Dawson and Joey are making out on his bed, and getting rather into it. They don't notice Mitch and Gail's entrance until Mitch turns off the television. Dawson and Joey look up, embarrassed. "Mom... Dad..." Dawson stammers, "You remember Joey, right?"
Pacey has failed his driver's test by a mere one point, and despite his flirting and begging with the teacher, asking for pity because it's his sixteenth birthday. She doesn't give in, but does wish him a happy birthday.
Dawson is getting breakfast and Mitch is giving him "the talk," explaining that boy-girl sleepovers are "no longer within acceptable boundaries," and spews statistics on teen pregnancy and sexual activity. "We were just making out," Dawson observes.
Joey makes her way to Dawson's door and Mrs. Leery is waiting for her on the porch. She sits her down and gives her the same talk, offering her a book on "reproduction and repercussion." Joey is obviously embarrassed. Dawson emerges, catching the end of the conversation and pulling Joey away. Mr leery shouts at them as they leave. "Remember Dawson," he says, "No hat, no glove." "No Mitch, honey," Gail corrects him, "that's no glove no love."
Jen's grandmother opens Jen's window shade, letting bright sunlight fall on the sleeping Jennifer. She swears, and Mrs. Lindley reminds her that "God is listening." "If he were," Jen reminds her, "He'd know that hell isn't considered a swear word anymore. You can say it on network TV." Jennifer doesn't want to go to school, and her grandmother is worried. She starts singing hymns.
Pacey gets to school and tells Dawson he failed his driver's test. Dawson doesn't quite seem to understand and begins explaining about how his parents walked in on him an Joey. Pacey is confused and starts dropping hints about what an important day it is, but Dawson is too absorbed in his own life to realize it. He finds Jen sitting by the water. "I got a bad case of the Molly Ringwalds today," he tells her. She goes through the possibilities and realizes that his friends have forgotten his birthday. "The big one six," Pacey says, "Whoopee. It's not so much that my family forgot, they never made a big deal out of it anyway" he continues, "but Dawson always made up for that. He always planned some crazy outing on my birthday. We're supposed to be on a road trip to Maine right now, but that's obviously not going to happen." Jen observes that Dawson is too wrapped up in his Joey situation to care about much else, and she tells Pacey he should get past this, celebrate. "So Joey and Dawson forgot all about you," she says, "So forget about them. Live it up, go out, have a good time. meet some new people." Pacey stands up with a newfound confidence. "I'm sick and tired of being Dawson Leery's sidekick," he says, "I'm going to get my own story line."
Jen is cleaning up the bleachers and finds Abby Morgan. Abby begins taunting her about being a "big city girl," saying she probably never even got into a club. Jen tells her how wrong she is and Abby is impressed, asking her to tell her what it was like.
Dawson and Joey are at Joey's house after school talking about their day, and Joey pulls out her journal to write down Mitch's "no hat no glove" line before she forgets. Dawson pulls her close, telling her how perfect the two of them are together. "There's none of that pretentious getting to know each other crap," he says. He tells her he already knows everything about her and she seems a little offended. "What you don't know about me Dawson," she replies, "Could fill a book." She leaves to help with the baby and Dawson notices her journal on the bed. He starts reading and his expression changes when he reads a certain passage. Joey returns and he puts the book down, getting ready to leave. "I thought you had a lot of reading to do Dawson," Joey says, confused as to his sudden mood change. "I've done enough reading for today," he says.
Pacey is putting up flyers for his party at the pier the next day at school and Dawson starts telling him about how he read in Joey's journal that she thinks his horror movie is "putrid" and that he's not a talented filmmaker. "No offense Dawson," Pacey says, "But I don't think anybody cares. Your life is not that interesting." He tells Dawson to get over himself and leaves. Dawson is obviously confused.
Andie finds Joey and introduces herself. She asks if there are any openings at the Icehouse for her brother and Joey tells her they need someone, and to send him in.
Dawson finds Joey walking home and starts asking her about his movie and what she thought of it, and of his moviemaking skills. She tells him she loved the movie and has no reason to lie to him about it. The conversation continues and Joey realizes that Dawson read her journal. "You invaded my privacy," she says, upset, "I could sue you for this." He tells her he's concerned about what else is in that journal and about what Joey really thinks of him. "Right now, you really don't want to know," Joey says, and storms off.
Mitch finds a friend of his and starts talking about his marriage problems. His friend starts talking about open marriages and Mitch seems intrigued. Meanwhile, Gail is talking to Jen's grandmother about the same thing, and Mrs. Lindley suggests more spiritual solutions.
Pacey puts a flyer on Andie's car and she starts talking to him, although he's still avoiding her after the whole "heart stripe" incident. He tells her he doesn't want her at the party, that the invitation's fine print reads "Come one, come all. Except spoiled trust fund casualties from Rhode Island."
Abby is at Jen's house, and the two girls are talking about Jen's times in New York, Jen showing Abby pictures of her many boyfriends. Abby is very impressed and shocked that such an experienced girl could have eyes for Dawson Leery. "I mean," Abby says, "You have lived, sister." Abby says she wants to party with Jen, and suggests crashing Pacey's pier party. She happens to have a bottle of champagne for the occasion.
Dawson finds Joey at the Icehouse and starts arguing once again about her right to privacy versus his filmmaking talents. Jack arrives and introduces himself but Joey doesn't quite realize who he is until he reminds her that Andie sent him. Joey gives him the dishwashing job and sends him back to the kitchen. She and Dawson continue fighting. "I'm glad I read it actually," Dawson says, "Because now I realize I don't think I know you at all." "Maybe you don't Dawson," Joey replies, "And you never did."
Andie and Pacey are talking at the pier as he's stringing lights, and he mentions that she's the only person he recognizes at his own party. He tells her to go out and meet some new people, but she says new people make her nervous. "You haven't stopped talking since the moment I met you," he observes. "You don't make me nervous," Andie says, "You make me mad. Mad beats nervous." They decide to split up and mingle, although Pacey still doesn't seem to know anyone there.
Dawson pulls up to the dock in his motorboat as Abby and Jen are watching the crowd, getting drunk. Abby notices Dawson coming up the pier and dares Jen to kiss the next guy that passes by. A drunken Jen agrees, and kisses Dawson as soon as she sees him. He's shocked to say the least. "What's wrong with you?" he asks. She just stumbles away. "Nice going, Romeo," Abby says.
Joey and Jack are cleaning up at the Icehouse and Jack seems to be staring at her. She asks why, and asks if it was she and Dawson's first fight. She says yes. "Which means you haven't had your first make up either," Jack says. Joey smiles, and he tells her to go ahead to the party and he'll lock up. She protests but finally gives in. Jack stares as she leaves.
Pacey is not having a good time at his party, and Dawson finds him, asking what's wrong. "You and I know everything about each other and I really need your advice," Dawson says. "You know everyting about me, huh?" Pacey responds, "Do you know how I got this scar on my cheek, or the real reason my father hates me, or why I ride the fine line between insecurity and supreme self confidence? Because, correct me if I'm wrong Dawson but you don't know that answer to any of those questions. In fact, I bet you don't even know when I was born." Dawson realizes he forgot Pacey's birthday, and he apologizes profusely, promising to make it up to him. Pacey says everyone in Capeside seems to have written him off, and apparently Dawson has too. "You have Joey," Pacey says, "And our friendship just can't compare with what you two have. Frankly Dawson, I'm not the third wheel type." He turns to go. "Maybe we'll take that road trip next year," he says, leaving Dawson behind.
Mitch and Joey are talking that night, and Mitch seems distant. When Gail presses him, he brings up the open marriage idea, suggesting maybe their marriage needs some changes.
It's raining and Pacey's party is still going on after the sun has gone down. Dawson sees Joey from across the pier and they go to each other. The rain stops as they hold each other once more. They sit down to talk, and Dawson tells Joey about Pacey's birthday and how terrible he feels about forgetting. Joey tells her the truth about her journal entry, that she had feelings for Dawson for so long and that some days it would make he so mad that she would write things about him in the journal that weren't true. "I save the truth for you Dawson," she says, "I've always believed in you. "You're the most extraordinary, talented person that I've ever met. And I'm your biggest fan." "I'm glad I don't know anything about you," Dawson replies, "Because every day you amaze me." They kiss by the water's edge.
Behind them, Jen and Abby are feeling the aftereffects of the alcohol. Abyy starts mocking Dawson and Jen tells her that she's still in love with him, that she wants him back. Abby is shocked but intrigued. "Then we're going to get him back for you," she says.
Andie sits beside Pacey after the party and gives him a present, a Magic Eight Ball that she had been planning to give Jack. They ask it a few questions before Andie drops it into the water. "that can't be a good sign," Pacey says. She tells him she's always been a complete klutz, and that she always would be. "Everything changes," Pacey says, "Except me. I thought I could at least be Pacey Whitter, the guy who throws a good party but no, I'm still just Pacey Whitter who's failing biology, I'm just a year older." "Maybe you're just Pacey Whitter the guys who's still trying to figure it out," Andie says. "We are so deep," Pacey replies.
Dawson and Joey are still kissing. Dawson excuse himself to go talk to Pacey and Joey understands.
Jen returns home hung over and stares at herself in the mirror. She sees echoes of the girl she used to be, the girl she had tried so hard to forget in her move to Capeside. She wipes away tears, evidence of her fear that that girl may be returning.
Dawson is helping Pacey clean up after his party, and he explains that everything has been so confusing for him. Pacey accepts his apology. "Nothing is ever going to change so much," Dawson tells him, "That you're not going to be my best friend." "Are we having a moment here?" Pacey asks. "I think we are," Dawson says, "Let's go." Dawson asks Pacey is he wants to get a little driving practice in with that road trip to Maine, and that he knows where the keys to his father's car are. "Your father would kill you," Pacey says, "We're cool, you don't have to do this." "Shut up," Dawson replies, "Maybe I want to." Dawson wishes Pacey a happy birthday as they drive off in his boat. "Thanks bro," Pacey answers.
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