Wolfgang and Nadine [COMPLETED] | a Hey Arnold! Fanfic

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon, two days before Spring Break for P.S. 118. Arnold and the gang had been challenged for the umpteenth time by Wolfgang and the fifth graders to a game of football at the City Park. While the usual suspects (Arnold, Helga, Gerald, Sid, Stinky etc.) were busy getting down and dirty on the field, some of the less athletic nine year olds (Phoebe, Eugene, Sheena, Rhonda and Nadine) were sitting on the sidelines cheering on their fellow classmates.

As Rhonda was busy preening herself and admiring her reflection in her compact vanity mirror, Nadine was preoccupied with rooting around in her backpack.

"What are you looking for, Nadine?" asked Sheena.

"Just checking to see if Geoffrey is okay," replied Nadine, her eyes still fixated on the contents of her backpack.

"Is that your new bug?" asked Eugene.

"Yup. I found him on my way to school today, he's really special....wanna see?"

Nadine pulled out from her backpack a large glass cylindrical jar, housing a considerably large bright yellow beetle with black spots. Eugene and Sheena were visibly impressed.

"That's amazing! "remarked Sheena.

Nadine beamed. "Look, Rhonda – isn't he magnificent?"

Now, Rhonda was no stranger to grotesque sights (after all, she had to deal with Curly on a daily basis). But nothing could prepare her from looking at her own flawless face to the million tiny eyes of a creature roughly the size of her own palm. Naturally, Rhonda screeched and recoiled in horror at the sight of Nadine's latest conquest.

"Ugh! Get that repulsive creature away from me!" cried Rhonda, knocking the jar from Nadine's hands and onto the football field, where the lid had popped off upon impact.

"Oh, no – Geoffrey!" Nadine leapt from her seat on the sidelines and onto her hands and knees, frantically scouring the ground for her lost prize before it could take flight.

Meanwhile, it was overtime in the match between the fourth and fifth graders. Both teams were tied and the next score would determine the victor. The final play was made; the ball was passed to Edmund, who then looked to his teammates to see which among them was open for a touchdown.

"I'm open, I'm open!" yelled Wolfgang, waving his arms like a madman. Edmund took a step back and launched a long pass just before getting tackled to the ground by Stinky and Harold.

There was no one who could catch up to Wolfgang in time; all he had to do was complete the pass and the game was essentially over. Wolfgang ran with his arms outstretched, his eyes on the airborne pigskin, totally unaware that just a few yards in front of him, Nadine was still crawling about looking for her beetle.

"What the heck is Nadine doing on the field?!" asked Helga angrily.

"Willikers! Wolfgang's dang near about to trample her!" cried Stinky.

"Wolfgang, watch out!" yelled Edmund.

"Got ya!" exclaimed Nadine, dropping the jar over the beetle in triumph.

"Got ya!" exclaimed Wolfgang, just as the football landed squarely in his open palms. "What the-?!"

Only at the last second did Wolfgang and Nadine spot the other person. Nadine ducked and curled herself around the jar, protecting her specimen and bracing for impact. Wolfgang tripped over Nadine and found him sailing several feet in the air, out of bounds, and rolling down the hill bordering the field, running into a couple of unfortunate bicyclists, and finally stopping after colliding with a City Park trashcan. There was a horrible crashing noise upon impact, and all who witnessed the impact collectively groaned, fourth and fifth graders alike.

"I don't think he's okay," remarked Eugene.