After everyone had exited O'Neil's bunker, Mr. Williams led them back to the first set of bunkers and left again with the other half of camp. Compared to the bunker they just visited, these bunkers were mundane and superficial. They didn't even go into the hillside and all rooms were well lit. Subsequently the fun was lost on these bunkers with their lack of pitch black darkness. Joey and her girls opted to sit outside on a stone plaza and chat until Mr. Williams returned and led them back to camp.
Upon arrival, Mr. Williams announced that they had an hour of free time until dinner at 6. Since every group had to perform a skit in front of the camp Friday morning, he suggested that they used their free time planning their skits.
Joey and her girls headed off to a far corner of the play field so that they could discuss their skit. Nearby in the middle of the field was Pacey's group who were engaged in a free-for-all game of ultimate Frisbee.
The girls sprawled out on the grass and began discussing skit ideas. "So who knows a good skit that we could do?" Joey asked her group.
"Can we do the naked skit?" Angela asked.
"The what?!" Joey said slightly horrified.
"You know, the naked skit. Angela and I learned it at Camp David Jr. last summer." Carrie piped up.
"Can you explain this 'naked skit' to me?" Joey asked.
"Sure. First we all need our sleeping bags. In the bottom of the bags we place a shirt, a pair of pants, socks, and a pair of underwear. The shirt and pants should be almost identical to what you are wearing during the skit." Angela started explaining. "We start walking on stage saying we're having a camp out instead of staying in our barrack. Then we all crawl into our sleeping bags and pull them up so you can't see our clothes. Then we get a counselor to come out and make up an excuse as to why they need out pants. So while staying hidden in our sleeping bags, we throw them the pants we had hidden in the bottom of the sleeping bag. Then we get more counselors to come out and ask for out shirts, socks and finally our underwear. The most important thing is that we always stay hidden in our sleeping bags so they can't see that we are actually wearing clothes. Then someone says it's getting too cold so we all decide to go back into the barrack. We get two girl counselors to come out and hold up a blanket to block the audiences view so we can sneak back into our barrack, but they trip and drop the blanket. The audiences gasps, but laugh when they realize we have our clothes on, end skit."
"Um, that sounds great Ang." Joey smiled. "What do you girls think?"
"I think Tyler is so hot!" Brook said staring off at Pacey's group playing Frisbee. She had changed her position so she was lying flat out on her stomach watching them play.
"I meant the skit," Joey said as the rest of her group stretched out in a similar fashion to watch the boys play.
"Yeah, it's great. Let's do that." Lexi said turning her attention to the boys.
"Hey Joey? Is that him?" Steph asked.
"Is who him?" Joey said, now intently watching Pacey.
"That guy. Is that Pacey your boyfriend?" Steph said.
"Yeah. That's Pacey." she said admiring his strong, muscular physique.
"So he is your boyfriend?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah...wait...who? Pacey? Um no...no he's not." she said a little bit to sadly.
"Too bad. He's hot!" Lexi commented.
"Yeah..." Joey mumbled still watching Pacey. They watched them play until dinner time was called. As the guys began to jog away, Pacey noticed Joey watching him and flashed her one of his Pacey-esque smiles that made her putty in his hands, though she'd never admit it to anyone. "Come on girls." Joey said standing up and leading them to the dining hall.
After dinner, Mr. Williams announced that there was an hour for skit practice before campfire. Since the camp was so large, half would go to the campfire behind the barracks and the other half would go to the campfire by the baseball field. To make it simpler, the groups were the same ones from the trip to O'Neil's bunker. Joey and her girls left to practice their skit in their barrack after he finished.
After an hour of practicing, it was time for campfire. Joey led her girls to the fire pit near the baseball field. It had just begun to get dark when they arrived. Joey instinctively looked around for her friends. When she didn't find any of them, she remembered they had all to the other campfire. Her girls took seats with their friends around the fire leaving Joey alone. She took a seat at one of the two picnic tables occupied by counselors, all of whom conveniently ignored her leaving Joey alone at the end of the table. Mr. Soule came out and started leading the group in a round of camp songs. Joey sighed and laid down on the table with her feet dangling over the edge. Drowning out the singing with her thoughts, Joey stared longingly up at the starts. She intently watched each one twinkle wondering how she'd ended up here. It all led down to Pacey. Pacey talked her into this. Pacey had been so sweet and understanding. Pacey was the one she'd almost kissed a few hours earlier. The one who held her hand and told her how much she meant to him. How did he manage to sweet talk her into this? 'It's because you like him Potter!' her mind screamed, 'Just admit it to yourself. You are yet again falling in love with your best friend.' Joey sighed in frustration. 'Like Pacey Witter is even interested you.' she scolded herself. 'He still loves Andie. He couldn't have been trying to kiss me. It was just because it was dark and he couldn't see me. It was an honest mistake.' she reasoned with herself. 'But his touch! I can't help but get butterflies in my stomach!'
"Jo. Joey?" a soft whisper came from directly beside her dancing against her ear. Joey turned her head to see Pacey lying next to her on the picnic table with his head turned toward her. With both of their heads turned they were only a couple of inches apart. "We were a little late." he smiled at her, the far away flames of the fire dancing in his eyes.
"That's okay. I'm glad I have someone to talk to now." she smiled back with the same fire dancing in her eyes.
"Joey Potter happy to see me? That's a first." he said smiling turning his head to gaze up at the stars.
"I'm always happy to see you Pacey." she said turning to look up at the stars.
They sat in silence staring up at the stars together until Pacey broke the silence. "So what are you doing tonight?"
"I hadn't really though about it."
"You want to do something with me?" he said innocently looking heavenward.
"I'd like that." she said. "What do you have in mind."
"Oh you know. A little wine, a little dancing, maybe a roll in the sack." he leered.
"Pacey." she scolded while laughing.
"Well, how about a midnight swim?" he asked.
"Pacey, you've got to be kidding. The water's like 50 degrees out there! I didn't let you drag me to camp so that I could catch hypothermia."
"Joey, you have got to get a sense of adventure! You are becoming more dull than Dawson. Haven't my undesirable social antics rubbed off on you yet?"
"I'm not about to let you corrupt me Pacey."
"Please. Just this once. We can invite Dawson and Jack and Jen and Andie if you want." he said with puppy dog eyes.
"No...no I'll come. You don't have to invite them," she said quickly stopping the banter. She'd let it go on just long enough to make it seem that she wasn't too eager to have a midnight swim with Pacey. 'I wonder if he brought a bathing suit?' she smiled to herself.
"Great Jo. So what are you doing until midnight?" Pacey asked.
"I don't know, sleeping?" she smiled looking up at the stars again.