Previously on Dawson's Creek
I've decided to take the job
in Philadelphia.
And I don't want to be alone anymore.
Either do I.
There's somebody else who doesn't want to be
alone anymore, either.
Go get better McPhee, and hurry back to me.
This is my father, I am begging you,
please, just stay out of it.
I can't.
This fire tonight was his responsibility.
I love you.
I'm not going to let you risk your life
to protect somebody
who isn't protecting you.
We won't survive this, Dawson.
That's a risk I'm willing to take.
Sorry?
You're drooling. On your chin.
Saliva. From sleep.
You're a very heavy breather, did you know that?
No.
And a scintillating conversationalist.
Just my luck.
What's in your lap?
Not that. The movie. What are you watching?
Oh, uh, Risky Business.
The one with Tom Cruise?
And Rebecca De Mornay.
Where they do it on a train.
And it's unbelievably sweet and meaningful,
even though he's a virgin
and she's a battle-scarred hooker who's slept with hundreds of men.
It's more of a modern myth--
Joseph Campbell meets Sigmund Freud meets Holden Caulfield.
Teenage boy passes into manhood
by way of a sexual encounter with a beautiful woman.
He's essentially a fantasy character of his own creation.
Hey, you're adorable.
What's your name?
Dawson.
Dawson Leery.
You all right?
My dad taught me: When shaking hands,
always make sure the other guy releases first.
It imparts a subtle yet powerful advantage in all human intercourse.
Actually, um... I meant your skin.
Do you have a fever or something?
Oh, that's just me.
My temperature. I run a few degrees hot.
So...
When are you gonna tell me about your girlfriend?
I'll take it from here.
I thought you were supposed to be here by 8:00.
Isn't that sweet?
Little girl's nervous about missing the first day of school.
Oh, the salad days.
Yes, I remember them well.
You can spare me the Shakespeare, Rob.
Listen, my last class ends at 2:30, so I should be back here by 3:00.
Don't be late.
Ahem.
What?
And how long have you two been married?
What happened when you woke up?
She'd morphed into an octogenarian Spanish woman
with a hairy upper lip.
Whuh...I hate it when that happens.
It was the weirdest thing, though.
She was, like, this perfect girl.
One minute she's sitting right next to me,
and the next minute, she's gone.
You know, usually when I have moments like that,
I gotta change the sheets afterwards.
Maybe she wasn't real.
What about the one that is real?
What about her?
Well, today's the day.
Dawson Leery and Joey Potter have been apart for months now.
In fact, the summer has passed,
and the world is waiting to find what's gonna happen.
Perhaps you and the world
haven't heard the last 50,000 times I've said it.
It's over.
Yeah. Sure it's over until she speaks to you.
She won't.
I think you underestimate
the healing powers of time, Dawson...
You know, time for Joey to forgive and forget.
Even if Joey came up to me today
and said, "I forgive and I forget,"
I wouldn't.
I wouldn't forget that most of the past year has been a hellish nightmare.
It's been verbalizing and angsting instead of living.
I need to just learn how to exist
and ask questions later.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Capesidians of all ages,
new and improved and fresh from Philadelphia,
I bring you...
Dawson Leery.
Now, just to play devil's advocate here,
let's say you go to school today
and Joey comes up and starts apologizing to you.
She does that cute hair-flip thing she does, and then she
locks those truly, truly remarkable brown eyes of hers on you.
What do you do?
I tell her that it's over and that it's been over
and that we're both better off without each other.
Dawson, I'm off to my coaching conference.
I'll write down the number at the hotel where I'll be.
Coaching conference?
What? You haven't heard yet?
Substitute Mitch is Capeside High School's newest varsity football coach.
Hey, congratulations, Mr. Leery.
How are our trusty Minutemen doing?
What's the streak at now?
It's like 0 and 38, right? Or 39?
Ye Pacey of little faith.
I can assure you as a former minuteman myself
that this season will be a winning one.
Thanks. See ya Sunday, Dad.
All right.
That's it. You're gonna walk out, just like that?
No fatherly warnings, no rules and regulations,
no promises of impending doom should your sainted son here misbehave?
Good idea.
Keep Pacey out of the house.
If I start to fall asleep, don't wake me, hear?
Jen Lindley, how was your summer?
Host any gang bangs?
You know, Belinda,
I could think of a really scathing comeback right now,
but I figure that I should show you a little sympathy,
seeing as how the lipo didn't take.
She should be here any minute.
I'm tellin' ya.
It's the junior assembly, man. She has to come.
That's enough, all right?
Good morning. I'm Principal Green.
Like all of you,
in my junior year of high school I had a new principal.
My first day back, he stood before us
and imparted some earnest and touching words,
words which were meant to Usher us
into what he called one of the best years of our lives.
This is not that speech.
We live in a different time.
You children are living and thinking like people twice your age,
and why shouldn't you?
The rites of passage which once marked growing up
are all but extinct...
She just walked in.
In short, I'm onto you people...
She's right back there, just over my right shoulder.
And I'm one step ahead of you.
For example, like that gentleman in the fifth row who's talking.
Me?
Please stand, sir.
That didn't take long.
What's your name, sir?
I don't suppose you'd accept Che Guevera would you?
Probably not.
Pacey Witter.
Mr. Witter.
Mr. Witter, I'd like to applaud you...
For being the first student I've met at Capeside
who behaves like one.
It is my hope that someday you all will act as such.
Reclaim your youth...
Live, learn...
Screw up.
Keep up the good work, Mr. Witter.
And, uh...
I'll see you on Saturday...
For detention.
Sally, who are we kidding?
Lay off the hot dogs and try 4-h.
That's where they're looking for the prized hogs.
She only came over here in the first place
because somebody made one too many pit stops
at Krispy Kreme this summer.
Now I know how anthropologists feel
when they stumble across a lost tribe
whose ancient rituals have remained untouched by time.
Yeah, well, I don't understand why anyone
would want to become a cheerleader in the first place.
There's one way to find out.
Jen, what are you doing?
I'm signing up for tryouts.
Ha ha ha!
Let me think about that--not.
Come on, Belinda.
Haven't you ever wondered if I've got what it takes to hold up those pom-poms?
Ok, Lindley.
You're on. Tomorrow at 3:00.
Be prompt.
Will do.
Mr. Green seemed like a pretty cool guy,
you know, good sense of humor.
He was kidding about that whole Saturday detention thing, right?
No, Pace. He seemed--
Dawson?
Dawson, is there an ending to that sentence, or...
You're right. I'm gonna break.
I'm gonna crumble.
Joey Potter at 3:00.
Ooh.
Just get me out of here. Anywhere.
Anywhere?
Anywhere that Joey Potter will not find me.
Well, for a mere $25, young sir,
I think I have just the place.
Hey, Jo.
Oh, it's not Joey.
It's the shell of her exhausted remains.
I swear, Bessie, if I have to work another hour for that nimrod of a boss.
Look, it's just until the insurance check comes through,
and then we'll have enough to get a sitter, and I'll get a job.
No speech required. I remember the bargain...
If you can call it that.
So, tell me everything.
We got a new principal.
Not about school. About Dawson.
What was it like seeing him again?
Uh...it was great.
So what'd he say?
Come on, Joey,
I spend most of my conversations with a teething baby.
Your sister could use a little vicarious pleasure.
Come on.
Well, he, um...
I mean, he looked at me and...
I looked at him and...
In that split second, it was like...
We forgave each other for everything.
And then, of course, we talked about it until we were blue in the face,
just like old times.
I'm glad, Jo.
You two are meant for each other.
Now, if I'm sure of anything,
that's it.
I think I'm having a religious experience.
That would be Wendy,
"Who is a second-year biology student at woods hole."
How on earth do you know that?
It's in her bio.
And, according to this,
"She also likes small children, big men, snow boarding, and the color green."
What can I get you gentlemen?
Well, I would love a couple of beers,
and my friend here will have a tall glass of milk.
You know, sitting here, something occurs to me, Dawson.
What?
The meaning of life, specifically yours.
Pacey, not another diatribe on my manhood or lack thereof.
I'm being serious here.
I have just had a blinding vision
of the purpose of your junior year.
You mean, besides, massive and debilitating college anxiety?
Yes. At some point during this year,
you, my friend, are going to get laid.
Come on, man.
It's in keeping with this whole new attitude thing you got goin'.
I mean, you met that girl on the bus, didn't you?
Yeah, I put her to sleep by talking about my ex-girlfriend, Pacey.
I think it's pretty safe to assume
I'm not going to be hearing from her any time soon.
Thank you.
Um...ahem...
This is actually root beer.
You don't remember me, do you?
Should I?
Feel this.
That's right.
It's me.
And as day number 2 dawns on our quiet, little, creekside village,
Dawson Leery has, once again, proven himself successful
in his endeavor to avoid Miss Joey Potter.
However, I am starting to question your commitment to the vida loca.
What? 'Cause I don't want to talk to my ex?
No, man, 'cause you didn't hook up with bus girl last night.
She was working.
You saw me give her my number.
It's up to her to use it.
And if she does?
She won't.
Dawson, I wouldn't be so sure about that.
What is the likelihood that a woman
with that degree of life experience and sexual liberation
is gonna to regard seriously the interest
of someone who hasn't even taken his PSATs?
I'd say about the same
as the chances of her being here in your living room.
Hi, Dawson.
Hi.
Um, what are you do--
Um, I'm sorry. How did you, um...
Uh...did you just--
This is all overexcited teenage male for, "How did you get in?"
Thought I'd surprise you
and take you up on your offer for a date.
It was hot outside, and the door was open,
so I let myself in.
It's Capeside. We don't exactly lock up.
Hmm...interesting.
What else don't you do?
I need to talk to you for a second.
Ok, normally, at this point in the plot,
the best friend exits stage left,
leaving the brand-new Dawson Leery all alone
with the mystery woman in his parentless house.
I'm freezin' up. This is just a little too high in
the too-good-to-be-true category.
I understand,
but speaking as somebody who's been there before,
I'm tellin' you, all you need now is just a little bit of separation,
a little time to calm down, to catch your breath,
and realize that you are in complete control of this situation.
I am not in complete control.
Oh, but you will be.
The boat.
What about it?
Well, I think you should take it out for a little spin.
Pacey, that's my dad's boat.
"Dad" being the possessive in that sentence.
Dawson, given the circumstances...
I think he'd understand.
♪ We don't wanna wait ♪
♪ For this game to be over ♪
♪ We've got to root right now-- ♪
Thank you!
Next.
Um, I didn't finish my cheer.
Um...
Stacey, get a mitt and catch a clue.
It's your third year trying out for the minutegirls.
Your waistline is thicker.
Your hairstyle is even more outdated.
The only reason we let you get this far in the first place
is because we wanted to see what lame song you'd pick
to cheer to.
Next up...
Miss Jen Lindley.
Do you still wanna do this?
Are you kidding me? Now more than ever.
Good luck.
I'm sure you'll dazzle us, Jen.
I mean, after all, we all know how flexible you are.
When you see Belinda and her clique in the hallway,
you're desperately wishing that you were walking with them, aren't you?
And thinking that maybe if you were wearing the right shoes,
sporting the latest hairstyle
and using the hottest shade of lip gloss,
then--then maybe they would toss a glance in your direction.
Ever wonder why they force their narrow-minded opinions down our throats?
Perhaps it's because they have an inkling
of what the future has in store for them beyond graduation.
Cut to 25 years from now.
Belinda McGovern wakes up one morning feeling empty.
Maybe it's because her Dartmouth-educated lawyer husband tad
has run off to Tijuana with her daughter's roommate from boarding school,
or maybe it's because the twins--Timmy and Tommy--
call her by her first name and their live-in housekeeper, "Mom,"
or maybe it's Belinda's daily 2:00, 5:00, 7:00,
and 9:15 showdown with her bottle of Prozac.
Her life has become a domestic wasteland.
Avoid this fate.
Don't let yourself become another cookie-cutter blonde,
size-4, rah-rah, sis-bam-boom,
mindless, soulless, spineless wench.
Screw these auditions, screw cheerleading,
and screw Belinda McGovern.
I'm changing here.
I'm sorry. I didn't know you were back here.
I just wanted a coke.
Oh, you just happened to get thirsty
right when I’m standing here half-naked?
I, uh...
Hadn't noticed that coincidence.
Oh.
You know...
I think I'm in the mood for a 7-up instead.
I will, uh...
Knock...the next time.
I'll lock the door the next time.
What are you starin' at?
You should take off your shirt.
What's the matter,
too brazen for you?
No. No.
I guess I'm just a little nervous.
How come you're nervous?
For the same reason you're not.
Oh.
But I am.
You are?
Of course.
Listen, Dawson,
anything that's worth anything is scary.
Or dangerous
in one way or another.
That's a pretty extreme world view.
Not at all.
Without fear, there'd be no accomplishments.
With no testing of our limitations...
No fun.
Um...
A number of questions present themselves.
Fire away
what's your name? Where do you live?
Why on earth are you hanging out with me?
In short, you know,
who are you? Where do you come from?
You said it yourself, Dawson.
I'm a fantasy...
Of your own creation.
I can feel your heart...
Beating.
You can?
It's going a million miles an hour.
Slow down.
I'm sorry?
The boat.
Oh.
That's better.
You're a virgin, aren't you, Dawson?
What comes before a virgin?
Everything but.
Everything but what?
That's what comes before.
Be careful. I can't see.
Shh.
What--heh heh...
At least tell me your name.
Eve.
You can call me Eve.
Eve.
That's a biblical name.
I'll try and live up to it.
Are you ok?
I--
I think so.
Ha ha ha!
Crashes are so intense.
Joey, this is Eve.
Eve, Joey.
Suddenly, everything becomes clear.
W-w-wait a minute.
You know this moron?
I thought I did.
Salvage charges...
Plus yard costs, plus carpentry and repainting.
I'd say you're lookin' at about 3 grand, easy.
I mean, provided none of the gaskets leaked or engine mounts cracked
as a result of the collision.
$3,000?
Give or take.
I should have gone down with the ship.
No argument here.
Things could be worse.
That's what they said to King Lear
before he lost his mind and his daughter killed herself.
Or was it the other way around?
Come on, Dawson. No one was hurt,
and you'll never forget this day as long as you live.
That's what I'm afraid of.
Everybody always wants life to go smoothly,
but the truth is, it's the mistakes that keep things interesting.
Another treacly truism, and I think my sweet tooth is gonna start to ache.
Wait a second.
You're mad at me.
You made me crash my father's boat.
Made you what?
I didn't make you do anything.
You know what?
Maybe I'm just not ready for this, for any of this.
Ready? Dawson, I've only known you for 48 hours,
but I think it's safe to say
you have got to stop living from the neck up.
No. Wait. Don't go.
You're going to have to do a lot better than that.
A man's character is his fate.
And?
This isn't me.
Ok, I don't meet strange girls on busses.
I don't drive my father's boat without permission,
and look what happens when I do:
Unmitigated disaster.
Well, that's too bad.
'Cause this girl just wants to have fun.
Hi, Jen.
What's the matter?
You look like your dog just died.
I don't have a dog.
Yeah. I know that.
Oh, yeah, you do know that, don't you?
Seriously, what is it?
Ooh.
Way to go.
Who's that? No idea.
Oh, god.
Yeah! Oh!
Ha ha ha!
Why? What's--
The unthinkable has happened.
Good job, Ms. Lindley.
What?
You've become popular?
Worse.
It was a coup d’état, a mutiny,
a slave revolt, really.
Belinda McGovern has been excommunicated by her brainless bishops.
You gotta help me out here
'cause I don't know what you're talking about.
They're the golden ones...
With the rhinestone-studded handles.
Don't tell me they made you a cheerleader.
Oh, no.
Thank god.
They made me head cheerleader.
That's cool.
Yeah, but I thought you said that--
Forget what I said. I was lying,
or at least hoping for the best.
The truth is, Dawson has been dodging me for the past 2 days.
Dodging you?
And crashing Mitch's pride and joy?
It's like one Dawson left for Philadelphia,
and another one came back.
Yeah. His evil twin.
Oh, sis.
Well, I just wish he would have told me,
and then I wouldn't feel like such a fool.
About the girl, you mean?
One look at her, and I knew.
I mean, she's everything I'm not.
She's wild and confident...
Blonde...
I remember the time
when there was another blonde in the picture.
Yeah. And look how well that turned out.
It's different now.
Yes...it is.
I found 2 more nickels, a shoelace,
and a pair of sunglasses that I lost 2 years ago.
Unless you're planning on finding a Rolex, Dawson,
I think you're kinda wasting your time.
I have a combined total of $42.78.
Even if I sell my DVD player,
I'm still close to $2,000 short.
There's about $400 in here.
It's a collection.
A collection?
I told the girls at the club the story.
They thought it was so cute,
they took up a collection of last night's tips.
Cute.
Now I’m officially mortified.
Well, never underestimate the kindness
of strippers, Dawson.
Lady Eve, on behalf of my luckless buddy right here,
we will gladly accept your contribution.
No. Ahem.
We gladly don't.
Why?
'Cause it's your money, and it's my problem.
Just take the money.
I can't.
Look, I feel responsible for what happened,
and I don't feel responsible that often.
It was still my fault.
Hold on a sec.
Perhaps these young women don't have to give of their wallets,
but only of their time and considerable talents.
I like where you're going with this.
I don't.
We'll throw a party... Here. Tonight.
It's genius.
It's insane.
You'll make the cash you need in 2 hours tops.
I'm not gonna turn my house into a strip club.
Dawson...
Teenage boys will come, Dawson.
They'll arrive at your house for reasons they can't even fathom.
They'll turn up in your driveway,
not really sure why they're doing it.
They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children.
"Well, of course, we don't mind if you come in and look around,"
you'll say.
"It's only $20 per person."
And they'll pass over that money
without even looking at it.
For it is money they have,
and breasts they lack.
Oh, yes, Dawson...
Teenage boys will come.
They most definitely will come.
Step right up, gentlemen,
and have the money in hand,
for you are about to enter the Leery den of inequity.
And, gentlemen, my pal Gino here
has strict orders to break any part of your body
that touches the ladies, understood?
Yes? All right. Get up in there.
All rightee.
Thank you very much.
Good! Go, baby. Go!
At the rate we're going,
we'll have something left over for Jerry's kids.
There's something so not right about this.
Dude, this is so friggin' awesome.
You all right?
I'm gonna go lie down.
Hey.
Rager downstairs, huh?
Yeah.
You know me.
Less than one week into our junior year,
and already my life's in a complete and utter upheaval.
Then I'm probably the last person you want to see.
You're a lot of things, Joey,
but you're never the last person I wanna see.
Dawson, um...
I'm sorry.
Not just about today.
Everything.
You know, uh, about my dad...
I was wrong.
I mean, in that total moment of adolescent anguish and upset, I--
I lashed out at the one person who cares about me the most
and who...
I care about the most.
You should have called me, Joey.
Should have written me.
Should have contacted me.
I should have done a lot of things.
I was, um...
Ashamed.
I figured I would just ignore life for a while, but, um...
You can't do that forever, can you?
Heh...
No, you can't.
So, who is she?
Eve?
I just met her.
Are you two...?
Heh...
Hardly.
So, did you miss me?
You know I did.
Good.
'Cause I missed you, too.
Things aren't the same anymore, Jo.
It doesn't have to be the same, Dawson.
It's a new year.
Things can be different.
And they can be better.
No.
What is it? What's wrong?
Everything's wrong, Joey. This isn't you.
I can be sexual, Dawson.
I know you can...
But we can't do this.
Not now. Not like this.
Put your shirt on.
Go to hell.
Joey, I'm sorry if you're hurt--
Hurt?
Why would I be hurt, Dawson? I mean,
I hope you're not delusional enough
to think this is some embarrassing attempt at getting you back.
Besides sex is all you're about these days.
Sex is not all I'm about.
You more than anyone should know that.
Don't blame me for your sexual inexperience, Dawson.
I'm not blaming you.
I never stopped you from being with anyone else.
That was particularly clear when you dumped me twice.
There was plenty of time for you to have all the fun you wanted.
It's not my fault if you're still a virgin.
What happened between us or didn't happen
was because we both wanted it that way.
Well, then, what's wrong?
What's so wrong with me.
It's not you.
It's us.
I can't go through it all again.
And you're sayin' it'll be different,
but it won't be.
You don't know that.
Yes, I do.
And so do you.
Joey...
One more year like last year, and I can promise you,
there will be no love left between us.
Dawson...
Is there any now?
Yes.
So, you love me?
You just don't want me.
Whoo!
Yee-haw!
Whoo! Come on. Yeah!
Come here, baby!
Do it! Do it! Do it!
Yo!
Could I get everybody's attention, please?
Everybody!
All right.
Gentlemen, and esteemed exotic dancers,
now, I'd like to present to you
the man who made this all possible...
Mr. Dawson Leery!
All right, now.
I think the preliminary results
of our little pledge drive are in,
so, Gino, if I could have the envelope, please.
The unofficial tally for tonight's festivities comes to...
$3,162!
Yeah!
Now, call me crazy...
Call me insane...
But I think it's time to open this thing up to the public,
what do ya say?
Yeah!
Come on.
Where are we going?
I have a surprise.
I should probably stay
and make sure nobody burns my house down, right?
And why would you do that?
To avoid wondering whether or not I’m going to sleep with you.
Follow me, Dawson...
And all secrets will be revealed.
You go ahead.
I'll be right there.
Oh.
She wants me back.
Joey?
Yeah.
And as we speak,
the ever-tempting Eve stands waiting in the wings.
Well, it always comes down to this, doesn't it, my friend:
The Madonna or The Jezebel?
Oh, god, you shoulda seen her, Pace.
She was standing before me as innocent and as beautiful as she's ever been,
and I wanted her just as much as I ever have,
but--I don't know-- as large a part of me wanted her,
there's a part of me just as large that--
that knows that now is not the right time for us.
Yeah.
I need to know that she's ok.
Could you talk to her,
maybe watch out for her for at least a couple of days?
Oh, no, no, no.
Pacey, she needs somebody.
She'd never ever admit it, but she does.
Dawson, man!
Look, you'd be doing it as a favor to me.
Pace, please?
Yeah.
Thank you.
You wanna go for a ride?
Is that yours?
It's my boss'.
Talked him into letting me borrow it.
I was kinda hoping we'd graduated from the open ocean to dry land.
If at first you don't succeed...
Dawson!
Who's that?
That's my father.
Unexpectedly home from the hill.
Listen, Dawson,
you are one step away from the rest of your life.
Get in.
I crashed his boat, and I wrecked his house.
I can't just leave.
There's nothing you can do tonight anyway.
Be honest.
What's going to change between now and tomorrow morning?
Nothing.
Except maybe me.
Last chance.
I can't.
You know what, Dawson?
I don't know who's the bigger mystery--
Me...
or you.
Ahoy, there!
Anyone ashore?
What are you doing here?
Well, it's the damnedest thing.
I just got into Dawson's rowboat
and magically drifted towards your dock.
Yeah, well, magically drift any closer, and I'll kill you.
You know, I almost believe that.
He told you, didn't he?
Didn't he?
Well, what do you think?
I think I hate you both.
Well, then you're really gonna hate me
when you hear what I have to say.
He did the right thing.
The two of you need to be apart right now.
How would you know what I need?
Yeah.
Yeah. You know, you're probably right.
How could I possibly know how hard it is
to let somebody go, right?
The pain of knowing...
That even though the two of you are right for each other,
that doesn't necessarily mean
that you're right for each other right now.
What would I know about that, right?
How could I possibly know that sometimes
it just...
Makes you want to scream...
Hit somebody...
Sit out on the end of a dock and cry?
Of all the people to see me like this, it had to be you.
You know, it's a new year.
Who knows?
You and I might even become friends.
Pacey...
I'm upset enough as it is.
Come here, Potter.