HEY! I just wanted to thank Kieki13 and bluberrymuffin, for asking me about a certain review two chapters ago, thank you guys so much, you really made me happy! And thanks to all other reviewers! You all make me smile!

Enjoy!

"Give me the money, Jerome!" Patricia cried, stepping forward

"What all of it?" Jerome managed, smiling weekly "Most of it's tied up in land…" Patricia leaned towards him angrily. "Okay!" Jerome relented, he sighed standing up straight. Patricia stepped back "How much was it-" but he never continued before dashing past her and out of the house. Patricia let out a cry and ran after him. Nina and Fabian stopped watching the two of them sprint out of the house

"What was that?" Nina laughed. Fabian shrugged, smiling

"It's Patricia and Jerome, those two have never gotten along," Nina laughed and the two of them walked into the dining room.

"Aw! And don't you two look peachy!" Amber exclaimed. Giving them both a once over, they both smiled falsely.

"Morning everyone," Mara sang as she skipped in. "Has anyone seen-"

"Jerome?" Amber filled in for her "Aw! You two are so cute!"

"What?" Mara shook her head "Amber, we're just friends-"

"Okay!" Amber put her hands up in mock surrender "Whatever Mara, I'll keep it a secret," but she wouldn't wipe the grin off her face. Mara frowned, turning and heading down to their room.

Line Break

"Mara?" Tristan asked softly, Mara looked up from her book in the library and smiled brightly.

"Hey," she whispered back "What's up?"

"Well…" Tristan began, not quite sure what to say "I was wondering…would you like to go out sometime?" he asked hopefully. Mara looked shocked for a moment, before smiling wildly and nodding.

"I would love too," she whispered.

Poppy watched from behind the bookshelf, and shook her head. Was it obvious to everyone but Mara that Jerome loved her? Even Poppy saw that. "Do you have a plan to get those two idiots together?" a voice whispered in her ear. Poppy spun, to see Eddie watching them through the shelf too.

She frowned "Yes…but I'll need some help,"

"Help is my middle name."

Poppy turned to him frowning "Really? That's what you're going for? 'Help is my middle name'?"

"What would you have said?"

"Not that," Poppy rolled her eyes, nudging him. Eddie laughed, and they both ducked as Mara and Tristan turned to look at the book shelf suspiciously.

Line Break

"She what?" Jerome asked, unmoving. Staring blankly forward at nothing, seeing hot blocks of white in his vision.

"She…she's got a date with Tristan," Alfie repeated, feeling bad for his friend. Jerome nodded, and instead of breaking down, a cold mask took over his face, and slowly, bit by bit, he hid his feelings. He hid his slackened jaw that showed he was upset, and turned it into a clenched one of anger. He hid his eyes, till they reflected nothing. And he stood up straight, shoulders back.

"Well that's a slap in the face, isn't it?" he asked to no one. Turning to Alfie.

"Jerome-"

"No," Jerome shook his head "I don't want sympathy, in fact…Alfie, I want a date."

"You want a what?" Alfie asked in shock.

"You heard me." Jerome ground out "Find me a date, the same time and same night, as Mara and Tristan's."

"Okay," Alfie nodded quietly "But are you sure that's the right thing to do-"

"Alfie-"

"Right on it," And Alfie scuttled out of the room. Jerome's shoulders slumped then, and his eyes turned into a sea of hurt, he fell back onto his bed. That was it, everyone left in the end, his mother, his father, even Poppy. Mara hasn't really left you, she's just doesn't spend every minute of every day with you.

Yeah well Jerome Clarke needed every minute of every day. He craved the attention. And if Mara wouldn't give it to him, he would just find someone who would.

Line Break

"I want out." Jerome stated to Rufus. Jerome was in a light pink shirt with a grey waistcoat. Rufus watched him for a moment.

"Why?"

"Because I do. I don't have to justify anything to you, you're just a big bully. And guess what Rufus, I could go to the police, I don't owe you anything-"

"Listen, Clarke." Rufus spat in his face, grabbing Jerome's shirt and lifting him so that his toes barely scraped the floor. "Time is almost up, I already had one of my best agents leave, you think I'm letting you get away?"

"Y-your best agent?" Jerome chocked.

"Yeah," a small smile crept over Rufus's face. "Your sister, Poppy Clarke."

Jerome's eyes widened, and he shook his head, flailing around like a fish out of water. He kicked Rufus hard in the stomach and ran, turned and ran from the old man. Running like he had never run before. It was late at night, and the school lamp posts were on, the only source of light on this starless night. He didn't stop to hear whether Rufus was following him, only running, kept running, his shoes, which were not made for running scraping across his toes. He breathed in ragged breaths through clenched teeth. "Not Poppy, not Poppy, not Poppy," he kept repeating as he ran. His feet squelching across the slightly damp grass. He could feel tears prickling in his eyes.

He saw the house near in the distance and ran even faster than thought possible, although nowhere near as fast as Mick. He slammed open the door using his body instead of his hand, as though that would make it faster. He slammed it shut behind him, not caring about being quiet, and locked it. And he ran upstairs.

Not to his room. As Rufus would look there if he was following. Then Jerome realised, eyes blurry, Alfie. Alfie. Alfie. Alfie. Alfie his best friend. He was half way up the stairs and he swung himself over the banister, landing with a surprisingly graceful and silent thump. He ran into their room, and the darkness engulfed him. He held Alfie's hand and pulled him harshly out of bed

"Hey!" Alfie yelled, Jerome glared at him and Alfie was silent, wondering why Jerome was out of breath and his face was red. Jerome became invisible and on Jerome's will, so did Alfie.

"Whatever you do," Jerome whispered, "Do not let go of my hand, and do not for the love of life, make a sound," Jerome whispered, and he pulled something out of his chest of drawers and led Alfie out of the room quickly, closing it behind him. He then went down to Fabian, Mick and Eddie's room, sliding in the key he had taken from the draw and locking it from the outside. Just so that Rufus couldn't get it. He fumbled with the key at first, eyes blurring with unshed tears. Happy he was invisible and that Alfie couldn't see just how stupid he looked. Before he slid it into his pocket and quickly led Alfie up the stairs.

He burst into Mara's room, and turned, locking the door behind him. He and Alfie became visible. And both Alfie and Mara turned to watch Jerome in complete shock. "Shhh," Jerome hushed them, placing a finger to his lips "Please don't say anything,"

The room was empty apart from the three of them, Amber and Nina were going to visit Nina's gran in hospital. Although Mara wasn't sure why Amber had to go. She had gotten scared in the night and kept the lamp on, then, not being able to sleep, she sat up on her bed and was reading in the warm golden glow. They all waited in silence for a moment. And Mara stood up, walking towards Jerome. He had locked the door when he came in.

"Jerome?" Mara asked softly, looking up at him in utter confusion.

And Jerome Clarke burst into silent tears.

He leaned down, squeezing Mara in a tight hug, not letting go, crying into her shoulder, wetting her pyjama's. Mara held him back tightly, and she looked at Alfie in horror over his shoulder in explanation. But Alfie just shrugged, confused from sleep. And he went over and joined the hug. And Jerome had kept his promise, the first time he had properly cried, Alfie was right there, holding onto him.

Line Break

Jerome blinked once, sighing and sitting up. He looked around the room and was not greeted with the usual mess he normally woke up too. And why was he so comfortable? He looked around, blinking wearily and realised he was on Mara's bed. Shirtless, shoeless, wearing only his jeans. And- when did girls beds become so much more comfortable than boys? He looked around, Alfie was asleep, lying backwards on Amber's bed, and Mara…Mara was asleep in Nina's bed, curled up, hair lying across her face softly.

And then Jerome remembered what happened, he had… oh gosh, he had cried in front of them. And neither of them knew why. And he couldn't tell either of them why. He couldn't tell Alfie otherwise Alfie would tell the rest of SIBUNA. Even thinking the name he had to resist the urge to place his hand over his eye. And he couldn't tell Mara because…well Mara didn't know anything about it.

"Jerome?" came a whisper. Jerome's eyes snapped up, and focused on Mara, who was still lying down, her eyes partly closed. "The draw on my bedside table, open it," she yawned, snuggling down "It's yours,"

Jerome frowned, opening the draw he saw the money that he had won in the bet with Patricia but been forced to give back. Even though he'd won it fair and square. He smiled slightly, snuggling back down into bed. Just happy that he was safe. As was everyone else in the house. And he hoped, hoped for the sake of hoping, that neither Alfie nor Mara pushed too hard about what happened last night. Because he wouldn't be able to lie to them very convincingly. Especially not right now, considering her bed smelt so very Mara like. It smelt of chocolate and strawberries. He rolled over so he was face down and inhaled deeply. Oh god, it was fantastic. He could smell her shampoo and resisted the urge to laugh at herself for mesmerising the smell. He rolled over again, so he was lying on his side, and watched Mara, curled up in a little ball on Nina's bed. Her eyes were open, and she was watching him, with large brown eyes, like a kitten, who was unsure whether to run to you, or sprint away and hide.

He froze, but neither of them took their eyes off each other. Jerome smiled fondly, so what if she was dating Tristan? He knew they wouldn't last, not if he had something to do with it.

But Jerome should have bigger things on his mind, like picking a bone with his supposedly innocent sister.

REVIEW!

x