This chapter was written as part of a tumblr prompt challenge - Day 16 Prompt - Kiss
Never easy when a dream you've dreamed for a long time finally dies...just pesky - mild angst - not all that happy
Requiem for a Dream
After Antonio's Gift ceremony and the party goers left, Casita was quiet. Dolores sat near the window of her room as she did every night listening. She had to close her eyes to hold in the tears as she heard Mariano and his mother discussing his proposal to Isabela as they were walking home. Mariano planned to propose to her prima tomorrow and that would be that. Long ago, Isa had told her then she was not interested in Mariano. That seemed to change when Abuela began her campaign for Isabela and Mariano to get married. This had been going on for more than two years. Still, it was less time than the ache that had been growing in Dolores's heart. At fourteen, she was already smitten with Mariano, but he didn't even see her. Not when Isa was around anyway.
Dolores would see Isabela smile at Mariano and then turn away and sigh. Dolores heard those sighs and would think of when they were younger. They'd spent hours talking about what they would do if they could ever leave the Encanto. Well, Isa talked about it, Dolores was more interested in getting married and having children of her own. Isa said that was a small dream, but Dolores thought it a wonderful one…with the right person. But her right person was, even now, preparing to ask her prima for her hand.
It was hard to tell if Isa actually wanted to get married. Dolores hoped she didn't and wished her prima would tell Abuela she didn't, and they would call the whole thing off. She was still listening as Mariano was practicing the song he wrote for Isabela. He had the voice of an angel. Dolores wanted that song, that voice, to be for her, but just as Tío said, it was not meant to be. Mariano finished his song and Dolores said just above a whisper, "Eres el amor de mi vida," and blew a kiss in his direction. She closed her shutters. She knew she was blocking out any other chance to hear him. Tomorrow her fanciful childhood dreams would end and there was nothing she could do to change it.