happier

beauty contest

The group was at The Icehouse, listening to Dawson tell them about how his mom was judging for the Windjammer Days, a beauty pageant in Capeside.. Cola stood next to Pacey, his arm around her shoulders, so that she wouldn't be cold. She was drinking hot cocoa.

"They're letting me cover it for the station." Dawson says. Joey comes over to take the empty plates from everyone.

"So, what are the Windjammer Days?" Jen asks, not knowing because it was still her first year at Capeside.

"It's this yearly event the yacht club holds...a little pageant. They try to reel in the last remaining tourists before the town shuts down this season." Dawson informs her.

"It's a blue-blooded tradition which celebrates the grand achievement of being born rich, the culmination of which is this asinine formal dinner held at the yacht club where some young nubile whose daddy owns the bank is crowned Miss Windjammer. It's the most archaic display of ageism, racism, and sexism known to man. Cola's sister does it." Joey says, making Cola roll her eyes at her dramaticness.

"Do they have a swimsuit competition?" Pacey jokes, making Cola smack his arm and laugh. "Maybe I could be one of those who warms up the girls before they go on stage." The group laughs and Joey rolls her eyes.

"It's not a porno, Pacey."

"My mother used to enter me in these disgusting 'Little Miss' pageants before I was old enough to protest."

"Let me guess, you twirled the baton." Cola said, not meaning anything by it.

"Meaning?"

"Nothing. You should enter," Dawson answered for her. Jen raised a brow, shaking her head. "No, seriously. You're beautiful. I mean, nobody can dispute that," Joey rolled her eyes, walking back inside. "I can totally picture you strolling past the judges, flashing that million dollar smile of yours." Cola and Pacey looked at each other with looks of disgust as they heard him speak.

"Well, I'm afraid my baton-twirling days are over." She says, looking at Cola with a playful glare.

"First prize is $5000 and a trip to New York." Pacey shook his head, taking a sip from Cola's hot cocoa, making her slap his hand.

"Why don't you enter, Dawson? I'm sure you have some inspired ideas on how to achieve world peace." Jen says, standing up.

"World peace is easy. It's the tap dancing pumps that I have trouble with." Jen shrugs, walking away and motioning for Cola to follow her. She gives Pacey her hot cocoa, saying that she'll be right back and not to drink it. The two girls go inside and sit at the bar, making a bit of small talk. They see Joey walking towards them with a glum look.

"Slow, huh?" Jen asks. Joey lets out a sigh, looking down.

"As the tourists go, so do the tips." Jen lets out a wince.

"That bad?"

"I'll put it to you this way: Higher education for me will be no further away than Capeside Community Vocational Institute." Cola rolled her eyes, going to Joey's other side and touching her shoulder.

"Oh please, you're smart. You can get a scholarship."

"Yeah, but I can't bank on a full one."

"Look Joey, now that the proverbial wedge we so fondly refer to as Dawson Leery is no longer between us, we could actually be friends. I think the three of us could become a girl gang of some sorts," The two girls raise brows at her, with Cola letting out a snort. "I know, I know. It's a bizarre concept. But, we may find that we have something in common." Cola nods, smirking, but Joey doesn't say anything. Jen begins to walk away, but Joey yells out for her to wait.