I own nothing HOA!

Here is a quick update for you. I found some extra time this week so I'm trying to wrap this story up for everyone. There are maybe five chapters left, assuming everything goes as planned.

Thanks for reading and I'd love to know what you think!

Patricia POV

It had been two days since Jerome had found out about the dare and he hadn't spoken to me once. He barely even looked my way. It wasn't that Jerome was avoiding me, no he just pretended like I never existed. When we were in the same room, he ignored me. It was like I wasn't even there and I hated that feeling.

I could deal with Jerome being pissed at me, after all I deserved it, but I couldn't stand the fact that he pretended like I never existed. I knew I'd royally screwed up, but while doing so I'd fallen very hard and I couldn't go back. I needed Jerome to at least acknowledge my existence but he wouldn't. He was going on as if nothing had happened, he was flirting with every girl that passed like always and I was jealous. The problem was, I couldn't say anything.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do, I needed to get it through to Jerome that the dare had meant nothing, but I wasn't sure how. If Jerome pretended like I never existed it would be very hard to convince him I wasn't the cold-hearted bitch I knew he currently thought I was.

I pushed through the door to Anubis house after class and started to make my way to the common room, but stopped in my tracks as I saw Jerome coming down the hallway towards me. I stood there like a statue, unsure of what to do. I wanted to talk to him, but another part of me wanted to run away.

Jerome's eyes flicked up from the phone he'd been staring at and met mine, I thought I saw a spark of something in their blue depths but as quickly as it was there it was gone again. Jerome looks away from me and brushes past me as if I'm not there.

Once he's gone into the common room I take a deep breath and make my way up to my room, trying not to let the tears that are forming in my eyes to fall. I push through the door to my room and drop my bag on the floor before flopping onto my bed and burying my head in the pillows.

I feel the mattress shift as Joy sits down next to me. "What's wrong?" she asks as she rubs my back comfortingly.

"He just pretends like I don't even exist," I mumble into the pillows in frustration.

"Give him time Patricia," Joy says from above me.

"Why the bloody hell did I agree to do the stupid dare?" I groan into the pillow. If I'd never agreed to the dare I'd never be in this situation. Jerome wouldn't be ignoring me.

"Because you didn't realize you like him yet," Joy answers and I know she's right. If I'd never agreed to the dare I'd never have realized I liked Jerome. Stupid double-edged blade.

I groan in frustration into the pillow, I have nothing to say because she's right.

"It'll all work out Patricia," Joy assures me. "He'll realize what he threw away soon or later," she says and I really hope she's right.

I roll over and sit up next to Joy. "I love him Joy," I admit as I lean forward with my elbows on my knees. I can't hold the tears off any longer, I can feel them rolling down my cheeks and I don't try to stop them. I'm sick and tired of holding everything in. I love Jerome and I am heartbroken at how everything turned out. Yes, I know it's my fault, but that doesn't make it any easier.

"I know you do Patricia," Joy throws her arm over my shoulders in a sideways hug. "It will all work out," Joy reassures me.

"How do you know that?" I ask in frustration, looking up at Joy with my teary eyes. I know my eyes are red and puffy and I'm sure I have mascara running down my cheeks, but I don't care and neither does Joy.

"I'm going to talk some sense into Jerome," Joy says as she reaches out and wipes the tears off my cheeks. "I'll fix it, it's my fault anyway."

"How's it your fault?" I ask in confusion.

"I dared you to seduce him. Now I'm going to fix it," Joy answers with an earnest look in her eyes. She really is the best friend I could ask for. She's always here for me, even when I'm being stupid.

"Thank you," I whisper as I imagine moving past all of this and having Jerome acknowledge me again.

Joy just smiles as she stands from her spot next to me on the bed. "You'll be okay?" she asks.

"Yeah," I nod.

"Good, by the end of the week I'll have Jerome back for you," Joy promises as she walks out of the room. I'm not sure how she's going to do it, but I trust that she is going to keep her word. She's never let me down before.

I wipe the tears off my face and I'm starting to feel a little better. If Joy is going to work to help me get Jerome back, I have hope that I will get Jerome back in the end. In the meantime, I feel like it's only fair that I help Joy get Eddie. Maybe if I focus my attention on something else, I'll forget about the big gaping Jerome sized hole that is currently in my chest.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you think!