Author's Note: Hi all! I want to deeply apologize for the long hiatus in this story. Things were going on in my personal life that were too similar to this story (art imitating life to say the least) and made it difficult to want to write. I figure, I can take my own life and use it as inspiration so let's keep this going!
November 16, 1979-3:24pm:
Hyde is sitting on his usual chair in the basement reading a magazine. His legs are crossed and he has to keep readjusting his sunglasses which keep slipping off the bridge of his nose. He makes a mental note to get the screws on the side tightened. Across from him, on the beach chair, he feels Kelso's eyes piercing a hold through the magazine shielding his face. He smirks behind the pages, knowing his friend is probably restless regarding the events that occurred the previous night as well as the silence permeating the room.
Once he got home the night before, he was relieved to see that Sam was in a deep sleep and rather than risk waking her by climbing into the cot next to her, he made his way upstairs to Laurie's old room. There, the anger towards Kelso finally started to rise. How could his friend be so stupid and propose to Jackie if he was only going to cheat on her an hour later? More importantly, how could Jackie be so stupid to think Kelso would change? She should know him better than anyone else. But why the hell should he care anyway? She clearly wanted nothing to do with him and he had no right to get involved in her life. And yet...he couldn't just not tell her what he saw. He just needed to find a way to let Kelso hang himself, which probably wouldn't be too hard to do.
The door to the basement door opens and Donna walks in frantically looking for Fez.
"Where is he?" she says immediately.
"Who Fez?" asks Kelso.
"Yes Fez, who else?" she says walking quickly towards Hyde's room. Hyde simply looks up from the magazine and looks after his upset friend.
"I'm going to kill him" she says walking back into the general area.
"What did he do this time?" Hyde asks with mild interest.
"That idiot raided my underwear drawer and took all of them" she says.
"Alright!" exclaims Kelso excitedly which earns him a menacing look from Donna. Kelso shrinks in his seat and shrugs his shoulders.
"If you see him, tell him I'm looking for him and that I will make him pay" she says before heading up the stairs.
Hyde shakes his head and goes back to reading the magazine article. Once again, he feels Kelso's eyes focused on him and he decides to have some fun with his friend. Hyde folds the magazine close and puts it down.
"What is it Kelso?"
"What's the plan Hyde?" Kelso asks.
"What do you mean?" Hyde feigns curiosity.
"Hyde I'm serious man, you can not tell Jackie about last night" Kelso says sitting closer to the edge of his seat. "She will freak out."
"Jackie? I don't know man, I think she's really calmed down the last few years. She might not get so mad" Hyde says.
He sees Kelso's eyebrows rise in surprise. "You really think so?"
Hyde slowly nods his head yes, amused by how easily his friend is fooled. "I really do" Hyde replies.
"I don't know man, I don't think she would be too happy if she found out" Kelso tells him.
"Won't know until you try. And think about it, you'll probably feel good about yourself if you told her" Hyde suggests.
Kelso sits quietly for a moment and ponders this thought. Hyde stares at his friend, wondering what idiotic thoughts are running through his head right now. Watching Kelso's ever changing facial expressions pretty much say everything going through his mind.
"I don't know man. Just don't tell her" Kelso says again which creates a feeling of disappointment in Hyde.
He would have to try a different way to get Kelso to confess to Jackie.
Once again, the basement door opens and this time, Sam walks in. Hyde's stomach drops when he sees the look of anger that crosses her eyes once she looks his way. Shit he thinks and braces himself for another argument.
"I've been looking for you" she says, her voice firm and stoic.
"You found me" he replies sarcastically.
She looks at Kelso. "Can you give us a minute?" she says and furrows her forehead when he doesn't seem to understand what she means. "Can I speak to Hyde in private?" she clarifies.
"Oh sure, I don't mind you guys going into your room" Kelso obliviously says.
Sam rolls her eyes and turns back to Hyde. Without needing to be told, he gets off his seat and follows her into their bedroom. Once there, she stands over by the bed, her arms crossed against her chest. Hyde decides it's best to stay close to the door and leans against the wall.
"So you're going to tell me what the hell last night was about?" she asks.
"I told you, it was nothing. We just got into an argument like we always do, it's not a big deal" Hyde replies nonchalantly.
"You were mad about her getting engaged to Kelso weren't you? That's what that was about" Sam states.
"Why the hell would I be mad about that?" he asks, his voice rising.
"You tell me."
"I don't care about their engagement if that's what you want to hear."
"I don't believe you" Sam says, uncrossing her arms and pointing a finger at him.
"Believe whatever you want" Hyde tells her.
"I think you're still in love with Jackie and you got mad when she accepted Kelso's proposal and that's what started the argument" Sam says.
"I was never in love with Jackie so you're wrong" Hyde tells his wife.
Sam's eyes narrow and she glares at him. "Believe whatever you want. Just let me remind you that you're married now, so act like it" she says before walking towards him and pushing her way out of the door.
Hyde lets out a frustrated sigh and waits until he hears the door to the basement open and close before stepping out. Once he's back in the basement, he notices that it's empty. He groans at the missed opportunity to plant a seed in Kelso's head.
He retakes his seat and opens the magazine again, but he can't focus on the article anymore. Instead, he starts thinking of other things he can do to have Jackie find out that her fiance is still a cheating bastard.