ＤＯＮ＇Ｔ ＧＯ ＢＲＥＡＫＩＮＧ ＭＹ ＨＥＡＲＴ

𝔢𝔩𝔱𝔬𝔫 𝔧𝔬𝔥𝔫, 𝔨𝔦𝔨𝔦 𝔡𝔢𝔢

♜

I stride into Eric's (and Hyde's) basement, furrowing my eyebrows when I observe the absence of my friends. My confusion deepens when I note that Steven is sitting by the coffee table, eating a sandwich, and studying.

I shut the door behind me guardedly. "What are you doing?"

He looks up from the book and shoots me a charming smile with a twinkle in his eye. "Why, I'm studying for my next math test."

I eye him warily as I take a seat on the couch. "What's up with you?"

His strange demeanor drops. "Man, I failed a test."

"And?"

"And Kitty found out. She told me she was really disappointed, and before I knew it, I told her that I would try harder."

I stifle a laugh. "And how's that going for you?"

"Well, she gave me a cookie."

I shake my head fondly. "Where did everyone else go?"

"To go make out."

"Even Fez?"

"Nah, he went to watch Kelso and Jackie."

I glance at both exits to the basement and smirk at him. "Well, if everyone else is making out, maybe we should do it too."

He moves so that he's sitting next to me and offers a crooked grin. "Sounds good."

He brings a hand behind my head and pulls me in to kiss me. As I play with the hair at the nape of his neck, he gently lowers me onto the couch so that he's slightly above me.

His lips stray to my jawline, then to my neck, to my collarbone, and-

"Steven!"

We leap apart and assume our initial positions.

"So, x is equal to two minus three to the power of n," I blab as Kitty trots down the stairs with another cup of hot cocoa.

I pretend to notice her for the first time and turn, spreading a warm smile onto my face. "Oh, hello, Mrs. Forman. I was just helping Steven study."

She releases a sound that's somewhere between her signature nasal laugh and an "aww". "That is so cute! It's so nice that you two have such a good friendship!"

"It sure is!" Hyde gushes.

"Well, either way, I thought you'd like some cocoa with your sandwich. Oh! I need to get some for you, too, Anastasia! I'll be back!" she scuttles up the stairs.

"How do you do that?" he shudders. "It's like one second you're under me and the next, you're some goody-two-shoes church girl."

"I'm Jewish."

"Fine, mosque girl."

"I think the word you're looking for is 'synagogue'."

He rolls his eyes. "Oh, whatever." After a brief moment of silence, his face lights up. "Hey, do you think you could help me out with something?"

I bite my lip. "Depends. What is it?"

"Okay, so I have this plan, right?" he mutters, gesturing with his hands. "Basically, I'm going to suck up to Red and Kitty so that they prefer me over Forman even though I'm more of a screw-up and Forman will get in trouble way more."

"Why is that a good plan?"

"Because watching your friends suffer is funny."

My lips quirk up at the sides. "I'll help you."

He hisses out a "Yes!". After Kitty brings me my cocoa and I drink it in record speed, despite the heat, we scramble into the garage. We spend the next few hours cleaning it and discussing our oh-so-evil plans. Even when Kelso, Fez, and Eric arrive and ask to play basketball, we don't halt our fixing-up.

"Okay, you're done cleaning the garage. Let's play some ball!" Michael groans impatiently.

"Hang on, man, I have to take out the trash," Hyde grunts as he lifts the heavy garbage bin.

"You know, seeing you work hard and take pride in what you do... I lost a lot of respect for you, man."

The curly-haired boy leans on my shoulder with his elbow. "She helped too."

"Yeah, but she has boobs."

"You used to be my hero," Fez scolds. "My lazy, American hero."

"Don't listen to 'em, guys," Eric sighs as he saunters over, falling right into our trap. "I think it's great that you're doing all of my chores."

"Woah, Eric! Great job on the garage!" Red compliments as he sweeps by us. As Fez and Kelso give up on the idea of a basketball game and slink away, he approaches the remaining three of us.

"Thanks," Eric nods pridefully.

Hyde looks him right in the eye and smiles at him, but in a threatening sort of way.

Of course, he caves. "Hyde did it."

I raise my eyebrows.

"And Anastasia."

Red pulls his wallet out. "Yeah, well, I should have known.  It's actually clean."

He hands Hyde a bill. "Nice going."

"Thanks, Red."

I politely reject his offer of cash as Eric sticks out his hand expectantly.

"What did you do?" Red sneers.

"I... love you?"

"I love you too." He shakes his extended hand and stalks off.

"Man, I can't believe he didn't give me anything! I'm his son!" Eric scoffs.

"Yeah, and you're also a lazy bum," I scold. "Besides, I'm more surprised he didn't threaten to put his foot up your ass."

♜

Jackie and I share a bag of chips as Donna rants about her family issues. "So my parents are arguing all the time, and they want me to choose sides but I can't because they're both idiots! I don't know, I mean, I really think they're going to get a divorce."

"Oh, Donna, I'm so sorry," I console.

"Me too, but you know what?" Jackie beams. "That very thing happened to a good friend of mine and now she has twice as much stuff and twice as many clothes. And her parents even fought over who got to buy her a car.

The redhead stares at the various posters in mock thought. "You're right, Jackie. This whole divorce thing could work to my advantage! Yeah! I just have to make it very clear that my love is contingent on how much they buy me," she cries out sarcastically.

Not picking the underlying meaning of the words up, Jackie giggles, "Why am I even talking to you about this? You have a great handle on it!"

"Excuse me, um... When exactly did you lose your soul?"

"Cheerleading camp."

"I'm convinced you never had one," I shrug.

"Yeah, that's probably true."

"Either way, they just keep arguing and arguing and arguing!" Donna continues.

"Okay, no offense, Donna," Jackie interrupts, "but all of this talk about your mom and dad fighting is boring me."

I'm about to speak when the taller girl fires back, "Really? Well, talking about your hair was fascinating!"

"Hold it by the thumbhole!" Fez's voice echoes from upstairs.

"What are those idiots doing?" I laugh.

"Something idiotic," Donna proposes. "Let's go find out."

Eric stands on the short wall in the living room with Fez and Hyde flanking him while Kelso holds a bowling ball, egging him on. "Don't be such a baby. We just want to see how high it'll bounce. Nothing bad can happen!"

Eric grasps the ball and Hyde intercepts, "Forman, man, think. You are listening to Kelso. Don't do it."

"Wait, wait, wait," the boy yells. "Now you're telling me what to do?"

"Enough talk! Do it!" Fez pressures.

I purse my lips as Eric drops the ball onto the couch and bounces it directly into the TV screen.

Everyone is silent, and Donna hits me to prevent me from bursting into a fit of giggles right then and there.

"See, I had never even thought of that," Kelso sighs. "Later."

"Thank you."

"See you."

"Bye."

I decide to stick around to witness the inevitable storm coming Eric's way.

"Ah, maybe they won't notice," Hyde says nonchalantly. He grabs my wrist and leads me up the stairs. "Come on, Princess, we don't want you getting hurt, now do we?"

As soon as he pulls me into the room where he's staying, I let out all of the laughter that I could barely keep in, flopping down onto the bed. "Oh, he's so dead," I manage to wheeze out.

He sits next to me. "Are you drunk?"

My burst dies down and I give him a look. "No, I am not drunk. It's just like you said. It's funny to watch your friends suffer."

"That's fair, I guess." He leans back so that he lays next to me.

I stare at the ceiling with wide eyes. "Shit."

"What?"

"What am I going to tell Red when he sees me coming down from here?"

He shimmies so his head is on a pillow and I follow. As he turns me onto my side and wraps his arms around my waist, he says, "You don't have to tell him anything yet."

"Yeah, I guess not," I concur while he buries his face into the crook of my neck.

I don't realize that I have fallen asleep until I wake up to the loud, "Eric, get down here!" that erupts from the first floor of the house.

I drowsily untangle myself from Hyde's arms.

"Finally, you're awake," he scowls. "You drool in your sleep."

"It's not my fault I was comfortable," I mumble as I fix my hair in the vanity mirror.

We accompany each other down the stairs and join the semi-circle that the Formans, barring Laurie, have formed. Watching Eric glare right into the face of danger, I can't help but hope that he doesn't get into too much trouble."

"Why are you here?" Red barks at me.

"I was helping Steven study again," I smile with just the right amount of venom lacing my tone. "He said that he's happy with a C minus but wants to try harder."

"Good. Now," he turns to his son. "What did you do?"

"Well, it took a really weird hop," Eric falters.

"Why would you drop a bowling ball on the couch?"

"Hindsight being-"

"Eric! I don't want to hear any more of your dumbass excuses. This is the most irresponsible, idiotic thing you have ever done!"

"Actually, Red, I did it," Hyde speaks up, to everyone's surprise.

"You?"

"No, Dad," Eric snaps. "Hyde's just covering for me. I did it."

I feel useless just standing there, and I know that Red can't do anything to me. "They're both lying. I did it."

"Guys, stop. Red, it was me."

"No, it was me!"

"Guess what?" Red spits. "I don't care! You're all idiots! And if you have to get a job digging ditches, you are going to buy me a new TV. Now get out of my sight!"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright... sir."

"I could have had a Corvette!" he yells as they bolt away.

I pull my wallet out and hand him a few bills. "Here's the money for your new TV, sir."

"Oh, I know you didn't do it. Take it back," he waves off.

"But-"

"Get out of my sight!"

"Yes, sir!"

♜

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

Love you guys,
Lissy