Crushing On A Madrigal | 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

·21·

"The Frown of Jealousy"

The three of them brought back the boy they saw in the forest, surprising everyone who was still at the party. But even so, they still welcomed him with open arms and fed him.

He was still pretty young, about eighteen years old. He was tall, fit, and especially good-looking with his hazel eyes, chestnut brown hair, and medium complexion. A lot of teenage girls already couldn't take their eyes off of him as soon as he arrived.

★ Simps, am I right? Lol jk, go on. ★

Estella was guilty of being one of them.

Although her eyes always managed to look and catch a glimpse of the boy whose name was Enrique, unlike the others, she was interested in the fact that he was new. That and that only.

He's someone different, someone new, someone who's been living outside of the Encanto – seeing the world. Or at least maybe even just a few parts of it.

The girl's parents got worried when they couldn't find her or at least a shadow of her earlier at the party, and knowing how she ended up finding a boy from the forest made them worry even more. Since the couple had Estella, they've slowly started changing from reckless idiots into worried parents. That was parenthood for them.

They love their daughter and they want her to follow her dreams and be who she wants to be, and they also want her to have a fun childhood like they did, without the "numerous injuries" part. But a part of them loves her too much that they just want to keep her by their side for as long as they can that they don't notice how tight they're holding on to her sometimes.

"Enrique!" Estella called, carrying a plate with food. "Uh, have you eaten yet? Señora Julieta makes mean arepas, would you like some?" She offered, smiling, excited to juice his answers to satisfy her growing curiosity. 

"Oh, thanks," The boy smiled back, feeling a little awkward since he was in a village no one else knows about, inside a house that can move on its own with people who miraculously have magical powers.

"You're staying here tonight?" Estella asked, starting up a conversation as he nods at her, "Actually, I told them I was fine sleeping outside somewhere," He chuckles nervously, "anywhere, really. But they insisted so yeah, I am staying here for the night."

"Thanks for finding me out there, by the way." He added, thanking the girl and making her blush a little. "Oh, that was nothing." She smiles.

"But if you're really that grateful would you mind if I ask just a few questions?" Estella giddy asked, her knees trembling in excitement and her heart pounding from nervousness due to possible declination. Shameless.

To her fortune, he agreed on asking a few questions which turned out to be ones that were easy to answer, just as how Estella easily gets impressed with what he gives her.

"What's it like out there?", "Just like in here?"

"Have you seen the sea?", "About once or twice. My cousin accidentally splashed water in my eyes during that time and it stung really bad."

"Is your village the same as this one?", "I guess so? I mean, houses and stuff did get taller over the years."

Up until the very end of the party, the two were just conversing; one asking questions and one answering them. They were so occupied with each other the whole night that they didn't notice how many people were starting to stare and even whisper about them.

Camilo was also guilty of staring. Staring enviously that is.

"She sure is asking a lot of questions," He heard Mirabel say from beside him. "Even on the way back she was asking him things."

Mirabel eyes her quiet cousin, crossing her arms and leaning on one leg. "Hmm," She hummed, before the boy turned his head at her, bitterly asking, "What?"

"Oh, okay," Mirabel laughed, noticing the furrowed brows of frustration that come with his sour look, raising her palms up in surrender. "I get it, you're jealous." She teasingly said, dragging the last word and making him scoff at her, denying the fact that he is.

"Look, primo, it's cute that you're romantically involved with my best friend. But you gotta give me some credit for keeping it a secret. Stop denying it already." She nudges him, "Besides, she's just fascinated by Enrique. Y'know how curious she is."

Camilo sighed, shaking his head and shrugging it off before walking away making Mirabel shake her head at him as well, a bit annoyed at how he kept denying his feelings. Mostly jealousy, but still feeling.

"Estella, we're going now." They heard Estella's mother call out, most of the guests already leaving one by one each passing minute after helping the Madrigals tidy up a bit.

"Coming, Mama!" The girl said as a response, bidding farewell to her new friend and waving goodbye at Mirabel, feeling a bit disappointed when she saw Camilo heading up to his room already without saying anything to her since earlier but also guilty for not saying a word to him after arriving too.

★ ★ ★

Camilo was left with quite the sour taste ever since they brought Enrique back from the woods. Because not only is he devilishly good-looking, but he also became the center of Estella's world in a matter of minutes. Flashing her smiles, making her laugh, and answering her questions.

It made his smile turn upside down, morphing into a frown of jealousy.

And as if the universe was toying with him that night, he also ended up sharing his room with him since his family insisted that he sleep under their roof for the night. A part of him was also guilty of not declining because it's considered rude to turn down a guest and he for one has manners.

Hopefully, his jealousy doesn't conquer that along with his pride.

Knock Knock

"Come in."