"Leo, come home! It's almost dinner time!" The 12-year-old Leo looked back at his house,holding a ball in his hand.
"I'm coming!" he shouted, running towards his house. Leo was an only child in his family. They lived as foreigners in Russia, where he was born and raised. His family resided in a big city, the capital. Even though they didn't have much money, they never had any major problems. His father worked as a gardener for a very rich family, and Leo had always wanted to see his dad's work environment. His father had rejected this request several times. But today was different.
Today was his 12th birthday, and he had been promised that he could accompany his father when he turned 12. He was excited beyond words.
As he ran towards his house, he opened the door to find his mother smiling warmly at him. "Go wash your hands and get ready to eat," she said. Leo, who had inherited his mother's black hair and eyes, smiled back. She was 32, but still carried the youthful energy of her 20s. His father, in contrast, had brown hair and brown eyes.
"Okay, Mom!" Leo said, running to the bathroom to wash his hands. When he came back , the table was set, featuring his mother's famous soup. He grinned and sat down. As he began to eat, his father looked at him seriously.
"Leo, if you want to follow me to work tomorrow, there are rules you need to know," his father said, his tone unusually stern. It was as if these rules would decide whether he lived or not.
"First, don't touch anything that looks valuable. Second, don't get out of my sight. And the last and most important rule: do not get close to any member of that family. Got it?"
Leo nodded, meeting his father's intense gaze. "All right, Dad. Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble for you."
Leo's father, Dan, smiled in relief. He turned to his wife, Jessica, and asked for more soup.
Jessica smiled at her husband and nodded. The night ended with Leo blowing out his birthday
candles. He made a wish - that he would make a friend, a friend he could play with so he'd never
have to play alone again. Little did he know, his wish would come true soon.