Here we go with the next chapter of the story! Anyway, enjoy!
As Arnold and Rhonda stepped outside, Rhonda took a moment to observe the beach as she gave a smile. "Hm mm. I have to admit, Arnold, doll, it's a nice little beachfront. I know I might have said it already, but-"
"No, I agree." Arnold smiled. "So, what do you think? Help me with the sandcastle, and then hang out?"
"Oh, Arnold, it would be a delight." Rhonda smiled as she looked over towards the other house and squinted. "Hey Arnold, isn't that the Pataki car coming over towards the… other house not too far from us?"
Arnold raised his eyebrow as he squinted over to see… indeed, the very familiar vehicle Helga's parents owned was coming over to another house that was next door to the duplex. Arnold's eyes widened in surprise as he seemed to recognize the figures. "It is Helga's family's car! I guess they decided to go down on vacation. Maybe we better go say hi to Helga."
Rhonda frowned a bit. "No offense, Arnold, but do you really think WE should be the ones to welcome her? After all, she doesn't really get along well with the both of us… and you know she's going to pick on you the minute you approach."
"I will admit, that's true…" Arnold sighed, before shaking his head. "Nevertheless, though, she IS one of the people that also keeps our heads straight."
Rhonda opened her mouth to respond, only to pause as she closed it, thinking about what was said. "Hmmm… that is also true." She shook her head. "BUT! I don't want the first thing on my vacation to be Helga coming in and complaining…"
"I know, I know…" Arnold sighed, before smiling. "Tell you what, Rhonda. You go wait by my sandcastle, and I'll go greet Helga. I'll be right back, and it'll be just the two of us. Fair deal?"
Rhonda looked over towards the football headed boy with a small smile on her face. "It's a deal!"
With that, Arnold and Rhonda went two ways, with Arnold going over to Rhonda to greet Helga (who was struggling with getting ALL the luggage out of the trunk and into the house) and Rhonda walking around and sitting next to the sandcastle as she examined it. She bent down on her knees and examined the sandcastle with her eyes as she couldn't help but give a smile.
"Huh. I have to admit, it's a nice sandcastle…" Rhonda said to herself as she looked over towards the shovel and pail. Giving a small smile, Rhonda whistled as she started to shovel around the castle. Sure, it may look a bit childish, but the young woman was also an artist, so maybe she could contribute something to his little creation… like maybe a moat. Of course, this was more of a present for the cute football headed boy she admired.
Before she could even realize that she called him cute in his head, she felt a shadow lurking over. Rhonda turned around in confusion as she raised an eyebrow to see an older blonde girl wearing a purple bathing suit with a pink heart in the center, and blue jean shorts bending over and giving a grin.
"That is a fantastic sandcastle." The older girl said with a smile.
"Well, yes, it is." Rhonda nodded as the girl smiled towards the young woman.
"My name is Summer. Yours?"
"Uh… Rhonda." Rhonda frowned, looking up at the older girl in suspicion.
"Well, Rhonda, you must be an artist, because that is the best sandcastle I've ever seen! I bet you'd be a shoo-in at the sandcastle competition at the beach festival this weekend." Summer explained with a smirk on her face.
"Oh, well, see, I'm just… this isn't actually my sa-" Rhonda tried to explain, before she stopped short. "Did you say sandcastle competition?"
"Oh yes. You see, this weekend, there's a sandcastle competition that goes on every March of the year, and usually, first place usually gets a small trophy and a check, but this year is different, because…" Summer grinned. "Have you heard of this little show called 'Babewatch'?"
"Yeah, I'm a casual watcher…" Rhonda said in curiosity.
"Well, first place gets to hang out with the cast and crew of Babewatch, who happen to be the judges for the sandcastle competition this year… not only that, but they will also get to film a scene with the crew for a future episode!" Summer explained as she gave a chuckle, noting Rhonda's starry-eyed look. "You look so adorable with that look, and I don't blame you. Anyway, you seem like the type that could build a great sandcastle… judging from the way you built it…"
Rhonda sighed happily as thoughts of Dennis Musclemoff ran through her head… before yelping as she heard the words, "I think you can go places, kid, as long as you're with me."
"H-huh?" Rhonda blinked twice as she turned to Summer in confusion.
The girl, who Rhonda was sure was thirteen, paused as she gave a grin. "With your building skills, and my help, I'm sure to bring you and me to the top… don't you want a chance to meet up with the cast… be a star…" Summer grinned as Rhonda seemed to be excited over the idea.
But Rhonda shook her head. "Uh, no, no, I can't do that."
This was not the answer Summer expected, however, as she frowned. "Are- are you kidding me? I don't think you get what I'm telling you. Your building skills are superb, and they could easily win me the-" Summer then started to shake her head. "-I mean, YOU, the first prize! I'm offering to be your partner, your agent, and-"
"I didn't build this sandcastle." Rhonda simply said.
This stopped Summer short in her tracks. "Uh, wha?"
"I didn't build this sandcastle. I was just adding a moat to surprise the one who actually built the sandcastle." Rhonda explained. "He's very close to me."
Summer blinked twice, before giving a smile. "Ohhhh… you have a brother, then?"
"No, I'm an only child." Rhonda shook her head.
"...cousin?" Summer asked. "Stepbrother? Fifth cousin twice removed?"
"Is everything okay over there, Rhonda?"
Rhonda gave a sigh of relief as Summer turned to see Arnold approaching the two. "Oh, Arnold, doll! Thank goodness. Summer, this is Arnold, the TRUE builder of the sandcastle. We're actually together."
"Together? As in-" Summer muttered, before her eyes widened in shock. Then, giving a nervous chuckle, she looked at her watch. "You know, I just remembered, I promised to meet my boyfriend over at the docks… uh, I gotta go. Sorry to disturb you, I hope you and your boyfriend have a pleasant time! Bye!"
And, just like that, Summer turned tail and ran away, realizing what she had just did as she slammed her hand across her face. "Ugh, I can't believe I just told a girl who ALREADY HAS A BOYFRIEND about the competition… and that I went to the wrong person with this information… ugh, stupid, stupid, stupid!"
With that, Arnold and Rhonda could only watch as Summer went off, as Arnold raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who was that, Rhonda? And why did she think I was your boyfriend?"
"I have no idea. I think she was a local here. But she did admire your sandcastle, and she told me there's a sandcastle competition happening this weekend." Rhonda explained.
"Really?" Arnold asked in pure curiosity.
"Yeah, first prize gets a check, a trophy, and a chance to not only hang out with the cast and crew of Babewatch, but also to be filmed in an episode." Rhonda smiled. "Wouldn't that be such a delight… imagine me, in one of my favorite TV programs… although, I will admit, I'm not really a good sandcastle builder…"
The football headed kid paused as he turned towards Rhonda with a sympathetic look on his face, before smiling. "Maybe I can teach you."
The young girl looked over towards her blonde haired friend in surprise as Arnold explained, "I'm glad you think my sandcastle is great, and if someone else thought you built my sandcastle, then maybe this competition is worth entering… why don't we enter as a pair?"
Rhonda's eyes widened in surprise as she said, "Oh, Arnold, doll, you really don't have to-"
Rhonda then felt Arnold take her hand as she looked down at him and blushed. Arnold knelt down to one knee before looking up. "Rhonda, I know you, and you have a taste for style that I personally know. So, while I like to take a look at the simple things in life, you like to be more… extravagant, looking for angles people miss… you have a sharp mind, Rhonda, and I admire you for that."
"R-really?" Rhonda blushed a bit as she giggled.
"Certainly! And best of all, we have all the time in the world to practice." Arnold smiled. "Plus, it'll give us both something to do while the adults are doing their own thing. Plus…" The football-headed kid paused as he let go of Arnold's hands. "I may not watch a lot of this… Babewatch… but I suppose being on a television show is on my bucket list."
"Well, then…" Rhonda smiled. "Allow me to assist you, partner!"
"Oh, Rhonda!" Arnold laughed a bit as the two of them looked at each other for a few moments, smiling. After a moment, Arnold looked over towards the sandcastle and noticed a part of a round hole was dug around the castle. "You were trying to add a moat, weren't you?"
Rhonda could only nod a bit as the young boy said, "Like I told you, you see an angle, you take it! That's what I admire about you the most, Rhonda…"
Rhonda giggled a bit as she looked it over. "Do you want to add any more to the sandcastle?"
"No thanks… I think I did enough for today, but we can try practicing tomorrow, if you prefer…" Arnold smiled as he offered his hand to her. "How about, for today, we take a walk through the town, see what it has to offer… and if we see anything fun we'd like to do, we'll talk about it, and we'll do the activity on one of those days."
"As long as the sandcastle competition is reserved next Friday." Rhonda pointed out.
"Right, especially then!" Arnold smiled as he offered her his hand. "Shall we, my dear Rhonda?"
"Of course, Arnold, doll." Rhonda giggled as the two grabbed hands and walked off together, unaware that from behind, a certain blonde haired girl had been watching them in anger. "Oh, by the way, how was Helga?"
"Oh you know, she was being her usual self. Wanting me to stay out of her business, don't cross her, the usual Helga schtick." She heard Arnold saying. "I did also mention you were here too, and that you were my neighbor."
"And what did she say?" She heard Rhonda asking.
"Nothing really, except that it was interesting to know that fact. Still, she seemed a bit moody." Arnold said, but both Arnold and Rhonda were too far away at this point that she coudln't hear the last bit.
"I can't believe this is happening! Both Arnold and the princess… BOTH laughing and smiling and… ugh, that should be ME down there, with the smiling and the laughing! And that should be ME being excited for that sandcastle competition!" Helga grumbled angrily… before taking a deep breath. "Well, I refuse to let this injustice go unresolved! I'm not letting some rich princess take my Arnold AWAY from me!"
Helga frowned… before pausing as she gave a sigh. "Of course, I guess I should be thankful that Arnold is with someone he and I KNOW rather than that blonde bimbo I saw the two talking to earlier… whoever that was, I guess she thought they were dating…"
Helga chuckled a bit… before pausing. "Still, that worries me. I need to know EXACTLY what they're going to do, and I need to be clever about it…"
It was then she heard another car pulling up around the corner as she turned to see another vehicle pulling up to the duplex that Helga and her family was staying in. Helga's eyes widened as she saw Curly coming out of the car, before giving a small smirk.
"...and I think I may have an idea on my stool pigeon…" Helga chuckled as she left the area and started to approach Curly just as his parents entered in the house. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Curly, the crazy kid of the hour."
Curly blinked twice. "Wait… Helga?!"
"Hello there. Nice to see you too." Helga crossed her arms.
"Yeah, yeah, I don't have time for your usual bullying ways… I have to get settled in and find a certain Lloyd girl… you know, my dear sweet Rhonda? I hear she's here."
"Hmmm… you're in luck, Curly. Because I happened to have seen Rhonda… and she's currently hanging out with a familiar face…" Helga said with a smirk.
This stopped Curly in his tracks as he lowered his sunglasses and turned towards the blonde haired girl. "What familiar face would THAT be?"
"Well, I don't mean to point fingers, but last I heard, she seemed to be hanging out with one Arnold Shortman…" Helga said with a smirk.
This made Curly's head shoot up in shock.
That's the third chapter completed! How did you guys like it? By the way, no, Summer's not appearing for the rest of the story, she's just here for a 'hi/bye' sort of scenario... but she did plant some seeds in the young kids's minds... anyway, next time, we'll have a montage of Arnold and Rhonda having fun together, with Helga and Curly trying to break up the two! And all the while, we'll see Buckley and Brooke having a nasty encounter with one of the boarders! Which one? You'll find out in due time! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!