Camilo x Reader -Broken Reflection

Chapter 29 (I mean, I guess I forgive you... )

Y/N's POV

The morning of the next day, I decided that I'd set things right. Camilo admitted to confronting Mirabel about her feelings and apparently she didn't mean the things she said.

I didn't blame her because I knew how easy it was to get jealous. Julio and I were always envious of other children back in our hometown. We'd look at other kids who played with their new toys and twirled around in their new dresses. We were envious of the families who at together at dinner and of children who had the opportunities to be just that: kids.

So I made up my mind.

I decided that I forgave Mirabel and all that I wanted was to have my best friend back.

I drew in a deep breath and stepped outside of the Casita with a stack of plates in hand. I made my way to the breakfast table outside and placed the plates just as Camilo passed me. He gave me a happy smile and slipped into the house while I leaned on the table, searching for Mirabel.

For a few minutes, she was nowhere in sight and I wondered if she was awake at all, but then I saw her. She adjusted the thin green round frames of her glasses and checked her surroundings before stepping outside. I wondered if she was looking to see if I was anywhere.

My plan was to apologize to Mirabel because I knew that it had to be me to do it. Though I hadn't technically done anything wrong to her, Mirabel was similar to her Abuela where they both refused to be the first ones to apologize. I, on the other hand, have had my share of giving unnecessary apologies. It was easy for me, but still, I felt my heart thrum in my chest.

As Mirabel made her way closer to the breakfast table, she spotted me and froze. I stepped closer.

"Hey, Mira," I began, and she waved her hands and shook her head. But I had to do it. I had to make things right, so I ignored her hasty reactions, despite the way I felt her panic wash over me.

"It's okay," I told her. "I'm not here to fight. In fact, I'm here to-"

"Wait," she said my name but I shook my head.

"I need to do this," I told her and stepped forward again. I took her soft hand in mine and held it to my chest to exaggerate my point.

"Mirabel," I said. "You're my best friend. I'll always hold you dear to my heart and I hate fighting."

She repeated my name again, but this time it was softer. I could tell she wanted to hear what I had to say, so I continued. "We haven't known each other all that long, but it feels like we know almost everything about each other. I don't want to lose you... not over this. Not ever."

I watched her eyes glaze over as tears filled them and threatened to spill over her cheeks. My eyes didn't leave hers as I stepped forward again, closing the gap between us.

"I never meant to hurt you. This gift... I feel different, but nothing about me has changed at all. You still mean the world to me, and I'm sorry it all happened this way. It should be you that has the gift and not me." I let go of her hand. "But what's done is done and all I want is to be your friend again."

Mirabel whispered my name again and I leaned in and placed a small sad kiss on her cheek. It was a light peck, just like the ones that I used to exchange with her and Antonio as a token of our friendship. Her hands trembled at her sides and for a moment, she said nothing at all. She stared at her toes and I thought that maybe she hated me. Maybe she really despised me.

(Say something!)

"Camilo! Stop pretending to be Mirabel to get seconds!" I heard Félix boom from the door that lead to the Casita. The both of us turned to see Camio's father holding onto the doorframe with his brows turned downwards.

I glanced at Mirabel who stood in front of me with furrowed brows.

"Camilo-?" I asked. My voice was barely a whisper and the girl in front of me stood stiffly with her fingers clenched into fists.

"Camilo!" Félix yelled again, and the girl in front of me was no longer my best friend. Camilo turned to leave just as Mirabel's dress turned back into his ruana.

"Hey, wait!" I said to him. I didn't hide anger and confusion from my tone.

Just as I was about to ask him why he didn't reveal his true identity sooner, I turned and saw Mirabel standing adjacent to me. She whispered my name softly and Camilo pulled away.

"Do you mean that?" She asked me. I could have gone after Camilo and demanded an answer, but despite how upset I was, Mirabel mattered more to me. I had to fix things with her first before anything else was solved.

"Yes," I said quietly. "I'm sorry."

The girl in front of me- the real Mirabel, pulled me in for a tight hug. My arms found their way around her body and I rested my head on her shoulder as she whispered an apology to me.

"I should never have said the things I did," she told me. I agreed and she let out a breathy laugh. I told her how I didn't blame her, and that I was just glad to have my best friend back.

Somewhere deep within me, I figured that I should have been less forgiving. Mirabel was cold to me despite how she never meant to treat me with so much distaste. After all that I'd told her about my past, I expected her to be more understanding and let me just take the win for receiving a gift.

But another part of me still felt guilt. I was now sixteen, and on my birthday, I received a gift that most Madrigals do on their fifth birthday. It didn't add up. Why me? Why now?

And of course, there was Camilo.

There was still so much that I had to figure out and resolve, and somehow it wasn't getting much easier.