"change" - [c.madrigal]

nine

I usually didn't like being very girly, but a high-pitched scream came out of my mouth as the three of us fell. (To be fair, though, I think Camilo's scream was just as girly as mine, so that made me feel a bit better).

I lost Mirabel's hand sometime during the fall, so I tightened my grip on Camilo's, refusing to end up tumbling alone. After what seemed like forever but was probably only a few minutes, we crash-landed on a slope of sand.

I coughed and spat sand out of my mouth. Mirabel shook her glasses free of the stuff, and Camilo had to do a little dance to get it all out of his clothes.

I couldn't help but laugh at him, and he sent me a glare. "Hey, it's not my fault I'm in actual clothes and not skirts that the sand just falls off!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "C'mon, I wish I didn't have to wear these. I wish I could wear guys' clothes like you do."

"Then why don't you?" His voice was quiet.

"Because..." I picked at the embroidery on my skirt. I didn't like talking about it. I'd tried at home, and been beaten up (not literally, but the emotional effects were just as bad as physical ones would've been) over my feelings.

"Doesn't matter," I said shortly. "Never mind. Don't ask me about it."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mirabel shoot Camilo a worried glance, but I ignored it. Standing up and shaking my skirt out, I looked around. "Whoa..."

The others glanced up too, and they gasped. What we were looking up at was a huge, round cavern, with a single staircase winding up the walls.

"That's a lot of stairs," I managed weakly.

Mirabel managed a laugh. "At least we've got each other. Imagine doing this on your own."

I raised my eyebrows at the thought. "Mm."

Camilo grinned, clapping his hands together. "Well... let's get going!"

Together, we started climbing up the hill. There wasn't enough space for all three of us to walk side-by-side, so Mirabel walked ahead while Camilo walked beside me. We didn't talk, because that would waste breath, and o wanted to reach the top of these stairs, preferably alive.

While we climbed, I kept sneaking glanced at Camilo. The light in here was much better than the light had been outside of Bruno's room, and I could see bruises on his cheeks.

I wanted to help him somehow, but I didn't know how to. I found myself watching him as he climbed, a little unsteadily, watching to see if he was limping or anything. He wasn't, but he looked slightly faint, like he was exhausted. That worried me a little.

At one point, Camilo looked over at me, and frowned. "What did you mean earlier by 'don't ask me about it'?"

I glanced sideways at him, my defences coming up subconsciously. "That's asking about it."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know... but..." He trailed off, looking away, and I felt bad for being secretive and rude, but that was one secret I'd promised myself I'd never ever share.

"Maybe one day you'll find out," I told him. "But I don't think you will. You don't need to, either. It's just me... being wrong."

That answer didn't seem to satisfy him, but he relented from asking me any more questions, which I appreciated. I was beginning to respect this boy, for, even with all his faults, was a pretty nice guy.

After a few more minutes of climbing, I glanced at him. "Girls aren't allowed to dress like boys, and it sucks for the girls who want to. I'm not saying I want to be a boy or anything, but I really like pants. More than I like skirts and dresses, so..." I trailed off, picking at my skirt treads.

Camilo nodded. "Well, I won't judge if you turn up one day wth pants on. In fact, come borrow some of my clothes. We're about the same size, I think."

I smiled at him. "I'd like that," I said softly.

Finally, after about six million years, the three of us reached the top of Bruno's death stairs. We all collapsed in a heap together, breathing heavily.

I made the mistake of looking over the edge, and got instant vertigo. "Ugh..." I groaned.

Camilo and Mirabel pulled me away from the edge, and we sat together, catching our breaths.

"Bruno," Mirabel muttered, "your room sucks."

I managed a weak, tired laugh. "Yeah," I agreed, "it sure does."

Camilo was the first one of us to stand up, and he walked a few meters away, in the direction we were headed. "Uh, girls?" he called.

"Yeah?" Mirabel called back.

"You might want to see this."

Mirabel and I headed over to where Camilo was standing, and we saw the problem. Between us and where we wanted to go, there was a huge stretching void, a piece of the ground crumbled away, leaving a gap far too wide to jump.

"Okay..." I said. "What do we do now?"

Mirabel glanced at me, and the mischievous glint in her eyes made me nervous for whatever she was planing.

"You'll see..." she grinned.

<3