In The Beginning
Chapter Fifteen: Annoying and Abrasive
A weekend had passed since the infamous Valentine's Day brawl and no one really found it particular interesting to talk about it anymore, especially since Pam wasn't even in school to make fun of. Jackie was semi- relieved when she walked into school on Monday, and remembered that Kelso had been suspended and wouldn't be waiting by her locker, like he usually did each day. Instead, she spotted a giggly pair of blondes, who she quickly identified as none other then Stacey and Lacey, leaning against the row of lockers and hushing up as Jackie approached.
"Hi Jackie." Stacey said quietly.
Jackie clutched her notebook tightly, readjusting the strap of her purse as she twisted the tiny dial on her locker, straining to recall the combination.
"How are you?" Lacey continued.
Jackie lifted her head up as the locker opened, placing her notebook inside as she grabbed her Math textbook. She noticed a tiny note drop to the floor and quickly scrambled to pick it up, shoving it in her skirt pocket, as she slammed the locker shut and smiled lazily at Stacey and Lacey, leaning against the lockers with them.
"We just wanted to say that we thought what you did was really cool." Stacey said quietly.
"And to see if you were ok..." Lacey continued, as they exchanged nervous glances.
"You guys haven't talked to me in like a year." Jackie said quietly, kicking her platform sandal into the ground.
"Yeah...we know." Stacey giggled.
"And we're sorry!" Lacey continued.
Jackie felt her eyes rolling and put on a smile, "Well, I have to get to class."
"Hey, um, Jackie?" Stacey grabbed Jackie's shoulder before she could leave the two behind, whipping Jackie around to face her.
Jackie nodded for her to continue.
"We were sort of wondering..." Lacey started, letting Stacey jump in.
"Since you and Kelso broke up..." Stacey giggled.
"Would you mind if we asked him out?" Lacey finished, setting up a whole new set of giggles.
"Both of you?" Jackie laughed. "At the same time?"
They nodded their heads as if this was a novel idea.
"Be my guest." Jackie snorted, quickly leaving them behind as she made her way to her next class.
The class hadn't started yet, and this happened to be her only class with Donna. Donna hadn't done so well in math last year, because her parents had been fighting a lot and Donna was trying to get their attention, by failing Math. So now she was stuck in a freshman class, but luckily, she had Jackie. And luckily, Jackie had her, since she barely talked to anyone in her own grade anymore. Jackie took her seat, opening her purse to take out a pencil, and heard a crunching noise as she crossed her legs, and remembered she had stuffed that note in her skirt. She glanced around the empty room, deeming it safe, and opened the note slowly, smiling as she saw the all uppercase, slanted writing.
Jackie –
Meet me in the alley by the Hub after school.
Hyde
It wasn't exactly a romantic note, but it still made Jackie's heart flutter.
She slowly counted the minutes till school was over, and was practically dying from anxiety during her last class. Her leg was shaking, and she just couldn't take Mr. Thompson's lecture anymore so she raised her hand and politely asked to be excused to the bathroom. The only sound in the hallway was of Jackie's heels clicking against the tile, and the running of water, which she traced to the water fountain, where a certain, curly haired boy was bent over, taking a sip. Jackie slowed down her pace, staring at his lips as they engulfed water. He leaned back up, but hadn't noticed her yet, wiping his lips with the back of his hand and shoving his hands back in his pocket as he started towards her.
He came up quickly to her, grinning, until at once a loud, blaring beeping started throughout the hallways, and throngs of happy kids came out of the classrooms, chanting, "fire drill."
Jackie frowned at the drill's impeccable timing, and noticed a group of stoner types come up to Hyde, patting his back as they said hello. He quickly followed them, ignoring Jackie completely.
She frowned once more as she felt Donna take her arm, commanding her to walk with her.
Finally, school was over, and Jackie still couldn't believe Hyde had ignored her like that, but she wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. She would have probably done the same thing...wouldn't she?
She walked towards the Hub slowly, trying to practice what she could see to sound aloof and calm like him, but only grew more frustrated when she realized she just wasn't calm or aloof. She was hyper, bubbly Jackie. She was a cheerleader. She was a Burkhart.
Jackie grinned hopelessly as she turned into the alley, noticing many seedy couples, practically groping each other in the shadows. She frowned in disgust. She wasn't the type to go back into any alley, but this alley was just despicable. Didn't he know better then to take her here? She spotted him, smoking a cigarette, with one leg propped up against a brick wall, talking to one of the stoner types he had been with during the fire drill.
Jackie cautiously walked up to him, only to be blocked by another stoner type, who stared at her chest, not budging as she tried to walk around him.
"Are you lost?" He asked breathily.
"I'm meeting someone here." She said shyly, crossing her arms across her chest protectively.
"You're real pretty," He said, leaning in and letting out a husky, disgusting breath into her face, which pushed her hair further beyond her shoulders, revealing even more of her bare shoulders, since she was wearing a light, sheer top that day. "Come with me." He grabbed her wrist and she quickly pulled away, keeping her ground.
"I said I was meeting someone here." Jackie said with a frown, trying to keep all her insecurities and fears inside.
"Like I care?" The stoner chuckled. "Come on, baby, it'll be quick."
He grabbed her wrist again and she stood on her toes, trying to see over him, since he was much taller then she was, to see Hyde, who was still distracted as the guy he was talking to handed him a paper bag.
She didn't need his help, anyway, Jackie thought.
"Let go." Jackie said quietly, pulling her wrist back.
"Come on, I know you want to." He poked her stomach playfully, and she grimaced. "Sluts like you always want it."
"I am not a slut." Jackie said confidently, kicking him in the shin as hard as she could. He groaned over in pain, his head lifted up, revealing angry eyes.
Jackie was taken aback as he screamed, "Bitch!"
At once, she saw Hyde's head pop up and he ushered over to her.
"Did he try to touch you?" He said quickly with concern, taking Jackie's hand.
"It's ok." Jackie said, spitting down at the still hunched over stoner. "I took care of it." She pushed past Hyde, walking over to his stoner friend, who was leering at her as well.
Hyde blinked widely at the guy in front of him then followed Jackie quickly.
"Whose your friend, Hyde?" The guy asked merrily, looking over Jackie with greedy eyes.
Hyde mumbled to himself as Jackie put her hand out, in a friendly manner.
"I'm Jackie." She said happily as the sketchy stoner shook her hand.
"I'm Jack." He said with an eerie, but friendly grin. "Nice to meet you."
"Jack and Jackie." She repeated merrily. "How ironic." She glanced back at Hyde who was still mumbling through pursed lips.
"How much do I owe you?" Hyde asked finally and Jack held out his hand.
"Twenty bucks."
"Twenty bucks?" Hyde repeated. "You raised the price?"
"Don't worry, Steven." Jackie said with a grin. "I'll take care of it." Jackie opened her purse, sifting through her wallet.
She felt Hyde's hand touch hers, and his head shaking.
"No, Jackie." He handed the paper bag towards Jack, who was still leering over at Jackie, who was still sifting through her purse, producing a twenty dollar bill and forking it over to Jack.
Jack refused to take the bag, but gladly took the money, pocketing it.
"What about you, darling?" Jack asked, and Jackie noticed he was much older then Jackie and Hyde, he looked like he was pushing 25. He was cute, in a stoner type of way like Hyde was. "Does your girlfriend want anything, Steven?" He snickered at this name as Hyde frowned, shaking his head.
"That depends." Jackie said sneakily. "What do you have?"
Jack ripped open his trench coat, revealing baggies of drugs and containers of pills. "How about some of these?" He handed Jackie a pretty pink bottle of pink pills, capsules that looked pretty easy to swallow.
"What are they?" Jackie asked curiously as Hyde watched on, annoyed.
"Painkillers. The best kind." He handed the bottle to Jackie, who looked for any sort of reading on the bottle, but it was unmarked. "Instant high."
Hyde grabbed the bottle from Jackie's greedy hands, throwing it back at Jack, "Yeah, and instant migraine the next day." He crunched up the bag in his hand, shoving it in his pocket and turned to Jackie, "Let's go inside, I'm hungry."
Jackie was about to argue, but Hyde strained his eyes angrily and she turned to Jack, "Maybe next time."
Jackie of course had no plan of actually using these things, she just wanted Hyde to think she was cool, like him.
"Anytime, sweetheart." Jack pulled a card out of his pocket. "Here's my number, if you ever need a hit."
"Let's go." Hyde grabbed the card, and Jackie's hand, pulling her towards the alley exit.
"Steven, let me go." She said quietly and he dropped her hand. She held her hand out for the card, and he gave it to her. She placed it in her purse, then turned to him.
"So you're into that stuff now?" He asked angrily, shoving his hands in his pockets as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the Hub.
"Maybe." Jackie said cautiously.
"That's cool." He said nonchalantly, but obviously he didn't think that it was cool, by his angry tone.
"So are we going to the Hub?" Jackie asked softly, trying to get back on his good side.
"Um," He glanced around at the mobs of teenagers entering and exiting the Hub. "I was thinking we could go somewhere more private."
"Oh, really?" Jackie laughed. "Such as?"
"Your house?" He asked. "I mean, it's empty right?"
"Yeah, but I want a change of atmosphere. "How about your house?"
"My house?" He asked nervously, clearing his throat at once. "What's at my house?"
Jackie shrugged. She really wanted to see what his house was like. She knew from Donna that Hyde lived in the slightly poor side of Point Place, in a dingy old house, but she wanted to see for herself.
"Fine." He muttered. "Let's go."
He walked on ahead, and she quickly followed, randomly spewing gossip and things that happened in school today. How Stacey and Lacey approached her and how she's so glad Pam wasn't around and how the principal's suit today was so wrong for his skin tone. She was pretty wrapped up in conversation, which was completely one sided except for an occasiocal grunt or 'hmm' from Hyde, that she didn't notice they had stopped in front of a old, brick house, with slanted shutters and a dusty porch. The grass was yellow and dead in some places. She hushed up and followed Hyde quietly, making sure not to fall down the crack in the steps up to the porch. The door was open and creaked loudly as they stepped in, the screen slamming behind them. The house was dirty and messy, but overall pretty bare.
"No one's here." Hyde said quietly. "My mom's at the bar, probably."
Jackie remembered that Hyde had mentioned his mother being at the bar back when they first encountered, and how he wished she worked there. It dawned on Jackie that his mother was probably an alcoholic and she grinned, seeing as how now they really had more in common with each other. Their moms are both drunks.
Hyde kicked away some empty beer cans, giving Jackie a short tour.
"This is the living room." He said with a laugh, took a step to the right where a fridge was, "This is the kitchen." He stepped over towards a table. "This is the dining room." He kicked open a door, letting Jackie go in first. "And this is my room."
Jackie sighed sadly at how bare his room was, except for a box of records and a dusty night lamp. There was a single poster on the wall, Zeppelin of course. She sat on his bed, which groaned heavily under her. She took off her purse, looking up at Hyde, who shut the door behind him and leaned against it.
She patted the bed and he grinned, taking a seat next to her.
She turned to face him, shyly. The last time they had done this, it was dark and she wasn't so insecure, but now she felt naked as he advanced towards her, capturing her tongue with his. She forgot all about insecurities as he breathed into her, slipping his tongue over hers rapidly as they fell back on the bed together, a huge crack coming from the springs. They both stopped kissing, laughing softly as the bed creaked again and fell to the ground, as it's wire legs collapsed under their weight.
"Are you ok?" Hyde laughed throatily and Jackie continued to kiss him in response.
Jackie pulled back, glancing around the room as Hyde pushed himself off of her and leaned on his side, watching her as he slipped his sunglasses off.
"What is it?" Hyde asked calmly as she turned to look at him.
"I have no right to complain about my life." Jackie said shyly, sitting up, which he did as well. "I mean, my parents aren't always around, but at least they have money."
"It's not so bad." Hyde said with a shrug. "Besides, I'll be with the Forman's starting next week."
"I guess." Jackie said softly, lying back down on the broken bed. "Don't you ever get lonely?" She looked up at him and he turned away from her, which she was sure was because he didn't want to face her.
"No." He said strongly. "I have you."
Jackie practically melted but she knew this wasn't a valid answer. She had heard enough bullshit like that from Kelso and she sat up again, lying her head against Hyde's shoulder, hugging his body tightly.
"Don't you miss your parents?" She asked tenderly.
He pushed her arm off of him. "No." He stood up, slipping his sunglasses back on. "Why should I? They left me."
"I thought you said your mom was at the bar." Jackie said softly, afraid to anger him further.
"Let's just say the bar is in Mexico." Hyde muttered, opening a few drawers up, sifting through them absentmindedly.
"So, you're alone?"
"Yeah, so what? You're always alone."
"I have five maids and a cook." Jackie fought back.
"Whatever." He mumbled, quickly grabbing her as she stood up. "Can't we just make out without your yapping?"
Before Jackie could argue, he plunged his hands towards the small of her back, pushing her against him as their tongues got entangled in their mouths together. Jackie moaned happily, forgetting everything around her, as his hands lightly grazed her bare shoulders, then went towards her hips, slipping under her shirt. They fell back onto the bed, which would have been painful if Jackie wasn't so concentrated on her movement. She placed her hands on his shoulders, reaching under his shirt, feeling the edges of his back as he continued to slide one hand up her shirt, his fingertips reaching the edge of her white, lace bra.
Jackie moaned again as he followed the bra to her back, playing with the clasp.
"Steven, sweetie, are you home?"
Hyde and Jackie's heads shot up in confusion as a tender voice called out again.
"Steven, are you here?"
Jackie stood up, pulling her shirt down and wiping her lips as Hyde pulled his own shirt down and opened the door a crack.
Before he could avoid it, Kitty Forman barged in, holding a bright blue suitcase, wincing as she saw his broken bed.
"Steven, you can pack your stuff in here. Where's your mother?"
"At the bar." He said quietly, shifting his feet, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Oh, dear." Kitty mumbled, giving him a pitiful look. "Why don't you come to us tomorrow, Steven?" She took a quick look around the room, her eyes landing on a nervous Jackie. "Oh, dear."
"I was just, um," Jackie mumbled, stumbling over to the door, "looking for Michael."
"Yeah, he's not here." Hyde said with a nervous laugh, gesturing for Jackie to leave.
She smiled sweetly at Kitty then left the room as quick as she can, but stood quite still to hear what was being said.
"Steven, she's so young."
"Mrs. Forman, it's not like that." She heard Hyde say angrily. "She was just looking for her boyfriend. I don't even like her. She's loud and abrasive and everything I'm not."
"Well, I know for a fact that she likes you." Kitty said cautiously. "So, just be careful, ok?"
Jackie strained her ears more as Hyde grumbled.
"There's nothing to be careful about. I hate her."
His voice was so angry, so convincing, that Jackie felt like crying instantly when he said it. She slipped into an empty room, keeping the door open slightly as she watched Kitty leave, with the suitcase, filled.
"So, tomorrow night, then." She kissed Hyde on the cheek, and he blushed slightly, and left.
Hyde shut the door, sighing as he went over towards the couch.
Jackie pushed the door open, figuring that she had actually been crying since he looked worried at once.
"Abrasive?" Jackie muttered.
"Jackie, I was just saying that..."
"Oh please!" Jackie screamed, running towards him. "You obviously wouldn't have said it if you didn't think it."
"Fine, Jackie, ok?" He put his hands up in defeat. "I do find you abrasive. And annoying as hell. But I also think you're extremely hot and a good kisser, which makes up for it."
Jackie felt herself calming down, "Oh, Steven, that's so sweet."
"I try." He kissed her gently. "Listen, it's getting late. Do you want me to walk you home?"
"Do you want to walk me home?" She asked curiously, waiting patiently for his reply.
"Yes." He mumbled, grabbing a jacket. "It's dark and you could get hurt." He mumbled, "Besides, my favorite jacket is at your house."
"The denim one?" Jackie asked, completely forgetting that he had left his jacket the other night.
"No, that's yours, remember?" He asked with a sly smile.
"Let's go." She swatted his chest playfully, pecking his lips innocently as they left the old, dingy house.
Chapter Fifteen: Annoying and Abrasive
A weekend had passed since the infamous Valentine's Day brawl and no one really found it particular interesting to talk about it anymore, especially since Pam wasn't even in school to make fun of. Jackie was semi- relieved when she walked into school on Monday, and remembered that Kelso had been suspended and wouldn't be waiting by her locker, like he usually did each day. Instead, she spotted a giggly pair of blondes, who she quickly identified as none other then Stacey and Lacey, leaning against the row of lockers and hushing up as Jackie approached.
"Hi Jackie." Stacey said quietly.
Jackie clutched her notebook tightly, readjusting the strap of her purse as she twisted the tiny dial on her locker, straining to recall the combination.
"How are you?" Lacey continued.
Jackie lifted her head up as the locker opened, placing her notebook inside as she grabbed her Math textbook. She noticed a tiny note drop to the floor and quickly scrambled to pick it up, shoving it in her skirt pocket, as she slammed the locker shut and smiled lazily at Stacey and Lacey, leaning against the lockers with them.
"We just wanted to say that we thought what you did was really cool." Stacey said quietly.
"And to see if you were ok..." Lacey continued, as they exchanged nervous glances.
"You guys haven't talked to me in like a year." Jackie said quietly, kicking her platform sandal into the ground.
"Yeah...we know." Stacey giggled.
"And we're sorry!" Lacey continued.
Jackie felt her eyes rolling and put on a smile, "Well, I have to get to class."
"Hey, um, Jackie?" Stacey grabbed Jackie's shoulder before she could leave the two behind, whipping Jackie around to face her.
Jackie nodded for her to continue.
"We were sort of wondering..." Lacey started, letting Stacey jump in.
"Since you and Kelso broke up..." Stacey giggled.
"Would you mind if we asked him out?" Lacey finished, setting up a whole new set of giggles.
"Both of you?" Jackie laughed. "At the same time?"
They nodded their heads as if this was a novel idea.
"Be my guest." Jackie snorted, quickly leaving them behind as she made her way to her next class.
The class hadn't started yet, and this happened to be her only class with Donna. Donna hadn't done so well in math last year, because her parents had been fighting a lot and Donna was trying to get their attention, by failing Math. So now she was stuck in a freshman class, but luckily, she had Jackie. And luckily, Jackie had her, since she barely talked to anyone in her own grade anymore. Jackie took her seat, opening her purse to take out a pencil, and heard a crunching noise as she crossed her legs, and remembered she had stuffed that note in her skirt. She glanced around the empty room, deeming it safe, and opened the note slowly, smiling as she saw the all uppercase, slanted writing.
Jackie –
Meet me in the alley by the Hub after school.
Hyde
It wasn't exactly a romantic note, but it still made Jackie's heart flutter.
She slowly counted the minutes till school was over, and was practically dying from anxiety during her last class. Her leg was shaking, and she just couldn't take Mr. Thompson's lecture anymore so she raised her hand and politely asked to be excused to the bathroom. The only sound in the hallway was of Jackie's heels clicking against the tile, and the running of water, which she traced to the water fountain, where a certain, curly haired boy was bent over, taking a sip. Jackie slowed down her pace, staring at his lips as they engulfed water. He leaned back up, but hadn't noticed her yet, wiping his lips with the back of his hand and shoving his hands back in his pocket as he started towards her.
He came up quickly to her, grinning, until at once a loud, blaring beeping started throughout the hallways, and throngs of happy kids came out of the classrooms, chanting, "fire drill."
Jackie frowned at the drill's impeccable timing, and noticed a group of stoner types come up to Hyde, patting his back as they said hello. He quickly followed them, ignoring Jackie completely.
She frowned once more as she felt Donna take her arm, commanding her to walk with her.
Finally, school was over, and Jackie still couldn't believe Hyde had ignored her like that, but she wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. She would have probably done the same thing...wouldn't she?
She walked towards the Hub slowly, trying to practice what she could see to sound aloof and calm like him, but only grew more frustrated when she realized she just wasn't calm or aloof. She was hyper, bubbly Jackie. She was a cheerleader. She was a Burkhart.
Jackie grinned hopelessly as she turned into the alley, noticing many seedy couples, practically groping each other in the shadows. She frowned in disgust. She wasn't the type to go back into any alley, but this alley was just despicable. Didn't he know better then to take her here? She spotted him, smoking a cigarette, with one leg propped up against a brick wall, talking to one of the stoner types he had been with during the fire drill.
Jackie cautiously walked up to him, only to be blocked by another stoner type, who stared at her chest, not budging as she tried to walk around him.
"Are you lost?" He asked breathily.
"I'm meeting someone here." She said shyly, crossing her arms across her chest protectively.
"You're real pretty," He said, leaning in and letting out a husky, disgusting breath into her face, which pushed her hair further beyond her shoulders, revealing even more of her bare shoulders, since she was wearing a light, sheer top that day. "Come with me." He grabbed her wrist and she quickly pulled away, keeping her ground.
"I said I was meeting someone here." Jackie said with a frown, trying to keep all her insecurities and fears inside.
"Like I care?" The stoner chuckled. "Come on, baby, it'll be quick."
He grabbed her wrist again and she stood on her toes, trying to see over him, since he was much taller then she was, to see Hyde, who was still distracted as the guy he was talking to handed him a paper bag.
She didn't need his help, anyway, Jackie thought.
"Let go." Jackie said quietly, pulling her wrist back.
"Come on, I know you want to." He poked her stomach playfully, and she grimaced. "Sluts like you always want it."
"I am not a slut." Jackie said confidently, kicking him in the shin as hard as she could. He groaned over in pain, his head lifted up, revealing angry eyes.
Jackie was taken aback as he screamed, "Bitch!"
At once, she saw Hyde's head pop up and he ushered over to her.
"Did he try to touch you?" He said quickly with concern, taking Jackie's hand.
"It's ok." Jackie said, spitting down at the still hunched over stoner. "I took care of it." She pushed past Hyde, walking over to his stoner friend, who was leering at her as well.
Hyde blinked widely at the guy in front of him then followed Jackie quickly.
"Whose your friend, Hyde?" The guy asked merrily, looking over Jackie with greedy eyes.
Hyde mumbled to himself as Jackie put her hand out, in a friendly manner.
"I'm Jackie." She said happily as the sketchy stoner shook her hand.
"I'm Jack." He said with an eerie, but friendly grin. "Nice to meet you."
"Jack and Jackie." She repeated merrily. "How ironic." She glanced back at Hyde who was still mumbling through pursed lips.
"How much do I owe you?" Hyde asked finally and Jack held out his hand.
"Twenty bucks."
"Twenty bucks?" Hyde repeated. "You raised the price?"
"Don't worry, Steven." Jackie said with a grin. "I'll take care of it." Jackie opened her purse, sifting through her wallet.
She felt Hyde's hand touch hers, and his head shaking.
"No, Jackie." He handed the paper bag towards Jack, who was still leering over at Jackie, who was still sifting through her purse, producing a twenty dollar bill and forking it over to Jack.
Jack refused to take the bag, but gladly took the money, pocketing it.
"What about you, darling?" Jack asked, and Jackie noticed he was much older then Jackie and Hyde, he looked like he was pushing 25. He was cute, in a stoner type of way like Hyde was. "Does your girlfriend want anything, Steven?" He snickered at this name as Hyde frowned, shaking his head.
"That depends." Jackie said sneakily. "What do you have?"
Jack ripped open his trench coat, revealing baggies of drugs and containers of pills. "How about some of these?" He handed Jackie a pretty pink bottle of pink pills, capsules that looked pretty easy to swallow.
"What are they?" Jackie asked curiously as Hyde watched on, annoyed.
"Painkillers. The best kind." He handed the bottle to Jackie, who looked for any sort of reading on the bottle, but it was unmarked. "Instant high."
Hyde grabbed the bottle from Jackie's greedy hands, throwing it back at Jack, "Yeah, and instant migraine the next day." He crunched up the bag in his hand, shoving it in his pocket and turned to Jackie, "Let's go inside, I'm hungry."
Jackie was about to argue, but Hyde strained his eyes angrily and she turned to Jack, "Maybe next time."
Jackie of course had no plan of actually using these things, she just wanted Hyde to think she was cool, like him.
"Anytime, sweetheart." Jack pulled a card out of his pocket. "Here's my number, if you ever need a hit."
"Let's go." Hyde grabbed the card, and Jackie's hand, pulling her towards the alley exit.
"Steven, let me go." She said quietly and he dropped her hand. She held her hand out for the card, and he gave it to her. She placed it in her purse, then turned to him.
"So you're into that stuff now?" He asked angrily, shoving his hands in his pockets as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the Hub.
"Maybe." Jackie said cautiously.
"That's cool." He said nonchalantly, but obviously he didn't think that it was cool, by his angry tone.
"So are we going to the Hub?" Jackie asked softly, trying to get back on his good side.
"Um," He glanced around at the mobs of teenagers entering and exiting the Hub. "I was thinking we could go somewhere more private."
"Oh, really?" Jackie laughed. "Such as?"
"Your house?" He asked. "I mean, it's empty right?"
"Yeah, but I want a change of atmosphere. "How about your house?"
"My house?" He asked nervously, clearing his throat at once. "What's at my house?"
Jackie shrugged. She really wanted to see what his house was like. She knew from Donna that Hyde lived in the slightly poor side of Point Place, in a dingy old house, but she wanted to see for herself.
"Fine." He muttered. "Let's go."
He walked on ahead, and she quickly followed, randomly spewing gossip and things that happened in school today. How Stacey and Lacey approached her and how she's so glad Pam wasn't around and how the principal's suit today was so wrong for his skin tone. She was pretty wrapped up in conversation, which was completely one sided except for an occasiocal grunt or 'hmm' from Hyde, that she didn't notice they had stopped in front of a old, brick house, with slanted shutters and a dusty porch. The grass was yellow and dead in some places. She hushed up and followed Hyde quietly, making sure not to fall down the crack in the steps up to the porch. The door was open and creaked loudly as they stepped in, the screen slamming behind them. The house was dirty and messy, but overall pretty bare.
"No one's here." Hyde said quietly. "My mom's at the bar, probably."
Jackie remembered that Hyde had mentioned his mother being at the bar back when they first encountered, and how he wished she worked there. It dawned on Jackie that his mother was probably an alcoholic and she grinned, seeing as how now they really had more in common with each other. Their moms are both drunks.
Hyde kicked away some empty beer cans, giving Jackie a short tour.
"This is the living room." He said with a laugh, took a step to the right where a fridge was, "This is the kitchen." He stepped over towards a table. "This is the dining room." He kicked open a door, letting Jackie go in first. "And this is my room."
Jackie sighed sadly at how bare his room was, except for a box of records and a dusty night lamp. There was a single poster on the wall, Zeppelin of course. She sat on his bed, which groaned heavily under her. She took off her purse, looking up at Hyde, who shut the door behind him and leaned against it.
She patted the bed and he grinned, taking a seat next to her.
She turned to face him, shyly. The last time they had done this, it was dark and she wasn't so insecure, but now she felt naked as he advanced towards her, capturing her tongue with his. She forgot all about insecurities as he breathed into her, slipping his tongue over hers rapidly as they fell back on the bed together, a huge crack coming from the springs. They both stopped kissing, laughing softly as the bed creaked again and fell to the ground, as it's wire legs collapsed under their weight.
"Are you ok?" Hyde laughed throatily and Jackie continued to kiss him in response.
Jackie pulled back, glancing around the room as Hyde pushed himself off of her and leaned on his side, watching her as he slipped his sunglasses off.
"What is it?" Hyde asked calmly as she turned to look at him.
"I have no right to complain about my life." Jackie said shyly, sitting up, which he did as well. "I mean, my parents aren't always around, but at least they have money."
"It's not so bad." Hyde said with a shrug. "Besides, I'll be with the Forman's starting next week."
"I guess." Jackie said softly, lying back down on the broken bed. "Don't you ever get lonely?" She looked up at him and he turned away from her, which she was sure was because he didn't want to face her.
"No." He said strongly. "I have you."
Jackie practically melted but she knew this wasn't a valid answer. She had heard enough bullshit like that from Kelso and she sat up again, lying her head against Hyde's shoulder, hugging his body tightly.
"Don't you miss your parents?" She asked tenderly.
He pushed her arm off of him. "No." He stood up, slipping his sunglasses back on. "Why should I? They left me."
"I thought you said your mom was at the bar." Jackie said softly, afraid to anger him further.
"Let's just say the bar is in Mexico." Hyde muttered, opening a few drawers up, sifting through them absentmindedly.
"So, you're alone?"
"Yeah, so what? You're always alone."
"I have five maids and a cook." Jackie fought back.
"Whatever." He mumbled, quickly grabbing her as she stood up. "Can't we just make out without your yapping?"
Before Jackie could argue, he plunged his hands towards the small of her back, pushing her against him as their tongues got entangled in their mouths together. Jackie moaned happily, forgetting everything around her, as his hands lightly grazed her bare shoulders, then went towards her hips, slipping under her shirt. They fell back onto the bed, which would have been painful if Jackie wasn't so concentrated on her movement. She placed her hands on his shoulders, reaching under his shirt, feeling the edges of his back as he continued to slide one hand up her shirt, his fingertips reaching the edge of her white, lace bra.
Jackie moaned again as he followed the bra to her back, playing with the clasp.
"Steven, sweetie, are you home?"
Hyde and Jackie's heads shot up in confusion as a tender voice called out again.
"Steven, are you here?"
Jackie stood up, pulling her shirt down and wiping her lips as Hyde pulled his own shirt down and opened the door a crack.
Before he could avoid it, Kitty Forman barged in, holding a bright blue suitcase, wincing as she saw his broken bed.
"Steven, you can pack your stuff in here. Where's your mother?"
"At the bar." He said quietly, shifting his feet, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Oh, dear." Kitty mumbled, giving him a pitiful look. "Why don't you come to us tomorrow, Steven?" She took a quick look around the room, her eyes landing on a nervous Jackie. "Oh, dear."
"I was just, um," Jackie mumbled, stumbling over to the door, "looking for Michael."
"Yeah, he's not here." Hyde said with a nervous laugh, gesturing for Jackie to leave.
She smiled sweetly at Kitty then left the room as quick as she can, but stood quite still to hear what was being said.
"Steven, she's so young."
"Mrs. Forman, it's not like that." She heard Hyde say angrily. "She was just looking for her boyfriend. I don't even like her. She's loud and abrasive and everything I'm not."
"Well, I know for a fact that she likes you." Kitty said cautiously. "So, just be careful, ok?"
Jackie strained her ears more as Hyde grumbled.
"There's nothing to be careful about. I hate her."
His voice was so angry, so convincing, that Jackie felt like crying instantly when he said it. She slipped into an empty room, keeping the door open slightly as she watched Kitty leave, with the suitcase, filled.
"So, tomorrow night, then." She kissed Hyde on the cheek, and he blushed slightly, and left.
Hyde shut the door, sighing as he went over towards the couch.
Jackie pushed the door open, figuring that she had actually been crying since he looked worried at once.
"Abrasive?" Jackie muttered.
"Jackie, I was just saying that..."
"Oh please!" Jackie screamed, running towards him. "You obviously wouldn't have said it if you didn't think it."
"Fine, Jackie, ok?" He put his hands up in defeat. "I do find you abrasive. And annoying as hell. But I also think you're extremely hot and a good kisser, which makes up for it."
Jackie felt herself calming down, "Oh, Steven, that's so sweet."
"I try." He kissed her gently. "Listen, it's getting late. Do you want me to walk you home?"
"Do you want to walk me home?" She asked curiously, waiting patiently for his reply.
"Yes." He mumbled, grabbing a jacket. "It's dark and you could get hurt." He mumbled, "Besides, my favorite jacket is at your house."
"The denim one?" Jackie asked, completely forgetting that he had left his jacket the other night.
"No, that's yours, remember?" He asked with a sly smile.
"Let's go." She swatted his chest playfully, pecking his lips innocently as they left the old, dingy house.