In The Beginning
Chapter Eighteen: Calm Before The Storm
"Yeah, um, Steven, here's the thing." Jackie began as the sky cracked loudly above them. They both looked up for a second at the cloudy sky then back at each other. Jackie pulled on Steven's hand, which was intertwined in hers, "When you said that we'd tell Kelso, well, I was kind of hoping, um," Jackie shifted her eyes around slightly as a car passed them. "That you meant that YOU would tell him." Jackie laughed nervously. "By yourself."
Hyde opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by more thunder.
He shut his mouth and sighed in contemplation.
"We better hurry before it rains." Hyde finally said, pulling Jackie along as they turned into the Forman's driveway.
"Steven," Jackie whispered, stopping him before they reached the kitchen light. "I don't think I can do it."
"Why not?" He blinked widely at her, pulling his hand back from hers, "I thought you wanted to tell him."
"I did." Jackie bit her lip. "I wanted you to tell him."
"Jackie, I'm not telling your ex boyfriend that I'm dating his ex girlfriend." He muttered. "Especially since you've only been officially broken up for a few hours."
"We're dating?" Jackie's eyes lit up instantly and he rolled his head back, groaning.
"No, I didn't say 'dating'."
"Yes," Jackie clapped her hands, "You did!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"Fine, I'll tell him myself." He turned abruptly, spotting Kelso's slumped figure in the kitchen and gave Jackie a final nod as he walked into the house.
Jackie looked up at the sky again as another clash of thunder came about.
Jackie's heart began to ache with worry. What if Kelso didn't take the news lightly? What if he hit Steven? What if he...
All of Jackie's fears were squashed when the sliding door opened and Kelso and Hyde came walking out.
"Why did you want to talk outside, Hyde?" Kelso asked absentmindedly, spotting Jackie, who was nervously fumbling her fingers and scowling at Hyde all at the same time.
Hyde smirked at Jackie and stood complacently next to Kelso.
"Man, you are the best friend ever!" Kelso shouted, clapping Hyde on the back.
Jackie and Hyde both mouthed 'what?' at each other as Kelso continued, wrapping an arm around Hyde.
"You knew that I was bummed about the break up...so you set up a secret meeting to bring me and Jackie back together!"
Hyde faintly muttered, "Moron."
Jackie felt incredibly horrible, but she knew she couldn't let Kelso actually believe that. "Michael, that's not why I'm here."
"It's not?" Kelso took his arm off Hyde, looking slightly confused as Hyde took a step back, watching Jackie, nodding for her to continue.
"No...I..." She looked at Hyde nervously and he grumbled to himself and jumped in.
"Jackie needs to tell you something."
Jackie squinted her eyes at Hyde menacingly and he coughed, correcting himself. "We need to tell you something."
"What's going on?" Kelso asked slowly, watching both of them carefully.
"See, Michael..." Jackie wasn't sure how to tell her ex boyfriend of only a few hours, but whom she dated for years, that she was sort of dating, although he won't actually fess up to it, his best friend.
"Kelso, Jackie's moved on." Hyde said quietly.
"You have?" Kelso looked at Jackie angrily, frightening her.
"Um," Jackie looked at Hyde, who stood silent and grumbled as well, "Sort of."
"Sort of?" Kelso and Hyde both called out, giving each other annoyed looks.
"Well, Michael, I'm..."
"Spit it out." Hyde muttered, giving her a threatening look.
"Stop pressuring me!" Jackie screamed out in a huff and Hyde rolled his eyes as Kelso grew more and more confused. "This isn't easy, ok?"
"Nothing's easy when it comes to you." Hyde said dryly, infuriating Jackie further.
"He's right." Kelso laughed, ceasing as Jackie gave him an evil glare.
"Of course he's right." Jackie said with strain. "Steven always has to be right! He knows so much more then everybody. Especially rich, hot, cheerleaders who make out with him!" Jackie caught her breath frantically, wincing as Kelso's eyes bulged.
"Man, you've been making out with a rich, hot cheerleader?" He laughed as Hyde grinned apathetically. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Michael!" Jackie screamed loudly, clearly frazzled by his ever growing ignorance. "You know what?" Her lips twisted into a smile. "I don't need to tell you anything, after all."
"What?" Kelso and Hyde once again said simultaneously, giving each other looks.
Jackie crossed her arms proudly. "We broke up, I don't owe you a report of what or who I'm doing."
"You're doing someone!?" Kelso screamed dumbly and Jackie just reworded herself, impatiently.
"I don't need to explain myself to you." Jackie looked at Hyde, grinning wider and wider as she made her point. "But if a friend of yours was interested in me, then they would definitely need to tell you."
"It's a good thing you're not very interesting, Jackie." Hyde grimaced, furious as she smiled wider.
"Besides, none of my friends like you." Kelso laughed. "Well, I mean Donna does...and Eric thinks you can be ok...and Fez...well...he doesn't count because he's foreign and I know you don't like foreigners." Hyde laughed. "But good old Hyde can't stand you."
"I'm sure he could stand parts of me." Jackie said girlishly, smiling in approval as Hyde stood behind Kelso, motioning anger with his hands.
"Huh?" Kelso asked, scratching his head gently as Jackie just shook her own innocently.
"I think what Jackie is trying to say, and she's completely wrong," Hyde began, facing Kelso once more, "Is that I would get with her." He smirked at Jackie, who stood, hands on hips, unamused. "But Kelso, you know I would never touch your sloppy seconds."
"It's true." Kelso nodded. "Don't worry, Jackie. Hyde would never go after you."
"Great." Jackie stomped her foot furiously. "Then I guess this talk is over. Bye boys, I have to go finish packing for Mexico." Jackie turned around angrily, shuddering as a gust of wind brushed her shoulders and a clash of thunder boomed over head.
"Hyde, you want to go to the Hub?" She heard Kelso say behind her, as she continued to make her way up the driveway.
"What?" Hyde grumbled, "Um, sure."
"I'll go grab my jacket from the basement." She heard the sliding door open and close and turned around, staring at Hyde with angry eyes.
"What is wrong with you?" She asked blatantly. "Were you trying to piss me off?"
"Yes." Hyde said simply, walking closer to her.
"God, you are so annoying. Why would you do that?" She stomped her feet again, staring at the sky as it cracked again.
"Because..." Hyde grabbed her briefly by the shoulders, holding her close to him as he breathed heavily into her ear, "You look hot when you're mad."
"Steven," Jackie pushed against his chest, breaking into a smile. "I look hot all the time."
"You know what?" Hyde smiled as well, nipping at her lips. "I'm not even going to argue with that." He kissed her full on as another crack of thunder sounded overhead, and as Jackie's hands met his waist and she felt his fingertips grazing the top of her collarbone, an enormous clash echoed in their ears, followed by the soft prickling of rain drops on their entangled bodies.
"Finally." Jackie said in between frantic, wet, sloppy kisses, pushing her hair back as it clung to her skin. "I was waiting for it to rain."
Hyde leaned his forehead against hers, sliding his hand through her damp hair, "So was I."
She bit her lip out of pure excitement and grabbed his shirt, pulling him in as they continued kissing, underneath the downpour.
"What the hell?" Kelso screamed from behind them.
Jackie groaned into Hyde's lips as they parted quickly and Hyde carefully guided Jackie to his side, wrapping his arm around her neck, which was slippery from a coat of rain. Jackie laughed, since both her and Hyde were caught, red faced and soaking wet. Her clothes were drooping against her body, revealing all her curves. Her lip gloss was all over his lips, giving off a soft gleam as he pursed them, staring at Kelso for the longest time, who was standing there, slowly becoming wet with rain as he scrambled to understand why these two people, complete opposites, were making out in the Forman's driveway.
"Kelso," Hyde began, giving Jackie a longing stare, "I guess it's about time that I,"
"We!" Jackie screamed through the rain, wiping her nose, which had a raindrop dripping off of it.
"We," Hyde corrected himself, smiling at Jackie, "told you that we're dating."
Kelso stood in shock, staring at Jackie with complete surprise. "I thought you hated each other."
"We do." Hyde said, nodding.
"It's complicated." Jackie laughed, her lips quivering from the cold.
Kelso took a step forward, bringing his hand back threateningly. "Hyde, you have 10 seconds to step away from Jackie and shout burn, because this better be a burn!"
"It's not a burn, Kelso." Hyde said quietly. "And you have ten seconds to run because we all know that I'll be kicking your ass way before you reach me."
"Dammit." Kelso muttered, running a hand through his wet mess of hair. "Some best friend you are!" He stomped his foot angrily.
"What are you dumbasses doing in the rain?" Red Forman shouted as he stuck his head out of the window. "Steven, get inside!"
"One second, Red." Hyde shouted back, then looked back at Kelso. "That's about as long as it's going to take to knock you out Kelso, if you start throwing punches."
Kelso frowned, taking another step, "Ok, nice burn, guys! Now, Jackie, come back to me, where you belong."
Jackie looked between Hyde and Kelso, and shook her head sadly. "I don't want to come between you two..." She took a step sideways, away from an enraged Hyde.
"Jackie," Hyde looked at her with understanding and regret.
"Jackie, we've been through so much, baby, but I've always been here for you!" Kelso screamed at another clap of thunder as Jackie hugged herself tightly.
"Been there?" Hyde scoffed. "If you had been there, then you would have known that we've been making out for weeks, behind your back!"
Kelso let out a girlish cry of surprise, "You cheated on me?"
"You cheated on me first!" Jackie screamed back, standing by Hyde's side once again. "Kelso," Her eyes lowered, a sympathetic smile crossing her lips, "I'm sorry, but I..." She swallowed back some long lasting fears, "I like Steven and you're just going to have to deal with it, because..."
"Because I like her too." Hyde said calmly, but blinked widely at what had come out.
Kelso blinked just as widely, "You guys suck." He frogged Hyde quickly in the arm and jumped back to his spot.
Hyde stared at his arm, which really didn't hurt, since he was used to much larger bruises, then pretended to lunge at Kelso, who screamed and ran towards the basement.
"You like me?" Jackie asked quietly as Hyde turned to face her, his face dripping wet.
"I like parts of you." He said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I like parts of you, too." Jackie smirked back, wrapping her arms around his waist as well, giggling as he pulled her in tight towards him, sending chills throughout her spine.
"So," Hyde said, "Now that that's done..." He brought in his lips closer to hers, ready to kiss her, until he felt her lips moving quickly, her voice bubbling out. He blinked his eyes open, staring at her restlessly as she began to ramble.
"So, are we dating?" Jackie asked quickly.
"No."
"But you said..."
"Jackie, since when do we talk?" He smiled into her kiss as his lips pushed against hers, and his hands slid down towards her bottom, tickling the edges of her underwear, which was gently peeking out of her pants. He smiled more as he felt the lace, but shook the thought out of his head as he lifted his hands up, towards her wet head, running his hands through her wet locks.
"We should really go inside and dry off." Hyde laughed, taking her hand into his.
They had just about reached the door when Jackie stopped, her face gleamed with worry in the Forman's kitchen light.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you sure you want to go inside, holding hands?" Jackie asked, peering into the kitchen. "Eric and Donna are eating in there..."
"Well, I thought that hand holding was what people do when they're dating." Hyde grinned, squeezing her hand harder.
Jackie smiled, nodding her head as he pulled her towards the Forman's kitchen.
She looked up at him, as he slipped off his jacket, dripping wet, and threw it on the banister outside of the kitchen, and she wrung out her hair, smacking him lightly as he stared at her chest.
"Are you wearing a bra?"
"Steven!" She shrieked, hitting him again.
"I suggest you cross your arms then." Hyde laughed, giving her another short look of longing.
"Thanks for the suggestion." She said curtly, crossing her arms, and grinning up at him with a nod as he laughed. "You ready?" She asked, as he slipped his arm around her shoulder loosely.
"Not really." He shook his head slowly, waiting for her reaction.
"Good." She smiled carefully. "Let's do this."
Chapter Eighteen: Calm Before The Storm
"Yeah, um, Steven, here's the thing." Jackie began as the sky cracked loudly above them. They both looked up for a second at the cloudy sky then back at each other. Jackie pulled on Steven's hand, which was intertwined in hers, "When you said that we'd tell Kelso, well, I was kind of hoping, um," Jackie shifted her eyes around slightly as a car passed them. "That you meant that YOU would tell him." Jackie laughed nervously. "By yourself."
Hyde opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by more thunder.
He shut his mouth and sighed in contemplation.
"We better hurry before it rains." Hyde finally said, pulling Jackie along as they turned into the Forman's driveway.
"Steven," Jackie whispered, stopping him before they reached the kitchen light. "I don't think I can do it."
"Why not?" He blinked widely at her, pulling his hand back from hers, "I thought you wanted to tell him."
"I did." Jackie bit her lip. "I wanted you to tell him."
"Jackie, I'm not telling your ex boyfriend that I'm dating his ex girlfriend." He muttered. "Especially since you've only been officially broken up for a few hours."
"We're dating?" Jackie's eyes lit up instantly and he rolled his head back, groaning.
"No, I didn't say 'dating'."
"Yes," Jackie clapped her hands, "You did!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"Fine, I'll tell him myself." He turned abruptly, spotting Kelso's slumped figure in the kitchen and gave Jackie a final nod as he walked into the house.
Jackie looked up at the sky again as another clash of thunder came about.
Jackie's heart began to ache with worry. What if Kelso didn't take the news lightly? What if he hit Steven? What if he...
All of Jackie's fears were squashed when the sliding door opened and Kelso and Hyde came walking out.
"Why did you want to talk outside, Hyde?" Kelso asked absentmindedly, spotting Jackie, who was nervously fumbling her fingers and scowling at Hyde all at the same time.
Hyde smirked at Jackie and stood complacently next to Kelso.
"Man, you are the best friend ever!" Kelso shouted, clapping Hyde on the back.
Jackie and Hyde both mouthed 'what?' at each other as Kelso continued, wrapping an arm around Hyde.
"You knew that I was bummed about the break up...so you set up a secret meeting to bring me and Jackie back together!"
Hyde faintly muttered, "Moron."
Jackie felt incredibly horrible, but she knew she couldn't let Kelso actually believe that. "Michael, that's not why I'm here."
"It's not?" Kelso took his arm off Hyde, looking slightly confused as Hyde took a step back, watching Jackie, nodding for her to continue.
"No...I..." She looked at Hyde nervously and he grumbled to himself and jumped in.
"Jackie needs to tell you something."
Jackie squinted her eyes at Hyde menacingly and he coughed, correcting himself. "We need to tell you something."
"What's going on?" Kelso asked slowly, watching both of them carefully.
"See, Michael..." Jackie wasn't sure how to tell her ex boyfriend of only a few hours, but whom she dated for years, that she was sort of dating, although he won't actually fess up to it, his best friend.
"Kelso, Jackie's moved on." Hyde said quietly.
"You have?" Kelso looked at Jackie angrily, frightening her.
"Um," Jackie looked at Hyde, who stood silent and grumbled as well, "Sort of."
"Sort of?" Kelso and Hyde both called out, giving each other annoyed looks.
"Well, Michael, I'm..."
"Spit it out." Hyde muttered, giving her a threatening look.
"Stop pressuring me!" Jackie screamed out in a huff and Hyde rolled his eyes as Kelso grew more and more confused. "This isn't easy, ok?"
"Nothing's easy when it comes to you." Hyde said dryly, infuriating Jackie further.
"He's right." Kelso laughed, ceasing as Jackie gave him an evil glare.
"Of course he's right." Jackie said with strain. "Steven always has to be right! He knows so much more then everybody. Especially rich, hot, cheerleaders who make out with him!" Jackie caught her breath frantically, wincing as Kelso's eyes bulged.
"Man, you've been making out with a rich, hot cheerleader?" He laughed as Hyde grinned apathetically. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Michael!" Jackie screamed loudly, clearly frazzled by his ever growing ignorance. "You know what?" Her lips twisted into a smile. "I don't need to tell you anything, after all."
"What?" Kelso and Hyde once again said simultaneously, giving each other looks.
Jackie crossed her arms proudly. "We broke up, I don't owe you a report of what or who I'm doing."
"You're doing someone!?" Kelso screamed dumbly and Jackie just reworded herself, impatiently.
"I don't need to explain myself to you." Jackie looked at Hyde, grinning wider and wider as she made her point. "But if a friend of yours was interested in me, then they would definitely need to tell you."
"It's a good thing you're not very interesting, Jackie." Hyde grimaced, furious as she smiled wider.
"Besides, none of my friends like you." Kelso laughed. "Well, I mean Donna does...and Eric thinks you can be ok...and Fez...well...he doesn't count because he's foreign and I know you don't like foreigners." Hyde laughed. "But good old Hyde can't stand you."
"I'm sure he could stand parts of me." Jackie said girlishly, smiling in approval as Hyde stood behind Kelso, motioning anger with his hands.
"Huh?" Kelso asked, scratching his head gently as Jackie just shook her own innocently.
"I think what Jackie is trying to say, and she's completely wrong," Hyde began, facing Kelso once more, "Is that I would get with her." He smirked at Jackie, who stood, hands on hips, unamused. "But Kelso, you know I would never touch your sloppy seconds."
"It's true." Kelso nodded. "Don't worry, Jackie. Hyde would never go after you."
"Great." Jackie stomped her foot furiously. "Then I guess this talk is over. Bye boys, I have to go finish packing for Mexico." Jackie turned around angrily, shuddering as a gust of wind brushed her shoulders and a clash of thunder boomed over head.
"Hyde, you want to go to the Hub?" She heard Kelso say behind her, as she continued to make her way up the driveway.
"What?" Hyde grumbled, "Um, sure."
"I'll go grab my jacket from the basement." She heard the sliding door open and close and turned around, staring at Hyde with angry eyes.
"What is wrong with you?" She asked blatantly. "Were you trying to piss me off?"
"Yes." Hyde said simply, walking closer to her.
"God, you are so annoying. Why would you do that?" She stomped her feet again, staring at the sky as it cracked again.
"Because..." Hyde grabbed her briefly by the shoulders, holding her close to him as he breathed heavily into her ear, "You look hot when you're mad."
"Steven," Jackie pushed against his chest, breaking into a smile. "I look hot all the time."
"You know what?" Hyde smiled as well, nipping at her lips. "I'm not even going to argue with that." He kissed her full on as another crack of thunder sounded overhead, and as Jackie's hands met his waist and she felt his fingertips grazing the top of her collarbone, an enormous clash echoed in their ears, followed by the soft prickling of rain drops on their entangled bodies.
"Finally." Jackie said in between frantic, wet, sloppy kisses, pushing her hair back as it clung to her skin. "I was waiting for it to rain."
Hyde leaned his forehead against hers, sliding his hand through her damp hair, "So was I."
She bit her lip out of pure excitement and grabbed his shirt, pulling him in as they continued kissing, underneath the downpour.
"What the hell?" Kelso screamed from behind them.
Jackie groaned into Hyde's lips as they parted quickly and Hyde carefully guided Jackie to his side, wrapping his arm around her neck, which was slippery from a coat of rain. Jackie laughed, since both her and Hyde were caught, red faced and soaking wet. Her clothes were drooping against her body, revealing all her curves. Her lip gloss was all over his lips, giving off a soft gleam as he pursed them, staring at Kelso for the longest time, who was standing there, slowly becoming wet with rain as he scrambled to understand why these two people, complete opposites, were making out in the Forman's driveway.
"Kelso," Hyde began, giving Jackie a longing stare, "I guess it's about time that I,"
"We!" Jackie screamed through the rain, wiping her nose, which had a raindrop dripping off of it.
"We," Hyde corrected himself, smiling at Jackie, "told you that we're dating."
Kelso stood in shock, staring at Jackie with complete surprise. "I thought you hated each other."
"We do." Hyde said, nodding.
"It's complicated." Jackie laughed, her lips quivering from the cold.
Kelso took a step forward, bringing his hand back threateningly. "Hyde, you have 10 seconds to step away from Jackie and shout burn, because this better be a burn!"
"It's not a burn, Kelso." Hyde said quietly. "And you have ten seconds to run because we all know that I'll be kicking your ass way before you reach me."
"Dammit." Kelso muttered, running a hand through his wet mess of hair. "Some best friend you are!" He stomped his foot angrily.
"What are you dumbasses doing in the rain?" Red Forman shouted as he stuck his head out of the window. "Steven, get inside!"
"One second, Red." Hyde shouted back, then looked back at Kelso. "That's about as long as it's going to take to knock you out Kelso, if you start throwing punches."
Kelso frowned, taking another step, "Ok, nice burn, guys! Now, Jackie, come back to me, where you belong."
Jackie looked between Hyde and Kelso, and shook her head sadly. "I don't want to come between you two..." She took a step sideways, away from an enraged Hyde.
"Jackie," Hyde looked at her with understanding and regret.
"Jackie, we've been through so much, baby, but I've always been here for you!" Kelso screamed at another clap of thunder as Jackie hugged herself tightly.
"Been there?" Hyde scoffed. "If you had been there, then you would have known that we've been making out for weeks, behind your back!"
Kelso let out a girlish cry of surprise, "You cheated on me?"
"You cheated on me first!" Jackie screamed back, standing by Hyde's side once again. "Kelso," Her eyes lowered, a sympathetic smile crossing her lips, "I'm sorry, but I..." She swallowed back some long lasting fears, "I like Steven and you're just going to have to deal with it, because..."
"Because I like her too." Hyde said calmly, but blinked widely at what had come out.
Kelso blinked just as widely, "You guys suck." He frogged Hyde quickly in the arm and jumped back to his spot.
Hyde stared at his arm, which really didn't hurt, since he was used to much larger bruises, then pretended to lunge at Kelso, who screamed and ran towards the basement.
"You like me?" Jackie asked quietly as Hyde turned to face her, his face dripping wet.
"I like parts of you." He said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I like parts of you, too." Jackie smirked back, wrapping her arms around his waist as well, giggling as he pulled her in tight towards him, sending chills throughout her spine.
"So," Hyde said, "Now that that's done..." He brought in his lips closer to hers, ready to kiss her, until he felt her lips moving quickly, her voice bubbling out. He blinked his eyes open, staring at her restlessly as she began to ramble.
"So, are we dating?" Jackie asked quickly.
"No."
"But you said..."
"Jackie, since when do we talk?" He smiled into her kiss as his lips pushed against hers, and his hands slid down towards her bottom, tickling the edges of her underwear, which was gently peeking out of her pants. He smiled more as he felt the lace, but shook the thought out of his head as he lifted his hands up, towards her wet head, running his hands through her wet locks.
"We should really go inside and dry off." Hyde laughed, taking her hand into his.
They had just about reached the door when Jackie stopped, her face gleamed with worry in the Forman's kitchen light.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you sure you want to go inside, holding hands?" Jackie asked, peering into the kitchen. "Eric and Donna are eating in there..."
"Well, I thought that hand holding was what people do when they're dating." Hyde grinned, squeezing her hand harder.
Jackie smiled, nodding her head as he pulled her towards the Forman's kitchen.
She looked up at him, as he slipped off his jacket, dripping wet, and threw it on the banister outside of the kitchen, and she wrung out her hair, smacking him lightly as he stared at her chest.
"Are you wearing a bra?"
"Steven!" She shrieked, hitting him again.
"I suggest you cross your arms then." Hyde laughed, giving her another short look of longing.
"Thanks for the suggestion." She said curtly, crossing her arms, and grinning up at him with a nod as he laughed. "You ready?" She asked, as he slipped his arm around her shoulder loosely.
"Not really." He shook his head slowly, waiting for her reaction.
"Good." She smiled carefully. "Let's do this."