Just Go With It
Summary: Meet Rayland. She's lived in Point Place, Wisconsin all her life. She doesn't have any friends and goes unnoticed school. An encounter at her work place changes that. Now she does all she can to avoid the basement gang. But that's easier said than done. Why can't she seem to avoid them, having successfully done so before? S1 OC.
A/N: So I've recently just got into watching That 70s' Show and I'm part way through Season 5, but I couldn't wait to start writing a story including my OC. This is the first time in months I've been motivated to write something, so I hope you enjoy the first chapter.
Disclaimer: The Characters and plot of That 70s' Show do not belong to me. The only thing I can claim in this story is my OC, Raylan and the mentions of her family.
WARNING: Though there isn't much to warn in this chapter, there is the passing mention of gambling and drinking.
Rayland sighed as she sorted through the clothes, making sure they were in order and colour coordinated as she hung them up. It was another long day of school and work, then having to go home and do her homework. It was like, rinse and repeat every day. She was exhausted. But, she knew she had to do it to help with the money troubles at home and to make sure she had the essential equipment's to go through each day for both school and work.
She was 16 years old and living in the 1970's. She lived with her parents, a father who was never home and a mother who was looking weaker day by day, but she still smiled through it all. She loved her mother and it hurt to see her struggling silently with not only herself, but with the financial situation weighing her down. Her absentee father mostly blew off the money he made with work gambling and drinking, to ashamed to be at home and face his family.
So here she was at 16, halfway through her shift as an employer at one of the most well-known fashion stores in Wisconsin, Point Place, just after finishing her school day only 2 hours ago.
All she had ever known was Point Place. She remembered when she was younger and her family being more stable and happier. Though it seemed as the years had passed it had all disintegrated. She had no friends at school and went through the day unnoticed by everyone. Which she preferred. That way there were no distractions for her studying and her work.
She sighed and checked the clock on the wall nearest to her, blocking out the sound of chattering customers and squealing women about the latest trends. It was 5:47, only 2 hours and 15 minutes left until she finished her shift and was able go home to do her homework. She didn't have any break when school finished, she just came straight to the shop, changed into her work clothes and started work. She was looking forward to sitting down at home.
A tap in her shoulder distracted her.
Turning around she held back a groan as she faced a petite dark haired girl with a superior expression, and a tall, red headed girl who looked reluctant to be there. She knew who they were of course, Jackie Burkhart and Donna Pinciotti, she goes to school with both of them but has never interacted with them. She knows who they are as they talk loudly during the classes about their life problems. She doesn't dislike them, she just doesn't want to get involved with them.
"Excuse me, but I need to know where your latest shoes are in this store as I can't see them at all. Which reminds me, put up better signs." The bossy voice of the one and only Jackie Burkhart said with a sassy forceful look.
"Jackie! Would it hurt you to be polite, you can't just speak to people that way" Donna said exasperatedly. Jackie turned to look at her.
"Yes, I can. Plus, she's the staff, she has to do as I say." She said to Donna pointedly before turning back to me expectantly as Donna shook her head in disbelief.
Rayland just stared blankly at them.
"Well…is there something wrong with you or whatever? Don't just stand around, take me to the shoes." Jackie demanded.
Rayland took a deep breath and turned and started walking, motioning with her hand for them to follow. She could handle Jackie's bossiness, having had to deal with similar customers in the past.
After a few twist and turns she brought them to a back wall filled with shoes. Jackie squealed in delight, making both Rayland and Donna wince at the sound, as she practically dived head first into the shoes.
Donna turned to Rayland with a grateful expression.
"Hey, thanks for helping us," she said, then with a quick side eyed look at Jackie "and for your patience." Donna grinned sheepishly at her.
Rayland smiled politely back.
"Its fine," she said, her voice was lower than usual for a girls and she spoke smoothly "it's basically in my job description."
Donna just laughed slightly. She then gave Rayland a considering look.
"Hey, you look familiar, do we go to school together?" She questioned.
Rayland was surprised but didn't let it show on her face, keeping her smile. She hadn't thought anyone had noticed her so it was surprising to her that Donna had, especially as they only shared one class together.
"Yeah, we do actually. We share a class together, English." She decided not to mention the fact that they also lived down the same street.
"Right!" Donna said smiling and snapping her fingers in remembrance "You usually sit in the back of the class, Rachel? Isn't it?" She both guessed and questioned.
Rayland smiled again, biting her lip to keep in her snigger at Donna's guess.
"It's Rayland, actually" She said with subtle humour lining her voice. Donna cringed in embarrassment, and scratched the back of her head sheepishly at her mistake.
"Ah, sorry"
"No, its fine," Raylan reassured, full on grinning at Donna now "my names unusual for a girl so it's understandable really. I'm actually impressed you remembered my name started with an R."
"Haha, yeah, I'm slightly impressed myself. Rayland though? I like it!" Donna replied back at her happily, glad that she hadn't offended her.
"Than-" Rayland began but was cut off by a high pitched voice.
"Donna! Stop speaking with the staff and come look at how cute these shoes look. They will look perfect with my outfit tomorrow!" Jackie's voice squealed happily from behind them. Again, both Rayland and Donna cringed as the loud sound rang in their ears.
"Seems like you have to get back, I won't keep you as I have to get back to work myself anyways" Rayland said to Donna with a small smile. She must of being imagining it but it almost looked as though Donna seemed disappointed.
"Yeah, I don't want to keep Jackie waiting, who knows what she will do," Donna said jokingly "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, at school?" Rayland didn't notice the hopeful tone of Donna's voice and just smiled back obliviously and without any conviction.
"Yeah, maybe" Doubtful another voice objected quietly within her mind. She watched as Donna turned and walked towards where Jackie was, leaving with a brief wave and a turn of a head.
She didn't see them again in the last hours of her shift, and by the time she got back home and made dinner for her and her mother and completed all her homework, she forgot about the encounter, too tired by the day she had.
Morning
Rayland got up with a jaw cracking yawn, slamming her hand mercilessly down on the annoying contraption of her alarm clock. She felt exhausted, which was a usually occurrence these day. She didn't want to get out of bed but pushed herself up towards the bathroom anyway.
She lazily brushed her teeth while standing at the sink, looking over her appearance within the bathroom mirror blankly. Her skin was an unhealthy pale making her freckles that ghosted over her cheeks and nose more prominent. Light purple circles bruised underneath her eyes, expressing her exhaustion. Her grey eyes were glazed over and unfocused with tiredness and her dark brown shoulder length hair was in knots around her from tossing and turning in her sleep. All in all, she looked like a mess. With that in mind she took a warm shower to help wake herself up and look more presentable.
When she finished her shower, she dried her hair roughly with her towel and brushed through it, trying to make it lay flat, though the endeavour was in vain as it still surrounded her like a lion's mane. In the end, she pushed it back with a headband. She dressed in baggy blue jeans, a black graphics T-shirt and blue and white plaid shirt which was left unbuttoned over the top and with the sleeves rolled up to her elbow.
She quickly made sure her bag was packed with her homework, books and work clothes before slinging it over one shoulder.
Rayland checked herself in the mirror of her dresser one last time, happy to see that the shower had made her look more awake, her eyes were more focused and her cheeks were tinged with colour.
She rushed downstairs quickly, the sound drawing her mother out of the kitchen with a slice of buttered toast and an amused smile staining tightly against her thinning face.
"Good morning Ray" Her mother said softly to her, her voice having a strong edge to it despite her fragile looking appearance. Rayland made her way towards her mother with a smile of her own giving her a hug as she tried not to notice how thin her mother felt. She pulled back with a smile still adorning her face.
"Morning mum."
"Here, I made some toast for you, I know how you don't like to eat in the mornings, but it would make me feel better if you did" Her mother said, ignoring how her daughter looked as though she was going to object through her speech and gave her a pointed look. Rayland sighed in defeat, gently taking the slice of toast from her mother's hand.
"Alright, I'll eat it. Thank you Mum." She said with an over exaggerated grateful look at her mother, making her mum giggle. The sound warmed her heart.
"Anyway," Rayland continued "I have to get going for school, though Mrs Wilson next-door said she will pop by today and keep you company"
Her Mother rolled her eyes but didn't object, knowing that Rayland had set this up, as she usually does, she knew Rayland did this only because she cared about her wellbeing and wanted to make sure she was safe.
"Alright then, sweetheart," Her mother said in fond exasperation "You have a good day and make some friends" she said with a pointed look at her daughter, knowing how she was all alone at school. It was something she said every day, hoping that it would get through to her daughter so she wouldn't isolate herself anymore.
"I'll try" and that was always Rayland's response.
With a quick kiss to her mother's cheek, she was off, toast in mouth.
A/N: So this is the first chapter, I hope you've enjoyed it. I'll try and motivate myself to continue, which shouldn't be too hard as I've just finished my first year of University, so I've got time to spare.
There will be more interaction with the basement gang in the next chapter to look forward to.
What do you think of my OC? Do you think she'll be a good addition to the plot? Should I consider to have her have a relationship with one of the basement gang?
Please Review!