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41

"Out of all the people- I expected you to be the most aware of how she would need sunscreen" Luke spoke to Jack, who rolled his eyes as I sat on the counter in the kitchen beside Ashton, watching Luke frantically search for aloe Vera.

"It's just her face mate-" "she also has six more days of constant sun, we didn't need a sunburn on the first day" Luke spoke, finally coming to me with aloe, immediately putting it on my face, making me squint my eyes shut at the cold liquid rubbing against my extremely hot face.

"She will be fine, she's a trooper" Jack spoke, making me smile to him.

Luke exhaled, shaking his head as he looked between us.

"We have to start getting ready for dinner, mum is going to be pissed if we are late."

I ran to shower before immediately getting into the dress we had picked out just for this 'formal' dinner.

Luke and I were matching, which was his idea, but I didn't hate it.

I glanced to myself in the mirror, rubbing my hands across the mid-thigh length baby blue silk dress, pairing it with a gold necklace and some rings before quickly doing my make up.

"Pretty girl" Luke smiled, wiggling his shoulders as he buttoned his baby blue shirt, opening the door to see if any of the guys were in the hallway.

I curled my hair quickly, making soft beach waves before nodding at my reflection, deciding that it was good enough.

I ran downstairs, seeing all of the guys at different stages of getting ready, which made me help Michael iron his shirt, seeing that he was struggling to do it himself.

"You are so damn good at that" michael spoke, laughing at the fact that I could do it, but he couldn't.

"I've had my fair share of practice." I laughed to him, knowing I ironed endless shirts and pants in the foster homes.

Soon we were all in the car, Jack showing me more and more stuff that we passed.

And soon we were at the fine dining restaurant, and I immediately felt my nerves kick in at the thought of meeting everyone's families.

I grabbed Ashton's arm as we walked in, making him look to me with a smile.

"You look beautiful." He smiled to me, making me immediately smile back.

"Thank you, Ash."

When we walked into the room that we had been informed was reserved for us, everyone almost instantly broke into loud cheers, hugs being given out left and right.

I was introduced to person after person and I immediately knew, I wasn't going to remember any of their names.

I ended up getting seated between Luke and Michael, the conversations never ending.

I was most definitely over stimulated.

You're fine, just stop stressing over absolutely nothing.

I felt Michael grab my hand, making me look to him.

He never stopped the conversation he was having with his mother, he just held my hand firmly.

Michael.

She was quiet, only really speaking when she was spoke to.

I noticed her knee bouncing at a fast pace, the bread we were given as an appetizer hadn't even been touched from her plate.

I grabbed her hand gently, feeling her not even hesitate to squeeze her hand into mine.

Her hand was clammy, but this little gesture made her knee stop bouncing.

I continued to talk to my mom about a study that I was doing into bone cancer victims, and as soon as that conversation died down, I looked to her, seeing her laughing at something that Luke's dad had said to her.

"Yeah- I definitely got lucky." She spoke, smiling to Luke, who's eyes never left her.

Soon we were all eating and she seemed a bit more calm, but still not her normal, bubbly self.

And soon Luke's mom spoke to her

"So Harley, Luke tells me that you're pretty advanced in school, how's that going?"

All eyes were on her, I saw her knee immediately start bouncing again.

"Uh- I mean, I don't know that I would call it advanced." She laughed lightly.

"I just study a lot and test well so they allow me to take tests to opt out of college courses, and I've done that a few times so I have about a year of my college already finished." She finished, talking quickly, making me know, her anxiety was kicking her ass.

"That's definitely advanced considering you're seventeen," Luke laughed, making her glance to him, giving a small shrug.

And from that point on, the questions didn't stop coming to her and her knee never stopped bouncing, but she also started playing with her rings and necklace.

"Oh yes- I'm sure it's purely chaotic living in a house with our boys." Ashton's mom laughed after hearing Harley say something about how we were always doing something.

"I wouldn't call it chaotic, it's more fun than anything I think." Harley smiled, glancing to me, making me give her a smile.

You're okay kid, stop stressing.

"I'm sure- considering what you came from" Luke's mom spoke, making us all immediately shoot daggers with our eyes at her.

I could tell Harley didn't know what to say, but her little smile never dropped.

Luke's mom clearly caught onto our looks, trying to quickly explain herself, "oh- I'm so sorry I didn't mean it in a negative context-" "no, no you're fine." Harley spoke, waving her hand lightly.

"I came from chaos, you're right, you're absolutely right." She spoke, nodding in agreement.

"But in a way, that was home. It wasn't an ideal home, but I think I needed to be there, not for myself, but for other people. I think I did my job and now I'm rewarded with a loving family who is willing to do anything and everything I've ever wanted." Harley smiled as she glanced to the four of us.

Good job, kiddo.