Cut to the Mad Cat Playhouse. Dawson, Pacey, and Chris enter the main hall. Both Dawson and Pacey are carrying boxes.
DAWSON: Wow! It looks…
PACEY: Abandoned?
DAWSON: I was going to say ‘classy’.
PACEY: It’s a bit dusty, isn’t it?
DAWSON: Ideal for a haunted house.
Joey and Audrey arrive just then.
AUDREY: Well, the gang’s all here.
She looks at Dawson, and grins.
AUDREY: Hey, ‘loverboy’!
Dawson cringes. He looks over at Joey.
DAWSON: I take it you heard?
Joey nods.
JOEY: How…?
DAWSON: Girl named Julie. Saw me in the shower.
Audrey grins ear-to-ear.
AUDREY: Saw you? Lucky.
DAWSON: Oh, for the love of…
Dawson’s cheeks turn red. Pacey and Chris laugh.
CHRIS: Apparently half the school think you’re trying to get the lead, Ms. Potter.
Joey scoffs.
JOEY: Please! As if I’d have to go to those lengths in the first place! You know, this isn’t the first time a rumour like this was going around about me. Hence my cool and collected demeanour.
PACEY: Can we get to work already?
DAWSON: Yeah, we wanna have this ready by sundown.
AUDREY: I told the cast. They’ll be here in an hour.
The five of them begin unpacking the boxes
*****
Dusk, outside the theatre. A line-up has formed at the entrance, as people wait to be let inside. Andie is one of those people.
Eventually, she reaches the door. Pacey is there, letting people inside.
PACEY: Hey, Andie. Don’t tell me you actually want in?
ANDIE: Call me curious.
He smiles.
PACEY: Aren’t you going to be scared going into the big, dark house all by yourself?
ANDIE: I won’t. I’m waiting for someone.
PACEY: Someone?
Just then, Oliver runs up to the two of them.
OLIVER: Sorry I’m late. What did I miss?
Pacey freezes. He’s not happy about Oliver being there.
PACEY: You know what…I think I’m gonna join you!
OLIVER: Aren’t you supposed to…?
Before he can finish, Pacey calls over to Chris.
PACEY: Hey, Chris! Cover for me, ok? I’m going in!
Pacey deposits a few dollars in the register and joins Andie and Oliver. Together, they enter in the building.
*****
Meanwhile, inside.
JOEY: I’m starting to think your scare tactics have improved with age, Dawson.
Dawson smirks, as they enter a small room with a low cloud of green mist on the floor.
DAWSON: It comes with the territory. Audrey found some equipment in the back room and we put it to good use. Although, I did add some personal touches.
As they stepped forward, Joey felt the ground move underneath her feet. She jumped.
JOEY: Ok, what was that?
DAWSON: Maybe the ground’s alive?
Joey rolls her eyes.
JOEY: It’s not fair! You know where everything is.
Dawson laughs.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a ‘werewolf’ leaps at her. Joey screams, pulling Dawson close to her.
JOEY: Oh god…I’m starting to remember why I don’t like these places.
DAWSON: You are such a coward.
JOEY: Oh, shut up!
They move forward, into the next room. However, much to their surprise, they see someone familiar.
Julie’s there, with a small group of her friends.
JULIE: Well, look who joined the party.
Dawson waves nervously, while Joey tries her hardest not to meet Julie’s eyes.
*****
Elsewhere, Pacey jumps back as a skeleton jumps out from a coffin at him.
PACEY: Woah!
Oliver and Andie laugh at him.
OLIVER: You are such a spaz, Witter!
PACEY: Takes one to know one.
A girl with green make-up on appears behind them. Andie yelps, and then laughs.
ANDIE: I love this place!
Oliver puts his arm around her shoulder.
OLIVER: Don’t worry…I’ll protect you!
Pacey rolls his eyes.
PACEY: (muttering) I think I’m gonna be ill.
Neither Andie nor Oliver hear him. They’ve already walked into the next room.
Pacey hears them scream in unison. He bites his lip.
Another ‘monster’ appears, but Pacey doesn’t even acknowledge his presence.
GUY: Hey? You ok?
PACEY: Yeah. I’m great. Just great.
*****
Cut to the back door. One last scream, as Dawson and Joey run out, laughing.
JOEY: Think we lost them in the graveyard?
DAWSON: Not likely. They were right behind us.
JOEY: Hmm…maybe the vampires got them?
Dawson chuckles.
DAWSON: We should be so lucky.
Joey grins, as Dawson looks at her.
JOEY: What?
DAWSON: I was just thinking.
JOEY: about what?
DAWSON: Our little fan club in there.
Joey sighs.
JOEY: Big deal. This time next week they’ll be up in arms about the flavour of the month football star.
DAWSON: Maybe. God, their imaginations…
He smiles.
DAWSON: Well, I’m a director. I work in imagination.
He moves closer to her. A look of nervousness crosses Joey’s features.
DAWSON: What say we make fantasy a reality?
Dawson moves in to kiss her. At the last moment, Joey turns her head away.
JOEY: Dawson…no!
Dawson’s face falls. Slowly, he backs away.
Suddenly, they’re both aware that Julie and her friends are watching from the door.
Dawson turns towards them.
DAWSON: There’s your proof! Happy now?
He turns around and marches off.
JOEY: Dawson…wait!
Joey follows him.
*****
Out in the street, a mere moment later.
JOEY: Dawson? Come on, talk to me!
Dawson chuckles.
DAWSON: Talk? Now, what on earth would we have to talk about? It’s perfectly clear that actions speak louder than words right now.
Joey grabs his shoulder, turning him around.
JOEY: You don’t understand!
DAWSON: Oh, I understand completely. I understand I just made a huge mistake. I know when I’m not wanted. In more ways than one.
JOEY: Dawson…I just couldn’t.
Just then, Dawson snaps.
DAWSON: Why not? What’s wrong with me?
JOEY: It’s not you! It’s me!
DAWSON: You?
JOEY: Look at me, ok? I’ve spent the last several years defining myself by whomever I was with. I’m so insecure about my own abilities that I need someone else to give value to my existence. I can’t do that anymore, Dawson. I need to…
DAWSON: (angrily) To find yourself alone? Damn it, Jo…that’s the same excuse you gave me five years ago. I don’t buy it anymore. I’m not the same stupid, gullible kid I used to be!
Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: You were never stupid.
DAWSON: Oh, really? Would a smart person hold on to some fleeting hope for half a decade, when it’s obvious to everyone but him that the girl of his dreams only looks at him as her ‘old pal’? I’m right, aren’t I? Go ahead…admit it!
JOEY: No! God, Dawson…what did you expect me to do? You come out and try to kiss me out of the blue after not saying anything for so long, and you’re surprised I react the way I did? All because of some stupid rumour?
DAWSON: I WANTED IT TO BE TRUE!
Joey’s mouth hangs open, surprised by his outburst. The anger reflected in Dawson’s eyes turns to pain.
I would have given you all of my heart
DAWSON: When Pacey told me what people were saying, I wanted it to be the truth. Because I want you so badly that it hurts.
JOEY: (whispering) I’m sorry.
But there's someone who's torn it apart
Dawson shakes his head.
DAWSON: It hurts so bad that I throw myself into my work just so I don’t have to think about it. That I throw myself at somebody else to get my mind off you. It never works, and sooner or later something happens to remind me. It’s torture.
And he's taken just all that I had
But if you want I'll try to love again
Dawson looks at her.
DAWSON: God, I love you so much…but I still don’t have you! Maybe I never did?
Baby, I'll try to love again but I know
Dawson turns and walks away. Joey reaches out, attempting to stop him, but to no avail
She sighs, closing her eyes. She gently leans her head against a lamppost, defeated.
The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest
But when it comes to being lucky he's cursed
When it come to loving me he's worst