Unsteady; House of Anubis *B2*

[16] House of Frauds

"Ever since summer break when I was 8, I saw a donkey on the beach being ridden by a sumo wrestler." Jerome quickly retorted to Mara, his eyes wandering to Camilla who was smiling over at Eddie. His comment caused laughs from Joy and Patricia, which caused him to focus back on Mara who was looking at him eyebrows raised, "I can't get it out of my head. I promised myself, one day I would save his people..." with that he walked past her and over to Camilla, breaking her attention with Eddie as he put the bucket he was using as a collection down onto the chair she was using.

"Sumo wrestler?" Camilla asked softly with a laugh.

"I panicked." Jerome laughed back, "but I have to pay back the P.I. somehow..."

"J, I could loan you the –"

Camilla was cut off by Jerome who held a hand out to stop her, "I know Mills, but I've got to do this myself. I bought him; this is my issue." Camilla let out a sigh but nodded, she understood his reasoning.

"Hey, new boy?" Jerome asked, looking up to see Eddie still watching Camilla with an expression he didn't like seeing on his face, this blunt call from Jerome causing Eddie to push off the wall he was leaning on and wander over to the pair, "Can I put your name down for a Donkey Day challenge?"

Eddie scoffed, "what about you? I see you hassling everyone else, the only person to say no was Female Rutter here and even then, she is taking part. It seems unfair you're not doing anything yourself." Jerome looked almost perplexed someone had called him out on not taking part.

"He has got a point, Jerome," Alfie pointed out quietly but they all heard him.

"Whose side are you on?" Jerome bitterly asked his friend, who simply raised his hands up in surrendered before going back to focusing on Amber and her magazine.

Eddie seemed to know the games Jerome played and turned to him with a smile, "I'll do a Donkey Challenge if you do." He told the boy.

"Okay..." Jerome agreed.

"Excellent," Eddie interrupted before the boy could pick an easy challenge for himself, "I get to pick the challenge, Donkey Dinner!" Eddie seemed almost too pleased with himself that Camilla turned to look at Patricia an idea popping into her brain, "if you can eat 3 gallons of creamed carrot, I will personally sponsor you $100." Eddie told the boy causing Jerome's mouth to widen in shock. Eddie seemed to miss interpret it to mean Jerome thought it was too little an amount to donate and then said, "$150 then, deal?"

"Done!" Jerome instantly said shaking the boy's hand looking gobsmacked. There was only 3 other people who waved about money like that on stupid things, Alfie, Camilla and Amber (though Amber's things were important to Amber so he guessed they weren't that stupid.). With that Eddie picked up the donation bucket Jerome had placed on the armchair and handed it back to him, sitting down and looking up to Camilla who was on its arm.

"Anything past She-Rutter when it comes to names?" Camilla asked innocently, she may or may not have put the word out to her little spies and word got around quickly she was trying to outsmart Eddie. She knew it wouldn't take long for him to find it out but it was fun whilst he didn't know.

"Not yet," he laughed leaning back in the chair, "but give me some time, I have contacts you could only dream of." Even this comment caused Alfie to laugh as he and Camilla looked to one another. Camilla was practically untouchable now she was somehow in Victor's good books; nobody could beat having the caretaker on your side when it came to this school.

"Hey, Jerome!" Patricia called over from the stage, causing Eddie's head to look around at the noise, "I still don't have a partner for the Wonky-Donkey."