I felt horrible. I hadn't gotten any sleep at all, I kept waking up from nightmares, and now I had to face everybody at breakfast. My hands shook as I buttoned up my blazer. I did the usual routine and took shaky steps downstairs. When I reached the dining room only Nina, Fabian, Amber, Alfie, and Patricia were there.

"Morning guys." I whispered. I sat down and grabbed an apple. Not feeling to hungry I took tiny bites.

"Jerome!"

My head snapped up when Alfie said his name.

He was standing in the doorway, looking as tired as I felt, then suddenly he didn't. He looked like Jerome again, all poker face.

"Morning everbody." He strolled in and grabbed an apple and strolled out throwing a, "See you guys at school," over his shoulder as he went.

Everyone turned to look at me, and I looked down at my lap, trying not to cry. My sorrow quickly turned to anger and I stood up, grabbed my bag, and stomped after him.

Jogging outside I found him walking towards school, throwing rocks into the woods as he went.

"Jerome!" He turned and waited for me to finish stomping/jogging up to him.

"How. Dare. You!" I yelled, pushing him backwards when I reached him. "You walk around giving me this act, making me feel like crap and for what? What did I do wrong here? You heard what's been happening, or do I need to repeat it. Mick. RAPED. Me. I lost my virginty by force, to the wrong person. I had told him that I wanted to break up and he hit me and r-raped me. Then took pictures and threatened to expose it, with a twist, that I was a whore he secretly begged for it. And now you think you can make me out to be the villian because I didn't want you to know? You're an ass, Clarke. No different than him."

His eyes flashed and suddenly I was being pinned up against a tree, Jerome snarling in my face.

"Don't you EVER compare me to him, I would never, NEVER, rape you, or anyone for that matter. And if you can't trust me enough to tell me, I obviously misjudged our friendship. I'm simply restraining myself from caring to much. I'll never make that mistake again."

"Shut up Jerome! I didn't tell lyou because I couldn't. I knew how you felt about me and I knew if I told you you'd feel different. You used to think I was perfect...and now you know, I'm disgusting, damaged goods. I-I didn't want to lose the one person that still thought I was perfect. I c-couldn't bring myself to tell you...Rape isn't a common subject of conversation!" His grip on me loosened and his eyes softened. While I was confessing everything I had broken down, crying, revealing my darkest secret to Jerome, who now knew just how shallow I really was. He stared at me for what seemed like forever, then his head dipped down and he kissed my neck. His lips trailed up to my jaw, then finally he kissed me hard on the lips.

"I still think you're perfect, but once again, I've proven how wrong for you I am. If you don't...If you don't love me as I love you, enough to share your regrets and secrets, I've mistaken our relationship. He kissed me again and stalked away.

"I can't love someone I can never be with! Don't you understand, he's ruined me, I can't be with anyone ever again without thinking of him, I don't want that for us." I screamed after him.

He stopped and turned to face me.

"Then let me know what you do want, and we'll figure it out...together."

And he finally walked away, leaving me alone with my tears, my thoughts, and my still thundering heart.

Again, short, and it took forever, I actually just typed this up and it took like 20 mins. But I've been so busy, but I needed to update. It'll be more frequent I promise. Review, if you're still reading and still like where this is going, or not...I just love to hear from y'all. (: