Notes: I have no notes. But now would be a perfect time to thank everyone who has reviewed or given me feedback. It means a lot and makes me feel all special. Many thanks to Annie, who always does a wonderful beta job and keeps me smiling.
Chapter Three
The early summer sun had just set as the group pulled up to a driveway that was already littered with vehicles. The drive had gone surprisingly well, Jackie and Fez had been too excited to do more than stare out the window and hum along to the radio. It wasn't until they passed the 'Welcome to Kenosha' sign that his two passengers started to get hyper.
"There, how do I look?" Jackie snapped the lid of her compact closed and looked over at Hyde. He stared at her blankly for a second before a broad smile crept onto his face. "Don't say it." She warned and turned to Fez who gave her a thumbs up sign. "You know, you two are lucky I'm always dressed for a party."
"Yeah, we're sure the lucky ones." Hyde murmured as he finished parking the car.
"I'm serious, you should always dress to impress. You never know who you'll run into."
He finally turned and faced her. "I'll try and keep that in mind. Now get out."
Jackie resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him, she was just trying to help, maybe get the poor guy a date. After quickly gathering her belongings she waited for Fez to step out of the car before she slid across the leather seat in an attempt to exit through the passenger side door. Her escape was thwarted by an immobile Fez, who stood staring at the brightly lit house.
"You may come out now, lovely ladies. Fez is here." He said with his arms spread wide.
Jackie rolled her eyes and let out a short huff of breath. Too impatient to wait, she quickly scurried along the bench seat and scrambled out of the drivers side door.
Right into the chest of a motionless Hyde.
He was staring, dumfounded, at Fez; who had followed a group of girls up the sidewalk and into the house. It was only after Fez had disappeared through the front door, and he turned to lock the car that he noticed he had Jackie trapped between himself and the open car door.
He smiled slightly, but didn't make an attempt to get out of her way, just put his arm on the top of the open car door, leaving her the option of ducking under to get past. She looked from the jean clad arm to his sunglass covered eyes and raised her eyebrow in a defiant gesture. She wasn't going to be the one to give way.
It turned into a staring contest, neither wanted to give in and make the first move. Hyde could see the determination in her eyes, and he wondered what it would take to break her. Insults wouldn't work, in her mind some of his best were magically turned into compliments. It would have to be something unexpected, intimate. Like brushing that stray piece of hair off her forehead. Or leaning over and gently whispering something into her ear. He wondered if the feeling would give her goose bumps, if she would react at all. Against his will, he started leaning forward; the sudden desire to taste the curve of her jaw line was overwhelming.
Jackie continued to hold her ground, unaware of Hyde's sudden shift in interest. She was in the middle of congratulating herself on the upcoming victory when she noticed a look of concentration that wasn't there before. Like he was studying her, contemplating his next move. She could feel herself wanting to take a small step forward, to reach a hand out and make contact with his skin. She wanted to know if his lips felt as soft as she remembered, seems like years ago, she silently mused. Just when she felt her head tilting to the side and her lips parting in a silent invitation, a beam of headlights swept over them; with a jolt they both blinked and the spell was broken. Hyde silently stepped back to let Jackie pass and he shivered involuntarily as the small figure walked away from him.
He easily caught up to her short strides and tugged on her sleeve to bring her around and face him. He looked over her shoulder, scanning the front of the two-story house, and then looked back down at her. Her eyes were scrunched up and her head was tilted to one side, in a look of curiosity or impatience, he couldn't tell.
"Look, Jackie." He started before taking a deep breath. "I know most of the people in there and—"
"God Steven," she said defensively. "It's not like I'm going to embarrass you in front of your friends. You should be having this talk with Fez."
She tried to turn around again, but his hand stayed firmly on her arm. "Would you just listen?" He said impatiently. "I know most of the guys here, but I don't know them all. Just…uh…don't run off with any strangers."
Her look quickly changed from bored annoyance to a hero gaze he hated. He didn't even know why he was concerned, nobody asked him to watch out for her. And she was a big girl now, he should be happily watching from the sidelines when she makes her own mistakes.
But he wasn't. And it was starting to worry him.
The pressure of a tiny hand on his arm pulled him back to reality. "Thank you Steven." Jackie said as she tucked her arm through his and started walking towards the house.
"Yeah…well I don't want to explain anything awkward to Kelso when he gets back."
She rested her head on his shoulder. "Sure you don't."
"I don't." He insisted. "But…It would be interesting to watch you do the whole 'How I Spent my Summer Vacation' routine."
Jackie stopped suddenly and gave him a quick slap on the arm. "Steven! You're horrible. Besides, I'd never do anything like that." She said with a quick flip of her hair.
"Do I have to mention the cheese guy?"
"You just can't let that go, can you?"
"Nope." He smiled down at the dark-haired girl, and continued walking towards the house.
~*~
Hyde looked around and saw the suburban home was crowded with people and a few groups had started to gather in the yard out of the din of the house. Many of the main floor windows had been opened in an attempt to let the cooler night air circulate, music played from a record player that doubled as seating for two teens who bobbed their heads in time with the rhythm.
He quickly spotted his friend in among the crowd. Chris was the type of guy who seemed comfortable with everyone and every situation. A little over six feet tall and unremarkable features were offset by his appealing personality and sly way of charming everyone he met.
"Hey man, how's it going?" Hyde said as they shook hands.
"Hyde! Glad you could make it." He said with an easy smile.
"Just a few friends, huh?"
Chris hung his head and let out a sigh. "Not my fault man. Word got out, and…this happened." He gestured at the groups of people standing around the living room.
Hyde had opened his mouth in reply, when he felt a sharp pain in his side. Looking down he noticed Jackie staring up at him expectedly. When he didn't say anything, she looked pointedly between him and the new guy.
"Oh yeah…Jackie, this is Chris. We had the same big brother for a few years." Jackie reached over and shook his hand. Hyde watched as Chris's face lit up when Jackie smiled a hello at him. He rolled his eyes and shook his head at the display, and impatiently asked if Chris's new girlfriend was in attendance.
Chris scanned the room without letting go of Jackie's hand, "Jennifer should be around somewhere. She's the hostess of this little shindig."
"I would love to meet her." Jackie said sweetly.
"Who am I to deny such a lovely treasure?" Chris artfully dropped her hand and turned to find his girlfriend.
Jackie turned to Hyde, a look of amazement on her face. "Are you sure he's your friend?"
"Don't let it go to your head. He does that with everyone."
~*~
Jennifer was a West Kenosha High senior, and determined to make the most of her last year of high school. She knew she was on the verge of being one of the most popular girls in school, with her pretty figure, pleasant smile and striking auburn hair. She had a habit of motioning with her hands when she talked and wasn't afraid to laugh out loud when something amused her. When Chris found her in what was supposed to be the off-limits den, she was gossiping with two of her friends.
"…sorry to break it to you, but he's taken." At the disbelieving looks she received, she continued. "I'm serious, I just saw him with—"
"Jennifer." Chris broke into the discussion, grabbed her hand and started leading her away. "Come meet a friend of mine."
She mouthed an apology to her friends and quickly sidestepped a large football player type that was heading in the opposite direction. After shaking her arm free, she followed as her boyfriend threaded around groups of teenagers. Good turn out, she thought and silently congratulated herself on another successful party. It would be the talk of the school on Monday, and she would be one step closer to Homecoming Queen.
Just when she thought Chris was leading her in circles he stopped suddenly, almost causing her to walk right into him. It would have been comical if it happened to anyone but her. Chris made a brief introduction but she only half listened, she was to busy giving her boyfriend a cold look. Eventually she turned to the new couple and with a bright smile thanked them for coming. The girl responded with a perky hello while the guy just nodded a hello.
Jennifer was about to launch into a series of boring small talk questions, when she did a double take at the dark haired girl standing in front of her. "Hey! You're a cheerleader from Point Place, aren't you?"
Jackie looked over at Hyde and raised a triumphant eyebrow at him, told you I was the popular one, her expression said. She turned back to Jennifer, "Yes, I am. Captain, actually. Do you cheer too?" She asked, trying to remember if she had seen the girl at any games or competitions.
"Not since Junior High. Our team sucks too much to put yourself through that."
"Oh." Jackie said, not quite understanding what one had to do with the other.
"Come on." Jennifer laughed at Jackie's perplexed look. "I'll show you around and we can let these two do whatever it is they plan on doing all night." She kissed her boyfriend briefly on the cheek and then motioned for Jackie to follow her.
"Your girlfriend's a saint." Hyde said as they watched the two girls weave through the crowded room. He looked over and saw Chris shaking his head in confusion. "For putting up with Jackie." He clarified.
"Familiarity breeds contempt, huh?" Chris laughed. "Know what? I think Jennifer really likes her. We better watch it man, they'll be thick as thieves by the end of the night." He tapped Hyde on the chest and motioned to the bar. "Come on, let's get a beer."
~*~
In another room of the house, a group of Kenosha High School juniors had gathered in a close circle. Their high-pitched squeals and sudden bursts of laughter could be heard from the other room. "He's so cool, like nothing ever gets to him…you know?" The other girls nodded their agreement. "I've seen him around a couple of times and he's always so calm and collected…aloof. He always has a girl with him, but he doesn't believe in the whole girlfriend thing."
"Who's this?" Allison, a raven-haired senior, broke into the conversation as she approached the huddled group.
"That guy from Point Place, Hyde."
"Curly hair, glasses?" the new girl questioned.
"Yeah." The youngest of the group sighed.
"Drives a big black El Camino?" She pushed further, and on seeing their looks of affirmation continued. " Yeah, not so calm, and totally has a girlfriend. I saw them outside when I drove by, two seconds from grabbing each other and making out on Chris's front sidewalk."
The shocked group demanded to know who the mystery girl was that stole their newest would-be conquest. Allison looked over the crowd and saw Jennifer and the very girl they were talking about coming towards them. Nodding briefly in Jackie's direction she turned back to the group of younger girls that had gathered.
"That's the one."
Continued in Chapter Four