At lunch, both Pacey and Dawson were sitting together. Pacey was a little nervous because he had no idea what Dawson wanted. Pacey had no idea what Dawson knows or did not know.

"So umm…. What did you want to talk about?" Pacey asked.

"You know that Joey broke up with me right." Dawson uttered.

"Yeah I think I heard her mentioned it... Why are you telling me this?" Pacey marveled.

"I've been doing some thinking. This isn't our first break up since the summer. But what makes this break up a bit different than the others is that you're back from your summer trip and I guess what I am trying to say is that if she chooses you its okay with me." Dawson admitted.

"What?" Pacey said awed.

"All this summer, I felt extremely guilty that I kind of force Joey to choose. And all this summer, I never felt like it was real. It felt like the whole relationship was a joke. So when she broke up with me this time, I don't know. I kind of felt like it was last spring all over again. And I want to make sure I do this right." Dawson poured out his soul.

Pacey was in complete despair. Dawson had caught him off guard by declaring his confession.

"Why are you telling me this?" Pacey wondered.

"Because I need you to know that I'm not going to be the one who stands between you and Joey... And I need to know that you aren't going to be the one who stands between Joey and me. We are just going to let her choose. So can you promise me that?"

How could Pacey look Dawson in eye and make a promise like that? He if said yes he would be lying, because frankly, Joey and Pacey had a discrete intimate relationship. If he said no, it would sound as if he doesn't care about his friendship with Dawson.

Later that day, Pacey was walking down the completely empty hallways. He, as usually, was late for his sixth period class. Preparing to head up the stairs, Pacey turned the corner and bumped into Joey, who came from the opposite direction.

"Hey there you are." She said.

"I'm late for class." Pacey hesitantly tried to separate from Joey. After his conversation with Dawson, he did not feel like being around her.

Joey grabbed his arm, "Well it's the last period of the day, why don't we, you know, skip it and go on your boat trip now." She wrapped her hands over his neck and tried to kiss him.

Pacey immediately took her hands off him and put his back to her, "I really don't feel like gong on the trip right now…. Actually I don't feel like going at all."

"Did I do something wrong?" Joey had no idea why Pacey being offensive.

"No it just…." He turned around and faced her, "I don't want to do this."

"Do what?" Joey started to panic.

"I don't want to sneak around anymore." Pacey put it in plain words.

"Pacey were not…" Joey, taken aback, tried to defend her honor.

"Sneaking around. Okay what would you call it? Hiding, concealing, isolated our relationship from the entire world." He listed.

"Okay I get it." She said.

"No I don't think you do. You don't get it at all. You're consoling yourself from the world by hiding our relationship. And you know what Joey it's not fair. It's not fair to Dawson, our friends, and most importantly it's not important to both of us." Pacey debated.

Joey started to get tearful, "What do want me say? Please tell me because I don't know what to do."

"Dawson told me something interesting during lunch… He told me that since you broke up with him, that he was not going to stand between you're choice. And he asked me to do the same thing." He explained.

"And what did you say?" Joey questioned.

"Is that important to you?" Pacey asked.

"Please don't answer my question with a question. Pace let's just talk about this later." She back down.

"No I want to talk about this now! Jo, where is this going?" Pacey shouted.

"Where's what going?" She shouted as loud as he did.

"I'm tire of having make-out sessions in the biology room, or in Dawson's parent's room just so it can lead to sex." He muttered.

"Pacey those intimate moment between us mean a lot to me." She fortified.

"But do I mean a lot to you?" Pacey sneaked an unwanted yet obvious question.

"Pacey I love you. I want you Pacey. Please don't tell me you're not breaking up with me." Joey begged.

Pacey slowly put his neck down not saying a single word to comfort Joey.

"Pacey please answer me." She pleaded.

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine… Do you plan on hiding our relationship some more so we don't have to face the world?"

"Pacey please don't make me answer that." She beseeched.

"Okay. I guess you know my answer to your question." Pacey walked away.

Joey just stood their realizing that Pacey had just broken up with her. She had no idea how to react.

Author's Request: I know since school has started, it is hard to review. And I am not going to get so strict about it like I did during the summer, but it would be extremely sincere if you guys could review once and a while. It really means a lot to me. AND a special THANKSto meli dav, superfan24, and elwoodluver00034for reviewing my last chapter!