dedicated to lilly_rose698 for being the second person to vote on this story.

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Today is a day of celebrations. Not only is it the Fourth of July, but also it is Jonah's nineteenth birthday.

The morning starts off with us learning that we are going to go swimming at a nearby lake the Elders found. Not wanting to spoil the cookout that has been promised, bowls for cereal are passed around, with others electing toast and fruit.

Jonah is the only one who gets pancakes, which Mia has stacked to resemble a birthday cake complete with a candle. Carleigh and the Elders are the only ones who have gotten him gifts, since the rest of us didn't know it was going to be his birthday. The rest of us are disappointed  when they don't reveal what they are going to give Jonah.

Drinks, chips and other needed supplies are already packed, so it doesn't take long for us to leave. EJ stops the van at a discount store, where Mia and him go in to buy some floats and charcoal for the grill. These guys really do want us to relax while we can.

As soon as the van pulls up to the lake shore, we all pile out and help get the coolers and other items out. Before we even begin to blow up the floats, we help get the area set up with blankets, towels and anything else that is needed. This group is not what I'm used to seeing. As a general rule, with the people I see, most let the adults get everything out and set up. This group just might work out.

A friendly race to see who can blow up a float the quickest starts, and EJ wins.

"You have enough hot air for all of us, don't you?" I say looking over at EJ.

He grins. "And you have no idea how true that statement is."

What is he talking about now?

"Race you to the water," Jonah and Tanner say together, looking directly at me.

I'm about ready to take them up on their challenge when Ande takes her shirt and shorts off that cover her swimsuit. All I can do is stop and stare at what Ande has on. It is a yellow two-piece swimsuit with boy shorts and a crop top. Standing there probably looking like an idiot, I can't seem to stop staring until Ande looks up and catches me. Heat rises up my face, and Jonah catches my eye - he's smirking at me. Damn Asshole.

"Are you coming..." He pauses looking over at Tanner. "to the water?" Jonah asks before both erupt into laughter. Double Damn Assholes.

Everyone follows the two fools into the water. The sun is beating down on us, so the cool water alleviates some of the heat I feel.

"Come pull me over to where Jonah and Tanner are jumping from the rock, please." Ande asks. There goes the cooling effects of the water.

"Sure, but why me?"

"Do you see anyone else around?"

My ego deflates."Oh."

"It's a plus that you are the cutest one here." When I look up, she winks at me. Definitely mutual attraction. Step one complete.

When we get to the rock, Jonah starts on me, once again. What is it with this guy?

"Glad you could make it," Jonah says; a grin plasters his face.

"If you weren't my cousin, I'd push you off that rock."

"I'd like to see you try."

I do love a challenge.

Scrambling up the rock, I make it just as Jonah jumps off.

"Chicken shit," I call out.

He swims back to the rock, and the games are on.

When EJ calls us to come and eat, all the ones left in the water race to get to shore.

"Do you want to know what prunes smell like after they are baked in the sun?" EJ questions Mia.

"I'm sure we'll find out soon."

"At least some of them were smart enough to get out sooner."

"Ande, how did you get back to shore without Dom's help?" Tanner shrieks, pitching his voice a little higher than it is.

It doesn't matter if I want to chase Tanner; I'm not going to. Doing so will be an admission to everyone of my attraction. Damn Tanner. Double Damn attraction at the moment.

"Everyone come and eat," Mia commands.

"Are you always feeding everyone?" I ask before bending down to kiss her check.

"Ängeli, always the charmer. Are you taking after EJ?"

I wink at her. "If that's a good thing, then yeah. If it's a bad thing, I'll claim it's a contagious disease."

"Shoo you." She swats me on the arm. "Go fill that big stomach of yours. And not a word about being wounded by my comment." She laughs.

Not long after we finish our hamburger and hot dogs, water starts falling on all of us. Looking behind the van, we find EJ with a water gun. He just points to the open van door, and everyone rushes for it. After the race to the lake to fill the guns, a full out war erupts between us. But in the end, who is the real victor? No one. Well, maybe EJ, because he brought the guns.

"Enough with the water guns, you're getting this old woman wet," Mia says.

"You're not old, stellina," Tanner argues.

"Not you too." She sighs. "I've been around the Leonettis long enough; I know what you just said. Charming me won't get you an extra helping. Save your charm for the right girl."

Once things calm after this, everyone decides to play volleyball. Tanner wants it to be guys against girls, but EJ feels that we will have an unfair advantage due to our height. He's never seen how competitive my younger sister can get even though she is shorter than me. In the end, no one has the energy to be competitive. Because of this, we just decide to goof around with the volleyball instead of having an actual game. All too soon, we head back to the cabin to shower and change for the fireworks.

The Fourth of July celebration is being held in a nearby town, that includes food, games and fireworks. Everyone piles into the van, and Tanner flops down next to Ande with a mocking smile on his face when he looks at me. Damn Asshole. How can I get to know her if Tanner is always in the way? Double Damn everyone knowing my attraction. My stare bores into the back of Tanner's head, while I'm sitting next to Jonah in the back. Contemplation of all the ways I can kill Tanner bounce in my head.

It isn't too bad of a drive before we get to an area already crowded. We get out and walk up to the area full of games and vendors selling food.

"Well guys, I have to provide food since Mia doesn't want to cook out here. What does everyone want?"

"A large steak and fries," Tanner calls out.

EJ shakes his head. "Fiotrottl."

"Did you just call me an idiot?" Tanner questions.

EJ sighs. "Is there a language you don't know?"

"Why, are you planning on calling me an idiot in another language?"

"Maybe. It came to mind. But I'm just curious."

"I'm fluent in five. Pretty strong in Greek. Know Russian. And was enrolled to take Hebrew and Arabic before I decided to take this adventure."

"I'm guessing German is one of your fluent languages, right?"

"Natürlich."

"Ich hätte es wissen sollen."

Some people need to be careful what they say around Tanner. Why does he have knowledge of so many languages?

The general consensus is just to grab some corn dogs and fries. Everyone gathers at a couple of large picnic tables. Once we sit down and have eaten half our food, Ande starts with the questions. "So Tanner. What languages are you fluent in?"

"French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian and German."

"What's been the hardest language to learn so far?"

"To be fluent in? German. The other languages are all part of what is classified as Romance languages. They all have similarities, so they were easier for me to pick up."

"Romanian? Say something in that."

"Ceva în asta."

"Now what is it in Spanish."

"¿Qué es?"

Ande narrows her eyes. "That doesn't sound alike."

"Of course not. I said, 'Something in that.' in Romanian. I said, 'What is it?' in Spanish. And in French, Italian and Romanian, it is 'Qu'Est-ce que c'est?', 'Che cos'è?', 'Ce este?' But not everything between the languages is going to sound exactly the same."

Ande nods her head. "Oh, okay. I guess I'll have to take your word for it, since I was never good at foreign languages."

Now is my time to jump in; my curiosity is eating at me. "So, why do you speak so many languages and continue to educate yourself? It isn't like you are going to run into many random strangers in the US who don't speak English."

He looks up at the sky, his eyebrows furrow. "I can't really explain it. I've always had a fascination with foreign languages. When I was old enough to take classes, I started taking them. When there wasn't a class near us, Mom and Dad would find something online for me to study. It's like...like..." He pauses looking up again. "Like I'm meant to learn as many languages as possible. That something unseen is embedded in me with the thirst for knowledge about languages." Wow, a set of what seems like really good adoptive parents.

"Carleigh can understand that," Jonah says, and Carleigh cringes, looking down at the ground.

Jonah turns to sit directly in front of Carleigh. He places his finger under her chin and lifts it up.

When she finally looks up, he begins an explanation. "Jellybean, I don't think these people are out to get you. They won't judge you about your past."

Something barely audible comes from Carleigh. "Of course, they will. They'll make fun of me, and they'll use the knowledge against me one day."

"Look at the faces of these people."

Carleigh doesn't look around.

"Jellybean," Jonah says and Carleigh looks up. "You've always been pretty good at reading people. You made a connection with Dominic right away."

You can barely see the scowl on her face. "And you told him my secret."

"I trust him, especially since you seemed to bond with him so quickly. And has he betrayed my trust?"

"Not yet."

"So why not give everyone else a chance. If we all make it through training, we will all have to work together - as a team.

"I guess."

Carleigh begins to tell the rest of the table about some of her past. I even learn a few things I don't know. Ande has a single tear running down her face by the time Carleigh gets done, and when I look at Tanner, fury resides in his eyes. Maybe he isn't such a bad guy.

Silence blankets our tables; it's as heavy as the air is here.

"Let's go play games!" Ande yells, making Tanner jump. Well, she surprised the hell out of all of us. Ande grabs my hand. "Come on, Dominic." I'm slow to get up, and everyone else is sitting still. "Come on, slowpokes, I can't have a prize if someone doesn't win it for me." She looks around. "Let's go!"

For some reason this breaks everyone out of their trance. We get to the game section, but I don't see anything that catches my eye. Suddenly Ande squeals, and we all look to where she is pointing to a stuffed fox. The excitement in her eyes causes me to go up and play the game. The game shouldn't be too hard - just knock some bottles down with a ball - but that is easier said than done. Eventually, I am able to win the fox for her. Of course, the guys want to give me a hard time, but the look on her face makes me not care what they are saying at the time.

Everyone meets back up at the area where people can watch the fireworks. A place is found big enough for all of us to sit, and blankets are spread out. Everyone goes to sit down, and Ande almost lands in my lap - not that I would mind. She looks like she might get up and run in the other direction, but before she can bolt, I put my hand out and stop her from running away. I guide her to sit down beside me, since I'm afraid to sit her in my lap. Too soon for that. She sits close to me the entire night. It would have been nice to hold her hand, but I just met her yesterday and I think it is too quick even for that. She doesn't seem to mind how close we are sitting, so maybe that is a good sign. Step two complete.

The fireworks fill the sky with brilliant colors of red, blue, green and white. Sounds like canons echoing through the woods fills the air. Watching the expression on Ande's face is almost as entertaining as the fireworks themselves. Soon enough the fireworks end, and our group joins the mass exodus. After what seems like forever, the van gets back to the cabin. It is only then that I am pulled out of my thoughts to realize Ande has fallen asleep against me. It seems the most natural thing in the world.

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[A/N]:

EJ's ancestors are from what is now modern day Austria (Austria-Hungary or Austro-Hungarian Empire until it was dissolved after World War I). [information gathered from wikipedia] More than likely they spoke a dialect of German, which I had difficulty pinning down or finding a dictionary for.

Fiotrottl - loosely translated as complete idiot. (information from: https://www.thelocal.at/20140523/top-five-german-insults-in-austria)

More Translations [per Google Translate]

Ängeli - Swiss German - little angel

stellina - Italian - little star

Natürlich (German) -Of course

Ich hätte es wissen sollen. (German) - I should have known.

Ceva în asta. (Romanian) - Something in that.

What is it?:

¿Qué es? - Spanish

Qu'Est-ce que c'est? - French

Che cos'è? - Italian

Ce este? - Romanian