House of videos

Part 2

Previously

Everyone there gaped at the image on the screen (except Patricia, Alfie and Jerome of course) the entire left side of Jerome's face had a huge bruise on it.

"I walked into a door" Jerome explained easily before anyone had the chance to question him

"It was hysterical" Alfie laughed and Jerome thumped him on the head smiling fondly.

"I can't believe that the Jerome Clarke walked into a door" smirked a familiar someone at the doorway.

"Oh not you!" Jerome groaned putting his face in his hands

Mara on the other hand jumped up and hugged the new visitor.

"Mick!" she exclaimed, way too happy for Jerome's liking

"I personally blame the door" he responded coolly.

"Of course you would blame an inanimate object" smirked another newcomer

"This day just gets worse and worse" Jerome remarked but let Poppy (for who else could it be?) slide down next to him on the ground, leaning against him comfortably.

"What's going on?" Mick asked, looking around the room

"Well Jerome and-" Mara began excitedly but was cut off by Mick

"Okay, I came all the way from Australia for you, could you stop talking about Clarke for 5 minutes?" he begged, not missing the smug look on Jerome's face or Alfie singing "trouble in paradise" eliciting laughter from everyone.

"I don't talk about Jerome that much…" Mara defended weakly and Mick scoffed probably about to mention how almost all of their video chats have involved Mara laughing at some sort of inside joke or starting a sentence "It was so funny when Jerome…" or "Jerome's so much sweeter than everyone gives him credit for!" but he didn't want to see the smug look on Clarkes' face to intensify so he just sighed

"Of course not, but this is really romantic, yea?" he grabbed each of Maras' arms lightly, looking down into her chocolate, kind eyes .

"I don't know…" Jerome hummed

"It seems like clutching at straws to me" Poppy finished looking just as happy as Jerome who mouthed a heartfelt "so proud" to her for the veins popping on Micks head.

"Jerome! Poppy!" Mara scolded

"Yea, he's much sweeter than everyone gives him credit for" Mick snarled sarcastically "He even has his little sister, insulting me!"

"I didn't tell her to do anything!" Jerome defended

"We're just really close" Poppy nodded and Jerome draped his long arms over her for emphasis.

"Let's just continue watching the videos before Mick kills Jerome" Mara decided and Mick was dismayed to see some humour in her eyes as she looked on at Poppy and Jerome huddled together, complaining about the lack of popcorn

"… Wait" Mick suddenly said as Jerome went out to get the popcorn "What do videos have to do with Clarke walking into a door?"

"Someone catch the meathead up" Jerome called from the kitchen and put the popcorn bag in the microwave.

SEHNKARA

When everything had been explained to Poppy and Mick and Jerome came back with three big bowls of popcorn a wicked grin crossed Poppy's face "If we're looking at videos of Jerome then you might be interested in some pictures"

"They're not just Jerome" Mara corrected, seeing how distraught Mick looked

"Yea and we've seen all the pictures you put up at the start of the year" Patricia snickered, filling in a confused Eddie

"And I've burned and deleted most of them" Jerome added

"Most?" questioned Fabian with a raised brow

"Apparently, the loser here actually likes the photos so I censored it in a way, getting rid of the most embarrassing ones" Jerome explained "She looked like she was about to cry when I said they were all gone" he elaborated

"These are different" Poppy smirked and Jerome eyed her warily "I trust my brother hasn't mentioned his modelling career?"

Jerome instantly hid his face in his hands while the others started laughing.

Except Mick who also had his head in his hands "So he's a model too, I'm doomed!"

Poppy showed them all the photos by looking up "Jerome Clarke" on Google images.

Everyone was speechless for a moment

"That's actually, really hot" Joy said casually and Mara, Amber and Nina all nodded, staring unblinking at the image in front of them. Jerome smirked smugly while Alfie asked in a despairing voice "How on earth is Jerome a model" and Fabian, Eddie and Mick all nodded

Jerome scoffed "I'm tall and have flawless skin, how could I not be a model?"

The boys' grumblings were cut short by Amber who shocked everyone

"Wow Jerome, it's like the universe wants us together or something, I mean first the ping pong thing and now you've checked off something on my boyfriend musts list"

"And you asked me to prom last year" Jerome added with a smirk

"I did not! But if you shower me with gifts and get a car I'll consider you for a date" Amber replied primly and Jerome burst out laughing

"It's even funnier when you actually are asking me out and not just "letting me down easy"!" Jerome laughed but stopped when Mara elbowed him "Sorry, but you aren't my type" He said with a completely straight face and Alfie deflated "That's the second time he's turned down the girl of my dreams"

"Yea he'd more into the geeky, journalist type" Patricia teased

"Especially if their name rhymes with Tara" added Eddie

"Let's just continue watching the video" Jerome moaned and the rest reluctantly complied.