AN:Holy shit! You guys freakin' rock! The response from last chapter was seriously mind blowing. I wasn't expecting that many reviews, but you guys truly surprised me. It definitely made this Thanksgiving week that much better.
Okay, so, here's the last, long awaited chapter of this story. This is the chapter that I tossed around in my head a few times and decided to actually sit down and write this story. It was so fun to write, and I found myself many times during the hysteria of Thanksgiving, stowing myself away in some corner and writing a few lines to entire scenes. I really hope that this chapter is everything you guys hoped it would be and more. :D
Read and Review!
Chapter 10: Sweet Sixteen
Jackie descended down the staircase, hearing her mother talking to who she assumed was Donna at the door. Her voice of polite disgust tipped her off on that. Her mother was always nice to her red headed friend, but her intentions were more based on tolerance than genuine friendliness.
"Jackie," her mother called to her when she reached the bottom of the staircase just in sight of the hallway leading to the front door, "There's some poor boy here to take you to the dance."
Jackie gripped onto the banister. She wasn't expecting that kind of introduction. Her mother always had to make a comment about Donna being a little manly, but she never went as far as to call her a boy. And not only that, the Pinciottis were far from poor. Jackie walked to the hallway and met her mother halfway who was holding her nose in the air defensively.
"Jackie," she barked sternly, "Why didn't you tell me your date was so," Pam straightened her sweater, her face turned up as if a rat just ran by, "so lower middle class?"
Jackie folded her arms, staring up at the tall blonde completely confused, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Pam rolled her eyes and looked her daughter up and down. "Well," she scoffed, "I'll give you one thing. At least you two match."
Jackie watched her mother head into the den to the Burkhart bar. She shook her head and turned around to face the front door.
Jackie's heart nearly leaped out of her chest when she turned to the sight of Steven Hyde leaning against her doorframe. Time stood still as Jackie soaked in his image, trying to convince herself that she was dreaming this perfect moment. He wore black slacks and a dark purple button down shirt. He had his dark blue jacket from the night before which looked like it had been washed and his dark, amber aviators on which looked smokier than usual under the light of her front porch. Even though she couldn't see his eyes, Jackie could feel him looking at her too, and she had never felt so exposed in her entire life. Even last night, when hundreds of eyes were on her after she had fallen, she didn't feel this naked and bare. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest, it sounded like a hummingbird flapping its wings in mid flight.
Hyde usually always had something witty and sarcastic to say at a drop of a hat. Nobody intimidated him or shook him so deeply that he was at a loss for words. It was the only way he could be with the life he grew up with. But all that changed when Jackie entered the hallway. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His throat dried up as soon as their eyes met, and his mind drew a complete blank. His eyes trailed down her dark curls that hung loosely over her shoulders. Her body was sleek and slender, and the dress she was wearing helped enhance the curves she had by pushing and hugging in all the right places. For a split second, Hyde felt like turning around and heading back to the El Camino. This young woman standing in the dimly lit hallway was too good for him. Her house was too big, her mother was too rich, and she was too classy for anything he was worth having. She looked liked she should belong on the arm of some future CEO, not being accompanied by some burn out that isn't going anywhere with his life to homecoming.
Hyde felt the itch in his thighs, tempting him to leave her standing there, but something kept him at bay. He looked up at her face and saw those pouty lips that were usually used to yell out football cheers or gossip with cheerleaders, hanging open in shock. Her sparkling eyes quivered in fear and excitement. He then remembered the note. She wanted him, and by the looks of it now, that fact hadn't changed.
The exciting tingle surging through Jackie's arms and legs shook her back into focus. Here she was, checking Hyde out and standing there like a complete idiot without saying anything. Her feet braved themselves to bring her a little closer to him as she tried to think of something perfect to say to keep the magic going.
"Uh… Hi." She said, feeling her voice shake slightly in her throat.
"Hi." Hyde replied, smiling at how nervous she was.
"Um…" Jackie shook her head and nervously laughed, "I'm really sorry. I just… well, I guess I wasn't exactly expecting you."
Hyde carefully watched as she tried her best to be cool without seeming too flustered. Inside he chuckled at how miserably she was failing. It wasn't a bad thing though. It was actually really charming.
"Yeah, well, it looks like Forman actually decided to man up and ask Donna out. She said she'd only go with him if he brought someone along to keep you company. So… uh… here I am, rescuing you from the clutches of Kelso."
Jackie bit her lip and shyly smiled up at him. "Well, thank you. That was very… uh… considerate."
The two looked down at their feet, both trying to figure out what to do from here, forgetting that the answer was sitting in Jackie's driveway.
"Well, I guess we should get going." Hyde began, shoving his hands in his pockets and taking a step back. "Don't want to be late."
Jackie nodded her head and followed him onto her porch. They walked side by side down the steps and onto her front lawn. It suddenly hit Jackie that she was on a date with Steven Hyde, the guy that had been dominating her fantasies for months. She had been dreaming of this moment for so long and it was finally happening. It was as if the uncaring, unjust universe finally found its heart and was making up for all the horrible things she had to go through on what was supposed to be one of the best days of her life.
Jackie looked over at Hyde as he opened the passenger door for her. Maybe things weren't being made up for her. Maybe Fate was just a day late.
Once Hyde closed the door, Jackie breathed out a long needed sigh of relief, trying her best to relieve the pressure pushing down on her heart, deep in her chest. She looked around at her surroundings, internally squealing at the black leather bench seat and the shiny dashboard. She was actually in Steven Hyde's car, going to the dance with him. Jackie pinched herself to make sure once more that she wasn't really dreaming.
Hyde got into the driver's seat, peering over at the tiny pixie sitting to his right. He noticed that now, underneath the moonlight just how soft and supple she looked. He covertly watched her chest slowly rise and fall as she sighed, her pert breasts slightly swelling as she inhaled. God damn, he thought to himself, she is hot.
Hyde stuck the key in the ignition, and felt the roaring of power beneath him as he started the car. The tumbling vibrations jolted Jackie's senses, causing tingling sensations to run up and down her spine. She turned her head to Hyde who was concentrating on backing out of her semi-circle driveway and realized how sexy he looked in the black, powerful muscle car. For the first time since she walked up to him in her doorway, she noticed just how good he smelled. A mix of aftershave and soap tickled her nose, teasing her to come a little closer. Jackie quickly turned her head before Hyde turned back around facing straight again, and she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, trying her best to keep composure.
Once they were out of the neighborhood, Jackie felt the dying urge to say something. She had so many questions for him but didn't know where to begin. One thing that had been bugging her since she got in the car was where did Marie fit into all of this. Jackie racked her brain, trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject. Instead she decided to cop out and said the first thing that popped into her mind.
"I'm really sorry if my mom was being bitchy to you. She isn't really open to different kinds of people." Jackie explained.
"You mean poor, lazy burnouts." Hyde corrected.
"I didn't mean it like that…" Jackie said, panicking that she had upset him.
"It's okay, man." Hyde laughed. "I take it as a compliment."
Jackie grinned, slightly confused as to why anyone would take that as a compliment; however, her confusion excited her even more.
"So," Hyde coughed and cleared his throat. "Are you going to get in trouble for going to this thing with me?"
Jackie shook her head, "No, and even if she doesn't like it, I don't care what she thinks."
Hyde grinned, thinking to himself that maybe this square cheerleader had a little bit of a badass in her after all.
"So," Jackie finally chirped, clapping her hands together and getting the courage to ask the question that she wanted, "Is your girlfriend going to be upset that you're taking me to the dance?"
Hyde turned a corner, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders. "No, I don't have a girlfriend."
Jackie sat back in her seat, puzzled by what he meant. "Oh, well, I thought that you and…"
"We broke up this morning," he interrupted her.
Jackie felt the corners of her mouth tug into a smile.
"What about you?" Hyde asked, surprising Jackie.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're a cheerleader, right?" Hyde took his eyes off the road to look directly at her as he asked. "Shouldn't you have had plenty of guys lined up to go to this thing with you?"
Jackie shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to reveal the whole truth about her reasons. "Most of the guys at our school are morons. I didn't want to go with them."
Hyde nodded his head as a reply, silently wondering to himself if there was a hidden message in her response.
Hyde parked his car near the back of the parking lot out of habit. He looked at all the people getting out of their cars dressed in frilly dresses and tuxes, walking towards the gym. The doorway was draped in green and white streamers, and Hyde could see the glittering of a disco ball from inside. Everything about the scene he saw disgusted him.
He looked beside him at Jackie who was also looking at all the people and the gym. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight, and her glossy lips smiled brightly. Well, at least she was excited.
They both got out of the El Camino together; Jackie sliding over the bench seat to get out of Hyde's door. Hyde held out his hand for her to grab a hold to, watching with amusement as she scrambled to get over. Jackie placed her tiny hand into his, feeling the glow of his body heat spread up her arm. She could feel her cheeks burn hotly from his touch, and she had never been happier to be in a dark place where people couldn't see her very well. She stood up, balancing gracefully on her heels. Hyde hadn't stepped back yet on purpose, slightly wondering what she would do at their closeness. Jackie looked up and found herself in close proximity with his chest, feeling so tiny next to him. Hyde looked down at her, a waft of strawberry washing over him, reminding him of the night before when curiosity brought him in this similar situation. Jackie looked up into his eyes, forgetting about her hand that was still held in his, and for a moment she wished that he wasn't wearing those sunglasses that made him so mysterious and sexy.
Giggles from the car in front of them caused both Jackie and Hyde to quickly break apart and notice two couples staring at them and whispering. It first became very evident to the both of them just how silly they must have looked showing up to this thing together. Hyde stared down the four walking by, causing them to stop giggling and look ahead at the gym. He noticed flowery bracelets on each of the girls' arms. Damn, he knew he forgot something that Mrs. Forman was rambling on about.
"Sorry I didn't get you one of those flower things." He said gruffly to Jackie who was straightening out her dress.
"You mean a corsage? Don't worry about it," Jackie waved her hand. "I don't need one of those considering I'm the prettiest girl here anyways."
Hyde raised an eyebrow up at her. The statement just seemed so conceited in his mind, but he knew that he obviously couldn't argue with her. She was looking great tonight.
The two walked up to the gym side by side, their fingers touching every few seconds while swinging their arms. Once they got to the doorway of the crowded gym, Jackie braved herself to grab Hyde's hand, refusing to look back at him when he curiously peered down at her. When he didn't pull away, her nerves eased a bit, and she felt satisfied with the little risk she took.
Jackie and Hyde soon found Donna and Eric who were saving a table for the four of them. Jackie tried her best to contain her smile when they approached the table, but Donna's own huge grin wasn't helping. Jackie suddenly felt Hyde's hand leave hers and noticed him sitting down at the table to relax. Jackie, however, was about to burst.
"Donna, I need to use the ladies' room." Jackie said, her declarative sentence sounding much more like a demand.
Donna rolled her eyes and followed the brunette to the back of the gym.
"Why do girls always use the bathroom together?" Eric asked, watching the two disappear.
Hyde grunted, "Hell if I know."
Jackie and Donna burst into the girl's bathroom, releasing their giggles as soon as the florescent lighting hit their faces.
"Oh my god!" Jackie smacked Donna on the arm.
"Ow!" Donna rubbed her arm and laughed. "What was that for, you midget?"
"Did you know Steven was coming to get me this whole time?" Jackie shrieked, slapping Donna on the arm again.
"Will you chill out?" Donna yelled, pinching Jackie near her elbow. "And yes," Donna beamed, "I did know."
"Oh my god," Jackie held her hand over her heart and braced herself against the bathroom counter. "Why didn't you tell me? I totally made an idiot of myself when I realized he was at the door."
"Well, I thought it would be better if it was a surprise."
"Yeah," Jackie cooed. "It kind of was. Oh Donna, it was so romantic. Just like when Romeo and Juliet met for the first time."
"Jackie," Donna rolled her eyes and laughed at her kooky best friend. "I doubt it was anything like Romeo and Juliet."
"And how would you know?" Jackie stomped her foot, clearly offended.
"Because I really doubt that Hyde professed his undying love for you right there on your front porch."
"He didn't say the words, Donna, but we shared a connection. That's all that matters." Jackie turned around and started touching up her make up in the mirror.
Donna started combing her fingers through her hair alongside Jackie. After the two girls were done touching up, Jackie turned to her friend and quietly asked, "So did you really tell Eric you wouldn't go with him if he couldn't find someone to go with me?"
Donna smiled, "Yeah. I mean, I know you said it was fine, but I couldn't just leave you, Jackie. These past two days, things have been going really well with me and well… not so much with you."
"Tell me about it." Jackie rolled her eyes.
"Anyways, I saw an opportunity so I took it."
Jackie smiled up at Donna, remembering why they were best friends. She could always count on Donna. She didn't want to imagine a world where she couldn't.
"Thank you, Donna." Jackie wrapped her arms around the red head. "This really means a lot to me."
The girls headed back to the table, where they found their two boys laughing hysterically.
"What's so funny?" Donna asked. She and Jackie looked around them, trying to spot who or what they were laughing at.
"Jake Bradley just spiked the punch, and now Mrs. Feasel is going to town on it." Eric explained. Everyone turned their heads to the snack table, where the school's chemistry teacher was guzzling down half the punch bowl.
"God, Forman," Hyde shook his head. "She can hold her alcohol almost as good as your mom."
"Yeah," Eric raised an eyebrow. "You know, I actually think that my mom plays bridge with her. She always hints that they play drinking games. This could explain why my mom always comes home plastered on Thursday nights."
"So, Eric," Donna spoke up, changing the subject. "Would you like to dance?"
"Sure." Eric stood up and led her off into the crowd of people.
Jackie sat down next to Hyde, getting a good look at the decorations in the gym. The glittering disco ball hanging from the center shined white flecks all around the walls, making Jackie feel like she was in a fish bowl. Streamers and banners hung from the ceiling and lined the walls, and the stage where the live band played was decorated with green and silver, glittery signs and tinsel.
"So are you having a good time?" Hyde leaned over and asked, trying to get her attention.
"Yeah," Jackie smiled and nodded her head. "Are you?"
"It's okay." Hyde shrugged his shoulders. "I hate stuff like this, but I guess it isn't complete torture."
Jackie cocked her head and flirtatiously smiled at him, "Well if you hate this stuff, why did you come?"
Hyde looked back at Jackie, starting to see the nervous, shy girl he had met earlier starting to disappear. She was pushing him to admit something that he just wasn't ready to let on yet, and he wasn't going to allow her to out zen him.
"Do you want to dance?" Hyde asked, figuring that would get her to forget about interrogating him about his intentions.
Jackie nodded her head, elated by the sly smile on Hyde's face as soon as he changed the subject to avoid her question. That was answer enough… for now.
Hyde led Jackie onto the floor, holding her hand tightly as they weaved in between dancing couples. The y could both feel their classmates' eyes staring at them in utter confusion. Jackie noticed the angry sneer on Hyde's face as some jocks nearby laughed at them and began talking in hushed voices, still looking in their direction. She was so busy looking at all the eyebrow knitting glances they were getting; she didn't notice that Hyde had stopped pulling her until his warm hand slithered around her hip to her lower back. Jackie turned her head to face him, placing her hand on his shoulder and meeting his other hand which was waiting for her to grab. Jackie had never felt so many sensations tingling through her body at once. They were much closer now than at the car. She could feel the heat radiating off him as her own body temperature began to rise. She could hear his light breathing and could see the stubble beneath his skin on his cheeks. She felt so warm and safe in his strong arms. The judgmental peers around them slowly faded into the background and didn't even matter anymore.
Hyde was ready to punch someone as he walked through the crowd of people. He hated people who couldn't mind their own damn business, especially when they butted into his. He already felt like he didn't belong at this dance or with this girl, and these assholes who couldn't keep their eyes in their heads were really trying his patience. But as soon as he turned around and pulled Jackie into his arms, aloofness like he never knew washed over him. His doubts about the dance and even about her melted away, and were replaced by the tickling chills that ran up his spine when her hand grabbed his shoulder. Her small frame felt so fragile in his arms, as if at any moment she could break underneath his touch. Her hips lightly swung to the rhythm of the music, giving him tantalizing thoughts of what would happen if their bodies got just a little bit closer.
As the gym lights dimmed, Jackie had to stop her breath from hitching in her throat. Their closeness was becoming addicting and not satisfying enough, making her want to drown in his arms. She wondered to herself if he could feel the electricity in every place that their bodies touched. A part of her was afraid that she was dreaming of the connection she felt with him. That it could be just some figment of her hopelessly in love imagination. Maybe it was possible that he was forced into this situation by some deranged bet or bribe and was only being nice to her because he had too. Suddenly, the fish bowl became too suffocating to Jackie. The paranoid thoughts and his hot skin were becoming too overwhelming.
"Let's get out of here." She heard herself blurt out.
Hyde stopped dancing and peered down at her suspiciously. "And go where?"
"Anywhere," Jackie shrugged her shoulders. "This dance is kind of lame anyways."
For the first time that night, Jackie noticed a nervous jolt of excitement jump across Hyde's face. She hoped that maybe that was a sign that this date was actually sincere and she was just worrying about nothing. "Um, okay." He nodded his head. "Should we tell Eric and Donna where we're going?"
Jackie looked around the gym and spotted the dancing couple near the outer rim, quietly whispering to each other.
"Nah, they're having a good time. Let's not interrupt them."
Hyde was still confused why Jackie wanted to leave so soon. The dance was actually becoming more than just tolerable for him. But he let her guide him out of the gym and back to his car in the parking lot. He took notice of how natural now his hand felt holding hers. Her slender palm fit in his perfectly, and her long fingers intertwined around his own likes vines.
After driving around for a while, Jackie and Hyde ended up where most teenagers went on a Saturday night… Mt. Hump. He retrieved a blanket from his car and laid it out on the tailgate so they could comfortably sit and just hang out under the stars. The wind had slightly picked up since the early evening, and Hyde noticed chill bumps prickling across Jackie's arms with each breeze.
"Here," he said while peeling his jacket off. "It's chilly out here. Take my jacket."
Jackie smiled and slipped on the coat. "Thank you."
His jacket smelled of him, and it was one of the most warming, comfortable things she had ever worn. To think that just yesterday she was admiring this jacket from afar, and now she was wearing it while sitting on Steven Hyde's truck next to him. Jackie cuddled herself as deep inside the jacket as possible, tugging her hands together within the long sleeves. She thought of how different today was than yesterday, which reminded her of something she needed to say.
"I'm sorry about spilling my drink on you yesterday in the concession stand line," she mentioned, feeling a rosy blush ignite her cheeks.
"It's okay," Hyde nodded his head. "No big deal."
"Well, it was a big deal to me," Jackie shook her head, laughing a little at her openness. "I had like the worst day ever yesterday, and that whole incident really didn't help."
"What was so bad about yesterday?" Hyde curiously asked.
"Everything! I was dropped in front of the entire school, I had Fez following me everywhere, saying really pervy things thinking he could get in my pants, my old nanny felt me up, my mom hit on Timmy the paper boy, and to top it all off, my parents forgot my sixteenth birthday!"
Jackie's breath quickened with her little outburst, leaving her panting once she was done.
"Yesterday was your birthday?" Hyde asked.
"Yeah." Jackie nodded her head.
"Well Happy Birthday."
Jackie smiled up at him and then hid her face, feeling a little silly about getting upset. The whole time she was ranting, Hyde had been just looking at her, a slight grin on his face as he watched her animatedly retell her whole day to him. There was such fire and spunk to her, but he could tell by the drop of her voice, that the thing that hurt the worst was her parents not remembering her birthday.
"You know, my parents forgot some of my birthdays." Hyde said, folding his hands together. He watched carefully as Jackie looked at him, bewildered by his admission.
"Did they forget your sixteenth?"
"No," Hyde thought back, "actually on that one my mom asked me, 'Hey, aren't you sixteen today?' and then she proceeded to tell me that I was still never allowed to drive her car."
Both of them started laughing and Jackie felt a little better about her own situation after getting a glimpse of Hyde's.
"My mom basically stressed about Homecoming, invited the Lincoln dealer over for some "cocktails"," Jackie quoted with her fingers, "and then passed out in her bedroom after guzzling down a bottle of wine."
"Wanna hear something sick?" Hyde playfully asked.
"Sure."
"My mom had "cocktails" with the same Lincoln dealer just last year."
"Ew!" Jackie exclaimed, but it was muffled by her loud and infectious laughter that had the two on the verge of tears from laughing so hard.
Once their laughter died down, Jackie turned to Hyde and said, "You know, I've never really bonded with someone about my mom being a whore before."
"Yep," Hyde adjusted his sunglasses. "This is a first for me too."
Jackie looked up at Hyde and found him looking back at her. Her eyes moved down to his lips and she felt the urge to lean forward and kiss him. She subconsciously licked her lips, moistening them since her lip gloss had worn off quite a while ago. Hyde noticed the want in her eyes and slowly leaned forward to succumb to the need both of them were feeling. Jackie felt the Earth stop spinning and the cold evaporated from her skin, being replaced by the warmth of her racing heart and awaiting nerves. His lips touched hers first, softly grazing against each other until he applied a little pressure and planted a kiss. Jackie kissed back, holding their position for as long as she could, savoring every flutter of her beating heart. As soon as she pulled away a little, she missed the feeling of his lips against hers so much, she leaned in again a little more forcefully, kissing him for a second time. Hyde immediately responded, placing his hand against her jaw line and neck, pivoting her head to the side slightly so he could get better access. They peppered series of open mouth kisses on one another, until finally Hyde coaxed her to open her mouth wider, allowing him to kiss her deeper, his tongue sliding against hers.
Neither was sure how long they were tangled in each other like that, but once they pulled away for some air, their cheeks were flushed and their fingers were aching to explore.
"Wow," Jackie panted, her body shivering from the intensity of the kiss.
"Yeah, I'm a good kisser," Hyde said, smugly grinning down at her, squeezing her hand in hope that she understood he thought she was too.
Jackie scooted her body over and rested her head on Hyde's shoulder. She looked up at the stars that were suspended in the night sky like tiny diamonds in a sea of black velvet. She saw one of the diamonds shoot across the sky, disappearing within a second. She had never seen a shooting star before.
"You know," Jackie felt Hyde's deep voice rumble. "They say you're supposed to make a wish when you see one of those."
"I don't need to," Jackie replied dreamily.
Hyde curiously looked down at her, "Why not?"
Jackie looked up into his eyes and sincerely answered, "My wish already came true."
Without blinking, Hyde crashed his lips onto hers again, silencing this strange and beautiful girl from saying anymore. Her words excited and frightened him all at once, and for just a second, he was afraid that those eyes he just noticed were two different colors could see straight through him. As risky as she was shaping up to be, Hyde was certain that this tiny pixie that wrote in a sex survey to her friend that she wanted him was more than just a girl who had a crush. She actually felt something for him, and damn it, he sure as hell felt something too.
AN2:Man, I'm really going to miss this story. It was totally different from anything I have ever written before, mostly because it forced me to work comically with all of the characters, instead of just Jackie and Hyde. I really hope that this whole crossover idea has been a success.
As far as other stories go, I have a few ideas for one shots, one in particular that will probably happen soon and one idea for a chapter story. Most likely though, I won't start on any of those ideas until after finals, which is in about 3 weeks from now. But, over the long Christmas break, I can guarantee that you guys will see something coming from me. :)
And remember, reviewing makes me smile.