The next day, I arrived in Eric's basement before Jackie. I was beginning to feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach. Hyde was just coming out of his room as I was trotting down the steps.

"Hey, Hyde," I smiled.

"Hey," he replied. "So today's your big day, huh?"

"Yeah, my first date," I plopped down one the couch.

"Really?" Hyde looked at me skeptically.

"You seem shocked," I told him.

"I'm am," Hyde admitted. "I don't think I've ever met somebody who hasn't been on a date. Even Fez has been on a date."

"I just didn't feel ready," I told him.

"Why not?" Now I was getting a little uncomfortable. I really enjoyed talking to Hyde, but every once in a while he seemed to want to know the stuff that I just wasn't willing to talk about. Hyde seemed to sense my uneasiness and spoke up. "Listen, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want you to know that I understand crappy situations. My mom abandoned me to go live with some guy. So if you ever need to just talk or whatever, I'm here."

I had never seen Hyde this sincere. He really seemed to care.

"Well," I decided that maybe it was time I confined in someone. "I just didn't feel comfortable because…"

At that moment the back door opened and Jackie raced in carrying her makeup and the outfit. Jackie fell down onto the couch beside me and asked "Are you excited?"

Hyde leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up onto the table in front of him. He pushed against the edge of the table to lean on the back two legs of the chair.

"I'm a little nervous," I confessed to Jackie.

"Why?" she didn't seem to understand.

"This is her first date," Hyde informed her.

"Really?" Jackie was probably more surprised then Hyde had been.

"Hyde!" I glared at him, my eyes pleading with him.

Hyde released his legs and allowed the front legs of the chair to fall to the floor. I watched him as he rose to his feet.

"Have fun," he said as he patted me on the shoulder.

I drew in a quick breath and grew completely rigid at his touch.

"Okay, turn toward me," Jackie said pulling out the blush she had decided on using the day before. I turned and she began to run the brush across my cheek bone.

After finishing the make-up and hair, I slipped into the outfit and Jackie led me upstairs and into the living room. Eric and Donna were in there watching Laverne and Shirley.

"Guess your all ready," Donna said.

"Yeah, but she shouldn't look like she is," Jackie began. "I'm taking her upstairs. When Jordan gets here stall him for like… ten minutes. Then I'll bring her down and everything will be perfect."

"Kay, whatever," Eric replied, barely even glancing up from the television.

Jackie motioned for me to follow her as she made her way upstairs to the second floor. Once up there I sat down and watched out the front window.

"I was nervous about my first date with Michael," Jackie said. She was trying to make me feel better, but I was past the point of calming down.

A '77 Ferrari pulled up into the driveway. "He's here," I turned to Jackie. "How do I look?"

"I couldn't have done a better job," Jackie smiled.

"Jackie! Eppie!" I heard Donna call up the steps. "Jordan is here!"

"Be down in a minute!" Jackie yelled back at her.

"Why can't we just go down now?" I asked her.

"Because!" Jackie sounded like this was supposed to be obvious. "This is just how it is."

"Right," I agreed. "Whatever you say. It's just that I want to get this over with already."
"If your so scared, why don't you just call off the date?" Donna asked as she walked into the room.

"No, you can't do that!" Jackie protested. "If you stand him up now, you'll never get a second date."

Donna just looked at me, waiting for me to answer for myself.

"I have to have my first date sometime," I shrugged.

"See, there's a good girl," Jackie grabbed my arm and led me back toward the stairs. "Let's go."

When we reached the bottom of the steps I saw Eric still sitting where we had left him. Hyde was now sitting in Red's olive colored chair staring at Jordan who was standing self-consciously near the door.

"Hey, Eppie, you look really nice," Jordan complemented.

"Didn't I do a good job?" Jackie asked. Donna punched her in the arm and rolled her eyes. "Ow, Donna!"

"Eppie, could I talk to you in the kitchen for just a moment," Hyde asked pulling himself from the chair and heading through the swinging door into the Forman's kitchen.

"Yeah, sure," I glanced at Donna in a way which asked her if she knew what this was about. She just shrugged her answer.

"What's up?" I asked following Hyde through the swinging doors.

"I don't know what it is, but I do not like this guy," Hyde pointed back toward the family room where Jordan was waiting for me. "Now I know I can't force you to not go out with him, but just incase you need it, call me." Hyde held up a dime and asked me to take it.

"Thanks Hyde," I put the dime into the leather purse I was carrying.

"I just hope you won't need it," he told me as he walked back into the family room.