Runaway(an Encanto AU)

Chapter 11

     Dolores slowly shook her head, knowing exactly what I was thinking, but I ignored it and got up, "WAIT!" I didn't answer her and continued on my trek straight to the casita, but Dolores was persistent, "stop! No! You're wrong!"

     "Tell me where I'm wrong Dolores! He hurt you! He hurt the family! Camilo said he even hurt the casita itself!" I did not stop to say any of that, and in fact walked faster, fueled by the hurt the whole family has felt.

     "But Camilo-"

     She was desperate but my mind was set, "even if he's telling a tall tale, everyone else has had something to say!"

     "Just stop and listen! You're not hearing everything I'm saying!"

     "I've heard enough to know what to do! Isabella said he made you cry! You keep blaming yourself because he took me! My mother missed my childhood! I only met Antonio a few days ago! I didn't get to grow up with my own sisters and cousins, even being taught to run away from them! There's nothing left to argue!" I made it to the casita before Dolores could try to stop me. To my surprise, I saw Bruno on the stairs, Luisa close behind.

     "MIRABEL!" he shouted, running towards me, "Mirabel! You have to listen to me! I had a vis-"

     "YOU STOLE ME FROM MY HOME!"

     Dolores covered her ears and Bruno froze, not expecting this at all, "what?"

     "YOU MADE ME RUN FROM MY OWN FAMILY AND LIVE ON SCRAPS! AND FOR WHAT!?"

     "Mirabel I-"

     "DOLORES THINKS ITS HER FAULT! MY PARENTS WEREN'T IN MY LIFE! AND THE CASITA IS BREAKING BECAUSE YOU ABANDONED AND BETRAYED YOUR FAMILY!!" The room was silent, Bruno's face went from surprise, to guilt, to hurt. But he didn't say anything to argue with me. I was boiling with rage and shoved my finger into his chest. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING! YOU DIDN'T EVEN STOP TO TALK ABOUT IT! YOU JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO KIDNAPPING ME FROM THE NURSERY! DID YOU EVER REALLY CARE ABOUT ME!?" In the spur of the moment, I had one final thing to say, "I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!"

     I could see the pain in his eyes, the way his eyebrows knit with heartbreak and shame, the way he stepped back with a shallow breath, but he didn't try to argue, "I...see." He just backed up a few more steps, looked at me, then lowered his gaze and hollowly drifted to the front door. I watched him until they shut behind him, blocking my line of sight.

     "Mira-" Luisa tried but I cut her off.

     "I want to be alone!" I stomped upstairs to the nursery and locked myself in, wanting the space to process my emotions.

     I was angry, but sad? Didn't Bruno turn out to be bad news? But that didn't change the fact that he raised me. In the end I felt guilty, but still overall angry. I cried angry tears, and sad ones. It felt like I was experiencing every emotion under the sun besides happiness.

     I ended up staring out the window, watching the birds, the trees, the leaves. The birds reminded me of Antonio. I wondered about him. He was usually around when he noticed I was upset. He was probably playing with the other kids his age. I was envious of that, but I was more happy for him than anything else. Slowly, the calm, quiet nature of the space outside the window dumbed down my emotions until I felt numb to the world. My thoughts matched, quiet, meditative, calm. It stayed that way with me hugging my knees until I heard talking outside my door. It sounded worried yet critical, "she was being impulsive and irrational! She wasn't listening!"

     "It's for the best," that was abuela

     "What do we do about Bruno?" a third voice asked, Luisa.