DISCLAIMER: I don't own House of Anubis.

"Patricia! Wait up!" She froze, hearing Eddie's voice. It was the first day back to school after the break, and she was walking. Apparently, he was too.

Needless to say, she was a little embarrassed that she had broken down on his shoulder a week ago. When they had heard the doorbell ring that day, they had separated and bid each other an awkward goodbye, and she hadn't heard from him since then. Eddie hadn't gotten into contact with her so she figured they were just trying to forget the hug ever happened- as much as she had loved being told she wasn't second best, that had been an emotional moment. And Patricia tried not to get emotions show when they didn't need to, which was why she was so embarrassed. Because she had let too many emotions show. Because Eddie had brought those emotions out.

Patricia turned, waiting for him to catch up. She was pleased to see that he was smiling- good, that meant his time with Mr. Sweet had gone well.

Eddie walked alongside her, "So, what'd you do the rest of the break?"

Patricia shrugged, "Nothing much." And it was true, she hadn't really done anything. Besides, she was much more interested in how Eddie's week with Mr. Sweet had gone- she didn't bring it up, not wanting to pry, but she was curious.

"I had a good time with my dad," Eddie offered awkwardly. "And my mom and I…we worked things out too. I'm probably going to meet her boyfriend soon."

Patricia nodded, "That's good, right?"

"I guess," Eddie shrugged. "Who knows, maybe I'll actually like the guy."

"Maybe," Patricia echoed, not sure what to say, and Eddie quickly changed the subject, not wanting this to be weird between them. He had talked about his family issues for long enough now.

"It was a good vacation over all," Eddie finally concluded, and Patricia raised an eyebrow, wondering whether to correct him.

"Vacation? It's a holiday."

"Um, I'm pretty sure it's a vacation."

"No, it's a holiday."

"Vacation!"

"Holiday!"

Amber grinned, stepping out of her car, Joy right beside her. It was the first day back from the holidays, and she was actually excited to be back at school. She hadn't done much over the break- her dad was busy so she had mostly spent time with Joy.

"Do I look okay?" she asked her friend worriedly, looking down at her dress. Joy nodded slightly, and Amber began to fix her hair when she spotted…Patricia and Eddie?

Patricia and Eddie.

Walking to school.

Together.

Laughing, chatting. Amber felt something burn in her as she watched the two. Why were they walking together? From their behavior before break, they didn't seem to have any desire to interact with each other. Amber felt a little hurt- sure, she had broken up with Eddie, but he wasn't supposed to go and find someone else to date, especially not Patricia Williamson.

She frowned- was Patricia better than her? No, that couldn't be, she was Amber Millington, queen of Frobisher High and every guy's dream. Amber sighed, calming down- maybe they weren't even dating. Maybe they were just friends.

Joy seemed to be thinking the same thing, "I don't think they're dating."

Amber scoffed, showing no sign of her previous doubts. "Of course not. They can't be. In fact, let's ask."

Joy's eyes widened, "Amber, are you crazy? We can't just ask!"

"Sure we can," Amber shrugged, applying lip gloss before strutting over to the school door, where she blocked Patricia and Eddie from going inside. Joy shook her head but followed obediently, and Amber raised an eyebrow at the two in question.

"Uh, hi," Eddie waved slightly, looking uncomfortable. Patricia didn't even give a greeting, opting to glare at Amber and Joy.

"Sweetie Jr.," Amber dismissed, using Jerome's word, and turning to Patricia suspiciously. She could vaguely see Eddie pulling a face- did he honestly think everyone would just forget about him being Sweet's son? "So, you two are a couple. Interesting, I never thought you were each other's type but as they say, love is blind." She surveyed Patricia distastefully, taking in the girl's clothes. "Really blind." Patricia rolled her eyes at the statement and crossed her arms, leaving Eddie to tell Amber she was wrong.

"We are not dating," Eddie protested, not that angry. He could see why it would look like they were dating- Patricia and he were standing a little too close to each other and laughing a little too much. But they were just getting to know each other, get on the pathway of being real friends and not what they'd done at the beginning of the school year.

"You just look a little closer, that's all," Joy shrugged nonchalantly, and Eddie and Patricia inched away from each other at the accusations. "I'm just-"

"Can we please go inside?" Patricia rolled her eyes, interrupting Joy. "It's freezing out here." The two popular girls seemed to realize that as soon as she said it, and Joy swung open the school door and let herself in, Amber following with a mutter of 'if you're so cold, why don't you just cuddle my ex-boyfriend? He might keep you warm.' Patricia fought back a blush as she heard it, and hastily rushed inside, going to her locker without waving a goodbye to Eddie. He frowned, but dismissed it, going over to Fabian to ask him what he did over the holidays.

Amber just had to ask a guy, "Do you think Eddie and that freak like each other?" They were at lunch, sitting across from Mick and Jerome, who both looked up and over at the loser table. Patricia and Eddie were sitting next to each other, but other than that, it didn't seem like anything was going on.

"No," Jerome drawled, eyes sparkling as he looked at Amber. "Why, are you jealous?"

"Of course not," Amber scoffed, squinting her eyes so she could see Eddie better. "But don't you think they're sitting a little too close to each other?"

Mick shrugged, "Why should we care what they do? The kid's Mr. Sweet's son- he and the freak would probably get along well." Now that Eddie had dropped school statuses, everyone seemed to have forgotten who he really was. Amber sighed slightly.

Jerome smirked, "And so I repeat, Amber, are you jealous?"

"No," Amber said, lying through her teeth. "Why would I be jealous of her? I mean, look at me, and then look at her. Look at my house, and then look at hers. There is nothing to be jealous of."

"Yes there is," Mick interjected, being oblivious. "She has Eddie and you don't."

It definitely came to a shock to everyone at their table that they were talking, but nobody mentioned it- they all acted as if it was ordinary. Eddie had started a conversation with Patricia about the teachers they hated while everyone else talked amongst themselves. It was nice having someone to talk to…usually, it was Nina and Fabian, then Willow and Alfie, then Mara and KT. And now it was Eddie and Patricia too. And it's not as if anyone outside their little group would even think about talking to Eddie- unless it was teasing him.

"What are you talking about?" Patricia scoffed, picking at her food. Something about being with Eddie brought out her bolder side- not too bold, but definitely feistier than she gave everyone else at school. He was just easy to talk to, and after their hug, something in the air had changed between them. Maybe they weren't best friends or anything, but…to some degree, they did understand each other. And sometimes, that was enough for Patricia to open up a little bit. Because Eddie would get it, because Eddie had kind of opened up to her. "Ms. Andrews is way worse than Ms. Valentine!"

"Nuh-uh," Eddie remarked childishly. "Ms. Valentine gives us a lot of homework- hey, you going to eat that?" He pointed down at Patricia's sandwich, and she wrinkled her nose and passed it to him. Eddie grinned and muttered a 'thanks' as he devoured the sandwich.

"You know, I can make way better sandwiches than these," Eddie remarked, chewing thoughtfully. "Like, hoagies. Hoagies are great."

"Never heard of them."

Eddie faked a gasp, appalled. In his mind, it was a crime to never have tasted a hoagie. He swallowed before snapping his fingers in her direction, "That's it, you have to try one."

Patricia looked up and blinked, "Um, what?"

"Try one," Eddie persisted. "I could make you one after school," he shrugged, finishing off the sandwich. "Just come to my house." Eddie knew for a fact that his mom would be gone today- off with David, no doubt. Eddie also knew he had promised his mom to not judge the man before meeting him, but he couldn't help it.

Technically, Eddie wasn't supposed to have guests over when his mother wasn't home, but honestly, he didn't think Patricia would be a problem. And she'd never be suspected of coming over either, because Ms. Miller still thought he and Patricia didn't get along or something like that.

Patricia bit her lip- just come over to my house? What did that mean? Obviously, he had just invited her, and she was probably over thinking it, but still. She had never been…invited to someone's house like this, and she wasn't sure how to react. But they had just become friends and some part of her liked his company.

"C'mon," Eddie pleaded slightly, lowering his voice. "I owe you. You let me rant about my family that day."

Patricia tensed at the mention, remembering the hug, remembering what he had said to her.

You're not second best, Patricia.

That had made her day- somebody telling her that just because. Somebody who could read her insecurities so easily and wash them away the same way. For the rest of the day, Patricia had been happier than usual because of his words. Eddie…somewhere along the way, his opinion had begun mattering. Maybe even before they became friends, it had mattered. So him telling her that…it had made her feel good. If anything, she owed him.

But on the outside, she shrugged, trying to keep her cool. "Um, sure," she mumbled, and Eddie grinned widely. His grin made Patricia smile- she felt wanted in a way. Somebody actually wanted her to come to their house just so that they could do nothing but eat.

"Now, back to the most important topic," Eddie said playfully. The way he saw it, if he was easy and laid back with Patricia, she might open up and lower her force field sooner. And plus, whenever he cracked a joke, she laughed a bit. He didn't know whether it was out of pity or because they had the same sense of humor, but whatever it was, he was taking it. "Ms. Valentine is obviously a lot worse…"

Patricia felt a little awkward in Eddie's house once she realized his mother wasn't home. She knew he wouldn't try to pull anything on her, but it still made her a little uncomfortable being alone with him. She didn't know him that well, but just in case she needed someone, her mum was right next door.

Currently, she was seated at Eddie's dining room table, one hand tapping on the surface and another one holding onto her phone tightly. She had never been in a boy's house alone with the guy, and it was frightening her.

"Voila," Eddie placed a plate down in front of her, which had a sandwich on it. The sandwich was heavily overstuffed, and Patricia looked cautiously just to touch it. Eddie sat down next to her and a small part of her wondered why he didn't sit across from her, but she ignored it. Ever so hesitantly, Patricia picked up the 'hoagie' and took a tender bite.

And then she took another bite.

And another bite.

And then another.

"I take it that you like it?" Patricia looked up, suddenly remembering where she was and wiping some sauce from her face with her napkin. Wow. Her dining room etiquette was terrible- barge into a guy's house and eat what he made her in the messiest way possible?

Eddie just smirked though, taking a bit of his own. "Knew you would like it," he practically sang, and Patricia calmed down once she realized he didn't really care how she ate it. Nevertheless, she still became extra self-conscious.

"Hey Patricia?" Eddie almost laughed as he looked at her cheek- there was some sauce still on it. He used his finger to wipe it away, but that finger already had sauce on it. So, really, all Eddie had done was put more sauce of Patricia's cheek.

She reached up to feel her face and gasped, "You did that on purpose!"

Eddie retracted slightly- it's a weird side of Patricia he was witnessing, a playful kind of anger. And before he can say anything, she was tracing a sauce covered finger on his face too. He was momentarily shocked, thinking she wouldn't dare do something so bold, but he quickly covered it up with a smirk.

"Oh, it's on."