Beat without a Melody | Camilo Madrigal

Blame

"Nonsense. Camilo sit down," Abuela laughed gesturing at the empty seats. Camilo's face remained empty and unfazed.

"I'm actually not hungry, I should head home before it gets dark," you smiled, declining the invitation to stay for dinner.

The family was very insistent you stay over, but Alma said she had something she'd wish to discuss with you later that evening so you reluctantly agreed.

They didn't force you to eat but they did insist you accompany them while they did. The family was rather more cheerful than you had expected.

"Please, enlighten us about how you learned to play such instrument." Alma asked you as she recognized your face from the band performances. "I, myself could never learn such barbaric instrument." she laughed.

Did she really just call the drums barbaric?

You were rather offended but not enough to make a fuss. After all, you were alive thanks to the miracle of this family. In a way, you owed them.

You took way too long to reply that Camilo had to nudge you back to remind you to reply before the room fills with awkwardness.

"Oh- I suppose I always found the melody boring without a beat which fueled a passion in drums," you answered briefly before holding your hands still to keep them from fidgeting.

It wasn’t that you felt uncomfortable, it's just that you'd rather not be here at all.

Camilo could see you trying to restrain yourself from showing any signs of discomfort or eagerness to be anywhere but here.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Camilo jumped up stretching his body. "It's time for bed!" he faked a yawn.

His cousins and siblings looked at him baffled since it was nowhere near late. He gave a look telling his siblings and cousins to go along.

They all looked at each other in contemplation before the room filled with yawns from the nieces and nephews as they stood up excusing themselves, leaving you with the befuddled adults.

You could hear whispering from just outside the dining room while you sat there just as curious as the adults from the uncalled whispering.

Eventually, the sound of Dolores' squeak grabbed everyone's attention as well as a person clearing their throat.

"We kinda forgot Y/n," she said almost a whisper, jerking her head, gesturing for you to follow her.

You got up and followed her out the dining room. To your surprise, all of the Madrigal Grandkids were waiting quietly outside.

"Abuela! We'll all be in Isabela's room!" Camilo shouted.

"Why my room?!" Isabela whisper-yelled, not quite pleased.

-

"So you're the candle child.." Isabela walked in circles around like a shark studying its prey.

"Candle child?" you asked, confused as you sat there uncomfortably.

"It's what we call the child the candle saved.. Which is.." Mirabel answered in attempts to defuse the tension with her tone.

"Right," you muttered to yourself.

"Isabela, stop. You're making her uncomfortable." Camilo rolled his eyes as he leaned on a big pot of rose bush.

"Like she should! Luisa is losing her powers and she might be the reason why!" Isabela exclaimed, pointing a finger at you.

You turned your head to who you assumed was Luisa basing from the way her body tensed up at the mention of the loss of her powers.

"You lost your powers?.." you asked, turning your head to Luisa.

Why was I guilty?

Before you could search for an answer Isabela scoffed.

"No one's to be blamed here, Isa." Mirabel pleaded, trying to calm her furious sister.

No one to blame but me.

"Isa, maybe you should be more nicer to the person who might save the miracle." Camilo sighed, taunting his older cousin with a reason to treat you better.

He knew how to get under his family's skin.