yeSomeone make me do my school work!
The silence in the car was deafening, and he could hear his heartbeat. The radio was off, and he was left alone to sit with his thoughts. He'd never had anyone tell him they love him, and mean it. Except Jackie, but she was crossed and stupid, and so was he. He still said it back. His mother was gone, and he didn't know where to go.
Well, he did. That damn Jackie Forman and her stupid loving mother, and his best friend that cared about him more than anything, and their father who was jaded, but was as generous as they come. He knew he was being sarcastic when he said it, but Jackie took over his life more than he would have liked to admit. He remembered resentment, vaguely, because Edna and Bud had always scoffed and sneered at rich people, and that included the Burkharts. So, naturally, he wasn't kind to her. At first, it would make her cry, and she would avoid him. But then, as she started hanging around with Donna more, she started to get more witty and quick. Not to mention rebellious. But when they hit around five, and they started school, he saw a boy picking on her. He pushed her off the slide, and it didn't sit well with him, so he comforted her. And, after school, Mrs Foreman made them cookies. She smelled like flowers, and he liked that she was nice to him, even though they were mean to each other, he knew that she was still there. She looked like a porcelain doll to him, like someone took their time to make the intricate designs on her face.
He sat on the couch, coloring in his Spiderman. He liked Spiderman. His mother was in the kitchen cooking him Mac and Cheese, and he could smell the deliciousness. His mother was by herself again, and he remembered asking where his Daddy was, and getting shooed off, being told that he didn't have one anymore.
The phone rang, and his smaller hands picked up the reciever, answering. "Hello?" He asked, ignoring his mother in the other room, asking who was calling.
"Weavie?" A small voice on the other side of the phone asked. He knew exactly who it was, nobody else called him that besides the Burkhart girl, and he resisted from smiling.
"Oh, hey Doll." He spoke, the name falling off of his tongue like it was natural.
They spoke on the phone for hours, her telling him about how she hadn't seen her own Mommy in three months, and her Daddy left two weeks ago. He talked about how his own father had left. They were mean as anything to each other in public, but he was always there. No matter how unavailable he was. Everyone knew him and Jackie were friends to an extent. Hell, they had to be. Him and Eric were like brothers. And, if it wasn't proven when Edna abandoned him, then it was sure as hell proven when Eric got sick.
The door opening in the parking lot pulled him out of his thoughts, and Jackie stumbled into the car, an annoyed look on her face. "Can you believe that witch Karen told me that I should dye my hair?" She snarled, dropping her bag in the back seat of the Vista Cruiser. "I mean, people kill for hair like mine. And why does she keep trying to change me? I love cheer. I love fashion. I just hate them." She whined, and he nodded along, listening. Maybe that was why he was so drawn to her. She was so unapologetic about what she liked. Donna was too, but she was different. She was like a sister to him. Jackie was never like a sister to him. Just a really good friend.
"It's the system. It all starts with the social ladder of high school." He shrugged. "They really can't kick you off of the squad anyways, it's your GPA keeping everything together." She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I can't believe that if I had still been with Pam and Jack, that I would be an airhead. Like them. Thank God for being poor." A smile threatened to tug on his lips as the trees passed. "I don't want to go back to school this week." She mumbled, curling up against the door, and humming along to whatever was on the radio. She didn't mind rock. However, if it was up to her, she would be blasting ABBA, rather than Zepplin.
"You think your folks would be mad if I stayed the night?" He asked briefly, taking the turn to pull up to his house. Jackie shook her head. "Red might make a comment, but no." She looked at him. His face was getting thinner, and her heart ached for him. They got out of the car, and began the walk up the stairs. It was cold out, and he had no heat, no food. Before she could stop herself, she broke the silence. "Steven, I'm worried about you." Her voice was soft, and he sighed. "I'm fine doll."
He immediately knew that was the wrong answer, when her nose wrinkled in annoyance. The two kids stood facing each other, stony expressions on their faces. "Fine?" She repeated, as a question, before laughing.
"No, Steven, you aren't. Damnit, just let me help you!" She kicked the chair in the corner, jumping when two mice ran out from under it. "You can't keep living like this, and you can't survive on ketchup packets! Money will always find a way to be tight, Steven, but there are ways around that! A teenager is not nearly as expensive as you would think, and it won't put us under! God, it's not a handout!" She was angry, and sad, and annoyed. Hot tears brimmed at her eyes, as memories of her own past threatened to spill over. "Stop being stubborn. You're driving me crazy, you know that? We have this thing or whatever where we hate each other, but I care about you Steven. My mom cares, Eric cares, hell even Red cares. All I do is worry about you, and coming here only made it worse." She sniffled, quickly wiping away her tears. She was shaking, and he frowned. He hated seeing her like that. "Nothing keeps me up at night. This," She motioned, choking on her words. "This does."
They sat in silence, in the dark. She threw her arms around him, as hot, silent tears streamed down her face. "I don't know how." He murmured into her hair, huffing. "To ask for help, I mean." He sighed. She pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Just say the word, and Eric and I will help you."
And, that was how he found himself sitting in a circle with the two younger Forman siblings in the basement while they devised a plan, that would be executed on a Saturday afternoon. "I don't seem to remember saying the word, Jackie." He grumbled, and she scoffed. "Don't mess with her, Hyde." Eric warned playfully, raising her brows. "She might be my little sister, but she's still Satan. Tiny Satan." She rolled her eyes, passing the joint to her brother. Footsteps thrummed down the stairs, and a blonde, curly head made it's debut. "Orphan Annie, Little bother." She raised an eyebrow at him, smirking. "Hyde. Edna out of town again?" She laughed, rolling her eyes.
"Whatever." He shrugged, taking a long drag, and blowing the smoke into her face. "Why don't you just leave, Laurie. Go find Red, he's been waiting by the phone for you for weeks." Jackie piped up, huffing.
"Loser." She mumbled under her breath, before running out the basement door.
And that was how he ended up finding a distressed Jackie, with an angry, tired Red Foreman in tow, a disheveled Eric, and a worried looking Kitty standing on his front porch at two in the morning, on Friday. He raised an eyebrow, and Jackie bit her lip. "I was worried." She mumbled, as Kitty let herself in. Hyde could tell that Jackie was worried. Her brown eyes were sunken in, as if she hadn't slept, and her nails were chewed down to stubs.
The two sat on the porch, as the adults and Eric argued inside. The girl sat with her head on her fists. Steven was thin, she could see it on his face. The door burst open, and a very tomato-like Red Forman, clad in his robe and slippers, shoved the door open. "Damnit, Steven, get your shit and lets go!" He fumed, and the burnout jumped, running to his room, a sheepish Jackie, and a smiling Eric trailing along to help with flashlights.
The ride to the house was silent, except for the thrum of Eric's hands on the steering wheel. "Eric stop that damn noise." Red grumbled, and Kitty laughed. "Well, I for one, am glad that Jackie brought this to our attention!" She laughed again. "A boy can't survive on ketchup packets." She spoke from the front seat, between her husband and her son. Hyde coughed uncomfortably, and his eyes met Red's in the rearview mirror. Jackie was smushed between him and his army sack, and trash bags, her head resting against his now bony shoulder, her breathing light.
"M'sorry I didn't wait until morning." She mumbled. "Just couldn't-" She cut herself off with a yawn. "Stop thinking about you in that house." Hyde sighed. "It's okay, doll. I'm sorry I didn't ask for help in the beginning like you wanted me too." He rubbed a large hand over her shoulder, meeting Red's eyes again. "If we're apologizing to anyone it should be Red."
Red raised an eyebrow, nodding. "Thank you Steven, but let me make this clear. Now that you live under my roof, you need to know that you're my kid. And if any of my kids get out of line-" He was cut off by all three of the kids chiming in with "you'll put your foot in their ass." He nodded. "Glad we're all on the same page."
The cruiser pulled into the driveway, and Steven grabbed a bag. "Steven, since Laurie disappeared again, you get her bed tonight. Just go shower first." Red spoke, making a face.
Jackie sat in her bed, in the dark, "Stairway to Heaven" playing on the radio softly. A knock on her open door startled her, and she looked over to see her father in the doorway.
"You know, you are one stubborn young lady." He said with a small smile on his face. "Are you okay with Steven sleeping in the same room as you?" He sat down on her bed, and she sat up to meet him.
"Dad, I trust Hyde with my life. We might argue like hell, but he's got my back." She mumbled, looking at the closed bathroom door in the hallway. "And you have his. I'm glad I raised you to be like that." He breathed out.
"I think Eric needs these heart to hearts more than I do, Dad." She mumbled, sighing at the thought of her brother. Her father sighed, patting her leg. "If Steven-" She cut him off, "We'll be fine, Dad." She giggled. "Goodnight, princess." He smoothed the blankets, and she smiled. "G'night Dad. Love you." She spoke, even though she knew she wouldn't hear it back.
Back to the hum of the record she went, and Hyde walked through the door, shifting awkwardly. She moved over, patting the spot beside her. He crawled into the bed, facing her. He could see her face in the sliver of light coming in from the window.
"Hi." He spoke, huffing.
"Hey." She smiled lightly, her hand moving to his cheek. "Welcome home."
A sort-of smile graced his lips for a moment. But she knew that was how he smiled. A genuine smile that only few saw, and most of the time it was her. "Mhm." He mumbled. He was almost asleep.
And that was how they stayed.
The first thing he noticed when he woke up at seven sharp, was that he was not in a cold room, with a coat that didn't fit. But, he was in a warm bed, snuggled in pajamas, and under a queen sized comforter. He looked to his other side to find Jackie snoozing away, and he did that sort-of smile. "I can feel you looking at me." She mumbled, stretching, and curling her toes. She sat up, running a hand through her tousled hair, and jumping out of bed. "Ah!" She yelped.
"What?" Hyde asked, panicked, looking around.
"I look like a mess and my breath smells, and I probably smell, and-" His boyish laugh cut her off, and she huffed. "It's not funny, Hyde." Her arms crossed over her camisole, and he rolled his eyes.
"Yes it is, Jackie. I've seen you look pretty rough. How long have I been around?" He was trying his hardest not to laugh, but he got out of bed, and moved across the room to one of his multiple trash bags. "I'm not Michael, doll. I won't scream "uggo" when you don't have make up on and your hair done." He tossed at her, and her face turned red in embarrassment. "See, why are you even-"
He was cut off by Red, stepping into the room, with his arms folded. "Can I talk to Steven for a minute, princess?" He asked, and Jackie bolted wordlessly from the room.
"Steven, listen. I don't know what your dynamic was at your old house, but-" He started, before Hyde put out a hand to shake. "Red, listen, I understand that money is tight. And, I understand that there will be rules and regulations." Red smiled and nodded proudly. "That's great Steven, glad to see everyone is on the same page."
"Was that all?" The girl asked, raising an eyebrow, and Red pointed his finger at her. "Don't be a smartass." He told her, before walking away. "What were you saying?"
"Why are you even with him anymore? He doesn't do anything for you." He grumbled, looking for clothes.
Jackie stuttered momentarily, grunting in frustration. "I don't know." She answered truthfully, panicking at the question. It was deep. Jackie didn't do deep. She did shallow.
"I'm gonna go shower and see Donna."