"Ahhh, I can't wait to see Auntie Laura again, you know, after that whole scandal with the affair and all."
The brunette snickered to the dyed blond. "Ohhh, that was awful, the whole family was outraged!"
The two seventeen year old girls sniggered. Around them, many adults were scrambling about, muttering about food preparations, sleeping arrangements, and activities in the next coming days.
The brunette brushed her shoulder length hair out of her gleeful brown eyes, "gods, it's been awhile since the last reunion huh?"
The blond nodded to her cousin, "definitely, been what, eight years or so ya?"
The other nodded in agreement; they had last seen each other at the age of nine or so.
"Amanda, can you grab these flowers please?"
The brunette looked up with a frown before groaning and reaching over for the flowers her mother handed her. The tall woman stared sternly at her daughter before turning to the blond with warm eyes.
"Matilda, you certainly have grown!" the woman bent down to give the girl a kiss on the cheek.
Matilda smiled politely, "thanks Aunt Rosie."
The woman brushed away a stray piece of hair that had detached itself from her ponytail. "Matilda, can you be a dear and help Amanda with those flowers? They need to be placed in the dining room table."
"Centerpiece mom?"
She beamed at her daughter and nodded before turning to a call of her name. "Ah, sorry girls, I need to help in the kitchens now. Remember, dining room table!"
Amanda rolled her eyes and nodded to her cousin to follow, but were stopped at her mother's shout.
"Oh, and your Aunt Jane, Uncle Robert and your cousin Hermione will be here tonight!"
Moving quickly into the other room out of the adult's hearing distance, both teens groaned. Amanda glared at the flowers, putting them into the partially water filled vase.
"Gods, remember Hermione?"
Matilda scowled, "do I ever! Damn, I was hoping she wouldn't show, what with her private schooling and all."
Amanda winced, "you heard about it too?"
Matilda nodded, "how could I not, it's all my parents would talk about when I was eleven. Hermione this, Hermione that, why can't you be more like your cousin?"
At this, her cousin nodded angrily, "I know! And I don't think they'd actually want us to be like her! I mean come on, she doesn't even have any friends."
Matilda smirked, "and her attitude and personality were soo overbearing the last we saw her."
"Totally bossy."
Matilda suddenly giggled, "you know what? I sort of can't wait to see her. Wonder what kind of little freak she is now?"
Amanda laughed along with her cousin. "She probably still doesn't have any friends outside of books. No boyfriend, no fashion sense, nothing!"
Both girls felt better, laughing at their absent cousin.
Through the dining room, a few of the younger boys and girls ran through laughing hysterically, followed by shouts by their mothers screaming for them to calm down and to not run in the house. Amanda rolled her eyes with a smile.
"It's a jungle, gonna be one literally by tonight when everyone gets here."
By that night, it was what Amanda had deemed, a jungle in her home as relatives poured in during all hours. And it was at long last that the dreaded cousin finally arrived. Amanda and Matilda didn't know what to think.
