Diet Mountain Dew☆Jess Mariano

Chapter: Twenty- Eight

                  ☆ Diet Mountain Dew ☆
                       ~ | Season 4, ep 1:
                   "Ballrooms and Biscotti."

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After days turned into weeks of living with Luke and Jess, college was starting soon.

Jess was slowly packing up his things for the move to NYC while Maren was still living out of her suitcases.

"Hi, you're back." Maren said  with a smile as she walked up behind Luke to greet Loralie. For the past months of summer, Lorlaie and Rory had been on a backpacking trip in Europe.

"Yes, I am." Lorlaie smiled brightly with a big cup of coffee in front of her.

"How was it?" Maren asked as she propped her arms up on the counter.

"It was amazing, we got to backpack across Europe and randomly took a train to Ireland. It was just incredible." Lorlaie beamed with joy.

"I even got you something, and don't say you shouldn't have because it's too late." Lorlaie grabbed a ring case from her pocket and placed it in front of her with her propped up arms on the counter.

"You shouldn't have." Maren spoke as she picked up the case and opened it to reveal a golden ring with a white jewel encrusted on it.

"It's gorgeous, I love it, thank you." Maren spoke as she ran around the counter and hugged the older women.

"Of course, hun." Lorlaie spoke as Maren smiled and walked back around the counter.

"So, are you starting college?" Loralie asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, I had a falling out with my parents and have been staying upstairs with Luke and Jess until he and I move to New York this Monday." Maren spoke as she put the ring on her pointer finger.

"Wow, that's amazing, Jess will be moving with you to New York City?" Loralei asked.

"Yes, that's what he said he wanted to do." Maren shrugged her shoulders.

"That's really great, welp. I best get going. Rory looks like she's begging for help in the Candy shop next door." Loralei, as she waved to Maren before picking up her bag and walking next door.

Maren walked upstairs to see Jess deep in thought as he lay on his bed or rather their bed.

"Wacha thinking about." Maren asked as she went to her side of the bed and sat down on it.

"The move." He said as he looked up at the ceiling.

"What about it?" Maren asked.
"The apartment isn't available anymore, and there won't be enough time to find another and work it all out before you start college." Jess sighed.

"Are you serious?" Maren asked in disbelief as she lay down beside him and looked to the ceiling.

"Yep, so I think it might be best that I stay here and you get a dorm, which is cheaper, and then we can afford a better apartment next year." Jess spoke.

"How will we see each other?" Maren asked worriedly as she turned around to face Jess.

"Weekends, I can sneak into your apartment, and you can come here anytime you like." Jess spoke.

"Well, you really have this all worked out." Maren spoke still a little down about the apartment.

"Yes, I do, Luke is letting me take his truck on Monday to get you there for orientation." Jess said.

"That's great. I don't know what I would have done without him." Maren spoke.                                   

Monday came along, and early that morning, Maren had all of her belongings ready at the door of the apartment to be put in the truck.

Jess picked up two of the bags and carried them downstairs to the truck. He already had the truck parked in front of the diner.

They quickly got all the bags in the truck, Maren looked around the room one last time before walking down the stairs.

She saw Luke standing at the cash register, Maren walked over to him, and he looked up at her.     
"You guys leaving?"He asked with his usual baseball cap turned around on his head.

"Yep. I just wanted to say thank you again for letting me stay with you. I truly don't know what I would've done without your kindness." Maren spoke with gratitude in her voice.

"You don't have to thank me; it's been great having you here, and you've put a smile on Jess's face every day, which is rare to see." Luke said with his soft smile.

"Guess we should head out to make it there on time." Jess said as he walked towards where she and Luke were standing.

"Yep. "Maren said before waving to Luke and walking out the door to the truck.             "Don't wreck my truck." Luke said with a stern look and a pointed finger at his nephew.

"I won't. It's in good hands." Jess said with his arms raised before walking out the door of the diner.

Jess got in the truck, with Maren in the passenger. He then started the truck and went on the drive to New York University.

Within a couple of hours, they made the drive to the college and got out to get the keys to her dorm.

Jess waited by the truck while Maren walked inside the college. She walked to the front desk and received her keys, shedule, several brochures, and maps of the school.

She walked back to the truck with a smile on her face as she looked at her schedule and the map of the school.

"It's the north dormitory, level one, which is nice." Maren said as Jess nodded, and they drove over to the parking lot of the dormitories.

Maren hopped out and grabbed one of her bags, and walked with Jess. She studied the map as they walked the hallway of the dormitory. 

They found room eight, and she unlocked the door to reveal a small living room with couches and TV as well as a kitchen connected to the room and a small table.

"It's very cozy." Maren said as she looked around the room.                                                   "Yep." He said as he opened one of the bedrooms to reveal a girl with auburn red hair with headphones on as she read a book.

She gasped when she noticed people and quickly tore the headphones off of her head.                     
"I'm so sorry he startled you, I'm your roommate, Maren, Maren Forester." Maren said with a welcoming smile.
"Oh, it's alright. I just didn't expect to see anyone in here. I'm Mackenzie Wells, but you can call me Mack." She said with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you, this is Jess, my boyfriend. He's just dropping me off and helping me with my belongings." Maren informed as Jess gave a small wave.

"He's a man of many words, but I'm going to go check out the other bedroom." Maren said as the auburn nodded and Maren left her to her book.

"She seems nice." Jess said with a shrug of his shoulders.                                     
"It could have been worse." Maren said before opening the other bedroom to reveal a bed, closet, and desk.

"Cute, i guess we should grab my stuff." Maren said, and Jess gave a nod.                     Finally, the couple had finished with the bags, and Maren had put a cover on the mattress and made the bed.

"It's going to be hard not seeing you Everyday." Maren frowned as the couple lay on the bed.       

"It will, but we're going to work it out. We always do." Jess said before kissing her forehead.
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Word count: 1250
FYI, I'm moving updates to Sundays now!