Crushing On A Madrigal | 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

·20·

"Toward the Light"

"I feel betrayed," Estella whispered to Mirabel as soon as Isabela's attention got diverted to something else, leaving the two in the process. Mirabel laughed, "Hey, you weren't the only victim," she says, pointing at her low ponytail and flowery head before the two started giggling at each other again.

"Boy, it sure is pretty crowded," Estella says, noticing the sea of people inside the house. "Yeah," Mirabel agreed before giving her friend a little nudge. "Wanna go up for some air?" She suggested.

"And hide our very fashionable new hairdos?" The girl added while Estella shakes her head and scoffs, saying, "No matter how much I love the idea, I just really don't think tight braids are for me."

"And my nape feels kinda cold." She added, rubbing the back of her neck, pretending to shiver. The two of them start giggling by themselves again as they go up the stairs, toward the roof.

Casita helped them climb, of course. The house has been fond of their cute friendship and is happy that the two finally get to have some fun together again.

The girls sat on the roof admiring the beautiful night sky they were under, taking in the night breeze.

"I missed this," Mirabel mumbled happily, looking at Estella. "I missed it too." She replied with a smile, their heads jerking up as the two of them both saw a shooting star at the same time.

"Oh, hey, that was pretty cool."

Estella laughed, "Yeah, it was." She says, "Are we considered too old to make a wish after seeing a shooting star?"

Mirabel hummed, pretending to think for a while, and shrugged, "Nah, I'm pretty sure we still qualify as children. Let's make a wish."

The two girls closed their eyes and made a wish silently in their heads. When Estella opened her eyes, she noticed how Mirabel's were still closed. She smiled, knowing Mirabel, she was probably wishing that everyone stays safe and happy. She's always been caring and selfless.

While waiting for Mirabel to finish, Estella noticed something in the distance. Light comes from in the forest, with smoke coming from what she assumes is a campfire.

"Whew, okay. Hopefully wishing still works for fifteen-year-olds, right?" Mirabel jokingly said, turning her head only to see how Estella was a little bit occupied, looking into the horizon. "Hey, you okay?" Mirabel asked, placing a hand on her shoulder before following her friend's serious gaze. 

"That's a campfire right?" Estella asked, her voice quiet like a whisper. "Well, yeah," Mirabel says, also studying the small light in the distance. "Maybe someone's camping?" She suggested, sounding unsure herself and tilting her head confusedly to the side.

"Someone's camping out there tonight?" Estella said, letting out a short chuckle at her friend "Do you think we should take a look?" She asked a little sparkle showing in her eyes.

"Look at what?"

"AH!" The two of them yell in surprise, unintentionally hugging each other in a bit of shock. "Camilo, jeez! I told you to stop popping up everywhere. You're going to spook me to death." Estella lectured, her chest still heaving up and down as Mirabel fixes her glasses.

"I didn't want to miss the party." He says shrugging. "You weren't invited," Mirabel teases, sticking her tongue out while Camilo smiles mischievously at her. "Those are the best kind to attend to."

"Nice look, by the way, prima." He teased back afterward, shapeshifting his face into Mirabel and sticking HIS tongue out.

"So, where to?" He smiled at Estella, backing up her interest in a sudden midnight adventure as she smiled at him in return before glancing at Mirabel.

"Toward adventure!" The girl cheered, the three of them laughing afterward before marching down the roof to sneak outside.

After 'successfully' sneaking outside without having anyone notice what they were doing, a question pops up in Mirabel's head. "Wait, how are we going to get there without our parents wondering where we are?"

The two Madrigals shared the same questioning look at each other, facing their friend in unison and noticing how she wasn't as clueless about what to do as they are. "Simple," They heard her say as she turn her head at them with a prideful look on her face.

"We go borrow one of those," Estella pointed at one of the donkeys, the tone of her voice is so relaxed that it was as if she hadn't suggested they just steal a donkey in the middle of the night.

★ ★ ★

"Y'know sitting at the end is pretty pride-shattering for a masculine man like me, right?" Camilo jokingly chimes in as the three of them ride a single donkey in the woods, following the light they saw earlier.

"Oh, don't be such a baby, primo. I know you like it where you're at." Mirabel teases, seeing as how she's upfront and Camilo was at the very back, holding on to Estella's waist, his heart getting all giddy.

Estella's one hand was holding on to a small candle she also happened to 'borrow' earlier along with the donkey to help them see where they were going in the dark, their minds too distracted to malfunction under Camilo's touch.

"Wait, stop here." She says as Mirabel urges the donkey to take a halt. "Why are we stopping?" Camilo asked before Estella suddenly jumps off.

"We're pretty near, maybe we should just walk it now." She suggested, "I'm sure the donkey isn't going to wander off while we check it out, right?"

"I guess so," Mirabel shrugs, also getting off, along with Camilo. "Is it just me or did any of you suddenly got sort of nervous too?" Mirabel asked, laughing awkwardly a little while the two also admitted that they felt the same thing, a part of them knowing that it was not just an ordinary campfire.

Estella was ahead of the two, and though she was still pretty far, she had a glimpse of something near the fire, her eyes shining bright as soon as she saw the sight of it.

A boy, someone whom she has never seen before in their village at all. And before she even knew it, her body started walking towards the stranger, her mouth opening and her voice talking.

"Hello there!"