Author's Note: Umm, thanks you, dear sister, for that lovely comment about the dead mangled bodies. ::rolls eyes:: I know we've been over this but every time I read it…I'm still not sure if that supposed to be good or not. Anyway, to the rest of you: Sorry for the wait and thanks so much for reviewing!!!! Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Please R&R!

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Chapter Four
Boys Don't Cry

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Why is it that when a woman fantasizes about another woman or makes-out with her, she's just curious, just looking to have a good time? However, when a man is to do the same, he's automatically labeled as a homosexual.

Hyde wasn't a homosexual. Fine, some would have said, then that just makes him bi. No, he wasn't bi either. He was just confused and disoriented. He didn't know how to explain those bizarre daydreams but like he told himself every time: they weren't real.

Yes, he did care a lot about Eric. He was his best friend, had always been there for him no matter what. It was only natural for him to cling onto him through his troubled time with Jackie. But did he secretly want to be with him?

No matter what the true answer was, of course he told himself that he didn't.

Currently, he had just run from Eric's bedroom. He stood, leaning his back against the wall a few inches down from Eric's door, panting. His head faced the floor as his hands clutched tight at his sides.

Suddenly he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Afraid, he pushed himself from the wall and started down the hall, toward the stairs as if nothing happened.

"Steven!" Jackie let out, almost colliding with him at the top of the stairs.

He didn't reply, just merely started down the them.

"Steven?" she spun around to face him, watching him ignore her as he took each step at a time. "I'm sorry."

Still, he said nothing.

Jackie tailed after him.

"Just listen to me."

"I have nothing to say to you." he replied, coming off the bottom landing and turning right to head into the living room.

"Then just listen."

Jackie, too, came off the bottom landing just as Hyde pushed the kitchen door open violently.

"Seven!" she called after him, following him into the kitchen and down the stairs into the basement. He was taking the long way just to get away from her, yet it didn't seem to be working; Jackie was persistent and would not stop unless and until she got her way. As usual.

"God! I just can't get away from you, can I?!" he shouted, stepping off the bottom landing of the basement stairs. He turned just in time to meet her.

"I'm really sorry." she said, stopping on the last step because he wouldn't let her pass.

"Oh, I bet you are." he answered sarcastically, finally turning and heading for his chair. He plopped down, folding his arms across his chest and placing his feet on top of the round table.

"I am." she said, walking into the basement finally. "I don't know what happened. Okay? Michael was really upset…and…I tried to comfort him—"

"Oh, I think you did a little bit more than that."

"—I tried to comfort him and before we knew it…one thing lead to another." She finished as if there had been no interruption, her purse clinging to her side. Hyde listened as her heals clicked to the floor as she approached him. Superficial was the word that came to mind when he thought of her. Money was what made her happy. Money was something he would never be able to give her. She was selfish and would only pretend to be happy with what she had, but what she really was doing was waiting until something better came along and then she'd dump the thing that she claimed made her happy, never settling for less than what she had previously.

He honestly couldn't believe this was the person who once made him happy.

"You were fucking around in my bed. You honestly can sit there, look in the face, and say you weren't doing anything? You really think that I wouldn't have caught you?"

"Steven…" Jackie now stood in between the table and couch. The look on her face clearly expressed her deepest apologizes. However, Hyde was not having it. The eyes behind his dark shades refused to meet with hers. Ah, yes. The shades he so often wore because without them he felt terribly exposed, the shades that he so often hid behind because without them he was afraid people would see into his broken, tattered, and wounded soul. "Steven…" she repeated but nothing followed after this.

"What?" he suddenly snapped.

"I love you, okay, and I never meant to hurt you."

Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, that's all he heard coming from her mouth.

"I honestly don't know what happened, alright? I love you and I don't want to be without you. I just really hope you can look past this and forgive—"

"Jackie." He said softly. Hyde's booted feet slid from the table. He planted them firmly on the floor and looked at her for the first time in awhile. He got to his feet, taking a step for her. "You're unbelievable, you know that?" he half laughed. That's when the truth came out. "You're a superficial bitch, Jackie, and to be quite frank, I don't know why I was with you in the first place. You constantly take from other people and right now, I have nothing left for you. You couldn't just be happy with what was in front of you. You had to go looking for something better. In fact, I'd be surprised if you weren't dating me just to get back at Kelso in the first place. You ripped out my heart and fed it to me. So, whatever could have been with us…it's over."

Without another word, Hyde turned away from her and started around the couch, heading for his bedroom. Jackie stood there, tearful and distraught. She didn't bother to watch him leave. She sniveled, wiping a tear as it slid down her cheek, and jumped slightly at the sound of the door to Hyde's prison cell slam shut.

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The next morning…
Eleven o'clock…

Eric headed over to Donna's. Honestly, he felt bad about what he said yesterday. This…was typical. Even when he was not the one in the wrong, he was always the one to apologize first.

As he approached her front door, he suddenly caught sight of Casey Kelso. Great, the last person he wanted to see.

"Foreplay!" Casey teased, a smirk plastered on his face. He was leaning his back against Donna's house, hands in the pockets of his pants.

"Casey…" Eric sighed, forcing a smile as he fixed the hem of his shirt over the waist of his jeans.

"What brings you here?"

"Umm…Donna." he answered, giving him a look that clearly said 'obviously'.

Casey continued to lean against the house, looking smug and pompous, but said nothing.

"Look. Casey." Eric started but took a pause. "Someone out there could really care about Donna…and…if you don't love her…you shouldn't act like you do." He shoved his hands inside his pockets and stared down at the ground, unable to look Kelso's brother in the face.

Casey finally took his back from the house, stepping over to Eric.

"Someone out there? Or someone right here?"

Eric looked up, staring into Casey's eyes, but he didn't answer.

The front door suddenly opened and Eric instantly averted his eyes again.

"Okay, I'm ready." Donna said, a smiling shinning through her voice. "Eric…what are you—" Before she could finished, Casey walked up to her and planted a kiss on her tender lips.

Eric felt sick all of a sudden. He felt dizzy, like he would pass out at any moment. Man, he needed his bottle of pills, needed it so bad. He thought about them, sitting in his dresser drawer, hidden by his boxers where no one would ever think to look.

He continued to stare down at his feet, unable to look at the couple.

Donna finally pushed Casey away, unable to set eyes on her ex-lover.

"Hey. Pinciotti. I love you."

At this, Eric suddenly looked up, anxiously awaiting for Donna's response.

"Oh…well…I…" she stammered. Hesitating as she felt Eric's eyes practically burning her, she finally said, "Thank you."

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That same morning…
11: 35

"Eric…" a distraught Jackie breathed, watching a livid looking Eric storm into the basement through the side door. She suddenly jumped up and ran into his arms, crying hysterically. "Steven won't take me back and now he's locked himself in his room and he won't come out." She sobbed into his chest.

—Just like yesterday.

"I'll come out when you get the hell out of my life!" he screamed from inside the four stonewalls—surrounding him like a prison cell—that was his bedroom. This seemed to make Jackie even more hysterical; she tightened her grip around Eric and continued to shed tears into his chest.

"No offense, Jackie, but I have my own problems to worry about. I just need—"

(my pills)

"—to lie down."

"Please," she said, looking up at him finally, "He'll come out for you…"

"Fine." he said, pushing her off slightly and walking over to Hyde's bedroom door. After two knocks, silence came. "Hyde…open the door." Still, Hyde did not answer. Eric put his ear to the door, trying to find any life source beyond it. Still nothing. "Come on, buddy, can you open the door? Please?"

Unable to control her sobs still, Jackie plopped down on the couch, her head falling into her hands.

Eric placed his hand on Hyde's doorknob, giving it a quick jiggle. No use. He knew it would do no good, but still he tired. "Hyde. Please. I just want to talk to you. At least let me in."

Without warning, Hyde's bedroom door suddenly opened, startling Eric. Jackie turned around to see but before either one of them knew what was going on, Hyde grabbed Eric by his shirt and pulled him into his room.

Eric practically tripped over Hyde's little cot as he stumbled into the tiny room. Behind him, Hyde slammed his door before Jackie could run in there; it gave a click, indicating he had locked it again.

"Hyde…" Eric breathed, sympathy shinning through his voice. But Hyde didn't turn around. Eric watched as he pressed his forehead to the door, his hands resting gently against it as well. "Look, man, I—"

"Eric…" Hyde whispered against the door. "I don't want to do this anymore." There was a short pause and a sob escaped his lips. "I can't do this anymore." Eric remained silent as Hyde continued to press against the door. Honestly, he couldn't believe this was happening. Was Hyde actually weeping? He had never seen this before and frankly…it made his heart break. Hyde's name escaped Eric's lips again and he took a step toward him. "Don't." Steven called out to him and Eric stopped.

"Hyde, its okay to cry." He continued for him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Hyde instantly shrugged to get his hand off and suddenly bellowed, "I'm not a pussy, Forman! Boys don't cry!"

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Author's Note: So does anyone feel like I should made the chapters longer? Or are they fine the way they are? Also, if anyone wants to see something they want to happen in here…just let me know.