September 2. On Saturday evening the red sun was setting, and the sky was painted in brilliant orange, purple, and pink hues. The Capeside shoreline was a dark green silhouette against the twilight sky. Over the past week, since they'd left New York City, the mood on the boat had grown more subdued, with long stretches of quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Tomorrow, they'd walk back inside their homes and reunite with their families. In just three days, they were going to walk back into school for the first time since June. At some point, Tuesday at the very latest, they would come face to face with their friends—with Dawson.
"I wanna start reading The Little Mermaid tonight," Joey commented, her head bent over the newspaper she'd gotten this morning when they'd made a brief stop in Rhode Island to call their families and inform them of their impending arrival.
"We can do that. But I still think we should turn the True Love around and head back to Key West," Pacey said before taking the last bite of his fish. "Or anywhere, really. How does Virginia Beach sound? Virginia is for lovers, you know." He waggled his eyebrows.
Looking up from the newspaper, she sighed and shook her head. "But we're finally seniors. This is our year to really make the most of that miserable place known as Capeside High. Isn't there anything about going back to school you look forward to? Anything at all?"
"I guess if I was into tormenting sophomores, I'd find some amusement in being a senior," he deadpanned. She threw him a pointed look. "Okay, fine. Well…" He gazed at her and smiled. "I can say the thing I'll probably enjoy the most about going back to school is relishing in the knowledge that, unlike our classmates, I actually got the hell out of Capeside for the summer and did something most, if not all of them will never do. And not to mention enjoying the fact that I got the most beautiful girl in the whole school to run away with me for the summer and she is now my girlfriend. Eat your hearts out, losers."
She laughed and rolled her eyes, her cheeks turning pink.
He grinned appreciatively. "I think we should start our campaign for Prom King and Queen immediately."
"I'll be sure to have buttons and posters made up," she quipped, shooting him a sarcastic look. Joey then ran her fingers through her damp hair and gazed out at Capeside's darkening shore. She'd been trying to talk about the inevitable all week, but every time she'd brought up the subject, it hadn't gone over well. Discussing it—him—would signal their summer of bliss was truly over and it was time to face reality. They were getting off the boat tomorrow, and they couldn't put it off any longer. "Um, speaking of people who are currently eating their hearts out…"
His jaw clenched. He closed his eyes, heaved a sigh, and took a swig from his bottle of root beer. He knew what she was getting at, and he knew the closer they'd gotten to home, the more she'd been thinking about it and wanting to talk about it, but he didn't see the point in talking about this. Apologizing wouldn't change anything.
She stared at her boyfriend, at his stiff posture and refusal to meet her eyes. "Pacey, we have to talk about Dawson."
"Why?"
"Because he's our friend."
He arched his brow, giving her challenging look. "Is he?"
Frustrated, she shook her head. "Pacey, I know Dawson's friendship is just as important to you as it is to me. If there's any chance, no matter how small, that we can possibly make amends and salvage what's left of that friendship, then we should at least try."
He set his plate aside and stacked it atop Joey's empty plate. "I'm sure you'll have much better luck with that than me. You know, since you're his soulmate and all. Unlike me, I'm sure he doesn't hate your guts." He knew Dawson was far more likely to pursue Joey, to try to win her back and convince her that she'd made the wrong choice, than to permanently cast her aside and refuse to forgive her. He didn't want to think about that, and forced the thought from his mind.
She gaped at him, at the bitterness in his tone. "Pacey, we both betrayed Dawson. I'm just as guilty as you are. Even though I want to get my friendship with Dawson back on track, I'm fully aware of the fact that it isn't going to happen overnight. I can't just snap my fingers or wave some magic wand. It's probably going to take a while, and it's not going to be easy, but it'll be worth it in the end if I can gain back my friend. And I don't want to put it off because once we're home, the longer we go without talking to him and trying to clear the air, the more difficult and more awkward it's gonna be. We're a couple now, Pacey, and spending senior year walking on eggshells around Dawson is not gonna be fun for any of us, unless we can come to some sort of understanding and as soon as possible. And that starts with apologizing."
"Yeah." He highly doubted Dawson had any interest in restoring their friendship, just as he doubted there was anything that he could possibly do to change that. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to. Dawson wasn't likely to ever forgive him, no matter what he said or did. Back in the spring, he'd apologized until he was blue in the face to no avail, and that was after Joey had ended things between them. Now that she'd gone with him to Key West, any apologies coming from him would certainly fall on deaf ears.
Pacey remembered his outburst in the school cafeteria, his declaration that he was done apologizing. He'd meant it. While he had apologized for sneaking around behind Dawson's back and the way he'd found out, which he seriously regretted, he knew he hadn't given the apology his former best friend had actually wanted to hear. But if Dawson thought there was a chance that he would ever apologize for that, he was delusional. For as long as he lived, he would never apologize for that.
"I'm so glad we talked about this, Jo. This is exactly how I wanted to spend the last night of our vacation."
"What's with the tone, Pacey?" She stared at him, at his furrowed brows and the scowl on his face, her mood plummeting. This wasn't how she wanted to spend their last night on the boat either. She slid down the cushioned bench seat and cuddled against him, her hand going to his hair, caressing his soft buzzcut.
He sighed, not wanting to argue anymore. "Feel free to throw me overboard now, Jo. You were probably checking the personal ads in the newspaper for someone new, I bet."
She gave him an elbow. "Not possible."
"Or even better, as soon as you're rid of me, I'm sure Dawson will forgive you right away and then you can ride off into the sunset with your soulmate. I'm more trouble than I'm worth."
Shaking her head, she gave him a half-smile before pressing her lips to his. When she kissed his frown away, she leaned her head on his shoulder, that spot made just for her, and held his hand, entwining their fingers. "You're absolutely worth it. So much so that I'm willing to guess Dawson misses you just as much as you refuse to admit you miss him. So, I think you should stop denying it, and just come right out and tell him you're sorry and that you miss him."
"You think you can butter me up, kissing me with the sweetest lips I've ever known?"
She smiled, gazing at him with the utmost confidence in their love. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."
"Keep trying, then, Potter. It might help me come to a decision about something. Like… whether or not I'm gonna turn this boat around and head back to Florida."
Laughing, she elbowed him again.
He winced, rubbing the sting away. "Will you quit? You're gonna bruise a rib."
Joey shook her head and gave him a stern look. "I want you here… in Capeside… with me."
"We'd be much happier elsewhere, believe me," he said, kissing her cheek.
"But I have to finish school, Pacey. I want to take the SATs again. I have to apply to college. I have to make sure I get a decent class rank and earn a scholarship. So, that means I have to stay in Capeside for senior year. And you are just gonna have to stay here, go to school with me, and deal with it. I refuse to live without you."
"Not in the Cleopatra or Juliet kind of way, though, right?" He eyed her suspiciously. "I know my love is powerful, Jo, but it shouldn't lead to suicide."
She frowned at him, unamused. "Do you want another elbow to the ribs, Pacey Witter?"
He balked. "Good lord, woman. I never knew you had such violent tendencies. Frankly, I'm appalled."
"Let me make it up to you," she said, smirking suggestively as she climbed onto his lap, straddling his thighs.
"And what do you propose?" he replied with a sly grin.
"Can't you tell what I really want to do right now?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as she shifted closer and pressed herself tight against him, telling him exactly what she wanted to do.
"I can imagine." He kissed her throat and pulled her closer, grinding her hips firmly against his own.
Joey licked her lips, wanting more, as the warmth that always spread through her when she was in Pacey's arms consumed her now. Getting off his lap, she took hold of his hand and they retreated below deck for the night.
September 3. It was close to noon on Sunday when they moored the True Love to its slip in the Capeside Harbor Boatyard, just a few blocks from Main Street. Pacey carried their bags off the boat, stepping onto the dock. "You got all your souvenirs?" he asked. He lifted one of the bags, feeling its weight. "Is the Ernest Hemingway Friendship Brick of Suicidal Writers in here?"
"Yes," Joey answered, throwing him a pointed look. "And don't call it that."
"You even got the jasmine plant for Bessie? You didn't forget it down in the cabin, did ya?"
She smiled and shook her head. "It's in the bag." Joey glanced at the totes thrown over his shoulder. It didn't seem like a lot. "Is that everything?"
"We can leave the rest of the stuff on the boat and get it tomorrow."
"Okay."
They started walking up the dock. Now that they were home, Pacey knew the first thing that would be on people's minds when they saw them again, especially once they walked into school. "Before we leave, though, there is one other thing we should cover."
"What's that?"
"Well, they're gonna ask…"
Her brows knitted. "Who's gonna ask what?"
"The masses. They're gonna ask what happened on the boat. This summer… between you and I… you know, sexually speaking."
Joey scoffed. "No one cares, Pacey."
Please. He threw her a look.
"Okay, maybe they care, but they're not gonna ask. It's too crass."
"We live in a crass age." He already could imagine the looks and stupid comments as they walked down the hallways on the first day of school. "Think about it, Jo. We walk into school on Tuesday and… you know people are gonna ask."
She scoffed again. She hadn't thought of people asking her such an invasive, personal question. "Okay, so what are you gonna say?"
It wasn't up to him. "That really depends."
"On?"
"On what you're gonna say."
She had no desire to share the private details of her summer or her relationship with Pacey with their braindead classmates. "Well, I guess I'm going to say nothing because it's no one's business."
He agreed. "That's good. Nothing sounds perfect. We'll keep 'em all guessing. I think a little mystery will help our prom campaign."
She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, they're not gonna ask."
"Oh, they'll ask." It was gonna be the first thing outta their mouths, Pacey thought.
After lunch, and after the shock had worn off that his sister Gretchen was back home to stay for some reason that she intended to keep secret, and after he'd been subsequently ousted from Doug's apartment, he brought his bags back to the boat. Staring at the hammocks, pondering whether he should take Gretchen's suggestion and ask the Potters if he could stay with them for a while, he heard his sister call out.
"Permission to come aboard, Captain Witter?"
He returned above deck. "What are you doing here, Gretchen?"
His sister stood on the dock, hands on her hips, looking affronted. "Don't I get to see the infamous True Love? Look at this boat, Pace. Look at what you did. This is amazing. I'm very proud of you."
"Thanks, sis," he replied, smiling. "You know, you had every chance to see it back in the spring. I believe your college semester usually ends sometime in mid-May and I didn't leave Capeside until June 10th. So, where were you then?"
"I got a summer job in Provincetown, and no, I didn't stop here to visit on the way up there. I'm sorry."
"Did you get fired from that pub in Boston?"
She shook her head. "No, I quit when school let out. I wanted to get out of Boston for a while."
Now he was getting somewhere. "Why? What's wrong with Boston? Did something happen?"
"Nothing happened, Pacey. I just needed a change of scenery."
"Uh-huh. Sure. Change of scenery. That's why you moved back to Capeside to live with your favorite brother."
"We both know Doug is not my favorite brother. My current living arrangement is temporary, and I'm only staying with him because I refuse to stay with Mom and Dad."
"That makes two of us."
Her gaze roamed over the True Love once more. "So, are you gonna show me around your pride and joy, or what?"
Back down inside the cabin, he let Gretchen look around. She smiled as she did so, nodding with approval. After placing her hands onto Joey's hammock and giving it a nudge, sending it gently swinging, she turned around. "So, this is where the summer magic happened, huh?" she said with a smirk.
He furrowed his brows and pursed his lips into a thin line. "I don't appreciate the insinuation."
"Come on, let's go," she said, making for the steps that led up above deck.
"Where are we going?"
Without replying, Gretchen left the cabin. Shaking his head, he followed her. They were soon striding up the dock and then out of the marina. His gaze fell on the Witter wagon. "You've got Mom's car?"
"Yeah, she's letting me use it. The Land Rover's in the shop."
He was soon sitting in the passenger seat. Gretchen put the car into gear and pulled onto the street. "I'm gonna ask again. Where are we going?"
"Home."
"Back to Dougie's?"
She hesitated. "…No."
He groaned. "Fuckin' A, Gretch. I really don't wanna see Mom and Dad right now."
She frowned at him. "Pacey, you've been gone all summer. From what Doug told me, Mom and Dad gave you their permission to go without too much hassle. The least you can do is pop into the house for a few minutes and say, 'Hi guys, I'm home.' It's common courtesy, Pace."
"They wouldn't know common courtesy if it bit 'em in the ass."
"Okay, honestly, I just wanted to check on Carrie and the kids, and I didn't want to go to the house by myself."
He nodded, throwing her a sarcastic look. "So, what you're saying is we're back to being the emotional support siblings."
Gretchen smiled. "How else do you think we survived having narcissists for parents?"
"Speak for yourself," he muttered. "Only one of us survived."
"You're gonna get away from them, too, Pace. In just nine months, you'll be free to go wherever you want, as far away from them as you want."
He eyed his sister with suspicion. Then why the hell did she come back here? So, she said she needed a break. She could've taken a break literally anywhere. Why come back to Capeside? He longed to be anywhere but here. He wanted to be back on the True Love, sailing somewhere, anywhere. The only things he needed in this whole world were his boat and his girl. He heaved a sigh and stared glumly out the window. "I miss Joey."
A few minutes later, Pacey was trudging up the brick steps to his porch, his stomach in knots, his chest tight with anxiety. Gretchen opened the back door, and he followed her inside. They found their parents on the couch in the living room, watching TV and drinking beer, several empty cans on the coffee table in front of them. He glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was only two in the afternoon.
"Mom, Dad… Pacey's home."
They turned to look at him. "Hi, Ma. Hi, Pop."
His mother smiled. "Well, look at that, John. Pacey made it to Florida and back without screwing up. I wasn't sure you could do it, but I'll admit when I'm wrong. I'm real proud of you, honey."
Did he expect anything different? He forced a smile. "Gee, thanks, Mom."
His father stared for a moment before nodding. "Well, Pacey, I see you made it back in one piece."
"I did."
"And in time to start your final year of school and graduate, unlike your sister, who apparently thinks she can shirk off her senior year just for the hell of it."
Pacey glanced at Gretchen. Her face hardened as she crossed her arms in front of her and shook her head.
"Is that boat of yours still in one piece?"
"Yes, sir."
"And Joey Potter?"
"Yes, Dad. She's fine."
"Good."
His mother frowned. "She's not pregnant, is she?"
He clenched his jaw in annoyance. "Not that I know of, but fingers crossed."
Gretchen snorted, chuckling. Their mother's eyes narrowed in suspicion for a moment, but then she relaxed. "Well, we'll just have to have her over here next Sunday for a family dinner. We never did get to have your other little girlfriend over to the house. What was her name? The crazy one? Allie?"
Anger bubbled in his gut. "Her name is Andie, Ma. And she's not crazy."
"I'm fairly certain only crazy people get sent to mental hospitals, honey. Anyway, be sure to invite the Potter girl for dinner on Sunday, okay?"
He threw a wide-eyed, panicked gaze at Gretchen. She silently mouthed "I'm sorry" at him. There was no way in hell he was bringing Joey inside this house. His parents then cracked open two more beers and turned their attention back to the TV, ignoring him.
Joey was sitting in Mrs. Ryan's kitchen, listening to Jen bemoan the woes of her long distance relationship with Henry while she sat at the table with a bowl of green beans picked from her grandmother's garden. Henry wasn't coming back to Capeside and had gone to boarding school instead. After her grams voiced her disapproval of the arrangement, Jen effectively dismissed her from the kitchen.
"Goodbye, Josephine," Mrs. Ryan said. "Nice to have you back, safe and sound."
She didn't know what to say, so she said nothing in reply. What was Jen's grandmother implying by that? What exactly was sound? Her hymen? Joey shook her head and gave her full attention to her friend.
"Okay, enough me," Jen said, snapping the end off of a bean. "You're the one fresh from the world excursion. So?"
"We had the time of our lives. It was a beautiful summer. Going away with Pacey was the best decision I've ever made. Once I get my pictures developed, I'll bring them over. Did you get my email from New York?"
"Yeah, thanks for taking a few minutes out of what precious little time you had to spend there to write me. I didn't reply because I figured you'd be home soon enough and we could talk in person. So, did Pacey make good on his promise to give you the most romantic night of your life?" Her brows shot up curiously.
She nodded, crossing her arms on the table and smiling. "Yes, he did. We took a carriage ride through Central Park. I felt like Cinderella, which is so girly and stupid, but…" She shrugged. "It was magical. Seeing the Empire State Building all lit up at night was incredible. I hope we get to go back there someday. I don't know how you manage to be content in Capeside after growing up in New York. How are you not bored out of your mind in this dreary little town?"
Jen hesitated, quietly snapping the ends off the green beans for a moment. "Capeside's not so bad. Everyone I love is here. With New York, as with most amazing places, there's usually a dark underbelly. And in my case, I saw a little too much of that underbelly at way too young of an age, and I don't think I ever want to go back there." She quickly turned her frown into a smile. "But like I said, Joey, enough about me. Cut to the sordid stuff! You promised to give me details, and now with my boyfriend living four hours away for the rest of the school year, my prospects for enjoying some romance during my senior year have pretty much dwindled. So, tell me!"
Joey glanced over her shoulder, wondering if Mrs. Ryan was still hovering somewhere within earshot.
"Let's go out on the porch," Jen said perceptively, standing from the table.
Once she was seated on the wicker couch, she felt her face grow hot while her stomach filled with nerves. "I honestly don't know where to start. Um… well, I followed your advice about not jumping into the deep end right away and taking my time getting comfortable in shallower depths, so to speak."
Jen nodded beside her, leaning over the bowl of green beans on the wicker table in front of the couch. "Yeah, good. So, how many bases did you round?"
"Bases?" she asked with knitted brows.
"Yeah, you know… first base, second base… third base." Jen smirked, waggling her brows.
She thought for a moment. "Um, we got to second? I think?"
Her friend giggled. "Good for you. Well, how was it? What's Pacey like?"
Feeling slightly embarrassed, her face flushed. Then she remembered something and frowned. "Well, I'm sure you know what he's like, if I recall correctly."
Jen tutted, shooting her a pointed look. "Come on now, Joey. Me and Pacey didn't get nearly that far. I'll have you know that clothing was never removed. Well, except our shoes, I guess. Every time we even attempted second base, I'd immediately start laughing and it would ruin the whole thing. You're never gonna slide into home if you can't even round second. It just didn't ever work, even though we tried. There were no sparks, no attraction. And I'm pretty sure the reason was because I wasn't the girl Pacey actually wanted to be making out with, now was I?"
She smiled, blushing, and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Well, to answer your question… it was good and a lot of fun, and Pacey is… Well, I honestly don't know what I was expecting, but he doesn't disappoint. He's just…" She couldn't stop herself from grinning ear to ear like an idiot. "Pacey is perfect. I love him so much, Jen. He makes me feel…" She sighed, clasping her hands and shrugging. "I don't know. There just aren't words to describe how happy I am."
Jen smiled. "Well, I'm very happy for you, Joey. For the both of you."
"Thanks. And… thanks for being a listening ear this summer and helping a girl out."
"Glad to do it, Joey."
"And I'm glad you seemed to have a great summer despite being separated from Henry." She glanced over at the Leery's house, remembering all the photographs of Jen, Jack, and Andie that were plastered all over Dawson's room. It seemed like they all had a good summer. She wondered if Dawson had even missed her at all, and wasn't sure what she wanted the answer to be. "Um, Jen, how is everyone else doing?"
"Good. Yeah, everybody's good."
"And Dawson? He's… he's okay?"
Jen nodded, giving her a kind smile. "He's doing all right, Joey. Really. We kept him busy and made sure he had fun this summer."
She again thought of the photographs. Watching her friend continue to snap the ends off the green beans, she remembered she needed to get home soon herself. "Well, I gotta go. I promised Bessie I'd help her with dinner."
"What are you doing tonight? You and Pacey just laying low?"
"No, we're not doing anything. We're taking our first official night off from each other."
"Well, we are all going to the Dive-In. Why don't you join us?"
The thought of seeing everyone else so soon after getting back… "I don't know that that's such a good idea."
But Jen wouldn't take no for an answer.
Pacey stood next to his girlfriend in front of the sink in the Potter's kitchen, washing the dinner dishes. He glanced over his shoulder to see Bessie staring at them with narrowed eyes and a frown. He sighed and returned to the task. Joey's sister hadn't exactly been thrilled to see him when he showed up at the house earlier, and all through dinner she'd been rather cold towards him. At first, he'd thought maybe Bessie was still not too happy about Joey running off for the summer, but then remembered that she had told him that her sister had cooled off rather quickly and actually had been excited for her in her emails. Yet there was obviously some reason he clearly wasn't Bessie's favorite person right now.
Later, after Joey changed out of her skirt and into a pair of shorts, Bodie dropped them off at Stupmuck Cove. His stomach was tight with nerves. While the idea of showing up back in town like a returning adventurer, the envy of all his peers, with a beautiful girl on his arm he could show off, had been somewhat appealing, now that he was home reality was quite different. He was conscious of the fact there was no one at the Dive-In who actually wanted to see him. He was fully aware that he'd left Capeside as the pariah of their little social group and nothing over the summer would've changed that. The very fact Joey had chosen him over Dawson would've undoubtedly cemented his pariah status.
Taking his girlfriend by the hand, Pacey started walking from the road down towards the beach. "Bessie asked you, didn't she? About the two of us on the boat? What did you say? 'Cause she was not giving me friendly looks, I'll tell you that."
"I thought we said we weren't saying anything."
"Yeah, well, that was in reference to the general masses we'll inevitably rub shoulders with. I'm assuming family and trusted friends are different."
Joey gave him a look, wondering if he'd said anything to anybody. "Why? Did Doug or Gretchen ask you?"
He shook his head. "No, although my sister made vague insinuations. So… what did you say when Bessie asked? I mean, she did ask, right?"
"Yes, Pacey, she asked, and I refused to answer. It's none of her business. Why does it matter?"
"Look, I just want to know how discreet you want to be." He lowered his voice. "Personally, I would love to shout from every rooftop in Capeside that I dry-humped Josephine Potter on every surface inside that boat, not to mention in a few motel rooms." He watched her eyes widen as she suddenly stared at her feet, blushing. "But I am the soul of discretion, Jo. I won't say a word if you don't want me to, not to anyone. Not even if Doug or Gretchen come right out and ask, which I'm pretty sure they eventually will. So, just to be clear, if family and friends ask, we're telling them nothing, too?" He paused and eyed her to see her reaction, finally getting to the question he'd most wondered about. "Or… what about Dawson? What are you gonna say when he asks?"
She blinked, swallowing. Her stomach did a somersault. That was not a conversation she ever wanted to have with Dawson. "He's not going to ask, Pacey. I'm sure that's something he'd rather not know."
"Are you kidding me, Jo? There isn't a single person on this good green earth who wants to know more than Dawson Leery. The guy is dying to know, believe me. Stealing his soulmate from him is bad enough, but stealing her virginity from him, too? I mean, God forbid. That's all the reason he'd need to never speak a single word to me for the rest of his natural born life."
She frowned. "Pacey, Dawson doesn't think like that. He doesn't own me. He certainly doesn't own my virginity, so it can't be stolen from him, now can it?"
He shook his head, wishing she'd open her eyes to the truth behind his former best friend's motives and actions wherever she was concerned. "Try telling Dawson that," he muttered. "Do you recall the first thing outta his mouth when he found out about us? He basically accused me of using you for sex. I'm positive that's his biggest issue with us—the idea that you and I would have sex and ruin the perfect life he's scripted for himself and his soulmate."
She felt uncomfortable, recognizing the ring of truth behind his words. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, Pacey. It's none of his business, whether he asks or not, which I'm sure he won't. And as Jen would say, virginity is a sexist social concept designed by men to control women and their sexuality."
"Ding-ding-ding!" His finger shot up in the air to emphasize his point. "Thank you! That's exactly what I'm saying."
Joey side-eyed him. "You're really annoying, you know that?"
He grinned. "Yeah, but you love me, anyway."
"Somebody's got to." She smirked and leaned into him, kissing his cheek.
They soon stepped onto the sand and began walking along the beach. The summer weekend tradition of the Dive-In was seemingly as popular as ever. Groups of teenagers and other young Capeside locals were standing around over by the snack bar. Suddenly a loud voice rent the air. "Woo hoo! Look who's back! Hey, Witter! If the boat's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'!"
While people turned in their direction, laughing, Pacey tried to find the owner of the voice, but no luck. He turned to his girlfriend. "See? What'd I tell ya, Potter?"
Annoyed, she felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment. "That's all we're gonna hear the first week of school, isn't it?"
"You betcha."
"Morons."
They kept walking and soon laid eyes on Dawson, Jen, and Jack sitting in the cockpit of a speedboat. Pacey locked eyes with Dawson. Even from this distance, he could see the hatred in his eyes, glaring into his own. He could also see hurt, an open wound that hadn't healed. Dawson would hate him forever. And the way Jack and Jen were looking at him was far from inviting. Guilt twisted his insides.
Disappointed at their friends' reaction to seeing them together, Joey's face fell. The air was suddenly thick with tension, awkward and uncomfortable. Maybe it had been too soon to see everyone. Maybe they should've waited until school forced them all to return to their normal routine of seeing each other every day. Maybe she should've had a few minutes to talk with Dawson alone and come to an understanding before the three of them rubbed shoulders again.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," she said.
"Well, it wasn't my idea in the first place." He was irritated by the guilt he felt. He didn't want to feel guilty because he refused to believe he'd done anything as terrible as their dysfunctional social circle had made it out to be. He refused to allow Dawson's anger to make him believe he'd committed some heinous crime, that being with Joey was wrong, somehow.
Her disappointment quickly became annoyance. They had gone into this with open eyes, had known this was coming, and getting the initial awkwardness quickly out of the way was for the best. She tightened her grip on Pacey's hand. "Well, we're a couple now, we have nothing to be ashamed of, and they're just gonna have to get used to it. May as well start now. Come on, let's go say hi."
Joey took one step forward and they watched Dawson immediately hop out of the speedboat and walk away. Pacey rolled his eyes and let go of her hand. "No one over there wants to see me, Jo. I'll go get us some drinks and you can go say hi and square things away. I'll meet up with you in a little bit."
"I guess that might be easier…"
She turned and watched her boyfriend's retreating back. She suddenly felt even more nervous now that she was standing there by herself. Frustration welled up inside her at the situation. Why should she have to feel nervous about hanging out with her friends? She wanted to hurry up and get it over with. Like ripping off a Band-Aid, she told herself.
While Pacey stood in line in at the snack bar, he glanced his sister surrounded by a group of people, all beaming at her. He was supposed to be the Witter who was getting all the attention, the one who'd just come back from a summer-long sailing trip, but not with Gretchen around. She had obviously retaken her spot as the most popular girl in Capeside. Cheerleaders, he thought, shaking his head. Gretchen spotted him and walked over. "You know, it's one thing to usurp the couch, but it's quite another to come back here and best my social standing."
"Do you wanna take a walk?" she asked, looking up at him with a knowing gaze.
She always knew, he thought. Was there anyone on the planet who knew him better than Gretchen? Feeling simultaneously relieved his sister was there and annoyed that she had been the only person at the Dive-In to even crack a smile in his direction, he nodded. "Yeah."
They were soon hemming and hawing over the conundrum that had them both vying for Doug's couch. "Is it possible you've grown more obnoxious over time?" she teased.
"Well, it is the Witter way."
"Hmm, and somehow you still got the girl."
He smiled, happiness fluttering inside his chest. "Yes, I did. Who would've thunk me and Joey would end up together, huh?"
Gretchen stared at him. "Uh… me."
"You did not."
"It didn't take Nostradamus to call it. I mean, look at your similarities. Neither of you have had an easy upbringing, but look at how well you've both turned out. You're both classic scrappy underdogs. She's sassy and you're a legendary annoyance. She's beautiful and you're… lucky."
His brows furrowed. "There is a compliment in there somewhere, right?"
She laughed. "You're both lucky."
His sister always knew how to make him feel better. "Thank you."
"I knew you two were like magnets. You know, you push them around and they pull away from each other in opposite directions, when all you need to do is flip them over. You and Joey just needed a little flip. Wasn't I telling you for the past couple years that she would be incredibly lucky to have someone like you and that you should just go for it? And look at you. You finally did, and you got what you always wanted. You should listen to your big sister more often."
Pacey couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. "And what about you, Gretchen? Honestly. Why would you come back here?" It made no sense. He knew there was something she wasn't telling him.
"I'm just taking a break. That's all."
"All right." He wasn't going to push it. She'd tell him when she was ready to tell him. "Well, as they say in non-dysfunctional families, welcome home, Gretchen." He threw his arm over her shoulder and hugged her to him.
"And, uh, speaking of home, I have a suggestion that I think you might find appealing."
He was intrigued. "Yeah?"
Gretchen smirked. "Technically, you and I are both homeless, and we both deserve better than Doug's couch."
"That we do."
"And… you and I once managed to share a bedroom for about ten years without killing each other."
"Also very true."
She stopped walking and gave him an expectant look. "So? How about you and I rent a place together?"
Was she serious? "Um…"
"I've got some money saved up from tending bar all summer, and I know you've got plenty of money, Mr. Savings Account."
"Would you keep your voice down?" He glanced over his shoulder. "You haven't told anyone about that, have you?"
Gretchen gave him a pointed look. "No, Pacey. I promise."
Nodding, he shoved his hands in his pockets. He was so close to getting out of this place, he didn't want anyone or anything to jinx it. "Good."
"If we pool our funds together, we could easily afford rent every month until you graduate. Well? How does it sound? We can go apartment hunting this week when you get out of school."
"Sounds good to me, Gretchen."
He was soon heading back down the beach. He quickly laid eyes on Joey sitting in the speedboat, Dawson standing next to it. She was smiling and talking. And Dawson was all smiles, beaming ear to ear as he gazed down at Joey, no doubt wasting no time with attempting to reinstate his soulmate status. Disgusted, Pacey turned and walked away.
Further down the beach, he caught sight of Andie talking to a couple guys. A spark of hope fluttered inside his chest and he smiled. Finally, a friendly face. That spark was quickly extinguished when she hurried away in the opposite direction. He was almost certain she'd seen him. Hadn't she? His mood plummeted even more. Why the hell did he even come? He felt miserable.
After wandering around aimlessly for a little while, he came across Joey standing by herself and walked over to her. "There you are," she said with a smile. "I've been looking all over for you. Where did you go?"
"I was with Gretchen."
"She's here?"
"Yeah. She's here, currently reclaiming her position at the top of Capeside's social ladder. So, did you get things all squared away with Dawson? Those were your words, right? 'Square things away?'"
Joey sighed, feeling confused over how the night had gone. She was glad to get the initial reunion with Dawson out of the way, but the casual small talk was so awkward. With the movie on the screen and so many people around, it was an impossible location to say everything she wanted to say. They needed to sit somewhere alone and talk. "No, not even close," she muttered.
He gazed down at her and frowned. "Then I take it you're having just as much fun here as I am."
"I'm sorry for the way everyone reacted. I thought once they saw us together, saw how happy we were, that they'd, you know, accept it or just act normal or…" She sighed. "I don't know. Not with Dawson around, I guess. I'm sorry for dragging you here, Pace."
"Well, we can leave, Jo. The night doesn't have to be a total wash."
She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if she left now. There was something she needed to do, but she knew Pacey wouldn't be happy about it. "Do you mind if I stay and… got a ride home with Dawson?"
His stomach twisted into knots, his walls coming up. "Why?"
"I need to talk to him, Pacey. Really talk to him. Alone."
"Talk to him about what?"
She scoffed. "Pacey, dealing with Dawson is a reality for me. It's a reality for the both of us. I need to apologize and at least attempt to clear the air. We both do."
There was that word again. Apologize. The more she brought it up, the more irritated he felt. "The guy hates me, okay? I can't change that."
"Well, you could try!"
"I don't want to!"
"Well, I do, and I'm sorry if you have a problem with that!"
"You're damn right, I have a problem with that. You're not even unpacked yet and all you can think about is—"
"I can't help it if he's been on my mind. I need Dawson to forgive me, Pacey. I thought you, of all people, would understand."
"What do we have to apologize for, Jo? We apologized countless times, months ago! How many more times do we need to apologize? And apologize for what?! For being happy? For being together? Because I am never, ever going to apologize for that! And have you considered that maybe it's Dawson who owes us an apology for the horrible shit he pulled last spring? That maybe he should be asking for our forgiveness? That Dawson is the one who should be anxious to square things away?"
Joey heaved an exasperated sigh. "Well, maybe we should be the bigger people and take the high road, Pacey. You know, maybe we should at the very least acknowledge what we did to him and the hurt it caused him, and then maybe he'll be more inclined to apologize for how badly he reacted. Try to put yourself in Dawson's shoes."
He shook his head. "Why? He never puts himself in mine." He started walking away.
"Pacey!"
"It's fine," he told her, turning around to face her as he kept walking. "Ever since we left New York, you've become more and more preoccupied with Dawson. So, you know what? Go ahead. Go ahead and get a ride home with him. That way you can have all the time in the world to tell him just how sorry you are for being with me and to let him know just how much you regret making that choice. I'm sure he'll forgive you in no time, Jo."
Her face fell. Was that really what he thought she would say to Dawson? She stared after Pacey, watching him walk away, her stomach tightening with a dreadful, sick feeling.
Joey leaned against the hood of Dawson's SUV, waiting for him. He was obviously surprised to find her there, but she was at least glad that the awkwardness from earlier hadn't prevented him from offering her a ride home like she'd hoped he would.
"So, I bet you got to see a lot of different places," Dawson said conversationally, finally speaking after several minutes of quiet.
"Yeah. Amazing places."
Silence. "Any favorites?"
She glanced out the car window, fighting a smile. "Well, Key West, of course. The Carolinas were beautiful. Atlantic City was a lot of fun and New York was incredible. I took lots of pictures if you… uh…" She paused, inwardly chided herself. Why the hell would he ever want to see those? "Um… so, Jen told me that you guys all went to Philadelphia together?"
"Yeah. That was a fun trip."
Silence.
"So, how are your parents doing?"
He scoffed. "They're still in their honeymoon phase."
"Ah."
"Yeah."
"So, how many times have you walked in on them this summer?"
"I lost count."
She chuckled, and then fell silent.
A few minutes later, she was asking Dawson about his new interest in photography while he walked her to her back porch. "Didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I have, but I guess that's the way it always is, huh?"
"What's that?" she asked.
"You don't choose what you love, it chooses you."
There. He'd decided to be the one to open the door to the conversation. She'd rehearsed it inside her head countless times over the past week, but she had no idea how it actually was gonna go. She closed her eyes and quickly gathered her thoughts. "Dawson, uh… I'm very sorry. I'm sorry for the way things happened last spring. I'm sorry for the way I handled it, or didn't handle it, as was the case, and the way you found out. I feel terrible about that and I so badly wish it didn't happen that way. And… I'm sorry that you were hurt. I know how difficult it was for you and probably still must be."
Dawson heaved a sigh. "It wasn't easy, thinking of the two of you together every day and every night."
Averting her eyes, she shoved her hands in her back pockets. Pacey was right; there was no one who probably wanted to know more than Dawson. "Well, then I'm especially grateful for you being the only person I've talked to tonight who wasn't crass enough to ask the big, invasive question."
"I'm the only person the answer could potentially kill."
Joey stared at him. Dawson may not be so crass as to come right out and ask, but that didn't mean he didn't want her to tell him. It was written all over his face. He was desperate for reassurance, for her to put his mind at ease. She could do that, but she and Pacey had both agreed to say nothing. Besides, there was no point in reassuring Dawson now. The only thing he could possibly hope for between them was friendship because that's all there would ever be.
Then she remembered the gift. "Wait here."
She walked over by the door where his wrapped souvenir was sitting. Carrying it off the porch, she handed it to Dawson. "It's for you."
After he'd unwrapped the brick and she'd told him it was from Ernest Hemingway's house, Dawson had to make a comment about Hemingway killing himself. Pacey had been right about that, too, she thought. "It represents the foundation of… of a new friendship."
"I feel like I'm at the ribbon-cutting of a new strip mall."
"Quit joking, Dawson."
"The truth is, Joey, it's gonna take a lot more than symbols to get back what we had, and right now I'm not even sure that I want to."
Memories of last spring suddenly came forward; Dawson's ultimatum, his angry and accusatory words, the look on his face when she left him behind on his dock back in June. "Okay…"
Dawson stared down at the brick for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "We're just gonna have to take one day at a time."
"I know." She took the wrapping paper from Dawson's hand and walked up onto the porch. As she reached her back door, Pacey's face swam in front of her eyes. She turned, watching Dawson move towards his car door.
"Uh, Dawson…" He stopped and looked at her. "Um… I may be sorry for a lot of things, but… I'm not sorry I fell in love with Pacey. And I'm not sorry that I went away with him for the summer. Those are two things I'll never be sorry for, and I think you know that. So… thanks again for not asking that question that everyone's been asking."
Sighing, Dawson stared at her for a moment. Then his mouth curved into a hint of a smile. "I realized that I don't have to ask that question."
"You don't?" she shrugged, curious as to what he meant, remembering her earlier conversation with Pacey on the beach.
"Nope," he said, opening the car door. "I know you, Joey, and I already know the answer. I've known the answer all along."
Frowning, she stepped inside the house. With Pacey on her mind, she walked over to kitchen wall and took the keys to the truck off their hook. When she got behind the steering wheel and put on her seatbelt, it dawned on her that she hadn't driven stick since June. A slight sense of panic rose up inside her. She sat there and groaned, begrudgingly lifting the key up to the ignition. But she took a deep breath, thought of Pacey and their driving lessons, and feeling the anxiety start to dissipate, she then started the truck.
Sitting on the boat's cabintop, Pacey watched his girlfriend pull up and park in front of the dock, no doubt fresh from clearing the air with her erstwhile soulmate. He had imagined their conversation fifty different ways, and they all ended with Dawson doing the most to guilt-trip her into doubting herself and the choices she made as he was wont to do.
Joey walked down the dock towards the True Love. She knew Pacey had been mad at her, and while just the thought of Pacey being upset with her had twisted her stomach, she knew he couldn't stay mad at her for long. He wasn't immune to her charm. Far from it.
"Well, I've decided something," she announced as she traipsed along the dock in front of him. "And it is perhaps the singularly most important thing that I've realized in the last 45 minutes, so I must share it with you." She sighed and set her hands on her hips. "This town has far too many stoplights for somebody who's not very good at driving stick. I stalled seven times coming over here."
"Too bad it wasn't eight," he muttered.
Yep, he was still mad. She stepped off the dock and onto the boat. "I stalled seven times," she said, sitting down next to him. "And six out of the seven times, do you know what I thought about?"
He shook his head as he resolutely stared down at the book in his hands, an old edition of The Little Mermaid they'd gotten from a thrift store in New Haven. It felt like he'd been reading the same paragraph for the past fifteen minutes.
"You."
He knew she was buttering him up. Well, it wasn't going to work this time, he told himself.
"It's this secret thing I do whenever I get really pissed off or confused or angry or… upset or sad. I think of you and I immediately feel good inside. I guess it's kind of like taking a good mood pill or something." It had started fairly early into junior year, she remembered. Whenever she was upset or confused about Dawson, angry at her sister or the jerks in school or the world in general, sad about her mom, her dad, she'd think about Pacey and she'd feel better. Why had it taken her so long to realize she was in love with him?
She was definitely buttering him up, he thought. He refused to fall for it. It was not going to work.
"And I swore to myself that I would never tell you that I did this because it is so girly and stupid. And I just told you because… I needed to score major points for not really explaining what went down tonight, or why I've been so preoccupied with the need for us to apologize to Dawson."
She'd paused and he looked up from the book. Who was he kidding? Of course, it would work, but he still wasn't going to give in easily. "Keep going," he told her.
Joey lifted her legs and hugged her knees. "Pacey, I wanted to talk to Dawson tonight, not because for four months of my life he was my boyfriend, but because for the better part of my life he was my friend. And as my friend, I hurt him deeply. We both did. Instead of having the maturity and courage to sit him down and just talk to him about how we felt, we snuck around behind his back, we lied to him and our friends, and then he found out the truth from someone else entirely. I ruined our friendship and then I broke his heart. Living with that fact has caused me no small amount of guilt over the past three months."
She wasn't the only one who felt guilty. More times than he could count, Pacey had wished that, instead of sneaking around and going back and forth for a week about who should be the one to tell Dawson, they both would've just sat him down right away and then the three of them could've talked about it together. Looking back on what they'd done instead made him want to kick himself.
"So, yes, over the past week I've been preoccupied a lot with wanting to make amends for all that, and it's made my mind wander sometimes, but my heart? That's a fixed point. Three months riding the open waters couldn't shake it, and I'll be damned if I let your insecurities shake it."
She did what she did best and called him on his bullshit. The frustration melting away, he chuckled.
"My heart never left this boat. It's never left you." Joey smiled as Pacey pressed his forehead to hers, their noses brushing lightly. "And as far as I can tell, it's never going to."
She'd done it. She'd buttered him right up. "Okay, you got me." He set the book aside and grabbed her hand. "I do want to know one thing, though."
She breathed a contented sigh as he pulled her against him, cradling her in his arms. "What's that?"
"I want to know what exactly it was you thought of the seventh time you stalled," he said before pressing his lips to her shoulder.
"That I was never going to drive stick again."
He scoffed. "How very practical."
Joey smiled at him. He bent his head and their lips met in a soft, passionate kiss. Her lips were so sweet; he loved them more each time he tasted them. Pacey held the kiss as long as he could, before brushing her nose with his.
"So," he said after a moment. "Are you gonna tell me how it went?"
"Talking to Dawson?" She leaned back against him, his arms still around her.
"Yeah, that. Did you give Dawson his friendship brick?"
"Yes, I did."
"I bet he can't wait to hit me in the face with it."
Joey laughed in spite of herself. "Pacey," she sighed.
He shrugged, taking her hands and threading their fingers. "So, is all forgiven? Did you apologize enough for running off with his former best friend?"
"Is all forgiven? Hardly. And I'm never going to apologize for that. So, if that's what Dawson wants to hear, then he shouldn't hold his breath. I will never apologize for loving you, Pacey. I'd have to actually feel sorry to apologize for that, and I'm not sorry at all."
He smiled and kissed her cheek. Then the other thing that had been weighing on his mind came to the fore. "So… did Dawson ask?"
Frowning, she sat up and stared at her boyfriend. How had he been so right about Dawson, and she'd been so wrong? "Sort of. In a roundabout way, I guess. Not directly…"
Of course, he did. Pacey gave her an I told you so look. "And did you set his mind at ease? Did you assure him that his soulmate returned from her summer cruise untainted by one Pacey J. Witter? That she returned to him unspoiled, her virginity still intact?"
"Gross, Pacey. As a matter of fact, I didn't. We said we were keeping that to ourselves, and it would only have given him false hope, wouldn't it? I may not have had sex with you over the summer, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to in the future."
He blinked, taken aback by her words. "You are?" She'd never just come right out and said anything like that before.
Joey laughed in disbelief at his surprise, feeling slightly embarrassed, averting her eyes from his surprised gaze. "Well…? What did you think was eventually going to happen, Pacey?"
"Well, I hoped but I never… you know, assumed."
"Why? Because I'm a prude?" She scowled.
Shaking his head, Pacey chuckled and pulled her into his arms once again. "Potter, you are most definitely not a prude. I stand corrected, and I've never been more happy to be wrong."
She blushed furiously and started giggling while he nuzzled her cheek. "Um, Pace?"
"Yeah?"
"I have a confession to make."
His brows furrowed. "Which is?"
Joey sighed. "I told Jen."
"Told Jen what?"
"About what happened on the boat. This summer… between you and I… you know, sexually speaking. She asked, and… I told."
He was stunned into silence for a moment. "When you say you told, you mean…?" He arched his brows.
Her face reddened and she chewed on her lip. "Well, I didn't go into vivid detail, but she now has a pretty good idea of what transpired. Are you mad? I know we said we weren't going to say anything, but she'd basically made me promise to tell her when I got back and…" Her brows knitted with worry. "Please don't be mad, Pacey."
He chuckled. Why was he not surprised? Apparently, she and Jen had gone from email buddies to real, actual friends. He was happy about that; she needed friends. "I'm not mad, Joey." Then he grinned and lowered his mouth close to her ear. "Well, since you got to tell someone, I think it's only fair that I get to tell someone."
"Gretchen," she replied without hesitation. "Girls only."
He laughed. "Okay. So, if my sister asks, and if I want to tell her the truth, then…"
She nodded. "Yes. You can tell her."
Pacey sighed, ashamed of his behavior earlier at the Dive-In. "Jo?"
She leaned back to look at him. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
He kissed her temple. "For getting so mad earlier… about you and Dawson."
She turned in his arms and kissed him near his mouth. "Pacey, I don't think your problem is me and Dawson. I think your problem is you and Dawson, and that's not a problem I can fix. That's between the two of you, and I can't force it. My relationship with Dawson is completely different from yours. I was wrong to try and push you into apologizing. I can't tell you what to do or say. I can't really tell you how to feel about the state of your friendship with Dawson."
He didn't know how to feel. His feelings about last spring were a complicated mess, and while he did very much regret certain choices and how some events occurred, the vindictive malice that Dawson had displayed towards him and the hateful things he'd said were like a poison in his mind.
"Maybe I'm more trouble than I'm worth," she said glumly, sadness welling up at the fractured nature of their once inseparable friendships. "Have you considered that?"
Pacey knew that even if he and Dawson both sincerely apologized and struck up a peace between them, things would never be the same. It wasn't likely they would ever be friends again, certainly not like they used to be. Gazing at Joey, he knew he'd probably never be able to restore the friendship he'd lost with Dawson, but he'd gained so much more.
"You're trouble all day and all night, Potter," he teased. Then he lifted his hand to caress her cheek. "But you're most definitely worth it. You are worth more than life itself." He kissed her nose. "And not just for the sex we're someday gonna have in the future."
Joey laughed. "Thanks, I guess. Well, I definitely like you for the sex we're gonna have in the future. I mean, the rest is pretty good, too. Except for your parents, but I'm willing to try and look past that."
"Funny you should mention them…" He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Guess who wants to have you over for family dinner on Sunday?"
She stared. "You're kidding." Sunday dinner at the Witter's? Had hell frozen over?
"Oh, I wish I was, Jo, believe me."
"I think I may come down with a bad cold later this week."
"Yeah, I think that's the same one I'm gonna catch."
She smiled, snuggling closer. They were quiet for several moments, their arms wrapped around each other, perfectly content. She gazed down at the boat, at where it was moored securely to the dock. "Hey, Pace?"
He softly brushed his nose along hers. "Hmm?"
"I kind of miss being out on the water all day."
"Me too, Jo."
"Can we… get in our hammocks and read our book? Pretend we're sailing somewhere far from here?"
Nodding, he smiled and pressed his lips to hers, and they kissed each other with a renewed passion.
September 4. On Labor Day, they were sitting at an umbrella-covered table, sharing a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae. Joey dipped her spoon into the rich peanut butter sauce and chocolate fudge before lifting it to her mouth. "This is perfectly delicious," she said, rolling her eyes up at the umbrella.
"So are you," Pacey smirked as he spooned the vanilla ice cream, and she blushed at the compliment.
"Lame."
They turned to stare at Buzz, who started laughing into his ice cream cone. Joey fought a grin. "This kid is clearly gonna give you a run for your money, Pace."
He shook his head. "You don't know the half of it," he teased, winking at Buzz.
A few minutes later, Pacey tossed their trash into a nearby can. "So, we ready to go out on the boat?"
"Yeah!" Buzz exclaimed.
Joey smiled at him and they got up to leave. As they maneuvered through the other umbrella-covered picnic tables in front of the Reese's Dairy Bar stand, they suddenly came face to face with Dawson, Jen, Andie, and Jack, who were standing in the long line in front of the order window. For a moment, they all gaped silently at each other, none of them having expected the encounter.
"Um, how are you guys?" Joey asked, feeling somewhat awkward at being caught off-guard.
"We're good," Jen answered.
"Yeah… just getting some ice cream," Andie stated the obvious with a shrug.
Pacey's gaze met Dawson's and held, and he could still see the anger and hatred there. The others with him in line awkwardly glanced between them, and appeared anxious over Dawson's reaction. With her head held high, Joey reached out and took Pacey's hand in hers, squeezing his palm. "Okay, well, see you guys in school tomorrow," she told their friends.
"See ya, Joey," Jen and Jack said in unison, before she punched his arm and said, "Jinx! You owe me a Coke."
Jack grimaced while he rubbed the spot on his arm where his best friend's fist had made contact. "Jesus!" he grumbled while Jen laughed.
"It's good to see you, Pacey," Andie said quietly.
He smiled sadly, remembering her avoidance last night at the Dive-In. "It's good to see you, too, Andie."
After giving their friends a half-smile and nod of acknowledgement, Joey started turning them away, heading for the street. Then Pacey stopped in his tracks and turned back. "Hey, guys," he called out, still holding firmly onto Joey's hand while Buzz stood beside him.
Jen, Jack, Andie, and Dawson turned and looked at them, their expressions a mixture of surprise, confusion, curiosity, and annoyance. He sighed, and then took Joey's advice about being the bigger person. "We're, uh… we're going sailing on the True Love. You wanna come with us?"
Joey's eyes widened and she stared at her boyfriend. She hadn't expected that at all. Affection and admiration for him filled her heart.
Jen and Andie smiled brightly, clearly pleased, while Jack nervously eyed Dawson for a reaction. Pacey's eyes locked with his for a brief moment, and then wordlessly, Dawson turned around and put his back to him. Jack shrugged helplessly while Jen and Andie's smiles faltered. "Um, I think we're just probably gonna get ice cream today," Jen replied. "But thanks for asking, Pacey," Andie added, her expression holding some mixture of gratitude and sympathy.
"Well, it's an open invitation, just so you know."
Pacey watched his friends smile appreciatively, and then he turned away, walking towards the street. When they reached the curb, he looked down at Buzz. "Take my hand, and then we gotta look both ways before we cross."
"Okay, Pissy."
Joey snorted. He rolled his eyes, heaving an exasperated sigh over his young mentee. He knew this was just payback for being gone all summer, but that was okay. He could handle it, and he was pretty sure Buzz would soon get over it. Pacey glanced at his girlfriend beside him. She gazed at him with such pride and love, his heart swelled and his stomach fluttered. "What?"
"That was a very nice thing you did back there," she said.
He pursed his lips and nodded, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. "It was nothing."
Joey shook her head, her brown eyes soft and tender. "No, it wasn't, Pacey."
He started to glance over his shoulder. "Do you think they're talking about us?"
She shrugged and then threaded their fingers, squeezing his hand tight. "Let 'em talk."
Smiling, Pacey walked with Joey and Buzz across the street and down to the waterfront. They were soon unmooring the True Love from the dock. Once he'd motored them out of the harbor and Joey helped him raise the sails, they spent the afternoon cruising the open waters of the Atlantic, soaking up the warm sun and the salty breeze.