Hey!

Enjoy!

"There is to be a very formal party here, and I would like it if you vermin didn't ruin it." Victor began. They were all stood in a long line, Trudy was dusting. "I want you all to be dressed perfectly, this is very important. No scruffy outfits, Williamson and Sweet and Lewis," he glared at them. "All the girls will wear purple dresses. And all the boys will wear tuxedos."

"Purple!" Patricia exclaimed

"Tuxedos?" Eddie yelled. Victor glared at them and they quietened.

"It is to be tonight. You will all speak properly and-"

"Excuse me, Victor?" Nina interrupted. Victor turned to her

"Yes Miss Martin?"

"What is this 'party' for anyway?"

"That is for me to know." Victor continued "It will start promptly at six, today. All of you must attend. And if you are not in the correct attire or do anything to mess this up," he picked the toothbrush out of his top pocket "Well I believe you all know the punishment,"

Line Break

"Jerome?" Alfie tapped him lightly on the shoulder while he entered class.

"What?" Jerome turned, rolling his eyes when he saw who it was

"I'm sorry,"

"You've said,"

"Yeah but this time, I can make it better." Jerome stopped and turned "You get one free hit at me,"

"Seriously?" Jerome asked, shocked

"Yeah,"

"Right." Jerome was blown away. A free hit, that was…rare. Very rare, and hard to come across. "Okay then," he swung his fist and it collided with Alfie's stomach, Alfie doubled over. Jerome breathed in happily, all his anger now released.

"B-best friends?" Alfie asked hopefully. Eddie walked in, grinning

"Ah well, you see, there's a bit of a problem."

"What up best friend?" he asked, clapping his hands. Jerome smiled cheesily at Alfie. Alfie looked hurt, and not just because his stomach was turning inside out.

"But I'm your best friend."

"Why can't we all be friends?" Eddie asked, they both turned to him. They hadn't even considered the idea "I prank just like you do, I have a girlfriend, just like you two. We could all be friends,"

"Yeah, I guess we could." Jerome thought, Alfie nodded. "Okay,"

And just like that, the problem was solved. It was pretty simple, but let's face it, they're boys.

Line Break

All the girls were dressed in purple, and all the boys in black tuxedos. Mara was wearing a purple dress just below the knees with black tights, her hair straightened and part of it up.

Jerome had all his hair swept off high to the side like he did back in the first year, making him look a lot posher.

A man with light brown hair walked in and Victor shook his hand and briefly introduced them to each other students, and then classical music was turned on and they were all meant to act 'young' whatever that meant.

"Psst Mara!" came a voice. Mara put the punch down and turned to the sound of her name, when she saw Poppy behind the door. Mara quietly walked out.

"What are you doing here?" Mara asked shocked.

"I just came to thank you for the letter," Poppy hugged her, handing it back. Mara smiled

"It's fine, but you have to leave Po-"

"What's going on here?" Jerome asked. They both turned to face him, guilty looks on their faces. Jerome was wearing his suit and it made him look so…indescribable. "Mara? Poppy? What is this?" he looked down at the letter in Mara's hand "No." he whispered, taking the letter out of her hand and turning it to read the outside. "Oh my god,"

"Jerome, you don't understand-" Poppy began

"You be quiet." Jerome demanded, turning to Mara "Mara? How could you?"

"I was trying to help-"

"Well next time mind your own business! I expect this from Poppy, but you, you Mara? I trusted you, and you just used it against me. I can't believe you,"

"Jerome please!" Mara cried, but Jerome turned and walked back into the room. Mara started to cry.

"I am so sorry," Poppy whispered, rubbing her back soothingly "I didn't know,"

"No, it's not your fault. Go back Poppy, I'll sort it out," she sniffed. Poppy nodded leaving. Mara cleaned herself up and took a deep breath, walking back into the room. Jerome was sat on the arm chair, glaring at nothing.

She made her way over to him, when Eddie cut in. "Hey, I found an amulet," he whispered. Mara's mouth fell open

"Really? Me too! We can go down!"

"Yeah!" he didn't even ask how she'd gotten hers "Tonight? Meet you at the usual time?"

"Sure." And he walked off to dance with Patricia who was sulking due to her purple outfit that she had to borrow from Amber.

"Wanna hear something funny?" Joy whispered to Jerome, plonking down beside him

"Okay," Jerome responded, baffled

"I spiked the punch," she giggled. She smelt of punch, she was drunk. Jerome looked down at her horrified. He then looked around the room, Eddie and drinking it, so was Nina and Fabian and Alfie and Amber and Patricia… and Mara.

As well as Victor's special guest. But Victor hadn't had a drop.

"Why?" he asked

"Jake says I should be more daring," she hiccupped. Jerome leapt up, and went over to Mara, but he was dragged off to the side.

"Why do people keep doing that?" he hissed, when he saw Victor. Jerome cleared his throat and straightened his tux "Yes Victor?"

"Listen to me, Jerome." He said in a low voice "You know that these students have been sneaking about into the tunnels, and I want to know who."

Nina gasped, holding the punch in her hand, she hid behind the door and listened

"Pardon?" Jerome asked

"Oh come on, you of all people must want to see these vermin suffer," Jerome raised his eye brows, it was true. He did enjoy watching them squirm, but he caught sight of Nina, her large pleading eyes, he sighed

"Sorry Victor, as far as I know, none of them are going down there." Victor sighed, walking back into the room.

Line Break

"Jerome," came a hushed whispered. Jerome looked up from pacing in his room, how was he going to stop his stupid drunk house mates? He opened the door to see a slightly swaying Mara

"Mara-"

"Shhh," she hushed, then looked around, blinking hard "Where am I exactly?"

Jerome sat her down and rushed out to get the others.

"Will you all be quiet!" Jerome hissed. He had gathered all the drunk students into his room, and they were seated in a circle on the floor while Jerome paced. "Argh! Joy this is all your fault!"

"Blame meee!" Joy yelled.

"Shhh!" he hissed. "Okay guys, you're all sleeping in here tonight, if Victor finds out I'm dead! He'll think it was me!"

"Was it you?" asked Eddie, hitting his head against the wall a few times

"No!"

"Y-you know what?" Mara fumbled as she tried to stand up, only to fall onto his bed. "I-I have something to say."

"WOO! Speech!" Eddie cheered. Jerome sighed

"I-I know what I did was w-wo-wrong," she said, as she tried to standing again making her way shakily over to him "B-but I was trying to h-"

"Help?" Jerome finished, nodding "I know, Mara." He said honestly, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and taking her to the bed. "Right guys, you're going to sleep here, and I'm gonna crash in Fabian's room."

He felt like their parents. He put Mara in one bed, Amber in the other because she wouldn't stop complaining. And everyone else got comfortable on the floor.

He was about to leave after he'd flicked of the light and they were all snoring loudly, when he heard a murmur

"Jerome," she whispered. Jerome made his way over to Mara in the darkness,

"Yeah?" he said quietly

"Stay," was all she said. Jerome nodded, not trusting himself to actually be on the bed with her. With the things he thought of…no, he didn't trust himself. He sat against the wall, one hand up, smoothing down her hair, and the nine students fell asleep.

Line Break

Jerome awoke first, which made sense as he wasn't the one who had been drinking. The sunlight streamed in through a crack in the blue curtains. He blinked, his neck was sore. And he looked around, his friends were thrown about the floor, all sleeping peacefully. Amber was asleep, looking like a princess on Alfie's bed. And Mara was asleep on his bed, clutching his hand in her own.

He stroked her cheek gently, sliding his hand out trying not to wake her.

He failed.

Her eyes opened slowly as she took in her surroundings "Jerome?" she croaked

"Morning," he grinned. "Sleep, sleep," he stroked her hair and she shut her eyes.

Line Break

"You lot slept in this morning!" Trudy beamed as they all sat around the table "You're very lucky it's Sunday,"

"Yeah, that's what this is. Luck." Eddie grimaced.

"So then," Fabian started, taking a sip of orange juice "Everyone okay now?"

"Yeah," Jerome nodded, taking a bite of toast "Me, Eddie and Alfie are best friends. Amber and Mara have patched things up. Joy has a boyfriend now. Fabian's happy with Nina. Patricia's back to her hungry self," they all turned to see Patricia stuffing her mouth with food and they all laughed.

Funny, how everything nowadays seemed to have a happy ending.

So Summary: Ah, all is forgiven. Does Fabian feel left out now that he's not one of the guys best friends? Nah, I think he's fine with Nina. But I'll give you a little sneak peak of what's happening next time:

"I need a copy of this necklace," Jerome said, opening his hand, to reveal the necklace he had taken from drunk Mara yesterday. "As close as possible, and you have to remember which is the original,"

"Anything for you my boy," Jerome's dad said, taking it into his own hand. "May I ask why this is so important?"

"Mara." Jerome shrugged "There are some people who have been bothering her, I'm buying them off,"

"Ah," John grinned "You're a good lad. Glad to see you let Poppy visit too,"

"I'm great." Jerome grinned "How soon can you get it to me?"

"Tomorrow," he nodded. "Now go get her,"

Jerome grinned.

Yeah, there were perks to having a father in prison.

REVIEW!
x