CHAPTER ONE – The Task
MORNING – CLASSROOM
Prof. Peterson was talking to the class at the end of his biology lesson:
"All right, kids, for this semester I've decided to assign you a research task with the aim to know and explore the local flora and fauna. The task will be done in pairs and I'd want you not to limit yourselves to copy everything from the internet but to go in person in the places I'll tell you to search, take pictures and catalog all the species from the list I'll give you."
The class seemed nothing but excited about it.
"I know that it might look like a hard work but I promise you'll be satisfied about it in the end and you'll discover a new way of learning."
Prof. Peterson started to distribute some papers.
"These are the topics and the species that you'll have to treat. I've decided to keep the same pairs that you chose in the first semester for our previous teamwork."
Hearing those words, Dawson's expression immediately got annoyed, remembering perfectly who his mate was, while Pacey took the paper from the teacher, not happy about it either.
The bell rang.
Prof Peterson terminated giving out the sheets. "And remember, I want your works by the end of next week."
All the students started to get up and leave the classroom.
"See you on Thursday", the teacher greeted them.
While everyone was getting out, Dawson quickly approached the teacher's desk.
"Excuse me, Professor Peterson", he gently recalled his attention.
"Yes, Dawson?"
"I wanted to ask you...Would it be possible to change the teams?"
The professor turned to him, surprised.
"Why?"
"No, well...nothing important, it's just...- Dawson was struggling, realizing only in that moment how much it was embarrassing to explain his situation to his teacher -
"If I'm not wrong - Peterson interrupted him - you should be working with Pacey Witter, right?"
"Yeah..."
"You two worked well together last time, plus you chose the groups yourselves..."
"Yeah, I know, it's just that since then, things have changed a little between us and-
"Listen, Dawson, I know that at your age, friends come and go and everything is in constant change, but this is just a biology task, not a holiday together. If your divergences are impossible to overcome, I can swap your partner, but remember that at school, work, or even in life, you will have to learn how to adapt to every situation and how to be able to cooperate with anyone, even if that person is not your favorite."
Dawson stared at him in silence. Professor Peterson took his bag and books, ready to leave.
"So, are we good?", he asked, hoping he got through.
Dawson nodded, still frustrated by the whole thing.
"If you want my advice, Dawson, you should be worried more about the homework and less about these teen dramas. Take care!"
The teacher left the room. Dawson turned around, scoffing, just to see Pacey behind him shaking his head with a sarcastic smile.
"Don't make that face, I was just trying to make a favor for both of us!", Dawson justified himself to his former friend.
"Oh, so I guess I should thank you!", Pacey replied sarcastically.
"Nevermind…", Dawson cursed under his breath, heading straight to the door.
"Dawson, wait!"
He stopped and turned again.
"So? - Pacey asked impatiently – Are you going to do this homework with me or not?"
"Of course, I'm gonna do it! You know, this might be strange for you, but usually when a professor gives you a task, you'll do it."
"Oh oh oh...I'll pretend I didn't hear your not-so-subtle dig...", Pacey replied, annoyed.
Dawson sighed. "Are you busy this afternoon?", he eventually asked Pacey.
"Well, besides a polo match with the high society and a brunch at the golf club, I think I'm free."
"Good, so, since it's sunny today, I think we can go uphill, in the woods, to start taking some pictures", Dawson concluded, ignoring his sarcasm again.
"Ok. I can take Doug's car."
"Ok. Then, come to my place at 3pm."
Pacey nodded, then they both left the classroom.
AFTERNOON – DAWSON'S HOUSE
Pacey parked his car in Dawson's yard and walked to the porch.
For a while he stopped and stared at the door, then he sighed and rang the bell.
A few moments after, Dawson opened the door.
"Hey", Pacey greeted, unemotionally.
"You know the door is always open", Dawson stated with the same distance.
"Yeah, but I thought that after our last developments, I'm no longer welcome in this house."
"For once you thought right. I'll take the gear and I'll be back."
"Right."
Pacey stayed outside in the porch, remembering how much that place meant to him until a few weeks ago, while at the present moment he felt like a stranger invading the citadel.
After a while, the door opened again and Dawson got out with a couple of cameras.
"We can go now", Dawson affirmed.
Then, they both reached the car and drove away.
AFTERNOON – INSIDE THE CAR
In the car both Pacey and Dawson stayed in an awkward silence.
"So…- Pacey tried to break the embarrassment – what exactly do we have to search?"
"You don't know? – Dawson immediately reacted – Pacey, please tell me that you have at least read the description of the homework!"
"For your information, I've read the assignment, I've just wanted to animate this horror atmosphere since it's been 20 minutes that you don't say a word!"
"Oh, I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood to chat with the person that until a month ago was hanging out behind my back with the girl that means the most for me in the world!"
"The same girl that happens to be your ex girlfriend, Dawson. Your ex girlfriend for more than a year if we want to be more precise", Pacey quickly remarked.
"It doesn't matter how long ago we broke up. You perfectly know how much I still care about Joey and, despite that, you betrayed my trust and ended up with her."
"Me and Joey may have made a mistake not to tell you about us before you found out, but we did try to do it, you've got to believe me, we were just waiting for the right moment since we knew that this would hurt you. But besides that, we did nothing wrong since you two have been over for so long."
Dawson sighed, seeing that for Pacey was impossible to understand his point of view. "Listen, keep on thinking that you were not wrong, ok? I don't care. Now can we just not talk about this?"
"Oh no, no, no, now we'll talk about it, because I'm tired of all the constant glares you're giving me every day at school and I'm tired not to be able to come close to Joey and talk to her just because she's afraid that you may see us together! I'm sorry that you took it so bad, but the fact that you two were not together anymore makes a HUGE difference. You couldn't expect that Joey would have waited for you forever, hoping that some astral conjunctions would have got you back together again, because that's delusional, Dawson. Instead, if you really care about her, you will let her free to choose what she wants."
"And what does she want, Pacey? - Dawson continued, angrier - You? Oh come on, you two have nothing in common."
"This is not up to you to decide. And, by the way, I may have nothing in common with her, but at least I would never give her an ultimatum just to make sure she'd choose me like you did."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on, you perfectly know what I'm talking about. Joey would have never broken up with me if she only saw a little chance of not losing your friendship forever."
"But what did you expect, Pacey? That after what you did, you two would end up together and at the same time I would remain your friend? Wake up, that's not how the world goes, you can't have both things. So don't get mad at me if there is still someone who considers more important a friendship for 17 years than a meaningless affair with no future."
Pacey stopped, really impressed by his last words.
"I love Joey with all my heart and she loves me back too, so you shouldn't dare to call this a 'meaningless affair with no future' because you have no idea what you're talking about. And, in the same way, if you think that our friendship didn't mean anything to me, you couldn't be more far away from the truth."
"Unfortunately, that's not what you proved to me", Dawson concluded with a hint of sadness.
"For the last time, Dawson, I made a mistake not to tell you about this, but now she even left me, so can you tell me what else do you want from me?"
"Nothing, Pace. I don't want anything to do with you anymore. Because, after what you did to me, you mean nothing to me anymore. Is it clear enough as an answer?"
Pacey stared at him speechless.
"Perfectly clear. But you know what, Dawson? You can take that 'anymore' away because if you think so, it's equally clear that I've never meant anything to you."
Dawson shook his head and turned to his window, looking outside. Pacey kept on driving in silence.
AFTERNOON – IN THE WOOD
The car pulled over near the entrance of a wood.
"The road ends here, I think we've arrived – Pacey affirmed.
"Good, this roadtrip was already too long", said Dawson opening his bag to get both the camera and the video camera.
"I will film around, you'll take pictures, ok?", Dawson asked.
Pacey nodded.
"Unless now it doesn't come out that filming has always been your passion and you will do anything to take my video camera, even taking it without telling me", Dawson stated sarcastically, just before getting out of the car.
Pacey shook his head in disbelief, clearly annoyed. Then, he turned off the engine with anger and got out too, reaching Dawson to the other side.
"Now it's enough, Dawson, ok? If you wanna say something to me, just say it without using stupid metaphors. "
"I think I've already said what I think about you. Anyway, we're here to finish this homework so let's not waste any more time: we'll do these pictures and go straight back home, ok?"
"Yeah."
"Maybe if we split, we can make it even quicker – Dawson continued – I'll go this way, you can start from there."
"Sure, boss", Pacey replied sarcastically.
"Pacey, we'll meet back at car at 5. If you need more time, just call me on the mobile, ok?"
"There's no signal here, Dawson, I've checked it before."
Dawson took out his phone and checked again.
"You're right, there's no signal here. Strange. We must be outside the range."
Pacey launched him a told-you-so glare.
"Ok – Dawson continued ignoring his look – so in an hour here. Don't be late."
"Wait, maybe I've something in the car that we can use."
Pacey went back to the car, open the trunk and, after searching a bit, took out a pair of walkie talkies that belonged to his brother. Walking back to Dawson, he handed him one.
"So if you get lost, at least you can warn me not to wait here for hours and, in the meantime, I can go and grab a burger", Pacey said with sarcasm.
Dawson took the 2-way radio, irritated and walked away. Pacey reached the other entrance of the wood, passing by a "Stay on trail" sign.