Author's Note:

So this story is going to follow Isabella. This first chapter is going to go through the events before and during the movie Encanto however, her story will primarily take place after Encanto. I hope that you enjoy this story and thank you for your continued support.

Chapter 1:

(Isabella POV)

I knew that everyone's hopes were on me. Everyone's hopes were always on me. Dolores' birthday wasn't for a month and Luisa was a baby so they wouldn't have to worry about this. We saw the doorframe arrive a week before my birthday like it had done for Mama, Tía Pepa and Tío Bruno but the miracle didn't give a gift to Papa or Tío Felix. I was the great hope for the family and Encanto.

"Isabella come downstairs mi perfecta floricita," Abuela called out as I took one last look at myself in the mirror. I had the perfect smile on my face, the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, everything was perfect. "Mi floricita," Abuela came into the room and looked me over, "You look wonderful, but you are missing one thing." She sat me down at the dresser and began to brush my hair making two tight braids as she tied them with a hair ribbon, "There we are you look perfect. Let's bring you downstairs." She grabbed my hand and brought me downstairs where everyone in town was waiting for me.

It didn't matter that this was the last thing I wanted to do on my birthday and that I much rather would have like it to be just with the family. It didn't matter that I hated my dress, my shoes, my hair and everything about this day. Abuela and the family were happy and that was all that was important. I kept a bright smile on my face as I walked around. "My Isabella will get the perfect gift, won't you floricita," Abuela would say as she took me from person to person. I would nod my head and smile but they weren't really looking for my input.

We walked up to the Guzmán family and saw Mariano talking to Dolores. I used it as a chance to slip away a little bit and go over and talk to them, "Hey guys." Dolores smiled at me, "Are you ready?" I nodded my head, "Yeah. It is going be great." I was terrified inside. Dolores sighed, "Yeah, but I am losing an amazing roommate." I laughed shaking my head, "You will be getting your own room soon enough." She nodded her head, "I suppose so. Still it must be strange for you, all of this." I wanted to scream that it was but, I kept myself together, "No stranger than it must have been for our parents." "Isabella," I heard my name being called by Abuela.

I excused myself and went over to her, "Wait behind the curtain. All eyes will be on you tonight." I did as she asked and started to play a game with myself. I imagined myself out in the fields where no one was around my hair was done and I was running around making a mess without a care in the world. I let out a breath as the curtains opened as I went to get my gift. It was time to start my lifetime performance of being perfect.

- 1 month later -

Tía Pepa had to rain all the fields today and it had made its way over to the town. The sun was out now but most of the adults had gone inside leaving the kids to be outside. I smiled as I watched Luisa playing with some of the other little kids in town. They ran over to me, most of them covered in mud, "Do you want to play too?" I smiled nodding my head. I began making flowers for them too as we were running in town. It was soon time for Luisa and I to go home. We walked into Casita and Abuela was frowning down at me, "Isabella what happened to your nice dress?" I opened and shut my mouth. She shook her head as she looked over at Luisa, "Let's clean you two up." Her lips never left her frown and I was very quiet. After I took a bath she was brushing through my hair muttering something about being careless. Abuela was upset with me. I didn't like it when Abuela was upset with me. I had to do better to keep her happy.

- 1 month later -

I looked around my room as more and more flowers were blooming. They just wouldn't stop growing from everything I touched and everything I did. I could usually keep it in control when I was in town or with the family but I could never relax. Every time I tried to this would happen. I snuck out of my room shutting the door trying to keep everything contained inside. I went down to Mama and Papa's room and knocked on the door. I heard a door open and saw that Dolores was looking at me, "Dolores you can't sleep either?" I asked as Mama opened the door.

Mama opened the door and looked down at me, "Ay Isabella what is wrong?" She looked over at Dolores, "Dolores is something wrong?" She shook her head and went back in her room and Mama refocused on me, "Everything alright mija." I looked down at my hands and back up at her, "They don't stop." She smiled at me, "Come on let's get something to eat. I'm sure we can figure out what to do." We went down into the kitchen and I saw Abuela was down there sitting looking up at the painting of Abuelo, "Isabella what are you doing up?" I looked to Mama before saying, "I just couldn't sleep."

She nodded her head as she looked me over. She looked sad. I closed my eyes and focused really hard and I watched as a vine made it's way from outside and a flower bloomed in front of her. She smiled as she picked it up. She came over and tapped me on the head, "Perfect mi floricita." I looked up at Mama, "Did I do the right thing?" She nodded her head, "Yes you did Isabella." So people like when I make pretty flowers. I need to control it. I will make pretty flowers for everyone in town. That will make them happy and that will make Abuela happy.

I never woke Mama up again at night. I spent my nights practicing my flowers. Practicing making them grow and practice making them do exactly what I want and soon enough I had everything under control. The flowers did whatever I wanted. No more never ending vines or flowers blooming with each step. I was perfect and that was how it was going to stay.

- 1 year later -

I couldn't believe that Mama and Tía both got pregnant at the same time. I made my home after spreading word of the party in town, including spelling out the invitation in flowers in the center of town. I made my way home and saw Dolores upstairs. I used my flowers to bring myself up to her. I focused on the vines in the flower box and made it wrap around the railing and a marigold bloomed in front of her, "Thank you." I knew that she was nervous about becoming an older sister but honestly I was relieved that there would be more of us with gifts in town. Maybe if they were perfect to I could relax a little bit, just a little bit.

I smiled taking her arm, "Becoming a big sister isn't all bad and hey at least this time we get to do it together. Now lets find Luisa and help her get ready." We all got ready and were getting to make our way down to the party. We descended down the stairs together when suddenly everyone in town came around asking for flowers. Dolores took Luisa to try and find one of my parents as I began to grow more and more flowers. Abuela came over to me, "My perfect Isabella." I nodded my head and smiled out to everyone in town.

Abuela had taken my arm like she did at most of these family parties and brought me around from person to person telling them how perfect I am. I usually gave them some type of flowers too which earned its own bout of praise. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was a boy from town I used to play with back when I could play, "May I have this dance Isabella?" I looked up at Abuela and she nodded her head.

Suddenly, I found my escape. I could dance at these parties. I wouldn't have to use my gift a hundred different time, I wouldn't have to be shown off to all the different people at the party, I could just dance. I wanted to stay out here for as long as I could and thankfully more and more people asked me to dance allowing me to expand my time out here with everyone.

I then saw Dolores on the outskirts of the party. She had a look on her face and I wanted to make sure that she was alright. I waited until the end of the dance and excused myself and went over to her, "Dolores is everything alright?" She nodded her head and was actually smiling at me, "Yeah everything is great." I saw her eyes looking off to the side and I saw Mariano, "Oh hi Mariano it has been a while." He nodded his head.

Mariano and Dolores had always been closer than I had but we were still friends. I wondered why he was being quiet. I was going to say something to Dolores when Mariano said, "May I have this dance Isabella?" "Um, Sure," I smiled at him. I wouldn't deny an opportunity to go back out on the dance floor. We danced together but he was really quiet. It was fun, but there was clearly something on his mind. Still I didn't want to say anything, mostly because I didn't want to say the wrong thing. Perfection at all times, I reminded myself as I continued to dance.

- 6 months later -

I came home after being in town and I went upstairs. I was heading to my room when I heard Tío Bruno talking to Dolores, "Alright on your birthday I will give you a vision." Dolores was getting a vision? Everyone in the family always wants one but, Tío Bruno hates giving them to us because of past precedence. I used a vine to let myself come down, "You are giving birthday visions?" I asked. "Dolores asked me for one and I told her I would give it to her on her birthday." I smiled knowing the future. I can figure out what my life will be like, "I want one too." "Isabella, I don't" Tío started and I begged, "Please Tío." He sighed, "Alright on your next birthday I will give you a vision."

My next birthday, "But my birthday was last month. That means that I won't get it until next year, can't I have one now?" He sighed, "Isa I want you to have time to think about this..." I wasn't going to regret it, I wasn't going to blame him for what he saw, "Please Tío." "No isa it is not a good idea to do it now." I crossed my arms over my chest. How could I prove to him that I wasn't going to regret this? I just wanted to know what was going to happen, "What if I get Abuela's permission?" I asked. If Abuela was ok with me getting a vision then Tío would be too, right? He sighed, "Alright Isa lets go to my vision cave. Just don't be mad at me if it is something bad." "Of course not Tío," I said as we made our way to his room.

We made our way up to his vision cave and I sat down across from him. He made a circle in sand and held my hands as his eyes turned green. "Anything you want me to look into?" I nodded my head, "I want to know if I'm going to be happy in the future." He gave me a smile nodding his head. He began to watch my future and I saw a tall, poised, young woman that I guess I was meant to become. I then saw her laughing, smiling and wrapping someone in a hug. "Someone is going to promise you the life you dream about and when they do it will become yours." I then watched as I grew more and more flowers, "Your powers are also not done yet. I can't see what it is going to look like but your power is going to become stronger as well." I smiled as I wrapped him in a hug, "Thank you Tío." He patted my head, "Of course sobrina."

I left his room nodding my head. I guess Abuela was right as long as I was perfect I would get that life that Tío saw in his vision. I just had to be perfect and then I would be happy.