She Had the World | Pepa Madrigal x Fem! Reader

I Don't Love You, I'm Just Passing the Time

TW: Compulsive Heterosexuality, Vomit Mention

She held the world upon a string, but she didn't ever hold me.

Some would say she had it all: the perfect looks, family, the perfect life. And for a while, she agreed. She couldn't be happier with the life she was given, the life she had in the Encanto. That is until she saw Pepa Madrigal.

It was a bright summer morning, and a 14-year old (Y/N) was selling her mother's bread. Facing away from the window where she took orders, she picked up a piece of bread, wrapping it in paper and putting it in a bag. She turns around, only to be met with a thin red-haired girl standing nervously in front of her window.

She was the most beautiful girl she'd ever met.

Spun the stars on her fingernails, but it never made her happy, 'cause she could never have me.

"Oh! Hello, do you need something?" (Y/N) said with tinted cheeks.

"Yes, I need some Pandebono for my mama," The girl responded, wringing her hands and avoiding eye contact.

A bit confused by her demeanor, (Y/N) nodded, going to the back of her mother's shop and grabbing the cheesy bread out of the basket labeled 'Pandebono'.

"Um, here you go," she let out, voice low in an attempt not to startle the uneasy girl. It seemed to have worked, since she smiled and before leaving asked, voice barely above a whisper,

"Wanna be...friends?"

She said she won the world at a carnival, but she couldn't ever win me 'cause she couldn't ever catch me.

"Come on, stop running, Pepa!" A 16-year-old (Y/N)  giggles out, following her friend as she stops abruptly at a tree.

"Oh, shit," (Y/N) manages to say before slamming into Pepa.

They collapse to the ground, tumbling for a bit before eventually rolling to a stop, laying next to each other.

Turning to the side, she stares at her friend, her best friend. And now, she realizes, the girl she's fallen in love with. She doesn't know how she didn't see it before. Maybe it was the sunlight shining on her face, maybe it was the way her curls bounced as she laughed, but at that moment, she was the most gorgeous girl in the world.

Pepa rolls to her side, giggling as she waves her hand in front of her face.

"(Y/N)!" She draws out, voice airy. "What's got you so spaced out?"

Realizing she had been caught, (Y/N) reddened, not prepared to answer the question. How do you tell your best friend you just realized your undying love for her?

Seeing the color in her face, Pepa gasped. "Do you have a crush?" At this realization, (Y/N) only became redder, making her friend burst out laughing, again.

"You do! Oh my gosh, who is it? Is it Andres? Peter? Maybe Enrique?" (Y/N) sighed, shaking her head playfully at her friend, but inside, her heart dropped. The fact that Pepa automatically assumed it was a boy was enough evidence for her to think that she wasn't interested in her. For now, she was okay with it. Sure, it hurt, but these feelings will fade, and she will get back to seeing her beautiful Pepa as a best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

I know why; because when I look in her eyes, I just see the sky. When I look in her eyes, well I just see the sky.

"Pepa!" she giggled, hitting the aforementioned girl with flour dusted hands.

"What, what! you won't tell me who this mystery guy is, I need to make sure he's good enough for my best friend!" There it was, that damn word. Friend. Friend, friend, friend. 'I want you as more than that, Pepa,' She wanted to scream; she wanted to do a lot of things, actually. Things she could never do, could never experience.  Not with her, atleast. But she had to put on a brave face, she'd been doing it for two years, and she'd do it for longer if it meant keeping her Pepa in her life.

"Yeah, yeah, well what about you, huh? Do you have anyone?" She asked, completely unaware of the answer she was about to receive.

"Actually, I do," Pepa smirked triumphantly.

And in that moment, (Y/N) swore a part of her died.

I don't love you, I'm just passing the time. You could love me if I knew how to lie.

"What?" (Y/N) said shakily.

"Yeah, his name is Felix" she said, with so much love and adoration in her voice it made (Y/N) want to vomit.

She'd seen Felix before. He had come by the bakery occasionally, usually running errands for his family. He seemed sweet from the conversation she had made with him. But was he good enough for her Pepa?

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She could feel the tears coming but she held them back, not wanting to ruin this for her friend.

"I didn't want you to freak out on me, you've always been so protective over me, it's a wonder I got a boyfriend at all with the reputation you've given me,"

Boyfriend. That's what did it. She muttered out an apology as she ran out of the kitchen of La Casa de Madrigal and the tears came rushing, not stopping as she reached a tree. The same tree they had fallen in front of 2 years ago, where she had fallen. They had sat at this tree before that moment, and many times after, but this tree would always be the tree she fell in love with her best friend under. And now, it was the tree that she would cry under as she got her heart ripped out by her closest confidant.

But who could love me? I am out of my mind, throwing a line out to sea. To see if I can catch a dream.

She had done her best to avoid Pepa, which wasn't easy. She could definitely tell what (Y/N) was doing, and the clouds seemed more present everyday that they didn't talk.

But she couldn't face her, especially knowing what she knows now. That she could never have her, she would always just be the best friend, not the girlfriend, not the wife, the best friend.  And in realizing this, in being pulled out of her fantasy of stolen kisses and loving gazes, she also realized she'd never get over Pepa while she was around her everyday.

It was for the best if she just let them fade, a distant memory she'd visit on lonely nights and quiet days.

Then, the perfect opportunity landed in her lap, and with a solemn smile, she accepted.

-

That was two years ago, that she had been married off to her now husband, by her parents.

They had proposed that she marry a wealthy man in the city by the name of Fernando Acosta. He was handsome, sweet, and he was a family man. Perfect man for the perfect girl. Of course, she didn't love him, but she would not have the first loveless marriage. At least she had someone, and she was out of that Encanto. Away from her, from him.

They were moving into a new house, preparing for their soon-to-be growing family, and (Y/N) had started going through boxes. Pulling out a box of photos she starts to go through them.

And then, she pulls out a photo. One of acne ridden teenagers, a girl with curly red hair and a rainbow over her head, and a (H/C) haired girl, hugging her side, both with huge smiles. It all comes rushing back and, oh god, its agonizing.

"Mi amor, I have the last box!" Fernando shouted, startling the woman.

"Who's that? In the photo?" Her husband asks, completely well-meaning.

And with another sad smile, she replies

"An old friend,"