So, great feedback for Chapter Three from my two awesome reviewers: Fall1ng4u and nikole salvatore – you two are geniuses and it totally helps give another bit of structure for the long haul of the story! I tip my hat to you both.
Chapter Word Count: 3,591
Original Post Date: 07 March 2016
Chapter Four
He growled and admitted, "I like you and you bursting in when I'm about to strip turned me on, okay?"
Beth's mouth dropped in surprise.
The blonde stared at her best friend of almost a decade for a long moment, her cheeks slowly getting pinker and pinker. Danny instantly regretted opening his mouth but now that the words were out and he couldn't take them back. There were three options they could take, from what he could see. She could accept him and they could date, which would be epic. She could reject him and they would heal their friendship, which would hurt but it would be okay after a while. Or, option three, she could reject him and their relationship would hit the rocks and crumble to bits and he would lose one of his best friends probably for eternity.
"I… I have to… to go," she whispered.
His heart squeezed slightly in his chest. 'Could be worse. She could have laughed. Or cried.'
Danny watched as his best female friend and crush bolted from his bedroom like a startled colt. Anger at his stupidity welled up inside of him and he turned, slamming his fist into the side of his wardrobe, cursing as the wood cracked under his knuckles.
The blonde didn't stop running until she was slamming the basement door behind her and sliding down to the concrete. Donna and Jackie were the only ones in the basement. Luckily. The redhead pushed herself up, her brows furrowed as she watched the fifteen-year-old put her hands over her face and slump into herself, which was so unlike the normally happy-go-lucky blonde.
Quietly, so as not to startle her too much, Donna asked, "Beth?"
The girl still jumped and looked over at her, startled. "Oh, Donna, Jackie," she squeaked and attempted to force a smile, though it soured into more of a grimace. Pushing to her feet, she wavered between wanting to run up the stairs and cry to herself or sitting down and venting to them. "Hi! I didn't see you guys there." Her voice was strained and she couldn't seem to really look at them.
"Oh my god!" Jackie's eyes widened almost comically as she shrieked, being semi-insightful, "Someone admitted they liked you!"
Decision made for her; Beth sighed, falling into the lawn chair closest to her, not minding her spread knees and the fact that she was wearing a skirt. She normally wore pants so she thought nothing of it. "It's worse; it was Danny," she admitted, wishing it was only Donna here because she could actually keep her fat trap shut. Both other girls' eyes widened, Donna's because she knew how close the two were and the cheerleader's eyes widened because he was a football player meaning super-hot and popular. Why did he like this string bean? Beth ignored the younger girl's obvious shock and added, the words feeling like they were being pulled from between her teeth, "Danny said… that he… he likes me. He's my best friend and I… I do like him, I mean, he's my best friend, but I'm not even sure if it's still friendship or if… y'know… maybe I should try to date him and see if I like-like him or… God, why did he have to go and screw things up?! I feel like I'm standing on moving sand!"
The redhead reached over and touched the blonde's knee, even though she didn't really know how to help. "He's a guy. He's stupid and they usually tend to screw up everything," she attempted to reassure her. "Just look at Eric. He was being oblivious to my obvious hints to come and hang out, maybe even make out last week because he went and got that job at Fatso Burger."
Jackie added, slightly off-topic, "I still can't believe Daddy gave Eric the job and not Michael."
Beth shrugged, ignoring the brunet. "Since he quit, he'll actually have time for you," she commented.
Jackie squealed. "Then maybe Michael can get his job and take me out on a date!" She clapped her hands happily. The blonde and redhead regarded the youngest girl with annoyed glanced. "What? Michael needs it more because I actually have expensive taste."
"Jesus, Jackie! You're calling me cheap!" Donna shouted.
The cheerleader shrugged, pulling out an emery board from her purse, "If the lumberjack boot fits…" She began filing her nails.
Donna scoffed and grabbed Beth's hand, muttering, "C'mon. Let's go to my place." When both freshmen stood, she added, "Jackie, you aren't invited at the moment. I'm actually kind of hurt at what you said."
The cheerleader blinked then pouted. "Fine. I'm just going to find Michael then." She stormed out past them and slammed the door. Donna sat back down on the couch, not really wanting to go home because her parents were being weirder than normal. Beth shimmied into the spot vacated by Jackie, leaning her head on the older girl's left shoulder.
"What am I going to do?" the fifteen-year-old asked.
Hyde chose that exact moment to start down the steps just in time to hear Donna say, "You need to really sit down and evaluate your feelings for him and see what you want to do." He froze, seeing it was Beth with the redhead and he swallowed. "If you really like him," Donna continued, unaware of their audience, "then you tell him and maybe things will work out. If you think you two are better off as just friends, then try and tell him as gently as possible. I've noticed guys get hurt feelings really easily." Caught off guard, Beth laughed and the tension eased. Eric, Kelso and Fez finally thundered down the steps and the girls whipped around to see all four guys standing there.
"Hey, it's Beth!" Fez grinned. "Hi long lost good sister of Eric." He hugged her from behind the couch until she smacked his wandering hand. Eric punched him in the arm before weaseling his way between his sister and love interest. The blonde, now closer to Hyde who was lounging in his chair almost like a model which made her smirk and raise a brow even as her cheeks went a little pink, suddenly said, "Oh, so I have some good news—I got a job at The Vineyard."
"The Vineyard?" Hyde leaned forward, frowning. "That fancy schmancy up-to-do restaurant for rich folk that have too much money that could just burn it and still have more?"
"I'll be making $2.30 an hour plus any tips," she replied.
His jaw dropped. "I am so stealing money from you." He grinned and she felt herself smirking despite herself.
She snorted. "You wish. Oh, how was that kegger you tried throwing yesterday?"
"Mr. Red caught us," Fez whined. "At least you stayed home.
The blonde smirked. "I was finishing up my part of the project for biology that's due next week," she shrugged. "I don't think I've had that much fun with glitter glue and playdoh since I was in elementary." Hyde scoffed, raising both brows. "We had to make 3D models of plant and animal cells. I finished my animal cell."
"So, you do know you're going to have a hard time finishing homework and studying for finals, right," Eric asked. "I mean, you still have about two months of school left before summer vacation."
Beth leveled her brother with a look. "We both know I retain my studies a little better than you so I can easily finish whatever homework I need during class and study on my way to and from work and whatever breaks I get. I'll be fine."
He growled and admitted, "I like you and you bursting in when I'm about to strip turned me on, okay?"
Beth's mouth dropped in surprise.
Danny took the opportunity to cross his bedroom and press her against the door-jam of his bedroom, her hands getting caught between them as she brought them up as if to ward him off. She knew her was pressed against her but for some reason, she couldn't really feel it. Still, she melted into him, whimpering as his tongue pressed against the seam of her lips, requesting entrance. She gasped when he suddenly squeezed her backside tightly, pressing her against his half-naked body even tighter. His tongue invaded her mouth the moment her lips parted and moaned when he tasted her for the first time, though, for the life of her, she couldn't place it.
Beth's fingers had slowly, hesitantly drifted up towards his shoulders before her fingers instinctively delved into the hair at the base of his neck. He moaned even louder this time, although his voice sounded different this time.
Confused, she pulled back and gasped, seeing Hyde having replaced Danny. He smirked. "You like me, B," he whispered. She felt heat flood her cheeks and she opened her mouth to deny him but any words stuck in her throat like peanut butter. He chuckled, adding, "Too bad this all is prostitution. Guess that makes you nothing but a cheap whore. Like your sister."
Beth jerked herself awake and blinked gummy eyelids, trying to force herself fully into the real world as her disoriented brain tried to restart itself to full function. Her dream raced back to her moments later and she felt her eyes sting, the bit of salt water washing away the sleep.
"Why am I crying?" she demanded herself, throat tight, startling herself with the sudden sound in the silence. "So Hyde doesn't want to date anyone. So what? It's not my problem." She rubbed the remaining gook away before rolling onto her stomach and reaching for her clock. She peered through the dim lighting in her bedroom to see the ticking hands telling her she had an hour before her alarm was due to go off. She groaned and flopped back onto her back. "Damn it," she whispered. It was very unlikely she was going to fall back asleep. This gave her more time to puzzle out what to do about the Danny situation and what she really wanted.
Beth felt absolutely lifeless as she dragged herself from her brother's car. Her parents had been concerned when they saw the light bruises underneath her eyes but she had brushed them off with the excuse of nightmares, though she still wasn't sure whether or not her dream could really be classified as such or not because… at least in the dream, she had liked being kissed by Danny before Hyde had to have gone and interrupted it and made it, well, not a nightmare but not a nice dream.
What made it worse was today was to mark her first shift at The Vineyard.
Tiffany Rosestone, a good friend since the start of the year, she had moved from Brooklyn, New York and had that very distinct accent, was at her own locker when Beth went to grab her books for her first class. Standing about as tall as Donna's 5'9" and was sturdy muscle from being on the swim team, Tiff had almost no curves due to her muscles and was both very displeased and vocal about her lack. "Hey, babe," she greeted her, turning back to her locker, only to do a double-take. "Are you okay?"
Beth grimaced. "Not sure. Can I vent in homeroom?"
"Always," her friend nodded. "How many times have I vented at you for whatever reason this past year?" The shorter girl smiled and closed her locker, heading with the platinum blonde to their first unofficial class.
Taking their seats in the back, Beth scanned the room for Danny but didn't see him sitting off somewhere else today, since usually, he was with them, so figured he was either running late or skipping, which let a slightly sour taste in her mouth. "So… Danny admitted he liked me yesterday," the shorter blonde girl announced quietly to her friend.
Brown eyes widened and a grin pulled at full lips. "It's about time!" Tiff whisper-shrieked, clapping her hands excitedly.
Blue eyes widened. "You knew?" she demanded.
"Uh, duh, babe," Tiffany laughed. "If you weren't so oblivious to the opposite sex, you'd have seen it a long time ago. He's been staring at you like a lost puppy since at least the moment I met the two of you, if not before."
Beth gaped at her friend and then looked down at her hands in her lap. "I had no idea," she whispered.
"So, spill." The shorter girl blinked, confused. "How did he tell you or how did you finally figure it out?"
"Oh," Beth whispered. She shifted forward when her teacher came in and announced roll call; Danny had not shown up and her stomach twisted. Once roll call was done, conversation around the room resumed, only slightly quieter. "Well, remember when I told you that Danny told me about the opening at The Vineyard?" The darker blonde was turned in her chair facing her friend who was sitting behind her; she nodded, mentioning she had been hired there. "Yeah, so I went for my interview and got the job—" her friend grinned and squealed quietly in joy that they would be able to work together, "—and I was so excited that I ran to Danny's house to let him know. And you know I ran upstairs and opened the door without knocking because I just wanted to share the good news and you were most likely at a meet. So, anyway, I opened the door and he was…" her cheeks went pink at this part and her eyes dropped to the floor, "he was getting ready to take a shower."
Tiffany's eyes widened. "Was he naked?" she breathed.
Beth immediately shook her head. "He still had his pants on but… he was shirtless… and I don't think I really realized just how… hot… he was."
The platinum blonde grinned devilishly. "That boy could be my washboard, his abs are so yummy!"
The shorter girl cringed and continued, "I told him I got the job and he said that it was great but his voice was so weird, like he had been screaming at a concert and it was raw… or something. When I asked him if he was okay, he tried to brush me off but, you know how I get when I get worried. So… I pushed, trying to see if I could help him and… and when I demanded what was wrong with him, he…" her face got very red at this part, "he said that he liked me and he got horny, because of me."
Her friend had to bite her knuckles to keep from squealing, even though she was nearly jittery with excitement.
The bell rang signaling their first class.
Getting up, the girls filed out of their classroom and into the busy hallway. Beth grabbed Tiffany's hand and asked over her shoulder, "So what am I supposed to do? I asked Donna but she just told me to evaluate my feelings and I'm not sure what I'm feeling. Oh, did I tell you about my dream last night?"
"You're holding out on me?"
"No," Beth snorted. "I just sorta shifted it to 'not priority'." Passing Hyde and Fez in the hall, she waved to them, even though she felt her heart squeeze when she looked at the sunglasses hiding the rebel's eyes. She hurried on with Tiff. "So, in my dream, it was yesterday but… instead of running out on him when he spilled, I… we…" Her face was going to remain stained pink at the rate she was blushing in the last twenty-four hours or so. "In my dream… we made out until…" The blush instantly faded and a grimace instead took its place upon her lips.
Tiffany saw the look, "Uh-oh, what happened, babe?"
Beth met her friend's gaze quickly and then dropped it, leading them into their AP Geometry class; their favorite seats were in the far back by the windows. "In the dream, we made out until Danny turned into my brother's friend Hyde, Steven Hyde—you remember him, right?"
The platinum blonde pouted herself; she was not a fan of his.
"So, Danny turned into Hyde and he was just… so… mean. God that sounds childish," Beth groused. "But you get it. And that was when I woke up."
Tiffany was quiet while the rest of the class filed into the room, waiting on their teacher, Ms. Lewis. Finally, she said, "It sounds like you want them both but you're afraid of giving your heart away, babe. Did the stoner call you a whore or a slut?" The darker blonde's look of surprise confirmed it. "You're afraid that it won't work out and you'll end up being like this sister you told me about and jump from 'relationship' to 'relationship' as she does. Honestly, I'd pick Danny since he obviously wants you. And who better than to date but your best friend? He already knows practically everything about you."
Beth mulled that over when the bubbly brunet that was their teacher came in. By the end of class, the blonde had finally realized that her friend was right, and although it sort of hurt that she'd so easily uncovered a truth she had been lying to herself about, it was… freeing. She supposed the next step was finding Danny and talking to him.
The next period was Biology and Beth had class with Danny. Only, he still wasn't there. He wasn't in their shared English class; she couldn't find him during Lunch, or the final period of the day—PE. Discouraged, disgruntled, and miserable, Beth hurried through her shower, her worries over Danny competing with her worries over her new job and how badly Eric had hated his. She switched out her books one final time at her locker, and found Tiffany.
"Need a ride, babe?" the platinum blonde asked as they exited the building. That was when Beth spotted Danny leaning against his GMC Sprint, her emotions flitting back and forth. "Never mind. I'll see you at work. And tell him I'll drive you home."
Taking a deep breath, the dark blonde thanked her friend and hesitantly walked towards him, her eyes searching his blank face. "Hey," she whispered, voice cracking slightly.
He frowned and looked away from her. "Look," he growled, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said any—"
"I… no," she interrupted him. "It's just… I… wasn't… sure… what I felt for you." Seeing his shoulders slump a little, she quickly hurried on, "You're my best friend and even I can admit that I think you're really hot but I'm … nervous okay? I mean… you've actually attempted to date but… you'd be my first boyfriend, Danny. I don't want to screw this up. And… I just… I want to make this last so I won't be like the Slut." She shuffled and looked down at her feet, grimacing. "I'm just being stupid. I'm sorry, Danny."
Her friend shook his head, a slight smile gracing his lips. "I think I get it, B. It's still new and confusing," he answered, feeling a little better at her emphatic nodding. He sighed and then changed the topic. "You need a ride to work?"
"Yeah, that would be awesome," she answered, grinning brightly.
Exaggerating a bow and then offering her his elbow, Beth giggled, her cheeks pink with a deep flush, took hold of his arm, grinning giddily at some semblance of normality returning, though her heart was still pounding in her chest and she felt nervous and shaky but like things could get better while anticipating… something. He even opened her door for her.
Behind them, Hyde had walked out of his last class, having stayed in school all today because he didn't have money for beer or weed and nothing else better to do and it surprised all his teachers which was an added bonus, only to spot the interaction between Beth and Danny making him pause. He stared at them from about ten feet away, his brows furrowed in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on. If he didn't know any better, he would say the two of them were… flirting?
But from what he had heard between her and Donna…
Danny offered Beth his arm like some lame, hoity-toity would-be prince or whatever, and she giggled. She fucking giggled! Like a goddamn girl! Like a goddamn girl who was happy with that stupid kid's lame-ass flirting!
What the fuck?!
Danny pulled into the parking lot of the Vineyard blasting the Stone's Dance Little Sister with fifteen minutes to spare before her shift started. Beth turned to him, smiling shyly, murmuring, "Thanks for the ride. Tiff's gonna drive me back since we're both working tonight."
"Cool," he replied. "Or I could come pick you up anyway?"
Beth smiled, touching his shoulder, replying, "As much as I like that idea, it's not convenient for you."
He snorted. "Always looking out for everyone. You're such a great person."
"Only sometimes," she retorted playfully. "I can be selfish." He raised a brow. "I can!"
He smirked, grasping her chin with his thumb and index gently but firmly. "Well, I'm going to be selfish," he muttered. He suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips against her, almost smirking when she pressed against him this time. "As far as I'm concerned," he whispered when he pulled back, "that was our first kiss."
"Okay," she giggled, cheeks flushing pink.
So if any of you were curious, in 1976, minimum wage in Wisconsin was about $2.10 an hour so the fact that Beth's pay is about $2.30 is equivalent to almost $9 an hour and maybe some change. I amped it up because it is a really nice restaurant and so the pay would be better, or at least, it would be in my mind and Mr. Yates is really awesome guy who likes taking care of his employees—unlike most idiot bosses nowadays.
I wish you all good health; good weather and I'll talk to you later, especially if you give me reviews.