*Friday Morning*
Mitch and Gail are sitting in the kitchen having breakfast.
"Dawson." Mitch offered when Dawson came into the kitchen.
" Ah, Dawson, honey, have some breakfast." His mother offered.
" Take a load off." Mitch continued.
"Actually I can't. I'm running a little late this morning." Dawson replied and turned just as Joey entered the kitchen.
"Joey, How's school going?" Mitch asked.
"Good, um, Dawson, shouldn't we get going?" Joey asked.
The two teenagers head towards the door to leave.
Gail offers, "Have a nice day, both of you!"
Mitch turned to her, "I think we need to have a talk with Dawson."
"About what?"
"About Joey sleeping over."
Gail scoffed, "It's completely harmless . . . Joey is like family."
"I'm not saying we turn her out to the street, Gail. I just don't think it's appropriate. If she wants to stay for the night, I think she should use the guest room."
"Don't you trust them together?" She asked.
"I love Joey like a daughter, Gail. But she is not our daughter. She is a young girl in our son's bedroom. Sure it may seem innocent now, but you remember how it felt to be a teenager . . ."
Gail realized that Mitch was right, "We'll talk to him when he gets home from school."
~*~*~*~ Pacey is sitting on a bench that is on the edge of the creek with an elderly gentleman.
" You know, this town is the absolute embodiment of dull. Apart from the
occasional sex scandal provided by yours truly, nothing happens here."
The man sits silently with no reaction. Pacey looks at him as if waiting for something but gets fed up and faces the street once again.
" I swear one day this town is just going to shut down completely due to lack of interest."
Pacey catches a glimpse of Dawson, Jen, and Joey across the street. He notices Jen and Dawson are holding hands and chatting while Joey follows behind them. The scene tugs his heartstrings.
"Oh how utterly clueless." He offered to no one.
He starts to cross the street to offer Joey some relief when a car flies by and almost hits him. He jumps out of the way just in time so that he didn't get hit.
"Hey! Watch it, man." Pacey screams, getting attention from the gang across the street.
The car backs up as Joey, Dawson, and Jen make an attempt to cross the busy street.
The guy in the car questions, " Listen, maybe you can help me out?"
" With what? Driving lessons?" Pacey offers, sarcastically.
Joey is the first one to make it to his side of the road.
"Pace, you okay?"
He answers sarcastically, "Wow, Potter. For a moment it sounded like genuine concern in your voice."
She scowled at him and he offered defeated, "I'll live."
Pacey's focus shifted to Dawson and Jen, whom were stuck in the middle of the street due to traffic. While he is preoccupied, the guy that almost ran him over had started talking to Joey.
" . . .I'm looking for the high school." Pacey hears the guy finish.
"Capeside High?" Joey asks, quizzically.
"Yeah.," the guy offers, looking Joey over. Pacey took notice.
Joey answered, " You want to take this road about another mile, take a left on Glenn Street, then keep driving until you . . . are you going to remember all this?"
"I doubt it. If you have the time, could you possibly show me?" The guy asked Joey.
She looked around nervously, her eyes briefly catching Pacey's.
"Sure." She offered, without hesitation.
The guy smiled and Pacey winced. Just as Joey took a step towards the car, Pacey grabbed her arm.
"What the hell are you doing? You don't know that guy!"
"Wow, Pace, if I didn't know you better I'd think that sounded like genuine concern in your voice." She offered, mocking him.
"Joe . . ." He started, trying to stop her.
She ignored him and got in the car. The guy smiled at him and took off just as Dawson and Jen got to the side of the road.
"Who was that?" Jen asked, only having seen the guy briefly and thinking he looked familiar.
"Did Joey just get in the car with him after he almost ran you over?" Dawson asked, concerned.
"Never seen the guy before. I tried to convince her not to and she didn't listen." Pacey offered.
Dawson was concerned, "So she just jumped into the car with him and you let her?"
Pacey turned to Dawson, "I did not let her, Dawson, and she did it of her own free will. Maybe she did it to gain your attention since you've been ignoring her and shoving your relationship with Jen in her face."
Jen offered, "You guys . . ."
Her attempt to stop them from arguing went unnoticed.
"Pacey, you don't know what you are talking about . . ." Dawson started.
Pacey turned and walked down the street without saying another word. Dawson glared at the back of his head and after a minute realized how pointless it was.
"I hope Joey is okay." Dawson offered.
Jen replied, "She's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
Dawson took Jen's hand in his and they started towards school. Both worried that Joey would not be there when they arrived.
~*~*~*~ "Thanks for the ride." Joey offered, getting out of the car.
"Thanks for navigating." He replied.
"No problem." She said, nervously, and then bit her lip.
"Sorry if I messed things between you and your boyfriend back there." He offered, apologetically.
"Pacey? The guy you almost ran over? Oh, no. He's not my boyfriend. He's more like a stain I just cannot remove." She offered.
He smiled, "Well, you two fooled me."
She smiled nervously, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you need to come here? Did you transfer or something?"
"No," He started, "But someone I use to know is here."
"Well, I've got Spanish to cram for. Good luck finding whom you are looking for."
She started to walk away but he jumped out of his car and caught up with her, "Actually, maybe you can help."
He smiled at her to convince her, "Unless your Spanish book is calling you?"
She smiled, "Who are you looking for?"
"Jenny Lindly."
Joey practically jumped up in the air. She suddenly put two and two together and realized who this guy before her had to be. THE GUY from New York that she had heard Dawson talk about for days on end. THE GUY that got Jen sent to Capeside.
She smiled, "First period. English. Room 112."
He wrapped an arm around her, "You are a sweetheart. A lifesaver."
She smiled nervously and they walked into the building together.
~*~*~*~ Pacey looks around the school nervously as he enters. He finally sees Joey sitting on the stairs beside the mystery man she had taken off with. He let out a slight sigh of relief; happy she was okay but nervous that she was still with the mystery guy.
He watched them out of the corner of his eye. Something the guy said had caused Joey to blush. She smiled her sideways shy smile and nervously pushed an arrant strand of hair behind her ear.
The guy glanced down at a book in his hand and said something. Joey looked puzzled and then answered him. Pacey curiously looked at the book and saw it was a Spanish book. Maybe Joey knew the mystery guy. Maybe he was in her Spanish class.
But that still did not assuage all his worrying. He moved a little ways closer so he was in earshot.
"I cannot stop looking at you. You are beautiful."
Pacey watched as the stranger's compliment caught Joey off guard. She blushed but offered to him, "Yo no puedo parar mirarlo. Usted es Hermosa"
"I did not mean for you to translate it."
She fidgeted nervously, "Well, I need to study."
"Okay," He offered, "Let's see if you can translate this. Si yo lo había sabido en Nueva York entonces yo habría estado aquí más pronto."
She looked at him with another nervous smile and blushed, then translated into English what he had said: "If I had known you in New York then I would have been here sooner."
Pacey was now worried. This guy was from New York. Why was he in Capeside? Why was he cozying up to Joey?"
The warning bell rang and Joey stood up, "Well, thanks for the Spanish quiz."
"No problema." He said with a smile.
"Good luck." She smiled and went towards her Spanish classroom.
Pacey watched the mystery man watch Joey as she walked away. He finally walked over to confront him. The man turned and noticed his approach.
"If it isn't the human stain." He offered.
Pacey ignored the comment, "Leave her alone."
"She didn't seem to mind, and besides I'm not trying to steal your girl. I'm here to find someone else."
Pacey did not bother to correct the guy on the fact that Joey was not his girlfriend, "Just don't mess with her or you and I will have some business to deal with."
The guy held up his hands in a false surrender, "Whatever."
The guy walks away and Pacey is left standing in the hallway alone.
~*~*~*~ When they get in the doors of the school, Dawson glances through the crowd for any sign of Joey.
"I assume we're still on for bowling tonight?" Jen asks, interrupting him.
"Absolutely. Can't wait." Dawson offered, his eyes still scanning the crowd.
When she realizes what he is doing she offers, "She's fine. Calm down."
Dawson knew that Joey could take care of herself. He was just worried. It was unlike Joey to do something as dangerous as getting into a car with a stranger.
"So, can I walk you to English?" Dawson asked, trying to change the subject.
"Actually," She says, glancing at the clock, "We only have a minute. You should get to your math class. You know how Mr. Vales gets when you are late."
"Yeah, I guess." He offered, disappointed.
He leans down and kisses her.
Jen walks hurriedly down the hall and turns the corner to her English class. She stops short when she notices a familiar face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She asks.
" Is that how you greet the love of your love?"
Jen lets out a sigh, "That was months ago, Billy. Please, just leave."
Billy sighs, "Jenny, I drove all night just to see you."
" New York is only four hours from here."
" I got lost?"
" Billy, do you have any idea what my grandmother would do if she found out you were here? I mean, the whole reason I was sent to Capeside was to get away from you, Billy. Things have changed, okay? Believe it or not, I've changed. I'm not the same person that you knew in New York."
" Alright. . . then fill me in, Jenny. Look, go for a ride with me. Come on, two minutes. Is that too much to ask?"
Jen sighed, "Two minutes."
~*~*~*~ In math class, Cliff taps Dawson on the shoulder.
Dawson turns around.
"Hey, look, I'm looking for Jen. You don't know where she is this period do you?" He whispers.
Dawson is curious and lies, "No, why?"
"Well, give her a message, will you? Tell her I'm having a barbeque at my house this Saturday and I'd love it if she 'd make it. Hey, what the hell, why don't you come too?"
Dawson quizzically answers, " Cool, sounds great."
Mitch and Gail are sitting in the kitchen having breakfast.
"Dawson." Mitch offered when Dawson came into the kitchen.
" Ah, Dawson, honey, have some breakfast." His mother offered.
" Take a load off." Mitch continued.
"Actually I can't. I'm running a little late this morning." Dawson replied and turned just as Joey entered the kitchen.
"Joey, How's school going?" Mitch asked.
"Good, um, Dawson, shouldn't we get going?" Joey asked.
The two teenagers head towards the door to leave.
Gail offers, "Have a nice day, both of you!"
Mitch turned to her, "I think we need to have a talk with Dawson."
"About what?"
"About Joey sleeping over."
Gail scoffed, "It's completely harmless . . . Joey is like family."
"I'm not saying we turn her out to the street, Gail. I just don't think it's appropriate. If she wants to stay for the night, I think she should use the guest room."
"Don't you trust them together?" She asked.
"I love Joey like a daughter, Gail. But she is not our daughter. She is a young girl in our son's bedroom. Sure it may seem innocent now, but you remember how it felt to be a teenager . . ."
Gail realized that Mitch was right, "We'll talk to him when he gets home from school."
~*~*~*~ Pacey is sitting on a bench that is on the edge of the creek with an elderly gentleman.
" You know, this town is the absolute embodiment of dull. Apart from the
occasional sex scandal provided by yours truly, nothing happens here."
The man sits silently with no reaction. Pacey looks at him as if waiting for something but gets fed up and faces the street once again.
" I swear one day this town is just going to shut down completely due to lack of interest."
Pacey catches a glimpse of Dawson, Jen, and Joey across the street. He notices Jen and Dawson are holding hands and chatting while Joey follows behind them. The scene tugs his heartstrings.
"Oh how utterly clueless." He offered to no one.
He starts to cross the street to offer Joey some relief when a car flies by and almost hits him. He jumps out of the way just in time so that he didn't get hit.
"Hey! Watch it, man." Pacey screams, getting attention from the gang across the street.
The car backs up as Joey, Dawson, and Jen make an attempt to cross the busy street.
The guy in the car questions, " Listen, maybe you can help me out?"
" With what? Driving lessons?" Pacey offers, sarcastically.
Joey is the first one to make it to his side of the road.
"Pace, you okay?"
He answers sarcastically, "Wow, Potter. For a moment it sounded like genuine concern in your voice."
She scowled at him and he offered defeated, "I'll live."
Pacey's focus shifted to Dawson and Jen, whom were stuck in the middle of the street due to traffic. While he is preoccupied, the guy that almost ran him over had started talking to Joey.
" . . .I'm looking for the high school." Pacey hears the guy finish.
"Capeside High?" Joey asks, quizzically.
"Yeah.," the guy offers, looking Joey over. Pacey took notice.
Joey answered, " You want to take this road about another mile, take a left on Glenn Street, then keep driving until you . . . are you going to remember all this?"
"I doubt it. If you have the time, could you possibly show me?" The guy asked Joey.
She looked around nervously, her eyes briefly catching Pacey's.
"Sure." She offered, without hesitation.
The guy smiled and Pacey winced. Just as Joey took a step towards the car, Pacey grabbed her arm.
"What the hell are you doing? You don't know that guy!"
"Wow, Pace, if I didn't know you better I'd think that sounded like genuine concern in your voice." She offered, mocking him.
"Joe . . ." He started, trying to stop her.
She ignored him and got in the car. The guy smiled at him and took off just as Dawson and Jen got to the side of the road.
"Who was that?" Jen asked, only having seen the guy briefly and thinking he looked familiar.
"Did Joey just get in the car with him after he almost ran you over?" Dawson asked, concerned.
"Never seen the guy before. I tried to convince her not to and she didn't listen." Pacey offered.
Dawson was concerned, "So she just jumped into the car with him and you let her?"
Pacey turned to Dawson, "I did not let her, Dawson, and she did it of her own free will. Maybe she did it to gain your attention since you've been ignoring her and shoving your relationship with Jen in her face."
Jen offered, "You guys . . ."
Her attempt to stop them from arguing went unnoticed.
"Pacey, you don't know what you are talking about . . ." Dawson started.
Pacey turned and walked down the street without saying another word. Dawson glared at the back of his head and after a minute realized how pointless it was.
"I hope Joey is okay." Dawson offered.
Jen replied, "She's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
Dawson took Jen's hand in his and they started towards school. Both worried that Joey would not be there when they arrived.
~*~*~*~ "Thanks for the ride." Joey offered, getting out of the car.
"Thanks for navigating." He replied.
"No problem." She said, nervously, and then bit her lip.
"Sorry if I messed things between you and your boyfriend back there." He offered, apologetically.
"Pacey? The guy you almost ran over? Oh, no. He's not my boyfriend. He's more like a stain I just cannot remove." She offered.
He smiled, "Well, you two fooled me."
She smiled nervously, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you need to come here? Did you transfer or something?"
"No," He started, "But someone I use to know is here."
"Well, I've got Spanish to cram for. Good luck finding whom you are looking for."
She started to walk away but he jumped out of his car and caught up with her, "Actually, maybe you can help."
He smiled at her to convince her, "Unless your Spanish book is calling you?"
She smiled, "Who are you looking for?"
"Jenny Lindly."
Joey practically jumped up in the air. She suddenly put two and two together and realized who this guy before her had to be. THE GUY from New York that she had heard Dawson talk about for days on end. THE GUY that got Jen sent to Capeside.
She smiled, "First period. English. Room 112."
He wrapped an arm around her, "You are a sweetheart. A lifesaver."
She smiled nervously and they walked into the building together.
~*~*~*~ Pacey looks around the school nervously as he enters. He finally sees Joey sitting on the stairs beside the mystery man she had taken off with. He let out a slight sigh of relief; happy she was okay but nervous that she was still with the mystery guy.
He watched them out of the corner of his eye. Something the guy said had caused Joey to blush. She smiled her sideways shy smile and nervously pushed an arrant strand of hair behind her ear.
The guy glanced down at a book in his hand and said something. Joey looked puzzled and then answered him. Pacey curiously looked at the book and saw it was a Spanish book. Maybe Joey knew the mystery guy. Maybe he was in her Spanish class.
But that still did not assuage all his worrying. He moved a little ways closer so he was in earshot.
"I cannot stop looking at you. You are beautiful."
Pacey watched as the stranger's compliment caught Joey off guard. She blushed but offered to him, "Yo no puedo parar mirarlo. Usted es Hermosa"
"I did not mean for you to translate it."
She fidgeted nervously, "Well, I need to study."
"Okay," He offered, "Let's see if you can translate this. Si yo lo había sabido en Nueva York entonces yo habría estado aquí más pronto."
She looked at him with another nervous smile and blushed, then translated into English what he had said: "If I had known you in New York then I would have been here sooner."
Pacey was now worried. This guy was from New York. Why was he in Capeside? Why was he cozying up to Joey?"
The warning bell rang and Joey stood up, "Well, thanks for the Spanish quiz."
"No problema." He said with a smile.
"Good luck." She smiled and went towards her Spanish classroom.
Pacey watched the mystery man watch Joey as she walked away. He finally walked over to confront him. The man turned and noticed his approach.
"If it isn't the human stain." He offered.
Pacey ignored the comment, "Leave her alone."
"She didn't seem to mind, and besides I'm not trying to steal your girl. I'm here to find someone else."
Pacey did not bother to correct the guy on the fact that Joey was not his girlfriend, "Just don't mess with her or you and I will have some business to deal with."
The guy held up his hands in a false surrender, "Whatever."
The guy walks away and Pacey is left standing in the hallway alone.
~*~*~*~ When they get in the doors of the school, Dawson glances through the crowd for any sign of Joey.
"I assume we're still on for bowling tonight?" Jen asks, interrupting him.
"Absolutely. Can't wait." Dawson offered, his eyes still scanning the crowd.
When she realizes what he is doing she offers, "She's fine. Calm down."
Dawson knew that Joey could take care of herself. He was just worried. It was unlike Joey to do something as dangerous as getting into a car with a stranger.
"So, can I walk you to English?" Dawson asked, trying to change the subject.
"Actually," She says, glancing at the clock, "We only have a minute. You should get to your math class. You know how Mr. Vales gets when you are late."
"Yeah, I guess." He offered, disappointed.
He leans down and kisses her.
Jen walks hurriedly down the hall and turns the corner to her English class. She stops short when she notices a familiar face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She asks.
" Is that how you greet the love of your love?"
Jen lets out a sigh, "That was months ago, Billy. Please, just leave."
Billy sighs, "Jenny, I drove all night just to see you."
" New York is only four hours from here."
" I got lost?"
" Billy, do you have any idea what my grandmother would do if she found out you were here? I mean, the whole reason I was sent to Capeside was to get away from you, Billy. Things have changed, okay? Believe it or not, I've changed. I'm not the same person that you knew in New York."
" Alright. . . then fill me in, Jenny. Look, go for a ride with me. Come on, two minutes. Is that too much to ask?"
Jen sighed, "Two minutes."
~*~*~*~ In math class, Cliff taps Dawson on the shoulder.
Dawson turns around.
"Hey, look, I'm looking for Jen. You don't know where she is this period do you?" He whispers.
Dawson is curious and lies, "No, why?"
"Well, give her a message, will you? Tell her I'm having a barbeque at my house this Saturday and I'd love it if she 'd make it. Hey, what the hell, why don't you come too?"
Dawson quizzically answers, " Cool, sounds great."