THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER!
Hey guys! WOOO CHAPTER 50! Let's hope it's a good one, well I don't know yet…I haven't written it…
Enjoy!
"Oh god," Mara sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Hey," came a soft voice, and Mara looked up slowly, knowing it wasn't Jerome. Edmon walked over to her and handed her the hot tea. "Figure you've got a headache?" he asked kindly.
Mara sat up, looking down, relieved to find she was still in her clothes, she took the tea gratefully, looking up at Edmon through long lashes "What happened last night?"
He sat on the edge of the bed, and sighed "Nothing, we just kissed for a bit,"
"Promise?"
"Why would anyone lie about something like that?"
Mara didn't answer, because Jerome had lied to her about something like that. Edmon caught her eyes "He did, didn't he? He lied about it,"
Mara nodded
"He was no good for you, Mara," he said softly.
"What do you mean was?"
Edmon said nothing, standing and admiring the morning view "A-are you even going to tell him what happened? Or are you just going to go back and pretend this was some sort of bad dream?"
"…I'm gonna tell him the truth."
"I see," Mara stood then, readjusting herself. Straightening herself. She picked up her purse, trying to forget Edmon was there.
She slipped into her shoes and then opened the hotel door, about to walk out
"I'm better for you than him." Edmon stated loudly, she turned to face him, hand still on the open door. His back was facing her as he watched the view
"How did you figure?"
"Let's think about it Mara," he said, still not facing her "I cheated, he cheated. I lied, he lied."
"And?"
Edmon said nothing for a few long moments. And Mara turned, stepping into the corridor, she was slammed the door behind her,
Only it didn't slam.
She turned in surprise, to see that Edmon had caught the door, and was watching her, she was about to snap some smart come back, but he spoke before she could
"At least I've never hit you,"
Mara glared at him, smugly. "He's never hit me." And she turned and walked away. Except Edmon wouldn't have it, he ran after her, stopping in front of her, arms out.
"Then why do you have bruises on your stomach?" he countered, raising his dark eye brows. Mara froze, those were from the ice incident. They were clearing up.
"I fell."
"Break your ribs?"
"Yes."
"Did he do it?"
Mara hesitated. Yes he had. But he had been resuscitating her. So all she said was;
"See you at the wedding. Bring Mona."
Line Break
Jerome sat on the sofa.
He had been sat there all morning, waiting. He wouldn't speak to Nina or Fabian. He had skipped all of his classes.
And then the front door opened. He heard Mara walk into the room, and looked up at her face when she stopped in front of him.
The face of an angel.
"I'm sorry." Mara said. Jerome's eyes widened.
"What?" he managed to choke out.
"You kissed Candy. I kissed Edmon. You swore at me, but you saved my life. All's fair in love and war."
"…You-you k-kissed Edmon?"
Mara made a slight clicking sound with her mouth "I was drunk,"
"You were drunk?" he asked in shock, standing, towering over her.
"I was angry!"
"Mara…"
Line Break
Mara and Jerome sat awkwardly on his bed. Unsure what to say.
"I...I don't want to marry you anymore." Jerome said. Mara took a sharp intake of breath. But in some way, she wasn't surprised.
"I respect that." Mara stated sadly. Jerome raked a harsh hand through his hair. He didn't want to do this. None of this should have happened. He was a good person, right? He deserved happiness? Why couldn't he have the one thing he wanted?
"I don't want to be with you anymore, either." He was being fair. They couldn't be together, he'd done it all wrong.
To be with Mara, you had to be yourself, you had to love her, and you had to respect the things she loved.
Jerome could only be himself to a certain point, before he lied to her. Jerome loved her too much, he smothered her and locked her in. He tried to respect the things she loved. But he could never give her, her privacy.
He was saving her, from himself.
Maybe if he'd done the whole thing differently. Maybe if he'd been himself all the way through, sensitive and pranksertish all the way through. Maybe if he hadn't smothered her, maybe if he gave her the things she needed.
But he hadn't. And it was too late now.
Anger, regret, guilt and sadness raged through him. And it took everything he had not to cry.
"I see," Mara managed, she was crying.
"I do love you, Mara."
"I'll always love you," she shook her head at him. She was now beginning to realise how Edmon felt all the time. It was a rotten, rotten feeling. If she swore, she would swear. "I don't know how to make this better," and she was trying, poor little Mara was trying so so hard.
"That's because you can't." Jerome stood too, and placed his hand oh so gently on her neck, they were staring into each other's eyes. Blue and Brown. Just as they had always been.
"I can't fix this, can I?" she wept
"No," Jerome shook his head "We made too many mistakes,"
"I wish I hadn't made so many mist-"
"No." Jerome cut her off, frowning slightly "It was us Mara. We didn't get it quite right. I'm sorry."
"You're my soul mate,"
"And you're mine. Which is why I'm saving you,"
She didn't quite understand, but she nodded. He leaned down and kissed her softly, sweetly.
Before she turned and walked away, just like she knew she should. Just like he knew she would.
Both that they never wanted.
Line break
Jerome walked slowly. It was around 5pm. He held a stick in his hand, dragging it along the fence. Just like he use to when he was a child.
Nothing. He had nothing anymore. He had given Mara her freedom. That was something.
The streets were empty, only the sound of metal and wood filled the air. He got the end of the fence, and the metal and wood stopped.
He listened hard, nothing. There was nothing. He was nothing. He had nothing. Jerome threw the stick away and fell to his knees. Crying hot angry frustrated tears. If only…
"IF ONLY!" He cried at the skies, just like he had so long ago. "IF ONLY YOU HADN'T MADE ME SO ROTTEN!"
You're not rotten
There it was, the constant reminder, she had said that to him. She had said he wasn't rotten. She had lied.
"PLEASE! I HATE YOUR GAMES OH MIGHTY ONE!" he cried, sobs racking through his body "IF YOU HAVE NO OTHER PLANS THE KILL ME NOW!"
He waited, as if he would actually get a response, nothing. Nothing but more silence. He closed his eyes, crying shamelessly.
Until he felt a bright burning light. He opened his eyes and held up his hands to shield his face
A bright white light hovered in front of him
"Jerome," it cooed. Jerome stared wide eyed. That was the light that Ralph had brought in, the light that had disappeared. He licked his lips before responding.
"This is he,"
"What do you want?"
Jerome blinked. Was this god? Was this great glorious horrifying being god? There was no way he would ever find out for sure.
"Mara Jaffray."
The light seemed to hum, and burn impossibly brighter, Jerome closed his eyes.
And when Jerome opened them, he could not believe what he saw.
Line Break
He was staring at Mara Jaffray. Only it wasn't Mara. It was Mara, during their 2nd year. She was wearing her grey jumper, grey shirt, black hair curled. She was looking up at him.
Jerome blinked once. He was standing looking down at her.
And he remembered this day. This was the day he asked her out, and she said no for Mick. This was the day he decided to work for Amber instead. This was the day when he realised just how much he loved this girl.
"Yes?" she asked again, looking up at him
And she didn't have a clue.
The light had given him Mara Jaffray, by sending him back to the moment he had her.
And she didn't have a clue.
"I was wondering," he began, and he noticed his voice was slightly higher. He resisted the urge to laugh at himself "If you'd like to grab lunch of campus with me sometime?"
"You mean…like a date?"
The thought of her rejecting him seemed so far off. And he had to remember that he couldn't just lean down and kiss her.
He tilted his head to the left slightly, just like he knew he had done years ago.
"Well you see…I haven't really solved the whole Mick equation yet." She wrung her hands together.
But instead of insulting Mick like he had before, he just nodded "Okay," he sighed disappointedly. She smiled up at him, before turning and walking into class. Jerome watched after her.
Yes, he would redo everything. Except he would redo it right. He wouldn't make the big mistakes, but he would make the little ones. He wouldn't judge her and Edmon, or force her to say she loved him. He wouldn't make her go ice-skating, and he would let her have a large say in the wedding. He would never swear at her.
But he would take her to the woods, he would invite her to his house for the summer. He would free his dad early. He would study hard for Yale, he would try to get closer to Nina and Fabian.
He would try to help with Rufus Zeno, he wouldn't betray them all. He would treasure his time with Alfie more. He would brush his hair forward again. He would hate Mick from an earlier age.
He would get Mara to love him again. And he would, he would, he would, he would, take her to prom. Just like he hadn't, all those years ago.
Jerome smiled to himself, before walking into class. No one noticed anything different about him. Jerome had always been good at acting.
There was only one thing he wondered,
Did this mean he was a virgin again?
Line Break
7 YEARS LATER
The aisle was long and carpeted and red. They had book the exact wedding, it was dream come true.
"She's gorgeous, mate," Alfie smiled, patting Jerome's shoulder. Jerome grinned and nodded, dressed in his slick black suit.
Mara walked down the aisle, in perfect tune to the music. Amber, Nina and Joy the beautiful bridesmaids looked so happy for her. This was the first Anubis wedding. And sure to be the first of many.
Mara had her hair straightened, the white dress, and white heels. It was simple, it was perfect. It was simply perfection, it was Mara Jaffray. She stepped onto the steps and while she priest began, she snuck a shy looked at Jerome.
He beamed down at her, a shining glint in his blue eyes, and suddenly she felt at ease. This was right. This was so right. Jerome was perfect, he was her soul mate. And she felt dumb, for not seeing it earlier.
At least they'd go it right now.
"Does anyone have any reason, why these two shall not be wed?" asked the priest. Jerome tensed slightly, but there was silence, just like there should have been.
Alfie didn't speak, Edmon didn't speak, Mick didn't speak. They just sat with their girlfriends, content in their own lives. They too, had gotten it right. There was silence, just like there should have been. Jerome had finally got it right.
The diamond chandelier sparkled above them
"You may now kiss the bride,"
Jerome lifted her veil, and leaned in, kissing her softly, sealing the deal. The ring smooth on his finger. Everyone awed at them, Amber squealed loudly.
But all he could think was; finally.
Line Break
10 YEARS LATER
"You are so disgusting!" Mara cried, laughing loudly as Jerome wiped sauce from his face, everyone laughed.
"That's why you love me," he grinned.
Jerome and Mara, Amber and Alfie, Nina and Fabian, Patricia and Eddie, Joy and Mick all sat around the large circular table in the restaurant. Meeting up once every two months. They were all married now, they all wore the rings on their fingers. And they were all happy.
"So, how is your joke shop going?" asked Nina, linking hands with Fabian. He blushed, stroking her thumb
"Yeah Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dummer, how is the joke shop?" Patricia asked, stabbing the spaghetti with her fork. Eddie laughed at her.
Jerome and Alfie went on a full explosion on how everything was up through the roof (through the sky, in Alfie's case) and everyone laughed.
They were all together, and they all lived their perfect lives. I would continue to write it, but their lives were so perfect, and carried on for so many pages. That this would only ever be the introduction. They were all extraordinary.
After all, they were all… Sibuna.
I hope you liked this as much as I did!
THE BELOW IS IMPORTANT!
I know not all of you wanted an ending like this, and I am sorry. But please do not hate me!
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I will be starting a new story, JARA of course, so you won't lose me. I'll update it a chapter a day, so you won't miss anything. It'll start tomorrow or the day after (promise!). I hope you give it a chance, it would be nice to see some of the reviewers on here on the other story. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME IDEAS FOR THE NEW STORY!
REVIEW!
PS I would like to make a massive thanks to everyone who read this, for my constant reviewers and everyone who's been supporting me and giving me ideas. I love this story, and I love you guys!
And the reason I want your ideas for the new story, is because you're smart, you know what readers like, and you have a good sense of humour and you're good judges.
I hope to hear from you soon!
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