Before you could even say 'detention', School buses were running, teenagers were disturbing the peace by blaring loud music from their vehicles, and the leaves were beginning to change color. Point Place High had begun a new school year. Fall had a crispness in the air that made you want to buy a bouquet of freshly sharpened #2 pencils instead of roses or daisies. The Vikings had been running plays all summer preparing for their rival game. The cheerleaders had also been practicing their stunts, cheers, and tumbles to be absolute perfection in time for the Big Game. Unfortunately, Hyde, PPH's ex-con, was en route of the school in order to drop one of his girlfriends off on the first day. Namely, Cat.
" I'll miss you." she told him, opening the door to the El Camino.
" I'll miss you more." he lied.
She leaned in and brushed his lips softly with hers. She climbed out and shut the door.
" See you in the basement this afternoon?" she asked.
" Of course." he said, starting up the engine and driving off.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The long-haired teenagers flocked the hallway. It was crowded and noisy. Jackie, wearing her new, Jordache outfit and looking like a million bucks, walked to her locker. It was finally her senior year. She was captain of the cheer squad, President of the Prom decoration's committee, and a shoe in for Snow Queen. Her classes were ridiculously easy. How hard could Music Appreciation and Psychology be? Guys were checking her out left and right. Only one thing was missing: Her true friends.
" Hey Jackie," called Jordan Brown, running back of the football team " looking good this year. Do you have a date for the Homecoming Dance?"
" Actually, I do, Jordan. I'm sorry." she turned him down. Nicely, of course. She did have a reputation to uphold.
" Oh. I know all your friends from Foreman's basement graduated, but you don't have to isolate yourself from everyone else. I'd really like to go to the dance with you."
" And I really have a date. Sorry, Jordan. You should have tried earlier."
The bell rang and she walked to her first class: Study Hall. Why would these people schedule a study hall first, Jackie thought. She sat down and opened her notebook. She decided she would doodle. Mr. And Mrs. Steven Hyde. Mrs. Steven Hyde. Mrs. Jackie Burkhardt Hyde. Steven and Jackie Hyde. XOXO. Hearts. Flowers. JB + SH. Even this is getting boring, she thought. Once she filled up a sheet of notebook paper, she turned the page. Then, she heard the intercom come on.
" Miss Jackie Burkhardt has a phone call in the office. Something about her grandmother." called the secretary.
Jackie thought to herself. Both of my grandmothers are dead. One died with a stroke and the other with Emphysema. Something's up.
" You heard the intercom, Miss Burkhardt. Scoot." called her seventy-five year old teacher.
" Yes, ma'am."
*~*~*~*~*~*
The Five friends gathered around the phone in the Foreman kitchen. Hyde, with phone in hand, was talking to the secretary in a phony accent. He was Jackie's 'cousin' who was telling her about the tragic death of her grandmother. It was Cancer. She had, according to Hyde, been sick for a very long time. Though, the doctor had given her two more months. Her death was sudden. Jackie, who was in the school's office, answered.
" Hello?"
" Jacks?" Hyde said.
" Steven?" Jackie asked with a mismated look on her face. The secretary looked at her with a funny glare. Jackie just mouthed 'cousin'.
" Yeah, it's me. Listen, pretend I'm telling you your grandmother died. Now, cry with all your hearts content, but listen. We're going to Kenosha to see 'Jaws'. We'll pick you up."
Jackie continued to cry big, crocodile tears. " Tell cousin Donna to get my sunglasses. I don't want to go with my make-up smeared." she blubbered
Hyde just looked at his friends and smirked.
" Okay, but go back to your classroom. Make a big deal about the death, and say you'll be back to class on Monday."
" Okay, I'll meet you outside in ten minutes. Look for me." she replied with tears, literally, streaming down her face. Jackie was a natural.
" 10/4, good buddy."
" Don't try and make jokes at a time like this. You're not Burt Reynolds." Jackie said still trying to prove her grandmother was in fact dead.
Hyde rolled his eyes. " Do you want out of that hell hole or not?"
" Yes, thank you for calling Steven. I love my family members dearly. You know that."
" I love cake." he said, jokingly Jackie tried to keep from grinning. Luckily, the secretary, Ms. Peterson, didn't notice.
" Bye." she answered, to what the secretary thought, sadly.
Now, she was all out bawling. She wanted the secretary to feel sorry for her. She put her head in her hands and cried some more. Angie Peterson walked over to her and embraced her in a hug. She smells like she's the one that needs to be in a coffin, Jackie thought.
" I'm so sorry about your grandmother." the woman replied apologetically.
" I'll be fine. They said she died peacefully. It wasn't as if she died of a shark attack or anything."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" Get out of the water!" yelled the lifeguard.
The hungry, man-eater had gotten the little boy. The water was murky with blood. People began to run from the beach in frantic chaos. The shark had gotten its second victim.
" Oh my God!" Jackie shrieked, putting her face into Hyde's chest. Donna had done the same with Eric. Fez tried this move with Kelso. He was unsuccessful.
" Get off me, man." Kelso whispered loudly, shaking him off.
" I was scared!" Fez yelled.
" Don't be a pansy!" he exclaimed, grabbing a handful of popcorn.
The six friends finally were back to normal. No fighting ( almost), No problems ( for the afternoon), and especially, no Cat. It's not like they didn't like her. She just complicated things. That was what they liked most about their friendship. It wasn't complicated. No matter what happened the six would always come running back to the basement and to each other. Not that they would admit it to anyone, but they loved each other. It was corny. They knew it, but what's a dislodged emotion here and there to give to your closest friends?
" Jordan Almond?" offered Fez.
" No, thanks. Fez, you've had what? Fifteen boxes of candy! Gummy Bears, Snow Caps, Licorice Sticks, Chocolate-covered Peanuts, and now, Jordan Almonds!" Donna exclaimed.
" I hope you hurl all in Foreman's car." Hyde replied.
" Steven, no! I'm wearing my new Dr. Scholle's." Jackie answered.
" Be quiet. We're trying to watch the movie." Eric ordered.
" Yeah, you guys!" Kelso stated.
" Shut-up, Kelso!" the five yelled and threw popcorn in his direction.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" Shut-up!" said Victoria Watson, the queen of the Vikings, talking to Cat in the third floor bathroom.
" I'm serious. Her grandmother didn't die! She went to the movies with my boyfriend and his mutant friends!"
" I thought you liked Foreman, Pinciotti, and the rest of those idiots."
" I did until he started cheating on me with little Miss 'Can't Be Wrong'."
" Are you sure?"
" He swears up and down he isn't, but something's up. I know it is."
" How did you know she went to the movies?"
" I was going to make copies for Mrs.Myers in the office, and I walked through the quad because it was the quickest way. First, she was crying hard and the next thing I know, They pull up in the Vista Cruiser, she immediately perks up, Smiles, and hops in the car. They turn up the radio and I heard Eric yell, 'Operation 'Get Jackie To The Movies': complete'!"
" I warned you about him, Cat. I knew he was a dog. You know what they say."
" What?"
" Thunder only happens when it's raining, and players only love you when they're playing."
" Oh so true."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" That is true." Fez agreed.
" What's true?" asked Hyde, eating a french fry.
After the movie, they went to eat at the new McDonald's in Kenosha. They had just opened it, and wanted to see what all the hype was about this burger called a Big Mac. It supposedly had special sauce, but it couldn't be any different from any other hamburger. Fez was excited about apple pies, and Kelso wanted the toy inside the happy meal.
" That you need to break up with Cat." Eric told him, after taking a sip of his Coke.
" Foreman, I'm a sensitive guy. I don't want to hurt her."
Donna put her hand on his head " Are you sick? Do you have a fever?" she quipped.
" Man, I still don't like you dating Jackie, but you've got Cat too! You can't take all the chicks, Hyde. That's my job." Kelso informed.
" You can't have Laurie." Fez reminded him.
" I want to know how Jackie feels about you with another girl." Donna replied.
" See. I'm special. I'm the girlfriend, and she gets to be the slut. I get all the loving. So, he can take all the time in the world if he so pleases." Jackie stated.
" Thank you, baby." Hyde commended, pecking her on the lips.
" Don't mention it."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kitty, Red, Bob, and Joanne sat around the kitchen table playing a game of Bridge and eating a batch of Kitty's famous cheese puffs. Joanne and Bob were, of course, winning because she wins everything. Red was, needless to say, pissed, and Kitty kept giving him the evil eye. He didn't need to get angry because it raised his blood pressure. Kitty sitting with her Peach Schnapps and Bob and Joanne with their beer made him extra angry. He still couldn't have beer. In the middle of Bob laying down a sucky hand, the doorbell rang. It obviously wasn't Eric and the gang because they never knocked. Now, who on earth could that be, Kitty thought.
" I'll get it," Kitty replied.
She, with her perfect poise, opened the door with a toothy, white smile. Although, this beautiful grin turned to a frown automatically at the sight of Bud and Edna Hyde standing in the doorframe.
" Oh my." Kitty exclaimed before giving them her uncomfortable, unique laugh.
" Kitty! Nice to see you, ol' gal. Where's Red?" Bud asked enthusiastically.
All she could do was point in the direction of the kitchen. Bud gingerly walked in that direction with Edna, who had stayed quiet, in pursuit of his heels, followed.
" Dammit Bob! We're playing Bridge not Gin!" Red exclaimed.
Bud, Edna, and Kitty walked into the kitchen. Red and Bob just gasped at the sight. Joanne had never met the Hyde's, but she had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that it was them who stood before her. Before Red could say anything, he turned to hear the sound of the Vista Cruiser pulling into the driveway and the six friends get out.
" I'm never going to the beach again!" Donna exclaimed.
" Me either, but how am I going to get my perfect tan?" Jackie concurred.
" It was just a movie, Donna. It's nothing to ruin your future beach trips over." Eric rationalized.
" I don't know, man," Kelso shuttered, rubbing the chills on his arm " those teeth and that music! It was damn scary if you asked me!"
" I agree with Foreman. You guys are all a bunch of pansies!" Hyde shouted.
" But it was bloody and gruesome, and it was a shark, man!" Fez cried.
" Steven, you just have no heart." Jackie informed.
" I resent that! I have a heart. I just don't show it very often. Plus, this wasn't 'Love Story', Jackie. It was 'Jaws'!"
" People died, and you laughed! Especially at the beginning with that girl!"
" Don't get your panties all in a twist! I have plenty of heart, and you have proof of that."
" Prove it!" the brunette pointed her finger in his face.
" Last night." he said smugly with a big smirk.
" Shutting up." she muttered dryly.
The gang just eyed them and shook their heads. Donna just whispered to Eric how perfect those two were for each other and she wished she had realized it earlier. They walked toward the house and entered the sliding, glass door.
" Hey mom, dad, Bob, Joanne, Bud, Edna." said Eric nonchalantly. He then realized the words that had just come out of his mouth. He did a sharp right turn and faced them. His eyes widened and the other five followed this movement as well.
" Son of a bitch." That was all Hyde could muster.
" Steven, watch your mouth." corrected Kitty.
" Dude, that's your parents!" Kelso exclaimed.
" I know that you moron!" he shouted harshly.
" Hyde," Donna patted him on the shoulder " I'm so sorry."
" Yeah, man." Eric agreed.
" Oh, Steven." Jackie solaced and gripped his hand tightly.
" Why's everybody so down and out?" asked an oddly cheerful Bud.
" I guess they feel bad for me because my sorry-ass parents are back in town trying to 'fix' everything. Well, not gonna work this time, Dad. I don't have the time or patience for it! You're just gonna leave again. Well, this time, I'm gonna leave on you. Let's go, guys." he shouted. He then let go of Jackie's hand and let the door swing behind him.
" That went well." Kitty finally said.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I know, I know. More horrible things happening to complicate Hyde's life. It'll all work out for the best. I promise. I also promise that I actually do have a point for the whole Bud and Edna coming back. Believe me! I also decided to limit the Cat appearances in this chapter. She'll be back though. Mwa-ha-ha-ha *Evil Laughs* ! Thanks to all of you who reviewed. Special thanks to PixiePunk who's been like the coolest. Also, Spikelover666- if you don't like my story, don't read it! I hope I made myself clear. Again, to my reviewers, I like my references too! I would call myself a Yuppie! By the way, anybody besides me watching I Love The '70s on VH1? Just wondering. Kudos again. Please r/r! Peace Out!