Lucy sat on a lawn chair in the driveway, sitting besides Jackie. Both in small bikinis with sunglasses, Jackie in an oversized sunhat and Lucy with an old baseball cap. The mid-June sun being just what the two girls needed to look sunkissed but the heat not being nearly as miserable as July weather.

"You send that letter to Kelso yet?" Lucy asked.

"Yep, and now I can move on and find some boy-toy for me to enjoy this summer," Jackie smiled, "My body looks too good to be this alone."

"Cheer practice really has been working out for you!" Lucy nodded impressed, lifting her glasses to look at the other girl's stomach.

"You planning on telling your parents soon? I mean they should probably know they have a Wuthering Heights situation on their hands," Jackie joked, raising her eyebrows curiously at her friend.

"Again, minus the death." Lucy sighed, laying back down in her seat, "I don't know! It's not even that I'm scared of their reaction I just literally don't know how to bring it up."

"Well," Jackie paused, pursing her lips as she thought of advice, "Letters always work," she joked with a smirk.

"Jackie!" Lucy laughed, smacking her friend on the shoulder.

❁

Lucy sat in the basement at night in a band tee and shorts, intently watching a Hallmark movie when Hyde walked in.

"Hey LSD," he greeted tiredly, walking over to kiss her on the head, before jumping over the back of the couch to sit beside her.

Lucy turned to look at him and pouted, "I missed you today! My mom needs to stop making you run errands so you can actually come home after Foto Hut."

"Sorry doll," Hyde smiled at the childishness of his girlfriend before leaning in to kiss her lips.

Lucy giggled as she pulled away, hand on his cheek, "You haven't shaved?"

Hyde rolled his eyes, "I'll shave it later, come on," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her again.

Lucy smiled against his lips as her back rested against the arm rest of the couch, Hyde quickly moving on top of her. "Have you thought about growing a beard?" she asked as his lips moved down to the junction between her neck and shoulder.

Hyde looked up at her, an amused look making it's way onto his face, "Would you like me to?"

"Maybe," Lucy smirked playfully before connecting their lips again.

"So that means yes?" Hyde mumbled between kisses. Lucy laughed quietly, nodding in response.

❁

Her summer had been more or less the same.

She went to the mall nearly once a week. Jackie also initiated it so they could buy new clothes. Fez came along to help and in hopes of getting close to Jackie. Hyde only came begrudgingly because he was completely whipped—as Eric reminded him.

She sat in The Circle with the gang, more often than she would during the school year. She laughed her ass off about their crazy, high thoughts.

She waited for Donna to call so she had a number to use to rant to her friend.

She went on horrendous double dates with Jackie's newfound boy-toy. Lucy couldn't remember his name (it was either Joshua or Joey or something of the sort). Either way, she didn't like him, but it was at least good that he was completely aware of Jackie's intentions and had no problem with it—mainly because he had been enamored by her since fourth grade.

She worked shifts at The Hub; earning enough for the cheap food they sold there, her gas contribution for the Cruiser, and shopping with Jackie. She spent most other afternoons out of the house with Hyde at the Foto Hut.

She worked on college applications with any other spare time she had; now more than ever she realized how badly she had to get out of Point Place, in fear of being trapped forever.

"What are you up to?" Eric asked, walking into her room and plopping down on her bed, moving her papers around as she sighed.

She rolled her eyes, "Planning my escape out of this hell hole."

"You're gonna miss us," Eric said knowingly.

"Well maybe, but there's still breaks but I know I'm not going to miss this town," Lucy retorted, matching his tone.

Eric shrugged, staying quiet for a moment before speaking up again, this time serious. "Have you thought about Hyde?"

Lucy looked up suddenly, holding the pencil between her teeth, "He's known I've wanted to leave forever. There's breaks, and he can come to visit me too."

Eric raised his eyebrows, unconvinced, "Okay. But do you really think a weekend trip to—" he reached to pick up a random brochure, "NYU," he said casually, before looking again, "NYU! Jesus Christ Lucy, how do you expect him to make a weekend trip there?"

Lucy snatched the brochure back, "Look, I'll be fine. It's not like I let the love of my life run off to California!"

Eric held is hands up in surrender, getting off the bed, "Cheap shot Luce."

❁

After a late night out after an impromptu date at the fair that Hyde surprised Lucy with, the young couple sat in the El Camino outside of the Forman's house.

Lucy was pulled flushed against him, his hands resting on the small of her back, her hands in his curls. She pulled away, breathless and giddy; Hyde, with a permanent smile on his face, because even though they had been spending the entire summer together, he still cherished the moments they had together, and being able to see Lucy's face light up at the fair had to have been one of his favorite moments.

"We should go inside," Lucy whispered, still so close that Hyde could smell the sweet cotton candy they shared earlier.

"Yeah," he breathed, not really wanting to leave this moment. If he could, he would stay in that car forever; Led Zepplin coming over the stereo as the soft summer rain hit the windows, giving them their own little sanctuary; the girl of his dreams sitting beside him, her cheeks flushed and her lips chapped, her denim skirt riding up.

Lucy fumbled with her skirt, trying to hike it down. She flipped her hair, trying to tame it. And then he was pulled back into reality. He pulled her closer for one last chaste kiss, "I love you Steven," she whispered against his lips.

It took nearly everything in him to get out of the car and not stay in his little sanctuary. "I love you too."

The couple stepped out of the car, walking back into the house. "I can't believe you couldn't win the claw game," Lucy suddenly remembered, laughing.

"It wasn't for lack of trying. I'm telling you, they just have those there to eat up the money of those stupid enough to try," Hyde explained.

Lucy raised an eyebrow as she began to tease, "Or for guys who want to win a prize for their girlfri—"

Both teens stopped short in the living room. "Hi Mrs. Forman," Hyde said quickly upon seeing the petite blonde woman on the couch.

"Was she about to say, what I think she was about to say?" Kitty asked seriously, internalizing her excitement.

Hyde glanced at Lucy, unsure how to answer the question, "It depends. What do you think she was about to say?"

"Mama, do you promise not to freak out?" Lucy asked cautiously.

Kitty was now bouncing her foot in anticipation, clasping her hands together, "When have I ever freaked out?" she asked with her excited laughter.

"Steven and I are dating," Lucy said in a rushed manner, so that she couldn't back out. She received a surprised look from the boy next to her, and she gave a shrug in return.

Kitty had jumped up to rush over and give the pair a hug, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, this is so great! I'm just so happy that you're happy!" she said looking to her daughter before turning to Hyde, "And you too! Oh, I'm just so happy that you're both happy!"

"I think she's taking it well," Hyde said nonchalantly.

Kitty stood back from the embrace she had trapped the two in, "So, did this happen tonight?"

Lucy and Hyde shared a tentative look as they realized that it would be a long night of explaining the past seven months to her overenthusiastic mother.

❁