If I Can't Have You...

Chapter 5

Author's Note: Okay, so the backdrop of this story is harder than I thought. Due to the fact that Disco was biggest like '77-'79, all the songs I want to put in here weren't out in '76 (I Will Survive, If I Can't Have You, Hot Stuff, Ring My Bell, you get the idea)...and that just makes me sad. But, at any rate, I'm doing my best to keep it accurate and fun. I hope you enjoy it, and please please please please please Review!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

"You can't be serious?"

"What?"

Jackie's face actually looked as if she had no idea what was wrong with the crap that was assailing their ears. And perhaps that's what annoyed him the most. The dumb girl really didn't know any better. "Turn that off, now."

"Why?"

"It's Barry White, that's why."

"So? His voice is sooo sexy. And they will definitely be playing this at the Disco, so get used to it."

"His voice is sexy? No way. Someone just needs to get the man a cough drop already." Hyde walked over to the record player and quickly put an end to the intro of 'Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Baby,' shuttering at the mere thought of dancing to it.

"You are just jealous, and any way, shut up and stop stalling."

Hyde's face defined incredulous. With a side of disgust. "Me? Jealous? Of that? Please, I've got more sexy in my pinkie finger."

Jackie rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might get sprain. "Yes, your dirty poor burnout finger is sexier than the ridiculously rich and successful man who has a voice like chocolate and actual rhythm."

"Hey, I've got rhythm. You even said yourself, I'm a great dancer."

"I believe what I said was, 'You aren't as bad as I thought you'd be. There's a big difference, Hyde."

He was actually a little taken aback. Since the second or third night they'd had a lesson, she'd been calling him Steven, at least in private. And while he usually hated his first name, he'd been getting used to it. He just looked at her a moment, then shaking his head, he turned back to the records he had to choose from. "Okay, this is a little more tolerable. I'm pretty sure it isn't even technically disco." He returned to her side and smirked, trying to charm her scowl away. "Come on, Jackie. Let's just get this over with. It turns out it's the only thing we do half as well as we argue."

She tried to hold onto her snotty stare, but she couldn't help but giggle as 'Play That Funky Music' began. "Alright, fine."

She let him pull her to his chest, somewhat impressed as he danced her steadily to the beat, taking a cue from the build before the chorus to push her out and spin her in. She silently enjoyed his strong arms that were beginning to know what they were doing without instruction, his purely masculine smell, his air of growing confidence. She'd have never admitted it aloud, partly because his ego needed no help from her, and partly because of her loving devotion to Michael Kelso, but he might have been right about his sexy pinkie...

Jackie sat at her desk, tense and hurried and scribbling furiously at her notebook's page, trying to get her homework finished before she had to leave for school in, oh, approximately ten minutes. She was a good student, an organized student, who typically did her homework sooner rather than later, and never the morning it was due. But her Saturday dance lesson had gone later than she'd expected, so late in fact Steven had to hide in the basement when Kelso stopped by to apologize around dinner time, and to see if she wanted to go on a date that evening. Which of course, she had accepted. And then after cheerleading practice, and another dance lesson Sunday afternoon, she'd passed out early the night before without giving her waiting social studies assignment a second thought.

She was dressed rather simply, having had to use most of her primping time to "write a brief essay summarizing the basic differences between the republican and democratic parties during the last election." Her hair was pulled up, a few stray pieces hanging in curls around her face and neck. Her sweater and jeans were cute, but by no means the typical dress of a cheerleading princess like Jackie Burkhart. And as she quickly stuffed her backpack, and ran out the door, she realized she barely recognized herself anymore. Dreading class, and practice, and Michael's phone calls. And she wasn't sure why. It seemed that the only part of her day she could look forward to anymore were the hours spent trying to teach Steven Hyde of all people how to dance. And that admission only seemed to confuse and sadden her more.

She hoped things would start to make sense again. Maybe when her parents came home...

"So, you haven't been around much lately, man. Is everything okay?"

"Forman, this isn't daytime television. Talk about the Packers, boobs, or your car, or I'm out of here." Hyde never once looked away from the television, but he could sense his oldest and best friend was nervous, twitchy as Red would say, and obviously had something on his mind.

"Well, you know, you could talk to me, right? About anything."

"I don't talk about things, but if that changes, I'll keep you in mind." He knew he was being almost a bigger ass than usual. But he needed to avoid any heart to hearts right now. He didn't want to have an awkward conversation about feelings, especially when he knew they'd both be meaning the exact same red-head when they casually said 'some girl.' And he definitely didn't want to risk saying anything about his whereabouts the past week and a half. The dance lessons were almost over, and even can't-lie-to-save-her-life Jackie hadn't spilled the beans yet.

It was kind of weird to think he had a secret this big with someone like Jackie. Especially when his best friends, the only people he trusted at all, were the main ones they were keeping the secret from.

And it was almost weird to think that pretty soon, that secret would be gone, void, useless. Would he and Jackie go right back to ignoring each other, burning each other, seeing each other only when forced to? Did he care?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts...and he felt like he was doing an awful lot of that lately, and Jackie was usually to blame.

"Come on, Forman. I can't sit here anymore, let's go."

"Go where? Jeanie is almost on, I'm not leaving."

"Fine, whatever. I just can't sit still right now. I'll talk to you later." Frustrated and restless, Hyde stood and made his way out the basement door. Shaking his head again, more forcefully this time, he also let out a slight growl, quickening his pace as he headed no where in particular. He was starting to realize it was beginning to take more than a good head shake to clear his head. Damn spoiled bitchy cheerleaders with bad parents and smoothe legs.

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