ＴＨＩＳ ＢＯＹ

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔰

♜

I jolt awake to a tapping on my window and groggily pull back the covers, expecting to see James there for another late-night cuddle session. I'm taken aback when I spot Hyde hanging onto a tree branch.

I slide the window open. "What the hell are you doing? It's three in the morning."

"Sneaking in," he whispers, climbing into the room and taking his shoes off.

"Why are you sneaking in?"

"So I don't wake your folks- oh, wait, you don't have those," he grins.

"Did you seriously come up here just to burn me?" I scoff, putting my hands on my hips.

"No. I came because I was bored." He pauses. "Is that my shirt?"

I glance down at the slightly oversized Alice Cooper tee that I sport and lay down onto my bed. "Yeah. I'm having deja vu. We've had this conversation already. And I told you it isn't a big deal."

He sits next to me as I fiddle with my nails. I spot him glancing at me from the corner of his eye and I smirk to myself.

"Whatever, man," he sighs nonchalantly. "Hey, Donna snuck into Forman's room not too long ago."

"She gave you inspiration?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I think he's gonna get laid tonight. It would be great if that's how tonight ended for me, too," he winks.

I roll my eyes, propping myself up on my elbows. "You have to stop flirting with me."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself, Princess."

"I'm serious! I'm not like that anymore."

"You're easy to flirt with."

I scoff. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he shrugs. "Just that you almost always flirt back."

"I do not!"

He turns to me with a shit-eating grin. "It's in your nature, doll. Sorry."

"I guess it's in your nature to be a huge dick, too?"

"Oh, definitely."

I look to the side, laughing quietly. When I return my gaze to Hyde, he's staring at me intently. "What are you ogling at?" I chuckle.

He clears his throat but doesn't move. "Nothing."

I subconsciously bite my lip, a coy grin appearing on my lips. "The shirt turns you on, doesn't it?"

He turns his body to face me. "Well, you look pretty hot in it."

I smirk. "Thanks."

All thoughts flood from my mind as I watch him cautiously scoot closer so that he's hovering over me. His hand grazes my thigh while he dips his head down and brushes his nose against mine. I'm about to do something rash when I realize, Hey, asswipe, you have a boyfriend!

In one swift motion, I push him off of me and press myself to the headboard of my bed. He seems to snap out of it as well, immediately apologizing.

"It's fine," I mumble. "Just go."

He doesn't hesitate in escaping through the open window. Fuck.

♜

For the next few days, all I feel is guilt. Even when James and I have sex for the first time together, I can't get the nagging emotion out of my mind. I shouldn't feel like this. I did nothing wrong. I stopped it, for God's sakes! But I can't seem to shake the feeling that maybe I didn't want to stop it.

Steven and I have been avoiding being alone recently, and I think he's just as shaken up as I am, but due to our profound prowess in lying, no one has noticed anything unusual.

I skim over my report card with Donna, Eric, and Hyde in the parking lot of Point Place High. All "A"s,  as expected. I don't care much about school, but I show up most of the time and get good grades nevertheless.

"Hey, check it out, I got an 'F' on my report card," Donna announces.

"An 'F'?" Eric frowns. "What did you fail?"

"English."

"Isn't that what we speak?"

"Hey, I got a 'B' in Spanish!" Hyde states happily. "When did I start taking Spanish?"

Donna lights a cig and smokes it.

"Woah," Eric says in surprise. "Donna, that's a cigarette."

"Even worse, it's a menthol," Hyde adds. "You're going to get suspended, little lady."

"When did you start smoking?"

"What? You just saw me light it," she scoffs.

"Donna, come on. You know smoking causes cancer."

"Yeah, but it makes me look cool, so it's a fair trade. Hold this?" She hands him the stick.

I frown. "Is everything okay? You don't seem like yourself."

"Whatever."

"God, you sound like Hyde."

"You're right, Princess," the boy behind me agrees. "And only I'm allowed to sound like Hyde. Oh, jeez, Forman, hold it like a man, would you?"

"Shut up!" Eric snaps. "Wow, Donna, first you fail English and now you're smoking? What are you doing?"

"Smoking. Failing," she shrugs.

A teacher bursts through the door. "Hey, Forman," he saunters. "Smoking on school property?"

"That's not his, that's mine," Donna says quickly.

"No, it's, uh... It's mine," Eric takes a drag. "Yeah. Yum, menthol."

"Eric, quit it!"

"Okay, let's go, Forman," the teacher sneers, taking him by the hand and leading him into the building.

"Dios mio," Hyde sighs, picking the cig up and sticking it in his mouth. "No es bueno."

"Durak," I agree.

Once he's let back out, he takes us to the hub along with Kelso.

"Forman's first suspension," Hyde smiles as he munches on a french fry. "I'm so proud!"

"No, back up," Kelso mutters. "Why did he get suspended?"

"Because he's stupid," Donna snarls.

"They can do that?"

"No. He told them it was his cigarette, and that's stupid."

"Please, Donna, stop," Eric says sarcastically. "Don't fall over yourself thanking me."

"I didn't need your help!"

"Yeah, Forman, I think she wants to get in trouble," Hyde sips on his soda. "It's her little cry for help. We hear you, Donna. And we love you."

"Get bent. You guys are jerks." She storms out.

"Why am I a jerk?" Kelso protests. "I don't even know what's going on!"

"I shouldn't have done that," Eric mumbles. "Donna doesn't care and Red's going to kill me."

"Man, having a chick is about sacrifice. Jackie wants to decorate my van with girly stuff, so I told her she could have one stuffed animal. In the glove box. See? Sacrifice."

"Mike?" I smile.

"Yeah?"

"You know how you can put your whole fist in your mouth?"

"Yeah!"

"Do that right now, please."

"Man, why is everyone so crabby?"

Fez and Jackie strut in, lugging a large yellow suitcase with them. "What's in the suitcase?"

"Stuffed animals," Jackie says pridefully.

Michael frowns. "But-"

"I know we agreed on one, but I got to thinking, and I want them all."

"But- oh, fine."

"Oh, ease up on her Kelso," Hyde teases.

Eric pops a french fry into his mouth. "Yeah, sacrifice is hard."

He slams his soda on the table and walks away, grumbling as I snatch the drink.

"So, my host parents have set me up on a blind date, and she has a friend for you, Hyde," Fez announces while sitting down.

Steven glances at me from behind his aviators and I give him a look that I hope gives off "Let's move on" vibes. He grins at his friend. "Finally, somebody to love."

"Queen is proud," I chide.

"Queen is overrated."

"Everything I like is overrated."

"I'm not."

I roll my eyes, but his comment doesn't piss me off. In fact, I'm pleased that we're teasing each other as we normally do.

"And the best part is, they aren't even blind!" Fez beams.

I'm the only one who laughs.

♜

The next day, I'm baking (regular) brownies in my kitchen when a knock comes on my door. I look up. "Come in."

Hyde closes the door behind him. "Today's Red's birthday and I've got to get him a present. Where do you keep your booze?"

"Second cabinet to the left of the oven."

"Thanks." He peeks in. "Woah, that's a lot."

"Fake IDs are so useful, aren't they?"

"Yeah," he grins. "Do you think he would want blueberry brandy or peach schnapps?"

"Go for the schnapps."

"You're right. And the other one is for me."

I smile as he tucks a bottle into his pocket.

"Do you have bows or something?"

I raise an eyebrow. "No, I do not have bows."

"Alright. Let's go to Donna's, then."

I take my last tray of brownies out of the oven to cool and follow him out at a leisurely pace. "So how did it go with your blind date yesterday?" I tease, nudging him with my shoulder.

"Man, we got along really well. She liked the same bands I liked and had conspiracies about the government. Plus, she was hot. But she said she had to 'study'. What chick with a tattoo studies?"

I chuckle. "Maybe one who wants to get good grades."

"Grades are a joke, man."

"Created by the government to make us feel inferior to others and more susceptible to brainwashing?"

"Exactly."

I shake my head fondly as we open the door to Donna's.

"Hey," she says, looking up from her books.

"Hey. Do you have a gift bow or something? It's Red's birthday."

"Yeah, in one of the lower cabinets."

Midge strides in from the living room. "Oh, I see your father left another message. God, he's an ass!" she scribbles "Ass!" on the whiteboard on the fridge.

"Hello, Mom? I have company," her daughter scorns.

"Oh, I didn't see you two. Isn't Bob an ass?" she storms away.

"Okay, my parents are freaks and I'm sorry you had to see that," Donna apologizes.

"Oh, yeah?" Bob yells as he enters the room, crosses out Midge's word, and writes something underneath it. "Donna, I don't want you reading this!"

"Dad! Hyde and Anastasia are here!"

"Well, he can read it, because he'll appreciate it!"

"This sucks," she says as he walks out.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I frown, taking a seat on one of the yellow chairs.

"No. Did you know that they want to date other people?"

"Your mom's dating?" Hyde asks.

"Yeah."

"So, where am I? Do I have a shot?"

"Oh, could you please date my mom? That would make my life so much better."

"I'll take your dad if it makes you happy," I joke.

"Shut it," she laughs. "But you know what the best part is?"

"Watching your parents split up and know there isn't a damn thing you can do about it," Hyde shrugs.

"Exactly! And you know what else? My mom moved out of their bedroom and into the guest room."

"Yeah, it sucked when my dad split. But I can honestly say that my parents' divorce has made me the man I am today."

"Oh, god, am I going to go crazy an think the government's out to get me, too?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Donna, the government is out to get you."

"You've been brainwashed by Hyde."

"You've been brainwashed by the government!" Steven spits. "Princess, let's go. We don't have time for the ignorance of the public."

I giggle as he grabs my hand and stops by my house so I can pick up a batch of brownies for Red. We rush into the Forman household, albeit a little late, and drop our presents off under the table.

"Oh, you can it, Laurie," Kitty scolds.

"Yeah, can it, Laurie."

"Can it, Eric."

Not knowing what's going on but still wanting to jump in, I pipe, "Yeah, can it, Eric."

"Can it, Ana."

"Can it, Eric!"

Kitty looks down at her daughter. "I thought I told you to can it."

"Yeah, can it, Laurie!"

"Why don't you all can it?" Hyde scoffs.

"Can it!"

Red appears at the bottom of the stairs and we erupt with birthday cheers.

"Come on in, open your presents!" Kitty chimes.

We arrange ourselves on the couches.

"I wonder what's in the big one," Eric snickers nervously.

"Is it a Corvette?" Red says sarcastically. He rips the wrapping paper off. "No, it's, uh, two-by-fours."

"For the roof!"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me."

"Here you go, Red, this will help you forget," Hyde grins, handing Red the peach schnapps. "Happy birthday, man."

"Daddy!" Laurie squeals. "This is for you."

"Well, let's see here," he smiles. "Wow! Seven dollars!"

Kitty laughs dryly, dragging Laurie out by the hand. "If I don't have thirteen dollars on my dresser by tonight, then so help me-"

"The card cost fifty cents!"

"Fine, twelve fifty, and I want a receipt."

"Whatever."

I carefully take the tray of baked goods out from under the table. "I'm sorry it isn't wrapped, but I wanted to get you something anyway. Happy birthday, Red," I smile.

"Oh, thank you, Anastasia. You know I love your brownies," he beams, surprising me with a hug. After his wife glares at him, he adds, "But not as much as Kitty's."

"Okay, well, thank you for the wood, and the brownies and booze," the woman chuckles.

We run off into the basement, where the rest of the gang, bar Donna, is hanging out.

"Man, last night I could hear the Pinciottis fighting from across the street," Eric laments as he grabs a pop.

"I heard them yelling from down the block," I scoff.

"Yeah, it was all, 'You're the devil, Midge!' and, 'Oh, Bob, shut up!'"

"'Oh, Bob, shut up!'" Kelso repeats giddily. "That's classic!"

"Man, if you get any dumber, you'll need a helmet," Hyde sneers. "What a bummer for Donna, huh? I can't believe they're sleeping in separate bedrooms."

"Yeah, I know," Eric sighs. "Wait, I don't know. What are you talking about?"

Fez looks up from his magazine. "Well, well, well. Hyde knows something about Donna that Eric doesn't. This is an interesting development. Let's watch."

"Midge is sleeping in the guest bedroom," I explain.

"Wait, you know about this, too?" Eric frowns. "Did Donna tell you guys that?"

"It's not a big deal, man," Hyde shrugs. "I guess she's just telling me stuff that she's not telling you."

"This is why communication is so important," Jackie chides. "Now, Michael and I always-"

"Uh, excuse me, we're talking about me and Donna," Eric interrupts.

"Oh, hush. No one cares. Now, Michael never keeps secrets from me. Do you, sweetie?"

Her boyfriend looks around, oblivious to her questioning. "Huh? Oh, no! No, never."

"Michael, you hesitated. Why'd you hesitate?"

"No, I didn't hesitate! Did I, Hyde?"

"Yep," the curly-haired boy smirks.

"Anastasia?"

I shrug. "You did."

"Fez?"

"Oh, if you had really loved her, you would not have hesitated."

Jackie gasps, "Conversation, Michael. The van. Now."

"No!" he whines before following her out. "You guys are dead!"

"It's just... why would she tell you guys about her parents and not me, her boyfriend?" Eric complains, stumped.

"Look, Eric," I sigh. "She probably just relates to Hyde and me more since we also have family issues."

"But why can't she talk to me?"

"Because you have the perfect family! Sure you get mad at your dad sometimes, but your parents are happily married and you have a good relationship with them! You don't have to worry about your parents splitting on you."

"But she can still talk to me about it!"

I roll my eyes and stand up. "I'm going to get a helmet for you, too. Is it really that hard to get it through your thick skull that maybe there are other people she trusts?"

"Princess, relax," Hyde warns.

"No!"

"Why are you so mad at me?" Eric yelps.

"I don't know, it's just- you're lucky that she trusts you at all, and sometimes you need to understand that there are going to be people who are better for her situation than you."

"Angry Anastasia is hot," Fez grins.

"Oh, get bent." I march away. Why am I so bitchy? Donna and Eric remind me of me and James. No, our relationship is completely stable. We don't fight as they do. We talk to each other. Maybe not about deep things, like I do with Hyde, but that's normal... right?

We're fine. Yeah. James and I are fine.

♜

Yeah, idk either

I meant to mention this in the Halloween chapter, but I forgot oops - It kinda bothers me that the show takes place from 1976-1979, and there are like eight episodes for each holiday so it seems like they completed a school year and whatnot, but I'm just gonna go with the episodes and try not to put too much of an emphasis on the seasons and months and stuff, just because it'll be simpler that way lol

this way, although it won't make a lot of sense chronologically, I can still include the episodes that i'd like to include even if they don't quite work with the timeline

As always, feedback, comments, and votes are appreciated!

Love you guys,

Lissy