Joy took Jerome out to a nearby coffee shop, insisting she'd pay for them both, but Jerome ending up paying anyway. They took a seat at a corner booth.
"I've never been here before," Jerome admitted.
"How-" Joy looked at him as though he were crazy. "You've been living in this area for thirty-four years of your life, and you've never come here before? That's sad, Clarke."
"Sorry I haven't been to one local coffee shop before, Mercer," Jerome smiled. "You know, you're tough. Breaking up with your boyfriend this morning and having the guts to smile this afternoon."
Joy tried to keep her smile but just ended up looking down and losing it.
"No, no, I'm really sorry," Jerome apologized. "I didn't mean to bring it up and upset you."
Joy shook her head. "No, it's fine. You're right, I guess I am heartless to be able to do this..."
"I said tough, and I meant that," Jerome corrected her. "Not heartless, but brave and strong, and I admire you for that. I suppose with a name like yours, you have to keep a little joy in your life."
Joy gained her smile once more. She knew it wasn't right to be fine so soon after breaking up with Erik, and she actually wasn't. But somehow the view right in front of her-the fact that she was just there with Jerome made her just smile and enjoy the present. She truly felt as though the present was a gift.
"Joy?" Jerome asked, noticing Joy was just staring at him dreamily.
Joy snapped out of it and realized she'd have to come up with an excuse to hide what she was really thinking about. "Why didn't you want to join Sibuna at first? The truth because I really want to know. And I know you lied to Amber."
"How do you-I just won't question it," Jerome sighed. He swallowed before continuing. "We all have our secrets. Or at least, you know I do with me being Jerome Clarke and all. I'm always carrying secrets around. But isn't it strange how I know of one specific woman who always has her own secrets as well?"
Joy held her breath, wondering if Jerome knew she lied about why she had the letter.
"It's you, by the way, if you didn't catch on. And I am talking about the letter." Jerome read her mind.
"B-but you said you believed me."
"I may have lied. Just a tad bit. But I'm not ready to explain my secrets, and I surely know your not ready to explain yours. So why don't we just forget it until it becomes relevant again?"
The devilish intimidation Joy knew about Jerome had returned, and she knew it for sure. It was his way of getting defensive, and he just had to be right.
"Ok."
~~~~~
"We're so close to getting Alfie back; I'm so excited!" Nina squealed to Fabian, both of them relaxing on Fabian's bed.
"You're excitement is really starting to sound like Amber's," Fabian laughed, rubbing his ears.
"Sorry...We really need to wake Amber up. And Willow. And the kids."
"And we will," Fabian assured.
"I don't doubt that," Nina admitted. "But every night I go into my room and see Amber there sound asleep, and I go to sleep expecting her to wake up the next morning as Amber as ever...And yet, she never does. And I feel like if I go check on the kids in Willow's room, I'll just break down and cry. Sometimes I wish we never took this offer. But I knew that if we didn't, Daniel would wreak havoc anyway. He's striking where it hurts, and he's making us fight him at the same time, and we can't give up for the sake of the world. And so we stress ourselves out over taking care of high schoolers dealing with a new Secret Society. But that's just what we do, being Sibuna and all."
"You're not considering leaving again, are you?"
"I should ask you the same. But no. No, I'm not. I realize that I have things to fight for."
"So do I." Fabian hugged Nina close and tight in his arms.
~~~~~
Eddie had decided he would be going for a walk, but Patricia stopped him for a moment before he actually left the house.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"For a walk."
"And you didn't invite me?"
Eddie sighed. "Do you want to go on a walk with me?"
"No, don't you know me at all?" Patricia rejected. "But I will because I have nothing else to do."
Eddie raised his eyebrows but didn't retaliate against it. He opened the door and went out after Patricia, closing the door behind them both.
"You remember the Method Beyond Resist thing Nina found out about, right?" Patricia asked as they walked side-by side.
"Of course I do. What about it?"
"What do you think it does?"
"Well Fabian thinks it takes control of-"
"-no, no. What do you think?"
"Well...I think the same thing. It just makes you helpless, I guess. The name sort of speaks for itself, really."
"What if they actually did it? What if it worked?"
Before Eddie could answer, he received a text from an unidentified sender. He took his phone out his pocket and looked down to check it out.
If you really want to see your father again, stick around when Joy and the rest of you come to save Alfie. Because I certainly know she found the location. And I certainly know you'll be coming for him soon enough.
Eddie looked back up, but looked back down when he received yet another text.
Oh yeah. And tell your friends? They won't live to see the light of another day.
Eddie made a deep sigh and placed his phone back in his pocket.
~~~~~
A chapter is finally here! So, I said it would be here Saturday, but this is actually midnight on Monday for me, so sorry! Please don't hate me! I tried to get one Saturday, but I didn't, and I am truly sorry. So very sorry. I have not meant to deprive you of this all this time, but I hope you forgive me!
Jeroy or Jamber?(I can't really decide myself either)
Who do you think the text is from?
Should Eddie tell the others?
Until next time, Aristocrats!