DISCLAIMER: I don't own House of Anubis.

The last day before winter holidays was alive and buzzing with excitement. Eddie would usually be excited too, having just finished his last test, but with people constantly making fun of him, he couldn't bring himself to possess the holiday spirit everyone else could. Plus, his father was still trying to make plans with Eddie, when all the boy wanted to do was stay in one solitary home during the break and relax.

Eddie set down his tray, leaving behind a group of snickering jocks who had been teasing him all day. He sighed, picking at his food before looking around his lunch table. He was finding himself to be eternally grateful for these people; people that didn't judge him and stayed with him even when it caused them getting taunted too. What surprised him more was the fact that Fabian, of all people, had been the first to step up. Then KT and Nina, and Mara, Willow and Alfie, and then…Patricia.

Patricia.

The deal between them had been going well, so it was a shocker that she stood up for him. (Though he figured it was more for Fabian.) What really bugged him were Jerome's words- Eddie and Patricia had been doing fine, so of course, he just had to get involved. But that was what Jerome Clarke was: he messed with peoples' minds, a first class manipulator. Patricia had made progress since she came here, learning to stand up for herself and open up, but when Eddie saw her at that moment, she was the girl that had sat at an empty lunch table the first day of her arrival. The one who walked everywhere with her head down and didn't say anything. Jerome had pushed her back into that realm for some time, and it almost angered Eddie. Ever since he had been getting teased, he understood an inkling of what Patricia had felt. And to make someone relive a time in their life when they were constantly getting pushed around was just mean.

"Hey, Eddie," KT waved slightly. Everyone had been treating them somewhat differently since they found out Mr. Sweet was his father- the majority teased him, some tried to bribe him into asking his dad to bring up their grades, and his friends? His friends were tiptoeing around him, as if they even mentioned yesterday's 'incident', he would burst into tears.

"Hey," he nodded to her before looking down at his food again. He could still feel KT's stare on him though- actually, everyone at the table was staring at him. He looked up, thoroughly annoyed, "What?"

"Nothing," Fabian shrugged. "It's just…you're handling this a lot better than we thought you would." Eddie rolled his eyes- he wasn't a pansy, he wasn't going to have an emotional breakdown every time someone said 'Sweetie Jr.', which had quickly become his new nickname.

"They'll stop eventually," KT offered optimistically, but Eddie shook his head, severely doubting it.

"No, they won't," Patricia scoffed slightly from the other end of the table, and everybody turned to her. Even now, she didn't talk much, so when she did offer up a rare opinion, they learned to pay attention. Her eyes locked with Eddie's, "Once people get something on you, they don't just let it go." It was probably the first meaningful and substantial thing Patricia had said since they made the deal- not just an empty 'how are you' or hollow 'have a good day.'

"What do you mean?" Nina asked quietly- sure, they were all bullied in some way considering they were at the bottom of the high school food chain, but she was still curious. To be honest, Eddie was too. He wanted an elaboration.

"I mean, that once these bullies learn something about you that they can use against you, they use it. They use it for a really long time." Patricia's eyes met Eddie's again, "Maybe they even throw it in your face months later." To the others, it might've looked like harmless advice, but Eddie knew exactly what she was doing. She was breaking the deal by talking about it, but she didn't even seem to care. Which she should've, considering she was the one who was so adamant to break all ties with him earlier in the year.

He watched as she quickly looked back down at her food, as if she had suddenly realized she had said too much. A hush fell over the eight after the words of 'wisdom', and it was almost depressing to Eddie, seeing everyone so downcast today. Maybe the holidays could cheer everyone up- seeing family, eating good food.

At least he hoped they would.

Eddie stepped into his house, cracking a small smile as he announced his arrival. "HONEY, I'M HOME!" Stepping out of the school building had actually lifted his spirits- no more taunting, no more teasing, no more Patricia making things all awkward by bringing up subjects they had supposedly buried.

His mom stepped into the foyer to greet him, a smile coloring her face. Eddie's heart swelled at the genuine happiness- the holidays were bringing an effect. England was the best place to celebrate winter by far- it actually snowed here, unlike California, where they used to live so many years ago. Though it was horribly cold outside, it actually made Eddie feel all warm inside by doing stereotypical winter weather things, like drinking hot chocolate. California was always too warm for hot chocolate.

"Hey, sweetie," Ms. Miller greeted, pulling Eddie into a hug as he dropped his backpack. He tensed for a moment, hearing 'sweetie' and remembering school, but quickly hugged his mother back in a rare show of affection. The joy was contagious, and just thinking that he wouldn't have to see any of his stupid classmates- no Jerome, no Joy, no Amber, no Mick, no laughing people who pointed at him- made him smile wide.

Ms. Miller pulled back, "Oh, Eddie, I hope you don't mind, but I invited the Williamsons over for dinner tomorrow." Tomorrow. The 22nd. Seriously? Right after Eddie had beamed at the fact that he wouldn't have to see his classmates, his mom said that? Admittedly, Patricia wasn't the worst of them, but still. He shrugged, trying to remain indifferent. Although he wasn't looking forward to seeing Patricia, he found he wasn't dreading it as much as he would've used to. The deal had made things casual between them and lightened the atmosphere so much that they could look at each other most times without dredging up memories.

"Sounds fun," he shrugged.

"Great," she beamed. "Want to help me make cookies?" And he nodded, following, hoping for a chance to lick the bowl clean.

Because this was what a holiday was about.

"…and so I expect you both to be on your absolute best behavior." Mrs. Williamson warned, casting a long glance at Patricia, who nodded obediently. Patricia, for once, was actually fine with seeing Eddie outside of school. Was it ideal? No. Did she particularly want to go? No. But it was fine, and after months of practice, she could finally show her mother that yes, she could be civilized with him. (Mrs. Williamson had been harping on Patricia about 'making friends' because she never brought anyone home for a sleepover or anything like that.) Personally, Patricia thought none of her so called 'friends' were close enough to invite over for a sleepover anyways.

"Of course," Piper beamed, and Mrs. Williamson left the room and closed the door. Piper turned to her twin, "So? No complaints?" Patricia studied her twin- they had reconciled over the tiny fight they had about being perfect and such almost two months ago, but it was obvious they were both trying almost too hard to be nice to each other.

"What do you mean?" Patricia muttered, although she had a pretty good idea of what Piper was talking about. The last time they had both seen Eddie together, months ago, the day they made the deal, Patricia had a huge fit about how much she didn't want to see the guy. Piper still didn't know her reasons for trying to avoid Eddie, thinking her sister was just being stubborn.

"I kind of expected you to throw a huge fit or something," Piper raised an eyebrow before her eyes lit up. "Oh my god, you like him!"

Patricia groaned, "Why is it that you think I like every boy who has ever talked to me?"

"You like him, Patricia! My sister has a crush!"

"I do not like him," Patricia countered, and it was true. The only reason she could even tolerate Eddie was because they stayed out of each other's way most of the time. If they didn't, it would be an ongoing battle of death glares.

"Yes, you do!" Piper giggled, jumping off of Patricia's bed. "You are so in denial!"

"Piper."

"I am so getting you guys together," Piper grinned and wiggled her eyebrows before standing up. Patricia's jaw dropped as she attempted to form words- no, she was not getting together with Eddie. It was wrong on so many levels, he used her, they had a deal, and frankly, she didn't like him like that. To be honest, she didn't like him at all. It was times like this she wished she had told Piper what happened, but it'd be awkward to bring up now, and it would bring up all those negative emotions she had learned to push down.

"Piper, if you…" Patricia trailed off. What was she supposed to threaten Piper with? Piper was perfect, Piper didn't do anything wrong. And her twin wasn't as easy to manipulate as before; Piper had learned her tricks a while back.

"Exactly," Piper said, knowing Patricia didn't have anything against her. Patricia scowled, making a mental note to avoid Eddie at all costs tomorrow night. "Now, what are we wearing? We have to make Eddie want you!"

Patricia sighed, frustrated, "Piper, I do not like him. He does not like me. We are not even friends."

"Uh-huh," Piper grinned, looking conniving as she reached for a dress from their shared wardrobe. "What about this?"

"No."

"At least try it on," Piper begged. "If you do, I won't talk about Eddie for the rest of the day." Patricia bit her lip, eyes darting between the dress and Piper. She highly doubted it was this big of an event that she had to wear a dress, even one as simple and casual as the one Piper was holding. Some 0of the girls at school wore dresses like this, and Patricia simply didn't see the point. 'Dress' just screamed 'too fancy.'

"Fine," she groaned, snatching the dress from her sister's hands and heading to the bathroom. At least it would get her to be quiet. "Only if you shut up about Eddie." Piper just grinned and nodded, shoving her sister into the bathroom.

Eddie fell back and hit his bed with a thump, covered in flour and frosting. Even he had to admit, he had a fun time baking cookies with his mom. He wouldn't be able to eat one until tomorrow though, when the Williamsons came over.

The Williamsons.

He really needed to stop thinking about them.

Every time he did, he felt the urge to look out his window as he normally would've. But it would be a world of awkwardness if he and Patricia locked eyes once more and they both knew that, so he tried to avoid his room as much as possible so he wouldn't be tempted to look outside. He would've closed his curtains, but the few times his resolve had weakened and he had looked out, he had noticed that Patricia hadn't closed hers. If she could go without the urge to use curtains to stop herself from looking at him, then he could do the same. Therefore, Eddie left his curtains open. It was a test of sorts.

But looking out once wouldn't hurt, right?

No, of course not.

Of course not.

Just one discreet glance.

And so he looked outside his window.

Patricia and Piper were standing in the middle of their room, and one of them- he didn't know who- was facing his direction, but hadn't noticed he was looking, all too absorbed in a conversation. The one facing him had a dress on, and he figured it was Piper. Piper looked like the type to wear dresses more often than Patricia.

But the girl facing him also had the same rose patterned black tights that Patricia sometimes wore with her skirts at school. It had to be her- though he wasn't close enough to provide accurate descriptions, the twin that was facing him had her hair in front of her face instead of pulled back.

Patricia was wearing the dress.

It looked well on her actually, the burgundy a refreshing, though not too drastic, change from the usual black she wore. The dress was very modest with a black crew neck that offset the burgundy. The lace tights pulled it all together, and Patricia actually looked very elegant wearing it. Impossibly girly and different than usual, but still, elegant. It accentuated all the right places, unlike the clothes she wore to school, which seemed to be just thrown on without thinking about being on top of the fashion world. Now, though, in a burgundy dress that brought out every feature he had earlier failed to see? Patricia actually looked very pretty.

Wait, what?

Eddie paused, rubbing his eyes and turning away from the window. Had he just called Patricia pretty? Sure, she looked nice, but pretty was never the word he would first use to describe her. It wasn't as if she was ugly- neither she or Piper were horrific to look at in any way. It was just that, whenever he looked at Patricia, his usual first thoughts were based on the night everything fell apart or focusing on the deal. Even when he had stuck the pin in her hair and complimented her ages ago, it was more for the sake that she kept the pin in. His thoughts had always been focused on the past whenever he saw her- the word 'pretty' had never come to mind.

But this time, he had seen her in a dress- a dress that fit her very well- and he had given her a mental compliment without a second thought.

He tried to calm himself down- thinking somebody was pretty was not a horrible thought. He thought Joy was pretty, he thought Nina was pretty, he thought Mara, Willow, and KT were pretty, and frankly, it didn't make a difference.

But still.

Screw the curtain test, Eddie thought as he jumped to close his curtains.

He had just called Patricia Williamson, of all people, pretty.

And that scared him.