Dazed and Confused | s. hyde

Chapter 8

☀︎one week later☀︎

Emma approached Hyde's front door when she heard yelling coming from inside. She stayed in place for a while before deciding to announce her presence. She heard Hyde inside, yelling to someone that she couldn't just leave him, but she didn't hear a voice responding to him; he must have been on the phone. After hearing a loud crash, she decided that's when it would be best to knock on the door.

Hyde opened the door, relieved to see that it was only her. He invited her inside, where she saw his home phone smashed on the floor, "How much of that did you hear," he asked her.

"Enough to hear that someone isn't coming back," she said sadly.

"It's my mom. She's running off with some trucker," Hyde told her.

"Oh Hyde, I'm so sorry," Emma said and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me man, I'm fine. I have tons of beer and no supervision. This is great," Hyde said in a lame effort to sound like a tough guy.

"You don't have to act okay around me," she started. When she looked around, she noticed something missing. "Where's the hell is your TV?"

"Look, I'm fine. I pawned the TV," he told her.

She looked at him with a knowing glance. She told him with his eyes that she knew he wasn't okay. All he could do was sit down and pull her to him. She sat on his lap and reached over him to turn on the record player. Zeppelin began playing throughout the house. She didn't have any words for him, so they sat in comfortable silence together.

☀︎

Emma decided that she wasn't just going to let Hyde live alone. Eventually his beer would run out and so his would food and his money. She thought of telling Eric, because his parents could easily take Hyde in considering Laurie is in college and they have the space.

She walked into the basement and luckily, Eric was there alone. "Hey Eric, can I talk to you," she asked.

Eric looked a little confused since they weren't really that close. "Sure, shoot," he said.

"So, I went over to Hyde's today, and I heard him on the phone with his mom. She's not coming back. And I don't know what to do," she said.

"That's awful. I have to tell my parents," Eric said.

"Yeah that's really why I told you. I don't exactly have parents, Fez's parents are not in the country and his exchange family here already took him in. Jackie is just plain annoying and Kelso's parents already have like one hundred children. And Donna's parents took me in already so you're the best option," Emma told him.

"Yeah, I mean after Laurie left my mom has felt like she hasn't been as nurturing as she should be. She said she wants a dog, but a Hyde should be just as good," Eric said. "I'll go tell them, you stay here."

☀︎

"Mom, dad, I have something to tell you," Eric said.

"What is it, honey," his mom asked.

"Well Emma just went over to Hyde's place and she said she heard him on the phone with his mom. She's not coming back," Eric said.

"Eric, I'm sure she isn't leaving him, she's his mother," Red said.

"No I think her exact words were 'I know I'm your mother but I'm leaving you'," Eric said.

"Oh boy, Red we have to do something," Kitty said.

"Kitty, no. I'm a giver, I know. But I don't take in strays from the street," Red said, annoyed.

Kitty just gave him a look and Red caved. "Fine, we'll go over to his house."

☀︎

Red and Kitty went over to Hyde's house, where Kitty started feeding him while Red started yelling at him. Red had already decided that Hyde could move in, all he had to do now was lay out rules, like no girls over and no beer.

The next day, Hyde was sat in the basement like usual with everyone else. Nobody except Eric and Emma knew about Hyde, and he wanted to keep it that way. Emma was busy with homework, but she was using that as an excuse to avoid the Forman house for a while. She knew Hyde would be mad at her for telling the Formans about his situation, but it was her only option. When Emma finally did walk in, she sat for a minute in silence before Hyde asked her if they could talk.

"What's up," Emma said, but she already knew what was coming her way.

"Wanna know what's up, I'm living with the freakin' Formans because you had go tell Eric," Hyde said.

"Look, Hyde. I know you're upset with me. But you and I both know you can't live on your own at this age. Eventually your beer, food and money would run out and you would have nothing," Emma said.

"I didn't ask for your help," Hyde said.

"Yeah but I helped anyways, because I like you. And I don't want to see you get hurt," Emma said.

"Randall, just," Hyde was struggling to find the words. "Just don't butt in again, but I know you were trying to help." It was the closest he could get to saying thank you.

She led him to Eric's car where they layed down and watched the stars.

"You know we'll be neighbours now," she said.

Hyde half smiled, "don't get too excited. Red said no chicks."

Emma scoffed, "well it's a good thing that I'm more than a 'chick.'"

Hyde laughed and motioned for her to get closer. She relaxed under his arms and almost let herself fall asleep.