"Abuelo" you muttered
"What are you doing here!" he shouted, visibly angry. He'd probably be foaming at the mouth if there weren't a lot of people around
But clearly it wouldn't stop him from publicly scolding me. The music was loud but the people around us began to watch from afar
"Abuelo I-"
"I told you, you were not come to this party and what did you do? I gave you an answer and you disobeyed me" he yelled
My eyes began to swell with tears and I tilted my head down a bit.
Camilo, still by my side, looked sympathetically at me. Wanting to reach out, but kept to himself to not make things worse
"Look up at me!" Abuelo said firmly
I kept my head down and began to sob uncontrollably, but tried my best to keep it quiet
"Argh!" Abuelo shouted. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look up. Tears flung out of my eyes as I let out a little whimper
Camilo looked shocked
"You're in big trouble when we get home. Get your ass out right now" he yelled, pointing to the door
"Abuelo please" I said, my voice shaking from the crying.
"It was just tonight, I had a lot of fun. I met lots of new people. Maybe you should come to town more often too. Don't be mad because I've had more fun in one night than on your stupid little far-"
*Slap*
Camilo and the people around us gasped. The chatter began to grow loud as more people watched
Abuelo hit me and I dropped to one knee, holding my right cheek. The sting began to pain me more and it felt like it was spreading. It probably left a mark
Abuelo stood. Some people in the crowd yelled from afar. He looked like he was getting ready to hit me again
"STOP THAT" Camilo said to Abuelo as he stepped in, helping me up and trying to look at the damage done
"How bout you mind your business boy" Abuelo snapped at Camilo
I glanced to Camilo, my facial expression telling him I'll be ok. He backed down a little bit before Abuela walked back in the room
"What is going on over here" Abuela said as she stormed in with an angry expression
"Who's fighting"
As Abuela came, she looked at my Abuelo with a shocked face. She noticed me holding my cheek and Camilo with me
"Emmanuel" she said aloud but quietly, locking eyes with my Abuelo
"Alma" my Abuelo replied. He sounded like he was struck with fear.
Abuela Alma was visibly getting angry.
Julieta also came over. Hearing a fight, she knew to bring some food with her. She saw me holding my cheek and bent down.
"Here, eat this" she told me, handing me buñuelos. I ate and began to feel better, but the emotional damage and embarrassment had been done. Nothing could fix it.
"What happened" Julieta said before she looked up, answering her own question. She too looked shocked, but remained quiet
"How dare you come to this house" Alma shouted at him. Me and Camilo looked at each other confused
People were definitely watching now and the crowd began to grow. I could see Pepa in the distance telling Antonio and Dolores something. Dolores nodded and took Antonio to another part of his room. She probably told him to not worry about what was going on over here. Looked like she told Dolores to take him somewhere else
Pepa, Augustin and Felix began to head over. A cloud formed over Pepa as she noticed who was the cause of the fight. Julieta and Felix calmed her down
"Go home, Emmanuel. Go! You are not welcome here" Alma yelled
"As you wish" Abuelo said, shoving me out the door. He was closely following me out.
I turned back to see Camilo before I left. He was talking to his Abuela, but he shot me a sad smile before waving goodbye.
________________________________
Camilo's POV
I gave y/n a wave goodbye before they finally walked out the door with their Abuelo.
I didn't get to tell them I thought
I hope I'll be able to see them again
...and what was that about and what was so bad about their abuelo
"Are you ok" mom asked, holding my cheek up
"Yeah mami, I'm fine. But what's up with that man" I asked before she started to form a cloud
"Erm, nevermind. Deep breath in, deep breath out" I said, calming my mom. She began to look for Antonio
She shouted into the air. "Dolores, bring Antonio to the base of the tree".
Abuela was trying to lively up the crowd again. "There is nothing wrong now, please, continue to enjoy the party"
Abuela's gaze quickly shot to me
"Camilo, go make yourself useful and entertain our guests" Abuela yelled
"Oh" she said turning around
"And stay away from that person and their Abuelo" Abuela said before walking away
I stood there shocked, not believing what she just said.
She can't do this to me! The one friend I had who really cared for who I was?
"Ay Cameron, get out of your imagination, where's Luisa" someone called to me. It was the man with an extra gut
"It's Camilo" I said in a snappy manner
"What do you need help with?" I asked
"Oh, I just need to know where Luisa is. I need to take these decorations out" he said
"I can help with-"
"Oh no no. Hahaha! Good one" he said, cracking up over his statement
"It's just decorations" I said
"You're just here to be silly. The girls are over probably want you to shift into Mariano again haha. Anyways, I'll look for Luisa. She's actually of use for this job" he laughed
"Ah, Luisa! Come help with this" he shouted, spotting Lusia walking past.
"On it" she said, grabbing the decorations.
"Sorry about that cuz" she said, patting my back. A little too hard, I stumbled forward a few steps
"He deserved that extra gut" she said before taking the decorations
I laughed at that but my smile faded quickly
I'm more than the silly one. Or am I? I don't know, why do people even appreciate me. They just appreciate my gift, not me...I don't even know if I truly know myself either I sighed
Maybe I'm falling into what people perceive me as...
***time skip***
Everyone left already and everyone was sound asleep, except me. I kept tossing and turning.
I got up and walked out of my room. "Ay, casita, can you take me to the roof"
Nothing
"Casita!" I said, stomping a bit. Casita hit me with a railing. "Ow, sorry geez" I said, rubbing my side as casita built me a ladder
I slowly and quietly crept up to the candle sitting on Abuela's window seal. I looked to it as it burned and illuminated the walls.
"Encanto, candle, or whatever I call you. Please, help me find myself." I said quietly before heading back
"Oh and please allow me to continue to meet with y/n, I- I think I like them. Maybe. I just want more time with them. It feels great to have a friend that appreciates me for who I am, even when I don't" I finally climbed down casita's improvised ladder before bumping into Mirabel
"Ay, Mirabel, what are you doing" I said
"Camilo, hey, it's nothing, I just wanted to go the candle...I mean you just did too" she said nervously. I gave her an unimpressed look
I began to head back to my room before she stopped me. "Camilo, I'm. I'm really, really sorry about the photo"
I began to get angry as she reminded me. But I saw she was genuinely sorry. I sighed "it's...*sigh*...it's ok. Goodnight mi prima"
"Night Cami" she said, climbing up to the candle as I watched. Ahh, Just like we used to when we were kids, we'd always make a wish every night.