In The Beginning
Chapter Twenty Three: Double Date
"So then, he gave me this!" Jackie shrieked merrily as she fell back on Donna's bed, waving her wrist in the air. She sat up with a frown, adjusting the small chain on her wrist as Donna sat down next to her.
"Eric's taking me to the movies for our date." Donna smiled happily, staring off into space as Jackie rolled over onto her stomach. "Our first date..."
"Steven was supposed to take me to the movies, but he couldn't," Jackie laughed, picking up a department store catalog off the floor and perusing through it as Donna lay down next to her, "You know, because he's poor."
"Eric started working at Fatso Burger, so he said I could buy the large bag of popcorn!" Donna laughed, taking the catalog that Jackie tossed aside.
"You don't need the large bag, Donna." Jackie said bitterly, quickly folding her arms across her chest as she sat back up. "Eric got a job?"
"Yeah." Donna sat up as well, "He's responsible like that."
"Yeah." Jackie nodded in confirmation. "Steven should get a job, so he could take me out on a real date."
"You mean you guys haven't had one real date?"
Jackie shook her head slowly, "We either go to the courtyard to make out. Or we go to my house to make out. Or we go to his room to make out." Jackie's eyes lit up, "Once, we made out in the Hub." Her eyes dropped again with realization. "We just stopped in so I could use the bathroom, though."
"So, he's your boyfriend, but he hasn't even taken you out on a date?"
"Well, Donna, Steven's not like Eric," Jackie rolled her eyes, "He's not willing to conform and get a job to work for the man."
Donna's eyes bulged as she smacked Jackie.
"Oh my god," Jackie hugged Donna fearfully; "I've been spending way too much time with him."
"I have an idea!" Donna said proudly through their silence. "What if we went on a double date?"
"I don't know, Donna..."
"Eric can pay for all of us!"
"I guess," Jackie nodded, "Steven likes mooching off of his friends, so he might be up for it."
"Oh my god, and this way, if there's an awkward pause, I'll have you there."
"Yeah," Jackie nodded. "And if Steven gets all angry and anti- government on me, I'll have you!"
Jackie and Donna hugged briefly, content with this idea...
Meanwhile, back in the good old circle....
"Man, dating an older woman kicks so much ass!" Kelso shouted as he shoved a cookie in his mouth.
"Laurie's only two years older then us, Kelso." Eric smirked.
"Yeah, two years of more experience, Eric." Kelso nodded proudly.
"Wait, are we talking about Laurie Forman?" Hyde laughed, taking a cookie for himself. "Because her experience might be measured in dog years, man."
"Well, I don't know why we're even discussing my sister in the circle."
"Yeah, same here." Fez nodded. "We should be discussing how to get Fez a girl."
"No, we talked about that yesterday." Hyde groaned.
"And I still have no girlfriend!" Fez shouted.
"Fez," Kelso began, "I think that finding you a girlfriend might take a while,"
Hyde and Eric nodded in agreement.
"You know, cause chicks are weirded out by foreign objects." Kelso concluded, wiping cookie crumbs from his lips.
"So, how's working for the man, Eric?" Hyde asked, avoiding any backlash Fez had about that comment.
"The man treats me good." Eric nodded. "He let me mop up some kid's vomit today. But hey," Eric held up a burger, "I get free burgers!"
Hyde grabbed the burger, "I get free burgers, too. And I didn't have to sweep up puke."
"Yeah, I really need a job." Kelso laughed. "Do you guys know what an extremely good looking guy could do for a living?"
"Man, I am never getting a job." Hyde shook his head sadly.
"Kelso, you could be a model, like those pretty guys in Vogue!" Fez shouted happily, taking a cookie as the others gave him a weird look. "What? Jackie left her magazine out the other day.."
"Ugh, don't even mention Jackie." Hyde groaned. "You know, she's sweet to make out with, but sometimes she can be so..."
"Annoying?" Eric asked.
"Shallow?" Fez added.
"Demanding?" Kelso nodded.
Hyde just gave the three dirty looks and stayed in 'zen' like silence.
"Man, being Laurie's boyfriend is so easy." Kelso laughed.
"Kelso, anything that has to do with Laurie is easy." Hyde snickered as Fez high fived him.
"Well, whatever. At least my girlfriend isn't so damn annoying."
Before Hyde could reply, Laurie came bouncing down the stairs, giving the boys a look of death.
"Kelso, I want to go the Ice Capades. They're in town."
"Hey, baby," Kelso stood up, wrapping his arms around Laurie, "Are they topless Ice Capades?"
"No." Laurie said dismissively. "The tickets are 20 bucks apiece."
"Damn, Laurie, I don't got that much money..."
"Kelso," Laurie said angrily, "I want to see that show."
"I heard you, but..."
"Kelso." Laurie gripped onto his arm, pinching him until his skin was red.
"Yeah, Kelso, she's a peach." Hyde muttered as Laurie grabbed Kelso's wallet, running up the stairs with him as he groaned in pain.
"Man, thank god for Donna." Eric smirked. "She's not annoying, or shallow. And she hates ice shows."
Donna and Jackie barged in through the basement door, each taking a seat on the couch as the three boys looked up.
"Eric, you know our date tomorrow night?"
Eric nodded, feeling kind of nervous, but relieved when Donna sat next to him, seductively.
"Well, I'm really excited."
"Me too."
"We're going to the movies, right?"
Hyde watched Jackie silently, as she made herself comfortable on the couch, picking up the Vogue she had left on the table the other day.
"Yeah, any movie you want," Eric looked over at Hyde, nodding in satisfaction, "Doll."
Donna rolled her eyes, before batting her lashes up at Eric, "Great, so we can go see Grease."
"Sure." Eric nodded, figuring that Grease couldn't be too bad, well at least compared to the Ice Capades. Besides, they wouldn't be 'watching' the movie anyway...
"Great!" Donna exclaimed. "So, you, me, Jackie, and Hyde will go see Grease tomorrow night."
"What?" Hyde asked, coming out of his daze as Jackie grinned bashfully.
"Jackie and Hyde are coming?" Eric asked nervously.
"Well, see," Donna looked back at Jackie for support.
"Donna promised she would see Grease with me." Jackie watched Hyde, who slowly shook his head.
"Well, count me out." Hyde said bitterly, standing up. "I am not watching that movie. It has singing. And dancing."
"I like dancing, can I go?" Fez asked quietly as Jackie rolled her eyes, standing up as well.
"Steven, we never go out!" Jackie argued. "If Eric's ok with it, why shouldn't you be?"
"I'm not ok with it!" Eric stood up defiantly.
Donna stood up angrily, "What did you say?"
"I said..." Eric looked back at Hyde who frowned in disappointment. "Oh, boy, I can't wait for our double date!" Eric added a toothy grin as Donna smiled in satisfaction.
"Well, Steven?" Jackie tapped her foot impatiently.
"I already gave you my answer, Jackie, not that you even asked me if I wanted to go in the first place..."
"Do I need your permission every time I make decisions for you?"
"Um, let me think." Hyde paused, contemplating. "Yes!"
"Steven, I am your girlfriend. I speak for you when you're not around."
"That's ridiculous." Hyde scoffed.
"Eric's paying for it!" Donna screamed, giving Jackie a hopeless look.
"I am?" Eric gave Donna a weary look. "I mean, oh boy, I am!"
Donna patted his back appreciatevly.
Hyde just rolled his eyes and walked to his back room as Jackie sat down hopeless.
"What is wrong with him?" Jackie groaned. "It's just a date. You think he could give up two hours of his day to watch a movie with me, but no..."
"I'd give up all my hours for you!" Fez shouted.
Donna and Eric, shrugged and went upstairs as Jackie continued to rant to Fez.
"He says he's my boyfriend, well, he only said it once...but whatever, he doesn't act like one!"
"I'd act like your boyfriend!" Fez shouted angrily.
"He doesn't appreciate me!" Jackie sighed, sulking back in her seat.
"I'd appreciate you."
"Ok, Jackie, you know I can hear you, right?" Hyde asked as he stepped out of his room, walking towards the couch.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Steven." Jackie rolled her eyes, mocking apology as she stood up, "Was I interrupting you, you stupid, curly haired, unappreciative, government hating," Jackie breathed in sharply as Hyde watched her in awe.
"Are you done?"
Jackie shrieked violently. "You are a sucky boyfriend!"
"Well, you ain't so great yourself!"
"Well at least I care about you!"
"Yeah, Jackie, thanks for setting aside that tiny part of you that doesn't care about yourself in my honor, seriously," Hyde muttered, taking a seat angrily.
"Oh please!" Jackie yelled. "The only thing you care about is making people unhappy! Starting with me!"
"Um," Fez asked quietly, "Do you guys want to be alone?"
"Look, now you upset Fez!" Hyde muttered. "Jackie, I don't make you unhappy."
Jackie's eyes softened as his voice calmed down.
"You do that all by yourself."
Jackie shrieked, staring at Fez angrily, who baked off shakily.
"Steven, this is your last chance. Come out with us tomorrow night."
"No."
"Fine, Fez, will you go out with me tomorrow night?" Jackie turned to Fez who looked at Hyde nervously.
"Um..."
"Good!" Jackie looped her hand through his. "Now, why don't we go to the Hub and spend money like normal people!" Jackie threw her head back, laughing bitterly as she stomped out of the basement with Fez in tow.
As soon as she came outside, she let go of Fez, staring at the basement door with all her might.
"Jackie, you know he won't come after you." Fez said quietly, wrapping his arm around her protectively. "He's not like that."
"I need him to be like that." Jackie said quietly, sighing as she stared at her shoes.
"You know what always makes me forget my problems?" Fez laughed. "Candy!"
"I'm actually kind of hungry..." Jackie sniffled, smiling at Fez appreciatively.
"Good, off to the Hub then." Fez nodded, pulling Jackie along, as she glanced back at the door one more time, wishing that Hyde would suddenly swing out, miraculously.
The next night was terrible for Jackie. Fez was a good date, and Donna and Eric really didn't need her there, they were having a good time. But Jackie felt awful. She missed Hyde. She missed the smell she would always have after a good make out, his smell that rubbed off on her clothes. She missed his lips. And true, it had only been one day... but she had been kissing those lips every night, for weeks, and to be suddenly cut off was murder.
Jackie had seen Grease already, so she barely paid attention, only smiling when Fez asked if she was ok...
Jackie felt like bawling when Sandy starting to sing 'hopelessly devoted to you'. Because she was hopelessly devoted to Steven. She felt extremely relieved when Eric shoved a five dollar bill in her hand, asking her to grab a soda. Fez offered to come with, but she knew he had been enjoying the movie, and told him she could handle it.
Jackie made her way through the aisle of the movie theater, glancing down the dark aisles. She shuddered away the thought that she would see a haze of curly hair, and he would grab her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as Sandy and Danny reunited as well. But as she reached the concession stand, she made herself believe that he wasn't popping out of anywhere.
Jackie bought a soda, completely forgetting who it was for, and took a sip as she looked around the deserted movie theater lobby. It had begun to pour outside, and the melody of the rain seemed to match Jackie's melancholy mood. She suddenly wished she had brought her sweater along, as she opened the door to catch some of the nice, rain air. She loved rain, especially when she was sad herself. Her father told her this story once, when she was very little, about how rain was God's way of shedding tears. Jackie thought it was quite peculiar how the weather always matched her own feelings. She held her foot between the door, to catch some more of the air, even though the dampness of it was brushing against her skin, and her hair was being thrown around violently. She looked back at the lobby, still pretty empty since everyone was inside watching the movie. Jackie took a deep breath as she fully exited the building, leaning against the glass door as the wind howled against her ear. Jackie felt her hand turn to ice from the cold soda in her hand, and switched it to the other hand as she closed her eyes, inhaling the rain once more before going back inside.
Jackie's first instinct was to knee whoever lips were on hers in the groin, but she didn't have to open her eyes to know who's lips they were.
She was pushed inside as she opened her eyes, biting her lip as Hyde took off his sunglasses, shaking his hair like a dog, to get out all the water.
"God, I missed your lips." He smiled anxiously.
"What are you doing here?" Jackie asked coolly, wiping rain off of her skin as she made her way back to the movie.
"I'm here to see Grease." Hyde rolled his eyes, sarcastically.
"Well, you already missed half of it." Jackie muttered as she opened the door to the theater.
"I'm here because you want me to be here, Jackie." Hyde said cautiously, grabbing her hand from the door and turning her to face him, "Maybe we can catch the midnight show, since I missed most of it." He held up a ten dollar bill, which she glanced at furiously, trying to see if it was fake or not.
"Which bank did you rob?" Jackie asked anxiously.
"I got a job." Hyde laughed.
"What about that whole, I'm not working for the man, speech?"
"Well, the man I'm working for is Leo. And he's cool."
"You really have a job?" Jackie asked, still keeping a straight face.
"I'm officially an employee at the Point Place Fotohut."
"Oh, Steven!" Jackie quickly wrapped her arms around him, kissing him happily, "Now you can take me out on dates!"
He didn't even bother to say anything in response, he just kissed her back.
"Screw Grease," Jackie muttered. "Where do you want to go?"
"I get to pick?" Hyde asked with extreme surprise.
"Just this once." Jackie nodded, rubbing her nose against his, "For good behavior. But," Jackie pulled away quickly, "Not the courtyard. Not my house. Not your room."
"How about the Hub?"
"Well, it's a start." Jackie rolled her eyes, intertwining her hand in his as they left together to go down the street and to the Hub.
A few minutes later, the audience poured out.
"Jackie better give me my five bucks back!" Eric said angrily as Donna started humming a tune from the movie.
"Where is Jackie?" Fez asked curiously.
"Maybe she got distracted by one of the pretty movie posters." Eric replied as Donna laughed.
"I'm hungry." Donna, "Let's go to the Hub."
"Well, I'm kind of low on cash..." Eric began as Donna blew in his ear. "I'm got lots of quarters, though, let's go!"
The three went off to the Hub, sharing comments about the movie they just saw and trying to not step in any puddles that the rain had left during it's reign.
"There she is!" Donna shrieked happily, as they walked up to Jackie and Hyde, who were making out fiercely by the Hub's entrance. The three laughed, heading on inside as Jackie tore herself away from Hyde.
"Stop distracting me!" Jackie said angrily, swatting his chest playfully. "We need to spend some of your money!" She grabbed Hyde's arm, pulling him inside and fixing her now damp hair as she sat down next to Donna.
"Is that money in Hyde's hand?" Donna asked curiously.
"Jackie, did you give Hyde my five bucks?" Eric asked angrily as Jackie threw some change at him from her pocket.
"No, Steven has a job." Jackie smirked proudly as the three blinked in surprise.
"Here." Hyde muttered as he shoved a basket of fries in front of Jackie's nose and sat down with her. "I spent a dollar on these. They better be worth it."
Jackie inched in towards him, resting her palm on his inner thigh delicately as she reached over, slowly and dramatically, dipping a fry into ketchup and then feeding him, kissing the extra ketchup from his lips.
"These are some damn, good fries!" Hyde smiled, taking another as Jackie nodded.
"Jackie, I'd like a fry." Fez chirped as Jackie threw one at him. "Thank you.." He said sadly as he ate it.
"So, how long will we have to be going out for you to feed me fries?" Eric asked Donna, as she thought about it.
"That depends. Are you my boyfriend now?"
"I guess so." Eric smirked, opening his mouth up.
"Well, then..." Donna reached over, dramatically and slowly, just as Jackie did before, grabbing a single fry and gently moved it towards Eric, and at the last minute, pulled it back towards her and popped it into her own mouth. "These are good fries."
The gang laughed, soon joined by Kelso, who spent the night explaining how he single handedly wrecked the ice show and Jackie couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy.
And she knew he was staring at her all night. And she knew he cared about her, enough to get a job, enough to come to the theater that night.
But there was one more thing she was waiting for Steven Hyde to do...
Chapter Twenty Three: Double Date
"So then, he gave me this!" Jackie shrieked merrily as she fell back on Donna's bed, waving her wrist in the air. She sat up with a frown, adjusting the small chain on her wrist as Donna sat down next to her.
"Eric's taking me to the movies for our date." Donna smiled happily, staring off into space as Jackie rolled over onto her stomach. "Our first date..."
"Steven was supposed to take me to the movies, but he couldn't," Jackie laughed, picking up a department store catalog off the floor and perusing through it as Donna lay down next to her, "You know, because he's poor."
"Eric started working at Fatso Burger, so he said I could buy the large bag of popcorn!" Donna laughed, taking the catalog that Jackie tossed aside.
"You don't need the large bag, Donna." Jackie said bitterly, quickly folding her arms across her chest as she sat back up. "Eric got a job?"
"Yeah." Donna sat up as well, "He's responsible like that."
"Yeah." Jackie nodded in confirmation. "Steven should get a job, so he could take me out on a real date."
"You mean you guys haven't had one real date?"
Jackie shook her head slowly, "We either go to the courtyard to make out. Or we go to my house to make out. Or we go to his room to make out." Jackie's eyes lit up, "Once, we made out in the Hub." Her eyes dropped again with realization. "We just stopped in so I could use the bathroom, though."
"So, he's your boyfriend, but he hasn't even taken you out on a date?"
"Well, Donna, Steven's not like Eric," Jackie rolled her eyes, "He's not willing to conform and get a job to work for the man."
Donna's eyes bulged as she smacked Jackie.
"Oh my god," Jackie hugged Donna fearfully; "I've been spending way too much time with him."
"I have an idea!" Donna said proudly through their silence. "What if we went on a double date?"
"I don't know, Donna..."
"Eric can pay for all of us!"
"I guess," Jackie nodded, "Steven likes mooching off of his friends, so he might be up for it."
"Oh my god, and this way, if there's an awkward pause, I'll have you there."
"Yeah," Jackie nodded. "And if Steven gets all angry and anti- government on me, I'll have you!"
Jackie and Donna hugged briefly, content with this idea...
Meanwhile, back in the good old circle....
"Man, dating an older woman kicks so much ass!" Kelso shouted as he shoved a cookie in his mouth.
"Laurie's only two years older then us, Kelso." Eric smirked.
"Yeah, two years of more experience, Eric." Kelso nodded proudly.
"Wait, are we talking about Laurie Forman?" Hyde laughed, taking a cookie for himself. "Because her experience might be measured in dog years, man."
"Well, I don't know why we're even discussing my sister in the circle."
"Yeah, same here." Fez nodded. "We should be discussing how to get Fez a girl."
"No, we talked about that yesterday." Hyde groaned.
"And I still have no girlfriend!" Fez shouted.
"Fez," Kelso began, "I think that finding you a girlfriend might take a while,"
Hyde and Eric nodded in agreement.
"You know, cause chicks are weirded out by foreign objects." Kelso concluded, wiping cookie crumbs from his lips.
"So, how's working for the man, Eric?" Hyde asked, avoiding any backlash Fez had about that comment.
"The man treats me good." Eric nodded. "He let me mop up some kid's vomit today. But hey," Eric held up a burger, "I get free burgers!"
Hyde grabbed the burger, "I get free burgers, too. And I didn't have to sweep up puke."
"Yeah, I really need a job." Kelso laughed. "Do you guys know what an extremely good looking guy could do for a living?"
"Man, I am never getting a job." Hyde shook his head sadly.
"Kelso, you could be a model, like those pretty guys in Vogue!" Fez shouted happily, taking a cookie as the others gave him a weird look. "What? Jackie left her magazine out the other day.."
"Ugh, don't even mention Jackie." Hyde groaned. "You know, she's sweet to make out with, but sometimes she can be so..."
"Annoying?" Eric asked.
"Shallow?" Fez added.
"Demanding?" Kelso nodded.
Hyde just gave the three dirty looks and stayed in 'zen' like silence.
"Man, being Laurie's boyfriend is so easy." Kelso laughed.
"Kelso, anything that has to do with Laurie is easy." Hyde snickered as Fez high fived him.
"Well, whatever. At least my girlfriend isn't so damn annoying."
Before Hyde could reply, Laurie came bouncing down the stairs, giving the boys a look of death.
"Kelso, I want to go the Ice Capades. They're in town."
"Hey, baby," Kelso stood up, wrapping his arms around Laurie, "Are they topless Ice Capades?"
"No." Laurie said dismissively. "The tickets are 20 bucks apiece."
"Damn, Laurie, I don't got that much money..."
"Kelso," Laurie said angrily, "I want to see that show."
"I heard you, but..."
"Kelso." Laurie gripped onto his arm, pinching him until his skin was red.
"Yeah, Kelso, she's a peach." Hyde muttered as Laurie grabbed Kelso's wallet, running up the stairs with him as he groaned in pain.
"Man, thank god for Donna." Eric smirked. "She's not annoying, or shallow. And she hates ice shows."
Donna and Jackie barged in through the basement door, each taking a seat on the couch as the three boys looked up.
"Eric, you know our date tomorrow night?"
Eric nodded, feeling kind of nervous, but relieved when Donna sat next to him, seductively.
"Well, I'm really excited."
"Me too."
"We're going to the movies, right?"
Hyde watched Jackie silently, as she made herself comfortable on the couch, picking up the Vogue she had left on the table the other day.
"Yeah, any movie you want," Eric looked over at Hyde, nodding in satisfaction, "Doll."
Donna rolled her eyes, before batting her lashes up at Eric, "Great, so we can go see Grease."
"Sure." Eric nodded, figuring that Grease couldn't be too bad, well at least compared to the Ice Capades. Besides, they wouldn't be 'watching' the movie anyway...
"Great!" Donna exclaimed. "So, you, me, Jackie, and Hyde will go see Grease tomorrow night."
"What?" Hyde asked, coming out of his daze as Jackie grinned bashfully.
"Jackie and Hyde are coming?" Eric asked nervously.
"Well, see," Donna looked back at Jackie for support.
"Donna promised she would see Grease with me." Jackie watched Hyde, who slowly shook his head.
"Well, count me out." Hyde said bitterly, standing up. "I am not watching that movie. It has singing. And dancing."
"I like dancing, can I go?" Fez asked quietly as Jackie rolled her eyes, standing up as well.
"Steven, we never go out!" Jackie argued. "If Eric's ok with it, why shouldn't you be?"
"I'm not ok with it!" Eric stood up defiantly.
Donna stood up angrily, "What did you say?"
"I said..." Eric looked back at Hyde who frowned in disappointment. "Oh, boy, I can't wait for our double date!" Eric added a toothy grin as Donna smiled in satisfaction.
"Well, Steven?" Jackie tapped her foot impatiently.
"I already gave you my answer, Jackie, not that you even asked me if I wanted to go in the first place..."
"Do I need your permission every time I make decisions for you?"
"Um, let me think." Hyde paused, contemplating. "Yes!"
"Steven, I am your girlfriend. I speak for you when you're not around."
"That's ridiculous." Hyde scoffed.
"Eric's paying for it!" Donna screamed, giving Jackie a hopeless look.
"I am?" Eric gave Donna a weary look. "I mean, oh boy, I am!"
Donna patted his back appreciatevly.
Hyde just rolled his eyes and walked to his back room as Jackie sat down hopeless.
"What is wrong with him?" Jackie groaned. "It's just a date. You think he could give up two hours of his day to watch a movie with me, but no..."
"I'd give up all my hours for you!" Fez shouted.
Donna and Eric, shrugged and went upstairs as Jackie continued to rant to Fez.
"He says he's my boyfriend, well, he only said it once...but whatever, he doesn't act like one!"
"I'd act like your boyfriend!" Fez shouted angrily.
"He doesn't appreciate me!" Jackie sighed, sulking back in her seat.
"I'd appreciate you."
"Ok, Jackie, you know I can hear you, right?" Hyde asked as he stepped out of his room, walking towards the couch.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Steven." Jackie rolled her eyes, mocking apology as she stood up, "Was I interrupting you, you stupid, curly haired, unappreciative, government hating," Jackie breathed in sharply as Hyde watched her in awe.
"Are you done?"
Jackie shrieked violently. "You are a sucky boyfriend!"
"Well, you ain't so great yourself!"
"Well at least I care about you!"
"Yeah, Jackie, thanks for setting aside that tiny part of you that doesn't care about yourself in my honor, seriously," Hyde muttered, taking a seat angrily.
"Oh please!" Jackie yelled. "The only thing you care about is making people unhappy! Starting with me!"
"Um," Fez asked quietly, "Do you guys want to be alone?"
"Look, now you upset Fez!" Hyde muttered. "Jackie, I don't make you unhappy."
Jackie's eyes softened as his voice calmed down.
"You do that all by yourself."
Jackie shrieked, staring at Fez angrily, who baked off shakily.
"Steven, this is your last chance. Come out with us tomorrow night."
"No."
"Fine, Fez, will you go out with me tomorrow night?" Jackie turned to Fez who looked at Hyde nervously.
"Um..."
"Good!" Jackie looped her hand through his. "Now, why don't we go to the Hub and spend money like normal people!" Jackie threw her head back, laughing bitterly as she stomped out of the basement with Fez in tow.
As soon as she came outside, she let go of Fez, staring at the basement door with all her might.
"Jackie, you know he won't come after you." Fez said quietly, wrapping his arm around her protectively. "He's not like that."
"I need him to be like that." Jackie said quietly, sighing as she stared at her shoes.
"You know what always makes me forget my problems?" Fez laughed. "Candy!"
"I'm actually kind of hungry..." Jackie sniffled, smiling at Fez appreciatively.
"Good, off to the Hub then." Fez nodded, pulling Jackie along, as she glanced back at the door one more time, wishing that Hyde would suddenly swing out, miraculously.
The next night was terrible for Jackie. Fez was a good date, and Donna and Eric really didn't need her there, they were having a good time. But Jackie felt awful. She missed Hyde. She missed the smell she would always have after a good make out, his smell that rubbed off on her clothes. She missed his lips. And true, it had only been one day... but she had been kissing those lips every night, for weeks, and to be suddenly cut off was murder.
Jackie had seen Grease already, so she barely paid attention, only smiling when Fez asked if she was ok...
Jackie felt like bawling when Sandy starting to sing 'hopelessly devoted to you'. Because she was hopelessly devoted to Steven. She felt extremely relieved when Eric shoved a five dollar bill in her hand, asking her to grab a soda. Fez offered to come with, but she knew he had been enjoying the movie, and told him she could handle it.
Jackie made her way through the aisle of the movie theater, glancing down the dark aisles. She shuddered away the thought that she would see a haze of curly hair, and he would grab her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as Sandy and Danny reunited as well. But as she reached the concession stand, she made herself believe that he wasn't popping out of anywhere.
Jackie bought a soda, completely forgetting who it was for, and took a sip as she looked around the deserted movie theater lobby. It had begun to pour outside, and the melody of the rain seemed to match Jackie's melancholy mood. She suddenly wished she had brought her sweater along, as she opened the door to catch some of the nice, rain air. She loved rain, especially when she was sad herself. Her father told her this story once, when she was very little, about how rain was God's way of shedding tears. Jackie thought it was quite peculiar how the weather always matched her own feelings. She held her foot between the door, to catch some more of the air, even though the dampness of it was brushing against her skin, and her hair was being thrown around violently. She looked back at the lobby, still pretty empty since everyone was inside watching the movie. Jackie took a deep breath as she fully exited the building, leaning against the glass door as the wind howled against her ear. Jackie felt her hand turn to ice from the cold soda in her hand, and switched it to the other hand as she closed her eyes, inhaling the rain once more before going back inside.
Jackie's first instinct was to knee whoever lips were on hers in the groin, but she didn't have to open her eyes to know who's lips they were.
She was pushed inside as she opened her eyes, biting her lip as Hyde took off his sunglasses, shaking his hair like a dog, to get out all the water.
"God, I missed your lips." He smiled anxiously.
"What are you doing here?" Jackie asked coolly, wiping rain off of her skin as she made her way back to the movie.
"I'm here to see Grease." Hyde rolled his eyes, sarcastically.
"Well, you already missed half of it." Jackie muttered as she opened the door to the theater.
"I'm here because you want me to be here, Jackie." Hyde said cautiously, grabbing her hand from the door and turning her to face him, "Maybe we can catch the midnight show, since I missed most of it." He held up a ten dollar bill, which she glanced at furiously, trying to see if it was fake or not.
"Which bank did you rob?" Jackie asked anxiously.
"I got a job." Hyde laughed.
"What about that whole, I'm not working for the man, speech?"
"Well, the man I'm working for is Leo. And he's cool."
"You really have a job?" Jackie asked, still keeping a straight face.
"I'm officially an employee at the Point Place Fotohut."
"Oh, Steven!" Jackie quickly wrapped her arms around him, kissing him happily, "Now you can take me out on dates!"
He didn't even bother to say anything in response, he just kissed her back.
"Screw Grease," Jackie muttered. "Where do you want to go?"
"I get to pick?" Hyde asked with extreme surprise.
"Just this once." Jackie nodded, rubbing her nose against his, "For good behavior. But," Jackie pulled away quickly, "Not the courtyard. Not my house. Not your room."
"How about the Hub?"
"Well, it's a start." Jackie rolled her eyes, intertwining her hand in his as they left together to go down the street and to the Hub.
A few minutes later, the audience poured out.
"Jackie better give me my five bucks back!" Eric said angrily as Donna started humming a tune from the movie.
"Where is Jackie?" Fez asked curiously.
"Maybe she got distracted by one of the pretty movie posters." Eric replied as Donna laughed.
"I'm hungry." Donna, "Let's go to the Hub."
"Well, I'm kind of low on cash..." Eric began as Donna blew in his ear. "I'm got lots of quarters, though, let's go!"
The three went off to the Hub, sharing comments about the movie they just saw and trying to not step in any puddles that the rain had left during it's reign.
"There she is!" Donna shrieked happily, as they walked up to Jackie and Hyde, who were making out fiercely by the Hub's entrance. The three laughed, heading on inside as Jackie tore herself away from Hyde.
"Stop distracting me!" Jackie said angrily, swatting his chest playfully. "We need to spend some of your money!" She grabbed Hyde's arm, pulling him inside and fixing her now damp hair as she sat down next to Donna.
"Is that money in Hyde's hand?" Donna asked curiously.
"Jackie, did you give Hyde my five bucks?" Eric asked angrily as Jackie threw some change at him from her pocket.
"No, Steven has a job." Jackie smirked proudly as the three blinked in surprise.
"Here." Hyde muttered as he shoved a basket of fries in front of Jackie's nose and sat down with her. "I spent a dollar on these. They better be worth it."
Jackie inched in towards him, resting her palm on his inner thigh delicately as she reached over, slowly and dramatically, dipping a fry into ketchup and then feeding him, kissing the extra ketchup from his lips.
"These are some damn, good fries!" Hyde smiled, taking another as Jackie nodded.
"Jackie, I'd like a fry." Fez chirped as Jackie threw one at him. "Thank you.." He said sadly as he ate it.
"So, how long will we have to be going out for you to feed me fries?" Eric asked Donna, as she thought about it.
"That depends. Are you my boyfriend now?"
"I guess so." Eric smirked, opening his mouth up.
"Well, then..." Donna reached over, dramatically and slowly, just as Jackie did before, grabbing a single fry and gently moved it towards Eric, and at the last minute, pulled it back towards her and popped it into her own mouth. "These are good fries."
The gang laughed, soon joined by Kelso, who spent the night explaining how he single handedly wrecked the ice show and Jackie couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy.
And she knew he was staring at her all night. And she knew he cared about her, enough to get a job, enough to come to the theater that night.
But there was one more thing she was waiting for Steven Hyde to do...