AN: Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. Muchas gracias! Y'all are great! Anyway, you simply MUST listen to "I Never Loved a Man" by Aretha Franklin as you begin to read this chapter. You can find it on (The Alicia Keyes tribute version is a lot like the original, just an FYI.) Enjoy!
Chapter 2—Say You Love Me
Jackie sat on her makeshift bed, flipping through a magazine and blinking back tears as Aretha Franklin belted out a heart wrenching song on Donna's turntable. She had found the album in the Pinciotti's extensive collection downstairs in the den when she was looking for something to play, not wanting to listen to ABBA or Led Zeppelin or anything that would automatically remind her of Steven. So she sat and zoned out being too upset to even notice that Donna entered their room.
You're a no good heart breaker
You're a liar and you're a cheat
And I don't know why
I let you do these things to me
Staring down at her, Donna shook her head and headed over towards her stereo and turned the volume down.
My friends keep telling me
That you ain't no good
Looking up from her magazine, Jackie glared at Donna. "Donna, I was listening to that. Turn it back up."
But oh, they don't know
That I'd leave you if I could
"Jackie, listening to Aretha Franklin at that decibel only proves that you're either pissed off or hard of hearing," Donna shot back at her roommate as she crossed her arms over her chest, wondering why Jackie was actually listening to Aretha Franklin, queen of soul.
I guess I'm uptight
And I'm stuck like glue
"Whatever Donna," Jackie said with zen as tears stung her eyes. "I'm hard of hearing. Now, turn it up."
Cause I ain't never
I ain't never, I ain't never, no, no (loved a man)
(The way that I, I love you)
Shrugging her shoulders while rolling her eyes, Donna turned the volume back up before snatching a book off her desk and plopping down on her bed. Barely able to finish reading a page in her book, Donna annoyingly glared at Jackie when she started talking. "Men are such pigs. They only want one thing from you, and then once they get it, they're done with you until some other guy starts paying you a little attention. Then they get all territorial. Oh, and they freak out and go find some slut bag to do, as if that justifies everything!"
How could ya hurt me so bad
Baby, you know that I'm the best thing
That you ever had
Donna's annoyed glare quickly turned into a confused concerned look. "Wait, Jackie, you're not making any sense. What are you talking about?"
Cause I ain't never
Never, Never, no, no (loved a man)
(The way that I, I love you)
Still flipping through her magazine, Jackie sniffed before answering Donna. "Steven Hyde is a cheating jerk!"
"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Donna not quite believing what she just heard. "Hyde cheated on you? That doesn't make sense. Why?"
"Well, he did," Jackie answered matter-o-factly. "Because he thought Michael and I were making out on your couch when Michael was really telling me about Fez's creepy dream. So, I was comforting him, which is what Steven caught us doing, and he goes off and has angry sex with some skanky nurse."
"Omigod!" Donna cried as a hand clasped over her mouth in astonishment for a minute. "Did he tell you this?"
"Yes," answered Jackie quietly as she set her magazine down next to her. A tear escaped from one of her eyes and slid down her cheek. "And you know what's worse? He said he was sorry and that it wouldn't happen again." She sniffed. "Huh, like I haven't heard that one before. I swear if I had a quarter for every time I heard that I'd be richer than I already am."
Donna chuckled at her best friend's comment. After all, it was true. Getting up from her bed, Donna crossed the room and took a seat next to Jackie, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "This is true, but at least Hyde was honest with you. I mean Kelso never was until he was caught."
"Yeah, well it still doesn't change things, Donna," Jackie vehemently disagreed as another tear or two dropped from her eyes. "The fact is he cheated on me, and I promised myself I wouldn't be with a cheater."
"That's totally understandable," Donna responded, "but Hyde's not Kelso nor is he anything like Kelso. Yeah, what he did was wrong, but you gotta put yourself in his shoes, Jackie. I mean, you're the first, if not only, girl he's ever really cared about. He's insecure, and he did something incredibly stupid. He's a dill-hole."
Now quietly crying, Jackie nodded her head in agreement. "I know, Donna, which is why I broke up with him."
Not sure what to really say, Donna just rubbed Jackie's forearm as Jackie rested her head on Donna's shoulder and cried into it. "You know what really sucks?" Jackie asked after crying for a while before raising her head from Donna's shoulder. "I really love him," she answered as she wiped some fresh tears off her face.
"I know you do," Donna quietly replied as Jackie lowered her head on Donna's shoulder again, and she continued to comfort her friend. I ought to kick his ass, she thought, stupid dill-hole. They sat there for a while longer, neither one saying anything yet understanding what the other was silently speaking. Drying her face with a hand as she up-righted her head, Jackie hoarsely said, "Thank you, Donna."
Letting a small smile grace her face, Donna returned, "You're welcome, midget."
Allowing the sad smile cross her face, Jackie replied, "Yeah okay, you plaid clothed lumberjack." Donna merely shook her head and chuckled glad to know her best friend could still dish it out at her.
The basement door from upstairs swung wide open and then closed rather abruptly as Donna clamored down the stairs looking for the two biggest dill-holes in Point Place. Unfortunately for her, neither one was there; instead she found her boyfriend and Fez sitting on the couch watching TV. "Where's Hyde?" she asked with a tinge of anger.
Eric looked behind him at Donna who looked extremely pissed. "Last we saw of him he was chasing Kelso out the door and up the outside stairs."
"Yes, Kelso is probably walking around without his pants on," Fez added thoughtfully. "Ah, good burn Hyde."
"Well, great. I guess I can wait here until they return," Donna casually remarked as she walked over to Hyde's chair and sat down.
Fez and Eric quizzically glanced over at Donna. The look on her face meant only one thing—she was out to kill. Nodding his head thoughtfully, Fez asked, "So Donna what business do you have with Hyde?"
Raising an eyebrow at Fez, Donna answered, "The kind where he won't know what hit him."
"Ah, so I see," Fez returned. "May I ask what for?"
"For being the king of the dill-holes," Donna shot back.
"Wait, I thought Kelso was the king," Eric questioned his girlfriend.
"Oh, he's the reigning king of all stupidity," Donna fired, "but right now, Hyde's wearing the crown of the dill-holes."
"Huh," Eric nodded his head in thought. "So I take it that means you heard what happened between Hyde and Jackie."
"Oh yeah," Donna answered with annoyance. "I heard all about it. He's so paying for this too!"
"Ay! Hyde's going to get a beating from Donna!" Fez shrieked. "I want front row seats for this."
Donna rolled her eyes, amazed at how ignorant her friends could really be. Eric merely laughed at the thought of Donna beating up Hyde. Soon the basement became eerily quiet as the three sat and watched TV.
About an hour later, Hyde entered the basement. Looking around at everyone assembled there, Hyde gave a gruff "Hey," to everyone. Eric and Fez looked at Hyde from the corner of their eyes. Donna sneered at him as her eyes watched him with a glint to kill. Picking up on the tense vibes, Hyde headed over towards the deep freeze to get a popsicle, hoping to numb the aching vibe. Reaching in for one, Hyde spoke. "So, Kelso's pant-less."
Laughing at the thought of Kelso trotting around town pant-less, Eric and Fez gave their seal of approval. Eric said, "That's just what Fez said you would do. That's just too awesome!"
"Ah, sweet burn, Hyde," Fez congratulated his friend. "I knew you'd do it."
Noticing Donna had nothing to say about it, he casually remarked, "So I take it you heard about me and Jackie, huh?"
Donna turned around in the chair to look at him. "Yeah, and I've got to hand it to you, Hyde, you really out did yourself this time."
Hyde turned around and took the wrapper off the popsicle. "Huh," he simply grunted before taking a bite.
"No really, you did. In fact, I think you're the new king of the dill-holes," she sarcastically told him. "I mean, is Kelso not the king? What the hell, Hyde!"
"Donna, look. It was a huge misunderstanding, and I told her I was sorry. What more do you want from me?" he asked after taking another bite of his popsicle.
"Well, for starters," Donna said thoughtfully as she stood up from the chair, "you could wear the stupid helmet."
"What? Oh no. I don't think so, Donna," Hyde tried to argue as he watched her walk over to the shelf by the stairs and grab it. "You're not putting that on me."
"Oh yes I am!" she scolded him as she whipped around and closed the distance between them. Shoving him down in his chair, she smacked him first upside his head and then frogged his forearms while she continued. "You ARE going to wear this because you did the stupidest thing to her!"
"Ooh, she's getting feisty," Fez quietly noted to Eric who nodded his head in agreement as they watched in wonder how Donna quickly browbeaten Hyde and ruthlessly slammed the stupid helmet on his head.
"Yeah, I like it when she gets that way," Eric commented. "She's so hot!"
Ignoring their comments, Donna crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her poor victim after placing the helmet on his head. "Donna, this is totally uncalled for," Hyde whined.
"Well get over it, dill-hole!" Donna snapped, "Because you deserve it." Turning around to stand behind the couch, Donna continued her interrogation. "What were you thinking, Hyde? My god, Jackie would never cheat on you with Kelso! The girl is crazy about you, and what do you go and do? Break her spoiled little heart!"
Hyde heaved a sigh before responding. "Well the thing is I wasn't thinking."
"Damn straight you weren't!" Donna yelled.
"And I know I hurt her real bad, but the damage is done. There's nothing more for me to do," he shrugged.
Stalking over to him, Donna stared at him. "Oh I'll tell you what you can do. You can march your cheating little ass over to my house and beg for mercy that Jackie will take you back."
"Yeah right," Hyde scoffed.
"Oh you will," Donna blazingly told him looking him straight in the eye, "or you'll be begging for mercy that I'll take it easy on your sorry ass!"
Hyde raised an eyebrow at her, almost questioning her authority. Donna stared right back at him, telling him through her threatening glare that she meant every word of it. Eric and Fez stared in amazement at them. It seemed time had stilled itself for that moment until Hyde reached up and took the helmet off his head and stood up. "Fine," he said with zen as he threw the helmet down on the sofa and walked out of the basement heading for the Pinciotti's.
About two hours after Donna and Jackie's talk, Jackie was sprawled out on Donna's bed reading another magazine when a knock came to the door. Not looking up from the magazine article she was reading, she answered, "Come in."
Slowly the door opened revealing Hyde as he entered the room. "Jackie," he quietly spoke.
Looking up at him as soon as he spoke her name, Jackie's eyes widened in surprise noticing he wasn't wearing his sunglasses. Then just as quickly, she dropped them back down to the page she was reading. "Steven," she spat coolly.
Hyde swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing he deserved her anger and anything she threw at him. "Look, I'm really sorry, alright? I'll say it a thousand more times. I made a huge mistake, I know that now. I should have trusted you—"
"Yeah well, you don't," she interrupted him, her anger and hurt evident in her tone. "I guess you never will either, even though I trusted you."
"Yeah, but considering my track record, don't you think I deserve a little slack?" he questioned her.
"Oh please! Don't give me that load of crap!" she hissed at him. "That's history; you were turning a new leaf, but I guess old habits die hard, huh?"
"Jackie, look. I know you're upset and rightly so, but you gotta know it was stupid. It's just that Kelso's always rubbing it in that you two dated and when he's around you, hitting on you, I go insane."
Rolling her eyes in frustration, Jackie replied, "Steven, I'll tell you again—I'm over Michael. I've been over him for a long time now. But once again, we're back to square one—trust."
Sighing in aggravation, Hyde returned, "I know and I'm sorry. What more can I do to prove that to you?"
"Nothing," Jackie answered as new tears grew in numbers in her stormy eyes, "because we're through. Now leave."
Taking in the scene in front of him, Hyde shook his head and breathed, "Whatever," before turning to head out. Stopping at the doorway, he exhaled deeply before turning back to face her. "Jackie," he quietly called as he paused to find the courage to say what he had to say next before softly continuing, "I love you."
Choking back a scoff, Jackie shook her head and sniffed as the tears fought to leave her eyes. "Well, I don't love you," she told him.
Nodding his head slowly and pursing his lips together as he comprehended her words, Hyde turned back around and left the Pinciotti's house. Watching his retreating back disappear from her eyes, Jackie whispered to no one, "At least not right now," before burying her head in her arms and sobbing quietly once more.
AN2: The Aretha Franklin song quoted in this chapter is "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" from 1967. It may seem odd for Jackie to listen to this, but I couldn't help but think that the song expressed Jackie's feelings towards Hyde really well. Anyway, the chapter title is from the Fleetwood Mac song, "Say You Love Me" a hit back in 1976. Please, don't forget to review! Thanks!