that's life » s. hyde

[30] hyde's christmas rager

Hyde's Christmas Rager

Izzy woke up on the basement couch, her head pounding. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the bright light. She grumbled and turned onto her stomach, burying her face into the couch cushion.

"Izzy Bee? It's time to wake up."

Hyde's hand was around her shoulder, gently shaking her awake. She looked up at him, squinting through the light. "What?"

"Where'd you go last night?"

She blinked. "Good question."

Since that party on Veteran's Day, Izzy had gone out nearly every night. She tracked down whatever party was in the area and went, usually with Laurie, to, for lack of a better phrase, get shitfaced. Really, she felt as though that was the only way to get her mind off of Hyde. Red and Kitty never questioned it, because where oh where could sweet, innocent Isabelle Marie be going that could possibly be unorthodox?

The answer? Everywhere.

The gang watched from afar, none of them sure where she snuck off to once Red and Kitty were asleep, or why she wouldn't come home until the next morning. Honestly, the only thing putting Eric's mind at ease was how he knew she wasn't sleeping with anyone.

Which, coincidentally, was what the topic of conversation was focused on while the gang was getting Bud's apartment ready for their Christmas kegger.

-

"Man, where is Izzy?" Kelso asked, rummaging through Bud's cupboards. "She was supposed to bring the cups."

"I dunno, man." Hyde said. "She's been so MIA lately. Eric, d'you know what's up with her?"

Eric's face went bright red. "Wh- Me? No! I don't know! I'm sure she'll be here."

Donna sighed. "I saw her leave your house at, like, midnight last night with Laurie. I don't think she's showing up."

"You know," Jackie said, "I bet she's seeing someone."

Hyde scoffed. "Yeah. Probably Nick again."

"Hyde, I told you, they broke up." Eric said quietly.

Hyde was used to making jokes about Izzy and Nick. Hell, it became a regular thing ever since the two made up over cookies and new jobs all that time ago. In reality, though, the thought of his Izzy Bee being back around Nick made Hyde feel what he could only describe as a beautiful cocktail of desolation and disgust. Double Ds, if you will.

"Well, she's going off with Laurie," Jackie said, "so who knows what, or who, she's doing."

"Okay, I can promise you right now, she's not doing anyone." Donna laughed. "Trust me."

"Can we please change the subject from my baby sister's sex life?" Eric asked, his ears red with embarrassment. "Let's talk about, uh... this apartment! I mean, damn, Hyde, your dad's apartment is the perfect place for a party!"

Hyde nodded. "Yeah, it's already trashed."

"Hey, even if half the people we invited show up, this party's gonna rock!" Kelso cheered.

Jackie turned to him, watching as he kept rummaging through the cabinets. "Did you find cups?"

"Nope. Even better. A plastic tube and a funnel!"

"Holidays and a dirty funnel?" Fez asked dreamily. "Merry Christmas to me."

"Yeah, and we don't even have to worry about germs!" Kelso said. "Cause, even though our spit backs up in the tube, the alcohol kills 'em!"