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"Well," Eddie murmured, thrumming his fingers on the steering wheel. They were on their way to night club, Mara's parents had reluctantly allowed the trip, they thought she had made some friends, and would do almost anything to encourage that.

The car ride was supposed to take three hours, but now, on their second hour, they were stuck in traffic. After bickering, Eddie was driving the car. Eddie was in the front seat, beside him was Jerome, his feet were up on the dashboard. Amber was sat directly behind him, and would randomly lean forward to kiss his neck, and let him play with her hair.

Mick had his arm around Mara, was almost asleep, Mara was sat between them, talking to Amber happily, before drifting to silence when she leaned to talk to Jerome.

"Well…" Eddie sighed again. Jerome turned to him, arching a delicate eyebrow

"Something to say?"

"Just a little quiet," he shrugged. No one said anything. Eddie shook his head "What's happened between you and Mara?" Amber didn't frown from her position in the back. She knew why Mara was ignoring him, well…she thought she did. Mara wasn't talking to Jerome because she didn't like how he treated women, and Amber was flattered, her new best friend supported her. Even though Amber had fully forgiven Jerome, Mara hadn't.

When in actuality, Mara was still ignoring Jerome to save her relationship with Mick and her friendship with Amber. Because that blond haired freak…made her heart stop.

As Jerome turned to look Mara right in the eyes, but she looked down "I don't know. One day…she just stopped talking to me." The corner of Eddie's lip turned down

"'Ara?" Mara looked up and Eddie sighed at her, the traffic still not moving "Is there anything I can do?"

"No Eddie," she whispered "It's not anyone's fault. It's just…a decision I made." Jerome's eyes continued to bore into her, but she refused to meet his eyes.

Line Break

The hotel was nice, near the beach and they had one large room with five beds, though Amber had pushed her and Jerome's bed together. Mara had anxiously waited for Mick to move theirs, but he had simply smiled at her, and kissed her cheek, murmuring something about respecting her. And it made her feel nice and warm, and safe.

"AH!" Mara screamed, as she was roughly pulled into a storage closet as she walked down the halls of the hotel. The door closed, and locked, and in the darkness she was pushed up against a wall. A cold hand was placed firmly over her mouth

"Mara, shut up, it's me." Immediately Mara stopped struggling, and she felt faint, she would have fallen if he wasn't supporting her. There was silence "Say something…" he pleaded, his cool sweet breath fanning over her, there was no trace of cigarette smoke anywhere.

"Jerome," she whispered, pushing him back slightly in the pitch black, she placed her hand on the wall, feeling around, and flicking the very dim light switch. And she saw him, and she gasped. There were tears on his cheeks, his beautiful eyes swimming. "Jerome!" she exclaimed, alarmed. Watching him slide to the floor, crying helplessly, she kneeled beside him, wiping his tears quickly "Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" she whispered, brushing his hair back out of his face, ignoring how soft it was.

"My dad," he choked out "He's walked out."

Line Break

They were sat in that storage closet for a very long time. She sat beside him, whispering words of comfort into his ears. His dad had walked out a few days ago, and that day she had shunned him out, he had wanted to talk to her, to vent his feelings and deal with it, and she had completely ignored him. I thought you cared why else would he say that? Unless he needed someone to care?

"I'm so sorry," she whispered again, running her fingers soothingly through his hair. He hadn't told anyone, not even Mick. "I'm so so so sorry,"

He managed a small smile, no more tears anymore and he titled his head up to look at her in the crammed closest "Are you gonna tell me why you started ignoring me? You must have had a reason?"

"Jerome," she whispered his name "If I tell you this, you won't tell a soul," He agreed readily, sitting up, she pulled her hands out of his hair and wrung them together worriedly "I like you." She blurted out quickly "I really, really like you. But I like Amber now, and I have Mick, and he's great, so I don't want to ruin anything,"

Jerome swallowed thickly, and he placed his cool hand on her hot neck "No one is ever gonna know about the next few minutes apart from us," he whispered, and he pushed his lips to hers curiously.

Mick seemed crazy about her, and Eddie respected her in a way he had never respected anyone. And she cared about Jerome. Jerome knew the moment his lips pressed hers that he was her first real kiss, he had seen the pecks Mick gave her, that was nothing. She was clumsy, and inexperienced, and he was wondering why on earth he still found it so enjoyable. He was wondering why he liked it a lot more than he should when she tangled her fingers in his hair, and why he found himself liking that her lips weren't covered in lipstick like Amber's were. He just…he just enjoyed kissing her, in a way he never had before.

Mara knew it was wrong, she knew that, but if this was the one chance she got to kiss her possible soul mate, she was gonna take it. A growl escaped his throat, and he pulled her onto him, kissing down her neck, intoxicated by her and everything about her. She tried to pry off his leather jacket, when he pulled away harshly, standing up. She stood too, shaking.

"I…" he whispered, lost for words, he straightened himself up and cleared his throat. What was he doing? He loved Amber, and he had prided himself on never ever cheating on her. "Friends?" he whispered, watching her. Mara nodded meekly, and hugged him tightly, as if the last few minutes had never happened, which to the rest of the world, it hadn't.

"Feel better," she urged, unlocked the door, and slipping out. Jerome watched her go, still reeling, and knew that he was in trouble.

Line Break

The club was getting hotter, but the dancing didn't die down. Jerome and Amber were moving together, and he was being even more flattering to her than usual because he felt so guilty. Eddie had found a red haired girl and the two of them were arguing friendly in the corner of the club. Mick sat beside Mara on the stood by the bar, and ordered them too drinks. Mild, but still alcoholic.

"What's wrong Maraculous?" he asked, he was drunk, Mara could tell that, but he was still very very calm. Mara said nothing, thanking the bar tender, and she took a very small sip of her drink

"Nothing, it's just clubbing isn't really my scene,"

Mick turned to stare at her, wobbling slightly "Mars, I'm not great at this sort of thing, but even I know that you want to dump me." Mara said nothing, watching him wide eyed "Maybe it's the alcohol, because I sure as hell won't remember this in the morning, but if you don't like me, just break up with me. It's worse to string someone along,"

"Mick…" she whispered, leaning forward and brushing his hair from his red face. "It's not that I don't like you, and I could certainly come to love you, if-"

"If Jerome made it clear that he would never be with you, you'd settle for me, right?" Mara said nothing, except duly noting that drunk Mick was incredibly perceptive. He sighed, his blue eyes glazed over and he turned to see Jerome and Amber dancing amidst the large crowd. "The sad thing is…sober me, he would…he would take being second best. Because he loves you." Mara took another sip

"I'm so sorry,"

Mick took in a deep breath, and he stood on shaky legs "He won't love you." He touched Mara's shoulder "It took him…took him years to fall in love with Amber, and he won't ever leave her. Sometimes…sometimes she's horrible to him, and he loves her. Sometimes she's perfect to him, and he knows he wants to marry her. I'm sorry Mars, but he will always love her."

Line Break

Eddie laughed loudly, his arm tightly around Mara's waist, as the two very drunk teenagers made their way down the corridor to their hotel room. "You know, Mara, it's all about…about Scotland really,"

Mara giggled into his chest and Eddie almost fell over "That's where the world begins." She nodded. He burst out laughing, clicking the door and guiding her into the hotel room. Mick was already passed out, face down on the floor. Amber had her eye mask, and ear phones in, snoring lightly.

Jerome sat up at the light entering the room, and they closed the door. He swore. "Guys? Are you two just getting back? It's 4 am!"

"Didn't realise Maraston was such a party girl!" Eddie hooted with a grin, Jerome hushed him.

"And I did not know Eddisonson was such a good dancer," Eddie and Mara hugged tightly and Jerome watched in total bewilderment.

"You guys need to go to sleep." He ordered, motioning to the beds. A strange feeling erupted in his stomach when they both collapsed onto Eddie bed, still hugging. They were asleep in seconds. And though he knew Eddie didn't like Mara like that, and that they were both drunk, he didn't like it.

"Peculiar," he mumbled to himself, getting back into bed, and shutting his eyes. But he couldn't get back to sleep.

Line Break

Eddie yawned, blinking at the sunlight streaming through the window at midday. He flexed his arms automatically, and was immediately greeted with warmth on his chest and a sweet smelling shampoo in his face. He opened his eyes, to see his arms wrapped tightly around Mara, and her arms still hanging loosely from his neck.

"Crap." He muttered, sitting up, checking to see he had trousers on.

"Don't worry." Came a voice. Eddie looked up, to see Jerome on his phone, the room was empty. "You didn't do anything." Eddie glanced at his trousers, and then at Mara's skirt and relaxed, rubbing his forehead stretching, his arms still around Mara, who kept on sleeping peacefully. "Though…you were pretty drunk,"

Eddie grinned at the memory, and chuckled lightly "And no hang over. That's how you do it, my friend."

Jerome laughed but didn't smile "Come on, let's go get breakfast- or lunch rather." Eddie frowned, looking down at Mara again

"Nah," he teased "I quite like having her draped over me like this. It's nothing she'd ever do if she was awake."

"Stop it." Jerome snapped, Eddie raised an eyebrow

"You have a problem with me lying beside her?" He asked, a teasing smirk on his lips "Why? Do you like her, or something?" Jerome glared at his long-time friend. "Do you wanna kiss her how you kiss Amb-"

"Shut up!" Jerome roared, remembering how he had cheated on the love of his life yesterday. His eyes threatened to spill over and Eddie became serious immediately.

"What the hell dude?" He whispered, getting off the bed, and covering Mara with a blanket. His blue eyes were concerned "Do you actually like her or something? Did something happen last night or-"

"I don't know." Jerome shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Jeez Eddie, I don't know! She's…" he stood up, looking at the sleeping beauty "She's just the brain." He muttered, trying to convince himself of that. "She's just the brain." Eddie looked down at his shoes. Touching Jerome's shoulder comfortingly.

"You wish that's all she was."

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