Project Matchmaker

Chapter I

Seventeen-year-old Joey Potter is currently sitting in her 6th period Honors History class, looking out the window and watching a group of guys lounging underneath a tree. She was watching one guy specifically.

Feeling a light tap on her shoulder she turns to see her best friend Jen Lindley drop a small piece of paper onto her desk. Smiling, she unfolds it and reads the four words there.

"See anything you like?" is written in Jen's neat handwriting across the top. Jen, being her best friend since the first day of junior high, knows her better than anyone else and knows the reason she's been spacing out for most of the class.

Picking up her pen she writes "Yeah! But it's not like he'd ever notice me so it doesn't matter does it!" Before refolding the paper and slipping it back onto Jen's desk.

Jen smiles as she reads Joey's response and adds her own comment underneath. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Josephine."

Joey reads Jen's words and raises an eyebrow questioning her meaning, silently asking if she knows anything. Jen just grins at her before returning to her worksheet.

"Alright, class, this is a reminder that your essays on the Julio-Claudian emperors are due at the end of the month," Mr. Hathaway says. "Oh, and a reminder that the Winter Sadie Hawkins Dance is in two weeks. That means the girls ask the guys." 

A lot of cheerful giggles echo throughout the room as Joey just rolls her eyes. As the bell rings, she and Jen leave the room, slowly walking towards their lockers. As Joey gets the rest of her belongings out of her locker, she bids goodbye to Jen and starts heading to her last class of the day.

As she turns the corner towards her last class someone bumps into her, knocking her over and sending her books flying.

"Watch it!" An angry voice says, as Joey lies sprawled on the floor.

"Jerk!" She calls after the retreating letterman jacket responsible. Reaching for her books she continues to mutter under her breath, complaining about obnoxious, insensitive jocks.

"Hey we're not all that bad are we?" someone else asks, handing her the last book. Looking up to see who the deep sexy voice belongs to, she is met by the bottomless blue eyes of Pacey Witter.

"Umm... I guess not." She stammers, blushing furiously. Thankfully the bell for the next class rings saving her from any further embarrassment she rushes off with out another word. For the next forty minutes she sits in class thinking about what just happened and how embarrassing it was. Once her class is finished she rushes to meet up with Jen and her boyfriend Drue Valentine.

"Hey, you guys," Joey greets them.

"Hey, Jo. Was I seeing things earlier or were you talking to Pacey Witter just before last class?" Jen questions her friend. 

"It was nothing, Jen. Some jerk ran me over and I fell down and dropped all of my books, so Pacey was just helping me gather my stuff together. That's all that happened." Joey opens her locker and gets her winter coat. "He doesn't even know I exist."

"Well maybe there's something that we can do to make him notice you." Jen looks at her boyfriend and he nods in agreement. 

"Yeah, Jo, you've been hot for him for years now. The semester's almost over, and time is running out," Drue tells her. 

"Forget it, you guys. Pacey would never want to be with someone like me. Besides, he hasn't said more than a dozen words to me since Junior High."

"Why is that? You guys used to be friends, so what happened?" Jen asks. 

"Dawson moved, and Pacey and I started fighting a lot, then he turned into a hockey jock and I wasn't cool enough for him anymore."

"Well maybe he likes you. Drue and I have both noticed him watching you."

"I highly doubt that. I'm hardly his type."

"Jo, just think about it. Witter's the hottest guy in this entire school and he could have any girl he wants. So many girls throw themselves at him daily, but he rejects them all. Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know, Jen. Maybe he just doesn't date?" 

"Well have you ever thought about asking him to the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance?"

"That's a really good idea, Jen. Risk humiliating myself in front of this entire school only to end up brokenhearted. Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Ugh, Jo, come on. It's Friday night, and Jack's hosting a party at his house and we're going. I already told him that we were coming, so you're not getting out of this one." Jen kisses Drue goodbye before tugging Joey down the now deserted hall.

"Jen, even if I wanted to come to this party, I have nothing to wear."

"Don't worry about that. We're going to go on a shopping spree and we're going to find something that will grab Witter's attention."

you know I can't afford to buy anything. Let's just go to your house, I'm sure you must have something suitable that I can wear in that vast closet of yours."

"Sorry Jo, nothing would fit you. Besides this is on me. After all this is my plan, it's the least I can do. And what's the use of having my dads credit card if I never use it." Jen grins as she backs out of her parking stall. Her parents nasty divorce left Jen in the middle, as a result she now lives with her grandmother, while her parents compete for her attention. Her dad gave her a credit card that she can do whatever she likes with, so her mom to get even bought her a new car, a black mustang convertible.

"Are you ready to spend some serious cash?" Jen asks grinning as they pull up in front of their favorite boutique.

"Sure, why not!" Joey smiles tentatively at the petite blonde next to her.

"Yay!" Jen says clapping her hands, jumping up and down.

Walking through the store Jen picks out outfit after outfit for Joey to try on. Joey patiently models them all while Jen passes judgement on them. Finally Jen gathers the Yes piles up into her arms carrying them to the till she pulls out her credit card. Deciding you can't go on a good shopping spree without shoes Jen drags Joey up the street to the shoe store.

"Those would be perfect for tonight!" Jen exclaims searching through the boxes for the calf high black boots, finding the correct size she hands them to Joey. "Try these on." She commands.

Seeing that they fit they collect the other boxes and again proceed to the cash register. Their arms loaded with shopping bags they slip back into Jen's car before speeding away towards Joey's house.