| Easy Love By Tiffany Chapter: 11 A team of excited team members sat around a long rectangular table thoroughly enjoying themselves as they ate and rehashed the last moments of the game. While Gale and Mitch carved the large cake into pieces, Jack and Jen handed them around the table. Dawson stood over by the music set-up trying to find a decent station while Andie tried to help. They were obviously arguing over who was doing more harm then good and by the sound of it� both of them could use some help. �I know what I�m doing Andie.� �I�m just trying to help you!� �And I�m telling that I can handle it! This is my family�s system� I think I can figure it out!� �Stop being so stubborn and let me see it!� She shot back just as angrily. �Why do you always do that?� �Do what?� �You always try to take over and take control of everything. You do it all the time when we�re together� You just hate to let someone else take care of things! It�s so annoying!� �Okay so now I�m annoying! That�s new and fresh� About time you came up with some new material!� She threw out angrily. �You know I was starting to think that perhaps you had your creative peak at the meager age of seventeen!� �You�re not exactly inspirational you know that! Text books and math equations aren�t exactly great material!� �You know what Dawson� fix it yourself! If I�m so non-inspirational and annoying then fine! Just do it all yourself.� She muttered turning on her heel and walking out. The scene had caused heads to turn but no one said anything. Pacey watched from the sidelines as Dawson stood there looking thoroughly defeated and then turned his eyes on the door where Andie had just made a very dramatic exit� door slamming and all. He took the first step about to go after her when he felt a hand reach out and grab his shoulder. He turned and looked into Gretchen�s eyes. �What�� He began when she cut him off. �Just wait� and watch.� She said nodding toward Dawson. He stared at her a moment before slowly turning to Dawson who was still standing there in the midst of the post-argument. The chord from the radio was still in his hand as though lifeless as him. Then suddenly he sprung into action, dropped the chord and was practically running for the door after her. He stood there for a second before letting his sister lead him over to the door and following Dawson at a safe distance. They found the young couple at the end of the block on the corner. Dawson had caught up with Andie and had both of her hands within his own as he stood in front of her. His stance was apologetic and remorseful but what really caught Pacey off guard was that Andie too seemed just as sorry. �I was wrong.� He heard the female blond say. �I do� like to take control� and I know that I come off as a control freak and partially that�s because I am� but I just want to help you. I just want to help you if I can� I want to be there for you.� Dawson smiled. �I know� Just like I want to do things for you. I don�t want you to think that I can�t help myself� I don�t want to be the guy that can�t help himself� I�ve been him once before.� She nodded. �And I don�t want to be the girl that you feel you can�t depend on� Because you can you know� You can depend on me.� She remarked so softly that Pacey almost didn�t hear her. He watched as Dawson reached out and palmed her cheek before leaning in and kissing her as though she were the only woman in the world for him� the only woman he had ever known. He swallowed hard. �I never saw it before. I never knew that�� He trailed off. �That they were actually good for one another.� She finished. �Yeah� I didn�t see it at first either� but it took a moment like this before Dawson saw exactly how good you and Joey are for one another.� She stated and caught the doubt in his eyes. �What is it?� He sighed looking up at the couple standing about fifty feet away. �Joey and I what we have is great� but it�s not that. I want that right there�I mean they were really angry with one another. She blew up at him and then he blew up at her� And now look at them. I�ve never seen her that way with anyone before. She�s so open� vulnerable. Can I tell you something?� �Yeah.� �I think� I had that. I mean it got messed up and crazy and twisted� but I did have that.� He exhaled deeply. �And I want it back.� She stood beside him not wanting to believe what she was hearing but unable to leave it alone. �What exactly are you saying Pace?� He stared at them� so cozy� so comfortable and then turned to his older sister with an openness that she had never seen in him before. �I�m saying that I want Andie back.� He whispered realizing that he was about to turn Capeside on its axis once again. Eventually Dawson and Andie returned to the party hand in hand. And both stayed clear of the stereo system which was working just fine thanks to Jack and Jen but Pacey and Gretchen were nowhere to be found. A few blocks away� �You what?� He sighed. �We should get back to the Fish House before someone misses us.� He said turning and beginning the walk back. She began to follow him but wasn�t willing to let this go. �You can�t say something like you want Andie back, the girl that broke your heart and betrayed your trust, in one statement and then talk about cake in the next.� He shrugged as he walked. �There�s also Mrs. Leery�s infamous Rum punch, with just a hint of rum for those aspiring teens like myself who can�t wait to turn 21.� He quipped. �Stop it! Stop this right now and talk to me! What was that all about back there? You see Andie with Dawson sharing an intimate moment and all of a sudden you want her back? Why because it looks like perfection from where you�re standing? It�s not! What they have it has problems and dysfunction just like everyone else�s relationship. Don�t screw up something great with Joey over a fleeting attraction for a past love.� He whirled around on her with defiant eyes. �Don�t you think I wish that this is what that was? I do. With everything in my being I wish that what I feel inside wasn�t there because it complicates things� and it hurts people� people that I care about more then anything. The last time I had this feeling I practically destroyed my friendship with Dawson and only now am I getting a second chance to build something with him again. I don�t want to wreck the chance that I�m being given with him.� �Then don�t!� �You don�t get it. This isn�t about controlling some raging hormones or teenage lust� I love Andie. I do. And yeah it would be safer if I didn�t and I�ve tried not to but the truth is� I can�t stop it. I told myself that it was because she almost left town that I was scared I would never see her again. I tried to reason it with us spending so much time together coaching this soccer team. But in all honestly it�s not those things� She�s changed and grown-up and she�s more sincere and open and up front with me. And I�ve learned things about myself and who I am and what I want. The point is� the man that I am and want to be� wants to be with Andie.� He whispered. She nodded. �And what about Joey? Did you stop loving her?� He shook his head. �No. But it�s not the same anymore. I don�t know what�s going on with us or where we�re headed but it�s not in the same place. I look at her sometimes and I feel like I�m looking at someone I�ve never met before. And I know she sees the same thing when she looks at me. It�s like we�re strangers to one another.� �And you don�t think that has anything to do with the fact that Andie and Dawson have this newfound relationship?� She shot back. He sighed. �I don�t know� I have seen a side to Andie that I�ve been waiting to see since the first day we met. She�s so calm and trusting. She�s not afraid to trust me. You should have seen the things that she said to me. She just looked at me and I don�t know how to explain it. But it was there.� �What was there?� He stood there in the blustery afternoon while the wind continued to whip across his face. �Trust.� He remarked. And to that Gretchen had nothing to say |
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