Hey!

Warning, very small amount of Patrick and hardly any Joddie, but there will be plenty of both couples next chapter. Enjoy!


Chapter 7

Wednesday

"Ow!" Nina exclaimed as she made her way to the door with her bags in hand where Alfie was patiently waiting.

"What's wrong?" he asked her meeting her on the steps.

"I stubbed my toe" Nina frowned. "And it hurts a lot"

"I can tell, you're limping" Alfie said with his arm around her waist so she didn't fall when she was going down. "Let me help you"

"How?" Nina asked.

"I'll carry you to school" Alfie said. "That way you don't have to walk on it"

"That's sweet, but I'm fine" Nina limped towards the door. Alfie rolled his eyes and watched her struggle stubbornly for a moment, before walking to her lifted her up bridal style. The move definitely startled her because she let out a small yelp. "Alfie put me down!"

"Nah, I'll just carry you" Alfie said walking out of the house with her.

"Let go of me!" Nina commanded.

"Ok" Alfie shrugged and pretended to drop her, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck tightly.

"Don't do that!" Nina yelped.

"You're very demanding" Alfie commented.

"Alfie, I have faced Rufus, Senkhara, Robert Frobisher-Smythe's insane tunnels and many near death situations" Nina listed. "I'll be damned if I'm brought down by a swollen toe. Put me down I can walk... or I'll make you"

"Nina, I have faced Rufus, Senkhara, Rob's crazy tunnels and Robert himself" Alfie began. "I was locked in a cellar for a night, poisoned, almost crushed to death by a bug infested dirt tunnel, and nearly fell to my death climbing up a chimney. I had my soul taken away and de-aged almost to the point of nonexistence. I will be damned if I'm afraid of The Chosen One's empty threats. Shut up, I'm carrying you"

"It's not a competition" Nina sighed.

"If it were I'd win" Alfie smiled, smugly.

Fabian and Amber quickly caught up to them as they walked to school together. Amber missed hanging out with Nina. Since the project started, they hardly spent any time together. It was a little awkward while they were going out with each other ex-boyfriends, and they tried to not let their own feelings affect their relationship. But it wasn't just them, everyone spent more time with their project partners rather than their friends. And she wasn't the only one who noticed. Everyone else was starting to notice that too. Amber decided, as she walked into Literature, that she would have to hang out with her girls more.

"Ok, sit, sit!" Ms. Muller instructed."Today you will be working on a small project. You will start it in class, finish it for homework, and finally present it in class tomorrow" she began. "It is a partner project. You and your partner will be acting out a scene and present it tomorrow and no you can not choose your partners. I will be assigning them by house and name"

Several Anubis kids exchanged glances. This could go very well or very badly. KT spoke up for everyone when she asked: "Last Name or First name?" It was a very important question. The answer could change everything. If Ms. Muller paired them by last name, Mara and Willow, Nina and Alfie, and Joy and Eddie would all still be together. Jerome and Mick would work together, but they could live with that. Patricia would work with Fabian, and Amber would work with KT. But they were never that lucky.

"First name, This means from Mut House, Allison and Aaron, Dustin and Eleanor, Harrison and Kelly, Maya and Owen, and Sue and Vanessa will work together" she answered. This would be awkward. For some people, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. But then for some people... "Also, Amber and Alfie, Eddie and Fabian, Jerome and Joy, KT and Mara, Mick and Nina, and Patricia and Willow will be working together"

Amber and Alfie glanced at each other at the same time Joy and Jerome did. Nina looked at Fabian, then Eddie, then KT. Oh boy this will not be good for the project.

"Everyone move to sit with your partner" Ms. Muller said. Nina glanced at Alfie, before standing to sit next to Mick. Moments later Amber came and sat next to him. They didn't look at each other for a long time. Alfie glanced beside him where Joy and Jerome were sitting in the same awkward silence.

"What are you waiting for?" Ms. Muller came and sat by Amber and Alfie. "You two have the best to work with!"

Once again, they awkwardly looked at each other before looking away again. Ms. Muller turned to Alfie and smiled.

"Othello, the Moor, an African man-" she started nudging him and looked at Amber. "-has fallen for the beautiful Desdemona. You could do any scene between the two! Good Luck"

Oh great. So not only were they paired together, but they had to do a scene as lovers? This could not get more awkward. Amber cleared her throat and brought out her book to one of the last pages. "Perhaps we can do the smothering scene?"

Alfie was caught off guard by her talking, but soon nodded taking out his own book. "We could... say the lines to each other now"

"Ok..." Amber said. "It's act five, scene two"

"Right" Alfie nodded. "So should we just... read the lines to each other?"

Amber sighed. "Alfie, c'mon. We can be friends, we were friends once before"

"Not really" Alfie said. "Before we started going out I was chasing after you and putting you on an awful pedestal too much to be friends. And after we broke up... the first time..."

"I was too busy chasing after you" Amber chuckled.

"I don't think we know how to be friends without one of us wanting to be more than that" Alfie said.

"Well we'll learn" Amber smiled. "I mean... neither of us want to... right?"

"Right" Alfie said quickly.

"Ok, so... read the lines" Amber said.

"Actually your line's first" he mumbled.

"Oh..." she turned to the page and cleared her throat to begin. "Will you come to bed, my Lord?"

"Have you prayed tonight, Desdemona?" Alfie asked calmly, using a deeper voice he felt Othello would use.

"Ay, my Lord"

"If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace" Alfie began. "Solicit for it straight"

"Shakespeare is like another language" Amber laughed. "What did you just say?"

"I have no idea" he chuckled.

"Ok... Uh Alack, my Lord" Amber began again. "What do you mean by that? ...Desdemona seems confused too"

"Well, do it, and be brief. I will walk by. I would not kill thy unpreparèd spirit. No, heavens forfend, I would not kill thy soul!"

"Talk you of killing?" Amber asked with a hint of fear.

"Ay" Alfie eyed her, embodying Othello. "I do"

"Then heaven have mercy on me!" Amber backed away from Alfie for a moment, who laughed.

"That was really good" He smiled and she smiled back.

Joy and Jerome smiled at each other awkwardly as they turned to the page. Every once and a while, Joy would glance behind her to see KT looking at her, who would try to act like she wasn't looking. Joy felt a little guilty, until she remembered she had no reason to. Jerome was sort of kind of her boyfriend. Just... not at the moment. Boy things were complicated. Stupid Jason and his stupid project. Stupid Jerome for giving him the inspiration for him to give it to them sooner. Stupid Jerome. Why did dating him have to be so easy and fun?

"Act three scene three right?" Jerome startled her, though he hardly noticed, as he cut through her thoughts.

"Emilia and Iago's scene, right" she confirmed. "In the scene Emilia finds Desdemona's handkerchief and knows Iago has been wanting it"

"And they have a conversation about Iago wanting it" Jerome finished.

"Right so..." Joy went and got a tissue and put it on the desk in front of them. "That will be our Handkerchief"

"Cool... Should we begin?" Jerome asked.

That class seemed to be the longest, it was difficult for them to focus on their project with the elephant in the room. Some student wondered if Ms. Muller did that on purpose, maybe she planned that with Mr. Winkler. They knew all of the staff knew of the project, and she usually paired them by last name. As sad as it may have been, most of the Anubis residents were ecstatic to be finished with that class, even though they would have to work after school. Alfie and Jerome figured that they haven't pranked in a while, and they still wanted to hang out with Nina and KT, so they thought they'd kill two birds with one stone.

"No Alfie" Nina shook her head as she walked to her locker to get her lunch. "I am not pulling a prank with you and Jerome"

"And KT" he added.

"You guys have fun" Nina walked with very little limp now.

"Please?" Alfie asked from behind her.

"I'm not going to turn and look at you so you can use your puppy dog face at me, so try a different tactic" Nina told him. Alfie sighed. "Give me one good reason"

"It will be fun" he said immediately.

"A better reason"

"You don't know how to have fun" Alfie rolled his eyes.

"That's a lie!" Nina turned around. "I absolutely know how to have fun!"

"Honestly I think you forgot, if you ever knew" Alfie shrugged. "Soon as you came here you had to fight for your life and juggle your school work. No time for fun"

"Ok Alfie, fine. Maybe you're right" Nina surrendered. "I'll pull this prank with you"

"Great!" Alfie grinned. "C'mon let's fine KT and Jerome"

"Alright" she said as he turned her back to her.

"You gonna hop on?" he asked. Nina shrugged and climbed on his back, holding on tight as he ran to find his best friend and KT. He found them sitting in front of the House and they smiled and waved at them.

"Ok, you two are rookies, so we'll do something easy for now" Jerome explained.

"Who are our targets?" KT asked.

Fabian smiled at Amber as she gushed at the picnic basket in the middle of the blanket. It was a huge and terrific surprise and she smiled and hugged him, kissing him in the process. She was giddy and jumped and down for a moment before she was able to sit down. All of the picnics she tries to have always end up getting messed up somehow, so now she felt she might finally get it right and she didn't even suggest it.

"Oh how sweet" Jerome deadpanned. The two turned around to see Alfie and Jerome smiling sarcastically at them. "Get a room"

"Ugh just go away!" Amber groaned.

"Ooh food!" Alfie smiled walking towards the basket and Amber immediately got up and pushed him away. With their attention on the boys, they didn't notice KT and Nina switch the baskets behind them and run away as fast as they could. "Ok! Geez, we'll leave"

"Good" Fabian muttered as the boys ran in the direction the girls went and hid so they could see the catastrophe happen.

"What did you put in the basket?" Nina whispered.

"You'll see" Jerome smirked as Fabian went to open the basket. He lifted the top and-

BOOM!

Glitter and blue paint exploded all over him. He was so shocked he didn't know how to respond at first. Nina, KT, Jerome and Alfie were beside themselves laughing. Clutching their stomachs and holding on to each other so they wouldn't fall. Amber sat with her mouth hung open for a long time before she started giggling too. Fabian was the only one who didn't seem to find it funny.

"He- He looks like a smurf that a unicorn puked all over" KT said through her laughs. Fabian looked around until he spotted a hint of someone laughing behind a row of bushes and started walking over there, drippin in paint and glitter.

"Oh God!" Alfie saw when he saw Fabian. "Run away! Run away now!"

Though it was hard after laughing so hard, they ran away from their spot and Fabian found it useless running after them.

"Fabian!" Amber called giggling as she ran to him. "It's ok!"

"No it's not!" Fabian whined.

"Yeah it really is" Amber smiled. "They left the other basket. We'll get you a towel... and we'll continue like nothing even happened"

"And you won't keep laughing at me?" Fabian asked.

"No" Amber bit her lip to stop the giggles, and Fabian felt better. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up"

"You wouldn't find this funny at all if you opened the basket first" Fabian pointed out bitterly.

Mara sat down in the library reading and waiting for Willow. Willow was off talking to her teacher about an assignment. The plan was Willow would find her when she was done. So in the meantime she waited in the library. About five minutes into waiting, a boy who looked to be around her age sat down by her. She didn't notice of course, she was busy reading Octavia Butler's Kindred. But he sure noticed her.

"Hi" he said, but she didn't hear him. So he nudged her foot a little and she glanced up at the boy. He was kind of cute, tall, dark black hair. Looked like a mix of Fabian and Jerome... who happened to be her last two boyfriends. "Hey, I'm Brice"

"Brice?" Mara asked and he nodded. "I'm Mara"

"I'm new here, just got into Hathor House" He informed her.

"Oh ok, well do you need help finding your way somewhere?" Mara asked kindly.

"No, I'm exactly where I want to be" he smiled smoothly. It only took Mara another moment to realize he was flirting. She sighed and crossed her legs and brought the book closer to her chest. Brice was smart, he knew what the girl's stance was saying. Closed off. But he wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Brice, it's very nice meeting you" Mara smiled politely. "But I'd really like to read in quiet"

"Well what are you reading?" Brice asked. Girls love it when you take an interest in them, for whatever reason.

"Kindred" came her short answer as she dug in her bag for her headphones. Ok so talking definitely wasn't this girl's thing. Well that was ok, Brice didn't like to talk much either. So he slid the chair over closer, which she noticed immediately. "Seriously uh, Brice. I'd like to read alone"

"I won't be a bother" he insisted.

"You're already being a bother" she said immediately. "And besides, I'm waiting for someone"

"I can assure you, I would never make you wait" he winked and she scoffed. But she smiled when she saw Willow come in.

"Hey Mara" Willow smiled oblivious to the guy not even a centimeter away.

"Hi baby!" Mara grinned widely and Willow's eyebrows raised. They hadn't exactly gotten to pet names yet. Before Willow could question her about it, Mara grabbed her hand and pulled her down to kiss her, but the kiss was different. It wasn't deep like the ones she had with Alfie and Jerome, but it wasn't the normal peck on the lips. Willow's top lip was caught in between Mara's and it lingered. When they pulled apart, Mara smiled at her.

"Can you do that again?" came a sound from next to them. Willow turned to see a boy she didn't know looking a little flustered.

"Leave Brice" Mara replied impatiently. He sighed and left, barely hiding the tent in his pants.

"Who was that?" Willow asked taking Brice's seat.

"His name was Brice and he couldn't take a hint" Mara told Willow.

"Ok... Baby?" Willow asked and Mara laughed.

"I wanted to do it over the top for him" Mara shrugged.

"Then maybe this Brice guy isn't that bad" Willow smiled and Mara smiled back.

Fabian couldn't even be upset at the class when they laughed at him. Amber cleaned him off the best she could in short notice while still being able to have their picnic and get to class on time. His hair was stained blue a bit with small drips going down his face like side burns. His clothes were definitely hard to get the paint out, and he was sparkling like Robert Pattinson. If he saw someone walk in looking like he did, he'd probably laugh too. He knew who he could be mad at, however, as he made his way to Jerome and Alfie sitting in the corner of the desk.

"Hey Fabian, what's up?" Alfie said casually.

"Why" he whined to them, which was not what he was expecting to do when he came over to tell them off.

"Why what?" Jerome asked innocently.

"I know it was you!" Fabian pointed with a finger that had blue under the nail.

"How could we have done it? You were looking right at us" Jerome said smoothly.

"I saw you laughing" Fabian crossed his arms.

"Because it was funny!" Alfie chuckled. "Doesn't mean we did it"

"I will get you back for this" he narrowed his eyes and took his seat. Jerome and Alfie looked to the desk next to them where Nina and KT were trying their best to hold their laughs in.

"So" Patricia said she walked with Mick to his practice after school. "Think Robinson will be ok with me watching your practice this time?"

"Do you care?" Mick smirked at her.

"Not in the sense that if she says I can't I'm actually gonna listen" Mick laughed at her comment. "But I'd rather not go through that every time I want to watch you play"

"I thought it was funny" Mick shrugged.

"It's not funny after the second time" Patricia said. "Just annoying. I mean, what's the big deal if I watch or not?"

"I dunno" Mick shrugged. "I also don't know what you find interesting about me practicing"

Patricia shrugged. "Maybe I just like watching you"

"Well you wouldn't be interested in watching me study if I were smart like Fabian. Practicing is the same thing" Mick shrugged and looked at her only to be surprised to find her staring at him intensely. "What?"

"Do you think you're dumb?" Patricia asked.

"Well I'm not smart" Mick mumbled. "I've come to terms with that"

"Don't think that about yourself" Patricia said seriously. "Maybe you won't win a Fields Medal or a Nobel Prize, but you're not stupid. For one thing you're brilliant at what you do- which is why I like watching you do it" Patricia started. "And you're also smart in your own way. I know I call you meathead sometimes but I don't mean it. And Jerome, he just doesn't like you. It's cause you dated Amber when he was sure she was supposed to be with Alfie. Then you dated Mara and he was sure she was supposed to be with him. After a while he forgot how not to hate you. My point is, none of us actually think you're dumb. You shouldn't either"

Mick stared at her and smiled. "Thanks"

"Don't mention it" she smiled. "Seriously, I don't want people to see me as a psychiatrist" He laughed and kissed her, then they walked the rest of the way with his arm around her waist.

Amber was in the bathroom with Fabian finally cleaning him up totally. They got the paint out of his hair pretty easily with shampoo because it was mostly still wet. The glitter was the hard part. It was everywhere. In his hair, on his face, in his eyebrows and literally coming out of his ears. Even when he scrubbed enough that his face was beet red, he was sparkling all over. It was especially in his bangs. He groaned.

"I'm gonna get them back" he announced to Amber.

"How" Amber raised an eyebrow. "Think it'll go well like last time you tried to get them back for a prank"

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Fabian asked. Amber shrugged.

"I usually hit them and then move on" Amber told him. "I mean, it is Jerome and Alfie. There's no use fighting the pranks"

"Yeah..." Fabian sighed in defeat. Amber frowned at his frown and pushed his cheeks up, which worked in making him chuckle. She smiled and kissed him softly.

"By the way, the picnic was lovely" she whispered in his ear.

Mick and Patricia came back just to see Eddie and Joy park the bike. Each couple smiled at each other, like it wasn't awkward. Like Patricia didn't see her best friend and kind of boyfriend kind of not boyfriend kiss. Like it didn't hurt a little. Like Eddie didn't see Mick squeeze Patricia's hand. Like it was all good and just dandy as they walked into the House.

Once Mick, Patricia, Joy, and Eddie came back and ate a late dinner, everyone decided to work with their partners on the project again. More awkward, sexual tension, elephant in the room moments between Othello and Desdemona, and Emilia and Iago. But they worked through it nonetheless. By around nine, everyone felt ready enough for the project for some free time. Alfie and Nina were in Jerome's room, and Willow and Mara were in KT's room. Joy and Eddie had the living room to themselves to laugh, talk, kiss, whatever they were doing. So KT and Jerome decided to sit on the steps in front of the house. It was nice out, a little chilly but pretty much a good night.

"We should probably keep track of the time" Jerome said softly. "Victor will get mad if we go in later than nine forty"

"Don't care" KT said softly.

"We could get detention or toilet duty" Jerome pointed out.

"Don't care" KT repeated and moved in closer to him. He smiled and chuckled inwardly. She couldn't hear it, but felt the vibrations. He tilted her head up and she met him halfway, closing the gap, before laying her head back on his chest.

"We should start getting ready for bed now" Nina said to Alfie.

"Sure" he said. "How's the toe"

"Hardly hurts" she smiled.

"Still want me to carry you up the steps?" Alfie asked.

"Sure" Nina laughed. She jumped on him, chest to chest, and wrapped her legs and arms around him as he held her up. She kissed him, planning just a quick peck like always. She pulled away, but still close enough that they were breathing in each other's air. Nina tightened her grip around him and leaned in again. He turned them around so her back was on the wall and bit her bottom lip softly. She parted her lips for him and felt his warm tongue, and the taste of the cranberry juice he had a few minutes ago. His hand tangled in her hair and she gripped his shirt until they parted for breath.

They stayed in that position for a while, Alfie's right hand on the back of her neck, he left gripping her shirt the way her hands were gripping his. They were panting and a little red in the face. Nina laughed for a moment. She remembered a few years back when they were stuck under the Senet game. When they were joking around. It was just good fun back then.

"Ugh I want to get out of here!" Alfie said. He'd been in the cell for a day now, and he was beginning to feel like the walls were closing in.

"It's not that bad" Nina sighed, though she didn't even believe herself. "At least they're bringing us food from breakfast and dinner"

"But it's cold" Alfie whined and huffed as he sat down. Nina laughed

"You're just looking for things to complain about" Nina rolled her eyes. "You're acting like a bab-"

"Don't say it" Alfie warned. "I don't want to be that again. Twice is enough, thank you"

"Fair enough"

"Ugh" Alfie frowned, and Nina got an idea.

"Is my company really that bad?" Nina said with a frown.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to make you feel bad" Alfie said feeling really bad. "I'll stop complaining. It's uh not that... bad in here"

Nina smiled. "And they say I'm not a good liar" Alfie laughed.

"Well played" he complimented. Then he frowned. "What if we never get back?"

"C'mon Alfie don't think like that" Nina told him.

"I'm serious" Alfie frowned.

"They're playing the game to get us out" Nina said

"How do we know, Robert didn't tell them after I fell that it's three strikes and you're out?" Alfie asked

"But there's only two of us down here. So if that's true they still have one more try" Nina said.

"No, I almost fell through the floor once before. First strike is you. Second strike is my close fall. Third strike was my full fall" Alfie said. "So we're stuck down here with no way to get out"

"Well" Nina said. She was starting to lose faith. "I don't know"

"At least I'm not alone" Alfie said. "I might drive myself crazy"

"Yeah, that's how I felt before you came" Nina said. "What would happen if we were just stuck down here?"

"I don't know" Alfie shrugged. He stood up and began to stretch. Nina joined him in that, as she cracked her back.

"We might fall in looooooovve" Nina joked. Alfie laughed at that.

"Oh Nina I love you! You are my day, my night! I am nothing without you!" Alfie said over dramatically.

"Oh Alfred! I can't live without you! You are my everything. I love you too!" Nina said matching his over dramatic act. He got on one knee and held her hand.

"I can't imagine life without you, marry me?" Alfie asked

"Oh of course!" Nina said.

"HALLELUJAH!" Alfie said jumping up and they laughed and talked for the rest of that day, before falling asleep side by side to try to keep warm.

They were just joking around. They considered each other friends and no more than that. Nina decided to get on his back and he walked her up the steps to her room and said good night before retreating to his room. She smiled at him, but frowned at herself. She glanced at Amber, who was busy removing makeup from her eyes and then back where Alfie stood. She twisted her lips and then pressed them tightly together.

.

"We might fall in looooooovve"

.

How stupidly ironic.

.

Fabian

It's unfair that Jerome and Alfie think it's just OK to mess with me. I was just trying to do something nice or Amber. At least she still got to enjoy a picnic, even though it was kind of rushed so we wouldn't be late to class. I don't know, it just sucks. And Amber says I should let it go, but I don't want to be a target for them. They hardly prank Patricia and Eddie, and that's how it should be for me, especially when I'm doing something for Amber. Seriously, I don't think I'm gonna let it go.

Amber and I are doing really well with the project. Maybe we'll even be able to win this. I'd love to beat Alfie and Nina, and Mara and Willow. Maybe this sounds selfish, but I really don't want to see my ex-girlfriend and my... well I don't really know what Mara is right now. I just don't want to see them do really well in a relationship with someone other than me. Is that really bad? I mean I think it's fair enough, and so far they seem to be having a lot of fun with their partners. It just makes me a little uncomfortable that's all.

Joy

Things are very awkward between Jerome and I when we're working on the project. Eddie's great about it. He isn't getting jealous or anything, that's good. When he was with Patricia he got jealous all of the time over really stupid little things. Well the both did, that's why they were perf... well the point is, the project we have to do for Othello is making things weird. And why shouldn't they? Also things are awkward between Patricia and I, and that's a given. Like I said, Patricia gets jealous easily. I'm sure she doesn't want to see me and Eddie together. I wish it were more like Nina and Amber. But I guess it's different because they're both dating each other's ex's. I, however, feel like a boyfriend stealing bitch.

I don't know if it was planned that the project partners are what they are, but it's making things weird. It was a really bad idea for us to be paired that way. Jerome and I used to hang out fine. Even before we were dating we could at least put the differences aside and work together. Now all the time I'm with him I'm just thinking 'I'm kissing another guy, he's kissing another girl' I mean, I can't even look at him. I just hope when we have to perform tomorrow in front of the class we're not too awkward. I remember the last time Jerome and I worked together in front of the class. Why is my love life always so complicated?


So I want to clarify that Nina is NOT in love with Alfie. Not even close. But it's hinting that the possibility isn't as outrageous and far off as she first thought. It also doesn't mean that in the end they'll be together or that Alfie will even develop the same thoughts or that Nina's thoughts will last.

So important things to talk about. First a REVIEW CONTEST!

Ok, so I have another story, House of The Jackal, and it has almost the exact same number of reviews as this one. So for a friendly competition, I want to have a Review Game. I want to know who can get to 150 reviews first. Whoever gets to 150 first wins, no prize though. It's just competitive fun, and I'm curious who would the most reviews first. It's just for fun. :)

And of course the question: Who's you're favorite Couple?

If you feel like there's no way your favorite couple can win, there's lots more chapters to go and people can change their minds. I think Kerome was in last place like two chapters ago, so never give up hope! Sorry for the extra-long A/N.

Patrick 32

Nalfie 24

Famber 18

Kerome 18

Joddie 10

Millow 9