plausible invincibility || s.hyde ✓

six ✿ in the evening

NO SOONER HAS HYDE PARKED the truck in the driveway than an elegant, older woman emerges from inside the house, a calm line etched into a mouth that holds a cool, detachment and anger underneath. The sight of it makes every one of the teenagers stop in their tracks.

"Evangeline Marie!" Her voice is cool and still, sending shivers down the blonde's alone as she hops out of the car, pulling her tote bag in front of her body as she approaches the woman. "Where have you been?"

"Hello, Grandma," Evie says under her breath.

The woman scans the group surrounding the car with disdain before crossing her arms over her chest. "Evangeline, I had to hear it from Mrs. Robinson that you were gone, snuck out your window this morning. I figured the only place you would be was here, but then you weren't here."

Evangeline shifts her weight and winces, looking down at her sand-coated shoes. "Grandma—"

"You missed your appointment today," she hisses under her breath, barely loud enough for Hyde to pick up and wraps her fingers around Evie's arm, dragging her granddaughter close to her body. "Just because you don't go, doesn't mean this isn't happening."

"I know," Evangeline mutters, pulling her arm back and grabbing the strap of her bag. "I just didn't want to go."

Hyde glances at Jackie curiously, the attempt by the familial pair to remain quiet not seeming to faze the busybody. She and Fez sit obliviously in the back of the pickup: drunk and tossing the volley ball Fez had some how ended up with against the back window, catching it, then doing it again.

The pair of blondes huddle closer together as they whisper to themselves about something that this time none of them can hear. Jackie and Fez shrink off towards their respective homes, leaving Hyde to stand awkwardly by himself in the drive. He watches his feet work at a pile of sand on the driveway, spreading it out evenly. He isn't sure whether to leave them alone to give them the privacy they seem to want or to stay and be a witness to a potential murder. The expression on Evie's grandmother's face alone is enough to kill a man.

Hyde doesn't need to think it over long as when he looks up from the concrete a moment later, they're both gone.

After staring dumbly out into the street for a few minutes, Hyde slowly shuffles into the house. Kitty, from her position at the kitchen counter, greets him with a jovial hello, Steven and a grin. He returns the smile half-heartedly and makes for the basement, before Kitty stops him with the announcement that she's just finished dinner.

Hyde backtracks and sits at his new usual spot at their table as Mrs. Forman calls for Eric and her husband. Although Eric's been out of his room less than ten times since Donna left and out of the house less than half those times, she invites him every night with the hope that this would be the one he would come down and eat with them.

"Hey, Mrs. Forman," Hyde starts, leaning backwards slightly as she sets a plate full of steaming food in front of him, "so, Evie's grandmother was here today."

Kitty wipes her hands on her apron before she reaches for a fancy serving bowl for the salad. "Oh, yes," she says, nodding enthusiastically as she mixes the veggies together. "Maggie was looking for Evangeline, but I didn't know where you lot hopped off to, so she spent a little time here."

"Did she say anything? About Evangeline?" Hyde sets down his girl and leans his elbows on the table. "Is she okay?"

Mrs. Forman stops tossing and furrows her brow. "No, she didn't say much. We mostly sat in silence and drank tea. She's not much of a talker." Kitty laughs and gives the salad one last mix before lugging it over to the center of the table. "What's wrong with Evangeline?"