𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.

Stage three: Bargaining

Third p.o.v

It was the third night since Mirabel's disappearance, everyone in town was now trying to find her, but still, nobody had found her. Poor little Antonio...His dark chocolate eyes were puffy from crying "Mirabel! If you're mad that I accidentally ripped my tiger then I'm sorry!" He held up his now poorly sowed together toy "Look I fixed it for you!" the little boy yelled at the trees in front of him, as if Mirabel could hear him wherever she was. Tears fell down his cheeks as he yelled again "Please come back!" his voice cracked more and more as he yelled out.

"I'll give you the tiger back!"

"I can clean your room!"

He begged and begged at nothing for his cousin to come back. Antonio would give away his room just so his favorite cousin would come back home, "Toníto, come on, it's late.." Camilo grabbed his younger brothers hand and looked down at him "You can look again tomorrow morning okay?" Camilo tugged Antonio's hand in a come on, let's go way.

Antonio looked up at his big brother, then looked back at the forest in front of him "But Mirabel will be cold..She'll get sick.." Antonio hugged his stuffed animal close with his free arm. Camilo frowned at the forest, a tear rolled down his face before he spoke "She'll be okay, she's smart. Let's go now, mamá will get worried.." his little brother looked up at him again, nodded, and started to follow Camilo back up the hill.

The house still was being reconstructed, but some of the rooms were put back together. Some of the Madrigal's had to share a room with one another. Antonio and Camilo were finally at the half built house where their parents, Peppa and Félix, were waiting for them.

Antonio ran to his mother and crashed into her arms, "Mamá if Mirabel is mad that she doesn't have a big room then she can have mine.." his voice wavered as he spoke, his mother hugged him and explained that it wasn't the room she was upset about. Every time her son asked why Mirabel was mad, she'd avoid the question as to not stir up more drama and make her son more upset then he already was.

He left his mothers embrace and turned to look for his tía, with his mothers permission of course. He walked around town for awhile until he found his tía Julieta.

Your mamas crying.. Your mamas crying for you..

Antonio found his tía crying, still looking for her missing child.. "Tía Julieta? Are you okay?" the woman looked at her nephew and quickly smiled while wiping her eyes "Yes Toníto, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Your mamas lying..

Antonio frowned at his aunt and held her hand, before asking her a question "Tía? Why did Mirabel leave?" his voice was barely above a whisper. Julieta leaned down, cupped her nephews hand and explained what happened, leaving out the nasty details of how abuela blamed Mirabel for everything.

Antonio let out some tears and hugged his aunt, they didn't speak, just held each other..

Oh, what you're trying to do...

The little boy stayed there, not wanting to move. He felt so sleepy, his aunt noticed "Come on Toníto, let's go home okay?" Julieta picked up her nephew and made her way back to the casíta.

Good times are singing they sang, they sang

Antonio dreamed of the time where he and Mira were in the nursery together joking, they laughed so hard that their stomachs hurt...

Those times are echoing through me, through me..

Memories flashed in and out of Antonio's head, like when he had a nightmare and Mirabel sang him a lullaby to help him fall asleep..

The two of them finally got home where they were met with both Peppa and abulea, Antonio didn't want to see his abulea after what she did..

What's the softest way to say you took away my friend, my buddy?

Mirabel, in Antonio's eyes, was his sister, his best friend. They would do everything together. Mirabel was the one who taught him how to sew and draw.

What's the kindest way to say, you took away my friend?

He hid his head in the nook of his tías neck, he didn't want to leave her embrace yet. He loved his mother of course, but Julieta understood what he was feeling more.

What's the kindest way to say you took away my friend, my buddy?

He remembered when Mirabel taught him how to dance, his feet on hers and they danced to the rhythm of the music. They laughed whenever one of them messed up a step.

What's the kindest way to say the end?

Now that way gone. His príma was gone, and no one knew where she was. He wanted his príma back. "I wanna stay with Tía Julieta.." he whispered softly. Peppa and Julieta looked at each other, "I'm sorry mijito, you have to go with your mamá okay?" Antonio wanted to argue but he was to tired, so he just nodded and let his mother grab him from his aunts arms.

Antonio wanted his friend back..