It all started with a Mariposa

Friendship with Arepas

2nd Person POV

Everyone stopped to look at Mirabel. The band stopped playing their music rather abruptly.

Alma stared at her granddaughter, concern plastered all over her face. Mirabel, who was still trying to catch her breath, continued. "The tiles were falling and there were cracks everywhere and..." Mirabel faced Alma with an alarmed look. "The candle almost went out."

People in the party began to murmur uncomfortably. Alma noticed this and she looked to Mirabel. 

"Show me." She mumbled. 

Everyone started to walk behind Mirabel. Camilo turned. You had forced yourself to stand up and walk, and if he wasn't there to witness your struggle earlier he would never have guessed that you had any trouble. You were almost as good at masking your emotions as he was - when your body allowed it. 

Mirabel led the crowd of people into the courtyard. What she showed them was... Nothing. No cracks... and the candle seemed to be shining brighter than ever. 

"What? No, that's-" Mirabel swiftly went down the stairs and into the middle of the courtyard, where it all happened. "The cracks were there." Mirabel protested. "They were everywhere. The house was in trouble, the--the candle was..."

Mirabel distinctly remembered. She raced after the cracks; past Abuelo's Portrait, past Luisa's door, past Isabela's door and past Abuela's door. The candle and the cracks sort of swirled and multiplied and the candle grew dimmer and dimmer! It was like the whole house went dark as the cracks expanded. She couldn't have imagined that. 

...Right?

Mirabel turned around and saw Isabela scoff as she rolled her eyes, unconvinced. But Mirabel didn't care. This wasn't about her. 

Mirabel faced Abuela. She expressed a mixture of both embarrassment and disappointment. "Abuela, I promise-" Mirabel pleaded. 

Abuela put a hand up to stop her from saying anything more. "That's enough." She said. As nervous whispers built throughout the crowd, Abuela turned with a reassuring smile on her face. 

"There is nothing wrong with La Casa Madrigal." She announced. With an award-winning smile and a few drinks, she got the party up and running again in no time. 

Everyone walked back into the room, forgetting the ordeal as soon as it happened. Mirabel noticed that you stayed behind though. "You believe me...don't you, (Y/n)?" Mirabel asked, desperate to have at least one person on her side. 

You took in a breath and nodded, somehow feeling refreshed and calmer than you were when you couldn't stand up. "Come on. Let's get out of here." You suggested. 

Mirabel gave you a sad nod as she began to walk away from the party. You followed her, the music in the room growing quieter and quieter the farther you two got. "We could go to the kitchen if you're hungry." Mirabel said, looking at you as you made your way to her side. 

You weren't really hungry. You were still feeling a bit weak if you were being honest. But then you thought that Mirabel must've been hungry, because she wasn't in Antonio's room during the party. Only for the picture and that was it. 

So instead of politely declining like you were about to do, you nodded and smiled at her. "Sure." You said. 

Once you two did make it to the kitchen, you saw Julieta wiping the counter, looking down, deep in thought. 

She caught sight of you two and immediately ditched the cloth to run up to you and Mirabel. 

"Girls?" She said in a questioning tone. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you enjoying the party? Are you okay? Are you hungry?"