Thank you Chrono XIII for the challenge and thank you for proof reading. I really appreciate all of it.

Here is a the next chapter. I think there may be only one chapter to go...but we'll see. And if you have any suggestions of where to go next please let me know!

I own nothing HOA!

Enjoy!

Over the next day I avoided Patricia at all costs. I knew she was trying to find me so that we could talk about yesterday, but I didn't know what to say. I wasn't ready to admit how I felt.

As soon as classes were over I quickly made my way back to Anubis House so that I could talk to Victor. I knew he probably would be of no use, but at least it was someone to talk to. I made my way up the steps to his office, but stopped in my tracks when I saw a familiar auburn haired girl talking to him. Why was Patricia talking to Victor? And what about?

I cautiously made my way over to the open door and stood flat against the wall right outside so that I could hear and see what was going on, but I couldn't be seen.

"What did you need Patricia?" Victor was asking from his seat at his desk.

"I wanted to talk to you about Jerome," Patricia answered. Why did Patricia want to talk to Victor about me?

"What about Miss Williamson?" Victor asked.

"Well Jerome hasn't really been acting like himself recently and I was wondering if you knew why?" Patricia asked as she stood in front of Victor's desk.

Victor didn't answer right away, almost as if he wasn't sure how to respond. After all as far as Victor knew, Patricia didn't know anything about our relationship. "Victor, Jerome told me all about his past and his relationship with you. That's why I'm here asking you if you know what's off because besides me you're the only other one who has a chance of knowing," Patricia added after Victor's silence.

"He's had a lot on his mind lately," Victor sighed as he folded his hands on his desk.

I wasn't sure what I should do, I didn't want to stand here and listen to them talking about me like this, but I couldn't get myself to leave either. I really needed to know what they were going to say about me…I just wasn't sure if I wanted to know what they were going to say.

"That much is obvious," Patricia said in her usual short tone. "But what?"

"I'm not really at liberty to discuss that with you Miss Williamson," Victor stalled. Good, he shouldn't tell Patricia anything that I'd told him in confidence…but I had the feeling that she would soon talk him into it.

"Does it have to do with Mara?" Patricia tried a different approach.

Victor didn't respond. "Oh come on Victor!" Trixie complained. I knew she just wanted to get to the bottom of all of this and I knew I should tell her myself, but I wanted to see how this played out.

Victor sighed and slowly started to give in, "He recently mentioned something about Mara."

"What?" Patricia asked impatiently.

Victor didn't answer again. "Does he like her?" Patricia asked almost desperately.

"No," Victor simply answered. "He doesn't like her."

"But he does like someone?" Trixie pushed.

"Yes," Victor nodded slowly, his expression pained as if it hurt to admit my secrets to Patricia.

"Who?" Patricia insisted.

It was time for me to step in; I wasn't going to let Victor be the one to tell her that I liked her. I needed to do that for myself.

"Who Victor?" Patricia insisted again.

"You Trixe," I answered her question as I revealed myself. She spun around so fast her hair whipped her in the face as she stopped. Her face slowly registered what I said and slowly it broke into a smile. The prettiest smile I'd ever seen.

"Me?" Trixie asked slowly, almost as if she didn't believe me.

"Yes you," I smiled as I took a few steps towards her, my eyes connecting with hers. Now Patricia knew how I felt…but what would her reaction be?