The End of Something Simple
By Dawn

It was Friday morning. Andie was standing by her locker getting her books ready for her next lesson. Andie hadn't been sleeping very well for the past couple of nights and her depression was getting worse.

Pacey was walking down the hall when he saw Andie. He smiled to himself and snuck up behind her. He put his hands gently over Andie's eyes.

"What's shakin' McPhee?"

Andie turned around to face him. She smiled weakly.

"Hey."

Pacey detected the dullness in her tone. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern/ Andie looked into Pacey's eyes and then smiled warmly at him.

"Yeah…yeah. I'm fine. and all the better for seeing you. Come 'ere." Andie pulled Pacey forward by his shirt and kissed him. After an extremely passionate kiss. Pacey pulled back.

"Yeah, you're okay.

They began to walk to their class.

"So, I was thinking."

"That must have been painful." Andie joked.

"Very funny. Any way, how would you like to go out tonight? You know? Dinner a movie and maybe a romantic walk along the docks." He said putting his arms around her waist.

"I don't know Pacey. I haven't really been getting much sleep lately. I should really getting an early night." She replied. Pacey turned her around and gave her that cheeky grin she'd grown rather partial too.

"C'mon, you know you want too." He grinned. Andie felt every bone in her body melt. She couldn't resist that smile and Pacey knew it. Andie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"All right, but only if we can skip the movie. I really need an early night tonight." She said with a hint of reluctance. Pacey smiled triumphantly and then kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Whatever you say McPhee."

They both walked to class hand in hand. Andie suddenly felt a lot brighter. Maybe tonight would be just what she needed.

* * * * * * *

Pacey had arranged to pick Andie up at seven. It was now half past six. Andie sat in her rocking chair staring blankly out of her bedroom window. Her brother Jack peeked his head around the door.

"Hey." Andie jumped and turned round towards where Jack was standing. "Oh. Hey Jack. You startled me."

"Sorry." He smiled. Jack came into the room and sat on the end of the bed next to his sister.

"So, are you out with Pacey tonight?"

Andie nodded.

"Have you uh, have you taken your pills?" Jack asked quietly. Andie continued to stare out the window in silence. Jack sighed.

"Andie, the last time you took them was two weeks ago. You're not getting any better."

"I'm fine Jack. Really." Andie said trying to convince her brother. Jack shook his head.

You're not Andie. You're not fine at all. If anything else, you're getting worse."

Andie stood up and looked at him sharply. "I don't need this Jack. Pacey's picking me up in fifteen minutes. Now, I'm gonna wait for him outside and I want you to stay here."

Jack opened his mouth to say something else, but Andie stopped him.

"Don't Jack. If I say I'm fine. Then I'm fine okay?" she said almost close to tears. She whisked past him and walked out of the room leaving Jack sitting alone on the bed.

* * * * * *

As the sun was setting over the water, Pacey and Andie walked along the docks. Pacey had noticed that Andie seemed very distant. She'd hardly spoken the whole time they'd been on their date.

"What's wrong Andie?"

"Huh?"

"You haven't said a word all night. What's the matter?"

Andie smiled and shrugged. "Nothing, like I said. I haven't been sleeping very well lately. I'm tired that's all." She attempted to reassure him. Pacey however, wasn't buying it.

"Come on Andie. I know you, something's wrong. Is it your Mom?"

"No."

"Has Abby or someone said something to you?"

"No." Andie replied getting slightly agitated.

"Well is it me?" Pacey asked sounding quite serious now. Andie kept walking and ignored the question. Pacey grabbed her arm and turned her round to face him.

"Andie?"

She refused to look him in the eyes.

"Andie?" His tone was sharp and it forced Andie to look up.

"No, it's not you Pacey. I've just had a bad couple of weeks that's all. I swear, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Andie smiled an unconvincing smile."Yeah, I'm sure."

Pacey knew that there was no point in carrying on the conversation. He simply smiled and took Andie's hand in his. They walked to the restaurant in silence.

* * * * * * *

By half past eight, both Pacey and Andie were tucking in to their main course. Pacey was getting increasingly anxious about Andie. She seemed to be shaking and she was incredibly jumpy. When the waiter had asked her if she wanted salt on her food. Andie nearly hit the ceiling. It was almost as if she was paranoid.

"Are you sure you're all right Andie? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine Pacey and if you ask me that one more time. I'm going to scream." She said giving him a piercing look from across the table. Pacey acknowledged the look and continued eating.

Andie suddenly started to giggle. Quietly at first, but then it gradually became hysterical. People started looking towards them. Andie then ceased laughing and started to speak.

"I remember when I was a kid. We came to a place like this." She began. "There was me, Jack, my Mom and Dad and Tim. It was just a family thing we used to do." Andie started to play nervously with her food.

"I remember it was a really posh restaurant and when me and Jack looked down the menu. We couldn't find the burgers and fries."

Pacey smiled weakly and continued to listen with a worried expression on his face. Andie was too engrossed her story to notice.

"We refused to order anything off the menu. Mom and Dad were furious, but Tim came to the rescue as usual. He ordered this Beef Stake and when the waiter brought it over. Time cut it in half. He put the pieces between two slices of bread and gave one each to Jack and me. It was the best burger I've ever had." Andie was now very close to tears. She swallowed hard to try and get rid of the lump in her throat. Pacey wanted to ask her if she was all right, but he knew better. Andie cleared her throat and then sat up straight.

"Do you know where the girls bathroom is?" she asked, her voice was a little shaky. "Yeah, they're over there." Pacey replied pointing over to the other end of the room. Andie took her napkin off her knee and placed it on the table. She stood up.

"I won't be a minute." She said. Andie turned and walked to the bathroom Ten minutes later, Andie still hadn't returned. There definitely wasn't a cue because Pacey had seen two women follow each other in and then they both walked out a few minutes later. Another woman went into the toilets shortly afterwards. Pacey got slightly more anxious when she came running back out. She found one of the waiters and started waving her arms around frantically. Although he couldn't hear what she was saying, Pacey knew it had something to do with Andie. Scrabbling to his feet, Pacey ran across the restaurant and burst through the bathroom door. He looked around, but couldn't see Andie. Pacey suddenly heard a faint thudding noise coming from one of the cubicles. He could also hear crying. Pacey opened the door of the cubical where the noise was coming from. The sight that met him broke his heart. Andie was sitting in a crumpled heap in the floor of the cubical. She was squished in the corner next to the toilet bowl hitting the wall with her fists. Pacey crouched down next to her and grabbed her arms. Andie tried to pull free, but Pacey refused to let her go.

"It's all right Andie." He said trying to calm her dawn, but Andie continued to struggle.

"Let me go Pacey!" she yelled hysterically, but Pacey still held on.

The struggle continued for a few minutes. It seemed like a lot longer to Pacey. He had known about Andie's depression for a long time, but he had never seen her like this before. It frightened him. It took all the will he had not to break down in tears himself.

Eventually, Andie seemed to lose all of her strength. She slumped back down onto the floor and began to weep. The tears fell uncontrollably. Pacey could do nothing else but take her in his arms and hold her tight to him.

After a while, Andie's heaving sobs turned into pathetic little whimpers. She lifted her head and looked at Pacey with eyes that were swollen and red.

"What's wrong with me Pacey" she asked with a voice that was barely more than a whisper. Pacey couldn't answer because he didn't know what was wrong with her.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here." Pacey effortlessly lifted Andie up and carried her out of the bathroom. As they moved through the restaurant, Andie buried her face into Pacey's shoulder so she wouldn't have to look at any of the accusing faces that were staring at her.

When they got outside, Pacey found a nearby park bench. He put Andie down gently and sat next to her.

"Why is this happening to me Pacey?"

Pacey looked at her solemnly. "I don't know Andie."

"I'm sorry Pacey. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. This isn't your fault." Pacey tried to reassure her. Andie suddenly went very quiet for a moment and then looked at Pacey. The tears were still streaming down her face. Pacey wiped them gently with the back of his hand.

"What am I going to do Pacey? I'm all alone. I can't do this by myself." Andie began to sob once again. Pacey pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair.

"You don't have too Andie. I'll help you get through this, I promise." He whispered. Andie wrapped her arms around his waist and let her tears engulf her completely. Pacey rocked her gently in his arms.

"I'm here Andie, I'm here."…