Please review. I have an idea for a new story, read the question at the end.
"Hey Mrs. Foreman." Sam smiled as her and I walked into the Foreman's living room.
Mrs. Foreman was sitting on the couch in between Jackie and Timo. She gave one of her nervous laughs, looking between me and Timo. Mrs. Foreman didn't need to know what was going on to know there was a truck load of tension building in the room. I plopped down into the pea green chair and Sam took her place on my lap. I felt their eyes on us as Sam nibbled on my ear lobe, especially Jackie's, as if she knew this was directed to her.
"Samantha." Mrs. Foreman whispered. Sam ignored her and moved to my neck. "Samantha!" She barked.
A wicked grin formed on Sam's face before she turned to look at Mrs. Foreman with a puppy dog pout.
"Would you like some tea?"
"I'm sorry Mrs. Foreman." Sam apologized. "I'm just so happy. See, I just got this acceptance letter to a college far away. And at first I was worried because it meant that Hyde and I would be apart for months on end, and well, I don't want to leave my little bumblebee." Sam kissed my cheek. "But I've been pulling double shifts at the club lately, so I could buy my own car, you know. Well, as it turns out, I have enough to fly Hyde all by myself." Sam looked at Jackie as she said the last part.
That's one of the things I liked most about Sam, she was a damn good liar. She was able to come up with something quick and make it believeable. No, actually, I loved that about her. As I rubbed Sam's thigh, I stared at Jackie. Her eyes were dark and shot daggers through me, but I was immune to her devilish ways, I had something against her and intended on using it to its fullest. Timo glanced at Jackie and then to me, I smirked at him, telling him to just push one button and see where his ass ended up in the morning. Sam and I were the power couple, we were the couple with the power, Jackie and Timo weren't going to take our title. And if they even though about it, well, let's not get into the sweat and blood.
"So, where's it at?" Jackie asked, I could see the skeptisism in her eyes.
"California." Sam lied.
That stung Jackie, I knew it, Sam knew it, hell, even Germany might have known it. Jackie still cared about me, and I'm sure once she saw Timo's car she would know the feeling was mutual. Jackie cared, just like she cared for Kelso and then the idiot packed up and left her to have sex with random beach trash. And to her, this would probably seem the same way. If I agreed to this, I'd be leaving her. Well, Jackie should have been thinking about how much she cared about me before she imported the Shiede from Germany, because at was at the point where I could care less.
"Really? Don't you think people will miss you?" Jackie pressed. "Donna, Eric, Fez, and I know Libbey will."
"Well, I love Sam. My heart will follow her anywhere."
Sam and Jackie both stiffened up at my words. Jackie stared at me, defeated, and Sam looked down at me with eyes beginning to tear up, and they weren't happy. Timo had no clue what was going on, so the doof sat with his comb going through his hair, and staring off into space. Mrs. Foreman was pleased, she smiled and clapped.
"Steven, dear, that is just the most romantic thing I've heard you say."
"I have work tonight." Sam whispered on the verge of a breakdown.
"Yeah, got keep your act in shape." Jackie choked out. "Bet Hyde loves that."
Sam was passed out when I went downstairs after draining a few beers with Foreman. Her pillow was wet from her crying, a sight that sent a pang out guilt through my stomach. But what caught my attention was her bags near the door, I stared at them, was she going somewhere, a trip, a vacation? I didn't know whether or not to wake her, she might get even more pissed if I did that. So I stood by the door, looking between Sam and her bags. Her purse was on the dresser, and I was tempted to look through it. There wasn't much in there; some make-up, a tampon, a few loose coins, her keys, a roll of film taken at the movies when her and I went a while ago, and a couple hundred bucks protruding from her wallet. Five hundred to be exact. I tucked the bills back in and set her purse on the dresser.
The night wasn't getting any better, either. I left Sam alone and walked into the main part of the basement, where Jackie sat watching the screen. I kept my eyes on her, hidden by me shades, as I sat in my chair. She didn't say anything to me, she just continued staring at the blank television. I used to like silence when I was with Jackie, but it wasn't the case anymore, I wanted to say something, anything, hell, I'd even apologize to her. But I wasn't going to, I couldn't, not after what she did.
"Do you care about me?" Jackie muttered, looking down at her bitten nails, a habit that was never with her before.
"What?" I turned my head to where my eyes were staring.
"You heard me." She frowned.
"Do you care about me?" I recoiled.
Jackie ignored my question, "Because I saw what you did to Timo's car." A slight grim twitched on her face. "So, I was wondering if you're doing it for kicks, or does it really mean something?"
"I suppose." I grunted, not really wanting to finish the sentence. So I didn't. "I think Sam's leaving."
Jackie turned her full attention to me and rolled her eyes, "Well, you love her, so I'm sure you'll be going with her."
"My bag isn't packed." I muttered staring at the screen.
Jackie didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to face the same direction and silence once again settled in the main room of the basement. I was really hoping that Foreman and Donna would show up, but Donna still felt guilty for Jackie leaving and rarely made appearances when Jackie was about. And now it didn't help that shock and anger accompanied her main emotion. As the silence wore on, I grew more fond of it, it allowed me to gather my thoughts about Sam.
"So then you didn't mean it." Damn it all to hell. There was no such thing a fucking silence when Jackie was around.
"I guess not."
"That's not right, Steven Hyde."
"I'm not perfect, Jacks." I said.
"She wasn't asking for perfection, just honesty."
"Sam or you?" I snapped getting irritated.
Jackie didn't say anything.
"Me." She confirmed. "I wasn't asking for perfection."
I stared at her.
She was making impossible to stay mad at her. When I stared into her eyes, she didn't look away and her features never faltered, she stared back at me. When I watched Edna go through guy after guy, I swore I would never do that; I would never lie to my girl, never flirt excessively, and I sure as hell wouldn't cheat. But the older I grew, the more it seemed like I was going to end up exactly like Edna. And what I did proved that right even more so. I couldn't help it, it was like my lips were metal and her's were the magnets. The kiss was soft, sweet, and simple, and I pulled away almost as quickly as I glued myself to her, but it still was a kiss. And as far as I knew kissing was cheating.
"Sorry." I grunted and stood up, Jackie bounced off the couch and grabbed my hand.
"Stay with me tonight." She said, well, she begged.
"Jackie," I rubbed my lips, they were on fire. "I don't think that's a good idea."
I started towards the basement bedroom, Jackie held onto my arm. "No, please. Nothing has to happen. Just stay with me."
"Come on, Jackie. I'm married." I groaned.
"Just sleeping." Jackie's eyes flashed with desperation. "You don't have to tell me if you still care about me, just come with me."
I stared at myself in the mirror as I pulled my clothes off. Who was I? Because I wasn't quite sure anymore. Within the course of three weeks I was a whole new person, doing things I never did before, thoughts things I was sure I had buried long ago. Apparently not though. The water was running behind me, it probably woke anyone who was sleeping, but I could have cared less. Never in my life had I felt this dirty, felt that I needed to be cleansed this bad. And I've done things like this before, but this was the point where I crossed the line, and what a damn fine line it was.
Shame marked itself all over my chest, my stomach, and bits of it was visible on my neck and collarbone. I was sore and exhausted from the nights work, but I couldn't lie down, I wouldn't. So I just stared in the mirror that I put in myself, I wanted to smash it into a million different pieces, mostly I wanted to break the image staring back at me. I hated that image. No matter what I thought of Edna, I could never say she was worse than me. Edna never did this, not once in my life had I even seen it happen. And I'm sure she never would. She was a trucker's best gift, but not even Gross Edna would do this.
As the searing water pierced my back I could feel the shame and regret sticking like Velcro. Didn't chicks do this all the time? They do something they wish they hadn't so they take a hot shower? Didn't it work for them? Because it sure as hell wasn't working for me. And I wasn't about to sink further into my feminine side and try scrubbing the shame off. I already knew that wouldn't work. There wasn't anything that could wipe my slate, so I shut the water off and went back to the mirror. I shook my head, this was me, I was the person in the mirror. But, damn, I wished it was someone else.
My wallet was on the table where I left it but my keys were probably still in the other room, I'd have to leave them. It wasn't worth the talk I would get when she found out what I was coming in to retrieve. I'd just walk. It would give me silence and time to clear my head. So that's what I did.
The breeze felt good against my skin as I walked into it. It felt a lot better than the shower had.
"What the hell is wrong with you, man?" I muttered as I walked down the familiar street, kicking a can as I went.
Foreman and Donna were sitting in the patio chairs when I came up the driveway. Damn, I hadn't been expecting them and it looked like the shock was mutual. Donna took her hand away from Foreman and looked up at me, almost like she knew where I was and what I had been doing.
"Hey." Foreman said.
I nodded.
"Where were you?" Donna asked. "It's like four in the morning."
"I was out."
"Obviously." Donna snorted.
"Look, I was with Jackie, okay?" I snapped. "Happy now?"
Foreman stood up and crossed his arms over his chest in that protective big brother way. I went on automatic defense and took the same stance.
"Hyde." Donna whispered as she came near me. I watched her. "What the hell did you do?"
"I didn't do anything, Donna." I sneered.
Donna grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it up. Her and Foreman exchanged a look and then she dropped it. I rolled my eyes, waiting for the yelling, the shoving, it was coming. Donna didn't do anything though, she just walked away. Foreman and I stood in the driveway, not saying anything to each other, there wasn't anything to say. The marks on my stomach spoke for themselves.
"Want a beer?" Foreman said after some time.
I shook my head, "I'm going to go lay down with Sam." I sucked my lips in and left Foreman alone.
Sam was sitting on the couch, crying, when I walked into the basement. Her bags were on the couch next to her. She glanced at me when I shut the door, a small smile seemed to brighten her face a little. My book was in her hands, along with the ring I kept in my top drawer, under my underwear. I took a spot in my seat and waited for the crying girl to talk.
She held up the book, "I never knew you could be so romantic."
"Sam, we need to talk."
Sam shook her head, "I need to talk."
I stared.
"I'm sorry." She gasped as more tears poured down her face. "I knew Jackie was going to buy that ticket."
"What?" I hissed.
Sam's tears came down quicker. "I heard her talking to the airport when I was at her house getting the shoes and everything. She told me not to tell, I swear I would have told you, but he came so fast." Sam was a wreck, I grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry."
I wiped some of her tears with my free hand. She grinned slightly and kissed my hand. "I'm married." She murmured.
"I know." I kissed her hand.
"No," Sam bit her lips. "No, you don't."
I dropped her hand and Sam broke into a hysterical fit of sobbing.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Jackie's your Sunshine, isn't she?" Sam set the ring on the table.
"What does it matter?"
Sam nodded as if that was an answer enough for her. "She was your first love, I know it. And no matter how many times and ways you try to convince yourself, you'll never get bored of having her around, watching her, dreaming... I have a first love, too, Steven. His name's Larry. And I was drunk and hurt when I met you, and you seemed like a great guy, someone who knew how to have fun, and that's when I convinced myself I was bored with him."
I could feel my glare grow darker, I was just a toy?
"We're together." Sam stood up. "But every time Jackie and you are in the same room, I can't help but feel like the other woman. You know you love her, Hyde, so why am I here?"
"Apparently you're bored with Vegas." I sneered.
Sam frowned.
"I'm going home, Hyde." I felt obligated to help her with her luggage. "I'll write when I get there." She promised with one last flow of tears.
I handed her some spare bills from my back pocket, "For you're car."
Sam smiled, a genuine smile this time. We stood there for a moment before I embraced her. Sam clung around my waist and cried into my chest. I wasn't going to deny that the past months with Sam were enjoyable. Sure, we fought at times and granted that I never really loved her, but we had some good times. She was great to me and sometimes I think that I never gave her the credit she deserved. I kissed the top of her head. I was going to miss the fact that she would come to the record shop in the middle of the day with a six pack and a huge joint, or the way she would go on and on about the stuff she learned at school, and I was going to miss the way she teased me about conspiracies; the way she would pretend to take notes and how when I really agitated her she would actually take notes, only to hand them back to me and advice me to shove them up my ass.
Sam kissed my cheek, "Good luck."
I think that's how Sam should have left. !!!-show of reviews: how many people have heard of The Five People You Meet in Heaven?