CHAPTER THREE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*One month later*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jackie stormed out of her house, fuming. I can't believe I have to walk to school! This sucks! And I can't believe my mom won't pay to get my car fixed! I am going to have to save up for a month to pay for the repairs. I can't walk to school for a month.
As she started down the sidewalk toward school she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and came face to face with her new neighbor.
"Hi. I'm Jason Ryan. We moved in a few weeks ago."
"Nice to meet you Jason. I'm."
"Jackie Burkhardt," he interrupted. "I know. I've seen you around school. I've been meaning to drop by and introduce myself." He looked down at her feet. She was wearing her cheerleading tennis shoes. "Are you walking to school?" he asked.
"Yes, well." she fumbled, slightly embarrassed. "My car is.not working."
"Do you want a ride?" he asked.
"Sure, that would be.great."
She followed him up his driveway. He walked up to the black trans am parked at the end of the driveway and opened the passenger door for her.
"Thanks"
"No problem," he said as he glanced quickly at her legs. The seats in his car were very low and her skirt was riding up a bit.
"So," he started as they drove toward the school. "I heard you were elected Homecoming Queen."
"Oh, yes."
"You don't sound very happy about."
She forced a laugh. "I am, I am. It's just.I really wasn't planning on going to the dance. I mean, I've been to so many dances and, after a while, there all kind of the same, you know?"
Jason didn't know what to say. He never met a pretty, rich cheerleader type that didn't go crazy over school dances and all that stupid girlie stuff.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"Well, I guess I'm going to go. I have too now. It's just." her voice trailed off as she stared out the window.
Jason looked out the window, but he didn't know what she was looking at. There was nothing out there except an empty parking lot and a rundown Foto Hut.
"What?" he prodded.
"Well, it's my boyfriend."
Jason racked his brain. He had never heard that she had a boyfriend. He couldn't remember seeing her hanging around anyone in particular at school.
"He's in college," she continued. "And I really don't think he would want to come back to take me homecoming."
"Why not?" he asked, "I can't imagine anyone turning you down."
"Well.it's just not really.his kind of thing."
"Well, I'm sure he would do it for you."
Jackie sighed as they pulled into the school parking lot. "Thanks for the ride!" she said as she popped out of the car. "See you around."
He watched as she walked up to the building and was immediately surrounded by a group of chattering cheerleaders. 'Maybe I misjudged her,' he thought as he remembered her comment about homecoming.
Jackie groaned as she saw her 'friends' from the cheerleading squad running up to meet her.
"OH MY GOD Jackie!" Melanie, a little blond junior that Jackie didn't really like screamed, "Is that Jason Ryan?!?"
"Did he give you a ride to school?" asked another blonde.
"You are sooooo lucky! He is THE cutest guy in school and he was just named captain of the football team. He is SO dreamy!" said another.
"I think he likes you," added Jill. She was a senior and one of the only people Jackie actually liked on the squad. "He was asking about you the other day."
"Like I care," Jackie said. She smiled inwardly. She couldn't help rubbing it in a little. No matter how much she cared for Steven it was still fun having everyone jealous of her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Meanwhile, at UW*~~~~~~~~~~~
"We need to choose a thesis for this research paper," Sara said matter of factly.
Hyde racked his brain, but he couldn't come up with anything. He couldn't help thinking that this was Fez's fault. Why did he have to draw 'cellular division?' What a boring topic for a research paper!
Fez and Hyde had been paired up with Sara, a cute brunette from Iowa, for a group research project in biology. 'It's not enough that I have to share a room with Fez, now he is my lab partner!' Hyde thought to himself, 'all though, it's not all bad.' ' At least he got to hang out with Sara. She was pretty cool. She had great taste in music and she was even more of a conspiracy theorist than he was.
"I don't see why we just can't write about the female sexual drive," Fez interjected.
Sara laughed but Hyde was not amused. "Fez, man. Be serious. This paper is worth 40% of our grade."
Wait, did that just come out of my mouth??
"All right, all right," Fez conceded. "I don't hear you coming up with any great ideas Mr. 40% of our grade"
"Well," Sara interrupted not wanting to listen to them fight again, "I don't know about you two, but I'm getting hungry and I can't study on an empty stomach. Anyone for pizza? They're having a Kerouac reading at the Pizza Pit tonight."
"Cool. I'm in," Hyde said.
"Aye, no," Fez replied. "The Pizza Pit is not my friend. Not after last night. I mean.I will stay here and call my lovely Nina. I haven't spoken to her since this morning."
"Suit yourself man," Hyde said as he and Sara walked out the door. He was actually glad Fez wasn't coming. He was happy to have some time away from him for once.
Sara found them a table in the back of the restaurant as Hyde grabbed them some beers. They had just started debating what the actual purpose of the government census was when Kelso and George walked up.
"Hey Hyde! And who is this lovely lady?" Kelso asked.
"This is Sara," he replied, trying not to sound bitter. "She is in my biology class."
Kelso introduced himself and George. "Mind if we join you guys?" they said, more than asked, as they sat down at the table with Hyde and Sara.
"Kelso, what are you doing here anyway? I thought you would be a frat party or something," Hyde asked. Kelso had been getting on his nerves lately.
"Well, there having some kind of reading here tonight. Literature, or something."
"Yea," George continued, "and chicks love that artsy crap."
"Yea," Kelso agreed. "So Hyde," he continued as he looked Sara up and down, "How's Jackie doing?"
"Good," Hyde replied flatly.
"You have a girlfriend?" Sara asked.
"Yes, her name is Jackie. Jackie Burkhardt."
"How long have you two been together?" she asked curiously.
"Oh they've been together for a while," Kelso interjected. "What is it? About a year and a half?"
Hyde just stared at Kelso, trying hard not to convey any emotion. It's not that he minded talking about Jackie. He had planned on mentioning her to Sara anyway, you know so she wouldn't get the wrong idea, it just hadn't come up yet. He just didn't like talking to Kelso about Jackie period. There was still some resentment between the two of them over the whole Jackie thing.
"Well," Kelso continued, "I heard she was just named Homecoming Queen, but I guess you already knew that."
Hyde tried to hide his shock at the news. Why didn't she tell me? This was the kind of thing she always made a big deal about. She practically went crazy when she was only named Snow Queen runner up.
"Yea," Hyde said plainly.
"Your girlfriend is still in high school?" Sara said. She sounded shocked.
"She's a senior," he replied. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I guess I just pictured you with someone more..mature. I mean if anything I would have guessed she was older, not younger. Not that there's anything wrong with that," she quickly added.
"Yea man," George had finally decided to stop ogling all of the art chicks and join in the conversation. "I have been meaning to talk to you about that. I mean having a girlfriend is cool and all, built in sex, you can't argue with that, but being faithful to a girl that doesn't even live around here? That's just crazy. Why settle for a high school GIRL when you could have a college WOMAN?"
"Burn Hyde!" Kelso said. "You can't argue with that!" Kelso and George high-fived as Hyde got up from the table.
"I'll grab us another round," Hyde grumbled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*One month later*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jackie stormed out of her house, fuming. I can't believe I have to walk to school! This sucks! And I can't believe my mom won't pay to get my car fixed! I am going to have to save up for a month to pay for the repairs. I can't walk to school for a month.
As she started down the sidewalk toward school she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and came face to face with her new neighbor.
"Hi. I'm Jason Ryan. We moved in a few weeks ago."
"Nice to meet you Jason. I'm."
"Jackie Burkhardt," he interrupted. "I know. I've seen you around school. I've been meaning to drop by and introduce myself." He looked down at her feet. She was wearing her cheerleading tennis shoes. "Are you walking to school?" he asked.
"Yes, well." she fumbled, slightly embarrassed. "My car is.not working."
"Do you want a ride?" he asked.
"Sure, that would be.great."
She followed him up his driveway. He walked up to the black trans am parked at the end of the driveway and opened the passenger door for her.
"Thanks"
"No problem," he said as he glanced quickly at her legs. The seats in his car were very low and her skirt was riding up a bit.
"So," he started as they drove toward the school. "I heard you were elected Homecoming Queen."
"Oh, yes."
"You don't sound very happy about."
She forced a laugh. "I am, I am. It's just.I really wasn't planning on going to the dance. I mean, I've been to so many dances and, after a while, there all kind of the same, you know?"
Jason didn't know what to say. He never met a pretty, rich cheerleader type that didn't go crazy over school dances and all that stupid girlie stuff.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"Well, I guess I'm going to go. I have too now. It's just." her voice trailed off as she stared out the window.
Jason looked out the window, but he didn't know what she was looking at. There was nothing out there except an empty parking lot and a rundown Foto Hut.
"What?" he prodded.
"Well, it's my boyfriend."
Jason racked his brain. He had never heard that she had a boyfriend. He couldn't remember seeing her hanging around anyone in particular at school.
"He's in college," she continued. "And I really don't think he would want to come back to take me homecoming."
"Why not?" he asked, "I can't imagine anyone turning you down."
"Well.it's just not really.his kind of thing."
"Well, I'm sure he would do it for you."
Jackie sighed as they pulled into the school parking lot. "Thanks for the ride!" she said as she popped out of the car. "See you around."
He watched as she walked up to the building and was immediately surrounded by a group of chattering cheerleaders. 'Maybe I misjudged her,' he thought as he remembered her comment about homecoming.
Jackie groaned as she saw her 'friends' from the cheerleading squad running up to meet her.
"OH MY GOD Jackie!" Melanie, a little blond junior that Jackie didn't really like screamed, "Is that Jason Ryan?!?"
"Did he give you a ride to school?" asked another blonde.
"You are sooooo lucky! He is THE cutest guy in school and he was just named captain of the football team. He is SO dreamy!" said another.
"I think he likes you," added Jill. She was a senior and one of the only people Jackie actually liked on the squad. "He was asking about you the other day."
"Like I care," Jackie said. She smiled inwardly. She couldn't help rubbing it in a little. No matter how much she cared for Steven it was still fun having everyone jealous of her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Meanwhile, at UW*~~~~~~~~~~~
"We need to choose a thesis for this research paper," Sara said matter of factly.
Hyde racked his brain, but he couldn't come up with anything. He couldn't help thinking that this was Fez's fault. Why did he have to draw 'cellular division?' What a boring topic for a research paper!
Fez and Hyde had been paired up with Sara, a cute brunette from Iowa, for a group research project in biology. 'It's not enough that I have to share a room with Fez, now he is my lab partner!' Hyde thought to himself, 'all though, it's not all bad.' ' At least he got to hang out with Sara. She was pretty cool. She had great taste in music and she was even more of a conspiracy theorist than he was.
"I don't see why we just can't write about the female sexual drive," Fez interjected.
Sara laughed but Hyde was not amused. "Fez, man. Be serious. This paper is worth 40% of our grade."
Wait, did that just come out of my mouth??
"All right, all right," Fez conceded. "I don't hear you coming up with any great ideas Mr. 40% of our grade"
"Well," Sara interrupted not wanting to listen to them fight again, "I don't know about you two, but I'm getting hungry and I can't study on an empty stomach. Anyone for pizza? They're having a Kerouac reading at the Pizza Pit tonight."
"Cool. I'm in," Hyde said.
"Aye, no," Fez replied. "The Pizza Pit is not my friend. Not after last night. I mean.I will stay here and call my lovely Nina. I haven't spoken to her since this morning."
"Suit yourself man," Hyde said as he and Sara walked out the door. He was actually glad Fez wasn't coming. He was happy to have some time away from him for once.
Sara found them a table in the back of the restaurant as Hyde grabbed them some beers. They had just started debating what the actual purpose of the government census was when Kelso and George walked up.
"Hey Hyde! And who is this lovely lady?" Kelso asked.
"This is Sara," he replied, trying not to sound bitter. "She is in my biology class."
Kelso introduced himself and George. "Mind if we join you guys?" they said, more than asked, as they sat down at the table with Hyde and Sara.
"Kelso, what are you doing here anyway? I thought you would be a frat party or something," Hyde asked. Kelso had been getting on his nerves lately.
"Well, there having some kind of reading here tonight. Literature, or something."
"Yea," George continued, "and chicks love that artsy crap."
"Yea," Kelso agreed. "So Hyde," he continued as he looked Sara up and down, "How's Jackie doing?"
"Good," Hyde replied flatly.
"You have a girlfriend?" Sara asked.
"Yes, her name is Jackie. Jackie Burkhardt."
"How long have you two been together?" she asked curiously.
"Oh they've been together for a while," Kelso interjected. "What is it? About a year and a half?"
Hyde just stared at Kelso, trying hard not to convey any emotion. It's not that he minded talking about Jackie. He had planned on mentioning her to Sara anyway, you know so she wouldn't get the wrong idea, it just hadn't come up yet. He just didn't like talking to Kelso about Jackie period. There was still some resentment between the two of them over the whole Jackie thing.
"Well," Kelso continued, "I heard she was just named Homecoming Queen, but I guess you already knew that."
Hyde tried to hide his shock at the news. Why didn't she tell me? This was the kind of thing she always made a big deal about. She practically went crazy when she was only named Snow Queen runner up.
"Yea," Hyde said plainly.
"Your girlfriend is still in high school?" Sara said. She sounded shocked.
"She's a senior," he replied. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I guess I just pictured you with someone more..mature. I mean if anything I would have guessed she was older, not younger. Not that there's anything wrong with that," she quickly added.
"Yea man," George had finally decided to stop ogling all of the art chicks and join in the conversation. "I have been meaning to talk to you about that. I mean having a girlfriend is cool and all, built in sex, you can't argue with that, but being faithful to a girl that doesn't even live around here? That's just crazy. Why settle for a high school GIRL when you could have a college WOMAN?"
"Burn Hyde!" Kelso said. "You can't argue with that!" Kelso and George high-fived as Hyde got up from the table.
"I'll grab us another round," Hyde grumbled.