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Luisa entered Casita as she turned her back towards the stairs so Cecilia could easily get off.
"Thank you for saving me back there." Cecilia said placing a kiss of gratitude on Luisa's cheek.
She coughed, "No problem, just call whenever you need help." Luisa snorted as Cecilia gave her a gentle smile as she patted the top of the tall girls head.
Luisa's face turned a crimson red as she covered her face with her hands. Cecilia raised an eyebrow at the girls behavior.
"Come on! Tia Julieta made your favorite Luisa." Dolores said with a smirk, "Sancocho?!" Luisa's eyes glistened as she became excited.
So Luisa loves Sancocho? Noted.
"Cecilia! You have to try it, Mi mamá hace el mejor Sancocho. Ella agrega maíz, papas y un ingrediente secreto." She pulled a chair out for Cecilia to sit next to her.
"Thank you," Luisa took her seat as Julieta placed bowl's in front of them. Cecilia's was noticeably much smaller than Luisa's.
"Luisa explained the situation. Don't feel nervous to say no mija. I understand." She squeezed the girl in a hug as Camilo and Marco entered.
"Those kid's were crazy." Marco huffed as he grabbed a bowl off the counter. "Gracias señora."
"Of course! You want seconds just let me know." She nodded as she prepared more bowls. "Tia! You never let me get seconds!" Camilo whined as he sat down. "Camilo, when I let you get seconds that somehow turned to thirds!" He rolled his eyes playfully as Pepa entered the kitchen.
"Are you bothering your tia again?" She questioned as he pulled Camilo's ear. "Of course not mami." He rubbed his ear.
The whole family soon sat at the table as Luisa kept looking at the smaller female looking at her whenever she would get the chance.
Cecilia ate two bowls of the soup, "Luisa! You were so right this is delicious."
The girl nodded as she realized Cecilia's legs swinging under the table. "Mija, I could teach you how to make it." Julieta suggested. "Yes please!" Julieta laughed at the ecstatic girl.
Luisa leaned over to her, "When she teaches you, tell me the secret ingredient?" She whispered with begging eyes,
"No can do. Sorry Luisa but its a secret for a reason." Cecilia laughed at the girl who remained speechless.
"So who is moving into that house we built?" She asked Luisa, "Uh..."
"Some new guests are staying at the Encanto!" Mirabel interjected, "I hope they like it." Cecilia said rubbing her arm, "I'm sure they'll love it." Marco reassured his sister.
"Oh! Tomorrow would you guys mind hanging out with Luisa. She doesn't have any chore's tomorrow and everyone else is busy so she would be lonely." Alma asked the two siblings,
"I don't mind." Marco shrugged as he finished his soup, "If its okay with Luisa." The mentioned female nodded almost giving herself whiplash.
"Calm down sis, I think Cecilia gets it." Isabella said letting out a small chuckle.
-
The next day came quickly as Cecilia woke up in the nursery and heard the church bells chime.
"Its already noon?" She questioned as she stretched before seeing a note placed on her glasses on the nightstand next to her.
Hi! You're probably just waking up. We let you sleep in since you ate alot last night, Luisa and I are in her room :)
- Your most handsome sibling, Marco
She quickly put on her dress and placed her glasses on her face before making her way to the bathroom and knocking on the door to make sure no one was in there.
Cecilia brushed her hair and teeth before heading into Luisa's room.
"You finally woke up?" Marco laughed as Cecilia's cowlick stood up.
"Sorry for joining you guys late, anyways what were you guys up to?" Cecilia asked as she sat on a rock.
"Luisa was giving me a lesson on stamina since you know how tired I get whenever I use my gift." Marco said as he looked out into the ocean.
"We were just about to play never have I ever if you want to join." Luisa said, "Okay!"
The three sat in a circle going around a couple times until Cecilia had only one finger up, Marco eight and Luisa five.
"Okay, never have I ever questioned my sexuality." Luisa and Cecilia both placed down a finger.
"Looks like I lost." She shrugged as Marco grinned, "I'm going to use the bathroom." He said leaving the two alone.
"So... " The stared at eachother.
"Wh-"
"What-"
"Sorry you can go first," Luisa apologized, "What do you mean when you question your sexuality?" Cecilia placed a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"I never really felt any attraction to the opposite gender." Luisa shrugged as she stared at the smaller woman, "How about you?"
Cecilia closed her eyes as she thought deeply on how to word what she wanted to say, "I feel attracted towards boys and girls. Marco was the only person to know." She let out an awkward smile.
"Well that's cool."
"Really?"
"Of course! You were able to tell me and I'm sure if you tell my family they'll support you one hundred percent." Luisa said as a puppy ran from between some rocks.
It ran and jumped onto Cecilia's lap. "Sorry about her, she's mine. Don't worry she is friendly."
Cecilia tensed at the puppy before allowing her to sniff her hand. "What's her name?"
"Willow."
"Nice to meet you Willow, I'm Ceci."
"Do you mind if I call you Ceci?" Luisa asked shyly.
"Of course!"
Cecilia could've sworn she saw Luisa with puppy ears as if they perked up.
"Alright I'm back. What did I miss? IS THAT A PUPPY?!"
Marco entered the room and sprinted towards the dog and hugging it. "Sorry, we weren't allowed pets because my primo was allergic." Cecilia apologized for her brother, "Don't worry, Willow loves attention."
Marco spent most of his time playing with Willow as Luisa and Cecilia chatted about random things.
"So you wanna explain how you crashed a cart into a river?" Luisa asked referring to one of the never have I ever questions Cecilia put her finger down to.
"It was one time, but pretty much I forgot to leave a rock under the wheel of the cart and it rolled downhill straight into the stream and my family thought it was Marco." She shrugged, "Your brother must really love you." Luisa said as she watched the mentioned boy joyfully play with Willow.
"He really does. Sometimes I feel I can't reciprocate it through my actions." She sighed as Mirabel kicked Luisa's door open.
"Come on!" She yelled as Luisa pushed Marco and Cecilia out of Casita to the house that Cecilia built.
"Why are we here?" Marco asked looking at his sister confused as she shrugged, "No idea, what's going on?" She asked Luisa who was receiving something from Mirabel.
"These are for you." Luisa said after turning around and facing the Yanez siblings as they felt a cold metal in their palms.
"Welcome to Encanto!" The entire Madrigal family spoke in unison as Dolores covered her ears before small fireworks went off.
"Wait- this is for us?" Marco questioned, "Yes. Mirabel wanted to make it a surprise. We all decorated inside if you wanna check it out."
Cecilia placed her key in the doorknob as she heard a click as she swung the door open.
The duo was starstruck while looking at the comfy living area in front of them with hanging potted plants and a flight of stairs to a second floor.
Two doors with carvings of them, Cecilia's on the right and Marco's on the left.
Tears trickled out of Cecilia's eyes, "What's wrong?!" The Madrigals looked at her concerned. "Thank you. This is alot,"
"Its the least we could do. Plus you basically built most of it." Luisa said as she handed Cecilia a bunny who had a collar with one of the crystals she had made.
Marco looked at his sister with widened eyes as Mirabel handed him a black kitten. "He is all yours." Antonio whispered as the kitten open his bright blue eyes.
"Your bunny is a girl." Antonio said as Cecilia looked down at the grey lop bunny who was sleeping.
"Crystal."
"Huh?"
"Her name will be Crystal."
The bunny lifted her head to look up at Cecilia. "She likes that name, Marco what are you gonna name him?"
"Lapis. Since his eyes are such a bright blue." Marco said as the kitten meowed. "Lapis said that he is fine with that name." Antonio translated.
Soon the Madrigals headed back to Casita to let the siblings to settle in.
-
A few hours had passed as Cecilia found it difficult to sleep before finally getting up and taking a late night stroll.
The only light was from the moon and stars and the stream reflecting it.
Cecilia crossed over a bridge before seeing a familiar silhouette.
She quietly approached the person as she was looking up at the stars.
"Boo!" Cecilia shouted ending up surprising the stargazer. Luisa's reflex kicked in as she sent pushed Cecilia sending her flying, fortunately she landed in a haystack with only a few scrapes.
"I'm so sorry!"
She said repeatedly as she helped Cecilia remove hay from her hair, "Its okay! I surprised you." She tried reassuring Luisa as she looked down at her knee. "You're bleeding!"
"Luisa it's just a scratch." Cecilia chuckled. "Here, my ma isn't awake right now but I have some bandages in my pocket."
This won't happen again Luisa said to herself.
Cecilia was able to get a closer look as she soon realized Luisa's hair wasn't tied back up in its usual bun. She also wore a different dress which Cecilia assumed Mirabel made for her.
Luisa lowered herself as she took some of the river water and cleared the dried blood before placing the bandage over the wound.
"Does it hurt?" Luisa asked as the moon reflected off her hazel eyes
"You're fine." She raised an eyebrow at Cecilia's odd statement. "I mean... I'm fine." Cecilia blushed as Luisa processed what she had said.
"It is getting late... maybe we should head home." Cecilia awkwardly chuckled. "Actually, Ceci would you mind staying and watching the stars with me?"
"Sure."
Luisa sat criss crossed as she patted her lap, "Come sit down, the ground is a bit damp."
Cecilia buried her crimson face in her hand as she sat down on Luisa's lap.
They watched the stars for the remainder of the night and Cecilia dozed off to sleep.
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