"Alfie," Jerome smiled, and Alfie closed his locker, turning to look at Jerome, smiling more softly. "Hey man, wanna do something after school?"

Alfie picked up his rucksack, swinging it over his shoulder "Like what?"

"I don't know." Jerome propelled himself off the locker, pushing to walk beside the dark skinned boy "Whatever you want. Egg some houses? Watch some films-"

"Catch some bad guys? Oh wait. That's not me."

Jerome frowned, stopping in the hallway, and catching Alfie's shoulder, so his best friend turned to look at him. "Hey man, this is me reaching out. I'm taking a break from being-" he looked around, to make sure that no one was listening "-him for a while, Eddie's gonna take over. I'm doing this for you. But now that I think about it, I'm a little irritated." He stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest defensively "Have you even thought about how hard this has been for me? I mean, come on man! I had to agree to some completely stupid agreement that Mara could fight!"

Alfie looked at Jerome for a long time, and for a heart stopping moment, Jerome thought he was going to turn around and walk away. But he didn't. He leapt forward, arms tight around Jerome's neck, as he locked his head into his neck, and his body shook like he was crying. Jerome winced, looking around to see if anyone was going to start mocking them, but no one appeared to be paying them any attention, so Jerome let his hands side to Alfie's back, patting him soothingly. "You're my best friend in the whole world."

Jerome smiled, relieved that some things would never change. "I shouldn't even need to say it back," he said softly, and Alfie shot him a genuine grin.

He rubbed the back of his neck "...egging some houses sounds like it could be fun?"

Jerome wrapped his arm over his shoulder "You bet it doe-"

"Alfie." Willow appeared, clearing her throat "Can I talk to you?"

Alfie and Jerome both met each other's eyes, an air of trust around them, and they both shared an equal reluctance for Alfie to go and talk to Willow. For Jerome, it was because he knew that the ginger haired girl wasn't completely happy with Alfie and Amber, though she should be concentrating on Mick, and for Alfie, well...he just hated awkward situations. "Actually, Willow, we're really late for..."

"Psychology." Alfie chimed, and Jerome sighed.

Willow smirked smugly "You don't do psychology." She snapped, leaning forward, in one of her rare mad moods, she gripped Alfie's arm, dragging him away from Jerome and down the hallway, Jerome shot Alfie a helpless look, before turning on his heel to find Mick, only to come face to face with Harry.

Jerome's eyes widened in alarm, and he shoved Harry's head down "What the hell are you doing walking about?" Jerome hissed "People don't know you're alive!"

Harry swallowed thickly, pushing Jerome's hand off his neck. "Patricia's gone, Jerome." He whispered, turning away when someone walked past. Jerome stared at him. Waiting for more. And Harry took a deep, staggering breath "She left a note for Eddie, I don't even know, everything's so messed up, but she said something about something called Shield, about how they can help, and she's gone. Eddie's going looking for h-"

"No." Jerome whispered "No, he can't, he needs to look after things. Trixie will come back, she'll find her way, if Eddison hasn't learnt that by now, my god, when will he? I have to fix my life. I can't be Spid-"

Harry covered Jerome's mouth with his hand, turning away as a group of girls walked past. He yanked his hand away when Jerome licked it. "Gross dude, seriously, that's disgusting," he wiped his hand on his trousers and Jerome mock glared at him. "I was just coming to tell you that I'm gonna go with him, as the Green Racer, help find her, and Poppy's coming to-"

"My sister is not going anywhere on your ridiculous, pointless, rescue mission."

"Oh yeah, because you control everything she does." Harry's voice dripped with sarcasm, before he became genuine and apologetic, he hugged Jerome tightly, but not for very long, and Jerome couldn't help but compared it to Alfie's hugs. Alfie's hugs were needy and beautiful, but Harry seemed awkward, affectionate, but awkward, and Jerome couldn't help but roll his eyes. Like hugging a brother. Completely pointless. "I'm sorry man, but we need to find her. We don't even know what Shield is, could be a group of aliens for all we know."

"If they are, aren't you afraid that they'll abduct you, because you should be a corpse rotting in the ground?"

Harry winced, eyes wide "You don't think they will, do you?"

Jerome sighed, pushing away "I need to go to class, and you need to get out of here before you're seen. Get us all killed, Osbourne, I swear."

"Hypocrite." Harry mumbled playfully, ducking his head down, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and practically sprinting out of the school building.

...

...

...

"Jaffray, do you get more beautiful with every passing day?"

"I already know about Patricia, Jerome."

"Ah." Jerome gritted his teeth, taking a seat beside Mara, who was currently sat opposite Mike in the library. Mara had been testing Mick for his PE exam "Well, don't worry about, this is just Trixie being Trixie-"

"Bad move, Clarke." Mick muttered under his breath, but of course Jerome's superior hearing picked it up, though by the time he'd made sense of it, it was too late. Mara was whirling around, soft black hair whipping harshly around her and it took Jerome's breath away.

"Trixie being Trixie?" She whispered "Are you being serious? She's run away, Jerome. God knows where she is, if she's alright, whether of nor she went on her own accord! Jerome, she could be lying in a ditch somewhere-" her eyes burned with tears at the thought "-And you're telling me that it's just Trixie being Trixie?"

After that, Jerome felt about two feat tall. He swallowed thickly, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend, trying to be strong, and brave and put together, as he had been doing for a long time. "She's gonna be okay, Jaffray," he whispered, and Mike looked away to give them some privacy. Spotting Amber over by the water fountain, he left the library for a moment. Jerome's lips brushed Mara's cheek "I'm sorry, okay, I'm just...I'm getting tired again. I'm always getting tired."

"You have an excuse." She argued to defend him. Always defending him, even when she was angry. He smiled fondly

"She's gonna be okay," he repeated, and she nodded with a stuttered breath.

...

...

...

"Everything okay, Ambs-"

"Have you seen Alfie?"

"Uh." Mick blanched, floppy blond hair tumbling into his eyes, as he ventured a "No?"

Amber sighed, smoothing down her skirt "I just haven't seen him all day and we normally have lunch together, but he didn't meet me in the cafeteria. It's Tuesday. Tuesday is lunch date day."

"I remember," Mick said softly, and Amber shot him a sympathetic look, nodding.

"Bye Mick," she whispered, twirling on her high heels to leave.

Mick shook his head. Amber still believed he wanted her, but he didn't. He waned to be friend, and sure he did reminisce, but Willow was enough for him now, he wouldn't say he'd settled, but rather, found a better match after a slight self adaptation. He couldn't make it sound right, but he'd talk to Fabian. Fabian could always make things sound right. He peaked into the library, just enough to ensure that Mara and Jerome weren't eating each other, before heading back inside.

He needed to keep revising.