Hey! This was prompted by Rachel! Sorry it took me so long :) xx

Enjoy!

"Morning Mara," the bus driver tipped his hat to Mara, as if he were living in the 19th century, but Mara liked it, she smiled, before going to sit on the high, sideways seats. Mara was a regular on Bus 54, she took it to work every morning, and she took it home every evening. The bus wasn't normally full, but there were about three regulars, an old woman, and a teenager, who begrudgingly stepped on every day, hair in his face, ear phones blaring so loudly Mara could hear it from where she sat at the front of the bus.

"Hi," Mara smiled brightly, looking at the man opposite her. She hadn't seen him on the bus before, and he looked her age. he wore a slick black suit, a white shirt and a skinny black tie. His hair swept off to the side, a wonderful light honey colour, with a dark almond streak. His blue eyes were glittering. He didn't have any ear phones in, instead, his elbow rested on the yellow bar, and he looked incredibly bored.

"What?" he asked, meeting her eyes. Mara frowned

"Nothing," she said quickly "Just trying to make conversation," she managed a small shrug, before smiling naturally again "I'm Mara Jaffray,"

"Interesting." He drawled sarcastically, turning away from her. Mara rolled her eyes, just brilliant, every handsome man on the planet was a complete jerk. She turned away from her, pulling a book out of her purse, and began to read. Jerome watched her, before looking away. He was bitter, and he was angry. He had been transferred from his old department, and was now working across town, and he had to take this bus. He looked around in distaste. Brilliant.

Line Break

"Evening Mara,"

"Evening Bill," Mara smiled, stepping onto the bus at exactly 6:00 pm, she went onto her normal seat, and looked surprised to see the blond haired man sitting opposite her, he seemed startled to see her. "Good evening,"

"Hey," he said quietly, massaging his temples. Mara frowned

"Do you have a headache, Sir?"

He considered snapping at her, and turning away. But it appeared that this woman was a regular, as would he be from now on. He couldn't reject her forever. "Mildly." He confessed, "And my name's Jerome, by the way," she nodded, a small triumphant smile on her face, as if she had won some sort of contest. He found himself challenged by the small expression, and sat up, staring at her "Where do you work?"

Mara picked up her purse, and started digging through it "Oh, I'm an accountant," she shuffled around "Boring, I know,"

Jerome laughed slightly, "I'm an accountant too," he nodded, she pulled something silver out of her purse, and held her hand out for him. He arched a delicate eyebrow "You expect me to take drugs from you?"

"They're legal," she rolled her eyes "You really think I want to drug you?"

Jerome shrugged, taking the pill from her hand with a small smile "You might find me incredibly attractive, want to drug me and take me to the hospital, just as an excuse to spend time with me,"

Mara scoffed, closing her purse "Don't worry, I'll never get that desperate, if I wanted you," she shrugged. Jerome raised his eyebrows, and he laughed loudly, the old woman in the back of the bus glared at him, but he took no notice.

"Really?" he smiled wildly, and Mara took a moment, startled. He had a lovely smile. She shifted in her seat "Why's that, Miss..."

"Jaffray,"

"Jaffray?" He repeated, eyes glinting again "Oh I like that, I like that a lot," Mara rolled her eyes again, crossed her legs, and her black dress rode up slightly. Jerome's eyes flickered to the movement, and he leaned forward curiously "Is that a tattoo?"

"What?" Mara said quickly, pushing her dress down.

Jerome smiled again, but this time it was a curious, inquisitive smile "What's it of?"

"I don't have a tattoo," Mara grumbled, the lie was obvious, and Jerome found himself leaning towards her

"Show me,"

"No! You're weird," she tucked her hair back, ensured her dress was down, and picked up her bag. Jerome stared at her, alarmed

"You're leaving?"

"It's my stop," she smiled, blowing him a teasing kiss, before jumping up. She bid her farewells to Bill, and disappeared into the evening.

Line Break

TWO MONTHS LATER

"Morning Jerome," Bill greeted. Jerome clapped his hands

"Good morning, Bill," he laughed, taking his seat "Wonderful day to be alive isn't it?" Bill shrugged, starting up again. Jerome turned to the teenager, staring mindlessly at his phone "Did you get the history assignment in on time?" He asked, he had seen the boy a few days ago, doing it in a mad dash on the bus journey to school.

"Yuh ha,"

Jerome frowned "What?"

"Yolo."

"Excuse me?"

"I've given up trying to talk to the youths today," the old woman offered from the back of the bus. Jerome smiled at her, nodding, and turned away from the boy.

The bus came to a stop, and Mara stepped on, greeting Bill and sitting beside Jerome. He smiled upon seeing her, and propped his feet up, long enough that they reached her seat, she moved to the side, letting him rest them there while she sat comfortably. "Hey," she grinned at him. Jerome laughed

"Miss me?"

"Of course. Miss me?"

"No doubt." He smirked at her, and his eyes flitted to her knee. She was wearing tights, again. "Will you ever show me the tattoo on your thigh?" the teenage boy looked up suddenly, his eyes on Mara's legs interestedly, Jerome pushed his head back down to his phone. Mara laughed

"I would, but there isn't a tattoo there to show Jerome,"

"Keeping up that charade?" He shrugged "Fine," Mara laughed at his forced blasé tone.

Line Break

"Go out with me." Jerome asked bluntly, the bus was empty apart from the two of them. Mara's eyes widened. "I mean...the 20 minutes a day I spend with you aren't enough-"

"Jerome," she whispered "I...it's..." she shook her head "If it didn't work, which it won't with my track record, then bus rides will forever be awkward,"

"Unless we make a pack to stay friends?"

"Jerome..." she stared at him, biting her lip. "One date? And...and we'll see how it goes?"

Bill sighed.

Line Break

"It's your stop Mara," Bill sighed. Silence. "Mara!"

The teenage boy stood, grumbling to himself "I'll walk the rest of the way, the two of them won't stop," he shook his head, stepping out of the bus. Bill sighed again

"Mara!"

Jerome and Mara pulled away, breathing heavily "Yes?" she whispered, dazed

"It's your stop,"

"Is it?" Mara asked, Jerome chucked, kissing her cheek "Oh, sorry, bye Jerome," she stood, leaning in to kiss him again, Bill honked the horn and Mara dashed out.

Line Break

"Show me," Jerome urged, the two were sat right at the back of the bus, their normal seats taken. But Jerome liked it here, they were nice and hidden. He placed a hand on her knee, the two had just gone to an expensive restaurant, and Mara was wearing a beautiful red dress, no tights. "Show me," he whispered.

Mara smiled against his neck "I can't, we're in public."

"No one can see us,"

Mara sighed, tugging her silk dress up her knees softly, Jerome watched her, and she stopped, moving her hands. He examined it with awe.

A blue rose, beautiful details, with lovely saffron petals and a delicate emerald stem. It was about the size of a real rose. "It's beautiful," he whispered, trailing his fingers over it lightly, it was so vivid, that the colours looked so real, he was afraid he'd smudge it. But he didn't. "Why did you get it?" She said nothing, and Jerome groaned "Please, please don't tell me it was for an ex boyfriend,"

Mara laughed "No no, of course not." She struggled "It's just...when I was in university, I just...I guess I just wanted to prove that I could rebel, I could do something not by the books," Jerome smiled, tracing the petals with cool finger tips.

"My little Jaffray, a rebel?"

"Would you believe it?" Jerome chuckled. Mara watched him suspiciously "Do you have any hidden tattoos?"

Jerome smiled cheekily at her "I guess you'll have to search me to find out,"

Line Break

"It's just a bus," Rosemary sighed, crossing her arms impatiently. "Why are we here?"

Jerome wrapped his arms around his little girl, lifting her into his arms "This was the bus where your mother and I met,"

"Yes," Mara smiled, remembering, she clutching Matthews hand in hers, "And today is the day it goes out of service forever," Matthew looked sad, and Mara ruffled his hair "Don't be sad, Mat, it's too old to work now."

Jerome frowned. "Doesn't mean we can't have something to remember it by- Excuse me, Sir?!" he called, rushing to the man with the keys.

Line Break

"It's not tacky is it?" Jerome asked. A piece of the bus was on their mantle piece, it was the plate that had been on the side, 54. Their bus.

"Of course not," Mara wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped his arm around her waist instinctively "Anything but, Mr Clarke, anything but,"

"Good old Bill," Jerome whispered, shaking his head "I feel as though I owe him, for what? I'm not sure. For driving the bus? Not that he was the best driver in the world..."

"Jerome," Mara whacked his arm and he smiled at her. "But I miss Bill too...good man, happy, polite man."

The couple stood there for a moment, before Jerome sighed, kissing Mara's head "Come on, my little rebel, they're gonna want a story read to them," Mara smiled, their hands joining as they walked upstairs.

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