Cut to the local high school. The gymnasium has been decorated for a dance, with balloons and ribbons hung up on the wall.
Joey and Pacey enter, as Joey’s eyes scan the room. She’s looking for someone.
PACEY: Well, this is nice. I think we’re the oldest people here. Déjà vu?
JOEY: You see her anywhere?
Pacey looks at Joey, confused.
PACEY: See who?
JOEY: Harley!
Pacey rolls his eyes.
PACEY: You’re spying on Harley?
JOEY: If you knew what I knew, you’d spy on her, too.
PACEY: Yes, but you see, then I’d be arrested.
Joey can’t seem to find her.
JOEY: They’re probably on the dance floor or something. Come on…
She grabs Pacey arm and drags him out there. However, neither of them notices Dawson enter just as they leave.
*****
Pacey and Joey begin to dance. Pacey keep staring at her, but Joey’s attention is elsewhere.
PACEY: This seems familiar, doesn’t it?
JOEY: Mmm-hmm. Maybe Hetson was wrong? God, I knew I should have told him why I wanted to know her whereabouts, but…
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: Why’s it so important, anyway? Why are you following her?
Joey bites her lip.
JOEY: It’s personal.
PACEY: Yeah, of course it is. Everything’s personal, isn’t it? Just like whatever it is you had to say to Dawson, but couldn’t say to me? You wanted him to come here with you, right?
Joey groans.
JOEY: Will you relax? I don’t have time for this today!
PACEY: Don’t have time for what?
JOEY: Your jealous speeches. I’ve got more important things to worry about. Like…like…there! Over there!
Pacey sees it, and his eyes go wide. Harley is a few feet away, dancing with Wilder.
PACEY: Isn’t…isn’t that?
Joey nods.
JOEY: Yeah, it is!
Wilder smiles at Harley.
WILDER: I’m sorry your boyfriend couldn’t come.
She shrugs.
HARLEY: He’s hardly what you’d call the most sensitive guy in town.
WILDER: Now that’s a real shame. Someone with your intelligence deserves better than that.
Joey grits her teeth in anger, a familiar hurt coming over her.
Pacey puts his hand on her shoulder.
PACEY: Come on…let’s go!
Joey brushes him off.
JOEY: You go! This is what I came here for.
But before she can do anything, Dawson appears out of nowhere and walks up to Harley and Wilder.
DAWSON: Excuse me? Can I cut in?
Wilder is taken aback.
WILDER: Who?
HARLEY: Dawson? What are you…?
Soon, they’re off on the dance floor.
Joey’s mouth hangs open, her eyes glued to the couple…something that doesn’t escape Pacey notice.
PACEY: Joey, we have to talk!
Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: Not right now!
PACEY: Yes right now!
He quickly leads her away from the dance, and outside the gym doors.
*****
Meanwhile, back inside, Dawson is dancing with Harley. Wilder keeps trying to catch up to them, but Dawson dances them out of the way.
HARLEY: What are you doing here?
DAWSON: Trying to keep him away from you?
Harley rolls her eyes.
HARLEY: Joey put you up to this, didn’t she? She only jealous because he doesn’t like her anymore. He likes me!
DAWSON: Joey’s not jealous, trust me, I know. I’ve seen Joey jealous, and it’s a lot worse than this. Plus, you’re sixteen.
HARLEY: Not to David. He treats me like an adult. Look, he told me the whole story. How Joey had this huge crush on him, and when he said he wasn’t interested in her…
DAWSON: That’s not how she tells it.
Harley shakes her head, refusing to listen.
HARLEY: I don’t…
DAWSON: That…that creep went after her when she was most vulnerable. He told her what she wanted to hear, making him think that he cared, when all he really wanted was to get what he wanted from her. That’s it. Now, I don’t know what he promised you, but it’s bogus. You’re a very smart, intelligent, wonderful person Harley. And to let yourself be manipulated by someone who only wants you as far as he can use you would be, in my honest opinion, a monumental waste.
A sad look appears on Harley’s face, as she sighs.
HARLEY: I want to believe that you’re just lying. But…
DAWSON: But what?
HARLEY: I know you’re not. All I wanted was someone who wasn’t like Patrick. Who wouldn’t think of me as a kid.
Dawson smiles.
DAWSON: I don’t.
She looks at him, unsure.
DAWSON: A kid wouldn’t have bothered to listen to me. She would have just ran off and did what she wanted. You listened, and that takes incredible maturity.
She smiles.
HARLEY: Really?
DAWSON: Really. And about Wilder…you’re not the first person he’s done this to, and you’re probably not going to be the last either. I learned the hard way that there are people in this world who’ll use you without caring who gets hurt. The trick is not to fall for it, and not to play by their rules.
She nods.
HARLEY: You’re a good dancer, you know? Any chance you can teach Patrick?
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: We’ll see. Come on…let’s take you home.
*****
And out in the hall…
JOEY: Just what is your problem?
PACEY: My problem?
JOEY: Yes!
PACEY: Oh, as if you didn’t know?
Joey stares at him, still not comprehending.
PACEY: You told Dawson Wilder was back, didn’t you? You told him, but you didn’t tell me? Why?
JOEY: Because you wouldn’t understand. You would have overreacted…much like you’re doing now.
PACEY: But you could trust Dawson not to?
JOEY: Yes!
PACEY: So you trust him, but not me?
JOEY: No! Pacey, that’s different…
PACEY: I want an answer. Not next year, not a week from now. Today! Right this moment! Who do you want?
Joey looks confused.
JOEY: Who do I…?
PACEY: (angrily) Who do you want to be with? Is it me or is it Dawson?
Joey’s eyes go wide.
JOEY: Is THAT what you think this is about?
PACEY: Answer the question!
JOEY: I can’t!
PACEY: Why the hell not?!
JOEY: Stop it, ok? Just stop it! Do you have any idea what’s at stake here? Do you Pacey? God…
She points back towards the gym.
JOEY: I came here for one reason only: to help Harley. To protect her. And now…now I’m back here with you having the same argument for the millionth time, while Dawson’s out there doing exactly what we should be doing! Tell me, does that make sense? Does it?
*****
Meanwhile, back inside, Professor Hetson has entered through the opposite doorway. Quickly, he’s encountered by Dawson and Harley.
HARLEY: Dad? What are you doing here?
DAWSON: I called him. To pick you up if I succeeded, or to intervene if I failed.
Harley rolls her eyes.
HARLEY: (sarcastically) You think of everything, don’t you?
Hetson looks at Dawson.
HETSON: Thanks for rescuing her for me. I really hate that guy!
Dawson looks surprised.
DAWSON: You knew?
HETSON: I’m not oblivious, Mr. Leery. You surprised.
DAWSON: Well, a little. I know I’d be upset if a friend of mine went after my daughter.
Hetson’s eyes went wide.
HETSON: EXCUSE ME?
A worried look comes over Harley’s face.
HARLEY: Uh-oh! Dad, calm down…
DAWSON: Wait, you said you knew…
HETSON: I thought you were talking about Patrick! You mean to tell me that Wilder…?
There’s no reasoning with him now. Hetson is seeing red.
He finds Wilder in the crowd, and marches towards him. Dawson quickly turns towards Harley.
DAWSON: Get out of here! Go!
She nods, then heads towards the door. Just as she leaves, Pacey and Joey re-enter. They see Dawson trying to stop Hetson.
JOEY: Oh no…
HETSON: DAVE!!!
Wilder turns around to see Hetson giving him an enraged look. The students stare at the two adults.
WILDER: Um, hey Greg! What seems to be the problem?
HETSON: Just who do you think you are?
Dawson tries to get their attention.
DAWSON: Ok, just relax for a moment…
Hetson’s not listening. Wilder sighs, realizing what he knows.
WILDER: I can guess what this is about. I understand you’re very upset…
HETSON: You haven’t seen me very upset! Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?
WILDER: No hard feelings, right?
At that moment, Hetson punches him.
DAWSON: Woah! Woah!
Wilder hits him back, which quickly escalates into a full-on fistfight. The students who haven’t ran away by this point are chanting ‘fight, fight, fight!’
Dawson tries to break it up, but without any luck. Soon enough, security shows up and grabs them. Dawson included, thinking he was involved.
Seeing this, Joey tries to run up to him. Pacey holds her back.
JOEY: DAWSON!
Dawson sees them there, and calls out to them.
DAWSON: Pacey! Get her out of here!
Pacey nods, then quickly drags Joey out.