Chapter 20:
(Isabella POV)
Caleb and I danced since we arrived and were now approaching the fourth song. I looked at the vine bracelets that I had grown on myself as I saw different flowers grow along them as we danced. I think that Caleb noticed too but, he didn't say anything. I wasn't really sure why they were growing I usually had control when it came to flowers at least. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned and saw someone from town, "May I have this dance?" I looked at Caleb and he nodded his head as he leaned in and whispered, "I'll head over to the refreshment table and will meet you in a bit." I nodded my head and turned to face the man from town, "So you are taking pity on the outsider." I just gave a polite smile, "Funny how he isn't the outsider when he is helping the people in town, but when he dances with me he becomes one again." He lifted my arm up to spin me, "Well I mean you are a Madrigal." I nodded my head and was quiet for the rest of the song.
(Caleb POV)
I went over to the table and looked back at Isabella. After the initial song that we danced together to Isabella calmed down and was enjoying herself on the dance floor. With this guy though it was clear from the refreshment table that her smile was forced and that she was waiting for the moment that the song would be over. "So you and Isabella," I turned and saw her Abuela. "Right now I am just her date for the evening," I said turning away to face the crowd.
She walked around in front of me, "You know a lot has happened to Isabella in her life. I contributed to a lot of it. But, Isabella deserves to have a happy life. That is all she has ever wanted. I have seen my children and grandchildren find happy lives for themselves, all of them except Isabella." I looked at her, "What do you mean?" "Isabella leads a good life, but not a happy one. It is clear to anyone who knows her. Which is why you getting close to her is very concerning to me." "Señora," I started but she shook her head cutting me off, "I don't know what you two have talked about and frankly, I don't want to know. All you need to know is that whatever is going on between the two of you I don't support and I think that if you like my granddaughter at all you would let a good man from Encanto be the one she gets close to, not an outsider who is going to leave her behind." I opened my mouth to say something but she held her hand up, "Excuse me."
I watched as she walked away, when I felt a tap on my shoulder and I saw Isabella standing there, "Are you ok? I saw you talking to my Abuela." She was rubbing the side of her arm and looking down at the ground. I just shook my head, "Yeah I'm fine." I picked up a glass and handed it to her, "You have fun out there." She smiled, "Yeah, but I missed my dance partner." She leaned in closer, "Your replacement stepped on my toes multiple times." I laughed a little and nodded my head, "Well I guess we are just going to have to walk around for a little while, while your feet recover." She laughed a little and we began to walk around and talk.
(Isabella POV)
We passed by different members in town and I could feel their looks. This was different from when we were in town together, I knew it, Caleb knew it and apparently everyone in town knew it too. "So the eyes of everyone in town seemed to be glued to us tonight," Caleb said. I smiled at him, "Well I mean they usually are glued on us most of the time anyway." He gave me a look and I nodded my head, "Yeah I know. It's different." "Do you think we made a mistake?" He asked but I shook my head, "No. If we were going to figure this out I didn't want to have to hide it from everyone. That usually ends up making things worse." He quirked up his brow, "Camilo and Olivia." I said. "Really, those 2 keep getting more interesting," He said and I laughed as we continued to walk, "Maybe one day they will tell you the entire story. They are pretty good story tellers."
He looked at me, "Does that have something to do with his gift?" I nodded my head, "A little bit yeah." He knew everyone in my family had a gift now. There was no point in avoiding the conversation anymore. "Camilo is a shapeshifter," I said, "he likes to change into how he envisions the different characters look like when he tells a story." Caleb nodded his head, "What other gifts does your family have?" I let out a breath, "Well Dolores has enhanced hearing, Antonio can communicate with animals, my Tía Pepa's emotions control the weather, my Tío Bruno can see the future, my Mama is a healer, my sister Luisa has super strength and Mirabel is the candleholder."
He looked over at me, "What about your Papa or Tío Felix, or Mariano and Olivia?" I smiled, "They married into the family. Only people who are born-in get a gift." He nodded his head, "So that's why there was a party when Dolores announced she was pregnant." I nodded my head, "Yeah she is going to have triplets, 3 new little Madrigals will be running around soon enough." "Triplets? And I thought that I was in the loop with everyone in town," I rolled my eyes as we both laughed. "People in town are starting to trust you a bit more." He gave me a half smile, "Which is why people still call me the outsider?" I shrugged, "Well you are becoming more and more a member of town each day that you are here." He gave me a half-smile, "Yeah I guess I am."
He cleared his throat, "So why do you think the people who are married in don't get a gift?" I shrugged, "My guess is that it is because we get our gifts when we turn 5 so we grow up using it, practicing, figuring out what we can do. The people in town get married young but, not that young. You know Daniela turns 5 in about a month and a half. We are going to have a pretty big party and she is going to get her gift. Everyone in town is going to be there. Want to come with me?" He smiled, "Scheduling a second date before the festival is even over?" I laughed, "I'm pretty sure you would have been invited either way. I just figured you would want to have a barely friend on your side while you're there."
He nodded his head as I walked slightly ahead of him, "Besides why would I schedule a second date so far away in the future after I asked you on this one. The ball is in your court." I went deeper into the crowd but I knew that Caleb wasn't that far behind me. I went out from the crowd and down one of the side streets and Caleb was right behind me, "You ok?" He asked. I nodded my head, "I needed a break from prying eyes."
(Caleb POV)
I ran my hand through my hair as I looked at the entrance of the street where everyone was at the festival before looking back at Isabella, "Well if we are away from prying eyes." She rolled her eyes but wrapped her arms around my neck, "You know you need to get off your one track mindset." She laughed and leaned in closer resting her forehead on mine. "Well it is hard to get off this 'one track mindset' when you have your arms around me." She leaned her head back and I smiled at her, but her Abuela's words were playing in my mind, "Isabella are you happy?"
She looked at me confused, "Did I give you the impression that I wasn't?" I shook my head, "No, I mean, in general are you happy with your life?" She bit her bottom lip, "Depends on what you mean. If you mean am I happy with my life than yes of course. If you mean do I have a happy life, well I am working on it." I bit my bottom lip, "What does that mean?" She just smiled at me, "It means that I am working on it." I gave her a look and she sighed, "Look I told you about how I used to have to be perfect all the time," I nodded my head, "Well, it has taken some time to get out of that mindset and figure out what makes me happy. But I am working on it." I nodded my head again and sighed, "Sorry." She shook her head, "Don't be. Do you have a happy life?" I let out a breath. I had never really thought about it before. I looked at her and smiled, "I'm working on it."
She looked at me and smirked, "I know I made a joke about your one track mindset, but I have had my hands around your neck like this for an uncomfortably long time, so are you going to kiss me or not?" I smiled and rolled my eyes, "You are confusing Isabella." She smiled, "Sometimes I confuse myself." I leaned in and kissed her as she held onto me. We stayed hidden away for a few more moments before Isabella leaned back breaking the kiss, "We better head back. People are going to notice if we are gone for too long." I nodded my head and we enjoyed the rest of the festival together.
When the night finally came to an end, Isabella looked at me, "Do you want to walk back to the shack together?" I nodded my head and we made our way to the shack. "You want to come in for a cup of coffee or something?" I asked and she nodded her head, 'Yeah I would love to." We went inside and she sat on the couch/bed as I went into the kitchen. "So are you ever going to tell me what my Abuela talked to you about?" She asked. "No, I think I am going to keep that one to myself for now." She sighed, "Alright." I came over to her with the cups of coffee and she smiled as she took hers before resting her head on my shoulder as she took a sip, "I had a lot of fun tonight." She said softly and I smiled, "Yeah same here."
We sat like that for a while and I looked over at Isabella and she had fallen asleep. I took the mug from her hand and placed mine on the floor before I leaned her back in the bed and wrapped her in the blanket. I then went and put the mugs in the sink and let out a long breath. The entire day she was telling me the truth about what was going on in Encanto and she was upfront with the people in town about us and I was still lying. I hated that I was still lying to her. What was I going to do?
(Isabella POV)
I felt the shift of the blanket as light started to pour into the room. I opened my eyes and quickly realized that I wasn't in my room. I looked over in the kitchen and saw Caleb standing there. He turned to face me, "Hey, you fell asleep last night and I didn't know if I should wake you or not." I nodded my head. He then added, "I slept in the other bed." I let out a breath nodding my head, "Thank you." He handed me a mug and I smiled at the coffee inside, "I have to get ready to face my family, especially after being out all night." I went to get up and leave but he held back my hand, "Wait there is something that we need to talk about." "What's going on?" I asked smiling at him.