The Hempire Strikes Back
IT IS A DARK TIME FOR THE REBELS.
DONNA TRIES DESPERATELY TO COPE
WITH HER PARENTS FIGHTING,
AND TROUBLE WITH ERIC AFTER THE
BATTLE WITH DAVID MILLBANK.
HYDE'S MOTHER HAS RUN OFF TO
GOD KNOWS WHERE, SO OUR STONER
FRIEND HAS ESTABLISHED SHELTER
IN THE REMOTE BASEMENT
OF THE FORMAN RESIDENCE.
ERIC STRUGGLES TO PATCH
THINGS UP WITH DONNA BEFORE
THE SCOLIOSIS-ASTHMA FREAK MAKES
HIS MOVE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S
NOT DAVID MILLBANK WHO
THREATENS THEIR RELATIONSHIP…
As Donna stomped away from the playground she heard Eric yell, "Donna wait, I was just…"
"Get away from me!" she screamed back.
Angered and frustrated, she took the long route home. Eric would no doubt be waiting on her doorstep with his crappy apology; and even though he probably wouldn't mean a word of it, she'd take one look into his puppy-dog eyes and forgive him. Not this time, this time she's gonna stand up for herself and not fall for his line.
She slowed her pace as she got further away from the playground and closer to her home, she passed The Hub and rounded the corner towards Point Place High. As Donna continued down the avenue she stopped and sat on the front porch of a house to rest her tired feet. She looked at the abandoned home behind her; it was Hyde's old house.
For a moment she considered knocking on the door but then quickly remembered that Hyde now resided with Eric.
"Damn." She muttered to herself, thinking about how a friend to talk to could come in handy right now…even Hyde.
As if on cue a light flicked on in Hyde's old bedroom. Surprised she cautiously knocked on the window and waited, seconds later she heard a crashing sound and Hyde peeked out of the curtains with a slightly irritated look on his face. His eyes adjusted to the dark from behind his half-shaded sunglasses and he finally recognized Donna. Hyde's peeved expression quickly turned into a sweet smile; he rushed to the front and unlocked the door for her.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Hyde asked, kicking away various garbage to make a trail for Donna.
"I was just going to ask you the same thing, I thought you moved in with Eric." Said Donna.
"I did, I just came back to pick up a few things before the landlord throws all my old crap away." Hyde said.
"Oh, can I help?" Donna offered, hoping he would forget that she hadn't given an excuse for her presence.
No such luck.
"Sure if you want," Hyde began, "but why aren't you hanging out with Forman, it's a nice night?"
"Just because we're going out doesn't mean that I have to spend every waking moment with him," she quickly said.
"Don't give me that. You had a fight didn't you?" Hyde said, slightly chuckling.
"Yeah. Well no, it was more like a disagreement," said Donna, avoiding eye contact.
"You didn't hurt the scrawny little neighbor boy, did you?" Asked Hyde, doing his little weasel laugh.
"No, but I should've. He's gotten this macho, possessive, control freak attitude going. I thought he wasn't like that. I just don't understand why he would beat up David Millbank because he had the hots for me. He doesn't trust me at all!"
Donna pushed aside some old laundry and sat down on the couch, she rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Her long auburn hair cascaded down covering her face like a silky red curtain.
Hyde sat down next to Donna and patted her on the back lightly, normally he just let his friends pout their hearts out when it came to problems in relationships, and matters of the heart weren't his forte. With Donna it was different, he really cared about her, he always had, but she only seemed to care for his best friend.
Unable to resist the urge to touch her, he ran his hand up her back and lightly brushed her hair out of her face. He took her chin in his palm and looked her straight in the eyes, for a moment he just stared at her, trying to look inside her. She was the most beautiful person he knew inside and out. Hyde wanted to kiss her, but he stopped himself, that would be taking advantage of her and he wasn't that sleazy.
"Donna," Hyde began. "Forman trusts you; he just doesn't trust Millbank. He was just protecting you."
"That's stupid, I can take care of myself! I don't need anybody," Donna shouted; she pulled away from Hyde, angry that he would take Eric's side.
"If you don't need anyone then why are you here talking to me?"
Donna paused, 'Shit, he's right', she thought to herself. "Hyde, you just don't understand how a relationship works."
"I know how love works, and if Forman loves you as much as I do, then he doesn't ever want to lose you." Hyde stared from behind his glasses; he swallowed hard and hoped that Donna didn't realize what he had just said.
Her eyes widened "Hyde, I just, maybe I should leave."
"Donna, no, I'm sorry. You have enough problems already and I just added to it. Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Hyde grabbed her and hugged her, not hard, just a very comforting hug. Donna didn't resist his embrace, she felt as if she could cry. Everything was hitting her at once, looking up at Hyde she slid his glasses off of his face and dropped them on the couch. She ran her fingers through his golden curls, gazed deep into his blue-green eyes, and pressed her lips to his. They kissed intensely then Donna suddenly pulled away from him. Stricken pale with the thought of what she had just done. But, worse, what she had just enjoyed doing.
"I, gotta go… I'm sorry." Donna stuttered.
"Donna, I know it doesn't help you now, but I meant what I said. I do love you, and I'm always here for you," Hyde said.
"Thank you."
Donna rushed out the door, leaving Hyde to dwell on his own problems, like how much he just sounded like a chick. He tucked his favorite roach clip into his back pocket and grabbed a box that he had packed. Then it was off to Forman's basement, to sit and dwell on his problems more.
Donna ran practically the whole distance home; she slinked in the back door and up to her room, unaware that Bob and Midge couldn't hear her anyway over the sounds of their own arguing. She picked up the phone in her bedroom and dialed Jackie's number.
"Come on Jackie, pick up," Donna said to herself, twirling the phone cord in her fingers.
"Hello?" Jackie's high-pitched voice said on the end of the line.
"Yeah Jackie, it's Donna, are you busy?"
"Not really, Michael just left," Jackie said.
"I need to talk, it's really important."
"Are you okay?" Jackie asked, noting something wrong in Donna's voice.
"Jackie, have you ever thought about cheating on Kelso?"
"Every time I see David Cassidy!" Jackie giggled.
"No, seriously, Jackie. Have you?"
"No, well, just for a second, at the Prom. I wanted to make him jealous. You know, I wanted to make him suffer for that whole Pam Macy thing." Jackie grimaced, remembering the event.
"So you didn't act on your thought." Donna said.
"No, why? You're thinking about cheating on Eric!"
"No, me and Eric had a fight and…I kinda kissed another guy."
"You did! Who was it, was it David Millbank, ohmygod Donna! What are you gonna do?" Jackie squealed.
"Jackie, it wasn't David."
"It wasn't, then who was it?" Jackie asked.
"It was… not important, what's important is that I liked it, I really liked it, and I wanna know if I should feel guilty for it."
"You know Donna, this very thing happened to a friend of mine."
"It did?" Donna said, slightly skeptical.
"Yeah, she decided to tell her boyfriend that she wanted to see other people."
"What'd he say?"
"He got mad and they broke up so she went out with some other guy, and then after a few weeks they got back together and they were closer than ever," Jackie said.
"Really? It helped the relationship?"
"It was the best thing she ever did for it." Jackie giggled.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Just remember, if you want to break up with Eric, it's your choice. Don't feel guilty because you've been friends for like forever. You have the power of free will! Use it!" Jackie stated, as if she actually knew.
"I do, thank you Jackie."
"Any time."
Donna placed the phone back on its receiver, and turned over to go to sleep. She tossed and turned for an hour before finally falling into deep slumber. As she slept, she had a very strange dream…
At the Rebel Base on the Ice Planet Hoth:
"Chewie, did you get the hyper drive fixed yet!" Han Solo yelled.
Chewie took of his mask to reveal himself as Kelso, he looked at Han and complained.
"This is so not fair Hyde, you got to be Han last time!"
"Like it's my choice, it's Donna's dream, just play your part and shut up."
"Oh, I get it! Donna's got a thing for you, that's why you're Han." Kelso laughed.
"Kelso, you idiot, we discussed this before, Leia likes Luke," Hyde said, punching Kelso in the arm.
"Phht no! Leia likes Han, I should know I've seen Star Wars like a thousand times!" Kelso argued.
"You a such a dumbass…," Hyde paused, "you really think Donna has a thing for me?"
"I don't know, I don't see Luke around anywhere. If you know what I mean."
Kelso laughed and went back to fixing the hyper drive.
The two got quickly back into character when Princess Leia waltzed up to the Millennium Falcon. Her hair was fashioned into a single braid that wrapped around her head once, with the rest in a bun in the back. Her outfit was a snug, off white, turtleneck under a beige vest with matching pants and boots. Donna was slightly confused as to why she was dreaming of Star Wars but she played along. It's not like she had a choice. For some reason she had no control of her speech.
"Captain Solo, have you seen Luke?" Leia said.
"No, Princess. Now will you please excuse me I have a ship to fix." Han barked, peeved that she totally had Luke on the brain.
"Good, the little Jedi rat went off fighting Darth Vader because he and I are friends," Leia said.
Suddenly there were sounds of laser fire and Han, Leia and Chewie rushed aboard the Falcon. They sped out of the rebel base and into a meteor shower to escape the Imperial walkers. After being chased for a while by some TIE fighters they landed on a large meteor to attempt to fix the ship. Chewie went out on top of the Falcon while Leia and Han stayed inside. Leia pulled on a lever frantically but couldn't get it to budge. Han came up behind her and placed his hands over hers. They worked together until the lever came down; Leia stayed in Han's arms for a moment but then quickly pulled away.
"I could have done it myself," Leia said.
"I know, I was just trying to help Princess."
"Please don't call me that, I have a first name."
"Sorry, Leia." Han apologized.
"Thank you." Leia rubbed her hands together; she hurt them on the lever. Han grabbed her hands and massaged them.
"Please, I'm fine."
"What's wrong, my hands aren't that dirty."
"It's not that. It's Luke," she said.
"But didn't you break up with him?"
"No, we had a fight, but he just doesn't seem like the same person. He's all possessive now."
Han sighed,
"He's just being a guy, that's how we act."
"No, that's how you act. Luke isn't a scoundrel like you."
"Well maybe you need a scoundrel in your life. Come on Leia, just give me a chance," Han said.
Leia thought about it; free will, she remembered. She sauntered over close to Han and kissed him, softly. Han saw his opportunity and pulled her closer and attempted to impress her. After the kiss she looked up at him in a daze.
She was completely amazed.
"W..was that a tongue roll?" Leia stuttered.
"Uh huh." Han answered.
"It was m..more like a somersault."
"Thanks." He smiled.
Chewie peeked around the corner; he'd seen the whole thing. He laughed and took off his mask.
"I told you Leia likes Han man! I'm a genius man!" Kelso said.
"Would you shut up!" Hyde yelled, he punched Kelso in the arm so hard he fell to the ground.
Donna woke up at that moment and sat straight up in bed. She looked at the clock. It was 11:24pm. After the dream and her conversation with Jackie she decided to go and have a talk with Hyde; and maybe, just maybe to see if he could really do that thing with his tongue.
Free will. Groovy.
Hyde ran up the basement stairs and locked the door at the top; just a little bit of security in case Red or Kitty tried to come down. If they caught him getting high they would kick him out for sure, unfortunately he had nowhere else to go. He pulled out his stash of brownies from the nether regions of the freezer and popped them into the dryer.
"Damn, I wish we had a oven or something down here." He said to himself. The French fries always turned out okay, so for now and for this purpose the dryer would suffice. He put the dial on the delicate cycle and sat down on the couch. Just as his ass touched the cushion he heard a faint knock on the back door.
Armed (as always) with a tinge of paranoia, he crept over to the door and peeked out, it was Donna. She had changed out of the outfit he'd seen her in earlier that night and into simple bellbottom jeans and a blue T-shirt.
"Hey, Eric is upstairs, why didn't you use the front door?" Hyde asked.
"I'm not here to see Eric," Donna replied, still unsure of exactly why she came over herself.
"Oh, so you wanna talk or something?"
"Sure, I guess."
The air in the room was thick with tension and awkward silence. Donna sat down on the couch and Hyde sat to her right. He nervously fiddled with the strip of duct tape on the couch cushion. They didn't make eye contact, much less speak for about five and a half minutes. The alarm on the dryer went off.
"So, you want a brownie?" Hyde asked.
"Sure." Donna answered, relieved that the silence was broken.
"Now I'm warning you, these are 'special' brownies."
"Oh, far out."
"Really! I didn't figure you for a stoner, you've never gotten high with the guys."
"Yeah I have," Donna began, "I just always sit in for you."
"I didn't think it was possible, but I like you even more now."
Hyde chuckled as he passed Donna a brownie. His hand lightly brushed hers sending a tingle up her arm and through her whole body. They ate their chocolate cannabis and sat back comfortably on the couch. Donna stared at the dots on the ceiling, counting each one until she started to giggle.
"What's so funny?" Hyde asked.
"The ceiling looks like it's covered with stars, kinda."
"Oh, why's that funny?"
"I had this dream tonight, it was of that Star Wars movie."
"Really, far out." Hyde said.
"Yeah, in the dream I was Leia and you were Han Solo."
"I was in your dream?"
"Uh huh."
"Trippy," Hyde said, then they both started to laugh really, really hard.
"Yeah. That's what I thought! Then all this stuff happened with the lasers and TIE fighters 'n stuff and I kissed you." Donna blurted.
"Kinda like earlier tonight, at my old house?"
"Yeah."
"Did I kiss you back?" Hyde asked, semi-serious.
"Oh yeah!"
"Well, I should hope so. Did you like it?"
"Yes, I did."
Hyde paused for a moment than started laughing again when he spotted the irony in the conversation.
"What's so funny?" Donna asked.
"I thought that I only got you in my dreams!"
They both broke into a fit of giggles, rolling around until they fell off the couch. Donna stopped wrestling and became intensely aware that Hyde was now on top of her. He leaned down and kissed her, starting at her lips then moving down to her neck. Donna returned the gesture, sucking on his ear and running her hands through his soft, curly, hair. Hyde reached up her shirt, then looked up to see if he'd gone too far.
"Do, you wanna stop here Donna?"
"I don't know," she replied, in a voice clouded with marijuana and hormones.
"I understand if you do," Hyde said honestly, yet hoping she wanted to proceed.
Donna mulled it over for a moment. Why should she stop? She had never really felt like Eric appreciated her. She felt like a prize, something for him to show off to his friends. Hyde said that he loved her, Eric never told her that. Apparently men in the Forman family don't say 'I love you'. Fate seemed to be shoving her into Hyde's arms; why not go with it?
"Let's not stop," she whispered.
"Okay, if you're sure." Hyde replied
"I'm sure."
A thin strand of early daylight shined through the small basement window and into Hyde's eyes. He looked down at the girl he was keeping warm in his arms. Her red hair was slightly in her face, as he moved his arm to brush it away she stirred.
"Hey, Donna," he said.
"Hey," she moaned softly and cuddled in closer to him.
Hyde held her as they lay on the couch, his arms around her waist and hers around his neck. She played with his hair for a while, twirling a curl in her fingers.
"What time is it?" Donna asked.
"It's 6:45 in the morning."
"I should probably go home and sneak in before my folks catch me."
"No hurry, I'll protect you from Bob and Midge." Hyde chuckled.
"I don't want to leave, but I have to… before Eric wakes up." Donna frowned.
They sat silently and pondered the idea of going behind Eric's back, not to mention getting their groove on in his basement.
"How are we gonna do this?" Hyde asked, slightly worried.
"Let's just not tell anyone, for now," Donna suggested.
She stood up and pulled her shirt on over her head. Hyde grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap, holding her around the waist from behind. He kissed her cheek and her neck, then whispered in her ear.
"Are you gonna come back tonight?"
"Oh, I don't know…" she said playfully.
He kissed her sweetly on the lips and she put her hands on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. She melted into the embrace and when it was over she chuckled.
"Now what's so funny?" Hyde asked.
"You really can do that thing with your tongue," she smirked.
"Oh that, yeah, Fez taught me that."
"Huh?"
"I mean he told me how to do that, there was no practice involved." Hyde laughed.
Donna pulled her bellbottoms on and headed toward the door, she looked back and waved good-bye sweetly. Hyde smiled and waved back. She shut the door and Hyde reclined on the couch, feeling utterly complete. Aside from the fact that he just slept with his best friend's girlfriend, Donna made him a better person. He rolled over on the couch and decided to sleep just a bit longer.
Meanwhile, Donna had safely snuck into her house. She retreated to her bedroom and quickly snatched up the phone, then set it down. She couldn't tell Jackie about Hyde, she couldn't tell anyone. The word would get back to Eric within five minutes in this slag heap town. It had to stay a secret, at least for now.
Hyde was awakened by the sound of loud rapping on the stairway door. He leaped up to unlock it, there stood Eric. Hyde panicked for a second then played it cool. There was no way in hell that Eric could possibly know what he'd done.
'Oh what a tangled web we weave…' Hyde's thoughts were interrupted.
"Why'd you lock the door, man?" Eric asked.
"Oh, no reason."
"Bullshit, you can't lie to me, Hyde."
"Sure I can, I do it all the time."
"No, when you lie you do this thing with your eyebrows. You've done it since you were 7. It totally gives you away," Eric said.
"I wasn't doing anything, I swear," Hyde lied.
"There it goes."
"I do not give myself away!" Hyde said in an edgy, paranoid tone.
"You were smoking without me, weren't you?" Eric accused.
Hyde thought quickly, Eric had practically given him an excuse. He looked down at the ground with false remorse.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm a selfish bastard."
"Well, at least you admitted it. For that I forgive you."
"You're a good man Forman."
"I know. Anyway, I need to borrow your evil genius for a moment," Eric stated as he sat down on the couch.
"Sure man, what's the problem?" 'Please don't say Donna,' Hyde thought.
"Well, Donna and I had a fight. She won't speak to me."
'Figures,' Hyde said to himself.
"Did you call her?" he said aloud.
"Yeah, she hung up."
"Maybe you should write her a letter, a poem or something," Hyde suggested.
Eric smiled, "Hyde, what would I do without you!"
'Probably have a stable relationship with Donna,' He said to himself.
Eric ran upstairs to start composing his love note. Hyde pulled on his cannabis T-shirt and some bellbottoms then went outside to shoot some hoops.
Perhaps to contemplate that certain quote. "'Oh what a tangled web…' dammit Forman I lost my train of thought!"
Dribble…dribble…dribble. The sound of the basketball hitting the pavement echoed in the Forman garage. Hyde tossed the ball, it bounced off the backboard and he missed the rebound. He turned around to see Fez standing behind him holding the ball.
"Hey Fez."
"Good afternoon Hyde, you seem to be off of your game," Fez said.
"Yeah, just got a lot on my mind, man."
"Poor Hyde, the tone of your voice suggests troubles with a female," Fez
began, "but you as well as I know that you have no whore."
"She's definitely not a whore," Hyde replied.
"You do have woman problems! Who is the lucky lady?"
"Sorry Fez, but I'm not going to brag about my sex life."
"Hyde's sex life; my English is not so good, you know, is that irony or sarcasm?"
"You're funny, man."
"I was serious," Fez said, tossing the ball to Hyde.
They played a little one-on-one for awhile. Hyde began to forget his chick problems, briefly, until Donna arrived.
"Hey guys," she said, attempting nonchalant.
"Hey Donna," Hyde smiled.
"Hello Donna, you look particularly saucy today." Fez chimed.
"I do?"
"Yes, almost as if…" Fez paused, he looked at Donna, then at Hyde and back again.
"As if what?" Donna asked, some of Hyde's paranoia having rubbed off on her.
"No, no, that is ridiculous. Bad Fez for thinking such a thing!" Fez scolded himself.
"Oo…kay?" Hyde said, then tossed the ball to Donna.
They played two-on-one, Hyde and Fez against Donna. Man can that girl play some hoops! Fez eventually gave up and sat on Eric's porch swing, studying Hyde and Donna's chemistry.
'What is this?' Fez thought to himself.
"Pinciotti fakes right, she fakes left, she shoots and scores!" Donna said.
"Hyde gets the rebound. He's running circles around the feisty red head, he shoots, and bags the three pointer!" Hyde announced.
"Pinciotti steals the ball, watch out 'fro boy one more basket and she wins, she shoots…"
"Ouch, off the backboard, Hyde goes for the tip in, and nails it!"
"Man, you beat me! I can't believe it, I haven't lost on this court since I was 8!" Donna said.
"Well, just consider it one more thing I do better than Forman."
Donna laughed, then remembered that Fez was sitting there.
"Speaking of Forman, I should probably go. I'm not in the mood to talk to Eric right now."
"Okay, see you later Donna," Hyde said.
"Yes, see you later." Fez smirked evilly.
Donna went home. Fez placed his hands on his hips and looked at Hyde with a mix of admiration and disapproval.
"What?" Hyde asked.
"Oh, I think you know."
"No, I don't." Hyde lied.
"Yes you do, you just your eyebrow thing."
"I do not do an eyebrow thing! Why does everyone say that?"
"Because you do, that must be subconsciously why you wear your sunglasses all the time," Fez remarked.
"Okay, maybe I do. What's your point?"
"I was wondering if I could get some advice from you," Fez stated.
"Sure, man. What do you need to know."
"Could you please tell me how to steal Jackie away from Kelso?"
"I…uh, why would I know how to do that." Hyde panicked.
"Oh, you know. We all learn from experience."
"You are crazy, man!"
"No my friend, you are the one who is crazy," Fez said.
"Why… Forman is no threat to me physically," Hyde said, keeping his voice down.
"Hyde, you are playing with hearts; Donna's, Eric's, and most of all your own. No good can come from you 'working on your night moves' with your best friend's woman," Fez replied.
"You are one to talk, Mister 'let's tongue Kelso's girlfriend because she said I was funny'." Hyde shot back.
"This is not about me and my muse, Kelso is a whore and we all know it."
"Go home Fez, I can handle my own problems."
"Fine, but remember; the more you push people away, the less likely they are to come back. And what you are doing to Eric is unforgivable in his eyes."
Leaving Hyde with that thought, Fez walked away. It wasn't often that Fez was correct about things in this country, why'd he have to be right now.
Hyde shot a basket and missed…
"Fuck."
"Dear Donna, Please forgive me, I'm a dumbass."
"That's all you've written so far!" Hyde said, as he reluctantly helped Eric with his make up note to Donna.
"My mind is just a total blank, I've never been good at writing," Eric whined.
Hyde sighed and put his head back on the couch in deep contemplation.
'This really, really blows,' he said to himself.
"What should I do to fix the letter?" Eric asked.
"She knows you are a dumbass, take that part out."
"Okay."
"And don't start of with 'dear', that's corny."
"All right."
"Look," Hyde said, frustrated, "maybe you should try to call her again."
"I did, twenty minutes ago."
"Okay, here's what we do. We all go see a movie; you, me, Kelso, Fez and the girls. Donna will go, if we invite her."
"She won't, not if I invite her." Eric mentioned, "Maybe we can get Jackie to ask her."
"I'll ask her," Hyde offered.
"Hyde, she hates you more than me. In fact I think she only puts up with you 'cause you're my best friend," Eric said.
Hyde was hurt, he almost told Eric everything right then and there. Just to prove that Donna did like him. Which was incredibly stupid, he realized. He was just lucky that he thinks before he talks, unlike some people. I'm not gonna mention any names (*cough* Kelso *cough*).
Eric saw that Hyde was hurt by his comment, unfortunately, he didn't think before he spoke.
"Hyde, I know you have a thing for Donna."
"No I don't, man," Hyde muttered, struggling to keep his eyebrows still.
"It's okay, Donna is really, really hot!" Eric began, "but you just gotta realize that the only reason that she would sleep with you would probably be to get back at me."
"Look, man," Hyde snapped, "I never said anything about wanting to sleep with Donna. So could we just drop it right now?"
Hyde was extremely furious yet he slightly maintained his cool exterior. He just sat back and took a deep breath.
'Eventually Forman will leave and then I can throw something,' he thought to himself.
"Okay, Hyde, I'm sorry. Let's never mention it again."
"Good."
"I'll call Jackie and have her invite Donna."
"Fine."
Eric went up the stairs; Hyde stopped him half way to the top.
"Hey Forman?"
"Yeah?"
"Lock the door on your way up."
Eric huffed, but complied.
'Maybe he's right, maybe she used me,' Hyde began, then quickly dashed the thought away.
'No way could Donna do something like that. She's too…pure. She's perfect, perfect for Eric. If anything I used her. Dammit, what am I doing? I'm such a fuck up.'
Hyde walked across the room, promptly picked up Eric's Green Bay Packers helmet and threw it against the wall. It didn't break, but he felt much, much better.
Venting your aggressions. Groovy.
Donna quietly poked at the food on her plate; the tension in the kitchen was enough to stifle any appetite. Her parents were having one of those nights where everything was an insult, no matter how intended. The sad thing was that lately every night was 'one of those nights'.
"Bob, you just don't understand me at all!" Midge shouted.
"Well maybe it would help if you actually talked to me instead of you feminist nazi friends!" Bob shot back.
"I do talk, you never listen!" Midge added.
"Could you please settle down, I'm trying to eat," Donna said, trying to calm the storm.
"Donna, this has nothing to do with you. Eat your food," Bob said.
"How can I even think in this house!?" Donna began, "You two are always fighting. Always! You don't even stop to think about how it's tearing this family apart! I mean, come on, don't you care that Tina never leaves her room except to go to school. Or did you even notice? She doesn't even eat with us anymore."
"That's ridiculous, Donna she came out of her room this morning. She made breakfast," Midge said.
"No, that was me. God, you never notice anything!" Donna exclaimed.
"Donna, don't take that tone with your Mother!" Bob stomped.
"I can handle this Bob!" Midge bitched.
"Does everything have to be about you?" Bob yelled.
"This is fucked up, I'm leaving," Donna cried as she ran out of the house.
"Don't come back until you clean up that filthy mouth young lady!" Midge screamed after her.
Midge stood at the door and watched as her eldest daughter fled her home yet again. She wondered where Donna retreated to all those times she ran off. Midge didn't often worry about her children. She began to cry hoping for some comfort from her husband, but Bob, of course, didn't notice.
Donna brushed her hair out of her eyes as a stiff breeze blew the tears off of her face. Walking around the block she struggled to keep her brain in check. Life was thoroughly confusing for her now.
First of all there was her parents, surely a divorce was just around the corner for them. Then there was her little sister Tina, she's only fourteen and she's a recluse, sitting in her room like a hermit and writing obsessive poetry about Fez. But worst of all there was Eric, and Hyde.
Donna was at a crossroads, unsure of who she really loved, of who she should love if anyone at all. Maybe Eric was 'The One', maybe Hyde, maybe neither, and with her luck it was probably the latter.
She walked around the block at least seven times before she decided to go to Eric's to attempt at sorting everything out. Maybe she should bring this whole thing out in the open, but not tonight. First she had to talk to Hyde about it, she would be willing to never tell Eric at all and forget the whole thing if that's what Hyde wanted to do.
Perhaps sleeping with Hyde was a huge mistake made at a weak moment while high. Or maybe it was the right decision that brought her to a crucial point in her life, caused by fate… while high.
'So this is what I get when I take advice from Jackie.'
Donna approached the stairs to the basement's back door as quietly as she could. She peeked in to the window to see if Eric was anywhere in sight; he wasn't. Hyde was asleep on the couch in his T-shirt and boxers, his eyes closed and his sunglasses absent from his face. This was understandable since it was pretty late, and he probably didn't think she'd come over tonight.
She snuck inside and intended to wake him, the radio was on and it filled the basement with the sounds of slightly corny '70s pop music. She stopped and sat next to him on the floor, entranced. He looked so serene, almost child-like; he was peaceful and for once free of apprehension toward the world. It made her wonder what he was thinking about, half-hoping that he was thinking of her. Half-wishing she was the one who made him look that content. She'd never seen him that way, even when they were kids. He had always had a rough life and she felt sorry for him often, but he hated pity.
Donna leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, she couldn't resist. He stirred and looked at her through half open eyes.
"Hey, Donna," he yawned, smiling at her.
"Hey."
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought we should talk."
"About Eric," Hyde said knowingly.
"Yeah."
Hyde sat up and Donna got on the couch next to him. The radio started playing Cheap Trick, 'I Want You To Want Me'. Hyde just looked at her for a moment and then reluctantly said "Well, where do we start?"
"I was hoping you knew," Donna said.
"I was hoping, you didn't want to talk about it," Hyde replied.
"I think we have to."
"Donna, what's wrong with you and me?"
"I don't know, maybe nothing."
"I'd do anything for you. I love you." Hyde said, caressing her shoulder.
"I'm not sure exactly what love is anymore," Donna began. "My parents claimed to love each other and that's a load of shit."
"I wish I could explain it to you, but I'm not good at these sorta things."
"Try, please."
"I guess it's when you want someone so much that you need them to live," Hyde started, "You need them near you just to function. It's like an addiction that starts in your heart and spreads through your entire being until you know you'd explode without them."
"Really, you feel all of that for me?" Donna asked, unsure of what she wanted to hear.
"Yeah, since I was 12," Hyde stated.
"Why me?"
"I don't know. Fate I guess."
"I never figured you for a guy who'd believe in fate," Donna mentioned.
"I don't really, but I guess it's possible."
"Anything is possible."
"Except us, right," Hyde remarked.
"Maybe including us."
Hyde kissed her cheek, "Don't humor me Donna."
She kissed him back, then again, harder and much more intensely then ever. She needed this to work out somehow. Donna pushed Hyde onto his back, (not that he was unwilling), and whispered into his ear.
"Is the door locked?"
"Yeah."
"Does this feel right to you?" Donna paused.
"Always; you?"
"I am enjoying myself," She remarked with a laugh, tugging his shirt off.
"Works for me." Hyde smirked.
Donna pulled her shirt off and Hyde unbuttoned her jeans. He kissed her navel then moved up in like fashion until reaching her neck.
Again she had given in, but this time Donna had no marijuana to blame. That night she felt the worst sense of guilt then she'd ever felt and not just because of Eric. She didn't love Hyde. Not the way he loved her. Still, she didn't want to hurt him and dreaded the soon coming day when she would.
'Shit, Hyde, I'm sorry. I really am sorry,' she thought as she drifted off in his arms.
Hyde stared at a soundly sleeping Donna. He blissfully held her close, his arms caressing her bare back. He kissed her forehead and whispered into her ear.
"I love you, Donna."
She moaned softly in a sleep-dazed voice and replied,
"I love you Eric."
Hyde shook his head but didn't wake her; he held her tighter to him and swore to remember her in every fraction of a detail. He knew this was the last time he'd ever hold her.