Dawson rolled over. He stretched his arms, and glanced over his shoulder.
Joey was next to him, sleeping peacefully. Dawson saw her eyes flutter, and
then open very wide,
so that he could see the gold flecks in her hazel eyes.
"Dammit, Dawson. I'm two hours late for work. Bessie is going to kill me!" She flew out of bed.
"Joey, wait!" He smiled at her.
"What Dawson?" Joey looked annoyed, and tapped her foot on the floor impatiently.
"About last night." He saw her eyes grow huge, and her foot stopped the rythmic tap.
Dawson noticed her grow uncomfortable, and was shifting from side
to side.
"Dawson.." She whispered. Dawson frowned. Joey didn't like it? He certainly did! He began to get nervous,
what if she didn't? What if she did? Her voice grew louder.
"Dawson. You know I love you. But that kiss. There was passion. There was romance. But I.." Joey paused, and brushed
a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. Dawson lapped her words, waiting for more.
"I.. didn't like it." Tears welled up in her eyes. Dawson frowned. He wanted to make Joey happy-- since he felt her life was no fairy tale,
but he wanted her. Best to tell the truth.
"Joey? Come on! I loved it. You loved it. We'll be perfect together. Man, if
only that kiss was video taped, playing on millions of TV screens across the
world. We'd be famous." He folded his arms, and waited for her reply.
"Famous, Dawson? Is that all you care about?" She was fuming. "You'd rather have our relationship,
or whatever we have right now, publicized and exploited like that?" She paused.
She was practically yelling. Dawson flinched at her words.
"Joey.. No! It's not like that." Dawson tried to make things easier, but he didn't sound very convincing.
"Then what is?" Joey was crying now. She whirled around, and exited his room, at the speed of light.
Dawson, still sitting on the bed, buried his head with his hands.
* * * * *
"Pacey. What are you doing here?" Joey put her order pad on the table, and took the seat next to him.
"Well, howdy, Joey. Can't a person come here to enjoy the fabulous flavor of the Icehouse's seafood?"
"Ok, Pacey. Can the sarcasm, save it for tomorrow. I know the Icehouse isn't
exaclty your average gourmet, but does it look like there's much else to choose from?" He grinned, and patted her hand.
Joey blushed. She wasn't used to people touching her.. even if it was a pat.
Pacey noted her uncomfortableness and put his hand back on the table. He sighed.
"Joey. Say we skip this place and go to the beach?" Joey's eyes bolted up.
She looked surprised. Pacey? Her shift ended in ten minutes, and the customers were
slowly thinning out. Maybe Bessie would let her go early..
Then she realized something. She was going to the beach with Pacey. Pacey.
Although his name made her cringe with unbelievable disgust, Joey thought that this would take her mind off Dawson.
Her eyes narrowed at the thought of Dawson. His name made her stomach turn over, and when
she looked up at Pacey, he gave her a reassuring smile. She
gave in.
* * * * *
Pacey rested his head down on the sand. Joey was sitting up, staring out at the waves. The powerful gusts of wind that blew her hair, suggested that a
storm was brewing in the Atlantic.
"Pacey?" Joey said. She looked over her should at him, and smiled.
"Yeah, Joe?" He sat up, so that he could look at her closer. She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.
"I'm glad we came here. It's so peaceful." Pacey nodded. She stared once more out at the water, and the setting sun. He followed her gaze. A powerful blast
of wind caught them by surprise, and Joey shivered. Pacey held her hand.
She looked at him, embarrassed, but did nothing to move his hand. When he noticed her, staring, he turned red, and looked the other way.
Joey scooted over, so that they were touching, and rested her head on his shoulder. Pacey put
his arm around her shoulder, and she kissed his cheek.
That caught them both by surprise, and they stopped hugging, and Joey moved over so that there was breathing space between them.
"Joey."
"Yeah, Pacey?" She sifted a pile of sand with her fingers. She had to keep her mind occupied by something other than Pacey.
"What was that?" He was confused. He had always thought Joey hated him.
Something must have happened between her and Dawson, he thought, and she just wants to take her mind off him.
"A kiss Pacey." She couldn't help but hide the sadness in her voice. Do I like Pacey?, she thought. No, no, no, Dawson's the one for me! Not anymore.
Joey sighed, and looked up at Pacey; who looked just as sad as she did.
"Well.. What do we do now?" Pacey announced, trying to end the uncomfortable moment.
"Uh.. Well, we, uh.." She faded off. She really did like Pacey. But it was clear to her that he was not interested.
Joey stood up, dusted the sand off her butt, and walked to Paceys jeep. Pacey scrambled up, and followed her. They both sat in the jeep, with an uncanny
silence hanging over them. It was to dark to see anything, anymore, and finally Joey had enough.
"Pacey, I'm ready to go." He looked over at Joey. She was looking out the window.
"Fine." She looked at him, relieved. He leaned over, and gently kissed her on the lips. She kissed him back, with twice the force. They pulled apart,
and both smiled. Joey layed her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "I love you."
* * * * *
The sun shone through the window, and Joey yawned. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and took a moment to remember where she was.
The jeep was still on the beach, and waves were gently crashing on the sand.
She looked over at Pacey, who was sound asleep, and snoring. Joey shook him, and he woke up, startled.
"Well, hello Joey." He kissed her. She kissed back, and replied:
"Hi, Pacey." She stared at him. They both grinned. He motioned her to come
closer, so he could say something in her ear. Joey moved in, and Pacey whispered.
"Does anyone tell you, that you look gorgeous at 5 o' Clock in the morning?"