Author's Note: I'm sorry for not updating yesterday, got caught up in finishing up an essay and was pretty burned out afterwards. Here is the latest installment. Hope you enjoy this chapter and the next one should be up on Sunday. Thinking about publishing two chapters this weekend instead of the one just to move things along a bit.
November 15, 1979- 10:11pm:
When Jackie steps into the kitchen, she sees that Hyde has already settled down in a seat on the table. Immediately, she notices that he has taken off his sunglasses and he is looking directly at her. She walks a few steps and rests on the counter near the sink but he motions for her to join him on the table. Jackie shakes her head and folds her arms across her chest instead. A smirk forms across Hyde's lips.
"What do you need to talk about Hyde?"
From his spot in the kitchen, he analyzes her. She can feel his eyes taking in every inch of her and it makes her uncomfortable, not because of the action itself but because she likes it. She likes that he's taking her in when she is looking her best.
"You accepted Kelso's proposal" he says.
"I'm glad you were paying attention" she retorts feeling internally satisfied. Good, it does bother him that she committed to someone else. Serves his right for all the things he put her through.
"Is that really a good idea?" he asks.
"Do you think it's a bad idea?" she says, throwing his question back at him. She can't wait until he tells her what a mistake she's making and how he expected more from her. A sick part of her wants him to feel bad about her moving on while he has to sit around married to the stripper he married while being drunk. He can finally realize that he could have been the one she chose, been the one who would be spending the rest of his life with her had he just given her the things he couldn't promise.
"I think you've had better ideas" he replies.
"Oh yeah? Which ones for example? I happen to think getting married to Michael is a great idea" she says.
"Jackie, you and Kelso getting married is not a great idea" Hyde says as he leans back on his chair and rocks it on its two hind legs.
"Why do you care anyway?" Jackie asks him, her eyebrow rising with curiosity.
Hyde doesn't answer immediately. He makes eye contact with Jackie from across the room and a tension forms between the two. It had been weeks, since before Sam showed up, that the two of them had been alone in a room and actually had a conversation. The last time they had any real form of communication, they were still together. Now, here they were, their lives having completely changed. He was married and she was engaged. Neither would have thought, just a few weeks ago, that they would not be together, let alone where they are now.
"You know what, you're right. I don't care" Hyde replies as he stands up from his seat.
"Good, you shouldn't seeing as how you never actually cared about me anyway so you have no reason to judge or lecture me about this" she says. Something about his indifference really pisses her off. He's supposed to be more affected by it, just like she was when his wife walked through the doors. He's supposed to give a damn.
"What are you talking about?" he asks, stopping just a few feet from where she is standing.
"That's what you told Donna, wasn't it? That you regret ever being in a relationship with me?" she says, her voice rising and tears threatening to fill her eyes. She feels her pulse quickening and she hates him even more now for still having this affect on her. She was supposed to be happy. Supposed to be driving home and waiting for her fiance to show up so they could celebrate. Instead, she is here arguing with someone who could not care less about her.
"Jackie, that's not what I-" he starts but she interrupts him.
"Save it, I heard you and you know what? I'm glad to know you feel that way because now I know that what we had didn't mean anything to you and I can be truly happy with my life."
"Hey, you know that's not true" he says matter-of-factly.
"No actually, I don't know anything other than what I heard you say. That's all you've ever shown me and I was stupid enough to think that you actually did love me" Jackie responds as a few tears finally win and make their way down her cheeks.
"Fuck, what do you want me to say?" Hyde says, exasperation in his voice.
"I don't want you to say anything Hyde, it doesn't matter anymore" she replies.
"Exactly! It doesn't fucking matter anymore because you're marrying Kelso" he says.
"Oh it doesn't matter because I'm marrying Michael? Guess what? It hasn't mattered since you married that whore so don't you dare make this about my decision to be happy" she yells at him and turns to walk back towards the living room.
Hyde speeds up after her and finds her walking towards the coat rack to get her jacket. Fez is still sitting on the piano bench but Hyde ignores him. "Oh, is this what you're doing to be happy? You could have fooled me. I thought you were just doing it to get back at me."
Jackie turns around abruptly and glares at him. She walks back over to where he stands and points her index finger just inches from his face. "You arrogant son of a bitch. Get over yourself. This isn't about you. It hasn't been about you for a very long time, not since you fucked up everything we had. I'm choosing to be happy with someone who can actually commit to loving me which you never could."
Hyde can't help but laugh bitterly at this. "Commit to loving you? Come on princess, did you forget all the times he cheated on you when you were together? What makes you think he won't do it now?"
Jackie's entire body feels like it's igniting at his words and she is besides herself. She shoves him, as hard as she can once, twice...she continues shoving her until he grabs her by the wrists to stop her.
"Hyde, stop" Fez says getting off the piano bench and walking over to them. Hyde releases his hold on Jackie who immediately starts crying and walks back to grab her jacket. Fez stands in front of Hyde and holds his hand to his chest to stop him from walking over to Jackie.
"Tell me you love him," Hyde yells at her, "go on, tell me in all honesty that you actually love Kelso and you're not just doing this to get back at me?"
"Fuck you" Jackie turns to say before walking out of the front door.
"Not. Cool" Fez says to Hyde before chasing after Jackie to comfort her.
"What's going on?" Hyde hears a voice say behind him. He turns to see his wife standing by the swinging door in a towel and shakes his head. "Hyde, what was all that about?" she asks again.
"Nothing Sam, don't worry about it" he says without turning to look at her. He takes a seat on the couch wanting to just be left alone and forget everything that just happened. He hadn't meant to go off on Jackie or even let himself get that worked up. He told himself he would keep calm and just talk to her, as civilly as one can speak to an ex who just got engaged to his best friend.
"It didn't sound like nothing. Why were you arguing with Jackie?" Sam says, wanting answers from her husband.
"It's not important Sam don't worry about it. Just go downstairs, I'll be down in a minute."
"Don't bother coming down unless you're ready to talk about what the hell that was about" Sam says and turns back around towards the kitchen.
Hyde lets out a frustrated sigh. Great, just what he needed, another person pissed off at him.