4-2-23: Chapter updated for grammar, mechanical, and continuity errors.

August

"You're in here often," said a soft voice that pulled Sophie from her homework. She gazed up to see a pretty brunette collecting books from the table.

Sophie smiled, "I love the library, well, not the school library. I normally hang out at the Pleasant Books, but with volleyball and school. It's easier being here," she stated.

The girl nodded with a smile and introduced herself, "I'm Brooke Rockwell."

"Sophie Winston"

"Where's your red-headed friend? She's normally studying with you," Brooke asked curiously.

"Ahh, Donnas decided to join the school newspaper. She wants to be a journalist when she grows up," answered Sophie. She shrugged and continued, "and I decided to wait for Hyde while he had detention."

Brooke quirked her lips as she watched the younger girl in front of her, "you know, you could always work part-time here since you're here so often. They pay minimum wage, and since the library is part of the school, they work with your extracurricular schedule," she stated.

Sophie raised her eyebrows, "why are you suddenly offering me a job?" she asked.

Brooked flushed a delicate pink color as she began to ramble out an answer, "sorry, the other two girls who worked with me graduated, and the head librarian prefers that his student workers do almost all the work, so I've been…anyways I always have seen you here, and you seem nice, so I thought, hey, maybe she'll save me from the boring yet great job this is."

Sophie giggled and glanced at her completed homework. She looked back at the clock and groaned when she realized Steven still had forty minutes left in his detention. A part-time job at the school library that would work around my schedule and pay minimum wage, she thought.

Sophie glanced back up at the older girl and smiled, "is it okay if I only work on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Except for when I have volleyball practice?"

Brooke's grin grew, and she nodded, "Yeah! Let me get you the work form to fill out," she exclaimed excitedly and hurried towards the library office in the back.

October

Their little group sat around in Eric's basement as the television played at a low setting. Donna sat next to Sophie on the couch, the former reading through a magazine and the other curled up into Steven's side, her legs stretched out over Donna's as she read the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Steven was comfortable in silence as he was coming down from his most recent high, and Eric sat in on the old kitchen chair as he attempted to complete an essay that was due the next day.

A harsh smack and a yowl grabbed Sophie's attention, and she looked away from her book to see Donna with a yoyo in her hand as she yanked it away from Kelso.

"I told you if you kept hitting me with it, I would take it away," she stated, then turned back to her magazine. Steven chortled in amusement.

"But I didn't mean to!" Kelso whined.

Sophie snorted and went back to her novel. Steven's arm tightened around her. He glanced down at her as he could finally focus a little, "what are you reading now?" he asked with a smirk.

"A dystopian novel that discusses the possible disaster of banning books, limiting knowledge, and fast-advancing technology," she replied, not at all phased at the hint of sarcasm in his question. She knew he would probably read it after her. Despite what the rest of their group thought, Steven was still a huge reader.

Kelso paused his attempt to wrestle the yoyo away from Donna and allowed her to shove him back to his seat as he looked toward Sophie, "is it true you're working at the school library after school?" he asked.

Sophie snorted, "I have been for two months now, Kelso," she replied.

He stared at her, confused, "what, but...you're always here!"

Sophie laughed and closed her book. She stopped as she moved to sit up, as Steven wouldn't relax his grip on her, so she settled back down into her position, "I only work when you have guys have a club, and Donna has the newspaper, and Steven has detention," she answered.

Eric glanced up from his paper and grinned, "so every Tuesday and sometimes Thursdays."

Steven looked down at her, "look what I have in my arms, gentlemen," he started, "and woman," Donna interrupted. Steven shot her a glare and continued, "a sexy librarian." Sophie elbowed him in his side, and he grunted in amusement.

Kelso bounced in his chair, "Bitchin'! I know a hot librarian. This is like that article in the last edition of Playboy," he stopped his excitement, his focus suddenly lasered in on her, "will you act out the article with me?" he asked breathlessly, " I can meet you in a dark corner and- ow!" he howled in pain as he was hit with both Sophie's novel and Donna's magazine.

Saturday afternoon saw their group in at The Hub, an arcade with a dinner that most high school students hung out at. Sophie sat on Hyde's lap, one arm hooked around his neck and the other grabbing fries to munch on. Donna sat back in her seat as she sipped her soda, and Eric tried to focus on his hamburger. They all watched with apt attention as Kelso hit on another girl. Finally, a smack was heard, and a red handprint appeared on Kelso's cheek.

Eric groaned and handed Sophie a dollar bill, "dude, how the hell can you tell when he'll get burned like that" he whined as Donna laughed.

"He always acts like a creepy spaz when he comes down from a high," Sophie happily explained. "His horny creep factor is also off the charts when he's buzzed," Donna added as she cackled.

"And next, I bet you two dollars that he'll try and use Hyde to get a chick. He'll introduce him to one of the friends of the girl he's interested in, hoping they'll get together and he'll get a pity date," Sophie predicted. Steven smirked, and Eric shook his head, "No! No more betting. You've already taken all my allowance," he complained.

Donna laughed, and Eric shoved her arm just as Kelso sauntered up with a blonde girl in tow, "Hyde! I was just telling Kelly Anne how you were single and always looking for a good time," he said as he motioned to the girl behind him.

Eric stared wide-eyed at Sophie, "I am so happy I didn't take that bet," he choked out, which caused Donna to laugh harder at the situation in front of them.

Kelly Anne looked at Kelso with a frown, "if he's single, who's she?" she snapped as she pointed to Sophie. "Oh, that's Sophie; she's the sexy librarian at our high school. They are practically siblings," Kelso explained.

Sophie felt Steven tense beneath her, annoyed. She glanced at Donna and Eric with a smirk. They watched, eyes wide as she turned to Steven as she, pulled his face close and deeply kissed him, and gently sucked at his bottom lip as she moved away before she looked back at an annoyed Kelso and an embarrassed Kelly Anne, "yep," she stated, "just like siblings."

Eric snorted, and Donna laughed as the blonde hit Kelso and left to return to her friends, thoroughly embarrassed. Steven tightened his grip on her, and she knew that if he had his shades off, their friends would no longer wonder what their relationship was. Oblivious, Kelso sat down and sulked loudly that she had ruined another pity date.

"Do you think they know?" Steven asked Sophie as they lounged together on her bed. Sophie quirked an eyebrow, not sure what he was asking. He pulled her closer and breathed in her scent; he always wanted to cuddle when he was high, "we've been together for what? Four months? And I don't think they know. I mean..." he paused, his mind fumbling with his point.

Sophie shifted her head so it was on his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist, "I dunno, I mean, I think we've always been like this," she bit her lip, "I think I've always been yours, we just took the next step" she admitted softly.

Steven chuckled and kissed the top of her head, "how long do you think they'll not notice or at least keep from asking?" She sat up with a wide grin, "want to make a bet?" she asked. He laughed and pulled her to his chest as he melded his mouth to hers.

Sophie and the other girls on the volleyball team sat on the gym floor as they waited for their coach. "What do you think she called us for?" Sophie asked Jenny, the teammate seated beside her, "I thought she already chose the girls who were going to districts?"

Jenny nodded, "she did, but I heard Mary, one of the Varsity starters she chose; well, there's a rumor going around that her rabbit died, " she whispered. Sophie's eyes widened, "seriously? What did she decide to do?" she asked in awe.

"Laura, her friend, mentioned that she would probably go to Planned Parenthood, but that was before her parents and coach found out, " The gym door slammed open and cut Jenny off mid-sentence.

Their coach suddenly stormed through the door, and the energy in the room sizzled with disappointment and anger. She stood in front of them with a glare, "look, I know I can't stop you, and me forbidding any dating would only make everyone rebel," she paused, her eyes flashed, "if you want to stay on the team either don't have sex or for god sakes use god damn protection!" she growled.

The girls stared at her wide-eyed and nodded. "now line up; 30 suicides at the whistle," their coach shouted. The girls groaned and moved into position.

December

Steven watched her as she concentrated on her math homework. He could tell something had been bothering her for a while. At first, he was worried it was because they had not officially announced their relationship to their group, but as November turned into December, Sophie was the one who happily raised the stakes on their bet.

She glanced up from her homework and gave him a gentle smile, "what's up?" she asked as she noticed his concern.

Hyde cleared his throat, "I just...noticed that something's been on your mind," he started, "and I was worried." he shrugged. Sophie blushed and shook her head, "oh. Well...um," she bit her lip, and her blush deepened.

"It wasn't anything bad. I just wasn't sure how to discuss it with you," she admitted. He stared at her, "you can tell me anything. You always have," he reminded her.

She shook her head, "no, I know. Just... remember I told you about Mary, the girl on my volleyball team?"

"The one who got knocked up?" he asked; she glared at him a little and then nodded. "Well, it had me thinking, well, worried, not about us in general, but...um, anyways, I talked to my doctor, and he agreed to put me on birth control," she rambled.

Hyde's eyes widened, "you're on the pill?" he asked. She nodded again, "does your dad know?" he wondered aloud.

"Yeah, I discussed it with him before going to the doctor. He wanted to make sure you weren't pressuring me into anything, and then he mentioned he was proud that I was taking the initiative to protect..." she trailed off and laughed at how pale Steven had become.

"I'm not, am I?" he choked out, panicked.

"Not what?" she asked.

"Pressuring you? That was the first thing your dad warned me about before..." he trailed off and shuddered, his face growing paler.

Sophie stared at him before she suddenly howled with laughter, "oh my god! Did my dad give you the sex talk?"

He glared at her as she continued to laugh until she cried.