ＨＥＬＰ！

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔰

♜

James's hands grip my waist as I make out with him, straddling him the driver's seat of his car.

"Katya," he mutters in between kisses, "we really have to go."

I pull away and lean my forehead against his with a devilish grin. "Do we, though?"

"We do. My friends are expecting me. And you know I like doing this with you but we made a promise."

Sighing, I climb off of him and straighten myself out. "Why do you always have to be right?"

We approach the host of the party's house and step inside. It's a glamorous building, and it reminds me of Volkov Manor. Although I have spent much of my time in New York up in the penthouse, I've occasionally stayed at our mansion.

Upon meeting my boyfriend's group, I realize that they each remind me of someone from the gang. Like Kyle, who is the host, reminds me of Hyde, although more in personality than in circumstance. Angeline resembles Jackie in my mind, as she seems to be more materialistic. Lisa is almost the spitting image of Donna, and David seems like a mix between Fez and Kelso. I suppose that would make James be Eric, but he's his own person to me.

"So this is the pretty little thing you won't stop talking about?" Kyle smirks as he looks me up and down.

I raise an eyebrow at James. "I'm flattered."

He blushes, almost unnoticeably, and shrugs. "You're easy to talk about."

"Oh my god, he is so in love with you," Lisa chuckles. "Every day, it's Anastasia this, Anastasia that. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just cute."

My heart races. Does he love me? He can't. I conceal my thoughts with a smile. "Well, I'm glad that he cares so much."

"Alright, lovebirds, who's up for some beer?" Kyle offers.

I eagerly accept.

♜

My boyfriend and I return to his car, hand in hand. I've enjoyed my time at Kyle's but I can't help but feel slightly uncomfortable and out of place. I guess that's what James must feel like sometimes in Eric's basement, but if it makes him happy for me to be with him, I'll do what he asks.

"Did you have fun?" I inquire softly, my brain slightly fuzzy with alcohol.

"Yeah, I did," he smiles.

"I'm glad."

"What about you?"

"It was great."

"But?"

"But nothing."

He opens the door for me and I climb into the car. "Katya, don't lie to me. If you didn't like it, it's okay. You can be honest."

"Sorry. I just felt a little tired, that's all."

He glances warily at me from the corner of his eye but dismisses it, not wanting to push me when my brain is in an altered state.

"You know I appreciate everything you do for me, right?" he mumbles, weaving his fingers through mine.

"Likewise."

He takes my other hand and turns me so that I'm facing him. "Anastasia..."

"What is it, Jamie?"

"I love you."

I tense up, my eyes widening. I tell myself to pull away, but I'm frozen in place. This is exactly what I feared would happen. I felt this way earlier today and I still feel this way now. He cannot love me.

As I try to think of something to say, my muscles take over and I utter, "Oh."

I watch as a flash of hurt crosses his face. Shit. Take it back. Take it back! My lips refuse to move.

He retracts his hands and starts driving. "Sorry."

"No, Jamie, you didn't do anything wrong-"

"It's alright. I probably said it a little too soon."

"James-"

"It's fine, Ana. Don't worry about it," he finalizes.

I bite my lip, turning my head to stare out the window. Idiot.

He drops me off at Eric's, and I give him a kiss before he drives away. I'm not as worried about him being angry with me as I am about him blaming himself. He hasn't done anything wrong and I don't want him feeling bad for no reason.

Luckily, the party had been quite early, so when I peek into the driveway, Hyde and Fez are sitting there to distract me.

"Do you think that when girls have sleepovers, sometimes they play games and giggle, and then once in a while, they start to make out together in a big naked heap?" I hear Fez query. He looks up and notices me. "Oh, Anastasia, please answer my question."

"Nah, man, she only has sleepovers with naked guys," Hyde taunts.

I narrow my eyes at him and turn to the other boy, sitting down on the fence. "It depends on how drunk they are."

Their faces light up. "Really?"

I shrug. "And if they're attracted to other girls or not, but sure."

"Nice."

Jackie scuttles over, clearing her throat. "May I have your attention, please? I would like to introduce you all to the new Michael Kelso!"

The boy in question jogs to us. Nothing has changed about him other than the fact that he now sports a leather jacket that makes him look slightly like Fonzie.

"So, what do you think?" he beams. "Jackie says it makes me look like Marlo Brando in The Wild Ones. Yeah, I'm so Brando."

"Sure, if Brando had a buddy named Potsie," Hyde chortles.

"What are you even saying?"

"Well, let's just say... 'Ayy!'"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, give him a break, he still looks cute."

"Thank you, Anastasia," the boy huffs. "But, Jackie, did you dress me up like The Fonz?"

"No, Michael, I did not!" she reassures. "Although I mean, I like The Fonz, I think he's kind of-"

"Fez! Fonz? Yes or no?"

"Well, you know me, Kelso, I just want you to be happy," his friend smiles.

"Thank you, Fez."

"Now, if I could just have a moment of your time. Okay, a gang of toughs has taken over Arnold's. Help us, Fonzie, you're our only hope!"

"I can't believe you guys," he scoffs. "Here I am, as Brando as can be, and you guys can't even see that! Well, you can both just-"

"Sit on it?" Hyde mocks.

"Get bent!"

I watch as he and Jackie storm off.

"So, what's up with you today, Princess?" Hyde nods. "How's it going with James?"

"Great," I snap.

He cocks his head to the side. "Are you sure? You seem awful tense."

"I'm sure."

"Circle?"

"Let's go."

A few minutes later the guys and I sit around the table in the basement.

"Brave of you to come back, Kelso," Fez commends.

"Yeah, well, I brought pizza," Michael grins. "And it's only for the friends that don't make fun of me. Here you go, Ana."

I smile gratefully, snatching the slice and biting into it. Hyde, whose lap is claimed by me, reaches for my slice, but I smack his hand away. "You heard him. Only those who don't make fun."

"Fine," he grumbles. "Man, I've got a thousand insults, but I'm not going to give them up for- is that sausage? You brilliant bastard!" He grabs a piece from the box and devours it. I lean away, attempting to keep my hair free of tomato sauce.

"Guys, let me ask you something," Eric frowns. "Donna told me she loves me, and I told her 'I love cake.' That's not bad, is it?"

I gasp. "The same thing happened to me today! James told me he loved me and I just said 'Oh!' I think it's bad."

The rest of the guys stare at us in silence.

"I don't know what happened, it just popped out!" Eric sputters.

"Me too," I sigh, leaning back against Steven's chest.

"I don't remember ever wanting to talk about cake! I wasn't really that hungry!"

"Cake is good," Fez nods, "but you cannot have sex with cake. Of course, you cannot have sex with Donna, either, but..."

"Burn!" I giggle.

"You should've just lied and told her you loved her," Kelso says obliviously. "'I love you, man.' See? And I don't love you!"

"He does love her, you dope! Right?"

"Well, if I admit it, are you guys going to make fun of me?" Eric asks warily.

"Oh, Eric," Fez sighs. "Love is not a joke. This is a joke: Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" Kelso replies. "Look, if you really do love her, there's only one thing to do, man. You have to dump her and live free!"

"Don't listen to him, man, he's stupid!" Hyde snorts. "She said it, so now you've got to say it. She'll say it back, and then everything will be okay. Oh, and get her pizza, because right now, I kind of love Kelso."

"Yeah, I can do that," Forman nods. "I'll just say it, and I'll be back on top again. Alright."

"I can't do that, though!" I hiss.

"Why not?" Hyde grunts from behind me, knitting his eyebrows together.

"I, um... Nevermind."

"So where was I when Fonzie moved in?" Eric simpers. As Kelso takes the piece of pizza out of his hand, he yells, "Hey, give that backamundo!"

After we finish the pizza off and sober up, the boys go to play basketball while I lounge on the couch and watch cartoons on the TV.

"Princess."

I face the door, which is being closed by one sweaty Hyde.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the driveway with the guys?"

"Ah, I excused myself," he waves off. "Come on."

I raise my eyebrows. "Where?"

"To my room."

"Steven-"

"No, not for that! Just- You need someone to talk to."

"No, I don't," I deny snidely.

"Yes, you do. Now come on."

I somewhat reluctantly follow him into the back room and sit down on his cot.

"So," he sighs, plopping down next to me. "Why can't you tell your boyfriend that you love him?"

I chuckle dryly. "Is Steven Hyde giving me love advice?"

"Shut up. I'm one of the only people you're comfortable talking to."

"Who said I'm comfortable talking to you?"

He smirks. "I can read you like the cover of a Playboy, doll."

"You don't read the Playboys. You look at the pictures."

"Well, if you want me to look at you like the pictures on a Playboy, I can do that too."

He dodges my hand as I attempt to hit him.

"Seriously, though. What's up?"

I scan his face for any signs of evil intentions, but I find none. I stare at my hands as I play with the wolf ring on my finger. "I don't want him to love me."

"Why? Isn't that, like, the whole point of a relationship?"

"I don't know. I guess."

"What do you mean, you 'guess'?"

I bite my lip. "I've never been in one before."

"But haven't you-"

"I've been with guys, just not romantically. And I'm scared that if he loves me, I'll fuck something up and hurt him."

"I guess that's how you know you love him."

I turn my head to face him, only to find him staring directly at me. My forehead wrinkles in confusion. "What?"

"You love him to the point where you're afraid you'll hurt him. So tell him you love him. Getting hurt is part of loving, Anastasia. If you can't stay with each other through that, it's not meant to be."

My eyes soften. "Steven, that was beautiful."

He tears his gaze away from me and stares at an empty box of beers instead. "Whatever."

I smile slightly. "Thanks for the advice, even if you're too stubborn to admit that it was good." I stand and kiss his cheek.

"Bye."

♜

I curse under my breath as a tree branch snags on my leg. I knock on my boyfriend's window.

He squints through the darkness and turns his lamp on. "Katya?" He rushes over in nothing but his boxers and slides the window open. "What are you doing here?"

I climb in and immediately grab his shoulders, pecking him on the lips.

"What's going on?" he whispers.

"I love you."

His lips quirk up. "I love you, too."

"I'm sorry."

He kisses me. "Don't be. Do you want to stay?"

I smile. "Of course."

We spend that night talking until we're too tired to speak. Once we're settled under the covers with him spooning me, of course, we're able to sleep. What scares me is that, as I drift off, I'm not thinking about him. I'm thinking about Hyde.

♜

I WANTED TO PUT "I'M THINKING ABOUT MY CONVERSATION WITH HYDE" BUT IT ISN'T AS GOOD AS AN ENDING SENTENCE SO SHE DO BE THINKIN' ABOUT HIM

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

Love you guys,

Lissy