"Oooh, I think I understand a bit better now." 

       Oliver said as bit into his seventh dessert dish, just after finishing his strawberry semifreddo cake. The boy had already gone through six appetizers, five entrées, and now seventh dessert. I could almost feel my bank account crying.

        "Um yeah..." I said still eating my salad appetizer. I could only wonder where all the food went to as I watched him finish off the dessert. "My sister can be pretty extra."

        "I can relate a bit." The boy sighs, he sits back and in his chair and closes his eyes as he did. "I have 6 other brothers and all of them have there own little...quirks..? I think that's the right word to describe them."

"God, 6 brothers? I can barely handle the one sister let alone having 6 of them..."

        Oliver shrugged, “I mean it’s not too bad. Everyone has their own thing that they do so no one is really ever home—well, until we have our required ‘family dinner’ every other day. Those are a nightmare to sit through sometimes…luckily, the food is always a ten out of ten.”

        “Really? Even with all those brothers you guys don’t fight over the bathroom or who gets the TV remote? Even before my sister got knocked up we would fight over that kind of stuff all the time.” I mumbled the last part thinking back to all the arguments with Charis. “Never could finish a barbie movie when she was around…”

         The boy laughed a bit and placed his hands on the table in front of him as he leaned back. “Hmm…no. I can honestly say we haven’t…”

        ”Anyway—enough of me! You said you needed help to find a dress for the Analistia Festival right?” I nodded my head as the waiter came over to fill the waters at our table. “Well, as I said before, I’m a man with many connections. I might have to squeeze in a favor or two later, but for you it’ll be worth it.” He wink at me and took out his phone to, what looked like, send a text to someone. 

        Oliver then waved his hand to the waiter before he could get too far, “Can we get two—no wait, make it three Strawberry Cream Cheese Meltaways to go? Here’s this, by the way.”

        The brunette then hands the waiter what looked like a card—possibly a credit card, although I didn’t get a good look at it. The waiter's eyes widen slightly and his mouth went agape before he bobbed his head and headed to put Oliver’s order in.

”I thought I was paying?” I chimed in as the boy typed something in the his phone once again.

       ”Don’t worry about it—you can pay for something else later. Besides! Aunt Mindy owes me a favor so I’m technically not paying today.”

        I sighed, “You know, for someone that I meet only three days ago, you’re super nice and helpful to me for no reason...Are you always like this?”

Oliver shrugged, “I don’t know—something in my gut tells me I need to help you out. So, I’ll try best I can.”

        ”That’s awfully sweet of you but you’ve really done so much already. At this point I feel like I’m just taking advantage of—“

        ”Have you tried Madam Wesson’s on Lichfield Court?” Oliver interrupts, staring down at his phone. He then looks up at me with a grin. “Apparently she had some dresses overstock for the festival and she might have some left over.”

        ”No, I don’t think so…though the name sounds a bit familiar...” I say, the waiter around this time came back with a to-go box, two plastic forks and Oliver’s card; now that I got a good look it was shimmer in a solid gold color. 

        The brunette quickly shoved the card into his wallet before I could look any further. He then thanks the waiter and stands up with the box and begins to eat a bit of the dessert.

        ”I bet—it’s pretty famous! Don’t worry though, I’ll show you where it is!” He said with a face full of the strawberry dessert. “It’s a couple blocks down north but we should get there relatively quick.”

        I stand up as well and grab my belongings, “We’re going now? Don’t most of the shops in the capital close soon? I heard that during festival times they close earl—”

A piece of Strawberry Cream Cheese Meltaway was shoved into my mouth, stopping me mid sentence.

        ”We should be good! I’m sure the madam won’t mind us at all!” Oliver says with a grin still plastered on his face as he shovels in a piece of his dessert into his mouth. "God I love this place—legit one of the best places for desserts!"

        Seeing as I was going with him no matter what I said, I decide to bite down on what I was saying and follow the boy out to Madam Wesson's.

        The walk was fairly long, though that didn't stop Oliver from pretty much asking everything there was to know about me. I thought maybe since the boy hasn't lived anywhere else other than the capital he wanted to know more of small town living...which quickly turned out to sort of half true.

        "Living in a small town sounds so cool!" Oliver said skipping a bit as he walked. "I sometimes wish I could leave the capital and go travel around."

        I was still taking bits out of your dessert as I walk side by side with the brunette. "Why don't you? You seem old enough to travel if you're already exploring the largest city in Themola."

        With that Oliver got a little quiet, taking a moment to pounder his next words. I notice this and quickly say; "If you don't want to tell me that's fine! We all got our reasons why we stay where we are..."

       The boy looked over and me and smiled a bit, "No no, I don't mind telling. It's just...kind of complicated unless you knew my family."

I couldn't stop yourself from saying; "Your family's the reason?"

        Oliver shrugged a bit, making a hissing sound against his teeth. "Yes and no..? Let's just say my family has a...reputation in this district and they want all of us to stay close."

        Sounds like his family is some sort of mafia or something... I think to myseld before sort of coughing and speak out loud; "Well either way that sounds like an excuse to keep all of you close. You all must be really close with your family."

        The boy shrugged again, "Ehhhh, not really. Personally, I'm more close with Cal then my dad or older brothers—and my mom passed away when I was a baby so I don't remember much about her."

I pause in my walking when I hear him say that. "Oh...that sucks—about your mom, I mean—Uh, wait—"

        "Oh don’t worry, you're fine!" Oliver stops walking and rounds back over to me with a smile. "I barely remember her but it's okay—my dad's wife from my mom before took care of me so she felt like a mother. I don't feel too sad about it."

        "Oh well..." I mumbled, not really knowing what else to say. Oliver noticed and took my hand once again which, at this point, I was sort of used to it since he seemed to be a touchy sort of person. 

        "Don't worry about it! Anyway, we should be close to Lichfield Court." He begins to guild me, not letting go of my hand as the two of us continue to walk.

        Just like the boy said, less than a few minutes later there was sign that read 'Lichfield Court' and beyond that there was a few shops lining the streets. The place was a bit bare of people, there was a few but not as many as I had seen the pervious places. Some people stared at the mannikins through the shop windows while other sat on the benches talking amongst themselves. It seem so peaceful compared to everything that has happened to I since the start of the festival

        "My sources say it should be a few shops down from the street sign." Oliver comments and I was still in awe at all how peace this all was—the scenery was not bad too has the orange tree fell leaves around the two of us. "Oh, is that it..?"

Before I could look a figure standing in front of the building begins to wave at the two of us; "Oli!~ Hiii!~"

        The hand that held onto mine tightened as the figure approached the two of us. As they got closer I saw a familiar head of ashy blonde hair; it was the man that I saw in the shopping district right before Juniper walked away!

        He wore shades just like Oliver, but unlike Oliver who looked like he was hiding from paparazzi, the blonde man was very...flamboyant with his appearance. He wore a silk pink button up that was open exposing his chest tucked into tight light denim. He had his sleeves rolled up showing off his tattoos that from the angle I was in I could quite see but I did the word 'Lust' written on his left side.

Honestly, I don't remember this man being this hot a couple days ago.  

        "Oh?" As the taller man approached he took note of us, at this Oliver moves me slightly behind him. "Little Oli's on a date..? Is that why you asked me about a dress shop? Aw so cute, you wanted to buy her something other than food~!"

Clearly, I was the only one that remembered him.

        "I didn't ask you to join." Oliver expression was a little strain but he still gave the man a slight smile. "Besides don't you have…clubs to attend to right about now?"

        "So cruel little brother," The blonde shook his head as he exaggerated a pout.  "I just stopped by because I was curious as to why you would be asking me for favors out of the blue—directions to a dress shop nonetheless!" 

        'Little Brother'? I thought trying to let my hand fall to my side but Oliver still held on. This must be one of out the...what was it, 6 brothers that he has? 

        The blonde continues with a smirk on his face; "Let's say curiosity got the better of me...and I glad it did!"  At this, the man appears next to me, taking both Oliver and I surprised—especially when he grab my other hand and pulled me closer to him.

        He gave me a once over and being so used to his brother, I just tilt my head at the man. "Hmm...Dark hair and  dark eyes. Very nice bone structure—you two would make cute babies, that's for sure." 

I choked on the air and pull away from him. "W-WHat?!"

        "Harlan..!" Oliver grabbed my entire arm and pull me completely behind him. The man now know as 'Harlan' laughed, this made Oliver tense a bit for some reason. 

        "I'm just saying~! Little dodo here is very cute—and with your little baby face Oli you guys would probably make the little cutest babies! Though, if you’d like them to be devilishly handsome...you could have mine~." I could feel my cheeks burn a bit at the blonde's explanation and cover my hand over my mouth slightly. Is the whole family this...open with their options?

 Oliver huffs, "Okay that’s enough, now if you excuse us we need to—"

        "Right right, find a dress for the festival~" Harlan waves pulling up his sunglasses to reveal his bright violet eyes. "Really though, do you even know any sense of fashion, little brother? All you think of is food—how will you know what works best with her skin tone or hair color? As the fashion expert in this family, I think I should be the one to help her find a dress."

        "You need to stop butting in," Oliver voice was low as he talked to his brother. It reminded me of the other day when he acted like this with Cal—it made me shiver a little. "I'll find something for her—you don't need to stick your nose in our business."

        "Ohoho? You must really like her if you don't want me to get involved...are you scared she'll start to fawn over me like your other little girlfriends? Sorry that I’m just so irresistible~!"

        "That's not it." The brunette said I could hear him gritting his teeth together as he said this. "And Emalee is different then the other girls I've met. She won't easily fawn over your so called 'charm'." 

        "Emalee, huh..?" Harlan hummed leaning as far as he could near me. "Such a cute name for such a cute girl~ However, I must admit I do like the name Dodo for you too..."

        Oliver began to retort but I decide it was my time to say something; "Um, yeah...not to change subjects...but to go back to before; the dress isn't even for me. It's for a pregnant sister so..."

       The two stare at me for a moment, then Harlan lets out a laugh. "Heh, I see what you mean now Oli...she really is a little dodo bird."

        "Now that's a little insulting." I deadpan pulling away from Oliver and glared a bit at the blonde. "I'm not stupid, I'm just trying to change the topic cause it's getting weird..." This makes Harlan chuckle a little more.

        "I'm not calling you stupid. It's said that dodo birds didn't have any natural predators so when humans found them they were naturally curious." The man walks over to me as he explains this and boops my nose. "Making them friendly cute little birds—that's why you remind me of a dodo bird." 

        Before me or Oliver could react Harlan was already heading towards Madam Wesson's entrance. Though before he got too far I heard a faint mutter come the man;

"Too bad that's the reason why dodo went existent."