Fly High, Butterfly

Chapter Sixteen

Mirabel sat on the ground next to her Tio Brunos armchair, they both sat in silence as they watched Antionio play with his animal friends, occasionally having to get them to repeat sentences as the magic slowly faded. He never even really got the chance to experience it.

But that would change at least she hoped it would. Mirabel had hope that they'd get it back and her family would be proud. But thankfully that was in the morning as Bruno told them to sleep there for the night and they'd leave at sunrise

They were holding hands, maybe because they knew that the magic might not come back whether that was a good or bad thing. Mirabel honestly has mixed feelings. If they didn't get their magic back maybe they'd finally know what it felt like to be her but the more she thought about it they probably wouldn't understand even then because they'd all not have powers together.

Mirabel even though she knew it was a horrible thought, just wanted them to feel what she felt, so they can understand how alone and isolated she felt.

Mirabel felt Bruno's hand clench around hers in a comforting manner as if telling her even if he didn't know what was happening he cared. And it was more than any of her family had ever done.

They barely ever spared her a glance let alone told her that even if they didn't understand they cared, they wanted to help, that they loved her.....

Mirabel cant remember a single time that she was told 'i love you and it felt genuine. The words were always locked behind pity filled eyes and solemn expressions. It was like they knew that she'd never be like them that shed never be special, or treated as equal or even be part of the family. She honestly just wants to feel loved, she knows it's selfish to ask for it because she knows that they do love her.

But what else was the 15 year old meant to think she just wanted to feel loved. That's all she wanted. Mirabel blinked as tears fell down her face taking her hand away from Bruno to wipe them away.

She came to the realisation she wanted to avoid for so long, that she hid in the deepest part of her mind deep down with the guilt of being the reason the house crumbled and the anguish of not getting a gift and being like her family. The realisation that maybe her family don't love her, they never showed it. They probably don't even see her as part of the family-

"but you are part of their family, even if they don't act like it."

"hmm..?" "I can practically hear your thoughts and our family can be very annoying when things don't go away...also you mumble a lot."

"Sorry.."

"don't apologies, it's not your fault I get it." Mirabel looked up at her Tio as he let out a sad laugh

"you what they tell you isn't true right? About me"

"I kind of new but honestly it's kind of hard to get the true story if we're not even allowed to say your name"

"wow they hate me that much"

"I-I don't think they hate you, not really, I guess you just scared them when you ruined Pepas wedding"

"I mean it's not like I could have helped it but I guess that makes sense" Mirabel paused and looked into Bruno's eyes before letting a simple confused

"What..?" Her tio laughed under his breath before saying

"what do you mean what, it's not like I can control my power idiota" Mirabel laughed at her tio before saying

"wait so you can't control your powers, how does that work"

"well-" Bruno started before handing her an arepa con queso "I just get them sometimes, it's usually bad things but sometimes, just sometimes I get to see something amazing and I guess that makes it worth it, you know I've gotten to see everyone's gift ceremony even if I couldn't be there. Antonio's was the only one I saw in person"Mirabel started grinning even harder

"Wait you were there! I thought you left after we talked!"

"Well I was there already wasn't I might as well stay for the festivities, I never saw you though" and suddenly just like that the light and jokey atmosphere was gone as Mirabel's face dropped into one of shame and embarrassment.

"Sorry touchy subject?"

"yeah, hey Bruno?" Mirabel looked down as tears filled her eyes again

"Mhm," the girl's tio said grabbing her hand again,

"did you see my gift ceremony, it's ok if you didn't I was just curious"

"Yeah I was there, honestly if you had told me beforehand that my favourite niece wasn't going to get a gift at the ceremony I would have thought the event would be a disaster but it didn't go as bad as I thought something like that would" Mirabel let out a bitter laugh as she tightened her grip on Bruno's hand

" you must be the only one, everyone else hates me that they put in the effort for no reason."

"I'm sorry about that I guess they are still as bad as they were when I lived with them" Bruno realised his mistake in saying that, the man never liked to talk about life with the madrigals, it was never as fun as it sounds more the opposite, exhausting. Bruno never told a single person about his treatment but when he heard his niece say

"what do you mean?" Bruno knew he was going to, he knew the family treated her less than so maybe if he told her about his childhood she'd tell him about how hers is going. Bruno didn't want to send her back to the family anyway so more stuff to hear would be his final decision.

"Well when I lived with the lovely madrigals, I luckily only had to deal with two siblings instead of five but Pepa and Julieta were always perfect, nothing they did was ever wrong. On the other hand, everything I did was wrong and mamà alma always let me know that, she would also let me know how Pepa and Julieta were better than me in every way. The worst part though I thought it was normal. But then one day I guess I just realised something, I realised I was miserable and so I packed up my things and left. That doesn't mean I don't love them though, I just couldn't be around them. You know?" Bruno looked at Mirabel as he said the last part.

"Yeah, yeah I think I do" The older of the two decided to bite the bullet and asked the question he wanted to this entire time

"what about you?"

"Ok umm, I don't know it's not as bad as that trust me I just get kind of ignored a lot, and honestly it's reasonable I just get I'm the way a lot, I try too hard sometimes so it's understandable," Mirabel said obviously trying to reason with herself Bruno felt a spike of anger go through him at the thought of Mirabel being told to go away or that she was getting in the way.

"That's not really a good reason for them to ignore you is it"

"but...I guess not but it doesn't matter I know they love me and that's what counts" Mirabel said confidentiality and a slight smile crept across her face. Bruno didn't know what to say to this how does he explain to a fifteen-year-old that just loving her wasn't enough that she needs to be cared for and be listened to. So he did the only thing he knew how to

"I guess that's true! Now, how about we discuss getting that magic back" Lie and change the subject, Bruno only knew one thing he might be helping get the magic back but only because that's what Mirabel and Antonio want he could care less about the rest of the family. Bruno may get the magic back but he would not let Mirabel go back to them at least not alone.

If she really wants to go back to the family then he's coming along as well.

Bruno cares about her too much to do that to her. She won't be alone again.

Not on his watch.