"change" - [c.madrigal]

fourteen

"Hey," I shoved Leo's arm slightly as the two of us walked along the street together, heading to the Madrigal's home.

He looked at me, kind of annoyed, kind of curious. "What?"

"What do you think of the Madrigals you've met so far?" I asked innocently. I knew he'd met Camilo and Mirabel the most, but he'd at least seen about half of them at Antonio's gift ceremony celebration night.

Leo shrugged. "Oh yeah, they're all pretty awesome."

"All of them?" I pressed.

"Yes?" Leo glanced at me, brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you being weird?"

I acted shocked, putting a hand on my chest and opening my mouth a little. "Me? Never."

"Mhm," was the short response.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, what do you think of... um... Camilo?"

I swore I saw Leo smirking a little at that, but I decided to ignore it. Who cared what Leo thought I did or didn't feel for that Madrigal boy. 

"Oh, yeah, he's cool," Leo said nonchalantly. He eyed me cautiously. "I still think he likes you, though."

"Uh huh, that's nice," I said indifferently. I really didn't think so, though. "What about Mirabel?"

Leo blinked. "What about her?"

I rolled my eyes a little and laughed. "Come on, I know you have a bit of a crush on her."

"No-no I don't!" Leo's face was red.

Now, I couldn't stop laughing. "Sure, sure. Look at your face!"

"Ugh, you suck, Y/N!"

"Oh, I know."

When we arrived at Casita, I waved at Isabela, who was creating flowers around a window. She gave me a stunning smile, a delicate wave, and a beautiful wreath of flowers in my hair. 

"I love her," I breathed, as Isabela disappeared back inside her window. 

"Isabela, right?" Leo asked. "The graceful, flower girl. I spoke with her at Antonio's party."

I nodded. "Mhm. Oh, and that's Julieta, Mirabel's mother." I pointed at an older woman in a teal dress. She was talking with her middle child, Luisa, who was still looking upset. 

I ran inside, with Leo just barely following. "Hey, wait, were are you --"

"Carino! So glad you could return."

Leo started to say, "Carino-?", but I interrupted.

"Hi Camilo," I said breathlessly. "Where's Mirabel?" 

Camilo smirked. "Her room, probably having nightmares about Bruno."

I groaned. "Okay, you keep Leo, I'll be back." I half-shoved the smirking Leo into Camilo and out of my way, and dashed up the stairs, to Mirabel's room. 

"Mira?" I called, pushing the door open. Inside, I found not just Mirabel, as I'd expected, but also her Tio and Tia, Pepa and Felix.

"Oh," I said, "hello."

"Hola," Felix told me, but Pepa was engrossed in a conversation with Mirabel. 

"We don't talk about Bruno," Pepa said sternly. She was gathering up some things of Antonio's out of a cabinet of drawers, some old clothes and things, but I wasn't interested in that. I was wondering why Mirabel was asking about Bruno. It was so obvious.

Mirabel held up her hands. "I know, it's just, hypothetically, if he "saw" you --"

Her Tia interrupted. "Mirabel, please. We need to get ready for the Guzmans."

I wondered briefly who the Guzmans were.

Mirabel made a face. "I just want to know if it was generally positive... or... like less positive or --" I groaned internally. She couldn't have been more obvious if she tried. Luckily, though, her aunt and uncle were oblivious.

"It was a nightmare!" Felix put in.

"Félix!"

"Ey, she needs to know, Pepi. She needs to know."

"We don't talk about Bruno." Pepa said it like a mantra. It was a little... creepy.

"He would see something terrible," Feliz continued, ignoring Pepa, "and then crack-ba-boom, it would happen."

"We don't talk about Bruno," Pepa repeated, getting a little angry. A storm cloud billowed around her head.

"What if you didn't understand what he saw?" Mirabel asked helplessly.

"Then you better figure it out, because it was coming for you!"

<3