Everything (Nothing) Keeps us Apart (Bruno Madrigal/ Original Character)

Chapter 2

Pepa and Julieta sat on the dining room chairs as their mama looked between the two of them, her serious gaze making the two look down to the table.

"May I ask why you didn't tell me about this before?" Their mama asked, and Julieta looked up.

"I thought that it was best that Bruno talked to her first, so that maybe he would come out of his shell a bit."

Alma hummed. "But, that didn't go so well, did it? Now Abigail hates Bruno and the two are never going to get married."

"I don't think she liked him before." Julieta added, but Alma raised her hand in the air, silencing her.

"I thought, Pepa, I told you that I didn't want Bruno to interfere." Mama said, turning towards her other daughter. Pepa stiffened.

"I'm sorry, Mama, I forgot."

Alma sighed. "Well, it's done now. I'll talk to Bruno when he comes out of his room and maybe there's a way to fix this. And I do not want either of you two involved at all anymore, understood?"

They nodded, and Alma stood up, leaving the room not long after. "I have jobs to attend to in the village, and I suggest you girls do the same."

Julieta sighed, playing with her hair. "I can't believe how concerned she is."

Pepa nodded. "Yeah...but, if Mama thinks that she and Bruno are supposed to get married, then I'm not surprised. I'm glad it went bad, though. I hate her."

"You've said that a million times already."

"I know."

Julieta got up and began preparing a plate for Bruno, who was still hiding in his tower. She really hoped that Mama wouldn't be too upset with Bruno, he didn't know what her plans for him were. And, he tried his best. But his best wasn't enough for Abigail.

Julieta, deep down, truly hoped that he would meet someone that loved him for all that he was. Someone that loved him when he was socially awkward, when he had bad visions, when he carried around his rats everywhere he went. She wasn't sure if Bruno was going to be this lucky.

A part of her felt bad about telling him that there was someone out there for him. There probably was, but in the village of Encanto? Not very likely. His status in the village as a curse tainted the minds of everyone that lived here, including their own mother.

She really wished that Bruno wouldn't be alone forever. He deserved so much more than that.

Julieta made her way to Bruno's room, a full plate in hand, and knocked on his door. Bruno opened it after a minute, his hair messier than usually, dry tear stains on his face. She could see a rat hiding on his shoulder, sniffing the air. Julieta held out the plate in offering.

"Hungry?"

Bruno nodded, taking the plate thankfully.

"Can I come in?" She asked, and Bruno backed away from the door, allowing her room to get into his dark room.

She walked through the hourglass doorway, no sand falling down it, thankfully. As she walked into the wide area, she observed that there were some more stairs leading up to his bed.

"More stairs?" She observed, and Bruno looked at it like it was the first time he had seen it.

"I guess. I didn't notice."

Bruno sat down on one of the stairs and began eating, feeding his rats at the same time. Julieta sat down on the floor across from him, dusting away the sand near her feet as she kneeled down.