| �Is everything alright?� She shook her head, heaving a loud sigh. �Yeah, I guess. He�s just � argh! So overprotective that sometimes it really gets annoying.� �I guess he cares, though.� It was Vartan�s turn to lower his eyes. �I mean, my dad�s an awesome guy and all. I guess that this work�s just � busy. I kind of wish we could spend a bit more time together.� �Sucks,� Mera said. �Pacey�s overprotective, and your dad�s under protective. But Pacey�s just silly about some stuff, I mean�� she took a deep breath, deciding within 2 seconds to just go for it. �Like dating. Pacey seems to believe I�m �too young� to even consider dating. But the thing that makes no sense is that he started dating my mom when she was 16. So I don�t see the difference.� �Yeah.� He forced a cough out, downcast his eyes, and lowered his voice. ��Cuz, I mean � I was going to ask if you wanted to see a movie tomorrow. Maybe. I mean, even a matinee�� �With you?� Mera asked, voice high, then realizing Vartan may misinterpret the question. �I mean just you?� �Well � I mean � if Prince William and Princess Mia Thermopolis already have plans�� She laughed nervously. �You know, I�ll bet they do.� He shrugged. �Guess it�d just be us then. Would that be � bad?� �No!� She nearly shouted. �No, that would be fun.� �But Pacey�� he said, quizzically. �I don�t want to go against anything he�s said, or offend him or anything.� �I�ll talk to him again today,� Mera replied, reassuringly. �I�m sure he�ll change his mind.� �Cuz if not, I could always stop by and ask him myself. Make my intentions clear�� as though realizing what he was saying, Vartan began to laugh. �God, listen to me. I should like I�m asking for your hand in marriage.� �Pacey said you wouldn�t. Said we�d just elope�� �What?� Mera blushed. �Nothing. Just Pacey being overprotective again. I can totally talk to him again, let him know�� She trailed off, spotting Jeff down the hall, bee lining their way. Vartan turned, spotting her at the same time. �Oh, well � here comes Hurricane Jeff. Better let her talk to you before she destroys more barns and cattle. I�ll see you, Mera.� With that he left, leaving her standing slack-jawed at the lockers. By this time, Jeff Cavanaugh had made her way over, and was immediately talking. �Was that Vartan? What�d he take off so sudden for. Like a freaking bat outta hell there.� �Hey Jeff.� Jeff eyed her best friend. �What�s your deal today?� Without waiting for an answer, she continued. �Or better yet � what�s your deal tomorrow? I was thinking maybe we could check out the new matinee downtown, maybe�� �Jeff, you are a genius!� Mera broke in. �You�re an absolutely genius!� �Thanks, but � huh?� �A movie tomorrow. Perfect.� Quickly, she summarized her discussion with Vartan and hoe he�d asked her out. �Great stuff � only Pacey doesn�t want me �dating� yet.� Jeff smiled. �Ah, I see where your mind�s going, you little devil. If I come along for the ride, you can tell Pacey it isn�t a date, just a friendly outing with two of your chums, smart girl.� Mera smiled to herself. Maybe, just maybe she could pull this off.� * * * �I�m telling you, Leery, mirror image.� Dawson Leery quietly listened to his best friend talk. Though the distance between them gave the phone an odd echo, and the occasional crackle, he could still feel. He could feel the emotions of Pacey Witter bleed through the phone, overwhelming the lines. Well, I mean, she is Andie�s daughter.� He said, cautiously. �And she�s so much like her, which is my point. She�s in no way her father�s daughter � thank god. But when I think about Andie at her age � the things we did, the things that she went through�� ��it wigs you out,� Dawson supplied. �Understandable with the underlying factors contributing�� he sighed. �In other words � normal fatherly worry.� �Dawson, I�m not her father�� �Pacey � you are. You are the only father Mera has ever known. You legally adopted her � that makes you, by law, her father. So don�t give me garbage about you not being her dad.� Pacey inhaled sharply. �Geez, Dawson. Who�d have thought this � so many years after our high school days � we�d be talking about parenting. Definitely not something we considered. Then it was just your average crisis of the week with Joey�� |
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