Camilo Madrigal's Perspective (Paused)

~Chapter Four~

He walked into the hallway after Abuelita who was fuming, "What is wrong with you?!" he didn't say a word and just stared at him, "Talk to me! And wipe that look off of your face! Why did you hit that man?!"

"Because he told Antonio that our only purpose is to help them! But it isn't!" He snapped back glaring into her eyes

"Yes, it is! That is all you are here for! That is why you have a gift! That is why you were born in the first place you foolish child!" She yelled in his face having no concern for the way he felt

"We're people too! We feel things to why don't you understand that?!" His voice cracked. He grabbed his chest tears threatening to slip from his eyes, the hurt in his voice became apparent.

"Don't you dare cry, Camilo! You're a boy so act like one! I don't care what you identify as! You. Are. A. Boy. Do you understand?!" She screamed at him

"...yes." he didn't say anything else, he held tears back not daring to show any more weakness

"Now get to your room. I can't even look at someone like you anymore" 

He obeyed and went to his room, the second the door closed he dropped to his knees a sobbed letting it all out. He fell into the fettle position choking out sobs he knew people could hear him but he couldn't stop. All the faces in the room starred at him whispering to one another about him, his room, no, this house was a personal nightmare, he wanted all of this to end. He pulled at his hair the sobbing didn't silent until he fell asleep on the cold floor.

~A Few Hours Later~

Camilo eventually woke up and looked around, the mirrors were all foggy now and he couldn't see the faces anymore, thankfully. His throat was sore a scratchy from crying, he managed to get himself off the floor but when he went to open his door. It was locked.

He played with the doorknob desperately trying to get it open, once the panic set in he started slamming his body against the door trying to get it open.  "HELP!! HELP I'm TRAPPED!" he yelled pounding on the door trying to get out, but nothing worked. The tears came back to his eyes, something about the feeling of being trapped in complete silence other than the noise he made horrified him.

~With Dolores, Tia Pepa, Tio Felix, and Abuelita~

  They were in the main room, the party was done and over with and a new problem had arisen. Dolores was sitting on the stairs Felix at her side attempting to comfort her. Dolores was crying softly, she could hear the sobs and cries of help that came from her brother so clearly, it was like he was right next to her. Pepa was attempting to reason with Abuelita, a storm cloud above her head.

"I don't think this is a good idea- We need to let him out!" She said a clear concern coating her voice

"That boy needs to learn some discipline Pepa! Or he'll turn out like Bruno except I doubt he'll be as fortunate" She hissed back with a glare

"But Mama-"

"What I say is final! You'll thank me when that boy is still here! Or do you want to lose him too?"

"No." She whispered thinking back to the pain she went through when she lost her younger brother. Or what had felt like her younger brother even if they were all technically the same age. She wanted to keep her family safe, she didn't want any more of them to slip out of her grasp, never again.

"Pepa. Your storming." "Clear skies- Clear skies- Clear Skies-" She muttered sitting with her daughter and her husband holding them both tight.

Abuelita walked back to her room with a sigh, it was near impossible to understand why she did the things she does. She would do incredibly cruel things to those she was supposed to love but still seemed to care at the same. Perhaps there was a method to her madness?

Maribel leaned her back against the railings of the edge looking at Camilo's door. His sobbing had softened but it was still there with an occasional faint thud against the door.

Ever since the two were young Camilo was a very strong person, or at least he usually didn't cry. She wanted more than anything to comfort her cousin, they had been close since they were infants often mistaken for twins, they were attached at the hip for most of their lives. That was until they had reached the age of 5. When they received their gifts, or at least when Camilo received his gift. After that Abuelita seemed to try and keep them apart, just like she did with the rest of her family. She was treated like an outcast, just like she was treating Camilo right now.

She took a sharp breath in before moving the chair and other objects from in front of the shape-shifting boy's door. She knew that if she entered the room she would be reprimanded and likely sent to her room and treated like an animal, just like Camilo.

"Stop, let me, I don't want you to get in trouble."

She pulled her hand from the doorknob and looked to who was speaking, "Tio Bruno?" She whispered stepping back from the door

"Abuela wouldn't want you doing this, tho she wouldn't want me to either-" He chuckled nervously, "As both of your uncle, I'll take the hit. Think of it as a thank you for helping me."

Mirabel nodded slowly feeling a bit guilty, Bruno practically read her mind.

"Don't feel bad, I don't talk with Camilo much, maybe this will help, go hide out in your room so mama, I mean Abuela- can't get you in trouble"

"Thank you Tio Bruno" She walked back off to her room slowly, it wasn't just her who was nervous or on edge, everyone was.

Unlike most of the Madrigal family, he understood the manipulation and abuse that happened within the seemingly perfect walls of Casita. He, like Mirabel, was the one everything was blamed on, his gift being thought of as a curse, and Mirabel being ungifted made them the target for this kind of treatment. He understood soon that Camilo would be added to this list, to the best of his knowledge there was no way to stop this, so the least he could do was go to the aid of his nephew.

-A/N-
Sorry if it sucks I haven't proof read