How It Should Have Happened
The Proposal
Jackie sat on the bed in her motel room, sniffling. She was alone. And scared. And starting to wonder if Steven had ever really cared about her.
She had thought so. But when Steven had found her in Eric's basement after she had left him the note saying she was gone, he seemed indifferent. She had given him another chance to propose and he didn't want it. Why was she in love with a man that didn't care?
Someone knocked. Jackie paused for a second. She was pretty sure she hadn't ordered pizza. But this wouldn't be the first time she had used food as an antidote for depression. She needed Donna. Donna always helped her through these things.
Jackie had picked up the phone and started to dial Donna's number when she heard another knock. Oh, right, she thought. I have to answer the door.
Poor Jackie. Her thoughts were so foggy she didn't even think to look through the peep hole. She just threw the door open, expecting to see a pizza deliver guy wearing an ugly uniform. So she was completely surprised to see Steven standing in the cheap motel's dim overhead lights.
If Jackie had been thinking clearly, she would have slammed the door in Steven's face. But she wasn't, and Steven knew her too well, so by the time that thought occurred to her, Steven had already stepped in and closed the door.
"Steven-"
"Look, Jackie," Steven interrupted. He was not about to let Jackie talk him out of this. He had finally found the courage to tell her how he felt, and he would not let her say anything to discourage him now! He knew Jackie might not forgive him, but Hyde had realized something today. He was willing to risk everything for the puffy-eyed girl in front of him.
"You gave me an ultimatum. And then you left a note that said you were gone. I didn't know what to do. Forman and Donna told me you had let me off the hook, but it really didn't feel like it. And I was really upset. Because you gave me an ultimatum, but you didn't wait for me to give you an answer. And that meant you had no faith in me.
"So as I'm thinking about what a big mistake it was that I didn't answer you before you decided to just 'let me off the hook', I walk in and find you hanging out in Forman's basement. Let me tell you, I was mad. I mean, I was completely pissed. And then I thought that I must not really care because how could I be so angry with someone I loved? It didn't make sense to me."
Through all of this, Jackie was silent. For the first time in her life, she couldn't think of anything to say. All she could do was watch as Steven started to pace back and forth, talking with a momentum she had never seen from him.
"So it was a while after you actually left for Chicago when I realized that if I really didn't care about you, I wouldn't have been so angry. I come from such a messed up family that I don't know how to sort out my own feelings most of the time.
"I'm sorry I always push the things I love away and I'm especially sorry if you've changed your mind and you really don't want to hear this. But I…" Steven suddenly came to a dead stop directly in front of Jackie and looked her in the eyes. "I love you Jackie. And I'll do everything I can to make up for all times I pretended I didn't care or I didn't know. Because I do care and I do know."
"What are you saying Steven?" Jackie asked.
"What I'm saying… well what I'm asking is," in one smooth motion Steven dropped down on one knee and pulled out a little box covered in velvet. Inside, a beautiful diamond ring was nestled in between the soft, cushiony part. "Will you marry me, Jackie Burkhart?"