The next morning Dawson awoke to see that Joey had already left. He sighed,
then pulled back the covers on his bed and squinted at the clock.
"Oh shit!" he cried, leaping out of bed. It was already 8:00 and he hadn't even taken a shower.
Dawson grabbed a towel from his bureau and headed toward the bathroom, sighing. He was on his way out the door when a piece of paper next to his stack of last night's videos caught his attention. He swung the towel around his neck and walked over to read the note.
Dawson,
I had a great time last night. Thanks for being so--at the risk of sounding incredibly sappy and overly sentimental, bordering on mushy-- sweet. I'll see you at school. I won't be at lunch, though. I have that special health class thingie today. You know the big "sex talk." Can't hardly wait for that one. Mrs. Tingle's the advisor on the girls part of it. Talk about the blind leading the blind. She's more clueless than we are...
Anyway, I have to work tonight but I'll be over later.
Joey
p.s. *I'm* picking out the movies tonight.
A smile rose to Dawson's lips at the last part. What *was* he thinking when he had got those movies? Obviously he *hadn't* been thinking with the body part on top of his shoulders. Joey was so great about not making a big deal out of it and embarrassing him. Their time would come, he knew that. He also knew that he didn't have to push it, or rush it. Or basically ruin things. When they were ready to experience sex for the first time, they would.
Dawson stood there looking at the note a few more seconds, thinking about last night. Getting caught up in the memory he jerked himself into reality, remembering that he *still* had to get ready for school and take a shower. A very cold shower.
***
Joey looked around the cafeteria warily. She hated this part of school. Lunch was the time of day that socially defined who you were by who you sat with. She usually sat with Dawson, Pacey, and occassionally Jen, but today she had to take second lunch because of that stupid and pointless "sex talk."
Joey walked out of the lunch line and surveyed the tables. There was no one she liked enough to sit with. Sometimes she felt like an outcast because of her family name, she was usually the brunt of the gossip by being the sister of the woman who had a child out of wedlock with her black boyfriend. And of course there was also the part about her father doing time for trafficking marijuana. Altogether, she wasn't really up there on the 'most desirable people to talk to' list.
Finally, Joey decided to sit by herself. She looked around for a empty table but found none. Just perfect, she thought. Joey looked up to the ceiling and mumbled, "Why me?"
"Hey Joey, you want to sit over here?"
Joey looked up and saw Mary Beth waving at her a few tables away. She remembered Mary Beth was one of Dawson's friends. She also had a class with her, and thought she was pretty nice. Joey smiled and walked over to her table. She put her food down and grinned at Mary Beth gratefully.
"Thanks," she grinned shyly.
"No problem," Mary Beth returned her grin.
Joey got comfortable in her seat and looked around the table. She recognized most of the girls, they were all good acquaintances of hers. Then Joey caught sight of *her.*
"So, what are you doing here today, Joey? Get a lunchtime detention for punching out another hot jock?"
"No, Abby. I had that health class thing, not that it's any of your business." Joey retorted coldly. She couldn't believe that Abby Morgan was sitting right across from her. What a wonderful way to start off lunch. She was quickly losing her appetite.
"Oh yeah,...the sex chat, right? That talk is so uninformative. It doesn't tell you anything of real interest, like how to have a good orgasm."
"Whatever Abby." Joey picked up her sandwich and started to eat it.
"Fortunately for me, I don't need that talk. I've already been there, done that, if you know what I mean." Abby said looking at all the girls at the table knowingly. Her gaze settled on Joey.
"I'm sure *you* know what I mean, right Joey?" Abby's lips formed a wicked smile.
"Abby, I did *not* sleep with Warren. It was all a joke. Will you ever let that go?" She opened her milk and took a sip, ignoring Abby.
"I'm not talking about Warren. I'm talking about movie boy, you know Dawson Leary." she said, mostly for the other girls benifit. "I saw the sexual tension between you two that day in detention. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what went on when you two got together. Wow, Joey, it sure didn't take you long to phase blondy out did it?" Abby smirked as all eyes shifted to Joey.
Joey felt her cheeks turn red. She focused her gaze on the food on her plate and avoided all eye contact. "Whatever," she muttered.
Abby frowned at Joey's reaction and decided on a different tactic. "So, Trina," Abby turned to the girl next to her and began to talk. "I was with Grant last night and I wore this really sexy lingerie for him. He said it was a total turn on..."
"Wow. You're so cool, Abby," Trina said looking at her admiringly.
"I always like to try different things. Last night to get him in the mood I lighted a zillion scented candles and scored a bottle of cheap wine. When we were making out on the bed I slowly ran my hand from his chest to his thigh while I nibbled and sucked on his earlobe. He got so hot. It didn't take much." Abby relayed the details to the group. All stared in astonishment of Abby. Joey played with the food on her plate and tried not to listen.
"So... Joey how is Dawson for you? I know that Jen never gave it up for him. Do you?"
"Like I would tell you that! Dream on, Abby." Joey retorted in total disgust. Joey wasn't in a particularly good mood and it wouldn't take much to set her off.
"Yeah Abby, that's out of line," Mary Beth chimed in.
"Well, you know that a lot of girls would like to date Dawson, Joey. I've never been into geeky movie boys, but suprisingly there are people who can't wait until you're out of the picture to have their chance with him. You need to keep him...you know, satisfied. *Sexually* satisfied. If you can't, then forget it. You saw what happened with Jen. Guys are all the same. Dawson would drop you like a bad habit."
Joey had reached her boiling point. She balled her hand up into a small fist and squeezed her fingers together until her knuckles turned white. She glanced around the table and back down again. She felt completely pissed off and humiliated. She plastered a fake smile on her face, picked up her lunch try and walked over next to Abby.
"You know what, Abby? I think you still look a little hot from last night." Joey slammed down her lunch tray and grabbed the milk carton off of it.
"I think you need to cool down." That said, Joey poured the entire carton of milk over Abby's head. Abby jumped up and shrieked. The milk was all over her hair and clothes. It dripped down past her forehead and into her eyes.
"You! You... You bitch!" Abby screamed as Joey grabbed her lunch try and smiled smugly at her.
"Go to hell, Abby." Joey hissed into her ear and walked away. Curious stares met her gaze as she stormed angrily away. Joey was almost out of the cafeteria when a hand landed on her shoulder. Joey spun around, prepared to take Abby's head off.
"Miss Potter?" It was the school vice prinicipal in charge of discipline. Joey remembered him from the day she had slugged Grant in the lunch line. He had taken Joey down to his office and had given her a two hour lecture on proper lunchroom decorum.
"Yes Mr. King?" Joey widened her eyes and tried to look and sound innocent.
"Josephine, I think you and I need to have another chat."
***
Two hours later Mr. King was still droning on about correct lunchroom behavior once again. Joey could hardly hear him, though. All she could think about was what Abby had said.
Could what Abby said be true? What if Dawson can't wait forever? Joey knew she couldn't live without him. Especially after they finally had let their guard down. Abby was probably just talking out her ass. Dawson and her loved one another and it went way beyond the physical. He's not like Grant or any other of the world's hormone obsessed guys. Dawson's sweet and understanding. Joey wouldn't lose him if she didn't keep him sexually satisfied. He wasn't like that... Right?
"...and so that is why it is unacceptable to fight in the lunch room. The lunch ladies work very hard to prepare those delicious meals and they should not go to waste by throwing them on the ground or on and at other people. Understand?....Uh, Miss Potter? Josephine!"
Joey shook her head and snapped out of her reverie. She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I understand," she answered, nodding her head in understanding. Mr. King smiled widely in triumph, thinking he had just reformed another student.
Joey just grinned at him, having absolutely no clue what he had just said.
***
