The Chameleon's Grin ll Camilo Madrigal

Chapter 4 : Mi Casa

Camilo's pov:

After dinner I was helping clean up the table.

"Camilo, it's your turn to clean the dishes! I did it last night." Dolores reminded me.

Ugh, I hate dish duty. I whined internally, moodily picking up the plates.

Papa approached me. "It's time for the Cortes hermanas to go home, so if you would like to say your goodbyes-"

"Actually, it's getting dark, I can walk them home." I said, Anything but dish duty.

Papa looked at me knowingly. "Fine, but no funny business."

"Papi no! You're taking it the wrong way! You know I would never." I rushed. This is not how I intended to this conversation to go.

"Maybe not, but I still need to address it," He reasoned. "Find your brother and ask his if he wants to go too."

"Fine,"

At the door the sisters and Antonio were already there. My brother was hugging his girlfriend goodbye, and Carmen was teasing Diana for it. "Aww, you two are so cute together!" She cackled evilly.

Antonio ignored her, but his cheeks were still pink. "I hope I see you soon Diana."

"You will." I butted in. "We're walking them home so they don't get hurt."

"Hey, I can pack a punch!" Carmen defended.

I held my hands up in surrender. "I'm sure you can, but just in case."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, but if someone approaches us, I get the first hit, deal?"

"Deal, but only if I can say the first witty remark."

"Sounds good."

"Speaking of good together..." Mami walked up to us. She hugged Diana first, and then Carmen, whom she also kissed on the cheek. "I look forward to seeing you around here."

"Gracias senora-"

"Please, call me tia," the woman glanced at me. "And maybe someday suegra (mother in law)..."

"Mami!" I exclaimed.

Carmen laughed awkwardly. "Thank you tia Pepa."

"Alright let's vamos before she can say anything else!" I insisted, practically shoving the three out the door.

Diana elbowed Antonio. "Wanna race and see who's faster?"

"Si! First one to your house wins!" They bolted off before Carmen or I could say anything about it.

There was a calming silence as we walked, however.

"Do you think they'll be jumped?" The girl beside me deadpanned.

"Eh, maybe. I guess we'll figure it out when we get there."

Another pause occurred, but this time I looked over and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"Whatcha thinking?"

She snapped out of her thoughts. "Just wondering what school will be like."

"Oh yeah, the first day is tomorrow." I remembered. Funny how something so important slipped your mind so effortlessly. Of course, that was because I was set for life. I had a big group of friends, a supportive family, and people who respected me just because of the Madrigal legacy. I had practically everything that I had ever wanted.

Carmen was very different from me though. She had to work and stress for her whole teenage life about things that were given to me on a silver platter. She had to earn money herself at the stands. She also had to mature because her mother wasn't around nearly enough to be a good caretaker of Diana. It was like we lived in completely opposite worlds, and yet she still made me want to be more like her.