𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏' ≛ m. kelso ✔

≛ chapter two

NOVEMBER 1972

"Get your nasty pits out of my face!" Juniper giggled as Hyde teased her on the bus. His arm was extended so he could reach to the handlebar hanging from the ceiling, and he had lifted the arm closest to her, just to tease her. Being an eleven-year-old, he could barely grasp the yellow stick of metal, but Juniper was significantly shorter than him, and this gave her an unobstructed view of his underarms.

"So don't put your face in my pits!" he taunted. "It's not like you're pressed for space in this shithole!"

Hyde ignored the looks he got from adults on the bus as June sneered at him. "Fine, then!" she scoffed.

His face hardened as she whipped her head around and started walking toward the other end of the bus, her lengthy golden hair nearly smacking him in the face. Hyde grabbed her by the waist before she got any closer to the shady guys in the bus's corner. "Stay close, will ya?" he mumbled.

June grinned cheekily up at him. He was obviously trying to appear as if he wasn't concerned, but that clearly wasn't the case, and Juniper appreciated it. Her parents had begun to let her use public transportation, but only if Hyde was around. They had entrusted Hyde with protecting her should the need arise, and he was determined to do so.

"Wipe that grin off your face, Clark," he chided as he pulled her into his chest. "You look like the fucking Joker."

"Piss off, Stevie, you know you love me."

Hyde rolled her eyes at her. "Come on, this is our stop."

Juniper let him pull her by the hand out of the glass doors and onto the curb, where she quickly recovered from a stumble. Within ten minutes, she unlocked the door to her home and let Hyde in before shutting it behind them.

Hyde braced himself, ready for the question she would inevitably ask. June turned on her heel, biting her lip in a futile attempt to conceal her bubbliness.

She finally spit it out. "Can we?"

He let his head roll back and groaned. "Junie, we do this every week."

"C'mon, it's Friday! Mike's at tutoring and my parents don't come home until later."

Hyde smirked at the blue-eyed girl, his curls bounced as he tilted his head down. "It sounds like you're implying something dirty, Juniper."

June raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Hyde. I thought you were going for Donna, anyway."

They had started walking up the stairs to Juniper's poster-covered bedroom, and the tips of his ears reddened as he plopped down on the neatly-made bed and opened his arms for her. Sure, he had a thing for redheads. But as Juniper laid down next to him and snuggled into his chest, he was reminded once again that he also had a thing for June.

June quite liked the little cuddle sessions she had with Hyde every Friday after school. He was built extraordinarily well, especially for an eleven year old. He had grown quite quickly, and he was easily one of the cuter boys in her grade, even in her school. His arms were strong and she enjoyed being wrapped up in them. Not that there was anything romantic between them. No, she thought she made it clear that she wasn't interested in Hyde that way. They were best friends, after all. The only one who came close to their relationship was Michael, but best friends couldn't have romantic feelings for each other.

Steven and Juniper had warmed up to each other greatly since they first met, especially with all the time spent on the bus together. They were inseparable, partners in crime. Eric was always considered Hyde's best friend, too, but he was too scared to do any of the risky stuff that June dared to do.