Who You Are: Camilo's Story (After Encanto)

Guardian Angel

The next morning, Hanna felt the warmth of the sun on her face as she slowly woke up from her slumber. As soon as she opened her eyes, she sat up in her bed right away. 'That's right!' she thought. 'It wasn't a dream!' She put her fingers up to her lips and sighed. She got up from her bed and went out onto her balcony to catch the morning breeze. She smiled and began to dance and twirl around in utter bliss. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get to experience her first love. This truly was a magical place. It felt like her whole world was just turned on its head. She may not have been given a Gift, but to her, she was given a miracle in Camilo. Why would she ever want to give that up? Camilo was everything to her.

But then she stopped dancing. Her inner voice in the back of her mind was reminding her that this was only temporary. She would be going home to Bogotá, eventually. And what were even the chances of her family coming back here again? The journey was tiring on its own, especially with the lack of more advanced transportation to the place. Riding most of the way here in a carriage wasn't exactly fun.

'But why bother? My own father hates me! I hate my life in Bogotá!' Hanna thought. 'I wanna make this place my home.'

'But you know it's impossible. You're too young to be on your own,' her other voice said.

'I wouldn't be on my own,' she thought. ''I'd have Camilo!'

'That's unrealistic and you know it. You both are too young. And what about Lia?' the voice said.

'What about her?' Hanna thought. She was still annoyed with her sister about last night.

'She was just worried about you. She's always been good to you, hasn't she? A good sister.'

'Sure. She's the perfect sister,' she thought while rolling her eyes.

'But now you're starting to doubt that, aren't you? Camilo said it himself. Even she isn't perfect. And you thought there was something she wasn't telling you.'

Hanna furrowed her eyebrows. 'I...don't know what came over me that time. Who am I kidding? What would Miss 'Perfecta' Amalia Dorothea Engel possibly have to hide?'

She looked over the railing and down at the river below. 'And what does she need me for...when she's got Mother and Father?' she thought, sadly. After a moment, Hanna looked over at the tree. She still couldn't believe that only 11 hours ago she met a jaguar in that tree who helped her meet with Camilo, where she would eventually have the most wonderful experience of her life. She walked up to it, wondering if she would see the anole there. Sure enough, there it was, perched on a branch with its head pointing forward but staring unblinkingly at her from the side with one eye.

Hanna stared back at it. "Is this your home?" she asked it, curiously. "Do you know Antonio?"

The anole remained silent and unmoving. Hanna cocked her head to the side. "Huh," she said to herself. How did Antonio know that she was being prevented from leaving the house? Someone had to have told him. "Was it you?" she asked the anole with a half-smile. It still didn't move an inch. "Nah. Never mind," Hanna said. "There's no way you would've heard us...talking..." she trailed off. Something clicked inside of her head. The anole might not have heard her and Amalia arguing from downstairs.

But Camilo's sister can hear everything.

'Dolores?' Hanna thought in complete surprise. It all made sense now. She heard her and Amalia arguing. She told Antonio. And she knew where to find her and Camilo last night. She must know wherever they are always. Dolores must know...everything. The unadoring opinion of Hanna from her father. How Camilo felt about her all along. And instead of being an obstacle like Amalia, Camilo's sister was an ally. Hanna smiled.