Long, but hopefully worth it.

CH.6 Macy

Jackie drove down Franklin, talking on and on until Colette finally interrupted her, "I don't believe you. You slap a cop for me, but you don't believe me when I tell you Donna was at the driveway!"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "For the last time, if you did see someone, it wasn't Donna. Maybe, maybe it was cat."

Colette made a face, "Cat? You think I've mistaken a cat for a full grown person?!"

Jackie stopped at a red light, rubbing her temples, "I don't know what you saw, but I can honestly tell you it couldn't have been Donna."

Colette slumped in her seat, groaning, "How can you be so sure?!"

Jackie told her loudly, "Because she would've called me. We would've made plans."

Colette sat back up, remembering, "Speaking of plans, that cop has got it in for you and the six amigos."

Jackie told her bluntly, "I am one of the six amigos, and don't worry about him. Officer Kennedy tells everyone he's going to throw the book at them but he never does. He threated Michael several times about shoving him off the Police Force, and in the end it was the Chief who dismissed Michael."

"The Chief?" Colette repeated, "Why does that title sound so familiar?"

Jackie explained, "He's a higher up who likes toying with people. I remember daddy always offering him bribes and-"

She remembered with Kennedy had said earlier. A higher up wanted to teach Lil' Jackie a lesson by placing her behind bars.

Jackie finished slowly, "I never cared for him much."

The light switched back to green.

Jackie then continued driving in silence, occasionally taking in glimpses of Colette. The teenager was really quiet, perhaps lost in her own thoughts. Jackie continued down Wilhelm Boulevard, asking Colette curiously, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Colette shrugged, "No." She then turned toward the young woman next to her, "Why?"

Jackie herself shrugged, "I dunno. I guess I'm just trying to get to know you a little better."

"Why?"

Jackie gave another short shrug, "Because I just do."

Colette turned away from Jackie to see the town passing before her out in the window. After light pause, she turned back to Jackie, telling her, "I'm the middle child. I have two older brothers, and two younger brothers. My older brothers are 19 and 22. They still live with my mom, which wouldn't piss me off if they went to school or something. Collin, the 19 year old, he works part time at a Car Wash. And I guess he's okay. And my oldest brother, Clint, sleeps all day long, saying he's writing a novel. He doesn't even have the title worked out. I just wish they wouldn't let their girlfriends stay over with us. All they do is eat our food, talk down to us, and laze around the house. And my little brothers aren't really that much younger than me. Carl is almost fifteen and Colby is thirteen, both are morons. They mean well, but I wouldn't trust them."

Jackie looked over the steering wheel, asking, "So, your dad…"

Colette smiled sadly, "Ah, him. He left us. I guess the stress of five kids drove him up a wall or something."

Jackie had to say something, "But back then, you said the police arrested him."

Colette raised her eyebrow, "They did. Arrested him for getting drunk and disorderly. But he came back after a few months, and then he left."

Colette then turned her body toward Jackie, "But enough about my wonderful life, what about you? Why is your dad in the pen?"

"Embezzlement. Bribery. Black mailing. All those white collar crimes." Jackie then shrugged, pretending it didn't bother her, "Nobody's perfect."

Colette sighed, slumping in her seat, "So why we going to the mall again?"

Jackie informed her, "To treat ourselves to some pedicures, new clothes-"

"With what? I don't have any money."

Jackie smiled, "I'll treat."

Colette reminded her, "You don't have any money."

Jackie pointed at her sharply, "Stop that. Nobody likes the truth."

Colette sat back up, saying, "I'm just glad you're not making me sort your pictures in order of cuteness again."

Jackie snapped her fingers, "That was a privilege."

She then pulled into the parking lot of the mall. As she turned off the ignition, she faced Colette, telling her, "Okay, here's the plan: We go in, look around, act like we have money, and then leave."

"Who acts like they have money?"

"Politicians." Jackie tartly answered, "Now let's go."

::::::

They were sitting at the food court after a mere ten minutes of glancing at the shops. Apparently shopping wasn't much fun if you didn't have any money to buy anything. Both Colette and Jackie sat by a small, red table. Colette bought a gumball in a little machine for 25 cents- but that had long since gone. And then there was Jackie, currently sitting next to her, checking her reflection in her small portable mirror.

Colette blandly said, "Oh, yeah. I'm having loads of fun."

Jackie handed her the mirror, "Here."

Colette looked over the mirror, "What am I gonna do with this? Stare at myself?"

Jackie narrowed her eyes, "No. You are going to hold it while I reapply my make-up."

"Why can't you just do that in a restroom like regular people?"

Jackie jumped back as if that statement was the most horrifying suggestion in the world, "Jackie S. Burkhart is anything but regular."

Colette mumbled sarcastically, "Someone's not into themselves…"

"Hold the mirror." Jackie commanded, lifting up an arm. Colette groaned but did as she was told. While Jackie reapplied her make-up in the center of the food court, Colette's brown eyes slowly glazed over to a teen outlet called- Teen's Cove. She would never admit it to Jackie or anyone else for that matter, but if she had her own money, she would go over there and buy a cute new blouse or some white jeans. But she didn't work. Her mother specifically told her not to because she didn't want her daughter to get wrapped up in a job and have her grades suffer. All her mother ever talked about was saving enough money to send her to a good college, maybe even U of W.

"You like the clothes over there, huh?"

Colette snapped her eyes back to Jackie, coming out of her thoughts, "Wha-?"

Jackie redid her eyeliner, telling her, "I saw you staring over there. Why don't we go over and check it out. It'll be fun."

Colette immediately shook her head, "I don't think so. I mean, what's the point? I couldn't afford anything over there anyway."

Jackie paused in what she was doing to tell Colette, "Little Jackie, it's like a relationship."

Colette's eyebrows tensed in confusion, "What now?"

Jackie clarified, "Life is like a relationship. Even if you can't afford certain luxuries or you've already been spoken for, there's no harm in looking."

Colette's mouth fell, "Jackie, what you just said describes cheating."

Jackie dismissed what she said with a wave of her hand, "I did not say that. And neither will you. Cheating in unforgiveable." And tonelessly she concluded, "And anyone who does cheat should never be trusted again." And just like that she snapped out of it, placing her make-up back in her bag, saying cheerfully, "C'mon. Let's go check out the skirts and see if the new leotards is in."

Jackie got to her feet, swiping the mirror from Colette before walking over to the teen store outlet. But Colette wasn't as enthusiastic. She chased after the older woman, shaking her head nervously, "Please Jackie, stop! I-I don't want to look at leotards or anything! It's not worth it!"

Jackie spun around, confused, "Why not?" Colette tried to say something, but couldn't find the words to say it. And right then, three preppy girls with long legs, tans, and high pitched voices entered the shop. The three of them mingled with each other, flirted with the cashier and even laughed at the "ugly" people that walked passed them. Jackie didn't mind them at all.

Colette, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to be invisible.

Jackie had dragged Colette into the small store, laughing the confidant way her mother had taught her, "Oh. Those blouses over there look nice."

The cashier was right by the entrance. He was a boy Colette had known in school. He was dark hair, dark eyes, and a face covered in blemishes. As soon as Jackie and Colette had entered the shop, he smiled at them. The seventeen year old in dirty sneakers and khakis didn't know what to say or do. A boy had never smiled at her before.

Jackie caught the way he gave them a short wave and pulled Colette behind a rack of jackets. Colette rubbed her wrist, mumbling, "How many times are you going to sink your claws into me?"

Jackie didn't pay attention but smiled, "So who's the cashier?"

Colette played stupid, "What Cashier?"

Jackie giggled, patting her arm, "The one who keeps staring at you from afar."

Colette shrugged, "I dunno."

Jackie laughed, "What do you mean 'you don't know'? I saw him staring at us the second we came in."

Colette averted her eyes from Jackie, "Look, he sits in front of me in study hall, but that's it. I don't know him."

Jackie raised her eyebrow, not believing her, "Really? He waved at us."

Colette rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "Jackie, please…I don't really want to get involved with anything or one."

Jackie cocked her head to one side, feeling like a teenager all over again, "What's his name?"

Colette shook her head, noticing the three girls trying on heels and laughing with one another. With knots in her stomach Colette shook her head, whispering to Jackie hoarsely, "Trust me- This is a disaster waiting to happen. Please, I don't want anything from here, boys included."

"What's his name?"

Colette rolled her eyes, admitting, "Harold."

Jackie blinked, "Harold?"

Colette explained, "Harold McGee. His mom is a Math teacher for sophomores."

Jackie turned Colette around, patting her shoulders, "Okay, now that's not so bad. He's kind of cute in a way. Now, all you have to do is go over and ask him out."

Colette turned back around to face Jackie, shrieking, "I can't ask him out!"

"Why not?" Jackie challenged, "Don't you find him cute?"

Colette said very speedily, "I find him very cute but that's not the problem. He probably won't even like me. I saw him before we came in here from the glass windows- he was with some other girls."

Jackie tried to calm her fears, "Who? The cheerleaders? No problem. He's not their type. They want football players, basketball players, wrestlers- not skinny, dark haired boys with blemishes, zits and braces. They were just being nice to him to get a discount."

Colette sheepishly looked away from everything, "I'm not like you. I can't just confidently walk over there and sweep some poor, unsuspecting fool off his feet." She then looked up, "I don't want to put myself out there and then get rejected."

Jackie let out a sigh. She then pulled Colette close to her and looked her in the eye, "He likes you. He was eyeing you the whole time we came in here. And all you have to do is believe in yourself and stop doubting everything. Just go over there, ask him how he is, and come back with his number, got it?"

Colette twisted her lips, "You really think he'll like me?"

Jackie assured her, "Of course! You are Little Jackie after all."

Colette took a deep breath, peeking over at Harold from behind the rack of Jackets, "Okay. Okay, I'll do it."

Jackie clasped her hands in giddy excitement as Colette took a hesitant step forward and from behind the rack of jackets. As she approached him, Jackie tried not to pay attention to the cheerleaders who were in the aisle right next to her, whispering excitedly about the upcoming Prom. Instead she focused on Little Jackie, whispering, "Oh, take your hands out of your pockets!"

It was as if Colette heard her even though she was fifteen yards away, and took out her hands from her pant pockets as she unsurely approached the counter.

As soon as she reached the counter, all she wanted to do was turn around and run away. However her lead lined feet weren't letting her do that. The boy looked over at her, smiling with a face full of metal, "Hi."

Colette kept nodding as she gulped, "Hey."

The boy put down the items he was holding and asked Colette, "So, are you gonna buy something?"

Colette looked around the counter quickly, saying with a thick tongue, "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I was just going to get, uh-" She reached over to the first package she saw on one of the display cases by him, not bothering to read what it was and really wishing she thought more about how exactly she was planning on asking this guy out. She threw the box on the counter, clearing her throat, "That. I was going to get that. Because it's special."

The guy looked at the box, surprised, "I bet it is."

Colette didn't like the look on his face and dared to ask, "What'd I get?"

Harold showed her the box.

Colette thought she was going to pass out. She twisted her lips again, saying slowly, "Condoms. Okay, I thought it was anything else."

Harold was about to ring it up, asking, "You don't want 'em?"

Colette shook her head, wanting to bury her head in the sand. She then cleared her voice again, now rocking herself back and forth on her feet, "Do you have gum or something?"

Harold nodded, going to the other side of the counter, "Sure. What flavor?"

"Um," Colette thought, "J-Juicy Fruit."

He turned around and pulled out a pack, telling her, "I like Juicy Fruit."

Too eagerly she agreed, "You do? Me too!"

Harold paused, staring at her strangely before Colette looked away, trying to act casual, "Y'know. It's cool and stuff. Like, brand name and everything. Yeah."

Harold rang it up, "One dollar." He then packaged the gum in a small, brown paper bag.

Colette nodded her head up and down repeatedly, fumbling through her pockets until she produced a crumpled one dollar bill. As she handed it over to Harold, it looked like he cringed, "Um, thank you for shopping at Teens Cove. Please, uh, come again?"

Colette took the small paper bag, shrugging her shoulders, "So, do you have any plans for like, next Saturday or something?"

Harold stared at her for a moment before smiling, "Um, no. Why?"

Colette started to look everywhere but at him as she started out, "Well, I, uh…if you're not doing anything, and I'm not doing anything then I thought-"

Harold raised his hand to stop her, smiling a knowingly, "Don't say another word. I saw you come in earlier and I think I know what you're going to ask." He soon pulled out a pen and paper and continued talking. Unfortunately, Jackie couldn't really hear or tell what was going on over there. Especially with three giggling teenagers by her, all in a deep conversation over someone named David Hasselhoff and how "absolutely hot" he was.

Who the hell was David Hasselhoff?

But in seconds Colette was walking slowly back to Jackie, staring at the paper in her hands. Jackie leaned forward, asking Colette giddily, "So? How'd it go with Harold? You two all set up for a romantic night out in the town for Friday? Or Saturday, I don't know how you kids do things nowadays."

Hollowly Colette held up the paper, "I got his number."

Jackie clapped, jumping up and down, "Good for you! See, I told you if you just had a little faith in yourself and some self-assurance you could win a fella!"

Colette narrowed her eyes before throwing crumpling the paper and throwing it in Jackie's face, "He thought I was asking him out for you. He's expecting a call from you pretty soon and he says he wants you to wear something pretty like-" She raised her voice, quoting him, "Something risqué and what a real woman would wear, kid."

Jackie stepped back, confused, "What?"

Colette groaned, "Do I have to spell it out for you? He wasn't interested in me. He never was. He was smiling and waving at you!"

Colette was about to walk away but Jackie pulled her arm, holding her back as she said, "Tell me what happened out there."

Colette rolled her eyes, "Before or after I tried purchasing a box of condoms?"

Jackie was shocked, "Why are you trying to buy that stuff? You're seventeen! Well," She stopped, thinking, "I know I used to do it by seventeen, but you shouldn't! You're just a kid!"

Colette groaned, trying to wiggle her arm away from Jackie. Jackie continued, loud enough for the girls in the other aisle to hear her, "The way to a boy's heart is not through his pants, Little Jackie!"

Colette's eyes widened, "Will you shuddup?!"

On cue the girls came out of the aisle to get a better look at Jackie and Colette. The one in the front with big blue eyes and dark hair stepped forward, smiling at Colette smugly, "Colette Ripley? What are you doing in Teen's Cove?"

Colette stopped. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she gulped in horror, "Oh no."

Jackie stood up straight, trying to get things straight, "Oh, wait. You know them? Are they friends or something?"

Colette shook her head, whimpering, "Um, we need to go, Jackie. Like, NOW."

The ringleader grinned, "Something like that. Me and Colette used to be bosom buddies, until…"

Jackie noticed the other two teens giggled while Jackie mumbled, "Until?"

Colette sighed, "Until my dad went to jail."

"And made bail on your family." The blue eyed girl finished, "So, you still around, Cauliflower?"

Jackie shook her head, "Actually, her name is Little Jackie."

Colette raised her hands, "In reality it's Colette, but look Gisele, I don't want a fight."

The girl ignored her and turned toward her pair of minions, "Let's go to another store, girls." She then turned back to Colette, looking her over, "This one has a wanna-be tainting the air."

While the three exited the store, they waved bye to Harold. Colette angrily focused on Jackie, "I told you coming here was a bad idea. The clothes here are for popular kids- and I'm not one. And picking up a boy was stupid! And that run in with Gisele and her minions was simply the cherry on top! I mean," She sarcastically cried out, "What a fan-tas-tic day!"

Jackie started to wring her hands, trying once more to calm down Colette, "Okay, Little Jackie, calm down. You're getting excited!"

Colette stepped back. Her face had this greenish color that indicated she was going to get sick. But she shook her head and asked Jackie lowly, "Just leave me alone. This day with you, today, this was a mistake. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

Colette ran out of the store, Jackie chasing after her. But Jackie did run back and banged on the glass window by Harold, scaring him. She shouted through it, "You missed out on a great girl!"

Harold raised his hands, saying through the glass, confused, "Didn't we set something up for Saturday?"

Colette slowed her pace down to fast jog with Jackie still at her heels, panting, "Little Jackie, look, this is my fault. I should've seen the red flags pop up when you told me his name was Harold. Rule number one from now on- don't date a Harold. Go for a Jake Bradley or Tommy Larkin."

Colette spun around, "I don't know who those people are!"

Jackie tried to explain, "Look, I know things seem bleak thanks to the cast from Ridgemount High, but girls like that don't have a future!"

Colette crossed her arms, unconvinced, "You mean cheerleaders. You mean girls who spread rumors about other girls. You mean girls who are just plain mean. Is that what you mean? Girls that you probably hung around with and more than likely were one yourself?"

Jackie laughed awkwardly, "Me?" She began twirling her hair, "Me like them?"

Colette waved her off, "I can tell by your high pitched voice you were so stop lying." Colette then started scanning the small outlets in the mall, saying to herself, "Forget what my mom says: I need a job. I need something to occupy my time, get my mind off of school stuff."

Jackie told her, "Little Jackie, you have the rest of your life to get a dead-end job. What you need-"

Colette ran toward the first little outlet the caught her eye, saying over her shoulder, "I'm not anything like you Jackie. Okay? Listen, I'm not Little Jackie! I'm Colette and I'm getting a job because I need to support myself."

She ran up to the little place, right up to the woman standing with a tray of cheese sporting a medieval outfit and a bored face. Colette only had one thing to say, "Are you hiring?"

The blond woman said blandly, "Welcome to the Cheese Palace. I am the Cheese Maiden. Would you care for some cheese?"

Colette asked once more, "A-Are you hiring?"

The maiden continued, "We have quite the selection here at the Cheese Palace. They are Colby, Colby- Jack, Cream Cheese, Maytag Blue Cheese, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Pepper Jack, String Cheese, Swiss, as well as many other varieties from Europe."

"Um…", Colette didn't know how to respond, but Jackie did, "Remember what I said about those girls? Well, this is one of them."

The blond woman's eyes lit up with recognizably, "JackIe?" With instant rage she threw the platter of cheeses at Colette and Jackie, screaming, "You bitch! I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face back in this town!"

Colette, on the ground, screeched, "Who the hell is your friend?"

Jackie, scrambling to her feet, yelped, "Little Jackie- Pam Macy. Pam Macy- Little Jackie."

Pam Macy ran toward Jackie, tackling her back to the ground, screaming, "Michael Kelso was mine! I had him! I slept with him! He was mine! And yeah, he was a great screw, so imagine my goddamn surprise when he refuses me! He turns me down cold!" She crawled on top of Jackie, grabbing a chunk of her hair as she hollered, "I don't know why, 'cause I'm pretty good in the sack myself!"

Jackie screamed at Colette, "Don't just stand there! HELP ME!"

Pam Macy then lift up her hand and slapped Jackie across the face, screeching, "But he says he can't because he's a father now. Has some stupid little kid to look out for!" She tried to scratch out Jackie's eyes while Colette wildly searched for the tray, all the while clumsily stepping on cheese samples.

Pam Macy slapped Jackie again, but this time Jackie was able to cling onto her collar, and almost pull her to one side sloppily. This knocked Pam off her balance, falling backward. Colette found the tray which had flew under the counter. She immediately grabbed it, ran back to the spot Jackie was holding back Pam, and hit Pam Macy across the back of her head just as she was screaming, "And then I find out he purposed marriage to YOU! You of ALL people in the univ-"

That when Colette hit her across the back of the head. Pam mumbled something about cheese before falling forward and right on top of Jackie.

Jackie crawled out from under Pam, cramming her head to get a better look at Colette, "I told you not to get a job yet! See what happens?" She pointed at Pam, "Crazy people attack!"

Colette kept turning from Jackie to an unconscious Pam, freaking out, "What the hell was that about?!"

Jackie fixed her clothes, shrugging, "I lose track now days."

Colette almost dropped the tray, in shock, "I-I hit someone over the back of the head."

Jackie, checking herself in the reflection of the counter, told her, "Be careful. Pam's known for getting up faster than she lays down. That's usually how she makes her way over to the next guy."

They heard a groan from Pam, to which Colette raised the tray, ready to hit her again. And then Pam flipped herself over, her body now being supported by her elbows. She let out a sad groan, "I see your picking up strays again. What's a matter? Hyde got away from you?" She then started making her way up, mumbling under her breath, "Aint he the lucky bastard?"

As soon as Pam was to her feet, she tugged at the ends of her Cheese Maiden outfit, glaring at the brunette, "Who's your little friend? Eric's cousin or something?"

Colette waited for Jackie to signal her to put down the tray until she actually did it. Jackie then asked Pam sarcastically, "Cheese Maiden? I see you've finally made it, Pam."

Pam Macy rolled her eyes, saying, "I wouldda if I didn't drop out of school senior year. But, but it was just really hard and none of the teachers would sleep with me for a free A. Which isn't fair- Stacy Wannamaker had the principal wrapped around her short little pinky."

Colette sat down on the floor, trying to catch her breath. She still couldn't believe Jackie was attacked. She had a harder time believing she hit some girl she didn't know over the head with a cheese platter. Jackie noticed Colette staring at the tiles on the floor oddly and deliberately walked in front of her, shielding her from Pam's judging eyes.

Pam didn't notice- as usual.

Jackie then said sternly, "Look, are there any jobs available in this place?"

Pam nodded, picking up the pieces of cheese on the floor, "Yeah, mine in two weeks. I hate this shit hole." She then looked up, "Especially the boss. He's some creepy, little blond dude who talks about some brunette cheese maiden who 'got away'. All I can say is props to her. I hope she comes back to show me how she did it so goddamn easily."

Jackie couldn't help it, "Todd's still here?" She then nervously looked around the mall, "Where?"

Pam placed her hands on her hips, "Where's Kelso?"

Jackie snapped, "In Chicago with his daughter and her mother- where he's supposed to be at!"

Macy stopped, then asking, "What about Hyde? Kat Peterson told me was pretty good between the sheets, but then again..." She finished her thought with a giggle, "I never needed her to tell me any different."

Jackie resisted the urge to go across the mall to the gun shop, come back, and shoot Pam. She said instead, "He's in recovery- as in off limits."

Pam made a face, "In recovery of what?"

"Me."

Pam leaned against a wall, shaking her head at Jackie, "And I take it you're not going to let me even ask about Fez since you don't want me sleepin' around with any of your ex's."

"Damn right."

Pam then wickedly smiled, "Then what about Eric Forman? Shelley told me once in the third floor restroom that we was a superb kisser, but she couldn't find out any more the little boy was good at 'cause that giant moose he called a girlfriend walked in, threatening to kick her ass. And I remember Donna. She didn't win JV Wrestling trophies for just standing around and looking pretty."

Jackie huffed, "Don't insult Donna. I insult Donna. It's our thing. And she's not a moose, she's a lumberjack."

Pam laughed, "Does it matter? Her and Star Wars nerd aren't around I can tell you why."

Pam paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "There's a rumor floating around town…" Hearing that had Jackie throwing her hands in the air disbelief, "A rumor?! This isn't High School, Pam. I've grown up. I'm a new, evolved woman who does not feed on senseless gossip."

After a silent second passed, Jackie encouraged, "Well go on!"

Colette looked up at Jackie briefly, bit otherwise made no noise or movement.

Pam continued, "Like I was saying, there's this rumor…"

Pam's Thoughts:

She had gotten married very early, to her High School sweetheart. And they were happy, or at least they were in the beginning, when she first started out with the scrawny, little neighbor boy. But, in the end it no longer mattered because it was the end.

She had been in the kitchen, boiling some noodles since boiling things was the only thing she could ever successfully do when it came to cooking.

So she wasn't talented. So she wasn't a fancy chef. So, what? Not every woman was, it wasn't a requirement. So what if her and Eric alternated between macaroni, spaghetti, or take out? What if the only 'dessert' she ever made was Jell-O?

She had been staring at the boiling water, trying her best not to feel upset. And she knew it wasn't really Eric if she thought about it. He had been very reassuring and comforting toward her to the point it was suffocating. It was like drowning in a bottomless sea of cotton. He had told her that he didn't care if she couldn't cook, or if she was always running around everywhere at work and was too tired to clean their apartment.

The clear water in the pot bubbled.

But she didn't place the noodles in it, but kept thinking. She barely dressed up anymore. For her job she made sure she sported pant-suits and hair bun, but around the apartment she just wore flannel pajama bottoms and any T-shirt she found in the 'clean clothes' drawer. Sometimes she didn't even wear her shirts, but Eric's.

He didn't mind though. He was always right there, being the loving husband.

It was sickening.

She just wanted an argument or something, some sort of jarring emotion from him other than acceptance. She needed him to challenge her, for him to resist her, for him to oppose her in some way. She couldn't understand why she craved that so much. But, it was one of the things that had initially attracted her to Eric Forman.

He was so radically different than her, so neat and punctual that it got under her skin in a good way. And she didn't want to change that about him, because that's what kept her coming back.

She knew it was messed up. Maybe it was her parents constant fighting that triggered that inside her, the equating of unhappiness to happiness.

But in all honesty she didn't know what it was that made her that way. She didn't know why she needed that rush of angry adrenaline coursing through her veins to make love to him, to just slap him on any surface on the face of the earth and let him fulfill her deepest desires.

But he wasn't like her. He took fights to mean a fracturing in their relationship, so to "smooth" out the wrinkles and creases in it, he stopped standing up to her. He stopped taking the opposite side of her and sided with her on everything she did, every little thing she said, and even her plans. And the moment he started submitting completely she tried her best to rile him up, to get him angry, by saying horrible things to him, by doing degrading things in public, and making up the most outrages ideas for them to do. She thought for sure he would snap out of it and scream at her for being such a terrible person, and then she would pull him to the bedroom and let nature takes its course.

But he didn't object to anything she did.

Not one single thing.

He didn't even raise his eyebrow that funny way used to. He just went along with everything, giving her the impression that he just stopped trying. But in reality, he just wanted to calm everything down, not seeing he was silently hurting her.

And soon she did calm down. Too much. Her once powerful, burning flame was reduced to a small match and eventually his "soothing", "calming" waters extinguished her. She found herself trapped in a marriage that she opposed to from the very beginning and only agreed to because it was to him.

And everything about their relationship bothered her. It was just so boring and dull now. It was like eating dry oatmeal when one was used to a gourmet dinner. And things soon quickly spilled over to their sex life, or rather lack of it. She didn't even want to touch him anymore. And it made her guilty, but also somewhat sad. And if it wasn't his idea, Eric left it alone. And deep down it was killing him that she wasn't available to him anymore. But, they weren't fighting and he took it as a good sign.

The water from the pot was now bubbling, spilling over the edges. The sharp 'ssssss' snapped her back to reality. She quickly lowered the degrees of the flame and dropped in the noodles. While she was busy in the kitchen, the heard the front door unlock.

Her heart sank to her knees when she saw Eric happily step in, saying in an over dramatically cheerful tone, "How's my best gal?!"

She wanted nothing more than to walk right out the place.

Eric then stepped aside, saying once more, "Guess what, Donna!"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

He then opened the front door more, letting someone step inside as he announced, "I saw him roaming the complex!"

She looked up, not even having the energy to yell at him to shut up.

And then her eyes lit up for the first time in the longest time.

It was Hyde.

Apparently Eric had brought up their old friend from downstairs. And from the look on Hyde's face, it was apparent he was happy to see her as well.

Donna almost ran up to her old friend, saying happily, "Hyde! Oh man, I-" She looked down at her clothes and then back up to him, "I must look terrible."

But the curly haired man took off his aviators calmly, smiling, "Nah, man. You," He then cleared his voice strangely, "You look real good."

She smiled back at him, "Thanks, and you! Look at you. You look, you look pretty good yourself."

He shrugged, "You still look better."

She shook her head, half giggling, "Not as much as you."

Eric had caught the glimpses the two were sharing, and a part of him immediately wished he had never brought Hyde upstairs. Eric then clasped his hands together, saying a bit darkly, "Don't we all just look dandy?"

Hyde then turned his head to see Eric, almost as if he had completely forgot the other man was even in the same room with he and Donna. Donna then addressed her husband, "Eric, can you give me a second to catch up with Hyde?"

"No." The word was flew out of his mouth. But, after a moment of both Donna and Hyde staring at him oddly, he caved. He nodded, pointing at his and Donna's bedroom, "I'll just, I'll just slip into something."

As soon as he trudged his way out of the room, and closed the door, Hyde immediately asked Donna, "How's it goin'?"

Donna nodded, "Real good."

Hyde told her flatly, "You look like crap."

She closed her eyes, smirking despite herself, "Is it that obvious?"

Hyde leaned against the front door, asking her lowly, "What're you doing here, Donna?"

She smiled wearily, "In the beginning it was good. It was fun. And I didn't mind being his wife, but then…" She just let her sentence die off.

Hyde nodded, understanding, "Quick sparks put out fast." He then rubbed his curls, "Yeah, I remember. I guess it's something like Jackie. They just, y'know, pull you into a world of possibilities and what could be. They talk about marriage and kids and-"

Donna nodded slowly, finishing his thought, "-and how much they love you. And how they can tame you, and how you'll welcome the change in your life." She then looked him in the eye, "They promise domestication will make everything better. And then they have you, trapped in a kitchen, boiling noodles."

Hyde shrugged, "Forman just doesn't get it."

Donna sighed, sitting on a nearby stool, "He never will."

Hyde walked over to where she sat, his hands shoved in his pockets, "Look kid, you're not happy. You're in pain. I can see it. You're dying in this relationship, like how I was with the brat."

Donna looked up, trying her best to smile, "Where did it turn out all wrong, Hyde? We were happy back then."

Hesitantly he reached out to her, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady herself. And it happened. She never thought she would see the day when she'd welcome someone else's touch on her other than her husbands, but she did. And maybe she should've been ashamed of it, but the fact was she wasn't.

And he leaned in toward her, his baby blue eyes melting her heart, "Donna, I've been in love with you for a really long time. And I've been the good guy and stepped aside for Forman-"

She stared at him, feeling young again, "You didn't exactly step aside. You crashed our first date."

He chuckled, leaning in closer, "I know."

"You pulled the fire alarm when I was with Casey."

He nodded, "Forman told you, huh? Don't tell him, but he thinks I did it for him. But I didn't. I could live with you being with Forman, but I just couldn't stand the thought of you being with that slime-ball Casey Kelso. I mean, Forman is a better man than me. But Kelso's brother was just a jackass."

But Donna had only heard one thing. "Better?" She asked sharply, "Eric better?"

Hyde finished, closing the gap between their lips, "He is better, for starters he wouldn't dare kiss a married woman."

And with one fast motion, he was tenderly pressing his-

Interruption

"Stop It!"

Colette jerked her head to see Jackie, practically seething with anger and jealousy. Jackie was losing it and both Colette and Pam could tell. The ex-cheerleader fumed, "Steven would never go back to Donna!"

Pam cocked her head back arrogantly, "What? You don't like the way he's recovering in my story?"

Colette got to her feet, saying for the first time in a while, "Jackie, let's just leave."

Pam Macy grinned, "Yeah, leave. Mainly 'cause your too scared to face the truth- he's moved on from you. Just like Kelso has moved on from me. Face it doll, you and me are one in the same. We're just stepping stones."

Jackie shook her head, "We are nothing alike. You whored around with half the town-"

Macy countered, "You slept with half your friends."

Jackie bit her lip, hating that Pam was right. And then Macy gave a small shrug, "I didn't even get to the part where the do It in the back seat of his El Camino." Colette had never seen anyone so red faced and glassy eyed as Jackie Burkhart at that very moment. And then Pam topped everything off with, "Just like how we did It in the back of your daddy's Lincoln on Prom Night." Colette walked around Jackie, noticing her teeth and fists clenched tightly. Pam finally finished, looking over her nails lazily, "Yeah, I didn't really need Kat to tell me how great he was between the sheets since I knew myself. A personal experience, before you Jackie-cakes."

Jackie then calmly turned toward Colette, saying a too soothing tone, "Little Jackie, you might want to step back." She then turned to look Pam in the eye, "Because I'm going to mop the floor with Pam-cakes over there."

I was listening to SR-71's '1985' on a continuous loop when I wrote this. Could you tell?