Steven and Jackie sat silently on the couch, watching tv. Eric and Fez were upstairs, after having been forced to help Mrs. Forman make cookies. Steven scratched his nose and pushed up his glasses, causing Jackie to scowl.
"Why do you always have to wear those stupid things?" she asked, reaching over to remove them from his face. He reeled away from her.
"Hey, hey, now."
"Steven." Jackie said, glaring. "I hate those dumb glasses." Steven shrugged.
"Well I like 'em."
"But I don't. And If I'm gonna be your girlfriend, you're gonna have to do what I want." she said, crossing her arms, and sticking her nose in the air. Steven started to laugh, but stopped when he saw that she was serious.
"Wait-what?"
"I said, if I'm gonna be your girlfriend, you-"
"Yeah, yeah." Steven interrupted, holding up his hand to stop her. "Who ever said anything about you being my girlfriend?" He finally took off his glasses, a confused look on his face. Jackie looked shocked.
"So this," she moved her hand from herself to him, "Us...it doesn't mean anything to you?" She blinked a few times when he didn't reply. "It's all sex for you?" He didn't reply, but put his Aviators back on his face, turning around to the television again. Jackie stood up and tilted her head at him. "I-I thought-" she shook her head. "God, you know, you're just like Michael."
"Whoah." Steven said, standing up as well. "I'm not just like Kelso."
"Whatever." she said, shooting him a cold look. "It's all sex. Sex."
"Jackie."
"It's all that matters to you two!"
"Jackie!" Steven yelled. Jackie stopped talking. Steven ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Kelso called. The other day. He called. He's got a new girl." Steven bit the inside of his cheek. Jackie's mouth opened and closed. She closed her eyes and plopped on the couch.
"He-he's got someone else?" she whimpered. Steven nodded and sat beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her. She leaned into him, and he felt something wet seep through his shirt. He looked down to see her wiping her eyes.
"Oh, Jackie," he said awkwardly. "Jackie, don't cry, please?"
God. He hated when people cried. Especially females. Especially her.
"Steven, how could he move on so fast? How could he just forget about me?" she sniffled. Steven exhaled and thought of what would be right to say.
"Because he's a dumbass that's why."
"Why do I care so much, Steven?" Jackie asked miserably, nuzzling into Steven's shoulder and sniffling. He frowned and brushed some hair off her forehead.
"I don't know." he replied. Jackie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Steven's brows furrowed and he crossed his legs.
Yeah, why did she care, dammit?
Jackie huffed and finished rolling her hair in curlers for the next day. She bit her lip and looked at her reflection in her vanity mirror. How could he be over her so quickly? She was beautiful and was everything he wanted.
Obviously not.
She scowled into the mirror and stepped back from the vanity. He should have married her. Was she really that annoying? He'd loved her, right? Or maybe he just loved her body. That was probably it. She remembered how he'd pressured her into doing it, hinting at it from the very start of their relationship. She was a grade below him in school, and was flattered when he'd been interested. But when she started to grow up she got tired of having sex with him constantly. Relationships were supposed to be magical and frilly and all about love, not horniness.
Why the hell didn't he marry her? Was she undesirable? Did she do anything wrong?
She was Jackie Burkhart, for God's sake. He'd be lucky to marry her.
Jackie's eyes grew wide and she couldn't stand up any longer. Sitting on the floor, back against her bed, she realized...
Would she be lucky to marry him?
Jackie's hand covered her mouth. Would she be lucky to be Mrs. Michael Kelso? Would he treat her like she deserved and love her unconditionally? Would he be the husband she needed?
No.
It finally dawned on her that marrying him would have been a bad idea. She slowly rose and dashed to her window, grabbing an overstuffed, purple teddy bear he had gotten her. She laughed out loud as she opened her window and threw it out into the night. Running across the room she snatched a picture of them together at a football game. The photograph followed the lavender teddy bear out the window. She fell back onto her bed, sinking into the softness of her feather comforter, and breathed a sigh of relief.
For the first time, she was really done with Michael Kelso.
Eric ran a hand through his hair as he paced back and forth across his room. He was deep in thought. Earlier that day, Eric and Fez had been up in the kitchen, helping his mom bake. Kitty had just pulled a tray of fresh chocolate-chip cookies out of the oven. She had enlisted Eric and Fez to help, and somehow, Hyde and Jackie had gotten out of it. Kitty removed the oven mitt from her hand.
"Eric, honey, run down and tell Steven and Jackie that the cookies are ready." she said, reaching for the spatula to begin removing cookies from the pan. Eric grabbed a cookie of his own and dashed downstairs. He stopped, and nearly dropped his cookie, when he noticed them sitting together. Crouching low, he watched them for a while, but nothing happened.
The problem was, Hyde and Jackie hated each other. They never sat together. Especially as close as he had seen them. Hyde's regular chair was vacant. Jackie seemed completely comfortable with his closeness. They weren't even bickering, just sitting and watching television, sitting really close together.
It wouldn't have bothered him so much if he hadn't seen Jackie wink at Hyde across the breakfast table that morning. Could they be-?
No, they couldn't be. Eric frowned and turned to look at his G.I. Joe action figure perched behind his bed.
"Joe, this summer is fuckin' weird."
Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews! I'm glad to see that people like this story, because it's so fun to write. I've recently had a "That 70's Show" marathon, and have a lot of new ideas for where this story is headed! Originally, I had a plan of where I wanted this to go, but after a lot of thought and consideration, it's up in the air. I really have no idea where I'm going to take it. Well, actually I've come up with several ideas, and I just have to choose the one I like best.
So, I'll try to update soon! I start school on Monday, so no telling how busy I'll be. I'll seriously try to update, though.
Again, thanks much for the wonderful reviews! They mean a lot!
-Kay
