[no title yet; part 43]
I'll be damned if he's going to that set-up of Dawson's tonight. I still don't understand why Dawson is doing this though. He knows how I feel about Pacey. He must. I've all but thrown myself at the boy since I've met them. So what is this about? Who is Josephine Potter and why are they bowing and scraping to her diva act? They've never done this with an actress. Pacey is better than that. I know he is. My little plan absolutely blew my meagre budget to shreds, but that's not the point. There is no way he's going to turn this down. He couldn't. I walk up to him carefully, noting that he's off in his little world again. Thinking about her. What is it? What am I missing in this puzzle that will bring him to me? "CHA-CHING!" I say happily.
He turns to face me. "What's up Drai?"
I wave the tickets in front of his face. "Check it out. Lakers. Floor seats. Tonight. Tip-off is a 6:45 sharp." I grin.
He grins widely. "Whoa! Drai, how did you get these?" he asks, making a grab for them.
"I know people." I say mysteriously, pulling them out of his reach. "What do you say Pace? We haven't been to more than one game this season."
He grimaces. "I can't believe I'm saying this...I can't go Drai. I've only got the studio for another week before we have to wrap. I need to catch up on the dailies, and Jo asked me to meet her about some shots."
I stare at him. He's got to be kidding me. It's been a month. She has barely spoken word one to him in a month. The note isn't even from her. It's from the makeup girl. He's going to miss this to review DAILIES??? I don't think so! "Pacey. Think about this. We're talking floor seats. Hobnobbing with the stars. Lakers-Bulls. You're going to miss that to review the dailies? The dailies."
"You know how important this film is Drai. I've been wanting to do this project since Regency hired me, and I've only got a week left to finish filming. I need to make sure I've got enough shots."
"You need a night off Pace. You know I'm right."
"I can't. Not tonight. I did the plane shots today, and I want to have everything ready for the Vegas shoot next week. Jo is worried that the shots didn't cover the whole scene, and I trust her judgement. I need to make sure before I move the cameras to the ballroom tomorrow."
"Pace..." I plead. "Who am I going to go with?"
"I don't know Drai, but it's not going to be me. I'm sorry." He walks away, shaking his head in obvious regret.
WHO IS THIS WOMAN??? How can she possibly have this much influence on him? What is it that she's holding over him that he's giving up this ticket? Basketball is huge for him. Has been since we met. This was supposed to be fool proof! Damn her! Damn Joey Potter for whatever she did to him!
[part 44...lock n' load]
"If they catch us here they'll bolt before they get near the room." I whisper to Dawson cautiously from our hiding spot in the room across from the editing lab.
He smiles at me and I can't help but shiver. He picked me. He finally picked me. "I know, but how else are we supposed to know when the get in?"
"Tag them with transponders?" I quip.
"Funny." He deadpans. "I'm serious Jen. We have to know they're both in there – alone – before we can lock the door." He pauses, and glances out the door. "Showtime. Here comes Joey."
I peek out, and see her coming down the hall, muttering darkly to herself. I wince a bit, and smile sadly as Dawson takes my hand. I'm sorry girl. You need this so badly. I didn't know what else to do.
As she enters the room, Dawson indicates Pacey approaching from the other direction. He pauses before the door, and closes his eyes briefly. This is all I can do for you man. The rest is up to you.
He enters the room, and Dawson and I creep over to the door.
"Alright Joey; which takes did you want to look at?"
Dawson grabs the door and yanks it shut even as I'm tying the rope to the handle.
"JEN!" she shouts through the door angrily. "What the hell is going on here?"
"You need this Jo!" I shout as she fights with the door.
"Jen, you have to let me out of here!" she pleads.
I start to falter, but Dawson's hand on my arm steadies me, and I lean into his touch. "I know you don't want to hear this Joey, but you really do need this."
"D – let me out of here." Pacey says edgily. "Drai got floor tickets to the Lakers game tonight."
"And you turned her down to come here. I'm not stupid Pace. Neither of you was willing to go to the other to talk this – this – whatever it is – out. So we took that step for you. Now talk, because you're not getting out."
He glances down at me and smiles. "I can't believe we're doing this."
"They're going to kill us."
His face sobers. "No, they might just kill each other though."
"JEN!" Joey protests loudly.
"NO!" I call back.
"Are they going to survive this?"
"God I hope so Dawson. I really, really do."
**************************
I'll be damned if he's going to that set-up of Dawson's tonight. I still don't understand why Dawson is doing this though. He knows how I feel about Pacey. He must. I've all but thrown myself at the boy since I've met them. So what is this about? Who is Josephine Potter and why are they bowing and scraping to her diva act? They've never done this with an actress. Pacey is better than that. I know he is. My little plan absolutely blew my meagre budget to shreds, but that's not the point. There is no way he's going to turn this down. He couldn't. I walk up to him carefully, noting that he's off in his little world again. Thinking about her. What is it? What am I missing in this puzzle that will bring him to me? "CHA-CHING!" I say happily.
He turns to face me. "What's up Drai?"
I wave the tickets in front of his face. "Check it out. Lakers. Floor seats. Tonight. Tip-off is a 6:45 sharp." I grin.
He grins widely. "Whoa! Drai, how did you get these?" he asks, making a grab for them.
"I know people." I say mysteriously, pulling them out of his reach. "What do you say Pace? We haven't been to more than one game this season."
He grimaces. "I can't believe I'm saying this...I can't go Drai. I've only got the studio for another week before we have to wrap. I need to catch up on the dailies, and Jo asked me to meet her about some shots."
I stare at him. He's got to be kidding me. It's been a month. She has barely spoken word one to him in a month. The note isn't even from her. It's from the makeup girl. He's going to miss this to review DAILIES??? I don't think so! "Pacey. Think about this. We're talking floor seats. Hobnobbing with the stars. Lakers-Bulls. You're going to miss that to review the dailies? The dailies."
"You know how important this film is Drai. I've been wanting to do this project since Regency hired me, and I've only got a week left to finish filming. I need to make sure I've got enough shots."
"You need a night off Pace. You know I'm right."
"I can't. Not tonight. I did the plane shots today, and I want to have everything ready for the Vegas shoot next week. Jo is worried that the shots didn't cover the whole scene, and I trust her judgement. I need to make sure before I move the cameras to the ballroom tomorrow."
"Pace..." I plead. "Who am I going to go with?"
"I don't know Drai, but it's not going to be me. I'm sorry." He walks away, shaking his head in obvious regret.
WHO IS THIS WOMAN??? How can she possibly have this much influence on him? What is it that she's holding over him that he's giving up this ticket? Basketball is huge for him. Has been since we met. This was supposed to be fool proof! Damn her! Damn Joey Potter for whatever she did to him!
[part 44...lock n' load]
"If they catch us here they'll bolt before they get near the room." I whisper to Dawson cautiously from our hiding spot in the room across from the editing lab.
He smiles at me and I can't help but shiver. He picked me. He finally picked me. "I know, but how else are we supposed to know when the get in?"
"Tag them with transponders?" I quip.
"Funny." He deadpans. "I'm serious Jen. We have to know they're both in there – alone – before we can lock the door." He pauses, and glances out the door. "Showtime. Here comes Joey."
I peek out, and see her coming down the hall, muttering darkly to herself. I wince a bit, and smile sadly as Dawson takes my hand. I'm sorry girl. You need this so badly. I didn't know what else to do.
As she enters the room, Dawson indicates Pacey approaching from the other direction. He pauses before the door, and closes his eyes briefly. This is all I can do for you man. The rest is up to you.
He enters the room, and Dawson and I creep over to the door.
"Alright Joey; which takes did you want to look at?"
Dawson grabs the door and yanks it shut even as I'm tying the rope to the handle.
"JEN!" she shouts through the door angrily. "What the hell is going on here?"
"You need this Jo!" I shout as she fights with the door.
"Jen, you have to let me out of here!" she pleads.
I start to falter, but Dawson's hand on my arm steadies me, and I lean into his touch. "I know you don't want to hear this Joey, but you really do need this."
"D – let me out of here." Pacey says edgily. "Drai got floor tickets to the Lakers game tonight."
"And you turned her down to come here. I'm not stupid Pace. Neither of you was willing to go to the other to talk this – this – whatever it is – out. So we took that step for you. Now talk, because you're not getting out."
He glances down at me and smiles. "I can't believe we're doing this."
"They're going to kill us."
His face sobers. "No, they might just kill each other though."
"JEN!" Joey protests loudly.
"NO!" I call back.
"Are they going to survive this?"
"God I hope so Dawson. I really, really do."
**************************