Worth The Shot

A Market Run-in

Camilo Madrigal. His nerve. His self-obsessed smirk. You wanted nothing to do with him after that first meeting.

It started with a quick trip to the Encanto common market. A bubbling hubub of voices intertwined together, and smiles greeted you as you strolled past the stalls.

Your father was a guitar craftsman, and as his apprentice, mundane tasks like buying new sanding paper landed on you. You grazed a thumb over the rough surface of a sheet of sandpaper. You smiled to yourself. Perfect.

"Hello," The shopkeeper, a pleasantly plump woman, greeted, crinkling her eyes.

"Good morning," You politely responded, digging through your money pouch while trying to make conversation. "Are you going to the gifting ceremony tonight?"

"Am I going?" She laughed. "That's all anyone can talk about! I wouldn't miss the chance to see the Madrigals up close for anything! You?"

Shrugging, you spilled a fistful of coins onto the counter. "Probably. But they're just people. Nice people, I'm sure, but they aren't royalty."

The shopkeeper furrowed her brow. "Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, dear. But their powers keep our village safe."

"Safe from what?" You innocently retorted.

She shook her head with a smile, avoiding the question. "Well, wouldn't you want to have a gift?"

"Definitely," You acknowledged, picturing the golden glowing doors from the last ceremony. The one that failed. "I'd want mind reading. Oh! Or flying. I'd pick flying!"

"Mm, flying," She wistfully agreed. "Like a mariposa(butterfly)." A mischievous glint snuck into her eyes. "A pretty girl like you must be interested in one of them?"

You ran a hand through your hair and rolled your eyes, giggling. "Really? That's the question you ask?"

"I knew it!" The shopkeeper gleefully said, leaning forward for the new gossip. "Which one?"

A half-smile played on your lips. "Haven't thought much about it..." You conceded when you saw the shopkeeper's eager, friendly expression, throwing a hand in the air. "I guess the shape-shifter has pretty eyes."

"Heh." A quick, breathy laugh. An oddly triumphant expression crossed the shopkeeper's features.

"Out of my shop!" An exact duplicate of the shopkeeper blundered into the stall, scowling and waving her arms.

Confused, your eyes flickered over to who you had been talking to. It suddenly hit you. The "shopkeeper" melted into the form of a teenage boy who used a single hand to smoothly leap over the stall counter.

"You!" Your cheeks heated up as you glared into the amused hazel eyes of the shape-shifting Madrigal.

"Camilo," he smugly corrected, unabashedly giving you a once-over.

Scowling, you crossed your arms, suddenly feeling vulnerable. You opened your lips, trying to conjure something clever to say.

Camilo condescendingly smirked. "Now don't hurt yourself." He tapped your head with a finger. You sucked in a sharp breath. Satisfied with your response, he chuckled and walked away.

"See you tonight, flying mariposa." He threw over his shoulder.

You clenched your fists, frozen for a few seconds before you started home. No, he would not be seeing you tonight, because you were not going. You refused. Nothing could compel you to go after that humiliation.

Nothing expect for your insistent parents, which is how you found yourself in a short blue dress, among a bustling crowd, and dragging your feet towards the Madrigal's house and those insufferable hazel eyes.

Author's note:

I just watched Encanto and I'm obsessed with the funky little shapeshifter. And you probably are too, if you're reading this. I'll try to update daily! See you tomorrow!