It was the night of Christmas, with me and Olivia standing in the kitchen of the house having spent most of the day listening to music, and cooking together.
I would admit that I enjoyed this, I was also aware it broke Olivia's expectations of what I was like when she had met me that I one could cook and two preferred it.
Setting the seasoned turkey on the counter I quickly pulled my hand away muttering sung curses under my breathe.
"Did you burn yourself?" Olivia asks as she walks over to me and takes my hand glancing at the burns on my hand from the heat that had seeped through the towel I used.
"It appears that way" I reply and she rolls her eyes before taking the towel I used and putting it under cold water before wringing it out and wrapping my hand, securing it with a hair tie.
"Now don't do anything stupid" she warns getting a rubber mit, and a knife and beginning to cut the meat into slices.
What she didn't know however was that I had actually gotten Stephanie to fly everyone else here then get chauffeured to the house.
As we finished getting everything set up on the table I began setting plates with cutlery around the table while Olivia soaked the stuff we used when managing the turkey and ham before cooking it.
"Why did you set out six more plates, knives, and forks".
Before I answered the doorbell rang, and I walked away towards the door ignoring Olivia's confused expression.
I then pulled open the doors and outside speckled in snow stood all six remaining members of the group.
"Hey Adrian, it's cold as fuck let us in" Hunter says, and I step out of the way letting them all come inside into the warm house.
"Oh wow, this is nice" Riley mutters pulling off his coat and scarf.
"That was the point Riley" I muse walking back into the kitchen where Olivia stood collecting glasses for the table now understanding the need for the extra plates.
"I'm going to have to steal the key to this house" Kate says walking over to us to Olivia.
"I have enough homes to share, so you wouldn't have to steal it" I say walking into the kitchen and turning the Christmas music that had been playing down so that it could only be softly heard.
"And enough cars to accommodate a village" Mia comments.
"I think it would be more accurate to call it a hamlet" I correct walking back into the dining room to take my place at the head of the table beside Olivia and everyone else who had just sat down. "Now lets eat".
This is what I liked about the past summer together is that we all got a lot closer then we did before Junior year mostly due to the fact that I was so closed off from everyone around me up until Olivia arrived at Thornbrook. It had opened my eyes to the idea of actually letting people get to know me better, more specifically letting the boys see me outside of the dark shell I encased myself in for the majority of my High School years.
So here we all sat on Christmas night together, and it was oddly familial the sight before me, but everyone here was in one way or another a part of my family.
"Adrian pass the turkey please" Nico says, and I lift the plate and he forks off three slices.
After getting everything I wanted onto my plate which wasn't actually big enough to accommodate everything so my mashed potatoes got mixed with peas and gravy.
"I just want to say something before we all start eating" I say, "Hunter yes this is your cue to go get the bottle of whiskey of the top shelf above the fridge" I add noticing him try and sneak out of the room unsuccessfully.
Hunter then stops and glances at me with an expression that said 'really' before going to get the bottle of Macallan out of the cabinet above the fridge before walking back over to the table.
"I want to say Merry Christmas to all of you, I know that in the past two years a lot has happened and I would like to thank all of you for being here not just for me and Olivia, but everyone around us, and honestly without all of you including the two idiots I wouldn't be having this dinner surrounded by all of you" I say raising my glass, "bon appetite".
We all then began eating making conversation, and having light hearted banter with one another at the table.
"Adrian remember the first day Kate and Nico met?" Mia asks and I can see Nico glancing over at me.
"I do to, me and Kate came over one day, and Nico had just come home from the beach covered in sand, he then met Kate, which ended up with her calling him sand boy" I say, and I can see Nico blushing at the end of the table.
"If we're doing that remember how defensive Adrian got when Sebastian was an ass to Olivia and Adrian was on the verge of killing him".
"No one should be mistreated ever I don't care in what situation it's unacceptable" I state.
"You were so mad you were all but radiating anger when I came to thank you" Olivia says from my right.
"I was angry, not just that he couldn't take the hint but that he was going to hit you" I say taking the final bite of my food, and wiping my hands off on the napkin next to me.
"That's fair, but you also never played white knight for anyone" Hunter pointed out.
"He'd do it for the people he knows, and it took a solid week for them to at least begin to trust one another" Nico says sipping his iced water.
"Okay but we've known him since he was five, and I'm actually pretty sure she accomplished what took us over a decade in under a month" Riley says.
"She did" Ava mutters, and I smirk hearing the comment.
"How'd you know that?" her boyfriend asks.
"Girls tell one another nearly everything, Olivia's also just talkative enough to make that type of guess, but not reveal the extent of anything" I remark.
"How did you even know though?".
"I knew Hunter liked Mia for a very long time like around Sophomore year, and you just made it public knowledge without actually saying anything about you being interested in Ava".
"You notice everything though" Riley exclaims.
"It's how I beat Hunter every year in polo so of course I do".
"Oh god, this is a rabbit hole of arrogance we just went down" Olivia muses.
"You know what fuck you, you own a race horse" Hunter says.
"Speed isn't everything Ambrose" I comment with a smirk.
"It's helpful though if I could actually keep pace with you".
"We have a few months before the first game calm down, and eat your vegetables".
"Yes dad" Hunter mutters.
"Don't ever call me that again, or I'll freeze all your assets" I nonchalantly threaten.
"Okay fine I won't, and I'll finish my plate".
"Good" I say standing and helping to begin the clearing of the table.
As I washed the dishes and dried them Olivia, and Kate pulled out the assorted deserts that we had picked up from a local bakery.
When finished I turned to see everyone walking into the living room with their chosen dessert, and I joined them deciding breaking tradition couldn't hurt and took a slice of apple pie with more whip cream then should be able to be balanced on a pie before walking over to the couch where all of us had managed to fit.
"Adrian what should we watch?" Riley asks being the one with the Netflix remote.
"You can never go wrong with Home Alone" I say sitting down beside Olivia.
Riley then selected the Christmas classic and we all settled in for the movie, with our desserts, and friends around us.
Next chapter I have a plan for as it's the only prementioned house of Adrian's that they've never been too so what better time to show it. Comment below what you think of the chapter and the place they will go, also vote, and share. Anyways
Peace✌
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The Billionaire Admirer
Teen Fiction{Book #3 of The Winters Series} Senior year at Thornbrook Academy has come with new challenges, including the return of Savannah Lovell, Adrian's ex girlfriend, who's return seems oddly convenient since the public appearance of Adrian and Olivia at...
