I woke up to the sound of loud voices and clanking pots and pans. Mom was probably making some huge breakfast meal, which I personally don’t think is necessary because there are only three of us. But hey, if I get a home cooked meal, I’m not going to complain. A particularly bacon-y aroma was immediately filling my nose when I walked out of my room groggily. As I walked down the stairs, the loud voices grew even louder. Ew.

My eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped when I reached the bottom of the stairs. I ran and jumped onto his back and wrapped my arms and legs around him.

“STEPHEN!” I screeched. He pried me off of his back and hugged me tightly.

“Hey, Stella Bella!” The hug lingered for a while, before we were rudely interrupted.

“We’re here too, you know,” Scarlett called. I spun on my heels and saw Sam and Scarlett sitting at the dining room table.

“I know, I just don't like you guys as much. Just kidding, hey Scar,” I said as I hugged her. Sam was on his phone, probably texting his girlfriend. “Hi Sam.”

He gave me a slight nod without looking up from his phone.

“Mom! Sam isn’t giving me a proper hello!” I said childishly while I pointed my finger at him. His head shot up and he glared at me.

“A proper hello!? You’ve been here in England for too long, my friend. They’re changing you,” he said as he rose from his chair.

He wrapped his arms around me and then put me in a headlock. He ruffled my already messy hair and I tried to fight back but I was stuck in place.

“Sam Joseph Phillips, let me go right now!”

“Uh-uh,” he said defiantly.

“C’mon, Sam!”

He didn’t loosen his grip on me, even though I continued to struggle. I finally weaved my way out from his arm and tried to run. Stephen was on my side and he let me pass without a fight. Scarlett, however, was a different story. She blocked my way, but I slid under her legs (thank God we have hardwood floors) and scurried across. I jumped over the coffee table as she chased me.

Stephen was wrestling Sam on the ground and Scarlett jumped on the couch. I jumped on the opposite one and tried to run for the stairs. I ran up the steps two at a time until I reached the top. I heard the thuds of Scarlett behind me as I turned into the storage room. Scarlett ran in and Sam and Stephen followed behind quickly.

We all looked to one box and simultaneously ran to it. The cardboard box labeled ‘Children Toys to Donate’ was quickly raided as we all searched for our weapon of choice. I pulled out my Nerf gun and ran out of the room. I went straight into the bathroom and hid in the shower. I heard the others coming out of the room, Scarlett and Sam whispering and Stephen walking carefully. I heard Scar and Sam go downstairs and I crept out of my hiding spot.

“HA!” Scarlett shouted as she popped out from behind the door next to me. I nearly had a heart attack but I quickly ran down the stairs, stopping halfway down only to see Sam waiting with a loaded Nerf gun. He pointed it at me and began to slowly walk to me.

“Don’t move,” he ordered. I knew Scarlett was behind me, so I didn’t dare make a move.

He walked closer to me with gun in hand and placed his hand on the trigger. He was about to shoot when a small yellow dart hit him on the side of his face. All our eyes darted to where the dart came from, to see Stephen with the pointed gun.

I used the distraction to my advantage and made a run for it. I ran passed the living room, through the kitchen and outside the side door into the winter snow, immediately regretting it. The cold beneath my bare feet caused me to shiver instantly and I turned to go back inside, but Scarlett had already closed and locked the door. She looked through the glass teasingly, sticking out her tongue and shutting the curtain in my face.

“Scarlett!!!” I shouted as I banged on the glass door.

She opened the curtain, but only taunted me as she sipped her coffee smugly. Sam was sitting at the kitchen table and smirking at my discomfort.

“C’mon Scarlett! Let me in! It’s like two degrees out here!”

She refused to let me in even after my continuous banging. Stephen shot her in the head with one of his foam bullets and came to open the door. I quickly ran inside and ran to the living room. Sam was hot on my trail, but he unfortunately left his gun at the bottom of the stairs. This, however, didn’t stop him from lunging at me and tackling me to the ground. He pinned me on my back and pressed my arms above my head. He had his knees on either side of me and a smirk on his face. Scarlett and Stephen ran in after us and began fighting each other. I still had the Nerf gun in my hands (although I would have to bend my wrist in ridiculous ways) and I was planning on shooting Scarlett when the time came. She moved into place and I was about to pull the trigger-

“What in the bloody hell is going on in here?”

All eight eyes darted to the sudden voice. Harry stood in the doorway with wide eyes and an open mouth. My siblings and I stayed frozen in position, speechless. My mom came into the room and wiped her hands on her apron before embracing Harry in a hug.

“Harry! It’s good to see your bright, shining face again!” she said, releasing him. She looked over to us and her mouth dropped in shock. “You kids better clean this room right now!”

Only then did we realize what a big mess we’d made. The couch pillows were strewn around, small, yellow darts lay across the floor, Nerf guns scattered on the hardwood.

We all mumbled a ‘yes mom’ before she ushered Harry into the kitchen with her. Sam finally released me and I stood up quickly. I reached down to pick up a pillow and threw it on the couch.

“So that’s Loverboy!” Stephen said, quiet enough so Harry wouldn’t hear.

“Uh, yeah…” I said.

“So, we got one of the most embarrassing pictures of Stella sleeping, we just had one of the best Nerf gun wars of our lives and now we get to interrogate the little sister’s boyfriend? Today just keeps getting better and better,” Sam said with an evil grin.

“Please don’t inter- Wait! You got an embarrassing picture of me while I was sleeping!?” I asked.

“Maybe,” Scarlett smirked.

“Please delete it!” I said.

They all exchanged glances and looked back to me.

“Nope,” Sam said with a grin.

I ran to him, jumping and clinging to his back. I tried to get his phone from his pocket, but he already had it in his hand. I reached for it, but he lifted it out of reach. Stephen pulled me off of his back and carried me to the kitchen. Harry’s back was turned as he faced the oven, helping my mom cook pancakes. I squirmed out of Stephen’s grip and sat down at the table. Stephen sat next to me on my right, and Scarlett and Sam sat across from us. My dad waltzed into the room and sat at his usual spot, carrying the newspaper and sipping on his coffee. His glasses sat atop his nose as he stared at the paper.

My mom brought the food to the table with the assistance of Harry.

“James, put down the paper and converse with your four beautiful children and one beautiful child that isn’t ours, but is still an honorary Phillips,” she said as she placed Harry in to the chair next to me.

Harry glanced at me and gave me a dimpled smile. My dad grunted before folding his paper and placing it down beside his plate.

“So, Stephen, how’s the new job?” he asked.

“Good. I get to work alongside some of the best lawyers in the United States,” he said proudly.

I saw Harry tense up at the mention of the word ‘lawyer’. I placed my hand on his underneath the table and sent him a comforting smile.

“And what about you, Sam? How’s football?” my dad asked.

“You play football?” Harry asked Sam.

“Sam plays American Football,” I told him.

“Ohhh…” he said.

“Uh, yeah, it’s going pretty well. We have a game coming up soon in Florida,” Sam told my dad.

“Oh, well maybe your mother and I could go,” he suggested, glancing at my mom. “Scarlett, how are you doing at Julliard?”

Oh yeah. That. Scarlett’s kind of a musical prodigy. She plays the violin beautifully, and got accepted into Julliard two years ago.

“It’s alright. It’s really tough, but the conductor wants me to try out for the orchestra next semester, and he said I could possibly win the Trenton Fellowship that would pay for my expenses.”

“Wow, that’s so great honey!” my mom said.

“And last but not least, how are you, Stella?” my father asked with a grin.

“I’m living the teenage dream, you know,” I said, putting my feet up on the corner of the table and putting my hands on my head. “Still living at home, eating a lot, catching up on Gossip Girl, Tumbling…” My dad pushed my feet off the table and raised his eyebrow at me.

“You better get that sarcasm under control before it comes back to bite you in the butt.”

“Dad, my sarcasm is who I am. I can’t change that,” I said with a grin. My siblings laughed lightly and tried to be discrete.

“Lord, help us all,” he said, looking up.

“So how are you doing, Harry?” my mom asked.

“I’m doing well. Right now, I’m playing for the Manchester United football team. We actually have a game tonight, if you guys wanted to come,” he offered politely. Damn it, why is he so perfect and I’m so… Bleh?

“Oh, that would be nice!” my mom said. I placed my hands on the table and pushed my chair out, standing up.

“Well, this has been fun, but I’m gonna go…” I said gesturing toward the stairs. My mom gave me a disapproving look and shook her head.

“Oh no you’re not. You know the rules.”

“Yeah, Stella, you know the rules,” Scarlett taunted. Ugh, I hate her.

“Mom, I think we should break the stereotypical, degrading, sexist rule that the youngest daughter has to clean up the table and do the dishes. I nominate Scarlett Marie Phillips for the honorable task,” I said.

“No way! I used to always have to clean up after you when you and Sadie would make messes!” Scarlett exclaimed.

“Yeah, well, times, they are a changing,” I said with a sympathetic smile.

“Come on, I’ll help you,” Harry said as he gathered a few plates. My mother glared at me and then at Scarlett.

“No, Harry, you’re our guest!” she said, as she gave us ‘the eye’. Scarlett groaned and began to clean up the table.

“Oh, it’s fine, Mrs. Phillips, I’d love to help,” he said, sending her a dimpled smile.

He took the plates to the sink and started the warm water. I followed him into the kitchen with the remaining plates and began scraping the residue into the trash can. (A/N: Seriously considering calling it the bin, but I’m not an honorary British person so…) I placed the dishes into the sink and Harry began to pour the dish soap in the stream of water, but the lid fell off and
he poured in an excessive amount of soap. It immediately began to foam up and Harry looked at me with a worried expression.

“Well turn off the water!!!” I whispered.

I didn’t want my mom to come in here and see that we’ve made a big mess. He turned the handle for the water, but it didn’t stop the water from spewing from the faucet. He looked back at me with wide eyes. The sink began to overflow and water pattered on the floor.

I ran to the sink, careful not to get my feet wet, and leaned over the counter, struggling to turn off the water. The soap began to spill over the edge of the sink and fell to the floor. I groaned and pulled on the handle forcefully. It didn’t budge, and I ran to the other side of the kitchen to get paper towels.

When I turned around, Harry was still fidgeting with the faucet, and I ran to his side. I was about to hand him some towels, but my foot slipped on the slippery soap and I fell on my back. My foot hit Harry’s leg and caused him to come tumbling down next to me. We both scrambled to stand back up and stop the water, but the handle was stuck. We heard the creak of the door and our eyes darted to the kitchen doorway where a very surprised Stephen stood.

“What in the-?” he said with a small laugh.

“Please help us!” I begged.

“Well, get pots and pans!” he ordered.

Harry and I searched the cabinets and found a few sufficient pots and put them under the nozzle. Stephen tried to make the handle turn off, but to no avail. He jerked on the faucet one last time and the water finally stopped. We all sighed in relief.

"You better get this clean before mom sees it," he remarked.

I groaned and retreated to the laundry room to get the mop.

Notes

Ok, the next chapter is gonna be good lol, this is just a filller/get to know Stella's siblings.

And now... SOme Kingsley for y'all.