CH8. Randy

They were pulling out of the parkinglot of the mall.

Jackie kept thinking about Steven…with Donna? Little Jackie had thought she saw Donna earlier, at the Forman's. Could that have really been her? Could she have been searching for Steven Hyde? Could she be ashamed of her feelings and had purposefully avoided the Forman's because she couldn't face them now that she was with Steven? Is that why Donna was in town, and not contacting her? Because she knew Jackie would never forgive her for snaking away Hyde? Could they be together right now?

In each other's arms…

Colette screamed, "Will you slow down?! You're going a hundred miles an hour!"

Jackie came to her senses, slamming the breaks. Soon both girls almost slammed into the dashboard.

Colette screeched, "What's wrong with you?! Are you trying to kill us?!"

Jackie let out a breath, "Eric would never cheat on Donna."

"O-kay...Where is this conversation going?"

Jackie intensely turned toward Colette, "But could Donna really cheat on Eric?"

Colette shook her head, "Of course not. You told me-"

Jackie didn't hear her. Lost in her thoughts, she said slowly, "Where did Steven say he was going when we were at the Forman's?"

Colette shrugged, calming her nerves, "Some bar…" She then jumped, "But that was hours ago!"

Jackie nodded, "You're right. He's probably at Grooves!"

Jackie immediately slammed on the gas, steering the car straight to Grooves while Colette shrieked, "Will you slow down?!"

::::::

She needed to tell herself that he wasn't with Donna. She needed to prove it and see him. And if there was one place in this town that he cared about that wasn't the basement- it was Grooves.

Jackie led Colette inside Grooves, showing the place around as if she owned it, "And this, our second stop in my current unemployed journey, is Grooves!"

Colette looked at her awkwardly before nodding, "I know. I come here like, every day after school."

The former cheerleader kept leering about, as if she was expecting a certain stoner. With her over dramatic arm waving, Jackie made herself so obvious. Colette smirked, "Looking for someone?"

Jackie looked around, not really paying any attention to Colette, "Uh…what?"

Colette's smirk grew into a smile, "Sure yer not." Jackie never noticed as Colette's lips twisted, "Um Jackie? Can we talk for a second?"

Jackie was too busy eyeing the store for Hyde to really pay attention to Colette, "Hm?"

Colette let out a heavy breath, "Back at the mall, I may have said some things that I didn't really mean and I was just-" Colette noticed Jackie's eyes were on everything but her.

Colette shrugged, "Never mind."

The older girl didn't even hear her, "Yeah, the mall?"

Before Colette could say anything, out of the corner of her eye, Jackie saw Randy coming out of the back room with a pile of records. Almost immediately she jumped into action, pointing at the red couch in front of Colette, announcing, "This, is the red couch."

Colette sarcastically smirked, "And to think all these years I thought it was the blue couch."

Jackie ignored her comment and went up the register, patting Randy's shoulder as her worked behind the counter, "And this is Randy."

Randy gave a short wave as he rummaged inside the cash register.

Colette nodded, "I know. Again, I come here almost every day after school."

Randy looked up, actually looking at her as a smile broke out from his face, "Colette? Wow, I didn't recognize you without your gang."

Jackie looked over Randy's shoulder, "Have you seen Ste-?" And then she caught on to what he said and whipped her head toward Colette, "Gang? You are involved with a gang?!"

Colette smiled, sarcastically saying, "Yup, I'm the leader of the Pink Wings of Death. Myself and my entourage of harpies fill the streets with Pink justice and fashion sense."

Jackie, sarcastic intention completely skipping over her head, approved, "Good, it's about time someone did something about Point Place's lack of style. Heaven knows I've been trying for years, but everyone seems to get pissed when I try to dress them- as if I'm offending them or something!" She told Randy, "Like Big Rhonda almost flipped over a car way back in Middle School because I tried explaining that tacky, orange leather short-shorts were probably not the best thing to wear at the Christmas Dance."

Randy smiled at Colette, gesturing at Jackie, "How'd you get wrapped up with her?"

Before Colette could respond, Jackie informed him, "She's Lil Jackie. I'm her big sister from the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters thingy."

Randy returned to working, shaking his head with an amused smile, "That's a first." He then looked up at Colette questionably, "Is it true?"

Colette leaned against the counter, smirking, "Yeah…it's a long story, but not as long as the crazy stuff we've been hearing all morning."

Randy finally finished organizing the money and looked up from the register, asking, "Crazy stuff? Like what?"

Colette took in a breath before explaining, "Well, everyone seems to have their own opinions about Eric and Donna's relationship. Like, I really don't care but whenever we're around, people just have to talk about it."

Jackie turned to Randy, asking him, "It's been a long time, huh?"

He nodded, sighing, "Yeah…I still think about her occasionally."

Colette scratched her head, asking, "Think about who?"

Randy forced out a smile, saying softly, "Donna Pinciotti."

Colette was obviously stunned.

Randy explained, "You see, I was in love with her-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Colette who was in a deep state of disbelief turned to Jackie, "Another one?"

Jackie tilted her head to one side, admitting, "Unfortunately."

Randy's cheeks turned a little red as he admitted, "Well, looking back, it probably wasn't love. I was kind of lonely and hated. Like, when I first came here, a lot of people didn't like me. For some reason, everyone was convinced I was replacing Kelso and the Forman's son because I showed up around the same time they left. I didn't mean to 'replace' them, I was just on my way to Canada and stopped here for some gas and food, but then I got robbed and needed money and that snowballed into me getting a job here thanks to Leo….pretty wild."

Colette sat down in the stool in front of Randy, telling him in her honest opinion, "Actually that seems very domestic."

Randy questioned her, "So what's your idea of a wild tale?"

Without hesitation Colette answered, "'82, the Ghost Hunt Trails. Me and my friends Cindy, Dylan and Janice-"

Jackie couldn't help but tease, "Dylan yer boyfriend?"

Colette made a face, "Uh-no. Dylan's just a friend. Anyway, the four of us snuck into the main-"

Jackie sighed nostalgically, "I remember my first boyfriend."

Colette rolled her eyes, looking over at Randy, "we snuck into the main cemetery freshman year. We thought we saw some crazy ghosts and stuff. And that is wild."

"That's kid stuff." Jackie scoffed, "What we did, all in that basement, that was wild."

"What did you do?"

Jackie smirked, thinking back fondly, "I can't remember, but it was fun."

Randy then suddenly turned to Jackie, asking her in somewhat needy tone, "So, have you heard from Donna?"

Jackie groaned, "Why is it every time I come here or see you, you ask me about Donna? It's never a 'Hi' or a simple 'You look ravishing today!' It's some stupid, random question about Donna. How irrelevant."

Randy looked down, shuffling his feet awkwardly before looking up at her, "So is she good?"

Jackie again groaned, much to Colette's amusement, "Oh come on! Randy, listen up: You are as beautiful as my reflection on a Sunday sunset evening across the waters of Lake Ontario! Your hair is highly maintained and your clothing selection is impeccable- but Donna isn't interested in that. Most girls, normal girls- like me- care about what's on the outside and what a man has to offer financially, she doesn't. She went out and fell for Eric Forman."

Randy stared at her before saying, "No you're not."

"No, I'm not what?" Jackie asked, confused. Did Randy miss her point?

"You said you cared about outward appearance and what men have to offer financially. But, you went out with Hyde…because he made you feel good." Randy explained in a slow voice, "I overheard you telling Fez once that he made you happy and that was why you had to break up with Fez. You felt your emotions were cheating on 'im and that you couldn't do that to him- so you broke it off."

Colette's eyes grew wide, as did Jackie's. There was a brief pause in which no one did anything or said anything. And then, suddenly, Jackie reached over the counter and pinched his arm harshly.

"Ow-Ah!" Randy cried out, leaping back.

Jackie narrowed her eyes at him, "That's what you get for sticking your attractive nose in my business!"

"I don't understand you!" He snapped, rubbing his arm, "It was just something I noticed! Y'know, I thought maybe I could help-"

Jackie told him flatly, "Typical of you- trying to help. Maybe that's why you rub so many people here the wrong way! Gah, you're worse than Eric."

Randy turned away from her, mumbling something inaudible.

Jackie glared at him, "What did you say, pretty boy?"

Randy turned around, looking her in the eye, "Look, maybe Hyde would get back together with you if you weren't so…aggravating."

Jackie spat at him, "Well maybe Donna would still be with you if you actually had a personality instead of the weirdish, almost inhuman like way you've seem to perfect yourself over the years!"

Randy darkly asked her, "You think I wasn't good enough for her? Well, you know what, I was and still am. The person who wasn't good enough for her was the guy who cheated on her at Thanksgiving with his sister's slutty college friend, the guy who didn't trust her with David Milbank, the guy who told her he loved cake instead of her, the guy who pulled her pants down in front of her friends, the guy who broke up with her over a stupid ring, the guy who didn't take her back when she was at her lowest, the guy who proposed to her before flaking out and leaving her without warning at their wedding rehearsal, the guy who took off to Africa and left her behind after she gave up college for him, and the very same guy who fucked her on New Year's before skipping town! That's the guy who doesn't deserve her!"

"Wait." Colette started, surprised, "Eric did all that?"

Randy nodded, "Yeah, and those were just the highlights. See, that's what I don't understand about girls, they always fall for the wrong guy but they still stick with the dope no matter what." He then told Jackie seriously, "You and the rest of Point Place may view me as a knock-off, but I never did that to her. I really liked her, I still do. And it makes me so mad when you or anyone treats me like if I stole her from some ghost I've never even officially met! And you know what? That New Year's morning, she was so upset because he left her with a little note, apologizing for everything he'd done up to that point. He said he had to go, and that he didn't want to hold her back. He said some other crap about maybe them two finding each other later on in life…and she kissed me good bye, grabbed her luggage and left to Madison without a peep to anyone else."

Jackie never knew that. She knew Donna was leaving that morning; she had to since she purposefully waited for the latest greyhound bus possible so that she could see Eric Forman again. All Jackie really remembered was waking up at 2:00 in the afternoon, Donna long since gone, and her being so depressed she missed both Eric and Donna leaving that she actually ate real ice cream that was chocked with calories. She didn't get to tell either of her friends 'good-bye.'

And then Randy leaned against the counter, silently breathing, "Maybe the reason Eric Forman was afraid to hold her back was because he knew deep down that he was. He delayed her from exploring the world for two years, stringing her along for some marriage that just embarrassed her so much that she lost herself. He may have been great guy, I dunno, I never met him- he avoided me it seems like, but I do know one thing- he hurt Donna more than I ever could so I don't understand how this town seems to take his back and drop mine….and at the same time label her a whore for being with me. That's…that's…" And he did something neither Jackie or Colette had ever seen him do- he cursed. With cold, brown eyes he spat, "That's screwed up."

And before Jackie and Colette could respond, Randy leaned back, huffing, "If you wanna know how her life's gonna turn out with that flake- here it is-"

Randy's Thought's:

In a small, cramp apartment in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin, a tall blond woman in a waitress outfit came in. She locked the front door, looked around the room and let out a heavy sigh. This wasn't what she wanted when she was a little girl. She expected herself to go to a big university in Madison, not a community college- and she expected to be the center of the school, not some push over with…with a baby to worry about already. She was only 24.

Eric came into the living room/ kitchen area carrying their two year old daughter in his arms, smiling as bright as day, "Hey, honey bun! How was work?"

Donna tried her best to smile as she sat down on their tattered couch, "Same as usual, so how was the job hunting?"

Eric sat next to her, playing with his daughter, "Well, I was going to look today, but then the daycare lady called and said Sadie was sick. So, I went over to pick her up and guess who spent all day with daddy?"

Donna sighed, "You didn't look for work, again? Eric, it's been three months since the Claybourne Academy fired you. You need work, we need the money! I'm tired of taking triple shifts down at the diner! Honey, I need help supporting this family!"

Eric, still playing with Sadie, told the baby, "You don't look sick!"

Donna rolled her eyes, softly taking his chin in her hand and turning his face to her. She whispered, "Eric…I need you to step up."

He stared at her sadly before admitting, "Donna…the economy sucks. No one wants teachers."

She sat up, taking Sadie out of his arms, "Eric, don't give me that. You haven't even been trying!"

"Because!" He stood up, fists trembling, "What if I get fired again?! You were there when Kelso let it out of the bag that I lost my job at the Academy in front of my folks and Laurie! My dad told me how unsurprised he was, my mother showered me with false hopes and my sister left cackling away like Cinderella's evil step-mother!"

Donna stood up, carrying Sadie, "Eric, it doesn't matter! Am I sorry it came out like that, of course I am, but that doesn't excuse you from tapping out on me and Sadie!"

Eric spat coldly, "You've never been humiliated like that."

Donna stepped toward him, "We are married. We are man and wife- for better or worse. When you are humiliated, I am humiliated. When you are down, I am down. When you are stuck in a rut, like now, I am stuck with you! Don't you get it, Eric? It's not just about you or me anymore, it's about us! We have a daughter now!"

Eric's green eyes stayed on Sadie for a while before he looked up at Donna, asking feebly, "Are-are you happy, Donna?"

She was silent for a minute before replying, "Yes, I am."

Eric looked down, "I know when you're lying Donna."

"So then you should know when I'm telling the truth- I love you."

Eric sighed, looking up at her. When she declared her love for him, he knew deep down it was the truth, but he was just too upset to believe it. Instead, he shouted, scaring Sadie, "I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE LYING!"

Sadie clung onto Donna, the little girl screaming right into Donna's ear suddenly as her mother hissed, "Eric, shut up! You're scaring the baby!"

Eric pointed at her, snarling, "You resent me, don't you? This isn't what you wanted when we were kids, laying down on top of grassy hills and figuring out our futures in the stars! You blame me for this, don't you?"

Donna looked down, her child in her arms as she shook her head, "No Eric, I don't blame you."

She should've known better than to settle for a life like this.

"I don't blame you. I blame myself."

End of Randy's Thoughts:

He then turned his back, muttering under his breath, "By the way, I think you should go back with Hyde, but hey? Who am I to have input right? It's not like I heard you admit you still had feelings for him or anything…"

"I don't!"

"Good. So then I hope you won't mind when I tell you he's not here."

"I don't mind! In fact, I'm glad!"

"Great!"

As Randy disappeared into the back room, Colette turned to Jackie, "Wow. That was intense. Like, how long was he with Donna? Five years?"

Jackie sighed, massaging her temples, "Try five weeks. That's all Point Place is, Colette…a place in your life when you're at your lowest point."

Colette smirked at her, "That's a pretty cool tag line. You should put that on the 'Welcome to Point Place' sign so visitors will see it when they come in."

Jackie stared at her before cracking a slight smile, "Lil Jackie, do you have any siblings?"

"You already know I have a bunch of brothers, why?"

Jackie shrugged, confessing, "Sometimes I think that if I had a sibling, I would be less lonely."

Colette was quiet before she said, "But you had Eric, Fez, Hyde and Donna, right? And you told me you even lived with Donna, so she was kinda there."

Jackie nodded, eyes on the ground, "Yes she was."

And before Colette could ask her what that meant, a stoned hippie grabbed Colette's shoulder, causing her to squeal. Jackie turned around immediately, only to find a friendly hippie smiling at her, waving, "Loud girl! I'm glad to see you back in Place Point!"

Jackie gently smiled, "You mean Point Place?"

Leo, his arms around a stiff Colette, asked, "Isn't that what I said, man?"

Jackie shook her head, relieved she was talking to Leo and not Randy or Steven, "No."

Leo turned to Colette, he was so close that Colette could smell the reefer as it stained his beard and clothes with a permanent aroma, "And what's this?"

Jackie smiled warmly, "Little Jackie."

Leo proudly hugged Jackie, "Congratulations, man! I didn't know you had a daughter!"

Colette looked away, sort of embarrassed at being referenced as Jackie's offspring. Jackie was quick to correct him though, "Actually Leo-"

He then told Colette, "Wow. You're the biggest baby I've ever seen." He then asked Jackie, "You didn't have her this year, right?"

Before Jackie could correct him, the old hippie was hugging Colette, "Oh kids! You grow up so fast!" He then pulled back and told Colette, "You know, I remember when yer mom was knee high!" He then looked over at Jackie, saying slowly, "Now that I think about it, she's still knee high."

Colette giggled at this as Jackie shook her head, smiling despite her best efforts not to, "I've missed you too, you old relic."