Three months.

It had been three whole months since he had moved out, and she was still just as heartbroken about it as the day that he peeled out of the driveway, his harsh words stinging her cheeks like a slap to the face. Every time she thought about it, her nose burned and tears still pricked at her eyes. But she had kept going. She remembered the pity in her mother's eyes, and the hurt scrawled across Kelso's face. Fez's look of excited shock, before realizing it was over before it ever even started.

August was hot. Hotter than most summer months, and it did absolutely nothing to cure the creaks and groans in her ribcage. The gentle notion that her heart had not yet glued itself back together. In fact, it wasn't even close. And it didn't help that he still came around like nothing happened. He still called her names. Still burned her. She was mad at first, but he was just as much Eric's friend as he was her's. Everything was okay, seemingly.

The summer was waning to a close, and she was getting ready to celebrate one whole year of Laurie's sobriety. She was still pining for Fez, who was oblivious, as always. Kelso was still chasing after Brooke. That had settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach. He had never put that much effort into getting a girl, not even her, and she sometimes wondered why she wasn't good enough to get him to stay loyal to her. That was something that never sat right with Steven, but now the thought os Steven didn't sit right with her. She knew her request for him to stay was futile and her ultimatum was stupid, but he had refused to even talk about it.

Everyone thought that the small brunette was okay.

Jackie's essay made it into the final category, and she was set to read it at the arts assembly during the first week of school. The only reason why she hadn't yet backed out was because she knew that Steven wouldn't be there now. Even though a part of her wished he would be, she knew he wouldn't show up because it wasn't a very Steven thing to do.

She rolled over in her bed to face the ceiling. She huffed out. Most days this summer she stayed hidden in her room as long as possible, only leaving for her shift to the Cheese Palace, leaving halfway smiles with her brother, who asked if she was okay. She would always nod in affirmation, her voice still small, as she made her way inside, Her boss was pining for her, and to be completely honest it made her sick. Cheer tryouts were this week, and she really wasn't in the mood to hear about how Jane Jenson had managed to bag him over the summer.

She had already heard it enough from everyone else.

Donna's mother had finally taken off, leaving Jackie's issues in the dust. She decided to be there for her friend rather than moping around, but she chose to find solice in Eric and Hyde, and Jackie couldn't stomach being in the same room, especially not with Kat Peterson and Jane Jenson rotating shifts on her ex.

So when cheer tryouts ended in the two of them bragging about just how many times they had done it and where, Jackie wound up leaving as soon as it was over, refusing to stay for the annual sleepover arrangements, because she had made the decision not to go. It was stupid her reasoning, but she wasn't friends with anyone except for Julie Holmberg, and she wasn't going either.

Eventually, September fell over the town, bringing Indian Summer, and Jason tearing his rotator cuff, putting him out of Sports for the rest of the year, and ultimately shaving off a piece of his straight beard. Jason Merengue had been a saving grace this summer, rescuing her from uncomfortable situations, and keeping her from tearing out Kat Peterson's extensions.

School started, and Thanksgiving came quickly, Jackie taking a seat at the adults table in Laurie's place to avoid sitting with Steven. She didn't show up for dessert, instead chosing to take the Toyota and wind up at Mount Hump. At the peak, where she and Steven used to sit, and smoked a joint instead. The spot was tainted with heartbreak, and the amount of tears to be shed was out of control.

Christmas was the hardest. It would have been their anniversary, and even though he no longer lived there, his stocking was still gingerly hung upon the mantle with tears. Her brother had gently embraced her, reminding her that Hyde was just being unreasonable. But the more time had passed, and the further she had slipped away.

There were bits and pieces where she wished it would end. She invited a boy over on Veterans Day, but he hadn't gotten her off the way he always knew how. Her ribcage creaked each morning with the notion that it was over. For good this time.

The ride home on the sheet of glass was nerve wracking, but she made it home safe each time. She pondered stopping at the apartment on the opposite side of town. Her previous statements had made her realize, that she had been right from the get go.

Her and Steven weren't built to love.

Her and Steven were not built to last in romantic situations.

Her and Steven were a dead end.

Her and Steven were a dangerous path that she shouldn't have taken. But she did. Like playing with matches in a room full of gasoline, she dropped it. The fire was so pretty, so bright, it licked her ankles, and warmed her hands. And then it started to burn. And it burned and burned and burned, and then it died. Like nothing. Dissipated into thin air, and once again she was left to be cold.

Valentines Day was spent at the Cheese Palace, ignoring her boss, until he finally did it. He made his move, and kissed her. Eric saw red, coming to her rescue, and inevitably getting her fired. Her last lifeline to avoid the homestead was gone.

She was stuck.

And then, of course, Bud Hyde chose that very day to prove her right. Steven showed up with his army sack, shifting uncomfortably. "I, uh-" He spluttered, scratching his scruff. "You said I was welcome back."

"We left all your stuff in your room." Kitty had told him softly, without hesitation.

She had spent three days in her room, until a knock sounded. "Come in." Her voice was small.

She wasn't expecting him.

"Get out." She rasped at him. She hated how little it took to make her cry nowadays.

"I wanna talk to you." He told her. "Hyde, Get out." She repeated, her bottom lip trembling. He took the last name as a slap. He inched closer, sliding under the covers, and she shied all the way to the other side of the bed, swinging her legs off the sides. "Why won't you talk to me, Doll."

She turned around, and he cursed at the tears running down her face. "Don't call me that." She pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can't do that."

"Jackie-"

"Why didn't you wanna talk when you were all the way on the other side of town, sucking face with Kat Peterson and Jane Jenson, too busy reveling in your new house with father of the year?" She asked. Her tone was snark. He just took it. "Say something. C'mon. You had so much to say then." She didn't look at him, her eyes resting on the snow storm outside the window.

"I don't know what to say to make it better." He told her. She didn't look at him, only laughed desperately, running her hands through her hair.

"You know, while you were gone, I stayed in here. I've been heartbroken for almost a year, Hyde." She told him, looking him in the face, cursing his stupid sunglasses. "You went off, to go do who knows what, with Lord knows who." She spat. Steven pursed his lips. "They didn't mean anything. What about Veterans Day?"

"I tried my best to get you out of my head, because clearly you didn't love me as much as you thought you did. Nothing happened." She told him. And it was true. He had only gotten as far as attempting to take her shirt off, before she stopped him. Luckily, he was understanding. "I wasn't ready yet. I'm still not ready."

"What does that mean?" He pleaded. She shrugged.

"I'm so angry at you." She sniffled. "And I hate being angry, especially at you, but you and I were supposed to be endgame."

"You told me we weren't gonna last." He accused. His pistons were flared.

"No, Hyde, I told you that I wasn't sure. That we were broken kids, and nobody around us was staying together, and that I was scared. You took that to heart, Hyde-"

"Would ya stop calling me that?" He fumed. She furrowed her brows. "That's your name."

"I hate when people call me Steven." He confessed. "It was different with you."

"Well, you aren't the Steven that I knew." She told him. "I'm not ready to do this right now, so just leave me alone." She told him.

Months went by after that, and spring rolled up on them quickly. Fez's recital was eagerly viewed by everyone, and she smiled at her friend's success in sticking up to the stupid choir teacher.

Then of course, Eric gave Donna a promise ring.

It was really cute, actually, until Hyde decided to open his big fat mouth. Telling her how Eric wanted to keep her forever and blah blah blah. She rolled her eyes, and how his commitment issues had changed and shifted and branched out to others. Eric, her dumbass brother, told Donna that if the ring was given back, they were over. Whatever. It was over in April, and by May, she was dating notorious town player Casey Kelso, Michael's brother. Eric's jealousy made her roll her eyes, until she saw the damage this man was doing to her.

She had tried numerous times to warn her friend. Michael tried to talk to Casey. She tried to talk to Casey. Donna's heart had eventually gotten crushed in front of everyone. Bob, Eric, Kitty, Red. Hyde. Hell, Fez, Kelso, Jason, and Laurie were listening from the kitchen. Soon after Donna was humiliated, she pleaded with Eric to take her back.

Eric told her no.

She understood why, even though everyone labeled him a dumbass. Eric knew enough that he wasn't a second choice. Just like her. She was not a second choice.

So when Donna found her in the midst of a job search at the end of June, she told her that she was going to California. And, awkwardly, Jackie told her that she would tag along. It made the redhead laugh, but when Jackie packed a bag, her best friend knew she was serious.

And that was how she found herself staring into his cerulean blues on a beach.