Part 7
by: Shirley
Author's Note: The next chapter is finally out! Sorry it took so long (over a month, I think) but I've been soooo busy with school work! I made this chapter extra long, just to make up for the extra time. And, don't forget to WRITE! Pretty please? I've included a summary for you guys just to refresh your memory (the things I do for you guys!).
Pacey and Joey stood there stunned for a few minutes.
"Well? Isn't someone going to answer me?" Jack yelled angrily.
"Well...uh...we were just..." Joey stammered.
"Kissing?" Jack finished.
"Look Jack, it isn't what it seems," Joey said.
"So you guys weren't kissing," Jack said, raising an eyebrow.
"No...yes...I..." Joey stammered again.
Jack turned his attention away from Joey and narrowed his eyes at Pacey.
"What about you Pacey? Aren't you going out with my sister?" Jack asked.
"Yes, but nothing's going on between me and Joey," Pacey lied.
"Oh, please! I know what I saw! That kiss sure didn't seem like nothing," Jack argued.
Joey looked at Pacey and Pacey looked at Joey. They communicated with each other through their eyes and Joey turned back to Jack.
"Okay, we'll be straight with you, Jack," Joey said. "Pacey and I are going out."
"I kind of figured that out," Jack said. He turned back to Pacey. "How could you do this to Andie?"
Pacey looked down. "Things between me and Andie aren't going too smoothly," he finally said.
"And that gives you a reason to cheat on her?" Jack exclaimed.
"No, it doesn't," Pacey admitted. "Look Jack, me and Joey didn't plan this. It just sort of happened."
"Oh, please! Nothing can just sort of happen!"Jack yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.
"Jack, I'm sorry if I've hurt Andie, or you, but I can't change what happened," Pacey said.
Jack paused and thought for a second. "Are you going to break it off with my sister, or is this thing with Joey just a fling?" Jack asked.
The question caught Pacey off guard. He looked a Joey and she stared back at him. "I...I don't know," he finally said.
"Well, you better make up your mind Pacey, cuz I'm not going to stand around and let you play games with my sister," Jack threatened. "I'll give you till tomorrow night to figure out what you want."
"You won't tell anyone yet, will you?" Joey asked.
Jack shook his head. "No. But if Pacey doesn't tell Andie soon, I will."
Joey set a new batch of cookies on the coffee table. She went to the couch and snuggled beside Pacey as he put his arms around her. It was the next day and Pacey and Joey decided to spend the afternoon watching movies. It was raining outside and they were trapped in the house for the day.
"Sleepless in Seattle?" Joey questioned as she saw the image on the screen.
"Yup," Pacey answered. "I decided to settle for something with a little less action this time."
Joey turned her attention back to the movie. She sat there for a minute, trying to get into the mood of the movie. She had always loved this movie, but right now her mind was on something else.
Jack's discovery of them yesterday had taken her relationship with Pacey to a whole other level. It was fun when it was just her and Pacey. They didn't have to worry about what anyone else would think. It was just Joey and Pacey, Pacey and Joey. But now, someone knew. Their secret world was diminished the second Jack saw them kissing. Now, their relationship was not "comfortable" anymore. There was a new threat. Joey turned and looked at Pacey and could see that his attention was not on the movie either.
"Pacey?" Joey asked.
"Yeah, Jo?"
"I hate to ruin the moment, but it's obvious neither of us are watching the movie," Joey told him.
"Yeah. You thinking about Jack too?" Pacey asked.
"Yeah. It's almost night, Pacey. What are you going to tell him?" Joey asked. Joey felt her stomach turn into a knot. She was nervous of what Pacey's answer would be. Was this whole thing just a meaningless fling? Or was it something more than that? She feared both answers. The first one because of the obvious, and the second one because, well, she didn't know how she would feel if things got too serious with Pacey.
"I'm not sure yet," Pacey answered. He looked at Joey and could see the worry in her eyes. He took her hands in his and looked her in the eyes. "Joey, I know that this is a rough time for us now, because, well, we don't know where we're heading. And I honestly love being with you, despite our bantering, but I have to know Jo. How do you feel about us?"
Pacey asked the question that Joey hoped he wouldn't ask. She didn't know what to tell him, because she honestly didn't know. "I...I don't know, Pacey. I never expected for us to get together, you know? But I do know that I like it when you're with me. When you hold me. When you kiss me."
Pacey smiled.
"You make me feel something that I haven't felt, Pacey. I feel different when I'm around you. You make me happy," Joey finished shyly.
Pacey leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Joey's lips. "You make me happy too, Jo," he said.
"So, what are you going to tell Jack?" Joey asked again after their kiss ended.
"Don't worry about that. I know exactly what to tell him," Pacey told her with a smile.
Pacey made his way up the steps to the Icehouse. He saw Jack cleaning the counters. There wasn't a single customer in the restaurant and Pacey was glad. This conversation may take a turn for the worst.
"Hi Jack," Pacey told Jack.
Jack looked up. "Pacey," he said. "I'm glad you've showed up. So, have you decided?"
"Yes," Pacey answered. He took a deep breath and began to explain. "Andie means a lot to me, but I don't care for her the way I used to. I would just be lying to myself if I said I did. I'm sorry, Jack, but I'm going to tell your sister that it's over between us."
Jack stared at Pacey. "So that's it? After all that you guys have been through, you're just going to throw it away because of some stupid fling with Joey?"
"What Joey and I have is not a stupid fling," Pacey said firmly.
"It might not be that to you now, but how do you know it won't be later on, huh? Maybe even next week. How do you know that things between you two will work out? You guys are so different. Are you willing to take that risk and throw everything you had with Andie away?" Jack asked.
"I'm willing to take that chance," Pacey said.
"Okay, so you're willing to take that chance, but what about her Pacey? Is she willing to take that chance and throw everything that she had with Dawson away? How do you know that she's even over him?"
"She told me she was. Jack, I know what I want so stop trying to change my mind-"
"Well, I'm mad Pacey. You mean so much to my sister. I'd hate for her to be hurt by you. And how could she do this to her? After all that she's done for you! She turned you around Pacey. She'd even worked things out between you and your father! How can you do this to her?" Jack asked.
Pacey sighed. He felt more guilty than ever now. He was hoping that Jack wouldn't go in this direction, but he did. "I didn't mean to hurt her."
Jack ignored Pacey's last comment. "And what about all that you've done for her? You've been there for her when she was going through a difficult time with drugs and when her mental state was deteriorating. Gosh, you mean so much to her. She decided to go to Providence to get better for you. Yes she was doing it for herself, but it was you that changed her mind."
Pacey was silent. Jack was right on every account. And everything he said hit a soft spot in Pacey's heart. He and Andie had been through a lot. Was he ready to throw that away for Joey?
Joey shivered and wrapped her jacket more closely around her. She was waiting on the docks to meet Pacey. He told her that after he talked with Jack, they would go out and "celebrate". Joey smiled to herself. They were going to make this work. She cared about Pacey and Pacey cared for her. That was all that matters, right?
Joey turned her head and saw Pacey walking towards her. She ran up to him and enveloped him in a big hug.
"Hey Pacey," Joey said.
"Hi Jo," Pacey returned.
Joey pulled away. "So," she said. "Where are we off to now? The movies? The beach?"
Pacey only stood there and stared at Joey.
"Earth to Pacey..." Joey said waving her hand in front of his face.
"Huh?" Pacey said, finally snapping out of his trance.
"You're a million miles away," Joey commented. "What's wrong? You've sorted everything out with Jack, right?" Joey didn't know why but an alarm suddenly went off in her head.
"Right?" she asked again, but more timidly this time.
(98*'s The Hardest Thing begins playing in the background)
"Joey, maybe it's best if we don't see each other any more," Pacey said.
Joey's heart sank to her feet. This wasn't happening.
"What?" Joey asked. "But I thought you told Jack that-"
"Joey, are you sure that you want to get together? I mean, what about Dawson?" Pacey asked.
A familiar stinging sensation began in Joey's nose. Don't cry, she told herself.
"What about Dawson?" she asked.
"Well, we all know that you and Dawson are going to get back together. And maybe it's best for me and Andie to stick with our relationship," Pacey continued.
Joey's eyes began to well up with tears. "But I thought we were happy together," she said.
Pacey's heart broke when he saw Joey's eyes fill up with tears.
"Joey, don't cry," he said, his own voice cracking. He reached up to her, but she pulled away.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
"I just think it's for the best," Pacey said, although he wasn't so confident anymore. "We knew that this might not work out, and I guess it's better to stop now before anyone gets hurt."
It took all of Joey's will to prevent her tears from falling. Too late, Pacey, she thought.
"So, you're alright with this, right?" Pacey asked softly.
"Uh huh," Joey managed to say. She turned around and began to walk away. Her speed began to increase and soon, she was running as fast as she could.
Pacey stood there staring after her. I bet she's crying, he thought sadly. And it wasn't until then, that he realized that he was crying too.
Joey flung herself on the couch. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying so much. I knew it. I knew this would happen. Why did I think that this could ever work out? Why was I so gullible? She paused as the tears started flowing again. Why did I have to fall for Pacey?
She got up and looked in the mirror. I was so stupid. How could I let Pacey have this control over me? And why am I crying? she asked herself. Because, she answered, you were hurt by someone you truly cared for...Pacey. Joey broke down and started crying all over again.
Pacey sat there on his couch and stared off into space. He felt horrible. He made Joey cry and that was the worst thing he could have ever done. But he had to do it. It was the right thing. She wanted Dawson and Andie needed him. His mind agreed with him, but his heart told him something else. Pacey ignored that weighing feeling in his heart and forced himself to concentrate on the image on the television screen.
What a way to end the summer, he thought sarcastically to himself. Dawson and Andie where coming back next week. Maybe things would be more clearer when they arrived. Just maybe.
