Sixteen Candles
Prologue
by Amanda

Rating: PG

Short Summary: This story ventures into how Dawson would react if everyone forgot his birthday.

Disclaimer: I'm *really getting bored with this, (honestly!) And it just breaks my heart admitting that I don't own "Dawson's Creek." And I know the "forgetting-a-character's-birthday" has been done already, but my version is warped. There, I said it, happy now?

Author's Note: Thoughts, flashbacks, and something to show that a word is being enunciated are in **, so you'll have to figure that one out on your own. And this is like my own ending to "The Election."

Author's Note #2: (ALL OTHER AUTHORS PLEASE READ): This totally and completely came from my own imagination, so if there's a part of your story that somehow got into mine, it's purely coincidental, so please don't send me hate mail! Someone did it to me and I was completely unaware I had used some of her story in mine, and she was extremely harsh and rude about it. SO if you feel the need, please make it non threatening!

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Dawson yawned as he woke up. It was going to be a great day, he instantly decided. It *was* his sixteenth birthday, after all.

"Good morning, Mom," he greeted his mother cheerfully as he bounced down the stairs.

"Good morning, honey," she returned with no emotion.

Dawson was confused. *Playing a trick, I suppose.* "Very funny, Mom," he laughed.

"What?" she asked.

Dawson became bewildered. His own mother couldn't have forgotten his birthday, could she? "You don't have anything to say to me?" he questioned, astonished.

"It's a regular day, I said good morning, what more do you want?"

"Nevermind, forget I ever said anything," Dawson sneered as he walked out the door. He ran as fast as he could to school, where he immediately saw Joey.

"Hey, Jo," he sighed, walking up alongside her.

"Not now, Dawson, I'm working on a sketch," she yelled.

Dawson was taken aback. His best friend in the entire world forgot his birthday. He had stood by her through thick and thin, and now that he needs her, she forgets his birthday.

"Okay, Joey," he whimpered.

Dawson walked into the school, down as ever, where he saw Pacey.

"Hi, Pace," he exhaled.

"Gotta get to class, Dawson, Andie will kill me if I don't pass Marine Bio," he brushed past him.

"Goodbye, Pacey," Dawson whispered. "Forever," he ended, then making his decision to leave Capeside. For good.

Dawson ran out of the school, and ran home, where he packed his bags, left a note for his mom, and abandoned everything that had been there.

He got to the bustop, got on the bus, but didn't have a clue where he was going. *It doesn't matter,* he concluded. *I'm getting away from everyone who doesn't have enough time to think what day it might be. Maybe I'm a hypocrite, because I forgot Pacey's birthday, but his family always forgets his birthday. My family never forgot until now.* He sighed as he looked out the window, and he passed a sign that read:

You are now leaving Capeside, Massachusetts.
Hope to see you again soon!

"You'll never be seeing me again. Ever," Dawson whispered inaudibly.

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You think I'm ending it right now? It's just getting started!