Won't You Fly High, Free Bird?

4. Truth or Dare

May 28, 1978
Eric Forman's Basement

The gang sat around Eric's basement, drinking beers and watching reruns of Gilligan's Island, bored on a Saturday night. Hyde let out a loud burp as he finished his fourth beer.

"I almost forgot how boring Point Place can get," said Katie, as the credits of the fifth straight episode of the evening started rolling. "Is there anything we can do besides watching Gilligan continuously fail to get off the damn island?"

"We can go watch Star Wars again!" exclaimed Kelso excitedly, to which everyone groaned.

"Michael, I told you I don't like space," said Jackie.

"Kelso, we watched Star Wars yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that!" complained Hyde.

"But Star Wars is awesome!"

"I know! We can play Truth or Dare!" said Jackie.

"Jackie, we're not a bunch of 12-year-old girls at a sleepover," said Eric.

"What is Truth or Dare?" asked Fez.

"Oh my gosh, Fez, have you never played Truth or Dare?" said Jackie. "It's a game where you have to answer an embarrassing question, or get dared to do something crazy. We have to play!"

"Actually, it might be fun. I haven't played truth or dare in years," said Donna, who looked at Eric.

"Okay I'm in!" Eric said, folding into the pressure from his crush.

"Me too, what the hell," said Katie.

"This is stupid. I'd rather sit here, drink beer and watch Mary-Ann and Ginger," said Hyde.

"Whatever, Steven. You can sit there while the rest of us play," said Jackie.

Eric brought out more beers for his friends as they sat around in a circle. Donna sat sandwiched between Eric and Kelso on the couch, with Jackie sitting on the arm rest beside Kelso. Hyde sat in his usual spot, Fez in the lawn chair across from Hyde and Katie on the orange footrest in front of the TV, which still had Gilligan's Island playing silently in the background.

"Alright Donna, you go first," instructed Jackie.

"Okay, Fez. Truth or dare," asked Donna.

"Truth?" answered Fez.

"Have you ever made out with anyone?"

"No," signed Fez, sadly.

"Aww, Fez," Donna said sympathetically. "I'm sure one day soon, you'll have a girl fall head over heels for you."

"Okay now, you ask someone Fez," said Jackie.

"Katie, truth or dare?" asked Fez.

"Truth."

"Will you make out with me?"

"Fez! No! I'm sorry but that girl's not going to be me," said Katie, patting Fez on the back. "Kelso. Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" yelled Kelso, ready for the challenge.

"I dare you to run around the block in nothing but your underwear."

"Alright, good one Free Bird," smirked Hyde, holding out his beer to which Katie clinked the neck of her bottle with.

"What?! No way," complained Kelso, trying to back out of his dare. "I have shin splints!"

"You have to do it, Michael! She dared you to," said Jackie, sternly.

"Fine!" exclaimed Michael as he started to take off his clothes. The gang started chanting, "Kelso! Kelso! Kelso!"

"You're going to pay for this!" yelled Kelso as he opened the door and ran outside.

"Quick! Hide his pants!" said Hyde. Eric grabbed Kelso's jeans and threw them to Hyde, who put them in the freezer. Everyone chugged the rest of their beer and got new ones before Kelso came bursting through the door, panting.

"Damn, Free Bird!" said Kelso between breaths. "The Johnson's doberman started chasing me!"

"I thought you liked dogs, Kelso," laughed Katie.

"Not when they're trying to eat my boxers I don't! Where are my pants?!"

"What pants?" said Hyde in a mockingly sincere tone.

"You guys all suck," said Kelso, sitting down with his shirt back on, but still pantsless. "Free Bird, this is payback. Truth or dare!"

"No, Michael! You can't ask Katie because she just asked you! You have to ask someone else," said Jackie bossily.

"Fine! Eric, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Free Bird!"

"What?!" exclaimed Eric and Katie simultaneously.

"Michael!" hissed Jackie, knowing that Eric and Donna had a thing.

"That's what you get for making me run around in my underwear!" said Kelso smuggly.

"A dare's a dare, Eric," shrugged Donna, permitting him to kiss Katie.

"Whatever. Let's just get it over with," said Katie standing up, taking a large sip of her beer.

"Eric and Katie sitting in a tree," sang Fez, with Kelso joining in. "K-I-S-S-I..."

"I can't! I mean... she's practically my sister!" said Eric, making up excuses. Everyone started pressuring Eric to kiss Katie.

"Come on, Forman. Let's just do it," said Katie.

"Eric, it's fine. It's just a quick kiss," said Donna.

"Forman, grow a pair and just kiss her," said Hyde.

"Guys, no! I can't kiss Katie!"

"For the love of god, Forman. If you won't do it then I will!" said Hyde. He stood up, placing a hand on Katie's waist and holding his beer in the other, and locked lips with the girl. Everyone started "ooo"-ing and whistling.

Katie stood frozen, surprised by the unexpected kiss. The room disappeared around her as she felt Hyde's soft lips against hers, unaware of her friends heckling them. She slowly started kissing him back, and gradually wrapped both of her arms over his shoulders and neck. Hyde responded by pulling her in closer with a firm, yet gentle hand on the small of her back. As the kiss became more passionate, the room became silent in dismay.

"Get a room!" yelled Kelso. At that moment, Katie snapped back to reality, dropping her beer that she forgot she was holding. The glass bottle shattered on the ground, beer splashing everywhere. She quickly stepped back from the embrace.

"Shit!" Katie muttered under her breath, still feeling the intensity of the kiss.

"Wow," said Hyde softly, wiping the edge of his mouth with the back of his beer-holding hand.

"Sorry, Forman. I'll clean that up," Katie blushed as she ran upstairs to get a dustpan.

"Damn, Hyde. And you said you didn't want to play," said Eric .