Edge of Seventeen: Steven Hyde/OC

fourteen.

"What did you say?" Give-Back snapped, getting in Eric's face. He had several inches over Ree's brother and he was a jock, which made Ree's heart quicken its pace. Eric was practically a twig compared to these guys.

"I said that you're both morons," Eric repeated, staring them down. "What are you gonna do? You gonna beat me up? What, you weigh 400 pounds together; it doesn't matter! The fact is that the tap is broken and it's your fault! Morons!"

Destroy pushed past his friend and poked Eric in the chest, "You. are. so. rude."

"Give us our 4 bucks back," the other demanded.

Eric grabbed their money from Fez, but before handing it off to the bullies he ripped the bills in half with a smirk. "Familiar?" He asked, slapping the ripped bills into their waiting hands. The jocks stomped off with matching frowns on their faces.

Ree, Donna, Kelso, and Eric all laughed and celebrated, none of them knowing Eric had that in him. Ree found herself wishing she could have stood up to the bullies like her brother had; if he could, why couldn't she?

"But enough of this levity, wench," said Eric, dramatically, before he ran and climbed up the pool ladder with ease. "We came here to have a party," he declared to all the guests, "and, as God as my witness, there will be a party!" The teens all cheered, even Ree joining in with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, he's dead meat," Ree said, shaking her head before taking a seat beside Hyde in the only other lawn chair.

The rest of the gang sat and talked together as everyone waited for Eric's return. Rock music blared from the stereo that sat at the edge of the pool, plugged into several extension cords snaking into the house. Dozens of teens mingled about, dancing and banging their heads to the loud music.

Just as Donna was recounting the story of her 12th birthday party, the one where they'd all played Spin the Bottle, Ree frowned as she saw her ex-boyfriend and her current nemesis climbing down the pool ladder. Who had invited them? The pair made their way over to Fez and paid their four dollars, before going off to mingle with other guests.

Ree's eyebrows furrowed; Everley wasn't coming over to antagonize her? Had the girl finally given up the torment? Maybe Ree's reasoning had finally, finally worked. Ree felt quite proud of herself for solving her problems, and, specifically, solving them without violence or breaking the rules. She soon tuned back into the conversation the rest of the gang was having, laughing along with them and actually having a good time. If only there wasn't a keg sitting beside her, waiting to be opened so everyone could get plastered.

"Remember when Kelso's headgear got caught in Pam Macy's braces?" Donna asked with a laugh.

The rest of the gang snickered, while Kelso let out an indignant squawk. "You guys try makin' out with all that stuff on your head!"

As Ree laughed with the gang again, she felt a few pairs of eyes on her. Shifting in her seat, she saw a few teens whispering to one another, then glancing at her, then whispering again. She furrowed her brows for a moment, before shrugging it off and trying to refocus on her friends. They were probably just talking about the Chris-Closet drama of last week, she shrugged to herself. But then she saw more eyes on her and more whispering, until it felt as if every teen at the party was staring at her.

Feeling her palms beginning to sweat, she hastily rubbed them on her jeans. Leaning in to Donna she murmured, "Is it just me, or are people staring?"

Donna looked around, seeing the pairs of eyes on her friend, before she glared at everyone and they quickly turned away, casting their eyes downward. "It's probably nothing," Donna comforted. "Just ignore them."