As soon as the last bell rang out for the day, I was glad it was over. Or I was until I saw both Jen and Andie waiting by the exit, watching as they grinned from ear to ear.
�You got any plans for this afternoon?� Jen linked her arm with mine, as did Andie.
�Well I,� I trailed off looking from one girl to the next.
�Cancel them coz we are taking you shopping!� Andie giggled as they pulled me over to her SUV.
�But I don�t have any money,� I frowned I really need to talk to Pacey about that too.
�What do you reckon us friends are for!� Jen laughed as she got into the back seat.
�Plus I have unlimited credit cards,� Andie hopped into the drivers seat and turned back to face Jen.
�Stop being such a rich snob, Andie.�
�I guess I was wasn�t I?� Andie frowned a second looking over at me, I could only shrug, this was all new to me, �So where to Miss Lindley?�
�I was thinking the main street!�
�Oh, that�s where that cute little dress shop is,� Jen merely nodded at her friend, �Joey you are going to love this shop, I can guarantee it!� Andie started the engine and we were off.
* * * * * *
After at least half an hour of searching we had found the dress shop, and the girls went all out, bringing me some really nice clothes, things I wouldn�t normally buy myself anyway. I was surprised at there generosity but they thought nothing of it. It started to pour as we sat in the comfort of the Capeside Diner.
�Look at that,� Andie smiled as she pointed over the road to children playing in the rain. I smiled too, we laughed when one slipped over.
�Oh the poor thing, hope he�s alright!� Jen frowned in concern.
�He�s alright, see he�s up again now!� and sure enough the child was back to playing again.
�So Joey, tell us about this date?� I frowned at Jen; I had no idea what date in particular she was talking.
�Huh?�
�The date?� Jen repeated
�Which date in particular, because I really have no clue as to what you are talking about, Jen?�
�Hasn�t Pacey asked you out on a date yet?� Andie and Jen exchanged a look when I merely shook my head.
�That�s kind of strange; you would have thought,� Jen trailed off as she scratched her head.
�I know but its Pacey we�re talking about here, he follows that list of his, remember,� Andie agreed.
�List?� now I really was confused, what was so bad about not having a date and what were these rules.
�Oh, that�s right,� Jen paused a moment to look at Andie, �You have no idea what we�re talking about.�
�Maybe we shouldn�t be talking about this, Jen.�
�But she�s our friend, she�ll find out about it eventually, why not from the right people.�
�Fine, but when Pacey finds out I didn�t want to okay.�
�Fine,� They glared at each other, before Jen turned back to me, �Pacey�s special, he�s tough and stubborn to the bone. He�s really smart, in his heart and in his mind. He likes to keep basically everything to himself. Things have happened to him the past that make him cautious of everything and everyone. A long time ago he came up with this rather silly list of things he wanted to do or things he wanted to change about himself.� Jen paused again, catching her breath. �It was things like traveling to the interstate line or always speaking from the heart.�
�I didn�t know he let you look at it?� Andie spoke up, �Why didn�t you tell me?�
�I only saw it once and it was by accident okay, he left it out on his desk in his room one day while I was there. He found me looking at it, he made me promise not to tell anyone,� Her eyes widened and I giggled, �Opps.�
�Was it a long list?�
�Pages and pages of things, he told me he keeps adding to it all the time!� Jen smiled sadly, �Look I know you like him, and I know he likes you. I don�t want to tell you what to do, because it�s not my place but he�s my friend and I care about him. So do me a favor, trend carefully when it has to do with the matters of the heart because his heart has been broken before and I really don�t want to see it happen again.� Jen looked worried and sad as she reached across the table for my hand; I just nodded as I had no idea what to say.
�Oh Jen, we are going to be late for that thing,� Andie looked alarmed as she looked at her watch.
�What thing?� Jen asked as Andie pushed her out of the booth.
�That thing, you know that we were talking about before!�
�Oh yeah,� I frowned as they rushed away, without a backwards glance. They really were different from my old friends, but they were nice. I need nice people around me at the moment, distracting me from my home life. Thinking about home I decide to stay a while, plus it was still raining outside and seeing as my only dry option to get home had already left. I signed getting up and walking over to the bar, stopping Pacey�s sister behind it, her name was Gretchen wasn�t it?
�Hey� I leant against the bar, as she smiled when she saw me.
�Oh hey again Pacey�s girlfriend right?� She dropped the rag that was in her hand and moved over towards me.
�I guess you could say that, but it�s Joey!� I bit my lip, wandering if we were really anything at all. After all he hadn�t asked me out on a date yet.
�Gretchen, so what can I get you Joey?�
�Just a coffee will do!�
�One coffee coming up,� she smiled as she moved over to the coffee machine, �So have you seen the little brat today?�
�Yeah but not since lunch, Jen and Andie took me shopping all afternoon!� I signed, missed him again.
�Yeah they left in a kind of a hurry, what was all that about?�
�I have no idea, thanks so much, what do I owe you?� I smiled as she placed the coffee on the bar.
�It�s on the house.�
�Oh, I couldn�t ask you to do that!� She laughed as she shook her head.
�Joey, when you start working here you can pay me back if you like!� She smiled before walking away to tend to another customer. I shrugged, that sounded fine with me. Sitting back in the both I sipped at the coffee, letting the aroma relax me. Smiling as I watched the children playing outside still in the rain. Reaching over into my bag I grabbed my sketch book and a pencil, and started doodling away. Drawing customers faces, hands and arms. Getting so caught up in it I didn�t spot Pacey coming in the door and come stand over me, watching me draw.
�Hey, whatcha doing?� I swiveled around in surprise to see him.
�Nothing,� I quickly closed the book, as he sat down across from me. He looked skeptically at me but said nothing. �Jen and Andie took me shopping.� He smirked, eyeing the shopping bags with interest.
�That can�t be good.�
�And why is that exactly?� I tried to hide my smile, as I look at him more closely.
�You do not want to be sucked into their shopping fiascoes, it ain�t a pretty sight.� He chuckled
�Who says I don�t like to shop?� I narrow my eyes at him, challenging him.
�Nobody, it just-� He looked startled and I smiled at his apparent lose for words.
�It�s okay Pacey; I�m not biggest fan of the shopping experience.� I smiled further, watching sign in silent relief, chuckling softly before his eyes reached mine again.
�What?�
�Nothing,� I smile even further, as his forehead crinkles ever so slightly. He looks so damn kissable; it only takes a split second decision, before I lean across the table, taking his bottom lip in mine.
�Okay now what was that for?�
�Coz you look cute.� I sit back in my seat then; he clearly enjoys the comment by he�s goofy smile but doesn�t want me to know he does.
�Cute, puppy�s are cute. Pacey isn�t cute.� He stands then, pulling me up.
�Yes he is.� We moved towards the bar, hand in hand, Pacey protesting all the while.
�He is hot, sexy, charming or you can go as far as adorable but Pacey ain�t called cute.� I laughed turning him to face him.
�Pacey you are all of those things,� I paused putting my arms around his neck, feeling his hands touch my waist, I shivered, �but you are also cute. So just shut and tell me how to wait on people.�
He smiled then, and for the better part of the afternoon we spent together teaching me how to hold three plates at once, breaking a few of course. It was only after he had dropped me off in my driveway and I was waving to his fading tail lights that I remember what the girls and I had been talking about before.
I was yet to be asked out on a date by one Pacey Witter.
