Rory was buried under a mountain of books and papers, her nose buried in a textbook as she crammed for an upcoming test. She barely even noticed when her mother, Lorelai, burst into the room, holding a garment bag in one hand.
"Rory, I have the most amazing thing to show you!" Lorelai exclaimed, ignoring her daughter's protest.
"Mom, I'm trying to study. Can it wait?" Rory asked, rubbing her temples.
But Lorelai was already pulling a dress out of the bag, holding it up for Rory to see. "No way, this can't wait. Look at this dress! It's perfect for you."
Rory sighed and looked up at the dress, unimpressed. "It's a dress, Mom. I have plenty of dresses."
Lorelai ignored her daughter's lack of enthusiasm and continued, "Dean picked it out especially for you. He said you should wear more dresses and less pants."
Rory raised an eyebrow. "He did? Why?"
Lorelai shrugged. "He thinks dresses are more feminine and that you should embrace your femininity. He said you should dress to impress him, not for comfort."
Rory rolled her eyes. "Great, so now I have to dress to please Dean? Sounds like a great way to start a relationship."
Lorelai insisted, "Rory, you want him to be happy, don't you? Just try it on and see how you look."
Reluctantly, Rory stood up and slipped into the dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit, she looked good. But she didn't want to wear it just because Dean liked it.
Lorelai noticed her hesitation and reassured her, "It's just a dress, Rory. It doesn't mean you have to change who you are."
Rory decided to wear the dress for Dean and saw his reaction when he picked her up for their date. He looked happy, and Rory couldn't help but smile. Maybe it wasn't so bad to wear a dress for him.
As the relationship progressed, Dean became more and more controlling of Rory's appearance. He insisted that she should dress to please him and that she should shave her legs and underarms.
Rory started to question her own independence and submitted to Dean's demands. She started to dress more femininely, even when it was inconvenient. She started to shave every day, even though it was a hassle.
Lorelai noticed the change in Rory's appearance and attitude and approved of Dean's influence. "Rory, you look so grown up and feminine. Dean is good for you."
But Rory felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to be just feminine. She wanted to be smart and independent too.
Lorelai reassured her, "Of course you can, Rory. But you can also be pretty and pleasing to your boyfriend. Dean will support you in everything you do."
Rory started to question her own independence and submits to Dean's demands. "Maybe Dean is right. Maybe I should dress to please him. It's not a big deal, right?"
(To be continued in Chapter Two: The New Rules).
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