He thinks he's so funny! Well... maybe he is. But that's why I love Pacey Witter, my Pacey. He's looking at me with those eyes... the eyes through which I see his soul. He takes my hand, and kisses it.
"You know you love me, Jo, don't try to deny it" he says, flashing a smile.
"You, bug me. Sorry, but you do," I reply, though I know the smile on my face is betraying my words.
"Come on, Jo. What if one of us gets in a freak accident after school? Do you really want the words, 'You bug me', to be the last thing you ever said to me?" he asks with an adorable pouty look. I can't deny him when he looks at me like that.
"I love you, Pace," I whisper as I lean in, and kiss him.
Something stops us suddenly...there's no way that can be what I think it is. I look at Pacey and I know he's thinking the exact same thing I am, he already knows. We can hear screaming from the hallway and more gunfire. The shooters are getting closer. I see some students running toward the back of the cafeteria.
I look at Pacey, and I know I must look terrified because he grabs my hand and pulls me towards the running students.
What the hell is going on? Who would have thought that we'd have a high school shooting, in Capeside?
There are students everywhere; we're all running for our lives. The gunfire is getting louder and the doors suddenly burst open. Pacey throws me behind an upturned table.
"We can't stay here, Jo, we gotta move," Pacey tells me. He's leaning around the side of the table checking to see whats going on. "Now, Joey." He grabs my hand and we run into the crowd.
I see a girl fall beside me...she's in my math class...blood is covering her shirt...I wonder if she's dead? Suddenly I don't feel Pacey's hand anymore. I can't see him through the sea of people. I decide to keep running.
"Pacey!" I scream, but I get no reply. There is too much screaming going on, he can't hear me. The bullets are still flying as I make my way through the cafeteria doors. I have no idea what to do, so I do the only thing I can think of. I duck into the janitor's closet on my left. I push everything I can find in front of the door. I collapse onto the floor and start crying. All I can think about are my friends, where's Pacey? Did he make it out? Is he going to find his dad? His dad can bring in the cops. Where is Dawson? Where are Jen and Jack? Where's Andie?
Suddenly I remember my cell phone. Do I still have it with me? Yes, it's in my pocket. I try the sheriff's office, the line is busy. I call Bessie, no answer. I call Dawson's house, no answer. Where is everybody? I try Doug, no answer. The restaurant, I'll call Mrs. Leery's restaurant. Mr. Leery is always there.
It's ringing...somebody please answer.
"Hello...Leery's Fresh Fish...this is Gretchen...can I help you?"
"Gretchen...Thank God" I'm yelling at her.
"Joey?"
"Gretchen listen someone came to school with a gun, I can still hear the shooting, call your dad..Please hurry...I don't know where Pacey is" I'm sobbing.
"OK...listen, calm down...you know Pacey I'm sure he's fine...I'll call you right back"
She hangs up. I'm hugging my knees, praying my friends are OK. Should I call Grams? Is Mr. McPhee home? Maybe I should try Bessie again. My mind is cluttered with thoughts.