Chapter 20

November 20th 2309

Things went on quietly for the next couple weeks, every time Michelle left her room, she would lock the door and take her key with her. The only people who had an extra key were her maids.

Michelle was in a happy mood; it was her seventeenth birthday!

She was looking quite excited, she never really got to actually celebrate, she didn't have many friends her whole life, so she never had a birthday party.

Chloe and Alexis helped her wash. Maci came in pushing a manikin with a colorful dress. The corset of the dress was red and the skirt was yellow and blue leggings.

"Wow Maci!" cried Michelle. "It's very colorful!"

"Happy birthday lady Michelle," said Maci in a motherly voice. "Consider this our birthday present to you."

Michelle was changed into the dress and Alexis tied purple ribbons in her hair.

After they left, James arrived carrying a small parcel.

"Happy birthday Michelle" said James.

He handed Michelle the parcel, Michelle opened it and saw that James's present to her was a book. She read the title; Sprinkle in the love by Cassandra Volansky.

"It's Cassandra Volansky's latest book," explained James. "I really hope you like it."

"I love it!" laughed Michelle hugging James.

Michelle and James then walked down the ballroom for the party.

It was beautiful, balloons and streamers were hung around the ballroom, there was a table with a pile of presents and a long table was covered in food. There were hot dogs and burgers, condiments, sandwiches, platters of cupcakes both chocolate and vanilla. There was a bowl of dark red punch and slices of lemons floated on the surface and there was a four-lair cake with white frosting, pink frosting around the edges and yellow frosting flowers.

"It's lovely!" cried Michelle.

"I know," said James. "And the cake is strawberry with marzipan frosting."

"My favourite" sighed Michelle.

Musicians were playing music and the whole court was dancing.

James and Michelle walked to the middle of the ballroom and started dancing. When the music stopped, the musicians took a little break. So, Michelle left James to go talk with her friends.

Michelle first ran into Holliday. Holliday wore a yellow dress with yellow sunflowers and white daisies. The skirt was an accordion skirt and the dress had a lace collar. She wore white gloves and a matching yellow bonnet. She was carrying a white shopping bag that had purple wrapping paper in it.

"Hey Michelle," said Holliday. "I love your dress; you look like a rainbow!" she cried as the two best friends hugged. "Open my present first before the other girls!"

Michelle smiled and did. In it were cream colored high heeled boots.

"I saw them in the store when I went to go out to buy you a birthday present and I felt they'd look so nice on you!"

"I love them Holliday!" cried Michelle.

Riley came up holding her flute.

"Riley," said Michelle. "I'd love it if you could play a song on your flute for us!"

"Really?" stammered Riley.

"Yes," cried Michelle. "I'd love to see you play."

"Me too" added Holliday.

Riley smiled and walked up to the musician's place. Although a bit nervous, she began playing. As she began, many people stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her. Her playing was so magical.

Michelle saw Giselle over at the food table having a party sandwich. She went over to talk to her.

"Enjoying the party?" she asked.

Giselle nodded.

"I have a present for you" she said holding up a small box for jewelry.

Michelle opened it revealing a ring. It had an emerald colored pearl.

"It was my mother's favourite ring" explained Giselle.

"You're giving me your mother's ring?" asked Michelle in shock.

"No," chuckled Michelle. "It's a fake ring, my mother had it made and she left it on her night table to trick any thieves into thinking it was a real ring. I keep the real one. I thought you might like the other one. Even though it's just a cheap imitation."

"I do" replied Michelle. "I think it's very beautiful no matter what. Being a seven Giselle, we take the time to see the beauty in simple things."

Giselle smiled and left. Michelle placed in on her finger.

She then looked to see at the door was queen Dinette and her two attendants. One had chocolate brown hair with fishtail braids tied with light pink ribbons. The other had brunette hair in a bob.

"Oh, hi Emily" said Dinette kindly. There at the doorway was the quartet. They all wore matching hot pink dresses, but in different styles. Emily's was strapless. Tiffany's was a tulip skirt. Suzanne had a one shoulder dress. And Harper's was an asymmetrical.

"Emily you and your friend's dresses are lovely!" exclaimed Dinette.

"Thank your majesty" said Emily kindly.

"Go help yourselves to cupcakes," said Dinette pointing to the food table. "My attendants and I have to go to my office for a minute."

The quartet walked over to Michelle who was next to a platter of cupcakes. She seethed on seeing Emily at her party. She felt Emily would ruin her birthday like she did every year.

The four girls had smug smiles.

"Mmm, my favourite desert" said Emily.

"I can't believe they have peasant food in the palace" said Suzanne.

Emily reached for a cupcake. But Michelle decided to stand up to Emily for the first time.

"Don't touch those," said Michelle. "There for the guests. You weren't invited, leave right now!"

The quartet looked shocked.

"Um, if you hadn't noticed, we were hired by count Neilson as confidants. So, we're guests" replied Emily.

"Yeah, you may be in the selection Michelle, but you're not the queen yet" added Suzanne tauntingly.

"This is my party, and I told you to leave!" snapped Michelle clenching her teeth.

The quartet just laughed.

"Giving us orders already your highness?!" laughed Harper.

Emily smirked and grabbed a cupcake and bit into it.

Michelle finally snapped.

She grabbed the platter and threw the cupcakes on it all over Emily's dress! The quartet weren't laughing anymore.

Some people gasped and turned to look at the scene.

"My dress!" whined Emily.

Michelle giggled.

"Ugh!" shouted Emily. She grabbed a glass and filed it with punch. Then with a wicked smile, she poured on Michelle.

"Emily!" cried Michelle.

She stormed over to the sandwiches, grabbed one and threw a tomato slice at Emily which hit the side of her face.

Emily then grabbed a mayonnaise tube and squirted it on Michelle dress.

The two girls engaged into combat, throwing food at each other, hitting and pulling each other's hair.

Holliday raced over and tried to pull Michelle back, but neither girl wanted to give up.

Riley tried to continue playing her flute to keep others distracting from the fight, but by now everyone was looking at the fight.

The two girls threw each other into the cake, cake and frosting exploded everywhere.

Emily was furious and tried to throw a plate at Michelle.

Michelle ducked narrowly avoiding the plate. The door to the ballroom opened and Dinette started to walk in with her attendants, just as Emily threw the plate. Michelle ducked. A surprised look appeared on Dinette's face and the attendant with the fish tail braids pulled her back just in time as the plate hit the door and shattered.

"EMILY MCSHAYNE! LADY MICHELLE WHITE," her voice thundered getting everyone's attention. "MY OFFICE. NOW!"

Emily and Michelle both looked at each other nervously. Holliday put a hand on Michelle's shoulder. Michelle gave her friend a small smile and walked off with Emily, before she left the ballroom, she saw a sympathetic look on Giselle's face.

Author's note; oh dear, Michelle and Emily are in trouble now, but I did say Emily was gonna get her just desserts later in the story.