"Come on Joy, cheer up, we'll be seeing all our friends again!" Patricia urged from the back seat.

"I never should have let you persuade me into coming. I just want to go home, I don't feel up to it," Joy sighed looking out the window.

"You'll feel so much better though when we get there. Trust me," Jerome turned the steering wheel abruptly, which made the car screech.

"Jerome! You're going to kill us!" Joy yelled, grabbing Bunsie Buns out of her bag and hugging him tightly.

"See? There we are, you're feeling great already!" Patricia smiled.

"Patricia!! Now, to change the subject, how are you going to approach Eddie after what happened last month?" Joy raised her eyebrows.

Suddenly Patricia went quiet. She felt uncomfortable talking about Eddie, especially when Jerome was with her. It made her think about when she left Eddie. She really regretted throwing his computer at him. She should've thrown something bigger, like a TV. Or maybe the fridge...

"Patricia! Jerome! Look up ahead! It's Anubis house!" Joy screamed with joy.

Patricia looked up as Jerome drove the car into a park. She could see Eddie at the front of Anubis House running towards their car. She knew from that moment, that because her holiday was going to be with Eddie, it would be disastrous. It was now time for her to answer Joy's question for herself. How would she approach that cockroach?

"Look, there's Eddie!" Joy said and opened the car door, "Eddie! Hey Eddie! Great to see you again," she smiled.

"Hey Joy, want any help with your bags?"

Patricia heard his offer and scoffed.

She opened her door as well and shouted out, "No, she's fine slimeball. Why would she want your help anyway?"

"Well hello Patricia, it's great to see you again. Would you like me to bring your bags in? Oh wait, does it have your computer in it? Because I'd love to throw it at you, and I'm sure you'd love it too. Who doesn't love getting there computer thrown at them?" Eddie said sarcastically.

From the corner of her eye, Patricia saw Jerome and Joy looking from Eddie to Patricia, with confused and disapproving looks on their faces.

"No, we're fine weasel face," Patricia insulted, "In fact, I think we'll be better with you not even being here. Or never being born. That works too" she added with equal amount of sarcasm and sass.

"Fine, if you want it that way, have it your way. I'll get out of your life again! Nice knowing you Yacker!" Eddie turned around in a huff and walked back to the house, slamming the door hard behind him.

"Patricia! What did you do that for? I know you don't like him, but don't you think that's a bit harsh?" Joy protested in Eddie's defence.

"Who's side are you on?!" Patricia interrogated, leaving without an answer as she huffed and wheeled her suitcase back to the house.

Joy rolled her eyes and hauled her suitcase out of the car. Jerome took it for her and they both followed Patricia toward Anubis House. Even though Patricia was annoyed at Joy, she was also happy because Joy was back to her normal self again and it seemed she had momentarily forgotten all her worries. There heads all suddenly snapped around to where a conversation was being held by Alfie and Willow.

"Willow, did you see that man?" Alfie asked abruptly.

"Alfie, what man?" Willow repeated, after Alfie hadn't elaborated.

"N-no man, I um...imagined it," Alfie said simply.

"Okay, I'm going inside," Willow replied happily.

"Patricia! Joy! Jerome! Alfie, come and say hello!" Willow shrieked, suddenly spotting the trio, and ran to hug them.

"Hey Willow! It's good to see you again!" Joy smiled.

"Hey Joy! Hey Trixie! And the dude who always changes nicknames, so I never know what to call him!" an excited Alfie came running towards them.

Alfie (being his clumsy self) wasn't really watching where he was going and stumbled, crashing into Patricia.

"Alfie!" Patricia screamed, as everyone started falling like dominoes. Patricia knocked over Jerome, Jerome knocked over Joy and Joy knocked over Willow.

"Oops," he smiled, as everyone regained themselves, getting back to their feet.

"Okay, next time you come and see me, you do not run. Got it?" Patricia said.

But before Alfie could respond, a panicked Eddie ran out of the house.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone?!" Patricia shouted and stormed up the stairs.

"What? I thought something had happened to you because I heard you scream," Eddie protested poorly.

"Something did happen, but why would you care?" Patricia stopped halfway up the stairs in order to retaliate. "You should go protect your chosen one instead," she added, as she continued to her old bedroom.

"What?" Eddie said confused.

Patricia glanced back at him, as he looked at everyone else around him, who were all matching his expressions. Everyone except Joy who shook her head with a disgusted look and sped off up the stairs, after Patricia.

"Well, that was a bit scrappy Patricia," Joy said entering the room, closing the door behind her. "We all know that Eddie isn't the Osirian anymore," she added, "Even me."

"Well your not supposed to know Joy," Patricia pointed out, "and what's your point?"

"Well, you never told Eddie why you left him, you just left." Joy said simply, sitting down next to her best friend on the bed.

"Like he couldn't guess," Patricia remarked, rolling her eyes and stamping out of the room. She hadn't told Joy everything. She may have left out the whole throwing-the-computer part and everything that went with it. She didn't know where she was going, but it had to be somewhere she could avoid Joy's questioning. And Eddie.
~~~~~

Jerome was standing in front of Anubis House, just as confused as everyone else. He noticed Mara and Fabian pulling up and went over to talk to them.

"Hello Rutter, Jaffray," Jerome acknowledged.

"Clarke," Mara teased back.

They were on a good friendship basis now, like they had been before they started dating. It wasn't the same, but Jerome was pleased that he could still have a friend like Mara. Although he'd never admit it to anyone but himself. Fabian dragged his and Mara's bags out of the car and went to greet everyone else. Jerome and Mara slowly followed behind Fabian.

"So how are things with Fabian?" Jerome asked.

"Why would you care? What's happened to the old Jerome? You know, the one who's constantly pulling pranks?" Mara interrogated cheekily.

"Well, I'm not sure," Jerome responded, "I suppose he's still in there somewhere, but Joy just brings out the better side of me."

Jerome didn't feel very comfortable talking about this with Mara, his ex. Then on the other hand, he did feel comfortable talking about this to Mara, his new best friend. He was closer with her than any other friend, including Alfie. But it was Joy he loved, and he was positive that that would never change.

"Wow," is all Mara said.

"What?" Jerome asked bewildered.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just...really happy for you Jerome. And Joy." She added.

"You do realise that sounds really weird coming from you?" Jerome said.

"What do you me-Ohh," Mara caught on.

Jerome realised she had almost forgotten about their past. Admittedly, it was a fair while ago, but Jerome knew he'd never forget any of his high school years. They were the best years of his life.

"Jerome, you don't have to worry about any of that anymore. I love Fabian, and you love Joy, so..." Mara said.

"I know, it's all in the past. But I still can't help thinking about the good times we had together. I know, that sounds really cheesy coming from me so... I think I'll just shut up now," he smiled sheepishly.

"That's okay, I think it's sweet," Mara smiled.

But before Jerome could reply, a flustered Fabian came and tapped Mara.

"Mara," he said out of breath, "You need to come with me. Like...NOW!" He shouted in a panic.

"Okay, coming" as Fabian grabbed her hand and started dragging her towards the forest she added, "Bye Jerome!"

"Bye" Jerome added even though he knew she could no longer hear him.

Just then, a very irritated looking Patricia came stomping out of the house, followed by a very worried and desperate looking Joy.

He shared a concerned look with Joy, before she proceeded into the woods, still trailing Patricia.

"Patricia! Wait up! Please!" Joy shouted after her.

But Patricia obstinately kept going at her own pace. She was extremely stubborn when she wanted to be, which made it hard for those around her. She was her own person, and no one could change that or take control of her. Except maybe Eddie. Well, he used to, but he can't anymore anymore, since she dumped him and they are no longer together.

Jerome followed them, determined to find out what was going on. He finally caught up with her at the edge of the forest, where she was running around like a headless chook. And Jerome realised that he and Joy had both lost sight of Patricia.

"Jerome, why is my life falling apart? First my parents, then Patricia! What's next? You?!" Joy said hysterically, running her fingers through her hair, pacing back and forth.

"Joy. Hey, Joy!" Jerome said, getting her attention, "Calm down, okay? I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Patricia. We are both going to calmly walk along and go find her, okay?"

"Okay," Joy said, resting her head on Jerome's chest and wrapping her right arm around his back.

Jerome wrapped his left arm around Joy's back and rested his chin on the crown of her head, as they both stepped into the forest, in search of Patricia.

Jerome and Joy were now completely lost. You'd think after living here for so long, you'd know your way around. Apparently that wasn't the case...They'd been in the forest for just under an hour now, and Joy was becoming less calm by the second.

"I don't think she's in here. Maybe we should just find our way back." Jerome suggested gently.

"No," Joy persisted intently, "We are going to find her."

"Okay, then can you at least tell me why on earth we're looking for her in the first place? Why did she run off?" Jerome asked suspiciously.

"I was just speaking to her," Joy said.

"And that made her mad?" Jerome replied curiously, not noticing that he was cutting into the middle of Joy's sentence.

He knew Patricia was a bit of a drama queen but that was definitely an overreaction.

"Well...Not exactly," Joy added, intriguing Jerome. "We were speaking about Eddie...and...their break up."

"Oh," Jerome said, now having a better understanding of the situation.

"So, what did happen?" Jerome asked, returning to his old curious self that he had been years ago.

"I'm not sure if I'm the right person to tell you that Jerome," Joy said, "I mean, it's Patricia and Eddie's choice if they want to tell you, not mine."

Jerome admired how loyal Joy was. Even after all she and Patricia had been through, the fact that Joy could still stick up for her like that, and that Patricia came and looks after Joy, and that Joy had let Patricia stay was, to Jerome, just amazing. The closest friend he had to that was Mara. But she was a girl (and his ex girlfriend) which made it weird, if those sort of things were to happen between them.

"Okay," Jerome said, returning to his current self in respect of his friends.

Joy just looked up at him and smiled, as they both continued walking through the beautiful forest. The sun started to lower and shine through the canopy of the trees, down on the couple.

Jerome just smiled back.
~~~~~
Mick was at the Sydney airport in Australia, sitting on the plane, waiting for departure.

Little did he know that drama had found its way to Anubis House before him.

Mick was completely unawares of the going on at Anubis House momentarily.

He had finally persuaded his parents to let him go to Anubis House for a reunion. He was really excited to be seeing all his mates again.

It was time to go back to the old house and make some memories. It had been three-ish years since he had been there, but he knew Anubis House like the back of his hand. He wondered if any newbies had applied there after he left. He knew Eddie a bit, he had replaced him after he had left.

Mick scrolled through the movies on the plane and selected 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2'. Harry Potter were his favourite series. They were about the only novels that Mick ever read voluntarily. The books had remained his favourites for as long as he could remember and he constantly recurred to them.

But Mick wasn't really watching the movie. He was thinking about future at Anubis House. It was going to be so awkward. The last time he had seen Mara, she had crushed his heart by kissing Jerome (of all people)! Fabian was probably best friends with Eddie. And Amber and Alfie had something going on when Mick had left. So who would he hang with? Not Patricia, she'd be with Joy. Joy.

Joy had been the only one to come to Mick's side at the party, when he was kind of distraught over Mara. That's when he admitted to himself that he had a little crush on her. And she wasn't dating anyone at the time...But it would never work. He was living in Australia.

Same went with Mara. Mick remembered how fastidious she was, and it reminded him of how they got together. How she was so concerned about the accuracy and detail of Mick's training schedule, that they had trained in every spare moment. And then it all came flooding back to him. Their kiss. The play. Every little second he had spent with her. Their ups and downs throughout time, and how she broke his heart.

That's why he had to distance himself from all the girls at Anubis House. Which he knew wouldn't be easy. That's why he had second guessed himself when he decided to go. But he wanted to, it was where he felt he belonged. Hence why he was on a plane on the way there. Australia was good, but it was nothing compared to his old home.

Mick turned 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2' off and decided to watch a Harry Potter marathon. He started from 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' and watched all of them all the way to the end.

He had to stop half way through because he had a connecting flight via Singapore. The movies took him almost 20 hours, to get through (the whole series). He had finished and slept a little and his flight was landing in 5 minutes at the Liverpool airport.

After a few minutes of waiting, the pilot called everyone off the plane. He walked to the queue and waited to get his bag.

Mick was looking around randomly because he was bored from waiting in line. Suddenly his eyes stopped in a particular area of the line. Somewhere near the front of the queue, he had recognised a certain familiar face.

"Hey, Trudy! Trudy!" he yelled, sticking his head out of line.

Trudy jerked her head at hearing her name being called. She grinned and waved. Everyone jerked their head over to the area where Mick was standing. He smiled sheepishly and walked gingerly over to where Trudy was standing. He slipped into the line behind Trudy quietly. He noticed the person now standing behind him scowl, trying to get the message across, but Mick just ignored it.

"Trudy, what are you doing here? I thought you were at Anubis House?" he asked, happy he found someone to talk to.

"Mick! Sweetie! How good to see you! What are you doing here?" she asked in her usual Trudy voice that Mick remembered well.

"Well," they both started at the same time.

"You go first," Mick smiled kindly.

"Well, I was on a holiday in Australia but then, I got called back to Anubis House for some odd reason."

"Probably because there's a reunion at Anubis House. That's where I'm going. Some guy who replaced me called Eddie invited everyone."

"Oh I know Eddie. He's a star," Trudy added as she stepped to the front of the bag line.

They collected their luggage and continued talking about all the new students who had arrived at Anubis House since Mick had left.

"There's also Willow, she's a bit crazy may I just warn you," she smiled.

"What about Victor? Does he still want to hear a pin drop at ten o'clock?" Mick smiled, laughing inside.

"Actually no? Vi-Victor has left. He said he had had enough of looking after children and was going to retire in Egypt," Trudy's face fell, just a touch.

Mick realised she missed having Victor around so he decided to lighten the mood.

"Egypt? Who would want to retire in Egypt? Anyway, I've got a question for you. How do brave Egyptians write?" Mick asked.

He had never been much of a jokes person but he thought this might cheer Trudy up.

"Oh, I don't know," she frowned in puzzlement.

"With Hero-glyphics!" Mick laughed.

They laughed together all the way until they arrived outside the airport to find a cab. Mick telling the jokes and Trudy trying to guess them. Wherever they stepped, the atmosphere changed and everyone around them became immediately happy or joyful. Trudy helped Mick flag down a cab and they both set off to Anubis House.

~~~~~

A/N

So how do you like it so far?

So, what do you think?

How much are you enjoying the story?

How was chapter 3?

It was a bit longer than the others...

Okay...Question Time!

Do you think anyone will realise Patricia, Joy and Jerome are gone?

Do you think Patricia will go back to Anubis House and get the guts to talk to Joy and Eddie?

Do you think Jerome will eventually find out what's happening between Eddie and Patricia?

If so, who will tell him?

What do you think Mick's reaction will be when he finds out all the new couples?

What do you think Mick will do when he meets the 'newbies'?

Lastly... Are you interested in this book?

Should we keep going?

Don't forget to comment and vote! We'd love to hear your opinions on the story!

Chapter written by Leah and Alannah💖💖