I just…I don't know, need to get my mind off my GCSE result….
Enjoy!
Beautiful.
She was beautiful.
He was beautiful.
Their relationship had been beautiful.
"Mick," Andy turned, and Mick rolled his eyes at his half shaven head, black hair slicked over his right ear. Tattoos running up his arms. "What's wrong, man?"
"She moved on." Mick sighed, lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I shouldn't have come here."
"Bit late now," Andy rolled his eyes, standing up "I'm leaving, and if you had any brains, you'd better go to down to training, coach'll kill you,"
"I had a friend like you," Mick sighed, throwing the tennis ball into the air, and catching it. "A goth." Andy rolled his eyes, walking from the room and leaving Mick by himself. University had been nice to Mick. He had Andy, a nice, fairly gothic roommate, he was doing okay in his lessons, and he was truly excelling in sports. But it had come, today. The invitation to their wedding. Mick was 21 years old, and life in Australia was beautiful, but he hadn't gotten over her. He doubted he ever would.
He groaned, rubbing his eyes. Their relationship, though beautiful, had always been…one sided. At first, Mara adored him, loved him, and then, they got together, and he loved her, adored her, and then they broke up, and then they got back together, and she loved him, adored him, and then they broke up, and they got back together, and they both loved each other, and then he moved away. Mick Campbell wasn't stupid, he knew. He knew as soon as he got into that taxi, as soon as he kissed Mara goodbye, he knew that she was lost. He saw Jerome Clarke standing in the distance behind her, watching with careful eyes as they kissed. And…and that devil… he was smiling. He had smiled. He had known, the blond haired demon, that it would be Mick and Mara's last kiss, and that thought made him smile.
Mick hurled the tennis ball to the other side of the room in ager. He wished to go back, back to the time and say no, no he didn't want to go to Australia, no he was happy.
Mick, we bring out the worst in each other.
"No we don't, Mara," Mick cried to no one "I swear we don't. Clarke, that Clarke he brings out the worst in you, I swear he does!"
Line Break
"Clarke?" Mick whispered. He stood outside their apartment. "I thought you were going to be out, Mara said-"
"Mara didn't say any of that," Jerome said simply, referring to the text messages. Jerome stood there, just as Mick remembered. Tall, obnoxious, pale, wearing a black turtle neck, and black trousers, obviously designer. His hair swiped off to the side, his bangs falling into his forehead. It wasn't intentional, but it was look hair dressed tried to replicate time and time again. "You see Mick," Jerome said, closing the door as he invited Mick in. he tossed his apple into the bin "I knew, I knew as soon as Mara invited you, that you'd…I don't know, try to save her,"
Mick stood his ground, lifting his chin "I love her, Jerome."
"Of course you do," Jerome whispered patronisingly "That's why you broke her heart, time and time again, that's why you favoured Amber, that's why you left her," Jerome's voice was too light. Mick sat down onto the stool by the kitchen counter. And noticed a picture of Jerome and Mara, Mara was smiling brightly, but Jerome, although the smile was there, was hovering behind her, protectively.
"Clarke, don't," Mick whispered, coiling his fists, turning to face Jerome who was leaning against the wall "Please don't marry her, I won't lay a hand on her, but if you marry her, you're going to cheat on her, you're going to hurt her,"
"I'm not a-"
"Jerome Clarke," Mick sighed, smiling slightly "You don't love Mara, you've fooled yourself into believing this, but deep down, I know you know," Jerome watched him interestedly. "You…you see her, as…merely a substitute, for the hole in your life, caused by…the lack of your parents, the abuse, the hurt…you think you love Mara because you know she would never hurt you. You know, she doesn't have the heart to leave you. Jerome Clarke you're only with Mara because you're 100% sure, that in the relationship, you have all the power. She's the only one who can get hurt. And that makes you feel pretty powerful, right? And Jerome Clarke likes the feeling of power-" Mick was cut off when Jerome literally picked him up, and smashed him into the wall, pinning him down with his elbow across his chest. He was seething, blue eyes glittering.
"Don't you ever say that," Jerome ordered
Mick struggled for breath slightly, but he wasn't in pain. "Jerome, I sympathise. I really do."
"You're wrong Mick," Jerome whispered "I promise you, you're wrong. I love her, I love her with all of my heart."
"You're a power hungry freak, who's gonna control Mara for as long as you can, before you hurt her. And then, after you hurt her, you're going to pick up all the pieces, and start again, only because you love to know that you have that control over her life-"
"You keep speaking Campbell, you won't live to see our wedding-"
"Wondering why this upsets you so much, Jerome?" Mick cried, shoving the taller blond away from him with a sudden burst out strength. Jerome brought his hands up, to wipe away tears on his cheeks that shouldn't have been there. "Wondering why every word I'm saying is affecting you so much?" Mick straightened his coat, opening the door "I came here to protect Mara, not to steal her from you."
Line Break
Mick Campbell was going insane.
He stayed in England, renting a house, watching Jerome and Mara's oh so beautiful relationship. His words had stirred something in Jerome, who post phoned the wedding, and Mick reacquainted himself with Mara, and all the beautiful things about her.
And this was it, the last step in Mick's great plan. He watched Jerome get out of his black car, and walk towards him. "What's this about, Mick?" Jerome sighed, the wind was strong, and it harassed his hair. Jerome moved towards him, standing beside him on the cliff edge. "You're not happy that Mara and I are falling apart?"
Mick shrugged "It's not my fault Jerome, it's the way you were raised."
"I love her, and she can hurt me, when she's not with me, I hurt."
"Let me…um…soothe the pain," Mick pushed Jerome. Right off the side of the cliff. And he looked down. He was suddenly reminded of his favourite child hood story, Lion King, when Scar had killed his older brother. It made Mick think twice, that he was Scar. But…that was the role that fate had lined out for him.
"Mick please!" Jerome cried, gripping onto pieces of scrabbling rock "Help me!"
"You post phoned the wedding, because you don't love her, and you came here, to commit suicide,"
"What?" Jerome whispered in horror, and his eyes widened in shock. "Mick…this whole thing was a set up?"
"You're not a power hungry control freak," Mick said simply "You're just a guy who loves a girl,"
"Mick!" Jerome cried, as he fell a little further down, he kicked at the cliff face, daring himself not to look down at the black waves "Mick please! You've got to see what you're doing in crazy," he reached one hand up, and Mick took it, but didn't haul him up, just held him there.
"I help you, and you call it off with Mara ,you move away, far away, and you never return,"
Jerome looked up at Mick in complete shock, and it came naturally to him "No, I won't leave her, I won't leave her with a murderer," Mick shrugged, and released Jerome, who scream-
Line Break
"Mick, get up," Andy ordered, chucking a shirt at his sleeping friend. Mick gasped, sitting up and looking around
"Oh my god," he whispered, wiping his face "I had the most terrible dream,"
Andy paused, "Listen mate, I'm sorry, I'm meeting Juliet for lun-"
"It's fine," Mick waved him off "Go."
Of course their relationship was beautiful. Of course Mara Jaffray was beautiful.
But Mick Campbell was also beautiful. And he loved Mara, and he would never hurt her. He shook his head at the dream, forcing himself out of bed. But sometimes you can't control the subconscious, he chanted to himself. He yawned, stretching, when he noticed a letter on the table. He picked it up, and frowned. It was an invitation.
We invite you to witness the union of
Jerome Henry Clarke
And
Mara Jaffray.
Mick dropped the letter, and it floated softly to the floor. To be later discarded and forgotten, just like his hope of ever achieving true love.
In the HOA world, I like to think that Mick comes back, and maybe finds love with KT…but I don't ship them…just thinking out loud…
xx