Dawson Leery flopped back on his bed. "How do I ask Jen to the Valentine's Day dance?"
His best friend, Joey Potter, dropped down next to him. "What's the big deal? You've asked her out before."
He turned to look at her. "Yeah, but this is different. This is *Valentine's* Day. The most romantic day of the year. After the big freeze over her virginity, I want this entire experience to be special."
"Handcuffs and Crisco special?" Joey grinned.
"Of course not!" he said indignantly. There was a pause. "Will you ever explain the Crisco thing to me?"
* * *
It was three o'clock, and the final bell had rung on the Monday before Valentine's Day. Joey met Dawson at his locker.
"Well, did you ask her yet?" she asked.
Dawson slammed his door shut. "Not yet. I'm going to ask her on the way home today."
"Guess that's my hint to go my own way home," Joey remarked, barely hiding the bitterness in her voice. "Just don't put it off, okay, Dawson? Valentine's Day is just 5 days away. Maybe someone else asked her already, and she's going with him."
They started towards Jen's locker.
"No way," he said confidently. "Not Jen. You'll see."
"Right," Joey said a little absent-mindedly as she headed towards the door. "Bye." Damn, but that Jen was lucky!
* * *
Dawson came up behind Jen, who was still at her locker.
"Guess who," he grinned, standing directly behind her.
She turned, startled. "Dawson! Um, hi."
He grinned at her again. "Are you ready? I'll walk you home."
She shut her locker. "Sure," she nodded. "I'd like that."
They walked towards Jen's house, chatting about school. He meant to ask her about the dance in the most romantic way he could, given the circumstances, but every time he tried, she'd change the subject. When they had almost reached her house, Dawson finally had the opportunity he had waited for.
"So, Joey and I were talking about the Valentine's dance today," Dawson said, looking straight ahead.
Jen glanced at him briefly. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." They had reached her house, and were just standing there. "We're still looking for dates. I was wondering if maybe we could go together," he blurted out, immediately swearing to himself about the way he just came out.
"Oh, I'd love to, Dawson, but Cliff asked me this morning. I didn't have a date yet, so I accepted. I didn't think you were going to go. I'm sorry," she
said sincerely. She turned and walked into her house, leaving Dawson standing there, dumbstruck.
* * *
"I just don't get it," Dawson said blankly. It was later that afternoon, and he was lying on his bed, staring at his ceiling. Joey was sitting crossed legged next to him.
"You shouldn't have waited so long," she told him, not completely unsympathetically.
"*Not helping*," he ground out between his teeth.
"Okay, I am sorry, Dawson. Really."
"I just don't get it," he said again. "I mean, I thought we were doing okay now. I didn't even know that Cliff was still in the picture!" He sat up, but slumped over. "Maybe I should have planned better how I was going to ask her. More romantic, instead of blurting it out."
"Dawson, that wouldn't have helped, and you know it. But what are you going to do now?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
"I don't know," he said slowly.
"No script written?" Joey grinned.
He managed a brief smile, as the wheels started turning in his head. Joey recognized his look, and knew what he was thinking.
"Oh, no," she exclaimed. "No. I remember what happened at the last dance you made me go to, to spy on her. No!"
"That was then, this is now," he said airily. "Come on, Joey. It'll be fun," he said, his tone now wheedling.
She opened her mouth to protest, but he covered her mouth with his hand. "I know what you're going to say, and you can just forget it. You have five days to find a dress."
"Come on, that was my one good excuse," Joey grinned. "I can't believe that I'm going to be party to your insane obsession again, but okay. I'll do go the stupid dance with you." It was against her better judgement, but she'd go.