally seen him on off days when I'm walking the streets. Torvald is beyond help."

"Well, you know Arnold, Rhonda." Nadine said. "If anything, maybe Arnold can find a way to make Torvald learn."

"Nadine, Arnold is not God." I sighed. "Sure, he can manage to get himself and ourselves out of situations if we had to... but he's not God. Besides, if he and Torvald are in the same house... TORVALD'S house, specifically..."

"Good point." Nadine shuddered. "I forget Torvald lives on the BAD side of town."

We all shuddered at that point as I said, "Well, whatever happens, I hope Arnold's made out that last will... I hope he leaves me that bookshelf."

Phoebe and Nadine glared at me as I said, nervously, "Uh, not because he has all those James Bond books, but because... it would look REALLY good in my room! Honest. That bookshelf is very stylish!"

"Sure..." Phoebe said, sarcastically.

"Come on, lunch will be over in a couple minutes." Nadine said.

I nodded towards my friends as we started packing it in.

Over the next two days, Nadine, Phoebe and I not only focused on some of our studies on the math test, but we also did a little more research on the disappearance of Tucker Wittenberg. We searched and searched for days and days... but no matter how hard we tried... we just couldn't find out the cause of what happened to Tucker. The mystery just kept getting bigger and bigger.

But at the same time, I kept my eye on Arnold whenever I passed by him. So far, it seems he and Torvald were doing okay. Maybe I've assumed Arnold wrong in that he wouldn't do it. Well, whatever he did, it seemed to be working good for him.

It was Friday, the day of the math test as we were all seated. It wasn't too hard, basic multiplication. Got stuck on a couple of problems, but other than that, it wasn't that hard. Torvald didn't come in until a couple minutes later (Arnold had successfully completed the test and handed it in by then) as he sat down and did his test. After checking and double-checking, positive that I got a few answers correct, I decided to hand in my test to Miss Slovak as I walked out the door, heading towards the school library, where Phoebe, Nadine and I agreed to meet.

As I walked out, I noticed Arnold waiting near the door. I'm betting it was probably for Torvald, wondering how he'd do. Well, let Arnold keep an eye on Torvald. There were bigger things on my mind.

"So, what's up for tomorrow, girls?" I asked as Phoebe and Nadine joined me.

"I was thinking we could probably do a little more research on the mystery of Tucker... see where he disappeared." Nadine said.

"You know our search went squat..." Phoebe said. "If we're going to go anywhere, we need to go talk with Curly..."

I groaned. "Do we have to?"

"Rhonda, I know you hate him, but he's our best lead right now..." Phoebe said.

"I suppo-" I started before we all heard the sound of gum-chewing and footsteps. I groaned. "Oh great... fifth-grade girls, sounds like."

Nadine, Phoebe and I kept ourselves scarce as we looked over towards two girls who just walked in and sat down. We put our nose deep in the books as we tried to ignore them, hoping they'd walk past... and as they walked past, my ears suddenly picked up something from the two.

"So, Maria, what do you think we should do once Burt and Tommy find out we got those "third" graders as our dates?"

A Spanish-sounding fifth-grader, probably Maria, told her, "Well gee, Connie, what d'ya think? We get the third graders on our good side, make our boyfriends jealous, they come to us, we ditch third graders and break their hearts. Simple."

"Indeed." The other fifth-grader, Connie, said. "These third-graders were pathetic though. Did you see the way they were TRYING to flirt their way through us? Cute, but keep trying, kid."

"Right. The 'didn't eat your vegetables stunts growth' bit? What a load." Maria giggled. "So, what do you think? I take the football headed kid, and you take the Marge Simpson haired kid?"

My eyes widened as I quickly glanced at Phoebe and Nadine, whose eyes widened as they overheard as well. A football-headed kid and a Marge Simpson haired kid? We knew two kids like that in our grade.

"Well, come on, we better get prepared." Connie sighed as she and Maria walked off.

"Right, don't want to be "soiled" for our 'date'." Maria said as they disappeared from view.

As they left, me, Nadine and Phoebe put down our books as I said, "Did you hear that?"

"We both did." Nadine said. "Looks like Arnold and Gerald got dates on Saturday with girls... fifth grade girls that are going to break their hearts."

"This is terrible!" I said. "Arnold and Gerald need to know about this!"

"I agree, Rhonda." Phoebe said. "But I doubt they'll listen when it comes to older girls on the mind. You remember Arnold having that crush on Ruth?"

I growled. "Don't remind me... but what do we do?"

"What were the boyfriends' names again?" Nadine asked as she smirked.

"Burt and Tommy. Why? You got a plan, Nadine?" I asked.

Nadine gave a huge smirk towards me and Phoebe as our eyes widened. Phoebe then said, timidly, "N-no, no, we wouldn't dare!"

"We are NOT going to ask the fifth-grader boys out to make the fifth grader girls JEALOUS of them!" I frowned. "It'll just end in disaster for the fifth graders! It would turn Arnold and Gerald off the older girls!"

Phoebe and I then smiled as we both said, "Let's go for it!"

Nadine smirked. Looks like we had a plan set in action!

And there is the eleventh episode! How do you like it? And I think I set up something for the next episode as well! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!