Chapter 5: Down Boy

"So, Ranae' how did you and Pacey meet?" Audrey asked.

Ranae' stared down at her plate. "Um, we met at the restaraunt, I work with him."

"Oh you're a waitress?" Audrey asked.

"She's a singer too, and a producer." Pacey said.

"Hey Nay, you should produce the soundtrack on Dawson's first movie." Jack said.

"Yeah, we should do that." Dawson said with a laugh.

"Maybe." Ranae' said with a smile.

"Grams, this food is really great." Joey said.

"Thank you dear." Grams replied. "So Ranae' dear, where are you from?"

"Um, North Carolina." Ranae' said, still looking down at her plate.

"Small town gal huh?" Audrey asked. "I guess Boston is a big shock to you then. You probably wouldn't make it where I grew up."

Pacey dropped his fork and cleared his throat loudly.

Ranae' noticed and for the first time that night looked up and stared Audrey dead in the face.

"Actually isn't a shock for me, I was born and raised as a performer, I've traveled all over, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, London, Paris, Lima, lots of places. Most of them before I was even old enough to drive. So no, Audrey, Boston isn't a shock for me." Ranae' said.

Pacey, Dawson, Jack, and Jen stared at her in disbelief, Joey in amusement. Guess she wasn't such a shy little thing after all.

"Well good!" Audrey said with a smile. "Pace can't protect ya forever in this big bad city all by himself, now can he?"

Ranae' smiled and went back to eating. Pacey rubbed her lower back and she looked up at him. He smiled as if to say "good job".

"So, there's another party going on at the frat this Friday, you guys wanna come?" Jack asked.

"I'm there." Audrey said.

"Me too." Jen replied.

"I guess that makes me." Dawson said.

"Joey?" Jack asked.

"Sure, I'll go." Joey replied.

"Pace? Nay?"

"Um, you wanna go?" Pacey asked in a low voice to Ranae'.

"I've never been to a frat party before." Ranae' said.

"You're not missing much, just sex-hungry beer chuggers in Abercrombie t- shirts." Jen said.

"Sounds interesting, Pacey?"

"If you wanna go."

"Okay, I'll go." Ranae' said.

Later...

"Did I tell you you did fabulously tonight?" Pacey asked as he parked outside Ranae's dorm rooms.

"Only about three times." Ranae' giggled.

"Well you did. You sure put Audrey in her place." Pacey laughed. "So what'd you think of Joey?"

"I dunno, I mean, she didn't really talk a lot."

"Well, with Audrey, Jack, Jen, and myself sitting at that table, it's really hard to get in a word edgewise."

"Unless all the questions are directed at you." Ranae' replied. Pacey laughed.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"What were you boys talking about when we came back in?" Ranae' asked. "I walked in the room and you all got quiet." she paused. "I bet you were talking about sex."

"Now what would give you that idea?" Pacey asked, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling her into his lap.

"My brothers are typical males, and after growing up with those two horny guys, I know when a girl walks into a room and the guys stop talking, they're either talking about sex, talking about the girl, or talking about having sex with the girl. So fess up, Pace." Ranae' replied.

Pacey sighed. "Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Nope, never." Ranae' replied, kissing him.

"Pity for me. Can't get out of trouble." Pacey said.

"Who said you were in trouble?" Ranae' asked, kissing his neck.

"You-- ohhh I hope that's part of the punishment." Pacey said as Ranae' nibbled on his earlobe.

"Could be."

"Well, before this gets too out-of-hand like it did last time, let me walk you up to your dorm." Pacey said. Ranae' eased off him and got out on her side, and Pacey walked her to her room.

"Once again, thank you for dealing with my....speed." Ranae' said.

"It's not a problem, Nay. When you're ready, it'll happen. Not a moment before." Pacey replied, kissing her goodnight.

"See you tomorrow Witter!" Ranae' called down the hallway.

"You bet your cute little ass, Ramirez!" Pacey called back with a grin. He exited the dorms and went back to his car. Looking down, he groaned.

"Down boy." he said.