CHERRY. [JESS MARIANO]

Stay Gold, Ponyboy

"Well, this is me,"  I announced as I turned on my heel to face Jess.

He looked at my house and the front door that was pressed against my back as I leaned on it. "It's a nice place you got here." He said with a nod.

I just shrugged my shoulder. "You really didn't have to walk me back all the way here," I insist as I grab the rest of my books from his arms.

Jess let out a sigh and says, "Beats being at Luke's."

I look up at him since he has a good few inches on me. I was about to say something but stopped when I hear someone call my name from inside the house. Most likely my mother.

"That's my cue," I say turning my head toward the door. Jess nods his head and steps away from the door, allowing me to open it.

He stands directly in front of me and gives me a small smile. "I'll see you around Quinn," he tells me with his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets.

Jess was walking away when I called out to him, "Stay gold, Ponyboy." I bit my lip thinking that maybe, just maybe he wouldn't get the reference and keep on walking.

But I wanted to see just how many books Jess Mariano has read. Sometimes even Rory finds it hard to keep up with my constant book and tv references, that she eventually gave up on trying. Especially when the books I read are less known than most.

He instantly turned around and gave me a smirk. "Goodnight, Cherry," he said back with the corners of his lips slightly upturned. His leather jacket and perfectly styled hair fading out of my view as he gets further away from me.

As he walked away I couldn't help but think he really was like Ponyboy. Except for the whole 'my best friend killed a guy so now we have to skip town' act. Well, I didn't really know about that but I doubt that it happened.

I was walking up the stairs to my room, lost in thought when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I did a full turn -almost causing me to drop my books- to see my mother standing at the foot of the stairs, looking at me expectantly.

To say that Maria Quinn looked good for 38 years of age was an understatement. If you looked at them both you'd think they were sisters rather than mother and daughter. Her tall and slim figure was accompanied by her pyjamas and fluffy house slippers. Maria's curly brown hair was tied into a bun at the bottom of her head.

"So, who was that just now?" She asked her daughter with a raised brow. Maria pushed up her glasses that frame her dark brown eyes.

I gave my mother an exasperated look at her suggestive glance. "That was Luke's nephew, he just moved here."

I could see the gears turning in my mother's head. Her trying to remember if she ever heard someone telling her the same thing. "Oh, so it's a boy then," she replies satisfied that she finally got me talking.

I give her a small smile. "Geez mum, you make it sound like a baby shower."

My mum just sticks her tongue out at me. Since we're all that each other has, we've got a pretty good relationship going on. Considering I don't even know who my father is and me not having any siblings, we make do with each other. Although I'll always know when I've gone too far or overstepped any boundaries with her. It was a special talent of mine, knowing when someone's gonna snap.

My mother flashes me a smile. "Alright, alright. I'll stop bothering you." She tells me as she turns back toward the living room to continue watching her show.

I mumble a small thank you before going up the steps. However I didn't even manage to make it up ten steps before my mother called out to me again.

"Cassie!" She called out. "What was his name, sweetie?" I could practically hear the tease in her voice.

I rolled my eyes and shouted back at her, "Mum!" I ignored her and continued till I reached my bedroom door.

My efforts to completely brush her away like something I'd sweep under the fridge did not work as she kept pestering me. "Come on, honey! I just wanna know his name!" She tried again.

I could hear her moving to get up from the couch so I quickly replied. "Jess! His name is Jess! You happy now?"

"Jess what? What's his last name, Cassie?"

"For goodness sakes mum! It's Jess Mariano!" I shouted back, completely infuriated with her endless interrogations.

Before she could ask me anymore questions I went into my room and closed the door behind me.