Spin the Bottle

She wasn't sure what had inspired her to attend this party. It wasn't her best friend's argument of "you have to come, Hol!" and it certainly wasn't her interest in getting drunk off wine coolers, which was non-existent. If she was being honest with herself, it was because she needed to get away from the thoughts that had been burdening her for the last few months. That creeping realization that boys didn't give her that butterfly feeling in her stomach or that she didn't think of the guys in any of her classes as more than friends.

So for the first time in her short life, she'd decided to ease up and let loose, which is how she ended up at this party with the rest of her high school. She'd been slowly sipping her beer, casually moving from room to room. She wandered into one of the bedrooms, thinking her 'teenage rebellious' that had started a few hours ago was about to end and it was time to go home, when she stumbled, quite literally, into a game of spin the bottle.

Everyone looked up at her.

She turned to make a hasty exit when a voice called out "leaving so soon, Stewart? You afraid?"

She took a deep breath and squeezed into the circle. She wasn't one to cower at taunts and she certainly didn't cave to peer pressure, but when she saw the smug look on Gail Peck's face, her competitive side kicked in.

"Fine" she replied with confidence. "I'll even go next" she said as she spun. As soon as she let go of the empty beer bottle, she looked around at the group. She realized that she was sitting in a circle with some of the most popular kids at school. This is will be interesting she thought to herself.

She was quickly losing her confidence and could feel her heart rate increase as the bottle slowed. And then stopped. Pointing right at Gail Peck.

Fuck.

She forced her false bravado, smirked and started to move across the circle.

"What are you doing, nerd?" Gail asked her with a raised eyebrow. She could hear the other kids snickering.

"It's spin the bottle. Aren't we supposed to kiss?" The other spin the bottle participants started laughing even harder.

"Yeah, we're playing 'who are you going to sleep with tonight?'" she said slowly.

"Oh" was all Holly could manage.

"And you just got me. So let's get this over with" she snarked as she got up from the circle and headed for the door. Holly sat frozen. "Now, Stewart" she demanded.

She picked herself and followed Gail down the hall to another room. Gail had opened the door ahead of her and Holly could her barking at everyone to get out. When Holly passed through, Gail closed the door and locked it. Holly started to panic.

"Listen" she started, "I know I was trying to act all tough back there, but I-"

"Relax, Stewart. We're not having sex" she said she flopped onto the bed and pulled out her phone. Holly stood with her mouth agape, unsure of what just happened. She hadn't wanted to have sex with Gail, or anyone else, tonight, but she was confused about why the blonde had even been part of the game if she hadn't been serious about it.

Then it hit her.

"Is it because I'm a girl?" she asked as she crossed her arms, more annoyed than afraid of the answer. Gail sighed and put her phone down.

"No, it's not because you're a girl. And even if it was because you're a girl, it doesn't mean I'm homophobic, it could just mean that I'm not sexually attracted to women, so ease up on the judgement. Nobody would be surprised if you were a lesbian and didn't want to have sex with a man." Holly was on the defensive immediately, afraid that people already knew her secret.

"What do you mean 'if I was a lesbian'?" she snapped.

"Take it easy, tiger. I didn't mean that you are a lesbian, I was just speaking hypothetically" she said with wide eyes and a shake of her head. Holly unclenched, recognizing that she'd overreacted.

"Right. You do have a good point though, about sexual attraction."

"I know" she replied as she sat up and looked at her.

"Look, if you want to rejoin, my feelings aren't hurt" Holly told her. Gail was shaking her head before she'd even finished the sentence.

"Nope. Do you think I want to have sex with any of those disgusting boys?" she scoffed.

"You didn't think they were cute?" she asked surprised. Gail was good looking and popular. Or rather, she didn't care what anyone thought and people were drawn to that, meaning people revered Gail more than liked her. She did particularly well with the other boys, or so Holly had thought.

"You did?" Gail asked.

Holly shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it. I guess they're good looking. Why did you agree to participate if you had no intention of sleeping with them?"

Gail just looked at her but didn't respond. "Why did you join the circle?" she asked instead.

"I thought it was actual spin the bottle, not screw-a-random game" she answered with a hint of condescension.

"Yet you followed me in here"

"Yeah, but I told you right away I didn't want to have sex with you" Holly bit back.

"No, you just wanted everyone to think we were having sex" Gail replied with a self-satisfied smirk.

Holly shook her head, not wanting to get pulled into a stupid argument. "What were you going to do if the bottle had landed on one of those boys?" she asked out of curiosity.

Gail shrugged again. "Why do you care?"

"I guess I just don't understand why you would agree to do something you hadn't wanted to do in the first place" she replied as she sat on the bed next to her.

"It's just easier that way" Gail sighed.

"Easier to sleep with someone than to not?"

"Easier to sleep with boys than…" Gail let the sentence trail off.

Holly's eyes grew wide. "You're… a lesbian?" she whispered.

Gail's eyes immediately hardened. "If you tell anyone, Stewart, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your high school days" she growled.

"No, no!" she said quickly with her hands up in surrender. "It's just, I've been feeling that maybe I don't like boys either and I'm happy and relieved, I guess, that I'm not the only one who feels that way" she said with a smile.

Gail nodded. "Have you told anyone?"

"No. I'm still trying to work it all out. Actually, it's not that I'm trying to figure out if I like girls or not, I do, it's that I'm still getting over the shock" she tells her, surprised at the relief she feels at finally saying it out loud.

Gail turned to look her in the eye. Holly couldn't believe the sadness there. All this time she'd thought Gail was a bitch, but maybe it was just an act. "Have you ever kissed a girl?" Gail asked.

"No"

"Me neither" she whispered.

"Well, I did spin the bottle and it did point at you, so I think it's only right if we kiss."

Gail smiled. "I'm all about keeping my word."

Holly took a deep breath. She could hear Gail do the same. She leaned in slowly, a feeling of exhilaration mixed with trepidation was coursing through her veins. Her first kiss! Her first real kiss!

Gail's lips gently pressed against hers. She could feel how soft and full they were against her own. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt Gail part her lips. Her tongue danced along Holly's lips, asking for entrance. She couldn't say no. She could taste Gail's lip chap mixed with the beer she'd been drinking.

As they parted, Holly couldn't stop from grinning like an idiot. She opened her eyes and saw the same expression on Gail's face. "Yeah, I'm definitely gay" she said. Gail laughed.

"Me too" she giggled as she leaned in.