Author: Jamie
Rating: PGish
Category: Alternate universe P/J
Disclaimer: I don't own "Dawson's Creek" or any of its characters, but if Pacey's for sale ...

~~~~~

Pacey leaned back in the bleachers and scanned the crowd. Dawson was down in front, drooling on Jen, who didn't seem to mind a bit. So maybe the trip wasn't a complete waste. He sighed and shifted in his seat. The gym was like a big sauna. The game was late in starting because the junior varsity game being played first was running over. Just his luck.

And the brown haired girl was nowhere in sight. He stood up and made his way down to Dawson and Jen.

"Hey Lindley."

"Pacey. I'm glad you guys are here," Jen sent a sweet smile Dawson's way. Pacey bit back a laugh. Dawson was acting like a little puppy dog, but he was certainly getting some positive reinforcement.

"I'm gonna get something to drink. You guys need anything?"

"Nah. You go ahead Pace." Dawson didn't take his eyes off Jen.

Pacey was pretty sure they never noticed him leave.

A few minutes later, Pacey had explored the lobby and the only hall that was open. He saw a lot of cheerleaders, but not the one he was looking for.

He had decided to step outside for some air when he saw her. She was on a bench just down the sidewalk, smoking.

"That's a nasty habit you have there."

She didn't look surprised to see him. "I know," she waved the cigarette. "Really freakin' addictive, too."

He sat next to her. "Thus, a habit."

"A habit doesn't always equal an addiction," she argued. "For example, just because I have a habit of being a sarcastic bitch doesn't mean I'm addicted to bitchiness."

"You can quit any time you want, right?"

She laughed softly and took a drag on her cigarette. "But I happen to like being a bitch, so ..."

"Have I mentioned that I find bitchiness extremely attractive?"

"What a surprise."

"Well, I was wondering --"

"Josephine!"

The girl glanced at her cigarette, obviously alarmed. Without thinking, Pacey snatched it out of her hand.

"Josephine, are you smoking?" A tall, thin woman with a blond beehive rushed up to them.

The girl aimed wide eyes and an innocent smile at the woman. "Mrs. Fredricks, hi. I was just sitting out here with my ... friend, Pacey."

Pacey held back a grin as he realized how hard it was for her to say the words "Pacey" and "friend" in the same sentence. He gave Mrs. Fredricks his most charming smile and waved the cigarette. "Nasty habit, I'm afraid," he said apologetically.

She looked at the pair suspiciously, then frowned at the girl. "Don't stay out here too long. You'll catch a cold."

Pacey was a little cold himself. He'd left his coat in the steamy gym. Though they'd been having uncharacteristically warm weather this week, it was still winter, and after the sun went down, the temperature dropped quickly.

After Mrs. Fredricks finally left, the brunette scowled and tried to take the cigarette back.

Pacey held it out of her reach. "Really, Josephine, these are so bad for you." He dropped it on the ground and crushed it with his sneaker.

If possible, the scowl deepened. "It's Joey. Joey Potter."

He pretended to think it over. "Hmmm. Joey. It just doesn't have the ring that Josephine has."

"Bite me, Pacey."

"As much as I'd like to take you up on that offer, I suspect you pack quite a punch when you're mad."

"Well, obviously you're not quite as dumb as you look."

"Oh, knock it off. You're making me blush." When she didn't answer, he spoke again, afraid that she'd go back inside. "You do that really well, by the way."

"Make you blush?"

"No, that whole wide-eyed innocent look while lying to an authority figure."

She laughed shortly. "I've been practicing since birth. My dad's a cop."

"Mine, too. I should've recognized the symptoms." He scooted closer to her on the bench. "No wonder I feel so close to you," he said dramatically.

"Possibly because you're practically in my lap?"

"Just trying to keep you warm."

She rolled her eyes and stood up. "Well, if the tobacco police aren't going to let me finish my cigarette, I'm going in." She started to walk away, then paused. "Coming?"

He smiled. "Yes, Miss Josephine."

She shoved him.

Yep, he thought, following her inside. She's definitely hot for me.

~~~~~

She was biting her lip. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her mouth. He wondered what she would do if he offered to bite her lip for her. Probably slug him.

"Um, I should probably ..." she trailed off.

"Yeah, you gotta go cheer on the team."

"Cheer? I do not cheer," she said seriously. "As if."

He gestured to her outfit. "And you just wear that for --"

"I'm on the dance team," she snapped. "Totally different from cheerleaders."

"Well, you've got the outfit," he mused. "You got pompons?"

She nodded.

"You get out on the gym floor and shake your groove thing during sporting events?"

She bit her lip, pausing before giving a tiny nod.

"If it looks like a duck ..."

"Pacey," she said impatiently, "I don't cheer. I submit that before you're a cheerleader, you have to: A) have school spirit; B) actually care if your team wins; and C) perform --"

"Numerous sexual acts with jocks from various athletic teams?"

"No. Well, that, too. But I was going for the fact that cheerleaders generally do a lot of shouting of repetitive and fairly lame rhyming chants meant to reinforce the crowed's delusion that they actually have some effect on the players."

"So, if you have such disdain for sporting events, why are you here?"

She shrugged. "I like to dance. And this looks really good on college applications."

"Ah-ha. So now we get to the --"

"Joey!"

Both turned to see a trio of blond cheerleaders -- dance team members, Pacey corrected himself -- advancing. In formation, he noted.

"Joey, we have a problem." The first girl tossed her hair and frowned. "Alisha left our music at home." All three girls turned in sync to glare at a redhead leaning against the wall across the lobby before turning back. "She said you had a copy?"

Joey sighed. "At home." She looked at the clock "We have some time. If someone can give me a ride, I can get it."

"I'll give you a ride," Pacey volunteered quickly.

The three blondes stared at him. Joey just nodded, looking back at the clock.

The leader of the blondes looked at Joey. "Where's Mark?" she asked sharply.

Joey shrugged. "Probably off drinking himself into a coma," she said, her voice saccharine sweet. "I'm his girlfriend, not his keeper."

Pacey's heart sank.

~~~~~

TO BE CONTINUED