Cut to the library. Pacey is slowly climbing towards the top of the large bookcase, with the other six watching from below.
DAWSON: Ok, just be careful. You’re almost there.
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: Remind me never to make bets with you again, Potter!
Joey smirks, proud of herself. Pacey ascends closer to the book, but almost looses his footing. A few other books tumble towards the floor, causing the others to jump back to avoid being hit.
OLIVER: Are you deliberately trying to hit us?
PACEY: No! Well, ok, maybe Chris…
Finally, Pacey reaches his destination. He grabs the book, and begins to descend. Once he reaches the ground, he hands it to Joey.
PACEY: Would the lady require anything else this evening? What is this thing anyway?
Joey shrugs.
JOEY: Beats me!
Pacey’s mouth hangs open.
JOEY: I just wanted to prove a point, Pacey!
Pacey shakes his head in amazement.
PACEY: Yeah, whatever. My turn, right?
He turns to Chris.
CHRIS: Oh no…
PACEY: Oh yes! Christopher, old buddy, old pal…what’ll it be?
CHRIS: Truth, I guess.
PACEY: Truth, huh? Riddle me this, then. Why are you doing this. Hanging out with Audrey, playing the ‘good Samaritan’? What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?
Pacey stares him in the eyes for a moment.
CHRIS: I misspoke. I meant dare.
Andie rolls her eyes.
ANDIE: You guys just cannot handle the truth, can you?
PACEY: All right…dare it is then. This play you’re performing in…I wanna hear some!
Chris’ eyes go wide.
CHRIS: Come again?
PACEY: You heard me. Sing for us ‘Phantom’.
Chris groans.
CHRIS: Fine! Give me some room…
They all back up as Chris clears his throat.
*****
Cut to the Leery house. Gale hears a knock on the door. She answers it to see Hetson waiting on the other side.
HETSON: Hey. Um…can I come in?
She nods, stepping aside so he can enter. Hetson looks around at the surroundings, taking it in.
HETSON: This place is…big. Lots of space.
Gale crosses her arms.
GALE: What are you doing here?
HETSON: What did you mean earlier? About me, I mean? What did Harley say about me?
GALE: Nothing. She didn’t talk about you that much. Joey, on the other hand, had plenty to say.
He sighs.
HETSON: Of course. I’ll admit we’ve had our differences, but what exactly did she say?
GALE: That you’re cruel, vindictive, and selfish. That you take pleasure in other people’s suffering. Last year she told me you read a completely personal letter of hers to your entire class.
HETSON: I’m her teacher, ok? I can’t make allowances when someone acts irresponsible.
GALE: No allowances, huh? How about understanding then? Some compassion? Maybe if you concerned yourself more with how other people feel, your daughter wouldn’t be upset with you so much.
HETSON: Oh, what would you know? You’ve raised the perfect kid.
Gale smirks.
GALE: You think so, huh? Come on…I want to show you something.
She leads Hetson upstairs. As they pass by the hallway, he notices several pictures. One of graduation, another of Joey and Dawson with her and Lily.
HETSON: Why is she in so many of your family photos? Miss Potter seems to be as many of them as your son is.
GALE: Joey’s kind of a surrogate family member. Her mother was my best friend.
HETSON: Was? What happened?
Gale stops, and turns around to face him.
GALE: She died. Cancer. It happened about seven years ago.
Hetson’s face falls.
HETSON: I…I didn’t know that. She never said anything.
GALE: Did you ever give her a reason to? I don’t know why, but all of Dawson’s friends tended to have troubles at home. Pacey’s parents didn’t even seem to care what happened to him. A Jen’s…well, they almost disowned her for acting like a teenager. For some reason, they’re all drawn to one another. Their own little surrogate family.
HETSON: Why are you telling me this?
She smiles.
GALE: Because, Mr. Hetson, Joey seems to see a lot of herself in Harley. I just want you to realize what kind of people your dismissing.
Hetson thinks about it for a moment.
HETSON: Greg!
GALE: Huh?
HETSON: Call me ‘Greg’, ok? Mr. Hetson’s my dad’s name.
She smiles.
GALE: He has a sense of humour? Who would have thought?
They enter Dawson’s room, and Hetson seems even more amazed than he was in the foyer.
HETSON: I knew the kid was a film geek, but I never expected this!
Gale giggles.
GALE: This is actually a reproduction of how it looked when he was fifteen. He made it like this for the movie Harley was in.
HETSON: Just starting out and he’s already borrowing from Cameron Crowe, huh?
He looks out the window towards the creek.
HETSON: Now this is the kind of place you raise a kid. Not some psudo-suburb in Boston.
GALE: Is that a smile? The cold, heartless monster is human after all?
He turns and looks at her.
HETSON: I’m getting there.
*****
Cut back to Boston. Chris does a mock bow, and spins around.
CHRIS: Thank you! My CD will be available upon request.
Audrey taps him on the shoulder, indicating for him to come behind the bookshelf.
CHRIS: Excuse me a moment.
He follows her. Once they’re safely out of earshot, Audrey speaks up.
AUDREY: Ok, it’s Dawson’s turn next. I need you to do me a huge favour.
CHRIS: Ok, sure…what?
She grins.
AUDREY: I want you to dare him to kiss me.
CHRIS: What? Are you crazy? Why?
Audrey looks over at Pacey, who’s waiting patiently.
AUDREY: Pacey. Ok, so they’ve got this weird rivalry thing going on. I’m thinking, maybe if Pacey saw him kiss me he’d get…I don’t know…jealous. Then maybe he’d want me back?
CHRIS: Hold on…I thought you moved on.
AUDREY: I have…kind of. All the same, if there’s anyway to see if a spark is left, this is it. Come on…please.
She stares at Chris with pleading eyes. Finally, he submits.
CHRIS: All right…all right! I’ll do it.
They exit from behind the shelf, walking towards the rest of the group.
CHRIS: And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…Dawson Leery! What’ll it be?
Dawson smirks.
DAWSON: I think I’ll try a dare.
CHRIS: Brave man.
Chris sees Audrey out of the corner of his eye, grinning in anticipation. He bites his lip.
CHRIS: Now, I think it’s time to play the late Miss Morgan’s favourite part of this game. I dare you to kiss, on the lips for 15 seconds…Andie McPhee.
Andie’s eyes go wide.
ANDIE: WHAT?
AUDREY: What?
PACEY: Huh?
DAWSON: No way!
OLIVER: Oh, come on, Leery!
DAWSON: Truth…truth, I’ll take a truth.
Chris shakes his head.
CHRIS: No can do, Dawson.
Dawson gives him a cold look.
DAWSON: Fine, then I quit. This whole thing is stupid anyway.
Dawson starts to walk away.
CHRIS: Oh, come on, Dawson! Ok, fine. Have it your way, Oompa Loompa!
Upon hearing that, Dawson freezes. He turns around and gives Chris the ‘evil eye’.
JOEY: Uh oh!
Oliver is snickering.
OLIVER: Wait a minute…did he just call him…?
Joey gives him a warning look.
JOEY: If you value your life, you’ll stay quiet about it.
Dawson marches over to Chris.
DAWSON: What did you call me?
Chris smiles smugly.
CHRIS: I double-dare you. Or are you just scared, Oompa Loompa!
Dawson grits his teeth in anger.
DAWSON: Fine! Andie?
Andie sighs.
ANDIE: Why not? Not like I’m getting that many as it is.
She walks over to where Dawson is. After a moment of hesitation, they kiss.
During the kiss, the camera shifts around the room. First at Joey, who is biting her lip nervously.
Then it shifts over to Pacey. A look of anger appears on his face, almost as intense as the one Dawson had a moment ago. Then we see Audrey, who looks at Pacey, then at Chris. She’s completely confused.
Finally, they break the kiss. Andie stares at Dawson in amazement.
ANDIE: Wow! So that’s what all the fuss is about?
Dawson blushes, then turns to his friends.
DAWSON: Ok, so who’s next?
No one responds.
*****
Cut to Leery’s Fresh Fish, after hours. The only people inside are Hetson and Gale.
Gale pours Hetson a cup of coffee, as well as one for herself. They sit down at a table together.
HETSON: Do you ever miss your husband, Gale?
She nods.
GALE: Some days more than most. I’ve adjusted to be sure. But when someone’s a part of your life for so long…I don’t think you ever completely heal from it. How about you? Do you ever miss your wife?
HETSON: When I’m not too busy cursing her for leaving me, you mean? Yeah. It’s not the same, though. We still talk sometimes. Ok, half the time we’re arguing about Harley, but she’s still out there.
Gale stares into her coffee.
GALE: Mitch and I…we had some problems the last few years. We were only back together a little while before the accident. Not even a year and a half. If it wasn’t for Dawson, we might not have even had that time.
She sighs.
GALE: He still blames himself for what happened. It’s not his fault, but try telling him that. He’s too much like his father. Especially where stubbornness is concerned.
HETSON: He’s a good kid. We had a little heart-to-heart after I gave a beating to a fellow faculty member.
Gale smirks.
GALE: You’re joking?
He shakes his head.
HETSON: He was hitting on my little girl. I wasn’t about to let him get away with that.
Gale laughs.
GALE: You’re really something, aren’t you Greg?
He sighs.
HETSON: You have experience raising a teenager, right? Does it ever get easier?
GALE: Nope. But I think the hardest part is admitting to yourselves that they’re sometimes right.
Hetson raises an eyebrow.
HETSON: They are?
GALE: A fifteen year old sees things clearer than an adult. Maybe it’s because they’re old enough to understand how things work, but not yet as cynical as you are. We like to think of them as children, but that’s not entirely true. We could actually learn a thing or two from them.
HETSON: You’re a smart woman, Mrs. Leery.
She smiles.
GALE: Thanks for saying that ‘Professor’.
Gale gently places his hand over his.
*****
Cut back to Boston. Pacey is standing between a pair of bookshelves, an angry look on his face. Dawson appears from the side and walks up to him.
DAWSON: You ok?
PACEY: Me? Oh, I’m fine. Just super.
Dawson isn’t convinced.
DAWSON: You want to talk about it?
PACEY: Not really, no!
Dawson sighs, crossing his arms.
DAWSON: Come on, Pace. Talk to me.
Just then, Chris shows up.
CHRIS: Hey, I was wondering where you went.
DAWSON: Get lost, Chris. We played your stupid game.
PACEY: Actually, I think Dawson wants another round. Don’t you?
DAWSON: No! Pacey, what’s the problem?
PACEY: Problem? What problem? I just watched you kiss my ex, why would I possibly have a problem?
CHRIS: Didn’t you, like, do the exact same thing to him for over a year?
Dawson and Pacey both give Chris a cold stare.
PACEY: (coldly) Oh, so do so not wanna go there right now, Wolfe!
CHRIS: What? That’s what I heard. Didn’t you swipe Joey from behind his back after I left?
DAWSON: Chris, will you just…
Pacey shushes him.
PACEY: Dawson, be quiet!
He approaches Chris angrily.
PACEY: This is how you get your jollies, right? Playing with other people?
CHRIS: Just a simple question…
PACEY: Wrong! You’re trying to goad me, well congratulations. I’m sufficiently goaded. Now just be proud of yourself and stop talking about things you know nothing about.
CHRIS: Just call me curious. I’m interested.
PACEY: Why? Cause every girl you ever dated dumped you the second they found out what a creep you are?
Those words sting Chris. For the first time, he looks angry.
CHRIS: (sarcastically) Coming from you, that really hurts Witter!
Over at the table, the others hear their arguing. They quickly walk over to the guys.
AUDREY: What’s going on?
She doesn’t receive an answer.
DAWSON: Pacey? Just back away, ok?
He doesn’t listen.
PACEY: What’s that supposed to mean?
CHRIS: Well, I think that’s obvious. I mean, look at your luck with women…
Pacey grits his teeth.
PACEY: Shut…up…
Chris laughs.
CHRIS: Everyone you’ve ever gone out with gone out with, Witter, has either skipped town, gone to rehab, or sent to the nuthouse!
At that point, Pacey looses it. He grabs Chris, and slams him against the bookshelf.
AUDREY: PACEY, DON’T!
Pacey punches him, bloodying Chris’s lip. Chris then falls to the floor, looking up at Pacey in fear.
Quickly, Audrey gets in between them.
AUDREY: (angrily) Pacey, what’s the matter with you?
Andie looks down at Chris, then over at Dawson. We then see a close-up of Pacey, who realises just what he’s done.