Summertime Sadness
Dawson was unhappy that afternoon. He had a problem - he knew that. Sheila had been right. He was jealous. He had been angry when he saw Jeremy Fields kissing Joey. He didn't want anyone else to kiss Joey.
"I was trying to start a relationship with Sheila, but I was really running away from Joey," he told himself. "Joey is my best friend and I don't want Jeremy to kiss her. I want to kiss her. I love her. But can I be in love with someone who is my best friend?"
He asked his father about this.
"Yes," Mitch Leery told him. "Your mother has always been my best friend. And I love her!"
Dawson phoned Joey's house. But no one answered the phone. Dawson left a message on the answering machine.
"Joey, I'm sorry," he said. "I was unkind to you last night at the cafe. I want to talk to you. Will you meet me tomorrow morning? We can go for a ride on our bikes. Please come to my house at eight o'clock."
Later, when Joey heard the message, she was pleased. She wanted to see Dawson. She'd always loved him. But she'd been too busy to think about him for two days. She'd only thought about Jeremy. Did she love Jeremy?
"Yes, I do love him," she told herself. "I love Jeremy. Maybe I'm not in love with Dawson any more."
She phoned Dawson's number and left a message for him. She agreed to meet him the next morning.
That evening, Joey didn't have to work at The Ice House. She was going on a date with Jeremy. They were going to eat at Romano's, the best restaurant in Capeside.
Joey put on her prettiest dress. It was short and pale blue. She picked up Howard from the table by her bed. She smiled.
"When Clarissa returns from vacation, I'll thank her," she told herself. "If Clarissa hadn't given me her virtual pet, Jeremy wouldn't have spoken to me."
Joey still cared about Dawson, but she wasn't in love with him any more. She loved Jeremy. She wanted to see Jeremy often. He was handsome and exciting. He made her feel good about herself.
"He'll stay in Capeside for the whole summer," she told herself. "People always stay here for the whole summer. It will be great!"
She was feeling very happy when she met Jeremy at Romano's. They sat at a table and they ordered their food. They talked quietly. There was a band playing music in one corner of the restaurant. Later Joey and Jeremy would be able to dance together.
"Joey," said Jeremy. "Tomorrow, I have to go home. I have to return to New Hampshire. I'll be sad. I've really liked meeting you. I've never known a girl like you before."
Joey was shocked by this news.
"B-but didn't you come to Capeside for the whole summer?" she said. "I wanted to be with you for the whole vacation."
Jeremy held her hand. He looked at the table. His face was sad.
Then a waiter brought their food, but they weren't hungry any more.
After a few minutes, Jeremy stood up.
"I'll be back soon," he said.
He walked over to the corner of the room where the band was sitting and he spoke to the leader. Then he spoke to everyone in the restaurant.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the band is going to play a song," he said. "This song is for Joey. Joey is the girl who I love." He looked straight at her. "Joey," he said. "We can't be together this summer. I'm really sorry about that. But there will be other summers. We'll be together again one day."
Jeremy sat down with Joey and the band started to play. The song was George Gershwin's "Summertime".
Joey's mother had loved that song. As she remembered her mother, tears ran down Joey's face. But she started to feel better. Jeremy was gorgeous. But he was a good, kind person too. And she would always remember this summer - she knew that!
By Kevin Williamson