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three - princess peach
"you're super smart, gray," elle complimented as the young boy continued to talk to her about the different things he knew.
gray beamed up at her, "thank you."
they entered the innovation centre, his gaze quickly moving from her to the things around him. he glanced around in awe before he took off towards an interactive game. elle chased after him, stopping behind him to let him play.
he began pressing buttons, "cytosine, guanine, adenine and thymine. the same four things in everything that ever lived."
"well done," elle praised as 'mr dna' popped up onto the screen to give his congrats speech and explain dna some more.
"gray, is that you?" a voice called across the centre.
gray spun around, "aunt claire!"
he was off once more, running towards the woman as she descended the stairs.
"hi." gray pulled her into a hug. "oh my gosh, you're so sweet." zach reached them, elle close behind. "whoa, zach. last time i saw you, you were like..." claire held out her hand, showing he had grown since.
elle rolled her eyes. what was it with adults saying shit like that?
"that must've been what? three, four years ago?"
"uh, seven. seven years, but, you know, close."
claire's face fell but she tried to quickly move past the comment, pretending it didn't get to her.
elle was pretty sure the woman just had no idea how to interact with children. apart from elle. but that was probably because elle wasn't a typical child, she had experienced things most adults would never even be able to dream of. so she was mature for her age. or that's what everyone said. it pissed her off to no end. why couldn't they just admit she was traumatised.
"so i see you already got your wristbands." she held out an envelope. "and this is for food."
gray took the envelope, looking at elle, who shrugged.
"and elle here is going to take care of you. she's great."
"you're really not coming with us?" gray asked, dejectedly.
"oh, um, i really wish that i could, but tomorrow i can take you into the control room, show you behind the scenes and all of that. that's... that's gonna be cool, right?" claire replied, glancing to elle for confirmation.
elle smiled, nodding.
zach rolled his eyes while gray averted his gaze.
claire's phone began to ring.
"okay, so i will see you tonight at, uh six," she spoke, backing away. she kept glancing at her phone. "wait, no, eight. what time do you go to sleep? or-or do you go to sleep at different times?"
