Hello, It's Me ? Steven Hyde

[33] - the promise ring

"Can you believe it?" Donna asked the girls the next day at The Hub, admiring her ring. "Isn't it pretty?"

Liz took hold of Donna's hand, turning it to see how shiny the metal was. "Donna, it's absolutely beautiful. I can't believe Eric did such a great job at picking one out, especially because I didn't even go with him."

"Yeah," Jackie agreed with a sigh. "Your brother has some really bad taste."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Donna defended with a slight chuckle.

"I really need to introduce you to my good friend, nail polish," Jackie went on, showing off her own colorful nails. "And a promise ring is sacred, Donna. Why aren't you wearing it on your left ring finger?"

She merely shrugged. "I don't know. 'Cause I like it on this finger. What's the difference?"

"Donna, if you don't wear your promise ring on your left ring finger, it totally cancels out the promise that you'll be together forever."

"Wait, that's what I promised?" Donna asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah," Liz chimed in with a slight laugh. "Hence the name 'promise ring'. What did you think it meant?"

"Well... I don't know..." she muttered, leaning back in the booth, which made Jackie annoyingly sigh.

Before any more could be said, Fez entered the building and strolled over to the table. "Hey, ladies."

Liz smiled and greeted back, "Hey, Fez."

"Oh, nice ring, Donna," he complimented, noticing it immediately. He then glanced down at the youngest. "Jackie, let me see yours."

With widening eyes, Liz quickly cleared her throat, trying to convey to him to shut up.

"I don't have one," Jackie replied, shooting him a look.

Fez's eyes flashed over to Liz, frowning as he realized his mistake. "Oh, no, of course not. Because Kelso has not given you one yet. I mean, ever. I mean..."

"Fez," Liz managed through gritted teeth, "Shut up."

"Look away," he said to a smiling Jackie before racing back out of The Hub.

Once he was gone, Jackie gasped over at Liz. "Oh my God! Liz, is Michael giving me a promise ring?"

"I'm not saying anything," Liz muttered, forcing herself to look away.

"I knew it! Now we'll both have promise rings, Donna!"

Donna pulled her gaze up from her own ring. In the most unenthusiastic voice ever, she responded, "Yeah, that's great."

"I wonder how he's gonna give it to me. I hope he hides it in food," Jackie went on.

Liz pulled a face at the thought. "In food?"

"Yeah. I told him if he ever gives me something nice, he should put it in food."

"But... why? Won't it get ruined by being covered in food?"

The youngest scoffed with a shake of her head. "Liz, you just don't understand. It's classy."

❁

Later that night, Liz and Fez sat with Hyde in his El Camino, cruising around town. Hyde had promised to take his foreign friend out to find some girls, and now that they were in town, he figured it was his time to shine.

"Alright, man, be cool," Hyde reminded Fez, throwing his arm around Liz's shoulders. "Those chicks are checkin' you out."

Fez turned to glance out the window with a grin. "Cool, gotcha!" He said to his friends, holding up his thumbs. After a short pause to prepare himself, he leaned out the window to yell, "Hello, ladies!"