Dawson's Creek
*
-In Front of Me-
*
Chapter 2
*
-You're in my dreams and in my classes
You're in my heart and always in my mind
No matter where I go, I can't escape your presence-
*
*~*Joey and Pacey Forever!!*~*
*
Joey kept her eyes glued to the ground as she walked by Dawson's locker. It was weird, she knew, since he wasn't even there. But she knew, that even if she glanced at it, she would remember all the times she'd been there leaning against locker number 234, the locker next to his, chatting with him and complaining about all the homework they'd have to do.
The first bell rang.
Joey hurried. At a turn on a corner, she crashed into someone and stumbled back. Trying to keep her balance, she fell right on her butt, all her books and papers flew around her. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Damn," she muttered and looked up.
Her heart seemed to stop working for a minute. Dawson stared right back down at her. He had managed to keep his balance. Joey felt like a fool, lying there on the ground at his feet.
"Sorry," he muttered quickly. He extended a hand and helped her up. Joey said nothing. She just crouched down and as quickly as she could, started to gather all her scattered papers. Griping them in her tight fists, she started to just throw them in her backpack.
She could feel Dawson's eyes on her. Finally, he kneeled down next to her, his knee brushing against her thigh. Joey flinched at the touch.
"I don't know why you have to act like this." Dawson gave her a stern look.
"Like what, Dawson?" Joey rolled her eyes. "Are you going to take long or what? Because I have a class to get to."
"Like that, like this." He hissed. "I don't understand why we can't be friends just because I've got a girlfriend. I mean, come on Jo, what's your problem?"
"What's my problem?" Joey's eyes flashed with anger.
"Yeah, Jen tried to be nice to you, but so far all you've been to her is rude and silly."
"What?" Joey couldn't believe her ears! Dawson was actually fooled by Jen's blondness that he would insult his friend? "Listen to yourself Dawson, all you've been thinking about is Jen's feelings. What about my feelings? Ever since she came, you've completely changed, and-"
"I don't believe this. You're jealous."
Anger gathered at Joey's throat, and she felt the urge to yell at him. She stood up and glared down at him. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of you always talking about to perfect Jen Lindly is. Don't you think I've heard enough?"
"I keep talking about her because you won't give her a chance!" Dawson was the one yelling now. "You see her and you instantly label her without getting to know her."
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't want to get to know her?" Joey yelled back.
She couldn't believe this. Dawson was yelling at her. Picking a fight with her. Willing to sacrifice their friendship. All for another girl. Joey felt tears itch the corners of her eyes.
Dawson's face softened a bit. "Joey." He took a step towards her, but the late bell rang suddenly.
Joey didn't want to feel anything from him at the moment, so she backed away, gave him a last glare and stalked away.
*
Pacey hummed to himself as he walked the halls of Capeside High. The late bell had already rung, but it hardly made a difference. He was in no hurry. He walked over to the vending machine and slipped in 3 quarters into the coin slot, when he noticed a familiar shape running past him. He quickly grabbed her hand, forcing her to turn around.
"Joey? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Pacey grinned.
"Aren't you supposed to stay of other people's lives?" She shot back.
Pacey heard a slight crack to her voice. He looked at her closely. He noticed her eyes were bloodshot and wet and she seemed to be breathing hard.
"Hey.are you Ok?" Pacey asked.
Joey shrugged, then she shook her head. She sat on one of the benches and buried her face in her hands. "No. Dawson just finished lecturing me over how rude I've been to Ms. New York."
"Ah." Pacey sat next to her. "You know.I helped you at your house when you were sick. I don't see why I can't help you now, so let me just say this: Is this fight about Jen? Or are you and Dawson starting to finally part?"
Joey gave him a confused look. "Sorry, Pace. I lost you at 'Jen'."
Pacey laughed lightly. "No, see, you and Dawson have been friends for so long, and then suddenly you're kissing, and then you decide that it's best for you two to just be friends, then Jen is Dawson's girlfriend, you're jealous-" he quickly rushed in his last words when he noticed Joey open her mouth. "and you still expect you two to be the same old good friends like you were before? That's just doesn't happen."
Pacey glanced at Joey. She was looking ahead, her face expressionless. -Looks like I got to her. - Pacey smiled. He stood up and pressed C5 on the vending machine and slipped his hand under the slot. "Frito?" He waved the bag in her face. She seemed to snap out of a trance.
"No, thanks." She, too, stood up. "Actually I better get to class now. You too."
"Yeah. I'll see you at lunch."
"Yeah." she lingered a few minutes. "Um.Pacey?"
"Yah?
"Thanks. As impossible as it seems, you really." she laughed. "you got to me. And I guess you're right. Dawson and me can't or will never be the same good friends we were before. All this becoming-a-man-and-women stuff is getting in the way, and um, if you ever want to talk about Andie, I just want you to know that you can talk to me, Ok?"
"I don't need anyone to talk about it." Pacey snapped. He flushed at how harsh that sounded. But hearing someone else ask if he needed to talk about it that the last straw for him. "If I need someone to talk to, I'll tell them, all right?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair.
He winced at how Joey looked down. He suddenly just wanted to get away. "You know, I've been trying to forget about Andie, and you asking isn't making it any better." Damn. Why couldn't he suddenly say anything nice?
"Fine. I was just trying to help, but whatever." She walked away, leaving him there, feeling like a moron.
*
At lunch, Joey didn't want to see either Dawson or Pacey, so she hid in the bathroom. It was pretty pathetic, but it was much better than facing Pacey. She would just get mad again. And it would make all things worse if she had to see Dawson eating lunch closely to Jen. Jack was absent, and Andie had to skip lunch to write an article for the newspaper, so the bathroom was Joey's only choice.
-How could Pacey yell at me like that? - Joey thought, anger filling her. -I only wanted to help. I wanted to thank him for listening to me. I don't know what the hell got into him. - What was it with today? She had lost two friends before class had even started.
Trying to distract herself, Joey reading some of the graffiti on the walls and mirrors. Suddenly the door opened and Andie walked in. She looked over at the floor where Joey was sitting and after a brief surprise look, she smiled brightly.
"Joey!" She said cheerfully. Then she laughed. "What are you doing on the floor?" She extended a hand, which Joey took to stand up.
"Her, Andie," Joey smiled back at her. "I've heard the bathroom floor corners are a good place to think." She waited for Andie's laugh to stretch out a little, then she said, "Hey, I thought you had to work on the newspaper."
"I finished early." Andie took out a lip-gloss from her purse and popped the top off. "You wouldn't believe how many people were complaining about the cafeteria food. You know, since I'm head of the gossip column?"
Joey nodded.
"Well, our ratings show that less people are starting to read the newspaper and if less than 5 classes don't read it, then the newspaper is done with. And we're going to have to find another elective. Isn't that horrible? I love working on the newspaper. So now, in order to keep the newspaper, I have to some up with some juicy gossip. Since the only part of the newspaper that people read is the gossip and advice column. I suggested using the fact that the cafeteria uses the same food over and over, but it's not enough!" Andie paused to take a breath. Then a sad look came over her. "You wouldn't have come across anything, would you, Joey?"
Sure that Andie was done talking, Joey shook her head. "Not really."
Andie leaned over the sink to look directly into the mirror. She slowly began sliding the gloss over her lips. "I'm supposed to find something in less than a week! This could be our very last issue! I am going to find something though. I am. I won't let down my team!"
Joey and Andie laughed. -The moment is so light hearted right now. - Joey thought. -I could ask her now. Andie's not the type to get mad. - "Hey, Andie." Joey tried not to sound too nosy.
"Yes?"
"I was just wondering.the curiosity is too big for me too control, so I'm just going to straight-out ask you: why did you and Pacey break up? I don't remember either of you mentioning it, and you two seemed like a great, and happy couple." Joey paused. "But then you came back from that hospital place, and you broke up with him. You never told me why though.." Joey trailed off.
Andie, in mid air with the lip-gloss to her lips, froze. Joey could sense the sudden tense in her. Andie's eyes shone with tears. "It was me! It was my fault. Pacey was so good to me, and I didn't mean to, but I just couldn't help thinking." Andie swallowed hard and used some tissue paper to wipe away the tears.
Joey cautiously took a step towards her. "Andie? What's wrong? What happened to you while you were gone?" Damn- she should have never mentioned this before. But the truth was, Pacey and Andie had sort of reminded Joey of her and Dawson- they teased each other a lot, and always found a way to make each other laugh. To break up with Dawson had hurt Joey a lot. And she had liked seeing Andie and Pacey together to pretend it her and Dawson. But now..
Andie sniffed softly and closed her eyes for a minute. Then she let out a choked, forced laugh. "This is silly isn't it? Crying over from just hearing his name." She gave Joey a small smile. "If I told you what I did, you would hate me."
"No, I wouldn't," Joey protested. Then she smiled back at Andie. "I promise I won't hate you."
"Joey.I. I slept with someone."
"Other than Pacey?" Joey cried in disbelief.
"Yeah."
"Oh." Joey suddenly felt very lightheaded. And even though she had promised Andie, Joey felt angry. How could Andie hurt Pacey like that? "How could you, Andie? You knew Pacey loved you- he finally felt like that about someone, Andie! And you just break his heart like that? Just like that?"
Andie burst out crying again. "I know that I hurt Pacey, Joey. I know. I can't believe it myself- I hate myself! But I was just so confused. I knew I was in a mental hospital, and the whole time I was thinking, 'what if I never get out of here? What if I'm crazy, and there's nothing to do? What if it's too late?' And then I met this boy. he felt the same way, Jo. So we thought that if we slept together, that that is something normal teenagers do, and I guess we thought that if we did it.."
"You, too, would be normal." Joey finished for her, her anger immediately changed to tired and sad. Andie nodded sadly. Joey closed her eyes and slid down the wall, back down on the floor. "No wonder he didn't want to talk about it." She muttered.
Andie bowed her head down. "I can understand if you are mad at me. What I did was slutty, and-"
"You were already normal, Andie!" Joey exclaimed. "You were just sad after your brother's death! You need to talk to Pacey- you can't just break it off like this!" Then she said, "I'm not mad at you, Andie."
"Thank you," Andie whispered, her eyes were red and puffy. Another tear slid down her cheek. "I'll talk to him. I just hope he can forgive me."
*
Pacey stuffed the last of his fries into his mouth and looked around for the sixth time that day. But Joey was still nowhere in sight, and he had wanted to apologize about exploding like that to her earlier. "Damn," he muttered, crinkling up the greasy fry bag in his hand into a tight, little ball. -I wonder if she's still mad?-
"What?" Dawson asked him. He and Jen sat across from Pacey.
"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to Joey, but it looks like she isn't here, doesn't it?"
"Because of me." Jen suddenly said. She smiled tightly.
Dawson put his hand over hers and said, "Joey's being unreasonable, but she'll come around."
Jen quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, Dawson. You can't make them all like you, right?" She laughed dryly.
Pacey rolled his eyes as Dawson and Jen looked into each other's eyes like lovesick puppies. "Please!" He said. Then he stretched out his hands in front of him and yelled, "All this love is making me blind! I'm going to puke!" He then pretended to gag.
"You're disgusting," Jen informed Pacey, sticking out her tongue at him.
"Thank you." Pacey looked around again. -That's it. I'm going to try to find her. - He thought, standing up.
"You're leaving already?" Dawson asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I've, uh, got something to do." Pacey muttered, surprised that he wanted to find Joey so bad. But, hell, if she was crying her eyes out about him yelling at her, he couldn't just sit around. She was her friend, for God's sake. Well, maybe she wouldn't be crying, but. -But still. I bet she's at least mad. - "See you guys."
"See you," Dawson and Jen echoed as he turned around to leave. He jogged through the exit and down the halls, looking through classes as he passed. He stopped in front of the girls' bathroom. Maybe she was in there.. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
"Um.Joey?" He murmured. "Joe?" If anyone saw him, he'd be beyond embarrassed.
"Pacey, what the hell are you doing?" A voice asked behind him.
Pacey jumped, and whirled around. Standing behind him, NOT in the bathroom, was Joey herself. With a disgusted look on her face, he might add. Pacey quickly let go of the door and took a step sideways, laughing nervously. "Potter!" He said. "I was just looking for you.I thought you were in the bathroom."
"I was," Joey blinked at him. "Why, were you not finished yelling at me for just trying to help. Because if so, I already got the point." Her voice was icily.
"You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"
"Not in the very least."
"Ok," Pacey took a deep breath. "I, uh, said some things that probably made you feel bad, and I regret it, cause I know you were just trying to be nice." He hesitated.
"Apology accepted." Joey gave him her famous half-smile. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Pacey sighed in relief and grinned. "Who said anything about apologizing?" He quipped.
Joey rolled her eyes. "You so have got to get over yourself," she said.
Pacey smiled, feeling for once, that everything was right. Except of course, the big hole in his heart the Andie had made. Then he felt like he needed to tell Joey something else other than jokes. "It's just.when you mentioned Andie, you touched my soft spot. It still kinda hurts, y'know?" He said, avoiding eye contact.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Pacey say Joey's face soften. She took a step towards him. "Pace," she said. "Um.Andie told me."
Pacey's head snapped up. "What?"
"Andie told me.why you guys broke up," Joey said, looking uncomfortable. "I just.wanted to, uh, tell you since you probably weren't going to tell anyone else, and if you needed to talk about it, I just wanted you to know, that you can always talk to me." She took a deep breath. "Although, I'm not saying that you have to talk about it. I'm just telling you, so that you know. I'm still hurt over Dawson and watching him swoon over Jen, and last night, you were there for me. Even if you may not know it, you actually made me feel better. I thought no one would miss me anyway, then you followed me."
Pacey closed his eyes. -Joey knows. Joey knows that Andie slept with another guy. - He waited for Joey to laugh at him. Or for her sarcasm to begin. But she didn't do any of those things. Then it hit him. Finally. -She feels what I feel. She got dumped too. She she's had to watch him get all swooned by Jen. Pacey winced. He'd been such a jerk to not notice. Then he opened his eyes, and saw Joey staring ahead.
Pacey looked in her direction.
Dawson and Jen were holding hands together as they walked out of the cafeteria.
Pacey quickly looked at Joey. Her face was red, and her hands clenched. "Joe." Before Pacey could say anything else, Joey ran past him.
*
Joey numbly walked into her room. Thank God school was over. She'd almost burst out crying when she saw Dawson and Jen, so she ran away. How humiliating. So embarrassed, she'd avoided Pacey all day, holding back tears. She slowly sat on her bed and noticed a note next to her alarm clock.
Dear Joey, Bodie had to work overtime and I'm at the restaurant. I expect you here at 6:00. See you then.
Love
Bessie
"When do I not work?" Joey mumbled. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Probably Pacey. Joey could hear him already. First he'd console her with some jokes, then he would tease her about overreacting.
Joey frowned. Couldn't Pacey ever take anything seriously? -Well, for once, I'm not in the mood for Pacey Witter laughs. - Joey closed her eyes as the doorbell kept ringing. -He's going to break the doorbell! That's going to be another thing we'll have to repair! - Joey's brain screamed. Joey felt irritated. Couldn't he just leave her alone?
She bit her knuckles, and finally gave in. "Hold on, Pacey," she muttered bitterly as she got to the door. She opened the door and stared glumly through the screen door.
"Josephine!" Pacey started to open the screen door, but Joey firmly grabbed the knob on her side. "What, are you challenging my strength?" Pacey raised his eyebrows.
Joey sighed impatiently. "What do you want, Pacey?"
Pacey feigned hurt, his eyes wide, and a hand over his heart. "What? You're leaving me out here? It's freezing!"
"Yeah, I can feel the cool air enter, and I'm getting slightly chilly, so talk fast." She still didn't open the door.
"Aw, c'mon, Joe," he pleaded. "What did I do?"
"I'm just not in the mood for visitors, Pace," Joey said, remembering the way Dawson and Jen always look into each other's eyes. Just like the way Dawson used to look into hers. "I want to be alone." She finished, taking in a deep breath of the cool air that was entering through the door.
Pacey looked at her for a moment. Then he said, "Nuh-uh. I'm not leaving you alone. From the way you acted today, I can tell that if I leave you alone, you're just going to be moody than your usual self tomorrow."
"And you're going to help how?"
"Let's take a walk." He suggested. "We'll talk. I promise. And we'll share our feelings." He batted his eyelashes.
Joey thought for a moment. "I don't want to talk about it." She finally said. "But I wouldn't mind a walk." It's not like Pacey Witter would want to share his feelings anyway. Joey smirked at the thought. The day that would happen, hell would freeze up.
Pacey's face lit up. "Great!" He saidd.
"Let me just get my coat," Joey said, finally opening the screen door. Pacey stepped in, while she walked to her room. Opening her closet, she heard Pacey come up behind her.
"So this is your room."
"Yep." She grabbed a red sweater, one that was too big for her, but she liked it anyway since it was warm. "Ok, let's go."
Pacey followed her out. Joey noticed him looking her over. "What?" She asked.
"Nothing, just.you should wear tighter clothes."
Joey faced him. "Excuse me?"
Pacey laughed. "Well, just.. look at every other girl at our school. They all wear these little skirts and all that. Pretty cute. And you." Joey raised her eyebrows. "You wear baggy clothes. I was going to say baggy clothes," he continued. "I read in this magazine, that if girls wear baggy clothes, they're insecure of themselves."
Joey felt humored. "Where do you get this stuff, Pacey?" She asked. "I happen to like my clothes."
They walked out of the house and began walking down the deserted path. "Feels good to walk out in the cold. To breathe in all the cold air. It gets your mind of things." Joey commented.
"It really does." Pacey agreed.
After a few more minutes, Pacey asked, "Can we stop for a moment?"
Joey gave him a look. "Sure."
"Ok." He turned around to face her. "Joe, I just want to know that things are Ok with us. And I didn't mean to yell at you. I realized that you were also hurting. I'm sorry."
Joey couldn't believe it. Pacey, Pacey the Jerk, was actually really truly serious about something? She smiled at him. "That's Ok."
"Friends?"
"Friends."
That's all they said, but that's all they needed to say. They now knew they could completely trust each other.
*
After coming back from the walk and walking Joey to her door, Pacey was heading to his dad's truck when he noticed someone was leaning against it. Someone with blond hair. Pacey swallowed hard. "Andie?"
She looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "Pace.can we talk?"
"Sure."
***
That's all for right now- tell me what you think! I'm working on chapter three!
*
-In Front of Me-
*
Chapter 2
*
-You're in my dreams and in my classes
You're in my heart and always in my mind
No matter where I go, I can't escape your presence-
*
*~*Joey and Pacey Forever!!*~*
*
Joey kept her eyes glued to the ground as she walked by Dawson's locker. It was weird, she knew, since he wasn't even there. But she knew, that even if she glanced at it, she would remember all the times she'd been there leaning against locker number 234, the locker next to his, chatting with him and complaining about all the homework they'd have to do.
The first bell rang.
Joey hurried. At a turn on a corner, she crashed into someone and stumbled back. Trying to keep her balance, she fell right on her butt, all her books and papers flew around her. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Damn," she muttered and looked up.
Her heart seemed to stop working for a minute. Dawson stared right back down at her. He had managed to keep his balance. Joey felt like a fool, lying there on the ground at his feet.
"Sorry," he muttered quickly. He extended a hand and helped her up. Joey said nothing. She just crouched down and as quickly as she could, started to gather all her scattered papers. Griping them in her tight fists, she started to just throw them in her backpack.
She could feel Dawson's eyes on her. Finally, he kneeled down next to her, his knee brushing against her thigh. Joey flinched at the touch.
"I don't know why you have to act like this." Dawson gave her a stern look.
"Like what, Dawson?" Joey rolled her eyes. "Are you going to take long or what? Because I have a class to get to."
"Like that, like this." He hissed. "I don't understand why we can't be friends just because I've got a girlfriend. I mean, come on Jo, what's your problem?"
"What's my problem?" Joey's eyes flashed with anger.
"Yeah, Jen tried to be nice to you, but so far all you've been to her is rude and silly."
"What?" Joey couldn't believe her ears! Dawson was actually fooled by Jen's blondness that he would insult his friend? "Listen to yourself Dawson, all you've been thinking about is Jen's feelings. What about my feelings? Ever since she came, you've completely changed, and-"
"I don't believe this. You're jealous."
Anger gathered at Joey's throat, and she felt the urge to yell at him. She stood up and glared down at him. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of you always talking about to perfect Jen Lindly is. Don't you think I've heard enough?"
"I keep talking about her because you won't give her a chance!" Dawson was the one yelling now. "You see her and you instantly label her without getting to know her."
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't want to get to know her?" Joey yelled back.
She couldn't believe this. Dawson was yelling at her. Picking a fight with her. Willing to sacrifice their friendship. All for another girl. Joey felt tears itch the corners of her eyes.
Dawson's face softened a bit. "Joey." He took a step towards her, but the late bell rang suddenly.
Joey didn't want to feel anything from him at the moment, so she backed away, gave him a last glare and stalked away.
*
Pacey hummed to himself as he walked the halls of Capeside High. The late bell had already rung, but it hardly made a difference. He was in no hurry. He walked over to the vending machine and slipped in 3 quarters into the coin slot, when he noticed a familiar shape running past him. He quickly grabbed her hand, forcing her to turn around.
"Joey? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Pacey grinned.
"Aren't you supposed to stay of other people's lives?" She shot back.
Pacey heard a slight crack to her voice. He looked at her closely. He noticed her eyes were bloodshot and wet and she seemed to be breathing hard.
"Hey.are you Ok?" Pacey asked.
Joey shrugged, then she shook her head. She sat on one of the benches and buried her face in her hands. "No. Dawson just finished lecturing me over how rude I've been to Ms. New York."
"Ah." Pacey sat next to her. "You know.I helped you at your house when you were sick. I don't see why I can't help you now, so let me just say this: Is this fight about Jen? Or are you and Dawson starting to finally part?"
Joey gave him a confused look. "Sorry, Pace. I lost you at 'Jen'."
Pacey laughed lightly. "No, see, you and Dawson have been friends for so long, and then suddenly you're kissing, and then you decide that it's best for you two to just be friends, then Jen is Dawson's girlfriend, you're jealous-" he quickly rushed in his last words when he noticed Joey open her mouth. "and you still expect you two to be the same old good friends like you were before? That's just doesn't happen."
Pacey glanced at Joey. She was looking ahead, her face expressionless. -Looks like I got to her. - Pacey smiled. He stood up and pressed C5 on the vending machine and slipped his hand under the slot. "Frito?" He waved the bag in her face. She seemed to snap out of a trance.
"No, thanks." She, too, stood up. "Actually I better get to class now. You too."
"Yeah. I'll see you at lunch."
"Yeah." she lingered a few minutes. "Um.Pacey?"
"Yah?
"Thanks. As impossible as it seems, you really." she laughed. "you got to me. And I guess you're right. Dawson and me can't or will never be the same good friends we were before. All this becoming-a-man-and-women stuff is getting in the way, and um, if you ever want to talk about Andie, I just want you to know that you can talk to me, Ok?"
"I don't need anyone to talk about it." Pacey snapped. He flushed at how harsh that sounded. But hearing someone else ask if he needed to talk about it that the last straw for him. "If I need someone to talk to, I'll tell them, all right?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair.
He winced at how Joey looked down. He suddenly just wanted to get away. "You know, I've been trying to forget about Andie, and you asking isn't making it any better." Damn. Why couldn't he suddenly say anything nice?
"Fine. I was just trying to help, but whatever." She walked away, leaving him there, feeling like a moron.
*
At lunch, Joey didn't want to see either Dawson or Pacey, so she hid in the bathroom. It was pretty pathetic, but it was much better than facing Pacey. She would just get mad again. And it would make all things worse if she had to see Dawson eating lunch closely to Jen. Jack was absent, and Andie had to skip lunch to write an article for the newspaper, so the bathroom was Joey's only choice.
-How could Pacey yell at me like that? - Joey thought, anger filling her. -I only wanted to help. I wanted to thank him for listening to me. I don't know what the hell got into him. - What was it with today? She had lost two friends before class had even started.
Trying to distract herself, Joey reading some of the graffiti on the walls and mirrors. Suddenly the door opened and Andie walked in. She looked over at the floor where Joey was sitting and after a brief surprise look, she smiled brightly.
"Joey!" She said cheerfully. Then she laughed. "What are you doing on the floor?" She extended a hand, which Joey took to stand up.
"Her, Andie," Joey smiled back at her. "I've heard the bathroom floor corners are a good place to think." She waited for Andie's laugh to stretch out a little, then she said, "Hey, I thought you had to work on the newspaper."
"I finished early." Andie took out a lip-gloss from her purse and popped the top off. "You wouldn't believe how many people were complaining about the cafeteria food. You know, since I'm head of the gossip column?"
Joey nodded.
"Well, our ratings show that less people are starting to read the newspaper and if less than 5 classes don't read it, then the newspaper is done with. And we're going to have to find another elective. Isn't that horrible? I love working on the newspaper. So now, in order to keep the newspaper, I have to some up with some juicy gossip. Since the only part of the newspaper that people read is the gossip and advice column. I suggested using the fact that the cafeteria uses the same food over and over, but it's not enough!" Andie paused to take a breath. Then a sad look came over her. "You wouldn't have come across anything, would you, Joey?"
Sure that Andie was done talking, Joey shook her head. "Not really."
Andie leaned over the sink to look directly into the mirror. She slowly began sliding the gloss over her lips. "I'm supposed to find something in less than a week! This could be our very last issue! I am going to find something though. I am. I won't let down my team!"
Joey and Andie laughed. -The moment is so light hearted right now. - Joey thought. -I could ask her now. Andie's not the type to get mad. - "Hey, Andie." Joey tried not to sound too nosy.
"Yes?"
"I was just wondering.the curiosity is too big for me too control, so I'm just going to straight-out ask you: why did you and Pacey break up? I don't remember either of you mentioning it, and you two seemed like a great, and happy couple." Joey paused. "But then you came back from that hospital place, and you broke up with him. You never told me why though.." Joey trailed off.
Andie, in mid air with the lip-gloss to her lips, froze. Joey could sense the sudden tense in her. Andie's eyes shone with tears. "It was me! It was my fault. Pacey was so good to me, and I didn't mean to, but I just couldn't help thinking." Andie swallowed hard and used some tissue paper to wipe away the tears.
Joey cautiously took a step towards her. "Andie? What's wrong? What happened to you while you were gone?" Damn- she should have never mentioned this before. But the truth was, Pacey and Andie had sort of reminded Joey of her and Dawson- they teased each other a lot, and always found a way to make each other laugh. To break up with Dawson had hurt Joey a lot. And she had liked seeing Andie and Pacey together to pretend it her and Dawson. But now..
Andie sniffed softly and closed her eyes for a minute. Then she let out a choked, forced laugh. "This is silly isn't it? Crying over from just hearing his name." She gave Joey a small smile. "If I told you what I did, you would hate me."
"No, I wouldn't," Joey protested. Then she smiled back at Andie. "I promise I won't hate you."
"Joey.I. I slept with someone."
"Other than Pacey?" Joey cried in disbelief.
"Yeah."
"Oh." Joey suddenly felt very lightheaded. And even though she had promised Andie, Joey felt angry. How could Andie hurt Pacey like that? "How could you, Andie? You knew Pacey loved you- he finally felt like that about someone, Andie! And you just break his heart like that? Just like that?"
Andie burst out crying again. "I know that I hurt Pacey, Joey. I know. I can't believe it myself- I hate myself! But I was just so confused. I knew I was in a mental hospital, and the whole time I was thinking, 'what if I never get out of here? What if I'm crazy, and there's nothing to do? What if it's too late?' And then I met this boy. he felt the same way, Jo. So we thought that if we slept together, that that is something normal teenagers do, and I guess we thought that if we did it.."
"You, too, would be normal." Joey finished for her, her anger immediately changed to tired and sad. Andie nodded sadly. Joey closed her eyes and slid down the wall, back down on the floor. "No wonder he didn't want to talk about it." She muttered.
Andie bowed her head down. "I can understand if you are mad at me. What I did was slutty, and-"
"You were already normal, Andie!" Joey exclaimed. "You were just sad after your brother's death! You need to talk to Pacey- you can't just break it off like this!" Then she said, "I'm not mad at you, Andie."
"Thank you," Andie whispered, her eyes were red and puffy. Another tear slid down her cheek. "I'll talk to him. I just hope he can forgive me."
*
Pacey stuffed the last of his fries into his mouth and looked around for the sixth time that day. But Joey was still nowhere in sight, and he had wanted to apologize about exploding like that to her earlier. "Damn," he muttered, crinkling up the greasy fry bag in his hand into a tight, little ball. -I wonder if she's still mad?-
"What?" Dawson asked him. He and Jen sat across from Pacey.
"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to Joey, but it looks like she isn't here, doesn't it?"
"Because of me." Jen suddenly said. She smiled tightly.
Dawson put his hand over hers and said, "Joey's being unreasonable, but she'll come around."
Jen quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, Dawson. You can't make them all like you, right?" She laughed dryly.
Pacey rolled his eyes as Dawson and Jen looked into each other's eyes like lovesick puppies. "Please!" He said. Then he stretched out his hands in front of him and yelled, "All this love is making me blind! I'm going to puke!" He then pretended to gag.
"You're disgusting," Jen informed Pacey, sticking out her tongue at him.
"Thank you." Pacey looked around again. -That's it. I'm going to try to find her. - He thought, standing up.
"You're leaving already?" Dawson asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I've, uh, got something to do." Pacey muttered, surprised that he wanted to find Joey so bad. But, hell, if she was crying her eyes out about him yelling at her, he couldn't just sit around. She was her friend, for God's sake. Well, maybe she wouldn't be crying, but. -But still. I bet she's at least mad. - "See you guys."
"See you," Dawson and Jen echoed as he turned around to leave. He jogged through the exit and down the halls, looking through classes as he passed. He stopped in front of the girls' bathroom. Maybe she was in there.. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
"Um.Joey?" He murmured. "Joe?" If anyone saw him, he'd be beyond embarrassed.
"Pacey, what the hell are you doing?" A voice asked behind him.
Pacey jumped, and whirled around. Standing behind him, NOT in the bathroom, was Joey herself. With a disgusted look on her face, he might add. Pacey quickly let go of the door and took a step sideways, laughing nervously. "Potter!" He said. "I was just looking for you.I thought you were in the bathroom."
"I was," Joey blinked at him. "Why, were you not finished yelling at me for just trying to help. Because if so, I already got the point." Her voice was icily.
"You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"
"Not in the very least."
"Ok," Pacey took a deep breath. "I, uh, said some things that probably made you feel bad, and I regret it, cause I know you were just trying to be nice." He hesitated.
"Apology accepted." Joey gave him her famous half-smile. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Pacey sighed in relief and grinned. "Who said anything about apologizing?" He quipped.
Joey rolled her eyes. "You so have got to get over yourself," she said.
Pacey smiled, feeling for once, that everything was right. Except of course, the big hole in his heart the Andie had made. Then he felt like he needed to tell Joey something else other than jokes. "It's just.when you mentioned Andie, you touched my soft spot. It still kinda hurts, y'know?" He said, avoiding eye contact.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Pacey say Joey's face soften. She took a step towards him. "Pace," she said. "Um.Andie told me."
Pacey's head snapped up. "What?"
"Andie told me.why you guys broke up," Joey said, looking uncomfortable. "I just.wanted to, uh, tell you since you probably weren't going to tell anyone else, and if you needed to talk about it, I just wanted you to know, that you can always talk to me." She took a deep breath. "Although, I'm not saying that you have to talk about it. I'm just telling you, so that you know. I'm still hurt over Dawson and watching him swoon over Jen, and last night, you were there for me. Even if you may not know it, you actually made me feel better. I thought no one would miss me anyway, then you followed me."
Pacey closed his eyes. -Joey knows. Joey knows that Andie slept with another guy. - He waited for Joey to laugh at him. Or for her sarcasm to begin. But she didn't do any of those things. Then it hit him. Finally. -She feels what I feel. She got dumped too. She she's had to watch him get all swooned by Jen. Pacey winced. He'd been such a jerk to not notice. Then he opened his eyes, and saw Joey staring ahead.
Pacey looked in her direction.
Dawson and Jen were holding hands together as they walked out of the cafeteria.
Pacey quickly looked at Joey. Her face was red, and her hands clenched. "Joe." Before Pacey could say anything else, Joey ran past him.
*
Joey numbly walked into her room. Thank God school was over. She'd almost burst out crying when she saw Dawson and Jen, so she ran away. How humiliating. So embarrassed, she'd avoided Pacey all day, holding back tears. She slowly sat on her bed and noticed a note next to her alarm clock.
Dear Joey, Bodie had to work overtime and I'm at the restaurant. I expect you here at 6:00. See you then.
Love
Bessie
"When do I not work?" Joey mumbled. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Probably Pacey. Joey could hear him already. First he'd console her with some jokes, then he would tease her about overreacting.
Joey frowned. Couldn't Pacey ever take anything seriously? -Well, for once, I'm not in the mood for Pacey Witter laughs. - Joey closed her eyes as the doorbell kept ringing. -He's going to break the doorbell! That's going to be another thing we'll have to repair! - Joey's brain screamed. Joey felt irritated. Couldn't he just leave her alone?
She bit her knuckles, and finally gave in. "Hold on, Pacey," she muttered bitterly as she got to the door. She opened the door and stared glumly through the screen door.
"Josephine!" Pacey started to open the screen door, but Joey firmly grabbed the knob on her side. "What, are you challenging my strength?" Pacey raised his eyebrows.
Joey sighed impatiently. "What do you want, Pacey?"
Pacey feigned hurt, his eyes wide, and a hand over his heart. "What? You're leaving me out here? It's freezing!"
"Yeah, I can feel the cool air enter, and I'm getting slightly chilly, so talk fast." She still didn't open the door.
"Aw, c'mon, Joe," he pleaded. "What did I do?"
"I'm just not in the mood for visitors, Pace," Joey said, remembering the way Dawson and Jen always look into each other's eyes. Just like the way Dawson used to look into hers. "I want to be alone." She finished, taking in a deep breath of the cool air that was entering through the door.
Pacey looked at her for a moment. Then he said, "Nuh-uh. I'm not leaving you alone. From the way you acted today, I can tell that if I leave you alone, you're just going to be moody than your usual self tomorrow."
"And you're going to help how?"
"Let's take a walk." He suggested. "We'll talk. I promise. And we'll share our feelings." He batted his eyelashes.
Joey thought for a moment. "I don't want to talk about it." She finally said. "But I wouldn't mind a walk." It's not like Pacey Witter would want to share his feelings anyway. Joey smirked at the thought. The day that would happen, hell would freeze up.
Pacey's face lit up. "Great!" He saidd.
"Let me just get my coat," Joey said, finally opening the screen door. Pacey stepped in, while she walked to her room. Opening her closet, she heard Pacey come up behind her.
"So this is your room."
"Yep." She grabbed a red sweater, one that was too big for her, but she liked it anyway since it was warm. "Ok, let's go."
Pacey followed her out. Joey noticed him looking her over. "What?" She asked.
"Nothing, just.you should wear tighter clothes."
Joey faced him. "Excuse me?"
Pacey laughed. "Well, just.. look at every other girl at our school. They all wear these little skirts and all that. Pretty cute. And you." Joey raised her eyebrows. "You wear baggy clothes. I was going to say baggy clothes," he continued. "I read in this magazine, that if girls wear baggy clothes, they're insecure of themselves."
Joey felt humored. "Where do you get this stuff, Pacey?" She asked. "I happen to like my clothes."
They walked out of the house and began walking down the deserted path. "Feels good to walk out in the cold. To breathe in all the cold air. It gets your mind of things." Joey commented.
"It really does." Pacey agreed.
After a few more minutes, Pacey asked, "Can we stop for a moment?"
Joey gave him a look. "Sure."
"Ok." He turned around to face her. "Joe, I just want to know that things are Ok with us. And I didn't mean to yell at you. I realized that you were also hurting. I'm sorry."
Joey couldn't believe it. Pacey, Pacey the Jerk, was actually really truly serious about something? She smiled at him. "That's Ok."
"Friends?"
"Friends."
That's all they said, but that's all they needed to say. They now knew they could completely trust each other.
*
After coming back from the walk and walking Joey to her door, Pacey was heading to his dad's truck when he noticed someone was leaning against it. Someone with blond hair. Pacey swallowed hard. "Andie?"
She looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "Pace.can we talk?"
"Sure."
***
That's all for right now- tell me what you think! I'm working on chapter three!