Comments | the_blank_slate: Say goodnight not goodbye

wongsideofcreek in the_blank_slate

Say goodnight not goodbye

Mar 02, 2009 18:10

Joey sits on the beach, sand running through her finger tips. The sand feels warmer than she might expect on her numb skin.

New Years Eve. She'd been avoiding one of her best friends since childhood (one of her only friends until recent years) for two months over something petty and immature. The very things that Joey Potter claimed to be against ( Read more... )

joey potter, polly o'keefe, zack fair, kon-el, seth cohen

Comments 63

1st_zack March 3 2009, 02:51:26 UTC

Sitting alone in an empty hut was something Zack was still spending as little time doing as possible. He walked along the beach caught up in memories. He was so caught up in everything not Tabula Rasa that he nearly walked right past the girl sitting on the beach.

Strife, on the other hand, ran right up to her. Being a growing German Shepherd pup meant that he immediately jumped into her lap and tried to get her attention by biting her with sharp puppy teeth.

wongsideofcreek March 3 2009, 02:59:42 UTC

While the last thing that Joey wanted deal with where people, an animal was okay in her book. Joey gave a small smile to the pup as he snapped at her. She rubbed the top of his head as he tried to attack her arm.

Somehow she wouldn't be surprised if the dog did manage to bite her. Joey wasn't even sure if she'd be able to feel the pain.

1st_zack March 3 2009, 03:07:51 UTC

"Strife!" he yelled. "Down, boy. Sorry about that, ma'am," he said as he hurried up the beach. "He's still a puppy. He's just trying to play. It's not aggression."

"Strife," he said, reaching out for the pup who in turn jumped on Zack's legs and started pulling on fabric at the leg of his pants, shaking his head and play growling.

wongsideofcreek March 3 2009, 07:39:46 UTC

"It's okay." Joey gave the boy a small, empty smile. "He doesn't mean any harm."

She ruffled the fur again, not really wanting to communicate with the person. Dogs were better, no questions, no heartbreaks. The sadness on her face was undeniable.

Thread 19

polly_okeefe March 3 2009, 04:46:12 UTC

Walking on the beach, I spot a figure sitting on the sand looking forlorn. I didn't intend to talk, but I couldn't just turn around and walk away, so I keep going, only slightly curious as to who the person is. She looked familiar.

It's when I get close that I suddenly realize that it's Joey. And seeing the look on her face, the sad cast of her shoulders, my heart jumps. Oh, no.

"It's Pacey, isn't it?" I stammered. "He's disappeared."

wongsideofcreek March 3 2009, 07:43:23 UTC

Joey didn't want to answer, didn't want to speak the words. She nodded slightly at Polly, her voice coming out so quietly that the other girl may not have understood the words.

"Either that or he's moved in with some girl and abandoned his hut." She wrapped her arms around her stomach, touching her fingers to the jacket. Though her suggestion was sarcastic, Joey prayed with all her heart that it was the truth.

polly_okeefe March 3 2009, 18:30:55 UTC

I can't describe what I feel, and I suspect that this initial reaction is shock. He was a friend; how dare the Island take him away! And he arrived just when I did; so why did he get to go while I had to stay?

But I also saw the girl in front of me, curled up in grief, and that breaks through my numbness. I fell to my knees beside her and clasped her shoulder.

wongsideofcreek March 3 2009, 19:39:07 UTC

Joey felt a strong urge to push the other girl away, to tell her that this grief was hers and hers alone. That urge was stronger than any other emotion she felt right now. Instead Joey spoke in a low, emotionless voice.

"Guess that eliminates the girl I expected him to be shacked up with."

Thread 20

pocketfullowit March 3 2009, 17:27:49 UTC

"Hey." He could tell by the way she sat, idly letting the sand sift through her fingers, that something was up, but it wasn't until he sat down next to Joey that he noticed she was crying. "Hey," he repeated, laying a hand to Joey's shoulder. He wasn't very good at this and they'd only talked once or twice, but Seth already felt like she was a good friend. "What's wrong?"

wongsideofcreek March 3 2009, 19:42:31 UTC

When it boiled down to it, Joey was not used to strangers worrying about her. She grew up in a town where people had given up being concerned for her and her family a long time before. It was only friends who cared and this non golden boy, non pretentious, non Dawson-ey movie watcher was doing more for her than most people she knew before.

"He's gone." She spoke quietly, her eyes focusing on the crashing waves and not the kind boy beside her.

pocketfullowit March 3 2009, 21:49:03 UTC

Seth almost asked who, but he didn't have to, did he? Not when Joey looked that way. Seth knew very little about Pacey, but he did like him the few times he'd talked to him. Pacey was, in fact, one of the first ones he'd talked to when he'd arrived.

"Oh," he started, blinking a few times as if that would help it sink in. He drew a knee up and followed her gaze to the ocean for a moment, but he turned right back to her again. "I'm sorry. Are you okay? I mean," he sighed, "I know you're not, but is there anything I can do?"

wongsideofcreek March 5 2009, 02:06:17 UTC

Joey shook her head. There was little she could think of that would rectify the situation.

"I..." Joey's voice faltered as she attempted to think of ways to describe her gratitude to this boy. To Seth.

"Where I'm from not many people would care about me one way or another. It's strange here..." Joey wondered if there was something deeply wrong with Capeside that the strangest thing about this island would be that people were nice.

Thread 15

not_the_s March 8 2009, 21:31:29 UTC

Kon knew that look. He had that look himself, sometimes, when no one else was looking his way. He walked up to Joey quietly and sat next to her. After a minute, he carefully put his arm around her and pulled her a little closer. Maybe she wouldn't like it and maybe she'd pull back - she seemed like the type to - but at least it was a place to start, right? A way into asking her what was wrong.

And maybe shock her out of looking so miserable.

wongsideofcreek March 11 2009, 20:51:04 UTC

Joey didn't talk. Another time she might have pushed him away or used sass to make light of the situation. But instead, Joey buried her face in her new friend's chest and allowed herself to cry.

not_the_s March 12 2009, 05:14:45 UTC

"Whoa, hey." Kon turned and wrapped his arms around her properly. He'd been expecting a sharp retort and instead he got...this. He wasn't entirely sure what to think. "Joey? What's going on?"

wongsideofcreek March 12 2009, 06:21:42 UTC

Joey looked up, the hot tears stinging her cheeks. Kon had been good to her and here she was sobbing on his shoulder like they'd known each other their entire lives. Perhaps that was the nature of the island, perhaps they were all predestine to come together and share their lives.

"I told you about Pacey, right?" She croaked.

Thread 9