Popcorn
Part 3 in the series
by Kate Andrews

Rated: R for language, explicit dialogue and sexual situations
Summary: (p/j) After the events of the season finale, Joey ends up talking to Pacey.
As they become closer, all sorts of unexpected events ensue in the following summer.
  • So far: (1) Joey watches a movie at Pacey's house. The discussion turns personal. (2) Friendly physical contact drifts into more dubious territory.
  • Special note: Throughout this story, you'll find an occasional link to another page or a picture. It's just my attempt to keep things interesting. There are none in this part, but keep your eyes peeled, later on.

    "Used to be he
    was my heart's desire
    His forthright gaze,
    his expert hands:
    I'd lie on the couch with my eyes
    closed just thinking about it.
    Never about the fact
    that everything changes."
    ----from "Maybe There's No Going Back" by Deborah Garrison

    The first two times Pacey left a message on her machine, she erased it. The third time, she almost picked up the phone. He stopped calling at midnight, when her sister finally swatted her away and answered.

    "It's late, what do you want?"

    "Joey there?"

    "Nope."

    "I don't believe you."

    Bessie glared at Joey. She looked back, pleading. Bessie lowered her voice. "That's nice. If you call and wake the baby up again, you'll regret it. Bye."

    Click.

    She looked from the phone back to Joey. "I--no. Shhh. I don't care. I don't care why he's calling, just make it clear that he can't call after nine. 'Kay? 'kay."

    "'Kay," Joey sneered.

    She retreated to the bathroom for a shower, pulled a towel over her face and growled. When did everyone get so obsessed with sex? She looked in the mirror. "When did you get so obsessed with sex?" This wasn't the summer she expected. This wasn't the evening she expected. When she decided to hang out at Pacey's it hadn't been without reservations. Animosity between them had died down following his aborted attempt to romance her. And after the trip to see her dad . . .Joey looked in the mirror. After he helped her see her dad she'd thought differently about him. She still didn't feel right spilling her secrets to him though. But anything was better than letting her mind continue on its psychotic little hamster wheel routine.

    She slowly got undressed. In the week following her disaster with Dawson she hadn't really spoken to anyone. She'd been too shocked. The night drinking coffee at the diner with Jen had been beyond awkward. She hadn't thought it possible to so completely avoid a topic and so thoroughly obsess about him at the same time.

    Joey unhooked her bra and froze for a moment, remembering Pacey's hands on her. Intense didn't describe it. Why? Why did he do that? Why did she respond? Why did Doug have to knock? She stripped off her remaining clothing and examined her image in the mirror. She'd started sleeping naked this summer. When she could, she did. It was cooler, and ... and as she looked at her self she couldn't imagine why any guy would want to touch her stick like figure. Quickly, she showered and got ready for bed.

    "I do not need to depress myself further." She crawled into bed and clicked off her fish lamp. As she tried to stop thinking about the evening, weirder and weirder thoughts popped into her mind. Thoughts about what Pacey slept in. Thoughts about Pacey naked. She said, "ew" to herself but couldn't quite supress other inappropriate images. After a few more unsuccessful attempts to avoid the images, she embraced them. Probably premenstrual horniness. As she drifted to sleep she realized fuzzily that she hadn't thought about Dawson since she'd gotten home. I guess the evening wasn't a total waste after all.

    Sorry it was so short, more coming very soon. I promise. I want to take this chance to thank everyone for their amazing feedback, it's really kept me inspired.

    Please send all comments and questions to idontwannawait@hotmail.com I lap up feedback like a dog.