Kuki pulled Wally's arm as she led him into Hoagie's parent's basement. "Come on! It's going to be fun!"
Wally groaned as she dragged him along.
Hoagie's family was hosting a Christmas party and had made a separate party in the basement for all the kids.
Wally wasn't the party type. Even as he was being pulled down the stairs, he was racking his brain to decide why he had come in the first place.
Kuki squeezed his hand and pulled him down the stairs.
Suddenly why he had come was completely clear to him.
Wally looked around at the half packed basement. He didn't even think some of the teenagers in the basement knew Hoagie. His parents must have sent a bunch of flyers to the school to invite them.
"Hi, Samantha!" Kuki smiled and waved to a cute brunette girl.
The girl, Samantha, waved back.
Wally decided that most of the teens were there because Kuki and Abby had invited them. The two did have high social influence.
"We're going to play spin-the-bottle, Kuki!" a girl with wavy blonde hair called from the open end of the basement with a large rug and some bean bag chair and an older couch all lined up around an old TV.
Wally put on his brakes as soon as he heard he worlds. "Whoa, I don't think so!" he said with all his sixteen year old strength.
Kuki nudged him on. "Come on! It'll be fun!" she coaxed with her usual get-whatever-she-wants voice.
Wally struggled to keep her away from the frightening area that held the evil game. He wouldn't risk Kuki kissing someone else for the chance that he might kiss her. He quickly looked around to see if there was something else he could distract he with. He saw a videogame system connected to the old TV and felt his brain kick into overdrive. "Why don't we play a video game instead?"
Kuki looked from Wally to the video games. "Okay!" she said excitedly.
Wally sighed in relief as he made his way through the tainted area. He helped Kuki turn the couch in front of the TV, and away from the overly hormonal teenagers.
Kuki grabbed a controller and turned on the TV and the game.
Wally played with Kuki for a long time being beaten badly more than he expected.
"Ooooh! Hoagie!" a girl hooted from behind them.
Kuki turned away from the TV and looked over the head of the couch. She wanted to see who had to kiss Hoagie.
Christina James crawled over and gave Hoagie a soft kiss on the lips.
Kuki whistled and turned back to her game. "Sorry, I wanted to see."
Wally shrugged as though it didn't matter. As long as she wasn't playing with them, he was happy.
Kuki lost the next round and sighed slightly. "Okay, let's do something else," she said in her sugary voice.
Wally felt his back stiffen. The spin-the-bottle game had finally ended, thankfully. A few people had made an area for dancing. He hated dancing and she always forced him.
"Let's play truth or dare next!" Samantha said excitedly.
"I'm in!" Kuki called as she started moving the couch again.
Wally worriedly followed her lead and sat beside her on the couch.
"Who wants to go first?" Samantha asked.
Kuki lifted her hand energetically. "I will!"
Wally silently complained about her wanting to be involved in these games. Was she trying to give him a heart attack?
"Okay," David Basley said, "truth or dare?"
Wally silently begged for her to choose truth.
"Truth!" she giggled.
Wally nearly sighed in relief.
"Have you been kissed?" David asked.
"Yep!" Kuki answered. She turned to Vicki Ringwald. "You next. Truth or dare?"
Wally suddenly found himself wondering if Kuki was talking about him or if she had kissed someone else. He hated this game already.
"Okay, now you," Raina Williams said to Wally.
"Me?" Wally said, pointing to himself. "I'm just watching."
"You can't just watch truth or dare," Samantha told him.
"Come on, Wally!" Kuki coaxed. "It's fun!"
Wally grumbled silently to himself. "Fine. One turn," he said as he readjusted himself. His hand touched Kuki's and he was surprised enough to nearly jump. He turned away from her, attempting to hide the pink rising in his cheeks. "Truth."
Raina smiled knowingly at him. "Okay. Do you have a crush on someone right now and who is it?"
Wally felt his gut flip. Why did he have to go into detail? "Maybe I'll do dare instead."
Vicki giggled at him.
"Then your dare is to kiss the girl you're crushing on," Raina said deviously.
Wally stood and began walking to the food table. "Pass," he said coolly.
"You're no fun," Samantha whined.
After three glasses of punch and more than enough pretzels, Wally considered pulling Kuki back to the TV to play Rock Band, but he was surprised to see her stand and begin trotting up the stairs. Wally caught up with her and grabbed her hand. "Where are you going?" he asked.
She grinned at him. "The bathroom. I'll be back."
Wally let go of her hand and heard a squeal from behind them.
"Kuki and Wally are under the mistletoe!" Raina said loudly.
Wally looked up and cursed silently.
Kuki looked to him and shrugged.
Wally shook his head.
Kuki stepped down to his level. "It's tradtion!" she pleaded.
Wally felt for too many eyes on him. "Not in front of everyone," he mumbled.
Kuki put her fingertips on his chin and pulled him closer. "I'll do it for you then." She rested her soft, warm lips on his and Wally felt his heart skip a beat.
All the eyes that had once been so present were gone in an instant. He was sure it was just the two of them alone now. He knew it was almost impossible, but he was sure he was smiling as she kissed him.
Kuki released him and smiled as she ran up the stairs.
Wally watched after her, knowing he was smiling like an idiot.
"I guess he did his dare after all," Rachel said to Hoagie.
Hoagie laughed and nodded.