Hey guys :D Finally starting a new story, hope you enjoy it. It's set in House of Anubis a little bit before all the drama. Basically, a bit into the story line where Jerome finally came around and started being a spy for the kids and Rufus gets a bit more threatening with him.

Warnings: Profane language, violence, and child abuse in later chapters

Disclaimer: God, I wish I owned Jerome . . . but I don't, it's all someone else. I own nothing but Laura and Mason.

P.O.V Jerome

God is it cold out this morning. I grip my bag tight as I head off to school. I'm walking alone. Even Alfie ditched me for his new friends. I guess they're not all bad, they're helping me escape a psychopath, but honestly, it wouldn't kill them to step up and be the bigger man, or er, woman, I guess. They act like if they talk to me I'm going to bite their heads off. And Amber's still mad at me for the fake spider I left under her pillow.

I smirk to myself. The King of Pranks, I guess that title I've earned myself. I pride myself in it most of the time. I guess it's just the way I pass the time. It makes me feel better when people feel worse than I do . . . and that's not easily done. I find it hard to feel happy here, or at home really. I'm not really familiar with the word home in the first place. It's escaped me all these years. I know I have a tough outer shell, I guess know one's really stuck around long enough to know the real me, to hammer open the outer part of me and see what I'd really be like if I hadn't been rotting away in this damn school. Even Alfie barely knows me as well as he thinks he does.

Now things have gotten even more complicated than they were before. This thing with Rufus, and the cup and what not. I don't know what I'll get out of it, but I'll say something, I didn't risk my neck for nothing. This cup better be worth a shitload. They don't tell me much. No, of course not, they don't trust me enough to do that at all. Not that I blame them, I'd probably double cross them in a minute if they weren't saving my life. I guess I don't trust easy either. It's just something you grow up with.

I'm alert this morning, my blue eyes scanning almost everything around me. I've been on my toes a lot lately since all this happened. I don't know when Rufus will just show up and demand something from me. Honestly, the guys pathetic, chasing around these damn worthless pieces all his life. Get a life, you creep. Of course, I'd never tell him that, because I value the air I breathe. They guy may be crazy, but I'm sure he could kill me if he really wanted to.

The school house is getting closer now. I guess time flies when you get lost in your own thoughts. I let my shoulder sag a bit and loosen my grip on my bag. I'm safe here, for the most part. The teachers may be cult-loving crazy people, but they didn't want trouble with the authorities or our parents. They still had a duty to keep us safe. Although I don't know how that played into the whole deal with Trixie's kidnapping.

My first class was English. Perfect, the whole gang will be there. When I entered the room, Nina and Fabien both found themselves staring at me. Maybe they want me to sit with them, but I doubt it, so I sit with Alfie in the back.

He gives me a friendly smile, "How's it going, mate?"

It's hard to be mean to him, but my angers flaring behind my eyes."It'd be better if I didn't have death sentence on my head."

His eyes were filled with pity now. "It'll all be over soon, ya?"

I nod. Lies.

Annoyance seems to stalk me all day. Whenever Mrs. Andrews asks me a question I have to grind my teeth as to not snap at her. During break, Alfie ditches me for the gang again for some stupid secret meeting I guess. I should probably go, but I sit down with Mara and Mick instead, wanting to take my plastic fork to my eyes every time they cuddle or kiss. Mick's a nice guy and all, but the way Mara swoons over him makes me sick.

Mara looks at me, concerned. "Are you alright, Jerome? You look a bit ill."

I look down at my shoes and mumble a quiet, "yeah."

Mick stared down at me sternly. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary, mate. You haven't been looking good all day."

I shake my head, making my hair fall in my eyes. "I'm just tired," I answer, not looking up.

I can tell that Mara and Mick are giving each other a look of doubt. I don't expect them to care so much. No one ever does.

I chew my sandwich slowly, mulling over the day. It's been going by slowly, mostly uneventful. Everyone's acting strange: quiet and withdrawn. Maybe it's just the weather. My next class is drama and then we get to go back to the house. I suppose we'll probably just hang out it in the living room and wait for dinner. Maybe we'll catch a game on the TV if the cable's working again, but I doubt it because Victor's far too cheap to spend money for our enjoyment.

By the time we get back, Trudy's waiting for us with snacks, greeting us and asking us about our day. I take an apple and slump on the couch with Alfie on one side and Trixie on the other.

Amber flips her hair and sits down opposite us. "Daddy called and told me he booked me a trip to Spain this summer. I can't wait to go to the beach." She smiles and stares at her nails.

I grin, "Yeah that should be interesting. Amber, do you have any idea what percentage of Spain's beaches are nude beaches?"

By this she looks utterly appalled."Ew."

I snicker and everyone joins in. Everyone seems to be warming up now.

Amber scowls, "Oh yeah? And what are you doing with your summer, Jerome, if you know everything better."

I hesitate and the smile drops from my face. I don't want to think what I'll be doing with my summer. Summers mean that I have to go home to my family and spend a whole two and a half months with them. Two and a half months of disappointed glances, putdowns, and of course my dad, who always has a more physical way of punishing me. Then there are my siblings of course. Laura's just turning 15 now, I think. She's a brainiac, taking all advanced courses, and skipping a couple grades. Then there's Mason. He's dad's little superstar. He's only 13, but dad thinks he's right on his way to Wimbledon with the way he plays tennis. And then there's me. Lowly Jerome who can't even make his own parents love him, and they're obligated to. I suppose I'm the black sheep of the family, which is probably why dad sent me here when I was five.

Patricia (Trixie) puts a hand on my shoulder. She's not usually the sensitive type, but her eyes reflect deep concern. The whole room is staring at me now. I froze up after Amber asked her question.

"Are you alright?" Trixie's voice pierces the silence.

I look up at her and smile weakly, "Yeah, I think you guys were right. I am feeling a bit sick now."

Patricia rubs my back and settles back down. There's a murmur around the room, but for the most part no one objects. We talk for nearly another hour before we go our separate ways. I copy my science homework off of Alfie without him noticing, and then start playing video games while he finishes up. There's a knocking at the door at around six that surprised everyone. Fabien and Mick make their way to our room in confusion as we hear Victor stepping slowly down the stairs to answer it.

Fabien jabs a thumb behind him, "Was anyone expecting visitors?" He asks, confused.

Both Alfie and I shake our heads simultaneously. With that we sit and wait.

I hear sturdy door open, "Ah, Ms. Clark, we've been expecting you for some time now. I hope you flight was alright."

I freeze. Ms. Clark? As in my sister? As in Laura? What the hell is she doing here? She hasn't seen me since last summer. We're not even that close. My breath gets caught in my throat and I dare no blink. This cannot be happening. Not here, not now. I don't have to go back to them for some time now, why do they have to bring the nightmare to me.

"Mr. Clark!" Victors voice rings throughout the hall and I cringe. Of course, nothing stays private at Anubis House. The girls were at the top of the stairwell, and Alfie, Mick, and Fabien stood at the end of the hallway, watching the events unfold.

She's taller than she was last time, and prettier, if that's possible. She's the spitting image of our mom, just with fewer wrinkles. Her long blond hair reminds me a lot of Amber's and her blue eyes are identical to mine.

"Jerome!" She pulls me into a hug, her head just touching my chin. I feel stiff. At first I don't react, but I feel too bad to not do anything so I wrap my arms around her. She finally pulls away after a minute. Thank God.

"What are you doing here?" My voice is surprisingly cold and my vocal chords feel tight as I push out the question.

It only fazes her slightly. "I'm here to visit you, of course."

My face stays like stone, "You haven't bothered to visit in the past 12 years (for the record in this story, he's 17) and now all of a sudden you think it'd be jolly if you came all the way across England to come see me? Sorry, but I'm not buying it." I cock a eyebrow.

She sighs, "Well this time it's different. Mom and dad are away on business and-."

I cut her off, muttering, "Of course they are," under my breath.

She stares at me for a minute. "Like I was saying, they're away on business and I have break so they sent me here for a couple of weeks. They didn't want to leave me home alone."

I laugh, "Right, because little Ms. Perfect isn't up to their standards or responsible to stay home by herself."

"Believe it or not, I asked them to send me here."

"And they said yes?"

She nodded, "After a lot of convincing."

I eyed her suspiciously, "Where's Mason?"

"Training camp."

It all made sense, but I still didn't like it.

"Jerome," Mara says, "Aren't you happy to see you sister." The girls start to descend the staircase now.

"Of course I am," I sigh. I can't make up an excuse without revealing the whole truth so I shut my mouth.

Mara holds out her hand to Laura, "I'm Mara, Jerome's friend." Friend. What an empty word. She gestures around to everyone else. "The goofy one in the back is Alfie, that's Fabien, and that's my boyfriend, Mick." She smiles when she says that and I roll my eyes, but no one seems to notice. "The blonde lookalike over there is Amber, the sulky one's Patricia, and that's Nina, the American."

Laura seemed overwhelmed and waved to everyone, flashing an award winning smile.

Victor finally took Laura to her room so she could put her bags away, but only minutes later Trudy called us all for dinner. I tensed up again. This should be an interesting dinner conversation, listening to Laura brag for a whole half an hour. That's exactly what I needed.

Kay so that's it for now, maybe I'll put up another chapter later today.

R&R

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