·13·

"A Small Romantic Moment"

"Hola, Bonita!" Camilo smiled, grinning at the girl as she stops herself just in time before hitting his face with a vegetable in shock.

"Gosh, why do you keep popping up from nowhere?" She asked, putting back her greens in the basket she was holding. "It's not like you're this vegetable." She says, starting to walk away, back to her house knowing very well he'd still be following her.

"Of course not, I know you adore me more than that." He said proudly, smiling mischievously while Estella only rolls her eyes at him.

I mean, it wasn't a "no", so. . .

The two ended up having a short conversation while they were on the way to Estella's house, but were soon interrupted by Camilo's sister, Dolores.

"Camilo, listen," She huffed, trying to quickly catch her breath while looking in different directions from where she came from, trying to see if anyone was near but was somehow unable to notice Estella who was just behind her brother. Soon enough, she took in a deep breath and started spewing out what she knew at full speed.

"I just heard Isabela tell Mirabel that she never wanted to marry Mariano. I haven't told you anything about my affection towards him but this could be my cha– Oh!" Dolores cut herself off, placing a hand on top of her lips and finally noticing Estella as she peeks over from the side, with a curious gleam in her eyes.

"You like Mariano?""You found Mirabel?"

"Oh, wait. I wasn't supposed to hear what you said, right?" Estella asked, her face looking as if she were wincing. "I-I'll stay quiet about uhm, your feelings toward Mr. Mariano." She whispered, already determined in keeping Dolores's secret.

"Wait a minute, how come you never told me you like Maria–"

"Shh!" Both girls shushed him in unison, noticing how his voice was loud enough for almost the whole crowd to hear.

"You never told me you like Mariano." He said in a more hushed voice, pretending to look upset and betrayed.

"Oh, shush," Dolores says, before her ears started to ring from all the sudden yelping and squealing coming from all the townsfolk as multiple plants started popping up from the ground; figs, cacti, and even flowers that spit out pigments.

Estella jumped in surprised to see such a sight. Even Camilo had the same reaction when they started popping up near him, accidentally hitting Estella as he backs away.

"Ow!" Camilo heard her let out, apologizing immediately for the accident. "Lo Siento, Querida. Where did I hit you? Does it hurt?" He asked in concern, trapping her in his arms in a tight hug.

Estella, knowing that his sister was there watching all this happen, reddens in embarrassment. "Yeah– uh, I MEAN NO. Nothing hurts, I'm fine. But you're kind of squishing my basket." She said in a panic, trying to squirm away, her heart beating like crazy when Camilo starts resting his head on her shoulder, even sending shivers down her spine.

"Ahem." Dolores pipes in, with an arched brow directed at her brother who's internally panicking as heat rise to his but somehow looks like he's having the time of his life.

"I'd hate to spoil the moment but I think we need to see what's going on." She tells Camilo, glancing at Estella who looks like her soul is going to ascend at any minute.

Dolores pulls on her brother's sleeves, impatient from his stubbornness to leave the girl's side "Make a move later, chico amante." She said teasingly while she dragged him with her back to their Casita, leaving Estella to try composing herself back at the alley, only a few more steps away from her house. 

She lets out a whimper and crouches down, gripping her basket with both hands. "Slow down, you." She whispered to herself, hoping that her heart would hear what she was saying and actually slow the fuck down because right now it feels like it could run a hundred flipping miles per hour.

Estella's knees were trembling even after she got home, still embarrassed by what happened. She closes the door as she arrives in her room, falling face-first to her bed, and squeals her breath out at a pillow.

"Mm-mn, nope. It meant nothing, absolutely nothing." She says, breathing heavily, trying to put air back in her lungs. "Totally a platonic hug." She added, standing up, hugging a pillow in her arms, trying to convince herself that it was even though it felt like it wasn't.

The last thing she wants is to assume the wrong thing, and give false hope to her heart.

Although, regardless of her thoughts, she did end up sketching about it on the back page of her book – how it felt.

It was a quick and brief sketch, nothing too detailed yet but Estella finds herself already brushing her fingertips on the drawing of Camilo's face, replaying the moment in her head as she smiles goofily at herself.

Oh, how hard she's fallen.

Unfortunately, Estella's little fangirling session didn't last long as she and everyone else in town got interrupted by the ground, aggressively shaking, tearing a gap in their town.

Immediately, she runs down the stairs looking for her parents to see if they were okay and they did the same, meeting each other at the staircase.

"What was that?" Estella asked her parents, while all three exchanged curious and worried looks.

"Did you get hurt?" Tacita questioned, changing the subject, and focusing on her concern. "No, I'm okay. What about you?" Estella replied, giving them another question to answer.

"We're fine, we're fine," Benito assured her, before walking towards a window to take a peek outside.

"But I don't think the Encanto is."

Message from OG Story (Pre-Editing Stage):

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A/N

OMG, I'm so sorry, I just realized I never published this part!!! 

I do be forgetting to count now.My Most Sincere Apologies, I will try to keep my brain in my head when I update soon..._____