Moonflower

8 | Questioning

“Hey.” I called out. Mariano is still my brother even though he may not be the smartest cookie in the jar. But there's more to him than that. He's a caring and responsible brother. He stands as our padre de familia with our father out of the picture.

Mirabel shot me an apologetic smile before diverting her attention back to her sister. "I never wanted to marry him! I was doing it for the family!” I slightly gasped at Isabela's statement.

“What?" That's the only thing I muttered before succumbing back to my thoughts.

Was this why she gave me that look back when we were having dinner? She was indeed telling the truth earlier. I thought she was only bluffing. But it still wouldn't explain why she would want me instead of my brother. If they were to be wedded, then there will be more people helping in our community. Wouldn't Isabela like the idea of that?

“Oh, my gosh. Isa… that is a very serious confession.” Mirabel said as the vines around my waist started to loosen up, which brought me back to reality. “Okay, get over here.” I slowly walked towards the two to look at what Isabela was staring on the ground.

"Bring it in." Mirabel gestured for a hug, but her older sister only ignored her. “Isa?” I was close enough now to see what Isabela was looking at. She knelt beside a… cacti? Well, that's new.

"I just made something unexpected. Something sharp, something new.” She picked up the cacti as she stood up. “Isa? This is the part where we–"

"It's not symmetrical or perfect, but it's beautiful." She continued to admire the cacti she grew before showing it to me. We both smiled at each other, but Mirabel only gave us a confused look. "What else can I do?"

She grabbed my hand before walking towards where her bed was. Mirabel followed us with her arms still wide open for a hug. "What else can I do?" Isabela spun around before taking my hand again to gently twirl me.

"Let's walk! Bring it in, bring it in." Mirabel avoided the cacti before it made contact with her face as Isabel spun again. I was suddenly grabbed vines on my arms along with Isabela and we were lifted up. "Free hugs! Bring it in, bring it in." Mirabel dove in to hug her sister, but she was too late when her face was planted on the flowers.

Isabela's vines landed me on another field of roses. She landed beside me shortly after as I looked at her questioningly. ‘What am I supposed to do here?’

"I grow rows and rows of roses.” I followed Isabela as she went towards the center. "Flor de mayo by the mile." I said and chuckled after.

Then we went to her flower statues. I started hiding behind some of them while trying to copy the others as I laughed. “I make perfect practiced poses. So much hides behind my smile.” A vine crushed the statue, the head went flying off to Mirabel.

"What could I do if I just grew what I was feeling in the moment?" Isabela started to run around and started changing the colors of the flowers on her wall. Then the flowers started copying her movements. “Woah.” I muttered as I went towards Mirabel to assist her.

"Do you know where you're going?" Mirabel asked. We were slightly blown away by a gust of wind a few blue petals. But Isabela couldn't care less as she started making orange petals blow from somewhere.

"What could I do if I just knew it didn't need to be perfect?" She started swinging her bed as soon as she got on it. "It just needed to be, and they let me be."

"A hurricane of jacarandas!" Mirabel and I were covered with violet petals as she swung around her room. I spit some off from my mouth before getting dragged up by figs. "Strangling figs." I hugged them for dear life, not wanting to let go and die from a fall.

"Hanging vines." Mirabel and I were now holding onto a vine. "This is fine!" I exclaimed anxiously as I tried to go up. "Palma de cera fills the air as I climb and I push through." I see Isabela dancing in the middle of a growing tree.

We reached for the trunk and started climbing towards the top. With the help of Isabela's vines, I was put beside her immediately. She stared into my eyes as I stared into hers. She connected her forehead with mine, and closed her eyes for a few seconds before letting out a grin and backed away slightly from me.

"What else can I do?"

I stared at her in awe. I never thought that she could be this free. Without a care in the world, in her Abuela's expectations, or in everything.

I looked down at my hands, only to see them ghosting over hers. And at that moment, I, too, didn't have a care in the world. I held her hands and squeezed it tightly.

'What else can I do?' I thought as I beamed at her.

I can do many things starting off with this. I pressed my lips to the back of her hand. I rubbed my thumb over it and smiled at her. Isabela grew daisies on her head, but she didn't bother to brush it off.

I still need to think about all of this, yes. Let's just enjoy the current moment and worry about other things later. And that is to enjoy being beside the prettiest flower in Encanto.

-

Y'all, I seriously did not expect that Mirabel and I will get called as h0m0ph0bic 😔 but that was Luciana experiencing internalized h0m0ph0bia.