Jackie Burkhart was exhausted; who knew college could be so difficult. The girl who had planned to get through life solely on her looks was now in college for fashion design. Sure, she loved her classes but spending the whole day in college only to come back home and start working on her assignments was proving to be too much. She was thankful the trust fund her father had created in her name had matured and paid her enough so she could concentrate on college without having to get a job.
Unlocking her door, she signed in relief and fell onto the couch, not even bothering to remove her shoes. A slight noise coming from the kitchen startled her. She had recently moved into the one bedroom apartment, after Fez and she had broken up it became difficult to stay as roommates. She had never loved the poor guy, though at the time she thought she did. Turns out she was just rebounding from Steven. She listened carefully for any other noise and almost jumped out of her skin when she heard someone walking in boots in her kitchen. She immediately jumped up ready to flee, when she suddenly caught a flash of the intruder and stopped angrily.
Striding determinedly into the kitchen, she whacked the man with her purse before exclaiming "What the hell are you doing here Steven? You almost gave me a heart attack."
Rubbing where the purse had made contact with his head, Steven Hyde winced and said "Damn Jackie, what exactly is in that purse? I think you just cracked my skull."
The brunette in question angrily exclaimed "Well you deserve it. How the hell did you get into my apartment? Mrs. Forman is the only one who has the keys to this place." Seeing the sheepish look on Hyde's face she exclaimed "No, Steven, tell me you did not steal the keys from Mrs. Forman. What the hell is the matter with you?"
Hyde noticed her getting ready to take another shot at his head and put his hands up to block her advances "Whoa there Jackie, relax. I just needed to talk to you man, didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry I just let myself in like that."
Jackie shook her head but then sighed and opened the fridge for a soda. She tuned to Hyde to ask him if he wanted a drink when she noticed an open can of beer on the counter. So not only had he entered her house, he had made himself pretty comfortable.
Grabbing a soda, she motioned for Hyde to follow her to the living room, surprised when he took the can from her hands to open it before returning it back to her. Jackie couldn't help a small smile forming on her lips at his gesture. He had always done that for her when they were dating.
Once they were settled on the sofa, she looked at Hyde expectantly. Without making eye contact with her he said "I need a date Jackie."
"Why, meaningless sex with Point Place sluts not doing it for you anymore?" she winced at the words that had come out of her mouth without thinking.
Knowing Jackie was still hurting about Sam; Hyde ignored the jibe and continued "W.B. is opening a new office. It's a black tie affair. I need a date."
Still feeling guilty over her comments to him, she quietly asked "So when is this party?" She was surprised he had come to her for help in the first place. But then, he didn't really have any other girls to help set him up on a date, unless you counted Donna, and who wanted to date Donna's feminist friends, they probably didn't even wax. If a part of her felt a pang that Hyde was ready to date again, she ignored it. He had after all been trying to get back together with her for over six months, but she just couldn't help but picture Sam slobbering all over him every time he was close. The day Hyde had decided to play house with the slut, Jackie had decided there would never be a Steven and Jackie again. She was proud of herself for staying firm, even though she still cried herself to sleep most of the nights.
"It's next Saturday evening in Chicago."
"Wait, so you want to take a girl out on a first date to Chicago, when the hell are you going to drive her back?"
Hyde looked confused for a moment before comprehension dawned on him
"Jackie, I don't want you to set me up with one of your friends. I want you to come as my date to W.B.'s do."
Jackie turned amazed eyes to Hyde before bursting into hysterical laughter.
"Steven, that's the worst idea I've ever heard of, please tell me you're kidding."
"I'm not kidding, what is so wrong with my idea?"
"Steven, we can barely be in the same room together without burning each other. And don't you think it will be odd to be taking your former girlfriend as a date to a party."
"Jackie, I know you are still angry about Sam. And I have apologized a million times but you still won't forgive me. Come on babe, you know we're meant to be together."
"No Steven, we were meant to be together. Not anymore. It stopped the moment you let that slut into your heart and into your bed."
"Jackie, I told you, Sam meant nothing to me. I was so angry at you I couldn't even think straight. And I couldn't just throw her out on her ass. I couldn't be that person who walked out on his responsibilities."
"No, you're right Steven, of course you couldn't. It's not like you were drunk out of your mind when marrying her or anything. No, the sane thing to do would be to believe the worst of your girlfriend of two years and instead set up house with the stripper."
Hyde sighed, he knew this would happen when he had come over. But the thought of never having Jackie again had spurred him to come to her door and beg for one more try. By the looks of it, it was not going well.
"Just go Steven, please. And if you need a date why don't you take Donna, she's been awfully lonely without Eric. She could use a change of scene."
Knowing there wasn't any point in arguing further, Hyde rose and walked quietly towards the door. He turned to look at Jackie but she had walked out of the living room.
Driving back to the Forman's, Hyde replayed Jackie's words in his mind. Of course, he understood her pain. She had not done anything wrong and yet, she had been the one to suffer the most. Not that Hyde had been happy, but he had long ago learned to hide his real feelings with Zen. It also hadn't helped when Donna and the rest of the gang had happily welcomed Sam into their gang thereby isolating Jackie further. He had tried many times to tell Sam that the marriage wasn't working and that she should leave, but every time he tried she would just remind him of Jackie's betrayal and he would then act like an even bigger jerk to Jackie for the next few days.
He parked the El Camino and walked towards Donna's house. When Jackie told him to take Donna to the party, he had realized the former redhead hadn't been to the basement in a few days. Of course he wasn't going to take Donna to the party, he would rather go alone than with anyone other than Jackie, but he was concerned about Donna and thought of checking up on her.
"Hyde" the now blonde Donna exclaimed as she opened the door, engulfing him into a hug. The scent of alcohol was unmistakable. Hyde gently pried her off and asked "Hey Donna, are you drunk?"
"Pfft, no, I just had a few shots of vodka."
Hyde held Donna's arm and gently sat her down on the couch, immediately tensing as she snuggled up close to him and started stroking his thigh.
Gently pushing her hand off him and moving further away on the couch, Hyde said "Donna man, you're drunk, you have no idea what you're doing."
"I know what I'm doing Hyde, come on, we're both single, the people we love want nothing to do with us. What is so wrong in having guilt free sex. I won't tell anybody, I promise. I haven't had sex since Eric left, and I know you haven't slept with anybody after Sam"
"Donna, no man, you don't know what you're talking about. You love Eric remember, and even if you don't I love Jackie, I am not having sex with you."
Donna slid close to Hyde again "Hyde, Jackie wants nothing to do with you. In fact, she is banging some guy from her college; she told me all about it. She is out there enjoying herself while you're denying yourself because of her."
Hyde couldn't believe it, he was sure Jackie still loved him even though she was angry and hurt. He had been sure they would eventually get back together and here she was banging some random guy. So lost was he in his thoughts he didn't even realize Donna had opened the buttons on his shirt, only realizing what was happening when he felt her wet mouth on his nipple. He pushed her away
"Donna don't, I told you it isn't going to happen."
"Oh come on Hyde, when did sex become a big deal to you. Don't be a pansy."
Now thoroughly irritated, Hyde pushed himself off the sofa before exclaiming.
"Donna, you're drunk and you have no idea what you are saying, I suggest you go to sleep before you make things worse. I have no intention of sleeping with you and if you were in the right frame of mind you would realize that you're hitting on the guy who is in love with your best friend."
"You, in love with Jackie? Really? What was Sam then, a passing phase?"
"Look, I know I did Jackie wrong. And I am paying for it dearly. She is out there fucking some stranger who probably only wants her for her body and it is killing me. But I'm not going to repeat my mistakes again. I will get her back no matter what, I will prove to her she is the only one for me and I am not ever choosing anyone but her ever again."
Hyde realized Donna wasn't paying attention to what he was saying when she started to unbutton her top and exposed her breasts to him. Having had enough, Hyde tuned around to storm out. Immediately his anger was replaced by panic and what was left of his heart dropped to his stomach as he stared at the watery eyes of Jackie Burkhart.