Chapter 13:

(Isabella POV)

- 6 weeks later -

Caleb started to talk to people in town now and most of them were open to answering some of his questions. No one knew if they trusted him or not but, they knew he did save Nina Ramierez. The Ramierez's were a big family in Encanto and were really respected being responsible for the grain distribution in town. He was more insistent on going into town after work now and he kept trying to figure out who else had powers. Everyone was holding it really close to their chest that it is only my family who gets these powers and my family was trying to stop him from realizing the pattern. A part of me just wanted to tell him at this point, let the novelty wear off already so that he would realize it isn't that special anymore, but that wasn't going to happen. Mirabel made it clear that it was the family's choice if and when they prevented their gifts and besides Mama and I (and possibly Luisa and Tía Pepa) he couldn't be certain about anyone having or not having powers.

I still grew weeds and made his job for difficult for Enrique but I laid off slightly. I wasn't really sure why. I was walking with him in town after work as he was talking with someone in the marketplace when I noticed someone was following us. I smiled and grew a cactus right in front of her and she looked up at me wide-eyed and gave me a weak smile. I nudged Caleb's arm slightly and he turned to face me, "You have a fan. " I whispered. He looked over and saw Nina was waving meekly. I smirked and gestured my head for her to come over. "So I noticed you have been following us around for a while," I said and she turned bright red. I shook my head before growing a wild flower and letting her pick it up, "You want to talk to Caleb?" She nodded her head and I looked up at Caleb and he smiled shaking his head kneeling down, "Hey kid. How have you been?" She shrugged, "They have been working on re-building our house. We have to live with my Tío right now." I nodded my head, "Do you like it there?" She shrugged again, "It's alright I guess. Are you two ok? I know that you ran in after me." She looked down at the ground almost embarrassed.


(Caleb POV)

I don't know why this little girl wanted to talk to me. According to Isabella she has been following us for a little bit. It has been a month since the fire I guess, I hoped she would have forgotten about me by now. I knew she probably would never forget it but, I hoped that she would. "Hey kid. How have you been?" She shrugged and I wasn't sure why but, I didn't like it, "they have been working on re-building our house. We have to live with my Tío right now." Isabella stepped in, "Do you like it there?" She shrugged again, "It's alright I guess. Are you two ok? I know that you ran in after me." I knew what she was thinking. I knew that look on her face. I knew what was going through her head, "Hey it was a fire. None of us could have controlled it." she shrugged again, "I guess." I looked down at my glove and began to self-consciously rub along the top of them. I can't pull them down. I knew that I couldn't. I don't know why the thought was even crossing my mind. Suddenly a voice called out for Nina, "I have to go." Isabella smiled at her, "Will I see you at the festival." She smiled nodding her head, "Yeah Mama got me a new dress and everything." Isabella laughed, "Ok I'll make sure to tell Daniela and Laura." Nina brightly smiled and nodded her head before running off.

Isabella stood up and I looked at her, "Who are Daniela and Laura?" She began to walk, "Daniela is my cousin's daughter and my goddaughter and Laura is my adopted cousin." She looked at me and added, "Nina is just a little bit older than them and they all play in town together sometimes." I nodded my head and we started to walk again, "You know there are a lot of important families in town..." I started and she nodded her head, "I know." I looked at her, "But your family seems to be the most important of them." She stopped for a moment before looking over at me and letting out a breath, "You noticed that." I nodded my head, "Yeah especially when the kids talk about the Amazing Madrigals. Or story time with a Camilo Madrigal." I quirked my brown and she bit her bottom lip, "Yeah that would be my you met him that day of the town meeting he was watching the kids in town. You asked about him and his wife. Anyway he helps out a lot with the kids and usually does that with his wife." She stiffened and I had an idea, "Well why don't we stop by and see what they are doing." She looked up at the clock, "Well I don't think that they are there anymore today." I nodded my head, "Well why don't we stop by tomorrow."

She looked at me and smiled, "Well tomorrow is a big town festival so I'm not sure if he is going to do it." I was surprised by this, "There is a town festival?" She nodded her head, "Yeah I just mentioned it to Nina." She did? I thought it over in my head, she had. I don't know why that didn't register before. I looked at her, "Well are you going?" She nodded her head, "Kind of have to. Important family and all of that." I nodded my head. I don't know why I asked. I took a breath, "Am..." I stopped myself and she turned to look at me, "What?" I shook my head, "It is nothing." She nodded her head.

We continued to walk and she looked at me, "So what time do you want me to bring you to the festival tomorrow?" I was taken aback, "I'm going?" She shrugged, "If you want to. No one in town is going to have a problem with it and you are allowed to be here for a year. We have a couple of different festivals. Might as well test the waters now." I half-smirked, "Yeah that sounds like fun. But, won't I be stepping on your dates toes?" I asked. She shook her head, "I don't have a date." "No one asked you?" I was surprised by that. She seemed to have a lot of the guys in towns attention. She shook her head again, "No they asked." "But you don't have a date," I said again and she nodded her head repeating me, "But I don't have a date. What time?" "Um I'm working a morning shift for Enrique," I started to say and she nodded her head, "Then I will meet you at the shack around 5." I gave her a half-smile, "Yeah see you at 5."


(Isabella POV)

- the next day -

I made my way downstairs and saw most of the family having breakfast, besides Olivia. She had been up sick in her room since Pedro's birthday and I could only hope that she felt better soon. Camilo looked exhausted as well and would try to check in with him later. I sat down and began to eat when Mirabel looked over at me, "Isabella are you coming to the festival today?" I nodded my head, "Yeah I'm bringing Caleb too around 5." She nodded her head, "How are things going with Caleb?" I shrugged, "The town is opening up to him more. I mean he has been here for 2 months and he only knows about my gift and Mama's, I think that he might actually stay the year."

Abuela harshly put down her silverware and I looked up at her, "Abuela?" She shook her head, "I don't understand why you all allow him to stay. We know nothing about him. Why do you trust him?" I shook my head, "I don't trust him Abuela. I just don't see the point in fighting the fact that he wants to stay here anymore." She rolled her eyes, "Please you spend all of your free time with him, you turn down every man in Encanto to take you to the festival but, you said yes to him. We all know what is happening." I shook my head, "First off, he didn't ask me to the festival. I asked what time he wanted to meet up for me to take him there. And yes I do spend all my free time with him but, that is because you have all made it my job to keep an eye on him." She let out a short breath, "Remember he is here for a year and then he leaves. He is an outsider and will never be a part of the community. Don't get too close." I pushed the chair out and nodded my head, "Don't worry Abuela. I won't." She gave me a look and I nodded my head, "I'm going to go check on the border and then get ready for the festival. I'll see you in town later." I walked off suddenly feeling a little more annoyed. I wasn't even friends with Caleb, was I? I mean we barely knew each other. Abuela was worrying about nothing.


(Caleb POV)

I don't know why but I felt nervous about the festival today. this was the first town event I as going to and now that the town seemed to somewhat tolerate me I wanted to use this to make. I looked myself over in the mirror and I think that it was enough. I had a grey button-up shirt and black pants. I pulled my work gloves up on my hands. I heard a knock on my door and went over to see Isabella. She was in the same type of gowns that she always wore that were a dark indigo blue with other colors stained along the skirt and different flowers along her waistline, wrist and hair. I didn't understand how it worked but it did. She smiled at me, "Ready to go?" I nodded my head, "Yeah let's go."


(Isabella POV)

We made our way into town for the Firefly Festival and everything seemed to already be underway. music was playing the smell of food filled the air and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I looked over at Caleb and his eyes widened as he looked around at everything. "Why do you guys have this festival?" He asked looking at me. I smirked as I looked around, "Well we have a few town celebrations throughout the year but this one is the Firefly Festival. My Abuela started it a few months after Encanto was formed. Many people were sad about the village that they left behind including Abuela. She went out into the fields hoping to look at the stars but the sky was completely covered in clouds. Suddenly a firefly flew out from the grass and then another, and another, until the entire sky was filled with them. They became the light in the darkness and she wanted to celebrate that with a town wide party." "So your Abuela ran this town for a while," Caleb said looking at me. I nodded my head, "She was the Candleholder before Mirabel was." He nodded his head, "And was Mirabel always being trained to be the Candleholder?" He asked. I shook my head, "No she wasn't." I gave him a short answer not wanting to go any further and he seemed to understand that.

We walked over to the edge of the dance floor and I smiled as I saw Mama and Papa dancing along with Tía Pepa and Tío Felix. It was my understanding that this festival was both pairs (un)official first date. I then saw Tío Bruno twirling around Laura and I smiled. They all seemed to be having so much fun. I heard Caleb clear his throat and I looked over at him. "Um so Isabella..." He started when Mariano and Dolores came over. "Isabella are you going to head out on the dance floor?" Dolores asked. I smiled, "When do I not?" Mariano nodded his head, "Yeah that was always your favorite part of these." "Well who are you going to take pity on first to bring you out here?" Dolores asked as she gestured to some of the guys in town looking over at us. I shrugged, "Let's see who finally asks me." Dolores rolled her eyes at the slight joke. Everyone in town knew that most of the available guys in town had already asked me out and I rejected them, that started to limit my dance options because no one wanted to be rejected publicly at a festival. "Well we are going to dance, I'll see you at home later." Dolores said as she walked off with Mariano.

I nodded my head and looked over at "Caleb." He was looking down at the ground and it looked like he wasn't sure what to do. I felt a little bad for him and I held out my hand, "Come on, let's have fun." He quirked his brow, "What does that mean?" I rolled my eyes, "On the dance floor. It is the most fun thing to do at these things." Before he could reject I listened to the upbeat sound of the music and knew that this would be the best chance to get them out there and I grabbed his arm bringing him out there. "Isabella," he started but I smiled shaking my head, "Come on this is the most fun festival in town." I said as I let him hold onto my hand and wrap my arm around my waist. We began to move around on the dance floor and I smiled when I realized that he actually knew what he was doing. He was a pretty good dancer. We worked our way around the dance floor and it was so much fun.


(Caleb POV)

As the song came to an end we began to walk back along the crowd. Isabella smiled at me, "You are a pretty good dancer." I rolled my eyes before looking down at the ground, "My parents used to love to dance around in our kitchen and eventually I um joined them for a bit." I said. I hadn't thought about that in years. We made our way to the refreshment table when I heard she let out a hmph, "What?" I asked looking at her. "Nothing," she said. I knew that it wasn't nothing, "Come on tell me."

She looked at me, "I was just thinking, you have been here two months to study Encanto" I nodded my head, "yet you never talk about where you are from." I swallowed a lump in my throat and began playing with the edge of my gloves. I turned and began walking around the table looking at the different food, "Oh I'm not from anywhere interesting." She rolled her eyes and looked at me, "I was born into a town isolated from the rest of the world by a mountain, trust me I would find it very interesting. Plus you have been asking about my family but, you never talk about yours." I stopped in my tracks and look at her from the other side of the table, "First you barely answer any questions I ever have about your family and my family is..." I was trying to think of the right way to say this, "complicated." I watched as she smiled to herself before walking around in front of me, "Tell you what tomorrow I will give you 5 questions that I will answer as long as it isn't about the gifts people in town have for 5 questions about you and where you are from." She held out her hand in front of me and I shook it, "Deal."