TEXT: [Scene: Pacey and Gretchen's place. Pacey is asleep on the couch, when Joey comes up to him carrying a cupcake with a candle in it.] Joey: Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you Pacey: [groans] [Pulls the covers over his head.] Joey: Happy birthday, dear Pacey Pacey: No. Go away, Jo. Joey: You better make a wish before I set this couch on fire. Pacey: My wish would be for no further acknowledgement of today's hollow, symbolic meaning as a milestone in the life of Pacey Witter. Joey: Ok. Except, now that you've told me your wish, it can't possibly come true. Pacey: [Sighs] Look, I understand your naive enthusiasm, ok? I mean, what's the harm in celebrating a birthday? Everybody else does it. What you don't know is that every birthday I've had since I was 10 years old has been a complete disaster. I'm talking gut-wrenching, soul-searching, question-the-universe agony. Joey: Well, at least you're not being dramatic about it. Pacey: For example, my 12th birthday party, my first boy-girl party, I ate so much pizza and ice cream, I puked on Justine Sherman, a girl who I had a massive crush on. Remember this? Joey: Mm-hmm. Pacey: She then proceeded to call me Pacey pukey for the rest of the year, a quaint little nickname that my family picked up on and now resurfaces itself every year around this time to hearty laughs all the way around. Of course, it's probably not as bad as 16, the year that I threw myself a party and nobody decided to show up. That was good. Oh, yeah. I also failed my driver's test the same day. But neither of those will ever, ever beat 14, the day I was mauled by a dog. So, if you don't mind, this year I think I'll just skip it. Joe
SUMMARY:
Joey decides to help Pacey's mother throw a surprise 18th birthday party for Pacey, not knowing about Pacey's self-professed 'birthday curse'. The party goes downhill fast as Pacey's family makes Pacey feel worthless and everyone else feel uncomfortable. Dawson becomes upset when he feels that Gretchen doesn't want anyone to know about their new relationship and postpones their first real date to go to the party. Pacey and Joey again walk in on Dawson and Gretchen kissing, this time more passionately. Jen correctly suspects that Toby might be harboring romantic feelings for Jack.