The Unseen Obstacle CH.19

I Disclaim

As the weeks went by a silent and delicate truce had been forged inside the halls of Capeside High. The school has basically been divided up by the small tortured group. Dawson keep to the halls surrounding his famed Filmed class, Andie the area surrounding the honors classes, Jack and Jen stayed by the gym, Joey the art room, and Pacey took his usual spot along the walls of the detention room. The main hall and cafeteria was a no war zone, no one spoke when they passed each other but dirty looks where always exchanged on Dawson's part.

So by the second week in December then tension had taken its toll on the group, so when Jack suggested a movie marathon at the Rialto, he wasn't at all surprised to receive glares.

"Are you on drugs, Jack?" Asked Joey as they walked along the halls to the cafeteria.

"I think it's safe to assume so." Pacey commented from his position on the other side of Joey.

"They're right Jack, Bad Gay man." Jen emphasized her point by slapping him in the chest." A movie marathon, who are you Dawson?"

Jack rubbed his chest." No this is a good idea, check it out." He pulled a flyer out of his pants pocket and showed them. "There's a Harrison Ford Marathon at the Rialto, Indiana Jones Series, Working Girl, Star Wars, great movies, but more importantly action and romantic comedies, movies that Tool hates directed by people he can't stand."

Jen nodded and patted his shoulder." Good Gay Man, a movie marathon with no chance of Dawson, excellent."

"I don't know every now and then he's been know to leave his comfort zone just to watch a movie." Joey said shaking her head as they stopped at her locker, to get her books." He loves movies."

"Again you're wrong." Jack leaned against the lockers and pointed across the hall, to where Tool Leery was loading his book bag." Him and Andie have been locked up either our house or his, studying, moping, and sulking." "They're not leaving the house."

"Besides..." Pacey said taking Joey's book bag and heaving it on his shoulder. "We didn't do anything wrong, so why do we have to ignore a perfectly good chance to watch stuff explode for several hours for no real reason."

"He makes a good point Joey, listen to your boyfriend." Jen said giving her books to Jack.

"You're right besides Harrison Ford is hot."

Jack gives a thumbs up sign." And thus my third and final point."

Joey flinched as Harrison's Ford's Character Indy was punched and throw onto the railroad track by the large guard. While beside her Pacey laughed, it was still amazed him that the girl that beat him black and blue for calling her Josephine in the first grade, would flinched at film fist fight. But he had admit it was adorable, she scrunch up her face, and close both eyes, and when she heard the grunt, she snap her head back as if they were hitting her.

"It's just a movie, Jo."

Joey just turned and glared at him." Easy for you to say you just come to see his half naked co-stars, they never get beaten or torture, just my poor Indy."

"Are you aware that YOUR poor Indy is like sixty five now and sleeping with Ally McBeal?"

"Well we're waiting for the ideal time to announce our love, and age doesn't matter, you of all people should know that I like older men."

Although he feels a kick in his heart at the idea of Joey and Doug, he recovers and smirks." You know I'm older."

"By Four months."

"But I think you and I both know that I crammed a lot experience in those four months." Pacey leaned closer to Joey not trying to disturb Jen or Jack, who were too wrapped up in the movie to really notice him." It's okay Potter you can admit you want me."

Joey followed his suit and leaned into him till she was inches from his face." You're right Pacey, but then you're always right, I do want you….I want you to give me some money for popcorn."

Pacey's face dropped and he turned when he heard a snicker, and caught the tail end of Jack and Jen laughing at him." I heard that and it'll cost you." He took out his wallet and gave Joey a twenty, but held it form her when she reached for it." But no goodies for Chip and Dale."

Jack's grin fell and he looked as if he would tear up, but Jen merely looked confused." Wait who's' Chip and who's Dale?"

Joey snatched the money from Pacey and shrugged." I doubt it matters, since neither one gets goodies."

"Hello Joey."

Joey closed her eyes, hoping that if she just keeps them closed he would disappear, but as last when she opened them again he was still there. She took the minute to wonder if he always looked like this, granted his nose was still purple from Jack breaking it, but his hair was too long and looked like he used an entire bottle of gel, just to get a tussled look. "Dawson, what are you doing here, I thought you hated George Lucas, and what did you call Harrison Ford, his little lapdog?"

"I still do, but Andie suggested I get out of the house." He nods at the large bucket of popcorn in her hand." That looks like a lot for just one person."

Rolling her eyes, and heaving her sigh she looked him in the eye." It's not, it's for Pacey and I."

"So we're still going through this phase, I see." He nodded and sigh as f he was frustrated.

"What phase are 'we' going through?"

"This punishment phase." "You know I thought this was about me not being ready, last summer, but it's not that this is payback for your dad, isn't it?"

Joey put the popcorn on the counter and before she turned back to Dawson. It was really getting tiresome, all these excuses he created in his mind for them not being together." It's not about my father, I'm not blaming you for what happened, I wore the wire, he dealt the drugs, he's doings the time, so my father has nothing to do with you or 'us' and I'd like you to leave him out it."

"Then what is it Joey?" He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice, and didn't even notice how she steps back." Is this really about sex, are you that desperate to lose your virginity in some pointless rite of high school passage that you'd use Pacey."

" I want you to know that only the fact that we're in public stops me from slapping you silly, my virginity , nor my relationship with Pacey is none of your business, I'm none of your business. " He starts to speak but she shushes him." We're not together because I've changed, and I understand that you don't like or accept those change, but I'm not changing back to appease you, I couldn't even if I wanted to and I don't." "People grow and people change sometimes it brings people closer, sometimes it tears people apart, I had hoped we'd be the former and not the latter, but I'm willing to accept it."

"Hey Jo." Pacey walked up to them and put a hand on her back." Jo, I wanted to make sure you got extra napkins."

She held up the bunch she had taken before Dawson arrived." Yeah got em."

He nodded." Good you should head back in, their about to start Working Girl, and I know you wanted to see that."

Sensing Pacey's need to speak to his former friend, Joey nodded, but stopped to whisper in his ear." Don't let him push you."

He just smiled before he turned back to Dawson." I thought I owed to the years we were friends to tell you the truth up front, but then I heard what you said to Joey, and I realized I don't own you anything nor does Joey, you actually owe us." "We've been your friends for years, we've acted in your movies, we've sooth your battered ego, and helped you through your petty problems, and you been you've nothing but judgmental and superior." He stopped closer till they where inches form each other." I respect Joey, so while I try to respect her right and need to defend herself, I have to be honest and say , that if you ever degrade her or her choices in any way ever again, I'll make it so the only thing you can ever do, is sip your food through a straw."

Dawson grabbed Pacey by the arm, to stop him from walking away." This is a phase you know; you're this year's Paris, in a little while she remembers that she loves me and needs me, and you'll be back in Loserville, trying to seduce some pathetic teacher on the verge of menopause." "When Joey and I are married and living our happily ever After, you'll be the joke we laugh about after we tuck out children."

Pacey pushed his hand away. "You really need to leave that fantasy land, you're right the odds are that Joey won't end up with me, but I can guarantee that she won't be with you, cause you've broken a golden rule with Joey Potter, you've reduced her to property, Joey would rather die then belong to some man, and as you made her 'your property 'you've given her a reason to fight against the idea of you two for the rest of her life." Giving into his urge to inflict pain, he used his forefinger and thumb to flick Dawson's nose. "Congratulations you've destroyed your own chance."