I own nothing HOA!

Sorry this has taken so long to get updated. It has been one crazy week. Here is another update, sorry it's short and that not much is happening yet, I'm laying the ground work for the next few chapters. Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear any suggestions that you may have. If you tell me what you want to see, I will work it in. Thanks again!

Jerome POV

Most of my day was spent sitting around the house with Alfie. I was trying to figure out what was up with Patricia as Alfie rambled on about Amber. I'd zoned out a while ago and had missed half of what he was saying, but I'm sure I'd heard all of it before.

It wasn't until Joy came into the common room and sat next to me, that I pulled my thoughts away from Trixie and paid attention.

"What's up Jerome?" Joy asks, nudging me with her shoulder.

I turn and study Joy for a second, she's my best bet at figuring out what's going on with Patricia without actually going to Patricia and asking. "What's up with Patricia?" I ask.

"Whatever do you mean?" Joy asks, batting her eyes innocently. The thing was, it was more than obvious that she was anything but innocent. I could tell Joy knew what was going on, but I'd bet anything that she wasn't going to tell me.

"You know exactly what I mean Joy. Why was she all over me last night?" I ask, trying to at least get a little bit out of her.

"Have you ever considered that she might like you?" Joy asks, her brown eyes on mine. Yes, that had crossed my mind, but she's made it pretty clear in the past that she had absolutely no interest in me. Why would she change her mind now?

"She's made it pretty damn clear that she can't stand me Joy," I point out, even if I want Patricia to like me, it just doesn't seem all that likely.

"Maybe she changed her mind," Joy says with a knowing smile. I don't miss the jump my heart takes at the thought of Patricia actually liking me. I have liked Patricia for ages and I made that pretty clear, but I finally stopped trying to get her attention when she kept pushing me away. Could that actually be changing? Could she like me back? Somehow I found it highly unlikely, it was probably all the signals I'd gotten up until last night. Last night complicated things though, everything Patricia did made it seem like she was into me. Something just wasn't adding up, it gave me a feeling that something was up. But what?

"Do you know something I don't?" I ask Joy, hoping she's drop some type of hint. If I had some type of reason to go for it, I'd go ahead and make some moves and Patricia and see what happens.

"Maybe," Joy smiles, giving me the distinct impression that Trixie does like me…like that.

"Are you saying Trixie likes me?" I question, really needing an answer. If the answer was yes, I'd go after Trix, but if the answer was no I'd back off and forget about last night.

"I'm not saying anything," Joy mimes sealing her lips.

"Joy," I say, looking at her pointedly. It was clear she was hiding something. When Joy doesn't respond I ask another question that's been haunting me, "Are Eddie and Patricia together?" I really need the answer to be no.

"I don't know," Joy shrugs, and it appears that she's telling the truth. That has to be a good sign because if Trixie's with Eddie, she would have at least mentioned it to Joy.

"You are no help Joy," I groan as I lean back against the couch and run my hands through my hair in frustration.

Joy just laughs before saying, "Why don't you make a move Jerome?" She sends me a wink, telling me that I'm not imagining anything. Patricia was throwing herself at me and Joy knows why, but she has no intention of telling me. Instead of pushing it, I just let it go and take it as a good sign. It's time to turn on the charm and woo Patricia, Joy pretty much told me Trixie wanted me whether she wanted to or not.

At that moment, the front door slams closed and in to the common room walk Patricia and Eddie, laughing and joking together. They are definitely flirting and I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy rage through me. Eddie needed to stop touching Patricia, for his own good. From this point on, I vow to do whatever it takes to get Patricia away from Eddie and on my own arm. She was playing some type of angle, but I was going to play right back. We'd see who won in the end.

Thanks for reading! Yet again, sorry it took so long to update. I'd love to know what you think.