The Girl In The Mirror - Encanto Fanfic

Chapter 6

I felt very nervous in myself as I followed Abuela, my grandmother, through the village.

I mean, in one way I was curious, so very curious to see what had become of my Maria- Paulina, sorry, wrong name.

Yes, I was infinitely curious to see how she had aged.

But in the other way, I was completely depressed and distraught that I had never known her in her young prime... in her beauty.

I walked behind Abuela as she led the way and my eyes opened wider the further back we went in the village, arriving near the woods that encapsulated all the houses together.

I blinked, puzzled but then saw Abuela nudge her head in the direction of a small stone cottage and I nodded back, fixing up my poncho and brushing my hair behind my head. Why was I even bothering to look good? Paulina was an elderly lady by now.

Abuela and I approached the door, my grandma gave it a few knocks from her knuckles and after a few seconds went by, I uttered.

"Maybe we should head back-"

As I hurriedly began to leave, my grandma grabbed hold of my collar and pulled back to her side. I gave out a deep stressed sigh and it was at that moment, the door creaked open.

"Hello..?" A soft crackly voice asked, and we both looked into the crack between the door and wall, seeing a grey ragged and wrinkled hunch back lady.

"Hello, Paulina..." Abuela replied with a warm smile and the old woman on the other side of the door asked.

"Who are you...?"

My mouth dropped in surprise that Paulina couldn't recognize her old best friend.

"It's me, Paulina," Abuela said back sadly, and pulled open the door gently, the old woman standing back and looking very confused, "From our young days..."

"Young...? But I am only a teen still."

My eyebrows raised up, surprised to hear her say this. But when I looked over at Abuela, I saw no change in her expression, as if she had suspected this reaction.

"Oh, my!"

We both paused when we heard a young voice come from behind Paulina and a late teen girl came to the woman's side, saying quickly as she looked at us, "I'm so sorry... Paulina, my grand ma ma, is not well in the head."

"You can say that again- OW!"

Abuela had nudged me hard in the ribs with her elbow.

"You must be her sweet granddaughter, Laura."

The girl blinked her eyes a couple of times, surprised by this statement, and slowly nodded her head, stepping out further to the light and that's when I properly saw her face.

She... she was gorgeous.

My jaw hung, even more, open the second I saw her beauty and she only looked at us nervously, seeming to notice my gaze and she stepped back once more into the shadows.

"She has dementia..." Is all Laura said.

"I'm Camilo."

I blurted this out instantly and Paulina looked at me with warm eyes as she winked and lifted her hand out to me, adding.

"Charmed,"

I looked down at her wrinkly old hand and saw Abuela and Laura waiting for me to shake it. I felt misplaced, taking hold of the old weak hand and shaking it a few times, Paulina saying to me.

"It is tradition to kiss the hand of a girl,"

"Yeah – but you're an old lady- OW!"

Abuela pressed her heal into my toe to make me cooperate and I sighed exasperated, leaning my head forward and pecking Paulina's hand in revulsion.