Will pulled off his shoes and settled into his desk chair with a quick stretch of the arms. He swivelled round to the disarray of notes and text books and picked up an orphaned letter, one he had not yet filed away with the rest. It wasn't owed to the ages because he hadn't yet replied.

He didn't know how to reply. Pacey's life needed to slow down or one of them was going to explode. If he was having trouble keeping up to speed with how things were developing, he wondered how his poor misguided little Capesidian was doing. Pacey, in actualy fact, was coping just nicely, and it was this that scared Will most.


Pacey J. Witter,

Before I confront you about this you stupid, stupid boy, and please don't insult my intelligence by writing a letter of denial in reply, what on God's name have you done? I actually have a pretty fair idea of what you have done, but I'm not going to throw it out there. It's absurd, but unfortunately for the both of us, as long as I've known you, I've come to learn that most of your hair-brained schemes are. Anyway, I'm giving you the opportunity to confess all now.

Apart from the fact that you almost signed off "Love Pace" in which case it would be obligatory for me to tease you unconditionally for the rest of your natural-born life, you also seemed kind of... too happy. You aren't allowed to be happy, not that happy. It isn't healthy.

You can't write how crap things are one minute and bounce to the other end of the spectrum of emotion the next. You just can't. And yet, you always bloody do. When you know you're in the wrong, you don't get defensive like the rest of us or... or quiet or anything like that. Pacey? Pacey gets jittery. Nervous. Pacey rambles. Pacey fidgets.

Now what has Pacey so jittery lately? So nervous? Enough to have him ramble away from his home-life, enough to have him fidgeting so much so that he can't keep his mind off the wonderful Tamara and nearly ends up sending his love to an equally screwed-up friend? Hmmm? Any takers?

Pacey, this girl you're suddenly interested in, the one that kissed you. She does go to your school, doesn't she?

When you get a dangerous idea into your head, but it seems like good fun at the time, you're a man on a mission and it can't be stopped. Well, I'm trying to stop you now, before you sucker yourself in head over heels. I'm trying to stop you because in this mode, you're like a drug addict. You can't understand the better alternative in life because as far as you're concerned, being high is enjoyable therefore there's nothing wrong.

You're also a contradiction, Pacey. You're like a child. You're innocent, you're naive, you're... okay, I don't mean you're a child. I'm sure that was pretty insulting to read. But you are, you're immature. At the same time, you can be very wise. As well as your mental age, you also contradict yourself in another way. You can be terribly cocky - extremely overconfident - and that's probably the sole reason you clash with Joey; but I know that beneath all that you're... you're insecure, dude. I prefer the wise, insecure you; please don't stick with the immature cocky you in this particular situation, it'll end in - damn it Pacey! I'm so frustrated with you, man!

So I beg of you. From a friend to a friend. Think before you jump. I'm just not there to catch you when you fall, lover boy. And Tamara? If she kissed you, she probably has issues too.

P.S I know.

Anxiously awaiting your justification letter,

Will.


Will slammed his pen onto his notepad and fixed the letter into the waiting envelope against his desk tidy. He contemplated phoning Pacey about this, knowing that hearing the husky whisper of his friend on the end of the receiver would calm him - assure him - that he was overreacting and things would be fine.

He knew he couldn't do this though. He doesn't deserve to have the comfort of direct line because the last time he phoned it was over something trivial, and knowing it was unusual alarmed Pacey. The boy's breath hitched and fear cracked at his voice. Pacey admitted to imagining Mr Krudski laying into his wife so severely that she was in hospital 'or something,' equally upsetting Will too.