Sand In My Shoes

Part 3

Nothing Changes

"So," Pacey said as he signed for the gas and handed the clipboard back to Joey. "How come you're working here?" he asked her.

"Making ends meat, scraping by, keeping the Potter sisters' heads barely above ever-rising water. The usual," she told him, putting her pen into her pouch on her belt and holding the clipboard to her chest as she leant on the post and talked to him, shading the sun from her eyes.

"That's rough," he said and she shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah, shit happens," she whispered sadly at the reality of her life.

"Have you talked to…" Pacey started to speak.

"Let me set you straight there jailbait," she narrowed her eyes at him. "I have not talked to, called or emailed Dawson Leery. He has not called me and I have no intention in speaking to him until hell gets cold enough for snow. I do not/will not be speaking to him once the summer is over and I have no intention of talking to you about the only thing we have in common," she spat before turning her back and walking away.

"Was that…?" Mr Witter pointed to the girl he passed as he stepped onboard.

"Yeah. Miss Josephine 'sharp tongue' Potter," he sighed, shaking his head. He watched her as her boss approached her, still within a clear earshot.

"What the hell was that!" he shouted. "That's a paying customer!" he bellowed.

"So?" she asked him.

"So we don't talk to paying customers like that," he reminded her sharply.

"I'm sorry," she responded through gritted teeth.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't fire your cute, little, teasing, scowling ass?" he asked her, placing his hands on his hips and looking down at her.

"Because I need this job," she told him, swallowing a hard lump in her throat.

"Well I don't think that's much of an excuse Potter, we all need to work but I will not put up with your attitude any more," he warned her.

"I'll be right back Pop," Pacey said, hopping over the side of the boat and walking towards them. "Hey, hey, whoa, whoa," Pacey intervened, flinging his arm around Robs shoulder. "Completely my fault," he told him, putting his hand on his heart earnestly.

"And how is that?" rob asked him. Joey looked at him in confusion.

"I..." he searched for an excuse. "I insulted her," he lied. "I was rude, and brash and completely out of line. I apologise," he told her.

"You insulted her?" Rob asked, not buying it.

"Pacey don't!" Joey snapped. "I don't need your pity, and I don't need this Job," she told him. It was lie.

"Yes you do," he told her and then turned to rob. "She needs this job; it's the only thing standing between her and the poorhouse okay? Just please don't fire her," he pleaded.

"I quit," She scowled, throwing her belt at him and glaring at Pacey.

"Whoa, Whoa Joey!" Pacey shouted, following her. "Joey!" he called after herm grabbing her arm.

"What?" she screamed, turning around.

"You need this job, you told me so yourself," he told her, steadying her to stop her from moving away.

"Do you have any idea how much you just humiliated me Pacey?" she shouted, unable to believe his nerve. "I'm not a charity case!"

"I know that,"

"Well why are you treating me like one?" she asked him angrily.

"Actually, I was treating you like a friend! I see now that it means nothing to you!" he said, defending himself and walking away from her towards his father who called him.

"Pacey!" She called after him, regretting her words. "Pacey!" she shouted again, placing her hand on her forehead stressfully. She didn't know what she had just done; she had no idea how she was going to tell Bessie what she had done.

"You did what?" Jen asked Joey in disbelief as she slouched on her couch, she had come over to persuade her to go to a party but had been unsuccessful so far. "You did what?" she repeated again

"I quit my job," she told her.

"You mean your meal ticket?" she asked her. "You quit your meal ticket?"

"I know, I know," she sighed heavily.

"Why?" she asked her.

"Long story, too much to go into right now," Joey said, running her fingers though her hair nervously. "What do I do?" she asked her.

"Well can you beg? Plead? And crawl back on your hands and knees with your tail firmly in place between your legs?"

"Tried it. It's a no-go," she shook her head. "Can you think of anywhere you've seen jobs advertised?"

"One, but you're not gonna like it," Jen sung.

"I'll take anything,"

"Well a certain unmentionable boy's job at the video store is up for grabs, I saw the card in the window," she told her and Joey shook her head. "I thought you were desperate,"

"I would rather cut off my own arm," Joey told her. There was no way she could work there and face the prospect of Dawson returning to work there with her, let alone work all day in a confined space with Pacey Witter without killing him.

"OK, this is obviously a tough subject. How about you come out tonight with me and Jackers to the barbeque beach party," she said, hoping she would come.

"No, i'm not in the mood," she told her.

"Oh come on, let your hair down for once. There will be plenty of cute rebound-here-for-the-summer guys for you to flirt with and drop at the end of summer?" she sang, trying to tempt her. Joey shook her head. "Oh come on, you can get back at the male species by going out with a guy and dumping him cruelly, shattering his little heart,"

"I have nothing to wear," she complained.

"What you're wearing is fine," she told her, looking at the jeans and summer top that she was wearing.

"I'm not in the mood," she said shaking her head.

"Hi," Bessie said, waling though the door with Alexander and the groceries.

"Hi Bessie," Joey said softly, she didn't know how she was going to tell her.

"How was work?" she questioned

"I don't have time to talk right now," she lied. "I'm going out,"

"Where to?" Bessie asked.

"A barbeque beach party," she told her, grabbing her jacket.

"That sounds fun,"

"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it, come on Jen we don't want to be late," she said, grabbing Jen and hurrying with her out the door.

"Wimp!" Jen accused her as they walked down the steps.

She didn't usually like parties, it was always full of Jocks trying to get you drunk, but she had to have a valid excuse to escape from the house and Bessie's questions