As always; ultimate kudos to my very patient beta...you rock Toni.
And hey; I don't own them, I never will, but they're fun to play with!
ang
Part 40
Nobody Knows
I'm sitting in my director's chair staring blankly at the set - Stacey's apartment – her bedroom. I should just go to her. Right now. I shift in my chair, preparing myself to go but then a wave of fear hits me. Self- doubt begins to creep in. I'm not sure I should. I don't think she's ready yet- really ready. No matter what she says, I don't think she is. She's going to have to come to me. I have no idea what is going on in her head right now. I can't go to her. What if I were to go to her only to find out I was wrong? God...
"Hey you." A voice sounds from behind me.
"Drai!" I say, turning to face my friend with a forced smile.
She smiles in return. "So, how are you doing after the little starlet's outburst?" she pauses, and shakes her head a bit. "I know you don't understand why I don't like her, but come on Pace, you have to admit that she went a little far just now!"
My smile dims a little. How could Drai not have noticed what I've been doing these past weeks? "The truth is, it was refreshing. Confusing, but refreshing none the less."
"Sure it was Pacey. I'm sure it was just fantastic to get your face rubbed in shit by the star of your movie." She pauses. "I'm not here as the gossipy assistant tonight. I'm here as your friend. What's going on Pacey? Because the truth would be refreshing."
She just doesn't get it. None of them do. And I can't explain it! Hell – I don't understand it. I've tried but...all I know is Jo and I, we don't sit down and talk about our feelings. We're too damn stubborn. I'm too impatient to sit and listen to a diatribe about my actions turned into 'I' statements, and she just hates talking about her feelings. It's that simple. "I think I missed you as a friend Drai."
"Yeah, well, I got fairly caught up in the whole 'you're my boss' syndrome, Now that - that's over." She waits for a moment and I realize she wants me to explain. I don't, and she continues. "Pacey, she squashed you out there. You have to do something to show the rest of the cast and crew that she can't get away with shit like that!"
"Look Drai, I can't. I just can't. I've been goading her into that since filming started. Besides, she'd notice in a second if I changed my attitude about that outburst."
"Why would you do that? Why are you letting some little theatre girl walk all over you? You know, you're going to lose any shred of respect she had for you if you keep bending over backwards for her to rape you!"
"Whoa. Draw in the claws my friend. You have no idea what you're talking about. You weren't there. You don't know."
"Then explain it to me Pace. Explain to me why you're letting her walk all over you!"
"I most certainly am not letting her 'walk all over me'. Her contract explicitly says that she gets creative control of her character. That is the only thing she has taken."
"Pacey, she's changing scenes and adding lines!"
"Trust me when I tell you that those changes are necessary. That change shows Stacey's character. Her determination. Drai, Jo has needed to do that scene for three years now."
Andraia stares at me blankly.
"It's not important why. All you need to know is that without that outburst, Stacey won't be as real to the audience. It doesn't really matter that the scene did more for Joey than it did for Stacey."
"Why won't you tell me what's going on Pacey? I thought we were friends."
"We are, Drai. Jo and I don't talk about it to each other. I'm certainly not going to talk about it with someone she barely knows. I'm sorry." I say carefully. I know Drai is trying to help so I add. "There's a lot of history here."
"So explain it to me!"
I CAN'T! I don't even completely understand it myself. All I know is I'm close. Jo's close. We're close. I'm tired and change the subject with a tone of finality. "I should get home. Do you need a ride?"
"You can't run forever Pacey."
"I never said I could. Do you want a ride?"
"Fine." She heads for the door, and I turn to look at the set one more time. Where do we stand Josephine? What are you telling me? What do you plan on holding me to? Or were you just acting? Was that Stacey or you?
"Pacey, you offered a ride? Are you even planning on leaving the building?" Andraia's voice calls.
"Yeah." I call back, and turn to meet her.
Part 41
Inciting Actions
This is insane. It's been nearly a month. A month! What are they waiting for? Armageddon? "Hey you." I say, walking up to Jen and offering her my hand.
"Hey." She responds, taking it and leaning up to kiss me lightly.
"Any luck?"
She grimaces. "Not word one."
"Jen, she needs to talk to him." What is going on with her? Why won't she just GO?
I forgot how Jen could read my mind. "She's terrified Dawson. She knows she has to be the one who goes, but she's stubborn. She really hopes – wants – even needs it to be him."
Then the beautiful woman beside me leans against my shoulder and whispers. "I think that's why she added that line the other day."
We both ponder that for a second.
Jen's right but... "And he's waiting for her. This is a no win situation Jen. We have to intervene."
She moves in front of me leaning against my chest and asks curiously. "What do you propose Mr. Leery?"
My thoughts were lost for a second, feeling her body next to mine. I grin, and pull her along with me to my trailer. "You'll see."
Part 42
Correspondences
Jo
Be in the editing room at seven.
I need to run through some shots
and would like your advice.
P.
Pace
Hey! I want to go over some
of yesterday's shots, could
you meet me in the editing
room at seven?
J.
ang
Part 40
Nobody Knows
I'm sitting in my director's chair staring blankly at the set - Stacey's apartment – her bedroom. I should just go to her. Right now. I shift in my chair, preparing myself to go but then a wave of fear hits me. Self- doubt begins to creep in. I'm not sure I should. I don't think she's ready yet- really ready. No matter what she says, I don't think she is. She's going to have to come to me. I have no idea what is going on in her head right now. I can't go to her. What if I were to go to her only to find out I was wrong? God...
"Hey you." A voice sounds from behind me.
"Drai!" I say, turning to face my friend with a forced smile.
She smiles in return. "So, how are you doing after the little starlet's outburst?" she pauses, and shakes her head a bit. "I know you don't understand why I don't like her, but come on Pace, you have to admit that she went a little far just now!"
My smile dims a little. How could Drai not have noticed what I've been doing these past weeks? "The truth is, it was refreshing. Confusing, but refreshing none the less."
"Sure it was Pacey. I'm sure it was just fantastic to get your face rubbed in shit by the star of your movie." She pauses. "I'm not here as the gossipy assistant tonight. I'm here as your friend. What's going on Pacey? Because the truth would be refreshing."
She just doesn't get it. None of them do. And I can't explain it! Hell – I don't understand it. I've tried but...all I know is Jo and I, we don't sit down and talk about our feelings. We're too damn stubborn. I'm too impatient to sit and listen to a diatribe about my actions turned into 'I' statements, and she just hates talking about her feelings. It's that simple. "I think I missed you as a friend Drai."
"Yeah, well, I got fairly caught up in the whole 'you're my boss' syndrome, Now that - that's over." She waits for a moment and I realize she wants me to explain. I don't, and she continues. "Pacey, she squashed you out there. You have to do something to show the rest of the cast and crew that she can't get away with shit like that!"
"Look Drai, I can't. I just can't. I've been goading her into that since filming started. Besides, she'd notice in a second if I changed my attitude about that outburst."
"Why would you do that? Why are you letting some little theatre girl walk all over you? You know, you're going to lose any shred of respect she had for you if you keep bending over backwards for her to rape you!"
"Whoa. Draw in the claws my friend. You have no idea what you're talking about. You weren't there. You don't know."
"Then explain it to me Pace. Explain to me why you're letting her walk all over you!"
"I most certainly am not letting her 'walk all over me'. Her contract explicitly says that she gets creative control of her character. That is the only thing she has taken."
"Pacey, she's changing scenes and adding lines!"
"Trust me when I tell you that those changes are necessary. That change shows Stacey's character. Her determination. Drai, Jo has needed to do that scene for three years now."
Andraia stares at me blankly.
"It's not important why. All you need to know is that without that outburst, Stacey won't be as real to the audience. It doesn't really matter that the scene did more for Joey than it did for Stacey."
"Why won't you tell me what's going on Pacey? I thought we were friends."
"We are, Drai. Jo and I don't talk about it to each other. I'm certainly not going to talk about it with someone she barely knows. I'm sorry." I say carefully. I know Drai is trying to help so I add. "There's a lot of history here."
"So explain it to me!"
I CAN'T! I don't even completely understand it myself. All I know is I'm close. Jo's close. We're close. I'm tired and change the subject with a tone of finality. "I should get home. Do you need a ride?"
"You can't run forever Pacey."
"I never said I could. Do you want a ride?"
"Fine." She heads for the door, and I turn to look at the set one more time. Where do we stand Josephine? What are you telling me? What do you plan on holding me to? Or were you just acting? Was that Stacey or you?
"Pacey, you offered a ride? Are you even planning on leaving the building?" Andraia's voice calls.
"Yeah." I call back, and turn to meet her.
Part 41
Inciting Actions
This is insane. It's been nearly a month. A month! What are they waiting for? Armageddon? "Hey you." I say, walking up to Jen and offering her my hand.
"Hey." She responds, taking it and leaning up to kiss me lightly.
"Any luck?"
She grimaces. "Not word one."
"Jen, she needs to talk to him." What is going on with her? Why won't she just GO?
I forgot how Jen could read my mind. "She's terrified Dawson. She knows she has to be the one who goes, but she's stubborn. She really hopes – wants – even needs it to be him."
Then the beautiful woman beside me leans against my shoulder and whispers. "I think that's why she added that line the other day."
We both ponder that for a second.
Jen's right but... "And he's waiting for her. This is a no win situation Jen. We have to intervene."
She moves in front of me leaning against my chest and asks curiously. "What do you propose Mr. Leery?"
My thoughts were lost for a second, feeling her body next to mine. I grin, and pull her along with me to my trailer. "You'll see."
Part 42
Correspondences
Jo
Be in the editing room at seven.
I need to run through some shots
and would like your advice.
P.
Pace
Hey! I want to go over some
of yesterday's shots, could
you meet me in the editing
room at seven?
J.