silent movies || encanto X female reader

flashback #2

"(Y/n) ?"

You keep your head down, trying to wipe your tears as fast as you could so that your grandmother could not notice you were crying.

It has been a rough day for you. You didn't imagine your twelfth birthday to go this way.

When the teacher had told the class to wish you a happy birthday this morning, only a few half-hearted claps sounded in the room, making you dig your head in your shoulders in embarrassment. Angela's snicker made it even harder.

Then, you thought the day would go better as the teacher gave back the test she had graded. You got the best note in the class, and you smiled to yourself, happy you'd get to show your parents how hard you worked on it when you'd get home. You left it on your table as a personal reminder of your accomplishment.

But during break, a hand entered your sight and quickly snatched your paper away. You looked up to find Angela, reading it with a small pout.

"Hmm." She handed it to Jose, who clutched the part of the paper he was holding a bit too tight, crumbling it. You bit your lip, your heart aching a bit. Somehow this made you anxious.

"A+ ?" Jose spat, clearly mad he only got a C-. "You were right, Angela. There's no way she could have gotten such a mark if she didn't manipulate the teacher."

"What ?" You say quietly, your words barely daring to escape your lips.

"Well, would you look at that !" Angela pats your head as if you were a pet, making you pull away. "She talks !"

"I do." You frown. "Now give me back my test."

"Why would I ?" Jose shrugs, holding the paper even tighter. "It's not like you earned it."

"I..." You clenched your fist. You had studied so much for this, even turning down Mirabel and Camilo's offers to play with them, and ignoring Carlos telling you it wasn't worth it. Everyone in your family at least knew about this test, you had poured your heart into it, and your parents were eager to read it, always asking when you'd get the results back. "I did earn it."

Angela gave you a side glance, seeing as you started to answer unusually sharply. She nudged Jose.

"Come on, Jose. It's only a possibility, you know. Maybe (Y/n) really did work really hard to get that mark. After all, Mrs. Nieves never gave anyone an A+ this year."

"One more reason to believe (Y/n) did use her powers on her." He argues, and Angela rolls her eyes, but a smirk creeps at the corner of her lips.

"Enough, Jose ! Give it back. You don't wanna mess with her." She almost sings, clearly having lots of fun. She grips the side of the paper Jose hadn't already crumpled and pulls, ripping the paper in two distinct parts. You can't help but let out a shaky sigh as she fakes horror and slowly puts it back on your table.

"Oh, no ! (Y/n), I'm so sorry ! You understand it was an accident, right ?"

You don't care what she says anymore. You stand up straight, making everyone that had gathered around your table take a step back. The memory of what happened the last time they angered you was still fresh in their minds.

You ignore it and grab your ripped test, heading towards the door. Everyone gets back to their seat hurriedly, as if nothing happened, scared you'd take them as a target. But, before you can reach the door, someone grabs your wrist. You turn around. Angela.

"Happy birthday, (Y/n). I noticed only a few people clapped this morning. I want you to know I did." She smiles sweetly, making you sick.

"Happy birthday, (Y/n)." Jose adds, and soon, the whole class is wishing you to have the best day in your life. It sure did start well.

"Why are you crying ?" Alma asks as she sits next to you on the living room's sofa, clearly bothered by the fact she was the one to find you. You just shake your head, knowing it wouldn't interest her anyway.

She sighs. "Come on, (Y/n). Don't be dramatic and talk to me."

You relantuctly explain that some people at school were being mean to you, but you don't have time to tell her more details before she stops you.

"But why are they bothering you ? Don't you think it's because you've done something to them ?"

Well, she wasn't wrong. You did accidentally make them feel like they didn't exist, back in second grade. And your Abuela perfectly knew that.

You only noded.

"You've made a mistake, (Y/n)." She says. "Now you have to pay for it. And deal with it alone. You're a Madrigal. Remember, you promised you would use your gift to serve the village."

"But my gift is useless."

"Then the least you can do is not bother anyone. Don't create any more problems. The family is busy enough to deal with your own problems. You're old enough to solve them yourself. Do you understand ?"

And somehow, yes, you did.

When you exit the living room to go help your mother in the kitchen -she was preparing you a birthday cake-, Dolores bursts out of her room, something in her hand that she immediately hides when she sees you downstairs. You'd know later that it was your birthday gift from her, a lovely bracelet she had made herself.

"Hey, (Y/n). How was it today... At school ? Hmm !" She squeaks, leaning over the upstairs fence with a gentle smile.

You look at the living room, where Abuela watched you with an encouraging smile, then back at Dolores.

"It went just fine." You flash her a smile and resume walking towards the kitchen, therefore unable to notice how your cousin's shoulders dropped.

If only she had gotten out of her soundproof room a minute earlier, she would have heard everything Abuela said to you.

"Happy birthday." Dolores murmurs as she watches you hug Julieta from behind in the kitchen, startling her. A worried frown appears on her face while a fake smile does on yours.