☀︎ one week later ☀︎

"Hey Emma," Donna said as she walked into the kitchen to find her cousin sitting at the breakfast table.

"Hey," she replied.

"Do you think you could help me out with something?" Donna asked.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Okay so, Eric and I just had a fight, and we're going to dinner tonight. Everything's fine now, but I think it would be a little awkward just the two of us," Donna explained.

"Okay, so what's the plan, why do you need my help?," Emma asked.

"Well I was thinking we could go on a double date," Donna said.

"Okay, where do I come into this, I don't have a boyfriend," Emma replied.

"Well, I was thinking Hyde..." Donna said.

"Oh gosh! I'm not going on a date, or a double date, with Steven Hyde," Emma said.

"Oh my God! You must him," Donna exclaimed.

"Okay well most people would just see this as a favour for a friend and would do the double date with anyone," Donna started. "But that reaction... you have to like him..."

☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎☀︎

Meanwhile, Eric and Hyde were having the same conversation at his house."Okay, Hyde, you know that fight I had with Donna," he asked.

"Yeah, what about it," Hyde responded.

"Well, we were planning on going on a date, but I mean it might be a little awkward, seeing as we're just getting back into it," Eric explained.

"Yeah so, it's funny when it's awkward," Hyde said while laughing.

"No, Hyde, see in this world, we don't laugh when our friends are hurt," Eric said mockingly.

"But it's funny," Hyde defended.

"Okay, this isn't my point. Donna's asking Randall and I'm asking you. We want our date tonight to be a double date, and we want you and Randall to come along," Eric said.

"As dates?" Hyde asked.

"Yeah, like it would be me and Donna and you-" Eric started,

"Listen, Forman, I don't date. I make out. And I'm not about to make out with the new chick," Hyde said.

"Oh I see how it is, you must like her," Eric said teasingly.

"No I do not. Dumbass," Hyde defended.

"Yea you do, or else you wouldn't be so skeptical about this," Eric said.

"Ew no, she's everything I hate in a girl. She's funny, smart, she likes Rock n Roll, she's hot and oh my God," Hyde said with realisation at the end.

"You loooove her," Eric said.

"Fine, I'll go on your stupid date, but I don't like her," He said while getting up and heading upstairs.

☀︎

Everyone except Hyde was already sat at the restaurant. Obviously Hyde was late. When he arrived, Emma couldn't help but smile. When Hyde saw her, he got butterflies. He cursed at himself for thinking she was attractive.

Hyde had always seen himself as somewhat of a screw up. He had made it very clear to anyone he was remotely close to that he did not date. But in all honesty, it wasn't the 'bad boy' act, he was just scared of showing someone else his screwed up side. But he ignored those thoughts for the night.

"Sup guys, hey Randall, sorry I'm late," he said as he sat down.

For the rest of the night, everyone had ended up laughing a lot. The double date idea did end up working, because any tension between Eric and Donna was gone completely by the end of the night, and Emma and Hyde managed to share some nice moments.

☀︎

Eric and Donna left in the Vista Cruiser, which was Randall's ride home. Hyde offered to walk her back to Donna's which she gladly accepted because she didn't want to walk home at night in the dark in Wisconsin.

"That was fun," Hyde said, starting the conversation.

"Yeah, it was. I didn't know you knew how to laugh," Randall said teasingly.

"Hey, I'm more fun than you think. Watch out," Hyde said, defending himself.

"Oh really, I don't believe that," Randall said while laughing.

"Trust me, you know what, let me take you out, just us," Hyde suggested.

"Did you just ask me out on a date," Randall asked.

"I don't date, Randall. I'm just proving that I can be a fun guy," Hyde said.

"Okay then," she said skeptically. "If you don't date, what do you do?"

"I make out, I do it, but not more than twice on the same girl," Hyde said while doing that thing he does when he sticks his tongue out and laughs.

"Classy," she replied.

"Okay listen to this. You and me, bowling. Next Friday night. 7 o'clock. What do you say," he suggested.

"Sounds great," she agreed. "I'll love proving you wrong, that I'm more fun than you."

"Oh you are not more fun than me, Randall," he said.

"We'll see about that," she said.

For the rest of the walk, they talked about anything and everything they could think of, including their parents.

"So, do you ever wonder where your dad went?" Randall asked.

"I mean, he left us man, he obviously he doesn't care. So why should I care," he replied.

"You know Hyde, you don't have to put up walls, it's okay to feel human emotions," Randall said.

"Says you who hasn't told anyone why you moved into Donna's house," Hyde told her.

"I know, it's just. What I'm saying is, it's okay to not be okay. Around me, at least, because I get it," she said.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I still have a mom you know," he said trying to prove a point, that he was strong, or whatever, but Emma saw right past it.

"And how often is she home," she asked.

"Like a solid 5 nights a week," he answered.

They reached Donna's house and sat on her doorstep.

"My dad's in jail," Randall told him, even though he already knew.

"What for," he asked.

"Stealing something, a bar fight, alcohol, something, I really don't know," she answered.

"Damn, I'm sorry," Hyde said.

"It's okay, I'm sorry about your dad too" she said with sympathy.

They paused for a bit, sitting in comfortable silence. She didn't really know what to say at that point, and neither did he.

"Anyways, it's getting late, I should be heading in," Emma said.

They both got up and gave each other a quick hug that they both secretly wish lasted longer.

"Tonight was fun," she said as she was closing the door.

☀︎

Hyde didn't have anywhere to go after he dropped her off, so he just went to Eric's house. When he got down to the basement, he was greeted with Eric and Donna making out, so he went back upstairs.

When he got back up, only Kitty was around. Red must have been upstairs and Lorrie was back at college.

"Hey Mrs. Forman," Hyde said.

"Well hello Steven," Kitty said while talking a break from her baking. Hyde sat down on a kitchen chair and Kitty got back to baking. "What brings you up here?"

"Your son and his girlfriend are sucking each other's faces in the basement," Hyde said casually.

"Well then, that's a lovely image in my head," she said sarcastically. "How was your night, Steven," she asked, trying to change the subject.

"It was great. Hey, Mrs. Forman, can I tell you a secret," Hyde asked.

"Oh of course you can Steven. I hope you know you can always count on me. We all know my own son doesn't need me anymore," Kitty said, sad about how Eric is growing up.

"I think I like Emma," Hyde said.

"Oh Steven, that is wonderful! It's about time you stop being so grumpy," Kitty said while letting out one of those big laughs.

"No I'm serious, there's just something about her, I mean Mrs. Forman man, I've never felt this way about a girl before," he said while watching her bake.

Kitty put down her mix of something that will be delicious when she's done and sat down by Hyde.

"Steven," she started as she put his hands around his in a loving motherly way. "You deserve so much, you just don't think you do because of everything that has happened to you. If you want something, go for it, chase it. You deserve something for yourself for once. It's time you stop worrying about your mom, because she's fine. You need to start thinking about yourself," Kitty was proud of herself for the motherly speech.

Hyde just sat back in his chair and thought about it all for a minute. Who knew? Maybe he did want to date after all? First he just had to see how Friday was going to go.