A Little Mad

Chapter 13

Mercedes danced around the room blasting Wham!.

Wake me up before you go-go

Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo

Wake me up before you go-go

I don't want to miss it when you hit that high

Wake me up before you go-go

'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo

Wake me up before you go-go

Take me dancing tonight

I wanna hit that high (yeah, yeah)

Jerome walked towards the music, shaking his head. He paused in the doorway, watching Mercedes dancing around the room. He laughed and instantly regretted it as Mercedes turned around, smiling and walking towards him.

"No no no." Jerome held his hand up only to be ignored. Mercedes grabbed his hands and dragged him into the room. Jerome rolled his eyes. Mercedes giggled, making him dance. Jerome stared at the joy in her eyes and he caved in. Mercedes laughed at how silly she felt they looked. Jerome couldn't help but start laughing with her. Jerome spun her around before pulling her back in to catch her. Their faces stopped centimeters apart. Bailey cleared her throat, pulling both Jerome and Mercedes out of their gaze.

"Penguin is planning on taking out Jeremiah tonight and then you."

Jerome groaned at let go of Mercedes.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You can't trust anyone! He has another thing coming. Let's go."

Jerome turns to Mercedes. "Stay here."

Mercedes sighed, watching him and Bailey leave.

TaTyana crouched down watching the squirrel on the side of the tree. A growl in her voice emitted as she grabbed it, squeezing its neck. She watched the squirrel go lifeless, and she smiled. She carried it through the woods until a light was seen. TaTyana set in front of her fire, the glow in her eyes. Darkness filled every inch of her body. She held her necklace that her parents had given her. She didn't have to see the bodies to know her parents was gone. She just knew there was no way they let them live.

Hours later, Mercedes set on the patio off Jerome's bedroom watching the night fall. She wondered what her life would be like if her family hadn't moved to Gotham. She wouldn't be sitting at the house of a Psychotic Maniac who was out doing God knows what. She thought of Jerome. She tried to imagine him as a child. She wondered what had happened to him, or what eventually made him snap. Thinking of a little boy made her think of her brother. She couldn't help the tears she wiped away. She thought about running away, but she had nowhere to go. She knew she couldn't go to TaTyana. She wouldn't put her in danger. A sudden slam of the door made her jump. She turned around to Jerome stumbling into the bedroom looking beat up and covered in blood. He groaned in anger. Mercedes ran back into the room.

"Oh my God!" Mercedes followed Jerome into the bathroom. He was cursing the entire time.

"That fucking Oswald! I should skin that fucker alive!" Jerome looked up to see Mercedes standing there worried. 

"Let me help you."

Mercedes ran a washcloth over his scarred face, cleaning the blood. Jerome surprisingly had no bruises just cuts. Jerome stared at Mercedes. He watched her attending to his wounds, unaware of his gazing. He looked away once Mercedes finally looked at him.

"All done."

Jerome smirked. "Thanks doll face."

"What happened to you?"

Mercedes didn't take a breath or think about her action. She blunty asked him. Jerome looked at her confused and taken back.

"Jerome... What did the world do to you?"

"If you are asking why I am the way I am, first it is a chemical imbalance. Mental illness. Second, what triggered it? That's a long story. You don't want to hear about that doll face." 

Mercedes grabbed his ungloved hand.

"I have time."

Jerome sighed and looked away. "It's notpretty doll face."

Mercedes moved into his gaze, still holding his hand.

"Jerome.. you can tell me."

Jerome looked at Mercedes, who gave him a reassuring smile.

"My mom... she was the snake charmer of Haly's Circus. Me and Jeremiah grew up in it until he got adopted by this stupid rich couple.."

Mercedes felt the pain in her heart as he continued his story.

"My birthday was always the worst day of the year."

Mercedes couldn't imagine siblings treating each other so badly. She would have done anything for her brother.

"So I guess what set me off is I finally had enough and... I killed my mother..." 

Jerome was expecting Mercedes to be frightened by what he said. Instead, he saw the look of sympathy. Mercedes slowly lifted her fingers to his cheek and ran them down his scars.

"You were so abused...." Jerome smiled and shrugged.

"Don't worry about me doll face. I'm okay now."

Mercedes sighed, knowing he was not okay. The man before her was beaten and forgotten by the world. He was shit on his entire life. The more she stared at him, the more she could see the young man from the pictures behind his scars. She smiled slightly. He was a very handsome man. Jerome noticed her gazing.

"What?" Mercedes shook her head.

"Uh.. Jerome... Could you now explain to me what happened to your face..?"

Jerome set up taller. "Now this is a story. The leader of cult, that was in my honor, cut it off after Theo killed me and the leader tried to bring me back. He thought he failed until I woke up confused as fuck with no face."

Mercedes pulled her lips inside her mouth and looked away. Jerome questioned her. Mercedes turned around and couldn't help her laughing.

"A cult leader cut off your face?! Noooo.."

Jerome raised an eyebrow. "It's not funny."

Mercedes spoke, trying to calm her laughter. "No no. You're right. I can't believe this. How did you get it back on?"

"I used a staple gun." Mercedes's eye grew wide. "You didn't! Oh my God!"

They stared at each other for a few moments then bursted into laughter. A confused expression landed on Jerome's face.

"Usually people are scared of my laugh." Mercedes smiled.

"I like it."

Bailey knocked on the bedroom wall, bringing them out of the bathroom. She was bringing in boxes. Mercedes turned to Jerome.

"I know it has been two days, but I told you I would take you back to the house to get some of your things."

Mercedes smiled even brighter.

"Wait. I have a question for you doll face." Mercedes raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you from? You don't sound like you are from here."

"Tennessee." Jerome laughed loudly.

"That's where the little southern comes from."

Mercedes crossed her arms. "Don't make fun of my accent!" 

Jerome smiled. Mercedes couldn't help but smile back.