Dawson is watching The Partridge Family in his room but hardly paying attention, as Jen is reading his new script in the background. She finishes, and Dawson is eager to find out what she thinks. "The truth," he says. "The 'truth' truth or the 'What Dawson wants to hear' truth?" she asks him. "You hated it," he realizes. Jen tells her she didn't hate it, but thought it was, for lack of a better word, fluff. Dawson doesn't take it very well; he has, after all, poured his heart and soul into the story. Jen tells him that he cannot accurately write about teenage angst unless he's actually been a teenager. "You just need to loosen up a little bit," she says, and offers him a "teenage 101" course to help him reclaim the teenage years he has spent being far too introspective.
Outside school, Andie asks Joey to be her running mate as class president in the upcoming student government elections. Joey refuses; everyone knows about her past, and she's not really up for scholastic activities. "Your average teenager has an attention span of just under two seconds," Andie explains, "It's ancient history." Joey agrees to think about it.
Pacey finds Andie in the hallway, and Chris stuffs a flyer in front of them advertising he and Abby for the election. "Wherever you go Pacey," Abby tells him, "The slacker vote inevitably follows." "Once again your natural, irrepressible charm shines through," Pacey observes. Andie tells Pacey about her plans to ru; he's going to be her campaign manager.
Jen emerges from the bathroom and walks to Dawson's locker. He's still bitter about her opinion of her script, and Jen offers to ditch class with him, something normal teenagers do all the time. "In order to write about being a teenager," she tells him, "You actually need to experience being one. Life is composed of moments and you have to take those moments as they come, impulsively." Dawson tells her to lead on, but runs off to class when she turns her back.
Mitch is trying to fix the dishwasher, and he and Gail are laughing together just like they used to. The laughing turns to kissing, and as Mitch pushes her down onto the table Dawson enters. He grimaces and leaves silently, smiling once he's outside.
Jack and Joey are playing games with the tiny cups of cream at the Icehouse, and Joey is asking Jack about his family. "Every time I ask you a question about something personal," she says, "You somehow manage to change the subject and not answer." He changes the subject yet again. Abby and Chris barge in and sit down, demanding service. They came to discuss strategy, "And you can always count on this place to be deserted," Abby says. Jack urges her to run with his sister, but she's still reluctant. "You're a born leader," Jack tells her. "More like born loser," Abby says, "You actually think that you'd have any chance of winning against me? Get real. You throw the trash out, you don't vote it in. If you want to embarrass yourself and you entire family even further than nature intended then by all means, throw your amazing girl-next-door quality into the ring. What's one more disappointment in an already meager, depressing existence?" Joey dumps a pitcher of water on Abby, stopping her cold. "You're dead," Abby yells, and storms out of the Icehouse. "Tell Andie I'm in," Joey says.
Andie and Pacey are discussing the campaign. Pacey has bought a book on the Clinton campaign to help him out. Andie's obviously taking it all very seriously. "My goal," she says, is to make government good and safe again." Joey interrupts them and points out Chris and Abby's smear campaign. Pacey wants to strike back, but Andie doesn't want to get involved in mudslinging. "Let's not let them get the best of us," Andie says, "Those were just words, they carry no weight whatsoever. Winning will be our best revenge."
Dawson and Jen are downtown, and Jen once again offers her services as a "regression sponsor." Dawson insists he is a teenager, and that he still has to face the traumas of being his age. Jen wants to start with something simple, and tells him to shoplift some lipstick for her. After an argument, they walk out. Jen thinks he has the lipstick in his pocket, and Dawson plays along until she realizes he put it back before he left. "I appreciate what you're trying to do," Dawson tells her, "But I like my perspective on life, regardless of how middle aged it might be." "It's going to trap you Dawson," Jen tells him, "You're going to wake up one morning and you're going to realize that the reason you're not growing is because you never allowed for the process. We go from infancy to old age; think about that."
The election debate is on, and the candidates (Andie and Jen, Chris and Abby, and Kenny and his running mate) are giving their platforms. "This all comes down to one simple question," Abby sums up, "Us, the geeks, or little miss perky and the convict's daughter?" Andie responds to the relevance of her comments, and Abby brings up Andie's mother, telling the entire audience about her mental problems and about the accident which killed Tim. A teacher puts a stop to her comments but it's too late. Andie runs out in tears, and Pacey follows.
Jack's looking for Andie and Joey catches up to him. He's heard about what happened at the assembly and is worried about her, but Joey hasn't seen her since she ran off. "I'm looking for my sister," Jack says as Joey tries to comfort him, "Not your sympathy." She tries to talk to him, but he pushes her away.
Pacey tracks Andie to the girls' bathroom and enters after issuing a warning to anyone who may be inside. "There is a whole chapter in my book on what to do when a scandal breaks," he says, "This is not a big deal. We can get through this, you and me." He finds her hiding in a stall and takes her hand, helping her up. She doesn't want to go out into the hall with everyone knowing about her family. "Everybody comes from a dysfunctional family now," Pacey says, "It's the nineties. The only happy families are in television syndication. This will all blow over. Tomorrow everything will be back to normal." "Normal," Andie says, "That's all I ever wanted. A normal family, with a normal life and balance and order, but that just doesn't exist." Pacey hugs her close. "Normal never existed," he says, "It never did." Andie looks at herself in the mirror and starts to walk away. She turns back. "I hate this," she says, "I really hate this." She throws her book across the room, shattering the bathroom mirror.
Dawson visits Mitch at his apartment. They tart talking about what happened between he and Gail. Dawson thinks the two of them are closer now, perhaps even reconciling, and he's very happy about that. Mitch tells him the truth, which is the exact opposite. "It was a slip," he explains, "And a mistake, and it won't happen again." They've worsened their problems, and are now even further apart.
Dawson goes to Jen's and admits his "perception disorder." "I keep on waiting for my feelings to catch up so that maybe I can finally grow up," he says, "Or get over Joey, or accept that my parents may or may not work things out. In order to change my feelings I first have to change my actions." Jen offers her help, and Dawson tells her he wants her back as his sponsor, he wants to go out and be a teenager.
Andie sits in front of her window that night, staring out into the night. Jack enters, and tells her their mother is concerned about her. "It really scares her to see you so upset," he says, "Your highs and lows are becoming really intense lately. One minute you're laughing and the next you're crying." Andie insists she's okay, but Jack won't hear it. "I think maybe it's time you went back on your medication," Jack says finally, "It'll make things a little easier for you and for everyone." "I just had a rough day," Andie says, "That's all. I don't need any medication. I'm fine."
Jen and Dawson run though the woods. Dawson is jubilant; they just toilet papered a teacher's house. "What next?" Dawson asks. Jen giggles. "Drop your pants," she says. Dawson appears confused, but she continues. "You can't very well go skinny dipping with your clothes on." Dawson is nervous, but tells her he won't do it alone. As he argues, Jen strips down behind his back, drapes her bra over his shoulder, and leaps into the water. "Come on in," she calls to him, "The water's great."
Dawson peeks out from behind a tree after removing his clothes, and tells Jen to turn her back. She does, and he leaps into the water and swims out to her. They laugh and splash each other., then get a little closer. Jen asks him if he's ever dreamt about her. "Have you ever woken up sweating, with your blanket in a little pup tent?" she asks. "Have you dreamt about me that way?" Dawson counters. "Possibly," she answers, and they kiss briefly before Jen pulls back, telling him they're crossing the line. "We're finally friends now," she says, "And I don't want to mess that up." "The way Joey was my friend?" Dawson replies. "There's lots of ways to be someone's friend, Dawson, I guess we'll just have to figure that out." She splashes him gently and he continues the fight, laughing with her.
The next morning, the candidates are giving their final speeches over the school intercom. Kenny and his running mate are in the background. Chris and Abby go first, maintaining their "we're popular, so vote for us" platform. Joey asks Andie if she's okay to go on, and Andie assures her she can do it. Abby finishes up and stands up form the microphone. "Schedule says the cuckoo bird and the convict's daughter are up next," she says as Joey and Andie take their seats. Andie starts to speak but then runs off, Joey in tow. Pacey sits down and turns to Abby. "What's the deal here?" he asks her, "I mean, why are you slumming as Vice President for that guy when you're obviously the brains behind the whole thing?" Abby is more than happy to gloat. "I'm just using that walking penis for his popularity. And ultimately I'll destroy him, just like I destroyed your little girlfriend." In science class, Dawson and Jen look up at the intercom. Abby's voice is echoing through the school, unbeknownst to her. Abby continues. "It makes victory so much sweeter when you have to walk on top of other people to get it. I'm going to rule this school, and you and all those other half-wits are too stupid to stop me." "You're probably right," Pacey replies, "I mean, I'm so stupid that I didn't know when I pressed this button on this little thing that your annoying nasal whine was broadcast ver this entire school. Oh no," he continues, "Wait a minute, that's exactly what I meant to do. Sorry, my bad." He walks out of the room, high-fiving Kenny on the way out "School's yours pal," he says.
Dawson returns home and finds his mom cleaning like a maniac. He's about to ask what's wrong when Dawson finds the divorce papers on the counter. "Your father had me served this morning," she says. "Are you okay?" Dawson asks. "I'll be alright honey," she assures him, "I'm moving on."
Joey is locking up the Icehouse and Jack asks if he can walk her home. Joey agrees, and as they walk Jack apologizes for the way he blew her off earlier. "I wanted to be there for you," Joey says, "But you kinda shut me out. I wish you'd let me help you." "I can't allow myself the luxury of opening up," Jack tells her, "Sometimes I feel like… it's like my whole life is just one big secret." Joey tells him about how great Dawson was when her mom was dying, how they used to just sit together, hold hands, and not even talk. Joey takes Jack's hand and they continue walking.
Andie is at home in the bathroom, washing her face and crying. The phone rings and it's Pacey, asking if she wants to do something that night. She tells him no, it's not a good time. "I'll be back to my old self tomorrow though," she assures him. She hangs up the phone and takes two pills out of a prescription bottle. She stares at them for a few moments before swallowing them down and wiping her tears away.
Dawson walks into Jen's kitchen and sits down beside her. She asks him what he's doing there. "My parents are getting a divorce," he says, "I just needed to talk to my sponsor, because I'm in a bit of a quandary. All of this perception and psychobabble has left me with quite a dilemma. What do I d with this news? I knew it was over, all the signs pointed to it. I guess I just kept hoping that they wouldn't go there, and now they have. So now do I have a self-aware, adult reaction to it? Or do I allow myself to feel the hurt and the shock that a kid in my position would feel? What should win here, my head or my heart, my emotions or my brain, what will win out?" "What always wins out Dawson," Jen says. He cries, and Jen holds him in her arms. "Thanks for being there," he tells her. "Thanks for letting me," she replies.
Links to other sites on the Web
back home
back to DC page
back to Ep guide
Get your own Free Home Page