Chapter 14: Change
The principal received statements from the witnesses, Jack, Andie and Jen. The principal then sent them home and kept Pacey and Dawson. Dawson was inside of the principal's office while Pacey was with the nurse.
However, since the matter was more serious, the principal had called Dawson's parents. When Mitch and Gail heard what had happened, they were shocked.
"You broke a student's ribs, dislocated his arm, and gave him a minor concussion to the head… Moreover, according to witnesses, it was intentional. That is assault in the first degree. I could expel you for this." Principal Peskin declared.
"Principal Peskin, this is my son's very first serious disruption to the school." Mitch reminded.
"Well define a serious disruption. Your son has been in many fights, many arguments, and many controversies over the years… This might be his first serious offence, but he has superfluous amount of minor disruptions that we cannot ignore." Principal Peskin announced.
"What are you suggesting?" Gail said worried.
"According to his past, Dawson has an excessive behavior that resulted in anger. I will say for his punishment, one-week suspension, thirty hours of community service, and two months of anger management." Principal Peskin offered.
"That's sound fair." Gail noted.
"What do you think Dawson?" Mitch asked.
"No." Dawson said irrationally.
"What?" Both Mitch and Gail said.
"This is the best I'm offering." Principal Peskin declared.
"Look. I'm a regular teen who has a few issues. The person you need to be watching is Pacey... I got angry. I'm no psychopath." Dawson debated.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Peskin I have no idea what's with my son." Gail intervened.
"Dawson, who are you? It's as if I don't know my own son. We're trying to help you. Why won't you accept our help?" Mitch wondered.
"It's okay." Principal Peskin interrupted, "Dawson is turning eighteen soon and he obligated to make his own decisions… Let us check out your choices. Either you can accept my offer, or you can deal with expulsion. Moreover, let me remind you that Capeside is a small town. Finding another high school will be difficult. Therefore, you most likely will ruin your year and you would have to repeat your senior year… You have a choice Dawson and don't make the wrong one."
Later on, Jen, Jack and Andie got together at the pier. They could not believe what was happening. They thought things were heading in the right direction, but life took an unexpected turn.
"Can you believe that Pacey kept their child?" Jack started.
"You don't know that… You know Dawson, and he probably made a false observation." Andie pondered, "Pacey's something, but he's not that dense. Putting the baby up for adoption was the right thing to do."
"You're probably right. Pacey knows best." Jack presumed.
"No… I saw him." Jen spoke for the first.
"What!" Jack and Andie cried.
"I saw his son." Jen confessed.
"Pacey… He umm… Pacey kept his son." Andie stuttered.
"Are you sure? I mean this isn't a false observation or anything like that." Jack wondered.
"Not only did Pacey tell me. I saw their son after Joey's delivery. Last week, Pacey had the exact baby… I don't know why but, he kept their son for a reason." Jen said sympathetically.
In the evening, Gretchen (who had Joshua) had picked Pacey up from the hospital and was now taking him home.
"Dawson Leery did this to you?" Gretchen said shocked.
"Yes." Pacey said quietly.
"Why?" Gretchen wondered.
Pacey turned around and saw his son sleeping in the back of the car in the child seat. "Why do you think?"
"How did he find out?" Gretchen questioned.
"I don't know." Pacey said.
Gretchen stopped when she reached a stop sign and said, "Are you okay?"
Pacey said, "I'm little bruised but,"
"No, what I mean was; Are you really okay knowing that you don't fit in here anymore?" Gretchen asked.
"What do mean." Pacey said ignorantly.
"You know what I mean… Things are different here. People have changed… This was your home, but somehow, without you knowing, it changed too. The main reason why you came here was to solve your problems. And you most likely could have solved your problems, only if they did not change." Gretchen lectured.
"Yea I know." Pacey said tearfully.
"You haven't made any improvements. Actually, to be correct, there has been regression. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Gretchen asked.
"Yeah… I think it might be best if I went back to New York." Pacey declared.