𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 ✍︎

8| 𝙳𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛

Dove's POV
Age: 10
Location: Petrov's Penthouse, New York

I watch my Father follow us then pause when his phone buzzes. He answers the call and steps into a different room. I wonder what's that about.

"Still don't like talking?" Ella asks quietly as she walks out of the room and down the hallway. I shake my head.

"That's alright, I'll do the talking for you." I smile and nod in agreement.

We approach the dining room and I hear the voices of multiple people. I tense in Ella's arms, making her rub circles on my back in an attempt to calm me.

"It's just my family. You can trust them," she assures me. I nod my head to show that I heard her. If Ella trusts them, I can too, right?

When we walk through the doors I see that my mother is already there, and seated next to Ella's mother, Andrea.

All conversation stops as everyone's eyes fall on us. I'm not used to this much attention. I don't think I like it.

I feel blood rush to my face and I hide in the crook of Ella's neck. I hear a chorus of 'awes', making my already flushed face even more red.

Ella walks to a chair next to her father and sits down with me still in her arms. Thank goodness. I thought she would make me sit in my own chair.

"When was the last time you ate?" She whispers to me as the dining room conversation starts to pick up again.

"I...don't remember," I say honestly.

Ella gently turns me around and places a small bowl of soup in front of me. "Drink," she commands.

I can feel the other's eyes on me and the urge to hide my face again hits me, but I listen to my stomach and grab a spoon and start drinking.

As soon as the warm liquid hits my tongue, a hum of contentment escapes my throat. This has to be the best soup I've ever tasted.

I didn't realize how hungry I was. I guess my body got so used to the lack of meals that it doesn't even know when it's hungry anymore.

That's a bad thing...I think.

My father walks into the dining room and takes a seat next to Dimitri, Ella's father. The two start a hurried and quiet conversation. I try to listen, but I can't hear much over the sound of utensils and chatter from the others.

"звезда, are you going to introduce us to your friend or not?" Ella's grandfather asks.
(Translation: star)

"Right, sorry Дед," Ella apologizes sheepishly.
(Translation: grandfather)

"This is Dove. She's the youngest recruit in the program," she says. My face heats up again.

Stupid blood flowing to my face.

"Честно говоря, Элла, ты тоже должна нас познакомить," Andrea scolds.
(Translation: honestly, Ella, you should introduce us too)

"But she already knows who you are!" Ella says defensively. I tense as everyone's friendly expressions immediately change to confusion. One glance at Ella's grandfather and I know he's contemplating my murder right now.
Sensing her mistake, Ella quickly tries to relieve the tension.