Chpater#20: Just do what you gotta do.

The next morning Arnold went to open the door to find Gerald standing there.

"Gerald?." He wasn't expecting to see him till they got on the bus.

"Yo what's this I hear about you leavin'?."

"Who told you that?." Arnold asked him.

"The girls. Please tell me you were trippin' man, tell me you ate your Grandma's Chili con Carne and it messed with your brain and made you say stuff, tell me you were drunk or smoked something even I'd believe that! Just tell me you ain't leaving!."

Arnold looked away sadly. "I wish I could Gerald." He mumbled sadly.

Gerald sighed and sat on the boarding's house's stoop, Arnold sat beside him.

"You understand Gerald… I haven't seen my parents for years and-."

"I understand… I kind of expected this to happen."

"So how'd Helga take it?."

"How do you think?."

"Did she punch you?." Gerald chuckled.

"Thankfully no." Arnold chuckled and sighed. "But she did cry… she calmed down a little later when she went back to Rhonda's place."

"I'm sure she'd be the one who'll miss you the most… beside me of course"

Arnold smiled apologetically at his pal and looked ahead. "Wait." He turned back to him. "You said the girls told you?."

"Yeah, Timberly, Jamie-O and I went over to Slausen's for a late snack and we came across them."

"I see. So did you talk to Phoebe?."

Gerald shook his head.

"Last night was ever so sad." Lila said as she slipped the lip balm over her lips.

"You can say that again, look at these dark circles! Ugh!." Rhonda groaned as she checked her face at the girl's bathroom mirror in school.

Helga barged in followed by Phoebe. The girls looked at the blonde like she had grown two heads.

"Didn't you say you weren't coming today Helga?." Sheena asked.

"I changed my mind." She replied and sat over the counter.

Sulking at school was better than sulking at home… especially if you were a Pataki.

"Ok here's the deal." Helga started like a general giving out orders. "Football-head's leaving in three weeks and we're gonna throw him a goodbye party that'll make him feel guilty for leaving us. I'm gonna talk to his folk's and see if they could help arrange a surprise party for him on the roof of the boarding house, Phoebe here will be sending out invitations, we need people to take care of the refreshments."

The girls smiled at their stubborn friend.

"You can count on me for that one." The princess announced.

"Can I count on you for something else Princess?." Helga asked.

"Sure, what about?."

"Keeping your mouth shut about this party."

"What do I look like Helga? Entertainment weekly?."

"Well you're kinda more of- a talker." Phoebe tried to sugarcoat her accusation of Rhonda being PJHS118's Gossip queen.

"Do you want me to take care of the refreshments or not?." She threatened to which the girls agreed to trust her.

"Leaving? But you can't leave Arnold! What are we gonna do without you?." Sid told him during lunch as he and the boys sat at their usual table.

"What do you mean?." Arnold asked.

"Dude you're like PJHS 118's Dr. Phil." Harold explained.

"Oh come on." Arnold chuckled and took a sip of his milk.

"Remember when you helped overcome my fear of heights?." Joey reminded.

"Remember when you made up for my broken bike?." Eugene joined in.

"Remember when you were always there for me whenever I'd flip out?." Curly reminded.

'And still nothing stops you.' Arnold thought to himself.

"Remember when you helped me with my weight problem?." Harold reminded. "Among other things?."

"Remember when you helped me see the truth about Ruth?." Sid smiled at him.

Arnold smiled back at Sid and then turned to the rest of the rest of the boys.

"It's no big deal, I guess you just gotta do what you gotta do… be useful on this planet and stuff.." he shrugged.

"Ya whatever mother Teresa." Harold mocked. "Anyways, you're leaving, we can't stop you but, we can throw you a farewell party."

All the boys agreed.

Joey inwardly sighed...

I guess this isn't a good time to ask for his advice...

"My place on the roof?." Arnold suggested.

"There's no better place to party." Harold patted the smaller boy's shoulders.

"A party on his roof? Curly we were gonna make him a surprise party." Rhonda pouted at her boyfriend as they sat in Slausen's sharing a sundae.

"But Rhonda, babe he already knows about the party now." Curly placed a hand over Rhonda's.

"Unless." She gave him a wink as she took out her cell phone from her bag.

"Unless what my swan?." He got up and followed her outside of the ice cream parlor.

"Helga, Arnold knows- I know! I know! look, I got a plan. We'll make the party a day earlier- uh-huh, everything else goes just as we've planned- make sure you let the girls know- because I'm on a date at the moment Helga!- fine! Bye."

"That was really smart Rhonda." Curly cooed.

Rhonda was really getting sick of the lovey-dovey nicknames he called her but she couldn't tell him that…

For the sake of his sanity…

"Hey look! It's the Curhonda." Harold teased as he and the boys were passing by after a game of baseball.

"Curhonda?." Rhonda almost choked on the name.

"Yeah you know, just like the joint names coupled celebs have." Eugene explained.

"I know what it is!." Rhonda was furious but reverted back to pretending how she loved being with Curly. "And it's cute." She tittered as she faced Curly.

"Whatever, let's get outta here boys before I throw up." Harold rolled his eyes and started walking away. The boys following him.

Sid stopped for a second to see Rhonda rolling her eyes as she was being pulled back inside the parlor with Curly.

He's making her even more miserable with him than when he wanted her to be with him!.