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“So the two of you are broken up and Billy is definitely out of the
picture,” Pacey said summarizing the ten minutes of nagging that Dawson
had just put him through.
“Yeah but now Cliff Elliot is,” Dawson sighed heavily sliding two hands
through his blond locks. “He’s a star on the football team and much more
experienced then I am, who would ever pick me over him?”
“If it helps I would,” Pacey said tapping his pen on the aquarium filled
with murky water and numerous different types of bacteria that were just
reproducing millions by the minutes plotting their world domination over
them all. After a moment of thinking he paused, “Do you think it’s safe
to hold a habitat for deadly diseases?”
“Not all bacteria are bad, Pace,” Dawson groaned, “and no it wouldn’t
help, unless you grew a pair of boobs or something.”
“Then you’d love my Uncle Manny, he’s got the biggest tits I’ve ever
seen,” Pacey smirked, “I’ll never forget that summer up in Provincetown
when he took us all swimming.”
“Can we get back to the crisis at hand?” Dawson pouted snatching the
pen from Pacey.
“Right, getting Jen back,” Pacey nodded a few times, the more directed
Dawson was towards the better. “Do you know of Jen and Cliff’s plans for
this weekend?”
“I think their going to the carnival down on Hudson,” Dawson shrugged.
“Perfect, that’s where you’re going too.”
“Alone? Doesn’t that sound a little Slaughter High?”
“No, you double, bring a girl with you, make her feel jealous, make
her realize what she’s missing out on.”
“Like Joey?” Dawson offered.
“No,” Pacey said much too quickly then he had planned.
“Why not Joey?”
“Well, because,” he thought, there had to be a logical reason some where,
“Jen won’t get jealous of Joey, she’ll know that it’s just a plan to get
her back you have to bring somebody different, someone who hasn’t appeared
yet on your radar.”
“Like who?”
Scanning the room with his eyes he exclaimed triumphantly, “Mary Beth,
right over there, she’s perfect. She has that sweet edge that’s subtle
enough to pass under most people’s radar, but once you discover her, she’s
a keeper.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this,” Dawson said eyeing Pacey strangely,
“Do you have a crush on her or something?”
Biting back a chuckle he arched his brows, “No, me definitely not.”
“If you insist man,” Dawson replied with a wink.
“You will be getting you’re midterms back today,” Dr. Rand thankfully
interrupts, “and those people who did poorly, you know who you are so see
me after class!”
~*~
“Josephine Potter,” Pacey yelled from across the cafeteria running over
to the empty table she was sitting at.
“Subtle Pace, real subtle,” she said dryly shading her crimson cheeks.
“Right now I really don’t care,” he dismissed sliding into the chair
next to her. “Remember that midterm in marine bio that we took the other
day in class?”
“Yes that rings a bell or two, I recall studying endlessly for it and
you whining throughout the whole process.”
“Well all of our hard work paid off,” Pacey said slapping the paper
onto the table, “I got a 92,” he exclaimed triumphantly pointing at the
giant red numbers for good measure. “I’ve never gotten a 92 ever Potter,
maybe a 29 here and there but a 92? Never.”
“See Pace you’re smarter then you think all you have to do is work a
little and it comes to you,” Joey said smiling proudly.
“But nobody ever gives me a chance or thinks I’m capable but you, you
wouldn’t give up on me.”
“That was rather smaltzy, Witter,” Joey said still biting at her smile
as she reached for her juice bottle.
“I meant it.”
“Sure.”
“I wanna take you out,” he said abruptly.
“Like on a date?” Joey asked turning back at him with furrowed brows.
“We’ve been sleeping together for over a month and I’ve never properly
taken you out.”
“Well there was that night at the movies.”
“Doesn’t count.”
“Okay, what did you have in mind?”
~*~
Bright lights illuminated Hudson Street as the church parking lot was
filled with screaming children and grabby couples all committing less then
holy acts.
“So,” Pacey said digging his hands deeply into his pockets.
“So,” Joey replied mirroring his gesture as they walked silently down
the row of over priced games. “This is rather awkward, should we just pretend
this is two friends going to the carnival except you’re paying for everything.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” Pacey joked.
"Well you're the one who suggested it in the first place," Joey teased
the sudden familiarity beginning to wash between them.
"That would follow the conventions of a normal relationship, you and
I, we're all messed up, I think you should pay," Pacey countered.
"I could always go home if you wanted, and not open up an invitation
for you to join me."
"Fascist," he mumbled under his breath.
"That's what I thought," she smirked hip checking him as they continued
past the Tilt-a-Whirl.
“Fine what will it be, cotton candy, pretzel, nachos, funnel cake?”
He offered digging out his wallet.
“Hmm, not in the mood for pretzel, nachos are nasty; I’ve never had
funnel cake, so—.”
“You’ve never had a funnel cake?” He cut her off, “How could you have
never had a funnel cake?”
“Every time I go to a carnival a certain someone is never willing to
share,” she said eyeing him knowingly.
“That bastard,” he smirked pulling a few bills from his wallet and ordering
a funnel cake. “Prepare to be amazed.”
Finding a suitable spot on a deserted bench Joey contently placed the
cake on her lap inspecting it intensely.
“So what does it taste like exactly?”
“Crunchy donuts,” Pacey explained picking off a piece.
“Crunchy donuts?”
“Yeah, mixed with lots of oil and a helping heap of confectioner’s sugar.”
“And people voluntarily consume this and call it delicate cuisine?”
“No they eat it and call it carnival food, now quit your whining and
try some,” Pacey said pulling off another piece and waving it in front
of her lips.
“I’m scared.”
“Oh come on I just ate like three pieces.”
“Yeah well you’ll eat anything.”
He scooted closer to her pinning her flush against the railing of the
bench taunting her with the small piece of oiled dough. “Don’t make me
force you to try some.”
“Stop, Pacey!” She shrieked as he pushed it against her lips amused
by her squirms.
“C’mon Potter, I thought you were adventurous.”
“Fine,” she surrendered parting her lips allowing his greasy fingers
to slip into her mouth.
“See that wasn’t too bad,” he grinned as her tongue slipped across the
pads of his fingers. “Be careful Jo, people will be onto us,” he whispered
in a low rumbling voice as his eyes mirrored the desire that was milking
into her own orbs.
“I don’t really care,” she replied with a small twitch of a smile.
“What are you guys doing here?” Dawson asked heading through the crowds
towards them alone.
“We’re just here for backup you know if you screw up the plan,” Pacey
said swallowing guiltily as he scooted to the other side of the bench.
“You know me too well, Pace,” Dawson sighed heavily as he sat down on
the bench between them. “So what do I do now?”
“What have you done thus far?” Pacey asked trying his best to glue his
eyes on Dawson.
“First Mary Beth was onto me and only came to hook up with Cliff, and
then I forced myself onto the Ferris Wheel with Jen and she told me to
fuck off.”
“Perhaps your stalker methods aren’t working out very well,” Joey threw
in eyeing Pacey strangely.
“Do tell Jo, if you were pissed off at your ex-boyfriend, what would
you want him to do?” Dawson asked turning to the other brunette.
“First off, I wouldn’t want him to be hurling himself at me, it’s not
very appealing, perhaps play hard to get.”
“That’s what I told him to do,” Pacey defended, “He just messed up with
his overly unromantic gestures.”
“Second, don’t do any boom box over the head Lloyd Dobler style plea
for forgiveness, it has reached cliché value and is no longer romantic.”
“That nixes plan B,” Dawson said glancing at Pacey.
“Look stay home this weekend, don’t call Jen, don’t look out the window
towards her house, if you see her outside don’t follow her,” Pacey suggested.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It’s called hard to get Dawson, girls love it, trust me,” Joey said
attempting to get rid of the third wheel of their date.
“Don’t hate the playa D, hate the game,” Pacey added in.
“Then what do I do?”
“Wait for Jen to come crawling back,” Joey said standing from the bench
abruptly. “Pacey, Ferris Wheel?”
“Why not?”
“Wait where are you two going?” Dawson asked helplessly from the bench.
“To leave you to think about you’re avoiding strategies, you’re the
film maker, make it creative,” Pacey said following his brunette accomplice.
~*~
“Not very slick,” Joey joked as they headed over to the Ferris Wheel.
“Not my best attempt I admit,” he nodded as they took a seat in the
carriage. “What’s so great about the Ferris Wheel anyway?”
“For the view,” Joey said bundling her jacket tighter around her as
the brisk autumn wind rushed around them.
“Yeah I guess you can see the entire carnival from up here.”
“And the stars,” Joey said gesturing upwards at the blanket of light.
“Those are nice too,” he shrugged throwing his arm over her shoulder.
“Though the best view is out at sea,” Joey added resting her head on
his shoulder.
“Maybe that’ll be our next date, I’ll take you whale watching,” he said
tilting his head on top of hers.
“Seeing as that’s the only means of transportation to the sea that we
can afford.”
“Good, we’re already on the same wave length.”
“And assuming I would accept another date with you.”
“I’d say my odds are pretty good,” he said craning his neck so he could
meet her lips with his as they continued to loop slowly around the wheel.
“I’m considering,” she smiled meeting his kiss as the nights firework
show began.
“Wow that actually happens in real life?” Pacey asked with amused brows
as he leaned in a kissed her again.
~*~
“So what other date like things do we need to complete before the night’s
end?” Pacey asked as they headed past the row of games again.
“You have to win me a stuffed animal of course,” Joey said slipping
her hands into her pockets, “Nothing too big, just something to fit in
with my jumbo assortment of carnival toys.”
“Seeing as you have none I guess you’ll manage for this,” he said heading
towards the basketball hoops.
“Pace, you suck at basketball,” Joey insisted.
“Yeah, well you only have to get one hoop to get one of those little
lizards and I’m not loosing to a bunch of 8 year olds in those water races
or whack-a-moles.”
“Doesn’t that make you sound like a stud,” she said dryly.
After three failed attempts at shooting a basket on the fourth it finally
hit the rebound and bounced into the net, “See Potter I’m a natural.”
“Right,” Joey nodded watching the twelve year old next to them get four
perfect shots and a giant panda for his ‘girl friend.’
“A lizard for you sweetheart,” he smirked handing the small plush toy.
“It’s what I’ve always wanted!”
~*~
“Sorry about the interruption tonight,” Pacey said walking Joey to her
door.
“Dawson will be Dawson,” she smirked, “and honestly what are friend
for but to offer… well horribly lame advice to their best friend so they
could make out on top of the Ferris Wheel.”
“Well when you put it that way…”
“I had a nice time, Pacey,” she cut him off kissing him on the cheek.
“So what am I supposed to call you or something?”
“I’ll see you at school.”
“And other places,” he added.
“I’ll be over tomorrow.”
“That sounds like a plan,” he grinned circling his arms around her waist.
“Goodnight Potter,” he whispered brushing his lips over hers, she parted
them allowing his warm tongue to trace across her cold lips as her hands
snaked around his neck pulling him closer.
“Goodnight Pace,” she breathed breaking away and heading towards the
door.
“Hey Jo,” he said digging his hands into his pockets, “I had a nice
time tonight too.”
“Goodnight Pacey,” she repeated waving the little lizard he had won
her.
“Yeah,” he mumbled heading back in the truck watching her as she slipped
inside her house. She was so amazing and now he could only fear the day
that Dawson would realize this and she would slip away.
Back to
Part 10
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