I'm not sure how long I waited to post this chapter but I needed to. Thanks for all of the amazing reviews. Most of you think the same as I do so yay! So, about the smoking thing, I, personally, could see Pacey smoking. He should have on the show but they didn't make him. His character just seems like a depression smoker. I won't use it too much, I promise. I got a lot of mixed opinions, well, everyone wants P/J, which will come, but how that happens you guys are mixed. I love that! My goal with the last two chapters was to make you like someone but you also think they can be bad. Okay, no more from me…to the story!
Joey sat on her bed and hunched over another book for her English class. She was already in her work clothes for the restaurant but had kept on her slippers. Joey had three more sentences to go when her phone rang. As always, a smile crept on her face and the butterflies started to fly in her stomach.
"What do you want, Witter?" she said with a smile.
It had only been two months since Joey and Pacey had started working together but they were friends again. Joey had eventually stopped hating Pacey and what he did had started to become part of the past.
Pacey smirked. He could tell that Joey was smiling on the other end. "Crabby much?"
"For you, always," Joey said. "You interrupted my reading."
"Hey, Potter, I can leave and you can get a different way to work."
"I'll be right down," she said before hanging up.
Pacey chuckled. This had become the regular routine between them. Pacey would call Joey to say that he was downstairs and they would banter back and forth about how he interrupted her. It was just like it was before. Pacey saw the elevator doors open and he smiled wider.
"What are you doing your homework at seven at night anyway?" he asked.
Joey smiled and rolled her eyes. "I was supposed to have the whole night to read but somebody signed me up to work for the next two hours for the stupid party. Who throws a party on a Sunday night?"
"Obviously someone rich if they can rent out the whole restaurant for the night."
"Lucky us then, let's get going," she said before they left.
XXX
Joey looked out the window. The sky had already blackened and the moon shown brightly in the night sky. Every so often they would pass a yellow orange lamp post on the street. Joey smiled and rested her eyes on the driver. His eyes were focused on the road. A frown was plastered on his young face. This was not right.
"You shouldn't be so glum. It's your birthday, Pacey," Joey said.
Pacey shook his head. "The day to mark the 19th pathetic year of my life."
"Don't day that. Your life is not pathetic. You, Pacey, are one of the most amazing men I have ever known. You have no idea how special you are."
Pacey looked at Joey and smiled. "Thanks, Jo," he said placing his hand on her knee.
Joey took in a short breath at his touch. She looked at his hand for a second just letting the feeling over take her. After a few seconds Joey placed her hand under his and held it in hers. "I meant every word," she said with a smile.
Pacey was surprised by her actions but interlocked his fingers with hers before looking back to the road.
XXX
It was time to close when Joey was stopped by one of the guests.
"What's your name?" the young tanned man asked her.
Joey smiled. He was definitely something to look at. "Joey Potter."
The man smiled a beautiful white smile. "Well Joey, I'm James Tanner and let me say that you are an amazing waitress."
She smiled again. This was going to be great.
In the meantime, Frank and Pacey glared at Joey and the guy.
"I can't believe his flirting with the waitress!" Pacey exclaimed.
"She's one good looking waitress," Frank said checking Joey out again.
Pacey felt a small hint of anger come up. "Still, he shouldn't be flirting with her."
Frank smiled at him. "Are you jealous?"
Pacey shook his head. "Why would I be jealous? I'm dating Audrey, remember?"
Frank rolled his green eyes and walked over to the now solo Joey.
"He seemed nice," he said.
Joey rolled her brown eyes. "Oh yeah, a regular price charming. I never knew that guys offered random girls sex."
Frank laughed. "Oh yeah, all the time. We'll even throw in a free backrub."
Joey laughed. Frank liked her laugh…hell, Frank liked Joey in general.
"Joey, can I ask you a question? It's kind of personal."
"Um, okay."
"Did you and Pacey date before? I just get the feeling that there's more there than just friendship."
Joey nodded slowly. "Yeah, we dated."
"How long? Two or three months?"
Joey nervously chuckled. "Try nine."
Frank's eyes got a bit wide. "Oh, nine months. So you two were pretty…close."
"He was my first."
"What happened between you two?"
Joey shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it. What happened with Pacey and I is in the past. We're just friends now and that's it."
Frank nodded. "Okay. I'll see you around I guess," he said before leaving.
Joey said goodbye and noticed Pacey was sweeping up by the bar.
"I didn't see Audrey today," Joey said taking a seat by the bar.
Pacey sighed and kept sweeping. "She took off today. She said something about my birthday but I wasn't listening."
"Speaking of your birthday, I got you something." Joey grabbed her purse and pulled out a 19 candle. She lit it and smiled.
Pacey took the candle and laughed. "This is all I get?"
"You should consider yourself lucky. The rest of my friends are just going to get a verbal happy birthday."
"Thank you for splurging on me Ms. Broke college woman."
Joey smiled. "So, make a wish."
Pacey closed his eyes and made a wish. He blew out the candle and smiled. "Let's get out of here."
XXX
Pacey and Joey walked down the street in silence. Once they reached Joey's dorm house they just stood there, looking at each other.
"Pace, answer my honestly, why do you hate your birthdays so much?" Joey asked with a sad face.
Pacey chuckled and looked down. "I really don't know. I guess it's because they just serve as a reality check for me. My life has gone so down hill since last year. I live in an apartment where I don't know anyone. I have a girlfriend that I can't stand. I've started this occasional habit that can kill me. I have a job that I like but it's in a place I hate…I've lost everything that used to make me happy. My birthday just makes all of this more real."
Joey shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You shouldn't feel like this. So maybe right now isn't the best time in your life but you're going to have an amazing future. Some day you're going to get rich from being a chef and marry some brilliant and beautiful woman and have a million gorgeous children and live happily ever after. All you need is a little faith."
Pacey locked eyes with Joey and smiled. They always got lost in each other's eyes. "Do you want to know what I wished for?"
Joey nodded. She was too lost in him to speak.
"I wished to be happy. Like when nothing could pull me down or when I always had a reason to smile…like when I was with you."
That was it. Joey was lost. She had officially begun to fall for Pacey again. Joey smiled and put her hands on his face. "Happy birthday, Pacey."
Joey softly placed her lips on his. She didn't apply any pressure. Pacey moved his arms around her and brought her closer before deepening the kiss. She moved her hands down to his shoulders and deepened the kiss even more while pushing more into him. Pacey didn't mind, he could never get enough of Joey Potter.
Meanwhile, Audrey wiped a few more tears off her face. She had been stood up by her boyfriend again. She had no idea what he was actually doing.
