Every year Lorelai did something that made Rory's parties more special and unique. Last year she had the whole bathtub filled with jell-o and fruit. It took them nearly a week to clean it all out. This year, Lorelai hired a local band to play music. Rory was in awe at the great length her mother went to please her every year.
"Enjoying the party?" Lorelai asked as she handed Rory another glass of punch.
"Oh my god, it's awesome!" Rory gleamed. "This band is actually pretty good."
Lorelai smiled. "Lane hasn't taken her eyes off the lead singer all night."
"There's just something sexy and irresistible about a band member." Rory added.
"Psh, tell me about it. Your real dad is Steven Tyler." Lore teased. "I'm going to see if Sookie needs a hand with anything."
Rory gazed around the house admiring the crowd of people who had shown up suddenly, her eyes landed on Dean as he walked through the front door. "Hey, you made it." Rory greeted as she walked over to him.
"Yeah." Dean looked around. "Nice party."
"Thanks. My mom hired the band."
"Your Mom?" Dean asked. "That's awesome."
"Oh, you should meet my mom!" Rory grabbed Dean by the hand and pulled him through the house into the kitchen.
Lorelai and Sookie were standing over the by sink laughing and whispering. Lorelai glanced over and saw her daughter standing with a boy. "Hello..." Lorelai drug out slowly and a bit sarcastically.
"Mom, this is Dean. Dean, this is my mom."
Dean leaned forward and extended his hand. "Hi."
Lorelai answered his handshake. "Thanks for coming. Want some punch?"
"Uh, sure." Dean replied nodding. "I like punch."
"I bet you do." Lorelai said smiling. Sookie nudged her in the side. "Alright, well we're gonna go...out there." Lorelai pointed towards the living room. Sookie and Lorelai skedaddled out of the kitchen.
Dean took a sip of punch. "She seems... nice."
(Living room)
"Lorelai," Sookie scolded. "What was that?"
Lorelai's eyes narrowed. "The band playing "Hit Me Baby One More Time."
"Not that." Sookie remarked. "Your little comment in the kitchen."
"Hey, can I help it if I think every teenage boy is out to take away my daughter's purity and innocense and turn her into Jezebel?"
"Yes!" Sookie exclaimed. "You can."
"Alright, alright... jeeze."
"She's never introduced a guy to you before." Sookie smiled.
"Yeah, I know." Lorelai replied in a more serious manner.
"She must like him."
"Yeah." Lorelai agreed not as thrilled.
"Come on, Lorelai... She's sixteen. She's ready to date."
"I know." Lorelai reluctantly admitted. "I'm the one who's not ready."
(A few hours later)
"Bye, thanks for coming." Lorelai closed the door then flopped onto the couch. "Wow... some party."
"Get's better every year." Sookie added as she started to pick up trash and throw into a trash bag.
"Aw, Sookie you don't have to do that." Lorelai replied.
"You're right." Sookie smiled. "Help me." she handed Lorelai a bag.
Lorelai raised up from the couch and started to help clean. After a few minutes of picking up napkins and paper plates Lorelai looked around and noticed Rory was no where in the house.
"Hey, where's Rory?" Lorelai asked.
Sookie glanced around. "I don't know. Maybe she's in her room."
Lorelai dropped the trash bag and walked over to Rory's bedroom door. She gently knocked. "Hey, Rory... you in there?" Silence. "Ror?" Lorelai opened the door. No Rory.
She turned and walked back into the living room. "She's not in her room."
"Well, then she must be outside." Sookie replied.
Lorelai scoffed. "Why would she be outside?"
"I don't know." Sookie defended.
Lorelai sighed and walked out on the back porch, she no longer stepped foot into the cool night air and she spotted Rory and Dean standing together in the yard. Quickly, she hid herself back in the door way.
"It was a great party." Dean commented.
"Thanks." Rory blushed. "They get better every year."
"Well, then I have something to look forward to from now on." Dean smiled.
Lorelai knew that look in Rory's eyes all too well. That was the same look she always had for Christopher. Lorelai knew it was hasty but she immediately formed her opinion Dean was a no count, two faced, pretty boy looking for some sweet girl to take advantage of. And that was the clean version.
"So, I was thinking." Dean began. "We've kinda been talking to each other for a couple of months now."
"Yeah?"
"And, well... we haven't really went on a date or anything." He paused. Rory's heart began to pump faster, and so did Lorelai's. "So, I was wondering if I could take you out tomorrow evening. You know, for your birthday."
Rory exhaled deeply as if she had been holding her breath the whole time. "I'd love to." she grinned.
"Great. I'll call you tomorrow." Dean paused for a second and gazed into Rory's eyes. "Happy Birthday." He leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. Rory stood as still as a statue. She remained this way for several seconds, even after Dean had already walked away. She knew if she walked into the house with this look on her face her mother would know something was up. Lorelai quickly shot back into the house.
"Did you find her?" Sookie asked clueless.
Lorelai was flustered. "Oh, yeah."