Dolores sighed as she eyed the group of girls that she had gone to school with clutched together like a litter of kittens all mewing for their next meal. She wished that she could join them. She used to, before the fall of Casita a couple of days ago, hear them talking about hair, clothes, and Boys, and she would have wanted nothing more than to join them. But they didn't want her. She used to be friends with one of the girls, Maria, back when they were little and life was simpler and the pressure of being a Madrigal wasn't as much. She remembered being in that huddle with them, back when they were still in school, years ago really. It had been fun until Isabela started joining in. Isabela moved in and Dolores was kicked to the curb. All because Abuela had insisted that Isabela spend less time playing futbol and more time with the other girls in the Encanto.

"What's the sour look for?" a voice called out behind her, causing her to jump, she wasn't used to people being able to sneak up behind her like that. It never could happen beforehand.

"Geeze whiz, Isa, you startled me!" Dolores exclaimed, turning around to glare at her prima, who shrugged, "You used to do it all the time to me," she insisted.

"I didn't mean to!" Dolores snapped, "I literally couldn't tell what was a normal noise and what was a sound that only I could hear. How was I to know that I walk so quietly?"

"The first couple of times that you snuck up on me might have been used as a clue," Isabela deadpanned, "What are you even looking at?"

"Nothing," Dolores said quickly, glancing up at the sky, "Wow look at the time," she announced, "I really should be going, I promised Mami that I'll watch Antonio so she and Papi can go on a date."

"I thought Mirabel was watching him," Isabela spoke up, "And why are you watching Maria and her clueless crew gossip? Trust me, all they ever talk about is who likes who, what everyone is wearing, and how they did their make-up. They don't have two brain cells between the five of them."

"They used to be my friends you know before you turned them against me," Dolores snapped, "Not that you cared, you saw them, you wanted them, so you got them. Just like with Mariano!"

Isabela frowned at the outburst, trying to make heads or tails of it as Dolores stomped away.

Isabela shook her head, brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and raced after her, "Dolores, wait, what are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Dolores snapped, "You just waltz in and take whatever you want and you can get away with it because you're Isabela Madrigal!"

Isabela stopped, shocked, this was her argument with Mirabel all over again, Dolores was, like Mirabel, accusing her of being a selfish, entitled Princess, but this was different, this was Dolores, she knew everything, she heard everything, she knew that she was being forced to do those things for Abuela. Right? Then again, did it really matter that she had been wearing a mask? She was still the one that was mean to Mirabel and…

"Wait, what about Mariano?" Isabela demanded.

"I liked him, Okay?" Dolores admitted with a huff, "I was trying to work up the courage to ask him out when you swooped in and claimed him for yourself, and I'm sure that once Casita is rebuilt and everybody calms down some, you'll say yes to his proposal and get married and live happily ever after."

"I don't even like Mariano, Dolores, you know that!"

"It doesn't matter, because Mariano likes you! And who in their right mind will choose me over you? You're beautiful and you grow beautiful flowers, and I… half the time my curls are out of control, and all I can do is hear all the latest gossip."

"That's not true," Isabela insisted, "Who told you that."

"They did," Dolores said, nodding towards the group of women that she had been watching, "When you started to hang out with them, they kind of… sort of… didn't want me hanging out with them anymore."

"Dolores, I had no idea," Isabela whispered, "and as for Mariano, he'd be an even dumber big hunk than I thought if he doesn't give you a chance."

"That's great and all, but…" Dolores trailed off with a shrug, "I'll be fine, I don't want to be the girl to steal another girl's boyfriend, especially not yours."

Isabela frowned, pursing her lips together, this wouldn't do, this wouldn't do at all. She wasn't sure what to do about it, but she knew someone that probably did. She needed to find Mirabel.

…

Mirabel was sitting at the edge of the fountain, a basket full of mending at her feet.

"Mirabel, I need your help," Isabela shouted racing forward and grabbing her sister by the arm.

Mirabel looked up, staring at her in confusion, "What?"

"Dolores likes Mariano!" Isabela announced.

"What!" Mirabel demanded, putting her sewing away as she shot her sister a confused look.

"Dolores likes Mariano, but she's never said anything about it because I was dating him, even though she knew that I didn't like him, and she was afraid that he would never like her that way after being with me."

"Okay?"

"So, we need to get Dolores and Mariano together!" Isabela insisted, "I mean it's the least I can do, seeing as I broke Mariano's heart and all."

"You want to set the guy you just broke up with yesterday up with our prima?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Isabela said, shrugging.

"Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?"

"I know, which is why the first thing we need to do is get a gauge of how Mariano feels about Dolores, but if I ask him about it, it will be so messed up, but if you ask it…"

"You want me to go up to your ex… and ask him if he knows Dolores?"

"Yes, and try to get him to talk about something that he and Dolores have in common, you know, talk her up, get him interested."

"What do they have in common?"

"Let's see, Mariano likes writing love poems, they are so overly mushy and romantic and make me want to gag, but…"

"That is exactly the kind of thing that Dolores loves," Mirabel guessed, "She's always listening to couples reciting poetry to each other," her smile dropped, "At least, she used to…"

"Hey, none of that," Isabela urged, "Operation get Dolores and Mariano together is a go. Now go find Mariano."

Mirabel rolled her eyes, handing Isabela the workbasket she was using, "Okay, fine, can you take this back to the church for me then, I'll find Mariano."

…

Mirabel was honestly surprised that she hadn't put up more of a fuss, then again, this was the first time any member of her family came to her for help that didn't require a thread and needle. It felt good knowing that Isabela wanted her help, even if it was to set up her ex with their prima, but hey, if it worked out she'll be responsible for setting them up, that will be good right?

Mirabel found Mariano working on Casita, "Hey," she said, "How's it going?"

"Well, let's see?" Mariano said, setting down his hammer and wiping his brow, "Your sister dumped me yesterday after I nearly proposed the day before, so I guess that I could be better."

"Hey, I tried to warn you," Mirabel shrugged.

"You told me that I could marry her if I wanted to."

"I also told you that she was kind of a Prima Dona, although… now that I know her better, that's really an act, she's just a wild child. She loves the jungle, carnivorous plants, bold color choices and running around and being loud and messy… and… you're not any of that…"

Mariano chuckled, "No, no I'm not, honestly I should have noticed earlier that she wasn't into me. We dated for over a year and I never noticed that she wasn't happy. I should have known something was wrong when she couldn't tell me what her favorite part of my poem was. She knew nothing about Poetry."

"Yeah, if you want to talk about Poetry with someone in mi familia, you should probably talk to Dolores, she listened to you, you know, while your writing your poetry at night."

"She heard my poetry."

"Yes, it's really good, I don't understand why you haven't shared it with anyone other than your mother and Isa… don't listen to what Isa says about the poems, she doesn't get it."

"Holy Moley," Mirabel gasped, "Dolores what are you doing here?"

"They're working on my room and they wanted me to pick out the colors, and I happened to hear you say my name and…" Dolores shrugged.

"So, which one of my poems is your favorite?"

"The one about how you're a cloud floating and changing across the sky. It really gives an insight about what's important to you and the most important parts of your personality."

"Really, personally I prefer the one with the chiming bells."

"I haven't heard the complete version yet, you kept revising it."

"Well," Mariano said, offering Dolores his arm, "Let's head over to my house and I'll read it to you. Do you like lulada?"

…

Isabela looked up as Mirabel entered the church gasping for breath, "Isa, your plan worked a little too well," she announced.

"What do you mean?"

"I was supposed to put in a good word for Dolores right?" Mirabel asked, "Well, they're on a date right now."

"Really," Isabela asked, "Already?"

"Well, Mariano is showing Dolores his poems... that's a date right?"