CAMILO

Camilo firmly believed that both he and Mirabel had a moment. After he carried her off and placed her down on one of the benches near Tía Julieta's booth.

And the way she smiled at him, almost made him believe that she felt something for him too. But that's impossible, as she barely talked to him ever since he pulled his stunt beyond the Pass.

It was also the day he decided to give up and stop whatever feelings he had for Mirabel from growing into something more. It's going to be a difficult process, but he'll have to be resilient himself to go through it quickly. And forget it ever happened in the first place.

Then that night, there was a soft knock at his door.

Great, what now? He thought.

Camilo reluctantly stood and opened his bedroom door.

It was the last person he expected to see.

"Hola, Camilo," Mirabel greeted. "Can we talk?"

Mirabel was in her nightgown and was barefoot.

He was still processing how in the world was she standing outside his door late at night, wanting to talk about something.

"What?" He asked, confused. No, she can't be here. He mentally screamed. It's not helping. Then shook his head. "I don't have time for this." He said as he attempted to close his bedroom door.

But knowing Mirabel, in her own stubborn way, she put her foot in the way prevented the door from being closed. "Wait, please. It'll be quick, I promise."

Not knowing what else to do, Camilo invited her in. And he didn't care if she noticed that his bedroom was dark and foggy. He walked past the hall of mirrors, the aisle down the tiered seats, up onto the stage where his bed was, and stood facing the window.

Camilo turned away from Mirabel, as he couldn't face her without tearing up. Seeing Mirabel alone would just make him forget that he was going to stop whatever feelings he had for her.

"What do you want, Mira?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"Um, not much," Mirabel said, casually. "I just wanted to catch up with my primo. Is that so bad?"

Camilo glanced back at her, slightly annoyed. "You came by in the middle of the night to catch up?"

Mirabel sighed. "Alright, fine." She said. "I know it was you. Santiago couldn't have pulled it off. I know it was you whispering in his ear. Plus, no one outside the family knows my favorite flower is the Flor de mayo. And the gifts as well."

Camilo turned back to face the window and smiled. He was glad that she appreciated the efforts he made.

"Thank you," She continued. "It was really sweet and romantic. And whenever you do that to someone for real, she's going to be the luckiest girl in the world."

That's when tears started trickling down his cheeks. It was for real, Camilo thought. I did those things for you.

"Why are you really here?" He asked again, keeping his eyes on the window.

"Well, um, it's to tell you…what I had just said, and…" She faltered. "Did you mean what you said to me, that night?" She blurted out.

Oh, mierda, here we go, Camilo thought.

"Which night?" He asked.

"I think you already know which night I mean," Mirabel answered.

"No, I don't."

Of course, Camilo knew which night she was talking about, but he pretended not to remember.

He could hear Mirabel sigh. "When you revealed yourself, I got mad and ran away." She recalled. "You told me something."

I remember, Camilo thought. "I told you a lot of things that night." He said coldly.

"You told me that you love me." She blurted out. "Did you mean that?"

"Dios mio, Mirabel," Camilo scoffed, still not looking in her direction. "Please, let's not go back there." He insisted.

And he meant it. That memory was still fresh and painful. But why was she asking this question now?

"I just want to know the truth," She insisted.

"It doesn't matter, okay?" Camilo argued. "If you took what I said in a different context, that's on you."

"Just tell me the truth," Mirabel persisted. "And I promise, I'll stop bothering you if you do that."

There was silence for a moment.

"Fine," Camilo then wiped his tears with his shirt. He took a deep breath before facing her. "I don't mean what I said that. It was a test to see how gullible you really are."

It was the hardest thing he ever had to say to her. And it sounded so harsh and hurtful that he expected Mirabel to explode after he said it. He expected her to get mad at him. Scream at him. Hit him. Slap him. Throw things at him.

But she didn't do any of that.

Instead, Mirabel just pursed her lips and nodded. "Okay," She said in a calm voice. "See? It's not that hard. Now, we can both move on from this."

Then she smiled. But it wasn't her usual smile. It was a forced one. The smile she used to have when Abuela used to tell her to step aside and let the ones with gifts do the work. It's her smile when she's hiding pain.

Camilo didn't understand that. Something about her reaction wasn't making sense.

"Well, buenas noches, primo," Mirabel said, her voice cracking. "See you tomorrow."

She then sprinted out of his room before he could ask her anything else.

Just as Mirabel shut the door, tears started streaming down his cheeks.

"Of course, I meant what I said," Camilo muttered. "I still love you, Mirabel."

But I need to stop now, He thought. For your sake.

. . .

The following morning, Mirabel ignored him the entire time. It wasn't the usual ignore because she's mad at him. She was completely avoiding him. And during breakfast, she sat as far away from him as possible. Camilo didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing though.

After breakfast, his sister pulled him aside as he was coming back from the kitchen.

"What did you say to her?" Dolores demanded.

Camilo frowned in confusion. "What are talking about?"

"I know Mirabel knocked at your door last night," His sister recalled. "She said she wanted to talk and you let her into your room."

Camilo sighed. "Why do you have to be so nosy all the time?" He complained.

"Your room is right next to mine," She insisted. "Of course, I heard you. Now, what did you say to her?" She asked again.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because when she left your room, she was crying," Dolores revealed.

That caught him off guard. "What?" He was so confused. "What do you mean?"

"Crying," Dolores repeated like he was an idiot. "Tears."

Okay, that definitely doesn't make sense, Camilo thought. He shook his head. "I didn't know she cried." He said. "But regardless, whatever was said. That's between me and Mirabel."

Dolores raised her hands in surrender. "Fine," She said. "I just don't want both of you to get hurt from your actions."

Camilo didn't understand what his hermana meant. It left him more confused than ever.

He proceeded to the town square to do his chores: watching over the children.

Suddenly, Camilo felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Santiago dela Cuesta holding his accordion.

"Camilo, can we talk?" He asked.

Camilo didn't know what it was about, so he just shrugged. "Um, sí, of course."

Santiago pulled him out of earshot away from the children. "Alright, so we're leaving today and－"

"Espere," Camilo raised his hand. "Leaving as in…?"

"My Mamá has decided that our family should get a fresh start," Santiago explained. "So we're going to Cartagena with Manuel and his family. Maybe for good."

"WHAT?" Camilo exclaimed. "What about Mirabel?" He asked. "You can't just leave her like that. She'll be heartbroken."

Santiago nodded. "I know, but I've already discussed things with her," He recalled. "And she's actually very supportive about it. She understood the feeling of doing everything for your family."

"Why are you telling me this?" Camilo asked.

"Because I know you'd take care of Mirabel."

Camilo snorted. "I don't need to be told," He said. "She's my prima. Of course, I'd take care of her."

"You know Camilo," Santiago said. "I also noticed that you care about her a little bit more than Isabela and Luisa," He pointed out. "And it's not just because she has no gift."

Well, mierda, Camilo thought.

"I've also seen the way you look at her," Santiago continued. "And the things you told me to say and do to make her smile? I mean, it's kind of obvious from another perspective."

Camilo was too stunned to speak. Was he really that obvious?

"And I don't blame you," Santiago smiled. "She's…she's one of a kind." He sighed. "Lo siento for bringing it up, I－" He started to say.

"It's fine, Santi," Camilo assured. "I mean, she is. I just－" He faltered, not knowing what else to say.

"Then maybe should tell her how you feel," Santiago suggested.

Camilo shook his head. "No," He protested. "No, I－I can't."

"Why not?"

She hates me right now, Camilo thought, but he didn't dare say it out loud.

Camilo shrugged. "I don't think she sees me that way." He said. "It'll just be a waste of time."

"You can't be sure about that," Santiago said hopefully.

"Trust me, Mirabel does not see me that way," Camilo sighed, half-heartedly trying to partly convince himself. "I'm just her troublemaker primo, who likes playing pranks on people."

Santiago looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"Anyways," Camilo continued. "When are you and your hermanos leaving?" He asked, eager to change the subject.

"Actually, we're preparing to leave right now," Santiago explained. "And we'll leave for Cartagena the day after tomorrow."

Before Camilo could respond, he heard Mirabel's voice calling from afar. "Santi!" She called.

He turned and saw his prima, Mirabel running towards them, holding a brown paper bag.

Mirabel stopped before them, panting. "Glad I caught you," She said, handing Santiago the paper bag. "This is for you."

"Food for your journey home," Mirabel said. "And don't worry, I packed extra for your family down in Valle de Cocora."

Santiago smiled. "Muchos gracias, Mirabel." He then pulled her in for a hug, much to his prima's surprise. "Gabriela's going to love these."

"Have a safe trip, Santi," Camilo said.

Santiago nodded. "Gracias. You Madrigals take care of each other, okay?"

Camilo snorted. "You didn't need to ask."

Santiago waved at them as he started walking towards his brothers, who were talking to someone across the street. "Adios!"

With Santiago gone, it left Camilo alone with Mirabel. They stood for about a moment in awkward silence, before Mirabel turned to him.

"Well, I have to go." She informed as she turned away from him.

Without thinking, Camilo pulled her hand. "Mirabel, wait."

Mirabel turned back to him. "What is it?"

"I, um…Are you okay?" He asked.

Mirabel frowned, then smiled. "Of course," She assured. "Why wouldn't I be?"

There it is again, he thought. It's her pained smile. Maybe he was too harsh with his words to her last night. Regardless, it pained him to see her like this.

He shook his head. "No, you're not." He declared.

Mirabel's smile disappeared, and shook her hand from his grip. "I don't think it matters at this point."

Camilo huffed. "Why do you keep doing this?" He demanded.

"Doing what?" She asked.

"Pretending to be alright when you're obviously not." He pointed out. "Mirabel, you know we are past that."

Mirabel remained quiet and didn't meet his eyes.

"If it's something I've said last night－" He started to say.

"Don't!" Mirabel interrupted. "Let's not go back there. You've said your piece, and I respect that." She snorted. "I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. It's what you've always done: play pranks on people. I just…I just didn't know you'd go that far."

She then turned away from him and walked towards the children playing nearby.

So it is about what he had said last night. Suddenly, all the guilt came back to him. His prima had been nothing but kind and caring to people. Even to those who don't deserve it. Yet, all he did was lie to her and play with her feelings. But despite all that, she didn't appear mad about it anymore. Or maybe, it already came to a point where she doesn't care anymore.

Even now with Santiago leaving, Camilo might have a chance with Mirabel. But with what he had done, he doesn't see it happening anymore.

He glanced at Mirabel's direction. His prima was playing with the children, laughing and dancing with them.

Suddenly, Camilo felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw his Tío Bruno giving him a puzzled.

"Cami, are you alright?" He asked.

Camilo forced out a smile. "Of course, Tío." He replied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Bruno raised an eyebrow at him. "So you're here. Staring at your prima from a distance, while she's playing with the children?" He said. "Knowing you, that's definitely not suspicious."

Camilo stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.

Bruno sighed. "I don't know if you talked to each other last night." He started to say. "But she seemed really upset about it."

Camilo turned to his Tío. "Upset about what?" He asked before he could stop himself.

Bruno shrugged. "I wouldn't know. It's not like Mirabel told me anything." He said. "But knowing her, she hides all the pain by distracting herself with her chores."

"How do you know that?"

"Because it's what I used to do." Tío Bruno recalled. "It's effective, for a time. But in reality, it's just you refusing to face your problems."

Well, that was true, of course. Because it's what Camilo's been doing to keep his mind off of Mirabel.

Camilo stared at his Tío Bruno blankly. "What are you saying, Tío?" He asked.

"She came out of your room, crying." Tío Bruno said. "I'm saying, you probably know why she's upset."

He's not even gonna ask how his Tío Bruno knew about that. Or if Dolores told him about it. But then again, he had been hiding within Casita's walls for over a decade. So obviously, he knows more than he lets on.

"But I don't," Camilo said.

"Then that's the part you need to figure out, sobrinito."

Camilo glanced back at Mirabel's direction. She was still dancing and playing with the children in the town square. She looks so happy and content. His prima might have problems and issues but she handles everything so well. To him, she's so…perfect.

A tear escaped his eye and trickled down his cheek. I don't deserveher, Camilo thought.