To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance
There's a violent thunderstorm at light at Horizon and the groups are all gathered around the lodge for safety. Ever since finding out that Andie and Pacey broke up Joey has been trying to hook up with Pacey, to no avail. She's standing over by the window, looking out into the darkness of the rain, when Pacey walks over to her. "How many times do I got to say it?" He asks. "Maybe til I'm convinced you mean it" she responds, neither of them noticing that Andie has been watching them while pretending to read her book.
"There she goes again, like he's going to go for her" She says out loud, to no one in particular. "Don't they have some test with monkeys, you know where they keep doing something over and over and keep getting the same results?" She asks Jen who is sitting behind her.
"I think it's dogs" She says and looks back down at her book.
"That's total Joey, a dog in heat"
"You should smack her on the nose witih a rolled up newspaper" Jen jokes and Andie just laughs.
Pacey goes to walk away when Joey call out after him softly. "Hey" she says, "You're like a stalker or something, you know that?" He says some what kidding. "I only stalk the very best best" She smiles back.
"Why don't you go bother Jack, I'm sure he'd be up for it" he points over to where Jack was sitting.
"Funny how Jackers always up for it, and you're not. Don't you think?" Joeys asks. "I don't know what you're so scared of" She continues.
"Yea right."
"I guess that means I'll see you there then."
"I guess" Pacey responded and Joey finally walks away from him, but not before stopping behind Andie and leaning over her back to whisper in her ear. "Your ex is meeting me in the janitor's shed at 7:30." She quickly leaves before Andie can say anything, but Jen heard and is shocked at this new turn of events, and tries to put a conforting hand on Andie's shoulder.
"Did I hear wrong?"
"Well you know what they say….every dog has his day"
"This is not funny" Andie says just as lightening strikes and knocks down the power in the building. "This will mess up her plans" She says trying to convince herself.
"Right, like no one's ever done it in the dark before."
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"Well the good news is, it's not the fuse box….the powers out everywhere" Peter says walking up to Sophie who was gathering blankets.
"That's the good news?" She asking stopping to look at him.
"Bad new is the ridge-runner dorm is leaking."
"We've got sleeping bags in the storage closet" She reminds him but then notices the look on his face. "What? What is it?"
"Our policy doesn't even come close to covering this kind of damage. I just checked"
"Ohhh, yeah….that's bad….hmmmm so what's the plan?"
"Call my ex wife Chloe. Beg her for money" Peter responds and Sophie shakes her head.
"And here I thought the worst had passed" She tells him.
"You and I both" he says and hands her a lantern "hang on to that" he says and walks into the main lounge where most of the group is hanging out.
"All right everybody, listen up, it's going to be tight here tonight gang. We're going to do some rearranging okay? Listen up. I'd like to have the Trackers over here by the fireplace, I want the Ridge-Runners over here by these sleeping bags. The wind dancers over there by those tables and the cliffhangers by the back door. Come one everybody, let's move." Peter instructs them clapping as if to say chop chop. Everyone starts moving around and Sophie is handing out sleeping bags.
"Why do the Trackers get the fireplace" Jack complains.
"Yeah, they're always getting pampered huh?" Dawson agrees. "Oh really?" Peter walks up having heard. "Is that right? Well let's think about this Power's out everywhere, there's no heat. I wonder how we're going to keep it warm in here all night"
"Duh, you guys" Joey chimes in sitting down next to Jen and Jack "The Trackers are going to have to keep the fire going all night"
"Now could I have everybody's attention please?" Peter says standing up again. "I believe that the Cliffhangers would like to file a complaint"
"I…uh, we're cool right here, right guys?" Dawson says.
"Yea"
"It's no problem"
"We're great"
They all yell out at the same time.
Meanwhile Pacey was sitting on the floor in another corner just watching Sophie hand out sleeping bags. Sophie is a beautiful young woman and anyone who sees her appreciates her beauty. But because of the abusee he's had at the hands of his step mom, Pacey confuses his feelings towards attractive older women. Which just further frustrates him.
Andie who is stilling a few feet away from him, notices the intense stare on his face and starts to put a scowl on her face, which does not go unnoticed by Dawson. Jen who is loving just watching this whole thing play out walks over to Dawson and leans over to whisper "The janitor's shed at 7:30….need I elaborate more?" She says just as Andie grabs her sleeping bag and walks over to set it up next to Pacey's.
"Does Andie know?" Dawson asks
"What does it matter?" Jen counters with a scuff "They're history anyway. Right Dawson?" She asks with a shrug of her shoulder and innocent smile. He just looks down as if to say I don't know what your talking about. "You're nuts, you know that?" He says walking away just as Jack walks up "What was that about?" He asks, pointing back at Dawson.
"He's happy Andie and Pacey broke up, but he's upset because she's not with him. When these two emotions collide, it's like instant suffering"
"Where do you come up with all this?" Jack asks
"It's in the cards"
"What else do the cards say?"
"That your on the verge of a torrid passionate love" She tells Jack who just swallows hard.
"What do the cards say about you?"
"I can't read stuff on myself." She quickly dismisses as Pacey gets up and walks over to the staircase and Dawson and Jack soon follow after. They notice Sophie walk in from the outside soaking wet now from the rain.
"Man I don't know about you but I'm enjoying this view." Jack says.
"She's wearing a turtle-neck dude" Dawson tells him
"I just have to close my eyes…"Jack starts but is soon interrupted by Pacey telling him to shut up. Sophie looks over and notices the boys and Paceys avoids eye contact and looks down, leaving Sophie with a questioning look on her face but she shakes it off and continues the conversation she was having with the other camp counselor.
She then grabs her jacket and walks out to the shed to Peter who was getting supplies. "Maybe I don't need to get a puppy afterall" she jokingly tells him. "Kids having a crush on their counselors pretty common. Pacey's attention will shift to girls his own age soon enough."
"I had a crush on a teacher once" Sophie tell hims "Mr. Kraninski, 4th grade science teacher"
"What happened to him?"
"Oh, nothing…later that year Billy McManus took a hit for me in dodge ball. My heart was his until 6th grade" She tells him with a big smile.
"I rest my case" Peter says laughing
"It still makes me a little uncomfortable though"
"It's okay, just stick to the drill. Don't be alone with him, obvious stuff, you know?"
"That's what I've been doing."
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Meanwhile Joey is out in the Janitor's shed trying to find whatever lights and blankets she can to somewhat make the shed look romantic. There's not much she can do, it is a camping school, but she moves a couple of things around and finds cot that she puts out with some blankets and pillows. She also has a small bottle of sample perfume that she lightly sprays in the air and on herself. Wanting to really set the mood.
She finds two small mixed colored candles and lights them on a table and sprinkles from flower petals that she picked off earlier to look like rose petals. She sets up a whole picnic from supplies she got in the kitchen, and when she's done, she changes her usual jeans and tee shirt outfit for a nice simple form fitting dress, and puts her hair up in a few curls.
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Back inside Pacey is reading a book next to Jack when Jack speaks up
"Did you hear me? It's 7:26"
"Yea, I heard you the first time" Pacey says never looking up from his book.
Sophie walks over to the both of them "Guys, I need someone to help me grab firewood" She calls over to all the boys, when Pacey quickly hops up to his feet. "I got it" He says and he walks up right next to her.
"It's someone else's turn Pacey"
"It's okay, I've got nothing better to do, he says starting to walk out towards the door.
"Okay, Rob why don't you help too?" Sophie says after Pacey left, getting another student to join them so that their not alone.
They walk out to the rain to get the wood, and Jack decides to head out over to the shed to check on Joey.
He knocks quietly and waits for Joey to respond before entering the.
"Come in" she says, and Jack enters with his head down and the rain jacket hood covering him. She has no idea that it's not Pacey yet, and Jack closes the door behind him. "Think you could handle a romantic dinner?" She asks.
Jack finally lifts his head and smiles at her.
"Oh!" She says and covers her face in embarrassment.
"Honey, you shouldn't have" He jokes as he sits down and start munching on some grapes. "You should be thanking me." He continues on.
"For what?! Ruining everything?" She asks now hiding behind a stack of boxes near the back.
"For saving your butt….Peter's looking for you, we're n kitchens" he tell her as she emerges from behind the boxes with her regular clothes on now. Walking hastly right past him, Joey pays him no attention and starts packing up the picnic she had laid out.
"You could leave this stuff, try again later" he tells her softly now that he's noticed she's visibly upset.
"Are you insane?! He had his chance"
"What if you told him how you really feel?"
"Pacey is never going to find out about this!"
"WHY, Because it's nice?"
"We're not having this conversation" Joey practically yells at him on the verge of tears.
"This is the same as when you rescued Gracie and you didn't want anyone to know"
"Just shut up Jack" She says throwing her hands up in the air. He gives her a small nod and heads back towards the door, leaving her alone to blow out the candles and finish packing up.
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Joey finally finishes and walks into the kitchen finding the rest of the group making sandwiches. She keeps her head down as she walks over to Pacey.
"Hey." She says quietly, "You missed out on a really good time"
"Is that why Jackers looks so happy? He took my place?" he rebuts, cause her to fight back tears before clearing her throat.
"You don't know anything" She says, finally looking back up at him, for only just a second before walking away. Leaving Pacey to just stare out in front of him, as if he's uncomfortable making eye contact with anyone now. Knowing he purposely hurt her. He's not really sure why, he's just so angry with himself and she became a scapegoat.
Sophie is over in the corner standing on a ladder so that she can reach the bigger pots that are used to cook the big group meals.
Jen goes and walks over to Pacey tells him something and then they both go walk over to to Sophie.
"Uh, Jeff sent us to get some ice cream" Jen tells her
"Oh no, your too late, we already thew it out, it meted with the power outage. Umm" she stays at the top of the ladder and looks around, "Oh grab some marshmallows, you can make s'mores over the fireplace." She turns back to the pot she was scrubbing and Jen walks over while Pacey lingers for just a minute. He walks up to the ladder and grabs onto it to hold it against the wall.
"This ladder is not so study" He tells her startling her.
"Oh thanks, I'm almost done" She says with a hint of nervousness in her voice as he just stars up at her in awe.
"Why don't you go help Jen?"
"She can handle it, it's just marshmellows"
"You better get back" She tells him and he sighs and starts to walk away as she turns her back to him again. Pacey pauses in the threshold of the door and pauses to look back as she makes her way down the ladder. He decides to walkback over to her and as soon as she reaches the bottom she turns around to face him and he quickly put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in for a quick peck on the lips. She quickly reacts and pushes him back.
"Stop it! That will never happened again, NEVER" She tells him and he appears to have snapped out of his trance but is quickly turning into anger "Do you understand? I'm going straight to report this to Peter"
"Do whatever you want! I don't care" he yells at her throwing his hands up in the air and kicking the paper towels that where stacked on the floor over in frustration as he walks out of the room. Leaving Sophie in shock at his change in attitude.
He walks out of the kitchen past the main lobby and bumps his shoulder into Joey's as he is walking at such a fast pace with his tunnel vision.
"Where the fire?" She jokes calling out to him, and he stops and turns around and grabs her hand before she can walk away from him. She looks down at their joined hands and walks slowly over to him and he meets her in the middle for a passionate kiss against the wall. It's dark in the cabin, since the power is out from the storm, so no one really sees them tucked away in the corner having a full on make out session.
"Wait. Hold on…..not right here" She tells him and smiles as she grabs his hand again to lead him out, "I have an idea"
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Meanwhile Sophie has gone to find Peter and is now discussing the events that just took place in his office so they have privacy.
"Look, I'm telling you. It was weird…He literally flipped out"
"I'm sure he was embarrassed."
"It was more than that. I think we're wrong about it being just a crush. My gut is telling me that we're dealing with something different here Peter. This is about something else"
"Okay" Peter nods, trusting her judgement. "I'll notify his parents in the morning, then sit down with him privately and hear his side"
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Pacey and Joey actually make their way back to the boys dorm and have taken off their wet jackets and sweater, and are now both standing with just a wife beater and tank top as they look around.
"So, um, which one is your bed?" She asks him
"Number 4" He tells her pointing towards it.
"Guess we could, um, kick it over there" She says suddenly getting nervous around him again
"I guess" He shrugs
She makes her way over to his bed and he follows close behind before they both sit down on his bed.
"Who's this?" She asks looking at a picture on his nightstand
"My dad"
"You guys look alike"
"Not really" he says and they just sit there for a second in awkward silence.
"Ummm you can kiss me" She tells him, in a soft giving permission kind of tone, so he scoots closer to her and slowly leans in for a kiss. There in the middle of their makeout session when in his head he starts hearing his stepmom call out to him and fear gathers in his eyes. Pacey looks down at his hands, and shakes his head a bit while softly say "No" as if he's trying to shake her out of his mind. He doesn't even realize that Joey heard him or that she asked him "What?" before turning back to her to kiss her again. This time he's more forcefull with the kiss, but it doesn't take to long before again Elaine pops into his mind. He pulls away from Joey again and pushes his hands through his hair, trying to catch his breath.
"What's wrong?" Joey asks, now genuinely concerned.
"Get out" Pacey says, but he's talking to Elaine in mind, Joey thinks he's talking to her so she looks around confused and just says "Okay" as she starts get up from the bed. "
"Pacey…you don't mean that" Elaine tells him in his head as Joey stops at the door before looking back at him.
"Get out of here, get out of my head!" He says loudly and on the verge of tears. Joey still doesn't understand so she grabs her jacket and opens to door to leave when Pacey gets up and runs after her.
"Joey, Joey please!" He stops her in the doorway.
"Pacey, you're scaring me"
"She's in my head" He tells her, now crying "I can't get her out"
"Who?"
"Don't go Jo….I'm scared too" and for the first time these two look at each other, I mean really look at each other with genuine feelings, and not just a lust that this attraction has been. For the first time they both understand that this connection is more. It's more and it needs to be take care of tenderly.
"She would come into my bedroom" Pacey tells her and they walk over to his bed and he wraps her in a blanket. "She would tell me that she was scared and stuff"
"How long has she been your step mom?"
"A year"
"And when was, like the first time?"
"A month, maybe two months after she moved in"
"Don't get mad, this is going to sound really bad….but I kind of thought guys always wanted it"
"Me too" He replies somberly
"I thought this stuff only happened to girls"
'Which makes me ever more of a freak"
"Pacey you are not a freak! Elaine's the freak. I hate this, this messed up thing happened to you and now you think it's your fault"
"But I never stopped her"
"Yea but you tired"
"But I still….you know…She makes me sick"
"You shouldn't feel guilty, she's the one playing mind games and lying and making threats. She should be the one carted off." She pauses before continuing.
"Are you going to tell Peter?"
"I don't know" He tells her honestly
"If you do, they'd have to report it, you know?"
"My dad?"
"Everyone, your dad, the cops, it's the law"
"It happened to a girl, she told in group that her dad was abusing her and they reported it."
"What happened?"
"He came and took her home"
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Later that evening Sophie is walking around with a dim flash light checking on all the students making sure that their asleep. She makes her way over to Joey and Pacey, who are laying next to eachother, asleep and holding hands.