I've Loved and I've Lost
PREQUEL: Tori was Jackie's friend, they met at cheer leading camp and they became friends right away. One night Jackie invited Tori to come along with the gang. Everyone instantly got along with her. Everyone except Eric Forman. Eric is getting over breaking up with Donna after she wouldn't accept his promise ring. Both are a mess.
"Look, I just don't understand why we need another Jackie, we've already been trying to get rid of the original for years." Eric sighed as he grabbed a popsicle from the deep freeze, and walked over to the worn, beat couch. "She's actually not that bad Forman, maybe you should give her a chance." Hyde said. "Yeah, well you're kinda Jackie's bitch so your opinion is invalid," laughed Eric, taking a seat next to Kelso on the sofa. "Yeah, but like, did you see Tori? She's smokin' man! Smokin!" Kelso said, with a huge smile across his face. "What exactly was she smoking? I saw no cigarettes, and also no weed." Fez asked concerned, "Also where may I get some of what she had."
"He means she's hot Fez." Hyde laughed. "And I'm not Jackie's bitch, Forman."
"Sure you are, Ste-ven ,will you hold my purse?" Eric said mimicking Jackie's accent. "Ste-ven! Let's have crazy monkey sex, after you rub hot oil on my thighs!" Fez laughs joining in. Every is silent. "Someone please speak now..." Fez said after an awkward moment. "Eric, what do you have against Tori anyway?"
"She's all like cheer leader, peppy, loud talking, she's like a Jackie clone!" Eric sighed, exasperated. "So you mean she's in shape, out going and hot?" Kelso asked. "You guys are dumb. Fez change the channel." Eric replied. Fez leaned forward on the small toddler tricycle he was on and began to flip through channels. "Does this have anything to do with Donna, Forman?" Hyde asked quietly. "What? No. You're crazy man. Nuts!" Eric stated.
"You're still not over it are you?"
"Not even a little bit."
Eric sighed and leaned back further into the couch.
What if he and Donna were still together? Would he care if Tori was around still? Or is he using her to take out his anger towards Donna? Tori was pretty hot. In fact Kelso, for once, was right- she was smokin'. But what would she see in him?
"Jackie, you can't just toy with Steven's emotions. He is a human being." Tori told Jackie, folding her hands together, and watching Jackie as she mixed them drinks. "Please, Tori. Sure I can. Have you not seen me manipulate Michael?" Jackie replied. "Yeah because that clearly worked out. Jackie, sometimes relationships are about give and take. You and Michael's relationship was solely take, no give. You and Hyde, that's something special, I think you should hold onto him." Tori smiled. Jackie looked at Tori, taking in her perfectly curled hair, big green eyes, and cute outfit. Maybe she was right, Steven was really important to her. "Sure, I guess that's true. I really do like him. I love him..." Jackie smiled. Jackie handed Tori her drink, and sat down next to her. "Speaking of love, anyone you're looking into?" Jackie asked, her eyes getting big like they always did whenever she expected to be soaking up some gossip. "I don't know, Jackie. I was in a relationship for a long time with a guy I thought I'd spend my life with. Turned out he had other plans with his 20 something year old pregnant girlfriend." Tori sighed, the corners of her mouth turned downwards. "I had no idea! I'm really sorry. You know, Michael and I- well i thought we had something special, clearly him and Lori had something special too. Oh and Pam Macy." Jackie said, her eyebrows knit together. "Jackie, every knows that. Everyone. No offence, but Kelso is kind of a whore." Tori laughed. Jackie laughed too. The door suddenly opened and Donna Pinciotti walked in, her fire-y red hair straight with two braids pinned back on either side and a light blue striped turtle neck on. "Jackie, what's up?" She asked, stopping when she realized they weren't alone. "Oh, hey, I'm Donna- who are you?" she asked, sticking out her hand. "Hi, my name is Tori, I'm a friend of Jackie's," Tori replied, taking in all of the tall red head. "Um, so Jackie..." Donna trailed off confused. "We met at cheer leading camp, over the summer. She's already met everyone but you so I thought I'd host a little get together for us. Just us girls! Until we get bored and probably go find the boys." Jackie said, all in one breath. "Look Jackie, I don't know if I really want to be around Eric right now." Donna said awkwardly. "Oh don't be like that Donna, I want to see Steven and him and Eric are always together. You're going to have to see him at some point." Jackie said in a motherly tone of voice. "I don't really want to see him. I kind of want to punch him." Donna replied. "Well Donna! That's not lady like, how do you expect any boy to like you when you walk around punching all of them!" Jackie scolded, "You should be more like me," she finished. "Donna, I completely understand not wanting to see someone after a breakup, but aren't you friends with everyone else too? You shouldn't let this affect your other relationships." Tori said. "I'm sorry, but who are you to tell me what to do or not to do after a breakup?" Donna replied, raising her voice. "Woah Donna! Down girl!" Jackie yelled. "Look I think I'm going to go home." Donna sneered, turning around and storming out. "Well she is quite lovely isn't she?" Tori said to Jackie. Jackie just stood there and shook her head.
The door to the Forman's basement opened and in walked Jackie and Tori. "Hey guys!" Tori said, smiling. "Steven!" Jackie exclaimed. "Why hello there Tori, you look lovely today." Kelso said, looking straight at Tori's chest. "Well thank you Kelso, only one thing tho." She replied, walking up to him, bending over and lifting his chin, "My eyes are up here, and my chest isn't one to make casual conversation." She smiled then patted him on the head. "Well damn Tori, how would I know that?" Kelso exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest. Tori moved over to the couch and sat inbetween Kelso and Eric, while Jackie sat on Steven's lap. "So Steven, how much did you miss me?" She asked excitedly. "Well the silence was nice..." he replied. "Ouch, thats a burn Jackie," Tori giggled. "Yeah it kinda was." Kelso laughed. "C'mon guys that was so mild!" Hyde said. "Steven we need to talk!" Jackie said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him out the door. "Think they're hooking up?" Kelso asked Fez. "Well probably, I mean Jackie is known for making excuses to get her boyfriends alone." Fez replied. "Yeah but her hints are always so hard to understand, like how am I supposed to know 'studying' is sexy time?" Kelso complained. "Hey Kelso do you want to go spy and see if we can get a look at naked Jackie?" Fez asked slyly. "I guess, there's nothing on TV anyway." Kelso sighed, getting up and exiting with Fez. "So, is this like a regular thing, or do people usually try to stick around?" Tori laughed, turning towards Eric. "Well, you see, everyone is kind of a whore around here, so yeah- this is normal." Eric replied. Tori was a really pretty girl. On top of that she didn't appear to be nearly as annoying as Jackie. "Another thing- did you notice Kelso and Fez were wearing matching spider man underwear?" she laughed. "See- that's a little fruity" Eric laughed, looking into Tori's eyes. They were a bright green, way different from Donna's baby blues. They were bold and striking yet not over powering. "So you've got a nice basement down here, Eric right?" She asked, cocking an eye brow. "Yeah Eric, and well it is a casual hang out spot for us hip teenagers." Eric said slyly, grinning a goofy lop sided smile. "Are you like, Donna's Eric?" Tori asked her face falling flat. Eric's face also dropped- as did his heart. "Um, yeah. I guess I used to be."
"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up." Tori said awkwardly.
"It's fine, It's not like it's a secret." Eric sighed. "We broke up like 3 months ago and I still have a hard time being near her."
"Yeah tell me about it, my ex of 5 months ago has a 3 month old daughter. I have a hard time being around him."
"Oh wow, yeah I think you just K.O-ed my breakup in the face" Eric laughed.
"Yeah, it sucked but you know Eric, it does get better, and it is okay to sulk, but a cute guy like you- you've still got a chance." Tori smiled, taking his hand.
"Cute guy? Me?..." Eric mumbled, blushing alittle.
Tori retracted her hands. "Oh, well you know, you aren't bad looking, and you've got a good head of hair. Hair is good."
"Oh hair is bitchin'."
"Totally."
Silence. Tori looked up and her eyes met with Eric's. They were a light caramel color, surrounded but thick black lashes. He had this innocence about him, yet there was this huge electric pull she felt towards him. Something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Eric felt a shiver in his spine, she really was pretty. Gorgeous in fact. He wanted to kiss her. Now, he felt this crazy attraction to her. Out of no where. He'd known her less than a day.
All of a sudden there was a slam of the basement door, and both of their heads whipped around. "Oh, um, I didn't know you had company. Sorry- um, yeah." Donna mumbled, looking down at the ground. Eric shot up, "Donna! Hey- hi. Um, yeah no it's"
"Sorry, I was just leaving," Tori said quickly, getting up and grabbing her coat, quickly walking to the door, glancing back and looking into Eric's eyes once more before ducking out the door.
"What the hell Eric?" Donna exclaimed raising an eyebrow. "...I don't know." Eric replied sinking down into the couch. "Well it was something, you two were mighty close!" Donna said matter-of-factly. "Look Donna, why do you care? You said you were over me. Usually that means my talking to other girls is allowed." Eric complained, looking Donna in the eyes. God, she had pretty blue eyes. "I am over you- you dill hole!" Donna cursed, sitting down beside him. She swept a piece of her fiery red hair behind her ear. "Look Donna, I loved you. You loved me, but we broke up. It hurts. It's hard. But it's something we're going to have to deal with. I will always love you, but we cant' go on like this. Seeing other people might be good for us." Eric replied calmly. He grabbed Donna's hand and looked into her eyes. "It's hard to let you go, but it's what we have to do."
Donna leaned forward and pressed her lips on Eric's firmly. She lifted her hands and held it on the sides of his head pulling him in closer. Eric ran his hand through her hair, and felt his heart run wild as Donna slowly brought her hand from his head down to the buckle of his pants and tugged.