The clock continues to tick, tick, tick. My eyes dart to it, for the tenth time since it hit two-thirty.
Social studies has never been so boring. Well...not as undistracting at least. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat for the last time. Ten minutes more in the class, is too much. I have to get out of here.
"Um, Joey?" The teacher asks, her question barely reaching my ears as I remain lost in the mists of my own thoughts.
"Joey!"
"Yes!"I ask, my head turning faster than the demon child in exorcist.
"Wake up!" She exclaims. "I happen to be running a class here, care to keep up?" Oohs and ahhs could be heard throught the audience.
I just gradually nod.
"Thank you." She says beginning to read a passage from a book she'd previously been reading without my attention.
I could feel the pressure of his eyes upon me. He's probably looking at me with a questioning glare. Slowly my eyes travel across the room, revealing him in my vision. His expression is questioning, just as I'd assumed. I just shrug playfully, as if I'd found some humor in the situation.
The bail finally rings, ending my grievious stay in the class. I rise, throwing my backpack over my shoulder as I make my leave. Outside the class Dawson stands waiting for me against the wall. Apprently he was in a rush to leave the holding cell as well.
"Joey."
"Dawson." I say beginning to walk ahead uneasily.
"Listen..."He begins.
"Dawson, I'm fine."I say assuming he was ready to comment on my absent behavior.
"Good." He says with a sigh of relief, for once he hadn't read my mind. If he had, he'd know I was lying through my teeth. "But that's not all I wanted to ask."
"Well, what is it?" I ask stopping in my tracks.
"Have you seen Pacey?" He asks quizically, looking around the halls as if his statement was going make Pacey suddenly appear.
"Um--no. Not since yesterday." I say tucking my hair behind my ear.
"Hmm..." He says in thought. "You know, I haven't seen Jen either.You think there're up to their old tricks again?"He says with a small laugh.
"Old tricks Dawson? I don't think so." I say with an exaggertaed laugh.
"Well, I went to Jen's earlier--before I left for school, and Grams said she went to go visit her mother, which I find highly unlikely."
"You never know Dawson, maybe her mother realized what a mistake she made, and wants the 'bombshell' back."
"Hmm. Or...something strange is going on. I'm telling you Jo, there has been a complete shift in the universe."
"Well, when's the last time you talked Pacey?" I ask curiously. Maybe Pacey let him know what was wrong with him. Or where he got the car. But his confused expression indicated something else.
"The day before yesterday. I was out yesterday, or hadn't you noticed?"He asks faking suspicion.
"Oh. Well, what did you two talk about?" I ask walking up to the entrance of my last class.
"Nothing much." He says shrugging.
"Oh." I say dissapointed.
"What about you, have you talked to him today or...?"
"Nope. No, I can't say I have."I say possibly withholding some key information. "Have you been to his house?"
"No, I haven't been to his house in months."
I just nod.
"Well, I have to get to class. Tell me if you get some updates." He says walking off.
"Wait, Dawson!" I shout louder than I'd hoped, grabbing some unwanted attention from the studentbody.
"Yes?" He asks matching my tone with a sigh.
"Umm.." I begin, as I walk over to where he stands. "Pacey...and Jen, they're uh--they're gone."
"I thought we already established that."
"No, they um, they left. I mean really left." I say emphasizing.
"Together?" He asks.
"Yes, together. They went to Mexico, and asked me to come with them."
"What--why?"
"Why they asked me to come with them--"
"No, why they went to Mexico."He says a little put off at the idea.
"I have, no idea. I mean, I've been wondering that myself."
"Why didn't you go with them?" He asks after searching his thoughts for answers.
"Well, I was--"
"You, were?"He asks in disbelief.
"Yes...but I decided not to. Hello? Bessie."
"Yeah I know...I mean, I'm glad you didn't."He says looking at the floor, the obvious implied.
I just nod.
"I just...I wonder why they did it." He says, his voice trailing off. He says something else, but my attention escapes once again. Something inside me clicks, as I scan the inside of the classroom. The students begin pouring in as the teacher searches through a mass of papers and books. Probably for a lost pop quiz test or something. The same impatients I was having in social studies, begin to dominate my emotions, as I slowly head away from the class. Passing student by student, I find myself at the exit. After a much needed exhale, I finally push through the doors, ending my stay at Capeside High...for the day at least. Or maybe, If I can find Pacey and Jen...longer.
I make my way into the house quietly, hoping not to disturb any guests that may still remain from last night. The truck is gone, so I'm assuming Bessie is too. Which is good, since I'm hoping to make my leave without her knowledge of me doing so. There are no thoughts floating through my mind now. I want to leave without any questions or analization, which for me is virtually impossible. But I hold up pretty well, as I make my way upstairs to get some things. It's only a couple of days right? What's that going to hurt. Well...if I find them that is.
Finally making it to my room, I go straight for my dresser to pack some clothes. Hurridley, I rush to the bathroom to grab my toothbrush...and toothpaste of course, then I run back to the bed and place them beside my clothes. Scanning the room for a duffle bag, I see one in the corner from when I'd cleaned out my closet a few days ago. I must have left it out. Quickly I grab it as if my life depended on it, as I glance swiftly out the window, before walking back over to the bed.
Back to the bed, I place the duffle bag in the center and begin stuffing things in the bag. By the time I get to the toothbrush I'm lost.
"What are you doing?" I ask myself plopping down on the bed. "What are you--?" I ask with a sigh as I rub my eyes. Slowly I turn back around, and begin taking things out of the bag.
(Honk)
My ears perk up as I hear a car honk coming from outside.
(Honk)
I here again, as I walk over to the window.
"Hey, Potter!" He yells leaning on the mystery car. Words can not descibe the exitement that rushed over me, as soon as I heard his voice.
"This is the last time I'm gonna offer!"He shouts.
I find myself actually giggleing...giggleing. He smiles wildly at this.
"Yeah...Potter!" Jen shouts obviously hesitant to call me Potter. "We get all the way to the border, and he decides to make a sudden u-turn!" She shouts giving him the evil eye.
"And...?" He asks challenging her. "Listen, I said it wouldn't be a party without our own Joey Potter there to...tell us if we're using the map incorrectly." He jokes. I give a dry laugh.
"Well, if that's all you need me for." I say teasing.
"Of course that's not all I need you for." He says baiting me.
"I?" I ask.
"Okay, Okay! God!" Jen says quickly looking up at the sky, as if god was going to srike her down. "I mean uh--, look, you two can flirt once we get back on the road."She says ducking back in the car.
"Jealous?" Pacey asks raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up." She chuckles.
"Alright." I say hesitantly. "I'll be right down." I say shoving the things back in the bag, zipping it up, rushing out of the room, down the stairs I go, then I run out the door. I lock up, then run over to the car.
"Alright!" They both yell in unison.
"Yeah, yeah." I say wryly.
"Give me that." Jen says grabbing my bag and putting it in the trunk.
"Thanks." I say quietly.
"Alright lets rock and roll ladies." Pacey says starting the engine.
"Rock and roll?" Both Jen and I ask. Pacey just rolls his eyes. "You might wanna get in, before I drive off. He says tapping the steering will.
Jen gets in the passenger seat, as I slide into the backseat.
"Deja vu anyone?" I ask sighing.
"You wanna sit in the front?" He asks eyeing Jen.
"Yeah, Joey if you want to sit in the front..."Jen says.
"No, no." I say. "I'm fine, back here away from Pacey's bodily odors."
Jen just laughs, as Pacey rolls his eyes for the second time.
"What odors?" He asks Jen. "I smell good." He says confidently, looking at the road ahaed.
"Who said you didn't." Jen adds.
Well, he does smell good. Where did he get the cologne. Where did he get this car?
"For the last time Pace...where did you get this car?" I ask my eyes narrowing.
"I borrowed it." He says.
"The same borrowing that gets you in trouble with your dad about his car? Or the act of actually borrowing?" I ask.
"The first one." He says. A chill goes down my spine.
"Pacey" I say fearfully. "Did you steal this car?"
"It's not stealing if it's family." He says looking at me through the rearview mirror.
"And what 'family', did you borrow this car from? And do they know?"
"Define, 'know'."He says.
"Okay take me back home." I say plainly folding my arms.
"Joey..."He says.
"I'm serious. Before you get pulled over for grand theft--" I begin.
"Grand theft? This isn't grand theft okay, I'm gonna give it back."
"When?"
"After. After, Mexico alright. Then, I'll give the car back. We're only gonna be gone for two days."
"And how much fun are we supposed to have in two days."
"Use your imagination Potter. Do you know how much havoc we can cause in two days."
"I have a good idea." I say looking out the window.
"Come on Jo, lighten up." Jen says.
"Don't call me Jo." I say regrefully returning to an angry state of mind.
"Whatever." Jen replies defeated. Pacey just looks at us both in dissapointment.
"Can't we all just get along?" He jests, with a sympathetic glare. "So, you still wanna go home Joey?" He asks, also defeated.
Realizing I was seriously ruining the mood I perked up. Afterall I did want this adventure more than anything right now. And, he obviously wanted me to come for a reason...whatever it was.
"I'm sorry." I say somberly. "I'm always doing this I--I can't help it. I'll analize things until they barely even exist anymore and... I'm sick of it." I say barely even talking to them anymore.
"Jo, If I thought you didn't know how to have fun, I wouldn't have invited you. Look, I know you need this break more than any of us. So, why don't you just kick back and try to relax."He replies reassuringly.
"He's right Joey." Jen adds sighing.
"I don't want to go home." I say finally. "Let's go."
"Yes, Ms. Josephine."
Cringe.
And with that, He we leave.. My heart begins to pound at a familiar speed, as I contemplate our leave. Pacey tosses me a book over his shoulder.
"What the hell is this?" I ask.
"Spanish for dummies." He responds.
Indeed.
Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone:) Hey Meli, how do I get an account?