Ａ ＭＵＳＴ ＴＯ ＡＶＯＩＤ

𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔪𝔞𝔫'𝔰 𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔪𝔦𝔱𝔰

♜

I trace the letters on Hyde's shirt with a smirk as I sit across his lap. My position isn't my only choice this time, but no one seems to be complaining.

"Whatever you do, don't wear a turtleneck to school," Jackie says as she examines Eric's hickey. "It's a dead giveaway."

"How about you just don't go to school?" I shrug.

"Are you insane?" he yelps. "Red will kill me!"

"It isn't that hard to bribe the teachers into marking you present."

"I'm not skipping."

"Wuss."

"Whore."

"Straw."

"Straw?"

"Yeah, you're skinny and Donna sucks on you."

Hyde snorts into my shoulder.

"That came out wrong."

"Did you have to tell everyone about the hickey?" Donna says, embarrassed.

"Well, everyone can kind of see it, Vampira," her boyfriend retorts. "Laurie had a field day at breakfast."

"Yeah, I hopped on that dogpile, too," Hyde chortles.

"You sure did, you dillhole."

"Alright, Forman. That was sort of mean. Probably what I should have said is, 'I'm sick of sharing a room with you and all of your disgusting fluids and gases.'"

"Oh, and yours are just dreamy, Hyde."

"I happen to know that I pleasantly smell of pine."

"And weed," I add.

"And weed."

"And cigarettes."

"And cigarettes."

"And you're voluntarily wearing a Rolling Stones shirt."

"And I'm- Hey!"

The smirk returns to my face as I poke his chest gently. I'm stealing that shirt later. A Rolling Stones '75 World Tour shirt. It will be mine. Of course, it's not much of a surprise since it's one of his favorite bands, but he's told me that he refuses to wear Stones merchandise in the name of pledging his allegiance to Zeppelin.

"Excuse me, may I have a hickey, please?" Fez asks as he marches to Donna.

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"Jackie?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"Anastasia?"

"Not today, Fezzie."

"Maybe some other time then. The three of you do things to please your men. Fez is a man. Why do you not please him? Why?"

"Jackie, just give him a hickey," Kelso suggests.

"Okay, I'm going home. My mom wants to model outfits for me," his girlfriend scoffs.

"Me too," Donna sighs. "I've got to go shopping with mine. Suddenly it's really important that we're best friends."

"What happened?" Eric frowns.

"She's been reading."

"Reading. Damn, when will they learn?"

The guys look at me expectantly, as if I'm sure to join them by default because of my gender. "I don't know what you guys are staring at me for. My mom doesn't talk to me."

"Whatever," Michael giggles. "I thought Jackie would never leave."

"What are you doing?" I ask as I try to see what he's fumbling with.

"I need a sexy memento from Laurie. I'm going to commemorate our forbidden love with panties!"

"Mike, this has to stop."

"But she's hot!"

"Ew," Eric grimaces, "Just take your panties and go home. Man, those are my mom's! Come on!"

"Look, man, I'm not telling you how to live your life, but if someone touched my mom's panties..." Hyde scorns.

"Hey, didn't everyone touch your mom's panties?"

"Burn!" Kelso yells. "Man, that was a good burn."

"Okay, Forman," the boy beneath me sighs. "I have a solution to our whole 'You're a pain in my ass and we share a room' thing. You move out."

"Out of my own room?"

"Yep."

"Well, that's just not going to happen."

"Fine, I'll move out, you big baby."

I perk up. "If you need a place to stay-"

"No."

"Are we still friends?" Eric smiles sarcastically.

He looks up at me with an expression of pain on his face but a light of amusement in his eyes. "I need time to heal."

"These are Laurie's right?" Kelso questions, displaying a pair of purple panties.

"What are you going to do with those?" Hyde scoffs.

"Just look at 'em."

"Kelso," Fez speaks up, "Have you ever noticed that Laurie and Eric have the same eyes? So, if you're doing it with Laurie and she's perhaps wearing a hat, it's kind of like you're doing it with Eric, too."

We stare at him in disgust until he leaves.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go organize my G.I. Joes," Eric squeaks.

"I'm going to put these panties in my room!" Kelso beams.

I watch as they scatter away.

"What are you going to do?" I say finally, turning my gaze to Hyde.

"I'm going to kiss you."

I giggle against his lips as he pulls my body flush against his.

"Honestly, though, I have to find a place to put my cot now that I'm moving out of Eric's room."

"You can do that later," I murmur, switching positions so that I'm straddling him.

"Not here," he groans quietly as I nip gently at his jawline.

"My house?"

"Let's go."

♜

"No way," Kelso chuckles, obviously in denial of the fact that his side-chick has cheated on him.

"Yep," Eric sighs. "Laurie and her professor tonguing in the garage like hungry dogs. It was very disgusting."

"Laurie wouldn't just make out with some old guy. She wouldn't do that."

"No, it's true, man," Hyde shrugs. "I was in the upstairs closer trying out my cot, and I saw them. It was like live porno, but not good porno, because he was, like, really, really old. It was like old, bad porno."

"She confessed to me about it," I confirm.

"Michael, why do you care if Laurie kisses her professor?" Jackie ponders unknowingly.

"Yeah, Kelso, why do you care?" Hyde smirks.

"Because it's wrong for an old person to make out with an innocent young student."

"God, you're noble."

"Innocent?" the raven-haired girl sneers. "No offense, Eric, but your sister is as slutty as they come. Sluttier than Anastasia."

"Thanks."

"Uh-huh."

"Eric, are you going to let her say that about your sister?" Kelso gasps.

"Yes."

Hyde gets up in a daze. "Hey, Forman, did you realize that there's a room back here? And it doesn't stink!"

"Perfect, you can sit back there beneath your bare bulb and write angry letters to the government!"

"Oh, don't think I won't."

"Do you see what's beautiful here, people? I finally have something on Laurie! I own her. Oh, yeah, she is so screwed."

"Okay, just be nice!" Kelso says urgently.

The door swings open and in walks Fez, holding his arm out. "Did everyone see Fez's hickey? Somebody loves me."

I bite my lip to stifle a laugh. "Oh, honey, you gave that to yourself, didn't you?"

"Oh, no, I did not. Somebody loves me. There is a lady love. There is!"

"Whatever. I'm going to go check out Hyde's new room."

"Me too," Eric agrees.

I peek into the back room, which is cluttered with various random items. Eric and I take our seats across from Hyde.

"Nice digs, huh?" he says.

"It's perfect," Forman agrees. "This is the room where we put all of the crap we can't throw away. Like you."

"Is it just me, or do your mom and dad like me a whole lot better than they like you?"

"See, I kid, but you hurt."

"Boys, dinner!" Kitty calls from the floor above.

"Alright, man," Hyde smirks. "Are you ready to make Laurie squeal like the family pig?"

"Oh, yes."

"You're going to punk out, aren't you?"

"Well, it is my nature."

"You've always been the runt of the litter. This is your chance to bite the big dog on the ass. So bite it."

"What if I just let her off with a warning?"

"Well, that would be the mature choice," he slaps him, "but not evil."

He thinks it over for what seems to be too long. "Okay. That bitch is dead. Bye, Ana."

I offer a small wave and close the door behind them, scanning the room. It looks unkempt at the moment, but it's an easy fix. For instance, the pipes could be covered up with some sort of cloth to make the setting a little less gruesome. If all of those empty Coca-Cola cases are moved away, there's a perfectly good table... And the dusty storage bins could make for a nice dresser...

Before I know it, I've revamped the entire room. I jump as the door swings open, snapping out of the trance I'm in.

Hyde stands there with his hand on the doorknob, his mouth slightly ajar in surprise. "Wow."

"Sorry, I just kind of... did it," I smile sheepishly.

"No, it's fine. I kind of liked the trashy vibe, but this is better."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm going to go home. G'night." I reach for the handle to the door.

"Wait, Anastasia."

I turn and raise an eyebrow. His shaded eyes scan my face before he cups my cheek and presses a kiss to my forehead. "Goodnight."

♜

I check myself out in my mirror and exhale anxiously. James has called me and asked me out, and tonight is our date.

I know that I shouldn't be nervous, but this is my first real date in months. Not a hook-up, but a date. This is a guy that might actually be interested in more than my body.

My doorbell rings and I grab a small purse, rushing down the stairs. He stands there in a tight-fitting tee with a jacket, jeans, and a lopsided smile.

"Ready to go?" he asks suavely.

"Yep."

We haven't decided where we're going, so we cruise until we find a corner by the Fatso Burger parking lot that is shielded from the view of any passerby. I ease up around him, and eventually, we're laughing over the stupidest things. I feel as if all is well in the world, and nothing can hurt us.

"Should I feel underdressed?" he jokes.

"No!" I chuckle. "If anything, you're better dressed than me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I should have brought a jacket."

"Here." He slips his coat off and places it over my shoulders.

"James, you don't have to-"

"No, it's alright. We'll share heat." He coaxes me onto his lap and holds me close to him. "See? Compromise."

"You are too cute for your own good," I grumble.

"I'm happy to hear that," he chuckles, kissing my cheek. "Anastasia, you're really cool. And I know you kind of have a reputation at school for only... you know..."

"Yeah."

"But I like you, and hopefully we can hang out again sometime."

I turn in his arms. His strong arms that are able and willing to support me. I trust him. I don't think he'll hurt me. And if he does, well, I'm capable of demolishing him.

"I'd love that," I whisper. I pull his face down to mine and kiss him softly.

He smiles against my lips before pulling away and resting his forehead on mine.

"Thank you," I sigh.

He furrows his eyebrows. "For what?"

"For not just desiring my body and nothing else."

"How could I not?"

I roll my eyes and shove him slightly with a grin. "Suck-up."

"You know you love it."

"Maybe I do."

♜

Okay so this is a shorter chapter BUT

♜

(ʏᴏᴜɴɢᴇʀ) ᴘᴀᴜʟ ʀᴜᴅᴅ as ᴊᴀᴍᴇꜱ ᴘᴇʀʀʏ

♜

Yes, we're adding him to the main cast :)

Yes, you may have reason to be scared

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

Love you guys,

Lissy