Hi! A new part! I hope you like it! Let me know what you think! Thanks!!
By: Suzanne
Joey watched the actors embrace on the screen before she finally had enough and clicked the "off" button on the remote control.
"Joey!" Dawson yelled a little annoyed turning the television set back on.
"This is getting old, Dawson," Joey expalined. "All the movies are the same. No wonder these are called romantic comedies. It's all one big joke. If they really want a laugh, they should take a look at the romance in my life."
Dawson swithced the television back off sensing that this was going to be a long, drawn out conversation ahead of them. "Okay, I'm listening," he turned to her.
"What? I'm just saying that these kind of movies are all the same." Joey retreated from any potentially deep conversation that might lead anywhere near the topic of Pacey. "It's the unlikely heroine who never had a date in high school and then ironically finds love in an implausible place. If you've seen one, you've seen them all."
Dawson rolled his eyes, "Does your recent animosity toward romantic comedies have anything to do with your equally recent seperation from Pacey?"
Joey gave him a sneer and grabbed the remote control from his hand, "Let's just watch the damn movie." She stubbornly crossed her arms in front of her chest and sunk into the pillows of Dawson's bed.
*****
Pacey stood at his locker flirting with another girl and attempting to get his mind off Joey. She stood tall and very attractive. She definitely was a girl that would stand out in the crowd, but Pacey's mind was still distracted from thinking about Joey. "Yeah, well, I like to play sports... you know, football, basketball, hockey..."
"Wow..." the girl stood mesmerized in front of him listening intently to his words, not because it was of any interest to her, but because it took that much concentration to follow the conversation. "Hockey... is that the one with the ice and that black thing?"
"A puck?" Pacey asked.
"Yeah! That's it," she giggled. "Wow, you're smart."
"Um, yeah," he mumbled. He glanced up just in time to see Joey entering the Capeside hallways next to... Dawson. He didn't know how he would get through the day with her always there especially with Dawson next to her half the time. It was hard enough getting through the weekend. He really had to start moving on with his life before he jumped off the nearest cliff.
"It must be hard..." she tried to keep the conversation going. "You know, I mean the whole puck thing and skating at the same time. You must be really good."
"Hey, listen would you like to go out with me tonight, Katie?" Pacey rushed.
Another giggle escaped her lips as she smiled at him, "Well, sure..."
"Great, I'll see you around," Pacey smiled and shut his locker. He waved goodbye as Katie walked away.
*****
Joey tried not to notice Pacey standing there talking playfully with that girl... She tried even harder not to care... and Katie, of all people, the girl had more air in her head than a Michelin tire. "I'm being replaced by that thing?" she said to herself. Joey walked right past his locker without giving him a second glance, although Lord knows she wanted to. She wanted to head straight toward him, look him straight in the eye, and then rip his head off. She slammed every book she had into her locker seething in anger... and hurt, but she refused to believe that she was hurt. It was so much less painful to stay mad.
"Joey," a voice said from behind her. Joey jumped in surprise at the sound of her name. She whirled around to see Tommy.
"Oh! Hi Tommy," she rushed out.
"Hmm... I've had a lot better greetings, but that'll do," he said. "Do you think we can do another tutoring session tonight?"
"Huh?" she was glaring menacingly at Pacey who was talking to Dawson across the hall. "Oh, tonight, yeah..."
Tommy looked at her, "Geez, Joey... I'd hate to be the recipient of that evil stare. Did someone kill your dog or something?"
Joey shook herself out of it and turned her attention back toward Tommy, "Sorry, Tommy. I'm just a little... preoccupied"
He smiled and nodded, " So I'll see you tonight?"
"Absolutely," she said. "Maybe it'll get my mind of someone," she thought to herself.
*****
Pacey hesitated before placing his lunch tray onto their usual table in the cafteteria. Joey, Dawson, and Jen sat in silence. Joey was preoccupied with playing with her food, and Jen and Dawson just sat and wondered if she was all right. As soon as Pacey sat down, the tension thickened around them. After ten minutes of awkward stillness, Dawson tried to break the ice. "Hey, guys, how about a movie night? I'll pick up some of those lame 80's films, and we can sit and mock the bad hair and even worse clothes."
"That sounds like a fun idea," Jen said trying to go along with him for the sake of Pacey and Joey.
"I don't know, Dawson," Joey said shying away. "I've got things to do... y'know..."
"I don't know either, D," Pacey replied.
Joey threw a venemous glare his direction, the hurt and pain flooding back to her at just the sound of his voice, "and I'm not going if Swampboy here is."
"And I won't if this prissy, self glorified control freak is," Pacey shot back trying not to be hurt by her words. He knew he hurt Joey and probably deserved her bitterness, but he thought it was for the best when he called things off.
"You've got some nerve," Joey said.
"I try," Pacey challenged.
"I'll see you guys around," she turned to Dawson and Jen gave them a wave and headed out of there.
"Bye guys," Pacey said walking the other direction.
Dawson and Jen sat in shock after round one of Pacey vs. Joey. Things seemed to be getting worse than better. "That didn't work the way I hoped," Dawson sat staring at the two empty seats before him.
*****
"Do you think they're going to be all right?" Dawson asked as he and Jen made their way home after school.
"Yeah, Dawson, I think they're going to be fine," Jen answered looking up at him. She knew that Dawson had thought of little else other than his two friends since lunch.
"I'm sorry, I can't help worrying about them," he explained.
"No, Dawson, you have every right to," she assured him.
He continued to walk down the quiet street lost in thought. "It's just that I know Joey still has feelings for him although she refuses to admit it, and Pacey's too stubborn to go back on anything. It just seems like one big miscommunication and a waste of time for both of them. When did the equation of "Boy likes Girl + Girl likes Boy" change?"
"It's a lot more complicated than that, Dawson," Jen said.
"Please, enlighten me, then."
"Well, Pacey's obviously lost in his own insecurities. He's afraid that once he finally opens up to this girl, he's going to wind up hurt," Jen tried to explain. "Joey's never been in a relationship before. She has insecurities of her own. She was finally willing to unlock her heart, and all of a sudden, Pacey snatches the key and throws it out. How do you think you would feel?"
"I can vaguely relate," Dawson murmured.
Jen looked at him again and saw angst filled in his eyes. Did she really hurt him that much or was he still thinking about Joey? "I think what they need is a little time to sift things through," Jen said talking about more than just Joey and Pacey, "If things are really meant to be, forgive the cliche of it all but, they'll find each other again."
"You're right," Dawson said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her the other direction, "We haven't picked out the movies for movie night, yet. Let's go."
"You mean, there still is one?" Jen asked.
"Do you have anything better to do?"
"No," Jen thought a bit, "Okay, you're on."
*****
"Okay, so the verb estar is used to describe a condition that is temporary while the verb ser describes a permanent condition," Joey explained in the quiet library while Tommy listened intently. "For example, 'Pacey es un mentiroso y cobarde' implies that Pacey is a liar and coward and always will be according to the verb choice 'ser.' On the other hand, if we were to say 'Pacey esta-'"
"Can I interrupt to provide a little insight into the obvious?" Tommy asked. "You harbor some repressed ill feelings toward Pacey, don't you?"
"How'd you guess?" Joey asked.
"Well, maybe it's that in the half hour we've spent studying you've called him a liar, cheat, bastard, coward, and I believe you said, 'a pig with the brains of a cockroach.'" Tommy smiled and nudged her shoulder. "All in spanish too, I'm impressed. I might get a less than stellar grade on the next exam, but by God, I'll know how to cuss at the profe when the time comes."
"I'm sorry," Joey said. "I promise I'll focus."
Tommy smiled and stood up placing his books under an arm. He pulled Joey out of her chair, "C'mon, you need a break."
"Where are we going?" Joey asked allowing herself to be dragged toward the library's exit.
"I don't know, I'm hungry though," Tommy said. "I know you won't want to go to the Icehouse... how about Luigi's?"
*****
Pacey stared into space half listening to Katie rambling. This was a bad idea, Pacey thought to himself. The conversation that night was less than stimulating, and Pacey was having trouble stifling his yawns. They sat in the waiting area of Luigi's hoping for a good table. Pacey refused to go to the Icehouse. He wanted to avoid Joey at all costs. This was the most logical of choices.
"My first dog's name was Powder, and then- Pacey? Are you listening to me?" Katie interrupted his thoughts.
"Huh, yeah, Joey," Pacey mumbled.
"What did you call me?" Katie demanded.
"I called you Katie."
"NO, you called me-"
"Joey!" Pacey yelped in surprise when his eyes focused on the entrance to the restaurant to find Joey coming in with Tommy at her heels.
"Oh, it's Tweedleduh and Tweedledumpling. What a surprise," Joey grumbled in disgust approaching them tentatively.
*****
Joey did not know exactly how it happened, but she found herself seated next to Tommy and staring straight at Pacey in a little booth of Luigi's. The icy tension could be cut with a knife. Joey had not said a thing since they were seated. Tommy had insisted joining the two for dinner, and Katie had happily agreed. It seemed that those two were having a better time enjoying each other than Joey and Pacey.
"Hi, can I get you guys something to drink to start off your meal?" the waitress asked pleasantly.
"I'll have a Coke" Tommy replied. "And Katie here would like an ice tea."
The waitress wrote the order down, and looked up, "And what about this cute couple in the middle?" she asked obviously referring to Pacey and Joey.
Joey rolled her eyes in disgust and moved away from Pacey, "I'll have a coke. Can you add a shot of methanol to that?"
"Huh?" the waitress asked.
"Uh, nothing," Pacey interrupted. "She'll just have a coke."
"Don't answer for me!" Joey interjected. "How would you know if I'd just want a coke? If I want to poison myself to get the hell out of here, then I will!"
"Take it easy, okay?" Pacey said.
"Why should I?" Joey growled. "Out of all the emotions that's running through me right now, 'taking it easy' is not a top priority. "
"Forgive me for caring," he mumbled
"You forfeited your right to care when you walked out my door," Joey stated getting up and pushing her way out of the booth.
"Yeah, well, I guess I proved my theory right, the way you just threw me aside for the next slice of beef that headed your way," Pacey said standing up to follow her.
"You should talk! Bringing bubblebrain to dinner!" Joey yelled. "Now I can add hypocrite to the growing list of derogatory names synonymous with YOU!"
Pacey watched Joey storm out of the restaurant and threw his hands up. He looked back at the rapidly emptying restaurant booth. Pacey reached into his pocket and handed Katie some money, "Here, this should take care of your dinner. I need to go." He ran out of the restaurant following her steps out the door.
"Should I scratch the coke?" the waitress asked her eyes still observing the chase.
*****
Joey lay on Dawson's bed and stared at the ceiling. Her limbs hung lifelessly over the side as she contemplated in agony. In the back of her mind, she knew the ugly truth of it all. She wouldn't be so mad, and it wouldn't hurt so much if she didn't care this much for Pacey. "Dawson..." she moaned. "Please... just... find a gun, put a bullet through my head, and put me out of my God forsaken misery!"
"Sorry, Jo. Can't do it," he replied from his desk busily working on his script. "And you were knocking me for being melodramatic?"
"Do I just attract the insane? Or is it just me?... It's me..." Joey spoke to the ceiling. She grabbed a pillow from the bed and thrust it against her face in a vain attempt to suffocate herself. "I make them insane..." the muffled cry came from underneath the soft pillow.
A knock sounded on the door, and Jen's head peeked in as Joey and Dawson's head popped up to see who had entered. "Oh!" Jen said in surprise at seeing Joey lying on his bed. "I, um, can come back?"
"No! Jen," Joey called as she was turning to go, "Don't mind me. I'm just drowing in self inflicted misery. You won't even know I'm here."
"Joey's a little angst ridden right now," Dawson explained gesturing for Jen to grab a seat.
"I am NOT angst ridden," she defended then thought a while about her position. "I'm wallowing in wretched agony! I'm wallowing..." Joey began to whimper. "I hate wallowers!!" The pillow returned to hide her ashamed face. "Look what I've been reduced to!"
Jen sat next to Joey on the bed, and looked at her skeptically. She glanced up at Dawson asking him what was wrong, and he just shrugged only offering his own confused countenance.
*****
Pacey reached the door and hesitated before knocking. "Why am I doing this?" he muttered to the sky hoping for an answer to come. As if on cue, his answer appeared in the frame of the doorway. Joey stood in front of him and obviously surprised to see him there. Her hair was swept up in a loose bun but framed her face beautifully. For a moment, Pacey forgot to breathe. "I, um- Joey, can I come in?"
She stood her ground, "Sorry, farm animals aren't allowed in the house." Joey crossed her arms in front of her chest in defiance.
Pacey's hands went up as a sign of surrender, "Joey, please?"
She gave him a skeptical glance and walked away from the doorway into the living room. She left the door open though, so Pacey assumed that was a sign that he was free to enter. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Joey stood in the corner expecting Pacey to start, "Well?"
"Uh..." Pacey faltered half chuckling from nerves, "I planned everything I wanted to tell you, but now, standing with you in front ofme, I'm at a loss for words."
Pacey hoped for a response from Joey, but none came. "This is going to be harder than I anticipated," Pacey searched for words looking at the ground hoping maybe the right ones would be written there. "Joey, I'm not here to impress you with big words. I can't shower you with gifts like you'd deserve. I just... I want to be with you again," he said honestly. "I've made mistakes in my life, some were pretty big ones, but none of them were as boneheaded as what I did to you. This is all so new to me, Joey. I've never felt this way about anyone. I've never felt so much..." Pacey looked up at Joey seeing a little softening in her eyes. "I didn't know how to handle it, Joey. I'm not much of a ladies' man, you know. You just seemed too good to be true, and I always believed that if it's too good to be true, it probably is..."
He approached Joey slowly almost afraid that she'd run off in fear, yet she stayed still and Pacey stood inches in front of her looking into the depths of her soul. "Joey, I've missed this. I've missed us. Please, don't turn me away."
He bent down to kiss her, and she stood motionless for a few moments as his lips met hers. Her heart felt so conflicted. How could she turn away from this? She was only human. She found herself surrendering to his kiss. "Don't give up on this, Don't give up on us!" echoed in the far reaches of her memory and along with it all the pain that had gathered up in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly, she knew what she had to do. She pulled away.
"No..." the hushed word was torn from her lips shakily.
"What?"
"Pacey, I have to give you credit. It was a good speech," Joey said.
"I meant every word."
She shook her head, "What do you think I am? Give ME a little credit! I'm not some toy with a power switch. I can't press the pause button on my feelings whenever you feel like it. Now you want me back..."
"Yes," he said not understanding where she was taking this.
"Until when?" she asked. "Until the next teenage insecurity comes along and you toss me back into the ocean for another fish? You broke my heart once, Pacey. I can't allow you to do it again... not now."
"Joey, I won't." he pulled her back into his arms.
"You can't guarantee me that," she said but he placed his lips firmly on hers again. She pushed him away again with trembling hands. "I think you better leave." Joey opened the door for him waiting for his exit.
Pacey started toward the door, but before leaving he whispered in Joey's ear. "This is far from over, you know that."
Joey nodded, "I know, but for now, I made my decision." He walked out respecting her judgment, and she closed the door behind him. Leaning against it, she took a deep breath still in disbelief of what she had just done. Tomorrow was a new day though, and she, like everyone else, never knew what she had in store for her with the rising of the sun.
*****
THE END