The next day, Hyde was at work anxiously awaiting Jackie's arrival. He would look at the clock hoping that time would go by a little faster so he could see Jackie again. Every time a customer asked him a question he would fumble with his answer, at the register he was messing up the change and Randy and Leo were taking notice.

"Hey uh…you ok today boss?" Randy asked.

"Yeah. What makes you think I'm not?"
"Well man…you're pretty screwed up today." Leo said.

"I'm pretty screwed up?" Hyde asked.

"Look…Hyde I know things have been weird for you since your friends have been gone…but…if you want to talk about it…Well…I'm here."

"Gee Randy…that'd be great. Then we can have a sleepover and talk about our new crushes too!" Hyde said in a girly voice.

"Look I'm just saying…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm fine."
"Oh hey man I forgot to tell you something."
"What is it Leo?"
"Loud girl called."
Hyde's head shot up and he looked anxiously at Leo which Randy noticed.

"Jackie called? When? What did she say? Does she want me to call her back?"
"Your getting pretty excited about your ex calling you. I thought you said you hated Jackie." said Randy.

"Whatever. Were friends now that's all."
"Whatever you say boss."
"Leo what did she say?"
"Oh…she said something about her boss and staying late at work."
"You mean she's not coming over here later?" Hyde seemed extremely upset.

"Nah man…she'll just be late."
"Oh…that's cool."
Hyde walked away and Randy followed him curious as to what he was up to.

"So when did you and Jackie become friends again?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"Why are you being so uptight about this?"
"Do you have some sort of crush on Jackie or something Randy?"
"No. I just don't want to see her get hurt again."
Randy glared at Hyde and walked into the back room to do some paperwork. Hyde glared after him and sat down on his stool at the counter when Leo came up to him.

"You ok man?"
"Leo can I ask you something?"
"Sure man, but I swear I'll put the money back tomorrow."
Hyde glanced up at Leo and thought of responding to his comment but just shook his head and laughed.

"What do you think of Jackie?"
"I don't know how I feel about Jackie man. But I do like Loud Girl."

Hyde laughed. "You do?"
"Yeah man…she's cool. She's tough, and she can yell man."
Hyde laughed again and nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah she sure can."
"Plus she seemed to make you happy man. And now…you don't seem happy."
"You think she'll forgive me for what I did to her?"
"What'd you do to her?"
"I married Sam…and treated her like absolute shit for a year."
"Wow man that's heavy. But who's Sam?"
"She's…oh never mind you won't remember this conversation anyway. Would you mind watching the register for a bit?"
"That's cool."
"Alright. Thanks. I'll be back in a bit."
Hyde went to the back room to get his coat and keys and Randy glared at him.

"Where you going?"
"Out."
Hyde didn't even look at Randy; he just left and went outside to the Camino. He drove around for about an hour to clear his mind. Randy often spoke his mind, but Hyde hadn't expected him to say something like that, to defend Jackie. He sighed and realized if he ever wanted to get back together with Jackie he was going to have to come up with a pretty damn good plan to win back her trust. He headed back to Groove's just as Randy was closing up.

"Hey boss. How was your drive?"
"Fine."
"You want me to finish up here."
"No. I'm staying here for a bit anyway. You can go."
"Oh ok."
Hyde walked behind the register and started to count the money; Randy looked over at him and sighed.

"Hyde…I didn't mean to upset you before."
"You didn't Randy. It's fine."
"No its not. I just mean that Jackie is a good girl, she doesn't deserve to have her heartbroken again. But…if you really do love her and she is what you want this time…than go for it. Although it's not going to be easy."
"How do you even know what happened between me and Jackie?"
"Well when me and Donna were going out…one night I went over to her house but she wasn't there. Jackie was there and we started talking…and drinking…and before I knew it she was a drunken crying mess telling me the whole story. It's a pretty rough story."
"Yeah it is…I screwed up pretty bad."
"Yeah you did."
Hyde glared at him and Randy backed off a bit.

"Sorry…well I'm gonna head home but good luck with Jackie. And just…don't hurt her ok? She deserves to be happy…and so do you."
He smiled at Hyde and then took off. Hyde turned on a Zeppelin record and started cleaning up. About a half hour later he heard a knock on the door and jumped up excitedly and ran to the door unlocking it, his smile brightened when he saw Jackie standing there.

"Hey. Sorry I'm so late. Did Leo tell you I called?"
"Yeah sort of." She smiled. "Come in, its cold out."
Jackie walked into Grooves and took off her coat placing it on the couch before turning back to look at Hyde. He was standing closer to her than she expected and she jumped slightly.

"Oh…sorry."
"No…no its fine."
"So uh…how was work?"
"God it sucked. This new job at the radio station sucks. I mean Donna got to be on the radio…all I do is file records all day around weird creepy old men."
"You file records? Interesting…"
"Steven how is that interesting? It's like one of the most boring things ever."

"Well…I mean…I was just thinking that you know…Leo doesn't do much around here. And I could use an extra hand…and since you have some experience with records and your good with money…would you like to work here?"
Jackie seemed taken a back and laughed nervously.

"I uh…well…are you serious?"
"Yeah sure why not. I mean it would be kind of fun wouldn't it? We could hang out when it was dull and Randy and Leo like you. No more creepy guys hanging around you."
"Steven-"
"And I'd pay you more than they do."
"Huh…alright then. I'm in."
"Great!" Hyde's smile was brighter than she had ever seen it before and she stared at him curiously.

"You're being incredibly nice to me Steven."
"That's what friends do right? Be nice to each other."
"Yeah I suppose so…it's just…never mind." She put her head down staring at her feet.
"It's just that I was such an ass to you this year right?"
Her head shot up and she stared at him with teary eyes.

"Uh yeah…I guess that's what I was going to say."
"I am sorry ya know. For the way I treated you."
She smiled. "I know Steven. I know. But that's in the past. Were moving onto our future as friend's right?"
"Right…as friends."
"Your not going to like make me do all the work around here are you?"
"Jackie you're talking to me. I don't do work. So if you don't really work…I'll still pay you."
She laughed.

"Good. I guess I'll tell my boss tomorrow that I quit."
"Ok. You can come by on Friday and I'll show you how to work everything, ya know kind of training."
"Ok sounds good."
"Good. Are you uh…you hungry?"

"Starved!"
"Want to go out to get a bite to eat?"
"Yeah sure I'd love to."

Hyde grabbed his coat and turned off the lights and she grabbed her coat. Hyde smiled as Jackie walked by him out the door. Things were good…things were very good. He just had to find a way to not screw up now.