DISCLAIMER: I don't own House of Anubis.

"I should get going," Nina glanced at her wristwatch and then at her new-found friends. She didn't have anywhere to be, not really. It had just been a long day- she hadn't been around so many people in a while. Even when she was dating Mick, all he really liked was time alone with her, a bit weird since he claimed he had been popular during his school years.

"Are you sure?" Mara knitted her eyebrows. "You could stay over. That's what Joy and I are doing."

"Don't you guys have work tomorrow?"

"Joy and I work for a newspaper." Mara shrugged. "Our office is actually pretty close to this apartment building."

"That's cool," Nina mustered up a half-smile and opened the door, waving goodbye to her friends. She was tired, and all she really felt like doing as she stepped out into the cold London air was going to sleep. It was about eleven o'clock, she never stayed out this late. Her parents had stayed out this late only once…and they died.

Nighttime made her feel so threatened- it did it to almost everybody she knew, but Nina was different. She was afraid of the dark, so deathly afraid, a fear from when she was younger. Bad things happened in the dark- who cared if there was pale moonlight? Mick had once tried to help her get over her fear, helping her go outside at night and just walk around. It would've been pretty romantic if Nina wasn't trembling.

"Nina!"

And speak of the devil.

"Get away from me, Mick," she warned softly, but he didn't even listen, coming closer. She wasn't scared of him or anything of the sort, she just didn't want him around. He brought up bad memories. Memories she didn't need.

"Nina, come on! I've apologized!" he protested, throwing his hands up in, indignant. What more did she want from them to get back together?

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Mick," she said, gritting her teeth and refraining from shivering from the cold weather.

"Then what will?" he questioned, getting impatient.

She looked up, frowning and eyes blazing. Did he honestly think that he could just come over and preach about how much he regretted it all and she would happily take him back? "Nothing will! You cheated on me with some slut!"

"Hey, she's not a slut!" He defended Joy almost on instinct before mentally berating himself. Did he really just say that to the girl he wanted to get back together with? But even he couldn't deny it, Joy was a lot of things but she was in no way a slut or whore. If anything, he was the only one at blame in this situation, since Joy had been as unknowing as Nina.

Nina shook her head and bitterly chuckled, "That! That's it! You don't even really want me back if you're defending this girl! Why don't you just leave me alone, Mick?" Mick opened his mouth to answer, but she just muttered a 'save it,' tears streaming down her face before running off.

"You want me…to go on a date with one of your friends?" Jerome raised an eyebrow, and Amber nodded eagerly, Monday presenting her with some kind of hope, setting her back on track. Nobody would recognize her if they saw her last night. But Amber wouldn't let them know she was hurt- not now, maybe when she was younger, just for the attention. But now? Alfie was supposed to be a thing of the past, 'Amfie' was to everyone else. So she kept her feelings under wraps.

Stepping into Alfie and Jerome's apartment had been hard in itself. Last night, it hadn't been so bad, walking in and seeing the mess and vaguely smiling because it was so Alfie to leave his clothes lying around like that and yeah, it was pretty disgusting, but it was him. She had been hopped up on the fact that Eddie might get a date last night.

Today though, it had taken some serious internal debate just to drive down here during her lunch hour. Jerome had called in 'sick', why, she didn't know, and honestly, she didn't even care. "Her name's Mara, Mara Jaffrey. She was there over video chat. Black hair, tan skin?"

Jerome furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention."

Amber rolled her eyes, "Please? Jerome, please? Pretty please? You guys would look great together! And Mara even reads those stupid mystery books you like! And she's really nice."

Jerome rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, tuning out from Amber's mindless babble. Had there even been a tan girl with black hair?

He was a private investigator. Psh, he would know if there had been.

Patricia strode into the building confidently, with purpose, cool, composed.

Inside, she was a train wreck.

After telling the girls about Eddie and her getting together to see his studio- they called it a date but it was not- Piper had gone crazy on her twin. Now, Patricia had a list of rules to follow- if he offers food, don't chew with mouth open (apparently that turned boys off) if he compliments you, you have to say something nice back (Piper had informed her this was common courtesy) ….

On and on and on.

This was part of the reason why Patricia hated that Piper was a musician. It was as if she was born to be classy or something and was determined to rub it off on everyone else. Piper just didn't get it- it was a casual tour of the studio, nothing more and nothing less.

And yet, all the girl talk from Piper had gotten her nervous. What if she did screw up? This…meeting of theirs, for lack of better word, was something she had been both highly anticipating and dreading since last night.

"Hey," Eddie swiveled around in his desk chair once she entered his office. The walls were decorated with band posters and records. There was a barren shelf that was obviously supposed to house trophies Eddie hadn't received yet. It was a pretty cool office all and all, and even Patricia couldn't deny that she was impressed. He smiled and observed her. If anyone else had done it, she probably would've scowled and bat him away, but he wasn't looking at her as if she was some piece of meat. The look on his face was almost…appreciative as he complimented her, "You look nice."

"You don't look half bad yourself," she retorted jokingly before internally scolding herself. Had she really just said that? She had already screwed up, within an entirety of a minute.

This was probably some kind of record.

To her surprise though, Eddie laughed. Huh.

Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

A/N: Sorry I didn't update last Sunday! Thanks for all the reviews and follows and favorites, they mean a lot! Next chapter will be the Peddie date in detail...