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"No Jerome." Mara reminded herself, buttoning her white shirt in front of the mirror. "Don't talk to him. Don't look at him. He doesn't exist." Her heart ached at the thought "One week Mara, just manage without him for one week." She almost smiled, determined. Flickering her black hair back, she pulled on a spindly, partly see through green jumper. She looked smart, and she had made sure that there was no trace of red or blue on her.
She walked to school, and it was refreshing. She bit into the red apple, and admired the brisk morning. It wasn't very busy, every thing seemed to have slowed down lately. Maybe with the death of the Osbornes, people were more hesitant to be out and about. "Morning," a man tipped his hat at Mara as he walked along, Mara returned the greeting quietly, sticking her hand out. When she remembered, Jerome wasn't beside her to hold her hand. She took a deep breath.
It was going to be a long week.
Line Break
When she was kissing him it felt so real. She sat on the end of her bed, dressed and ready for school, the glowing Harry beside her, and they were kissing. And it felt so so real. His hand on her neck, lips moving in synchronisation and she would have sworn on her life it was real. She pulled away, breathless, her hands still in his hair, and he smiled at her, opening his eyes slowly, dazed. "Harry," she whispered "How come you feel so real?"
"To you Poppy," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers "You're my soulmate, and you're the only one I can communicate with. To you, I'm completely real, you see me, hear me, feel me, I'm real to you,"
Poppy's eyes widened "You mean…you're trapped?"
"Yes," Harry whispered, but he smiled "I'll be trapped until you die, then we go to heaven together."
So many questions were burning inside her, and she smiled so wildly. She wasn't mad. She didn't have to grieve anymore. Harry was here, Harry was her soulmate and he was waiting for her. "I love you," she choked, and he brushed her hair back
"My love for you in stronger,"
Line Break
"Morning Jaffray," Jerome grinned as he walked into school, but Mara walked right past him, not even achknowledging him. Jerome frowned, and then remembered, with a broken heart, that this was trial week.
"Ouch." Eddie laughed, tapping Jerome's shoulder "What is that about?"
"Harry death," he whispered "Mara's pretending I'm dead for a week, to see if she'd be okay without me,"
Eddie frowned "But she won't be," Jerome turned to face him curiously, and Eddie took another bite of his sandwich "She's in love with you, dude. You're her soulmate. This week without you is hurting her as much as it's probably hurting you in there-" he thumped Jerome's chest slightly "-What's this gonna prove? That you two need each other to be happy? You knew that already,"
"What if I do die?" Jerome countered quickly "What if I do die? Huh? And she's all alone, and she can't be happy?" Eddie stilled, and his eyes dropped
"Hadn't thought of it that way," he said quietly.
"She'll die before you," came a new voice, they both turned to see Mick. Looking incredibly humble and serious, hands jammed in his pockets, the sun from the window framing him "You're Spiderman. It's hard for you to die, you're so much stronger than the rest. You're a mathematician Jerome, use your head, the chances are, she'll die before you. And you're going to be the one who won't be happy."
Jerome jutted out his chin thoughtfully, appraising Mick, gratefully "You're right," he managed "She'll never be unhappy, I'll die after her,"
"What about you?" Eddie whispered, running a hand through his spiked blond hair. His blue eyes were slightly faded the more they talked about death. "You'll never be able to move on. You'll probably…throw yourself off a cliff or something,"
"He could move on." Mick frowned "He would recover. Mara would never be able to be with someone else, but Jerome would." Jerome stood taller, slightly angered
"Why would you say that? Are you saying that she loves me more than I love her? Because that's not true-"
"Think about it." Mick stared at him "Are you telling me, you'll never be with someone else…if Mara died tomorrow? Huh? Please. You'd be off dating Willow."
"Willow?" Jerome scoffed, shaking his head, and folding his arms tightly "You're wrong. I love Mara, I'd never be with anyone else."
"Okay." Mick nodded, "Then we'll put you to the test."
Eddie caught on quickly, turning to stand beside Mick "You and Mara aren't together this week. We're gonna tempt you, Jerome. With girls, see how you react."
"Fine." Jerome shrugged, turning to walk to class "I love her."
Mick sighed, flicking his hair to the side "Are they ever gonna have a happy ending?"
Eddie watched Jerome leave thoughtfully, sadly. He thought of himself and Patricia. So many things could go wrong, she could die, he could die, they fought so often. Joy and Fabian, how long before Joy deceived him? Before Fabian's lack of self confidence finally tore their relationship apart? Eddie thought of Willow and Alfie and Amber, and whose heart would break at the teary end of it all. He thought about Mick and Willow, both so good and so kind, and yet they were still so lonely, and were still fighting to fit in. He thought about Poppy, and the late Harry. How their love story never finished. And his shoulders slumped, and he whispered:
"Are any of us?"
Line Break
"Heard Mara dumped you," Poppy said quietly, as he and Jerome walked home together. Jerome half smiled, nudging her
"She didn't. Trail run…sorta." Poppy laughed, and Jerome smiled at the sound. He slid his hands into his pockets "You doing okay?"
"Better," Poppy smiled, looking up at her brother "I believe in what you were saying the other night. About soulmates. I believe you,"
"Oh?" Jerome frowned, looking at his feet "How does that work?"
"Harry's my soulmate, and we're gonna be together after I die." Jerome turned to her sharply, but she seemed perfectly at ease.
"I don't like the sound of that Poppy." He said shortly "You're not gonna go hurt yourself to be with hi-"
"Of course not." Poppy shook her head "I just know, that I'll never be by myself again," Jerome's eyebrows pulled together, and he wrapped an arm around Poppy. Actually stopping them from walking. Poppy froze, startled. Jerome didn't like any sort of physical contact with her, especially in public. But as he wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her in to him for a hug, she found comfort in the foreign feeling, and hugged him bag tightly. Jerome laughed, ruffling her hair.
"You've never been alone, Poppy." He whispered into her ear "Never."
Poppy felt her eyes prick with tears, but she smiled "We're a right pair aren't we?"
Jerome chuckled, "That's what makes us great,"
Review?
LORNA, REBECCA AND RACHEL: I am so sorry! I miss you all soooo much! UGH Wish it was summer again, when I felt like I was talking to you everyday, and now it's all dwindled and I'm all depressed This chapter was for you three, I seriously love you all, you're my best friends.
Thank you beth, Drmiracle, avatarrocky, thank you so so so so so so so so so so so so so sos os so so so sos so much! Seriously love you for reading this!
x
