It was late at night and Rory was lying in bed thinking about her upcoming sixteenth birthday, both her mother and her grandmother had arranged to throw a party for her. She knew that her grandmother's party would be a high society event and she would be dragged around the room to meet every guest in the house, her relationship with Emily Gilmore hadn't been long but her mother had tried to prepare her for the party on this upcoming Friday. She sat up and absentmindedly grabbed her phone and called her new friend Steph, they had met at Chilton on Rory's first day and immediately hit it off.
"Hello?" a chipper voice came through from the other end.
"Why are you so awake at this time, and hi." Rory said in a slightly less cheery tone.
"Oo, hey! What's going on is everything ok?"
"Yeah, everything's fine, I just wanted to make double sure you were coming on Friday? I don't want to walk into the lion's den alone, well I'll have my mum but she will probably get drink until my Grandma's insults just roll right off her, there's bound to be a million insults coming her way with all Grandma's friends there."
"Do you really think I would miss my friends birthday, plus mum would kill me if I didn't go, you know her always thinking about image and there's always good food, you have to admit its one of the highlights of the night." Steph said with slight resentment in her tone. "…And I'm bringing some friends."
"Really who? Do I know them?"
"I don't think you've met Finn, Logan and Colin yet have you?"
"Oh the three stooges, no I was beginning to think that they were your snufflupagus."
"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Steph said trying to sound offended until she burst out laughing. "Yeah they'll be there, their parents have dragged them back from boarding school for a week and when I told them I'd have to skip seeing them for your party so … they offered to come."
"Well as long as they are nothing like Bible Boy they are more than welcome, just more distractions for my Grandmother." Even though Rory hadn't been at Chilton long she had already begun to dislike Tristan DuGray.
"Nah, they aren't like him, they're really sweet." Steph decided to leave out the more revealing aspect of the trio's personalities, she hardly ever saw Rory detest anyone as much as Tristan and if she thought he was bad she could only imagine what she would think of Finn, Colin and Logan if she got on their bad side, so she hoped for the best this Friday.
"So what are the plans for after the little shin-dig at the Grandparents, are we still going back to your's for a movie night?"
"Yep, we're doing it upright, so much food it will rot your teeth and make your stomach explode and I think mum wants to go with T.V. Movies. You know, Duke's of Hazzard, Charlie's Angels and The Flinstones. You up for it?"
"Absolutely! You think I would miss your sixteenth birthday movie night? I'm hurt." Trying her best to sound weak, Steph and Rory continued to make plans for another half hour before deciding it was time to turn in and go to sleep.
Friday had come too fast and even though Steph had assured Rory that she would be there to take the heat off, Rory still had a feeling that something would go very wrong tonight. She quickly went over her pro-con list in her head and decided it was better to just go straight in and face the music. Literally, as Lorelai and Rory walked up to the house they could hear the sound of a string band playing from Emily's 'weird piano room'.
"We don't have to go in you know" Lorelai broke the silence first, "We could just leave and drive to the nearest boxing arena, or whatever they are called, and get beaten up a few times, same effect except your ego comes out better from the boxing thing."
"Mum it'll be fine, we'll go in and get out, it'll be like a college guy picking up a girl for the night. Plus we have to save Steph so we can drag her away for our T.V. movies." Rory pointed this out only because she wanted to get the whole night over and done with as soon as she could, but unfortunately that meant walking through the door.
"Fine" Lorelai was pouting at this point, "But don't say that I didn't offer." She tried to bat Rory's hand away as it reached for the doorbell. "Not yet, I cant face Adolph yet and you know that she will answer the door and immediately tell us how inappropriate our time of arrival and dresses are, and then we'll walk inside and she'll comment on the hair and make-up and 'Lorelai what are you doing with your life' and 'Rory why don't you come and talk to Mr Doosledorf? He comes from a lovely family, maybe you will want a summer wedding?' and this is before we even have time to get a drink let alone enter the living room."
"Ok, Ok mum take as much time as you want." Rory said as she quickly flew out her hand and rang the doorbell. "… before Grandma walks to the door." She added evilly.
"Great now we have to go in, ok quick you say that you were running late and make up a good excuse, they like you." Lorelai blurted out quickly before the door opened.
"Lorelai! Rory! … You're late."
"Hey Grandma sorry about that I just couldn't find the right shoes to wear with this dress."
"Well I'm surprised the two of you decided to wear shoes at all from the looks of your clothing, don't you own an iron Lorelai?"
"Yes Mum we do, but Albert and I aren't on the best of terms, after he burnt me the last time I just haven't been able to forgive him."
"Really Lorelai, this is not the time or place for your nonsense. Now come on Rory I'd like you to meet a few people and talk to all of your guests." Emily's demeanour had certainly changed the minute they stepped inside the living room.
Rory was introduced to what seemed like hundreds of boring guests (Which in reality was only ten minutes) until someone flew into her and hugged her so hard she almost fell over. "Hey Steph." she said still a bit shell shocked from almost being knocked off her feet. "Gee is the party going well or what?" she said her voice dripping with sarcasm as Steph finally let her go.
"You are not leaving me for the rest of the night!"
"That bad huh?"
"My parents have already tried to introduce me to 4 society boys that they would approve of for any marriage I may want in the future, I refuse to be married off tonight."
"I thought that you were bringing Logan, Finn and Colin?"
"Apparently their families got invited as well so they should get here soon. Even after they get here though I refuse to let you leave my side, my parents wouldn't try and introduce both of us to more guys … I don't think."
"Mary!" Came a male voice form behind the two girls.
"Hey here comes your favourite person Ror." Steph knew exactly how much Rory detested Tristan and wasn't surprised when Rory rolled her eyes and made a gagging noise as she slowly turned towards the boy.
"Tristan is there anything I can do for you? Maybe nudge you off a nice cliff." She mumbled the second part under her breath.
"What was that Mare? Anyway I was thinking since it's your birthday and all maybe you'd finally ease up and agree to go to a movie with me tomorrow night."
"Rory are you double booking our date for tomorrow night? I'm heart broken." Came an unfamiliar accent from beside Steph. She turned to see a tall brunette standing, staring at her, and obviously trying to get her to catch on.
"Of course not sweetie." Emphasising the use of the word 'sweetie'. "But you have cancelled so many times I never know if its gonna happen." Finn was taken aback when he looked into her startling blue eyes as she turned to him; she looked beautiful he admitted to himself.
"I did that once and it wasn't my fault."
"Uhuh that's what you always say." Finn was amused by how casually she said all of this.
"Because it's always true."
"If you say so."
"Since you've had a temporary lapse in manners I'll introduce myself." The boy said turning to Tristan. "Finn Rothschild, nice to meet you…"
"Tristan, Tristan DuGray" he said snapping out of his trance. "Um I think I need to go get a drink, anyone want anything?" after everyone shook their head Tristan walked away.
"Thankyou so much for that, you have no idea how much I owe you." She blurted out as she shook his hand, "I'm Rory by the way. So you are one of the illusive three stooges I've heard so much about. Finn right?"
"Well at least we aren't the musketeers and don't have to wear those ridiculous hats, imagine what they would do to my hair."
"Oh but I think the moustache would suit you perfectly."
Finn shrugged off the comment. "So your our competition aye. Steph won't shut up about you whenever we talk, I probably know more about you then you by now."
"Yeah sorry about that."
"Hey anything to keep off the topic of the latest guy she snagged. Especially when Colin is in the room 'cause man does he get in a bad mood after any of those conversations." He whispered to her while Steph was talking hurriedly to two guys standing in front of her.
Steph finally re-entered the conversation. "Rory I want you to meet Colin, Finn and Logan."
"Hey not fair why did Finn get first dibs? If you need anything," Logan said addressing Rory, "Just come to me don't even worry about these two clowns."
"Happy birthday anyway Rory, although I can't imagine a worse way to have to spend your sixteenth birthday."
"Didn't you have a party like this on your birthday?" Rory said confused, these guys were certainly from society so she couldn't imagine why their families would not want them to have a party like this.
"On my birthday I was at boarding school in Australia, Logan was at Andover and Colin was in Switzerland. We didn't even have to see our family for a few weeks at that stage." Said Finn winking at the gorgeous girl in front of them.
"Boarding school that sounds exciting."
"Some of the best years of my life doll, the boys and I had a blast until our parents sent us to separate continents after the little chem. Lab mix-up."
"Chem. lab mix-up?"
"Hey it wasn't our fault, who knew that potassium could make such an explosion in the girls bathroom."
"Who knew" Rory said nodding her head.
"Rory who is this exotic sounding man you are talking to?" Came Lorelai's voice from behind Rory.
"Mum its not like he is Heath Ledger or anything."
"Love I am hurt, I thought I meant more to you than him." Said Finn feigning a pain in his chest.
"Aww Finny, you may not be Heath, but you are just as hot."
"You know just what to say to win a guys heart." He said putting his arms around her shoulders.
Logan and Steph stood back watching the scene unfold with amusement. When Lorelai walked over he was shocked to hear Rory call her mum, he knew that Emily's daughter had her daughter when she was young but he didn't expect her to be that young.
"Logan are you ok?" Rory was suddenly standing next to him while Steph, Finn, Colin and Lorelai were in a heated discussion about salmon puffs which had just made their way around to the guests. She had put her hand on his shoulder and he looked at it before responding.
"Yeah I'm fine, sorry I just zoned out for a minute there."
After standing and talking with the four friends, Lorelai came back to get Rory and Steph so that they could leave. "What are you boys doing for the rest of the night?" She said as she turned towards them, when she saw the confused looks on their faces she continued, "If your not busy and your up for it why don't you come back to ours for our movie night. The girls are really excited aren't you girls?"
"It'll be great Lorelai throws the best movie nights!" Steph said as Rory nodded in agreement next to her.
Colin spoke up first, "It sounds great as long as Rory doesn't mind?" He said turning to her.
"No not at all, you guys are more than welcome to come."
"Ok well I'm game"
"Me too." Said Finn and Logan at the same time.
"Think they will be able to handle it?" Rory said to Lorelai loud enough so that the other four could hear what they were saying. "The last person that tried to keep up with us passed out from the sugar coma."
"Hey, it was not as bad as you make it sound, it was 4:30 in the morning I was tired." Steph protested.
Lorelai, Rory and Steph arrived at the "Crap Shack" first. The boys needed to go home and change. As they walked into the house Lorelai and Rory were already making plans on what was needed for the night's festivities. After Lorelai had left the girls were sitting in Rory's room getting ready for the movie night.
"So what's the deal with you and Colin?" Asked Rory suddenly out of the blue.
"What? … Nothing" Steph replied none too convincingly.
"Uhuh so the looks that you were giving each other all night were nothing at all then huh?"
"He was looking at me?"
"HA! I knew it, spill." Rory said almost jumping on the bed where Steph was brushing her hair.
"It's really nothing, you know he just … I dunno he makes me feel different."
"Different is good right?"
"Well yeah but sometimes …" before Steph could continue she was cut off by the doorbell.
As they went to get the door Rory and Steph could hear arguing on the other side and decided to wait and hear what was going on first before letting them inside.
"No she is not better!!" "Well if you would rather date a possessive control freak then fine, but Phoebe is so much better than Monica." "But Monica is hott" "What are you talking about! How can you say that when the Australian beauty Elle MacPherson was on the show!" Came the muffled voices from the other side of the door.
Rory slowly opened the door, "You are seriously standing here talking about F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Do I even want to know."
"Well love, we were talking about death and death led to assassins and assassins led to brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and they led to Jennifer and Jennifer led us to your front porch." Said Finn with a mischievous smile on his face.
As Rory stepped inside the boys entered the living room and immediately saw all the food lying on the table and floor.
"Um Rory who is going to eat all that food? Its enough to feed an army or soldiers." Said Colin with a worried look on his face.
"Or Two Lorelai's" said Steph knowing how much the two could eat. "Lorelai just stepped out to get the rest of the food before we start."
"Mummy's home and she comes bearing supplies, daughter of mine…!" she said spotting Rory, "Come take these from Mummy they're ever so heavy." She said in her best damsel in distress act.
Once all the food was laid out the six of them managed to get comfortable, Lorelai and Logan spread out on the couch refusing to let anyone else sit there. Steph and Colin sat in the armchair together, Rory trying to remember to take a picture of them together if they happened to fall asleep. Rory and Finn were left on the ground spread out on an air mattress.
As the first movie went in and the boys started talking about whether the Charlie's Angels original or remake was better the 3 girls sitting in the room looked at them as if they had three heads.
"What's wrong doll?" asked Finn noticing the stare he had earnt from Rory.
"You can't talk on movie nights it's a rule, that's like asking mother Theresa to listen to death metal music or something."
"I think she should welcome the experience."
"Doesn't mean she will."
"Fine talk but if this was Casablanca, or Paris When It Sizzles, or any classic really you would not be awake right now." She said teasingly.
"I understand completely doll."
After that everything went smoothly, the boys continued to talk the entire time, none of them managing to sit still for more than five minutes at a time. By the time they had watched the Duke's of Hazzard and Charlie's Angels, Colin, Steph and Logan were sound asleep, somehow Finn had managed to wrap his arms around Rory and was holding her possessively against him.
Lorelai got up and said goodnight to the two teens and went to bed. As she left Rory quickly got up and went to get her camera taking several shots of Colin and Steph before putting it away and turning to face Finn. He was staring at her and she gave him an awkward smile before walking the short distance back over to him. As she lent down to sit back down on the mattress, Rory felt a hand go around her wrist and she looked up at Finn having no time to think before his lips came crashing down on hers a second later.
"You have no idea how much I wanted to do that the first time I saw you love." Not giving her a chance to respond before kissing her again.
