"I'm Lila Reynolds. nice to meet-"
"Yeah. That's nice, but, um, I heard you were hanging out with Dawson and his crowd." Abby sat down next to Lila without being invited.
"Yeah, how'd you hear?"
"Well I wans't in Capeside over the summer, my family and I went to Europe you know," she said the last part in a snobby fashion, "but I get news pretty fast. Let me just tell you, that group is so not the one to hang with."
"They seem pretty nice. Why shouldn't I hang with them?" Lila got defensive.
"Nice? Like that matters. They're not really cool and you won't get anywhere in this school with them."
"I'd ratehr hang with them then whoever you are Abby. God forbid, I could turn into a snob like you. Excuse me, I see another seat." Lila stood and went to the front of the room. The teacher came in and she turned her attention to him.
Pacey entered the cafeteria and spotted Jen and Lila already at a table. He waved to them and motioned that he was going to the lunchline. Jen nodded and her and Lila went back to the conversation. Pacey got in behind Grant Bodine, Joey's punching bag last year.
". . . and Dawson are going at it," Grany was saying. Warren Gary who was in front of him shrugged.
"I knew they were. She's a damn clut. Probably takes after her ister, ya know?" Warren laughed.
Pacey's eyes buldged. They were talking about Joey.
"Didn't you sleep with her?" Grant asked.
"Nah, we got this close, but then I thought, so I really wanna with her? So I told her to take a hik. She got so pissed at me she made up that whole story. She wanted me bad, probably still does. Yo. look at the nasty food they got here. Probably cow brains. And what's that? Intestines?"
The two jocks gott off line, their voices fading away. Pacey still didn't know what to do. he got his food and joined Jen and Lila.
"Pacey, what's wrong?" Lila immediatly noticed the concern on his face.
"Uh. . . I sorta-" He stopped when Joey sat down next to him. Lila nd Hen were looking expectantly at Pacey who was looking at Joey. Joey glanced sideways at him.
"What?" she asked, breaking the suspensful silence.
"Pacey was gonna tell us something." Jen informed her.
"I, um, well, I was gonna say I think I'm probably gonna fail all my classes this year. I got some tough teachers."
"Oh, I know, me too," Lila agreed. "I was way behind in my old school."
The conversation steered into the direction of grades for the rest of the period and who had which teachers. Dawson joined right in when he came a few minutes after, bragging how he was now able to really take film class.
"And we're making an new movie, since the one for the film festival last year bombed, or course, and Mr. Gold said I could be assistant director. The fesitval's gonna be in Februarly, so we only have a few months, but I think we're gonna make it. The only bad thing is Neillie Olsen's the lead actress, but it was either that or director so of course we had to go with the lead actress."
"So who is gonna be the director?" Joey asked.
"Cliff, again, but he's not bad. I mean, he was the only one last year who listened to my ideas."
"What kind of movie is it gonna be? I've always wanted to be involved in movies," Lila admited.
"Something to so with Romance. Either a romantic adventure like Titanic, well not exactly, or a romantic comedy, like those Jennifer Aniston movies. We don't have and spots available on the crew, and Nellie's the lead, but I could drop your name for one of the minor parts. ANd my inpur counts a lot, since I am," he paused dramatically, "assistant director."
Pacey groaned, jokingly. "Yo umake it sound like some superhero. Calm down, Dawson."
"I think it's something to be proud of," Jen came into the conversation. "I'm thinking that maybe Dawson could drop my name too for one of the minor parts," she smiled sweetly at Dawson.
Jen walked silently with Dawson. After school had ended the whole group had walked together, but then Lila, Pacey, and Joey went in one direction and Dawson and Jen in the other.
"How are things with your grandmother?" DAwson asked.
Jen sighed, not really wanting to talk about it. "I don't know. She's topped trying to convince me to come to church and everything, but then again she hardly even talks to me. It's lie we're strangerd forced to live in the same."
"I'm sorry. You know you can always crash at my house," Dawson offered. Jen looked at him and smiled.
"Oh yeah," Jen nodded. "I actually don't wanna go home. I think I'll change cource and go to the Icehouse instead. "Wanna come?"
Dawson shook his head. "No, I have to go brainstorm for the movie. We're holding an idea session in class tomorrow night and I want to be fully prepared."
"OK, I'll see you then." Jen waved goodbye and started back toward Main street.
Joey walked from the counter, balancing a try with two glasses and a plate food on it in her hand. She set it down on table 8 with a tight smile, then rushed to get table 7's order. Out of the corned of her eye she saw Pacey laughing with a tall blond she recognized as Tina Martinez. Tina handed him something and then left. Pacey walked over to the counter where Joey was giving table 7s order to the kitchen.
"Ya know Pace, you're supposed to take people's orders, not their numbers," Joey said bitterly, looking down at her notepad.
"Well Joey, what can I say?" Pacey smiled that irresistable grin of his. "The girls just can't get enough of me. Tina was all over me, I had to take her number and promise I'd call her sometime."
"Yeah, a popular senior wanted you to have her number?"
Pacey dropped his smile and sighed. "Fine, it was an I.O.U. for fifteen dollars. She promised she'd pay next time."
"Pacey!" Joey exclaimed, her eyes full of anger, "You cannot accept I.O.U.'s. We're never gonna make any money that way. then I'm gonna have to spend my whole teenage life and Alex's early childhood in that sorry excuse for a house, which is actually a cabin and then I'll never have my own room and I'm probably gonna end up sharing the living room with Alex and-"
"Joey," Pacey grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look into his eyes. "I. . . was . . . kidding."
She smiled weakily. "I knew that," she whispered. She couldn't pull her eyes away from Pacey's and he didn't relax his grip on her shoulders. They stood for several minuets that way.
Jene entered ine Icehouse and gasped. Pacey was holding Joey and she was looking deep into his eyes. Oh my, Jen thought, stopping herself in time before she said God in her mind, Joey's cheating on Dawson with Pacey. She hid herself behind a plant and finally saw Pacey look go of Joey. She got out from behind that tall plant and sat at a table at Joey's station.
"Hey Jen, what can I get you?" Joey came over.
Jen looked directly in Joey's eyes. "I don't know," she said in an icy tone, "Whatw iould you reccomend?" Besdes Pacey, she thought bitterly.
Hoey either didn't notice it or chose to notice it. 'Um. . . the club sandwich with Bodie's home made mayonnaise is good."
"Actually I'll just have a Coke," Jen continued to glare at Joey, who didn't notice since she was writting in her notepad.
"COming right up." Joey left. Jen scanned the resturaunt for Pacey and saw him taking an order of a group of ten year olds. Joey brought her her Coke with a small fake smile, that Jen didn't even bother to return.
Jen sipped slowly at the Coke and thought about how to break it to Dawson. She knew she had to tell him, she just didn't know how.
'Well, if it isn't Jen. Just couldn't bare to be away from me for more than a second, huh?" Pacey came over to her.
"Nothing. Hi Pacey," she said dryly.
"What's wrong?" Pacey looked genuienly concerned.
"Nothing. I have to go," Jen put a two dollar bill on the table. "Keep the chage." Jen picked up her bookbag and walked out of the Icehouse without another word. He stomach was filled with butterflies at the thought of having to tell Dawson and her mind was working at what to say.
Dawson was up in his room, pacing back and forth to try to get ideas for the movie. He wanted Mr. Gold to see what a good director.student he could be. It coudl mean a letter of recomendation for college. He heard the ladder clanking on the side of the house and looked at the window.
"Jo, I thought-" he stopped when he saw Jen's blond hair. "Oh hey Jen, I wasn't expecting you. Weren't you going to the Icehouse?"
Jen looked at her feet. "Yeah, I did go. Dawson, I have to tell you something and yo umight hate me for it, but you have to know."
"Oh no, don't tell me he was in the girl's bathroom this time," Dawson widened his eyes.
Jen gave a little smile. "No, Dawson, let me finish. I saw Pacey and. . . Joey."
"What?" Dawson shook his head.
"I'm sorry Dawson. I didn't meant to see them and then have to come here and tell you, but I think yuo should know." She gripped the strap of herbag tighter and turned. "I'll go now. If yo uwanna talk I'm right next dorr." she slipped out and went down the ladder.
Dawson continued to stare at the space Jen had just been in, not really wanting to belieev it. He remembered two months ago Joey hd thuoght he was cheating on her with Jen and now she was doing ht same thing with Pacey. He slid over to the bed and threw himself on it, pulling the pillow over the back of his head.
Joey walked home sowly, reluctant to be in the same house as Alex. He had started teething and his screaming was louder than ever. I can go to Dawson's, she thought happily. I'll call Bessie from there. As she neared Dawson's house she saw Jen's figure on her porch. She nodded in her direction and saw Jen hurrying towards her.
"Where are you going?" she asked Joey.
"Dawson's house. Isn't it obvious?"
"I can't believe you would go to Dawson's and pretend that everything is fine between you when you're betrayin ghim. Yes, Joey I know. I saw you. And don't you sare hurt him any more than you have already. I told him," Jen spat out so fast Joey could hardly understand her.
"Told him what? Jen, what are you talking about? Are you insance?" Joey started towards Dawson's huose again, but Jen reached out and grabbed her elbow, spinning her around. "What is you problem? Don't touch me."
"My problem? I don't have a problem, but you obviously do. For all the trouble you went through to get Dawson you sure don't appreciate it!"
Joey pulled out of Jen's grasp and glared at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but don't lecture ma on appreciating Dawson. I'm not hte one that dumped him 'cause I wanted to be free, then went with the big football player, driving Dawson crazy. Do you have any idea how much you hurt him?"
Jen laughed bitterly. "Me? How much I hurt him? What do you think you're doing to him by cheating on him with Pacey?"
Joey got up and walked over to Jen. "I don't know why you think I'm cheating on him with Pacey, for that matter, but I'm not and don't you dare touch me again." Jen raised her arm to punch Joey in the face, but Joey blocked it and punched Jen in the stomach. As Jen leached over to clutch her stomach, Joey punched her cheek. Jen fell to the floor. A door was opened and Dawson rushed out of his house.
"What the hell? I saw you guys from my window. What is-" he stoped short when he saw Jen on the ground. "Jesus Christ Joey! What's gotten into you?" He ran over to Jen and kneeled down to her. 'Jen, are you OK?"
Joey stared wide-eyes at Dawson comforting Jen.
'Joey, maybe you shoud go. You cuased enough damage for one day," Dawson said through clenched teeth.
"Dawson-"
"Go Joey." He picked Jen up and put his arm around her waist and threw her arm around his neck. Joey watched the two go into Dawsons house, her eyes watering until the house was just a blurry outline. She then turned and ran, leaving her bookbag on the floor where it had dropped when Jen pushed her. She didn't know where she was running. not home, she didn't feel like explaining to Bessie. It was only seven o'clock so a lot of places were open, but she just wanted to be alone. The ruins flashed through her mind and she started towards there.
Pacey stood at the tree in the Ruins. The tree which he would remember forever, being it was the place him and Tamara declared their love. He still thought of her. He never let on, but he did. The simplest things would remind him of her. A book he remembered her saying they would read, a flower she had once said she liked. If he closed his eyes he could still smell the scent of her perfume, feel how her lips had toughed his. he was taken out of his memories but the sound of someone running over the leaves and grass. He turned and saw a tall, thin figure dash behind some trees.
He got up from the ground he was sitting on and tiptoed over to where th figrure had run. He peered over the bushes and saw her sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up and her arms encircling her knees. Her body was shaking with sobs. She raised her head and he gasped when he saw it was Joey.
"Jo? What's wrong?" he waled over the bushes. She jumped when she heard his voice, not knowing it was Pacey, and let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was only him.
"Pacey, yo uscared me." She tried to wipe away her tears quickly. "What are you doing here?"
Pacey racked his brain for an excuse. "Thinking. What about you? What are you doig crying here? And why?" he stepped toward he a little, but she moved back.
She looked down. "Oh, um. . . "The tears started running down her sheeks faster then before. 'He doesn't love me. He never will," she screamed. "He's still hung up on Jen. He probably thought he could get over her by goign out with me, but he can't." she buried her face in her hands. Pacey walked over to her and took her hands from her face. He cupped her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"Joey, how could anyone not love you? You're beautiful and intelligent and kind and I could go on, but that would take all night and maybe into mext week," he smiled at her. She looked up at him, amazed she was hearing Pacey say this, especially about her. He inched closer to her and before they knew what was happening their lips met and each of them got lost in the kiss.