Hey Arnold | Harold/Rhonda | Regrets
Fandom: Hey Arnold
Title: Regrets
Characters: Nadine, Rhonda
Pairings: Rhonda/Harold, although Harold never appears and is never mentioned by name. xD
Rating: PG
Word Count: 501
Summary: Nadine gets fed up with Rhonda refusing to confront her feelings.
Notes/Warnings: This was somewhat random and very quickly written. It's a follow up to The Sounds of Silence, I guess, though I didn't really intend for it to be at first. beyondheroism__ has been putting out so much Rhonda/Harold lately and I feel guilty because I haven't written anything for them in forever. And I felt so inspired and yet so uninspired at the same time. IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN. Anyway, here be fic.
"Ugh, why do you always have to drag me to this place?" Nadine complains, shrugging off her coat. Her only answer is the elegant sway of Rhonda's hips as she makes her way to the bar. To the same stool she's occupied for the past eight weeks, Nadine thinks with annoyance, striding over quickly to settle on the stool next to her.
"Don't you just love the atmosphere of this place?" Rhonda gushes, tapping her nails on the bartop as if she's waiting for something.
Nadine rolls her eyes. She knows the real reason Rhonda likes this place so much, and it sure as hell isn't the atmosphere. Rhonda opens her mouth to say more, but promptly forgets that Nadine exists as soon as the bartender appears from the back room. Nadine sighs heavily, unsurprised, and makes a hurried excuse about needing to use the bathroom as she makes her exit.
~
A few hours later, a completely-sober Nadine drags a slightly-tipsy Rhonda to their cab, waiting until the door slams before turning to Rhonda in irritation.
"Rhonda, this has got to stop."
"What has?" she asks innocently.
"I know you only like that guy because he reminds you of--" Rhonda clamps a hand over her mouth before she can finish the thought.
"I like him because he gives me free drinks."
"He wouldn't if you didn't practically throw yourself at him."
Rhonda's easygoing attitude completely vanishes at this accusation. Nadine can feel it in the stiffening of Rhonda's form next to her, can see it as her gaze hardens into a glare. She'd known well that this conversation was bound to do nothing but push Rhonda's buttons, but felt it had to be said nonetheless. Truth be told, she'd expected Rhonda to explode into a defensive tirade at her prodding.
Nadine took it as a good sign when she didn't.
"You should call him."
"No," Rhonda answers, without missing a beat. She turns towards the window suddenly, and Nadine doesn't have to guess why.
"Rhonda..."
"I broke it off. That's that. It's for the best."
"You're allowed to change your mind."
"I haven't."
"I know. You never really wanted to break it off in the first place."
Rhonda turns back again, now apparently unconcerned that Nadine can see the tears she's holding back. Whether they're tears of anger or sorrow, Nadine can't say for sure.
"It was fun while it lasted. But it's better this way. I didn't want to break his heart, okay?"
"More like you didn't want to risk yours," Nadine responds, and Rhonda is so taken aback that her anger is suddenly forgotten, and she's left looking slightly dumbfounded as she struggles for something to say. After a while she gives up trying, and the remainder of the ride to their apartment is spent in a heavy silence.
It takes ages before they finally reach the stoop of their small building, and while Rhonda wrestles with the keys, Nadine quietly says, "Just think about it, okay?"
Title: Regrets
Characters: Nadine, Rhonda
Pairings: Rhonda/Harold, although Harold never appears and is never mentioned by name. xD
Rating: PG
Word Count: 501
Summary: Nadine gets fed up with Rhonda refusing to confront her feelings.
Notes/Warnings: This was somewhat random and very quickly written. It's a follow up to The Sounds of Silence, I guess, though I didn't really intend for it to be at first. beyondheroism__ has been putting out so much Rhonda/Harold lately and I feel guilty because I haven't written anything for them in forever. And I felt so inspired and yet so uninspired at the same time. IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN. Anyway, here be fic.
"Ugh, why do you always have to drag me to this place?" Nadine complains, shrugging off her coat. Her only answer is the elegant sway of Rhonda's hips as she makes her way to the bar. To the same stool she's occupied for the past eight weeks, Nadine thinks with annoyance, striding over quickly to settle on the stool next to her.
"Don't you just love the atmosphere of this place?" Rhonda gushes, tapping her nails on the bartop as if she's waiting for something.
Nadine rolls her eyes. She knows the real reason Rhonda likes this place so much, and it sure as hell isn't the atmosphere. Rhonda opens her mouth to say more, but promptly forgets that Nadine exists as soon as the bartender appears from the back room. Nadine sighs heavily, unsurprised, and makes a hurried excuse about needing to use the bathroom as she makes her exit.
~
A few hours later, a completely-sober Nadine drags a slightly-tipsy Rhonda to their cab, waiting until the door slams before turning to Rhonda in irritation.
"Rhonda, this has got to stop."
"What has?" she asks innocently.
"I know you only like that guy because he reminds you of--" Rhonda clamps a hand over her mouth before she can finish the thought.
"I like him because he gives me free drinks."
"He wouldn't if you didn't practically throw yourself at him."
Rhonda's easygoing attitude completely vanishes at this accusation. Nadine can feel it in the stiffening of Rhonda's form next to her, can see it as her gaze hardens into a glare. She'd known well that this conversation was bound to do nothing but push Rhonda's buttons, but felt it had to be said nonetheless. Truth be told, she'd expected Rhonda to explode into a defensive tirade at her prodding.
Nadine took it as a good sign when she didn't.
"You should call him."
"No," Rhonda answers, without missing a beat. She turns towards the window suddenly, and Nadine doesn't have to guess why.
"Rhonda..."
"I broke it off. That's that. It's for the best."
"You're allowed to change your mind."
"I haven't."
"I know. You never really wanted to break it off in the first place."
Rhonda turns back again, now apparently unconcerned that Nadine can see the tears she's holding back. Whether they're tears of anger or sorrow, Nadine can't say for sure.
"It was fun while it lasted. But it's better this way. I didn't want to break his heart, okay?"
"More like you didn't want to risk yours," Nadine responds, and Rhonda is so taken aback that her anger is suddenly forgotten, and she's left looking slightly dumbfounded as she struggles for something to say. After a while she gives up trying, and the remainder of the ride to their apartment is spent in a heavy silence.
It takes ages before they finally reach the stoop of their small building, and while Rhonda wrestles with the keys, Nadine quietly says, "Just think about it, okay?"