"Hey Dawson, how was detention?" Mitch called out from the kitchen as he heard
his son walk through the door. When he didn't hear Dawson answer Mitch looked
up from the newspaper he was reading. "Dawson?"
Dawson flipped his head up. "Yeah Dad? Did you say something?"
Mitch put the paper down and looked at his son. Dawson's usual twinkle in his
eye had been replaced with a shadow. His hair was tousled and a small strand
fell down carelessly in the middle of his furrowed brow. Dawson's lips weren't
upturned into his trademark smirk either. They were a tight line with his
lower lip protruding slightly as he bit on it thoughtfully. Just one look at
Dawson and Mitch knew something was up with his son.
"Yeah, I did. How was detention? Did you learn your lesson that basketballs
were made to be put into the hoop and not used as throwing devices aimed at
your best friend's face? Dawson? Dawson, are you listening?"
Dawson was so lost in his own thought he didn't even acknowledge his Dad's
voice until Mitch had gotten up from his seat and was snapping his fingers in
front of Dawson's face.
"Dawson!" Mitch raised his voice hoping to get his son's attention.
Dawson shook his head to clear it. "What? Oh, yeah. Sorry Dad I guess I'm just
a little..."
"You're a little something alright. Are you okay?" he gave his son a knowing
look, "Which girl is it? Jen? Joey?" Mitch questioned looking at his son
curiously. Dawson was so on edge he looked like he would shatter at any
moment.
Dawson blushed upon hearing Joey's name. "Uh, I'm gonna go to my room Dad. I
promise we'll talk after I overanalyze everything. Um,...bye." Dawson sprinted
up to his room leaving Mitch hanging.
***
"What am I doing? Okay, he's not here yet. I can just get up, open the closet
door, climb out that window, and get the hell out of here! What was I thinking
coming here? Like Dawson would ever dump perky big boobed, bony armed, pouty
lipped Jen for me, the sarcastic, plain girl from the wrong side of the creek.
Jen is this glamorous, gorgeous blonde from New York. She's experienced and
sophisticated. God, what was I thinking?! There's no way Dawson's going to
throw her to the wind for some inexperienced creek trash. He's not going to
profess his love for me, saying that our kiss opened up his eyes, blah blah
blah, and all that mushy stuff he loves so much. Dawson is too oblivious...
well maybe not completely oblivous. I could swear I felt his tongue lightly
brush the inside of my mouth. But it probably was my own very overactive
imagination once again. Most likely a left over dream from last night. Dawson
will never want me for more than his best buddy. What was I thinking... Joey,
you know what you were thinking, you moron. You were thinking that you love
him...."
Joey placed her head in her hands to stop the ongoing battle between her head
and her heart. Her constant thoughts of Dawson were beginning to drive her
nuts. She didn't think she could take too many more light brushes of the arm,
intense gazes that affected her more than he would ever know, and she knew she
definitely couldn't take anymore wrestling-slash-tickle fights. Her hormones
were about to shut off her head and take charge and she couldn't afford that
to happen. She couldn't lose him. He was her whole world. It sucked how much
that was true. An unkind word from Dawson would break Joey's heart. She hated
the power he had over her.
Like today, for example. Why did their kiss have to effect her so much? It was
just a kiss. It wasn't even by choice. They were both forced into it. But she
didn't have to force herself to like it. She liked how soft and smooth his
lips were as they molded against hers. Her fingers finally were able to feel
how soft his cheek and hair were. It sent chills down her spine just thinking
about it. In those 15 seconds she let everything go. She pushed her
insecurities, fear, and the awkwardness away and she just let herself feel and
enjoy Dawson's mouth on hers. Their lips danced together as the kiss was
deepened. It was magical
But it wasn't real. She couldn't lose sight of that. He didn't love her or
want her in that way. Despite all their subtext and flirting banter he had
never made a real move to show her that he was interested in more than
friendship. She had to accept it.
***
Dawson slowly entered his room. He still was a little breathless and in a
slight daze. He closed the door securly behind him. Dawson removed his
backpackand he carelessly flung it on his bed. He looked in the mirror as he
passed it and suddenly became focused on his reflection.
His eyes involuntarily drifted to his lips. He hadn't kissed Jen goodbye after
detention so that meant Joey's lips were the last to touch his. His eyes
widened at that thought. Who would have thought that 15 seconds could feel
like a lifetime? Dawson slowly brought a fingertip to feel what Joey had felt
. He traced the bottom one slowly and then dropped his hand. This was foolish.
Why did a kiss from his best friend rock his world so much? She was only Joey.
Only Joey... she'd never be only Joey to him. She was his bestfriend, his
confidante, the person he could share anything with. Well almost anything.
Things had changed. And not for the better. He felt like he was inbetween
something with her. Their friendship was wavering, and he didn't know which
way he wanted it to go.
He had known one thing though. He was drunk on the taste from her lips. So
sweet. She tasted so sweet. He sighed just thinking about it. He didn't want
that kiss to end. He forgot about everything. He forgot his reservations of
kissing his best female friend, his nervousness, and he forgot that his
girlfriend was watching. He was enjoying the kiss and focusing on only Joey so
much it was a shock when he heard Jen tell them to stop. The thing that shook
him the most afterwards was the realization that he didn't know what would
have happened if they weren't told to stop. He wanted to kiss Joey.
Next...
