Jerome POV

Her name was Katrina, and she liked the colour blue.

But that came later.

Back after I'd checked in on Mara, I was angry, and a little upset. I knew my life wasn't great. That was something I accepted, I accepted that my parents didn't want me, I accepted that because of that people didn't trust me, but I at least tried to have a good life. And no, my life would never be perfect, nor could anyone's...but the way Mara had said that...it hurt. 'Maybe you can't...maybe you can't...'. I didn't know why she was obsessing so much about that stupid drama homework, but it was slightly weird. And then she made it quite clear that she thought I was worthless. Well, everyone else thinks so. She was bound to think that in the end.

I walked past Mick on the stairs, but I controlled myself. I looked straight ahead through gritted teeth, and didn't make a cruel remark, and I didn't glare. I heard him knock on Mara's door, and it opened a few seconds later.

"Hey babe, I'm having trouble with this drama script, can you help me with it tomorrow?"

I rolled my eyes. Mick asked for too much sometimes, and I knew that Mara was likely to toil over Mick's scene as much as she had been with her own. Mr. Winkler would notice the similar styles. I was sure of it. But that was Mick's problem, and Mara's too if she was stupid enough to devote so much time to Mick's academic career. Though, it's the only way he's gonna get out of this place with decent A levels, that's for sure.

Mara POV

I was happy to see Mick at my door that night. I thought it was Jerome again, which made it even nicer to see Mick's smiling face. Smiling. That's something Jerome should learn about. Mick kissed me lightly on the cheek, and my heart leapt as per usual. We agreed to work on Mick's drama work tomorrow lunchtime, and I was more than happy to do it. It was the only thing Mick struggled with, academic work. He had everything else, looks, charms, he was athletic...and although he was amazing as he was, I couldn't help but think how he'd have the whole package if he got higher grades...

So I agreed to help him, and that I did. The next day rolled around, and we spent the first half of lunch writing together, and it was looking good.

"Oh man!" Mick said suddenly, slapping his hand to his head in annoyance.

"Mick? What is it?"

"I have basketball practice! I'm so sorry babes!"

He gave me a rushed kiss, and then ran out the door, leaving me alone with his half finished drama scene.

I carried on with it. Not so much writing it, but just jotting down ideas, things people could potentially say, things like that. It wasn't like I was doing it for him, but it had to be done by Monday, so there was only the weekend left, and it wouldn't hurt if he got a bit of a push.

Five minutes past, and I heard an exasperated sigh from behind me.

"Mara, it's lunchtime. Do you know what that means? It's when you take a break from working!" Jerome said with a scoff, and he peered over my shoulder. "Are you still doing your stupid drama scene?"

"No." I said automatically, which was true. It wasn't mine, it was Mick's. But then I realised that if I told him that, he'd think me even stranger. "I mean yes..."

He didn't buy it. I was a terrible liar, and you only had to think back to that awful hedgehog incident for solid proof of that. He leant over even more, and read the name at the top of the page.

"Mick's? Oh please tell me he's not got you doing homework for him!"

"I was helping him with it, and he just left actually. And it's none of your business anyway!" I shot back.

"It's pathetic. Mick's pathetic." He said, then looked slightly guilty about it. So he damn well should.

"Oh shut up, Jerome!" I said angrily. He'd done it again, twice in two days now he'd made me this angry. "I know you don't like Mick, but keep it to yourself! No one else cares, and besides...it's only because you're jealous!"

He looked stunned. I didn't know what possessed me to say that, but I was angry. I was really angry. I didn't really think he was jealous of Mick, but it came out, and I wasn't exactly going to take it back, not now.

"Jealous? Of Campbell? Yeah right, Mara. I'll leave you to slave away over his work..."

He walked away, but turned after a few steps.

"Oh, and Mara? There's no way you can get Mick to be perfect either, if you're trying."

Now I was the one to be stunned. It was like he had read my mind without even trying. Jerome just smirked again, and walked away. Like the enigma that he was...

Jerome POV

Amber's party. It was pink, as expected, and extremely dull.

To be honest, I was still fuming from my conversation with Mara. How on earth could she think I was jealous of Mick? He was a meathead! I had nothing to be jealous of, as far as he was concerned! Apart from one thing. He has Mara. And you don't.

But still, it had made me angry. And she was there, doing his homework for him? I mean, helping him every night was one thing, but when he wasn't even there? Honestly Mara, you know better than that.

To tell the truth, I was worried about her. She'd spent every waking second possible working on some assignment or project or another. And they were already at a standard good enough to get top marks...but still she wrote more, or edited it, or changed parts... It was ridiculous, but I knew why she was doing it. She wanted it to be perfect. And that was impossible. Nothing's perfect. And she was giving herself more stress by even trying, because I knew that nothing she did would be at the standard she wanted it to be at. It was a vicious circle, but it would just keep going. I had a feeling she wouldn't stop until everything in her life was perfect. Which would never happen.

She was here on her own, Mick was still out at some sports practice or another, but he'd probably be back soon, and make this party even worse.

However, the party was made worse long before Mick came home.

As I said before, her name was Katrina, and she liked the colour blue.

I only knew this because she was decked out completely, head to toe in blue. It was a bit too much. But I didn't even notice this, or her, until Alfie walked towards me, holding her by the arm.

"Dude, meet Katrina," he said, and then mimed the words 'go for it!' behind her.

"Like the hurricane, right?" I said. Ha, nice one Jerome.

At that moment, Alfie grabbed me by the arm, mumbled a quick 'be right back' to the girl, and took me a few metres away.

"Dude, what the hell was that? She's a nice girl, and may actually talk to you! Now that you're over the whole Mara scenario, you need to get back in the babe race, now go for it!"

He shoved me back towards her, and she looked slightly bemused. I started to panic. I certainly didn't want to go after some random girl, the only person I wanted to go out with was Mara. But she was with Mick, she didn't want me, she probably hated me. And how could I explain it to Alfie if I didn't make a move on this girl?

I decided to do what I usually did. Obvious lies, cheesy pick up lines. They had driven away every girl that I'd tried it on, so it would work on this one too. Alfie wouldn't be surprised if it happened, it had happened plenty of times before, and then I could look like the victim, and stay as I was.

So I talked to the girl, used my infamous lines, such as 'Do you have a plaster? Cause I scraped my knee when I fell for you.' But she didn't slap me, or walk away in disgust. She laughed. Laughed. She wasn't supposed to laugh, she was supposed to think I was a freak, that I came on too strong, that I was desperate. That's what all those other girls thought. But not her. She thought I was funny. And now she probably thinks you like her as well, nice one Jerome.

I tried all my worst moves, but she seemed to find each one funnier, and she got more enthusiastic and animated as the night went on. I tried all the tricks that other girls had used against me, but nothing worked. She seemed genuinely interested, which was ironic, because a month ago I'd have totally gone for it, but now, it was the last thing that I wanted.

At least, as the end of the night rolled around, I realised that as I'd never seen her before around school, I may never see her again. It would be easy. Only when I'd said goodbye, and she'd left the house, did Alfie find me two minutes later.

"Hey, dude! Katrina just said she had a great time talking to you, so I gave her your number, hope that's cool. Good work bro!"

He patted me on the shoulder, and I groaned. This was going to be harder than I'd anticipated.

Thanks to all reviewers :)
To clarify, this is most definitely a JARA story, there will absolutely be no JeromexOC nonsense :)