The Lone Dove #1
Love and Trust are two very important ideals, but what happens when the moment you lose the two most important people in the world and are left with an inheritance, and a company you find you cannot trust anyone else with. That is P...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Emotional Revelations
I walk in a way that gives time a slow kick in its ticking form as Diana walks next to me. Rosa-belle talking to Everdeen behind us as we remain stiffly quiet when I look over to her and sense the tension that could was far sharper than most knives. I gesture to the small edge of the mountain when she meets my eyes, her torch in her hand and the wind blowing in her brunette curls, "You've been quiet?" I mention, slowly.
She looks over to me, "You fit in so well with the Elite." She says it casually, but I knew her better than that as I slide down to take a slow seat on the fresh grainy and sharp dark green grass. So many were still at the fires logged below the mountain with simple pine tree behind us.
"I think we all fit in, Diana, but the question is, why do you feel you need to?" I ask her, staring out into the midnight stars, they were clearer up here with the campsites below and the boys at the tents, seated outside, they had a clear view of us too, but remained in the distance. I side-glance the small tent by the big one in mild confusion. I would have easily thought Trevor had finally made his move on Diana or that it would be for Andrew and Rosa-belle? Whether they had moved to that kind of step, maybe for Ryan and Everdeen, but Maximus and myself...it was new territory that I was actually comfortable with.
Not too mention that first kiss that left my mind whirling sideways and the strength in me gravitating to him, to Maximus Myers. I had never, not once in my eighteen years of obstacles and decisions that could crush me and could crush my Dad's dream...Maximus was making this worthwhile. That's why I said 'yes' to his not-so-subtle wants to see what it would be like to fall asleep in each other's arms and wake up to each other's eyes.
"Spoken like someone who doesn't care about hierarchy. I admire that about you, but of course I'm envious of it too, Poppy. Anyone would be." She murmurs the last part, leaning on the tree next to me and folding her cotton-covered arms, keeping warm while I welcomed the wind with open arms and would have found peace in sitting here if it didn't flash the horrific moments of my life the second Stevens told me how my parents died. The car swerved off in the grudge storm that night.
No evidence though. No proof and my life changed forever.
I narrow my eyes, "You have nothing to be envious of. I do." I whisper to her, letting the air drift the words to her ears and watch her stare into my profile before she takes a step next to me, blocking my view of Maximus and Ivan, who discretely stares up from below.
Diana scoffs bitterly, "Poppy, are you kidding? Since we were children, I'd curl up behind you from every bully who'd ever made fun of me. Any bully that ever made fun of you and you'd wipe it off, throw it away so easily. I'm envious of how strong you truly are and hell-I still step in behind you and screw up with slight temperamental behaviour every time you're not there." She says to me, taking a long breath.
I look to her, her sharpened features were perhaps what I didn't see before, "You made me feel important when I lost them, Diana. I know you were angry that I had left for so long, that when I got back, I couldn't talk to you about it when we use to talk about everything. Right from when you were afraid Trevor had a crush on me to how I could stop whatever the Royals felt they needed to do to get my attention and attacking all of you is still something I don't agree with. Obviously Maximus has changed though. The man is sentimental at best." I say to her, before hearing a feminine giggle behind me and sensing Everdeen step in to sit on the grass patch aside me, Rosa-belle drops her head on Diana's shoulder and we all just stare out.
