My Real Fairy King

Hyde-Concealment

I kick back with my stash for hours, but I just can't get today off my mind. Finally I give up and try to sleep, but that doesn't work any better. I feel a bit like how I felt after going to jail in place of Jackie. Why did I ever care about her? Love is like a virus, man. It invades your soul and it becomes almost impossible to get rid of. I don't know what I'll do if she starts liking me again. But some part of me felt a warm sensation when I saw the way she looked at me as I punched the guy like she had an actual change of heart about me. I didn't hate that. Never mind, the spoiled princess wouldn't have such a change of heart in how she felt about me because I did one nice thing for her. Before this and after our breakup, it was like she saw right through me. Not like she saw me as an annoyance or even something worse, but almost like I wasn't there. Like I was part of the wall. Honestly, that was infuriating me more. How could I go from being the most important person in the world to her to a person of no significance to her? Who did she think she was? Was her whole stupid ultimatium just a sceme for her and Kelso to get the last laugh on me? I can't get the memory out of my life, the moment I was going to tell her I was ready to spend the rest of my life with her. How horribly wrong it went. How I almost couldn't believe it was real, when I saw naked Kelso and the bucket of ice. That after so many years, they'd do me wrong like that. Just like everyone else in my life. I just need to get her out of my head, but that feels practically impossible right now. Why didn't I just stay with Sam? It's so late when I fall asleep that the first light of day is starting to filter into my room, catching on a sliver of pink fuzz left from the makeover Jackie gave my room while we were dating.

I finally fall asleep and see the Jackie I loved. Of course. Love clouding the bitch into the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. The long dark curled hair, sparkly green eyes, porcelain skin. How her cuteness was enough to crack my cynicism. Her flexible body that could do anything in bed. Her feistiness. How brave and badass she really was, and how she never let anyone know it. How she always knew how to cheer me up, even if I never let her know it. How it felt like my own heart was breaking when she cried. Like my whole body was smiling when we made out.

How complete I felt while she sat in my lap, like this 95 pound Donny Osmond loving chick was somehow what I needed to feel fully myself. What is wrong with me?

I wake up and my clock says 10:06. Shit-I need to get her car. I promised her I'd bring it by eleven, but unfortunately I didn't really go about actually planning out how I'd get there. I need someone to give me a ride, but I don't want anyone to know what happened. Let my niceness to her end today. I've decided to ask Leo since he won't want to know why the hell I'm getting Jackie's car from some random neighborhood-it's a stretch to say he even knows her name-when I run into Donna walking into the basement. Just my luck. "Hey, Hyde, what's up?" "Uh...nothing much. Just headed to Grooves". Dammit. I forgot it was Sunday. The pain shows on my face. Donna laughs. "What, so now you actually care about your job? You don't even always go in on weekdays!". "Uh...yeah man. Pay more attention, it's the perfect location for the circle". "No for real Hyde, what's up?" Of course she can tell I'm lying. "Oh, I left Leo in charge again yesterday and I'm worried he invited his hippie friends and trashed the place again. Just gonna make sure the store's still in order". She nods. "Oh, well can I come with you? I was gonna go later since I accidentally left my dad's new Tom Jones record there and he'll flip if I don't bring it back". Oh God. Even I can't get out of this situation now. Why does Bob have to be a woman in disguise? "Uh...yeah. But I can't drive. My car...needs new brake lights. Hey, why don't you drive?" Donna gives me a weird look. "Hyde...what are you hiding?. How were you planning on getting there before? Walking the ten miles? Asking Red for a ride?" I sigh. "Look...man, can you just drop it?" She shrugs. "Okay....I'll drive".

I was hoping Leo would be finishing up his weekly "club" meeting at Grooves and I could ask him for a ride, but unfortunately they seem to have gone elsewhere to plan their field trip to Amsterdam. By the time Donna has gotten the record, it's 10:25 and I'm worried I'll be late. I hate that I care about bringing Jackie's car back on time. I tell myself that doesn't mean anything different. She probably has to go work on her shallowness at the mall or something. Well, I guess that leaves me out of options. The Piggly Wiggly is close to where her car is...

"Hey Donna, could you drop me off behind the Piggly Wiggly? I got some, you know, business to attend to", I say, gesturing to the brown bag I keep with me at all times. "Alright Hyde, I didn't know Mrs. Forman was such a fan of your lifestyle" she says, laughing. "Get bent, man" I reply.

Donna acts normal on the drive over, talking about Forman and Kelso coming home, and I think I might have gotten away with this. But as I get out of the car I notice a different look on her face, like confusion she can't quite place. I wait a few minutes after she pulls away and walk to the site of Jackie's car, grasping the car key she gave me in fear of dropping it.

There doesn't seem to be anyone around as I pull away, but I swear every car on the road looks like Donna's, staring me down and assuming I'm getting back together with Jackie. The drive over is a stressful one to put it lightly, and the lingering sweetness of her perfume in her car just adds to my stress. Finally I reach the apartment and wait for Jackie to come down.