In The Forgotten Gilmore, Alessia Gilmore grapples with adolescence in Stars Hollow, a town where gossip flows as freely as coffee at Luke's Diner. Overshadowed by her mother Lorelai's bond with twin sister Rory, Alessia finds solace in her irrevere...
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The summer had flown by in a blur of goodbyes, last-minute shopping trips, and the inevitable packing that always seemed to take longer than expected. Now, as Alessia stood in her bedroom, surrounded by half-packed boxes and a mess of clothes, she couldn't believe the moment had finally arrived. Harvard was waiting, and with it, an entirely new chapter of her life.
"Are you sure you've got everything?" her mother, Lorelai, asked from the doorway, arms crossed in that way she did when she was trying to keep her emotions in check.
Alessia gave her a small smile, trying to hide her own nerves. "Yeah, I think so. If I forget anything, I'll just have to survive without it or... call Rory."
Lorelai chuckled, but the tension in the room was palpable. This was a big deal, and both of them knew it. "You're going to be fine, you know. It's Harvard. You worked hard for this."
"I know," Alessia replied, more to reassure herself than anyone else. She carefully placed the last of her textbooks into a box and sealed it with tape. "It just feels... surreal. Like, I've been dreaming about this forever, and now it's actually happening."
"It's supposed to feel that way," Lorelai said softly, stepping forward to give her daughter a quick hug. "And remember, you can always come home if you need to. But I know you're going to do great."
"Thanks, Mom," Alessia whispered, squeezing back before pulling away to look around the room one last time. It felt strange, leaving behind the familiar chaos of Stars Hollow for the unknowns of Cambridge, but it was time.
---
Arriving at Harvard was like stepping into a different world. The campus was as picturesque as she'd imagined, with its historic buildings, tree-lined walkways, and students bustling around, already deep in conversation or hunched over books.
Alessia clutched her campus map, trying to follow along as a tour guide led her group through the sprawling grounds. Every corner they turned revealed something new—an ivy-covered library, a student courtyard buzzing with energy, a massive dining hall that looked like something out of a movie. It was overwhelming in the best way possible.
"And over here," the tour guide announced as they approached a stately brick building, "is where you'll find many of our freshman dorms. Harvard has co-ed housing, so you might end up with a roommate of any gender. It's part of what makes the experience unique—learning to live and work with people from all different backgrounds."
Alessia took note of that last part, filing it away in her mind. Co-ed dorms were something she knew about, but the reality of it hadn't quite sunk in yet. As they continued the tour, passing through more historic buildings and beautifully manicured lawns, she tried to picture what her life here would look like. Would she make friends quickly? Would the classes be as challenging as she'd heard? What would her roommate be like?
As she walked through the sprawling campus, her mind whirred with thoughts about Riley. What kind of person would she be? The name Riley could mean anything—a tomboy who wore sneakers and baseball caps, a girly girl obsessed with makeup and fashion, or maybe a sporty girl, always on the move with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Alessia found herself leaning toward the last option. Riley sounded like the kind of girl who might be captain of the soccer team or lead the lacrosse squad, someone with a no-nonsense attitude and a love for early morning runs.
With that image firmly in mind, Alessia reached the red-brick building that would be her home for the next year. It was old, with ivy creeping up the sides and a grand wooden door that looked like it had seen generations of students come and go. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped inside.
The communal area was the first thing she noticed. It was pristine, almost sterile, with sleek furniture arranged neatly in the corners and a few framed photos of Harvard sports teams on the walls. It felt like a space that had been curated, not lived in. But then, Alessia's eyes were drawn to the far side of the room, where something out of place caught her attention—a pair of weights stacked neatly beside a long, black ice hockey stick propped up against the wall.
"Sporty girl, for sure," Alessia murmured to herself, a small smile tugging at her lips. The weights and the hockey stick only reinforced her mental image of Riley as someone athletic and driven. Maybe this would be good. Maybe Riley could be the kind of roommate who'd drag her out for morning jogs and help her navigate the maze of college life.
Feeling a little more confident, Alessia headed down the hallway to her assigned room. The nameplate on the door read "Riley Hastings" and "Alessia Gilmore," in a formal font that seemed at odds with the pristine, lived-in space she'd just passed through. She hesitated for a moment before knocking, the sound echoing down the empty hallway.
No answer.
Alessia frowned, knocking again, a bit louder this time. When there was still no response, she took a deep breath and decided to try the door. It swung open easily, revealing a tidy, almost minimalist room. The bed on the left side was made with military precision, and there were a few personal items neatly arranged on the desk—a framed photo of a hockey team, a stack of textbooks, and a water bottle emblazoned with a university logo.
Alessia stepped inside, still calling out, "Riley?" But then she froze.
On the floor, next to the bed, was a guy. A tall, muscular guy, shirtless and in the middle of doing push-ups. His back muscles rippled with each movement, and sweat glistened on his skin.
Alessia's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. "Oh my God!" she yelped, stepping back quickly.
The guy looked up, equally startled, and jumped to his feet in one fluid motion. "Whoa! Sorry, I didn't realize anyone was here already!" He grabbed a towel and quickly wiped his face, looking embarrassed but not particularly fazed.
"I—uh—I'm Alessia," she stammered, still trying to process what was happening. "Is Riley around?"
The guy chuckled, an easy grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, that'd be me. Riley Hastings."
Alessia blinked, her brain trying to catch up. "Wait, you're Riley?"
He nodded, looking amused by her confusion. "Yup. Riley Hastings, your new roommate. Sorry about the mix-up. I'm on the hockey team, hence the, uh..." He gestured to the hockey stick and weights outside.
Alessia could feel her face heating up. "I, uh, I thought Riley was... a girl."
Riley laughed again, the sound warm and genuine. "Yeah, I get that a lot. My parents had a sense of humor, I guess. Anyway, welcome to Harvard, Alessia. Sorry for the, uh, shirtless greeting."
She couldn't help but laugh, the tension breaking. "Well, that's one way to make a first impression."
"Trust me, it's not my usual move," Riley said with a grin. "But hey, now that the awkwardness is out of the way, what do you say we get you settled in?"
"Yeah, that sounds good," Alessia replied, still a bit flustered but starting to relax. Riley's easygoing demeanor made the situation less mortifying than it could have been.
As they started unpacking her things, Alessia couldn't help but think that maybe this was a good sign. Sure, her first day at Harvard had thrown her a curveball, but maybe having a roommate like Riley would help her navigate the craziness of college life. After all, if she could survive this introduction, she could probably handle anything Harvard threw at her.
