CHERRY. [JESS MARIANO]

Should I Stay or Should I Go

"Where the hell is he?" I mutter under my breath angrily.

The diner was swamped to say the least. There were people everywhere and every table was full. Luke and I tried our best to accommodate everyone. Well, I tried my best.

Luke was tied up with a phone call behind the counter. Something about his uncle or something like that. He was yelling and waving his hands around like a madman. I decided to let him handle whatever he needed to.

Jess was supposed to be down here and helping us but I couldn't find him anywhere. It was times like these I wish I had some form of superpowers to help me out. This stupid school uniform wasn't making my job any easier.

Lorelai came behind the counter and opened up the donut jar.  "What're you doing?"

"Miss Patty wanted a donut, and you seemed quite busy so I got her one." She tells me.

"Thank you," I thank her. "Do you mind holding down the fort here while I go upstairs real quick?" She nods her head before picking up a pot of coffee and tending to other customers.

I ran up the stairs and knocked on the apartment door. "Jess!" I called out when I got no answer. "Open up! I know you're in there."

The door opened to reveal Jess in a brown button up shirt. "My, aren't we all bright eyed
and busy tailed this morning." He leaned against the door frame with a smirk.

I ignored his comment. "You have to come down."

"I'm busy," he says walking back into the room with his eyes glued on the tv.

"We're swamped down there! Luke's got someone on the phone about his dead uncle!"

He doesn't take his eyes on the tv as he speaks. "Can't you see I'm doing something?"

I walk towards him and grab him by the arm. "You are coming with me." I push him in front of me and down the stairs. He made noises of protests as I shoved him. 

"She pushed me!" He exclaimed to Lorelai once he had been shoved out the curtain.

"Sue me!" I retort as I come out behind him.

He rolls his eyes at me. "I could've broken my neck."

I hand him a coffee pot. "At least it's not your arm, we need that." I lead him out behind the counter to serve some customers.

I head over to my mum and Rory who sat down at a table. "What do ya need?" They each told me their respective orders and I went behind to tell Caesar.

"You know what Luke?" I asked as the man leaned on the counter with a scowl on his face.

"If you're gonna ask me for a raise, now is not the time."

I roll my eyes at him. "No, that's not what I wanted to ask." I say as I keep my pen and notepad in my pocket. "Why don't I stay here and help you? While you're out arranging the funeral and stuff I could take care of the diner."

He looks at me with a frown on his face. "What about school?"

I shrug my shoulders nervously. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to take a day off. In fact, it'll do me some good." I tried to persuade him. Luke looked like he needed to have a lot of things done and I just wanted to help.

Luke shakes his head. "I don't know, Cassie. I mean, what would your mum say?"

"If she says yes will you let me stay? You have a ton of things to do, and you won't even need to pay me extra."