ＦＯＲＴＵＮＡＴＥ ＳＯＮ

𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔢𝔡𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔠𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔴𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔳𝔞𝔩

♟

"Anastasia! Over here!"

"Sit with us!"

"Can I have your number?"

Upon entering the cafeteria, I'm bombarded with invites. The girls want to sit with the new kid, maybe gain fans from her followers, and the boys want to make out with her.

The past few days have been chaotic for me. I've become the talk of the town. The rich mystery girl from New York whose father runs Volkov Enterprises. Everyone wants a piece of me, and it feels fucking majestic.

I ignore the demands that sprout from the people around me like dandelions in a grass field. Instead, I scan the cafeteria for my new acquaintances. Not the stoners that hang out in the Formans' basement, of course. The group of people that I've been talking to. The only ones I really remember are Pam Macy, only because she's the biggest whore in the school and I have to keep her in check every so often, and Buddy Morgan because he's the only guy who doesn't look at me like a Christmas ham every time I walk by. 

Buddy is very nice. So is Pam. And the rest of the group. It's only the middle class of the school hierarchy that's bitchy to no end. Buddy and I, over the past few days, have honestly become somewhere close to friends. I wouldn't consider our relationship that by any means, but we talk and laugh and it's genuine, from both sides. That's something I can say I've never truly had before.

There's nothing I can use him for since I'm popular enough on my own and he's hinted at not being straight, so it baffles me that I find myself wanting to sit with him in the lunchroom. As if on cue, he waves me over and my posture softens before I join him. He's alone at the table, as the rest of the group has disappeared to smoke in the bathrooms.

"Hey, Anastasia," he grins. I'm surprised he isn't surrounded by swooning girls. When he smiles at me, he almost looks like a cute puppy. Not a dumb one in any way, that's more Kelso's thing, but one that just wants cuddles. And weirdly, it's adorable. I would consider him my best acquaintance.

"Hi."

He glances around cautiously and leans into my ear. Intrigued, I shift closer to him. 

"You know I'm gay, right?" he mumbles.

I nod. "Yes."

"Well..." he sighs heavily. "You know Eric Forman? I think he's really cute."

I choke on my milk. "Pfft!"

"Ana!"

"I'm sorry! It's just, I've seen him, and he's so..." I motion with my hands. "Scrawny."

"To each his own."

I shake my head. "Well, are you going to tell him or something?"

He chuckles, picking at his broccoli with his fork. "I can't just tell him. That's not how it works."

"That's how I do it," I shrug.

"No. I need to set up the perfect situation, and then make a move!" He moves his hands as if he's playing a game of chess.

I raise my eyebrows. "Make a move?"

"Yes! I'll see if I can get him in a car. Maybe be his lab partner."

"That sounds really shady."

He pushes me with his shoulder. "Oh, shut up!" 

My giggles quiet as Pam and the boys join us. I catch myself sneaking glances at the Basement Gang's table. Before I can stop myself, I notice them staring right back at me. I know what they're thinking. They're wondering how I can be such a bitch to them and so social with others. 

I catch Hyde's eye. As soon as he realizes, his face illuminates. He points towards Buddy and me and makes kissy lips. I roll my eyes, raising my right middle finger at him.

Pam turns, her brows furrowed. "Anastasia, what are you-"

But his back is facing us, and he's pretending that nothing happened.

♟

I pat Buddy on the back. "Good luck and don't mess it up."

He gives me a thumbs up and saunters over to Eric. He's successfully gotten Eric to work with him in his biology class, and he's voiced his plan to take him out on a ride in his car.

I chat with Pam, although we're eavesdropping on the pair. Eventually, they leave and Kelso and Hyde appear. Once the girl across from me gets bored of watching them complain about the cold, she bids me farewell.

I adjust my bag on my shoulder and stroll to my Pontiac. Kelso calls my name and I ignore him, hoping that it'll prevent him from approaching me. My hopes are crushed, however, when he leans over me. My back is forced down onto the cold metal of the car and I spot Hyde smirking at my discomfort a little to the left.

"Move," I growl.

"We were wondering-"

"Kelso, my back is cold. Move."

His face becomes expressionless until he adopts a sly grin. "If you want to come closer to me-"

"I'll kick you."

"Look, Princess," Hyde scoffs, pulling Kelso off of me. "Forman ditched us, and we need a ride."

"Okay."

"Wait, seriously? You'll let us go with you?"

I offer a sickeningly sweet smile. "I never said that."

"Oh, come on!"

"Please?"

Groaning at their annoying begging, I give in. "Fine, I'll drive you."

They cheer as I open the driver's side door.

After they bicker for far too long over who gets shotgun, Kelso wins and I put the vehicle in motion. We sit in awkward silence, but I pretend it isn't that bad. I have to intervene, though when the boy next to me rests his hand on my thigh.

I tighten my fingers on the wheel, hoping that he takes it off. He inches it higher and higher, my skirt riding up. "Stop touching me, you dillhole!" I snap, slapping his hand.

He jerks it away and I grit my teeth as Hyde erupts with laughter in the background. 

"What?" he whines. "I gave you my number!"

"Yeah, and you have a girlfriend," I retaliate.

"No, I don't! I'm breaking up with Jackie tomorrow!"

"Kelso, you always say that," Hyde guffaws. "Princess, why don't I switch seats with him?"

"I don't need you trying anything either," I fume.

"Oh, get over yourself. I'd never do that."

"You told me I was hot."

"Feelings change, Princess."

I pull into my driveway. "Stop calling me that. I have a name."

"Are you sad that I'm not drooling over you like every other guy?"

I ignore him, getting out of the car. He traps me against the door like Kelso did, except his hands touch the car on either side of me so I can't escape. His companion obliviously leaves us, wandering away to Eric's house.

"Hmm?" Hyde lazily cocks his head to the side, his mouth pursed in a satisfied smirk. He knows that whatever I say will come out wrong. If I say yes, well, that's self-explanatory, and if I say no, it'll sound like I'm denying something. I need to think. How do I win? I need to do something to throw him off. Make fun of him? No, that'll be puny. Wait- I got it.

I tilt my chin up so I'm looking directly at him. My eyes flick to his lips and back up to his eyes. That smirk falls off of his face as he comes closer. I reach a hand up to cup his cheek, then...

A smile quirks at my mouth. "Suck a dick, Hyde."

I push him off of me, holding in the fit of laughter that's itching to come out. I enter the Forman's basement, with Steven on my heels. I'm happy to see Buddy lounging on Hyde's chair. I walk around the back of the couch and sit on the floor next to him.

I watch as Kelso waves Hyde over, ready to gang up on Eric. "There you guys are! Where have you been?" Forman asks simply.

The curly-haired boy remains silent, his jaw clenched, and I know I've gotten him good.

"Where have you been?' Kelso yells. "We were worried sick about you!"

Hyde speaks up. "We were gonna walk all the way here, man!"

"Are your fingers broken? You can't use a phone?"

"We had to catch a ride with your neighbor."

"I have a name!" I repeat.

His head whips towards me, and his eyes immediately flit to Buddy. "Huh," he hisses. "Buddy Morgan. Yeah, I know you."

The boy shifts uncomfortably next to me. "Yeah, I guess it's my fault. I gave Eric a ride home, so-"

"Get out of my chair!" he barks, and Buddy obeys. I smack his leg.

"Okay! I guess I'd better get going then." He turns to Eric. "Hey, your car is still at school, right? I could drop you off if you want."

"Yeah, sure! And hey, guys, I'm really sorry I forgot about you," Eric beams.

"Did you want to drive?"

"Hell, yeah!"

I shoot up and stop my friend- best acquaintance before he goes upstairs. I hug him quickly and whisper another "good luck", guiding Fez to the door when he tries to join them.

"Man, did you see that?" Kelso huffs. "He just did it again."

I reclaim my spot on the floor. "Do you even know how difficult it is to clique jump?" Jackie rolls her eyes as we're mere peasants. "Eric has achieved something very special, and you're both ruining it for him!"

"Who cares? I'm tired and I don't even want to walk anymore."

"Michael, walk me home."

"Okay."

The both up and leave.

Donna turns to Hyde. "What's your problem with Buddy? He seems nice enough."

"He is," I add. "He's probably the nicest rich kid I've ever met, and that's including my brother."

"Screw him, man!" the boy above me scowls. "I mean, he's got the money, the car, the family. The teachers like him, the counselors like him. Everybody likes him. I hate him!"

"Anastasia's got the same stuff," she shrugs.

"Yeah, well, I hate her too!"

I chuckle. "You just know I'm right."

Donna looks between the two of us in confusion before shaking it off. "Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit?"

He sighs. "Let me tell you something. When highschool's over, Buddy Morgan's going to a great college. You know where I'm going to be? Sitting right here in my uncle's boots."

"Well, at least you've got great friends. And I'll always be your friend."

He stares at her. "Thanks, Donna." He puts his hand on her knee, presumably taking moves from Kelso.

I cover my mouth to hide my grin. Donna purses her lips. "That was sympathy, Hyde. Not an opening for you to put your hand on my knee."

"Sorry," he nods, not taking it off.

"Move your hand!"

He begins to rub up and down her thigh. She throws it off. 

"Well, that's my cue to leave," I manage to snicker out. while passing Hyde, I pat him on the head for good measure.

♟

"So how'd it go?" I ask on the phone.

"Not too well," Buddy chuckles from the other end.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that he's straight."

"Aw, that's terrible," I sigh. I know that Eric identifies as such, but it's possible that he had just never considered anything else. "What's the damage?"

"No damage."

"No aftermath?"

"Yeah, he said we can still be friends."

"That's the best and worst kind of rejection at the same time."

"I should've seen it coming."

"I don't know, I mean, Forman's pretty irresistible," I joke. "He could've been open to anything."

"Well, I got a kiss in."

I gasp. "Was it a good one?'

"He pushed me away but it wasn't too bad."

"Ouch."

"Oh, you're one to talk. There are barely any gay guys in Point Place, and you haven't even gotten your first kiss in!"

"My first kiss was in New York, thank you very much."

"You know what I mean!"

I laugh, glancing up as Nikolai opens the door to my room. "I have to go," I mumble. 

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

I hang up.

"Who was that?" Nik questions.

"Oh, just a boy."

"A boy?" he growls.

"He's gay, Nikolai. Relax. And he's just my friend, anyways."

He calms himself. "Oh. Okay." His face isn't the normal, smiling one I usually see, though.

"Nik, what's wrong?"

"I have to go back to Chicago on Christmas."

"Oh."

"It won't be that bad, of course. I was just really hoping I could spend it with you."

"We're Jew-"

"I know. The Formans invited us over. Again."

I wrinkle my nose. "I'll mail you gifts for Hannukah?"

He smiles softly. "Sounds good."

I stand from the bed and wrap my arms around his waist. He kisses the top of my head. "I love you, little sister."

"I love you too."

♟

Hey! I didn't really like how I ended this chapter so I apologize for that but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. On the note of Buddy - I REALLY wish he became a recurring character as he was meant to be but alas, 90s viewers didn't like the gay. I'll try to incorporate him into Ana's life and mention him more outside of this chapter, but I can't promise anything.

As always, feedback, comments, and votes are appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Love you guys,

Lissy