Chapter 11:
(Pepa POV)
I made my way back to Casita and snuck up to my room. I had caused enough damage today and I just wanted to hide-away for a while. I was still really glad the Felix came to get me. I laid back in bed exhausted in more way than I could count. I heard a knock on the door and leaned up to see Julieta and Bruno coming into my room. I smiled at them. I saw a look on Julieta's face, "Is everything alright?" I asked and she nodded her head, "Yeah everything is great. There is just something I have to tell you." I looked over at Bruno and back at her, "Ok." I said skeptically. She took a breath, "I am dating Augustin Sanchez." I pulled her arm down to sit next to me, "You are going to explain everything to me right now."
(Felix POV)
I made my way back to my shack and laid down. I had unofficially taken the day off of work, I might as well use it to catch up on some sleep. I heard a knock on my door and got up to see Augustin was there. I looked down at his hand and saw he had a bag. Was it finally happening? I have been asking him for years to move in with me and it looked like it was finally happening, "Finally getting out I see." I adjusted myself so that he could walk in, "Come in." I had him make his way over to my couch, "Alright so tell me everything." I said.
He began explaining everything and I had to listen carefully to make sure that I was hearing everything right. I sat down on the couch as Felix walked sat down next to me, "Alright so you were struck by lightning..." "Yes." "Julieta healed you..." "Yes." "Your Papa basically called you a wimp again..." "Yes." "He yelled at Julieta..." "Yes." "You finally stood up to him..." "Yes." "And now you are moving out," I finished and he nodded his head. My eyes widened wow. "That is pretty much everything." He said before adding "Oh yeah, I told Julieta I liked her and she kissed me so we are dating now." My jaw dropped, "YOU DIDN'T START WITH THAT!" He just started laughing "I was trying to explain why I needed a place to sleep."
I rolled my eyes and huffed, "Please you know I have been trying to get you to move in with me since we were 15." He nodded his head, "Yeah but I wanted to be able to contribute more. Speaking of which..." He placed a wad of cash in my hand and I was starting to shake my head, "I will be helping to pay for stuff." I wanted to object. I was trying to object but my mouth was just physically incapable of doing it. Probably because I knew that it was going to be tough having another person living here and I could really use the money, "Fine. Maybe I can actually cut back on some hours with your help." We continued talking, going over everything we would need to know that we were going to be roommates.
He then looked over at me and asked, "So when are you going to ask Pepa out?" I looked up at him as he smirked, "What I pay attention." I shook my head, "We are just friends besides her and Hernando have been together for years now." Augustin nodded his head, "Yeah but Hernando is a tool." I sighed as Hernando's words kept replaying in my head, "A tool from a respected family in town." He looked at me, "He you know that your Mama..." he started and I nodded my head, "Yeah I know." I knew that she had loved me and that she saved a lot of people in town. I knew that if she could have been here in town with me my life could have been different, but I really didn't want to think about that.
(Pepa POV)
I really just wanted to see Augustin and Julieta together after years of Felix and I trying to make this happen. I also needed to know if I had to apologize for striking him with lightning. We went to the Sanchez house and were surprised to find out that Augustin had just moved out. Julieta turned to look at me, "Where does Felix live again?" I tried to feign innocence I didn't want to admit the number of times that I had gone to his house for the many different reasons that I have stopped by, "How do you expect me to know that?" She gave me a look and I knew that she didn't believe me. I sighed, "Near the edge of town close to the fields where he works. Come on I know a short cut." I began to guide her through a back way until we saw his shack.
I walked up to his door and began to bang on it. Julieta's eyes widened as she looked at me, "Really?" I shrugged, "I wanted an immediate response." Felix opened the door and I began pointing at Julieta he seemed to be getting the hint, "It is for you." He said and Augustin made his way around to where we were. I looked back and forth between Augustin and Julieta before finally turning to Felix. Clearly I had to say something or else we would be stuck in this doorway all night, "Can we come in?" Felix and Augustin each stepped away from the door and Augustin and Julieta went over to the couch. I turned to Felix and we walked over to his bed and sat back there.
"It looks like the Augustin-Julieta task force was finally successful," I whispered and he nodded his head, "Yeah thanks to some tough love and lightning they finally admitted to everything." I stifled a laugh, "I should probably apologize to Augustin at some point for that. Felix shrugged, "I don't really think that he is mad about it. It gave him the push he needed to move out of his Papa's house." I nodded my head, "Yeah I guess you are right." I watched as Augustin leaned down and kissed Julieta. I groaned, "What have we created?" Felix laughed, "Get a room." He shouted. They both looked up and over at us. Augustin began gesturing to the couch, "Technically this is my room." Felix and I both started to laugh as he nodded his head, "I think that we might have created a nightmare."
I turned so that I was completely facing him, "Well let's talk like this so that we don't have to pay attention to him." He readjusted himself so he was facing me like that to, "Alright. So who should we set up next?" He asked. I smiled, "Well I am the one talking to the great matchmaker who do you think we should do?" "Great Matchmaker?" He asked and I laughed, "Don't tell me you forgot it was at a town festival. I think it was 2 years ago. You matched up every single, single guy and girl there on the dance floor." He shrugged, "Yeah, so." I laughed, "So 3 of the couples you set up are still dating and I think that Sarah just got engaged." He leaned back, "Wow I am the Great Matchmaker." We both started to laugh. I glanced back over at them and so did Felix, "They really do look great together." I said. "Yeah the task force did good."
(Felix POV)
- one week later -
I looked myself over in the bathroom as I finished getting ready. I fixed my tie in the mirror and nodded my head leaving the bathroom. I saw Augustin, "You ready to go to the Firefly Festival?" He nodded his head. He reached over and picked up a gift for Julieta. I shook my head at that but still I wasn't going to say anything. Enrique was required to give us the day off for this festival. I had been cutting back on the fields I have been working on slightly because Augustin has been helping me pay for stuff. I was even getting closer to being able to pay for my own house in town in a few years.
(Pepa POV)
I was getting myself ready and looking over everything in the mirror when Mama walked into my room, "You look great mija." I smiled, "Thank you Mama." She brushed some of my hair over my shoulder, "When Hernando sees you in town at the festival today he is going to be speechless." I nodded my head. I let out a breath, "Mama I'm not sure if Hernando and I are really the best thing anymore." I lifted up an earring to see how it would look. She sighed looking at me, "It is fine to have doubts mi vida but trust me when I say that he is so good for you and so good for our family." I nodded my head as she rubbed up and down on my arms, "I am so proud of you Pepa. You are making me really proud." I smiled, "Yes Mama." She kissed the top of my head before asking me, "Is Felix coming today?" I nodded my head, "Yeah he is." She smiled, "Good he is such a fine young man and so good for Encanto." I nodded my head, "Yeah he is."
(Felix POV)
We were walking into town and the entire way was lined with lanterns and lights and it looked like everyone was having a good idea. We made our way to the center of town as he was looking for Julieta. That was when I saw her. "Pepa," I said and she turned around to face me. Julieta was next to her but I was focused on Pepa. Her long, curly red hair fell down to her waist. Some of her hair was braided framing her face. She wore a bright yellow dress and had a bright smile on her face with so embroidered suns along the hem of the skirt. I smiled at her, "You look great." She smiled at me, "Thank you."
I looked over at Julieta and Augustin, "I believe we have lost them." She nodded her head, "Yeah it looks like we did." She began looking around, "Everything ok?" She nodded her head, "Yeah I'm just looking for Hernando." I felt my heart drop but I kept my smile and nodded my head, "I haven't seen him sorry." She nodded her head, "I'm going to look around." I nodded my head, "Find me later. We can figure out what the next task force is going to be." She laughed, "Absolutely. I will see you later."
(Pepa POV)
I began making my way around town and I turned a corner and saw "Hernando?" The better view I saw I realized that he was not alone. That was when Martina Perez turned to face me. Her lipstick was smeared across his lips and his shirt was unbuttoned. "Pepa, what are you doing here?" I looked back and forth between them shaking my head, "I don't think you are in the position of asking me that Hernando." Martina quickly put herself together and left. She whispered, "I'm sorry Pepa." And disappeared into the crowd. I looked back at him.
"You owe me an explanation Hernando. How long has that been going on?" He rolled his eyes, "Don't be so dramatic Pepa." I gasped, "How am I being dramatic right now?" He pointed at the cloud over my head, "That right there is saying you're being dramatic. God why does the whole Encanto need to suffer when Pepa is unhappy." I looked at him, "I never asked for it." "Yeah but, your emotions are just so... volatile. Who could ever love you?" I looked down at my feet, "I-I thought..." He let out a breath, "Look. We are from two important families in Encanto. It was a good match but, I don't love you. I love Martina and I am done pretending otherwise." I looked at him, "So what were you going to do? Break-up with at the festival?" He didn't say anything, "Hernando?" He let out a breath, "I just planned on not asking you to the next town festival." I could feel the drops of water hitting my hair. He groaned, "For the love of... don't ruin everyone else's night because you are having a meltdown."
He walked away and I tired to calm myself was a cloud over my head, "Go away," I angrily started to say trying to shove it away, "Go away... Just Go Away." Each time I pushed it away a new one would form. I looked out at the crowd and saw that it hadn't gone to them yet. I leaned my back against the wall of a building in the alleyway. I was going to have to be miserable. No one else needed to be.
I couldn't believe this was happening. Why did this need to happen? How could he do this to me? Was he right? I could feel the storm brimming over my head as a quiet thunder began to rumble. This wasn't going to be good and everyone in town was here. All this would do is prove him right. I really didn't want to prove him right but I didn't know how to stop this. I was just too mad, sad and everything in between. I kept glancing up trying to contain my misery so I was the only one who felt it but I didn't know how long that was going to last