Chapter 4: Meeting Joey
Several weeks had gone by, and Pacey and Ranae' were now officially a couple. She'd met Jen, Dawson, and Jack, and after some coaxing, begging, and pleading on Pacey's part, she had finally come out of her shell. She surprised them all, even Pacey, by being a charming, funny, outgoing person. The only two people she hadn't met was Audrey and Joey, whom she would be meeting the following Sunday.
"So, what's she like?" Audrey asked, taking a bite of her salad.
"Who?" Jen asked, caught offguard by Audrey's random comment.
"Pacey's new girlfriend." Audrey replied. Joey noticeably tensed.
"She's....nice.....Joey are you okay?" Jen asked.
"I'm fine." Joey replied.
"Is she pretty?"
"Yeah, she's cute." Jen replied.
"Cute as in really cute, or cute as in an adjective for ugly?" Audrey asked.
"Audrey! I dunno, she reminds me of a doll....she's tiny, and pretty, and sweet, and annoyingly perfect." Jen replied.
"Oh." Audrey replied. Silence overtook the table for a few minutes, then....
"So do you think she's prettier than Joey?"
"Audrey!" both girls said, miffed.
"Joey, I am only checking out your competition for you, since you apparently won't take care of it yourself." Audrey replied.
"Audrey, there is nothing to take care, Pacey and I are done and over with."
"Besides, you don't wanna hurt this girl....it's like....kicking a puppy or something. She's painfully shy when you first meet her." Jen put in.
"Are you serious?"
"She wouldn't look us in the eye for two weeks....I don't even think she knew what our faces looked like, only our shoes."
"Wow." Joey said. "That doesn't seem like someone Pacey would date."
"You didn't let me finish. After awhile, once we got to know her, she's outgoing, she's funny, she's smart, it was like a total transformation or something." Jen said.
"Hmm, interesting. Does she know about Joey?" Audrey asked.
"I think she does." Jen replied.
"Then tomorrow night should be interesting." Audrey said with a smug smile.
"Audrey, if you think I'm going to do anything to this girl than just be nice to her, then you're wrong. I wouldn't pick a fight with her or make her feel in anyway uncomfortable because of Pacey. Pacey and I are friends now, and we've put this whole relationship thing behind us."
"Okay." Audrey said.
"Okay." Joey said with a smile. "Next topic."
After a few moments of silence....
"So do you think they've had sex yet?" Audrey asked. Joey dropped her fork.
"Excuse me." she said, getting up.
The Next Night....
"Pacey, I don't know about this." Ranae' said as he parked the car outside Gram's house.
"About what?" Pacey asked, kissing her neck.
"I don't want Joey to not like me." Ranae' said. Pacey sighed.
"Nay," he said, using his special nickname for her. "I told you, it's going to be awkward at first, and Audrey won't be helping, but Jen'll be there, and Dawson, and Jack." he kissed her. "So don't be nervous."
"I want Jen's grandmother to like me too."
"She will. Just be the charming, sweet, beautiful girl we all know and love, okay?" Pacey asked, taking her hand in his and kissing it.
"Okay." she said, taking a deep breath.
"Alright, come on." he said, getting out of his car. He walked around to the other side and opened her door. She stepped out and they walked down the sidewalk hand in hand.
"By the way, have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?" Pacey asked, kissing her again.
She was wearing black and white plaid pants that hugged her hips (and other places Pacey was fond of) and a tight black shirt with a hole cut out from just below her shoulder to where her cleavage showed, a black leather jacket, and black platform boots.
"Yes you have. And thank you." Ranae' said. "You're also looking particularly handsome tonight."
"Why thank you Miss Ramirez." Pacey said. "Okay, you ready?" he asked, before knocking.
"Yeah." she replied. Pacey knocked on the door, and Jack answered.
"Hey man." he said, giving him a "manly" hug.
"Hey what's up." Pacey said, hugging him back.
"Hey Ranae'." Jack said, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Hi Jack." she said, returning the hug and kiss. "I like that sweater."
"Thanks, my ex boyfriend gave it to me before we broke up."
"Well, if you don't have anyone in mind now, whenever my brother comes up I could set you two up on a date, if you want."
"You have a gay brother? Does he look like you?" Jack asked, his interest sparking.
"Not exactly like me, he's my half brother, so he's got more latin blood than me. He's going to be visiting me whenever his English gets better..."
"Better?"
"He's from Peru." she replied.
"Oh that's right, I keep forgetting you're latin....you don't look it." Jack said.
Ranae' laughed. "I know, it's the Irish in me, it ruined it."
"Nay, gimme your coat." Pacey said, taking his off.
"I won't get cold?" Ranae' asked.
"It never gets cold in this house, I make sure of that." a voice said.
"Ah, Ranae' Ramirez, this is Jen's grandmother, known to all of us as Grams."
"Hi, nice to meet you." Ranae' said shyly.
"Hello. Come on now don't just stand out here in foyer, the other children are in the living room." Grams said, walking to the back.
"Come on." Pacey said, taking Ranae's hand. They followed Jack and Grams to the living room, where everyone was sitting and talking.
"Hey guys." Pacey said.
"Hi Pacey." they all chorused, except for Joey. She was too busy eyeing the girl Pacey was with.
Jen had always been good at descriptions, but this time she hit the nail on the head. Pacey's new girlfriend was gorgeous, and cute at the same time, which was unknown to Joey as to how to pull that off. She also appeared very nervous. She made eye contact with Joey, then quickly looked away. Joey wondered if she knew. Of course, either herself or Audrey could be "the Joey" in Ranae's eyes, she hadn't met either of them.
"...And this is Joey." Pacey's voice interrupted Joey's thoughts.
"Hi." Joey stood up and held out her hand.
"Hi." Ranae' said shyly, shaking her hand.
"So, Ranae', how serious are you and Pacey here?" Audrey asked suddenly. Joey and Ranae' both looked at Audrey, then back at each other. They backed away slowly.
"Um...I...." Ranae' stuttered.
"We're pretty serious, Audrey." Pacey replied, putting his arm around Ranae's waist protectively. Comfortingly.
"Oh." Audrey said.
"Um, I....." Ranae' said softly. All heads turned towards her. "Jen, could you, um, show me where the bathroom is?"
"Sure." Jen said, getting off the couch. "Come on." she said, grabbing her elbow.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Jack, Pacey, and Dawson looked at Audrey and Joey.
"What?" Joey asked.
"Well?" Jack asked.
"Well what?" Joey asked.
"What do you think?" Audrey asked. "Personally I think she could stand to talk more."
"She's shy." Pacey replied.
"Very shy." Dawson added.
"Joey?" Jack asked.
"I think she's pretty, and nice, and that's all so far. I've only heard her say one word. Not enough for a judgement." Joey replied.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom...
"Ranae', do not worry about Joey. It's not like she's going to beat you up." Jen said.
"I know but....I know she's important to Pacey, and it's important to him for her to like me, and for me to like her, and...."
"Ranae'?"
"Yeah?"
"You're gonna develop a stomach ulcer one day, like all of us will, but Joey really isn't the topic to work yourself into a frenzy over in order to get one started." Jen said. "Especially not this early in life."
Ranae' laughed. "I just want all of Pacey's friends to like me."
"And we do!" Jen said. "And don't worry about Audrey, she's got a big mouth."
"Pacey told me." Ranae' said.
"Okay, good." Jen said. "Then there's nothing to worry about."
Several weeks had gone by, and Pacey and Ranae' were now officially a couple. She'd met Jen, Dawson, and Jack, and after some coaxing, begging, and pleading on Pacey's part, she had finally come out of her shell. She surprised them all, even Pacey, by being a charming, funny, outgoing person. The only two people she hadn't met was Audrey and Joey, whom she would be meeting the following Sunday.
"So, what's she like?" Audrey asked, taking a bite of her salad.
"Who?" Jen asked, caught offguard by Audrey's random comment.
"Pacey's new girlfriend." Audrey replied. Joey noticeably tensed.
"She's....nice.....Joey are you okay?" Jen asked.
"I'm fine." Joey replied.
"Is she pretty?"
"Yeah, she's cute." Jen replied.
"Cute as in really cute, or cute as in an adjective for ugly?" Audrey asked.
"Audrey! I dunno, she reminds me of a doll....she's tiny, and pretty, and sweet, and annoyingly perfect." Jen replied.
"Oh." Audrey replied. Silence overtook the table for a few minutes, then....
"So do you think she's prettier than Joey?"
"Audrey!" both girls said, miffed.
"Joey, I am only checking out your competition for you, since you apparently won't take care of it yourself." Audrey replied.
"Audrey, there is nothing to take care, Pacey and I are done and over with."
"Besides, you don't wanna hurt this girl....it's like....kicking a puppy or something. She's painfully shy when you first meet her." Jen put in.
"Are you serious?"
"She wouldn't look us in the eye for two weeks....I don't even think she knew what our faces looked like, only our shoes."
"Wow." Joey said. "That doesn't seem like someone Pacey would date."
"You didn't let me finish. After awhile, once we got to know her, she's outgoing, she's funny, she's smart, it was like a total transformation or something." Jen said.
"Hmm, interesting. Does she know about Joey?" Audrey asked.
"I think she does." Jen replied.
"Then tomorrow night should be interesting." Audrey said with a smug smile.
"Audrey, if you think I'm going to do anything to this girl than just be nice to her, then you're wrong. I wouldn't pick a fight with her or make her feel in anyway uncomfortable because of Pacey. Pacey and I are friends now, and we've put this whole relationship thing behind us."
"Okay." Audrey said.
"Okay." Joey said with a smile. "Next topic."
After a few moments of silence....
"So do you think they've had sex yet?" Audrey asked. Joey dropped her fork.
"Excuse me." she said, getting up.
The Next Night....
"Pacey, I don't know about this." Ranae' said as he parked the car outside Gram's house.
"About what?" Pacey asked, kissing her neck.
"I don't want Joey to not like me." Ranae' said. Pacey sighed.
"Nay," he said, using his special nickname for her. "I told you, it's going to be awkward at first, and Audrey won't be helping, but Jen'll be there, and Dawson, and Jack." he kissed her. "So don't be nervous."
"I want Jen's grandmother to like me too."
"She will. Just be the charming, sweet, beautiful girl we all know and love, okay?" Pacey asked, taking her hand in his and kissing it.
"Okay." she said, taking a deep breath.
"Alright, come on." he said, getting out of his car. He walked around to the other side and opened her door. She stepped out and they walked down the sidewalk hand in hand.
"By the way, have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?" Pacey asked, kissing her again.
She was wearing black and white plaid pants that hugged her hips (and other places Pacey was fond of) and a tight black shirt with a hole cut out from just below her shoulder to where her cleavage showed, a black leather jacket, and black platform boots.
"Yes you have. And thank you." Ranae' said. "You're also looking particularly handsome tonight."
"Why thank you Miss Ramirez." Pacey said. "Okay, you ready?" he asked, before knocking.
"Yeah." she replied. Pacey knocked on the door, and Jack answered.
"Hey man." he said, giving him a "manly" hug.
"Hey what's up." Pacey said, hugging him back.
"Hey Ranae'." Jack said, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Hi Jack." she said, returning the hug and kiss. "I like that sweater."
"Thanks, my ex boyfriend gave it to me before we broke up."
"Well, if you don't have anyone in mind now, whenever my brother comes up I could set you two up on a date, if you want."
"You have a gay brother? Does he look like you?" Jack asked, his interest sparking.
"Not exactly like me, he's my half brother, so he's got more latin blood than me. He's going to be visiting me whenever his English gets better..."
"Better?"
"He's from Peru." she replied.
"Oh that's right, I keep forgetting you're latin....you don't look it." Jack said.
Ranae' laughed. "I know, it's the Irish in me, it ruined it."
"Nay, gimme your coat." Pacey said, taking his off.
"I won't get cold?" Ranae' asked.
"It never gets cold in this house, I make sure of that." a voice said.
"Ah, Ranae' Ramirez, this is Jen's grandmother, known to all of us as Grams."
"Hi, nice to meet you." Ranae' said shyly.
"Hello. Come on now don't just stand out here in foyer, the other children are in the living room." Grams said, walking to the back.
"Come on." Pacey said, taking Ranae's hand. They followed Jack and Grams to the living room, where everyone was sitting and talking.
"Hey guys." Pacey said.
"Hi Pacey." they all chorused, except for Joey. She was too busy eyeing the girl Pacey was with.
Jen had always been good at descriptions, but this time she hit the nail on the head. Pacey's new girlfriend was gorgeous, and cute at the same time, which was unknown to Joey as to how to pull that off. She also appeared very nervous. She made eye contact with Joey, then quickly looked away. Joey wondered if she knew. Of course, either herself or Audrey could be "the Joey" in Ranae's eyes, she hadn't met either of them.
"...And this is Joey." Pacey's voice interrupted Joey's thoughts.
"Hi." Joey stood up and held out her hand.
"Hi." Ranae' said shyly, shaking her hand.
"So, Ranae', how serious are you and Pacey here?" Audrey asked suddenly. Joey and Ranae' both looked at Audrey, then back at each other. They backed away slowly.
"Um...I...." Ranae' stuttered.
"We're pretty serious, Audrey." Pacey replied, putting his arm around Ranae's waist protectively. Comfortingly.
"Oh." Audrey said.
"Um, I....." Ranae' said softly. All heads turned towards her. "Jen, could you, um, show me where the bathroom is?"
"Sure." Jen said, getting off the couch. "Come on." she said, grabbing her elbow.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Jack, Pacey, and Dawson looked at Audrey and Joey.
"What?" Joey asked.
"Well?" Jack asked.
"Well what?" Joey asked.
"What do you think?" Audrey asked. "Personally I think she could stand to talk more."
"She's shy." Pacey replied.
"Very shy." Dawson added.
"Joey?" Jack asked.
"I think she's pretty, and nice, and that's all so far. I've only heard her say one word. Not enough for a judgement." Joey replied.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom...
"Ranae', do not worry about Joey. It's not like she's going to beat you up." Jen said.
"I know but....I know she's important to Pacey, and it's important to him for her to like me, and for me to like her, and...."
"Ranae'?"
"Yeah?"
"You're gonna develop a stomach ulcer one day, like all of us will, but Joey really isn't the topic to work yourself into a frenzy over in order to get one started." Jen said. "Especially not this early in life."
Ranae' laughed. "I just want all of Pacey's friends to like me."
"And we do!" Jen said. "And don't worry about Audrey, she's got a big mouth."
"Pacey told me." Ranae' said.
"Okay, good." Jen said. "Then there's nothing to worry about."
