CH-13-The Talk

Jackie sat staring at Hyde with such fear in her eyes, and he had no idea what to say. Kelso was still standing by the door telling him to run from Jackie because she had asked him to either marry her or she was going to Chicago. His heart was pounding and his hands felt sweaty. Fez looked over at him.

F: Are you ok Hyde?

H: I'm fine.

F: Are you sure? Because you look like your going to be sick.

K: Alright! He's gonna throw up.

H: Shut up!

J: Michael…Fez…could you just…leave us alone for a bit. Please?

K: No! I wanna see Hyde puke man!

J: Michael!

F: Alright. Come on Kelso lets go pick up some chicks.

K: Alright. But Jackie…if he pukes and I miss it…I'm gonna be so pissed at you!

J: Whatever. Just go.

Fez and Kelso scurried out of the basement and Jackie turned back to Hyde. She didn't quite know what to say. She realized that she had just dropped a bomb shell on him and he would need time to process it. But the longer he stayed quiet the more afraid that he was going to say no she became.

J: Steven-

H: Don't.

J: But I-

H: No you don't get to talk right now.

J: Steven-

H: Jackie! Just stop ok?

Jackie slid back in her seat holding the tears in as long as she could. His anger scared her and she didn't know what to do.

H: So we just get back together and you seem all happy and now you want to run off to Chicago?

J: Steven it's not like that.

H: Then what is it like Jackie?

J: Well…we talked about my future and everything and I just…I got this opportunity and I am so happy…but I don't want to leave you.

H: Yeah sure you don't Jackie. Your just like everyone else in my life. I mean you've left me before haven't you?

J: That's not fair.

H: No what's not fair is that your giving me an ultimatum.

J: I'm not giving you an ultimatum Steven. I just wanted you to know about this. I mean I could have just said no and then you would have gotten mad at me for not telling you about the offer at all. I never know what to do with you Steven. So I made a decision to tell you about it and I want to know what you think.

H: I think that this is your dream job and your going to regret it if you don't go.

J: What?

H: Jackie what other choice do you have?

J: What do you mean what other choice do I have? Staying here and being with you is my other choice and I want to be with you.

H: Well I want to be with you too.

J: So then where does that leave us?

H: I need to think.

J: Oh…ok…

H: Look I'll just…I'll see you later ok?

J: Um…ok.

H: We'll talk later I just really need to clear my head for a bit. Figure this all out.

J: Ok.

He walked over to her placing a kiss on the top of her head and he walked to the basement door.

J: I love you.

He looked back at her and smiled and then slipped out the side door. The second the door shut, Jackie broke down in tears. Eric ran down the basement stairs and stopped when he saw the mess that was Jackie on the couch.

E: Jackie?

J: Oh my god. I'm sorry. I just…uh…

E: Where's Hyde?

J: He had to uh…go out for a bit.

E: Are you ok?

J: What? Yes…I'm fine.

E: Jackie you were crying. Its obvious that your lying. What's up?

He sat down next to her on the couch, placing a hand on her knee to soothe her.

J: Um…I got a job offer.

E: Wow that's great Jackie! I mean you just graduated and everything!

J: (She smiled) I know. I'm really happy…but…the job is in Chicago.

E: Oh…

J: Yeah…I came to tell Steven about it and he wasn't to happy. I told him that if he wanted to get married someday then I would stay here and be with him. But if he didn't think that was going to happen then I had to leave.

E: Wow…that's a tough situation.

J: I know…maybe I shouldn't have said it but its just, if I stay here and miss out on this opportunity, I want to know that Steven really loves me you know?

E: Yeah I know…I completely understand where your coming from.

J: Yeah…but I just think he's going to say no Eric.

E: You don't know that.

J: Eric if he loved me and wanted me to stay he would have said so…instead he freaked and said he needed to think and ran off. He didn't even say anything when I told him I loved him before he left. He just smiled.

E: Look…we may not have been the closest of friends over the years…I do care about you really I do. And I know Hyde…he loves you. I think he was just shocked and he knows how much you would love to take that job.

J: Yeah but I would want to be with him more. I could find a good job here too.

E: That's true…but you know Hyde. He doesn't think that he's good enough for you.

J: I know and that's such crap.

E: Yeah well its how he feels. I'd just wait awhile, let him think things over and then…you'll have your answer.

J: And what if he tells me to go?

E: Then you go…

J: Yeah but-

E: As much as this situation sucks, you just have to wait Jackie.

J: Yeah…I know. Thanks Eric.

E: No problem.

They hugged and then Fez and Michael burst through the doors.

K: Cheaters!

J: Oh god Michael shut up.

K: So…you tell Hyde you want to get married and everything and then you go off and snuggle with Eric on the couch.

E: You are such a tool Kelso. Jackie's the devil and I would never date her.

J: Yeah and Eric is a Star Wars loving skinny nerd. I would never ever date him.

K: Fine.

F: So…what did Hyde say?

J: He said he needed to think about it.

K: Yeah he's totally going to dump you.

E: Kelso!

J: Oh god…your right.

She put her head in her hands and started to cry and Eric panicked and tried to comfort her by stroking her back.

E: No Jackie…Hyde is not going to break up with you Jackie ok? Remember what we talked about?

F: Yeah Hyde seems happy with you my little princess. I'm sure everything is going to be fine. Do not worry your pretty little head.

J: Thanks guys…

E: Alright…lets just watch some TV to get our mind off of things.

K: Yeah lets watch Genie shake her booty!

F: No I want to watch the Angels run in slow motion!

E: Both of you shut up. Were going to watch the new documentary on Star Wars!

J: Oh crap…

E: Come on Jackie! It's just the thing to cheer you up.

Jackie tried to laugh a bit when Eric turned on the TV. The four of them sat and watched the special as Jackie tried to think of anything but Hyde. Her heart was pounding just thinking about him breaking her heart into a million little pieces. But just as Eric said…all she could do now is wait. Wait to be proposed to, or wait to have her heart broken. She just prayed to God it would be the first.