Author Note:….I had so much fun writing this…I hope my readers like it too…
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Chapter 11 – Who is My Date?
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Bertie agreed to meet Eric at the Roller Rink parking lot. Kelso and Brooke arrived a short time later and let Eric know that Jackie was already here with Mr. 257963.
Kelso was laughing, "Dude, you got a blind date named Gertie. Ha! How are you going to know what she looks like?" Eric leaned back against the Vista Cruiser and wiped the sweat from his brow. "She said she's wearing a pink satin jacket."
Brooke sniggered, "Eric, honey…this is a roller rink. Everybody is wearing satin. Seriously….So, how will she know who you are?"
"I told her I drove a Vista Cruiser. And of course I would be standing with two friends." Eric said simply.
Kelso was impressed. "That's better than pink satin and you do have two cool friends. I hope she hurries up because it's freaking HOT out here."
The trio was really beginning to sweat in the summer sun. Eric hoped Bertie would hurry. As Brooke had predicted, the parking lot was full of satin clad young ladies.
"Eric! Mr. 681977! It's me, Bertie!" The three friends turned to see a pink jacket with matching fanny pack running towards them.
Kelso whispered loudly, "Uggo!"
Brooke swatted him on the arm. "Be nice. She can't help that she only has one eyebrow."
Eric groaned and waved at the uni-brow that was running his way. She jiggled all right, but in all the wrong places…and she was going to rock his world?
"Oh, you are so handsome!" She said out of breath. "You're just like I dreamed you would be."
She turned to Brooke and Kelso, "Hi, I'm Bertie….this is like the first date I've had in years! Most guys say that I smell like bologna but that's because I work in a butcher shop and I always smell like meat!"
Brooke bit her cheek, "Um…nice to meet you Bertie. This is my husband Michael. Watch out for him because he's not the best skater and watch out for me because I'm not real graceful."
"Oh goodie, we both have something in common!" Bertie wrapped an arm around Eric's waist and squeezed. "Oh, let's go have some fun!"
Kelso laughed at a private joke and Eric just sighed.
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Jackie sat on the bench and watched the skaters flying by to the music of "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer. Hank or Mr. 257963 didn't really like to roller skate. He was a good sport and did put on the four wheel skate shoes but wanted to sit and talk about his new tattoo.
"Yeah, I was in the bar fight and took one right in the eye when I noticed the guy that punched me had a silver ring with a skull on it and as his fist came back at my face I thought how cool would that look as a tattoo?" Hank pulled up his shirt so Jackie could see the skeleton head tattooed on his ribcage.
"Yeah, that's… really nice. Are you sure you don't want to skate one time?" She really wanted to go skate. This guy was supposed to be the one that wanted to hang around and mess around with…not sit in the stands watching everyone else have fun.
Hank waved at the skaters as they lapped for the third time. "Jackie baby, I just can't get into this music. If they could play some hard rock, maybe I could get up and boogie with you, but let's just hang out here and talk. Did I tell you about the tattoo on my back?"
Jackie crossed her arms and sat back and watched enviously as the music switched up to Funky Town and everyone was having fun except her. A beautiful blonde wearing red spandex was doing a skate version of the hustle and she was great. Then Jackie noticed a foursome that entered and sat in the front row to put on their skates.
A tall chestnut haired girl sat next to a blonde haired guy who sat next to a mousy brown short girl who was clinging to the arm of a shaggy brown haired man. Oh my god! Eric was on a double date!
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Eric struggled to hold his balance as Bertie slipped and slid on the floor for the third time. Brooke tried to help her to her feet and eventually they got Bertie to the wall where she could hang on to the railing. "Oh my fanny pack hurts!" she giggled.
Kelso skated around and pointed at Eric and just laughed. Eric felt like giving him the finger but knew it was just in fun. "Bertie, I'm going to just skate a lap and you keep trying to get your balance."
She grinned, "Okay Eric. I love saying your name. Eric. I'll work on it over here and wait for you." Eric smiled and grabbed Brooke's arm and skated her away. "Do you think she knows we're here?"
Brooke laughed, "Oh honey, she definitely knows we are here. Why she's not skating? I don't know because she loves this, all the music, the glittery lights…this is her thing."
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"Hank, I think I'm going to go out and skate a solo. You don't mind waiting do you? I think you can buy some beer from that concession stand over there."
"You want me to get you one baby?"
She hated the way he called her baby. Ugh! "No, I'm drinking diet soda but thanks for the offer."
"Oh Eric, I fell really hard that last time, I think I just want to sit one out, do you mind?" Bertie was holding her thigh and Eric pushed her along the side of the wall towards the exit. "No Bertie, you did great. Just sit out and relax." Eric looked up and noticed a little brunette skater making her way out to the floor.
Eric made sure Bertie was secure in her seat and had her fanny pack before he made his way back to the rink floor.
Brooke was skating a little twirl when her arm was caught, "Oh my god, Brooke! What are you guys doing here?" Brooke took Jackie's hand and pulled her into the twirl. "Eric had a blind date and asked us to tag along. I thought this would be fun. Didn't you have a date later tonight here?"
"Well, actually I'm on it now and he's soooo boring. He won't even skate – he just wants to talk about his tattoo."
The song ended and Suddenly from the movie, Xanadu started playing. "Oh…I love this song…do you think Michael will skate with me?" A pair of hands grabbed her around the waist and a voice near her ear answered, "I'll skate with you."
Jackie's hands were brought around from her back and she was facing Eric who was skating backwards. In her forward momentum, she clenched his hands to be carried along with Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard singing about being in love. Eric skated her out to the middle of the floor. "Why would you be sitting in the grandstands when you could be skating with me?"
She looked at him with sparkling eyes and he suddenly felt like a hero. She put one hand on his shoulder and kept the other in his large hand. "I just wanted to skate…"
Eric smiled at his good fortune. Couldn't that goon see that something as simple as skating could make Jackie smile this much? "I'm so glad you're here." She said. Eric spun them both in a circle and brought her back flush with his body.
Suddenly I don't need the answers
Cos I'm ready to take all my chances with you
She smiled shyly and closed her eyes listening to the music and skating in rhythm with Eric. The mirror ball had dropped and the main lights dimmed and Jackie was making a breeze with the speed of skate wheels rushing along the floor. She felt breathless and excited and she realized it was Eric she should have asked on this date. Not Hank the male skank.
Why do I feel so alive when you're near
There's no way any hurt can get thru'
Longing to spend every moment of the day with you
The music was winding down and Eric loved looking at the pleasure on her face. She looked so alive and beautiful in the mirrored lights it almost took his breath away. With a shaking hand he reached for her face, his thumb stroking her cheek while he leaned towards her lips. His kissed her first with hesitation, her mouth trembling and then suddenly demanding more.
This was the most perfect romantic date she could have asked for, skating between couples, kissing on the slide and his mouth…god, her knees were still weak and his taste lingered on her lips as the slow song segued into Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough."
Kelso was doing a boogie and bopping along on the floor, falling and getting up again and having a great time. He latched onto Jackie's and Eric's hands, "This is so great! I knocked down four people it was AWESOME!"
Brooke skated back over, "Eric, I think you should tell Bertie that the date's over." Eric looked out at the crowd to see Bertie was looking at Hank's uncovered stomach.
Jackie replied, "What smells like meat? Oh well, Hank's sharing tattoos. I think the date is definitely over."
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Eric followed Jackie back to his parent's house. It was dark and past dinnertime. Jackie held Eric's hand as he walked her to the door. "I didn't start this evening as a date with you. You realize that don't you?"
Eric smiled, "Does it matter who you started with when I get to be the guy who takes you home?"
Jackie laughed. "Please tell me you don't have any tattoos I need to see."
Eric tugged on her hair, "Nope. I just wish I could have been the guy to start the date. We should do that next time okay? Let me be the guy that asks the girl okay?"
Jackie toyed with the buttons on his shirt. "Would it help if I wore satin?"
He laughed, "No…please don't and a fanny pack? Oh my….that was totally unnecessary. I'm glad she made friends with your date so quickly. I was dreading taking her home."
"Eric, I just want you to know that I'm not going to be your rebound girl."
"What is a rebound girl?" he asked quizzically. Jackie rolled her bright blue/green eyes. "You and Donna just broke up. Anyone you date in between her and the one you finally decide on for forever is just a rebound girl."
Eric leaned into Jackie's personal space and hesitated…maybe fractions of an inch from her lips. In a low voice he said, "You would never be a rebound girl…for anyone…especially me." And then his lips were on her mouth and his hands were in her hair and holding her face. God, she smelled so good and her skin soft beneath his fingertips.
Jackie clung to his shoulders, her heart fluttering in her chest. She wasn't a rebound girl…she was a something else. She was Eric's maybe something else and he was kissing her with the softest lips that made her tremble. Ooops, the knees were turning to jelly again.
Eric was still kissing her mouth when the kitchen light turned on and he saw his mother standing there with rollers in her hair. She was smiling and pointing to her wrist as if she had a watch.
He rested his forehead against Jackie's. "I've just been busted by my mom. I think I have to go. Will you call me later?"
She only smiled and nodded. Eric squeezed her hand one last time then jogged to his car. "Call me!" he shouted.
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