Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the lack of updates. I've been having troubles getting the next chapter of A Twist of Fate out the way I want it to, but I promise I'm trying to work on it. In the meantime please enjoy this one-shot. It's a little ramble-y, but I'm actually pretty happy with the way it turned out.
Spin
Helga Pataki sighed heavily as she sat down on the floor next to Phoebe, trying to figure out why she agreed to come to Rhonda's party in the first place. She could barely stand most of her classmates when they were sober; they irritated her even more when they were drinking. She could have strangled Rhonda when she suggested they all play spin the bottle. The last thing she wanted was to have one drunken classmates slobbering all over her.
Helga's eyes scanned the circle to see who she might have the 'pleasantry' to kiss. She didn't hold back a groan when she looked at the potentials. With her luck she'd get stuck with Brainy or, she shuttered, Curly. At sixteen she would still catch Brainy breathing heavily behind her in the oddest places and Curly was the same twisted little freak he was when they were nine.
Of course there was one or two…Well one guy she wouldn't mind kissing. She took a long drink from her Yahoo soda as she carefully and as subtly as she possible eyed the blonde boy sitting on the other side of the circle. He was sitting in between Gerald and Sid and he was the only one besides Brainy and Helga not drinking some form of alcohol.
Brainy had always offered his services as designated driver ever since he got his got his driver's license, which Helga had to admit, was really cool of him. Arnold, like Helga, just wasn't a drinker. Helga wasn't sure of Arnold's reasons for never drinking. For Helga it was because of the near crippling fear she had of ending up just like Mariam if she ever drank.
Helga snapped her head to the side when she and Arnold locked eyes for a moment. Oh God, did he notice her looking at him? Helga felt her cheeks blush as her breath quickened slightly in panic at the thought. Though her obsession with Arnold dwindled slightly over the years, she knew it was pathetic that she still had feelings for him. It was even more pathetic that she was still too chicken shit to tell him about those feelings. At least she had gotten rid of the shrines.
Helga knew she had gotten nicer since elementary school, so maybe she could have a chance with Arnold. She wasn't the school bully anymore. She was still sarcastic, blunt, and honest (well honest about everything other than her feelings for Arnold) as ever. She still had a wicked temper, which she had Bob to thank for. She still called Arnold Football head, but everyone knew it was a nickname for Arnold rather than an actual insult. She nearly asked him about a dozen times since they entered high school, but she lost her nerve every time and just ended up insulting him in some way instead.
She glanced over what the other girls were wearing, silently comparing it to what she decided to wear that night. Maybe the Hillwood Hogs sweatshirt she got from being on the softball team and the black yoga pants she wore was a bad idea. The other girls were wearing nice jeans or skirts. She frowned, how was no one else wearing sweats?
"Okay, since spin the bottle was my idea, I get to go first!" Rhonda proclaimed with a slight drunken giggle as she placed a vodka bottle in the middle of the circle and spun it. Helga snickered as Rhonda groaned when the bottle landed on Curly.
"Pucker up sugar lips!" Curly shouted with a toothy grin.
Rhonda rolled her eyes as Curly crawled across the circle to her, "If you use tongue I will murder you." She threatened before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"Just remember Princess this was your brilliant idea." Helga pointed as Rhonda wiped her lips with her sleeve before she retreated to her spot between Nadine and Sheena.
Rhonda rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Nadine you're up."
Helga had to admit, the pairings the bottle landed on were extremely amusing. Nadine had to kiss Brainy, Peapod kissed Phoebe, when Park spun the bottle it landed on Patty, and Harold kissed Lila. It was Gerald's turn now. The bottle spun around the circle several times before landing on Sheena. The shy girl blushed, "You don't have to kiss me Gerald if you don't want to."
Gerald smiled, "Get over here Sheena." He placed a small kiss on the cheek, knowing Sheena probably wasn't comfortable with him kissing her on the lips.
Helga took another drink of her Yahoo soda when it was Arnold's turn and nearly choked on the liquid when the bottle landed on her. Helga felt her cheeks turn red, praying that no one noticed, "I had garlic and onion at supper, so good luck with that Football Head. Ha-ha" Helga warned with a nervous as Arnold made his way to her.
"Whatever you say, Helga." Arnold muttered before he brought his hand to her cheek, cupping it softly as he lips met hers. The kiss was closed mouthed, yet slightly longer than a simple peck. Slowly, Arnold pulled away. "Your breath is fine." He whispered to her with a smile before returning to his spot in the circle.
The pairing became even more random after that. The bottle landed on Patty for both Brainy and Curly, Lila had to kiss Lorenzo and Lorenzo kissed Nadine. "Your turn." Lorenzo handed the bottle to Helga.
Helga sighed, "Okay, let's get this over with." She mumbled as she flicked her wrist to spin the half empty vodka bottle. Someone good. Someone good. Someone good. She chanted silently as she watched the bottle spin around and around inside the circle. Her heart stopped when bottle did.
Arnold.
The bottle landed on Arnold.
"Oooh!" Rhonda clapped her hands excitedly, "You all know what this means right?"
"No." Helga and Arnold answered in unison.
"Since the bottle landed on Helga for Arnold then landed on Arnold for Helga that means you have use tongue this time." Rhonda announced.
"Umm…What?" Helga asked her heart was practically beating out of her chest.
"Hey, don't look at me." Rhonda said, "I didn't make up the rules." She clapped her hands, "Get at it you two!" She took a long drink of her beer as she watched the two blondes slowly make their way to the center of the circle.
"We don't have to do this…" Helga whispered when she met Arnold at the center of the circle.
Arnold raised an eyebrow, "You don't want to kiss me?" He paused just for a moment, watching Helga nervously scratch her arm through her sweatshirt. "Come on; let's just get this over with."
Helga's eyes closed as their lips met. To her surprise Arnold was the one to slip his tongue against hers. Helga returned the kiss, mingling her tongue with his. After a few seconds, knowing Rhonda and others should be satisfied with their kiss Helga was about to pull away when she realized she couldn't.
Arnold had his fingers tangled in her hair, pulling her deeper into their kiss. His other hand was placed on her lower back, his fingers twisted into the fabric of her sweatshirt. He's kissing me because he actually wants to kiss me, Helga realized. Her heart was soaring, her lips curved into a smile against his and she wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to break the kiss until they both were in desperate need for air.
"Guys?" Rhonda watched to two blondes wide eyed and shocked that the kiss was still going on. "I think…I think that's good now…I think its Phoebe's turn now…"
"Actually Rhonda..." Phoebe giggled, "I think the game is over." She stood up, "But playing spin the bottle really was a brilliant idea."
End