Here you go! And sorry I haven't been updating. I had the chapter written out, I just forgot to publish it.

Disclaimer: I do not own HoA.

Mara furrowed her brow. Sibuna? Rufus? Elixir? Sarah? What's going on?

Frowning, Mara twisted the knob and opened the door.

"Guys? What are you talking about?" Mara poked her head in the door and creased her brow. "What's Sibuna? Who's Rufus?"

The Sibuna kids gasped, all staring at Mara. "Nothing," Patricia replied quickly. "We just had an assignment to write a made up story."

Mara raised her eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What class."

"Uh, um, Drama!" Patricia nodded, looking at everyone, and they nodded along with her. "I asked Mr. Winkler how to get extra credit, and he told me to come up with a story. I told the others and they decided to help," Patricia glanced at them. "They needed the extra credit too."

Mara looked at Patricia and frowned. "Okay, I know you're not going to give me a straight answer." Glancing around Mara said, "Fabian? Nina?" both nodded.

"What Patricia said is true, Mara," Fabian replied.

Mara's frown deepened. "Amber? Alfie?" Turning her head, she locked eyes with her next target. "Jerome?"

Jerome swallowed and loosened his collar. "Well, um, I-"

Mara growled silently. "Forget it." Turned around, she started into the hall, and walked a few before Jerome came chasing after her.

"Mara, wait!" Jerome caught her hand and pulled her back.

"What? Are you going to explain?" Jerome looked nervous, but nodded his head. Mara took her hand out of Jerome's and crossed her arms. "Good. Start away."

"Well, it all started last term, when Nina first came to the school. She-"

"Mara?" Mick walked into her room and grinned, but it faltered when he realized she wasn't there. "Mara? Babes?" Mick glanced around. "Boo?" Mick walked further into the room, frowning. "Beau? Come on, Mara, seriously. Come on out."

Mick looked for a minute more when he knew she wasn't hiding anywhere. Mick grimaced two minutes later after he checked the other room. I guess she's downstairs, Mick decided, walking downstairs to look for her. On habit he headed toward his room, and by accident he passed it. Mick was too caught up to realize it, but he was on the way to Jerome and Alfie's room.

When Mick finally glanced up, what he was seeing shocked him. Mara was hugging Jerome!

"…And so that's why we were talking about it now," Jerome finished. "Do you get it?"

Mara nodded. "Yes. And all this went on last year without my noticing?"

Jerome chuckled. "And Mick's. My, my, you two certainly are oblivious," Jerome's smile lessened a little to the meaning behind his words. Jerome would've elaborated, but Mara needed to find out herself.

"How'd you get them to let me in?" Mara asked. "How did they agree?"

Jerome laughed. "They didn't. I guess we're going to have to tell them, huh?"

Mara smiled. "Yeah…" Catching Jerome by surprise, she enveloped him in a hug. Getting over his confusion, Jerome smiled and hugged back.

Glancing down at Mara, Jerome asked, "What was that for?" Mara opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by an angry yell.

"Jerome!" Mick, glaring, marched up to them and clenched his fists. Mara and Jerome quickly separated. "What are you doing?" Mick was breathing heavily through his nostrils, and he didn't look happy.

"I was hugging Jerome," Mara replied. "Why? I'm allowed to hug my friends!"

Mick tried to cool down his temper. "But Mars! This is the second time he's shown affection like that toward you! Remember when you were licking ice cream?"

"Yes, but this time I hugged him."

"Why?"

"Why not? You never hug me anymore," Mara defended. "Why can't I hug him?"

"Because-because it's Jerome!" Mick was getting angry, Jerome observed. And Mara as well. Time to wrap this up.

"Before each of you get into a war, may I remind you it is nine fifty nine?" Jerome smirked. "Gee, time sure does go by when you're having fun." Jerome smirked at Mick again. "Or taking a shower."

Mick opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Victor's speech.

"It is ten o'clock!" Victor's voice rang through, the house, causing their other house mates to hurry out of Jerome and Alfie's room and push past the three. "You have five minutes. Then I would like to hear a pin drop…" They couldn't hear the ding because of the rush, but they knew it had already fallen.

"Goodnight, guys!" Mara gave Jerome a quick hug and Mick a kiss on the cheek, before she ran away and hurried upstairs. Both boys shared a glare before walking into their respective rooms and slamming the door.

Seven of the eight teens sat quietly at the table, each eating their breakfast. Only Mick was absent, so it made it all the more awkward.

"What do you know?" Patricia said suddenly, causing everyone to look up startled. "What?" she defended. "We all want to ask this question, so again…Mara, what do you know?"

Mara blinked at Patricia. "Um, well-" Mara was about to continue but Mick waltzed into the room.

"'Morning," he greeted everyone, and smiled brightly, settling down into his chair. "How is everyone?" his grin faltered as he scanned everyone at the table, but it lightened up again and continued eating.

"Fine," Mara replied without breaking her gaze with the Sibunas. "We're all fine. Aren't we, guys?" Jerome, noticing her discomfort when everyone didn't reply right away, reached his hand under the table and gave hers a quick squeeze. She smiled at him.

"Well, that's good," Trudy smiled as she walked into the room. "But you all should finish up. You need to leave for school soon," Trudy turned to walk away, but Mick called her back.

"What time would that be, Trudy?" Mick asked.

"Five minutes," then Trudy was gone.

Mick nodded. "That's…nice." It was silent for a while before he turned to Mara. "Hey, Babes, do you want to walk with me to school?"

"No!" Jerome said quickly, causing everyone to look at him weirdly. "I mean, no. Mara promised she would help me with some homework and explain it, didn't you Mara?" Jerome smiled lightly as Mara nodded.

"Yeah, sorry, Mick," Mara apologized, "But I promised, and I just need to help him, and-"

"I get it," Mick held his hand up to stop her. "I completely understand." He frowned momentarily, but hid his face as he gorged more food.

Time passed.

"Okay, gang, let's go," Alfie said jokingly, standing up and grabbing his bag. "We don't want to be late!"

"Again!" Nina added, smiling and taking Fabian's hand. Soon the three were out the door, and Amber and Patricia were in the process of following.

"Are you guys coming?" Patricia asked, walking away from the table.

"Yeah. It wouldn't be any fun without you there, Jerome," Amber and Patricia laughed, and they both left.

"Well…bye, Babes," Mick stood up and gave Mara a kiss on the cheek. Shooting Jerome a look, he left Mara and Jerome alone.

"Ok, Mara, let's go quickly, the others won't wait for long," Jerome said as soon as Mick was gone.

"What do you mean?" Mara grabbed Jerome's arm to stop him from getting up. "They're waiting for us?"

"You, actually," Jerome answered, pulling his bag on. "They want to know how much you know. They know I told you something, they just don't know what."

"But, do we have to tell them?" asked, causing Jerome to freeze in his tracks.

"Mara," Jerome spun around. "'Do we have to tell them?' Do you know how much trouble we'd be in if we didn't?"

"Trouble?" by now the two had made their way to the front door, and were on their way out. "How would we get in trouble?"

"Well, Nina and Patricia would be mad at me for not bringing you, and of course Fabian and Amber will side with them. That means Alfie will side with Amber and Patricia, leaving two against five."

"But-" Mara gasped in surprise as the wind hit them, falling back into Jerome.

Jerome chuckled. "Cold, huh?"

Mara smiled up at him. "You have no idea. I don't have my sweater, either."

"Here," Jerome handed her his. "I don't need it anyway."

"Thanks, Jerome," Mara put the lengthy sweater on, and they continued. "So, do you think they're still waiting for us?" Mara asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah, probably. They-" Jerome was cut off at the sound of Alfie running up toward them.

"Jerome! Jerome!" Alfie was waving his arms wildly as he dashed up to them. "Jerome! Rufus has Mick!"

Yeah, I got some writer's block at the end, but I hope it turned up all right.

~D