"No," Jerome whispered, shaking his head, eyes stinging. "It can't be true. She'd tell me-"

"Would she?" Mick whispered sadly "Jerome, I've seen it. I've seen it. The girl they come and they kick her, and they punch her and they call her such horrid names, until she's lying curled up in a ball on the floor, crying her heart out. I scare them away, and help her up, and you need to talk to her."

"It's not true." Jerome whispered again, "She would tell me."

"Why would she?" Mick whispered desperately "It's because of you this is happening! Jeez Jerome, I don't get it, but girls like you. And some of them are really horrid ones, and they're horrible to Mara." Jerome stared at him, tears stinging in his eyes. Mick sighed. "Dude I get it, she's your girlfriend, you don't wanna believe she's getting hurt. But I'm just saying, second period, just watch, just watch from the bushes, Mara walked outside to the science department and they get her.

Line Break

And Mick was right.

Jerome probably wouldn't have believed it, but he was ducked in the bushes, and he saw his Mara come out, clutching her books. He saw them, a group of four girls, tall and thin and pale, sickly looking, like waking cadavers. They slammed the books out of her hands, and she tried to back away, but they formed a vicious circle around her, kicking, and saying such horrible. horrible words. Jerome was frozen, and only after fifteen, excruciating minutes, did they leave.

He watched her, she straightened her shirt and her skirt, re did her tie. Pulled a comb out of her bag and brushed through her black locks. And applied some makeup over the new bruises, rubbed some lip gloss over the small bleeding cut on her jaw. It stopped bleeding instantly, and Jerome realised she was prepared. She was use to this.

And by the time she was finished, she looked exactly the same. Collecting her books, she took a deep breath, smiled to herself, and carried on. As if nothing had happened. When mere moments ago, she had been nothing but tears on the grass.

Line break

"Jaffray," Jerome called her as she entered the house, she turned, smiling brightly and heading into the living room.

"Hey,"

"Why did you tell me?" he asked. Mara frowned, and Mick appeared from behind the door. Mara's mouth dropped open

"You didn't..." she whispered to Mick "You promised you wouldn't..." tears welled up in her eyes and Mick grasped her hand

"Mars, I had too, what they were doing to yo-"

"You promised!" she cried, wiping her eyes, yanking her hand from his, dropping her bag she ran upstairs. Jerome jumped up, and ran after her. Mick shook his head, leaning against the door helplessly.

Line Break

"Jaffray," Jerome called through the door, he rested his forehead against the oak "Mara please, please, please let me in," the door unlocked, but didn't open. Jerome took it as a sign, to enter. He saw her, sat on her bed, crying into her hands. "Mara, don't cry," he whispered "Please, you're not any of the things they called you-"

"You saw?" she exclaimed, and buried herself in his arms, sobbing harder. He rubbed her back, gently, soothing, repetitive circles, until eventually she stopped crying. "I'm sorry," she whispered

"Don't you dare be sorry," he whispered into her ear "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not your fault," she whispered "I knew you'd blame yourself, and it's not your fault," he kissed her gently brushing her hair back

"No, no, if you get the choice, between letting yourself suffer, and letting me suffer, choose me,"

Mara smiled "Right back at you,"

"I could never do that,"

"So you see why I didn't tell you?" she whispered with a small sad smile. Jerome felt his heart leap a little. She loved him as much as he loved her. And...and his life was complete.

Line Break

"Hey Mara," the girls called meanly, as Mara walked on the grass, clutching her science stuff the next day. Mara nodded at them, but of course, they stopped her, pushing her back. "What do you think you're doing whor-"

"Cindy?" Jerome called, stepping out from behind the bushes, all the girls stepped back at the sight of him, their knees buckling. Cindy flicked her hair back, smiling

"Hey Jerome,"

He nodded at her "Hey Mindy, Lindy,"

"Hey Jerome," their chorused, Jerome wrapped his arm around Mara.

"You just talking to Mara?" he asked, swiping his free hand through his hair

"Just chatting," Lindy and Mindy said together. Cindy agreed

Jerome smiled "That's good. For a second I thought you were bullying her," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar, breaking it in half, he handed half to Mara, who snuggled closer into his side. He placed a piece in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully "For a second I thought you were about to call her a horrible word," he smiled at Cindy "For a second, I thought you were going to throw her books onto the ground," he moved to Mindy "For a second, I thought you were going to push her to the ground," he moved to Lindy "For a second, I thought you were gonna stop her from escaping." He laughed loudly, swallowing, and the three blonde girls watched him warily "And for a second, I thought you were gonna punch and kick her, while she did nothing, not fighting back,"

Cindy swallowed hard, looking down, Lindy and Mindy stepped back. "We were just-"

Jerome raised his hand, cutting them off, eyes glaring at them. "Do you promise to never, ever hurt Mara again?" the three girls nodded quickly, Jerome cocked his head. Wincing sarcastically "Sorry, I don't believe you,"

"Girls." the three turned to see Mr Sweet, shaking his head, disappointed "I'm afraid you're going to be expelled for this, it is completely and totally unacceptable! And I will not have it!"

Line Break

"You tell me, if anyone's hurting you, okay? I don't wanna hear it through Mick."

"Straight to you," she promised, kissing him gently "Always. And...you'll do the same," he smirked at her, but she looked up at him firmly, and he sighed

"If Mick comes along and started punching me for dating the most wonderful woman on the planet, I'll come straight to you,"

Mara smiled, "Of course, I'd have to be sympathetic," Jerome nudged her teasingly.

"I love you, Jaffray,"

She linked their hands, tugging him into the dining room "And what do you know?"

Jerome smiled "That you love me too,"

"That's right."

Line Break

"Thanks...mate," Jerome managed, nodding stiffly.

Mick stuffed his hands into his pockets, kicking the floor without force "Any time...mate," the two boys stood there in silence. "This uh...this doesn't mean we're friends, you get that Clarke? I mean, you've still stolen my girl, and I will get her back,"

Jerome smiled, clapping Mick on the back "Wouldn't have it any other way, Campbell." Mick smiled, nodding. "Good to have you back in our country,"

"Oddly enough, I missed you,"

Jerome laughed, nodding "And you're not as bad when you don't have the girl of my dreams in your arms,"

"Wish I could say the same."

Jerome laughed, as he headed to his own room, shaking his head with a smile on his face.

Back to reality.

Review?