Fact of the Matter

One

'Self-created Semi-truths'

She knew it didn't matter. Somewhere under all the cynical heartache and sarcastic eye rolls to disperse the looming yearning in the air, she knew it didn't matter. This was simply a surge of fanatic emotion—a slight misstep all teenagers experience; that lustful stumbling block that you laugh at years later, when your life is perfectly in order. So yes, deep down, Joey Potter knew it didn't matter that Pacey Witter was kissing the bubbly, constantly smiling, headband wearing Andie McPhee. But that couldn't stop the sweetness from turning to burning molasses when the sight caught her attention.

Digging her French fry abusively into the ketchup, she couldn't suppress the grimace that spread across her lips, and darkened her eyes. But like she kept trying to convince herself: it didn't matter. It shouldn't matter. It couldn't matter. Clearing the bitterness from her features, she put the soggy, ketchup ridden fry into her mouth, and leaned back in her seat.

"I have to get back to work soon," she said levelly, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Bessie will serve my head on a platter for the dinner special if I'm late." Crossing her arms, she coughed loudly, forcing Pacey and Andie to finally break apart. She raised a pointed eyebrow at them.

Pacey glared at her, his blue eyes still sparkling. Sparkling because of her. Joey ran her tongue over her lips to rid them of their sudden dryness. "Thanks for the heads up, Potter, I'll be sure to alert the media."

Joey feigned shock, putting a hand to her heart. "My oh my, Dawson, would you look at that. Our doe-eyed lover boy actually has another use for his lips other than sucking face." She supplied Pacey with a glare before turning to Andie. "I have some ChapStick, if you need it." She smiled at her with caustic sweetness, before pulling her chair away from the table and getting up. Andie looked at her, caught somewhere between shock and annoyance. Joey simply widened her smile, and turned to leave.

"Do you really have to get back to work?" Dawson asked disappointedly, catching her hand in his. Joey's eyes fell to their now interlocked fingers and she sighed. "It's a Saturday, Joey. I'm sure Bessie will understand if you were to ask for the rest of the day off."

"Let her go, D. The Wicked Witch of the East has customers to terrorize. And if she did get the rest of the day off, then what would she have to complain about when we unavoidably see her later tonight?" Pacey raised an eyebrow at her cockily, as he leaned back in his seat, draping an arm over the back of Andie's.

"Bite me, Pacey," Joey said, scowling at him. Taking her hand from Dawson's, she crossed her arms. Despite towering above them, Joey had never felt smaller. The boy beside her was her best friend of fifteen years; the boy who lived down the creek; the boy who had just upped his status to boyfriend; the boy who people had been telling her for years was her soul mate. Yet despite all of this, she couldn't take her mind off of the Hawaiian shirt wearing, class skipping, teacher seducing, sarcastic remarking Pacey Witter sitting in front of her.

"You keep saying that, Jo," he told her, amusement filling his eyes and a smirk tugging on the sides of his mouth. "I'm starting to think you might want me to. Just add a 'please' at the end, and your wish is my command." Pacey winked at her.

Joey simply rolled her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek. Her face burned at the thought of him actually touching her. Other than the occasional punch, slap, or bumping of the shoulders, there was strictly no contact between them. It was odd, seeing as they had been friends for so long. Joey chewed over the word 'friends'; is that what she and Pacey really were? They antagonized each other, and bickered more than any pairing she had ever witnessed. Perhaps it wasn't friendship they had—but some middle ground. Some silent agreement of mutually assured destruction that kept them from flaring up at each other. Whatever the case, Joey found herself unable to break eye contact with him.

"Come on, Pacey," she drawled, "now you're just being hypocritical. You being polite happens just about as often as Halley's Comet. And didn't your mother ever teach you 'treat others the way you want to be treated'?" Joey uncrossed her arms and put a hand on the back of her chair, lowering her eyebrows to intensify her glare. But she found as she stared, it wasn't out of hate or annoyance. It was something more akin to lust. She quickly tensed at the idea, suddenly feeling the full weight of Dawson's presence beside her.

"Come to think of it," Pacey said, bringing a finger to his lip in taunting contemplation, "1986 was a pretty respectful year for me. But I said 'please' and 'thank you' one too many times, and the whole concept sorta lost its luster." He smirked at her, as he took his arm from around Andie and clasped his hands together on the table. "But, in all your attempts at wit, Potter, I don't think you ever actually denied the fact that you might like a little nip on the neck." He winked at her again, this time with a little less taunt. Joey couldn't quite pinpoint the new emotion his action took on, but whatever it was, it made her heart beat a little faster.

"I was never into all that Interview with the Vampire crap. As far as I'm concerned, the book and movie can just stay in pop culture purgatory. So no, Pacey, I would not like a little nip on my neck. I'd much rather you just nail me in a coffin or push me off a cliff."

'Well that's a hyperbole if I ever heard one," Pacey retorted, resting back in his seat again. Andie looked at him curiously, pursing her lips.

"I'm surprised you even know the word, Pacey. Glad to see you finally understand lessons from sixth grade English. Nothing wrong with being a late bloomer; at some point even the slowest sixteen year old eventually grasps the basics."

"You wound me, Potter," Pacey replied, placing a hand over his heart. He gave her a puppy dog pout.

"Why don't you have Andie kiss it and make it all better," Joey shot back, somewhat bitterly. She was surprised the words flew out of her mouth so easily. Worrying her lower lip, she slowly turned her gaze towards Andie, trying not to let it show how much it panicked her.

"Don't you have to get back to work, Joey?" Andie asked, raising her eyes to Joey, and smiling. "I wouldn't want us to be the reason you get in trouble with your sister." Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she didn't break eye contact with Joey. Caramel and chocolate were caught in a staring contest, and neither one was prepared to give up first.

"How thoughtful of you," Joey drawled, taking her clenched hand from her chair.

"Give it a rest, Potter," Pacey said, pulling out his chair from the table and rising to his feet. "I should get going anyway; my shift at Screen Play starts in fifteen." Offering a hand to Andie, he helped her out of her seat.

"Right," Joey returned with a curt nod, and turned to Dawson. "I'll see you tonight." Kissing his temple, she quickly walked away and disappeared back into the Icehouse.

The three remaining friends were left frozen where they were. Dawson ran a hand through his thick blond hair, and then rested it under his chin momentarily, before following suit and standing as well.

"Am I missing something here?" Andie asked quietly, letting her eyes drop to the wooden table. Dawson and Pacey both looked in her direction, the latter sighing. Beginning to tap nervously on the arm of his chair, Pacey shrugged his shoulders.

"Joey just takes a while to warm up to people," Pacey said nonchalantly. "But, pour a little water on her, and she'll melt right in your hands." Laughing, he gave Andie a smile before rubbing her shoulder supportively. Pacey was determined to make this relationship work. He wasn't quite sure why Joey was so hostile about it, especially since it kept him from nagging on her and Dawson as often as he had done in the past. But what he did know was that he wasn't going to take Joey's antics lightly—there was a line between playful banter and flat out cruelty and she was flirting dangerously with it.

"You're absolutely awful sometimes, Pace, you know that?" Dawson told him with a chuckle, trying to hold back a grin.

"There's nothing wrong with painting the truth in a more colorful light, D" Pacey defended. "And besides, we all know that Joey's a bit of an Ice Queen—but the title is so clichéd. So do I at least get some kudos for creativity, here?"

Dawson shook his head, chuckling. "It can never be denied that you're creative, Pacey, but when it comes to my girlfriend, I can't be that supportive of your sly remarks."

"She's got you on a tight leash, my friend," Pacey said in mock seriousness, and clicked his tongue. "But uh, I should probably get going. Don't want to be late for work." Pacey paused, a guilty smile crossing his face, "again." With a laugh, he patted Dawson's shoulder before turning to Andie.

"I'll see you tonight," he told her tenderly, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Oh, and Dawson, we should be there at six, right?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. You and Joey get off at about the same time."

Pacey nodded, giving a wave in goodbye, and kissed Andie hastily one last time, before jogging towards the parking lot. Andie was left standing there, somewhat stunned. And somewhat nervous. Despite how kind Dawson seemed, she felt small around him without Pacey there. She just didn't fit with his set of friends. Especially Joey.

"I uh, I should get going too. I'll see you later, Andie," Dawson said with a small smile, before heading for the exit. Andie nodded. Contemplating what had just transpired over lunch, she quickly ran to catch up with Dawson.

"I don't mean to be too forward, but should we be worried, Dawson?" Her voice was quiet and hesitant. Crossing her arms over her chest, she gave him a pressing look.

"I don't quite follow," Dawson returned politely. "Worried about what?" He raised an eyebrow at her, and slowed his walk. He could hear Andie sigh in nervousness.

"Pacey and Joey. Do they have a history or something?"

"History?" Dawson almost snickered. "A history of hating each other, yeah. But romantically? They're as platonic as it comes. They can't stand each other."

"It sounds more like foreplay to me," Andie returned bitterly. "The way they act around each other, just makes me uneasy. So you're sure there's nothing we should be worried about?"

"Trust me, Andie. I've known them both for years. And besides, Pacey is head over heels for you—there's no one else. Everything is absolutely fine."

Dawson said his words with too much ease and confidence for Andie to truly believe him. She sensed something between the two so called enemies, and Andie was hardly ever wrong.

Okay, so sorry this beginning is kind of short. I promise the next chapter will be longer. And I just started summer break, and have lots of ideas for this story, so updates should be pretty quick. Also, I really want your opinions; if anyone is really out of character, and if you think I should continue. Furthermore, for those of you reading Simple Act of Loving You, an update is on its way! Sorry it's been so long; it just takes me so long to write those chapters. Anyway, thank you so much for reading this!

Reviews are love!