Original A/N: Here's chapter 3, and a little chart to stop confusion, because I know the roles can get mind boggling sometimes [Thanks to all those who read, reviewed and gave ideas!]

Nina plays Mick/Fabian plays Mara/Patricia plays Jerome/Amber plays Fabian/Mick plays Patricia/Mara plays Alfie/Jerome plays Amber/Alfie plays Nina

I don't own House of Anubis.

Updated A/N: My old chapter titles are inspired by such minute details. This one is literally named for a band-aid. (Should now be the part where I mention I don't own Band-Aid?)

"Amber, some advice on acting like me…" Fabian began, trailing off for a split second, until he had her full attention. "Stutter a lot. Oh, and… talk to yourself." That last part was more of a murmur. Everyone laughed, because it was true. Amber was surprised Fabian knew that he even had those habits.

Apparently, Patricia was on the same wavelength. "You realize that about yourself?"

"Sure I do. It's just another one of my quirks."

Nina told him: "Don't worry about it though. It's cute."

"Oh!" Amber said -since she figured something out- not giving Fabian a chance to smile over what Nina said. "I'll make it even cuter. Thanks, Fabian." He nodded, laughing silently.

"As long as we're on the subject of Amber," Fabian said, looking in Jerome's direction: "Maybe you should start saying 'WWVBD' more often." Jerome seemed to be deep in thought after hearing that, much to Fabian's surprise. He's actually considering that idea? It seemed practically impossible.

"Patricia, for you I'd say expression is key," Fabian advised. In his opinion, the looks on his face were the only way Jerome ever was expressive. "But avoid eye contact." In a whisper, he added: "Apparently your character's too cool for that."

And apparently Fabian wasn't as much of a genius as he'd like to think, because he hadn't picked up on the fact that Jerome had very sensitive hearing.

Fabian looked between Mara and Nina then, and they wondered what was on his mind. So, he let them know. "And, erm… no offense to the ones you're portraying, but… you two might wanna…" He could think of no way to sugarcoat what he said next: "dumb down what you say a bit."

Amber's eyes got fiery. "Oh, yeah, no offense. Talk about dumb, Fabian."

"How can you say something like that?" Alfie added.

Fabian knew it was a poor choice of words, but he thought he had a valid point. "Sorry?" He wished the word hadn't come out like a question.

"You will be." Amber assured him. Which meant he was in trouble, and -even if he was a genius- Fabian had no idea what that meant by Amber's terms.

"Okay, moving on." He said this in hopes she'd forget about her little grudge. "Does anyone else have acting tips to give?"

"Well," Nina said, taking a second to think about it, while Fabian silently thanked her for keeping him from saying anything else that made him sound like he was asking for a fight. "I liked Mick's idea, dressing up like our 'characters'. Style says a lot about a person."

No one seemed to be considering her idea. "Fabian has no style." Amber said. He brushed that off, feeling deserving after what he'd said.

"Yeah," Jerome agreed. "and I am not dressing in anything that looks like those atrocities Amber calls clothes."

"You're just jealous because I look like a supermodel." Amber said to him, smirking.

"I don't know." Patricia said casually. Amber and the others looked at her to explain that. She hesitated, but spoke her mind regardless. "Jerome dresses pretty… sharp."

That was unexpected. "I mean seriously," Patricia went on. "You could have gone to prom in your casual wear and we'd still feel like you were trying to show us up."

Amber scoffed. "Patricia, you're not supposed to tell him that, even though it's so true… but once the modesty's gone so is the awesomeness!" Everyone else's eyebrows drew together.

"Did anyone catch that?" Joy asked, completely lost.

"I think my brain just exploded." Fabian replied.

To try and clear things up for at least Jerome, Amber told him: "Don't let it go to your head." He still didn't speak, stuck on Patricia's random compliment. Or was it an insult? It seemed that way by the time she finished her thought, and he couldn't wrap his head around it. So he just left it alone.

Mick, on the other hand, couldn't just drop it. Since his conversation with Patricia started, she'd insulted almost everyone who spoke to her. Then she goes off and tells Jerome something like that. It wasn't such a big deal, but it wasn't typical of her either.

Mick could only wonder what she was really thinking.

"We could cheat." Hearing that, everyone thought they were dreaming. Not only was that statement confusing, Mara was the one who suggested it.

Despite how crazy it sounded, Jerome was open to suggestion. "How do we do that?"

Mara gave her answer as if it was obvious: "We all just act the same."

Fabian raised his eyebrows. "Mara, you can be so surprisingly… evil." The last word was an exaggeration, and a joking one at that. "I think I'm gonna like playing you."

"You see what he's saying?" Patricia asked Mara. "We have to do this project the right way. It would take the fun out of it if we were all acting like a bunch of robots."

Since Patricia had stated her opinion on just about everything else, Jerome said: "What do you suggest?"

"Stick to keywords." Patricia said, looking at each of the others as she addressed them. "Nina, keep being sporty. Fabian, be sweet. Amber, be smart. Mara, be weird. And funny. Jerome, be… smiley. And Alfie, be brave. Now shouldn't we all get to bed? Not that I'm looking forward to it, but we have school tomorrow."

Most of her housemates listened right away. They headed off to their rooms, Fabian mumbling to himself sadly: "I thought I was sweet."

It took Patricia a little while to realize she wasn't alone.

Mick had gotten up from the couch, but he stopped when he got to the living room doorway. "So, what do I do?"

She looked up quickly, but hesitated in answering. "Be… be…edgy, I guess." What was to guess? He was afraid to ask, but that thought reminded Mick of his original question for Patricia.

"I know I'm risking being pummeled for asking this, but… do you like Jerome?"

She didn't answer like he thought she would. She didn't burst out laughing, or yell at him for even thinking something like that. Patricia just said: "What does it matter? I'd still act the same either way."

Mick blinked. "Okay, but now I'm just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat." This answer made him heave a sigh of frustration.

"I'm supposed to be you! Why can't I know? It's not like I'll tell anyone."

"Yeah, I believe that." Patricia said sarcastically.

"You should. Don't you trust yourself?"

His joke did not amuse her. "You're nothing like me." Patricia said harshly, standing up. "Maybe Mara's right and we should cheat, I feel like I'm surrounded by robots anyway." With that, she pushed past him.

The tables had turned, and -for a change- Mick was frozen in place over something Patricia did.

While getting ready for school later that morning, Jerome came back into his room to hear a perfectly girlish scream escape Alfie's lips, and he doubted it was part of playing Nina.

"What are you screaming about?" As he asked this, he remembered to stay smiley like Patricia suggested, just in case Alfie did happen to be acting. Although his jaw ached already, and Jerome wondered how Amber kept it up all day long.

"Man, it must have been dark last night…" Alfie said more to himself, unable to focus his attention anywhere.

Jerome was annoyed. "Again, what are you screaming about?"

Alfie gave him a look like he was as dumb as a brick. "Did you even look in the mirror today or did that giant zit on your face block your view?" He had himself in hysterics with that one.

"WHAT?!" Jerome ran to his mirror so fast he nearly ate glass. He then said something he knew Amber never would. "I look terrible…"

"Nonsense." His eyes widened when he saw the figure that appeared behind him. He clamped his hand over the blemish -that he felt covered the entire surface of his right cheek- while Mara said: "You're absolutely the most beautiful person in this universe or any other."

Alfie squinted at the two of them, picking up on a slight pause in Mara's little speech. He noted that she only added 'or any other' to sound like him. Or maybe she just paused for dramatic effect.

"What do I do about this?" Jerome asked Mara, hoping she wouldn't suggest he cover it with makeup. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a band-aid. "It's all I've got." She sounded apologetic. Jerome couldn't help laughing when he saw the band-aid was covered in flying saucers.

He stuck it on his face with lightning speed. "Do you think anyone will notice?"

Alfie walked away from that train wreck right then, even though he wasn't sure that's what Nina would do. "And he says I'm the weird one…"

Mara tried to think like Alfie when she replied to Jerome's question. "Not if I do the same thing." She took out another band-aid and put it on her own cheek. "Now we match."

"You're crazy." Jerome commented under laughs.

"It's part of my charm." He rolled his eyes playfully in reply, and Mara said: "C'mon, breakfast's getting cold. Besides, if we don't get down there fast Mick's gonna inhale all the hash browns again."

Jerome laughed happily as he followed Mara to the kitchen. Mick, who oddly enough wasn't seated at the table and scarfing down food like Mara predicted (although by 'Mick' she could've meant Nina) was the first to see them.

"I'm scared." He eyed them questioningly. They wondered if he meant that in character. Scaring Patricia was a challenge.

On the subject of Patricia, Amber was questioning her whereabouts.

Joy worried a bit. "She said she'd be right down. " No one saw her anywhere, and they doubted she was watching Fabian help Nina train.

It was minutes before she came down, and a clicking sound gave that away. Everyone at the table looked up. Jerome, Mara and Mick watched as she passed them, stunned.

She pretended not to notice, while they stared at her new uniform. Her white collared shirt had a satiny feel, underneath a cashmere sweater. Her tights were lacy knee-highs. Her pleated skirt was velvet.

Most shocking of all, her trademark hair pieces were gone. Her hair was sculpted yet smooth, thanks to some mystery hair product.

In that moment she was the definition of elegant.

Although her self-righteous smile stayed hidden, Mick could bet she had a song stuck in her head. Anything you can do, I can do better…

Instead of being insulted, he actually smiled about it. His smile faded quickly. A thought crossed Mick's mind. At first, he dismissed it. It seemed ridiculous.

He had this empathy.

He couldn't be happy, even though he was impressed. The reason for that was because Patricia wasn't happy. He could feel it. Yet he kept quiet. At least about that.

"Lemme guess, your casual wear?"

"Sure." Patricia said, matching his mocking tone with some smugness. "You think I have time to get all dressed up?" She caught sight of Jerome, who looked amused yet awkward. Probably because of the colony of extraterrestrials stuck to his face. "You guys match." This comment made him and Mara look at each other. Patricia just had to ask: "Why?"

Alfie answered for them, in his 'Nina voice'. Coming up with a random, crazy lie. "Oh, it's a new trend with couples. Matching accessories. I don't know why they chose a band-aid, but you gotta admit it looks pretty cool."

"Couples?" Patricia echoed. "How are they a couple?" Amber was wondering the same thing. Even she wasn't sure if that was her own feeling or what she thought Jerome was feeling.

Jerome shot Alfie a death glare. "Whoops," When he said this, he didn't sound threatened. "I didn't mean they were official or anything, but you never know. I think they're cute."

If Alfie was talking about him and Amber making a good couple, that would definitely make sense. If he was using his portrayal of Nina just to state his opinion on Jerome and Mara in front of almost everyone, Jerome wouldn't doubt that he'd been abducted by aliens.

He just hoped Mick didn't look at the situation with the latter option.

"Ugh, stop being so mushy." Mick told Alfie.

"How many times have I told you that I can fix you up with someone?" Jerome asked, sounding very much like Amber. It was a bit creepy for Patricia to hear, but funny for Amber. Words about playing matchmaker sounded strange coming from anyone else's mouth. Jerome went on talking. "You only think it's mushy 'cause you don't have anyone."

That was harsh. Mick knew the truth hurt, but he only just realized how much it bothered him to be single for a full two weeks. At least until after lights out.

Do girls really get teased for that? The thought of it was weird, stupid, and scary. "Shut up!" Everyone felt that was Patricia-appropriate behavior -even Patricia- so they weren't surprised. But Mick was the one who shut up after that. He felt like the room was spinning. What was going on? That, he couldn't sort out. All he knew was he needed fresh air.

Out of habit, he took off running without saying a thing.

Amber blinked, and broke character. "Was that part of his act, or…" Her voice trailed off. No one really had an answer. Except for Patricia.

"I'll go find out."

If Mick had still been in character when he left, Patricia should have known the reason why. For some reason it scared her somewhat, not knowing what was going on in his head.

Watching her leave, the other's could swear she was trying to match Mick's top speed…

Thanks for reading, please review! The ending to this chapter came out of nowhere, but I hope you like it anyway. I'm planning on making the next chapter very... coupley. What couples do you like? Any ideas? I really need ideas for Patricia and Mara's prank. Thanks again! =]