My favourite Idiots ✔️

27) Easter Party

Today is the day of the one and only Miller Easter Event. We've been setting up since 9 this morning, hanging garlands, cleaning and setting up tables. I've been cooking with the help of Willow and hanging decorations in between. Willow and I would go on Jayden and Jaxon's shoulders to hang them up, since we were no where near tall enough, and it was way more fun than using the ladders.

So far, I've made a chocolate cake decorated in eggs and little chicks, rabbit and carrot shortbread cookies and cut fruit with cookie-cutters in the shapes of eggs and chicks. Of course, we went and bought hot cross buns and Easter eggs as well.

It's about 12:30 now, so we still have an hour and a half until people will start arriving, although Hunter said Eli and his older brother, Harvey, should be here any time soon. They're coming early because they always do, and they want to help set up. As soon as Hunter mentioned Harvey my stomach began twisting in knots and I could feel my face get flushed.

'Livi? Are you okay?' Said Willow, worry and concern lacing her voice.

'I'm fine.' I said, putting on a smile and taking big deep breaths. I haven't seen Harvey since our last Easter Event.

I must have spaced out for a minute because when I came back down to earth, Willow was clicking, at least attempting to, in my face.

'Huh?' I said.

'I asked if you wanted to bring the food out yet?' Said Willow, looking worried.

'Um. No, not yet. A little later I think, we don't want it to get yucky.' I suggested, to which she agreed, then bounded off to see what Jayden was doing. Just like they should be, they've grown extremely close over the past few days. Sometimes I wish I was like that with my brothers, but then I think I really am that close with them, just in a different way. Less protective, more fun. Although they are protective of me, but more making sure other people don't hurt me, whereas Jayden just doesn't want Willow to get hurt.

I needed a break from everything around me, even if it was just temporary. I needed to relax and forget about what happened with Harvey last year, especially because I knew I would have to face it in minutes time.

I went up to our home 'library'. It wasn't really a library, just a room with couches, blankets and books. It had all my favourite books I'd ever read in it, along with some of the boys (mainly Lachie's since he is the only one that reads) and old ones of my parents. Since the accident with my parents, I was pretty much the only person who used the space. It used to be my special place with mum and dad. They would read to me, and cuddle up on the blankets, telling me stories of when they were little.

Reading is one of my escapes, along with dancing. I used to sing too, but I can't do that with my brothers around, so I don't do that anymore.

I circled the room, dragging my hand along the shelves upon shelves of books. (A/N Library up top^^). The fuzzy feeling of the hard spines, which I knew contained hundreds of words. Slowly, my worries and panicking subsided, and I was lost in a world of words. I thought about how a person was sitting at a desk, typing furiously at the computer, trying to get all the words out of their head onto paper before they disappeared. It was a skill I would never possess, but something I enjoyed thinking about, and enjoying the result of their hard work. I had read some amazing books over the past few years, like The Fault in Our Stars, John Green, The Other Side of Summer, Emily Gale, What If It's Us?, Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera and the first half of The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas, since I'm currently reading it.

I relaxed in the serenity of the library for what I think was about 15 minutes before Hunter called out.

'LIVI! Eli and Harvey are here!' He yelled. As much as I wanted to forget about last time and go give Harvey the hug of the century, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Even though I wanted to see Eli too, I couldn't risk Harvey. Maybe if I just didn't show up until my friends got here, nobody would suspect a thing. I think...

I didn't go downstairs like Hunter wanted me to. Nobody called again, so I figured they just got busy, which was a good thing for me. Lachie suddenly appeared in front of me, which startled me quite a lot.

'Chill Livi. I'm not a murderer.' He said rolling his eyes at my startled expression.

'What do you want?' I said grumpily at him, moving away back to the couch.

'Rude.' He scoffed. 'Hunter sent me looking for you. He was worried because you didn't come down when he said Eli and Harvey were here or something like that.' Lachie waved a hand in the air.

'And?' I said.

'Well I found you, so you need to come down now.' He said.

'No, I don't want to.' I said simply, expecting to have to fight him.

'Fine with me.' He said, putting his hands up and walking out of the room. That was way to easy.

Sure enough, 10 minutes later Jaxon appeared at the door.

'What's up, baby?' He said, trying a calm approach. I knew exactly how this conversation would go.

'Nothing.' I say blandly.

'Then why aren't you downstairs with everyone else? Eli and Harvey are here you know.' He says, but I just shrugged, turning my attention to the pillow pattern. 'look, I don't know what the problem is, but I can't do anything if you won't tell me.' He said somewhat angrily. I decided to speak this time.

'I don't need help.'

'With an attitude adjustment you do.' He snarled, but I turned away. Maybe I was grumpy, he gets grumpy all the time though. I heard him sigh and mutter something really gruffly under his breath then get up and leave. Hopefully this was the end of my brothers trying to get me downstairs, and they would just leave me be until my friends got here. I knew I would be fine once they got here, or at least act like I was.

Not even 2 minutes later I heard my phone ding from the table next to the couch. I grabbed it and saw a text from Hunter.

Hunter – If you don't get down here in the next 5 minutes, I'll call all your friends and tell them not to come and take your phone for a week.

So now they resort to threatening me! Rude, but never the less effective. I couldn't risk my friends not coming and no way could I lose my precious iPhone. Not when I still had a week of holidays left.

I didn't reply to him, just stood up and slowly made my way down to the backyard.

I got there and made sure Hunter saw me, then went to help Willow. I had said hi to Eli because Harvey wasn't nearby on the way over to Willow. She was struggling to get the garlands to stay up, so I ran back inside to grab more tape. On my way I ran into a solid brick wall, sending me flying backwards and down to the ground. I landed with a thud and looked up to see the one person I had been avoiding.

Harvey.

I quickly stood up and brushed myself off.

'Sorry Livi, didn't see you there.' He said casually. I did notice he used my name though. He never ever calls me by my name, so it definitely stood out.

'I'm fine, my fault too. I need to go inside.' I said whilst pointing to the door he was blocking, trying to fill in the awkward gap that only seemed to be felt. I started walking around him quickly when he grabbed my waist.

'Not so fast there little miss. We need to talk.' He said.