It was the day before Thanksgiving break in Point Place, and the cold air that resembled Winter's season more than Autumn had settled over Point Place like numb blanket. Her alarm went off at five-thirty, and the two girls rose from their slumbers, wordlessly greeting each other with grunts as they began their days. Laurie showered first, and then Jackie, followed by Eric and Steven.
She would always leave the door open a crack so she could oogle at her boyfriend as he emerged in just his jeans, towel thrown over his shoulder, face void of his sunglasses.
The end of November had come on suddenly, without warning. Grandma Bea had gone to stay at a Motel with Grandpa, only after gruffly apologizing to her mother on the way to the airport. Steven never heard an apology, though. It made her stomach flip in anger, but she ignored it. She couldn't change her family.
Her hair dried in waves, and she donned light makeup on her face as always. Today, her outfit was edgier, a velvety dress that sat low in a neckline, was fitted at the top and loose after her waist. It sat just above her knee, the maroon color contrasting her dark brown hair. On her feet were a pair of black Chuck Taylor sneakers, and her black backpack was slung over one shoulder. She made her way down the stairs sluggishly, as the scent of her mother's cooking invaded her senses.
Eggs, bacon, coffee, and fresh fruit awaited her.
She came through the swinging door, Eric greeting her with a cup of coffee light with a little sugar. She dropped her bag near the door, and drank the burning liquid. Steven was still getting ready, her mother was placing food on the table, Laurie was already down the bus station, and her father sat reading the paper.
Steven came into the kitchen, kissed her cheek. "Mornin' Doll." He greeted. She grinned. He kissed Kitty's cheek. "Good morning, sweetie. Coffee and breakfast on the table." He thanked her.
"I'd kiss your bald head, but you might shoot me." He joked, and Red gave him a look, but a smile tugged at his lips. "Good morning, Steven."
"Foreman, you look extra twitchy today."
He looked up with a grin.
"Donna's coming back to PPH!" He exclaimed. Jackie grinned. "Shut up, no way!" She squealed. "Alright!" Hyde chimed in, chugging black coffee, and grabbing bacon. "Now we don't have to listen to you whine."
Eric stuck his tongue out, before pouring orange juice into the fruit printed glass. "Whatever. Alls that matters is the gang is back together! I'm just wondering where the hell Kelso has been."
"I heard Brooke Rockwell, last year's valedictorian went on a date with him last Saturday." Kitty piped up, sitting down between Eric and Red. She smoothed over her skirt, which was crumpled from her over night shift last night. Red put the paper down and pointed a finger at his wife. "That smart brunette down at the library, used to be friends with Laurie in daycare."
Kitty smiled. "Yes, such a wonderful girl." Red shook his head. "What a shame, such potential is being wasted with that moron. One can only hope it isn't contagious." Hyde snorted. "Kelso is the king."
"Of what? Morons or STD's?" Eric asked, and Jackie laughed. "Seriously though, Brooke is super kind and not to mention drop dead gorgeous. She'll figure it out eventually."
"It's just weird without him up Jackie's ass." Hyde said, going for Jackie's juice. She swatted his hand. "Get your own juice, ew!" She whined playfully. He grinned. "I know you ain't scared of my backwash." He looked at her, eyebrows raised over his shades.
"No talk of that at my table." Red didn't look up from the newspaper, but his hands snapped the paper, arms flexing under his Price-Mart issued dress shirt. Kitty glanced at the clock. The sliding door made a sound, as Jason, Kelso, and Fez all filed in.
"Good morning boys!" Kitty chirped from her spot at the table. "I made extras!" The boys filed to the counter.
"Good morning, Mr and Mrs Foreman!" Jason chirped, and Red smiled. "It's Red and Kitty." He corrected. Jason didn't look up, but he coughed on his smile.
"Right, my bad." He sat down at the table between Red and Kitty, while the others sat at the breakfast bar.
"So, Mr and Mrs Foreman, about Thanksgiving..." Kelso turned in his chair. "Brooke and I are kind of going steady now-"
"Oh, Michael, dear! That's wonderful!" Kitty cried. Hyde raised an eyebrow. "Bring her over tomorrow for dinner!" She cried. Jackie picked invisible lint of her dress in discomfort. Over what, she didn't have a clue. Kelso hadn't been her's in well over a year, and his advances on her made her extremely uncomfortable.
"You mean you haven't cheated on her yet?" The words flew out of Jackie's mouth before she could stop them, and they were laced with venom. Hyde raised his eyebrows. "You cheated on me, and Valerie, and the girl before me." She reasoned, explaining her suspicion. "Why Brooke?"
"I don't know, man. She makes me..." He trailed off. "Like, I have no clue."
"I get it." Eric and Steven spoke in unison. Jackie grinned, laying a hand on his leg. "Oh, Puddin' Pop!" She cooed, kissing his cheek.
"Okay, kids, you're going to be late." Kitty shoed them, and one by one they put their empty plates in the sink. "Have a good day at school!"
Jackie, Hyde, and Eric grabbed their bagged lunches of the counter, kissing Kitty on the cheek as they walked by, and Jason followed suit. The kids filed into their cars, Eric, Kelso, and Fez into the Vista Cruiser, and Jackie and Hyde in the El Camino. She sat down, shivering when the cold leather of the bench seat met her thinly covered thighs. Her panty hose did nothing in this cold. "Have I told you yet this morning, how hot you look in that dress?"
She grinned stupidly at him, sliding over towards him when he wrapped his arm around her. He was glad for the automatic transmission in this car. The radio played Simon and Garfunkel lowly, and she gazed out the window at the vibrant colors on the trees. The sun was coming up over the horizon as they made their way to school.
"I didn't mean to geek." She told him. He stole a glance at her. "I don't know what you mean." He feigned ignorance. She smacked his side lightly.
She almost considered going with ignorance.
She swallowed her pride. "It made me mad. Because I wasn't good enough for him." She confessed. "He hurt me, and even though I have no feelings for Kelso..." She trailed off. "I never dealt with the feelings that came from him hurting me. He cheated on me so many times." She told her boyfriend. His white knuckled grip on the steering wheel softened, and he let out a sigh.
"Yeah, I understand." He told her. "Kelso is a moron. But he's our moron. And I guess Brooke Rockwell's." He pulled into the school parking lot. They were kind of early. "I trust you."
She gave him a small smile, melding her lips with his own. "And I trust you."
Jason filed into school, squashed between Foreman and Kelso, Fez up front, and Hyde and Jackie bringing up the rear. It had been this way for almost a week now, ever since the incident that occurred in the locker room, he never had a second alone in these halls. Hockey would be beginning soon, and he doubted he would be allowed to play after what the football team had spread about him.
"Jason Merengue made faggot advances on me!" The boy who cried wolf, the same accusations had been made by the same person against Buddy Morgan, and it had worked. Buddy Morgan ran away into the night, only after he had been jumped, and his parents refused to see him in the hospital. Briefly it crossed Hyde's mind, he wondered why people were so quick to judge. Why did everyone need to care so much about who fucked who? Religion was propaganda, mind control to keep people in line, the way everyone wanted.
"Something new will happen, and they'll forget about it by the time we get back next Monday." Jackie reassured.
"And we'll all skip into the sunset." Eric cheered sarcastically, throwing his hands up in celebration. "Jackie, this tiny little town is never going to change."
She scoffed. "Not if we keep thinking like that."
"Not everything is rainbows. You know it, and I know it, and-"
"Guys!" Fez cried. "Stop fighting! It is Thanksgiving, the most magical of holidays!"
"Fez, you say that about every holiday." Kelso looked down at his friend, who shrugged.
"Thanksgiving sucks." Jason mumbled. Steven laughed. "He's right, you know. Turkey tastes like tissues and pilgrims were assholes to the natives. Why should we celebrate?" He shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose, rolling his eyes when Valerie and Kat Peterson oogled at them.
"Whatever, I'm just excited for you guys to actually meet Brooke." Kelso sighed. "American values are fucked." Jackie shrugged. "Nothing new. I'm excited to meet Brooke. Maybe she'll make you a better human."
Kelso scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Of course she will. I read in Playboy that bangin' hot chicks makes your dick, like, way bigger!" He took a sip of his soda. "I'm gonna be the best human, with the biggest cock!"
Jackie pursed her lips with quirked brows, and looked up at her boyfriend with her doe eyes. Steven fought back a giggle. "Banging short chicks makes pubes grow twice as much?"
"Are you serious? Is that why my balls are so hairy?" He squeaked, looking at Jackie. She shrugged. "Am I short?"
Steven grinned, when Kelso cringed. "I think it's time to leave. Fez is waiting." He sped off.
Steven looked down at her, grinning devilishly.
"Man, I love you." He told her quickly. She blushed, staying silent as they walked to the car. They rode in a comfortable silence.
"Hey, Steven?" She finally broke the silence.
"Yeah, Doll?"
"I love you too."