I walked back to the house with my head down, hugging my books close to my chest in hopes of not getting them wet from the heavy spring rain. A few meters in front of me, Jerome was holding Patricia tightly, trying to keep her dry as possible. They were laughing and giggling. Who did I have to keep me warm? No one. Mick left me for some sleazy cheerleader several weeks ago when he found I had a crush on Jerome…
I watched as Jerome picked up Patricia and spun her around. I caught Jerome's eye for a millisecond, and he looked at me sympathetically. I gave him a small smile.
Knowing that I will never be with Jerome kills me inside. Seeing them be happy together shatters my heart, but I'm glad they found love.
I'm a terrible liar…
Sometimes I wonder if Patricia even knows the real him, like I do. How his parents abandoned him and left him here "to rot" as he put it. She probably does. She's his girlfriend anyway…
But I can't help but see that there is a barrier between them, like they don't share everything or they don't truly love each other. But that's probably just my imagination and jealousy taking over…
"Jerome, put me down!" Patricia screeched.
"Only if you kiss me." Jerome answered. They kissed. I felt sick and ran past them. I ran all the way to the house and up the stairs to my room. Trudy tried to ask me what was wrong but I ignored her. I just wanted to be alone.
I flopped down on my bed and cried silently into my pillow. Why is so hard for me to be happy for them?
Patricia and Jerome came walking in, hand-in-hand, as I lifted my head up. "Mara, are you alright?" Patricia asked.
"Yeah," I answered, trying my best not to seem upset. I saw Jerome's caring look and suddenly it was hard for me to breathe. I felt my heart race slightly and my palms become clammy. Ugh, why can he do this to me? How can he do this to me?
"Uh, Patricia, can I speak to Mara alone?" Jerome asked, emphasizing alone ever so slightly. Patricia looked between me and Jerome before nodding and leaving the room.
Jerome sat down next to me on the bed, a little too close for comfort. "Mara, why did you run off like that?"
"I…I was cold and wet and I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran back to the house to change." I lied.
"Then why are you still in your apparently wet uniform?" Jerome smirked.
"I, um… I forgot?" Like I said, I'm a terrible liar.
"Mara, you're a terrible liar…" He smirked. It's like he can read my mind.
"Why are you dating Patricia?" I blurted out.
"What?" He quesioned.
"Answer me."
He stared at me for a minute, as if trying to decide on just the right words.
"It's complicated…" Jerome answered, averting my gaze.
"Try to explain it."
"Seriously, Mara, I don't think I could explain without you getting mad." He put his hand on my shoulder. I could feel the surge of blood rush to my cheeks.
"Jerome, just tell me." I said, nudging him slightly. He sighed and screwed his eyes shut, like he was ready for a storm to come.
"I started dating Patricia…to make you jealous."
"You did what?" I shouted, astonished and angry that someone, even Jerome, would do such a thing.
"She decided to help me a few days before you and Mick broke up. She thought you and I should be together."
"Why didn't you just tell me you liked me when Mick and I broke up?" I said, standing up suddenly.
"You never showed interest in me, so we continued the act, hoping you would!" He stood up also and looked down at me, his blue eyes filling with several different emotions.
"I didn't show interest because you were supposedly dating my best friend! Yes, it pained me to see you two date, but I didn't interfere because I made that mistake once with Amber! She still hasn't forgiven me!"
"Mara, Mara, listen to me. I didn't mean-"
"What you did was the most incompetent and idiotic thing I've ever heard!"
"Mara just let me explain. I haven't told you the whole story-"
"Go to hell." I whispered, the words rushing out of my mouth before I had time to think. I couldn't stand to be in the same room as him anymore, so I ran.
"Mara, wait!" I heard Jerome call after me, but I was already halfway down the staircase and I wasn't planning to stop any time soon.
"Mara, are you ok?"
"What's up with her?"
"I heard screaming from upstairs, is everything alright?"
Questions flooded around me as I ran out of the house and into the downpour. I ran until I couldn't breathe anymore. I came to a stop by a small tree out in the open. I slid down the side of the large plant, not caring if I ripped my uniform, and wrapped my arms around my knees. I just needed to breathe…
"Mara, where are you?" I heard Jerome call.
"I don't want to talk to you!"
Next thing I knew, Jerome was standing a few feet in front of me. "You're going to catch your death out here." He said, his piercing blue eyes staring at me through his now wet, moppy hair.
"You can, too, for all I care." I answered. He smirked at me. "What?"
"You look beautiful with your hair sticking to your face." He chuckled. I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Don't make me smile, I'm mad at you." I grumbled.
"I didn't know you were smiling." Jerome mused.
"So why did you come looking for me?" I asked, changing the subject. "Was 'go to hell' not specific enough?"
"Oh, just, you know," He shrugged, "wanted to sort things out, I guess."
"Well, I'm not talking to you." I said before burying my head into my knees like a child.
"You were talking to me, actually."
"Don't be a smart-ass." I mumbled into my legs.
"What was that?" Jerome sounded closer.
"I said don't be a smart-ass!" I yell at him before I retreat back into my shell.
"You don't have to be so rude."
"Just shut up."
"Mara, stop being so difficult and look at me please." Reluctantly, I looked up at him. He smiled a half smile. "Good." He muttered.
"Can we just get this over with so I can get back to sulking?" I asked.
"Mara, why do you acting like me liking you is a bad thing?" Jerome responded. Of course, he has to answer a question with a question.
"Because you used Patricia to make me jealous and you didn't tell me you liked me in the first place!"
"I had good reason, ok?" He snapped. My eyes widened. Jerome was (usually) never mean to me.
"And what was that?" I asked.
Jerome sighed. "I've always been afraid of getting hurt, yeah? I was afraid that if I told you I liked you…you would laugh at me." Jerome blushed slightly, and I could feel my cheeks flush slightly too.
"Aw, Jerome, I'm not that heartless…" I joked. He smirked and sat down next to me.
"You're not heartless, you're just the Ice Queen."
"I'm the what?" I huffed.
"You've been called that ever since fourth year. Don't tell me you don't remember."
"Oh, I remember perfectly. You're the one who sent the ice down my shirt!" We both laughed at the memory of me screaming and chasing Jerome around the Biology lab, punching him several times in the process.
"I swear I still have bruises from that."
"Sorry, sorry…" We sat there in silence for what seemed like forever, just staring into each other's eyes.
"We should probably get back to the house." I said finally, even though I didn't want it to end.
"Yeah, yeah you're right. I don't think my clothes will ever get dry." I giggled.
Jerome stood up and offered a hand, which I gladly took. We walked slowly back to the house, it complete silence. It was a comforting silence, but silence none the less.
We arrived at the door and I was just about to open it when Jerome tapped me on the shoulder.
"What is it, Jerome?" I asked, turning around. The next thing I knew, Jerome's lips were on mine, his hands holding my face. Slowly, I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck.
Most girls can only dream of being kissed in the rain, their hair soaked and their minds drowned in pure bliss, but I can say that it's actually happened to me. It was the greatest kiss I've ever had.