Havoc In A Perfect World- Part 3
Author’s name: Maddie
Email: maddie@systematics.demon.co.uk
Title: Havoc in a perfect world
Part: 3/?
Classification: P/J
Rating: Whole series- R or NC17, part 3 PG
Short Summery: The inconstant feelings and emotions of the four teenagers
means that change is inevitable in the group. Confused by her relationship
with Dawson and his feelings for her, Joey grows closer to Pacey, but the
change in feelings about themselves and each other means that havoc is
caused between the four friends.
Subject: P/J, coded, maddie, 3/?
Disclaimer: Blah, blah….I’m not he, he is not me….but god, don’t you just
worsip the guy. What a great writer. So…don’t sue me, ‘kay?
Auther’s note: This is set in the Junior year, and they’re all around 17 or
so. For the story it’s kinda important that Joey and Dawson haven’t been
going out for long, so assume that they’ve only just got together say 2 or
3 weeks before this is set. Sorry, by the way, I forgot to mention that in
my opening two parts. Hope this still makes sense!
Please write!! I really, really want to know what you all think, it would
really mean a lot. It’smaddie@systematics.demon.co.uk
Pacey quickly caught up with the hunched figure who was hurrying down the
corridor, head bent in….concentration, he wondered. Embarrassment, possibly,
anger, perhaps, confusion…..undoubtedly. He grabbed hold of her arm until
she turned to face him.
"Geez, girl, you pretty much flew down here soon as the last bell
rang. Not waiting for lover boy then?"
Joey glared at him. "No, lover boy and I have requested not to be
joined at the hip."
"Oh, just at the mouth then?"
Joey blushed slightly, and then kicked herself internally for
letting Pacey see her embarrassed. "Bite me Pacey."
Her cool and cutting reply came as no surprise to Pacey, who
grinned, having anticipated the arrival of that phrase somewhere in the
conversation. "You know, I would, but I think Dawson might get a little
jealous, you know?"
"Okay then, kill me, or better yet, kill yourself, and let me live,
happy in the knowledge that Capeside will no longer be afflicted with the
wise-cracking smart-ass class-clown that fits your description so
perfectly."
Pacey grinned at her as he waited for the end of her verbal
bantering, waiting for the time for his counter-attack. "Personally I prefer
the former, knowing that in your absence Massachusets would no longer be
affected by the bitter teen who masks her insecurity as perpetual cynicism,
acerbic wit, backhanded comments and an antagonism towards all that is good
in the world."
Joey almost laughed, strangely relieved that Pacey had pulled her
back into a reality that had somehow seemed misplaced in the last couple of
days. Strangely she had missed their sparring matches and relentless
quarrelling. It had a way of keeping her in check, of reminding her how
inanely hilarious her problems could be, and keeping her brain functioning.
"You mean like……..bottled blondes and cheerleaders?"
Pacey paused for a minute, as if deep in thought. "Well…yes, I’d say
they were two specimens of Capeside’s finest."
Joey wacked him with her school-bag. "Pervert."
"Prude," he offered.
"Sex-crazed….."
Least I admit it!"
"Oh, and you’re assuming I have something to admit?" She smiled at the
absurdity of it all, and shook her head after giving Pacey a curious and
disdainful look.
Pacey shook his head. "Clearly. It’s blatantly obvious that you lust
after our good friend Dawson, and yet you hide the fact that frankly, like
any other normal teenager, your new-found hormones are destined to alter
your emotions and actions, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. You
have so clearly got sex on the brain."
Joey blushed and gave Pacey a dark look. "Pacey, just because your
brain seems solely focused on the primal instincts, it doesn’t mean that
mine automatically follows. And believe me, there will be extreme animosity
between the two of us unless you drop the subject of my hormones
altogether."
Pacey smiled. "What hormones?"
Joey had to smile at Pacey’s attempt to rectify the discussion.
"So….we never had this conversation, right Pacey?"
Joey took one look at Pacey’s supposedly innocent face and sighed,
rolling her eyes. "Okay, there’s only so far you can go with this?"
"With what?"
Joey proceeded to whack him with her school-bag. "Pacey, I remain
eternally grateful that you’re willing to assuage my nerves by alleviating
any responsibility or concerns about the strange conversations we share, but
I’m beginning to feel a little ambivalent about the fact that you seem to
have forgotten the last words you uttered, and in turn question everything I
say."
"What words?"
Joey whacked Pacey with her bag. Again. Harder.
"Ouch!"
"Follow?"
Pacey rubbed his elbow, wincing. "Geez, lethal! Yes, I follow, don’t
worry."
"Good, now…..was there a reason for this unexpected visit or are you
merely revelling in the new-found knowledge that you can actually walk and
talk at the same time?"
"Oooh, Touche…"
"Really? So glad my barbed remarks are having some effect on you,
Pacey."
"Oh yeah." He glanced at her and raised his eyebrows. "In
fact….everything you say, touches me, right to the core."
Joey gave him a mock glare. "Pacey, until you give up on this
over-processed sarcasm, my bag is rapidly heading in your direction. ‘Kay?"
Joey gripped hold of her bag, and wrapped the long strap around her
wrist. She stood away from Pacey, and began to swing the bag in his
direction, aiming for mid-torso. Pacey burst out laughing as he watched her
studious and concentrated expression as she attempted to hit him with her
bag again. Quickly he spun to face her and grabbed the bag, mid air. In one
quick movement he pulled it to him. Joey, her wrists still caught up in the
strap, was quickly propelled through the air.
She let out a small squeak as she was pulled towards him. She flew
straight into Pacey, who was still laughing. She held up one hand in attempt
to prevent the collision, but in doing so, only pushed hard on Pacey’s
chest, almost pushing him over.
For the first time, Pacey stopped laughing, and gave a quick cry as
he fell backwards against the wall. Joey was pulled again straight against
him, and her face went straight into his chest.
Pacey heard some muffled talk coming from Joey’s face, pressed against him,
and burst out laughing again, ignoring the curious glances the two of them
were receiving from the passers-by. He let the bag drop to the floor, and
with both of his hands, grabbed hold of Joey’s shoulders, pulling her away
from him. Joey raised her free hand and pushed it against his chest, using
it as leverage to push herself away from him.
Scowling, she looked up into Pacey’s grinning face.
"Sorry," he said. "I missed that. Care to repeat?" Joey thought of
when she had last said that to Dawson, the night of the argument. The
absurdity of it all……. everything was there, all at once, and she couldn’t
decide whether to laugh or cry.
She looked up again and saw Pacey glancing at her curiously. She
smiled tiredly. "Ouch"
"What?"
"Ouch. You asked me to repeat what I said, so…a little lacking in
creativity, I know, but at the time my intellectual reflexes were a little
under strain since my main concern was making sure I didn’t lose half my
brain-cells and receive severe concussion when colliding headlong with said
wall over there."
Pacedy nodded. "I hear you."
"Oh, that’s a first," she muttered darkly, removing the strap from
her wrists, and rubbing her hands over the sore red lines they had left on
her skin.
"Bitter, Queen Josaphene?"
"Dead, Sir Witter?"
"Not yet- since your majesty has decided to spare my life."
Joey scowled at him and rubbed at her skin. "I’m feeling a change of
heart coming on," she muttered as she flexed her wrists.
Pacey grinned and draped an arm around her shoulder, guiding her
towards the exit. Joey glared at him, but, too tired to protest, let herself
be gently pulled towards the door. She looked up to see Pacey staring down
at her with a strange look on his face and realised that he had said
something.
"What? Sorry, I didn’t quite catch…"
"my witty conversation?" he finished for her. She rolled her
eyebrows. "Off with the fairies? Then again, I’m getting the feeling that’s
a little whimsical for you. Something on your mind?"
"Mmmn." Her forehead was bent in concentration.
"I’ll take that as a yes. Does this has anything to do with a
certain face-sucking session this morning?
"Oh, how like you to put it so romantically…"
"….Cause if I does I’d be happy to review it for you- you know, star
rating, marks out of ten…."
" Thanks, but that’s one moment I’d rather not relive."
Pacey turned, a small smile developing on his face as he looked down
at her. He raised an eyebrow, an inquisitive look in his eyes. Joey sighed,
knowing he was waiting for her to explain. "
"Not something you’d like to relive? Am I hearing things?
Are you Josaphene Potter? And what have you done with the real she, ‘cause I
know that that ms bitter teen queen was never one to pass up on a brief
romantic interlude with a certain film-making, over-analytical,
head-before-your-heart 17 year old by the name of Dawson Leery."
Joey sighed, for once not bothering with a comeback. "I am she.
And…"
"She is not a happy bunny?" Pacey offered. Joey barely managed to
raise her eyebrows and roll her eyes at Pacey, tired as she was. "Where was
your comeback, anyway Jo? I almost fainted in surprise. I’d been
anticipating a little wit, maybe a quick jab from your lovely collection of
insults that attempt to wound a man’s pride."
"Something along the lines of "Bite me Pacey"?" she inquired. Pacey
grinned in acknowledgement. Joey nodded. "Yeah well, I’m not in the mood to
indulge your lurid fantasies right now Pacey, so…."
"So?"
"So…god knows, Pacey. I think I’ve had enough for today."
Maybe it was the onset of tears, or maybe it was fatigue, or stress.
Either way, she looked like hell. And not in a bad sense, but…….
"You wanna talk, Jo?"
"To you Pacey?" She paused, laughing tiredly. "And you’re the right
person to talk to about normal teenage behaviour?" She paused and watched
his face for signs of laughter, or anger, or…anything. But he remained
uncharacteristically blank. She continued, for some strange reason wanting
to provoke his anger. And she didn’t even know why. Maybe it was because he
seemed impenetrable, un-movable. Or maybe because today, just today, she
felt the need to exercise her strength, to be in control. To touch somebody,
show herself she still had effect. She needed a reaction.
"I think not," she added, watching him closely. Nothing. "Unless I
want dating tips for faculty members, or ways to fail gym, or annoy your
father so much that he threatens to emancipate you at the age of fifteen,
or……" She paused, confused. And concerned, because there was no reaction.
She looked up at him but he was merely staring downwards, listening
carefully. After a few seconds of silence he brought his head up and looked
down at her upturned face. He raised his eyebrows.
"Or?" Not sarcastic, or angry, or mocking, just….there.
Joey was confused. "Pacey…."
"Yep?" Nothing.
She sighed. "It’s hard to do that when you won’t even fight back,
you know?"
"Do what?"
Was he doing this on purpose? It was working. "You know, the
bitchiness, the put-downs, the wise-cracks…." She paused, but there was only
silence as he waited for her to finish. She sighed again, weariness drawing
in. "How come you let me? I don’t think I’d be able to put up with that and
not…."
For the first time in a while, he cut in, interrupting her. "It’s
gotta be my outstanding patience and irresistable charm," he began, smiling.
She smiled back. "I figured you needed it Jo. You know, I was just giving
you the chance to unleash, open up."
"Unclench?"
Pacey smiled. "Sure. And if belittling me helps soothe you nerves,
then I think I can handle a little of it." He paused, and looked down at
her, grinning. "In small doses mind you. I think we all know the inevitable
outcome of a Witter v Potter match if it continues too long. And really, I
don’t have the energy….."
Joey smiled slightly, and brought her arm up, flexing her muscles.
"Or the superior strength," she joked, smiling up at him.
Pacey looked at her, disbelieving. "Or maybe you’re just too
stubborn."
Joey opened her mouth in mock anger and disbelief. "I’ll pretend I
didn’t hear that, Sir Witter."
"You do that Queen Potter."
Joey smiled demurely. "Seriously though Pace…..I guess you were
right. I needed to….blow off some steam, let go. You were just the
punch-bag. I’m sorry." Her smile twisted slightly at the corners, and
instinctively she reached out and leaned up against him briefly. She reached
out a hand lifted it to his face. She hesitated briefly and then touched his
cheek gently. She watched his eyes, dark with confusion, and…..and she didn’
t know what else. He was unreadable. She hated that. With Dawson, she had
always known……
She touched his cheek and felt him flinch slightly, pull away from
her, just perceptibly. And then he settled back again, as if he had never
moved. But she would always know. And she wondered why he felt the need to
move away from her when she touched him.
She removed her hand and smiled slightly. "Hope I didn’t wound you
too much, Pace."
Pacey smiled, and took hold of her arms pushing her down slightly,
and away from him. There it was again…… "Nah," he said. "I’m used to it."
"Oh, right. Yeah." Joey nodded and they began walking again. Looking
up she realised that they had neared her house, and Pacey was still here.
Did he expect her to ask him in? God, it would be rude just to let him go.
And not only that, it would be…..
No, she thought. Not right now. No added complications. Please.
"Pacey," she began, interrupting her aimless thoughts. "I just…" she
turned towards him. "I just….want you to know I guess, that… I didn’t mean
anything I said. It was all…heat of the moment stuff, and nothing to do with
you. I didn’t mean….."
"Jo." He stopped her, smiling slightly, sadly. "No sweat, don’t
hassle." He paused. "It’s all true anyway."
Joey felt her eyes water slightly and she could have kicked herself
for letting herself loose the way she had. And without holding back. Which
was okay, she guessed, but it had been the wrong person. And he had just
stood there and taken it, and even now he wasn't fighting it, he was
agreeing with her. She felt like shit for making him feel this way.
"Come on Pace, I’ve got enough to deal with without worrying about
your lack of self esteem." She smiled. "You know it’s not true, I can see a
guilt trap when I see one."
Pacey smiled, a little too brightly. "Yeah. Sure. I know." And he
had gotten over it…a little too quickly.
Joey sighed and realised they had reached her front porch. She
walked up the steps and turned around, expecting to see him, still beside
her. She turned and saw him walking down the path. She had meant to ask him
in, but….he obviously hadn’t expected it. And maybe he didn’t want it,
either, Joey reasoned.
"Pace!" she called out. He turned. "I……" And she didn’t have the
effort to ask him in, or fight it all. And…….she needed time to think.
"….Thanks, Pace."
He smiled. "Bye," he said softly, and began walking down the path
again, towards the road. Joey left her hand extended in the air after her
wave goodbye, half expecting him to turn again and shout something, or say
goodbye, or…anything. She waited, and soon he was too far away, and in the
growing dark she fought to pick him out from the other passers by. And she
stood there, for minutes after he had left, watching the dark, and watching
him slowly walk away.
That’s it….hope you’re enjoying it. Wanna know what happens? Huh! Too bad,
you’ll just have to wait I’m afraid. Oh well, part 4 shouldn’t be too long.
Please write to me at maddie@systematics.demon.co.uk
