The Second Encanto

20. Memories

Merella's POV

I woke up to a pounding headache. Apparently it had only gone away for a bit yesterday. I looked over at the glowing tablet and decided to hide it in my bed. I walked downstairs and hugged my parents.

"Woah you're happy today." my father says. I just put on a fake smile and nod. I go back up stairs and drink some of the special water that Mirabel saved me with. Then I decided to take a day to myself. So I packed a light lunch and hiked over the mountain. I went to the spot that Mirabel had shone me before and quickly sat down. I waded into the water. After going under my head started to spin. I went under the water again and opened my eyes. I was shocked to see a memory playing in the water. It was me. I was playing with a boy and we were laughing. I watched as someone snapped a quick photo and then the memory got carried away with the current. I burst through the surface gulping for air.

"Merella?" I look over and see Andres. I quickly sink lower into the water so just my head is visible. Andres eyes were wide like he had seen a ghost. "Did you see that too?" he asked. I nodded and was grateful as Andres turned away so I could get out to wrap myself in my towel. He turned back and I could feel his eyes on my body. The feeling made the hair on my arms rise. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded up photo. With careful hands with pulled it apart and handed it to me while looking away. I stared at the photo and realized that the girl in it was me. And that Andres was there too. It was the same moment that I had just seen under the water.

"Andres what is this?" I asked. He didn't reply so I asked again, "What the fuck is this?" I clenched my fists as he sat there saying nothing.

Then he sighed, "Merella we used to live in the same village. In fact we we're best friends, no more than that. Our parents always said that we would get married." He approached me with a crazy look in his eyes, "Don't you agree? Don't you feel the connection Mer?" He was creeping closer and closer to me until I snapped. I slapped him in the face so hard that it echoed across the river. His hand creeped to his face and his eyes widened at the sight of blood.

"Get away from me." I said with tears of anger. But he didn't. He stood there in shock. His head slowly turned to look at me and I realized that I was still wearing just my towel. I closed my eyes and tried to pull away as he grabbed my wrists.

And then I heard his body hit the ground. "Get your hands off her." I looked up and saw Camilo standing above me. He was in between Andres and I. His shoulders were heaving with anger and his fist was clenched tight.

Andres sat on the ground staring up at Camilo with a crazy smile. "Or what?" I watched as Camilo punched him again. Andres smile broke and he stood up looking like he was gonna hit him back. Right before he could I stepped in between them and then everything went black.