It had been two whole weeks since Michelle had arrived in Wisconsin. Things were very different than she thought they would be. For example, cheese was not a main staple in every single meal, and the chilly weather could be eliminated by a jacket or a scarf (who would have thought?). Michelle had also become quickly accustomed to everybody's quirks. She realized that being alone with Fez was almost always a bad idea, Hyde didn't like chitchat, and it was never worth it to use big words around Kelso.
The thought made Michelle smile as she brushed through her blonde hair. With a small sigh, she placed her brush back down on her vanity and turned off the light. Michelle curled into a ball on her bed, and counted sheep until she fell asleep.
The next morning Michelle found herself with a bit of a problem. Technically, it couldn't be considered an actual problem, but it bothered Michelle nonetheless: she was alone. Completely and utterly alone in a big, boring house with not a thing to do or a person to see. Her parents were at some rather dull business meeting hours away, leaving Michelle to spend the weekend fending for herself. She wasn't bothered by that at all, but all of her friends were busy. Donna was helping out her dad at the store, and Jackie (who could only be considered a friend due to the lack of girls in the group) was on a date with Kelso. Michelle sighed and considered her options. This left Eric, Hyde, and Fez left. They were probably all in the basement.
Michelle crossed the street, walked over to basement door, and yanked it open, expecting to see a room full of boisterous boys. Instead, only one was there, calmly reading a Playboy.
"Hey, Hyde. Where is everybody?" Michelle peered cautiously around the basement, as if expecting Fez and Eric to jump out from behind the couch and attack her with silly string.
Hyde continued flipping through his magazine, feet resting on the coffee table. "They went to the Hub."
Michelle made her way over to the green couch and sat. "Why didn't you go with them?"
Hyde looked at her. "Red grounded Forman, so he snuck out to hang out with Fez. I wanna be the one to rat him out." Hyde smirked.
"I think Red's home. Are you gonna tell him now?" Michelle pointed to the ceiling to gesture to the footsteps that were coming from upstairs.
Hyde stared at Michelle like she had three eyes. "It's not funny if I can't see the look on Forman's face."
Michelle nodded sagely. Suddenly, the door that connected the basement to the rest of the house swung open, and Red boomed, "Eric? Where the hell are you?"
Before Red could walk down the stairs, Hyde yanked on Michelle's hand and silently pulled her out the back door.
"Where are we going?" Michelle said as he led her across the Forman's driveway.
Hyde stopped for a second. "Let's go see Donna."
He took off in the direction of Bob's store and Michelle felt herself scurrying to keep up. She tried to quell the annoyance she felt building up inside of her, though Michelle really didn't know why she felt so bothered. Donna was, after all, the person Michelle felt closest to in Point Place.
The pair had walked to the store in silence, and the social taboo of awkward silence usually drove Michelle up the wall. However, she sensed that with Hyde it was more due to his personality and less because of blatant rudeness.
"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" Donna dropped the box she was unpacking and ran over to her friends.
Hyde answered, "We just wanted to see if you could hang out."
Donna shook her head. "I still have to hang around for a few hours. If I leave early I'm going to be in even more trouble than I was before."
Michelle studied Hyde out of the corner of her eye. Though she couldn't be positive, she thought he seemed to deflate a bit.
"Well, I'm gonna go find Forman and Fez. See you guys later." And with that, Hyde was gone.
Michelle started to meander around the store with Donna. "Ya know, I don't think Hyde really likes me."
Donna laughed. "He's Hyde, he doesn't really like anybody."
"He likes you."
Donna stopped. "What? No, no. He knows I'm with Eric."
Michelle rolled her eyes. "He knows it, but that doesn't stop him from doting on you."
Donna put her hand on her hip. "First of all, Hyde doesn't dote, and second, why does this bother you so much anyway?"
Michelle wrinkled her brow in frustration. Why did it bother her? "I have no idea," she answered truthfully.
Donna clapped one hand on her mouth and her eyes widened it surprise. "Oh my God. You like him! You like Hyde!"
"Donna, Donna shut up!" Michelle whispered furiously as she tried to calm the red-head down.
Donna grabbed Michelle's arm. "So, it's true then?"
Michelle sighed. "I don't know. I mean, yeah I think I like him, but he doesn't like me back. Just don't tell anybody."
"I promise." Donna started to say something else, but suddenly Bob spotted the girls.
"Look, Donna! Your friend came all the way here just to visit you!" Then Bob leaned in closer. "I'll tell you what. Donna, you can go have some fun, but don't tell your mother I let you leave early."
"Thanks Dad!" Donna hugged her father.
Michelle waved to him and tried not to stare at his puffy afro. "Thanks, Mr. Pinciotti!"
When the girls were out of the store, Michelle turned to Donna. "Wait, why are you getting punished again?"
Donna brushed a piece of red hair behind her ear. "We had a keg party. Dad said that I had to help him out this whole weekend to make up for the worry he felt in his heart when he found out I was missing." Donna grimaced at her dad's cheesy words.
"Fun stuff. At least he let you leave. Where do you want to go?" Michelle asked as the girls reached their street.
"Let's go see if Hyde's back yet." Donna made a kissy face at Michelle.
"Donna, you are my friend but I swear, if you let anybody know I might have a little crush on Hyde, I will chop all your hair off." Michelle tried to look serious and ruthless. She had a feeling it came off as deranged prom queen, though.
Donna swung open the door to the basement, and the girls entered. Eric, Hyde, and Fez were back. Hyde was smirking, and Eric seemed to be silently fuming. Fez, on the other hand, appeared oblivious to the whole thing and was clutching a ratty paper bag with glee.
Michelle sat down on the couch next to Eric. "I'm guessing things went the way you wanted?" She muttered to Hyde.
Hyde's response was to look at her and grin. Eric banged his fist down on the table. "Man, this blows. I can't believe Red took the car for the whole week! I hate you!" Eric pointed at Hyde.
Michelle picked at an invisible piece of lint on her sweater and tried to control her urge to laugh. Fez rolled his eyes. "Eric, I do not care who the rat was. It is circle time!" Fez had the strangest look of pure joy on his face as he reached into the paper bag.
The room exploded into a round of cheers and Eric seemed to forget his short lived rage at Hyde, leaving Michelle very confused. She tilted her head to one side and tried not to look as stupid as she felt when she asked, "What's a circle?"
Author's Note: Hey! This is my first story I have ever written on FanFiction, so any reviews/suggestions are totally welcome! Seriously, though, please review! Please tell me if Michelle is seeming too Mary-Sueish. I do not want her to come off as a completely unflawed character! The next chapter should be up either tomorrow or the next day!