Mirabel's Best Friend

6 Years Old

Mirabel Madrigal was six when she met Casandra Madrigal.

Granted the little six year old girl didn't know who Casandra was then.

It was her first birthday after her failed gift ceremony. Most kids she guessed would have been excited about their 6th birthday. But the Madrigals had been on edge the entire day. It was like they were going threw the motions they were suppose to.

Needless to say what finally broke Mirabel was when she realized that Abuela had forgotten to get her a gift. So the six year old had left the party and entered her room to cry. Her mother and father had followed and tried get to understand but Mirabel was six there was only so much she was going to get or understand.

Which led to her up in the nursery far past her bedtime, staring at the nursery sadly. Wondering why again lie she had for the past several years why she hadn't been given a room or door.

She probably would have stay up all night thinking about that if not for the soft knock at her door.

"Go away!" Mirabel replied not thinking.

But Casita opened the door anyway and a girl Mirabel didn't know came in. She wore glasses and was dressed in a light blue dress.

"Hola!" The strange girl smiled shyly, "Abuela said I should visit. I brought you a gift!"

That caused Mirabel to raise an eyebrow, "Abuela said that?"

The girl nodded and smiled, "I hope you like the gift!"

Mirabel took the badly wrapped box from her as she flopped on the bed next to hear. Mirabel read the scribble name on it, "C...Cas?"

Cas nodded, "I'm Cas and your Mira right?"

"Yeah," Mirabel nodded as she started opening the box, a little confused as to why she was so here late at night, it was past her bedtime after all.

Mirabel opened to see a book inside, she pulled it out to see it was a child's guide to embroidering.

"You like it right?" Cas smiled brightly, "There are also a lot of butterfly patterns in here too."

It was a nice idea but it started making Mirabel cry, "I like it but I don't know how. Abuela was going to teach me but....but Abuela never spends time with me anymore."

Cas looked shocked then angry, "Then my Abuela can teach you and my Tia Maria. Tia Maria is great at making pretty things. Look at all the butterflies on my dress!" She motioned to all the golden butterflies on the pale blue dress."

"They are pretty....they wouldn't mind?" Mirabel asked surprised anyone wanted to spend time with the giftless Madrigal.

"No my family is great and wouldn't mind at all," Cas explained, "and it's huge! Let me tell you about them!"

.....

Mirabel woke up the next morning and probably would have thought Cas and her huge amazing family, bigger than even Mirabel's, were a dream if not for the book on the nightstand.

She tried to thank Abuela for her new friend but Abuela just looked at her and said she was too old for imaginary friends.

....

It was several months before Mirabel saw that girl again. When she did it was evening and she was going to stay up a bit in her room playing with her toys before bed when she heard a thud under her bed.

Mirabel dropped down immediately and saw under her bed a familiar pair of blue glasses, "Cas?"

It was indeed the girl from her birthday months ago. She looked like she had been crying.

The girl just buried her face in her arms and sobbed.

Not liking crying or people being upset Mirabel pulled herself under the bed beside her and wrapped her in a hug, "Why are you crying?"

"My papi died," Cas cried, "I don't....I just don't know what to do.....Mom still isn't home....Abuela is busy with Jaime.....God already took Abuelo why did he take Papi too?"

Mirabel was six and had no answers for the girl. So she just hugged her new friend. She also cried a little too.

.....

Mirabel decided Cas was her best friend two weeks later.

Cas had no schedule on when she showed but Mirabel was never busy so it didn't bother her. This was Cas' 5th visit. The last two times Cas had stayed in Casita with Mirabel helping clean, make lunch with her and play with her stuff toys, and read together, Cas was a little better than Mira at reading but Cas said it was because she was a year older. She was already 7 vs Mira's 6.

Well, today they decided to go out and play soccer.

Cas was carrying the soccer ball as Mira skipped ahead on her hoping to get her cousin Camilo to play too, "Camilo!"

Camilo was with a group of kids in the plaza and he looked embarrassed as he was Mirabel.

"Cami! This is Cas were going to go play ball want to come?" Mirabel asked excitedly.

"Um, no. I told you not to bother me in town, remember," Camilo told her as he looked at all his friends behind them, "No, one wants to hang out with you. Leave."

Mirabel felt the tears well but in her eyes as she watched Camilo turn around to leave. But....Camilo was suppose to be her best friend....

Suddenly the ball sailed and hit Camilo in the head causing him to stumble for a minute and turned back to look at the very angry girl next to Mirabel.

"You're such a jerk!" Cas yelled at him before taking Mirabel's hand and tugged her away from Camilo and the rude children, "Come on, Mira. We can go play by ourselves."

Mirabel felt more tears come down her cheeks though. Because that was the first time in a while someone had stood up for her.