DISCLAIMER: I don't own House of Anubis.

I am on a Micktricia kick.

Mick's leaving.

It hasn't really hit her until she's outside, watching Joy hug him tightly. Patricia almost scowls, biting back a bitter remark. Joy's acting like Mick and she are the best of friends, but honestly, when was the last time they talked? Year Eight?

But when Joy untangles herself from the blonde and runs off, it's only Patricia left. And Mick looks cautious as he outstretches his arms to her, and Patricia tries to act as if she doesn't care that this is the probably the last hug they will ever share, and Mick will never know. He'll never know how much she really cares about him- underneath all the insults about how seemingly 'thick-headed' he is, there's a sense of affection.

And when she finally does hug him, she understands. She understands why Mara is always giggling and blushing about Mick's hugs and kisses, because frankly, Patricia loves this. She loves having his arms around her, and she lets herself escape into a world where they would be doing this for no reason- where she and Mick were dating and they just spontaneously decided to hug. He smells of pine and his arms around her make her feel safe.

She's never going to see him again.

And it's with a rush of adrenaline that her lips meet his ear, because what better time to say this than now? Yes, he's a heartbreaker, but he's not coming back anytime soon so this has to be the time to confess- she's not getting a second chance. And her voice is quiet as she says:

"I've always liked you."

And then she's running, ripping away from him before he even has the chance to say something. Because part of her doesn't want to hear what he has to say- he won't like her, and she already knows it, so she's saving him time by just leaving.

Mick pales as he sees Jerome and Mara kiss.

He's seen it coming for a while now, considering that all Mara talks about Jerome, but right in front of him? Did they really have to do it then?

However, as Alfie leads him away with a promise of food, Mick finds that he's not really as disappointed as he would've thought. He looks over everyone- Mara and Jerome are dancing, Amber and Alfie are laughing on the couch, Nina and Fabian are nowhere to be seen, and…Patricia.

He's been thinking about her words every single day in Australia, wondering if he had imagined them. If Mara knew how often he'd thought about the redhead, he'd already be dead.

But there's something different about Patricia today…her clothes? Her hair? Her smile? The fact that she's playfully twirling underneath some guy's finger?

Ah, yes, that must be it.

Mick goes over to Alfie and is quick to ask, "Who's he?"

"Oh, that's Eddie," Alfie beams, and Amber nods beside him. "He's the guy that took your place."

He's the guy that took your place.

That one stung.

"Since when does Williamson dance?" Mick scowls, a twinge of jealousy filling him. Who is this guy, coming in and instantly charming the girl that he had kind of come to like?

Amber shrugs before smiling once more, "I could introduce you!" As if Mick even wants to meet the guy. But before he can protest, he's being dragged along to the new guy, who stops laughing once he sees Mick.

"Hey, you're Captain Australia, right? Mara told me about you," the new guy says, before glancing at Mara, who's kissing Jerome. Mick's face contorts into a look of disgust and the new guy scratches the back of his neck. "Sorry, man."

"You better be," Mick mutters, looking at Patricia, who hasn't said anything since he had arrived. He's left wondering how much she's changed, how much they've changed, actually, because of four words months ago. Does she even think the same of him anymore, or are those feelings reserved for the new guy now?

"Well, I'm Eddie," he outstretches a hand to shake and Mick seethes. His replacement, acting as if everything was just fine.

"Mick," he says, stuffing his hands in his pockets and purposefully ignoring 'Eddie.' He turns to Patricia- because that's honestly the only reason he came near them, to see her, and he smiles slightly. "Hey, Williamson."

"Hey," she says nervously, looking in between Mick and Eddie, clearly uneasy. He's glad at least someone notices the tension, and somehow, he's creating more by outstretching his arms. It's just like that day, the day that's haunted him for months now. She's eyeing him weirdly, and he can tell why- Mick's not one to go around hugging people that aren't his girlfriend.

He sees the new guy's look of hesitation as Patricia goes into his arms, and he grins at Eddie, feeling happy. There's a strange part of him that wants to intimidate his replacement, scare him off. And it's completely unreasonable, because he's sure Eddie's a good guy, but something about seeing him with Patricia is unsettling and he wants him gone.

And before he can register what he's saying, he's leaning to Patricia's ear in an all too familiar way.

"I like you too."

But as he says it, Patricia pulls back, shaking her head slightly. Mick's smile falters as he sees Patricia's gaze turn to Eddie, and he deflates.

There's one last chance to save this, "Williamson, you said you always liked-"

"How many times are you going to mess with my head?" she cuts in, and he sees Eddie straining to hear what they're saying.

"But I like-"

"What, since Mara suddenly decided to kiss Jerome, I'm your rebound?" she spits out, and it's hard to believe that this is the girl who claims to always have liked him. He takes a deep breath- she's not the rebound, she was never the rebound, but there's no way to convince her of that, is there? Patricia continues, taking advantage of the silence, "Well, it's great that you finally started thinking of me like that, but I have a boyfriend now." Mick blinks stupidly as she says it, feeling an aching pain in his chest as she talks. No, this can't be, she likes him, she told him she likes him. How can somebody get over their feelings that fast?

The same way somebody can acquire those feelings that fast, Mick thinks, remembering the sleepless nights in which he sat on his phone, looking at a group photo at Anubis House but looking at Patricia only, analyzing her, wondering why he never noticed just how beautiful she was before.

"You thought I was just going to wait around for you?" Patricia seethes, and Mick shakes his head, even though he hadn't expected her to get a boyfriend (she's been single for the longest time and it's now that she chooses to get a boyfriend?)

"Yacker?" The new guy butts in, dragging her away from him, and Patricia throws a glance at Mick that could mean nothing but goodbye.

And at that moment, he should've wanted to punch Jerome, because it was Jerome that kissed his girlfriend and that was wrong on so many levels. But he didn't want to punch him- the only one he wanted to punch was that stupid Eddie.

Because, yes, Jerome had gotten his girlfriend, but Eddie? Eddie had gotten Patricia.

And somehow, that meant a lot more.