Jerome Clark grinned triumphantly as the words, "Picture Saved" appeared on his screen. The final picture, and the most important, was of himself and Mara, clearly kissing. The whole thing was an act, of course. He'd suggested it to get back at Mick, though he knew Ms. Valentine had gotten his message wrong.
Now Mara had found out, and after one day completely forgotten Jerome, getting back together with Mick and deleting the pictures from her profile.
"You can't get rid of me that quick, Mara!" He taunted. As he watched, an icon appeared, saying both Mara and Mick had changed their relationship statuses. Well, so had he.
Jerome clicked the status button, verifying it still said "currently dating Mara Jaffray", and posted a picture attachment to it- the one of them kissing. He then closed the window, smiling, and just as he had before, snuck over to the wireless internet connection, but this time, he cut it. He smiled as he returned to his room. Now he just had to wait for the call from Mick.
O
Mara glanced down at her phone, feeling a rush of happiness as she saw Mick's name blinking on the screen. She put the phone to her ear, beaming. "Hullo, Mick!" She chirped.
"You said you broke off your stupid little relationship with Jerome. You said you just went with him to be nice," Mick growled.
"What? I did!" Mara said, confused.
"Oh, yeah? Then how come his relationship status says "dating Mara Jaffray"? How come the picture of you two kissing is still online? You said you deleted all of them!" Mick roared.
"What? I did, Mick! I deleted all of them! I promise! And we're not dating, I promise!"
"Why did you even date him? I thought we still had something!" Mick said.
"We do!" Mara protested.
"Then why did you date him if you still had feelings for me, Mara?" Mick demanded.
"Well, Ms. Valentine said you had a girlfriend in Australia, so I pretended to be Jerome's girlfriend," Mara admitted.
Mick was silent. "And you went so far as to snog him? You did all of that just to make me jealous? Mara, if we don't have trust we don't have anything in this relationship! How could you do that to me?"
"Mick, I'm sorry I just…"
"Mara, I can tell you have feelings for Jerome, I guess I've already known. So, go ahead, snog him, go out with him. Do whatever you want. This long-distance relationship is not working. We aren't working. Bye, Mara," Mick said. Then the line went dead.
Mara fell back, covering her face with her hands. She liked Mick, she did! So how come she didn't feel depressed? How come this wasn't crushing her? Why didn't she feel hurt, sad? Was Mick right?
Mara pulled out her laptop, pulling up the internet, but the window wouldn't open. "Again?" Mara groaned. She trudged downstairs to where Trudy had once told her the internet connection was. But when she followed the wire, she found it cut. She sat back on her heels, suspicious. She sauntered to Jerome's room and knocked.
"Come in!" Jerome called.
Mara threw open the door and walked in, crossing her arms. "So… boyfriend. Any idea why the internet connection is cut?"
"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," Jerome lied.
"Oh, and it's just convenience that you haven't changed your fake relationship status and saved the picture of us kissing. Come on, Jerome. What is up? Why'd you do it?"
Jerome raised his eyebrows. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I just talked to Mick. He told me you still had the picture and your profile said you and I were dating. Then I checked the connection line, and it is cut. I know you did it, but why?"
Jerome said nothing. "What happened?" He said suspiciously.
"He called, told me that, then said he didn't care anymore and dumped me!" Mara said, exasperated.
Jerome raised his eyebrows, looking concerned outside, but barely concealing that inside he was jumping up and down. "Oh, Mara, I'm sorry! But when I went online to change it the internet was down."
"Then how do you explain the picture?" Mara interrogated.
Jerome shrugged.
Mara looked at him, sighing and sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Tell me the truth, Jerome. Did you do it?"
Jerome opened his mouth to lie again, but looking into her eyes, he couldn't. For the first time in his life, Jerome Clark was at a loss for words, unable to lie his way out of a predicament. Looking at Mara, he knew he had to tell her the truth. He pressed his lips together and nodded.
Mara sighed. "But why?" She asked.
Jerome sighed in response. Was she that blind? He regained confidence. "First, you tell me something. How come you aren't balling your eyes out like you did last year?" He questioned.
Mara looked down, picking at a fray in her jeans. "I don't know. It just… I guess I saw it coming. It just..." her voice trailed off and she looked up at Jerome, in desperate need for a friend. "Do you think it is possible to fall out of love?" She continued, not waiting for an answer. "I mean, I did love Mick. I did! But now, it's more like he's just a friend to me. Like a brother. I don't feel that way anymore." She looked up again, sighing. "And I don't know why."
"Maybe you like someone else," Jerome suggested, trying to be nonchalant as he said it.
Mara shrugged. "I don't know though!" She groaned.
"Wow, Mara Jaffray doesn't know something. That's not something you hear every day!" He taunted.
Mara looked at him, rolling her eyes. "Okay, now. Your turn to spill. Why did you do it?"
Jerome looked at her. "Mick doesn't deserve you." He said.
Mara looked at him, confused.
"I guess I don't deserve you either," Jerome sighed. "But you and Mick have nothing in common. Nothing. And I've always hated him for that."
Mara shook her head. "What? But…. Why?"
Jerome sighed, throwing up his hands. "How could you not see it, Mara! I fancy you! I have for a long time!" He said, jumping up and storming out of the room.
Mara sat in the room, confusion sweeping over her. He was right! Now that she thought about it, it'd been so obvious. How had she not seen? And as bad as it made her feel, she now knew why she felt nothing when Mick dumped her. Of course. Pretending to date Jerome, she'd realized she liked him. She wanted to date him. She felt horrible, stupid, clueless.
Mara stood up, knowing Jerome would be long gone by now. She didn't care. She threw open the door, running down the hall. She searched everywhere in the house Jerome might be, but couldn't find him. "Jerome!" She called, desperately. He was no where to be found. She came across Alfie. "Where's Jerome?" She asked frantically.
"I think he went out to the woods," Alfie shrugged.
Mara rushed out the door, searching the grounds frantically, but she couldn't find him. She went to the last place he might be, and found him, his legs hanging off of the low bridge, just sitting there, looking at his reflection in the shallow water.
Mara stopped, unsure of how to talk to him. She uncertainly crouched down and sat next to him. Jerome didn't look up. "Jerome, I'm sorry."
Jerome said nothing.
"I don't know how I didn't see it. I'm sorry." She said.
Jerome still sat there in a steely silence.
Mara looked at him, her eyes pleading. "Please, talk to me!"
Jerome looked up at her, his cool blue eyes meeting hers, showing no emotion. But he still said nothing.
Mara sighed. "I guess, why I wasn't freaking out about Mick… you're right. I do have feelings for someone else. I'd moved on."
"To who?" Jerome said, trying not to let his emotions show through.
"You."
Jerome looked at her, wanting to believe her, but not wanting to get hurt. He told himself to kiss her. You're Jerome Clark! You can do anything, you lie and trick your way through life, and you aren't brave enough to kiss a girl? His mind screamed at him.
Mara blinked, looking up at him sweetly, not knowing how he'd react. She leaned forward slightly, waiting for his reaction.
Jerome leaned forward, his mind winning out. He pressed his lips to hers, holding the back of her neck, kissing her.
As he pulled away, his brain and heart screaming in triumph, he knew this kiss had been for real. He saw Mara beaming at him, and he smiled back.
A squeal erupted from behind them, and they turned to see Amber. "Yay, Jara! I knew you two would get together!" she squealed.
Jerome groaned. "Amber, you're such a hopeless romantic!"