Chapter 6
As Joey held her head in her hands, she remembered what Pacey had said to her earlier that day. She know that he was the only one that would be able to consol her at the moment. Joey slowly picked up the phone and dialed Pacey's number. She lay back on her bed as she waited for Pacey to answer.
"Hello," Pacey said.
"Pace," Joey said.
"Jo, what's wrong?" Pacey asked her.
"You know how you said that I could call you if I needed anything?" Joey asked.
"Yeah," Pacey responded.
"Well, can you come over?" Joey asked.
"Say no more, I'm on my way," Pacey said.
"Thanks," Joey said. With that, Joey hung up the phone.
About ten minutes after Joey had gotten off the phone with Pacey, he was standing at her front door. He walked in without even knocking. He walked up to Joey's bedroom. He found her laying on her bed, lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Joey heard Pacey ask her.
"My life is so screwed up. It's not supposed to be like this," Joey said.
"Jo, your life isn't screwed up. You have everything going for you," Pacey told her sweetly.
"Yeah, I did. It's amazing how one moment can change everything," Joey said.
"Jo, what are you talking about?" Pacey asked her.
"Well, before I tell you, there is something that you need to know," Joey told Pacey.
"What's that?" Pacey asked.
"Well, I got into Worthington." Joey told Pacey.
"Oh my god, congratulations Jo!" Pacey said excitedly, as he spun her around.
"I am not going to Worthington Pace," Joey simply told him.
"But this is your goal Joey. You have to go," Pacey pushed.
"I can't," Joey said, madly.
"What are you talking about?" Pacey asked.
"I didn't get the money. At least, I didn't get enough of it. I got my financial aid package, and even with grants and work-study, they still want $15,000," Joey told him.
"$15,000?" Pacey asked.
"They think that is what Bessie can contribute, which she can't, so…" Joey said.
"Jo, there has to be some other way. It's just money. You can't let that stop you from achieving something you've worked this hard for," Pacey told her.
"There's not. Getting the financial aid was as important as me getting accepted. It didn't happen. It just didn't," Joey told Pacey.
Joey and Pacey stood in silence for a moment, until Pacey got an idea.
"Worthington is what you want, right?" Pacey asked Joey.
"It doesn't matter what I want, Pace," Joey said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Yes or no?" Pacey pressed.
"Yes," Joey said with a sigh.
"Then I want you to have the money that I have been saving for college," Pacey told her.
"Pacey, are you insane? I can't…" Joey started when she was interrupted.
"A least enough to get you through school," Pacey insisted.
"Pacey, I can't do that," Joey told him.
"It's not like I need it. I want to do something great with it. Giving it to you would be exactly that," Pacey told Joey.
"I would never be able to pay you back," Joey told him.
"You wouldn't have to," Pacey said.
"Still, I can't take that much money from you," Joey told him.
"Look Jo, I know how much going to this school means to you. I don't want you to throw away this opportunity," Pacey told her.
"Pacey, it's too much. Can't you understand that?" Joey asked, frustrated.
"No. I can't. I can't understand why you just won't let me help you, Jo. I mean, maybe I'm being naive here, but we've always been there for each other," Pacey told her.
"Pace, I can't," Joey told him.
"You don't even want to consider it?" Pacey asked.
"I have. Please just go," Joey said, pushing Pacey out of the room. Joey closed her door and leaned against it, sighing deeply.
Later that day, after the big argument with Pacey, Joey needed to make amend. She got in her truck and drove to Pacey's house. She found him standing on the front porch.
"What are you doing here?" he asked her.
"Pace, I didn't want to pick a fight with you, but I did," Joey told him.
"That's okay. I forgive you," Pacey told her.
"For the first time in my life, I felt like it wasn't me that was holding you back," Pacey continued.
"Pacey, you've never held me back," Joey told him.
"Just promise me one thing," Pacey said.
"What's that?" Joey asked.
"If the day ever comes where you did feel like I was holding you back…promise me that you would cut me loose," Pacey told her.
"Pacey, I won't promise you that. You're asking me to let you go. I can't do that," Joey told him.
They stood there in silence for a brief moment not saying a word to one another. Finally, Pacey spoke.
"I want you to have this." Pacey reached into his back pocket and handed Joey an envelope with a check inside.
"Pacey, I…" Joey began.
"Jo, I am absolutely certain that giving you this is the right thing to do because I am sure about us…and what we mean to each other…and I think you are too," Pacey told her.
"Thank you," Joey said, giving Pacey a big hug. With that, she got in her truck and drove away. Pacey looked on, smiling. For once, he had finally gotten to be the superhero that saved Joey Potter's life.
As Joey drove home from Pacey's, she passed Jen's house. She pulled into Jen's driveway and went to the door. She rang the doorbell and Jen's grandmother answered.
"Grams, is Jen here?" Joey asked her.
"Jennifer!" Grams yelled.
"Come in dear, Jennifer should be down in a moment," Grams told Joey, ushering her to the kitchen.
"Okay, thanks," Joey said, taking a seat at the kitchen table.
"Would you like some tea?" Grams asked Joey.
"No thanks," Joey said. Grams poured herself a cup and left the room. Just then, Jen appeared in the kitchen.
"Hey Joey," Jen greeted her.
"Hey," Joey said.
"Jen, I need to talk to you," Joey began.
"Okay," Jen said, taking a seat next to her friend.
"I went to Pacey's," Joey began.
"Is everything okay between you two? I mean, did you and Pacey have a fight?" Jen asked, confused.
"Well, sort of," Joey said.
"Care to elaborate?" Jen asked Joey.
"Okay, well, it all started when I called Pacey to ask him to come over because I sort of had this huge problem and then we got into this big argument and I told him to leave," Joey explained.
"What happened?" Jen asked.
"Well, I got into Worthington," Joey said.
"Oh my god Joey. Congratulations!" Jen told her friend.
"Thanks," Joey said quietly.
"What's wrong?" Jen said, sensing there was something else going on.
"Well, if I hadn't gotten in, the fight between Pacey and I never would have happened. You see, after I found out that I had gotten into Worthington, I got my financial aid package and we owe them $15, 000," Joey told her.
"Did you get the money?" Jen asked.
"Yeah, Pacey gave me the money that he was saving for college," Joey told her.
"Wow," Jen said, a little surprised.
"Yeah. I am grateful that he was willing to do that but I still feel guilty for taking the money, you know?" Joey said.
"Joey, Pacey obviously wanted you to have the money otherwise he wouldn't of given it to you. He loves you and he just wants you to be able to discover your own dreams," Jen told her.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Joey said, getting up to leave.
"See you tomorrow Joey," Jen said, as she walked her friend to the door.
"Bye," Joey said. With that, Joey got in her truck and drove home.