In The Beginning
Chapter Ten: The Kiss (THAT NEVER HAPPENED!)
Contempt with her new found confidence of the single life, Jackie made her way towards that bench she had left behind, long ago, the first time Michael Kelso crushed her heart.
The whole tirade of being by herself would have been so much easier if she was the only one there, moping in the courtyard that day, but fate had it's own plan.
"Perfect." She muttered upon spotting a haze of curly hair, brushing over a pair of aviator sunglasses.
She sat down next to him, in a tired heap, stretching her hands before her.
"I broke up with Michael."
It was the only thing she could think of saying.
She wasn't at all surprised at his reaction, or lack of reaction.
"I caught him with Pam." Jackie sighed, leaning back on the bench. "Again."
Nothing. Not even a 'hmm' or a, 'way to go, Jackie'.
"Are you just going to ignore me all day?" Jackie asked, impatiently.
Hyde cocked his head slightly in her direction, a mischievous grin popping across his lips, "Watch me."
Jackie felt herself smile slowly, because it was his way of saying hello, his way of telling her that he was here for her.
"I'm so stupid." Jackie muttered, lifting her feet up to her chest and staring straight ahead at the overgrown vines across the courtyard wall. "I really shouldn't be upset, cause, you know..." She couldn't help the tears from coming, and it hurt even more when Hyde took off his sunglasses, revealing the still swollen eye. "God, I'm so stupid."
"No," Hyde leaned back, staring into her tear stung eyes, "You're not."
They stayed quiet for awhile, as Jackie calmed herself down.
Jackie was contemplating her next move, when out of the blue, Hyde quietly spoke up, but more to himself then to Jackie.
"Eric's my best friend."
Jackie stared at him, not sure why he was telling her this...
"He's always there for me. And what do I do?" He slipped his sunglasses back on.
"You kissed Donna." Jackie said plainly, and Hyde actually looked up at her with utter shock. "What? She has a big mouth!" Jackie and Hyde shared a laugh, that sounded so much sadder then it should have.
It was followed by more silence.
"Steven," She paused, because it had merely slipped out, and the last time she had called him that, she was yelled at, but she continued when he simply smiled at her. "Why did you kiss Donna?"
He bit his lip, shook his head, and thought it over.
"I was confused about ...stuff." He said, with a particular grin that Jackie suspected he saved just for her.
"What kind of stuff?" Jackie asked, staring straight at him, demanding an answer. For a second, as he blinked slowly, she thought he might actually tell her, but he just smirked and looked past her.
"Stuff."
Jackie sighed, since this answer was so unsatisfying, but she knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him.
"Steven," She paused again, in case last time's forgiveness was a fluke, but once again continued, "You said it yourself, Eric's always been there for you. Do you really think that just because you kissed the girl that he's been in love with since, well, forever, is going to change that?" Jackie rolled her eyes playfully at herself, and smiled as Hyde grinned back, in understanding.
"So, did you really break up with Kelso?" Hyde asked, clearly impressed.
Jackie leaned back, not being able to swallow the fact that she really did, and nodded.
"That's cool." Hyde said slowly, leaning back as well.
The sun had started to move down the horizon, casting longer shadows on the ground, and a colder breeze started to form in the wind.
Jackie wasn't exactly sure what she was doing as she stood up, stretching out her legs, it was more of an instinct. Or maybe because she just didn't feel like being alone right now.
"Steven, will you walk me home?"
Hyde looked up at her, a look of slight disgust.
Jackie's eyes pleaded with his, and he nodded in defeat, as they slipped through the gates and walked in silence, back up Jackie's street.
She thought that The Pavilion looked absolutely terrifying at night and nearly pissed herself when Hyde suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"God, how can you live here?" She could have sworn he shuddered. "It gives me the creeps."
She gave him a strange look; for it was almost as if he was reading her mind...
Slowly, they reached Jackie's front door.
Her house was extremely dark inside, so she knew no one was home yet.
"Well, isn't this familiar?" Jackie asked, cracking a smile.
"Sadly." Hyde muttered. "Except this time I know better then to offer to help you sneak back in."
Jackie smiled softly, opening the door gently.
She didn't want him to go; not just yet.
But she didn't want to ask him to stay either.
"Jackie," He rubbed his hands together menacingly, looking past her, "Nice jacket."
She gave him a skeptical look, took a step back outside, so she was facing him once more. She leaned up, planting a soft, tiny kiss on his cheek, and whispered faintly into his ear, "Thanks."
As she pulled back, their eyes caught each other's gaze and before she knew it, he had moved in quickly, capturing her lips with his. He tasted just like his jacket; a mixture of crisp, clean, alcohol, and cigarettes. The kiss was short, but hot, but Jackie felt all sorts of feelings tugging at her chest, trying to burst out as he pulled back, looking a little dazed himself.
"That didn't just happen." Hyde muttered.
Jackie blinked widely, clearing her throat nervously, "Huh?."
She kicked herself internally for saying something so stupid as Hyde licked his lips, almost as if he were tempting her even further.
"We..." Hyde rolled his eyes furiously, "This..."
"There is no we." Jackie said flatly, feeling her heart sink, as it lost it's battle with her brain. "This...never happened, got it?"
"Good." Hyde muttered. "Because I hate you."
"I hate you more."
"I hate you most."
They both didn't realize how close they had become during this trade off of words, and upon realizing how quick her lips were to his, she pulled back and stepped inside.
"Now get off my property." She said, slamming the door behind her.
"Whatever." She heard him mumble, as she pressed her ear on the closed door, followed by footsteps.
Her heart was racing and her eyes were tearing and all this thinking was giving her a headache. She raced to the phone, tearing through the phonebook as she found the number she had been looking for, "Donna?" She cried as an elderly man answered the phone.
"No, Bob." The man said, with a whole hearted laugh. "Donna, phone!"
Jackie's heart ached further as she heard rustling and then the phone being picked up again, with Donna's voice, cheerily exclaiming, "Hello?"
"Donna!" Jackie cried out.
"Jackie?"
"Something happened. But I can't tell you, because well, it never happened. But it did happen, Donna, it did!" Jackie slapped herself in the head, since she herself recognized how incoherent her rambling was.
"Um," Donna paused. "Did something happen?"
"NO!" Jackie cried out, twirling the phone cord in her hand.
"So something didn't happen?"
"Exactly!"
"So, you called," Donna paused, "To tell me that nothing has happened?"
"Sort of."
"Sort of? How can something sort of not happen?"
"Huh?" Jackie was now confused as she stopped twirling the cord and heard the doorbell ring, "Donna, I got to go. But thanks, you're a really good listener."
"Um, sure." Donna laughed. "Bye Jackie."
"Bye Donna." Jackie hung up the phone, slightly distracted as she opened the front door. She was pretty sure it was Hyde, and she had no idea what to say to him. But she could think of a few things she wanted to do to him...
She rolled her eyes as she saw Kelso standing before her, holding a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates, which of course was opened and half eaten.
"I got hungry along the way." Kelso explained as she let him inside.
"If you're here to beg for forgiveness, I don't want to hear it."
"Come on, Jackie." Kelso muttered. "You always forgive me."
"Michael, we're done." She picked up the flowers, taking a big whiff of them. "So leave the flowers and the chocolates, and go."
"Come on, Jackie." He pleaded. "You're too pretty to be single."
"Who says I'm going to be single?" She asked with a chiding laugh as she opened the door for him. "There are plenty of guys who want to be with me!"
Kelso lodged himself between the door and Jackie, so that he was facing the inside of the house.
"But..." He paused, giving her a serious face, "I love you."
Jackie stood motionless, looking past Kelso, and straight at Hyde, who had appeared in the doorway, a knowing look on his face.
"Jackie, did you hear me?" Kelso repeated. "I love you."
Jackie shut her eyes tightly, afraid to see Hyde's face when she spoke back.
"I love you too, Michael."
She felt Kelso's arms wrap around hers and opened her eyes, relieved to see that Hyde was gone.
Chapter Ten: The Kiss (THAT NEVER HAPPENED!)
Contempt with her new found confidence of the single life, Jackie made her way towards that bench she had left behind, long ago, the first time Michael Kelso crushed her heart.
The whole tirade of being by herself would have been so much easier if she was the only one there, moping in the courtyard that day, but fate had it's own plan.
"Perfect." She muttered upon spotting a haze of curly hair, brushing over a pair of aviator sunglasses.
She sat down next to him, in a tired heap, stretching her hands before her.
"I broke up with Michael."
It was the only thing she could think of saying.
She wasn't at all surprised at his reaction, or lack of reaction.
"I caught him with Pam." Jackie sighed, leaning back on the bench. "Again."
Nothing. Not even a 'hmm' or a, 'way to go, Jackie'.
"Are you just going to ignore me all day?" Jackie asked, impatiently.
Hyde cocked his head slightly in her direction, a mischievous grin popping across his lips, "Watch me."
Jackie felt herself smile slowly, because it was his way of saying hello, his way of telling her that he was here for her.
"I'm so stupid." Jackie muttered, lifting her feet up to her chest and staring straight ahead at the overgrown vines across the courtyard wall. "I really shouldn't be upset, cause, you know..." She couldn't help the tears from coming, and it hurt even more when Hyde took off his sunglasses, revealing the still swollen eye. "God, I'm so stupid."
"No," Hyde leaned back, staring into her tear stung eyes, "You're not."
They stayed quiet for awhile, as Jackie calmed herself down.
Jackie was contemplating her next move, when out of the blue, Hyde quietly spoke up, but more to himself then to Jackie.
"Eric's my best friend."
Jackie stared at him, not sure why he was telling her this...
"He's always there for me. And what do I do?" He slipped his sunglasses back on.
"You kissed Donna." Jackie said plainly, and Hyde actually looked up at her with utter shock. "What? She has a big mouth!" Jackie and Hyde shared a laugh, that sounded so much sadder then it should have.
It was followed by more silence.
"Steven," She paused, because it had merely slipped out, and the last time she had called him that, she was yelled at, but she continued when he simply smiled at her. "Why did you kiss Donna?"
He bit his lip, shook his head, and thought it over.
"I was confused about ...stuff." He said, with a particular grin that Jackie suspected he saved just for her.
"What kind of stuff?" Jackie asked, staring straight at him, demanding an answer. For a second, as he blinked slowly, she thought he might actually tell her, but he just smirked and looked past her.
"Stuff."
Jackie sighed, since this answer was so unsatisfying, but she knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him.
"Steven," She paused again, in case last time's forgiveness was a fluke, but once again continued, "You said it yourself, Eric's always been there for you. Do you really think that just because you kissed the girl that he's been in love with since, well, forever, is going to change that?" Jackie rolled her eyes playfully at herself, and smiled as Hyde grinned back, in understanding.
"So, did you really break up with Kelso?" Hyde asked, clearly impressed.
Jackie leaned back, not being able to swallow the fact that she really did, and nodded.
"That's cool." Hyde said slowly, leaning back as well.
The sun had started to move down the horizon, casting longer shadows on the ground, and a colder breeze started to form in the wind.
Jackie wasn't exactly sure what she was doing as she stood up, stretching out her legs, it was more of an instinct. Or maybe because she just didn't feel like being alone right now.
"Steven, will you walk me home?"
Hyde looked up at her, a look of slight disgust.
Jackie's eyes pleaded with his, and he nodded in defeat, as they slipped through the gates and walked in silence, back up Jackie's street.
She thought that The Pavilion looked absolutely terrifying at night and nearly pissed herself when Hyde suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"God, how can you live here?" She could have sworn he shuddered. "It gives me the creeps."
She gave him a strange look; for it was almost as if he was reading her mind...
Slowly, they reached Jackie's front door.
Her house was extremely dark inside, so she knew no one was home yet.
"Well, isn't this familiar?" Jackie asked, cracking a smile.
"Sadly." Hyde muttered. "Except this time I know better then to offer to help you sneak back in."
Jackie smiled softly, opening the door gently.
She didn't want him to go; not just yet.
But she didn't want to ask him to stay either.
"Jackie," He rubbed his hands together menacingly, looking past her, "Nice jacket."
She gave him a skeptical look, took a step back outside, so she was facing him once more. She leaned up, planting a soft, tiny kiss on his cheek, and whispered faintly into his ear, "Thanks."
As she pulled back, their eyes caught each other's gaze and before she knew it, he had moved in quickly, capturing her lips with his. He tasted just like his jacket; a mixture of crisp, clean, alcohol, and cigarettes. The kiss was short, but hot, but Jackie felt all sorts of feelings tugging at her chest, trying to burst out as he pulled back, looking a little dazed himself.
"That didn't just happen." Hyde muttered.
Jackie blinked widely, clearing her throat nervously, "Huh?."
She kicked herself internally for saying something so stupid as Hyde licked his lips, almost as if he were tempting her even further.
"We..." Hyde rolled his eyes furiously, "This..."
"There is no we." Jackie said flatly, feeling her heart sink, as it lost it's battle with her brain. "This...never happened, got it?"
"Good." Hyde muttered. "Because I hate you."
"I hate you more."
"I hate you most."
They both didn't realize how close they had become during this trade off of words, and upon realizing how quick her lips were to his, she pulled back and stepped inside.
"Now get off my property." She said, slamming the door behind her.
"Whatever." She heard him mumble, as she pressed her ear on the closed door, followed by footsteps.
Her heart was racing and her eyes were tearing and all this thinking was giving her a headache. She raced to the phone, tearing through the phonebook as she found the number she had been looking for, "Donna?" She cried as an elderly man answered the phone.
"No, Bob." The man said, with a whole hearted laugh. "Donna, phone!"
Jackie's heart ached further as she heard rustling and then the phone being picked up again, with Donna's voice, cheerily exclaiming, "Hello?"
"Donna!" Jackie cried out.
"Jackie?"
"Something happened. But I can't tell you, because well, it never happened. But it did happen, Donna, it did!" Jackie slapped herself in the head, since she herself recognized how incoherent her rambling was.
"Um," Donna paused. "Did something happen?"
"NO!" Jackie cried out, twirling the phone cord in her hand.
"So something didn't happen?"
"Exactly!"
"So, you called," Donna paused, "To tell me that nothing has happened?"
"Sort of."
"Sort of? How can something sort of not happen?"
"Huh?" Jackie was now confused as she stopped twirling the cord and heard the doorbell ring, "Donna, I got to go. But thanks, you're a really good listener."
"Um, sure." Donna laughed. "Bye Jackie."
"Bye Donna." Jackie hung up the phone, slightly distracted as she opened the front door. She was pretty sure it was Hyde, and she had no idea what to say to him. But she could think of a few things she wanted to do to him...
She rolled her eyes as she saw Kelso standing before her, holding a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates, which of course was opened and half eaten.
"I got hungry along the way." Kelso explained as she let him inside.
"If you're here to beg for forgiveness, I don't want to hear it."
"Come on, Jackie." Kelso muttered. "You always forgive me."
"Michael, we're done." She picked up the flowers, taking a big whiff of them. "So leave the flowers and the chocolates, and go."
"Come on, Jackie." He pleaded. "You're too pretty to be single."
"Who says I'm going to be single?" She asked with a chiding laugh as she opened the door for him. "There are plenty of guys who want to be with me!"
Kelso lodged himself between the door and Jackie, so that he was facing the inside of the house.
"But..." He paused, giving her a serious face, "I love you."
Jackie stood motionless, looking past Kelso, and straight at Hyde, who had appeared in the doorway, a knowing look on his face.
"Jackie, did you hear me?" Kelso repeated. "I love you."
Jackie shut her eyes tightly, afraid to see Hyde's face when she spoke back.
"I love you too, Michael."
She felt Kelso's arms wrap around hers and opened her eyes, relieved to see that Hyde was gone.