PaceySo, are you going to thank me?
Pacey
Well, for all manner of things. Like defending your honor, bucking the system-
Tilting at windmills while in the throws of a misguided hero complex?
Pacey
Well yeah, that too. [They pause and smile at each other])
Pacey, if I was going to thank you for anything it would be for being yourself and you know, not caring what anybody else thinks and for knowing in your heart what's right and wrong and...and for being here this year...when I needed you the most.
Pacey
You're welcome. [Pauses and picks up a can of paint] So you want to help?
Pacey
Sure, name it.
Be honest. The only reason you've been hanging out with me...is simply because Dawson told you to?
Pacey
Yep, that's the only reason.
Hmm...you need to get a life.
Hey, Pacey! I think you've got that one covered. Hurricane won't take it down....you know it might make you feel better if you talk about it.
Pacey
Talk about what?
About what's bothering you.
Pacey
There's nothing bothering me.
Pacey
Fine. I'm fine. [Pause] Okay, so I do kind of have a problem.
Pacey
It's that obvious, huh?
Pacey
Do you think it would be at all possible to...I don't know, pretend that it wasn't that obvious.
Well, only if we...pretend to have a conversation about it.
Pacey
You really want to make me do that? [Pause] Okay...Okay...um, lets just say for the sake of argument that I had gotten myself into an impossible situation. That I had...hypothetically speaking, fallen for or was in the process of falling for the worst possible person I could fall for. What would you tell me to do?
I guess I would tell you that...impossible situations are only made better by doing something about them.
Pacey
So I should just go and declare myself to her so that she can laugh in my face? That's a great idea.
How do you know that's how she would react?
Pacey
Well I have it on pretty good authority that my rough charms don't really register on her rarefied romantic pallet. I mean lets face it, I've got Ducky written all over me.
Pacey
Yeah. Ducky, Molly Ringwald's best friend from Pretty in Pink. The guy who definitely doesn't get the girl.
Yes, but he makes the girl feel good about herself. He does...he stands by her through innumerable fashion emergencies, he even humiliates himself by lip syncing in a public place and he takes her to the prom.
Pacey
Where she promptly dumps him for another guy. [Laughs]
Alright, the question is, Pace, this...girl, that you have developed impossible feelings for, are you going to stand by her in a very Ducky like fashion or are you going to let hurt feelings and pride prevent you from being the friend you so innocently purport yourself to be.
Pacey
[pause] I guess it just hurts, that's all.
Well that just means that it isn't pretend anymore.
Pacey
Not bought. Rented. And this thing didn't come cheap either. It cost me a hundred bucks.
Pacey
You said that already. Look, it's a limited time offer, so you should get cracking.
Pacey, did you fail to notice the size of this thing?
Pacey
Well I just thought your next endeavor should be bigger and better than your last one. It's important that you keep on growing both as a person and as an artist. Now I also got you this [holds up a can of paint] and I know it's not going to cover the whole thing, but as the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Well I'm going to need your help on this one.
Pacey
Ha, no no no no, not this time, you're on your own this time, sister. [starts to walk away]
Pacey, you're unbelievable, I mean as soon as I think I've got you all figured out, you go and you do something so...outrageous that...completely challenges me in a way that no one else would even think of that...in case I don't say it enough...thank you.
Pacey
It's about time, Potter. It's about time. [Turns and walks away, then looks back at her once before leaving]
Pacey
What girl?
The one you named your boat after
Pacey
True Love isn't a person, it's an idea. An unattainable idea.
Who's the unattainable girl?
Pacey
Man, you just love getting under my skin, don't you?
Pacey
I told you, there's no girl.
And why don't you just kiss her?
Pacey
Why don't you just shut your mouth?
You have no problem taking a swing at a guy, but you can't tell a girl how you feel about her. Man, you're pathetic.
[referring to Joey] Is she a hottie?
Pacey
I'm not gonna answer that.
C'mon, I'm nine. I got years before I even get near it. Least you can do is cough up a description.
Pacey
She's so beautiful that when you look at her your knees tremble, your heart melts, and you know, without reservation, that there is order and meaning to the universe.
Pacey
Oh, yeah.
I'm not meant to. Isn't that obvious by now?
Pacey
Because you're sixteen and alone? Come on.
Because I'm sixteen and in my entire life there's only been two people that have ever really known me. Dawson and-
Pacey
-- This A.J. didn't know you. I don't care how you felt about him. He didn't know you, Joey. Because if he did, he never would have walked away.
I was gonna say you, Pacey.
Pacey
Okay. [Pulls over to the side of the road]
Have you totally lost it?
Pacey
Not totally, not yet. [He and Joey get out of the car and meet at the front] Alright, what did you mean by that?
Pacey
About me knowing you better than anybody else.
Exactly what I said, Pacey. You know me, okay? In a way that nobody else besides Dawson ever has, so-
Pacey
We're not talking about Dawson right now, we're talking about me, I mean you can't keep on doing this to me, Potter!
Doing what? What, so I count on you, I tell you secrets and then suddenly-
Pacey
And you call me in the middle of the night to pick you up...why?
Well I'm sorry that I called, I thought that I-
Pacey
I'm not mad that you called me. I just want to know why you called me.
You were the first person that I thought of, Pacey.
Pacey
And what does that mean, Jo?
It means...I guess it...it means that I can talk to you and that you're there for me.
Pacey
Don't you ever get tired of talking?
Pacey
Well I get tired of talking
No, I don't get tired, what I..no-
Pacey
I don't want to talk anymore
What are you trying to say, Pacey, why are we standing-
Pacey
Jo, I don't want to-
[Pacey cuts her off by kissing her]
[Pacey is kissing Joey on the side of the road. Pacey pulls back, holding her face lightly. Joey stares at him for a second, then raises her hands and hits him on the chest, pushing him backward]
Are you insane! How could you do that? How could you take some...simple declaration of friendship as an invitation to just maul me, Pacey! [Pushes him back again] Answer me! How-what were you thinking! [Hits him back once more] What!
Pacey
What, I don't know, god it-it-it-it was an impulse.
[Hits him backward again] An impulse!
Pacey
Yes! An impulse, uh, you know sudden, momentary and believe me, fleeting.
Do you have any idea the monumental implications of that meaningless little impulse! The ripple effect that it could create on our small, but fragile universe! You can't...
Pacey
You're right, Potter, forgive me for thinking a kiss is just a kiss.
Well, it's true...a kiss is not just a kiss! Not between you and me and you know why!....Dawson! Remember? I mean, he factors into this little...hormonal meltdown!
Pacey
Meltdown?
Pacey
I just had a meltdown? Forgive me if I don't think this is the worst tragedy in the history of human kind, that Pacey Witter in a moment of...impulsive, compulsive, hormone induced insanity would have the nerve to kiss Joey Potter! And you let me do it. You did, you let me do it! So what? Now I guess the world starts to unravel? Well excuse me while I get in the car! [He walks past her toward the car. Joey scoffs and starts walking the other way. Pacey notices she isn't following and turns around, seeing her walk away] Would you get in the car, Potter!
No! [Pacey, frustrated, put his hand on his head and gets in the car. He starts and drives it until he catches up with her]
Pacey
Would you just get in the car, Potter, please?
Pacey
I didn't even mean to do it! You know, this is me, Pacey, act first, think later, okay and now that I'm getting a chance to think about it...I take it all back, okay, so get in the car.
Pacey
Jo, it's at least another six miles to your house, it is freezing cold outside and if you don't get in I'm just going to do this the whole way there, so would you get in, please? [Joey pauses as she thinks and then reluctantly gets into the car, slamming the car door and sitting angrily in her seat and looking out the window]
Pacey
So I guess I'm to take from your angry silence you're not speaking to me anymore?
Pacey
Great! Great, and how long do you plan on keeping that up?
How does indefinitely sound?
Pacey
Fine.
Pacey
Fine.
Pacey
Hey.
Pacey
Just a second...[to Buzz] Listen, if you'll give us two minutes, I'll give you ten sodas and a box of sugar, what do you say?
Pacey
There you go [Gives him money. Buzz runs off] Hey...
[Both speak at the same time]
Pacey
So I just want to say-
[They stop and smile]
Pacey
Well, uh...I just...I wanted to...I just wanted to say that, uh...I'm sorry. I mean all that stuff about disaster and Dawson and the ripple effect in our universe, it-it was all right, I mean, what I did, that was just monumentally stupid, I don't know what I was thinking, so...I just wanted you to know that it was an impulse, plain and simple, one that has left my body permanently...promise.
That's okay, Pacey, I mean...I totally overreacted, I mean something isn't a big deal unless you let it be and..and it...you know it's not a big deal...why get so upset? I mean it-it obviously meant nothing...right?
Pacey
Right...right because what I did was a mistake
Pacey
Right, well um, I guess that puts us back to just being friends [He holds out his hand, and fakes a smile]
[Takes his hand] Definitely. [She fakes a smile too]
Pacey
Great. [pause] Uh, alright, well, uh...yeah, I should probably get going, once that kid gets all that sugar in him...watch out, he's a little terror, you know, probably have to chase him back home, it's two miles, not pretty.
Well then I...I guess I'll see you later, Pacey.
Pacey
Yeah, I'll see you later, Joey.
Pacey
Well... it's the history, it's killing me. How can a guy compete when the two of you have your own karaoke routine?
Pacey, you're not supposed to compete. We're supposed to have our own hist -- I didn't mean that.
Pacey
Well, what did you mean?
I don't even know anymore, Pacey
Pacey
Well, you know this little arrangement we've got going between us?
Pacey
Well it sucks! It sucks up one side and down the other. It's weird, it's uncomfortable and I hate every single second of it.
Pacey
Yes
Then why did you come here, Pacey?
Pacey
You know, for a bright girl, you can be really daft sometimes. Why did you think I came here? I came here to be with you! It's as simple as that. When you like somebody, proximity is a good thing, regardless of how they feel about you... or don't. As the case may be.
Pacey
What?
This morning...your arm brushed up against me in bed and...and I felt it.
Pacey
How did it feel?
[Smiles] Made me feel alive.
[long pause]
Pacey
OK. Joey, I'm going to kiss you now.
Pacey
Look Jo, you can't say something like that to me and expect me not to kiss you. So that's exactly what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna kiss you in about ten seconds and if you don't want me to kiss you... well, if you don't want me to, then I guess you're just gonna have to stop me... Ten. [He takes her face in his hands and kisses her]
[Joey walks over to Pacey in front of a fire and sits down on the log next to him]
Pacey
You don't have to worry, I'm not going to kiss you again, Joey. [Long pause] What's going on here?
[shakes her head] I don't know.
Pacey
Don't you think I deserve a better answer than that after all this?
Pacey, believe me, I've been trying to get you out of my head. I've tried to pretend that this is just some bizarre hormonal glitch, but it's not working.
Pacey
Do you really want it to work?
Pacey
Really?
Pacey
What happened?
Well...I couldn't really find the words, Pacey, which I know is odd, considering the sheer volume of words spoken throughout the course of our relationship, but this-
Pacey
Well, what would you have said to him?
Pacey
I don't believe you.
[Stands up] Pacey, I don't have any answers right now, okay, can't you understand that?
Pacey
The only reason that you don't have answers is because you've been too scared to ask yourself the right questions.
What are you talking about?
Pacey
Look, I know how I feel! You know how I feel! That much is obvious by now, but during this whole process we've managed to miss the point, because the point is not how I feel, it's how you feel...so how do you feel?
Awful! That's how I feel, Pacey, I feel awful!
Pacey
So do I. When I was kissing you tonight, I don't think that I've ever felt better and worse at one time in my entire life. I mean, the very idea that Dawson or Andie would find out about us is killing me...it-it is tearing me up on the inside to have these feelings for you, but I can't get rid of them! I just-I can't keep on kissing you, Jo
Pacey
I mean just that. I can't keep on kissing you, alright? I've done it twice now. I can't always be the one who's initiating this, I can't be the one who's always giving you the answers. [Pause] Look at me, Joey.
Pacey
Please? [She sniffs and looks up at him] If you felt... even one shred... of what I feel for you... then we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation. [He walks past her]
[She grabs his hand as he's leaving] Pacey...[pause. They kiss]
[Pacey and Joey are kissing]
Come on, lets go Pacey [They kiss again and Pacey picks her up and puts her on the counter] It's your boat we're planning on christening
Pacey
I own a boat? [They kiss]
No, we have to stop doing this, it's wrong.
Pacey
Yes, deadly [He kisses her neck]
Pacey...look, we've been in denial all weak [They intertwine their fingers together] I mean, when we're around other people we act as if nothing's changed, but the minute we're alone, it turns into this. [She kisses him]
Pacey
This what?
Well this...embarrassing gropefest.
Pacey
Yeah, I guess this is kind of embarrassing, huh? Especially for you, given how much you protested. [He kisses her]
Pacey
You did too. [They kiss again] Wait...[Pulls back from the kiss] Wait wait wait...
Pacey
We gotta tell him, Jo, we do, we gotta tell him as soon as possible, because the longer we wait, Jo, the worse it gets
I know, Pacey. I've tried, I've tried plenty of times.
Pacey
Every time I see the guy now, I just feel like...
Look, you don't have to bother filling in the expletive, okay? I mean, this isn't exactly the easiest thing I've ever had to do, Pacey. Telling Dawson that while he wasn't looking I developed this bizarre, gravitational pull towards his best friend and I can't stop thinking about him or wanting to be near him or wanting to kiss him all the time. [she grabs his face and kisses him. They kiss for a moment and then pull back]
Pacey
I'll do it.
Pacey
I'll tell him
No, I can't let you do that. Its-this is my responsibility
Pacey
Jo, it's not your responsibility. I'm the one that started this, remember. I'm the one that got you into this situation and frankly the only way I want to save my friendship with Dawson, is to be completely honest with him, so I gotta do this. All I need is one day. Just one day.
Pacey
Yes, one day.
I thought I heard something out here.
Dawson, uh...we were just-
Having an argument, obviously...what about? [Long pause]
Pacey
Us, Dawson. [They look at each other then back at Dawson] We were arguing about us. Me and Joey, there's an us here now. I'm sorry man, we didn't want to tell you this way.
Yeah, I know...[Pause] So were you planning on telling me or was this just going to be a secret fling?
Look, it's not like that.
Then how was it, Joey? 'Cause Jen was a little short on details.
Well, she thought I knew. I mean, I had to be pretty freaking stupid not to know, that the two people I trusted most in the world were lying to me. [Pause] So are you...are you bored, or are you confused, or just malicious?
Pacey
Hey, look, I started this thing, okay? If you're going to get angry at someone, get angry at me, It's my-
I don't think you're in any position to talk about what's fair. You were my best friend.
Pacey
I still am.
I'm finding that a little hard to process right now.
Pacey
It's the truth, Dawson.
So I guess it's safe to assume that friendship doesn't come above sex on your list of personal priorities.
Pacey
This has nothing to do with sex.
Oh, what are you, in love? Is that what this is? [Pacey pauses and looks at Joey] Oh god, don't look-don't look at her, alright? Don't-I...you know what, Pacey, I feel sorry for you, because when all of this is over, you're really going to need your friends and you're not going to have any, not a single one.
Dawson's Creek · 557 quotes
