Harana: Camilo x Reader

CHAPTER NINETEEN

† 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌: cursing, abuse, physical assault

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧: 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭

♫

     Gutiérrez dropped the plastic plate, in it was less than half a serving of food. Biting back his words, Lucia gripped his spoon. Nevertheless, his father was not a blind man, he could see his son's silent hatred brooding beneath the surface. He dragged his chair, the hard wood screeches along with the floor.  He doesn't have the right to complain.

     "Wipe that look from your face." Gutiérrez spat, lazily pointing the fork at his son. "The lesser the sales, the lesser you get." Lucia brought his plate closer to him, shrinking back on his seat with every taunt. "You should be thankful that I even cooked for you." His voice was muffled, mouth full of half-chewed food.

     Lucia reminded himself that this would his final dinner with him and it was not worth triggering the ticking bomb his father is. In his room was his bags filled with his every possession, or at least the things that could fit in there. So just this hour, he decided to be tight-lipped; his freedom was just at his his fingertips.

     However, Gutiérrez wasn't too keen on talking to air. "Everything I do is to make you live a better life." His tone getting higher, "Some parents are too soft on their children, you know what that leads to?" Sneering, "Useless idiots who don't know shit! So you should thank me, really." He stood up, taking his plate with him. He opened the trash, letting Lucia watch all the food get dumped in it.

     "You were doing it for yourself." He murmured as Gutiérrez left the kitchen, his voice low enough for only him to hear. The food was bland and gritty yet he decided to finish every bite. Something's for certain, he won't miss it here.

     The next morning, the sun peeked through the dusty windows and Gutiérrez's calls were remained unanswered. "Lucia, I swear to god!" He lumbered over to Lucia's room and kicked the door open. He bared his teeth, the room was cleared empty with the exception of the dated furnitures. He went over the closet and saw that Lucia had taken all of his clothes with him.

     He could only hear his heavy breathing, his mind spiraled and he was livid. All his thoughts circled back to the foreign girl; no, it has to be her. Lucia wouldn't be this stupid on his own. "I warned her." He leered, slouching over Lucia's desk.

     It wasn't hard to find out her exact locations, all he had to do was mooch off of the chismosas. "I saw her one time with her clothes all dirty." Rowena sneered, "I think she works for the Madrigals but how pointless is that? Her job could literally be solved by Isabela in a second." Bingo, that's all the information he needed. 

     Over the horizon, Camilo and Antonio's laughter lifted the garden. They were the loudest of the bunch, drowning out the other children's guffaws. Y/N observed them from a distance, propping her arms over her shovel's handle. Her work never felt like a chore when the two brothers were around; they kept her smiling throughout the hard labor. Her days past by so quickly and before she knew it, the garden was regaining its colors. And naturally, people started to visit the area more. It was becoming quite busy.

     If anything, her life felt like it was finally piecing itself together. "I'll get it!" Camilo yelled, running after the ball as it rolled down a slope.

     Antonio giggled, walking towards Y/N. "Ay Toni, you got a little something on your hair." She carefully worked her fingers through his hair. "All better now." She grinned, successfully unknotting a curl to remove a twig.

    "Oi putana!" Antonio peeped behind her, a man was marching towards them. "Y/N." He tugged at her sleeve in worry. Y/N, however, remained still— she knew that voice, how could she forget? "Antonio, get your brother." She ushered him away, her first priority was to get Antonio out of here.

     However, Antonio was reluctant, his eyes wide in fear. Y/N felt Gutiérrez's fingernails dug on her collarbone, he turned her around and pushed her to the ground. She groaned in pain, a jagged rock scraped her palm. In the background was Antonio's helpless crying as Gutiérrez grabbed her harshly by the face.

     "I told you to stay away!" She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but his hands only tightened their hold. "Now where the fuck is he?" He screamed, bringing her closer to him. His eyes were shot open, unblinking. She clawed on his arm, bringing her knee up and jabbing his crotch. His body jolted and his grip loosened.

     Y/N kicked him away from her, chest rapidly rising then falling. Antonio immediately ran up to her and engulfing her in a trembling embrace. He pulled away when she flinched in his hug. "Hey, hey, I'm okay." She wrapped her arms around him, patting his back as he sobbed.

     Gutiérrez tried to get up, bringing his fist up, ready to strike once again. "Ey Hijueputa!" Camilo rushed to him, pushing his legs to the limits with his right arm shifting into Luisa. He drove a hard punch on Gutiérrez's head. He could feel his nose crack under his fist. Gutiérrez stumbled back, feeling the warm blood dripped.

     Camilo shifted his arm back to normal, turning his focus on Y/N. "Shit, what did he do?" He cupped her cheek and gently tilted her head to the side; the skin around her collar was turning purple. He chewed on his lip; he should have stayed beside her. 

     "You weren't joking when you said you could protect me." He furrowed his eyebrows, was she hit too hard? "That Luisa arm did pay off." She snorted, patting his shoulder. Camilo exhaled in relief, letting out a light chuckle. "Come on, Toñito, let's get Y/N to Tía Julieta."

     Gutiérrez stood there, clutching his face, watching as the three walk past him. Blinded by his rage, he failed to notice that all this time, they weren't alone. Children were distancing themselves, their parents shielding them from him. And finally, he could hear the whispers. They were talking about him. He glided his hand through his hair, trying to salvage his public image— but the damage was already done, he was going to be the talk of the town.

     Eventually, the news of the attack reached Lucia. He went over to the pub and sure enough, his father was there taking a swig on his drink. This wasn't an unfamiliar sight for Lucia, the only difference this time was that his father wasn't surrounded by his friends.

    "I gave you everything and this is how you repay me?" He was surly, eyelids droopy and breath reeking of alcohol. Lucia frowned, "Pa, she had nothing to do with this." At this point, he would've taken his drink and carried him back to their dinky house but no, Lucia was tired of him. "Then why leave?" The alcohol had taken its effect, the desperation seeps in.

     Lucia looked away, "It's you, pa, I had to get away from you."

     Gutiérrez downed the rest of his drink, feeling the familiar stinging go down his throat. "Come back home, I'll pretend this never happened."  He stared at his son, waiting for him to start apologizing. It never came, instead, he stared back with ferocity he had never seen before.

     "I cannot afford to lose you, Lucia." This was his twisted way of love, the same ideologies passed down on their family. To them; love is conditional, everything comes with a price.

     "Then learn how to live without me."

     Gutiérrez was pathetic; his sunken eyes, and his trembling hands, the man he is right now was his true self. Lucia took note of his face— this will be the last time he saw his father.