The Unseen Obstacle CH.7
I Disclaim
The day seemed to be dragging on, but for some reason Joey didn't seem to mind. Things were improving, her heart was still in rubble but her spirit was returning. She knew who to thank for that Pacey and Jen, even Jack somehow knew she needed a distraction.
Dawson however was a different story, he'd been dogging her step ever since she kicked him out of her house four nights ago, and with the weekend fast approaching she knew she didn't have any academic excuses to get him off her back.
She knew sooner or later she was going to have to talk to him, but for the life of her she didn't know why. It wasn't fair that he felt he was owed an explanation for the choices she made in her life that didn't concern him; after all he didn't consider her, whenever he made a decision why did she have to.
"Joey."
"Jack." She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, the sound of footsteps behind her had made her tense up, thinking she had finally lost the game and been found by Dawson." I'm so glad to see you."
"Still playing hide and be hidden with neighbor boy."
"Yeah, and he's getting better."
"Well then let me be your guard, if he shows we'll say we're eloping to Vegas." Jack puts his arms out for her bag, and winks when she drops it in them.
"Okay, but that would actually just make him more eager and paranoid."
"I know but it's just fun to watch him try to process information that doesn't involve him, he gets this look like everyone around him is speaking German, and he only knows French."
"You don't like Dawson do you, Jack?"
" It's not that I don't like him, I just don't get him, he claims to be everybody's friend, but he seems perpetually clueless, I mean I don't know what's going on with you, but I just know you need me…"
"Jack the thing is…" she really didn't want to tell Jack about her and Doug, not that she didn't trust him or want to confide in him, it was just she didn't want to relive the heartache and humiliation again. " It's…"
" No Joey, you don't get it, I don't need to know what it is, I want you to talk to me about it, but if you can't I understand, cause I know that you told Jen or Pacey, and that you're talking to someone about it." " But Blonde boy doesn't seem to get that, and every time I find him trying question you I just want to him it. " "I mean how someone is your best friend and soul mate when you don't pickup the hints that they need space."
"So you want to hit him, but you don't hate him."
"Yeah, I can't figure that out either, I think it's left over from my heterosexual days, when he punched, either that or its causes his so annoying."
Joey nodded, and they continued to walk." Jack it's not that I don't want to tell you, I just don't want to have to relive it again."
He threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer." That's okay Joey; I don't have to know what it is to help you through it."
"Oh if only you weren't gay." Joey pinched his cheek and let her head fall onto his shoulder.
"You ain't saying nothing no other female at Capeside says daily Joey." Jen said as she popped up from around the corner Pacey dragging behind her." It's a real shame that all the men at this school are either Jerks, gay, or Pacey."
"I think I'm insulted Lindely." Pacey stopped into front of his three friends, and paused looking at Joey giving her a small sincere smile." I'll have you know that I'm a very hot commodity at this school, Grade A Prime Hunk."
Jack looked at the other two girls grinning." Would it be ironic if I said that was the gayest statement I've ever heard?"
"Not ironic exactly but fairly accurate in its gayness." Joey disagreed, but nodded." I think we get off this subject before Pacey's next statement, puts him on the one of the other two categories."
'Hey guys." It simultaneous and silent, all four groaned and rolled their eyes as their turned to see Dawson standing there fidgeting with his book bag.
"Hey Dawson." The resignation and greeting was combined, between them all.
"So what's up for the weekend?"
"Nothing much the party scene seems old, and any trip to Boston would require money."
Dawson nodded." So how about a movie night?" "I got the directors cut of Minority Report, if you guys are interested. "
The silence was deafening, Jack and Jen obviously didn't care if they spent their night bored at Dawson's or bored at Grams' house, but Pacey wasn't going to deal with Dawson unless he needed to , and he would only need to if Joey was going to, so the three all shot looks that asked the question 'do we want to?'
"Sure Dawson, why not." She was tired of ducking him, and if you took out the fact that he was involved it was a pretty sweet deal, a night with Tom Cruise and her friends." So what time do you want to start?"
"Actually if it okay with everyone I thought maybe you could over a little earlier, and then maybe we can have a talk."
"Sure.' Standing a little straighter she meet his eyes, she wasn't hiding anymore and now was as good as time as any to hash this out with him. "I'll be over at 7."
"Yeah, and we'll come by 7:30 quarter to 8 with some pizza and goodies." Pacey told Dawson but he was looking at Joey as he said it. "Jen, Jackers, you good for that time?"
"Yeah. "
"Okay that good, I'll see you guys then." Dawson nodded and headed out the exit. Leaving the three friends staring at Joey, concern in their eyes.
"Calm down guys, I can handle Dawson." She took her book bag back from Jack and followed the root that Dawson took, stooping at the door, to wave goodbye." See ya tonight."
"Bye Joey." Jen said and waited till she saw the brunette disappear down the steps before she looked at her boys. "So are we all worried about this 'talk'?"
"She'll do fine, she's right she can take Dawson." Jack said confident in Joey's strength.
"Yeah, and if she can't I will." Pacey said before moving toward the exit." Come on people let's not waste our weekend here."
Dawson opened the door at 7:00 exactly surprised to find Joey at his door, and not climbing through his window." What are you doing knocking on the door?"
"Well I didn't want to interrupt you, by just barging in."
"No I meant why not use the window?"
"Because I don't do that anymore."
"Joey you've been using the ladder since forever, why would you stop?"
She walked further into the room and dropped her jacket on the bed." Cause I've changed and coming in through the window isn't what I do anymore."
"This is what we needed to talk about, what's going on Joey, you and Pacey, you and Jack, you and Jen; I'm getting all these vibes from but no ones telling me anything."
"Nothing is going on."
"They why were you crying on Monday, why were you being held by PACEY?"
"Don't say it like that, likes there's something wrong with Pacey being there for me, he's my friend, and he was acting as a friend should."
"I thought I was your friend, Joey?"
"You are but that doesn't mean that I can't have more then one, isn't that what you wanted, when you said you weren't ready for us months ago, that we needed to see the world outside this room and outside us."
"So you and Pacey is to punish me for not being ready."
"No it's part of me finding a world outside that window, that I was too afraid to go after till you forced me too, it's about me liking the world that I found, and not wanting to go back to close view that I once had."
"Joey I don't want to close that view I want to see it with you." She sank down on the edge of the bed, and he followed taking her hand in his." I wasn't ready last time you asked, I needed more time to be as sure as you were, but I'm there now."
"Dawson." This was what she afraid of that his on again off again love was back in it's on position." When we decided to take a step back from each other, I learned something, I learned that I'm not that girl that you love, I can't be, I be can your friend and even your best friend, but I can't be your girlfriend, not now or I don't think ever again."
"What are you talking about?"
"I learned that I do love you, but I'm not in love with you."
"That's impossible."
"So we're what just going to sit here and wait?" Jen asked the two boys from the back seat. "Shouldn't we be outside the window listening?"
"No Jennifer, we're going to sit for another…" Jack checked his watch." Seven minutes, and then go save Joey from blonde boy."
"What do you think they're talking about? " Jen said staring at Dawson's window, curiosity shining form her eyes.
"If I know Dawson, he wants answers about her behavior."
Jack turned and looked at Pacey eyebrows raised." What's wrong with her behavior?"
"It's no longer centered on him."
" It's not impossible Dawson, it's fact, you're very special to me, and you have a place in my heart that no one will ever be able take from you, but you don't have my whole heart, it's not something I can give you."
"I don't understand last year…."
"Last year I was sixteen and couldn't believe that there was anything outside of us and the things that happened in this room, but now I know better." "There are six billion people in this world Dawson, and it was silly of me to think that I look just across the creek and find that one person that I was supposed to be with without considering all those others." She place d hand over his, and he snatched his away, sighing she stood and got her jacket." I think should forgo movie night, you and the others have fun okay?"
"No movie night off, I don't think I can entertain tonight, can you pass that on to the others."
"Sure." She closed the bedroom door behind her, and started down the step, she knew she should feel better, because Dawson knowing that was no chance got rid of some of her guilt, but it didn't stop the pain of her Doug not being together.
She walked outside and found her three friends just getting out the car, and in the midst of an argument." Guys, problems?"
They shut up quickly and all gave her a smile that left her feeling like she was what they were talking about." Nothing, what you doing down here."
"Ah, movie night in canceled." She past them and waved them to follow." We'll watch something at the B&B."
They nodded and Jack and Jen piled into the back of the car, and Joey in front, Pacey looked over at her." You okay?"
"I'm surviving, but I don't think Dawson can say the same."