Crushing On A Madrigal | 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

·19·

"A Pretty Sight"

"Mirabel," Estella exhaled, catching up to her. "Hi!" She said, catching her breath. 

"What's up?" Mirabel laughed, curious about why her friend looked so tired. "Wait, first, have I told you how amazing you are?" Estella asked, making Mirabel giggle and sigh. "About ten times today already."

"Well, I'm telling you again." Estella paused, "You're amazing." She smiled, the two of them giggling at each other.

Mirabel noticed Estella being a little jumpy, always looking in different directions. "You okay?" She asked her.

"Ehhh," Estella hesitated, "Mira, you're family is great. All of you are amazing." She tells Mirabel, "But they've been grabbing on to me, and feeding me, and talking to me." The girl blabbered, her voice in a whisper but it still seemed a bit distressed.

"I don't recall doing anything great or something, so I don't understand why they're suddenly taking an interest in me. Do you think I'm in trouble? Did I do something wrong? Or maybe I did something so great and just forgot I did something great which could be why I'm getting sudden attention–"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Mirabel laughed, "Slow down. I'm sure they just wanna get to know you better or start a short, simple conversation."

"Besides, it's not like Isabela's starting to stalk you. that would be weird," Mirabel assured her, but just as soon as she did, they heard someone call Estella's name.

"Oh, Estellaaa!" Isabela said, walking up to them with a smile while Estella and Mirabel glanced at each other in surprise and confusion.

"Hi there, wow," Isabela says, locking arms with the girl. "You're prettier up close, Estella, has anyone told you that? The last time we've spoken to each other properly was when I was twelve." 

Estella chuckled nervously, feeling overwhelmed that Isabela Madrigal herself is talking to her and had her arms around hers. She glances at Mirabel, her eyes getting wide for what seems like less than a second before looking back at Isabela. The girl's face literally says something like: See what I mean?

Mirabel was puzzled, remembering how her friend said that her family's been grabbing onto her and feeding her without any particular reason, and the look on Estella's face as she glanced at her just a moment ago really spoke for itself.

"Okay, maybe it is getting weird."

The three girls start walking together as Isabela continues to shower Estella with compliments while Mirabel makes sure her friend doesn't faint and joins in on the conversation as it changes its course to another topic.

Isabela and Mirabel both started talking to Estella about stuff the three of them surprisingly had in common and even talked a bit about the past. Though their topics were all over the place, they couldn't help but come back to Estella every time.

Still, a bit overwhelmed, Estella, managed to warm up and spoke proper words after a while but that was a moment before the two Madrigals started dragging her to Isabela's room, curious about what she'd look like when they dress her up.

How'd I even get dragged into this? Estella asked herself, smiling externally but panicking on the inside.

Camilo on the other hand found his feet dragging him toward the kitchen: his favorite place in the casa.

"Why the long face, hm?" Julieta asked him, mixing something up in a bowl with her wooden spoon.

Camilo smiled and scoffed weakly, "Sorry for sneaking out food earlier, Tia." He said, leaning on the counter. "Need help with that?" He asked.

"It's okay, thank you 'Milo. I got it." Julieta said, declining his offer. "But you can tell me what's clouding your head." She suggested, smiling, before gesturing for him to get a snack since she knows how much he loves eating.

"Well..." Camilo hesitated, "Are you sure?" He asked making Julieta look at him with a smirk. "Dime Todo, niño, (Tell Me Everything, Boy,)" She said.

"Okay, well, there's a girl that I like–" He started but got cut off as soon as he said those last five words. "Estella?" Julieta curiously asked, her interest piqued.

The mention of the name made Camilo's face burn, shocked to hear how his Tia knows. "Tia, you knew?" He asked, melting.

The woman laughed and shook her head,  "You are a little obvious about it." 

"I wouldn't even be surprised if even Mama knew," Julieta added, teasing her nephew as he started pacing back and forth like a steaming tomato that grew legs.

"Alright, calm down now, Camilo. It's just a little crush." Julieta chuckles, patting his shoulder. "Besides, there's nothing embarrassing about showing your affection to someone."

"Do you think she knows I like her?" Camilo asks, even though he's the one that spends the most time with her, feeling anxious just from imagining a possible rejection. 

Julieta scoffs, "Please, who wouldn't like you? You're the best boy she could ever ask for." The two smiled at each other before their topic started changing into something else.

Camilo stayed in the kitchen and helped Tia prepare food, sneaking a few bites for himself in the process which he called taste testing. Something that apparently requires eating one of everything nearly twice.

Julieta laughs at the boy, "Ayy, you might finish everything." She says, jokingly adding, "Save some for the guests."

Camilo laughs along with Julieta on his way out, taking a tray of empanadas with him. "Don't worry, Tia. I'll feed these ones to the guests." He winks, leaving his Tia as she wipes her hands on the towel hanging by her apron, smiling at him. "Guests," She repeated, pointing at him playfully as he nods in response.

Almost half the tray has already been emptied out as Camilo gives out an empanada to everyone who wants one, making sure the guests are fed and well taken care of.

In the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure even in the middle of the sea of people in the room.

A girl whose hair was decorated with flowers of different colors as it was tied up to a single braid that trailed its way down, just a little below her shoulder, her face finally displayed for the public to see, no wild, messy strands hair to cover it with.

It was just a moment when a gap in the crowd appeared and reveal her, but in his world, it was as if everything went in slow motion.

Unfortunately for him, the world went back to normal as soon as people started covering that said small gap in the crowd.

The boy becomes frantic, desperately searching for a crack or another small gap from all the people until they finally land on her, or the short sight of her skirt that is, going upstairs with his prima, Mirabel.

"Tio," Camilo let out as soon as he saw Bruno when he turned to the side, handing him his tray, "I bet you're starving. Here, have some empanadas." The boy hastily said, patting his uncle's shoulder before zooming off and saying, "You're welcome," leaving the man in a confused state. But aside from that, he gladly accepted the empanadas.