Butterflies

Chapter 3- New Clothes

My clothes got worn, and my sewing could only do so much. I put on my least tattered dress and headed into the square. Today was a market day, where the townspeople got together and sold their talents to the public. Most of the time, there was a booth with clothes.

"Darling, that is not your color."

I looked up at the woman who spoke to me. My beige dress was simple, not too wild and bright. Just like mother wanted. I looked at her in confusion. She simply shook her head. "Come here, dear. Let's try on a few things."

The first dress she handed me was lavender pink. The lace was decorated in lotus flowers, the symbol of my family. The booth thankfully had a space for me to change in private. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a whole new me. The me I wanted to be.

The next dress was thrown over the changing stall, making it wobble ever so slightly. It was yellow orange, the lotus stitched into the waistband of the dress. It was a little frillier than I was accustomed to, but it was very pretty and comfortable.

The last dress was magenta, so dark it looked red in the wrong lighting. I had to fix my hair, but it looked pretty. All of the dresses fit perfectly, and had the lotus somewhere on the dress. On the last dress, it had the lotus stitched in a ring around the dress, like it was a band.

I put my beige dress back on and carried the three dresses over my arm. I walked up to the woman. "How much?"

"Keep them. The sparkle I knew you had returned," the woman said with a soft smile.

"Gracias," I said gratefully.

"De nada," she replied.

I ended up having an almost full wardrobe by the end of the day, all for very little money. They didn't overprice their clothes here. All of it was me. It was no longer restricted under my mother's thumb. I got to wear what I wanted. The thought almost thrilled me.

I went out later to get food. I filled a basket, paid, then went to the grassy area surrounding the city to eat. Encanto was beautiful, even from a distance. The town was full of life. I stayed there until the stars were out, sparkling brightly in the sky. The stars never shined as brightly at home.

"That's the beauty of Encanto."

I looked over at Camilo, startled. "The stars shine even in the darkest of times."

"I've never seen them so bright," I admitted. "Back home, they were so small and barely noticeable. Here, they're big and beautiful."

"Are you going home anytime soon?" Camilo asked curiously.

I looked at Encanto. "I don't think so."

"Well, then we have to get you somewhere proper to live," Camilo said, startling me. So soon? "I'll ask mi familia to work on it tomorrow."

"Camilo, that's not necessary. I've only been here a week," I protested.

"I insist." Camilo pulled me up from the ground, making me giggle as we danced clumsily. "If anything, that's a week too long without a proper home."

"A week I could survive," I reasoned.

Camilo bowed and kissed my hand. "Buenas noches, (Y/n)."

"Buenas noches, Cami," I replied tiredly.

Even in the dark, I could see his blush. He was so sweet. He ran off, waving.