BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHAPTER PLEASE NOTE:
My friend on fanfiction, 'A reviewing reader' gave me ideas for this, she is a really great writer and she is the inspiration for this chapter. So this is dedicated to her, I hope she likes it, otherwise, this is embarrassing.
ENJOY
"Break!" Fabian yelled, clutching his stomach. Jerome had just kicked him hard. "I would have missed that Jerome!" Fabian yelled "If your legs weren't so long!" Jerome laughed loudly.
They were all outside, they had started practising only a few hours after the phone call.
"I'm gonna go inside and grab a fresh shirt," Jerome said. Nina, Fabian, Alfie and Joy all nodded at him "This one's got Fabian's blood all over it," they all laughed, and Jerome turned away.
It was actually nice hanging around with them when they weren't all so uptight and could actually laugh. Who knew they weren't all bad?
"Wait up, Jerome!" came a girlish squeal, Jerome kept walking and waited for Amber to catch up "I'm going to get some juice,"
"Why?" Jerome turned to her "You haven't been doing anything."
"Tanning Jerome. It takes up a lot," Jerome nodded, and smiled despite himself. What was happening to him?
Line Break
"What is it exactly that you're looking for?" Mara asked, perched on the sofa, while Edmon peered up the chimney, searching desperately for something.
"Just something." He said tiredly. Mara frowned and walked over to him
"Let me help,"
"No! Mara just go and wait," he waved her off, but Mara persisted.
"Please Edmon, let me help," she reached over but Edmon turned sharply and slapped her across the face, sending her tumbling. Mara stared at him, stunned.
"Mara-" Edmon began, but Mara turn and fled the room, running up stairs. She grabbed her makeup and attempted to cover up the dark blue bruise that was already forming.
"It's nothing," she said to herself "He didn't mean it, he's just stressed." She looked down at her ring again, and felt nothing but love for Edmon "It wasn't his fault," she sighed.
Mara looked around the room, and absentmindedly began picking up all the clothes and placing it in the laundry basket. Looking around, she made her way down the stairs and into the laundry room.
She placed the basket on the washing machine, and looked around for the powder, she heard the door open, and turned coming face to face with Jerome.
"Mara." Jerome nodded through gritted teeth. Mara managed a smile. "Wait, Mara?" Jerome literally shrieked "I thought you'd been captured by Rufus? What are you doing here?"
"He said I needed to come back because Victor was getting suspicious." She shrugged as if it were nothing. And there was no resentment in her voice
"What?"
"I'm meant to go back tomorrow, for the competition." She widened her eyes expectantly.
"What?"
"Yeah, I thought you knew,"
"Mara, Mara, Mara! You should be running, Rufus is e-v-i-l, Evil!"
"I know how to spell evil Jerome, and Rufus is not evil."
"Mara," Jerome bent down slightly so he was her level "Is he watching you?"
"No," she shrugged him off "You made a deal and you're not allowed to break it. He said if you made any sudden moves or if I didn't come back tomorrow, things would be downhill for you."
"Right. And he says this, and you don't find him evil?"
"Jerome," Mara laughed "Don't be so silly," she shook her head and returned to separating out the clothes. Jerome stared shocked for a moment.
This didn't change anything. Mara would have to go back, whatever happened. He would win her fair and square. But it seemed odd that Rufus would just send Mara back, he had to have had complete trust in her…
He had to have done something to her, just like Edmon had. Jerome watched Mara for a second.
"Mara," he said. Mara turned to him smiling
"Yeah?"
"I need you to make sure the others don't see you, okay? They would just stop you from going back out into the woods,"
"Sure,"
"Good. By- Wait, Mara, what's that on your cheek?" he leaned towards her slightly and Mara stepped back. "Is that a bruise?"
"Yeah," Mara shrugged
"Did he hit you?" Jerome asked, appalled. He reached out, gently grazing his fingers across the dark surface of her cheek bone, that was poorly concealed behind a thin layer of concealer. Her laundry now forgotten.
"No." Mara defended quickly, swiping Jerome's hand away, trying to cover it up "I just bumped into a door, you know me, Mrs Clumsy," she lied weekly
"Just how stupid do you think I am Mara? He did hit you. I can see the bruise." Jerome retorted, catching her hand and moving it to the side. He tilted her head to the side, in order to see it in better light, moving his free hand to softly probe the tender area with his finger tips.
Instead of pushing him away, Mara stood there, letting him touch her.
"I'm gonna kill him," Jerome muttered under his breath, dropping his hands away from Mara "Where is he? Is he in the lounge?" He began to turn away, but Mara tugged on his arm
"No, please don't." Mara whispered, her brown eyes glistening with tears.
"Mara, if he's hurting you-"
She shook her head, brown locks fluttering around her face "Please Jerome, I love him."
Jerome stared at her sadly, she reached up and pushed her hair out of her face, Jerome's eyes flitted to the ring. And he wanted to reach forward and grab it off her. But he knew she wouldn't let him, still he could try…
"Sorry Jerome, good luck in the game tomorrow. But if you don't mind, I hope Edmon wins," and with that Mara turned and walked out. Jerome stood where she had been, before kicking the wall and screaming.
Line Break
The next day came too quickly for the three of them. They walked towards the woods, backpacks on their back. Filled with necessities and other things that could come in useful. Alfie and Joy had really gone all out.
Mara had been picked up by Rufus last night, Jerome had watched from the window, and he was so sure that Rufus had looked up and met his eyes and….smiled.
"Okay guys, anything could happen," Fabian said for what must have been the hundredth time "Be careful,"
"I'm so sorry," Nina said again, facing Jerome "This is all my fault."
"I'm not denying it," Jerome turned away, and they kept walking.
They didn't know where they were walking to, but they figured it must be clearing. They all checked their watches. Two minutes to twelve.
It was a very warm day, and the green trees seemed to be closing in on them. They got to the clearing and saw Edmon, Jason and Patricia standing there in a line. Jason in the middle. They looked strong, and prepared, and ready.
Jerome stood opposite Edmon, a few feet away, Fabian opposite Jason, and Nina opposite Patricia.
"Patricia," Nina began "You don't need to do this…"
"Nina," Patricia sounded like she felt bad "Don't give me that look. It's not like I want to do it, but I have to be on Jason's side."
Nina nodded, like she understood. But she didn't. She would always pick what was right over love, that's just who she was. So, she was extremely lucky that Fabian was a good guy.
"You don't even love Mara, do you Edmon?" Jerome called. Edmon looked up at him, his dark eyes meeting Jerome's deep ones.
"I love her Jerome," he spat "And I'm just doing what's right,"
"Oh? And how are you doing that?"
"If I get to her first, I'll take her to a better place. She doesn't need this freak show. She'll be happier with me,"
"Rufus is not the good guy!" Fabian yelled "We are!"
"Calm down Fabian!" Mr Winkler called "Don't you think we know that? We've made our choices and it is not your place to tell us what you think."
"But you made the wrong one!" Fabian, Nina and Jerome yelled in unison.
"Ten seconds before we start. Good luck," Edmon called politely, the three of them just glared at him "9, 8, 7,"
"We can count," Jerome spat.
"Really?" Patricia retorted, Jerome rolled his eyes
"Look at you Pixie, thinking you're all cool,"
"3, 2, 1!"
And they all sprinted forward.
Did they know where they were going?
No.
Did they know how long it would take?
No.
Did they all know how much this meant to them?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
And a thousand times yes.
Please tell me who you want to win in the review…
Hey…Hope you liked it.
Why did Mara come back for the beginning? Well, because I like her.
PLEASE LEAVE IN THE REVIEWS WHO YOU WANT TO WIN!
x