The Opposite of Love
Part Twelve of Something To Talk About
By Ainsley


Disclaimer: Of course I don't own these characters. I'm slightly insane sometimes, but never that insane!

Props: Adalia, for her dead-on constructive criticisms, her honesty, and her really cool name!

Recap: Hmm, let's see...ah, yes. Sylvie convinced Joey to return to Capeside early to figure out her feelings. On the plane, her fellow passengers tried to tell her that she really belonged with Dawson, and this confused her enough to go home and kiss Dawson! Now, for those of you who want to kill me right now, I remind you that this is a Triangle Fanfic, so I have every right to mix things up a bit. Sorry!


"See?" Joey exclaimed, stepping away from Dawson and grinning triumphantly. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

"What?" Dawson asked. "What the hell is going on?"

"All right, well...first of all, hi! I'm home. Second, Sylvie...she's the girl I was staying with in Paris...she convinced me that I should stop brooding about Pacey and come home, so I did. But on the plane, this really strange British guy tried to tell me that I was really in love with Dawson! I mean, how ridiculous, right? Well, I decided that I would test his theory the first chance I got, and here I am!" Joey rambled on, waving her hands madly. "So, you see, he was wrong! I don't love Dawson...no offense, Dawson."

"None taken," He paused. "I think."

"I love Pacey!" Joey threw her arms around his neck. "Isn't life grand?"

"Uh, are you drunk, too?" Dawson asked.

"I'm drunk on life!"

Jen gently pulled Joey off of Pacey. "Come on, Jo. Let's get you home and into bed."

"Is she all right?" Pacey said, glancing at her in confusion.

"Jet lag. She'll be fine after a twelve hour nap." Jen picked up Joey's suitcase and led her out of the Icehouse.

"Hmm," Pacey ran a hand through his hair wearily. "Could this day get a little more weird?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Here we go, Joey," Jen sat her friend down on the couch, and dropped the luggage on the floor. "All right, lie down. That's it...you need to go to sleep."

"Jen?" Joey asked, as she cuddled up under a blanket and drifted off to sleep.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I kissed your boyfriend,"

"It's okay, Jo. Just get some rest."

When she was sure Joey was asleep, Jen left the Potters' and walked back to the Icehouse, where Pacey and Dawson were sitting in silence.

"Is she asleep?" Pacey asked.

"Yup. She'll be fine once she gets some shut-eye. Man," Jen said,

"That was the worst case of jet lag I've ever seen."

"Well, now that we know Joey's okay, it's time to get to the issue at hand," Dawson turned to Pacey. "What are you going to do about Abby?"

"What can I do?" Pacey shrugged. "Technically, we were broken up. I had every right to do what I did."

"I don't think you believe that," Dawson said.

"You're right. I don't. But what can I do? Just outright tell her what happened? She'd never forgive me."

"Pace, I don't get it," Jen shook her head. "I mean, what's up with you lately? First the whole thing in Boston, and now this? Abby, of all people!"

"I know, I know. I'm an asshole."

"No you're not, you've just been acting like one," Jen disagreed.

"What were you thinking?"

"I was drunk. I wasn't thinking."

Jen sighed. "What are you going to tell Joey."

"I don't suppose we could just forget this ever happened?"

"Even if we could, Abby couldn't,"

"Right," Pacey leaned against the counter. "God, she's going to hate me."

"It's really hard to hate someone you love,"

"Yeah, we'll test that little theory after I tell Joey what happened while she was in Paris,"

"Why do I feel like the Apocalypse is coming?" Dawson asked.

"It is," Pacey replied quietly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joey awoke to the ringing of the telephone. Not to the delicious odor of bacon wafting into the living room, or the bright sunlight streaming through the windows, she thought ruefully. She awoke to the telephone.

"Good morning, Sylvie," Joey said when she picked up the phone.

"Hello, Josephine. How did you know it was me?"

"Just did," Joey yawned. "So, what's up?"

"I wanted to see how things went yesterday,"

"Um," Joey tried to remember what had happened. "Oh, no..."

"What did you do?"

"Oh, God, Sylvie! I kissed Dawson!"

"WHAT? Josephine, I sent you home to get Pacey, not Dawson!"

"I know, I know," Joey said frantically. "Some British guy on the plane tried to convince me that I loved Dawson, and when I got to Capeside, I kissed him just to prove that I loved Pacey. What have I done?"

"Oh, dear. They'll be no more traveling British Airways for you."

"This is horrible! I kissed my best friend! I kissed my friend's boyfriend...Jen! She'll never forgive me!"

"Okay, Josephine, relax. Everything will be fine."

"Joey, get off the phone," Bessie said, walking into the kitchen. "Do you even realize how long distance that is?"

"All right, I'll call later, Sylvie. Bye." Joey hung up the phone.

"Hi, Bess. I'm, uh, home."

"Yes, I know, dear sister. Jen informed me of your timely return."

"Jen! Does she hate me?"

"Not that I know of," Bessie frowned. "All she said was that you were jet lagged, so she brought you home and put you to bed. I called the school, and they're expecting you."

"Today?"

"Yes,"

"How can I face them today?"

"Joey, what happened?"

"Long story, Bess. I gotta go get ready if I'm going to get to school on time. See ya." Joey ran out of the kitchen.

An hour and a half later, she walked through the front doors of Capeside High School, a bit apprehensively. Dawson and Jen were waiting for her at her locker.

"Hey, guys," Joey said nervously.

"Hi, Jo," Jen watched her cautiously. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, much. Jen, Dawson, I'm really, really sorry about yesterday. I don't know what came over me."

"Don't worry about it. Jet lag does strange things to people."

Dawson smiled. "Welcome home, Joey."

"Thanks," She reached over and hugged him. "You don't hate me, Jen?"

"Of course not," Jen laughed. "I'm glad your home, even if your entrance was a little strange."

"Good," Joey bit her lip. "Uh, where's Pacey? I figure I should apologize to him too."

Dawson and Jen exchanged a look.

"No need to do that. Really." Dawson insisted.

"Why not? I mean, I know we're not together anymore but..." Joey laughed. "I threw myself at him. Literally."

"Oh, just trust me, Jo," Dawson said bitterly. "They'll be no need for anyone apologizing to Pacey for a while."

"I don't understand. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Jen cut off Dawson as he opened his mouth to reply.

"We're going to be late. We'll see you later, Jo." She dragged him down the hall quickly, leaving Joey standing alone in confusion.

"Hmm," Joey said. "Well, whatever." She grabbed a few books out of her locker and headed for homeroom.

"Well, well, look who's back," Abby said snidely. "How was France, Joey? Meet any foreign delinquents?"

"Yes, but none of them could top you, Abby," Joey smiled sweetly. Abby tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Seen Lover Boy yet?"

"Yes, I saw Pacey yesterday,"

"Did he seem tired?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"I think I wore him out the other night,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just that it seems Pacey couldn't wait for your return any longer,"

She smirked. "He needed someone else to satisfy his...physical needs."

Joey's eyes clouded over with jealousy. "You and Pacey? What happened?"

Abby shrugged. "You'll have to talk to him." She turned and sauntered away.

Joey watched her leave, then shook her head and laughed. "Why do I even listen? Pacey would never sleep with Abby." She took her seat and waited for roll call.

"Miss Potter, welcome back," her homeroom teacher said. "How was France?"

"Great, thanks,"

"You must be glad to be home,"

"Sure,"

As he walked away, Joey heard some snickering behind her. She turned around. "Is there a problem?"

"No," one of the girls said, then started giggling again.

"You're Joey Potter, right?" another girl asked.

"Yes,"

"You used to date Pacey Witter?"

"Yes,"

More giggling. "So, you know about the party, right?"

"What party?"

"The party at Grant Bodine's house the other night,"

"What about it?"

"He didn't tell you," the first girl said in disbelief.

"Tell me what?" Joey was getting impatient.

"Pacey and Abby got drunk...and they left together,"

"So?"

"I heard they went back to Abby's, and her mother wasn't around for the weekend,"

"Oh,"

"I heard they...ya know,"

"Oh,"

More giggles.

Joey picked up her bag and stormed out of homeroom.

"Joey!"

She turned around to see Nellie Olsen rushing toward her. "What?" Joey snapped.

"Oh, you poor dear," Nellie gushed. "You come home from a semester in Spain, and you find out your boyfriend was cheating on you! What scum that Pacey is!"

"First of all, Nellie, I was in France, not Spain," Joey said harshly. "Second, Pacey is not my boyfriend. We broke up before I left."

"But still, I heard you two were in love...how could he do that? With Abby Morgan of all people!" Nellie wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I don't know,"

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Nellie clucked her tongue. "I must be keeping you. If you ever need someone to help you cheer up or...anything, call me!"

"Right," Joey continued walking down the hall. Visions of Pacey and Abby leaving Grant's party together were haunting her. She simply couldn't get them out of her head.

"I've got to get out of here," Joey muttered. She dropped a quick note in Jen's locker telling her where she was going, and raced out of Capeside High as fast as she could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joey sat on a faded marble bench for hours, staring into the pond and wondering exactly when her life had become such a mess. Things had just gotten better for her; she was falling in love with Pacey, her and Jen were finally friends, and Dawson and Jen were back together. But then, the Boston incident occured, ending her short-term relationship with Pacey, and causing her to run to France. And when she finally decided that enough was enough - she wanted Pacey back and then things would be all right, she comes home to find out that he had slept with Abby, her mortal and eternal enemy.

"Joey,"

She didn't bother to turn around. Pacey sat down on the bench next to her.

"Jen said she got a note from you saying you had come here. Is everything all right?"

"I thought it was going to be,"

"What's wrong?"

"I came home for you, Pacey. Did you know that?" Joey asked, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "When I got your letter, it tore me apart. But then I got sick of moping around, and I took Sylvie's advice and boarded a plane to Boston."

"I'm glad you came back, Jo,"

"Are you?"

"Of course. I missed you."

"That's not what I heard,"

Pacey's breath caught in his throat.

"So, Pace, how was Grant's party?"

"Jo..." he started.

"Don't 'Jo' me," she said. "What happened at Grant's party?"

"I was drunk, Joey, I didn't know what I was doing..."

"No excuses. What happened between you and Abby?"

"Please, Joey..."

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Tell me about you and Abby!" Pacey didn't say a word.

"So it's true?" Joey laughed harshly. "It's true?"

"Joey..."

"No," She stood up. "It's true! How could you?"

"It's not what you think," Pacey put his hand on her arm.

"Don't touch me!"

"Wait, please, give me a chance to explain,"

"You slept with Abby! There's nothing to explain!" Joey pulled away from him and ran off.

* * * * *

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