Hey! Third one of the night! I do have a history project…but you come first! This was prompted by: 'MelKitty'- by the way Mel, I love your sense of humour!

'After Hours'

Beginning

"Oh my god." Mara cried, she pulled harder on the door at the main entrance. But no, it wouldn't budge. Mara breathed out shocked, she was locked alone in the school, and she had homework to do! Well okay, she didn't have homework, but she had unnecessary revision to do.

She headed towards the back entrance, moving through the empty halls quite quickly, she didn't like it. She preferred lots of people around her. She turned and almost screamed when she saw him standing there.

"Woah! Mara, calm down," Jerome Clarke grinned at her breathlessly. Mara placed a hand over her heart in shock. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I was reading, and I lost track of time," she explained, shaking her head. "What are you doing here?"

"Me? I was…also reading." He lied through gritted teeth, he had been sifting through Jasper's emails, and was just getting back now. But of course, Mara couldn't know that.

"I didn't see you there,"

"Well I was," Jerome waved her off "Let's go home,"

"Jerome, the doors are locked! We're locked in here! I was gonna try the back-"

"No, that's locked," A smile spread across his face "Oh how cool is this?" he bounced excitedly "We're in school, after hours! Oh, Alfie's gonna be devastated he missed this," Jerome whistled happily, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets, only then noticing Mara's look of horror. "What?"

"Jerome! We have to get out!"

"Why?"

"Trudy! Victor! They'll be looking for us! Oh Trudy will be so worried!"

"You need to breathe," Jerome laughed at her "Come on, Jaffray! Live a little!" He ruffled her hair, then frowned. "What's that?" he asked curiously, stepping closer.

Mara stepped back "I don't know what you're talking about." She said defensively. And then Jerome Clarke knew something was up. She took another cautionary step backwards, watching him.

"Mara…" he said knowingly, stepping forward, like a lion, stalking his hunt. "Where did you get that necklace?"

"It was a gift," she mumbled weakly. But there was nowhere to run now, she was pressed up against the lockers, and Jerome formed a cage around her. He raised his hand to her neck, but she grasped his wrist before he could "Jerome please! You won't like it-"

Jerome used his other hand to keep both her hands down, and lifted the necklace out from under her school shirt. His jaw clenched and his eyes flashed coldly. "An amulet?" he hissed. Mara looked away, shame faced. "An Amulet!" he let it go, letting it thump against her chest and stepped back. "After everything I told you! I told you, forget about that stupid little journalist inside you, and stop hunting for the truth everywhere you go! It will only get you into trouble! But you completely ignore me! And now…you're one of them!" he laughed hysterically

"Jerome," Mara sighed "You don't understand! They need me! Sibuna needs me! Nina's life is in dang-"

"Oh it always bloody is!" Jerome hissed "Mara, you have to get out of it-"

"What like you did?" Mara challenged, standing up to him. Jerome sighed. "You ditched them! Ditched your friends, completely abandoned SIBUNA, and Alfie! They needed you!"

"Obviously not anymore! Now that they have their-" he pointed to her amulet accusingly "-new recruit!"

"I volunteered!"

"You're making a mistake." Jerome warned "Mara, you know me better than anyone in this place. You know I love curiosity, I love it. I would do anything to find it out. I love hunting ghosts, discovering secret rooms, finding out things about Victor, discovering elixirs, stuffed animals! I love stuff like that. And I left! What does that tell you?"

Mara shook her head "You don't get it Jerome. I can't abandon them now, I belong in the-"

Jerome's lips cut her off, and she was pushed back into the lockers as he kissed her. Mara was…stunned. She had never, never ever ever, pictured Jerome Clarke kissing her. In fact, she had never pictured him liking her at all. She kissed back unsurely, wondering how his lips could be so warm. And it was nice, but slightly nerve racking, because he was clearly experienced. This was nothing like Mick, or Tristan, or Derek. No, this was…amazing. So that meant…he had done it often.

He pulled away, panting. "You don't belong with them. You belong with me," he pulled the necklace off her, and brought it up so they could both see it clearly, and he shook his head "I won't let you sacrifice yourself for them. I need you to live."

"Why?" Mara asked, her eyes full of wonder, still dazed.

Jerome laughed "Come on, Mara. Smartest girl in the whole school, I don't know how you can be so clueless." He watched her, waiting. And Mara gasped when she realised what he meant. "There we go," he grinned, he cupped her cheek, and his eyes were sincere "Please, don't."

Mara's lips parted "You're gonna have to come with me to explain. They won't be happy."

"Think about yourself for once," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her, and he inhaled her strawberry scent "For me,"

Mara was flattered, but it was all so new. So she hugged him back, the only thing she knew to do well, and found herself loving how she fit with him so well.

It took all but four seconds for Mara Jaffray to realise that she loved Jerome Clarke, just as much as he loved her.

Talk about slow.

Prompts!