Mi Corazón de Melon

Chapter 3- Miguel's Suspicion

"You can't catch me!" Cat yelled, panting as she ran with all her might. Exciting fear strikes through her as she feels Miguel's presence run behind her, she continued to laugh and giggle, but let's out a high pitch scream when she feels him tackle her.

"Is that so?"

The two giggle as Cat playfully pushes him, running the other direction as Miguel soon follows after catching his breath.

The two had been friends for a few months now, they constantly hang out, playing, talking for hours together, walking Dante together, and much much more.

Cat was happy to have a friend, but Miguel was even happier. When he was around Cat, he felt a way he had never felt before. Like everything inside him was melting, or his insides danced together with glee, or that butterflies would break free from his heart. Pleasure, joy, happiness were good options to explain what he was feeling, but at the same time, it didn't completely compare to what he was feeling, there had to be something else.

.

After spending the day with Cat and walking her back to her house when the sun started to set, he returned home as well. His house was quiet as everyone was doing their own thing. His mom was finishing some dishes and his dad was playing with his baby sister Socorro.

He smiled a bit at the peace that he didn't usually had at home. As he headed upstairs, he passed the rooms of his younger cousins who were playing with toys and playfully fighting. As he headed to his room, he passed his cousin, Rosa. She was reading in bed, which is what she usually did in her free time. She was smart, a book worm, and she dressed like a stereotypical book worm as well.

He knocked on her already opened door as he smiled awkwardly. She glanced up on him as said, "Come in," softly as she placed her bookmark in between the books pages. She gestured him to sit on her bed as he did.

"What's up?" She tilted her head as she rested her chin on her knee as she gave a slightly goofy grin. Miguel inhaled slowly as he stared at the ground, his mouth still opened and his brows scrunched slightly. "I uhm..." he breathed out, "I need your help.

Rosa blinked a few times as Miguel struggled to explain what he needed, "You know a lot about like— feelings or...la celebro? I just— I'm confused because...because I feel a certain way but I don't know what it is and...I've never felt this way before so I have NO idea of how to tell what I-Im feeling!"

Rosa nodded slowly, occasionally saying a sassy "mhm" as she continued listening. "And it's really overwhelming, it's like; is this a bad feeling? should I get help? Or is this a good feeling! That's benefiting me!"

She rose a brow as she grinned, "Sooo, what do you need help with?"

Miguel turned to her, "I need help defining what my emotions mean." he pressed his lips together nervously, his chest going up and down at a slightly rapid speed.

Rosa slid her tongue against her teeth, letting out a "tsk" sound. She repositioned herself as she got her notepad from her shelf. "Okay," she clicked the back of her pen multiple times, "Indulge me."

Miguel explained all of the feelings, the mental ones, and especially the physical ones. Feeling immense joy, happiness, pleasure, gratefulness— but then the anxiety, fear, awkwardness.

He described the feeling off his stomach twisting into knocks, like it was a battle arena for butterflies. And sometimes it felt like fireworks went off in his heart, which caused him to feel like he was melting inside.

Rosa would sometimes let out a snicker while she was talking notes. Miguel was too caught up in thought to realize how funny she found this... but why?

The whole rant was thirty minutes long, after, Rosa watched him sit back down, his cheeks scarlet from how much energy he used up just by ranting. He was breathing quite heavily. Rosa smirked as she placed her pen back in her pen case, waiting for him to calm down a bit more until she reads him her guesses for how he was feeling.

"Okay, doc," Miguel said jokingly, "What do I have?"

Rosa glanced at her notes then back at him, "You're in love."

Miguel's eyes went wide as his jaw dropped, "What?! No— no no no, why would you think that?!" he laughed nervously.

"...Because that's what you are— you're in love." Rosa shrugged.

Miguel shook his head, blinking rapidly, "But with who?"

"Wellll, you did mention Catalina a few times when you were ranting....so my only guess is her." Rosa responded.

Miguel felt his heart sink, fear swept through his body as he started to overthink. What happens if Catalina found out he liked him? Does she like him back?

Rosa could tell he was panicking internally. She placed her notepad down, standing up, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey—"

"I know it can be hard when you develop feelings for your best friend, but as long as you keep the friendship appropriate then I don't think she will mind that you like her," Rosa sighed, "But I can tell you aren't ready to tell her, and that's okay. I promise I won't tell anyone, not Abulieta, not our other cousins, no one." She smiled reassuringly. The fear started to ease down, and Miguel felt grateful he had someone he could trust with this.

"Gracias, Carmen."