Kiss and Tell
part 7

"Pacey J. Witter you better explain yourself. NOW."

"Joey, Joey, Joey. Before I explain to you the morals of my youth let me just take a moment to remind you about what a kind and gentle and FORGIVING person you are!"

"Yeah, yeah. Pace, if you stop the sucking up now, I might spare you."

"Oh Josephine, you are such a bitch. Did I mention how much I loathe you?" Pacey would have continued if Joey hadn't shot him the Look, but she did so he didn't.

"Haha. Real funny, Pace. But seriously, what were you thinking earlier?"

'That you're probably the most beautiful creature I've ever seen in my life.'

"I mean," Joey continued, "You would think that you would be DYING to go out with Andie."

'Huh?' "And why would you think that, Ms. Josephine?"

Joey sighed. She couldn't believe she was about to explain this to him. As much as it hurt her, though she didn't know why, she knew that deep down Pacey probably really did want Andie and he was playing hard to get or something. She could just imagine what kind of trouble Pacey would drag her into now.

"Well, first off, she's drop dead gorgeous. Second of all, she's got the attitude of a cheerleader, and we know how much you like them…" Joey trailed off with a smirk on her face, remembering the year before.

Pacey couldn't believe she'd brought that up. "Oh, don't go there, Jo."

Junior year Dawson and Pacey had a bet about Joey. Well, Pacey lost and so he had to pay the consequences. Usually the day before a football game, the cheerleaders show up at school in their uniforms to show their school spirit. Well, Pacey had to show up in one too. He only got to wear it for about 15 minutes though because the principal made him go home and change. Still, it was enough time for pretty much the entire student body to see the Witter boy in a skirt. Joey reminded him of the incident any possible chance.

"Okay, sorry," Joey said, although sorry she was not! But she continued, "So anyway, she also has the hots for you, which we both now is a miracle in itself."

Of course, they both knew she was lying. Every girl in the senior and plenty in the junior classes would die to get a chance to date Pacey. They all pretty much hated Joey because they believed that he only had eyes for her. She, of course, knew this wasn't true.

But Pacey knew it was. He just didn't feel ready to admit it to himself, let alone to Joey or anyone else. And he couldn't believe that Joey actually thought that he'd go for the McPhee girl.

Then, Pacey got yet another brilliant idea. (But considering his LAST brilliant idea, I wouldn't expect a hunk of brilliancy.)

What if Joey thought that Pacey WAS interested in Andie? If there was any hope for them at all, surely she would see it if she saw him with another girl, right? Pacey could just picture it. 'She'll be walking down the hall one day and she'll see me making out with Andie and get full of jealous rage and admit her true feelings for me!'

"Okay, you want to know why I decided we're going out, Potter?"

Joey looked at him as if he was the dumbest thing on earth. "Duh. So, care to enlighten me?"

"Well, you're right about Andie. I am interested in her," Pacey said, trying not to wince. Before she could say anything he plunged on. "And I'm trying this little game so that…" 'Hmm… so that what?' "So that…"

"So that… what, Pace?"

"So that she won't think I'm like desperate for a girlfriend or anything. You know, so she knows I'm for real. See, if I break up with you for her, she'll think that I like her, not that I'm just needing a girlfriend." 'Yeah… how much of a loser did I just sound like?'

Joey stood there. That was probably the most sincere thing she had ever heard out of his mouth. 'She'll think that I like her, not that I'm just needing a girlfriend.' That was truly sweet. Joey didn't know whether to be happy for him or to be ANGRY with him. How could he love someone other then her?

Pacey held his breath, waiting for Joey to respond.

"Oh…" Joey began. "Um… okay, sure. I'll help you if it's for love."

'Huh?' Well, that didn't have the effect he was hoping for. Pacey just had to hope that she needed to see it to believe it.

"Yeah, but first we have to pretend to go out first, then we'll stage this huge breakup, and I'll ask her out, alright?"

Joey hesitated, then said, "Okay. Sure, we'll work it out later though 'cause, in case you've forgotten, we're meeting Dawson and Jen for ice cream."

"Great."

'Great.'