Stuck With You ⇁ Carlos Madrigal

05

"I'm so sorry, Mirabel."

The girl laughed, waving it off. "Really, it's alright, you had a lot on your mind and you forgot something - happens to everyone."

"Yeah." You took a deep breath, crossing your arms. "But usually when people forget something - it's not their clothes."

Mirabel snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Oh please, It's not like you went home naked."

You sighed. "Yeah, but when you come home wearing a totally new set of clothes and your mom asks you where you got it and where the ones you had worn were; then scolds you for leaving dirty clothes in someone else's house - and all of a sudden there's a slipper flying rapidly towards your face."

"Geez." Mirabel said. "You really did have a rough day." - and she didn't even know about the 'getting lost in the forest' part.

You finish hazardously shoving your old clothes into your bag, before turning back towards Mirabel, giving her a small smile. "Well, I got to spend it with you - so it wasn't all bad."

"Awww." Mirabel muttered, giving your arm a slight almost unnoticeable squeeze, she tilted her head slightly. "Are you sure you don't wanna join us for dinner?"

You shook your head, before rubbing the back of your neck, nervously."Um, just not today, I feel like I've already inconvenienced your family enough."

"No way!" She said, shaking her head. "You could never do that. "

You smiled, eyes avoiding hers as you fiddled with adjusting the strap on your bag. "Thanks, Mirabel. . . you're a really good friend, and I'm sorry to bail but I feel like I want to be alone for a bit."

Mirabel looked at you for a moment, her gaze softened, she nodded giving you a reassuring smile. "It's alright, I understand, and, uh, I'm sorry if I've been pressuring you - on anything. All my attempts to cheer you up might have been a bit much."

"No, no." You quickly said. "I appreciate everything you've done, it's not that I feel pressured, it's just that. . . I'm tired, that's all, you know me - never been much of a social butterfly." You let out a laugh, hoping what you've said was enough to calm her nerves, none of what you said was a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth either.

She smiled, looking off to the side. "Yeah, I guess that's always been me and Carlos' thing." Mirabel chuckled. "If you're tired - then go rest, silly! Don't ever hesitate to tell me if you don't feel good - I do have a healer for a mother after all."

"I dunno, you did shove an apera down my mouth when I said--"

She groaned. "That was one time!"

You laughed.

_

Energy already drained and scared of who you might encounter, it wasn't a surprise when you settled for the back door instead of going through the courtyard.

You walked through the side of the house and turned a swift corner - almost instantly your eyes caught a glimpse of a person standing close towards the side of the front door.

You blinked, before relaxing, seeing that familiar red ribbon. You walked towards him, either you were more silent than you give yourself credit for or he was really focused on that book - it was probably the latter, you weren't exactly a ninja when it came to stealth.

You give his shoulder a poke. "Hola, Alfonso."

The man flinched, instinctively shutting the book in his hands, he quickly looked down at you, eyes a bit startled.