Whole of The Moon - s.h - book 2

twelve.

"Hey, screwhead, why is the DMV sending you letters?" Red yells as Eric, Hyde and I walk into the house.

Hyde laughs and looks to Eric. "Screwhead. Hey, screwhead."

"No, no, you're screwhead. I'm just called 'boy' and Erin's called 'young lady'."

"Yeah, this is for you Screwhead." I laugh at Hyde as he takes the mail from Red's hand.

"I got a letter from the DMV?"

"Oh God, it's about the cow!" I glare at Eric as he freaks out about their cow they hit a few days ago. "Did I say cow, I meant cow-ntdown. To better driving."

Hyde begins to open the mail and looks at Red as he frown at us. "I think what Eric means is that he hit a cow."

"I had the right of way!" Eric exclaims.

"Well, go ahead, open it, hot rod. You know, you have to be the most irresponsible, careless, no-account --"

"It's a license renewal for my eighteenth birthday." Hyde interrupts Red.

Birthday? It was just Valentine's Day two weeks ago.

We all look to Red. He looks at us uncomfortably, then turns to Hyde.

"Oh. Happy birthday!" Red pats Hyde on the shoulder.

---

"Mrs Forman, I don't think Hyde likes birthdays." I say as she looks through the catalog for birthday gifts.

"Oh, Steven likes birthdays. He just doesn't know it." Kitty smiles to me. "Which is why we're going to throw him a surprise party. Okay, I'll need two helpers with, keen, feminine sensibilities to decorate. Jackie...and Fez."

"Yay!" Kitty and Fez exits. Jackie gets up to follow.

"What the hell?" Donna grumps. "I'm feminine. I ought to kick her ass for that!"

"Y'know what?" Eric speaks up. "Eighteen is a big deal. We need to get Hyde, like, the perfect Hyde gift, so let's try to put ourselves in a total Hyde state of mind."

Circle!

"Yeah...now, what would Hyde want? Something... stolen." Eric nods and looks to Donna.

"Stolen's good, but y'know what's better? Stolen and dirty. So what's a good gift for Hyde that's stolen and dirty?"

"Someone else's pig?" Kelso's speaks up.

"No wait. I got it! A street sign." I smile.

"Yeah." Kelso's agrees with my brilliant idea. "We'll steal it, so it'll be stolen, and it's dirty, so it'll be dirty."

"Oh my God, Kelso just solved his first word problem."

"Yeah, I learned those in Mrs.Carter's class 'cause I knew if I got one right, she'd give me a hug. No bra and they were always pointy. Now that's good teachin'!" Kelso's smirks.

---

"Hey." I smile to Hyde as I walk into the lounge where he's sitting by himself picking at his cuticles.

"Hey."

I take a seat and look toward the sad looking Hyde. "Why's my tough guy sad? It's your 18th birthday."

"Yeah, my eighteenth birthday. Otherwise known as the beginning of the end." Hyde sighs and turns to face me. "The black hole. The death march."

I bite my bottom lip and look into his eyes. What do I say? "On the upside, you'll get cake. That'll be tasty."