"So, are we practicing in your room," she said leaning on his shoulder with her two hands, lying her chin on them. "Or are we gonna take your CD player and go outside?" she asked.
"I thought we could practice in here, unless you think its a better idea to practice in a..." he smiled down at her turning his head sideways. "We'll go outside."
"Good idea," she said, patting him on the back, and walking back to the window. "We could practice right in the back of your house. You know, close to the docks." she said pointing out the window.
"Yeah, that way no one will see us." he laughed as he unplugged the CD player.
"Not the reason I was thinking of, but that works." she smiled. "Any ways, its unlikely anyone would want to watch us dance."
"Why do you say that?" Dawson asked, walking over to her with the CD player in hand.
"I don't know." she shrugged.
"Well, come on the sooner we practice, the sooner we can get on with Movie Night." he said pushing her gently forward to the window.
"I'm going..." she said going out the window.
Dawson handed the CD Player to her when she was outside, then he climbed through himself. Joey had already gone down the ladder to the ground, and was plugging the CD player in the plug outside on the porch.
"Are you in a hurry, or what Joe?" he laughed walking up to her from behind.
"No, I am just faster than you are Dawson." she said turning around, and smiling at him.
"Yeah, maybe so." he said taking her hand and started walking to the middle of the lawn. "You stand her, and wait for me." he said pointing his finger at her as he started walking backwards.
He pushed the forward button on the CD player to the song and pushed play. He stood up, and looked at her. He walked over to her right on cue, and they started to dance.
Pacey and Jen were at the ruins practicing their duet. Pacey brought his CD player, and Jen brought the CD.
"Okay, do you want to practice now," Jen asked Pacey sitting on the side of the fountain starring up at her. "Or do you want to go home?"
"What?" he asked.
"You have been in lala land since we got here, Pacey." she said crossing her arms.
"Look," she said walking over to him. "You can either tell me what you are thinking, or...you can practice this song with me."
"I think I will practice." he smiled.
"Pacey," she said. "If the Talent show wasn't tomorrow night, and we didn't make it I wouldn't care. We could just sit here and chat for all night long for all I care..." she laughed.
"But it is tomorrow night, and we did make the show. So, we have to practice. And tonight is our last chance." she smiled taking his hand, and standing up. "Now, stand up." she said as she pulled him up.
"Yes, commander." he said saluting her like an officer in the military.
"Quit it." she laughed. Jen turned around to the CD player, and pushed play.
"Now, let's do this." Pacey said as he started to sing...
Abby was taking the new girl in town around the town. Showing her all the cool places, and not so cool places. They went to the theater, and decided to see the recent release.
"So," Abby said to the new girl. "Where are you from?" she asked.
"I am from California." she said as they moved up in line.
"What's your name?" Abby asked smiling. "I know I should have asked earlier, but I got caught up in showing you around." she laughed.
"My name is Katherine." she smiled back at Abby.
"Nice to meet you Katherine." she said shaking her hand, "Can I call you Kathy, or Katie or anything?"
"No," she said bluntly. "I never liked people shortening my name. And the only ones that I tolerate it from are my boyfriends, since the guys I date don't seem to get it through their thick heads that I don't like it." she laughed.
"Yeah, I understand that." she said. Actually Abby didn't. After all, she didn't have to worry about that. What were guys gonna call her...Ab? She thought not.
"But I didn't leave a boyfriend behind." she said crossing her arms. "David, the last boyfriend I had, dumped me about two months ago."
"Sorry," Abby said sincerely. "Why? If I may ask."
"For a blond air-head." she said. "But that's enough about me. I was wondering..." she said uncrossing her arms as they reached the door to buy their tickets. "Do you know a guy that has brown hair, tall, good-looking?" she asked.
"That could be any of the guys at our school." she laughed as she handed the guy the money for their tickets. "Who was he hanging around?"
"Some blond. She looked almost like a duck..." she laughed lightly.
"That could only be Jen," she smiled. "But she doesn't really look like a duck to me."
"So, do you know the guy?" she asked.
"Yeah," she said reluctantly. "That could only be Pacey Witter. He is known as the town clown. Or at least by his family he is." Abby said waling into the theater with Katherine.
"Pacey, huh?" Katherine repeated his name. "Does he have a girlfriend?" she asked as they sat down in the theater.
"Pacey?" Abby asked with a light laugh. "Not to my knowledge. And when something like that happens I would know about it. That would be big news."
"Why is that?" Katherine asked, surprised by the comment.
"Well, let's just say he hasn't had one yet." she smiled.
"Oh," she said sitting back in her chair. I think I can change that, she thought to herself.
Dawson climbed back in through his window, and right behind him was Joey. They had practiced about five times, before they started getting tired. Dawson was sweating, and so was Joey.
"Joe," he said walking to his closet. "Why don't you take a shower first?"
"You sure your mom and dad won't mind?" she asked nervous.
"Why would they?" he asked throwing one of his shirts at Joey. "Here, wear this. I'll throw your clothes in the wash so they will be clean and not sweating in the morning."
"Ok." she said walking out of his room, and toward the bathroom.
Dawson pulled out a shirt for himself, and his plaid sweat pants. He threw them on his bed, and walked over to the videos he had, and started to go through them to find a good movie to watch tonight. Dawson didn't realize he had taken twenty minutes or longer to finally choose a movie, but when he turned around there was Joey in his shirt. The shirt only went past her stomach. She walked over to his closet and pulled out one of his pants, and quickly put them on.
"Nice one Dawson." she said, as she walked over to the left side of the bed.
"Honest, Joey. I thought the shirt was longer than that." he said, but he couldn't help but smile.
"Wipe that smile off your face, Dawson." she said crawling into bed. "Your turn go and take your shower."
"I am, I am..." he said walking toward his door, he turned around and walked to the bathroom.
Joey sighed, and laid down on the pillow. She reached over to Dawson's side of the bed, and took the controls to the TV. She clicked it on, and flipped through the channels till she found a old movie. She dropped the controls by her side, and just started to watch. It was a Marilyn Monroe movie...she wasn't sure which one.
Dawson walked into his room with the towel wrapped around his waist. He had to grab his pants at least and under wear to change in the bathroom. When he saw that Joey was lying on his bed very still, he walked up closer to her. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing lightly. He smiled. She was asleep, he walked over to his side of the bed, and picked up his pants. He would still change in the bathroom, just in case she was to wake up all of a sudden.
Dawson came back with the towel in one hand drying his hair, Joey had turned over on her right side, and was facing his direction. He picked up the remote controls, and clicked the TV off. He placed the controls on the desk by his bed, and moved the covers so he could get under them. He laid his head down, and clicked off the light.
"Night, Joey." he whispered, wrapping his arm around her. She scouted in closer to him, lying her head on his left shoulder, her left arm going around the top of his waist.
"Night, Dawson." she said in a very quiet voice.
Joey was walking down the hallway to meet Dawson when she saw Pacey walking up to her.
"Yes, Pacey?" Joey asked stopping in her tracks.
"Have you seen Jen?" he asked.
"Nope," she said shaking her head no. "Have you seen Dawson?"
"Nope." he said.
"Well, I have to go and meet him in front of the bike rack. So," she said starting to go around him.
"Wait, Joe." he said walking in front of her.
"What, Pacey." she said getting a little annoyed.
"Have you seen this new girl on campus?" he asked.
"What new girl?" she asked. "Oh, wait. You mean the girl with red curly hair..."
"Yeah, her." he said, smiling. "Know her name?"
"I think its Katherine or something like that. Why?" she asked getting a better grip on her book bag on her shoulder.
"Just curious." he said smiling.
"I thought that you might be interested in Jen." she said smiling her half smile.
"Why would you think that?" he asked in a nervous tone.
"Oh, the way you two have been spending lots of time together lately. And that you are singing int he talent show with her, oh things like that." she said smiling a huge smile now.
"Well," he started to say something back about that, but saw Jen waving at him.
"Look, I would love to give that remark the attention it deserves, but I see Jen. So, I have to go. Bye." he said taking off.
"Whatever, Pacey." she said walking out the school building.
Joey saw Dawson right where he said he would be. He was standing by his bike on the bike rack. She walked up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Joey," he said turning around. "Where have you been?" he asked.
"I got stopped in the hall by the monster from the blue lagoon." she said.
"What did Pacey want?" he asked.
"He wanted to know about the new girl in school." she said as she started to walk.
"Well, any ways on to the talent show tonight." he said with smile.
"What about it Dawson?" she said in a questioning tone. "We have talked and talked about it. Its tonight. End of subject, Dawson." she laughed. "What about something else to talk about?"
"There is nothing else to talk about right now, Joey." He said as he started peddling on his bike beside her. "We need to talk about our costumes."
"Fine," she said. "I'll go to your place and help find something in your catastrophe of a closet, and help you find something that Johnny would wear."
"Then I..." Dawson started to talk.
"No, you won't. I will find something in my own closet to wear. You will have to wait and see what I choose. But don't worry," she said. "It will be something Baby would wear." she smiled.
"I'll see what it is when I pick you up." he smiled.
"Nope, I will meet you at the Talent Show." she smiled.
"Why won't you let me see what you are gonna wear before the show?" he asked.
"Because..." she said looking at him, with her smile. "It's a surprise."
Dawson laughed and they continued their walk to his house.
Pacey went to pick up Jen at her house for the big night. Pacey was nervous, and his dad made him put on a stupid tux for the show. Even though his parents weren't going to be there in the audience they still felt like they had a say in what he wore. He messed with the tie all the way up the porch steps to the door. Even after knocked he still tried to loosen it a little. He knew he wasn't gonna be the only one of the groups that dressed up a little, but he still felt weird in a tuxedo for a school event...Prom, maybe. But he still had two years before he even had to worry about it.
Jen answered the door dressed in a long whit dress. It was simple, and it went in to a v-cut in the front a little, but what caught his eye was the slight in the side of the dress. She smiled at him as she stepped outside from the door. She was holding the CD that they were going to use for the talent show that evening in her right hand.
"What?" she asked with a laugh.
"Nothing." Pacey said smiling. "You look nice. Your Grams make you get dolled up too?" he said fussing with the tie around his neck some more.
"No, I wanted to." she said walking toward his car.
"Why?" he asked. "Not that it should make any difference. I know we won't be the only dolled up couple at the show, but...why?" he asked getting into the car.
"No reason really." she said placing the CD on the seat in between Pacey and herself.
"It's not that fancy, I mean...is it?" she asked.
"Nope." he said, as he started the engine.
"Good." she said relieved.
"You nervous?" he asked as he backed the car out of the driveway.
"A little, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yeah," he laughed. "I haven't sung on stage since I was in elementary school." he smiled. "And that was with a choir. I never sang a solo."
"Really? Why not?" she asked, sincere.
"I don't think the parents would have liked me breaking their eardrums with my voice." he laughed.
"Seriously," she laughed.
"I am serious...my voice was worse than it is now back then." he laughed.
"Well, I don't think its that bad." she said smiling at him then focusing on the view outside the window.
"Thanks." he said. "Same goes for your voice. Its pretty."
"Thanks." she said smiling at him again.
Dawson was outside the auditorium waiting for Joey to arrive. He was leaning sideways on the building. His left shoulder against the brick wall, his arms crossed in front of him, and his left foot over his right foot. If he had a leather jacket, he would have passed for Patrick Swayze look-a-like. He was wearing a black top, the kind Johnny in Dirty Dancing wore at the end of the movie, the first three to four buttons undone at the top of the shirt. He also was wearing black jeans, and boot. He was all in black, and for Dawson that was unusual. Kids passed him not thinking it was him at first, and were shocked when they found out it was. Dawson just laughed it off.
Bessie's car finally pulled up to the auditorium, and Dawson started to walk toward the car. He saw Joey, or what looked like Joey in the passenger seat. She was smiling, and slowly got out of the car. Dawson stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. She was so beautiful. He felt a smile grow on his face, but he didn't move anymore. She started walking up to him. She was wearing a dress just like Baby's in the move. Almost the exact dress. Or from what Dawson could tell, it could have been the genuine article. She was wearing slightly high heels. Any higher, and she would be higher than Dawson. Her hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, and the rest of her hair hanging down. A strand of her hair was hanging loose on the right side of her face.
"This feels like Prom, and I am going out with the town James Dean." Joey laughed.
"And I am dating the most beautiful girl in town, against everyone around her's personal opinion." he smiled. "Joey you look great."
"Thanks," she said bowing her head down looking at the ground for a minute then looked back up at him. "So do you."
"Let's get inside." he said taking her hand. "They need to write down that we showed up."
"You mean you haven't even gone inside?" she asked as she was being pulled.
"No, I wanted to wait for you." he said.
"Dawson..."she laughed sarcastically as they burst threw the doors to the backstage entrance.
Dawson and Joey walked up to the table and the girl wrote their names down and told them that they needed to see the stage director. She pointed the way, and they took off in that direction.
"Oh no..." Dawson said as he saw who it was. "It's that girl from movie class. The one that wrote, and had to produce "Helmets Of Glory". She hates me." he said throwing his arms up in the air and running them through his hair. Which was greased back lightly.
"Relax," Joey said taking his hand and walking pulling him in that direction. "If she holds anything against you here, I'll beat her up. Ok?" she joked.
"Yeah, right, Joe." he smiled back.
The show was almost over. There was only one more act before Pacey and Jen went on, then after them was Dawson and Joey. They were all sitting backstage waiting till they heard their names told to go get ready to go on.
"So, what are you guys doing?" Pacey asked Dawson and Joey.
"We are doing the dance scene in the last scene in Dirty Dancing." Dawson said.
"How do you plan on doing the jump, Dawson?" Pacey asked with a smile. "You gonna grow wings and fly." Pacey said flapping his hands by his side.
"No," Joey said. "We aren't doing that part." she said giving Pacey her evil glare that was just for him.
"We have come up with some moves to improvise." Dawson said.
"Oh, ok." Pacey said. He said smiling his Cheshire cat grin.
"Pacey, don't you have something to do besides be here annoying everyone?" Joey asked him looking past Dawson and over at him.
"Not yet." he said.
"Come on Pacey." Jen said standing up from her chair. "We're next." She walked over to Pacey and stood there waiting for him to get up.
"See you two later." he said smiling as he stood up.
"Yeah, later Pacey." Dawson said watching them leave. He looked over at Joey who was fidgeting with her hair. "You ready? We are gonna be after Pacey and Jen, we are the last act."
"I know, Dawson." she said, looking at him with her sarcastic face. "I am just nervous."
"Yeah, so am I." he said taking her hand in his.
Jen and Pacey got on stage, and took their places. Jen was on the left side of the stage, taking the microphone out of the stand, and stood there in the dark. Pacey stood at the right of the stage, took his microphone out of the stand, and stood there in the dark while he nodded to the guy handling the music to start the music.
Pacey started to sing, and started walking to the middle of the stage. When it was Jen's turn she did the same, meeting each other in the middle for the chorus. They stayed there singing, but looking around the stage when it was their solos, then back at each other for the chorus. When the song ended the auditorium filled with clapping, whistling, and anything else imaginable. Pacey and Jen bowed, smiled at each other, put their microphones back and left off the stage.
Dawson and Joey were on the other side of the stage that Pacey and Jen ran off. Dawson handed their CD to the guy at the CD player. He took it and put it in the CD player. The lights on stage went off, except on in the middle of the stage. Joey took a deep breath, and walked out on the stage. She stood in the center of the light, and looked over her shoulder at Dawson. He told the guy something and started to walk out on stage. On his second step the music began playing, and Dawson was behind her by the time the song started.
They did the whole routine without missing a beat. Their improvised steps were also just as easy. They still did the part where she ran and he lifted her up into the air. Even better than they had practiced. They ended the dance with Dawson lowering Joey to the floor, like in a ballet dance, and lifting her up in slow motion when they guy was talking the lines at the end of the song. They had the music slowly fade out in the background as the lights also went out on the stage, with Dawson and Joey staring into each other's eyes and close together the whole time. When the lights came back on and the clapping began Dawson and Joey bowed, and jogged off stage smiling.
Katherine was standing in the background of the auditorium watching both Dawson and Joey's dance sequence, and Pacey and Jen's duet. She loved his voice, and stared at him during the whole song. She thought that Pacey was the only guy that would make her lose her concentration, but she was wrong when she saw Dawson dancing with Joey. She had not met Dawson yet, and didn't know one thing about the ins and outs of Capeside. But she was get the 411 on Dawson Leery and Pacey Witter. And when she does, they better watch out. For they both might start to have troubles with their girlfriends. With that thought she crossed her arms and smiled a happy, but evil grin. She turned and started out of the auditorium, and into the night.
Dawson and Joey were walking home. Dawson's mom offered a rife, but they wanted to walk. Make the night last a little longer than it would normally. They walked to the ruins, and sat down on the cement bench in front of the water.
"So." Dawson said. "We got a great response to our segment, better than we thought any ways."
"Yeah," she said smiling. "But of course what are parents going to do, not clap for their children? And their friends? No, that is highly unlikely." she said looking at him.
"But we were good." he said, folding his hands in his lap. "I mean we practiced everyday, and every night till tonight. And you were getting better every time, and me on the other hand didn't really get better at all."
"Dawson, "Joey laughed, running her hands through her hair in annoyance. "You are too hard on yourself, and too easy on me. I swear, why can't you tell yourself the truth instead of cutting yourself down. You were great out there. I couldn't have done the steps like I did if you weren't great." she smiled. "If you were so bad, I would have been messing up on all the steps, Dawson. I was taking my cues from you." she said, giving him her sarcastic smile.
"I don't put myself down on purpose, Joey." he said smiling back at her. "It just comes out. I have no control over what my mouth says half the time, and what it won't."
"Tell me about it." she said under her breath looking back at the water.
"But out of the two of us, and this is the truth, Joe...You were the better dancer." he said, smiling his half sexy smile.
"You are just saying that Dawson Leery." she laughed.
"No, I am not. I don't just say things." he said.
"Yeah, well..." she said looking at him. "You would have given Patrick Swayze a run for his money on stage."
"Yeah?" he asked still smiling.
"Yeah." she laughed.
They sat there for a long time, before Joey said she wanted to go home. Dawson took her home then walked himself home.
Katherine was at the Ruins the same time Dawson and Joey were standing up to leave. She had her work cut out for her on that boy there...Pacey was another story entirely. He would be easy picking since he was single. But Dawson Leery and that girl seemed to share a very special bond and she would have to find a weak point within their relationship to play on. All she would need with Dawson Leery was one night, and she would work her magic on him, make him forget all about that girl.
Katherine walked out of the shadows as they left, and with her arms crossed, watched them leave. She took a couple steps, and stopped. She looked around her, and to the stars and moon above her.
"One way or another," she said to herself out loud. "I will get one of these boys away from his so called woman, and cause some trouble. After all, trouble is my middle name. Why my life would have no meaning if I didn't make some trouble in and there..." she said smiling an evil grin.
Pacey had dropped off Jen at her house. No kiss goodnight, no hug, no nothing. Just a 'Goodnight, Pacey. I had a great time at the talent show.' and inside she went. He seemed to either pick older woman, or women that are emotionally unavailable. He hit the steering wheel as he came to a stop at the stop sign on the corner of the street. He had no idea what to do. Jen was obviously still head over heels for Dawson. He just had to be friends with her, that's it. He could find another girl to go out with. After all, there still was Abby. He considered asking her out again as he started to drive home from the stop sign.
Pacey stopped the car in the middle of the street when he saw her. She was the new girl in school. Her red hair flying lightly in the breeze behind her as she walked. Her sunflower dress moving with her. The dress went down to her knees, and had no sleeves. Just straps, and it was the first sunflower dress like that. Her curly read hair was what really caught his eyes, among other things. He just sat there watching her approach his car. She sopped at the opened passenger window, and looked inside, smiling at him.
"Hi." she said wearing a big smile.
"Hi," he said.
"I was wondering, would you mind giving me a ride home?" she asked placing her hands on the door where the window would roll up. "I live in the opposite direction you are going though, but I wouldn't ask if I wasn't going to get my butt kicked by my dad for being out so late as it is."
"Sure." he said smiling. "I am in no hurry of getting home myself." he laughed, motioning for her to come on in.
"Great," she said ecstatic. "You have no idea what a lifesaver you are." she said opening the door, and sliding in.
"So," he said turning around. "What's your name?" he asked. "You're new, I know that..." he said looking at her once.
"My name is Katherine." she said looking over at him. "What's yours?" she asked.
"Pacey." he said. "Nice to meet you, Katherine. But may I ask you why your parents and yourself moved to a small town like this for?"
"My daddy's business." she said.
"Oh," he looked over at her again.
The whole ride was quiet there after. He had no idea what to say to her, and every time he looked at her, he was struck by a sudden case of the 'cat has his tongue' scenario. She lived close to Joey's house, but he said nothing about it.
"I was expecting like a mansion out of a movie or something." he laughed. "Not a small two floor house."
"Don't judge by things by the cover, Pacey." she said opening the door and stepping outside. "Nothing may be as it seems at all." she said before she shut the door shut and turned to walk away. "Oh," she said turning back around. "Do you have a girlfriend Pacey?"
"No, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.
"Not yet." she teased, and walked up to her front door, and walked inside.
Pacey shook his head, and started the car. He looked back at the house once, then took off. Not having a care in the world.
Maybe things were looking up, he thought. He wore a smile on his face all the way home.