when he had a crush on her. After his sister Lily's birth in May 2001, Dawson and Gretchen part ways and she returns to college, and he graduates from high school. He and Joey resume their friendship in the wake of the demise of their relationships, and he heads off to USC to pursue his dream of becoming a film maker. However, he is still estranged from Pacey and their relationship never fully repairs until the series finale. Season 5 After graduating, he studied film at USC, but soon dropped out and moved to Boston to be with his friends and potentially pursue a romantic relationship with Joey. Before Dawson can even get his parents approval for moving to Boston his father Mitch Leery is tragically killed in a car accident. Dawson struggles to cope in the aftermath. He blames himself and struggles to connect with Joey; instead confiding in his old girlfriend, Jen Lindley. During their trip to the Hookset Film Festival in New Hampshire, Dawson loses his virginity to Jen, and they begin a relationship. It is at this festival that Dawson wins first prize for his documentary about A.I. Brooks. There, Dawson meets Oliver Churchkirk, an aspiring film director from Boston Bay College who fancies himself the best in the business. After being asked to read his script, Dawson agrees to direct Oliver's first major film. He casts Joey's bubbly roommate Audrey Liddell as the female lead, and Oliver casts himself as heartbreaker, Gage. After several flubbed lines and mistakes, Dawson concludes that Oliver is not the right person for the role. He then reluctantly casts Charlie Todd. Some time later, Dawson and Jen break up. While Dawson and Oliver journey to New Jersey for a meeting with a film agent, the rest of the gang takes to the beaches of Florida for spring break; Pacey is hit on by Norwegian singer Marion Raven while working on his relationship with Audrey, while as Dawson later discovers, Joey embarks on a spring fling with Charlie Todd. Following his heart, Dawson hijacks the car with Oliver and drives down to Florida to tell Joey that he loves her. To Dawson's disappointment, Pacey tells him that Joey is with Charlie. When their film is finished, Dawson learns that Oliver set up to have the film screened by cast, crew and friends. When Dawson finally agrees, he discovers that Oliver also