After much debating, the couple had decided to sit through a movie. The same drive-in was here. There had been some talks about tearing it down and making space for a new shopping mall the previous year but somehow those plans were changed. It would have been a shame if the original plans were kept and it disappeared. So many memories remained here.
Leaning on his shoulder, Donna took the bag of popcorn in her hands, waiting for the movie to begin.
"This wasn't such a bad idea after all," Eric smiled.
"So it was good that we came?" she glanced up at him with delight. It was better here; more intimate... not to say they lacked it but it brought back memories.
"Yes, dear," and kissed her briefly on the lips.
"I told you to stop that!" she sat up and hit him gently on the arm.
"Ouch," he chuckled. "I'll try," and shrugged.
"Good." Donna was about to return to her comfortable position when she heard the two back doors open. Turning behind her in confusion she saw a long-haired blonde in a tight blue t-shirt and tight black jeans enter the car and sit down behind Donna while from the other door emerged Hyde who sat down behind Eric.
"Hyde? What, what are you doing here?" she asked in full bewilderment.
"Are we late?" he asked before shutting the door.
"No, guys you're just in time..." Eric looked at his watch, "two more minutes, maybe."
"Cool, man." Hyde smiled and placed his arm on the seat behind the blonde. "Hey, Donna!"
Donna threw a glare at Eric. "Um, what's going on?" she pointed with her thumb at the couple in the back seat.
"Donna, I told you earlier that Hyde and his date were gonna come with us?"
"No, you didn't!" she protested. Donna did not seem at all comfortable with Hyde in the back seat on a night when she did not wish to be near him yet; and having a stranger as well, it made it even more awkward.
"Um, yeah I did. You were on the phone with Jackie. I told you they were gonna join us and you said it was fine."
Donna pressed her lips tightly. She felt an enormous feeling of embarrassment inside, pulling her body deeper in the hard seat. But she remained calm; she did not want to show it in front of Hyde and his date.
Eric had been right. It was four in the afternoon when Donna was on the phone for perhaps two hours with her friend who was momentarily staying in Florida, discussing a million things, half of which Donna had forgotten the minute she hung up the phone. She was in her old room when Eric came in. "Hey," she waved him in. "I'm on the phone with Jackie," and brought the handle closer to her mouth. "Yeah? So he did ask you out?"
"Of course he did! I mean he was a pure example of desperation! You should've just seen him!" Jackie responded on the other line.
"And you said, 'no'?"
"Duh! You think I would go out with such a loser??"
"What was I thinking," Donna glanced up and smiled.
"But Donna, you would have agreed with me if you saw him! He was, and I repeat, was pathetic! It's always the best girls like myself that have to go through that torture of having losers attaching themselves on you like lice!"
"Well natural and rare beauty has its price in dating," Donna nodded; she knew Jackie would love the flattery in this comment.
Jackie sighed. "Exactly."
The redhead glanced at her boyfriend and noticed the expression on his face indicating that he was in a hurry. "Um, Jackie, could you hold on a sec?"
"Sure," Jackie responded.
Covering the speaker with her hand, she lowered the handle and focused her attention to Eric. "Yeah?"
"I talked with Hyde on the phone. We agreed for him to come with us tonight."
"At the movie?"
"Yep, he's also bringing a date. I wanted to ask you 'cause the way we planned this it was turning into a romantic-dinner-after-a-movie thing so if you don't want to..."
She had wanted to refuse that proposal but Donna decided quickly that it wouldn't have been right if she had done that to Eric; if she only knew how it would feel, close to awkwardness for her later in the night. "No, it's fine," she waved towards him.
"Ok," Eric smiled to this answer. "I'll see you at seven," and gave her a quick kiss before he exited her room.
Watching him leave, Donna gave a doubtful sigh and then brought the phone close to her ear again. "Yeah, sorry. Was making quick plans with Eric for tonight."
"Oh, you two still have some sparks?" Jackie asked with amazement.
"Gosh, Jackie, don't make it sound like it's the strangest thing in the world again," she collapsed her hand and smiled. Despite the lack of support which Jackie had of their Donna's relationship with Eric, as she once put it: "You love Eric... for some reason," Donna loved her; and she always appreciated Jackie's honesty.
"Ok... yeah, next subject. So the next day." As usual, the conversation, which happened to be mostly about dates, continued.
"Yeah, you did. I forgot." Donna acknowledged Eric's reminder and so as not to appear ridiculous, she turned around and stretched out her hand. "I'm Donna."
"Amber." Taking her hand, the blonde spoke in a surprisingly deep voice that did not suit her appearance.
"Nice," Donna nodded and turned around. "What a surprise," she thought and gave a smirk; a short glance to Hyde's direction followed.
Although it was short, Hyde could read the slight confusion in Donna's eyes. He was picking up strange signals from her, whether she had wanted to simply disappear or spend the rest of the night heavily annoyed for some reason. "She still hasn't let it go? What happened to her?" he wondered inside while having only the red locks of her long hair available for his view.
Donna soon gathered her remaining strains and turned to smile at Eric; the smile didn't look as genuine as Hyde had hoped. They needed to talk; their attitude required it. Although they met only twice since she returned to Point Place, the distance seemed already less tolerable and irritating. Or perhaps... could it disappear? For the past, whatever effect it had one them and especially Donna, to be forgotten to that extent like it never existed? That would prove difficult - something that even Donna knew if she had spared a thought for it.
Donna did not get the huge need for the start of a conversation and it was good that the movie had started; otherwise she would have been forced to talk. Keeping a firm grip on her box of popcorn she glanced over at Eric; she wasn't sure if it had been Hyde's 'unexpected' presence that prompted such thoughts or perhaps some deeper buried unexplained things, which somehow found the worst moments to push out thoughts of the direction in which Donna and Eric's relationship was heading. This idea for a drive-in movie had seemed less romantic than she had hoped. Once again she threw the blame on Hyde and Amber's presence but as she unnoticeably let out a sigh, Donna felt something, although with the presence of warmth, the coming coldness of something else. Taking another glimpse of his profile, she noticed something which had kept repeating for the past two years, a comfortable change in him and maybe in her as well. Popping a few grains of popcorn into her mouth, she focused her attention on the movie.
"Can I have some of that?" she heard Hyde's voice from behind.
"Didn't you get your own?" she asked while chewing.
"Later," he replied.
She sighed and held the box close to her shoulder. "Here," Donna 'offered' and felt the pressure his hand made while digging inside which nearly twisted her wrist. When the box felt lighter, much lighter, Donna brought it to her lap and saw that half of it was empty. "Gosh, Hyde, when did you become such a good popcorn digger?" she sounded slightly annoyed but realized how cheesy her question sounded.
Fortunately, Hyde did not let that embarrassing feeling be emphasized when he replied with a full mouth: "Hungry."
"Huh, simple answer," she said with a tone that only she could hear and clicked her head. "You're not getting another offering." Donna warned him and popped two more grains of popcorn in her mouth before she noticed Eric sticking his hand into the box. She felt relieved when she saw the small amount which he took. "At least he has more sense," she thought.
On the drive back, the guys had gotten a stupidly crazy idea to take a longer drive around Point Place before returning home much to the girls' dismay, especially Donna's.
The laughter was subduing from the last joke that Hyde said when Donna felt a sudden squeeze between her thighs. "Oh, shit," she thought and gripped her hips tightly. "Um." she glanced at her boyfriend. "Eric, could we stop for a minute?"
"Here?"
"Yep." She squeezed her lips. "I need to pee!"
"Can't you hold it 'till we get home?" he hoped.
She shook her head. "Please??"
"Just try?" he asked her nicely.
"Yeah, man, hold that cistern of yours for a while longer." Hyde smirked and only got a look from the redhead.
"Fine, but hurry home, ok??"
"Ok," Eric nodded and soon the car was picking up speed.
Perhaps ten minutes passed when they passed a small newly formed pond. "Aww, look, do you think there might be little ducks there?" Amber smiled.
Donna squeezed her lips again, making two big bubbles with her cheek. "Did she have to mention that??" she thought.
Hyde smiled. "Hey, Donna, feel like going to Niagara Falls tomorrow?" Amber had just given him a wonderful idea.
Donna didn't respond.
"I hear they're an amazing sight, particularly in summer!"
"Hyde... stop it," she hissed quietly before shutting her eyes. His sentences only contributed to the coming loss of control down there.
"And you know those tours with the boat that they do?" Hyde looked over at Amber and then Eric. "You can just feel the water falling down, so close to the falls!
"Hyde, shut up!" Donna warned him.
"Hey, I'm only trying to start a conversation here," he tried to say the sentence with a serious face but Donna's reaction was only fueling his teasing.
"Well, you've chosen a very bad one!"
"No, you know I was there two months ago with my cousins," Amber said. "It was -"
"Eric, please stop the car, I can't hold this any longer," she spoke quietly while trying to focus her gaze on him.
"Oh come on, Donna, can't you -" Eric glanced over at her.
"Just please pull over??!! Damn it!!" She shouted as she could feel her bladder would explode any minute.
Her last request was made so loud that it gave a long ringing in Eric's ear... poor boy. "Alright!" For his luck, two large trees and some bushes were close by where he pulled the car over.
When they felt a stop, Donna franticly opened the door and rushed outside and as quickly as her feet would manage. She soon hid behind the bushes.
Hyde could not conceal his laughter as he was letting it out loud and clear. Even Eric found it funny as he leaned his arm on the open window and laughed quietly. "You're evil, man," he told Hyde.
"Oh, I'm the devil's work," Hyde replied before releasing his laughter once more. Amber shook her head and only watched them with a semi-smile. "Are you two always so mean to her?" It hadn't been that she had found the joke distasteful but she felt sorry for Donna.
"Sometimes," Hyde said and opened the door, putting his foot on the ground.
"Are you sure you two weren't siblings in another life?" Eric asked him.
"Why do you say that?" the smile was still glowing.
"Because she so cruelly loves to do the same things to people."
"Ah," he clapped once and turned to Amber. "So it's payback," Hyde shrugged.
Amber rolled her eyes and opened the door. "I'm gonna use this opportunity to go pee as well." Exiting the car, she then shut the door and ran over to where Donna had gone earlier.
"Women... they're all the same," Hyde said.
"That's so true, man ," Eric confirmed and watched the blonde disappear behind the tall bushes.
By the time Amber had gotten to the spot, Donna was already buttoning up her jeans.
"Ah you're done," Amber said.
"Yeah, God, I'm gonna kill that guy," Donna shook her head and threw her hair back.
"Could you keep guard while I go as well? I've just met them and..."
"Sure," Donna smiled and turned her back before crossing her arms while Amber did her business. "Don't worry though, they're harmless."
Amber laughed. "They are?"
"Yep, but it's 'cause I'm here," Donna shrugged.
"How long have you known them?" A quiet sprinkling sound was heard.
"Since we were kids."
"So you know Hyde well then?"
"Unfortunately."
"What's he like on dates and stuff?"
"I wouldn't know. I've never had that "privilege" of ever going out with him," she said with indifference.
When they returned to the car, Amber sat down on her seat while Donna stood in front of Hyde with her arms across her waist.
"Had a good pee?" he sneered.
She snorted and leaned down, placing her hand on his left ear before snapping it sharply with her fingers. "Fuck, Donna!" he pulled back as he even felt something like a nail touching his skin deeper than it should have been.
"That's for ruining my underwear," she told him calmly.
"Oh yeah?" he looked at her and then grabbed her by her waist.
"What are you do-..." She soon got her answer when his fingers began crawling deeper in her weak, ticklish spots. "No! Stop that!" she warned him.
Naturally, Hyde did not listen to her and only got pulled away from the car when the redhead tried to run backwards. "No use, struggling, baby!" he chuckled. He could tell that she was struggling to avoid the laughter but it appeared nevertheless; it was a very loud laughter as well.
Even though Eric was enjoying this 'torturing' of his girlfriend he felt that it needed to be over. "Um, Hyde? Could you please let go of her now?" he asked him calmly. There was no response to that plea. "Hyde?"
Donna gripped his hands with hers with the intention of pushing them away but his grip appeared too tight which even surprised her. "Argh! It's no use, Eric!" she told him and glared at Hyde while trying to control her laughter. She then found a small spot behind his right ear and pinched him again, this time harder.
"Fuck!" he quickly released her while shutting his eyes tightly to the brief but sharp pain. Fortunately for him, his sunglasses were hiding this.
When she finally felt free, Donna took two steps back, pulled down her blouse and removed the few strains of her hair which had attached themselves to her face. "I know torture as well, Hyde," she told him before slowly walking over to the open door and returning to her seat. She heard Eric's satisfying laughter to her reaction which caused her to look at him. "He deserved it!"
"Yeah, yeah I know," he said before continuing the laughter.
"When did you start growing those?" Hyde asked her referring to her nails while he sat down.
"Since I saw that they could become very handy... like now," and turned to face forward. "Do you like them?" she lifted her left hand to show of the bare nails clearly in front of his view.
"Oh, they're gorgeous!" Amber suddenly jumped and grabbed her hand. Hyde only threw a bemused and not close to thrilled look. "Mine always break so I just put on false ones, but yours are wow..!" she almost spoke with admiration while observing Donna's nails.
"Thank you," Donna smiled and when the blonde was finished with her 'examination', she placed her hand on the seat's surface.
Hyde shook his head and took in a deeper breath before slamming the car door shut. "Women," he mumbled.