Love me do || C. Madrigal

Break up

"Have you seen the way your family looks at me?!"

"Why do you always have to bring up my family?! Isn't it enough that i care?! isn't it enough that i love you?!"

Angry tears streamed down your face as you yelled. Camilo too looked frustrated, voice constantly breaking as he often stopped to keep in his own cries. Deep down you wanted to just weep in his arms, but your pride stood in your way.

It was stupid, how your fights found themselves occuring more often. Nearly every day the madrigals had treated you like trash, mirabel being the only person to occasionally wave. Even the youngest, Antonio had been told to steer from your path. It was a wonder you hadn't been forcefully pushed apart by now.

To be honest, it was probably Felix. You could tell he pitied you, and saw how enamored his son was. He ignored you half the time, but defended your relationship as best as he could. But being ignored was much better than the snarky remarks and judging glances some of the other family members offered.

Eventually you couldn't stop yourself, and mid sentence you broke down. Your quiet wails and whimpers plagued Camilo's ears as you collapsed in on yourself, his eyes widening. He wrapped his arms around you and you conceded into his warmth, too tired to argue.

Camilo's breaths were laboured as he rubbed your back. The little nothings he whispered seemed to comfort himself more than you, and you feared he was trying to convince himself. Convice himself that he loved you and how he promised one day, with eyes bright with joy that he would stand by you for the rest of your lives. In the end, so emotionally broken, you both found solace each others arms that night.

The next day the room was empty, a cold plate by the bedside. You had ignored it, choosing to get up and change. Yesterday's argument ran through your head as you rethink what you said. Doubt clouded your mind. Is it just me? you wondered. Am i the problem? It was like poison that seeped into your brain. It drove you crazy, it made your heart feel like a black hole of emotion.

You left the room with a sullen look. Your eyes were irritated from all the tears, and your head pounded. Camilo paced anxiously, grimacing once you entered his line of sight. He too wore a tired expression, eye bags more prominent, and lips pressed into a thin line. The male opened his mouth to speak, but closes it as he sees your face. That morning was spent in chilling silence, both yearning for each other's touch, but neither wanting to brave the conversation that would come to.

And after a year of happy memories, the public even labeling them as the perfect couple, the two of you had never been seen together again. No one knew who broke up first, not even Dolores had a say to the drama. But if there was one thing for certain, the impact was not pretty to the both of you.

Camilo's smile often looked forced, if he ever attempted to at all. During public gatherings he would sulk off to the side, no longer keen on entertaining guests. And if he was asked to, it would just look like a poor boy whose mother had asked to dance for a video. Lacking in any earnest intent. It was as if the trickster they knew had disappeared without a trace.

As for you, you had pretty much locked yourself at home. Your parents hadn't the least care in the world what on earth was going on with you, not even bothering to remind you to eat. In consequence you had lost a mighty amount of weight. Camilo had been the last to see you. It was dreadful, you barely slept, forcing food into your own system just to keep yourself alive.

Not to mention how your 18th birthday was drawing sooner. If not for your mother's pestering for you to take your meals to look presentable for any suitors now that your were single, you were sure to have perished. That in itself was a new form of suffering, however. Watching your father so intent with marrying you off was a stab to the heart.  

"Y/n. Y/n!" Your mother knocked angrily, before busting open the door. She handed you a plate filled with food you could not care less about, not at all minding the dazed expression you wore. "Eat, then go out to buy things in the market. Whoever will marry such a sickly, pale girl like you?"

You frown at that, retreating back into your covern. The rice and chicken looked so unappetizing, but you took a bite nevertheless, gagging at the feeling of something in your mouth. It was awhile before you could even finish two bites before your mother called for you to get ready.

Most of your closet you had covered, for they were clothes that came from Camilo. They were precious, but the memories they held were far too much. You rummaged for a while, finding a poncho with an oversized hood. It made it hard to see, but it was worth people not staring at your thinned face. You had smartly tucked it under your dress.

After that, you made your way down the stairs, wincing at the bright light that filtered through the windows. Your mother handed you a list and some money, ignoring how you stumbled though, clearly lacking in sleep. Once you were certain you were away from your parents' view, you put on the poncho, taking extra effort to cover your gaunt cheeks.

You thought you had done a good job with disguising yourself, but with your bleary eyesight you had bumped into an elderly woman. She stumbles for a bit, but you had completely toppled to the floor.

"Oh dear, are you okay?"

The woman offered a hand and a kind smile, and you took it. Except your hood had fallen off, and now that she had taken a closer look on your face a new expression clouded over her old one.

"Aren't you y/n?"