Part 9
“I love Barenaked Ladies,” Pacey said, sighing contentedly as he kicked the volume up a notch. He threw his sneaker clad feet on Joey’s bed with a smile. Joey pulled the dirty shoe off his foot, despite his objections and tossed it off in the corner, away from her pastel bedspread. She repeated the movement with the other foot and pulled Pacey closer, so that he was lying against her chest, her legs wrapped loosely around his waist. Kaylie smiled from her position in Joey’s wicker desk chair. She was the only person Kaylie had ever known who had a wicker desk chair. It must be a bed and breakfast thing.
If I were you (and I wish that I were you)
All the things I’d do to make myself turn blue
I suppose I’d start by removing all my clothes,
tie my pantyhose around my neck
Kaylie brushed some hair out of her eyes self consciously. She’d spent the afternoon in happy silence. Well, there was some conversation, discussion of the calculus they were supposed to be studying...talk about the lack of things to do in Capeside. That sort of thing. But it was mainly a happy sort of laziness that permeated the room. Joey had invited her over. Pacey was there when she arrived, smiling warmly at her entrance. The two were wrapped in each other’s arms. They had been plotting ways to eviscerate the newest English teacher to enter Capeside High, Mr. Kasdan. When Kaylie asked why, Joey replied that it was a tradition. Pacey confirmed that while they liked Kasdan, he had already one-upped two English teachers and he had a reputation to live up to. Kaylie had stared at him, wondering how truthful he was at that moment.
I’ll be that girl-and you would be right over
If I were a field, you would be in clover
If I were the sun, you would be in shadow
And if I had a gun, there’d be no tomorrow
Then Pacey’s smirk faded and his eyes softened a little. He admitted that the first English teacher wasn’t one he’d intentionally beaten. Joey kissed his cheek comfortingly, giggling when he grinned lasciviously and stuck his tongue down her throat abruptly.
If you will not have me as myself,
perhaps as someone else
Kaylie watched the two now, both crumpling up pieces of notebook paper into little balls. The three of them were planning on having a shooting contest using Joey’s small silver trash can. Kaylie already had a pretty impressive pile of crumpled paper balls beside her. She was used to crumpling paper...usually letters.
Perhaps as you I’ll be worth noticing
Then even a eunuch won’t resist
The magic of a kiss from such as you
Pacey stole some of Joey’s balls when she wasn’t looking. She laughed and tickled his side, making him twist away from her. She retrieved the lost balls. Kaylie watched Pacey’s arched hips and her mind strayed. She shook her head and focused on the music. Joey stared back at Kaylie and threw a ball her way, trying to include her in the game. Kaylie laughed and threw it back, missing Joey and hitting Pacey square in the nose. “You’ll get it for that, Roberts!” He yelled, laughing. He threw about five balls from Joey’s pile over at Kaylie, which showered down on her.
I’ll be that girl-and you would be right over
If I were a field, you would be in clover
Joey laughed and joined Kaylie in a two woman paper ball fight against a flailing Pacey. “Got ya,” Joey cheered victoriously. Pacey closed the distance between Joey and himself with a sweet kiss.
If I were the sun, you would be in shadow
If I had a gun, there’d be no tomorrow
“That you do Potter, that you do,” Pacey whispered to her in between kisses. Kaylie took the opportunity to gather all the paper balls and shoving them in the empty trash can she tip-toed over to the entwined couple. Then she turned it over on top of them, raining a hailstorm of paper down on them. Laughing, she ran away from the pair, which grabbed at her, each holding one arm. Pacey picked her up and started with her towards the door. “Wanna go for a dip in the creek, Kaylie?” He smirked at her. Joey grabbed a towel from the bathroom on their way to the B&B’s front door.
It’s time to kick off your shoes,
learn how to choose sadness
It’s time to throw off those chains,
addle our brains
with madness
“I’ve got a towel, Kaylie. You don’t have to worry,” Joey promised, smiling threateningly, giggles escaping from high in her throat.
‘Cause we’ve got plenty of time
to grow old and die
But when at last your beauty’s faded,
you’ll be glad that I have waited for you
“No! Please Pacey?” She looked into his eyes with her most pathetic stare, her brown eyes wide and innocent.
“Nah, that look doesn’t work on me. You think Joey hasn’t tried it a hundred times? Until you favor me the way she does...that look won’t work,” he smiled good-naturedly, but continued out the door and onto the dock. Joey followed behind him.
“Pacey J. Witter, no one will be favoring you the way I do....except for me. That is unless you put our new friend down. The creek’s too cold. Dump her overboard when it gets warmer out,” Joey stated sensibly, her hands firmly on her hips. She was standing in front of Pacey, still keeping Kaylie’s feet off the ground.
The blue convertible was parked out in the more wooded area to the side of Joey’s home. The woman stood there, brushing out the wrinkles from her red blouse, straightening her jeans. She was a worn woman. The kind that hides from the light with scented candles and crimson lamp shades. She was the type that would depend on “the kindness of strangers.”
When you’re done
with being beautiful and young
When that course is run, then come to me....
Pacey considered Joey’s words thoughtfully, hitching Kaylie up higher in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck loosely, trying to escape the chill of the air. Joey raised up on her tiptoes and kissed Pacey’s chin, patting Kaylie’s arm as she did. Pacey paused for a second, smiled and set Kaylie down on her feet in one graceful move. Then he grabbed both girls as they headed back to the house and tickled their sides. The three headed back inside talking in an animated rustle of hands. As the door closed behind them the loud chorus of laughter could still be heard drifting along the air out to the creek.
I’ll be that girl-and you would be right over
The woman stared at the Potter’s front door with an expression of muted awe and adoration. She took a step towards the house and then stopped, clasping her trembling hands together.
If I were a field, you would be in clover
“Pacey,” she whispered softly. The sound came out broken and loud against the bright winter light.
If I were the sun, you would be in shadow
The woman licked her lips and straightened her back. The posture was arrow straight and certain. “She lied to me.” The woman raised a fist, directing it at the door, and then she opened the car door and sat down in the driver’s side smoothly. Slowly she pulled away from the small joyful home. The blue car sped down the road fading into the blue of the afternoon sky.
If I had a gun, there’d be no tomorrow.