Joey clamped her boots into the bindings on her skies and pulled the
goggles down over her eyes. The sun was shining brightly through the trees
and it looked to be a beautiful day. With a deep breath, Joey grabbed her
poles and pushed herself in the direction of the main chair lift. From a
hundred feet away she could see Pacey waiting at the lift, talking to a
petite blond in a ski instructor's jacket. A wave of jealousy washed over
Joey, but she shook it off and kept skiing towards her destination.
"Good morning," she said a little more cheerily than she meant to sound.
"Hey Jo," Pacey turned away from the blond, who Joey could see was quite pretty once she was closer, "You must not have talked to Dawson."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, you're here aren't you? I figured you would have left with him if you had the chance."
"I got a message from Dawson, so no, I didn't talk to him. But I am here so we can make the best of it," Joey smiled at the instructor, "Morning, I'm Joey."
"Hi, I'm Shelly. Nice to meet you. It's a great day you've got for skiing and even better company," Shelly said, jerking her head in Pacey's direction, "Mr. Wilder is a local enigma."
"It is great weather," Joey looked up at the cloudless ski and closed her eyes.
"We'd better get going if we want to get some fresh powder before the ski classes start packing it down," Pacey said, shifting himself around so he was going the same direction as Joey.
Shelly skied with them to the base of the hill but let them ride up alone as she had to stay at the bottom and wait for her first class. Pacey and Joey hopped on the seat as it came around behind them. Joey gasped as they felt the first tug upward, towards the top.
"I love that feeling – the rush of being swept off your feet and being taken towards the peak, I just don't get it often enough," Joey's face reddened when she noticed Pacey raising an eyebrow in her direction, "Come on Pacey, get your mind out of the gutter, we are SKIING."
"Well Dawson did say your guy was a dud. What was his name Kermit? Calvin?"
"Kevin. And we are not talking about him," Joey laughed.
They sat in silence a few minutes, the cold wind hitting their faces and pinkening their cheeks. Joey could feel Pacey's arm pressed against hers and she wished that things could just be simple for one day.
"Jo, why don't we just call a truce for now," Pacey said, as if he were reading her mind, "We can't really talk while we are skiing and we are grown up enough to make pleasant conversation. Besides, once upon a time we were friends, it can't be so long ago that we don't remember how it goes."
'I haven't forgotten a thing,' Joey thought and said out loud, "Sounds good to me, I think that is a great idea."
The lift was nearing the top and they had to prepare to get off. Joey laughed as Pacey's ski got stuck under hers and caused her to do the splits as she got off the lift. Pacey's attempt to untangle himself from Joey only added to the problem and they ended up in a heap on the ground.
"How's that for sweeping you off your feet," Pacey chuckled, "I always had trouble with that one."
Joey just laughed as she got back on her skis, she offered her hand to Pacey, who took it and pulled her back down. Joey screamed and landed on Pacey's chest with a thud, breathing heavily. "Come on, we're never going to get to that fresh powder if we aren't on our feet."
This time Pacey stood first and pulled Joey up after him. Joey absently brushed the snow off of his back and he returned the favor with one quick motion. With a whack on her butt he was off down the slope, shifting easily back and forth. Joey quickly chased after him, gaining on him easily by shooting straight ahead and not schussing back and forth. In a matter of seconds she was skiing alongside him to the edge of the first sharp drop. They each turned sharply and dug in to stop themselves at the top to admire the view.
In front of them and to the right and left was a magnificent view. Joey could see another set of slopes a mile off directly in front of them and to the left and right were miles of trees. Far off in the distance the trees stopped and she assumed that was where Lake Michigan started. "God, it's beautiful," she said, breaking through the quiet.
"Yeah, sure is," Joey turned to look at Pacey and saw that he was looking in her direction and not out at the scene in front of them. Their eyes locked and Joey was afraid to blink because then the moment would be over. Pacey was the first to look away. "Come on, let's ruin the perfect snow."
For the rest of the morning Joey and Pacey skied without incident, at least not between the two of them, Joey did manage to run into a teen who had stopped in the middle of one of the hills to wait for his friends. Joey had been turned, saying something to Pacey about how much fun she was having and before she knew it she was on the ground and rolling, skies flying free of their bindings. She skidded to a stop about ten feet from their initial impact and couldn't move as she tried to catch her breath.
"Jo… Jo," Joey could hear Pacey's voice before she saw his face come into view over her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I… just," Joey whispered, trying to regulate her breathing, "Give me a minute."
Pacey turned to the teen laying a few feet away and looking rather sheepish at having caused such a problem. He appeared to be fine and was sitting up and looking for his ski which had slid a ways down the hill.
"What in the hell were you thinking, stopping in the middle of a slope," Pacey started yelling, "Don't you know how stupid that is? You could have killed someone if they hit you just right!"
"Pacey, it's alright, I wasn't looking," Joey said as loudly as she could, "It's as much my fault as it is his. And I am okay, just a little wind knocked out of me, no big deal."
Pacey turned his attention back to Joey and pulled her upright, supporting her back with his arm. Joey mustered a smile to try and convince him that all was well, hoping the burning in her lungs would stop soon.
"Hey man, I'm sorry," the kid said, "Are you all right, ma'am."
"It's Joey and I am fine," Joey grimaced at being called ma'am. "You go on and get your skies before they make it to the bottom."
The young man looked at Pacey, seeking permission to leave. Pacey nodded and waved in the direction of the bottom. "You heard the woman, go." Turning towards Joey he raised an eyebrow, "Are you really alright or are you trying to be tough?"
By this time Joey's breathing had returned to normal, with a slight hitch that had more to do with Pacey's arm being around her than her run in with the teenager. "I really am fine. I can even breath again, so no worries." Joey smiled and took a deep breath to prove her point, ignoring the ache in her side.
"You always were a tough one, Ice Queen."
Joey stuck her tongue out and started to get up, using Pacey's shoulder as a support. Pacey rose next to her, holding onto her right elbow.
"You can let me go, I promise I won't fall down." Joey wiggled her legs to further plead her case. "Look at me go."
"What is that, the chicken dance? That crash did nothing for your dancing skills."
"Shut up, I'll have you know that I am a great dancer, I could dance circles around you!"
"Care to put your money where your mouth is? I know a great place for dancing and I would definitely take you up on that challenge," Pacey said, skiing further down the hill to grab Joey's ski poles. "What do you say, in the spirit of friendship and getting along, are you up for it?"
"You're on, Pacey Witter. But can we go in for lunch now, I am starving!"
"Certainly," Pacey said over his shoulder as he started off down the hill, "See you at the bottom."
Joey smiled at Pacey's back as it sped away from her, his ass was still quite nice. Joey straightened her jacket and started off after Pacey once again trying to ignore the dull ache in her side. "It's just a little post- trauma pain, no big deal."
"Good morning," she said a little more cheerily than she meant to sound.
"Hey Jo," Pacey turned away from the blond, who Joey could see was quite pretty once she was closer, "You must not have talked to Dawson."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, you're here aren't you? I figured you would have left with him if you had the chance."
"I got a message from Dawson, so no, I didn't talk to him. But I am here so we can make the best of it," Joey smiled at the instructor, "Morning, I'm Joey."
"Hi, I'm Shelly. Nice to meet you. It's a great day you've got for skiing and even better company," Shelly said, jerking her head in Pacey's direction, "Mr. Wilder is a local enigma."
"It is great weather," Joey looked up at the cloudless ski and closed her eyes.
"We'd better get going if we want to get some fresh powder before the ski classes start packing it down," Pacey said, shifting himself around so he was going the same direction as Joey.
Shelly skied with them to the base of the hill but let them ride up alone as she had to stay at the bottom and wait for her first class. Pacey and Joey hopped on the seat as it came around behind them. Joey gasped as they felt the first tug upward, towards the top.
"I love that feeling – the rush of being swept off your feet and being taken towards the peak, I just don't get it often enough," Joey's face reddened when she noticed Pacey raising an eyebrow in her direction, "Come on Pacey, get your mind out of the gutter, we are SKIING."
"Well Dawson did say your guy was a dud. What was his name Kermit? Calvin?"
"Kevin. And we are not talking about him," Joey laughed.
They sat in silence a few minutes, the cold wind hitting their faces and pinkening their cheeks. Joey could feel Pacey's arm pressed against hers and she wished that things could just be simple for one day.
"Jo, why don't we just call a truce for now," Pacey said, as if he were reading her mind, "We can't really talk while we are skiing and we are grown up enough to make pleasant conversation. Besides, once upon a time we were friends, it can't be so long ago that we don't remember how it goes."
'I haven't forgotten a thing,' Joey thought and said out loud, "Sounds good to me, I think that is a great idea."
The lift was nearing the top and they had to prepare to get off. Joey laughed as Pacey's ski got stuck under hers and caused her to do the splits as she got off the lift. Pacey's attempt to untangle himself from Joey only added to the problem and they ended up in a heap on the ground.
"How's that for sweeping you off your feet," Pacey chuckled, "I always had trouble with that one."
Joey just laughed as she got back on her skis, she offered her hand to Pacey, who took it and pulled her back down. Joey screamed and landed on Pacey's chest with a thud, breathing heavily. "Come on, we're never going to get to that fresh powder if we aren't on our feet."
This time Pacey stood first and pulled Joey up after him. Joey absently brushed the snow off of his back and he returned the favor with one quick motion. With a whack on her butt he was off down the slope, shifting easily back and forth. Joey quickly chased after him, gaining on him easily by shooting straight ahead and not schussing back and forth. In a matter of seconds she was skiing alongside him to the edge of the first sharp drop. They each turned sharply and dug in to stop themselves at the top to admire the view.
In front of them and to the right and left was a magnificent view. Joey could see another set of slopes a mile off directly in front of them and to the left and right were miles of trees. Far off in the distance the trees stopped and she assumed that was where Lake Michigan started. "God, it's beautiful," she said, breaking through the quiet.
"Yeah, sure is," Joey turned to look at Pacey and saw that he was looking in her direction and not out at the scene in front of them. Their eyes locked and Joey was afraid to blink because then the moment would be over. Pacey was the first to look away. "Come on, let's ruin the perfect snow."
For the rest of the morning Joey and Pacey skied without incident, at least not between the two of them, Joey did manage to run into a teen who had stopped in the middle of one of the hills to wait for his friends. Joey had been turned, saying something to Pacey about how much fun she was having and before she knew it she was on the ground and rolling, skies flying free of their bindings. She skidded to a stop about ten feet from their initial impact and couldn't move as she tried to catch her breath.
"Jo… Jo," Joey could hear Pacey's voice before she saw his face come into view over her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I… just," Joey whispered, trying to regulate her breathing, "Give me a minute."
Pacey turned to the teen laying a few feet away and looking rather sheepish at having caused such a problem. He appeared to be fine and was sitting up and looking for his ski which had slid a ways down the hill.
"What in the hell were you thinking, stopping in the middle of a slope," Pacey started yelling, "Don't you know how stupid that is? You could have killed someone if they hit you just right!"
"Pacey, it's alright, I wasn't looking," Joey said as loudly as she could, "It's as much my fault as it is his. And I am okay, just a little wind knocked out of me, no big deal."
Pacey turned his attention back to Joey and pulled her upright, supporting her back with his arm. Joey mustered a smile to try and convince him that all was well, hoping the burning in her lungs would stop soon.
"Hey man, I'm sorry," the kid said, "Are you all right, ma'am."
"It's Joey and I am fine," Joey grimaced at being called ma'am. "You go on and get your skies before they make it to the bottom."
The young man looked at Pacey, seeking permission to leave. Pacey nodded and waved in the direction of the bottom. "You heard the woman, go." Turning towards Joey he raised an eyebrow, "Are you really alright or are you trying to be tough?"
By this time Joey's breathing had returned to normal, with a slight hitch that had more to do with Pacey's arm being around her than her run in with the teenager. "I really am fine. I can even breath again, so no worries." Joey smiled and took a deep breath to prove her point, ignoring the ache in her side.
"You always were a tough one, Ice Queen."
Joey stuck her tongue out and started to get up, using Pacey's shoulder as a support. Pacey rose next to her, holding onto her right elbow.
"You can let me go, I promise I won't fall down." Joey wiggled her legs to further plead her case. "Look at me go."
"What is that, the chicken dance? That crash did nothing for your dancing skills."
"Shut up, I'll have you know that I am a great dancer, I could dance circles around you!"
"Care to put your money where your mouth is? I know a great place for dancing and I would definitely take you up on that challenge," Pacey said, skiing further down the hill to grab Joey's ski poles. "What do you say, in the spirit of friendship and getting along, are you up for it?"
"You're on, Pacey Witter. But can we go in for lunch now, I am starving!"
"Certainly," Pacey said over his shoulder as he started off down the hill, "See you at the bottom."
Joey smiled at Pacey's back as it sped away from her, his ass was still quite nice. Joey straightened her jacket and started off after Pacey once again trying to ignore the dull ache in her side. "It's just a little post- trauma pain, no big deal."
