Magali woke up to the imagination of a morning bell. After the dinner that Anthoine's mother threw together last night, Magali thought she'd end up in a food coma for life. After the tour of their house, a literal castle, Magali was off to bed only to be woken up by the sun in her eyes and the imagination of the school bell ringing in her ears.

"Magali?"

There was a knock on her door, Anthoine's muffled voice was heard on the other side.

"Are you up yet?"

"Just a minute!" Magali wrestled out of the queen sized bed, the silk sheets tangled at her feet. She wiped the dust off the corner of her eyes and pulled at the hem of her oversized t-shirt.

"Yes?"

It couldn't be earlier than nine o'clock in the morning, still, Anthoine wore a pressed shirt with a tie and a pair of house shoes to go with what he believed to be a casual outfit. His eyes diverged from Magali's naked legs to her face.

"B...breakfast is ready." He said, clearing his throat.

"Right, I'll be down in a minute." She said, feeling the draft between her legs.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Anthoine spoke with his eyes fixated at some point over her shoulder.

"Sure." Magali nodded, her hand on the doorknob.

"Sure?"

"Mhm, really." She said, lips pressed down between her teeth. It had been a good sleep, however, she did feel like the giant bed in their guestroom tried to swallow her whole.

"Alright, I'll be downstairs if you need me. Don't take too long or Gimme will eat your muffins as well."

Magali shut the door behind her and exhaled. She should call her father. To her surprise Magali's father had been overjoyed to hear that she was spending the first two days of Christmas break with a "friend" from school. If piano is her newfound passion then a piano is what would be waiting for her once she returned home, he said.

Magali got dressed and looked for her phone in her purse, but paused at the thought of Gimme, Anthoine's six year old brother. He did seem like the kind of person to steal your muffins. Last night he had welcomed Magali by dropping a water balloon at her feet. She had looked up to find the boy peering out from the window above, holding his stomach as he exploded in joyful tears.

"My muffins." Magali muttered and threw her phone back into her purse.

"I'm sorry, I tried to stop him." Anthoine rose from his chair at the sight of Magali entering the dining hall. His little brother sat sloped down at the edge of the table, muffin crumbs all over his shirt, Magali's muffin crumbs.

"Don't worry, my mother is in the kitchen making more as we speak. "

Magali wrinkled her nose regarding the little beast.

"You snooze, you lose." He chuckled.

Magali pulled herself a chair. "Is that why you call him Gimme because those are the only words he can comprehend?"

The sound of tapping heels approached the dining hall as Anthoine's mother entered the room, a tray of freshly baked muffins in her hand. "Not exactly but almost." She chuckled. "He didn't speak until he was five years old, "give me" was the first words he uttered." She put down the tray of muffins and offered one to Magali who accepted it timidly.

"My husband is very fond of The Simpsons." She said, "He and little Gim, who's picked up a lot of English words from watching the show."

"Ah, it figures." Magali said, who could see Anthoine's little brother grow up to be a spiteful version of Homer Simpson. Anthoine's mother's eyes burned at the side of her temple as Magali poured herself a glass of orange juice and took a bite of her muffin. She felt a bit shy around the woman that was at least two heads taller than herself and foolishly gorgeous for her middle age. Perhaps asking if she used to model would be highly inappropriate, she thought. Magali found herself at the top of her manners around Anthoine and his family, the way they kept their house reminded her of the stereotypical royal families with butlers catering to their every need. She was surprised that Anthoine's mother insisted on cooking herself instead of having a chef do it for her.

"What's on the agenda today kids?" His mother asked, in a cheerful way that made her appear a lot younger.

"I told you we came here to practice our duet." Anthoine groaned. He had wanted for them to get to the piano as soon as they arrived yesterday, however his mother had insisted that they perspound all piano practice until today, something Magali was very thankful that she did.

"I know, I know." Anthoine's mother sighed. Her eyes twinkled in a way that made it impossible for anyone to be upset with her. She was charming and fun, everything Magali imagined her own mother to be like.

"The Yule Ball is tomorrow though Toni and I'm sure Magali will need all the time she needs to prepare herself, ain't that right honey? Do you have your ensemble for tomorrow night?"

Magali took a sip of her juice before she spoke. "Well, I have a dress." Hopefully her mothers dress wasn't considered too short for the event.

"Perfect." Anthoine's mother clapped, clearly delighted to talk about fashion. "Who made it?" She asked.

"You mean where did I purchase it?"

"No silly, I mean who made your dress, what designer?"

"Oh." Magali looked at the sealing to try and remember what store in Brazil that she and her prepschool friends had gone to. It was surely an expensive one but she'd have to look at the nametag.

"It doesn't matter honey." Anthoine's mother smiled. Magali had looked to think to the point of it hurting her brain. "A dress won't do it for the Yule Ball anyway, you'll need a gown."

"I do?" Magali's shoulders withered. To the left of her Anthoine's little brother tried to reach for her tray of muffins, to her satisfaction his bloated stomach was in the way.

"Of course you do!" Anthoine's mother said, pulling Magali back into the conversation, an important one by the way she held her gaze from across the table.

"I'll arrange for my seamstress to come over in the afternoon. We'll fit you into a perfect ball gown in no time."

"Er...thanks."

Anthoine pushed off the table and rose to his feet, rattling the plates and utensils set on the table.

"Magali, you coming?" He said, in a way that didn't make it seem like a question.

"Erm..."

"Let her finish her breakfast first honey." His mother said with furrowed brows, however Anthoine's gaze stayed on Magali.

"I...I guess." She said and slowly rose to her feet. Anthoine's mother gave her an apologetic look as Magali followed her son out of the dining hall and into the lounge where a grand piano awaited them.

******

"You're late." Anthoine muttered.

Magali was struggling to time the entrance of her interlude in the song. She had no problem doing it with Signor Casquette peering over her shoulders, but now, with Anthoine by her side, the two of them alone in the lounge to his family home, she just couldn't focus. Magali hated to admit that her nerves ahead of the Yule Ball tomorrow was also getting to her, how she and Anthoine had to perform their duet in front of a crowd, a crowd where Charles would most likely be in.

"I know, I'm sorry." She sighed.

"You keep making the same mistake." He nagged.

"I know, just let me..."

"Magali what's..."

"No, what's the deal with you?" She said, lashing out at Anthoine that had been on her case all afternoon and she hadn't forgotten about his behavior this morning at breakfast.

"Pardon?" He said, a bit taken back.

"What's your deal with your mother? You were so rude to her this morning."

"I...I didn't mean to be."

"No? But You were."

Anthoine bowed his head in shame. "I...I dunno, maybe because she always does this." He mumbled. Magali could see his resemblance with Gimme as he tried to hide his flustered cheeks.

"Does what?"

"I dunno, act so strange whenever I bring girls around."

Magali raised a brow, "I'm one of many?" A part of Anthoine did seem like he could have a little player in him, she thought. He was handsome and had the mysterious act down. The way his eyes had darkened when Magali had flashed her naked legs at him this morning, told her that he had a sinful side to him too.

"You know what I meant." He said, playfully nudging her side.

"I know exactly what you meant." She chuckled. "Let's just get back to the song shall we?"

They went on to rehearse all afternoon, not stopping until dinner time. Magali felt like a part of the song had lost its magic because of how much they had rehearsed it. It sounded more and more mechanical now than when Anthoine first played it to her in the auditorium.

"I'm just going to freshen up." Magali excused herself to go up to her room but instead of heading for the joint bathroom, she fell onto the bed in exhaustion, her aching fingers throbbing against the mattress. Her heavy eyelids had begun to flicker when...

"Magali?"

A knock on the door had her sit up in bed. Anthoine's mother stood in the frame when Magali went to open the door.

"I thought I'd catch you before dinner. It's better to do the fitting on an empty stomach." She dragged a sleep walking Magali out of the guest room and down the hall. Magali opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of a giant walking closet with walls stocked with fabulous shoes, closets stuffed with clothes and an Island drawer topped with elegant jewelry and accessories.

"Magali, this is my seamstress Natalia." Anthoine's mother presented Magali to the woman who had stood waiting for them in the room.

"Natalia will be doing the measurements for your ball gown."

The woman, who didn't seem older than thirty, gestured for Magali to step forward so that she could take a look at her. Magali did as she was told and stepped forward, meeting the woman's superior height. "Strip and stand on the stool." Natalia said, after making Magali do a three-sixty spin in front of her. Magali jumped out of all of her clothes except for her lingerie and climbed up on the little stool that still failed to make her taller than Anthoine's mother and the seamstress.

"She has too wide hips for the blue dress." Natalia said, making Magali yelp as she pinched her side.

"Okay." Anthoine's mother said in a calm, reassuring tone. "How about the gold dress?"

Magali turned to Natalia who took a lap around her as she stood on the stool. A hand rested on her chin and her eyes narrowed. "I'd have to make it bigger to fit her size but it could work since you'll be the same height once she gets in the high heels."

"Perfect." Anthoine's mother said, bouncing a little in her heels.

Magali didn't know whether to cry or laugh, Natalia had insulted her figure in the most prestigious way. An hour passed of being sewn into one of Anthoine's mother's old ball gown. When She was finally allowed to step down from the stool, her feet ached in the same way that her fingers did.

"Anthoine! Gimme!" Anthoine's mother shouted. Magali turned her head and found the two of them standing frozen in the doorframe.

"We're busy here, can't you see?"

Both of them stood frozen, transfixed by something ahead of them. Magali turned around to find out what they were looking at.

"Nina." Natalia laughed. "Tell the boys to stop gawking and tell the girl she looks nice."

Anthoine let his gaze wander to the sealing when she said this. Gimme however, dropped to his knees and started picking at the bottom of Magali's dress.

"Not like that honey, it's not a tent." Anthoine's mother picked him up from the floor.

"Anthoine, please help Magali downstairs. She must practice moving in her dress."

He rolled his eyes. "But dad's here and dinner is ready."

"Perfect, then Magali can practice her dining etiquette."

"Sorry." Magali said when Anthoine had to hold her hand as she descended the stairs.

"It's not your fault, my mom can be such a..."

"Mom?" Magali smiled. She could only imagine being pampered like this by her own mother.

Anthoine guided her downstairs and into the dining hall.

"There you are. I thought I was gonna have to eat alone."

They were met by a man sitting alone at the short end of the table. He stood at the sight of them. Magali looked down as Anthoine let go of her hand.

"Where is your mother, the food is getting cold."

They were the same height, still, Anthoine looked to crumble beside, what Magali could only assume, was his dad. They had the same dark eyes and jawline that cut deep.

"Dad..." Anthoine cleared his throat."This is Magali. My friend from school that I was telling you about. The one that helped me write the..."

"Nice to meet you." He only took her in for a brief second, reaching out a hand to shake hers hastily. "Son, can you go back upstairs and tell your mother to get down here, what's taking her so long anyway?"

A flash of something passed Anthoine's eyes but to Magali his expression had been interpretable. Luckily his mother just entered the dining hall with Gimme in her embrace. She entered just in time to cut the tension in the room.

"Finally." His dad sighed.

"What's wrong honey, a stressed day at work?" Anthoine's mother had said this cheerfully, not surrendering to her husband's foul mood.

"Let's just eat." He grunted.

They gathered around the dinner table and got on with the first course, chanterelle soup seasoned with time. Magali spread a napkin across her lap so as not to spill anything on her dress.

"Honey did you know that Anthoine and Magali are performing a duet at the Yule Ball tomorrow?" Anthoine's mother said after a few minutes of awkward silence around the dinner table.

"Mhm." He mumbled, between spoonfuls of chanterelle soup. Magali got the impression that Anthoine's father wasn't a very talkative individual.

"The Yule Ball.." He said once he finished his soup, to Magali's surprise, "...it's being held at the Leclerc's again, isn't it?"

Magali glanced up from her plate, she hoped that the way her arm had nudged her glass had been subtle. She had yet learned to control the way her heart would raise at the mentioning of Charles name, or in this case, his last name.

"Yes, I spoke to Chiara this week and she said it was about time that things got back to normal. Tragic wasn't it, what happened to her father, right Toni?" She turned to Anthoine. "Charles must have been devastated about his grandfather's passing."

Whilst Anthoine looked to swallow his food, his father shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, I thought The Ciccone family did a fine job with the party last year."

"Yes but the Yule Ball should be held at the Leclerc's, it's tradition."

"The Ciccones? As in Rebecca Ciccone?" Magali had been biting down on her lip not to be nosy, however a more dominant part of her just needed to know about the connection.

"Yes, honey. Do you know her?"

Magali felt like all eyes were on her. Even Anthoine's father had raised a curious brow. Anthoine however sat with head bowed down, still nibbling on his soup.

"Erm...yeah she's my friend." Magali lied and she wondered if Anthoine knew it was a lie because at that moment he had raised his head to look at her.

"Really?" Anthoine's father said, head resting in his hand as he looked at her crookedly. "A friend, how?"

Magali batted her eyes at the question, not sure why she felt like she was suddenly being interrogated. "Just a friend from school." She shrugged, wanting to come off as relaxed as possible. She had a feeling that Anthoine's father hadn't been satisfied with her answer.

"That's sweet honey, Rebecca is..."

"What's your last name?" Anthoine's father said, interrupting his wife.

"Etienne." Magali said, without a hitch to her voice.

"Never heard of it." He chuckled.

"Dad!"

"Vittorio!"

He looked around the table to his family that seemed upset with him. Magali took notice of how the spoon im Anthoine's hand trembled, his knuckles white.

"What? I was just wondering if the girl was a friend of the family." His dad said, with a smile that carved his cheeks in a charming way. "Since she's not..." He took a sip of his glass of wine. Taking his time pouring the liquid down his throat.

"Her name is Magali." All heads turned to Anthoine who had put down his spoon and sat with both of his palms pressed flat against the table. His dad set his wine glass aside and stared at his son with detest in his eyes. "Was there something you wish to say to me son?"

"Vittorio, not now we have a guest." Anthoine's mother put a calming hand on top of her husband's.

"Well...?" He grunted at Anthoine who clenched his knuckles again.

"He said her name is Magali." Gimme chuckled, his laughter a bliss to the tension around the table. Anthoine's father relaxed his shoulders whilst Anthoine released his knuckles.

"Can I name my goldfish Magali?" Gimme said and pulled a string off Magali's dress.

"Of course you can, baby" Anthoine's mother wiped her face with her hand and tucked some loose hair behind her head. "Of course you can." She said and lifted her spoon to continue the course. The remainder of the dinner was spent in silence after that.

*****

Magali ended her phone call with her father. She has told him about the gown that was gifted to her by Anthoine's mother. Then they had talked about the next year, that her father's work at the embassy was going great and that if Magali kept her good grades up she could perhaps finish her studies at SDC, not having to move to another country in between. Magali would like that, to graduate from SDC where she finally found a place where she belonged, with people that she liked. First person to come to mind was Mia and how proud she would be that Magali had disrupted a crimson brother's family dinner by asking about Rebecca Ciccone. The second person to come to mind was Charles, he would have been the first if Magali wasn't fresh off the dinner with Anthoine's family. She was still dressed in her ball gown as she paced the guest room. She wasn't sure that she ever wanted to take it off. She deeply wondered if her mother would approve of it, if it was something of her taste. Magali almost looked for the dark skies outside her window for a sign from a higher power. But the only thing she got was a light knock on the door and a blushing Anthoine standing in the frame of it.

"I don't mean to disturb." He muttered almost inaudibly. His shirt had lost its top buttons revealing his lean torso.

"You're not disturbing." Magali said, slightly increasing the gap in the door as a welcoming gesture.

"I owe you an apology for my father's behavior at dinner earlier."

Magali smiled and crossed her arms in front of her. "Did your mom force you to come up here and say that?"

"Kinda" Anthoine chuckled and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Don't sweat it. Every family has baggage."

"Yes, but as you can see my family has a lot. My mother is addicted to dresses and my dad is..."

"I dunno..." Magali said, twirling around in the frame of the door. "Your mother's addiction seems to have its benefits."

Anthoine's eyes did that thing again, wandering carelessly somewhere below her neck. It was only then Magali took notice of his widened pupils and the way that he swayed a little where he stood.

"Anthoine, have you been smoking?" The smell was subtle but tilting her body forward she felt it pass under her nostrils.

"Yeah, why?" He asked, a slight twitch in the corner of his lip. "Would you like to split a joint?"

Magali raised a brow, but took a step back. "I should probably get out of this dress and get to bed."

Anthoine's eyes searched her face, again an unreadable expression. "Don't get me wrong, my mother's dress looks beautiful on you."

"Erm...thanks." Magali said, pressing her lips together in a thin line. She wondered if that is what had sent him off, because one second Anthoine was looking deep into her eyes where he stood underneath the frame of the door. Then he took a step forward, tilting his head in an unexpected search for her face.

Magali squinted her eyes as Anthoine's lips met hers, a quite numbing sensation as blood rushed to her cheeks.

"Anthoine." She yelped, a slight jump backwards. The sound of their lips detaching still lingered in the room.

Magali held the back of her hand to her mouth as she looked shily to the floor. "That's not...that's not why I came here." She said, as low as a whisper.

"You didn't hesitate when Charles did it?"

"Excuse me?" Magali raised her head only to be met by a pair of dark eyes staring back at her blankly.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from him? That you and Charles can never be. Huh Magali?"

"Anthoine get out." Magali felt her heart raising as he took another step towards her, forcing her into the center of the room. She looked around for something to defend herself with, something, anything.

"That's why you asked about Rebecca during dinner wasn't it?" He said, a vein pulsating in his temple. "To find out what my family knows about her and Charles' entanglement. Did Charles tell you that my father was Mr Ciccone's lawyer? What does he know?"

Magali reached for something behind her back and found her hand clasp around something slim and heavy. "I swear to god Anthoine if you don't close the door behind you on your way out..."

Something shifted in his face as Magali's back hit the wall near the fireplace. The hand that hid behind her back rattled the iron staf used to poker the fire with.

"I'm not..." His shoulders withered. "I didn't mean...I won't hurt you Magali." The sweat dampening his forehead glistered in the light.

Magali didn't say a word, just controlled her steady breathing.

"Magali I'm sorry, I didn't..."

She shook her head and tightened her grip around the fire staff. "Please just get out." Her voice was loud and clear. Magali felt herself holding back tears. Something about Anthoine seemed to have died right there in front of her. He didn't encourage her any further. He just lowered his hands, bowed his head and slipped out of the room.

Magali waited for her heartbeat to come down before stepping forwards to close the door. She pressed her back against the wood and slided down the door until her legs crumbled beneath her.