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Madeline's POV
     I closed the back door after I had come in from meeting Pepito annoyed. 
He shouldn't have joined the gang in the first place. He shouldve remembered my birthday... I looked out the window watching him go into his house. Miss Clavel called to me from upstairs.
"Madeline? Did you bring Genevieve inside to eat?" she asked 
I patted genevieves head softly.
"oui!" I replied pouring food into a bowl and going upstairs.
     The rest of my birthday went by nicely, by twelve, all of my friends had made the house into a pretty party atmosphere. They even made me a crown, okay Aggie made me a crown, Chloe thought it was a stupid idea. After dinner we all gathered in the dining room waiting for my cake. I knew it was coming because I could hear the girls silencing. The double doors from the kitchen opened and Elaine came out with my birthday cake! I didn't know whether I was more excited for Elaine or the cake, but I was pretty happy. Her plump face was a golden colour because of the steady flame as she set it before me at the head of the table. I grinned hugging her. 
"Make a wish!" she said crouching so she was level with me sitting. I nodded. The doorbell rang. Miss Clavel left the room clutching her camera. She ushered in Pepito. I frowned, oh great, a party pooper. He gazed at me over the candlelight as he placed a wrapped gift on top of my other ones. I saw Nicole, my other 'biggest fan' look at him across the table from under her lashes. My blood boiled as I closed my eyes to make a wish. I blew out the candles not leaving one lit.
The cake was soon devoured, and I forgotten. Pepito chatted amiably with Miss Clavel inspecting her camera. Miss Clavel told him shed be right back and drifted away to attend to Genevieve who was now lapping up cake icing from the floor. Poor Miss Clavel, she was allergic to dogs and still tended to the retriever. I went up to Pepito crossing my arms.
"who invited you?" I asked grumpily. "This is a GIRLS PARTY. FOR GIRLS." Pepito looked at me amused. 
"I was invited by your lovely teacher. And I invited YOU to my birthday parties when we were children." he noted. I tugged on my blue party dress, my small white gloves stifling.
"we were KIDS then Pepito. And you had no friends back then." I pointed out. He laughed playing with the crown on my head.
"that's cute Madeline. Will you EVER grow up?" he said jokingly. But I didn't think it was funny.
"will you ever stop being a bad hat Pepito?" I shot back. Miss Clavel came up behind me.
"now Madeline, is that any way to talk to a valued guest?" Pepito looked at me smugly. I huffed and walked away to open my presents. Maybe I'll use his as kindling for the fireplace tonight, I heard a cold front was rolling in.

Pepito's POV
     Miss Clavel droned on about some story. I didn't even hear what it was about, I was watching Madeline. Her cornflower blue dress was tied at her slim waist with a moonshine white ribbon. I was mesmerized as she carefully tore the wrapping off of each present and piled them nicely. Mine sat dejectedly still wrapped beside her. She leaned over to pick up a stray ribbon, the soft curve of her breast just peeking over the lace of her dress. Miss Clavel snapped at me. I jumped, startled.
"Si? Que?" I answered running a hand through my hair.
"did you hear what I asked you Pepito?" she asked sternly.
"no señorita." I answered pulling my neckerchief. Was it hot in here?
"I was asking if you could possibly sometime take my girls on weekly field trips since I'm becoming quite too old to be parading around Paris with my bad knees." her forehead wrinkled in pain under her always starched grey habit. I opened my mouth to decline, but saw madelines face light up as she opened a box. She hugged her friend tightly pulling out a fine glass bottle of parfum.
"Si, I would love to."

Madeline's POV
     After everyone had gone to sleep, I crawled out of bed pulling Pepito's gift from under my pillow. I carried it to the window seat sitting down and pulling the red ribbon. It was a thin box of considerable size. What could he have possibly bought me? I thought letting the ribbon sail to the floor like a red stream. I plucked the top of the box off gasping. Inside was a pair of very grown up ladies gloves. They were satin, white as snow and had a lace trimming along the bottom with little pearls attached. 
"exactly what I wanted." I whispered running a finger over the impossibly smooth finish. One of the girls stirred, mumbling something in her sleep. Scared I put the top back on and ran back to bed. My heart throbbed in my chest as I placed the glovebox under my pillow. 
Maybe he wasn't a bad hat. I could swear I saw him looking at me strangely at the party... I thought falling asleep.