Reborn

Chapter 8: The Dream

A.N. Written alongside PanFluidMe

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Something felt different. Sofia was back in the nursery, despite the fact she just got a new room. She looked around. Something was different about this place.

For one, there wasn't as much photos around the room as there was now. She then noticed the girl digging through the wardrobe.

She looked like the girl Tío Camilo had told her about. The girl took out a bag from the wardrobe and put it over her shoulder. Sofia looked at the bag and noted the word on it. "Mirabel."

Mirabel then walked out of the room, skipping. She slid down the stairs, saying a quick "hola, Abuelo" to the portrait on the wall.

Sofia followed her, not really knowing why this was happening or what was happening, but she needed to figure it out.

Camilo walked out of his room and down the stairs, grinning widely. "Hola, Miraboo."

"Oh." Mirabel paused. "Hola, Camilo."

She then spotted her sister descending the stairs and quickly greeted her. "¡Hola, Isabela!"

Camilo frowned then sat down. "That's a No on Miraboo."

"Hola, Mira."

"How are you this fine morning?" Mirabel asked her oldest sister.

"I'm good, how are you?"

"Oh, you know, the usual!" Mirabel smiled.

Sofia had been watching this entire thing go down. She somehow knew that they couldn't see her, but she didn't know why. She realized it seemed like Mirabel was avoiding conversation with Camilo.

Camilo crossed his arms, silently huffing as he waited for Mirabel or someone to acknowledge him.

Mirabel kept her conversation with her sister going, "got any plans for today?"

"Nope, I don't. Do you?"

"Not really, probably just going to hang out with some of the town's kids like usual."

"Oh! You should take Camilo with you, he's amazing with kids."

Mirabel briefly looked over at Camilo then back at Isabela, smiling. "Nah, that's okay, I can handle them."

Camilo had perked up at the suggestion before deflating again.

Isabela noticed and frowned. "Are you sure? Camilo's a lot of fun."

"Yeah, I'm sure!" Mirabel smiled. "I can handle a few kids for a few hours!"

"Alright then..."

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Isa!" Mirabel said before heading out of the house.

"Bye Mirabel," Isabela responded.

"Bye Mira!" Camilo waved, but didn't get a response.

Sofia now understood what her tío had said when he said he and Mirabel weren't very close. But why would Mirabel not like Camilo? Sure he was shy and closed off, but he was still fun.

What Sofia didn't know yet is that it wasn't that Mirabel didn't like him. She loved him.

So, why would she ignore him?

Sofia followed Mirabel out of the house to see if she could get any answers as to why she would ignore Camilo.

Mirabel was hanging out with two little kids. The kids seemed to love her. Sofia made note that Mirabel was good with kids. It made her wonder if Mirabel was close to Antonio because he is ten years younger than her and Camilo so he would've been five around this time.

The kids were laughing excitedly. Mirabel smiled at the kids' excitement. She loved seeing them excited and happy.

"Mira!"

Mirabel chuckled slightly and looked at the little girl who said her name, "yes, Cecelia?"

"Up!"

Mirabel laughed lightly and picked the girl up. Cecelia leaned on her, smiling.

Sofia smiled at the scene in front of her. Mirabel really was just as amazing as her Tío Camilo said. She was kind and caring.

There was still one thing Sofia wasn't sure of. What was happening? Why was she seeing this? Was it because Tío Camilo told her about Mirabel? Was she just imagining what Mirabel was like? Or was this something that had actually happened? Had something happened to her?

Sofia watched Mirabel play with the children as all these questions ran through her head.

She noticed her Tío Camilo coming over, holding at least three kids. One on his back, one in his arms, and one holding onto his leg. She noted that Camilo was also good with kids, which she knew already, but it never hurt to observe things more than once.

"¡Hola, Mirabel!"

Mirabel looked over at her cousin. "Hola." She looked back at the kids she was watching.

"Mind if I join?"

Mirabel paused. She clearly didn't want to seem rude so she just said. "Uhm, sure." She sounded unsure about it.

Camilo didn't seem to care about the unsureness, but Sofia noticed a small dimming in his eyes. "Gracias."

Mirabel set Cecelia down and let the kids talk amongst themselves, leaving an awkward silence in between Mirabel and Camilo, even though the silence was filled by the chattering of the children speaking to each other.

Camilo set the kids he was holding down, smiling at her. "How are you?"

Mirabel briefly made eye contact with him before looking away. "I'm okay, I guess."

He nodded, his smile dimming down. "That's good."

Mirabel didn't say anything else for a moment, but the awkward silence between her and her cousin drove her insane. "And you?"

He nodded. "I'm fine."

Mirabel nodded in return, not saying anything else. Camilo didn't say anything before thinking. He then shifted into Antonio. Mirabel noticed Camilo shift into Antonio. She didn't think anything of it at first, so she didn't say anything about it.

He tugged her skirt. "Mira?"

"¿Sí, Camilo?" Mirabel asked.

"Can we please play? ¿Por favor?"

Mirabel wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to seem rude, but she really didn't feel like talking to Camilo right now.

His shoulders slumped and he shifted back into himself. "Right. Sorry I asked."

Mirabel did feel bad, but she just pushed that aside.

"I'll just go with the kids that I came with and play with them. It's fine."

Mirabel nodded, not saying anything. She watched as her cousin and the kids he was with went over somewhere else to play.

Sofia tilted her head, not sure what just happened.

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Sofia's eyes fluttered open. She was now back in her new room. "Was that a dream?" She said to herself. "Must've been. But...why?" But it doesn't make sense.

Sofia thought to herself. Surely, there had to have been some reason she had that dream. But why would she have a dream like that?

Most importantly, was that a real thing that happened or was it genuinely just a dream? Maybe she could talk to Tío Camilo?

She decided that's what she would have to do. She needed answers.