First of all, I wanna thank Faye for helping me~

This takes place after their years at Anubis.

Takes place during their college years~

It was one of those days when Mara opted to be alone, far from all the chaos of her world. She tried to mute all the voices lurching in her head. She's blocking all the images flashing on her mind. She's confused, dazzled and foxed. Mara was sitting alone on a stool in a bar with a glass full of margarita residing on the table right in front of her. She's toying with that cute little citrus fruit that is strategically placed on the top of her glass when she saw a familiar frame that just happened to sit beside her through her peripheral vision.

"What are you doing here?" She asked without looking at the man sitting right beside her.

"You want me to be here. So I'm here" he replied

"Why would I want you to be here, Jerome?"

"Because you miss me..." he said with a smirk "It's okay if you miss me Mara, there's nothing wrong with it"

Mara cast her eyes down; she picked up the glass and drunk all the liquid that's left on it.

"It hasn't been easy, you know, lately" She confessed; her eyes met Jerome's gaze. And there it was, that familiar feeling, that sensation she feels every time she stares at those eyes. Those eyes that belonged only to her. For a brief moment she felt comfortable. She finally felt home.

"I figured, so is that why you're drinking?" he asked arching an eyebrow "You never drink"

"Things change" she said in a quiet voice "I've change, since that day you left me…"

It was a Saturday, Mara didn't have classes, and she decided to visit one of her favorite parks in the city. She sat on a bench; her thoughts are as vague as the blue sky above her, and as chaotic as the colors of the sunset. Amid her contemplating, she felt someone had joined her in her seat.

"It doesn't matter where I go, those it?" she asked. She didn't need to look; she exactly knew who that is, it's Jerome. "You always seem to find me"

"I know your favorite spots" he answered "This is where you go whenever you have problems, this has always been where you go even back when we were still at Anubis" he said with a smile, she couldn't help but smile; remembering those time, those time when everything was perfect "What's wrong?"

"Does it matter to you? Why would you be concern?" she asked timidly

"Mara-"his words were interrupted by a beeping sound. It was Mara's phone. Someone texted her. And Jerome was well aware of the identity of the sender.

"Let's run down the list, shall we?" Jerome let out a soft laugh "There's the American that we use to live with back at our days at Anubis"

"He has a name you know, Eddie" she sighed

"Of course, then there's the geek charming who's in love with your brain" he paused for a moment before continuing "and then there's this one- Mick, the one who just texted you" Jerome knew that Eddie and Fabian never did like Mara and Mara knew that, both had girlfriends but Jerome would tease her about them "So do you like him?"

"No" she answered without thinking.

"It's okay if you like him" She could feel Jerome's sincerity in his every word.

"He's somebody's boyfriend you know."

" So? I was your boyfriend…"

"But you left me…"

Jerome's reaction changed. He took his eyes off of Mara and he let them lurk on the hues of yellow and orange with a hint of purple painted across the sky…

"You still remember?" He asked her, even though he knew the answer already…

"Why would I forget? My heart still aches, sometimes…"

"Sometimes?" he asked arching an eyebrow"You're right, things change. No matter how much we don't want to, things change, season's change, just like how feelings change… He's nice…and you like him… and I'm okay with it…." He said slowly

"No!" she answered

Her eyes were fixed on Jerome's face, as if she's trying to memorize every part of it, every curve, every line.

"Why not?" he asked curiously

"Because he's not you"

The sky turned dark and she decided to go home, she was with Jerome in her car.

"You're not gonna reply to Mick?" he asked, watching her drive" I'm sure he's waiting for your response…"

Her hands are on the stirring wheel, her eyes are on the road, trying her best not be flustered by Jerome's presence.

"I won't text him back" she replied her eyes not leaving the road

" Why?"

"I don't want to…"

"Here" He grabbed her phone from her dashboard and snatched her left hand from the stirring wheel. His eyes cast down on her wrist as he was about to hand her, her phone. "Where's your bracelet?"

"I don't know" she replied, not meeting his gaze

"You don't know or you don't want to remember?" he asked

She didn't have the courage to look at Jerome eye to eye. Her guilt is killing her inside. The Bracelet… she remembered the day; he gave it to her….

They were on a boutique; she was trying dresses for their upcoming grad ball. She asked him to help her pick the best outfit; hence Jerome has a great taste in clothes, and in everything, including his girlfriend. She can't help but feel conceited, well she's aware that she's a belle, and she is undoubtedly gorgeous, so Jerome got the right choice.

" Hey, what do you think?" She was on her fourth gown, and Jerome seemed not that enthusiastic anymore

"Uhmmmm…okay…" he answered

"It's just okay?" She asked him with a worried look.

"I think there's something missing"

"What's missing?"

Jerome rose from the couch he's been sitting for the last 30 minutes and pulled out a box.

"Here" he opened the box and pulled out a silver chain bracelet with a heart for a charm. He took her hand and put the bracelet on it "It's like a ring…but not really" he said rubbing the back of his neck

Mara smiled. She's confused yet flattered. Who wouldn't be? I mean, Jerome just gave her a very stunning piece of jewelry. It might have cost a fortune, but that's not actually the sole reason why she's flattered; well he's Jerome, he's not the type that would give gifts like this.

"Yeah, I can see it's not a ring" she said, a smile playing on her lips "it's a bracelet but what is this for?"

"A reminder." He shrugged "It's like a tag"

Mara's eyebrows met "Tag? Reminder?"

"For the other boys out there. This bracelet has my name engraved on it." He said as he showed her the back of the heart "So it means you're mine and if ever you get lost, you'll find your way back to me –your owner."

"So you own me? Is that it?" she asked with a smirk

"Every bit, every part." He said before capturing her lips with his own.

Then he smiled at her, it was the sweetest smile. A smile she would have given everything just to see again.

Now there is no smile on Jerome's lips. His face is emotionless. And she hates it, she misses his face whenever he gets happy, or excited, or nervous, even the times he was angry. She misses those times; she misses the fights and the sweet moments, the arguments and the jealousy, the fight and make-up. She misses all this. She misses Jerome.

They were inside his car; and Just So You Know was playing on the radio.

"I want that to be our wedding song" he said

"No. Have you listened to the lyrics?" She laughed at him. "It's not a good wedding song and Mr. Clarke, why are we talking about marriage?"

"Maybe I would propose to you soon, you never know and I like the song by the way"

"I love the song, but it's too sad" she said with a smile "definitely not a wedding song and you just messed up the surprise of your proposal!"

"Why cause I told you? Ahh… that's where you're wrong"

"Oh all right" she said arching an eyebrow "surprise me then"

Jerome opened his dashboard compartment and pulled out a small box, he handed it to Mara

"Open it" he said

Mara's mouth hung open, her eyes popped out; her hands were trembling out of nervousness.

She opens the box slowly and when the lid finally comes off she saw a ring, she took it out only to drop it.

"Oh…" she said nervously

"Oh… where's the ring?"he asked

"I don't know, I was trembling and I dropped it" she choked out

Mara bowed from her seat to find the missing ring, then Jerome saw the ring beside the gas pedal, he bent down to get it…

Then….

"Jerome!" she screamed.

It was the only thing Mara remembered, the next thing she knew, Jerome was being put to a grave next to his father.

Jerome died.

5 years ago.

Kyaaa~

What ya think~?