AN- Two more chapters left!! Counting this one unless I do an epilouge.
Joey walked into work that day with a smile on her face. She glanced toward the counter and spotted Jack cleaning the counter. She smilied even brighter, put her apron on and joined him.
''Hey Jackers.'' she greeted him.
''Hey Jo.'' he said, smiling shyly at her.
''Ok, Joey and Jack. We are opening soon. Joey can you go grab the extra ketchup containers in the back?'' Bessie asked.
''You bet.'' Joey said.
''I'll help.'' Jack offered.
They walked into the backroom and Joey turned into his arms.
''All alone, finally.'' she said, leaning up to kiss him softly.
He smilied at her as they broke apart.
''So, what are you doing tonight?'' he asked.
''Babysitting Alex.'' Joey said, sighing. ''Don't get me wrong, I love that kid. But sometimes he's just so kid like.''
Jack laughed.
''Well he is a kid, Jo.'' he told her.
She smacked his chest.
''Don't make fun of me.'' she said.
He leaned down and kissed her.
''That better?'' he asked softly when they broke apart.
''A little.'' she whispered.
''Well what do we have here?'' they heard a voice say.
They quickly jumped apart to face Bessie with an amused smile on her face. Joey blushed bright red and Jack looked down at his shoes sheepishly.
''We were just.'' Joey started.
''Getting the ketchup.'' Jack finished for her.
''Aww, already finishing each others sentances. How cute.'' Bessie teased.
''So let's get the ketchup.'' Joey said loudly.
Jack quickly turned and grabbed a few containers and running out to the front of the resturant.
''Bessie!'' Joey said, turning to her sister. ''How could you embarrass me like that?''
Bessie chuckled.
''Because little sister, you've never had a boyfriend. It's cute. Jack's sweet. Mom would have liked him.'' she said.
Joey looked up quickly.
''You think?'' she asked.
Bessie nodded. Joey smilied brightly before joining her boyfriend.
Pacey sat on Dawson's bed listening to him go on and on about Andie.
''I'm mean she's pretty and funny and smart but I don't know if I feel that spark like I felt when Jen moved here.'' Dawson was saying.
''What you still like Jen?'' Pacey questioned
''No! I just don't know how much I like Andie.'' Dawson said, sighing and sitting down on the bed.
''Aww does Dawson have a crush.'' Joey joked, climbing into the room.
''Hey what are you doing here. I thought you were working?'' Pacey asked.
''I was. Bessie kicked me out because I was making out with Jack too much.'' Joey said.
Pacey and Dawson looked at her.
''What?'' she asked.
Pacey shook his head.
''I kissed Jen yesterday.'' he said.
''You did?'' Joey asked.
''Yeah. I told her to think about us and then I left.'' he said.
''I hope you guys get back together.'' Dawson told him.
''Thanks D. So do I.'' Pacey replied. ''So you and Jackers are an item?''
Joey nodded.
''Way to go Jo. Now about Andie.'' Dawson said.
Pacey and Joey groaned.
Later that day
Jen, Andie, and Joey were walking down the street when they came across a flyer advertising the Capside Beauty Pageant.
''You guys should enter this.'' Jen said, pointing to the flyer.
''I already am. The prize money twised my arm.'' Andie said.
''You'll win it Andie. There is no way I'll enter that.'' Joey said.
''Why not, you're very pretty. I"m sure you would win.'' Andie said.
''No you guys. I don't do stuff like that. I need to go. I'm babysitting tonight.'' Joey said, walking on.
Joey was playing with Alex in the living room when she heard someone knock on the door. She opened it to reveal Jack.
''Hey.'' she said, slightly surprised.
''Hey. Did you forget I was coming?'' he asked.
''No, just a lot on my mind. Come on in.'' she said stepping aside and letting him enter.
''So what's on your mind?'' he asked, walking over to Alex and leaning down to pick him up.
''Careful he might bite or scream. Alex doesn't like strangers.'' Joey warned him.
To her great surprise however, when Jack picked up her nephew, Alex giggled. She grinned as Jack made funny faces at the baby and Alex watched the teenager in wonder.
''He likes you.'' Joey stated.
''I would hope.'' Jack said, rocking Alex in his arms. ''He's kinda cute.''
Alex soon fell asleep and Joey brought him to his crib. She walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Jack. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace.
''Jen and Andie think I should enter Capesides anual Beauty Pageant.'' she said, answering his previous question.
''And you don't?'' Jack questioned.
''Come on Jack, can you really imagine me being up on stage wearing a dress and makeup and trying to impress people. I'd be booed off the stage faster then you can count.'' Joey told him, standing up and walking into the kitchen.
Jack got up and followed her.
''Jo, I think you would look amazing. You'd be perfect. I think you should try it.'' he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her closer, her back pressed against his chest.
''You do?'' she asked quietly.
''Yes, I do.'' he whispered, kissing her neck softly.
Pacey was walking to Dawson's when he spotted a familer blonde on the dock. He walked over to her.
''Hey Jen.'' he said.
''Hey.'' she said back.
''What's up?'' he asked, sitting down next to her.
''Not much. Joey called a few minutes ago. She's gonna enter the Beauty Pageant. She wants me to coach her.'' Jen told him.
''Potter's entering the Pageant? You've got to be kidding me.'' Pacey said.
She turned towards him sharply.
''Joey's a beautiful girl Pacey. Why is that so hard for you to believe?'' She snapped.
''Chill, I'm just so used to her being the tomboy I've always known.'' he said.
Jen softend.
''Sorry, rough day.'' she said.
''Care to share?'' he asked.
''Gramps is getting worse. According to the doctors he might not have that much longer.'' she told him.
''I'm sorry Jen.'' he said.
She slowly began to cry. Pacey wrapped his shoulder around her arm and brought her closer.
''Shhh. It's gonna be ok.'' he whispered, kissing the top of her head as she cried.
The next day Joey arrived at Jen's house to practice for the Pageant.
''Why am I doing this again?'' Joey asked, as she tried blancing a book on her head while she walked.
''Your boyfriend said you'd look good in a dress?'' Jen asked.
''Yeah, that's probably why.'' Joey sighed. ''So, anything going on with you?''
''What do you mean?'' Jen asked.
''I don't know.'' She tried a new tactic. ''How's Pacey?''
''How did you know about that?'' Jen asked.
''He told me and Dawson. Best friends since grade school, remember?'' Joey asked, sitting on the couch, the book forgotten.
''I want to be with him Joey, I'm just scared.'' Jen said, sitting down next to her.
''Because you've never felt this way before?'' Joey asked.
''I think I'm in love with him.'' Jen said, quietly.
''Tell him Jen. If you don't, you'll regret it. You might lose him.'' Joey told her, standing up and placing the book back on her head.
Jen thought about what she said.
Finally the night of the pageant arrived. Everyone was anixous. Dawson had been given the task of taping it so he invited his ''crew'' Pacey and Jack to come along. Andie and Joey were backstage getting ready and Jen was nervously pacing the sidelines.
''You ok Lindley?'' Pacey asked, coming over to her.
''Yeah, just worried about Joey. I know she'll do great, I'm just not sure she knows that.'' Jen told him.
''Don't worry, she'll be fine. Jack's going to give her a little pep talk.'' Pacey said.
Jen smilied at him. They heard the announcer call all the ladies into the backroom to be ready to go on stage.
''I'd better go, just in case.'' Jen said.
''See you later Jen.'' Pacey said, kissing her cheek quickly, before running to join Dawson.
Jack spotted Joey and quickly grabbed her arm and led her away from the group. He turned to her and was about to start his speech when he really looked at her. Joey was wearing long black dress that complmented her features. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and she had a light trace of make up on. She looked amzaing.
''Wow.'' he whispered, taking her all in.
Joey blushed.
''What do you want Jack? I need to go.'' she said.
''You look perfect.'' Jack said, kissing her forehead to avoid messing up her make up.
''Thanks.'' she said.
''Break a leg.'' he whispered into her ear.
She smilied before joining the others.
''Well here we are watching beautiful women all night. I like this job.'' Pacey told him friend.
Dawson was working on the camera angle and didn't seem to hear him. Jack walked over to them.
''I just saw Jo. She's looks amazing.'' he said.
''Guess Lindley did a good job.'' Pacey said.
They heard Andie's name get called first and Dawson got the camera ready, freezing as she walked onto the stage.
Andie was wearing a long light blue gown that showed off her features. Her hair was curled and frammed her face. She had an angelic smile on her face. She looked amazing.
Dawson looked up from the camera and started in wonder at her. He couldn't look away.
''Like what you see?'' he thought he heard Pacey whisper. He wasn't sure.
All he could see was her.
Andie slowly walked backstage and, in his daze, he realized he had missed whatever had happened. He got the camera ready for the next girl.
Joey heard her name called and walked on stage. Closing her eys tight she whispered to herself.
''Breathe, just breathe.''
She walked forward coming to the edge of the stage. She spotted Jack in the crowd and their eyes met. He winked encouragly. Joey ignored the wolf whistle from the crowd knowing exactly where it came from. She's kill Pacey for it later. She turned around and walked back slowly, meeting Jen and Andie.
''Andie you look beautiful.'' Joey told her friend.
''So do you.'' Andie said.
''You guys both look good. I can't decide who will win.'' Jen said.
''It will be her.'' Andie and Joey said in unison, pointing at each other.
They all laughed.
''Get back into the group you guys. I'll see you later.'' Jen said.
The girls were asked many questions and then had to preform an act. Joey sang a song and afterwards, everyone cheered. Andie's talent was tap dancing. Dawson couldn't keep his eyes away from her as she strutted on stage. Andie Mcphee was beautiful.
Finally the end came and the awards were given.
''Third place goes to Andie Mcphee.''
Andie stepped forward to recieve her prize.
''Second place goes to Joey Potter.''
Joey stepped forward to recieve her prize.
''First place goes to Roberta Crumb.''
She stepped forward to recieve her prize.
Afterwards, all the girls stepped off stage. Joey quickly took of her make up and hurried outside. As she walked down the ramp, she leaned against the rails, over looking the ocean.
''Gonna jump?'' she heard Jack ask.
''And risk ruining this dress. Yeah right.'' Joey said, as Jack leaned againest the railing next to her.
''You deserved to win. You looked and sounded amazing.'' Jack told her.
''Thanks.'' Joey said, blushing slighly, ducking her head.
Jack put his thumb under her chin and gently lifted to her head to look at him.
''You are amazing.'' he said, leaning down to kiss her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and, after they broke apart, leaned her forehead against his.
''I love you.'' he whispered.
Joey froze. Jack was looking at her, his whole face glowing. He coughed nervously.
''Jo, did you hear me. I said I love you.'' he said.
Joey didn't reply. Instead she quickly stepped away and ran.
She heard him shouting her name but didn't stop. If anything, she ran faster, needing to get away.
Andie walked over to where Dawson was putting away his camera.
''Get any good shots?'' Andie asked.
He jumped, startled.
''Um yeah. I got some ok ones.'' he said nervously. ''You should have won. You were amazing. You look terrifiic.''
Andie blushed.
''Thanks.'' she said.
Dawson starred at her, not able to look away. She smilied nervously under his gaze.
''Something on my face?'' she asked.
Dawson didn't respond. Instead he leaned down to kiss her. Andie's eyes widened in surprise but soon she got into the kiss as well.
They slowly broke apart.
''What was that?'' she whispered.
''I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. God I'm so stupid.'' Dawson said.
''Dawson! I'm glad you did.'' Andie said.
''You are?'' he asked.
''Yeah. I like you Dawson.'' she told him.
He smilied.
''I like you too.'' he told her. ''Can I walk you home?''
''I'd love that.'' she replied.
They kissed again and Dawson grabbed her hand, leading her out the doors.
Pacey offered to walk Jen home. She agreed. They arrived outside her house.
''So, this was fun.'' he said.
Jen giggled.
''You're a riot Pace.'' she said.
''I try.'' he told her.
''I miss you.'' she said.
''I miss you too.'' he told her wrapping his arms around her.
She leaned up and kissed him softly.
''I was stupid for breaking up with you Pace. Can you ever forgive me?'' Jen asked.
Her response was a breath taking kiss. His lips danced across hers and, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her tongue entered his mouth. Needing oxygen, they broke apart.
''Was that a yes or a no?'' she asked breathlessly.
He smilied at her before leaning down to kiss her again.
''Think of it as a definate yes.'' he whispered against her lips, before pressing his mouth to hers.
AN- Joey's reasons for running away will be explained in the next chapter.
STAY TUNED!!