We were the last of the family to arrive. The boys and our parents got out first before Nina and I did. 

"Woah, your family owns a mansion!" Nina exclaimed as she looked at our family house.

It wasn't always. Started out as the little house on a hill. My great-great-grandfather, well the first Aiden Denver, inherited the plot of land from a distant relative. After the first cottage was built, he set the tradition that every new Denver generation will have to contribute to the house someway somehow to help expand it.
Well, let's say they've been really dedicated to that tradition.

"Lina!"  Levi, my ten year old cousin, called out and ran towards me, and engulfed my midriff in a hug. He pulled back a bit to look at me.

"I've missed you. Carl said you guys weren't coming this year because Max lost a match and grandpa ban you guys. I was so sad."

"Evie! You came." Liam, Levi's twin, also joined him as they both hugged me.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss the chance to see my two favorite cousins in the world. Plus we all know your brother Carl is a big fat liar." I ruffled their hair playfully. Thankfully the two of them had a different shade of blonde hair so it makes it easier to tell them apart, otherwise, those two are practically a carbon copy of each other. They even have the same birthmarks at the same place too.

"What are we? Invisible?" Max commented as he joined us with his suitcase and mine.

"Cousin Maxi, we missed you too," Levi stated.

"Just not as much as Evie," Liam added.

"What about me?" My mum asked them.

"We missed you in a different way, Aunt Melissa, " Liam responded.

"Then where is my hug?" They both ran to her and give her too. They head inside with my mum and I help the guys unload our luggage.

"Princess, you can go ahead with Nina we'll bring the rest of the stuff," my dad said.

"Okay dad" I answered and pulled Nina inside before Elliot voiced out the protest that was evident on his face. 

"I'm almost nervous to meet your family. Like what if they don't like me. What if your cousins and aunties and everyone thinks I'm weird." Nina rambled. She tends to get like that when she meets new people.

"Nina, sweetie, chill. They're going to adore you."
She sighed.

"I mean you're right. I'm a totally lovable person. Who wouldn't like me?" I shook my head. Insecure Nina lasted only a minute. That's totally like her.

The front door opens to a wide hallway that led to the staircase. On the wall behind the staircase hung numerous picture frames with family photos going back to older generations to current ones. The doorway on the left led to the kitchen and the one on the right led to the living room and the home cinema.

"I see the Denvers 3.O have arrived."

"A.J!" I exclaimed and ran up the stairs to hug him. A.J is the eldest of all the Denver grandkids. He's a cop but  works mostly with their cyber team.

"You cut your hair," I pointed out when I noticed his buzzcut. He held my hand and we descended the stairs to where Nina was standing.

"Yeah. It was time for a change."

"It fits you."

We got to Nina and she was eying A.J in a Nina way. This is when she accesses a person and decides how to start a conversation with said person.

"Hi, I'm Nina." She said with a smile and a small wave. I guess she settled on friendly Nina.

"Hi, Nina. Aiden James at your service" he said with a bow. "Heard a lot about you. Glad to finally meet you."

"Unfortunately, I can't say the same. Two years of friendship and she told me like a month ago that she has three brothers. In all nice to meet you." A.J gave me an amused look. 

I chuckled.

"Nina dear, remember that time we agreed you've forgiven me for not telling you about them earlier."

"Oh yeah right. It's all forgiven. Can't wait to meet the rest of the family."

"Speaking of the rest of the family, where is everyone?"

"The mothers are in the kitchen, the kids are in the living room and  Big A probably got the fathers to do some jobs around like always." I nodded.

"Now Nina, let's go meet the other rascals." He locked Nina's hand with his other hand and led us to the living room.

We were greeted by loud chatters when we got into the living room. 

The twins were chasing after Carl who was holding their ball out of their reach, their elder brother and A.J's other brother. He's the same age as Max but those couldn't be more different. While Max is the serious and brooding type, he's the jovial and the friendly type. His tousled brown curls are longer now compared to the last time I saw him.

"Eves!" Carl exclaimed when he saw me. He dropped the ball he was taunting the twins with and Levi picked it up and they ran from Carl to Aiden, my brother. He's probably the only person who can contain Carl.

Max and Elliot entered right at that moment.

"Sup peeps, the fun has arrived," Elliot announced with a grin.

"Don't you mean the losers? Heard about your team's disgraceful defeat. Who knew this day would come? Where Maximus Jullian Denver actually loses a match."

"Shut up Carl," Elliot said and turned to the others. "Are we the last family to arrive?"

I look around to check and we actually were.

"Exception!!!!!" I called out quickly before most of the cousins could get the word out.

"Dang it!! Been waiting for yall morning and I still missed out on it." Alexander complained.

"What's happening?" Nina asked with a puzzled look.

"We have this thing. When all of us gathered in the same room on the first day of the reunion, the first person to call 'exception' would be exempted from all planned pranks in the duration of the stay."

"You could just not prank each other" Nina commented. Ah, naive Nina. Like this whole bunch can go two straight days without any pranks.

"Where's the fun in that? Asher Denver is the name. What's yours sweetheart?" he flipped his wavy hair to the side and smiled at her. He is definitely flirting with her. Am I okay with this? Nope. This guy is a heartbreaker and I know this because the guy has blackmailed me numerous times to get me to help him break up with numerous girls. Not my proudest moments but this guy with his baby face and green eyes is the devil in disguise.

"Nah huh. Nope. Nina is off limits to you Ash. That goes to you too Alec. I'll be watching you two."

The two brothers looked at each other and laughed. 

"How cute. Look at our cute Evie warning us." I had moved away from A.J and was close to Asher so he reached over and ruffled my hair. 

"Yall better listen to her because she's not the Denver sibling you have to deal with if you mess with our Nina here," Max said with a knowing smile. I caught him briefly glancing toward Aiden, our brother's, direction. It hit me then. Nina and Aiden? No freaking way. On second thought, I could totally see that because let's face it, Nina is probably the only one who can put up with our self-sufficient brother.

A.J seemed to have caught on because he also glanced toward Aiden and I saw a smile form on his face.  Nina looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Like anyone here can stop us from getting what we want?" Alexander chuckled. Nina looked ready to get into a speech about her not being an item. I know this because it's a normal Nina reaction but she stopped herself. She's probably counting to ten in her head.

I shook my head and brushed past the brothers and went to sit with Aiden, Aay as we all call him. It's confusing, I know. Lots of Aidens. The only person who actually gets to be called Aiden when we all meet is my brother. That's cause he's the youngest one. The others go with their nicknames to avoid confusion.

"Don't listen to my brothers. Your friend is safe here. They wouldn't try anything." He assured. Aay is the second oldest Denver grandkid and also the biggest prankster of the family.

"If I didn't know those two I'd believe you."

I glanced towards them and they were still talking to Nina with A.J. She hasn't slapped any of them yet. That's progress.

Lina, your hair is blonde again." Liam commented when he joined us. He was pretty loud.

"Let me guess, Aunt Mellissa made you go natural to avoid a confrontation with Big A?" Carl commented.

"Fifty bucks says Big A still finds something to complain about to her," Alexander said.

"We are Big A proof this time. Mum made a list. That's how determined she was" Elliot stated proudly.

"So wanna bet Ely" Alec challenged.

"You got yourself a deal." They shook on it.

The mothers entered shortly after that. They were laughing about something. My aunt started warning Alec and Asher in Spanish when she noticed them close to Nina.  If there's one person they're afraid of that will be their mother. I didn't really catch what she said but whatever she said might have worked because the boys looked scared.

Nina moved from the boys and came to sit beside me. 

"Hi, Nina I'm Aiden. You can call me Aay." He smiled at her. 

"Another one? How many Aidens do you guys actually have in your family?" She asked in disbelief.

"Five at the moment. It's kinda a family name." I laughed at her expression.

"So when you're all gathered and I scream Aiden, I'm going to have five heads turned towards me?"

"Pretty much," I answered.

"Cool." 

"Hey kids"

"Hello, Aunt Lucianna. You're looking pretty as always. You too Aunt Sofia." I gave them my good girl smile. They both smiled at me. Our Aunt Lucianna is our Uncle Aiden's wife and Aunt Sofia is our Uncle Elijah's wife.

"You look amazing too Evelina." my aunt Sofia said.

"Gracias, querida."  Aunt Lucianna said. She saw Aiden and happily exclaimed,

"Aiden!, mi michacho" 

"Aunt Lucianna"

Aiden finally put down his phone and got up to hug her. She is probably one of the few people in the world Aiden is comfortable with. He even learnt spanish from her. It didn't take long before they were speaking in said language.

"Aiden is fluent in spanish," Nina accused and hit my arm.

"I know. He's also fluent in itallian, japanese, german and korean."

"That jerk! That means he just took my spanish class to torture me. If it's war he wants then it's war he shall get." Nina fiercely announced as she projected her anger in her eyes toward my oblivious brother.

We were all still talking when our grandfather entered, Big A as we all call him. His hair had all turned silver- grey, short and neatly combed to the back.

"Grandpa!" I went to him and locked hands with him while I gave him a side hug.

"Princess." He smiled softly at me. I'm the only person he has a soft spot for. He's normally really strict with the guys and sometimes with my mum. I suspect it's because my dad went against him for my mum and named Max, Maximus instead of Aiden like he wanted as per their family tradition. My dad said having me sorta brought them closer again until the whole Evelyn Angelina issue.

"I trust you've been well? "

"Yeah, grandpa. Happy birthday in advance"

"Thanks, princess."

"Hi Big A" my mum approached us.

"Mellissa," he said.

Elliot might just win this bet because normally accusations start after the greeting. I glanced back at him and he was smirking at Alexander.

"Your hair is so much longer now." I heard my aunt Sofia comment. She was talking to Aiden. She reached out and touched it.

"Of course you'll leave my grandson to wear his hair anyhow. Leaving his hair long like some ruffian." He tsked.

I saw Alec give a victorious smile and stretch his hands towards Elliot to collect on their bet.