**Hey "Lead Me" readers, I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to read all the chapters up to this point. It literally means the world to me!
I love these two and I have so many plans still for this series. This chapter is a BIG (but in a subtle way) character development chapter, I love getting feed back so please tell me what you think so far! Whats your favorite chapter?!
P.s; I know Jackie is a year younger on That 70's Show, but to make the rest of my chapters really work I made them all in the same grade. Hope you don't mind!
"Jackie, no wait!" Hyde raced down the ladder and caught up to her, tears were streaming down her face.
"Why are you crying?!" Hyde asked while trying to stop her from running off
"You don't think this is scary for me too? No, because I have gotten close and I have thought I loved before, and when I opened up to Michael I got cheated on every time or he would just straight up leave me. I have trust issues too but somehow you only think about yourself!"
"Jackie I didn't think about it like that. Look this morning I realized something.. I've loved you since the day we had our first date on your dads car. Do you remember that? You kissed me and you said you felt nothing and I lied and said I didn't either but since then I loved you. I tried to get over it, you were with Kelso and I guess I fooled myself into thinking you disgusted me but the other day when we were writing Kelso that break up letter it all came flooding back."
"Steven did you say love?" Jackie smiled
"Yes, I don't know when I'll have the confidence to say it again but now that its out.. you know how I feel too." Hyde laughed and wrapped his arms around her, "Lets get you home, I think you're a little drunk my love."
Jackie agreed and wrapped one arm tight around Stevens back while sliding his glasses back on over her eyes.
Hyde woke up from the sounds of crashing coming from somewhere in the basement. Hyde sleepily got off the bed and went towards the noise, there he saw Eric getting into his famously known "candy land money stash", "Foreman what are you doing with your stash of money? Ha Ha"
"Hyde, we graduate in just one year. Schools starting up soon and Donna can graduate a semester early. If I work my ass off, I probably can manage to do that too."
"So why do you need money?"
"Well we have been the best as a couple, and after everything we've been through; I'm proposing. I figured with your new-found relationship or whatever weirdness it is, you'd understand where I'm coming from."
"Yeah dude, I'm happy for you. When you going to look at rings?"
"Actually now, want to come?"
"Ha Ha I'm not ready for that marriage stuff yet, still freaks me out. Jackie and I have gotten really close lately though."
"Speaking of getting close.. have you guys, you know done it?" Eric laughed, "Usually by now your saying details."
"It's not like that with her." Hyde angrily sat up and walked towards his room
"Guess you really are changing." Eric smiled and went out the basement door.
Jackie knocked obnoxiously loud on Donna's front door.
"Good Morning Bob!" Jackie Chirped, " I'm here to kidnap your daughter to take her school shopping. It starts up in a few days, and she can't go back wearing the same things as always!"
"Oh Jackie, you are always a pleasure. I'll go get her."
Jackie and Donna drove through the crowded Friday streets on the way to the Point Place mall.
"Jackie, I have to admit you aren't annoying like usual, what gives?"
"Honestly Donna, I'm just so happy. Like deep down happy. It's not from shoes, or money, or anything like that."
"You guys really like each other, huh?"
Jackie flushed, "Oh yes."
"So have you guys done.. you know?"
"No, not yet. I want it to be actually special this time. Unlike my first time with Michael."
She scrunched her face up in the thought of her disappointment that Kelso was her first, "Lets just get inside."
As they were going up the escalating stairs, Burbank jewelers was across. On the big glass windows, advertisements pictured all the deals they were having for an "end of summer blowout."
"Just because I'm not happy now because of jewelry doesn't mean I wont go look! Are you coming Donna?"
"I'll be in soon, I'm just going to stop at that music store real quick. I'll meet you."
Jackie pushed open the glass doors and scanned the glass cases for anything that caught her eye. Instead of finding something, she found someone. Eric Forman was slouched over the engagement ring section.
"Eric! Oh my god! Does Donna know you are ENGAGED?"
"Shhh, Jackie. What? I'm proposing to her! Is she here?! You cannot let her know you saw me here."
"Eric I'm not very good at keeping secrets but I'll try."
"Okay, thank you. Now go distract Donna do not let her come in here!" Eric shouted as he pushed Jackie out towards the entrance.
Jackie stumbled out back into the main floor and walked towards the music store. Donna came out with a bag full of records, "Hey how did it go in there?"
"Damn Donna, nothing happened! Lets just go home!" Jackie yelled trying her hardest to lie.
That night Hyde knocked on Jackie's bedroom door and cracked it open.
"Steven! Your here? You came over all by yourself?" Jackie jumped to the edge of her bed
"Yeah, I was going to introduce myself to your parents so I could maybe just start picking you up before school or something."
Jackie got up and sprinted into Hyde with arms wide open, "Oh, Hyde! I would love that. You remembered I hate public transportation."
"Ha Ha, yeah. Jackie where is everybody anyway? Looks like nobody has been here in a few days?"
"Oh, just out.. don't worry. I need to tell you something very important, come sit!"
Jackie patted the spot next to her on her pink unicorn themed blanket, "Now that we are in love and all that, I need to gossip to you."
Oh god, here comes the gossip.. but I actually think I may want to listen.. Jackie, what are you doing to me? Hyde let out a small smirk.
"Steven are you even listening? Or are you just going to keep staring at me?" Jackie laughed and playfully pushed Hyde
"Sorry, sorry. Got distracted. Continue please." Hyde gave her the hand signal to carry on and let out a small chuckle.
"Okay so I was at the mall and I went into that Burbank jewelers and I was at the engagement rings.."
"Engagement rings? Oh Jackie, this is all so.. so sudden." Hyde said in a female voice and stretched out his fingers.
"Ha Ha very funny smart ass!" Jackie playfully punched Hydes arm, "No in all seriousness I saw Eric there. He wants to propose to Donna soon! Isn't that crazy?"
"Forman was getting money out of his candy land stash earlier to look at rings, I can't believe he's really going through with it."
"Isn't that a good thing though? I mean he's committing himself to one person for the rest of his life.. How romantic is that?"
Hyde kissed Jackie on the forehead, "one day, I promise."
Jackie let out one of the biggest smiles Hyde has ever seen, "I'm holding you to that. Hope you know."
"So if your parents aren't coming home tonight.." Hyde trailed off
"You are in for a night full of cuddles Steven Hyde." She pushed him back on the bed and snuggled her way up to his body.
It was around 5 am, and Hyde woke up to the soft whispers coming of Jackie's sleeping breath.
Is she sleep talking? What is she saying? Hyde tried focusing on the syllables sliding off her tongue.
"I olive you" Jackie slipped out
Olive? Love! She said love.
"I love you too more than anything."
Damn, that feels so good to say.
Hyde was about to get back to his dream world when something on the night stand caught his eye. He carefully reached over and grabbed the blue spiral notebook and tried to make out the cover.
"Jackie's Diary, do not read! I mean it!" Hyde let out a small chuckle over the cover
I mean, she wont even know. I'll just take a peek..
Immediately flipping to the last page it was dated August 25th, 1978.
Just a few days ago.
He scanned the pages until he came down to something that stuck out;
Today I was offered a modeling job for some new store going into the mall in the Spring. This is my dream job..
I mean it used to be.. I turned it down and couldn't be any more happy. What is happening to me?
