Tuesday's Gone - Steven Hyde

{10} Ski Trip

Eric, Hyde, Bethany and Fez sat in the Forman basement, all huddled around a map as they planned their route to Jackie's ski cabin for the weekend.

"Alright, guys. This is no sweat. If we leave right after school, we should make it to Jackie's ski cabin by like six o'clock." Eric explained, folding the map back up.

"God, I can't wait, guys. A trip to my favourite place..." Bethany said, excited to escape point place for the weekend.

"Where is that?" Fez asked the girl, clearly confused.

"Anywhere but here." Hyde answered for Bethany, gently guiding her hips to sit on his knee.

Recently, Bethany and Hyde had been spending a lot more time together, alone. Admittedly, a large portion of their time had been spent laughing, stoned out of their minds, not remembering anything they had talked about when they finally sobered up. But Bethany genuinely enjoyed the curly haired boy's company, no matter what they did.

"And I'm betting that Alpine Valley is gonna give the kid... many make-out opportunities with Donna this weekend. The kid is in." Eric told his friends with a smug look on his face.

"What's with the whole "kid" thing?" Hyde asked, unimpressed by his friend.

"Yeah, Eric, it's really starting to get annoying." Bethany added.

Eric suddenly became concerned, looking between his friends and his sister "It's cool. It's not cool?"

"Not cool. Dorky." Fez answered simply just as Kelso came rushing through the basement door smiling widely.

"Guess who made out with Pam Macy behind the gym?" Kelso asked rhetorically, looking very proud of himself.

"Everyone." Hyde replied, causing Bethany to laugh slightly.

"No! Me!" Kelso exclaimed, clearly not understanding the joke.

"Kelso, you're more idiotic than I thought. Sure, Jackie can be annoying but how could you do this to her?" Bethany scoffed at her friend, shocked but completely unsurprised.

"Kelso, a lot of people hang out behind the gym." Eric added, looking at the boy like he was stupid.

"Yeah, that's what's so great about it. Everybody saw it! That's great, man." Kelso replied, still proud of himself.

"Yeah. Because now everybody can tell Jackie, you moron." Hyde tried to explain.

"Then she's gonna dump you and we won't be able to go up to her ski cabin." Eric sighed with disappointment.

"She's never gonna find out." Kelso replied just as Jackie stormed into the basement as if on queue.

"You are a dog, Michael, a dirty, dirty dog!" She shouted, pointing at her boyfriend accusingly.

"What did I do?" Kelso asked, trying to play dumb.

"You kissed Pam Macy." Fez said simply as Kelso shrieked in humiliation, still maintaining his innocence.

"I trusted you, Michael, and now all my friends are laughing at me. I can't even show my face in the third floor bathroom anymore. And that's the cool bathroom." Jackie ranted.

"Jackie's right, the third for bathroom really is the coolest." Bethany interjected in support of the younger girl.

Kelso began to look panicked, realising that his whole 'playing dumb' routine clearly wasn't working "But, I..."

"No, Michael. We're through." Jackie replied simply.

"Okay. If that's the way you want it, we're through. And Monday, when we get back from that ski trip, it's over."