The Dixon Rule

Diana discusses ground rules with Shane: He’s not allowed to have parties in his apartment or in the pool, speak with her, or seduce her teammates. She tells him about the HOA (Homeowners’ Association) meetings that occur twice a month on Sunday mornings, and Shane decides he will not attend.

As Shane moves into his new apartment, he thinks about his family. He is close to his parents and younger sister, and while he focuses on playing hockey at Briar U—and has dreams of going pro—he is blissfully unemployed, as his parents are paying his way. When thinking of making plans to visit home in Vermont at the end of the week, he wonders if his ex, Lynsey, will be there. Though it’s been a year since they broke up, he is not over her. When Crystal, a girl from Diana’s squad, texts him asking to hook up, Shane welcomes the distraction.

Gigi and Diana make dinner plans. They discuss the upcoming annual NUABC (National Upper Amateur Ballroom Championships), which Diana is participating in with Kenji, a friend from school. Though Gigi admires Diana’s drive and dedication, she worries Diana is overexerting herself with cheerleading, dance, and two jobs.

When discussing her downstairs neighbor, Niall, who complains about any and all noises, Diana remembers her mother’s suggestion to sell the condo when her aunt passed. Diana thinks of her brother, Thomas, who plans to enter medical school. He has just graduated high school and is taking a gap year to explore the world and volunteer abroad. Their mother treats Thomas with affection and approval, but when it comes to Diana, their mother has low expectations. Her mother values intelligence, which she believes Diana lacks; their relationship is not particularly close.

As the conversation shifts to Percy, Gigi expresses clear dislike for him. Diana agrees with Gigi’s opinions, but what Gigi doesn’t know is that when Diana didn’t return Percy’s feelings when he said he loved her, he threw a glass against the wall in a blind rage. His violent behavior prompted Diana to end their relationship three days later.

When Diana returns home, she runs into Crystal in her apartment building. When she discovers Crystal is hooking up with Shane, Diana is angered that he is already breaking her rules and warns Crystal about him. Crystal is undeterred. Diana requests Shane’s number from Gigi to pester him about breaking the rules. Percy texts asking to hang out as friends. Feeling guilty for ignoring him, Diana reluctantly invites him over to watch reality TV for an hour. When Percy shows up, he is judgmental about the reality dating show she’s watching—Fling or Forever—but watches regardless.

Diana begins sending Shane a bunch of one-line texts she hopes will annoy him while he’s hooking up with Crystal. Percy becomes jealous even though he’s only friends with Diana. Diana would prefer not to be friends at all; she becomes upset with him and kicks him out.

During Crystal’s visit, Shane realizes he’s not interested in casual hookups anymore—what he really wants is a relationship. Unable to go through with sleeping with Crystal, their evening unexpectedly turns into something akin to a date. Later, Crystal texts Shane to express how much she enjoyed herself and wishes to see him again, but Shane admits he isn’t looking for anything serious. Her angry response calls him out for leading her on. Shane apologizes for any hurt feelings, but when her insults persist, he blocks her number after a final message firmly ending things.

Shane thinks of his ex-girlfriend, Lynsey, whom he hasn’t been able to move on from since their breakup a year ago after four years of dating. Shane snoops through her social media and notices her recent posts about practicing for the NUABC. He recalls her asking him to be her dance partner while they were together, which he always refused. Since the breakup, he’s done a lot of self-reflection and has begun to wonder if he was a bad boyfriend. He’s always been focused on hockey and never willing to compromise on that. However, he did go to all her dance recitals and family events.

Impulsively, he calls Lynsey. During their conversation, Lynsey mentions possibly transferring to Briar, which excites Shane. He invites her to stay with him if she visits for a tour, feeling hopeful about reconnecting with her. Buoyed by their conversation, Shane decides to take a swim at the pool, where he finds Diana rehearsing with her dance partner, Kenji, for the very same competition Lynsey is preparing for. Diana runs a monetized social media account for her dancing, and Shane irritates her by swimming in the background of her video.

Diana’s social media followers enjoy Shane’s cameo in her latest video. The next morning, she teaches cheerleading and gymnastics to children at a local school, where Crystal also helps. Crystal complains about Shane, calling him callous and showing Diana the final message he sent. Without knowing the full context, Diana sides with Crystal, believing Shane is a jerk. Back at the apartment complex, Diana talks to her neighbors, Priya and Niall, about Shane’s behavior. They agree to shun him and spread the word.

Shane visits his family in Heartsong, Vermont. He spends time with his 10-year-old sister, Maryanne. Later, he and his dad watch old Stanley Cup footage. Shane reflects on his father’s career-ending NHL injury, yet feels proud to have been drafted by Chicago, his dad’s team. When Shane returns to his apartment, he notices the neighbors avoiding or being rude to him. Shortly after convincing someone to add him to the group chat, Diana removes him.

Diana’s dad visits to fix an issue with her shower and asks about her dance rehearsals. He believes she has a strong chance of ranking, and Diana appreciates his constant support. Shortly after he leaves, Kenji calls to inform her he’s dropping out of the competition due to a once-in-a-lifetime job offer. Diana tells Gigi, and they brainstorm ways to find a new partner, but Diana feels discouraged. Their conversation shifts to Gigi’s upcoming wedding. Though she eloped with Ryder, her family wants a formal wedding to celebrate.

When Diana returns home, she finds Shane hosting a large gathering. When she realizes most of her cheerleading squad is in attendance, she reluctantly joins them all at the pool.

Shane overhears Diana telling her cheerleading squad that Kenji bailed on the dance competition. Jokingly, she asks his friends if they’d be her new partner but deliberately avoids asking him. The group splits into boys’ and girls’ teams to play a truth-or-dare game using an app. When Diana is dared to kiss someone chosen by the boys, they pick Shane. Diana and Shane share a 20-second kiss that unexpectedly arouses them both.

As the party winds down, Will’s roommate, Beckett, leaves with a girl named Lily. Rather than returning home with them, Will asks to stay the night with Diana instead. Shane is annoyed when Diana brings Will upstairs to her apartment, leaving him alone to clean up the mess at the pool.

In her apartment, Diana asks Will why he’s avoiding going home. Will confesses that he and Beckett often engage in group sex, but he’s started struggling to climax during one-on-one encounters with girls. He admits he wants to take a step back and hopes Beckett’s upcoming month-long trip to Boston will give him space to figure things out. The next morning, Diana is woken by a knock on her door—Percy has shown up unexpectedly.

Diana barely opens the door to greet Percy, who is holding a bag of breakfast sandwiches from Della’s Diner. Percy admits that Louis buzzed him in, which annoys Diana, as he’s not supposed to be allowed access unless confirmed by a resident first. Percy becomes angry when Diana doesn’t allow him inside. He accuses her of hiding a man inside her apartment, but she refuses to answer. Instead, Diana bluntly tells him they can’t be friends because this situation is not healthy for either of them.

After Percy stomps off, Shane emerges from his apartment to tease Diana for being a “stone-cold bitch” (122). Diana explains that Percy has been bothering her for months. Shane invites himself to Diana’s apartment and insists that if he’s not allowed to sleep with cheerleaders, then Diana shouldn’t be allowed to sleep with hockey players. He is clearly referring to Will, who spent the night. Diana claims she needs to get ready for the HOA meeting. To annoy her, Shane plans on attending.