Sheryl Crow
Cut to later on. Pacey enters the office, noticing all the lights are out.
PACEY: Dawson? You here?
He enters the kitchen, seeing Dawson sitting alone at the table. He’s staring off into space, completely detached from everyone else.
PACEY: You ok, Pal? Brooding ain’t your style.
DAWSON: (quietly) I’m fine Pacey. What’s on your mind?
Pacey doesn’t believe him, but decides to forget it.
PACEY: I need your advice on something, Dawson. Now, I know this is going to sound crazy, but…
He collects himself, trying to decide how best to say it.
PACEY: You noticed how much time Oliver’s been spending with Andie lately?
DAWSON: That’s a good thing, right? He’s our client.
Pacey nods.
PACEY: True, true. But he’s be paying a particular attention to Ms. McPhee. He likes her, Dawson. And I think…I’m pretty sure she likes him, too. The problem I’m having is that, for some reason, I don’t like that they like each other. As a matter of fact, I hate it.
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: Dawson, I don’t think I’m completely over her. I thought I was, but it’s a lot easier not to think about someone like that when they’re a million miles away. Every since she came back, I’ve been feeling something around her. Something I haven’t felt in a long time. What do you think I should do?
DAWSON: You’ve gotta let her go!
Pacey is taken aback by this.
PACEY: Excuse me?
DAWSON: You heard me. If you’re not over her, you need to get over her! Move on with your life. It’ll be better for all involved if you just forget you ever loved her in the first place.
Pacey shakes his head, disbelievingly.
PACEY: Hold on! I know tomorrow night is Halloween, but could we not have Invasion of the Body snatchers right now? What happened to the hopeless romantic? Mr. ‘it’s not over as long as you feel something’?
DAWSON: He grew up! That’s what happened!
PACEY: Let’s see…you were normal last I saw you. My guess is something happened with Joey, right? You two fought?
Dawson sighs.
DAWSON: Yeah. We did.
Pacey becomes concerned.
PACEY: How bad was it? Beating up Jack bad?
DAWSON: You at senior prom bad!
Pacey cringes.
PACEY: That’s bad. What’d she say?
Dawson bites his lip.
DAWSON: I tried to kiss her. She said no…and then she said she needed to ‘figure some things out’. We know what that means, don’t we?
PACEY: Now, hold on! Didn’t you say the exact same thing when she got back from France? Remember? Our heart-to-heart in the bar?
DAWSON: It’s the same exact excuse she gave me back in high school, Pacey. It’s her way of saying ‘sorry, Dawson…you’re not my type, you never were, and you never will be!’
Pacey starts to chuckle.
DAWSON: What?
PACEY: You are so full of crap, Dawson!
DAWSON: You don’t think I’m right?
PACEY: No, I don’t! That girl is messed up, bro! You know it, I know it, and finally she knows it! So now you’re throwing a hissy fit because you’re the one who has to ‘suffer’ so that she can improve herself? If it were Eddie, or Chris, or Charlie, or, heaven forbid, me…you’d be behind her decision 100%. Admit it!
DAWSON: Pacey…!
PACEY: The only reason you’re upset is because you’re the guy she has to say ‘no’ to!
Dawson sighs. Silently, he agrees with him.
DAWSON: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it was so much easier when I was competing with you. At least then I had an obstacle that I could see. How can I fight this?
PACEY: Wait it out.
Dawson looks at him.
DAWSON: How long could that take? A year? Ten? I can’t take this anymore, Pacey! Not knowing. I just don’t know…
PACEY: Dawson, listen to me for a second. None of us know when these defining moments are going to come. They just do. We’re sitting there one moment, and suddenly people change their minds. You never know when to expect it, cause it just hits you like a bolt from the blue. When it hits you, you can’t go back…and your life is never gonna be the same again. When you first stopped looking at Joey as your ‘pal’, did you know when to expect it?
I still want you by my side
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
Dawson shakes his head.
DAWSON: Hit me like a bolt of lightning. Sometimes I wish I could go back to being that way
And I'm sure going to give you a try
PACEY: Yeah, same here. It was more entertaining to see her chasing after you. Joey had more self-restraint.
Dawson laughs.
And if you want I'll try to love again
Baby, I'll try to love again but I know
DAWSON: Ok, so maybe I could learn to handle my emotions a little better.
PACEY: No way! You wouldn’t be you if you did.
DAWSON: You think she’ll ever talk to me again?
The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest
Pacey shrugs.
PACEY: Sometimes people can surprise you.
Dawson smiles.
DAWSON: I’m looking at one of those people right now!
Pacey grins.
But when it comes to being lucky he's cursed
When it come to loving me he's worst
*****
Cut to the next morning, in Hetson’s classroom. The class ends, as students begin piling out of the room.
HETSON: Ok, remember…assignments on Monday! No exceptions. Have a happy Halloween, and please try not to get too drunk!
However, he quickly notices someone who hasn’t moved an inch. Joey is still sitting in her seat, not even acknowledging another person’s presence.
HETSON: Hello? Class is over! Don’t you have a crisis you’re late for or something? Usually you can’t wait to get rid of me.
I still want you by my side
Joey sighs.
JOEY: What do you care?
Hetson sits down in the desk next to her.
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
HETSON: I’m trying this new thing. Gale thinks that I can relate to my daughter better if I paid better attention to the feelings of the people around me. Granted, I’m a beginner at that, but you have such a depressing mood around you today that a blind man could spot it.
Joey finally looks at him.
JOEY: Gale’s smart. Well…except when it comes to you.
HETSON: Mock away. But you’re still not leaving until you explain what’s got you down.
JOEY: You’re serious? This isn’t just another way to embarrass me?
HETSON: I promise. I’m being completely sincere this time.
She sighs again.
But I'm sure gonna give you a try
JOEY: Dawson tried to kiss me.
He raises an eyebrow.
HETSON: And this is a bad thing because…?
JOEY: My reaction wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for. It took me by surprise, and, well…he kinda flipped out. Ok, he really flipped out.
'Cause if you want I'll try to love again
Baby, I'll try to love again but I know
HETSON: Sounds like someone can’t handle rejection.
Joey groans, and looks the other way.
HETSON: Ok, that wasn’t the right thing to say. I’m new at this, remember? Sorry! I’m sorry.
She looks back at him, waiting.
JOEY: The problem isn’t so much that he tried to kiss me. This time last year I probably would have welcomed it. But after a lot of soul searching, I made the decision to stay single until I can figure some things out. I’m a real mess, and the only way I’m sure I can improve myself is by doing it alone. I won’t be able to while in a relationship…especially if it’s with my best friend.
The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know, the first cut is the deepest
HETSON: Do you love him?
Joey pauses.
JOEY: I don’t know. I care about him, but I’m not sure if it’s as a friend or as something more. I’ve spent the past half-a-decade trying to figure it out! I can’t do that now. Things between me and Dawson always get so intense. I can’t worry about stuff like that and concentrate on myself at the same time. It’s just too much.
When it come to being lucky he's cursed
HETSON: Why don’t you tell him that? That you’re overwhelmed?
JOEY: I tried. He went all wiggy.
HETSON: Well, try again. The guy was just rejected by a pretty girl, of course he wasn’t thinking with his head. If you could stand to retake my class, then talking to some guy you met when you were a toddler shouldn’t be that hard.
Joey half-smiles.
When it come to loving me he's worst
JOEY: How did you know when we met?
HETSON: I’m dating his mother. I’ve seen the baby pictures…regrettably. You were a cute kid. What happened?
Joey rolls her eyes.
JOEY: Very funny!
HETSON: Just talk to him. There’s no harm in trying, is there?
She nods.
JOEY: I will.
The first cut is the deepest baby i know
The first cut is the deepest try to love again...
She gets up from her desk, grabbing her bag.
HETSON: So, how did I do?
JOEY: On a scale of one to ten?
Hetson waits in anticipation.
JOEY: You’re getting there. For a second, you almost sounded human.
Hetson smiles.
HETSON: Report. Monday. Have it done!
JOEY: You kidding? That’s the easy part!
Hetson laughs, as Joey exits the classroom.
*****
Cut back to the Mad Cat Playhouse. Chris has a pile of money sprawled on the table, as he finishes counting it. Audrey walks into the room, yawning.
CHRIS: You sleep well?
AUDREY: Oh, yeah. Like a baby. That ours?
Chris nods, smiling.
CHRIS: One more night should do it.
Audrey grins.
AUDREY: Then we’ll be able to buy this place?
Chris laughs.
CHRIS: You have any idea how much that would cost? No, but we will be able to lease it for a few months. After then, who knows?
AUDREY: I’m proud of you, you know?
He smiles.
CHRIS: Thank you. It’s nice to know I got at least one good quality from my father.
Audrey notices a bitterness when he talks about his dad. She decides to let it pass.
AUDREY: So, where’s everyone else?
He shrugs.
CHRIS: Don’t know. Pacey had to leave early, and Dawson and Joey just vanished after they went through once.
AUDREY: Wait, so you handled it all by yourself?
He nods.
AUDREY: You could of asked me to help.
CHRIS: Yeah, but I wanted to see if I could handle it alone. And I did. Guess I just felt like I had something to prove. Whatever.
AUDREY: Mission accomplished, then.
They both stand up.
CHRIS: So? What’s my reward?
Audrey crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow.
AUDREY: Reward?
CHRIS: Yeah.
Chris grins.
AUDREY: Well, I might have something.
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a handful of Halloween toffee.
AUDREY: Happy Halloween, Mr. Wolfe.
She giggles, then takes off. Chris stares at his hand.
CHRIS: Great…
*****
Cut to outside Worthington. Joey wanders around campus for a moment, enjoying the afternoon air. Several people are dressed as vampires and other monsters, heading towards their respective parties.
I'm so scared that the way that I feel,
Is written all over my face,
When you walk into the room
I wanna find a hiding place,
Then, out of the corner of her eye, Joey sees somebody else. A guy around her age, wearing a brown jacket and matching fedora. He’s dressed as ‘Indiana Jones’.
We used to laugh, we used to hug,
The way that old friends do,
But now a smile and a touch of your hand,
Just make me come unglued,
However, it’s not hard to make out Dawson’s features from underneath the hat. He walks towards her.
It's such a contradiction,
do I lie or tell the truth,
Is it fact or fiction
the way I feel for you.
It's so complicated, I'm so frustrated,
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay,
Should I say it, should I tell you how I feel,
Oh, I want you to know,
But then again I don't,
It's so complicated.
JOEY: Nice outfit!
DAWSON: Thanks. It felt appropriate. It’s not the years, it’s the mileage, right?
Just when I think I'm under control,
I think I finally got a grip,
Joey bites her lip.
JOEY: Dawson…
DAWSON: No, let me!
Another friend tells me that,
She nods, letting him speak.
DAWSON: I came here to apologize.
Joey half-smiles.
My name is always on your lips,
JOEY: For what?
DAWSON: For being such a huge colossal jerk! For thinking of myself when I should have been thinking of you…and if you never want to speak to me again, I completely understand. Last night was not one of my better moments.
They say I'm more than just a friend,
They say I must be blind,
JOEY: Hey! It’s ok, Dawson. You didn’t really do anything wrong. You just told the truth. Again. Maybe if you didn’t bottle everything up, it wouldn’t come out in these outbursts.
Dawson chuckles.
JOEY: Now, you listen to me, Dawson. This thing I’m going through, it’s not just an excuse. I’m a mess. I don’t trust people. I trust myself even less, and don’t make my decisions on my own. I’m indecisive and I’m afraid, and I just don’t want to be like that anymore. I need to be alone right now. Not just for me, but for the people in my life. If I…if there is ever going to be someone I dedicate my life to being with, he’ll deserve a whole person.
DAWSON: I understand, believe me. I’m so proud that you’re able to do this, and I will honour that decision from here on out, but…
He sighs.
Well I admit that I've seen you watch me,
From the corner of your eye,
JOEY: What?
Dawson looks at her with regret.
DAWSON: I guess, deep down inside, a part of me doesn’t care about doing what’s right. Or what’s noble, or what’s for the best, or anything like that. Part of me just understands one simple thing…it doesn’t get what it wants.
Oh it's so confusing I wish you'd just confess,
But think of what I'd be losing,
If your answer wasn't yes.
They pause.
JOEY: You remind me someone right now, Dawson. Someone I knew a long time ago. You see, this girl was a lot like you. Kept everything bottled up inside until she was ready to burst. She had this huge crush on this guy. She was crazy about him, but he never noticed her. He was too busy noticing some other girl to pay any attention to her, and sometimes that drove her crazy.
Dawson’s expression softens, realizing who she’s referring to.
It's so complicated,
I'm so frustrated,
JOEY: But then, every once and awhile, he’d do something…or say something that made her feel different. Special. Just the way he’d talk with her showed that she meant more to him than this next-door neighbour ever could in a million years. In those moments, Dawson…being the ‘friend’ didn’t seem that bad.
He smiles.
I wanna hold you close,
I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go,
I wanna make you stay,
DAWSON: This guy must have been something special.
Should I say it,
JOEY: Yeah. He was.
should I tell you how I feel,
DAWSON: So, what happens now?
JOEY: Now? Now I just want to get a cup of coffee with my best friend in the world and tell him about my assignment.
Oh, I want you to know,
But then again I don't,
It's so complicated.
DAWSON: Ah, yes…Orson Wells. Lead the way.
They start to walk off-campus, side by side.
DAWSON: So, this friend of yours was ‘crazy’ about this guy, huh?
JOEY: Like you wouldn’t believe. It was approaching obsessive.
DAWSON: Yeah, what was this guy, completely dense?
JOEY: Just about?
DAWSON: Bet he spent every hour of the day stuck in front of the television.
The two of them laugh, as the camera pans up.
Should I say it,
Should I tell you how I feel,
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don't,
It's so complicated.
*****
Cut to the student square. Andie is standing outside in the cold, her jacket bundled up around her.
She doesn’t notice Pacey standing behind the door. He reaches out for her, his hand meeting glass. Slowly, he slides his fingers down.
In his other hand is a red rose. He bites his lip nervously, deciding what he’s going to say. Finally, he opens the door and walks in her direction.
However, before he can make it far, Oliver goes up to Andie. They talk a moment, before hugging.
Pacey stands there, transfixed. He’s helpless as they walk away, holding hands.
V.O.(Dawson): None of us know when these defining moments are going to come. They just do. We’re sitting there one moment, and suddenly people change their minds.
Slowly, he turns around. He tosses the flower into a nearby trash bin.
V.O.(Dawson): You never know when to expect it, because it just hits you like a bolt from the blue.
Then, without a word, Pacey Witter walks off into the evening air.
V.O.(Dawson): When it hits you, you can’t ever go back…and your life will never be the same again.
Fade to black
End credits
Sheryl Crow
Carolyn Dawn Johnson