Cut back to where we left off. Dawson and Pacey quickly walk up to the door, curious about what’s happening. Joey is staring angrily at Oliver.
JOEY: YOU LOCKED US IN?!
OLIVER: How was I supposed to know?
Pacey tries to force the door open, but to no avail.
PACEY: Great! Just wonderful!
OLIVER: Can’t we knock the door down?
PACEY: Thing’s solid oak! We’d need an axe or something.
JOEY: Try the phone!
Dawson heads behind the desk, picking up the phone
JOEY: Dawson?
DAWSON: It’s dead.
PACEY: Huh? Why?
DAWSON: Do I look like the Con Ed man? How should I know?
Suddenly, Chris, Andie, and Audrey come downstairs.
ANDIE: Hey! I heard screaming. What’s wrong?
Joey stares at Oliver.
JOEY: We’re stuck here! Door won’t open.
Andie’s eyes go wide. She runs over to the door, trying to force it open.
ANDIE: Who’s the jerk?
Joey points to Oliver.
OLIVER: It was an accident! Ok?
Joey sits down and sighs.
JOEY: Perfect! Just perfect! So we’re stuck here for the entire night? Without phones?
She looks over at Pacey.
JOEY: Why does this always happen whenever I go somewhere with you?
PACEY: That first time was Drue, and you know it was Drue!
Dawson appears confused.
DAWSON: Clue a guy in?
JOEY: Long story.
*****
Cut to an establishing shot of Capeside, as we get a long view of the creek. It quickly switches to the city streets, right outside of Leery’s Fresh Fish.
Professor Hetson grumbles as he checks his watch.
HETSON: Where is she? I knew this would happen…I just knew it.
Harley pops her head out of the car door.
HARLEY: Can we go soon? It’s getting dark.
HETSON: Love to, pumpkin…but your little friend hasn’t shown up yet.
Harley looks concerned.
HARLEY: You don’t think anything bad happened to her, do you?
HETSON: Do I care? Stay here, I’m going inside to ask for directions. Lock the door, please.
Harley sighs, but does as she’s told. Hetson turns around and walks inside the restaurant.
Once inside, he’s encountered by people running back and forth. The chattering from various people fills the room.
HETSON: (grumbles) Who knew a town this small had so many people…
He tries to get the attention of a waitress passing by.
HETSON: Excuse me? Miss?
She doesn’t notice him. Hetson sighs.
Suddenly, Gale sees him. She hands a menu to one of the waitresses, and walks towards him.
GALE: Hello, can I help you with something?
Hetson sighs in relief.
HETSON: Yes, actually. I’m from out of town, and my tour guide is unfortunately absent. I have reservations at this B&B nearby, so I was wondering if you could…?
Gale’s distracted at the moment. Before he can finish, she shouts out.
GALE: Harley?
Harley appears out of nowhere and runs up to her. They hug.
HARLEY: Hey, Mrs. Leery!
Hetson gives Harley an annoyed look.
HETSON: Didn’t I tell you to wait in the car.
She scoffs.
HARLEY: I know this place better than you do, dad!
Gale smirks, and looks back at Hetson.
GALE: ‘Dad’? So this is the famous Professor Hetson?
He does a mock bow.
HETSON: My reputation precedes me.
Gale nods.
GALE: Of course it does.
Gale quickly draws a psudo-map on a napkin and hands it to him.
GALE: Here’s how to get to the Potter’s. Have a good time.
Hetson raises an eyebrow, curious about her behaviour.
HETSON: Excuse me? She said your name was Leery? Any relation to…?
GALE: To Dawson? Yes, he’s my son. Why?
Hetson shrugs.
HETSON: Nothing. I just expected someone with a larger head is all.
Gale chuckles.
GALE: Typical.
HETSON: Typical?
She nods.
GALE: I’ve heard things about you, Mr. Hetson. None of it good! Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to work.
Gale leaves. Hetson just stands there, taken aback by her words.
*****
Back in Boston, the seven friends are sitting around the large wooden table in the centre of the library.
DAWSON: Is anyone else getting a sudden sense of déjà vu?
Joey looks at him.
JOEY: No. Why?
DAWSON: Come on, Joey! Anyone remember the last time we had to spend hours locked in a library?
PACEY: I prefer not to!
Chris starts laughing.
CHRIS: Wait, I got it! The famous tenth grade Saturday detention, right?
PACEY: How do you know about that?
He smiles proudly.
CHRIS: Abby told me when we were working on our project.
AUDREY: Wait…wait, you guys got sent to detention? What for?
She turns to Andie, hoping for answers.
ANDIE: Before my time.
CHRIS: Let’s see…as I recall, Jenny went overboard with her foul language.
Audrey rolls her eyes.
AUDREY: You can get Saturday detention for that? Your school system sucks! What, did Dawson accidentally step on the class gerbil?
Chris looks over at Pacey and smirks.
CHRIS: After a fashion.
PACEY: (mockingly) After a fashion…
CHRIS: He broke your ex’s nose with a basketball.
Andie’s mouth hung open.
ANDIE: Ouch!
AUDREY: How about Joey? What’d she do?
Joey gives Chris a warning look.
JOEY: I beat up this jock with a lunch tray.
Audrey squeals.
AUDREY: You rebels, you! I always wanted to do that. Ok, what about Pacey?
Chris shrugs.
CHRIS: She didn’t say.
DAWSON: Sorry, Audrey. I’m sworn to secrecy.
JOEY: Yeah, me too.
Pacey sighs in relief.
PACEY: (whispering) Thank you!
CHRIS: The way Abby told it, it was the most fun this motley crew ever had. Jail breaking, basketball match…xeroxing their butts. Our boys had a little rivalry going. Shades of things to come?
DAWSON: You’re really in love with the sound of your own voice, aren’t you?
JOEY: Just butt out, Chris.
PACEY: I second that notion.
Chris shakes his head, giving the semblance of pity.
CHRIS: Well, we’re stuck here for the night. Might as well make the most of it, huh?
Pacey clutches his stomach.
PACEY: If we don’t get outta here soon, I’m gonna start eating the books.
A smile appears on Joey’s face.
JOEY: Luckily, I have just the cure for what ails you.
She reaches into her bag and pulls out a bag of Doritos, a box of Twinkies, and a few cans of coke.
JOEY: I was going to save them for the ride to Capeside, but something tells me we don’t want to starve, right? Dig in!
She puts the snacks on the table, which the others quickly start to open.
*****
Cut to the Potter’s B&B. Hetson is wandering outside looking towards the creek.
MIKE: Nice view, isn’t it?
Startled, Hetson spins around.
MIKE: Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.
HETSON: No problem. Just don’t do it again.
A smirk appears on Mike’s face.
MIKE: What happened to that girl you came with?
HETSON: Wanted to meet this friend of hers. That’s why we came here in the first place, anyway. Though, I have to admit…it is kind of serene. Leave it to my daughter not to appreciate something like this. I’m sorry…you are?
Mike offers his hand to shake.
MIKE: Mike.
They shake hands.
HETSON: Greg Hetson.
MIKE: Yeah, I know. I work here.
Hetson appears confused.
HETSON: Funny, I thought this was a ‘family only’ thing.
MIKE: It is.
HETSON: Wait a minute…so you’re Joey’s…?
Mike nods. Hetson shakes his head in amazement.
HETSON: Wow!
MIKE: What?
HETSON: You’re just…you’re not what I expected. I always imagined her parents to look like something out of a family drama. Straight-laced and wholesome. Not the small-town mountain man.
A smirk appears on Mike’s face.
MIKE: That’s for the compliment. And for the record, she takes after her mother more than me.
Hetson sighs.
HETSON: Don’t they all?
*****
Cut to the library. Everyone is off doing their own thing. Pacey is spinning around in the Librarian’s swivel chair, while Dawson is flipping through one of the books. Joey is playing a ‘Game Boy’ that she had in her bag, and Andie and Audrey are sitting on the stairs. Chris is sulking in the corner. Finally, Oliver is pacing back and forth.
OLIVER: This is so boring! Isn’t anyone else bored?
Joey pauses her game and looks up at him.
JOEY: Here’s an idea…why don’t we used your head as a battering ram? It’s certainly thick enough.
Oliver looks over at Dawson and Pacey.
OLIVER: Geez Louise, could you guys clue me in on what the attraction is? Are you all masochists or what?
PACEY: The battering ram idea is starting to sound real good to me!
DAWSON: Knock it off, you guys. We’ve only been here a few hours. It’s too soon for cabin fever to set in.
Chris finally rejoins the group.
CHRIS: Why not resurrect one of your former pastimes from Capeside high?
JOEY: Hate to burst your bubble, Chris…but this library doesn’t have a Xerox machine. Nor does it have a basketball court.
ANDIE: Or any basketballs, for that matter.
Andie giggles at her humour.
CHRIS: In that case, who’s up for a game of truth or dare?
Oliver grins, and rubs his hands in anticipation.
DAWSON & JOEY & PACEY: NO!
ANDIE: Doesn’t that stop being fun after you hit puberty?
Oliver coughs.
OLIVER: Yeah. How lame can you get?
Dawson gives him a doubtful look.
AUDREY: Come one, people…I’m going nuts here. What am I supposed to do to keep myself occupied?
PACEY: You’re in a LIBRARY, Audrey! Read that book you came here for in the first place!
Audrey scoffs.
OLIVER: Maybe we should, if it’ll calm him down…
Audrey wanders over to Joey.
AUDREY: Come on…please bunny! Don’t let me go insane. Please, please, pleeeease…
Joey sighs.
JOEY: Fine, whatever! Guys?
Dawson, Pacey, and Andie all shrug, and head to the middle of the room. The seven of them face each other.
OLIVER: This is gonna be so cool.
Everyone stares at Oliver.
OLIVER: Um, I mean…who starts?
AUDREY: Me!
Audrey smiles.
AUDREY: Joey…truth or dare?
JOEY: I’m gonna go with truth.
AUDREY: Ok, what was your most embarrassing encounter with a guy? The raunchier the better!
PACEY: You go for the throat, don’t you Audrey? You don’t have to do it, Jo!
JOEY: Actually…yeah, I’ll tell you. Um…start of junior year. There was this wild party going on, so I made my way into this guy’s bedroom. I kinda threw myself at him, and he turned me down. Not my finest moment.
AUDREY: So, who was it?
JOEY: Uh uh…my turn’s over!
CHRIS: But you didn’t say the whole truth. Come on, spill it! Who’s the stupidest guy in Capeside?
Pacey looks towards Dawson.
PACEY: Like you really have to ask?
Dawson’s eyes go wide.
JOEY: PACEY?!
AUDREY: Who-hou-hou!
CHRIS: What are you, a monk Leery?
Joey gives Pacey an angry look.
PACEY: What? I’m not wrong, am I?
JOEY: You had no right to…
PACEY: Hey, I did you a favour, right? You didn’t have to say it. Now, since that counts as my turn, Chris…
Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: No way! That doesn’t count!
CHRIS: It doesn’t, she’s right.
DAWSON: Majority vote, Pace!
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: Fine, whatever! Truth.
A sinister look appears in Joey’s eyes. She knows exactly what she’s going to ask.
JOEY: Ok, what’s the big secret?
PACEY: Uh…secret? What secret?
JOEY: You know…why you’ve been so weird around me lately. What is it that’s bothering you?
Pacey actually looks worried. Dawson steps up and tries to intervene.
DAWSON: Come on, Joey. It’s ok…he didn’t mean…
JOEY: No, Dawson…I wanna hear this.
Pacey bites his lip.
PACEY: Did I say ‘truth’? I meant ‘dare’.
Oliver rolls his eyes.
OLIVER: Wimp!
JOEY: Ok, fine then. Dare. I dare you to get me a book off that shelf.
Pacey laughs.
PACEY: You’re kidding, right? Easy. Which one?
Joey grins, then points.
JOEY: That one!
Pacey looks, and sees that she’s pointing at the top shelf…ten feet up.
PACEY: Okay…this’ll be tricky.