Title: Sisterly Love Part 3; There’s Something About Tatum

Rating: PG-13 (language)

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“Yo, I’m home!” Tatum called as she walked through the door and threw her bag on the floor.

“Hi.” Bessie replied from the kitchen “How was school? Did they post the results from cheerleading tryouts yet?”

“No. They said maybe by next Friday.” Tatum sighed “Did my new Entertainment Weekly come yet?”

“Yeah, it’s on the table.”

Tatum picked up the magazine and flipped through the pages “Oh cool. The women of the WB were named the top entertainers of 1998.”

“Interesting.” Bessie said “So, Joey tells me there’s a dance tomorrow night. You got plans for it?’

Tatum chuckled “Right. I so cannot even stress to you how much I don’t have plans for that dance. I figure I’ll just stay home and work on that rubber band ball I’ve been making.”

“Really? Why, did you and Pacey Witter break up?” Bessie asked.

“No.” Tatum replied, giving her a quizzical look “To break up, Pacey and I first would have to be a couple. Where do you get these ideas?”

“Well, Andie McPhee told me you two were an item.” Bessie said.

“Ok, were does Andie get these ideas?” Tatum muttered.

“No idea. Listen, why don’t you go to that dance?”

“Why?” Tatum asked “You’ve been to one ritzy school dance, you’ve been to ‘em all.”

“Well,” Bessie told her “first of all, I don’t know what school dances were like in a big, wealthy city like Beverly Hills, but I imagine they’d be a little different here in Capeside. And second, you’ve been here a month and you’ve hardly left the house except for school. It might be a nice opportunity for you to meet some new people.”

“I don’t know. I’m not big on school dances.” Tatum said.

“Oh, come on, Tate.” Bessie encouraged “You’re 16 years old. You shouldn’t always be doing chores and running errands for your big sister, you should be out having fun with your friends, going to the movies or the mall.”

Tatum sighed “Ok.” she said finally “I guess it won’t kill me.”

“Sure. What size is the one you’ve got now?” Andie asked.

“A three.” Tatum replied “Maybe you could see if they have a two or a one?”

“I hate you.” Andie muttered “You’re too skinny.”

“I get that a lot. Just see if they have a smaller size.”

“Alright, I’m going!” Andie muttered as she walked out of the dressing room.

A minute after she left, Tatum came out of the stall, trying to hold up the dress. She walked over to the three-way mirror and looked at herself.

Definitely way too big she thought. As she turned around, she saw Pacey coming out of the men’s dressing room. Wow Tatum said to herself He looks really good in a tux. He’s pretty cute. Too bad he’s such a jerk. she snapped out of it as he approached her “Hey, Witter!” she called “What are you doing here?”

“Same thing as you, apparently.” Pacey replied “Tell me, what do you think of this tux?”

Tatum stared at him “Not bad. How about this dress?”

“Looks good.” Pacey said “A little big, though.”

“Duh.” Tatum said “You think I don’t know that?” the strap of the dress slipped down a little “Oh, shit!” Tatum yelped as she tried in vain to pull the dress back up in time.

Pacey laughed “Nice bra. Victoria’s Secret English Lace, right?”

Tatum slapped him playfully on the arm “You are such an immature pervert!”

“And you’re such a pushy, uptight...” the word’s flew right out of Pacey’s brain as their eyes met. Without hesitation, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Tatum broke the kiss and turned around “We have got to stop doing that!”

Pacey nodded “It’s a fluke, that’s all. It’s, uh, because of these clothes!”

“Right! It’s a clothes fluke!” Tatum said.

“Definitely, and there will be no more fluking.” Pacey agreed, but even as he spoke, he leaned in to kiss her again. He quickly caught himself and stepped back “We have got to get out of these clothes!”

“Immediately.” Tatum replied.

“Oh, I didn’t mean-” Pacey said, realizing what he had implied.

“That’s not what I-I didn’t-me neither!” Tatum stammered.

“Whoa! Oh, yeah, Tatum, you guys hate each other. Absolutly no unspoken attraction here.”

Tatum turned around “Andie! It’s not what you think, really! We were just- Hey, don’t sneak up on people!”

“Ok, calm down. And you two wonder were I got the idea that you’re a couple. Sheesh. Can I come to your wedding?”

“Shut up!” Tatum snapped “Did you find the dress?”

“yeah.” Andie said, handing her three dresses “Size two and size one.”

“What’s this?” Tatum asked, holding up a long black dress with large holes up the side. “Ugh! Andie, I can’t wear this! Unless,” she said, holding the dress up to herself, “I was entering an Abby Morgan look-alike contest.” she puckered her lips and batted her eyes “Hi, my name’s Abby, what’s yours?”

“Chris Wolfe.” Pacey replied “Wanna smooch?”

“Yuck!” Tatum whined, shoving him away “Get gone!”

Andie giggled as Pacey returned to the men’s dressing room “So,” she said, elbowing Tatum in the ribs “what are you gonna name the kids.”

“Ew, shove it!” Tatum replied “You know, if Pacey just grew up a little and pulled his brain out of the gutter, he might actually be an almost acceptable human being.” she admitted.

“Uh-huh. And then what would you do with him?” Andie asked “Didn’t I tell you to shove it?”

Joey shrugged “That depends on whether we go to the dance.”

“Depends on whether who goes to the dance?” the girls looked up and saw Dawson walking towards them.

“Dawson, you didn’t ask her to the dance yet?” Jen asked

Joey blushed “Gee, thanks, Jen. Humiliation’s really good for my color.”

“Well,” Dawson said “I wasn’t really sure if you wanted to go, but if you do, then that’s fine.”

“Ooh!” Andie shrieked suddenly “I got an idea!”

“Uh-oh.” Joey giggled.

“No, really, I think we should rent a limo. We could all chip in and go to the dance together.” Andie suggested.

“That could be fun.” Dawson agreed.

“Yeah,” Jen added “Joey and Dawson, Andie and Aaron, Tatum and Pacey, and me and...Jack.”

“You and Jack?” Tatum said “Since when?”

“He asked me this afternoon.” Jen said with a shrug “Hasn’t Pacey asked you yet?”

“No. Why would he?”

“Yeah.” Pacey put in “Why would I?”

“Oh, you guys broke up?” Jen asked.

“When were we dating?’ Pacey asked, confused.

“Pay no attention to them.” Tatum said “They all seem to think we’re a couple. And so does everyone else. I’m just guessing but does the fuck-up fairy make regular visits to this town or what?”

“I think it lives here.” Pacey replied.

“Oh give us a break.” Dawson said “Everyone in town knows you two are an item.”

“Not everyone.” Tatum corrected “We don’t know. Why doesn’t someone tell us these things? You guys are just nuts.”

“No, it’s Tatum. Joey’s over at Jen’s house, she said she’d be back in an hour.” Tatum replied.

“You seem pretty lost in thought.” Bessie said, noticing the expression on the younger woman’s face.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. What?” Tatum said.

“My point exactly. Here, make yourself useful and help me with dinner.”

Tatum stood up “Sure. What do you need me to do.”

“Chop those carrots. So, what time are you guys leaving for the dance tonight?”

“8:30.” Tatum replied as she hacked away at the carrots. Bessie noticed the way Tatum was butchering the carrots, like an executioner with an axe “You wanna talk about it?”

“Huh?” Tatum said “What do you mean?”

“Yeah, I thought I recognized that look. Boy troubles, huh?”

“How’d you know?” Tatum asked.

“Like I said, I’ve seen that look before. So, who’s the guy? No, let me guess, it’s Pacey.”

“Damn, you are good!” Tatum said, “I’m impressed.”

“Well, it’s weird. Every time we see each other, we get into these huge fights, and then, well, we sorta end up making out.”

“Ok,” Bessie said “be kind, rewind. You lost me there for a second. You two go from fighting to kissing?”

“I know it sounds strange, but one minute we’re going on and on about how much we hate each other, and the next we’re in each other’s arms, with our tounges rammed down each other’s throats, and-”

“I get the point, I don’t need all the disgusting details.”

Tatum blushed “Sorry. The momentum carried me.”

Bessie nodded “Well, I think what you need to figure out is, do you like him?”

“Yes! I mean, no! I mean....” Tatum buried her face in her hands and moaned “I don’t know!”

“Well, I think you should figure it out.”

Tatum nodded “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I should talk to him.”

“And if that doesn’t work, slip him the tounge.”

“Ok, I’m just going to assume you’re kidding and go get dressed for the dance.” Tatum said.

“Well,” Tatum explained, “I don’t know what in God’s name possessed me to try to iron the dress, especially since I have never ironed anything in my entire life, and of course, like a moron, I burned it-and my hand-, so I had to get a new dress.”

“I told her she should just go butt naked and save herself 50 bucks.” Joey put in.

“Yuh-huh, and I’m sure that would have gone over really well with the chaperones at the dance.” Tatum giggled.

“Pacey would’ve liked it,” Andie pointed out.

“I am not even going to dignify that with a response,” Tatum muttered.

“Why, what did they say?” Jen asked.

“Oh, hey, Jen, you look great.”

Jen nodded “You look naked. Now what’s this about you and Pacey.”

Tatum rolled her eyes “I am outta here.”

Pacey nodded “Yeah, I saw them.”

“Well, aren’t you going to go say hi to Tatum?”

“Are you crazy, Dawson?” Pacey asked “She hates me! She doesn’t want to have anything to do with me?”

“I think you’re the one who’s crazy.” Dawson insisted “Joey says Tatum really likes you.”

“Ok, so Joey’s crazy, too.”

Dawson shook his head “This is just sad, man. Look, do you like Tatum?”

“Yeah. I really like her.” Pacey admitted.

“Then tell her!” Dawson said “A girl like that will not be single for much longer.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

Copyright 1999 by ChktaBnana fanfic productions.

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