* * * * *
The phone at Capeside Video rings about ten times. Dawson is ready to hang up when a voice finally comes on the phone. "Hello?" he hears through a flurry of giggles.
"Pacey?" he questions, honestly not sure.
"Yeah, hey," Pacey says.
"What's going on? What's so funny? And how come it took you so long to answer?"
Pacey tries to control his laughter. "Sorry, me and Joey were just being stupid. It's a long story. Anyway, what's the word on tonight? What did Jen say?"
Dawson hesitates for a moment, not liking the sound of an inside joke between Joey and Pacey that he wouldn't get. Since when is he the third wheel in this relationship? He shakes his head, trying to stop his jealousy from showing in his voice. "Uh, she said that was fine. So, if Joey's off work already I guess we're going to the seven o'clock show?"
"Yeah, fine with me. Joey," he says as he turns towards her. She's sitting on the same stool behind the counter that Dawson was sitting on this afternoon. "How's the seven o'clock show? Sound okay?"
"Sure, that's fine," Dawson hears her say.
"Okay, that's cool, Dawson. Should we meet you two there or what?"
"Actually, we can meet you at the video store. It's about 6:15pm now. We'll be there in, say, twenty minutes?"
"Yeah, okay. Stan's on his dinner break but he should be back soon to take over for me." Stan owns the video store and usually works the evening shifts on the weekends for lack of anything better to do.
"Okay, I'll see you guys soon then," Dawson says and hangs up the phone. He's beginning to think this evening was a bad idea. All of that time watching Joey and Pacey together . . . he can't pretend that doesn't bother him. Still, he has to get over it. It's not fair for him to do this. They are all just friends. And if Joey and Pacey decide to be more, well, what can he do about it?
He sighs and flops down on the bed. Maybe he does have to live with this and maybe he does have to grin and bear it while his is slowly squeezed out of the picture . . . but that doesn't mean he has to like it.
* * * * *
"So, are they meeting us there?" Joey asks as she slips off the stool and goes over to one of the walls of movies to thumb through the titles.
"No, they're coming here. They should be here pretty soon," Pacey replies.
"Oh," she says as she stares absently at the tapes in front of her.
"You're okay with this aren't you?" he asks.
"Should I be?"
"Well . . ."
"No, forget I said that. Yes, I should be and I am. Dawson is my friend, that's it. He's Jen's boyfriend. I can respect that. I'll be just fine. We'll all have a great time."
Pacey watches her and he can see that she's as unconvinced by her words as he is. This hurts her, whether she wants to admit it or not. She doesn't want to be in love with Dawson . . . but sometimes feelings aren't so easily controlled.
He steps towards her and places his hand on her shoulder gently. "I know how you feel . . ."
"I really hope that you don't," she says miserably without turning around. She keeps staring at the movies as tears fill her eyes but she fights to push them back.
"I wish I didn't, but I do. I know what it's like to want someone so much and know that they are out of your reach," he says.
She turns to look at him. "Miss Jacobs wasn't exactly out of your reach. She just left before you were ready," Joey says.
"I wasn't talking about her," he says softly as he looks at Joey.
She freezes, not sure what to make of this. She searches her mind but can't think of what to say. She feels Pacey draw closer and she is sure he is going to kiss her. At first, this causes a panic to rise within her. But, then, she realizes she might just want this, too. After all, he's been so great to her lately . . .
"Pacey," she says in a whisper. She prepares for the kiss she is sure is inevitable, blocking all thoughts from her head except the anticipation she is surprised to feel rise within her.
The moment is shattered, however, by the sound of the bell ringing to alert them that the door to the video store is opening. "Hey guys, I'm back," Stan calls as he walks behind the counter. Pacey and Joey separate quickly. He looks at the two of them strangely. "Am I interrupting?"
"No, no, we were just . . ." Pacey stammers.
"We were looking for a copy of . . ." Joey begins.
"The Truth about Cats and Dogs," Pacey says as he grabs a movie nearby and quickly reads the title.
"Hmm, sounds like you two need to know more about the birds and the bees," he comments.
Pacey laughs nervously. "Get out of here, Stan. You're nuts," says, trying to sound convincing.
"Sure, whatever," Stan replies.
"Well, Dawson and Jen should be here soon. I'm just going to wait out front for them," Joey says as she turns quickly to leave, wanting to get away from what has suddenly become an awkward situation.
"Yeah, right behind you," Pacey says.
"Hey, play safe," Stan says quietly to Pacey.
"You really should get out more," Pacey says with a smirk.
Stan arches his eyebrows at Pacey as if to let him know that he is not fooled by his sarcasm. Pacey turns to follow Joey, glad to get away from these questions he can't possibly begin to explain even to himself. Stan watches them go with a knowing look.
* * * * *
Jen hears the doorbell ring and dashes down the stairs to beat her grandmother to it. "I got it Grams," she calls. She opens the door to reveal just the person she had been expecting: Dawson Leery.
"You look nice," he smiles.
"Thanks, you too," she replies. "I'm leaving. See you later, Grams," she calls over her shoulder as she starts out.
"Don't be out too late, Jennifer," she hears as she pulls the door shut. Jen just rolls her eyes.
"She likes to keep a tight leash. Never can tell what I might try to pull," she says sarcastically.
Dawson smiles and reaches down to take her hand as they walk off the porch together. "She just cares about you," he says.
"Well, there is a thing as suffocating a person with too much caring," she replies.
"I think you'll come to appreciate it one day," he says.
"Maybe . . ." she says. "So, enough about her. Let's change the subject."
"Okay, what would you like to talk about?" he asks as they walk together down the quiet street towards the center of town.
"I don't know . . . how's the movie coming?"
"You mean mine or that masterpiece by the Scorcesi of the gridiron?" he cracks.
Jen can't help but laugh. "I meant yours. Did you enter it in the contest?"
"Yeah, but I haven't heard anything yet. They don't usually tell you anything until a few weeks after the entry deadline at least. And that'd be the soonest."
"Well, you're really good at filmmaking. You have a passion for it that shows in your work. I think you'll do great," she says.
He squeezes her hand gently and smiles. "Thanks, it's good to know you have faith in me."
"I always have," she smiles back.
He starts to say something else but looks up to see that they are only a block from the video store. This conversation will just have to wait. They walk on in silence, neither sure if they are drawing closer or just trying to make drifting apart a little easier.
* * * * *
"Hey Jo, wait," Pacey says as he follows her out the door of Capeside Video just as she is having a seat on the bench out front.
"Sorry, you didn't have to leave," she says. "I just didn't really know what to say in there . . ."
"Yeah, I felt the same way," he admits as he sits beside her. "Did we almost just . . ."
"Yeah, I think we did," she replies.
"What do you think about that?" he wonders.
"I don't know, what do you think?" she asks back.
"I don't know either."
"We're quite a team," she laughs.
"Yeah . . ." he laughs back.
"Pacey, I don't know if I'm ready to . . ." she begins.
"Me either," he replies before she can finish.
"So, what does this mean? What do we do now?"
"We . . . I don't know. I guess we just keep being friends like we always have been. We're both just lonely. I think friendship is probably the best bet though."
"Yeah, me too," she says.
"Okay, great," he smiles at her. He's not sure he really believes he only wants to be her friend though. For about two seconds in that video store today he definitely wanted to be more. But, Pacey knows now is not the time for this conversation. "There they are," he says as he looks up to see Dawson and Jen approaching. "We'd better go." He holds his hand out to Joey to help her up.
"Hey guys," Jen says as they walk closer.
"Hey, how's it going?" Pacey asks.
"It's going. And we'd better get going if we're going to make that seven o'clock showing," Dawson replies as he glances at his watch. The others nod and they all walk together towards the center of town.
* * * * *
