Camilo x Reader -Broken Reflection

Chapter 22 (I can't help my gift)

Y/N's POV

I may have been lucky enough to get a gift and a door, but I shouldn't have overlooked the possibility of Abuela pressuring me just as she did with her family. As soon as I sat down at the breakfast table with a few slices of mango on my plate, she turned to me.

I felt the abrupt movement of the chair underneath me as it untucked itself from the table and rushed me over to the empty space next to Abuela. The table shifted my plate over the surface until it landed right in front of me.

I swallowed.

"Did you enjoy your new bedroom?" She asked me. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and shook my head.

"Actually, I..." I bean, glancing at Camilo. He was hunched and looking down at his plate which held a stack of arepas. He'd stolen two from Isabela's plate.

I didn't know why I lied, but I did.

"It was great," I told her. Maybe I lied because I knew it would satisfy her. Maybe I just didn't want her to know that I was in Camilo's bedroom the night before. I could still remember the way we danced the night before, and the surprised glances that the Madrigals gave us.

They'd "caught" us coming inside from the balcony. They'd "caught" Camilo wishing me a happy birthday and touching my hair. It wasn't like we were doing anything family-unfriendly, but something in me felt it necessary to keep the events a secret.

The truth was that I hadn't even gone inside my room since the first time I stepped inside. It was about the same size it was before and the balcony still jutted out the side of the Casita. There was barely any decoration and everything inside was white. It smelled of fresh cleaning supplies and all of the furniture was completely sterile.

It was a strong contrast to the house that I used to live in and I wondered why my new bedroom was decorated like so. There was no indication in the room of my gift. It was completely different from everyone else's room, because at least then there were small symbols of their gifts.

Isabela's room was covered in flowers. Camilo's walls were decorated with mirrors. Dolores's room had soundproof walls. Antonio's room was a gigantic jungle with thousands of animals. Pepa and Felix's bedroom was full of clouds.

And mine? Nothing.

I figured that maybe it was because I wasn't a Madrigal. Maybe it was because I got my gift so late into my life and didn't have the imagination to conjure up a cool and theatric room.

Maybe I just wasn't good enough.

Abuela interrupted my thoughts as she continued to say, "I'm sure we can make good use of your gift, my dear," I looked up from my plate to find her face. It was completely calm and collected. I couldn't tell what she was thinking, and as for what she felt? Nothing.

Abuela was like a brick wall. I wondered what she was hiding.

"Hold on, Mamá," Bruno began, and I gave him a grateful smile. "She just got her gift. She needs time to get used to it and... this gift is a big adjustment. It's not simple like Luisa and Julieta's gift."

"Bruno," Abuela warned.

"Everyone had their entire life to mentally prepare for receiving their gifts!" He said with a brief glance at Mirabel . She didn't notice. "This is so sudden for her! Give her a break-"

"Bruno!" Abuela shouted. "You know nothing about it! You weren't here when Antonio got his gift. You weren't here when Camilo and Luisa grew up with theirs. You. Know. Nothing."

The entire family stopped eating. We stared at Abuela in shock with wide eyes. I could feel my heart squeeze as everyone tensed. I watched as Abuela's chest rose and fell with a fiery passion. I saw a flame flicker from behind her big brown eyes, and for a split second, I felt a sudden wave of frustration crash over me. It was so sudden that my head swam and I gripped onto the table to steady myself.