Disclaimer: I do not own That 70's Show or any of its characters.
The Girl I Used to Love
Setting: Point Place Wisconsin 1982
Michael Kelso was ecstatic, he had been living in Chicago for the past two and a half years working at the Playboy Club trying to save money to provide for his daughter and prove to Brooke he was a capable father, and for once he was succeeding in his goal. He worked so hard to prove to Brooke that he was serious about taking care of his child with her, and now it was time to take the final step, he was going ask Brooke to marry him. He had already picked out the engagement ring, and now with the whole gang back together catching up on old times, eating at the Vineyard he knew this was the perfect time to tell everyone. Suddenly he was jerked out of his thoughts by Donna Pinciotti.
"Kelso, you are going to pay for your dinner this time right?" Donna asked
"Yeah, while I admit I found your whole "Dine and Dash" idea pretty funny, I don't think anyone of us want to go through that again" added Eric Forman
"Wow what a surprise you two are still the "mom and dad" of this group. Man how funny would it be if we all dined dashed on you guys again? Ow!" Kelso screamed as Eric punched him in the arm.
"I was joking guys; of course I am paying for my dinner. I've matured" exclaimed Kelso.
This comment made everyone at the table break out in laughter.
"Matured Kelso? So if I suggested that we run out of here without paying again, you would sit here and pay for all of us?" Hyde asked.
"Well if you all ran off, you wouldn't be able to hear my big announcement." Retorted Kelso
"Big announcement? I knew it was only a matter of time before you got VD Kelso. BUUURN!" Shouted Fez excitedly.
"Alright, that was a pretty good burn Fez, but no actually my big announcement is that I am going to ask Brooke to marry me!" Kelso shouted almost jumping out of his chair.
"What?!" asked everyone.
"Yeah, I'm gonna ask her to marry me. I've already picked out the engagement ring" Kelso stated, pulling out a small jewelry box from his pocket and displaying a finally crafted diamond ring.
"Oh my gosh Kelso that is beautiful." Said Donna with a shocked look on her face. She never would have expected Michael Kelso of all people to spend so much money on an engagement ring, or even commit to marriage for that matter. It seemed maybe he had matured…a little.
"Well congrats Kelso" said Eric. "When she sees that ring, she's sure to say yes."
"Definitely. The thought of you getting married makes me want to cry. I love weddings" said a teary Fez.
"So what do you think Jackie?" asked Kelso, "You haven't said anything since I walked in here."
"Oh, yeah, umm, the ring's great. I'm sure you and Brooke will be real happy together" said Jackie forcing a smile. "Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom. Donna!"
"You guys, do you think Jackie's alright? I mean you guys would know you all dated her" exclaimed Eric.
"Forman, since when do you care about how Jackie feels?" Asked Hyde.
"What does that mean?" Eric asked
"Well you were never really friends" Fez explained. "But I can see what you mean, she did seem upset at you Kelso when you said you were going to ask Brooke to marry you."
"What are you talking about? She can't be mad at me. We haven't dated in like four years. I mean sure, we did it like a billion times, but she moved on."
"Yeah she did move on Kelso, but even when we were together she told me she would always have some left over feelings for you man" Hyde told Kelso.
"Yeah, she even told me that when we dated" added Fez. "What makes you so hard to get over Kelso? Where's the left over feelings for Fez huh?"
Meanwhile in the ladies room
"Jackie are you ok?" Donna asked very concerned.
"No Donna I'm not. What is Michael thinking asking Brooke to marry him" asked Jackie. "I mean he goes out and buys her this gorgeous ring, and wants to propose to her. What does he see in her? When I wanted to marry him, he took off with you to California." Jackie said nearly in tears.
"Jackie you can't still possibly have feelings for him after all this time, and after all he did to you. He broke your heart so many times; you can't possibly be bothered by this." Donna told Jackie
"Donna you just don't understand. You have Eric, and you're getting married soon. What do I have? A bunch of failed relationships? I always thought that you and I would go wedding shopping together, and be each other's maid of honor. Instead here I am, with nothing."
"Jackie, you'll find someone trust me. There's someone out there for everyone, you just haven't met him yet."
"Donna, the person I am meant to be with is now going to marry someone else. When Michael proposed to me three years ago I said no because I knew he wasn't mature enough to handle marriage. But now he is. He's held down a job and saved his money and helped raise a daughter. Why couldn't Michael be that mature when he was with me?
"Jackie, it's Kelso we're talking about. He had to get Brook pregnant before he was finally able to grow up. Think about this; that could have been you. Remember when you were a sophomore and you thought you were carrying Kelso's child. Maybe you would have gotten married then. But would it be worth it?"
"I don't know Donna. I just…I just don't think I can stand seeing Michael marry someone else." Said Jackie before being cut off by tears.
Back at the dinner table
"So Kelso when you going back to Chicago" Hyde asked
"Tomorrow. I rented a motel here for the night, and I'll make the drive back later on in the afternoon tomorrow. I want to spend some more time here with you guys." Kelso told everyone.
"Well since you're staying here through tomorrow, I think you should talk to Jackie. When you told us you were going to ask Brooke to marry you, she looked like she was going to burst into tears." Eric told Kelso
"Guys, I knew Jackie before any of you guys did. I think I would know if she was upset or not." Kelso said defensively
"Really Kelso? Then why has she been in the bathroom with Donna for so long?" Fez asked.
Just as Kelso was about to respond Donna and Jackie walked out of the ladies room and sat back down at the table.
"What are you guys talking about?" Donna asked everyone suspiciously.
"Nothing" Eric told her
"Hey guys, I'm going to get going and get some sleep. Here's my money for my meal guys. I'll see you all tomorrow." Kelso told everyone.
"Wait, Michael you're not driving back to Chicago tonight?" Jackie asked
"Nah, I'm staying here till tomorrow. I'm staying in a motel for the night." Kelso said while putting on his coat.
"Oh really, where is it?" Jackie asked
"It's the same motel that Eric took Donna to back when we were in High School when he got busted by Red." Kelso told her. "Well goodnight guys" Kelso said before leaving.
"Night" said everyone
"Well, I think I'm going to get going also. It was great seeing all of you guys again I really missed all of you" Jackie said before hugging everyone and leaving.
After she had left, and it was only Hyde, Eric Donna and Fez sitting at the table. It was Fez who spoke up first.
"Donna what were you and Jackie talking about all that time in the ladies room?"
"Nothing" Donna responded trying to act oblivious to the situation.
"Donna don't pull that crap, we all know that Jackie's upset that Kelso is asking Brooke to marry him" Hyde replied.
"I don't get it guys. Why is she so upset that Kelso is doing this. I thought if anyone would be happy for him she would." Donna replied
"Donna you don't understand, Jackie will always have feelings for Kelso because it was him she loved first. Me and Hyde already told Kelso this. We're just really worried that if she keeps her feelings bottled up inside and doesn't talk to Kelso it will hurt her in the long run" Fez told her.
While he and Jackie broke up last year they ended their relationship on good terms and decided they were better off as friends.
"We can talk about this all night, but whatever happens between Kelso and Jackie is up to her, because Kelso is oblivious to the fact that there's a problem with Jackie." Said Hyde
"You're right Hyde. It's getting kind of late though so hopefully this can get settled before Kelso leaves for Chicago tomorrow. Night guys" Eric said before leaving with Donna.
"Later Forman, give me a call tomorrow" Hyde said
"Sure" Forman said. "Goodnight."
A few minutes later Hyde and Fez got up, hugged each other and went back to their apartments both hoping this situation with Kelso and Jackie could be settled before the end of tomorrow.
Later that night at Kelso's hotel he was asleep when he heard a knock at the door
"What the hell?" Kelso asked himself trying to wake himself up to answer the door. When he finally got to the door his eyes widened in surprise in who was standing there.
"Donna? What are you doing here?" Kelso asked
"Kelso, look I'm real sorry for coming here so late but I had to tell you, Jackie is a wreck over your proposal to Brooke and…"
"OK, stop" Kelso said cutting her off. "I've already had this conversation with Fez, Hyde, and Forman earlier tonight. I don't know why everyone is so concerned. I mean GOD Donna we haven't dated in like four years. We both moved on."
"Keep thinking that Kelso." Donna said sarcastically. "But don't leave until you talk to Jackie and find out if she really feels that way" Donna told him before leaving.
Kelso laid back down on his bed trying to convince himself that all his friends were wrong. "She can't still have feelings for me, can she?" Kelso asked himself. After twenty minutes of laying on his bed and not being able to fall back to sleep he couldn't take it anymore. He was going to drive to Jackie's apartment and show that Jackie thought of him only as a friend now and nothing more.
20 Minutes later he arrived at Jackie's apartment and knocked on the door. After waiting for several minutes and not getting an answer, he pounded on the door intended to settle this dispute with his friends. Finally Jackie answered the door, and Kelso immediately noticed her eyes were bloodshot and watery as if she had been crying.
"Jackie are you ok?" Kelso asked concerned for his one time girlfriend.
"I'm fine. What are you doing here anyways?" she asked
"Everyone says you're upset about me asking Brooke to marry me. I don't know what they're talking about. You're not hurt by me doing this right?" Kelso asked.
After a minute of silence and not getting a response from her, he asked her again.
"You are ok with that right?" When he asked the second time, Jackie looked like she could burst into tears.
"Michael I just don't understand. How could you love Brooke more then you loved me that you would ask her to marry you?" she asked pleadingly. "When I wanted to get married you took off. Does Brooke mean that much more to you then I did? What the hell did I do to have you cheat on me, lie to me and leave me!"
Kelso didn't know what to say. He had thought all these questions were in the past. Did this still bother Jackie after all this time?
"Jackie, I thought we were past all this? You moved on by hooking up with Hyde behind my back!"
"Only after you took off for California!" Jackie interjected defensively
"Whatever! Besides when I asked you to marry me you said no, remember? We haven't been together for like four years. Why do you care if I am asking Brooke to marry me or not?"
"Because you never thought about marriage with me! None of you did. You, Steven, or Fez! Did they take lessons from you on avoiding marrying me or something?" Jackie asked. "You never cared about me did you Michael!?"
"Don't send me on another guilt trip. How many times did I tell you I was sorry about all I did to you? I know you were heart broken when I ran off to California, but you were happier with Hyde. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to admit that! So if you were so happy with Hyde then why does this all bother you so much? Wasn't it you who always told me I would never be able to support you anyways? Jeez Jackie I thought you would be happy for me. I'm so nervous about this whole thing. Even if Brooke says yes, I don't really know what to do. That's why I was hoping you would help me plan the wedding out. I remember how much thought you would always put into them, and how you always loved reading all those wedding magazines. Please Jackie, can't you be happy for me for a change?"
"Oh my gosh Michael!" Jackie screamed. "How stupid can you be? Do you think I want to help plan your wedding to someone else? How did I ever date anyone so stupid?"
"You're right. I am an idiot. Wow, how could I have thought that Brooke would want to marry me? I'm just glad you made me realize it before I made another stupid mistake. Because that's all I do right? I just make one dumb move after another." Kelso said with deep hurt in his voice. "Well thanks Jackie, you saved me from making another dumb move." He said before starting to walk away.
"Wait, Michael come back here. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that" Jackie told him.
"Yeah you did" Kelso said with a bitter tone. "You've always said stuff like that to me even when we were together. That's why I never really thought of marriage with you. Why would I want to spend the rest of my life with someone who makes me feel like you do?" Kelso said with anger and frustration apparent in every word.
"Michael, the only reason I would say stuff like you was for one, I had suspicion that you were cheating on me, and you were. Also there were just times that I just got so frustrated with you that I would just say those things out of anger." After a few minutes of silence Jackie continued, lowering her voice. "Michael I know you always love to have fun, but there were times you just didn't realize that you couldn't always act the way did. I know that you are really proud to be a father and all the times I've seen you with Betsy has shown just how mature you can be. You've shown it since the day she was born."
"Well Jackie, if I've matured that much, then why did you say no when I asked you to marry me?"
"Michael you even said yourself that us getting married then was a dumb idea. It was hard for me to say no to you, because I always thought we were meant to be together" Jackie said with tears starting to form. "But I've seen how happy being with Brooke has made you, and even though I might still have some feelings left over for you even after all this time, you need to do what's best for you."
"So are you alright with this? You won't hate me if I ask Brooke to marry me?" Kelso needed to know. He wanted to marry Brooke, but his friendship with Jackie meant a lot to him, and if it was threatened by him proposing to Brooke he needed to fix it.
"I don't know if I'm ok with it. But I'll never hate you for following your heart. Remember when I first started dating Steven, and you said you didn't know if you would ever be ok with it? That's how I feel right now."
"Yeah, but eventually I was fine with it, remember?" Kelso asked Jackie. "I even helped get you two back together."
"yeah I do" said Jackie laughing at the memory. Thinking of how Kelso tried to relay messages back and forth to her and Steven and messing them up every time was classic Kelso. "So maybe in time I'll be alright with you marrying Brooke."
"Whoa, just because I ask her doesn't mean she'll say yes Jackie. I've already been turned down once you know." Kelso said
"I know, but she'd have to be blind to not see how much you care about her and Betsy. So Michael don't be nervous, because if she doesn't want to marry you, it's her loss. I know everyone says you act like an idiot, but you always mean well in anything you do, and you really are one of the most caring and sweetest guys I've ever met." Jackie told him.
"Wow Jackie, that means a lot. Wait, are you just saying that or do you really mean it?" Kelso asked
"I truly mean it Michael. I guess I should have told you that more often when we were together instead of always putting you down."
"Well thanks Jackie, and I guess I shouldn't have cheated on you and lied to you so much…so are we alright?"
"Yeah Michael' Jackie "we're alright"
"Well I guess everyone was right and you were upset at me for planning on proposing to Brooke. I'm just glad we were able to work it out, but it's really late so I guess I should get going." Michael said ready to head out the door.
"Wait Michael. It's kind of late, so you can stay here tonight if you want." Jackie offered.
"I don't know. I've already rented the motel. Plus where would I sleep?"
"You can sleep on the couch if you'd like" Jackie told him, "Michael you came all this way to straighten things out with me. So why not just spend the night?"
"Well…Alright, you've always been able to do that Jackie. So I guess I'm shacking up on the couch."
As Kelso walked over to lay down on the couch he noticed something about it.
"Whoa, wait a sec. this couch is way too small for me to sleep on, I might as well just sleep on the floor." Kelso told her
"Well fine, if you're not going to sleep on the couch, then I guess you'll just sleep in my bed." Jackie told him
"Oh, we're going to sleep together? So are we gonna do it?" Kelso asked excitedly.
'NO!" Jackie said hitting his arm. "Now come on, it's late" Jackie told him walking with him to her bed.
"I know, I was just joking. Well, goodnight Jackie" Kelso said closing his eyes.
"Goodnight Michael" Jackie said "and hey…thanks for coming over here."
After waiting for a reply she realized Kelso was already fast asleep.
To Be Continued