Hey : )
This story is set starting from the moment Jerome asks Mara out, based on what would happen if Jerome hadn't insulted Mick.
Jerome POV
"Are you asking me out on a date?"
I cocked my head, shrugging slightly, too embarrassed to say it out loud. She'd understand, she's the brainy one after all.
"Because, I'm still trying to figure out the whole Mick equation..." she said, turning slightly.
I was so sick of Mick Campbell. He was completely brain-dead, treated Mara like dirt most of the time, and I still couldn't figure out what attracted her to him in the first place.
She was still babbling on, talking about how complicated it was, and how she didn't really know what was going on. I grabbed her shoulders. "Mara..." Mick's a meathead. And look at you, you're bright and pretty, and you've got a future. Like me. Are you actually ready to throw all that away on a loser like Campbell?
Somehow, I stopped myself. As much as I hated the guy, for some reason, Mara liked him, and insulting him wouldn't have been the answer.
"Jerome, are you ok? Look, I'm really sorry and everything, but..."
I realised I was still holding onto her shoulders, and hadn't said anything for a few seconds longer than what was deemed normal.
"Er, yeah, sorry, just lost in thought. Look, I understand you and Mick still need to 'sort things out' per say. But do you want to go anyway, just as friends? Call it, a lunch meeting between candidate and campaign manager?" I shot her a flash of my best smile. Fake, but all the same.
"Yeah, that sounds good." She said with a smile, and her eyes seemed to glisten. "As long as it really is ok with you to just go as friends? I mean, I wouldn't want anything to be awkward between us..."
No. It's not OK. We could be so good together Mara, if only you knew...
"It's fine, honestly Mara. I mean, your campaign needs to be red hot, even though it's only Amelia Pinches that we have to beat." I said, smirking at the thought, and we walked to class, her chattering away about poster ideas. I already had that covered though, but it would be a surprise. We'd had a good laugh taking photos the night before, trying to find the perfect one for Mara's campaign. But she didn't know that I'd stayed up all night, fiddling around on my laptop till I'd found the perfect poster, one where Mara looked bright, happy, beautiful...
I still couldn't believe it. Jerome Clarke doesn't fall for a girl, he floats around from girl to girl, picking out the hottest, and charming them with his smooth talking. Or not, and for once, I'd taken down my barriers, and actually let someone in. Yeah, times were changing for Jerome Clarke.
Mara POV
My mind was whirring. Had Jerome honestly asked me out on a date? And then accepted my decision without insulting anyone? I knew he wasn't a fan of Mick, he never had been, so everything seemed even stranger. I was surprisingly looking forward to lunch with Jerome, though just as friends, definitely. Mick and I weren't technically together or anything, but we'd definitely had a moment before he left, and before that whole stupid photo thing, he'd liked me, he'd asked me out, so something could still happen. And Jerome? Well, he was Jerome. I'd never thought of him as anything more than a friend, or even as a friend most of the time. But recently, with Mick gone, with Patricia hanging out with Nina and Fabian all the time, we'd definitely becoming closer, and he'd told me things I don't even think Alfie knew about.
We walked into history together, and I took up my usual spot besides Patricia. I could see Nina and Fabian sat together, laughing about something. Cute.
"You and Clarke eh?" Patricia said with a smirk, making me jump. "Moved on quick..."
"What?" I asked her, confused.
"You two have been hanging out a lot together recently...just saying."
"Whoah. Whoah. Nothing's going on between me and Jerome, I swear! We're just friends, that's all, and he's helping me with my campaign and everything..." I babbled, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. I mean, what if Mick found out and thought I was dating Jerome?
"Alright, calm down!" Patricia said, laughing. "Though I have to say, despite the fact that he's horrible and manipulative, he's a better choice than Mick"
I just gave her a look. She didn't get it. Just like Jerome, she'd never really liked Mick either, but she didn't know him like I did, she didn't know how sweet he could be.
"Look, there's definitely nothing between me and Jerome. I like Mick! You know I do! When do you think he's coming back?"
Patricia POV
I let her go on about Mick for ages, nodding in the right places, but not really listening. Eurgh, why Mick? Though, why Jerome? He was a good laugh, but as a boyfriend? Yeah, right. Though funnily enough I could imagine the two of them together...
"And then Mick said..." Mara continued, saying how sweet he was, how kind he was, how she really hoped they'd get back together.
I shot a look behind me, and Jerome was listening to her, looking completely and utterly crestfallen.