"Hey," Dawson started as he sat down for lunch that Monday morning. "I heard Kelly Bishop's back in town. And she's going to Capeside High."
Joey stripped the cellophane wrapper of her sandwich. "I bumped into her during first period. She looks great."
Pacey sat in silence. He didn't know what to tell his friends about Kelly's being here and her being his girlfriend.
"Who's this Kelly?" Andie asked.
"She's like the first Joey," Dawson answered.
"I don't get it." It was Jack.
The four friends were having lunch at their usual table. Jen was of course late but they knew better than wait for her.
"We were friends when we were kids but her parents got divorced and she went to live in New York with her Dad," Pacey offered the information.
"Why her Dad?" Andie asked again. "It's usually the mother who gets custody."
Dawson looked at Pacey before he answered, "Well, her mom had problems."
"She was an alcoholic." Joey didn't mince words.
"Oh." For about ten seconds, Andie was actually quiet. "Too bad, huh?"
"Yeah." Pacey agreed. It was a horrible nightmare for them. They were kids then but he could still remember the times when Kelly would hide in Dawson's room and cry because her parents were arguing. Her mom was a heavy drinker. After the divorce, though, she cleaned up her act and now she's the owner of a nice boutique in Capeside. "But everything's fine now."
"I wonder why she's back," Joey said.
"Maybe she's running away from something," Dawson answered. "The law?"
"Hey guys!"
The girl they were talking about suddenly appeared before them. They immediately started talking.
"Hi, Kelly!" Dawson started. He got up and gave her a hug. "It's been so long."
"Yeah, I know." She saw Joey and she smiled. "Hello Josephine."
"You never change. You still call me by that horrible name." Joey stood up and hugged her, too.
Dawson introduced her to Jack and Andie. Jen finally showed up.
"So you're from the Big Apple, too, huh?" she asked Kelly.
"Yeah."
"How are things there?"
"Okay, I guess. Central Park is still huge."
"Good."
Kelly sat beside Pacey. She smiled at him and mouthed a hello. He said hello, too.
"So what brings you back?" It was Dawson.
"I just thought I've been neglecting my hometown, that's all."
"Aren't you like an actress or something?" Joey always knew stuff about her that they've shared a long time ago.
"I was bored so I quit."
"And you moved here where it's not boring?" Andie asked sarcastically.
"Yeah." Pacey seemed to be occupied with his lunch and Kelly noticed this. "Pace, you didn't tell them?"
He looked at her, not really wanting to get into this. "No, I thought you should."
"What?"
"Pacey and I are dating."
"What?"
"I'm his girlfriend."
The four people stared at her as if she said something in a dead language. "But you just got here."
"We've been keeping in touch for almost three months now and now that I'm back…"
The rest of lunch was downhill from there. Kelly and Pacey had to lie their way through their friends. When it was over, Pacey announced he'd be walking his 'girlfriend' to class.
"If we can't even fool them, what makes you think we can fool anyone?"
"Pace, listen to me. This has nothing to do with them. All right? I just feel so vulnerable right now and usually David was there and now he's so far away and I miss him so much. Please do this for me. It's stupid and ridiculous and silly and foolish… but do it as a favor, please?"
"How long have you been going out with David?"
"Ever since I was thirteen. I've had him for so long and to suddenly be without him sucks."
Pacey stared into her green eyes and was immediately lost. He knew he had to do this. He didn't see any reason for it but hell, if Kelly Bishop, the prettiest girl in school, wants to go out with him and be her temporary boyfriend, how could he refuse?
"So will you do it?"
"I'll try."
Kelly smiled. "Thanks."
He walked her to class and she kissed him on the cheek for it.