For Love or Power
Ch. 10
Disclaimer: We own nothing.
Joey walked the path to her locker perkier than the day before. Because this day she was happy… oh yes… she was very happy. For just in this past weekend she had not only been with her love… but also got to hold him and kiss him… and love him. The way she had wanted to everyday since their first kiss.
She approached her locker and began fiddling with the combination when she felt a wind on her neck… she knew who it was and just that thought sent shivers down her spine… but not the way she did with Pacey… no… the way she did with Dawson. Every time he got within two inches of her she cringed, she couldn't believe that she could feel this way with someone that had once been her everything.
But she still plastered a fake smile on her and turned to embrace her boyfriend, the one she loved prominent in her mind however.
"Well hello to you to." Dawson smiled into her hair as he inhaled her sweet scent lingeringly… trying to let his memories of her with Pacey escape his mind. He couldn't let Pacey have his Joey. It just wasn't possible… and he would keep it that way. Dawson had a plan and everything was going to work… if not… it would be hell to pay…
"How are you?" Dawson asked.
"I'm fine," Joey replied, still smiling. She was remembering the way Pacey had held her last night. She'd felt so safe in his arms.
"There's nothing you want to talk about?" Dawson asked gently.
"No… why?" Joey asked.
"Well, your dad said that ever since you got back from the island, you've been disappearing every night. Did… did Pacey do something to you?"
"No! How could you even think that?" Joey asked defensively.
"Because he's from the West side, Jo! He preys on nice girls like you!"
"You really don't know much about him. He isn't as bad as you think," Joey replied evenly. "And who said I'm a nice girl?"
"Joey… you won't have sex with your boyfriend. You are a nice girl," Dawson replied. "And why are you defending him to me?"
"Because you are judging him and you hardly know him."
"I don't want to know him!"
"And who says I'm not having sex? Just because I'm not having it with you, doesn't mean I'm not having it!" Joey screamed. Dawson was really pissing her off.
"What… are you a whore now?" Dawson screamed back.
Suddenly, both Joey and Dawson remembered they were at school. They both looked around, and saw all the students who had stopped and were watching with their mouths open in shock. Dawson's crew was standing a little behind him, and were snickering. When Dawson had told them he and Joey were having sex, they thought he was lying. Now... they knew.
"I can't believe you just asked me that," Joey said, walking past Dawson and stopping in front of his crew. She saw James, a newer member, still laughing. "And what is so funny, James? I heard Beth dumped you last week, and you are paying her to pretend she's still your girlfriend." And with that, Joey walked down the hall and out of the school. When she left, Dawson slammed her locker shut, and gave everyone a threatening glare before taking off down the hallway opposite of the way Joey had gone.
Pacey sat in his boat, hoping no one would find him and make him go to school. The previous night, waking up with Joey, had been amazing. He'd never felt this way about a girl before. Normally, Pacey just slept with a girl, no strings attached. But with Joey, he felt different. He didn't want to hurt her, or kick her to the curb. Pacey wanted to be with her forever.
That's why his and Jack's plan made him feel so guilty. Pacey wasn't going alo0ng with the plan anymore. He didn't want to use Joey to get to Dawson. He just wanted to be with her. He wanted to be with her, and not care what anyone else thought about it. Pacey wanted to be able to walk down the street and hold her hand, and for everyone to be OK with it. But they were in Capeside… and that would never be.
"Pacey, what are you doing here boy?" John asked his son. He had spotted him a few minutes ago, but seeing as Pacey wasn't going anywhere, he figured he'd make him go to school.
"I'm ditching school."
"Well, get your ass up and go."
"No."
"Pacey… get your ass to school, now!"
"What does school even matter? Why should I bother?"
"Because I told you to."
"Maybe that worked when I was five, but I'm 17 now. I'm not afraid of you anymore," Pacey said, pushing himself up from his seat on the boat and walking away.
"Pacey!" his father yelled after him, but Pacey kept walking. He walked until he got to the tree. Like Joey, it was his place of refuge now.
