Chapter Fourteen

Dancing and Truths

"If we were actually dating," Patricia drawled when Fabian entered their room at eight in the morning. "I'd be worried that you were cheating on me."

"I'm not sleeping with her," Fabian closed the door behind him.

"I know," Patricia noted as she observed the shadows beneath his eyes. "You're not sleeping at all and neither is Brie."

Fabian sat tiredly on his bed. It was another sleepless night for him and Brielle but he couldn't help but smile at the thought of spending time with Brielle. "Since when do you call her 'Brie'?"

"Since now," Patricia rolled her eyes. "And by the looks of it, you're falling fast."

"Look who's talking," Fabian scoffed. "It's not like you're not spending a lot of time with Eddie. Oh wait, you are."

"It's complicated," Patricia sighed, not liking the shift in the topic.

"You sure you don't want to 'break up'?" Fabian offered. "It might un-complicate some things."

Patricia pondered at his words for a while. "I'll think about it."

"You should," Fabian smiled. "It's been a month and a half. I don't think you could hide your feelings for so long."

"I've hid it from them for six years." Patricia reminded him.

"This is different," Fabian shook his head. "Jerome and Mara were – are– married. Eddie is single and he actually likes you."

"He doesn't," she denied.

"Oh and he's just spending every afternoon with to what? Actually learn how to cook?" Fabian asked sarcastically. "Patricia, the man is rich. He could hire a chef to cook for him. He doesn't need to learn how to cook. He just wants to spend time with you."

"You can't possibly know that."

"And every time I do something boyfriend-y like kiss your cheek, he gives me a glare," Fabian ignored her comment. "I don't even think he knows he's glaring at me. It's like something he unconsciously done."

"You're imagining things. Just get some sleep, Fabian," Patricia sighed. "You need to be up and ready to bust little children for the dance tonight."

Fabian opened his mouth to protest but decided against it. Patricia had a point. "Just… think about it, okay, Patricia?"

"I'll try," she said in a small voice before leaving Fabian to get his rest.

Patricia closed her eyes as she left the room, finding Fabian's words to hit her like a hurricane. She was fine with her relationship with Eddie. She was fine with not labeling anything. But, Fabian has to remind her of reality, just like the goody-two shoes that he is.

"You alright, Yacker?" a voice asked, making Patricia open her eyes.
"Yeah," she croaked out. "My er- throat is just poached. I'll just grab a glass of water."

She hurriedly walked away from him and he stood in the middle of the hallways confused and suspicious.

Eddie was never the one to think badly of anyone but Patricia's actions proved to be out of the ordinary. There wasn't a comeback or an insult. He thought that maybe her boyfriend had something to do with it. Fabian Rutter is someone that he didn't really trust.

Rushing upstairs towards the office, he locked the door before opening the drawer that contained Patricia's journal. It would give him the answers that he needed.

"Wake up, Fabian!" Patricia shook the brunette awake.

"What?" he moaned out. "Five more minutes?"

"Five more minutes and the dance will be starting!" Patricia tutted.

Fabian processed her words and scrambled to get ready.

"Will be waiting for you at the entrance!" Patricia called out before leaving the room.

Patricia stood waiting at the entrance hall alone. Everyone else had gone ahead already and she stayed behind to wake Fabian up. After a few minutes, Fabian was finally ready and they proceeded to go to the school gym.

The school gym was already set up into what it should look like: a school dance. Patricia couldn't help but sneak a look at her best friend who seemed to be reminiscing about their high school dance that was held in the very same gym.

"You alright?" Patricia asked, nudging him a bit.

"Yeah," Fabian gave a reassuring smile. "It's just a lot to take in."

"Well, I'll just grab you a drink," Patricia smiled, heading for the refreshments stand.

"No!" Fabian said as he remembered that Brielle was managing the refreshments table, stopping Patricia in her tracks and earning a confused look from her. "It's a guy's job."

"Or you just want to chat up the girl," she said knowingly.

Fabian turned red and decided not to reply to Patricia. He just went to the refreshments table.

Patricia looked around once again only to groan in frustration as Ben approached her.

"Hi Trixie!" he said cheerfully.

She cringed at the nickname. "Hi Ben."

"You want to dance?" he asked, glancing at the dance floor that was already filled with couples.

"Er- I'm not much of a dancer myself," she said truthfully. "Besides, I have a date."

"I doubt that's gonna stop anyone from dancing with you," Ben smirked.

"What do you mean?" Patricia's brows furrowed in confusion.

"I mean Eddie will ask you to dance later," Ben said casually.

"And why would you know that," Patricia asked, remembering making a deal with Eddie weeks ago.

"Because we made a bet," Ben felt triumphant as he saw Patricia's expression crumble.

"You did?" she mumbled quietly, finally understanding why Eddie was so pushy about the topic and realizing that he only asked her because of a bet.

"Yeah," Ben nodded.

"What was the-"

Patricia couldn't finish her sentence because she found herself being pulled by a figure onto the dance floor.

"Weasel," she protested once she recognized him. "What-"

"You promised," he reminded her. "Just one dance."

"But Fabian-"

"Doesn't really care about you." Eddie said, finally revealing what he found out from the journal. "He likes Brie."

Patricia froze at the revelation. "W-what are you talking about?"

A new song played and Eddie twirled her around, pulling her close afterwards.

"How can you not see it?" Eddie asked her, trying to contain his anger. "He's just using you, Yacker. He doesn't really love you."

Patricia furrowed her brows. "I'm not following what you're saying, Eddie."

"He still loves Nina," Eddie told her, his eyes gazing at hers. "That's why he's always spending time with Brie."

With one look at his face, Patricia could tell that there was no point in feigning innocence nor lying. Eddie was telling the truth, even if he didn't really understand it. "What makes you say that?"

"I know that it was he and Nina who were high school sweethearts," Eddie told her. "Not you and him."

Patricia was paling now. She didn't know what to do in this situation. She scanned the refreshments table for Fabian only to see him chatting with Brie animatedly. She fixed her gaze on him, willing him to glance at her.

"So what?" she stalled Eddie. "So what if he and Nina had a fling in high school. I knew him longer, Eddie."

It was Brielle who noticed her staring and told Fabian about it. Fabian turned to look at her and immediately knew what to do at the sight of her worried expression.

"He's still hung up on her," Eddie tried to tell her, getting frustrated at the fact that she wouldn't budge.

"I don't see how this is your business," she snapped at him.

"I care about you!" Eddie said truthfully. "And your relationship with him is unhealthy! He hurts you. He's spending time with his ex-"

"How do you even know that?!" she hissed at him.

"I read it in your journal!"

Patricia froze.

"What's going on here?" Fabian finally reached the two of them, carrying two plastic cups filled with punch. Noticing the scramble of emotions on Patricia's face, he turned to Eddie. "Eddie, I swear-"

"My journal?" Patricia's eyes were filled with fury. "You read my journal?!"

"I-I just found it," Eddie stuttered out. "It was in the attic and-"

"It's a f*cking journal, Weasel," she spat out. "It wasn't meant for you or anyone to read."

Eddie wanted to face palm. How had things escalated from him being frustrated with her to her being angry with him?

"I bet you used that journal to get ahead of your bet with Ben, huh?" she asked.

"How did you know about that?"

"So, you did, huh?"

Eddie kept quiet, not wanting to lie to her.

"You little weasel!" she shrieked, getting a cup from Fabian's hands and pouring the punch onto Eddie's blonde head.

"Patricia!" Fabian reprimanded. "You're making a scene. Let's talk about this outside."

Patricia and Eddie looked at their surroundings and sure enough, all eyes were on them.

"Let's go," Patricia said, pulling Fabian behind her. Eddie just rolled his eyes and followed them out, trying not to cringe at the squelching noise he made when he took a step.

They left the gym in silence and proceeded outside the school. Patricia took a deep breath and let the cool night air invade her lungs.

"So, what is this about?" Eddie broke the silence. "You seem well aware of Fabian's feelings."

Patricia glanced at Fabian and he just nodded in reply. She sighed soundly before facing the blonde.

"See, Eddie," she emphasized his name. "This isn't about Fabian or me. It's always been about Nina."

"What do you mean?"

And so she started from the beginning, from Nina's first year in the house until the trip to Egypt. Fabian kept his mum, letting his friend do the talking.

"… and so we decided to come here," Patricia ended her story.

Eddie nodded, trying to understand why Patricia wanted to come with Fabian. One look at Patricia's face and he knew not to ask.

"So, let me get this straight?" Eddie tried to make sense of her words. "Brie is here because of some Egyptian god?"

Patricia nodded.

"And you think I'll believe this?"

"Well, if you have my journal," Patricia said. "Might as well read the whole thing to believe it."

She stalked off away from them leaving the two men outside in the cool night air.

"You guys aren't shitting me, right?" Eddie asked Fabian.

"I wish we were," Fabian mumbled. "But, that's how it is. Life's not as simple as you think."

"I think I already know what you mean…" Eddie trailed remembering his father's story. "And I believe you."

"Thank you," Fabian smiled. "For trusting us."

"It's no big deal," Eddie grinned. "It just means I'm crazy as you are. Anyway, I have questions."

"Fire away."

"So, you guys are fake dating?" Eddie looked at Fabian for confirmation.

Fabian wanted to laugh. Of course that's what he wanted to ask first. "Yeah."

"And you have no feelings for her whatsoever?"

"I love her like a sister," Fabian nodded.

"Man, that must suck having to act lovey-dovey with her," Eddie laughed, finally breaking the tension in the air.

"I know how you feel, Eddie," Fabian sighed. "I love Patricia but I will kill you if you hurt her."

"Ah, the complimentary best friend speech," Eddie grinned.

"And be sure that you know that I'm not her only best friend," Fabian notified. "Her other friend would be happy to murder you if you ever cause Patricia any unhappiness."

"I would never try to hurt her, Fabian."

"Good," Fabian smiled. "Because she deserves to be happy. She's been through a lot."

Eddie tried not to ask about the underlying meaning in his words. "You do too. You're doing so much for her and she doesn't even know."

"Patricia was there for-"

"No, not Patricia," Eddie shook his head. "I'm talking about Nina. You love her so much."

"And that's how it ends," Fabian sighed. "Brielle isn't Nina."

"But you're falling for her anyway," Eddie told him. "Think about that. You might think that they're two different people and maybe they are but you love them both as individuals."

"Don't make this about me," Fabian started.

"It isn't," Eddie said gravely. "I've been having dreams, Fabian. She's not safe for much longer. She needs you."

"How can you be so sure that it's me that she needs?"

"I don't want to sound so hopelessly romantic but," Eddie smiled warmly, placing a hand on Fabian's shoulder. "Everyone needs love."

Fabian couldn't reply. He once believed in that too.

"I better go after Patricia," Eddie finally said, heading towards Anubis House.

Fabian watched him walk a few steps away before deciding to give him advice.

"Hey Eddie!" he shouted.

The blonde stopped and turned around.

"Bribe her with chocolate," Fabian grinned.

Eddie's chuckle can be heard from the distance and Fabian couldn't help but laugh as well.

"You're gonna need all the luck you'll get if you're thinking of handling an angry Patricia."

AN: Sorry if late! :) Review please!