CHERRY. [JESS MARIANO]

Mr. Bear

It was raining the day we drove to New York. It was dark outside despite it being two in the summer afternoon. The sound of pattering raindrops on the roof of the car had always been a comforting sound to me.

Rory and I sat in the front of my brand new Jeep while Lorelai, Luke and my mother went in Rory's new Prius. The trunk and most of the back seat were filled up with everything I would need for college, including a twin sized mattress that poked out between Rory and I's seat.

We were gonna get me settled in first in Columbia then the rest of them were gonna drive up to Yale for Rory. Of course, not after going shoe shopping at Lorelai's insistence.

"Are you sure that's all that happened in the UK?" Rory asked me suspiciously. Throughout the two hour drive I had recounted all the events that had happened within the month that I spent in London.

I sigh as I grip the steering wheel tighter, "Yes, Rory." I repeat for the second time.

"It's just, where are the cute British guys?" She exclaimed in disbelief at my lack of 'getting it' as she would say. "You're telling me you didn't see one guy that looked like Hugh Grant?"

I scoff at her words. "Speak for yourself," I tell her. "What about you? Did you see any cute Greek guys? Pulled a Mamma Mia?"

"No," Rory mumbled, disappointedly. "I still feel weird about Dean, you know?"

"You just got to let him go, maybe you'll find some cute guy at Yale?" I suggest with smirk, my eyes still trained on the foggy road ahead. I knew for sure that I wouldn't take my own advice. Jess was constantly in my head, much to my own dismay.

The rain overhead started to get heavier, causing Rory to speak up louder. "Are they still behind us?" She turns in her seat to look behind for her car that held all the adults. To be fair, we were both technically adults but I wasn't ready to admit that yet. I, Cassandra Quinn, an adult? Ew.

I look in the review mirror and see Rory's car behind us, Luke in the front seat while Lorelai yammered on in his ear. Which would explain the frown on his face.

"Aren't they just having a swell time," I joked to Rory who laughed lightly in response.

"I'm just scared that Luke will jump out of the moving car," she responds with a smile.

I nod my head in agreement, "I wouldn't put it past him."

I checked the review mirror once more to see Luke saying something to Lorelai who sat in the passenger seat while my mum mocked him in the back seat with her hand. Lorelai burst out laughing, causing Luke to turn behind. I brought my eyes back to the road before I could see what havoc was unleashed.

"You're gonna call me right?" Rory perked up suddenly. "While you're in New York and I'm all the way in Connecticut." I didn't have to look at her to know she was frowning.

I take one hand off the wheel and wrap it around her shoulder, pulling her closer to me. "Every Sunday evening just like we planned." I promised her as I leaned my head on hers. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Ror."

"Couldn't if I wanted to," she says and I cast my gaze toward my best friend with a small smile.

~~~

"Is that everything?" Luke asked from the doorway of my new home for the next four years.

I look around the room, trying to think if there was anything else that needed to be done. My mattress had been placed on my bed carefully, along with my bed sheets, pillows and duvet. There was a desk in the room pushed up against the far left wall with one big window next to it.