Bittersweet (Isabela x Reader)

Chapter 12

You and Isa slowly eased into the romantic parts of your relationship. She'd always have some sort of physical contact. Hand holding whenever you walked, back hugs each time you were turned away, even when you were working, she made it her mission to sit right beside or behind your chair. But nothing prepared you for this; your girlfriend trying to play matchmaker with certain people...

You sat on the bridge, watching the water flow beneath. Isabela was sitting next to you and was leaning her head on your shoulder.

"Bela, you can't just push people together," you said. "That's not how a relationship works. Plus, they're only teens."

You heard her scoff and get up. "Yet here we are. Dating because my sister literally locked you in my room."

You also got up, walking as you spoke with your hands. "That's how we got to talking, not dating," you pointed out.

She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm around yours. Your heart picked up its pace but it wasn't unwelcome. Down in the plaza, your cousin was playing with Dante and Little Coco, unaware of Camilo watching him. There was love in his eyes. Isabela tugged on your arm and pointed, distracting you from your grocery run.

"Look! How can you see that and not try to get them together?" she whined.

"Bela, I like that enthusiasm, but you forget that emotions aren't our strong suit." It took a good few years to mend your relationship so you felt out of place when it came to the game of Cupid and matchmaking. Then you quirked your brow at her after letting the merchant know which wire you needed. "Besides, who deemed you the Reina del Amor? You are the farthest thing from it."

You laughed when she scoffed and threw petals at your face.

---

After several days of trying to give advice to Camilo, and failing, the Madrigals noticed that romance and love were not a Rivera's strongest suit. Camilo's little poems were seen as ideas for Miguel's music career, flirting was seen as mere playfulness from the shapeshifter, and even spending the entire day together was thought to be a day of two best friends hanging out.

There were only two more days before your family was going to go back to Mexico and your girlfriend was extremely annoyed by your cousin's obliviousness.

"Reminds me of a certain someone," Dolores quietly commented as she eyed you.

The three of you were waiting for Mariano at your store so that thing four of you could plan Camilo's next move.

"Ay, I at least knew about Bela's sort of sad attempts at romancing me. Mi primo es el idiota."

"Hey! What do you mean sad?! They were not sad attempts!" she whined. She turned to her cousin for backup, only for Dolores to avoid eye contact and cover her mouth to hide a smile. Isa gasped and accused her cousin of being a traitor, which earned a light-hearted laugh from you and the curly-haired cousin. Now that you thought about it, Isa always made you laugh more. It was nice.

Mariano came running. "I'm sorry I'm late! Mamá needed help. Did I miss anything?"

You shook your head and got up from your chair. "Nope. But I've got an idea." They all turned to you with expectancy and you suddenly got nervous with their staring. You fidgeted with your fingers and looked down. "Camilo can just... I don't know, ask him out normally? Miguel is more into his work than anything else..."

Mariano groaned, "Ayy! Then where is the spark?"

"Not everything has to be roses and sunshine," you pointed out quietly. "Sure, it's nice. But, my cousin doesn't need someone to be so showy. He needs someone who'll just be there to support him... A-At least that's the type of person I think he wants! How would I know?"