𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 ✍︎

28| 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚊 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚗

Dove/Ayla's POV
Age: 10
Location: Leaving the Mall

Daniel groans as he reads the text message on his phone. "We need to go home."

"Why?" Dylan asks, thoroughly annoyed. The poor guy just wants his food.

"Our nazi grandparents are getting demanding and Mom doesn't want to suffer alone."

Mateo hums. "That sounds like the words of someone I know."

I stick my tongue out at him, which he tries to grab, but I run to Alessandro so he can't get me.

"Let's go," Dante says, dragging a reluctant Dylan out of the mall.

"But my food!" He whines.

"Order it on the way home," Daniel says, rolling his eyes. Dylan huffs angrily but pulls out his phone to order the food anyways.

I walk beside Alessandro and Mateo, who glare at anyone that stares at me for too long.

Alessandro swears suddenly, glaring at something outside. Peaking around his legs, I try to see what he's looking at.

At first, I don't see anything. But as we approach, hundreds of bright, flashing lights go off from outside the glass doors.

Mateo swears under his breath, an agitated expression on his face. He breaks off from Alessandro and I to talk to Daniel. The two exchange quick whispered words in Italian.

None of my brothers look happy to see the lights, but none of them stop walking towards it either.

"C'mere." Alessandro glares at the blinding lights outside as he pulls me closer to him. "I'm going to carry you," he tells me. "Keep your face hidden."

Not wanting to question him right now, I comply. He takes his jacket off and drapes it over my head, creating a makeshift hood.

Once I'm in his arms, my brothers surround us, like they did when we entered the mall.

I tuck Julia between my chest and Alessandro's shoulder so there's no chance of her falling out of my hand.

As soon as we exit the building, the bright lights flash even brighter and more frequently. I hear the voices of at least thirty people, all of them screaming over one another. They're all so loud, it's impossible to understand what any of them are saying.

I press myself closer to Alessandro, feeling overwhelmed. His hand comes to the back of my head, and he gently pushes me into his neck.

It feels like the people are closing in on us, but I know my brothers wouldn't allow that.

"Close your eyes," he whispers in my ear. I squeeze my eyes shut, but it feels like the lights are burned into my brain.

I feel Alessandro shove through a crowd of people. Their hands reach out to us, making me shrink into my cousin, not wanting to be touched by so many people. My arms wrap tighter around Alessandro, hoping I'm not accidentally strangling him.

"BACK OFF!" I hear Diego yell from behind us. "HE HAS A CHILD WITH HIM."

Suddenly all of their hands retract, allowing us to get to our cars. Mateo and Daniel get in the front seats and immediately start the car.