"Ray, get the food warmed up, as soon as Octavian's done with the cake cutting, the food should be ready to go. And make sure everyone's drinks remain refreshed. Look over to the Baumans' table, they haven't even received their refreshments yet. Tell the waiters to be quick on their feet and-" My rambling was cut off by Ray.

"I'll take care of everything Miss Crawford," Ray assured, "But for now, The eldest Mr Crawford is waiting for you to cut the cake."

I looked over to the main table where, for the first time in a long long while, I saw Octavian smiling, talking to our aunts. He seemed relaxed, with only our inner circle here, he had nothing to worry about and it showed. His eyes met mine and his smile widened a fraction. He waved his free hand in a small gesture, calling me over. I gave him a small smile and a nod before turning back to Ray only to see that she wasn't there, in her place was a young man who I hadn't seen since evening.

"Have you calmed down yet?" He asked in a low whisper, a lazy smile playing on his face as he looked straight into my eyes.

"I don't think I'll be calm until all this has wrapped up," I retorted, breaking free from the trance of his piercing eyes.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, intertwining his fingers with mine, "Something I can do to help with that?" He stepped closer. Closer than I ever thought was possible. His lips were almost touching mine. So close. I just had to lean forward a fraction to touch my lips to his. And I was almost there, he looked at my lips, inviting me, almost taunting me to do it.

But the trance broke when I heard Dorian call me. I let out a small dejected sigh before moving away from him. This was the second time today we had almost kissed. And at this point, I was looking forward to it so much that I wasn't thinking straight.

With my hand still in his, I turned around to see that everyone's attention was at the main table, the cakes were there and Octavian was ready to cut it, they were just waiting for me. Thankfully, nobody knew where I was except Octavian who seemed engrossed in a conversation with our eldest uncle. So thankfully, nobody would have seen my moment with Aaron.

I then looked over to Dorian who was looking all over the place, occasionally calling out my name. I rolled my eyes as Aaron pressed his chest against my back. I let out a small gasp, shocked at the sudden contact. "Go and meet me near the pool right after the cake cutting. I'll be waiting," he whispered near my ear, his breath teasing my already burning cheek. He quickly followed the instructions with a small peck on my cheek before withdrawing his hand from my and stepping back.

Having no courage to look at him without collapsing right there and then, I chose to walk forward, towards the main table.

***

As soon as the cake cutting was done, the waiters walked in like a perfectly synchronized units with food in their hand and it seemed that everything was going according to my plan. The family was going about bustling over the cakes, making sure that Octavian had a fair share of it in his stomach as well as on his face. It seemed like chaos, but I made sure to sneak in a hefty amount of cream in his cheeks before he could catch me.

Then I quickly sneaked out, away from my enjoying family members and walking towards the pool. My eyes quickly scanned the area before my eyes landed on Aaron, who was crouching beside the pool, looking at his own reflection, fixing his hair. I let out an unintentional chuckle which managed to catch his attention. He looked over to find the source of the noise and found me, immediately, his eyes shone and the corners of his mouth lifted up in a small smile.

He stood up as I walked over to him. We both looked at each other, similar expressions on our face, the soft golden light bounced off his sharp features, making him look ethereal in his three piece suit. My breath hitched as he pulled out a bouquet of roses the moment I reached him. He handed it to me without saying a word and I looked up at him, waiting for him to say something, explain whatever is going on.

"It's been a few months since I've known you, and to be honest these have been the best months of highschool. You such an amazing, helpful and friendly person, I cannot be more attracted to you, I'm like a mother to a flame. And even though we've hung out a few times, I just wanted to ask you if you would like to go out with me?" He asked, his eyes boring straight into mine. He held his breath, waiting for my answer but his eyes shone with confidence. It was as if we both knew my answer even before I said it.

"Of course," A soft whisper escaped me. He took in a deep breath before stepping closer.

"Can I kiss you Astria?" He asked in a rough, husky voice. I looked at him in anticipation, before letting out a small nod and before I knew it, his lips were on mine.

I closed my eyes, letting our lips dance together to a rhythm he set. It was a soft kiss, one that was not ruled by list but by affection and I couldn't have asked for anything more for my first kiss.

***

After dinner, most guests had left and my family, Lydel's family, Jesper's family and Lucien's family were the only ones remaining. With the festivities over, my nerves had calmed down, but that did not mean that my heart had returned to beating at its normal rhythm. It was still in overdrive due to someone who wasn't even here.

I touched my lips, remembering the moment we kissed and the heat rising up to my face as I turned red. I took a few deep breaths, hoping my face had returned to its previous color walking over to my brothers. "I'm gonna be in the living room if you need me, okay?" I muttered to Octavian.

"Did something happen? Are you not comfortable? Do you feel okay?" He asked, his eyebrows scrunching as his eyes shone with worry.

"I'm alright, just tired and overwhelmed. You guys enjoy it here and I'll be right back in a few," I smiled. He nodded, but the concern still didn't leave his eyes. The genuine comfort I felt at that moment was beyond words.

As I entered the kitchen through the back doors, I spotted Gwen rounding up what was remaining of the cakes. "Do you want me to make you some tea, Miss Crawford?" She asked as soon as she spotted me.

"Chamomile, please," I replied softly. I kicked off my heels and climbed onto one of the bar stools, wiping my sweaty hands against my soft cool dress. The next few minutes were a blur as I sipped on my tea and Gwen exited the kitchen.

I let out a few deep breaths, my mind wandering off to my mom wondering how she might me doing. A heavy weight settled in my stomach as my heart ached at her thought. It has been months since I talked to her, she wouldn't pick up my calls nor would she call me back. It's been a game of chase with her and I was tired of it.

I turned down the temperature of the room as I let myself lay my warm forehead against the cool countertop. The exhaustion of the day washed over me as soon closed my eyes and before I knew it I was drifting away, towards my nightmares.

"Mom?" I called out to her. There was nothing but darkness in sight, one that matched my clothes, dripping with sweat as I walked barefoot through the space. I could hear her voice, echoes of the maniacal laugh that haunted me.

"Can you please come out mom? You're scaring me?" I asked, feeling sweat drop from my chin, or maybe it's tears, I didn't want to find out.

"Why do you need me now astria? As I have always told you, you didn't need me, you just used me when your brothers didn't want you. I took you in when your father cast you out, I gave you food and a place to live, and as soon as I step away for mere three months, you forget the one who raised you. This is what I deserve? An ungrateful brat who sucked me dry of my food and money and then forgets me the moment she has the glimpse of a luxurious life? I did not raise you to be so selfish," I heard her sneer through the dark as I looked around frantically trying to find the source of the voice.

I was sure by now that the droplets were not sweat. She was right. I was the one at fault. I never should have let her go, I should be the one taking care of her. She did not deserve to be treated like that. I should have called her. I should have-

"I never should have let you go," she yelled, as I covered my ears to block out her screams and my sobs as I feel to my knees, "I should have let you rot in that basement till you learned the value of your mother, you selfish pig,"

I heard glass shatter and woke up with a jerk. My chest rising and falling with my heaves as I realize that it was all a dreams. Tears rushed out of my eyes I frantically tried to rub them away and control my breathing. All I could hear were her screams and my sobs, no matter how hard I tried to block them out. The piercing pain in my head and my ears grew as I curled into a ball trying to hug my own knees, to hide myself from demon that resided in my dreams.

I was broken out of trance when I heard footsteps, I looked up towards the entrance as the footsteps grew louder until half of my brothers (cousins included) burst through the glass doors, worry shining in each one's eyes as they panted, looking like they ran half a mile. My eyes ran over half a dozen men, trying to find Octavian while also trying to ignore the crowd.

The group split as Octavian pushed his way to the front, looking alarmed as he slowly neared me. My breathing slowed as I tried to come back to reality, that I was surrounded by the people who loved me, not those who wanted to hurt me.

Octavian's identical eyes bore into mine as he silently asked me to calm down, to breathe. I slowly uncurled myself before letting my feet dangle. I jumped off the stool, looking over to my cousins. "No, wait-" Alejandro yelled. But before I could listen to him and stop, my feet had already touched the ground.

The realization of why he asked me to stop came instantly as I felt the skin at the bottom of my foot tear and sharp pain rose up my leg. I looked down to find shard of the broken cup and remainder of my tea on the ground.

"Hold on to the counter and don't move," one of them said as my face scrunched up and my eyes shut, trying to bear the pain of the tiny pieces of glass embedded in my foot.

In an instant, I was off my feet and in someone's arms. I opened my eyes to see Octavian carrying me out to the living room, trying not to move my foot too much. I looked over his shoulder, the crowd had nearly doubled with my entire family walking behind us as an entourage.

I immediately felt heat rising as embarrassment took over. Did they see everything? I was just glad that all the guests had left and it was just family.

As soon as we entered the living room, Octavian let me down on the sofa and sat beside me.

Alejandro took a seat on the ground in front of me, taking my injured foot in his hand. I tried to recoil as a reflex from the pain but he kept a firm hold on my foot as he examined it.

"Well the good news is, the shards were way too small for you to need stitches, however, it will hurt when I pull them out, so brace yourself for that," he said. I looked over to Zane with a concerned look on my face.

"He's the head doctor of the busiest ER in the city. He would be much better at it than me, trust me," Zane said with a reassuring nod.

I looked back at Alejandro to see him smiling at me, "Just relax and you'll be alright in just a few minutes," He said as he opened up the first aid kit.

"How about we retire to our rooms now, it is quite late," Dorian said, ushering the younger cousins towards the stairs as our uncles and aunts follow suit, "She'll still be here in the morning you guys, let's go," He said again to get our grandparents to start moving.

Nonna gave him a glare before agreeing with him. They all soon left but not before both my grandmas and grandpas had made sure I was okay and comfortable.

I quickly passed Dorian a grateful smile, which was soon replaced by a grimace as Alejandro slowly but confidently pulled out little splinters of glass from my foot.

My eyes widened at the amount of blood covering the glass shards as well as Alejandro pants. "You probably shouldn't be looking at this, it looks worse than it actually," he reassured me as I maintained a death grip on Octavian's hand.

I nodded and looked over to Octavian who was glaring at my foot. "Octavian?" I called him.

"Yes?"

"Do you think," I started, a little hesitant to make my request, "Do you think you can maybe call mom?"

"Yes sure, just a minute," He said as he pulled his phone out of his blazer pocket. His fingers swiftly dialed her number and handed the phone to me.

I took a few deep breaths as I pressed the phone to my ear, hearing the recurring ringtone, waiting for her to pick up.

***

A/N:

So everyone, I'm back? It's been a while and I'm really sorry for abndoning this book like this but life caught on and shit's been really crazy since I started uni. However, i think I'm back for good and with this book, I also have a few more planned which I'll be starting after I've become more regular with book which should happen over the next month.

Also, on a more positive note, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to you guys, I really really hope this year brings you good fortune and happiness and turns to be a great year of success for everyone. As a new year's gift, I'll be posting another chapter in a few hours, so you can look forward to that.

Anyways, Sibling meme rime?

Toodles

~Ash