★★★

Modern AU

༄ ᵇᵘᶜᵏˡᵉ ᵘᵖ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸᵇᵒᵈʸ, ᵗʰⁱˢ ⁱˢ ᵃ ˡᵒⁿᵍ ᵒⁿᵉ

"Ready..."

"Set..."

"Go!" The two said in unison, yelling out the scores they got on their major quiz in math class, keeping them a secret until lunch.

"96!" "98!"

"Aw, dang it," Estella sighed, snapping her fingers while Enrique laughed maniacally at her in triumph, opening his hand with a smug look on his face. "Alright, hand over the phone. I've been searching for the funniest ringtone to put since last night in preparation for my inevitable victory."

Rolling her eyes, the girl gives her phone to him, saying, "Yeah right, you're just lucky I missed class the other day."

"Hey, a win is a win," Enrique shrugged, cackling as he starts changing her phone's ringtone.

Ting!

Noticing a text notification pop up, Enrique managed to get a vague glimpse of who messaged his best friend's phone.

"Mirabel texted you," He said, looking at her and handing her the phone before he read anything else. It was her privacy after all.

ᴍɪʀᴀʙᴇʟ ❤︎: Hey 'Stel, do you mind if you drop off the fabrics I asked for later at my place? I got detention after class.. I'm so sorry 😭

: I'll send you my address in a bit, thanks!!

It's alright, I'll come by! Have fun at detention 😭:

"So, how's it like hanging out with a member from one of the most successful families in the neighborhood?" Enrique asked, leaning back on his chair, trying to get something out from between his teeth.

"Whatever, you're just jealous cuz I befriended her first," She told him, sticking her tongue out, causing him to scoff.

Ever since they saw themselves in the background of an episode that was aired on television for the Familia Madrigal as an interview, they've been their fans ever since. They watched episode after episode, interview after interview.

But don't worry, they've been this weird since childhood. It's one of the reasons they've been the best of friends since they she was six and he was eight.

They live just a block away from each other, go to the same school, have a lot of things in common, and they rarely ever even fight – though if they do get into fights they mostly get over it and makeup in an instant. Also, If they don't get assumed to be dating, they're either assumed to be siblings.

They prefer the latter half of the time, but deceive other people into thinking they really are a thing just for fun, the other half of the time.

"Do you think I'll need to wear something nice when I go there?" She asked ever so randomly, the two of them standing up from their lunch table.

"Sure, why not? Wear your prettiest outfit and then ride on your seven-year-old pink bicycle," He said teasingly, smirking. "Wow. Okay, first of all, Esmeralda is red. Her colors are just starting to fade now that she's gotten older, that's all. Gees, you could've just said "no", you big bully," Estella replied, huffing, making him laugh at her as he ruffled her hair.

"Just wear what you're going to wear before we head over to watch the movie," He suggested, making her remember their plans for today. "Right, the movie!" She said excitedly, pointing at him as she recalls their monthly dates.

★ ★ ★

Stopping near the Madrigal's front door, Estella takes the time to look at the front of their beautiful and colorful mansion. Realizing her jaw was down, she closes her mouth and breaks herself out of her trance, taking out her phone to give Mirabel a call and let her know she's right outside.

"... I'll get the door for you! I'll just be a second," Mirabel says over the phone as Estella replies with an ok before they hung up on each other. And when a literal second passed after she did, Estella heard the door open, expecting to see Mirabel.

"That was fast," She laughed, just turning her head only to face a completely different person, taking a step back in surprise.

"Ooh," Estella said, laughing nervously, "You are– you're not... Uhmm," she trailed off, avoiding the unmoving, confused gaze of the boy in front of her was doing. Doing what any other normal person in a state of panic and embarrassment, she looks at her s̶a̶v̶i̶o̶r̶ phone and pretended to do something.

Trying hard to avoid making eye contact whatsoever, she slyly turns to the side to help not look at him, already knowing who he is with just his curly auburn hair, mesmerizing ash green-like eyes, and freckled face. He was no doubt, the one and only, Camilo Madrigal, Mirabel's older cousin, the second child of the famous and most accurate news reporter, Pepa Madrigal.

"Oh, I just missed a call from my mom," She tried saying, pretending to mutter the words to herself but still saying it loud enough for the boy to hear so he'd think she was distracted and occupied with something important, then leave her alone and pretend they never even met each other's eyes even for a split second.

"I'm pretty sure phones ring when someone calls," He mentioned, a short, amused chuckle escaping his lips as he raises an eyebrow at the girl. Noticing her slightly reddened cheeks and the embarrassed look she has in her eyes.

Scoffing, she tries turning back to face him, thinking it would be rude if she didn't, "Well, the joke's on you," she says, her free hand making its way to her hip. "My phone's on silent."

And just as those words made their way out of her mouth, the two were shocked to hear the ear-piercing sounds of what seemed to be wailing banshees come from her phone, only for Estella to realize what Enrique had done.

Camilo took a step back from the sudden sound, while the girl literally almost threw her phone up in the air in shock, her heart almost dropping down to her stomach as she tries hard to catch it in time. She flips her phone since she caught it upside down and hurriedly tried to answer the call, noticing how the caller ID was the culprit himself.

"What? What?" She hissed trying to hide her face from Camilo in embarrassment. "Whoa, bad time?" Enrique asked over the phone.

"Yes!" Estella whisper yelling, answering his question.

As the girl talks with someone over the phone, Camilo shakes his head amusedly at her odd self. And, he'll admit, she has a very pretty face, especially if you brush the hair off a bit.

Staring at her as she whispered angrily at her own phone, he entertains himself as he waits for his cousin by watching the girl.

"I'm always on time, you're the one who's tardy in and out of school," She said, pinching the bridge of her nose as Enrique tests her patience and mental stability by purposely annoying her every once in a while.

"Okay, okay," He laughed, "I'm hanging up now, see you!"

"Going on a date?" Estella heard Camilo ask as soon as she took her phone off her ear. "What? No, not really– I mean, I guess?" She answered unsurely, still a bit embarrassed with having him hear her ridiculous ringtone, making a mental note to give Enrique a punch on the arm later as thanks.

"I'm Camilo, by the way," The boy says, putting out his arm with a friendly smile. "I'm Estella," She smiled back awkwardly, shaking his hand, feeling her phone vibrate and hearing it chime in her other hand.

Before having any time to check on it or even just take her hand away, Mirabel comes bursting out the front door. "Hey 'Stel, have you received what I sent?"

"Ooh," She lets out, raising an eyebrow at the two's frozen handshake. Both took their hands away, making Mirabel squint her eyes at them.

"Uhm, here you go," Estella says, taking the bag of fabrics from her bicycle's basket and giving it to Mirabel, also checking her phone afterward.

"Did you get it?" Mirabel asked while the girl nodded her head. "Yep, I did. Thanks," She smiled, glancing at Camilo before saying, "Well, I guess I'll get going now."

She hopped on her bike and waved with a small smile, riding away as she let out a long, frustrated huff. EMBARASSING. EMBARASSING. IT'S STILL EMBARRASSING. She kept saying in her head as she felt her cheeks heat up even though the air was literally crashing through her face with the kind of speed she took off with.

"Well she was in a hurry," Mirabel said, shrugging then turning to Camilo with an arched brow. "Care to evaluate?" She asked, cradling her purchased items in her arms while he simply shrugged at her as a response.

"Alright," She nodded, before going back in, saying, "Wait for me again," with a sheepish grin as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine, just go faster before we miss the whole thing," He tells her, referring to their own plans on their own date – their cousinly date.

Estella puts her hands on her knees as she panted, having no choice but to jog since she managed to get a flat tire on her bike on her way home to grab something.

"I thought you said you were always on time?" Enrique said, looking at her with a bewildered expression and handing her a handkerchief. "Dios mio, you're looking like a devil that tried going to church, chica. What did you even do, run laps around an empty parking lot?"

"No, my bike has a flat so I had to run," She breathed out, not taking what he was offering and simply shaking her hand, saying, "It's alright, I have a spare shirt in my bag. I can change."

"Right, I forgot you were a girl scout," He said, shooing her off. "Go go, change. I'll go buy the popcorn.".

After changing into a different shirt, she rushes off back to Enrique. The two of them were excited to watch the newest and most anticipated horror movie ever.

Although they suck at horror movies, they watch them and traumatize themselves for fun. Sounds kind of masochistic but. . .

Eh, I got nothing. They just do it cuz they can. I mean, as long as they don't get nightmares about it for a long period of time, they're not gonna stop anytime soon.

"Let's go, let's go!" She said, jumping a bit and making him laugh. "Chill, we still have ten minutes before we're allowed to go in," Enrique tells her, his gaze traveling to something behind her.

"Hey, isn't that Mirabel?" He asked, pointing at a familiar figure in the distance by puckering his lips. She turns her head and confirms his affirmation.

"Mirabel!" She heard him suddenly call out, flinching in surprise. Mira and Enrique have only met once when she found him hanging with Estella one time, and they sort of just clicked.

"Oh, Enrique!" She smiled, waving before turning to someone else and then urging them to come with her.

"Of course," Estella muttered, taking the bucket of popcorn from Enrique's hands and then starting eating it one by one. "Just my luck," Enrique heard her say through her chewing, making him wonder what she was talking about.

"Are you guys watching this too?" Mirabel asked excitedly, pointing at the horrific-looking poster beside them.

"Yeah, we are!" He answered with the same amount of excitement before noticing Camilo beside her. "Oh, it's your cousin," Enrique pointed out, surprised to see Camilo Madrigal in the flesh out of the blue, his surprised face and the way he said it making Estella laugh even though she's trying to avoid saying anything by stuffing her face.

"Ay, stop eating that. We aren't even inside yet," He hissed, taking back the bucket from her hands and making her eye him as if he just told her Santa wasn't real.

"I'm Enrique, by the way," He introduced himself, turning back to Camilo and then smiling, talking before the auburn-haired boy could even introduce himself back. "Don't worry, I already know who you are."

Having three pairs of eyes look at him with discomfort. "I think you said that wrong," Estella says, almost in a sigh.

He was two years older, two grades higher, but she can't help but feel like she was more mature than him sometimes.

Folding his mouth shut and nodding at her, he simply chuckles nervously at Camilo and Mirabel, preferring not to talk anymore.

"Riiight," Mirabel says, trying to change the topic by asking, "What seats are you guys in? How cool would it be if we sat next to each other?"

"Oh, uh," Estella says, exchanging looks with her boy best friend and using their telepathy on each other.

You talk. I feel embarrassed now.

You feel embarrassed? You called me and made my phone start wailing like a banshee in front of them earlier!

Alright, alright. I'll formally apologize later, just say something.

"Well, we're sitting somewhere in the back rows..."

"Okay, but where specifically?"

In the end, Mirabel ended up buying tickets for seats next to two. Leaving out the fact that they haven't bought any yet before asking.

The four of them were seated in the following; Mirabel, Camilo, Estella, and Enrique, since Mirabel wanted to sit next to the wall, saying how so she wouldn't have to worry about suddenly seeing a different being or something sitting on the other side of her.

Enrique on the other hand still also felt quite embarrassed by what he said, so he chose not to sit beside Camilo whom he hopes he didn't mentally scar from sounding like a creepy stalker.

"You're still buying me food if I win right?" Enrique asked Estella in a whisper, but the Madrigals still managed to hear him.

"Win what?" Mirabel asked, curious about what they were talking about. The other two looked at each other again, talking once more using their brains.

It's your turn.

No, I can't do it. I'll double the dessert portions if you win.

Dang, fine.

"We suck at horror films," Estella tells Mirabel and Camilo, who was also looking like he was curious since food was involved. "So we make a bet where if one of us reacts more, like screams more or covers their eyes more, they have to treat the other one to lunch or dinner," She explained, making the two look at each other, this time using their own cousin telepathy.

"That sounds interesting," Mirabel grinned, looking at Camilo who shakes his head at her with a smile.

"You could join us if you want," Enrique spoke, surprising Estella. "So if Estella loses she'll treat the three of us," He laughed, making her glare at him.

"Hah! Joke's on you, I practice my poker face. It helps in our game and in class."

Nearing the middle part of the movie, Enrique tries to get himself a handful of popcorn. But as his hand goes into their shared bucket of buttery goodness, he was only able to feel the bottom of the bucket.

"¿Que?" He said hushedly, but still in surprise, turning his head at Estella who pretty much just inhaled  the whole thing, asking, "Where'd all popcorn go?"

"Huh?" Estella let out, looking down at their empty bucket. "Yo, what? It's all gone?" She whispered, equally as surprised as he was.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll get more," She chuckled, amused by Enrique's disappointed expression.

He always liked munching on some food whenever they were watching something.

The two Madrigals heard their hushed conversation, making Mirabel tap Camilo's shoulder and ask him for a favor.

"Primo, could you refill our bucket too?" She smiles sheepishly, making him sigh as he took it and stood up to tag along with Estella.

She and the boy were waiting in a line by the counter, luckily, they were the second so the wait won't be long.

"Would it count as cheating if we miss even a fragment of the movie?" Camilo asked, wondering if there were any mechanics to Estella and Enrique's odd horror movie challenge.

"No," She says, waving her hand, adding, "But it should," making him laugh. The fact that she was giving off a better impression now than the first one made her smile.

"Hopefully we end up missing some of the jump scares," She joked, the two of them moving forward as the people in front of them start leaving with their own refills.

"You two seem pretty competitive," Camilo pointed out, looking at the girl and watching how she tucked her hair behind her ear after grabbing something sweet to buy from the different chocolates and candies displayed at the side of the counter.

"Mostly just with each other. We pretty much like to put rewards or make bets on things to make them more exciting, if that makes sense," She tells him, shrugging as she smiled. "It's kind of one of the reasons why most people think we're related or that we're dating since we have our own little world."

"So," Camilo trailed, thanking the lady at the counter before the two of them grab their refilled buckets of hot buttered popcorn and started walking. "You two aren't a thing?"

Estella looked at him, laughing, "Not you too." Camilo chuckled, shyly rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

After that, the four of them continued watching. The movie takes up almost two hours of their time in total.

"I can't feel my knees," Enrique said, the lights in the room starting to open as the end credits flashed from the projector.

"Soon your knees won't be the only thing you aren't feeling. Time to empty that wallet of yours," His best friend nudged, rubbing off his major loss on his face. Now, he ends up treating three people to dinner.

Mirabel put her hands together and then rubbed them in a maniacal way, "Oh yeah, who knew victory would be this good."

"You're one to talk, you two were probably neck and neck with each other. I can still hear your screams echo in my ears," Camilo teased, making Mirabel stick her tongue out at him.

★ ★ ★

About a week later, Camilo is found doodling on his notebook, a few minutes left before their class ends.

He got a love letter earlier from another one of his anonymous admirers, but like usual, he ends up having to reject another girl he doesn't even know the name of.

He feels bad whenever he rejects them and breaks their hearts, which is why he tries doing it in a nice way. Not like it helps them move on when it would most likely just do the opposite, but hey, at least he takes your feelings into account.

Mirabel, Camilo, and his little brother, Antonio go to the same private school near their house. He got curious about how Mirabel met Estella after their little double platonic movie date a few days ago and found out that their new transfer student used to go to the same school as Estella and also used to attend the sewing club there. So when Mirabel mentioned how hard it was to get new fabrics and other sewing materials for their club in a hurry due to an "accident", the new student didn't hesitate to tell her about how Estella could help them.

And believe it or not, Camilo was actually disappointed when he thought he'd probably never come across or cross paths with Estella anytime soon yet.

He was very popular in school mostly because of his looks, manners, and sense of humor, but he hasn't really dated anyone yet. Flirt and minor attraction, sure. But date? Nah.

Probably the only girl he felt some sort of liking for was the one he met just once.

Pretty sure you could figure out who that is by now.

After class, Camilo found out that Mirabel got herself in detention. Again.

"I swear I keep my phone on silent every time before class starts," She explained, making Camilo ask her: "Then why do you have detention?"

She groaned exaggeratedly, dragging her hands along her face. "Look, it's just for an hour," Mirabel says, "All you have to do is wait for me for an hour. Besides, Antonio wants to go to the playground today since he bought Parce along with him for their "Pet Presentation Day"."

"Alright, alright," Camilo said, waving her off, "I'll take him to the playground to pass the hour. Just stop getting detention. You know how Mami scolds me whenever she finds out I let you walk home alone."

"Yup got it. No more detention. Gracias, primo!" She smiled, giving him a squeeze before running off towards detention.

"Stop running in the halls!" He yelled, not wanting her to get in any more trouble. "Right, sorry!" He heard her say before settling with speed walking. 

Camilo watched as his little brother excitedly leads the way toward the nearby playground. Excited to play with his pet, Parce in the first place he found him too.

"Wait, Parce!" Antonio exclaimed, surprised to see his feline friend run off into the distance. "Where are you going?" He yelled, running off to follow him.

"Whoa, Hey, Antonio!" Camilo also yells, calling out for his little brother, and also ends up running to follow them. "Watch your step, you might trip!"

Unlike Camilo and Mirabel, Estella goes to a public school. It has a bit of distance from her place, but it's a good thing she likes walking.

Supposedly, it's supposed to be "biking" but since Esmeralda got herself a flat tire, Estella had to walk home today.

Tying her hair as she walked along the sidewalk, she could feel the summer heat slowly take its toll on her as sweat starts dripping down her neck and her back.

She stops and decided to take a short break, sitting on a small bench, hearing a familiar sound come from nearby.

Meow.

Turning her head, she notices a familiar yellow cat coming toward her. Estella smiled, saying: "Well, well, look who showed up."

She picked him up and noticed a shiny collar around his neck. "Ohh, so that's why you haven't been showing up here lately. You have an owner now." Estella giggled, looking at his collar and reading the name "Parce" that was written on it.

"And here I thought you just didn't like what I was feeding you with," She joked, even though the cat wouldn't be able to react to it.

"Parce!" A little boy called out, running in the distance.

Of course, Estella already figured out who he was. Surprised to see Antonio Madrigal coming over to fetch the stray cat he seemed to have adopted now.

She smiled at the little boy and handed Parce over. "Thank you," He said, smiling as he looked at his cat and then at Estella.

"You're welcome," Estella said, afterward, asking, "Are you out here alone?"

"No, I'm with my older brother," Antonio says before introducing himself. "My name's Antonio."

"I'm Estella," The girl replied, letting her know her name but still keeping in mind the fact that he was supposed to be with his brother.

She looked around, humming, to see if Camilo was indeed around or if Antonio got lost chasing his pet. "I don't think I see your brother anywhere."

"You know what he looks like?" He asked surprisedly, making Estella laugh nervously. "Uhh... well, yes."

"Antonio! There you are," They heard Camilo yell from the distance, slowly jogging over to him, calling out for his brother but looking at the girl.

"That's my brother," Antonio tells Estella, who then lets out a soft chuckle, smiling at the cute little boy as she nodded.

Camilo stops right next to his little brother and then conveniently places his hand on his head, ruffling his hair a bit. "Hey," He said to the girl.

"Hey," She echoed, raising her hand as to say hi.

Why is this so awkward?! They both asked themselves in their own heads.

The four of them were now at the playground. Antonio was just continuously going up and down the slides with his cat, Parce while Camilo and Estella were watching him from a bench nearby.

"Do you live near here?" Camilo asked, trying to make a conversation. He's usually more talkative and all, but this time he finds it hard to set the mood since they got awkward earlier.

"Sort of, yeah. I go to that public school over there," She says, pointing at a building in the distance. "My house is just a few more blocks away from here."

Camilo nodded, unsure of what to say next since Estella didn't really say anything else after that.

"Sorry, I'd ask you if you also live nearby but I already know where your house is," Estella said, laughing awkwardly as she continued to avoid eye contact. Camilo noticed how her ears were starting to get red from embarrassment, getting a very clear view of them especially since her hair was tied up into a ponytail today, letting out a soft chuckle.

"It's alright."

"You know, I almost didn't recognize you earlier," He said, making her turn to him, the two of them finally making some eye contact. She let out a short laugh, "Really?" she said in disbelief, placing a hand on her chest. "Did I have that much difference just from tying my hair?" She asked, misunderstanding what he was trying to say, making him chuckle at her.

"I mean, it helps show your face more," Camilo explained, gesturing for his own face to help her understand. "Last time, your hair was all over the place."

Estella embarrassedly, as a force of habit, tried tucking her hair behind her ear, forgetting the fact that it was tied up and there was almost literally nothing there to tuck, looking down as she chuckled weakly.

Seeing how she looks like got the wrong message again, Camilo quickly tried to correct himself. "I-In a good way! I meant it in a good way," He said, stuttering.

"No, it's okay. I understand," She replied, shaking her hands, thinking that she must've made him feel bad. "I get lazy when it comes to tying my hair that's why it's a mess most of the time."

"But you tied it up today," He pointed out. "Yeah, I did," Estella nodded, "I couldn't bear the heat."

"Maybe you should tie it up often," Camilo suggested, scratching the back of his head bashfully, "Because, uhm, like I said earlier, it helps show your face."

"Maybe I might tie it up often. I got a compliment about it from someone like you after all," She smiled, making him raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "Someone like me?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Well," She started, "You just seem like you're one of the popular types is all. I bet you've got tons of girls falling head over heels for you."

"You're nice, you seem like you're a good brother?" Estella said, sounding unsure and squinting her eyes at him as a joke, laughing and then waving it off afterward. "Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. You're friendly, you've got a sense of humor, sense of style," She trailed off, ending up sounding like the Madrigal fan girl she is without noticing it.

"Plus, you're really handsome," She finishes, taking him aback by how she not only called him good-looking but added the word "really" in it too.

"What?" Estella questioned, noticing his slightly surprised face. "Nothing, let's just say I'm honored to have someone like you call me really handsome," Camilo answered, smiling innocently before having her realize how she probably ended up blabbering at him as if he was Enrique.

"Right," She said slowly, trying to just go with it. "You're used to it by now though, right?" She grinned, smiling awkwardly.

"I could if you're the one who's going to keep saying it," He teased, leaning forward, making her cheeks flush.

"Wha– huh?" She stuttered, leaning back and laughing nervously. "What do you mean?" She asked, placing a finger on his chest to move him away, still letting out nervous laughter.

Camilo couldn't help but smile at how flustered she became in an instant, finding it cute how she tries hiding her face and avoiding his gaze.

He chuckled at her, apologizing if he made her uncomfortable and that he was just kidding, letting her let out a relieved sigh.

"Gosh, you really shouldn't do that to girls you just randomly meet sometimes. They might think you're trying to hit on them or something. It's bad to give false hope, you know," She lectured, making him think how cuter she had just become.

"Did you get false hope?" He asked, trying to mess with her again, making her blink at him in surprise before she scoffs at him.

Estella was almost about to hit him as a force of habit, her mind managing to remember the fact that he isn't Enrique for her to hit, making her stop her own hand mid-lifting. She ends up pointing at him instead, saying, "Wow."

"See? This is– This is–," She stuttered, looking away and at him again in disbelief. "You are a flirtatious boy, aren't you?" Estella asked, a short laugh escaping her lips.

Camilo also laughed, raising his hands as a form of surrender, guilty of the accusation. "But I am hitting on you though," He clarified, making her scoff again, the girl putting her hands together to make a loud clap sound. "Hah!" She said while doing so.

"Nice try. What are you gonna do next, ask for my number?" Estella joked, surprised about how flirtatious he suddenly was. Her words only ended up provoking him more.

"If there's a chance you'd actually give it to me, then why not?"

Looking at him, gap mouthed and speechless. Estella punched herself mentally for letting him have another blow on her.

Wouldn't it be rude if I refuse? She asked herself, triggering a mental debate against herself.

But if I do give it to him, wouldn't that make me too easy to get or something?

What do I do?

"Uhhh," She said, still trying to figure out what to say or do. "Wait, were you just messing with me or...?" She questioned, trailing off.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'd like to have your number on my phone if you'd let me," Camilo answered, still stealing glances to see what his brother was doing even as he was trying to get himself a girl.

"I mean, okay, I guess," Estella finally said, making a decision. "I mean, Mirabel has my number. Why can't you, right?" She blabbered, grabbing her phone from her skirt's pocket and putting it out for him.

Camilo took her phone and dialed his own, grabbing his own cellphone from his back pocket and then ending the call.

"Oh, I guess that works," He heard Estella mutter, probably thinking about a different way to exchange numbers.

"Here you go," He smiled, handing her her phone back before she suddenly received a message from her mother, asking for a favor.

"Thanks," Estella said, putting her phone back in her pockets and then grabbing her bag. "Sorry, but I kind of have to go now. Tell Mirabel I said "hi"?" She asked, smiling sheepishly as she stood up.

"I will don't worry," He replied, nodding, watching the girl say goodbye to Antonio and his cat before running off.

Camilo sighed, smiling as he watched her take off, finding her prettier with her hair tied up. He looks at his phone and saves her number under the name: "Hermosa", making them sort of match. 

He snickered, imagining how Estella would react if she sees what he put as his caller ID on her phone since he wouldn't be able to see for himself.

"Never knew I could be this cheesy," He tells himself, shrugging a bit as he smiled, remembering what he put.

★ ★ ★

Estella had just finished taking a shower. Wiping her hair with a towel after she got dressed, the girl takes her phone from her vanity table.

She notices how the contact list was still open, immediately letting her notice Camilo's number and the name he put as his caller ID on her phone.

"Handsome"

The girl laughs, shaking her head at the ridiculous but truthful name he put.

Sighing, Estella found herself muttering, "Why is he so my type?" Surprised by what she had just said aloud, she snapped her head up, looking away from her phone and staring at the air.

"What? No, he isn't, I don't even have a type," She scoffed, conversing with herself and realizing how she must look insane right now. Letting out a long, heavy breath, Estella dragged a hand down her face and groaned, "Why am I even talking to myself?"

꧁ 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 ꧂

Dolores nudged Mirabel, the two of them conveniently sitting next to each other for dinner.

"What's up with him?" She asked, leaning to the side to get closer to Mirabel before whispering her question.

"I don't know," Mirabel shrugged, also whispering, "He's been like that while we were walking home too."

Dolores raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Hm," She let out, mumbling afterward. "Really now?"

The two of them start eyeing Camilo, their heads turning in unison which caught Isabela's attention, having to sit next to the troublemaker himself.

Her eyes also start making their way to Camilo, confused and surprised to see him happily eating his food.

Sure, you'd think it's normal to be happy to eat such delicious cooking, especially made by the one and only, Julieta Madrigal. But unless you have dinner with the whole family almost every night, you'd notice the difference.

He was especially happy tonight.

Too happy, that it's suspicious.

Isabela, Mirabel, and Dolores exchanged looks with each other.

Guess who they're going to start gossiping about for the next few days?

If you guessed Camilo and his suspiciously happy self, then you guessed correctly!

And that's how it all started. . .