Leona was excited as she skipped down the stairs of her father's private jet, wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a brown coloured shirt. Her long, dark brown hair braided together by her mother.

"Come on, mother and father!" She called out as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Let's go."

Her parents, Gareth and Harper Wilbrose stepped out of the jet and made their way down the stairs to her.

"You look really excited, daughter." Gareth remarked, smiling down at his ten year old daughter.

"Of course, I am. This is the first time I am visiting Australia. And I am going to meet Harris too", she replied enthusiastically.

Her mother took her hand in hers. "Yes. We will be having dinner with them tonight. And of course, your father has some business meetings with Matthew too."

Gareth held Leona's other hand and they walked towards the car parked at a distance, waiting for them.

They all settled inside the car in the backseat with Leona sitting in between her parents.

"Who else will be there, besides Mr Matthew's family?", she asked looking between her parents.

Gareth answered, "Well...Nelson and his family are gonna be there too."

"Who's Nelson?"

"He's Matthew's best friend and also his wife's brother. And yes...I am acquainted with him too."

She nodded. "Oh...does he also have children? Can I play with them?"

Harper chuckled softly. "He does. He and Ella have twins, a boy and a girl. But like Raven, they are older than you."

"How older?"

"Six years", Gareth said.

"It's okay... Raven's older than me by seven years but she plays with me. Maybe they will too."

Gareth ruffled her hair. "I'm glad you like making new friends."

She grinned. "Yes. I love making new friends!"

.

.

.

"This isn't Matthew's house", Harper said to Gareth as they stood outside the huge, unfamiliar house.

"Yeah. It's Nelson's. He said he would like to host the dinner."

"Oh..."

"Let's go, let's go!" Leona urged, tugging her mother towards the house. This time she wore a sleeveless, pale pink dress that reached till her mid thighs and her hair was in a ponytail.

The three of them walked up to the front door and Gareth rang the bell and the door was opened a few seconds later by an elderly looking man.

"Mr and Mrs Wilbrose." He acknowledged them. "Welcome. Everyone's waiting for you."

Leona frowned and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the man. "You didn't greet me. I'm also here", she complained.

Before Gareth or Harper could scold her, the man chuckled and crouched down to her level. "Forgive me, young lady. Sorry for not greeting you. What's your name?"

She smiled softly. "Leona. And yours?"

"I'm Bailey, the housekeeper", he answered and she nodded at him while smiling and he gestured them to come in and lead the way.

The next few minutes passed away in greetings, hugs and smiles as they all met each other in the huge living room.

Leona being the friendly one, instantly warmed up to Nelson and his wife, Ella. Their kids were not there at that moment and she wondered where they were.

"Where's Harris, Raven and the others?", she finally asked to Nelson.

He smiled softly and told her, "They all are in the backyard playing cricket. If you want, you can go there."

She nodded and Nelson pointed him the door leading to the backyard and she made her way out to the backyard and stopped at the door to see Harris, and two others playing something like baseball. The whole backyard was lit up by small flood lights.

Rafe held a bat in his hand as he took his stance, Addison, his twin sister had a white ball in her hand, ready to bowl while poor, little Harris was forced to field.

Leona cocked her head slightly looking at them, not understanding what they were playing exactly.

Addison was making her run up to bowl and at that moment Leona finally decided to announce her presence. "Hello everyone!"

Her sudden greeting startled Rafe and Harris as they turned their head towards her.

Rafe's mouth was slightly parted, a sexy, subtle frown etched on his forehead as he gazed at the little girl standing at the door. The innocence on her face seemed to draw him in.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise that Addison had taken her run up and had already thrown the ball. Before he could react, the ball had hit him in his chest.

The bat fell from his hand and with a groan, he clutched his chest and fell down on the ground on his knees.

"What the fuck, Addison?", he hissed at her.

Addison smiled sheepishly and Harris covered his mouth with his hand in shock as he ran towards his cousin.

Leona couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her mouth on seeing him get hit.

Rafe saw her laughing at him and his jaw clenched and he gave her a deadly glare which made her laugh even more.

By now everyone's attention was on her and instead of going to her brother, Addison approached Leona.

"Hey!" Addison greeted her with a smile.

"Hi!" She greeted back and held out her hand for a shake and Addison shook her hand. "I'm Leona."

"And I am Addison."

"Leona!" Harris came running to her and engulfed her in a tight hug.

Rafe walked upto them with a scowl on his face. "You know her?", he asked to Harris.

They both pulled back from the hug and Harris answered, "Yes. She's my friend from America!"

Leona glanced up at Rafe not liking the fact that he was glaring at her. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Addison. "What are you guys playing?"

Addison was about to answer but was cut off by Rafe. "It's called Cricket and you Americans won't understand it." His tone was harsh.

Leona folded her arms across her chest. "I wasn't asking you."

Rafe gritted his teeth. "Listen here, kid--"

"I'm not a kid!", she retorted.

His jaw clenched. "Then listen you fuc--" This time Addison smacked him on his head, interrupting him.

"Watch your language, Rafe", she scolded.

Rafe was about to argue with his sister when once again he was interrupted by the voice of his father.

"Dinner is ready!"

Rafe grumbled to himself and walked past them and went inside not wanting to be there with that little brat.

Leona had already established a fact. She didn't like that guy. And will not make him her friend.

Huffing to herself, she walked inside with the others and looked around for Raven, whom she didn't find so she asked Addison about her who told her that she has gone out on a date with her boyfriend.

At the dining table, Leona sat in between Addison and Harris while Rafe sat opposite to her with a permanent scowl plastered on his face.

Dinner was served and everyone engaged in a conversation with each other including Leona who was quite happy to chat with Addison and Harris.

Rafe sat there quietly, glaring at Leona in a subtle way so that no one notice. He noticed how innocent she looked with her big, dark brown eyes and a few strands of hair falling on her forehead from her ponytail. Her enthusiasm as she talked with Addison even though she just met her. How she brushed away the strands of hair from her forehead every few minutes.

Rafe realised that he was no longer glaring at her instead he was noticing her which was pathetic.

Spoiled little brat. That's what she is. He thought and stabbed the piece of meat on his plate with a fork.

But he couldn't help notice that how everyone seemed to adore her, his parents included.

All this was making him angrier. He pushed back his chair and stood up abruptly. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and they looked at him in confusion.

"Rafe, what is it?" Nelson was the first to question.

Rafe's eyes were lowered and his jaw clenched. "I'm not hungry."

"But you were hungry earlier." Ella stated.

"Not hungry anymore", he muttered and without glancing at anyone, made his way out of the dining room.

He went inside the kitchen and leaning his back against the counter, sighed.

What's wrong with me? He asked himself.

She didn't even do anything (except that she laughed at him and talked to him rudely) and yet she is making him angry.

Shaking his head, he opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water and drank from it.

As he kept it back inside, he heard some footsteps coming into the kitchen and he turned around to see Leona coming inside with her empty plate to keep it in the sink.

She saw him but said nothing and kept the plate in the sink as he watched her.

"Look, who's here. A spoiled little brat fooling everyone with her innocence." Rafe mocked even though he didn't want to. Those words just slipped his tongue and he regretted them.

Leona glared at him. "I am not a spoiled brat. And I am not fooling anyone unlike you."

"What do you mean unlike me?" Rafe took a step towards her and folded his arms.

"You act as if you are such a good boy in front of everyone but the truth is, you are boorish. I tried to be friends with you but now I don't want to."

Rafe scoffed. "Friend? I don't want to be friend with you."

Leona smiled tightly. "Yes, exactly. I don't want to be friend with an asshole."

Rafe's eyes widened slightly and his jaw clenched. "You are just ten and you are cursing already?" He accused.

"You are sixteen and you haven't grown some brains already?" She retorted in a saccharin tone.

Rafe was beyond furious now as he took a threatening step towards her which didn't intimidate Leona at all.

Rafe's mother, Ella walked into the kitchen and halted seeing them both glaring at each other.

Rafe saw his mother and before she could say something, he said, "Mom! Tell this spoiled little brat to fuck off!"

Ella gasped and moving closer to him, smacked him on his shoulder. "Is this what I taught you? To call your guests by names?"

Rafe rubbed his shoulder not liking that his mother was taking her side.

"And Mrs Andrews", Leona spoke. "He has been rude to me since I came here. I didn't even do anything." She complained in a soft tone.

"Rafe!", Ella scolded him. "I told you to be nice to everyone! Why don't you understand?"

Leona snickered to herself but since Rafe was still shooting daggers at her, he saw it and it ignited his hate even more.

Just then Nelson called Ella outside and she said to Rafe before going. "Apologise to her."

Rafe scoffed in response and Ella left.

Instead of apologising, he spoke in a dangerously low voice, "This isn't over, kid." And he left from there before she could respond.