Author's Note: This is my first "House of Anubis" fanfiction—I fell in love with the show since previews came in December. And I've gotten at least 140 tweets now from all 8 stars on twitter—they are IMMENSELY amazing and all so nice! Eugene Simon is my FAVORITE actor ever right now—he's beaten all my other past favorite teen actors, and I'm really loving watching about Jerome's background. Also, I love the Mara/Jerome pairing, as well as Nina and Fabian, and then I think Alfie and Patricia are cute friends too. I know I'm going to write at least another chapter for this fanfic—maybe more if I can fit the future episodes' plots into this. This was written the morning of the show that aired featuring Mara with her Mara muffins. I did not steal that plot. Tasie Dhanraj, who plays Mara, told me about 2 weeks ago on twitter that Mara makes muffins and I assumed it would be for a school authoritative role. I love correct predictions. Hope you enjoy the story! Remember, next episode is on Valentine's day! But I hope I update before then!

Written February 4, 2011

"And done," Jerome muttered, his eyes skimming around the paper for last minute editing. His smirk continuously was solid on his face as he gently placed the letter within the envelope. Searching across his desk and drawers, the eyes gleamed as his sight laid upon the crumpled notes of seals. Placing the seals his parents had once gotten him right when he had began boarding school nearly a decade ago. Of course, after having sent 20 letters throughout his first year, Jerome learned at an early age what loneliness truly felt like. Never once had a letter appeared...some had even returned back, as if he had gotten his own address wrong. Funny how the last time he had used these seals, ties with his parents had been broken when it was supposed to have reconnected them. 'Here's hoping to it doesn't happen with Mara, now,' he mentally thought in a daze. Blinking away the memories, suppressing the emotions, he pulled them out, placing one onto of the envelope opening.

"Brilliant," he snickered—his smile frozen as Alfie's steady footsteps were heard right from behind.

"What's brilliant, mate?" Alfie grinned as he looked over the shoulders of his sitting friend. At once though, the grin morphed into confusion as Jerome quickly concealed the letter between his arm and chest.

"N-nothing, nothing," Jerome collected his poise before jumping off his seat in haste, hoping Alfie's curiosity did not get the best of him. "Just...just a little "welcome back" prank for Mick," he forced a tight rushed smile to his friend. The boy wouldn't let it alone.

"He's been back..." Alfie scrunched his nose, pondering, "for three days now!"

"Yes well, it's all perspective," the blonde nodded intelligently before rushing past the door.

"Ah, no!" Mick exclaimed in frustration as he tossed the letter away, burying his face in his hands before leaping off and taking action.

"What's wrong?" asked Mara, astounded by his sudden outburst. Within minutes, Mick had packed up his same track suits that he had taken with him to California just a few days earlier.

"M'mum's gotten ill and keeps calling for me!"

"Well why don't you call your parents up?" she inquired softly, admiring his caring nature.

"Mara, they're doctors. Last time I tried to talk to either one of them, I was on hold with the receptionist for hours! Their own son! Nah," Mick shook his head as he pressed his weight on his duffle bag to get it zipped. "I'll just go take a taxi and pay them a visit. The drive'll be about an hour long there, but it's the only way. I'm gonna go tell Trudy-"

"Wait!" Mara exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "I want to come along," she pleaded, their eyes locked onto each other. A smile cracked on Mick's lips as he watched how loving she was, how worried and frightful she was for his sudden journey. And with that, he pecked her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"It'll only be for half a day, I'll be back by supper, Mars," he smiled before joking. "And maybe you can get some of your campaign stuff done. I reckon I've been a bit of a distraction recently."

"Yes, you have!" proudly stated Mara as she drew forward and hugged him tightly. His scent always relaxed her...as if she was wearing a warm masculine blanket of blueberries and musk. Lessening the hug, she noticed how their faces were inches away from one another—cool cerulean eyes against warmed chocolate. "But I'd rather be distracted by you than not have you near me."

Five years years ago, he would had thought of himself as a weirdo for liking a girl. A year ago, he would question why in Hell he'd use his beautiful gift of manipulation to get a girl. On his way down, he spotted his reflection—his hair was perfectly coup and he might as well have been dashing. With a breath, he turned on his foot and walked into the common lounge, spotting Mara working on something or another for academia.

"Mara," he gleed, "I've a fantastic idea for how you can increase your chances of winning against Amber." She looked up at him, her heart dropping.

"Jerome, after what you did yesterday to her -" she groaned, still feeling absolutely horrified about his latest scheme or as he put it- "all in the name of goodness to help Mara", she felt slightly disturbed having him as her campaign manager.

"No, no, this is different," his eyes twinkled as he took a seat beside her. "Can you think of what people could love more than being sworn to get magazines of Beiber and Jonas?" Mara's mouth hung wide open. "Jerome, you know as certainly well as I do that I mean to HELP the overall education-"

"OK, or textbooks and classes or whatever? Can you guess?" his smile was absolutely illuminating, Mara couldn't help but giggle and shake her head. "Cupcakes!" he chided. "Vanilla, chocolate, whatever kind. And we can stick pins onto the icing for your advert!"

Slowly he watched her quizzical look turned into a shining grin. "Shall we then?" he gave her a tantalizing smile, offering her his elbow.

"I can't believe how much I didn't know about you, Jerome," Mara balanced herself between the two countertops, swinging her feet back and forth. Adding the last egg in and tossing its shells, he softly smiled at her before looking down.

"Guess when you're left to fend for yourself, you just..." he shrugged, his eyes shaded by his hair, "learn a few new tricks, I suppose." Glancing at her warm understanding eyes, his heart leapt a little. "Want to mix?" he offered the mixer as a baton to her.

"Would love to!" she cheered, enjoying the blends of all contents the mixer caused.

Just then, the house-mother Trudy walked in, carrying a box of dirty laundry to be washed. "Oh," she beamed, "it's so nice to see you lovelies baking. You know, it used to be one of my favorite past-times as a child."

They laughed as Jerome cautious swept off the flour in Mara's dark midnight hair.

"Well, we'll certainly give you the first and best one!" Mara exclaimed as she placed the first batch into the oven.

"Oh, much appreciated! Thank you!" Trudy placed a kiss on both of their cheeks before she ran out the door. "Hmm, chocolate looks delicious! I'll have one a' those, please."

"Comin' up," Jerome imitated that of a server's at a restaurant as Trudy left the kitchen.

"She's right," Mara happily sniffed the chocolate mix. "The chocolate definitely looks divine," she smiled, peering into the bowl for any clusters of flour. With a playful smile on his lips, he dipped his finger straight down into the batter, pulling out his chocolate-covered finger.

"Jerome-" she pouted when Jerome motioned his finger towards her lips.

"For you," he smiled. Her pout dropped.

"That's..." she nervously began. It was one to spend time with him when she had a boyfriend, albeit he was her campaign manager but another entirely to intimately lick his finger. "That's not acceptable," she warned.

"Please?" he grinned even sweeter. "It's given to you with love." She giggled, leaning forward to suck on his finger. Then she began to do the same to him, with the vanilla batter. Before she could, Jerome's gentle hands guided her own to place her finger into the chocolate.

"Chocolate's sweet," he whispered, letting her hands go. She chuckled, trying to hide the shivers he caused her.

"I'm giving it to you with love," she repeated in the same tone he had once said it in.

He chuckled along. "Do you really mean that?" His voice had changed—it was soft, meek...innocent.

She looked at him astounded. "Why of course, Jerome. You're a really great friend."

His smiling glance froze upon her...his eyes glazed over in thought. "Friends," he whispered before keeping his eyes shut to take a breather and renew his poise. And then he smiled tightly, opening his mouth. "Ahh."

The cupcakes—all 50 that were to be used for the campaign had been decorated with pins with Mara's face. If ever Jerome had a favorite day, it would had been today. For the past hour, they just sat on a sofa, eating the extra cupcakes and just talking—talking about life, school, random scenarios. Mara wasn't sure, but it seemed as if Jerome was sitting closer to her than that hour before, his arm over the part of the sofa where her head was near.

"I don't think I've ever eaten so many sweets at once!" Mara laughed, wiping the icing from her lip.

"I can't believe you ate 6 cupcakes! 'Mara Jaffray—your next school rep, and cupcake champion!" he cheered.

"What, they're delicious," she laughed along with him. "You really are a good baker!" She then spotted the video Jerome had told her about yesterday for them to watch. "Oh, how about if we watch this film now. We still have some time before supper."

Just then, Mick walked in, his expression full of hatred, even more as he realized what he had just walked into. "Mara, Jerome, what are you doing?"

"Oh," Jerome kept on a straight face as he peeled the wrapping away from another cupcake. Mara ignored him and rushed up to hug Mick, though he left his arms at his sides, glaring at Jerome.

"Mick! Jerome and I've been making cupcakes for my campaign. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Yeah, it is," he said, his voice empty.

"Are you alright? You seem tired." He took a breath, placed on a face for the girl he cherished so much to conceal his doubt. "Yeah, sorry. Just-just tired, I suppose."

"So how's your mum?" the fuel for his anger was just lit.

"Apparently she's alright. Guess some lousy prankster decided to have fun with me for half a day."

Right then, Jerome bellowed a laugh for seconds straight, stopping himself at the sight of Mick's death glare. "I'm sorry—I just wish I was the one who'd done that," he pulled a straight face, his eyes still atwinkle.

"So you weren't?" Mick's eyes watched Jerome's motions carefully.

"Maybe I was," Jerome stood to his feet, dusting the crumbs off his lap, before smirking to the lad, "maybe I wasn't. Oh, and Mara," his voice soft. "I'll have to take a rain check for the election video we're supposed to watch. Obviously your boyfriend needs you now," he stated monotonously before stepping out of the room, Mick's angered eyes still following his shadow.