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Henry Stephens loved Madeline like she was his daughter. Knowing that her parents were out a lot of the time, though they loved Madi to bits, he frequently let Sky have her best friend around. That day was no exception, the day when his wife and her daughter were moving in to their house in Malibu.
Catalina Cruz and Isabel Stephens, nee Cruz, were officially part of the Malibu crowd, something very different to what they'd experienced Madison thought.
"Madi?" Sky's voice called out from the bathroom, the brunette lying on the strawberry blondes bed in exhaust as papers about Saving the Ocean was scattered around her, "Come here a sec?
The girl followed her voice, bringing her to the bathroom were Sky Stephens and who she was guessing to be Catalina Cruz were standing, "Hi, I'm Madi." She stuck her hand out for the girl to shake but she was rebuffed.
"Anyway, we're sisters now! I always wanted a sister!" Madeline had clearly missed parts of the conversation before she was called in to be introduced to the rude girl that stood in front of her.
"It's gonna take more than a marriage licence to be considered sisters."
"Oh, yea, I knew that. Even the Brady Bunch had issues."
Madi scoffed, "Yea, one of your has to make more of an effort than being a complete bi-"
"Madeline!" Sky cut her off in disbelief. Sure, Madi was one to speak her mind, but never had she really been that rude to someone she'd just met.
Catalina smirked, seeing fire in the small girl in front of her, "I like you."
Sky looked in between the two girls, one of them being her step-sister, one of them being her sister even though there was nothing to tie them together but friendship, "Anyway, I was supposed to tell you that dinner's ready."
Catalina shook her head, "You know what, I'm good. I'm actually kind of tired. It's been a long day." Sky took off, leaving Catalina and Madi in the same room alone, "Unfortunately."
"Lina, is it?" Madi asked, the girl nodding, "I know I don't know you. But I feel like I have to tell you that Henry and Sky? They are the loveliest people I know. They would do anything for those they care about and whether you like it or not, you come under that category no matter what you do."
"Madiso-"
"Just try?"
"... Okay."
***
"So, Madeline, have you got a boyfriend?"
"Oh gosh no!" Madeline exclaimed after Isabel asked her the question while they sat at the dinner table, "All the boys at our school... Ugh."
While Isabel looked confused, Sky knew what Madi was getting at, "Madi doesn't like materialistic people. She's an activist."
