°•.˜"*°•𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓭 •°*"˜.•° (C. Madrigal X Reader)

Chapter one hundred and twenty five: Commotion

I gave Miguel a puzzled look before making my way to the door. I turned the doorknob and gasped.

As I stepped out of my childhood room and descended down the floating stairs, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The house that had been quiet and empty just a few moments ago was now filled with people, music, and laughter. It was as if the entire town had gathered to celebrate Camilo and I's return.

As I made my way down the stairs, I was greeted by a sea of familiar faces, old teachers, people that I used to see everyday in the town plaza, and even some old classmates. The air was thick with the scent of delicious food, no doubt Tia Julieta's doing, and the sound of lively conversation.

I was amazed to see that the Madrigals and my family had thrown a party in our honour, complete with decorations, music, and even a makeshift dance floor that took me back to the parties we had in Casita before. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes, and I couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support.

As I made my way through the crowd, greeting old acquaintances, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. It was like I had been transported back to my childhood and everything felt familiar and comforting. I was grateful to be surrounded by so many people who had played such an important role in my life.

But I couldn't help but look for the friends that were most important to me during my time in Encanto. My eyes were scanning the room, searching for the familiar faces of my childhood. My heart leapt when I spotted a group of old friends huddled together in a corner. They looked a little older, a little wiser, but still unmistakably the same people that I had spent my lunchtimes with everyday at school.

I made my way over to them, and as I approached, they turned to me with open arms and wide smiles.

"Y/n!" Amelia said, embracing me.

She was all grown up, looked as sweet and energetic as ever. She had long, curly, brown hair that cascaded down her back in loose ringlets, just as I remembered. Her eyes sparkled with the same mischievous glint I remembered from our younger years.

"Oh, sorry about that!" she said, taking off the flour-dusted apron that had accidentally gotten flour onto me "I came straight from work!"

"Work?" I repeated.

"Mhm! I took over my father's bakery and I'm working on expanding the business!" she answered proudly "Oh, it's just so great to see you again, Y/n!"

"It's great to see you too" I said before turning towards the rest of the group "All of you."

Emilio waved at me. He looked different, of course, but there was something in his eyes that I recognized. He was always a quiet and easily flustered kid, and it seemed that not much had changed in that regard. He wore his hair short now, the short ponytail long gone, and his face was more angular than it had been when we were kids.

"So what are you doing nowadays, Emilio?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Ah, well- Um..." Emilio began "Well, right now, I'm working as something of a delivery boy for Ames' bakery. I'm still trying to figure out what I wanna do in the future like...A real career but right now, I'm good where I am."

Emilio still seemed a bit shy. But I could definitely hear a hint of confidence in his voice as he spoke about his job.

"You'll be fine, Em" Ruben says, joining the conversation

Ruben had always been an athletic kid. If he wasn't with us or his family, he was playing soccer with the rest of the soccer team with boundless energy. I remember that in our senior year of highschool, Ruben had sent Camilo and I a letter about how he had become the captain of the soccer team. Even now, he had a muscular and fit build.

What really caught my eye were the bandages wrapped around his arms. I remembered how he used to wear them as a fashion statement since the school staff weren't allowed to tell him to take off bandages as a part of the school rules. It seemed like he still wore them as such, a small act of rebellion.

He caught me staring at them and grinned at me.

"You like them?" he asked, rolling his sleeves up so I could see the intricate wrappings better.

"Phht-" I sputtered "I guess some things never change, huh?"

He shrugged at me before scooting closer to Emilio. I didn't want to explicitly ask about their relationship status but judging by the way that Emilio looked at Ruben, I'd say that not much has changed about how they feel about each other since Camilo and I had left.

"Ruben is working on starting a soccer program for the kids here," Emilio told me.

"I may be a bit older than when we last saw each other but I can still destroy anybody on the soccer field," Ruben added.

"Riiiight," Camilo responded sarcastically, walking up to us all.

"Camilo!" Amelia and Emilio exclaimed in unison.

"Oh, you wanna play?" Ruben asked, challenging Camilo.

"I'm ready when you are, Ruben" Camilo answered, rolling his sleeves up as well.

"No no, we're not doing this right now," Amelia said, pushing Ruben and Camilo away from each other "Right now, we are enjoying this party to celebrate Camilo and Y/n's return, okay?"

"Fine, fine" Camilo said, letting his sleeves fall back over his arms "Next time though?"

"Of course, Camilo," Ruben said.

We continued catching up on old times, talking about our shared memories. I even got to hear stories from before and after I was in Encanto. All of us laughed and joked as if no time had passed at all. What really struck me was how everyone still had the same infectious enthusiasm and passion for life as they did back in highschool. It was comforting to see that some things never change, even as we grow and move on with our lives.

Camilo and I talked about the organization that we had created to help other families blessed with miracles. I couldn't help but talk with pride in my voice, thinking of what Camilo and I had accomplished together, what we had created to help others all over the world. It had been a long journey, but the smiles that we saw on the faces of the families that we had helped meant everything to me.

However, my thoughts were interrupted by a commotion at the center of the main area. A young boy, no more than eight years old, had materialized in the middle of the party.

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Oh my gosh, I promise that this book will end eventually, I'm not trying to drag it out, I swear.

-Kolour