AMY: Ticket?
Dawson snaps out of his shock, and rings her up a ticket.
DAWSON: Sorry. I’m just…surprised to see you is all.
She smiles.
AMY: I review movies. Are you surprised the editor decides to send me to one where I actually know the director personally. Very personally.
Her last comment gets Joey’s attention. She appears very suspicious.
DAWSON: Uh, this is Joey Potter. Joey, this is…
JOEY: Amy. Yeah, I heard. I’m going to go see if Andie needs help with the popcorn machine.
Joey goes back inside, keeping her eyes on Dawson and Amy until she’s out of sight.
AMY: I hope for your sake she isn’t an actress.
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: She’s not, despite my frequent urging.
AMY: You’re the last person I expected to catch making out in a ticket booth. So, any opening comments before I rip this thing apart.
DAWSON: Please tell me you’re joking.
Amy laughs.
AMY: Depends on how good it is.
DAWSON: Well, it’s a coming-of-age drama. A bit light-hearted, really. Think John Hughes 80’s work, with a self-aware slant. It takes place in a tourist town by the Creek.
AMY: Hence the title.
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: Yeah. I used a few personal experiences growing up for the plot. You’ll also find a few nods to other movies during the film.
AMY: Oh?
DAWSON: Yeah. The main character’s kind of a movie geek, and it shows. His life reflects different films he’s seen.
AMY: Like?
DAWSON: Well, at one point it’s like a horror movie, at another they’re in detention, a-la ‘Breakfast Club’. One of the sub-plots is similar to the graduate.
Amy smirks.
AMY: I saw that in the preview. That kid’s cute. All unknowns?
DAWSON: Well, Audrey was in Oliver’s movie, but yeah…most of the cast are just people I know.
AMY: Well, I’d better take my seat. Lord knows I don’t want to be stuck behind some guy with an enormously-huge head…present company excepted, of course.
DAWSON: Of course.
She goes inside. Dawson takes a deep breath, and sits down in the ticket booth. A second later, some more people show up, tapping on the glass.
Dawson smiles. It’s beginning.
*****
Cut to the hallway. Oliver walks down the stairs, meeting Pacey.
OLIVER: We’re ready to roll.
PACEY: Great. Now, Dawson’s stuck in the ticket booth outside. Take over for him, and send him inside. I’ve got a few things to go over with him. Only an hour until curtain. Andie?
Pacey and Oliver turn towards Andie, who raises up a plate of tortilla chips.
ANDIE: We’ve got Nachos.
PACEY: Perfect.
OLIVER: Isn’t she going to miss it?
PACEY: We all saw it at the festival, remember?
OLIVER: Oh yeah. Now, remember…don’t lose that remote. If the picture goes wonky, it’s the only way to fix it.
PACEY: Ten-four my good man.
At that moment, John walks up to the Andie.
JOHN: Ou, Nachos. Gimmie!
Andie smiles.
ANDIE: Coming right up, Mr. Witter!
While Andie prepares his snack, John looks around.
JOHN: It’s like going back in time. I remember when the Rialto looked just like this.
PACEY: Yeah, Audrey found this place. Used to be a theatre until budget cuts. Chris converted it for the movie.
Pacey shows him the remote.
JOHN: Heh. Like the world’s largest television set.
PACEY: And I get remote privileges.
John smiles.
JOHN: Good work, Pacey.
PACEY: You should be telling Dawson that. He made the movie. All I did was play errand boy.
JOHN: Dawson Leery’s a smart kid, and he seems to think he owes everything to you right now. I doubt he’s just being polite about it.
Pacey smirks.
JOHN: So enjoy tonight, ok? It’s your victory party, too.
PACEY: I think I will. Thanks.
JOHN: Anytime.
John goes to collect his snack. While he’s there, Pacey notices Doug watching from the restroom door. He gives Pacey an angry look.
PACEY: (muttering) Yeah…victory. Whatever, dad.
*****
Cut to backstage. Pacey peers behind the curtain, looking at a very large crowd gathered outside.
PACEY: We’re playing to a full house, man.
Dawson nods.
DAWSON: Amy’s out there?
PACEY: Amy?
DAWSON: The movie critic.
PACEY: Is that a good thing or a bad thing.
DAWSON: Good for me and you, bad for me and Joey.
Pacey shakes his head.
PACEY: I perplexes me how someone like you can attract so many ex’s.
Dawson sighs.
DAWSON: Here goes nothing. You’re on.
Pacey presses a button on the remote, causing a screen to descend in front of them. He ducks under it just before it reaches the bottom, and goes through the curtains.
He faces the audience, using his trademark smirk.
PACEY: To paraphrase, ladies and gents…lights, camera, and action!
He presses another button, and walks off the stage. Behind him, the curtains part, and the film starts to roll.
ELLIOT: (on screen) This man is a genius.
HARLEY: (on screen) For once, I agree with you Wade. I love this movie…didn’t it win an Oscar?
ELLIOT: I think that was Gandhi.
HARLEY: Ugh! I can’t even sit through that movie. Obviously a conspiracy.
ELLIOT: Thank you.
Harley gets up off the bed.
ELLIOT: Hey, Sam, where you going?
HARLEY: Home.
ELLIOT: Why don’t you stay over?
HARLEY: We start high school tomorrow, Wade.
ELLIOT: So?
*****
Cut to the audience. Harley’s munching down popcorn.
HARLEY: I look too skinny. I thought the camera was supposed to add 10 pounds.
HETSON: You look fine, sweetheart. They don’t just talk like this the entire movie, do they?
Harley gasps, and ducks down.
HETSON: What?
HARLEY: Patrick just walked in!
Gale and Hetson look behind them, seeing Patrick and a trio of his friends go sit down a few rows back.
GALE: Wasn’t he in this movie, too?
HARLEY: Don’t let him see me!
HETSON: That little…
HARLEY: You’re not going to beat him up like you did Professor Wilder, did you?
Gales stares at Hetson.
GALE: Greg? Did you attack a college?
HETSON: He was hitting on my teenaged daughter. And no, I’m not going to beat him up. That’d be too nice.
*****
Cut to a few rows back. Audrey and Chris watch as Patrick and his friends walk in.
Meanwhile, on the screen…
PATRICK: I got a question. If your dad’s ‘Mr. Man-Meat’, does that make you Mr. Man-Meat Jr. or Mr. Man-Meat the second?
ELLIOT: They’re going to have to drag the creek to find your body, buddy!
PATRICK: How’d you even get a guy like that for a dad, anyway?
Chris looks at the screen, then at Patrick.
CHRIS: Hey, look…it’s Mini-Pacey.
AUDREY: That’s the guy. He had way too much fun filming the make-out scenes.
CHRIS: I hate him already.
Audrey smirks. She gets up from her seat.
CHRIS: What are you doing?
AUDREY: Going to have some fun.
*****
Cut to Patrick and his friends.
Audrey sits down next to him.
AUDREY: Pass the popcorn.
Patrick stares at her in surprise, as does his three friends.
AUDREY: What, you didn’t think I’d miss our debut, did you?
A few rows behind, Chris shakes his head.
*****
Cut to later in the movie. Dawson watches from the exit, paying very close attention to Amy’s reaction.
She watches the screen intently.
ELLIOT: (on screen) You’re being unreasonable.
HARLEY: (on screen)Am I? Ever since Blondie first showed up, you’ve been in your own little world. You hardly even talk to me unless it’s about her!
ELLIOT: Because you’re the only one I can talk to about it!
HARLEY: What’s so special about Kim, anyway?
During the film, Joey’s eyes go towards Amy several times, gauging her reaction as well. Eventually, Amy catches her staring, and Joey turns away.
ELLIOT: (on screen) She knows me like you do…only she’s not you. She’s…different. Can’t you understand.
HARLEY: (on screen) Oh, I understand plenty!
On the screen, Harley gets up and walks away. Almost at the exact same time, Amy gets up from her seat and heads for the exit.
Dawson follows her.
*****
Cut to the hallway.
DAWSON: Hey. You’re going to miss it!
Amy turns around to see Dawson following her.
AMY: Sorry. Just needed some air. I’ll see the part I missed next time I watch it.
Dawson’s face lights up.
DAWSON: So it has rewatchability?
AMY: The ‘hair number’ comment alone is worth the price of admission.
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: Yeah, that’s a memorable one. So, am I anticipating a good review?
AMY: I’ve got mixed feelings. Mainly regarding your main character.
Dawson raises an eyebrow.
DAWSON: What’s wrong with Wade?
AMY: Oh, he’s sweet…make no mistake. Especially compared to some of the jerks I’ve known. But you just made him so clueless. I mean, hello…Sam’s a thousand times more beautiful than that blonde he’s drooling over. Really, if he’s that naive, he doesn’t really deserve a friend like that.
Dawson seems hurt.
AMY: What? It’s my job to be critical.
DAWSON: It’s not that. It’s just…well…remember how I told you I based some of this on my own experiences.
AMY: Yeah. What, was Wade based on a friend of yours.
Dawson bites his lip.
DAWSON: My full name is Dawson Wade Leery.
Amy’s mouth falls open. She laughs.
AMY: Oh my god…he’s supposed to be you? I didn’t…but come on, aren’t you over-exaggerating even a little bit. You’re a bit on the theatrical side, but you’re nowhere near as clueless as your creation there.
DAWSON: You never met me when I was fifteen. I was, well…I was kind of a geek.
AMY: I just can’t picture it.
Dawson smiles.
AMY: I’m going to head back in before I miss you embarrass yourself.
She heads back inside.
DAWSON: Enjoy the show.
JOEY: Have a nice chat?
Dawson turns around, to see Joey standing behind him.
DAWSON: Hey. What’s wrong?
Joey looks at him, expressionless.
JOEY: A long time ago, we made a promise to be honest with each other. I know there have been times where I haven’t held up my end of the deal…but I’ve always thought you were better than me. That you weren’t cursed with my issues.
DAWSON: Joey, I don’t understand. You know I’d never lied to you.
JOEY: Back at the film festival you told me things between you and Amy were never serious. What I just saw seemed pretty serious to me.
DAWSON: Joey…
JOEY: She was this close to flirting with you, Dawson! Don’t tell me nothing happened.
DAWSON: It was just one time…
Joey appears horrified, as does Dawson, realizing he said something he shouldn’t have.
DAWSON: Let me explain…
Joey has tears in her eyes.
JOEY: You slept with her, didn’t you?
Dawson looks downwards.
DAWSON: (quietly) Yes.
Joey runs back inside. Dawson just stays there, helpless.