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"Jerome," Alfie sighed, patting his best friends shoulders "She's not coming,"

"She will." Jerome whispered, believing it. "She will,"

Alfie sighed, "I'm really sorry, but I have to go. Sibuna stuff," he looked down at his best friend, who he was ditching, yet again. Alfie Lewis wished he had the bravery Jerome did, wished he was able to go up to Nina and Amber and say, he didn't want to do it anymore, he wanted to be a normal boy, with a normal life and normal problems. Not an ancient curse and a dead queen.

"Yeah," Jerome whispered, eyes fixed on the ground "Go, go to your new friends,"

"It's not like that." Alfie cut in "It isn't. I promise you." But Jerome didn't look up to see the sincerity in his friends eyes. And so Alfie had to leave.

It was the 14th of April. He was actually the youngest in the house, which no one would have guessed. Only two people knew of his birthday. Alfie Lewis, who had just spent the whole day with him, and Mara Jaffray. The girl who had promised she would come and wish him a happy birthday, and give him his present. But still wasn't here.

Jerome sat on the edge of his bed, and shook his head. No one cared. Everyone left him in the end. He was just…he was rotten. He looked up, and he could see it, everyone, like ghosts, his memories were playing out for him, he had been friends with everyone in the house, and at one point or another, they had been in this room…talking. And now…he was all alone.

"Oh come on Trixie," Jerome laughed, as the two of them sat on the floor, watching a horror movie, the lights were out, and the movie was on far too loud. "It's so fake,"

"I don't actually think it is, though," Patricia shook her head, pointing at the laptop screen, "Look, no strings,"

"So they just managed to film the keys flying off the desk on its own? What luck!" Jerome laughed sarcastically, he picked a handful of the popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth.

He missed Patricia. He would never say it aloud to anyone. Never ever ever. But he missed her. He remembered whenever they had to be partners with a girl, it was always Trixie. When they had to go in threes for science, it was him, Alfie and Trixie. And when Nina first came, there was no way Jerome thought she would ditch him. He had helped her with the nonsense of the 'initiation ceremony' he had snuck out…he was her friend. And now she was…gone.

"Come on, Campbell," Jerome sighed, throwing Mick the ball, and then catching it, and then throwing it again "You like Amber, just be a man and ask her out,"

"But what if she says no?" Mick asked, his floppy blond hair in his eyes "What do I do then?"

"Take it," Jerome answered easily "So she says no, it'll feel worse if you don't even try, then getting rejected."

Mick watched him for a moment "You're right….as much as I hate to admit it, you're always right,"

Jerome grinned

If Mick had never set his sights on Mara, or Jerome had never set his sights on Mara, Jerome imagined the two of them would still have been friends, but that was gone now. But Jerome could still see it, in the back of his mind, it was hazy, but it was there. And he was pretty sure it would never leave.

"Rutter, who cares? You don't actually like her anyway, do you?" Jerome asked, popping a sweet into his mouth.

"I do! I mean…I don't… I mean…it's Joy, she's my best friend,"

"So keep it that way. Keep her as your best friend, you don't need her as a girlfriend, Fabian. I guarantee someone else will come along, they can be your girlfriend, and Joy can be your best friend,"

Fabian frowned "But can't my girlfriend be my best friend?"

Jerome laughed, and shook his head "I have a lot to teach you my friend,"

"Alright," Fabian said hesitantly

And now Fabian was doing fine without him. He had a girlfriend, and another girl after him, he had friends, and even Alfie rushed off to spend time with him. Okay, Jerome knew why. Jerome knew it was because they were solving tasks…but still…it hurt.

He rubbed his face with his hands, and as always, he did not cry. He was so use to the quiet in the room he almost jumped when he heard a knock at the door. He turned to see Mara step in. He stood up quickly, stuffing his hands into his pockets, surprised. "…hi," he said after a while. Mara smiled at him, closing the door.

"Happy Birthday," she grinned. Jerome laughed lightly

"By far the best,"

"I…I'm sorry I'm late, I was…breaking up with Mick…it took a bit longer than I expected," Jerome raised his eye brows as he watched her. She had done it? She had dumped the meat head? She was wearing a white shirt and a green cardigan with a spotted dark skirt…she looked perfect. Jerome watched her curiously "I broke up with him…because I've liked someone else for a while now,"

"You have?" Jerome asked quickly. Mara nodded, stepping forward. And Jerome sighed. It was probably Eddie. He had seen the way she looked at him when he first arrived. How they went ghost hunting together. He watched Mara close the door and step towards him.

"Yeah," she said, hoping he'd get it and just kiss her already "He's tall and…blonde," she raised her eye brows suggestively. But Jerome just sat on the edge of his bed disappointedly.

"I know," he sighed.

Mara watched him, and cocked her head slightly, concerned…did he not get it? Or did he not feel the same way? She decided he might not get it yet "He's funny…gets into trouble all the time…he has…a good heart, and wants to sort things out with his dad,"

"Yeah," Jerome sighed, swallowing as he stared at the ground. It was always someone else over him. Eddie, the tall blonde, funny, teacher hating, American who was his girl. Okay, now Mara was worried.

"So you don't like me then? I thought you did!" she cried, Jerome looked up at met her eyes

"What?"

"I just told you that I broke up with Mick because I like you! You! As in Jerome Clarke! But if you're just gonna sit there and act like you don't care then okay! I get the message! You might have stopped me earlier-"

"Wait wait wait Jaffray!" Jerome called, standing and grasping her wrists so that she'd stop waving her arms around. "You….weren't talking about Eddie?"

"Eddie?" Mara frowned, before a wide smile spread across her face "Eddie?" she laughed loudly "He's with Patricia, Jerome! Besides…he's way too into ghosts for my liking…"

Jerome laughed in pure relief, and he leaned down and kissed her.

So what he didn't have as many friends as he use to? So what he was out of the loop? It didn't matter, because at the end of the day, Jerome had what mattered most, the person he loved in his arms. And it truly was, no matter how cheesy it may sound, the best birthday ever.

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