SUCKER PUNCH 🛶 PACEY WITTER [book one]

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

UNCHARTED WATERS

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WHILST Heather struggled through her creative writing assignment for Mr. Peterson due the next week at Dawson's desk, the Witter boy was taking advantage of Dawson's dartboard "Well, I think darts may be my destiny. Travel around the world as an international renowned master of the darts. I found my calling." He glanced over to the Leery boy, watching as he shuffled through scattered paper across his bed "What're you doing over there?"

"Well, I rewatched a bunch of movies and I think I need to dub in some complicated relationships." Dawson admitted "Trying to, you know, write some complexities of a character in the movie...layer it a little bit."

Pacey chuckled and straddled the chair beside Dawson's bed "There's the Great Santini."

"Classic dysfunctional father-son relationship." Heather mused, not looking up from her blank paper.

"It's a father who thinks his son's a screw-up, huh?" Pacey questioned.

Dawson nodded "Yeah, pretty much."

"Yeah, well, you can skip a Blockbuster moment, Dawson." He grumbled "You're going to get plenty of insight into that on our little fishing trip this weekend."

Dawson frowned at his friends sullen and pessimistic attitude "Come on...okay, granted your father's a little tense but you tend to exaggerate just a little bit. The Great Santini bounces basketballs off his son's head to make a point. At least your father respects you enough not to do that."

"Ah, yes, respect." Pacey mocked "Do you respect your father, Dawson?"

"I'd hate to live in a world where I didn't."

Pacey shook his head "That's not the answer."

Dawson frowned "Do you respect your father?"

"Well, I mean, John Witter, the most well-know, well-respected man in Capeside." Pacey rattled off "Fights for safety, fights crime, locks up bad guys, helps little ol' ladies across the street, how could you possibly not have respect for a man like that?"

Heather glanced over to the boy, expression soft "That's not an answer either, Pace."

"Good ol' fashioned father-son fishing trip." Dawson sighed "Why do I sense disaster?"

"Tell you what." Pacey started as he got to his feet before grabbing a dart "Why don't we let the darts do the talking, huh? If I can hit a bullseye with this dart in my hand, you and I are in for a weekend of good fun, big fish, and good ol' father-son bonding."