Chapter 4 - The Smoking Encounter

The high pitched ring of the bell echoed through the school corridors, causing students to walk in every direction towards their next class. The bell signalled Jen's study hall period, which she only went to when she had tons of homework or an upcoming test. Since she had neither, she decided to skip.

Whilst walking to the double doors that lead to the back of the school, she pulled her wavy blonde locks into a ponytail. As she exited the school, she was hit with a blast of fresh air against her soft exposed skin. The thin material of the balloon sleeved blouse she was wearing underneath her brown suede pinafore, did nothing for warmth but at least she looked cute. She rolled her eyes at the thought, blaming Jackie for thinking something like that.

The blonde made her way towards the dumpsters, which were hidden in a small nook surrounded by the brick walls of Point Place high. This is where she would sneak a secret cigarette during the day if she was getting easily frustrated. Unfortunately, this was becoming more and more frequent. Jen found the little nook a few weeks ago when Kat Peterson began picking on some poor innocent freshman because of the way she looked. Jennifer tried to help the girl once Kat walked away, but the memories of getting bullied caused her to flee the scene. She had no idea where her feet where taking her until she reached the dumpsters and saw Gross Edna smoking a cigarette. Looking at the lunch lady, she hoped that Edna didn't recognise her, she didn't, and also felt extremely jealous at the white stick in her hand.

She had developed the dirty habit during her parents' divorce as a way to try to relax and escape their fighting. There was something about the smoke filling her lungs that relaxed her and put her at ease. When she was younger she used to tell Hyde off for smoking, giving him the normal lecture about his health. Now, she was hypocrite.

The feel of the cool brick against the back of her neck put her a little at ease. She rustled through her small brown shoulder bag to look for her zippo and her pack of cancer sticks. Placing the cigarette in her mouth, she flicked the lighter on, lighting the white roll of tobacco. Her eyes closed as she inhaled, feeling immediately relaxed as the deadly smoke hit her lungs. Dropping her head back onto the brick wall, she could feel her body unwind and her pulse drop slightly. Jennifer stayed like that for a couple of minutes, continuing to smoke the cigarette every now and again.

The peaceful silence was broken when she heard footsteps approaching. Jen panicked, dropping the almost finished cigarette to the floor and stomping it out. She made sure to kick the butt underneath the dumpster before anyone approached. Although she did think about the fact that anyone would find it weird if she was hanging out by the dumpsters.

Jen blew and fanned the air around her as if it would help get rid of the smell. The footsteps got louder the closer they got. The blonde leaned nonchalantly against the wall, waiting for the person to either walk away or right past her. Her blue eyes stayed on the corner of wall, not expecting a familiar curly-haired young man with a cigarette in his mouth, to turn the corner. Hyde was just about to light the cigarette when his glasses covered eyes met Jen's.

"What are you doing here?" The zen master grumbled with the cigarette in his mouth. Jen's eyes watched as he flicked the lighter and lit the cigarette. She swears it was the hottest thing she had ever seen.

"Same idea as you." Jen plucked out another cigarette from her pack, popping it in her mouth. The blonde started to look through her bag again for the zippo, but the metal sound of a lighter sparking, made her lift her head towards Hyde. Their eyes met are she leaned forward to light the end of the white stick. Even through his tinted sunglasses she could feel his fierce gaze on her, making butterflies erupt inside of her.

"You know that shit is bad for you…" Hyde started, as she would when they were younger. A smirk appeared at the strange turn of events. Jen lifted her hand to stop him, knowing where his 'lecture' was going.

"Yeah I know, but this is what a parent's divorce does to you." As she spoke, the smoke she inhaled escaped her mouth. She lifted the cigarette between her two fingers to show Hyde what she was talking about. "Why are you out here?" She nodded her head towards him as he leant on the wall adjacent to her. Lifting his foot to place it on the wall behind him, he shrugged at the question.

"Apart from being here?" Hyde responded, gesturing to the brick wall he was leaning on. Jen gave him a look at his response. He sighed, she could always see past the bullshit. "There's a disco in Kenosha tonight and they haven't shut up about it." Hyde groaned. Jen just about made out what he said, raising her eyebrow in surprise. She took a drag of her cigarette before responding to the boy.

"You're going to a disco! Can you even dance?" She asked, genuinely curious. In all the time that they had known each other, Jen couldn't recall a time where she saw Hyde dance. She had seen him bob his head, tap his foot or sway to music but that was just a natural reaction to a beat.

"I- I can dance." Hyde became defensive at the question, already having this talk with Mr Forman in the garage, the day before.

"Oh my god! You can't dance." The blonde chuckled at Hyde's discomfort. Hyde quickly finished his cigarette, throwing it to the ground and stomping it out.

"I can dance" Hyde defended himself. The blonde tilted he head to the side, not believing a word coming out of his mouth. To prove her wrong, he pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. Jen copied Hyde's actions, dropping the finished cigarette to the floor as he walked towards her. His hand reached out for her wrist, using it to pull her flush against him. A small gasp escaped her lips at the sudden action.

He placed his left hand on the small of her back and his right took hold of hers. Jen gently laid her hand on the top of his shoulder, looking up at him trying to hide the smile that was itching to show.

Both of them felt silly as they danced by the dumpsters to no music. Hyde led her around the little nook using the hand placed in the small of her back. A small blush began to show itself on Jen's cheeks, realising that Steven Hyde had his hands on her. Jen peered up at the curly haired rebel to see a smirk dominating his face. "Are you blushing, King?" he teased the shorter girl.

"What? No, it's just the cold, Hyde." She tried to grimace at Steven to show that she wasn't blushing at him, but it just made the boy chuckle.

"Sure it is." Hyde stated once his chuckling died down. Whilst in their close proximity, he took the time to really look at her. His steely blue eyes examined hers, Hyde could see the small green flecks in her iris. Under the light layer of makeup, her small brown freckles were faint across the bridge of her nose. Jen's lips were full and plump, to the point that made them almost kissable. The blush on her cheeks deepened, feeling nervous under the intense gaze of Steven Hyde. "You're my first dance."

"I'm your first? I'm honoured." She smiled at him.

"This is nice." His words sounded sincere. The genuine tone took a hold of Jen, rarely seeing this side of Hyde.

"Yeah, it is." Jen responded breathlessly. Their gazes were locked as they moved around the small area. Totally ignoring the fact that they were having a moment by the dumpsters that Hyde's mom would occasionally smoke at. Hyde spun the blonde out of his arms, spinning her back to him slowly. He laid the back of her hand against his chest, his thumb started to unconsciously stroke the soft skin of the top of her hand. Hyde stopped moving, both of their gazes falling to their clasped hands on his chest.

The air begun to feel tense.

It was just the two of them, in silence.

Until the bell sounded, making the two teenagers jump apart.

"Uh, so … urm… See you around, King" Hyde stuttered, turning around to exit the little nook. His hand raising to scratch the back of his neck.

Blue eyes followed the fleeting figure of Steven Hyde as he hastily departed from their sweet moment.

What the hell just happened? Jennifer thought as she reached for another cigarette, feeling a different kind of frustration.