Chapter 6: Ruins of Casita

Brianna's POV

   "What do you mean you don't wanna hang out anymore?" I asked Theodore, a bit mad. He's been acting weird since his and my family's meeting, I told him about the accident. Casita has loads of cracks that made me feel unsafe as I just went out to visit Theodore here at our spot where we always hang out.

   "I mean that, I don't wanna hang out with you anymore, Anna" Theodore said looking down. He was staring at his feet as I sat at a rock and he sat on the grass. We were in a open field a bit far from the village. "It's just I don't want to be your friend anymore" He added with a low tone, He hadn't looked at me ever since I came. He was here first.

   "Theodore! What do you mean?!" I almost yelled at him standing up. "You don't want to be friends anymore..?" I said in disbelief, I kicked a rock. I thought for a second, Is it because of the meeting? About me and Diego? Did he know?

   "Yes. I don't want to be friends anymore. So leave me alone and live with your life with Diego" He said coldly as he stood up and started walking away. His hands in his pockets. I couldn't believe him. He's just gonna throw our friendship? Just like that?!

  I picked up a small rock and hit his head. "Theodore! Look at me for a fucking second!" I yelled at him, He stopped walking when the rock hits him. I could see his head shaking a bit. I walk over to him, I put a hand on his shoulder wanting to make him turn around. "Tell me the truth. Is this because of Diego and me? I told you I didn't want to be engaged with him! Abuella made me!" I hit his back tears flowing down my face. I had been through so much about this. But I couldn't lose Theodore, His my bestfriend.

   He finally turned around I felt his arms go around me as he hugged me tight. "I'm sorry, I just can't be with you anymore. Mama told me to stay away from you since she was convinced that Diego has you first and I'm trying to ruin your relationship" Theo explained everything as now I know he was also forced to do things he doesn't want. We both are in the same place, Forced to please our loved ones.

   He lets go of me and headed to the village, I was alone. I can't believe that I just lost my best friend because of this stupid engagement. I wish I could've ran to him and hugged him to tell him that I don't want to break our friendship. To fight for our own sakes. But I couldn't. It's like I'm frozen In place.

   Before I could know it that I reached Casita and went in, In a gloomy mood. I noticed Abuella shouting at Mirabel, Prima Luisa and Prima Isabella standing at the side. I didn't know that was happening. I stood beside Isabella. "How hard any of us tries" I heard Mirabel say out loud as Tia Julieta and Tio Agustin came. "Luisa won't BE strong enough" she motioned to Luisa, She had been in a tough day since she lost her gift. "Isabella won't be perfect enough, You even forced Brianna to be with someone she doesn't love" The last sentence made me look down when Mirabel said that. She knows, Now everyone knows it too.

"Bruno didn't care about this family!"

"Bruno loved this family. I love this family. We ALL love this family! Your the one who's breaking our home!" Mirabel finally snapped at Abuella as she gasped in shock as more cracks appeared and the ground cracked.

  "No no no! The candle!" Mami shouted looking scared at the candle which had been burning low as the window cracked and the candle lying down.

"Casita! Helped me up there!" Mirabel ran up as Casita helped her reach the candle and I couldn't stand there as I took off my cloves and made a slide to go up towards the candle. Isabella made a rope to go up too. Camilo shifted many times to reach the roof but before we all could get close to the candle we all fell down to the ground, Making our landing safe by Casita. I looked at my hand as I didn't freeze the floor, Casita made the tiles wave to get us outside.

   "Mirabel! Leave it!" Tia Julieta yelled as Mirabel was still at the roof trying to save the candle! No no she's in danger!

   "MIRABEL! PLEASE!" I yelled out to her but she slide down as Casita helped her until I notice the whole house went down, I closed my eyes with my hands. I felt Dolores hug me. "Mirabel-.." I said helplessly hugging Dolores. Please be safe Mirabel.

   When the house stopped falling we ran in our Casita, No tiles, Or any windows moving to sign as Casita still alive. It was gloomy. Tia Julieta saw Mirabel under a pile of thing protecting her as Tia looked for her healing foods. I looked at the ruins of Casita as I felt a wave of coldness on my body. I don't feel cold ever since I got my gift. But now without my gift, the cold makes my body shiver madly, my head throbbing with the cold. I felt dizzy.

  I saw Dolores walked to me with a worried look, Camilo behind her as I fell on Dolores' arms "C-cold" Was all I could say.

  "Camilo go find some towel to wrap around Brianna! Go!" Dolores held me tight as Camilo ran to Mami and Papi and they brought me a jacket as Dolores helped me wear it. Mami held me when we heard Tia Julieta yell that Mirabel was missing. Abuella looked at me then at Mami as she walked away "look for her" she said before leaving to go to the village.

  We all started walking around the Encanto trying to look for Mirabel. I felt fine after an hour in the jacket as my temperature was normal now like any other people. I helped looking as I walked through the trees yelling Mirabel's name. I heard rumbling on the bushes as I looked around scared. Now I don't have any gift to protect me. "Who's there?!" I yelled trying to sound confident but came out scared.

  I screamed when a head popped out and shushed me holding my mouth, I look at the person shock. "Tio Bruno?" My voice was muffled through his hand, Ew.

  "Yeah, Hey kiddo. Will you not shout this time?" He jokingly asked, Wow nice greeting after how many years of him gone. I nodded as he take his hand off my mouth and I hugged him for a minute then let go of him.

  "Tio, Your alive thank goodness! Where did you go when you left? What did you do? Why didn't you came back? How-" Tio covered my mouth again. He shook his head.

  "Ask questions later, kiddo. It's too much for my head" He said then took off his hand for the second time. He looked around "Mirabel? Where is she?" He asked, Wait a minute. Had he been spying on me?

  "I don't know, She ran away" I answered with a frown, I've been roaming around for an hour now. I was starting to get worried for Mirabel.

  He just nodded "don't tell anyone that you saw me" after that he left, I bet he was gonna look for Mirabel. I went to the Village as I jumped when Diego blocked my way. I groaned as I thought he was gonna wip out a flirt but what he said shocked me.

   "Are you okay? Are you hurt? I saw that your house had collapsed and I'm relieved to see your fine" He held my shoulders looking for any injury. This was weird of him to be caring. Most of the time he just annoys me. I looked at him with my eyebrow raised.  "Hello? Why are you staring at me like that?"he asked me with his eyebrow raised, Whoops.

   "Nothing, You just seem different. Did I somehow freeze your head too?" I asked as he just scratched his head then laughed at me.

   "No you didn't, I'm fine. Is my real self too nice? I can go back to the Diego YOU know" He said, Again I was confused. The Diego that I know? What does that mean? Is the flirty one the act? And this is the real Diego? Nice, Caring and sweet? Not even flirting at all..

  I couldn't say anything as he chuckled and put a strand of my hair behind my ear I didn't notice the blush on my cheeks. He smiled and walked away. Why do I feel something weird towards him? Diego Deguzman? No, I can't. I do not.

  I saw Theo infront of his house talking to Mariano with a worried look, Mariano turned his head and saw me as he motioned Theodore to me. Theodore looked relieved to see me as he ran to me and hugged me. I was shock, I thought he doesn't want to see me anymore. "Your okay, I thought you were gone when your house went down. I was so worried, Anna" He said as he looked at me with a smile as I smiled back at him.

  "I'm fine, Theo. Thanks for worrying. I thought you didn't want to see me again" I looked down as I remembered what he said to me yesterday. "I thought you didn't care about me anymore. I thought I lost my best friend" I kept saying what I thought as Theodore shushed me. He made me look up at him.

  "I know and I'm sorry for that, Mama thought that we had some kind of secret love relationship. She doesn't understand that we just treat each other like a family and not as lovers. But now, Mariano told her and she finally listened. I'm still your bestfriend, right?" He said as I nodded and punched his shoulder jokingly. He chuckled at my little attack.

   "But there is one more problem, Mirabel is missing" I said to him as he thinks for a second. A hand on his chin, I looked around thinking too, Where does Mirabel go if she ran off? She can't leave Encanto. Oh wait, the mountains had cracks means she can.

   "Let's try looking at the mountains then, She can't go far. She has no where else to go" Theodore suggested as I nodded but before we could go, I felt my feets hurt. I forgot that I had already been looking for Mirabel for a loongg time. "Or just get you home first" Theodore said after he noticed me as I nodded agreeing as he led me to the ruins of Casita. I saw Dolores and Camilo looking around the ruins for any things that they could still use. Theodore said goodbye then went back to the village. I walked over to my siblings.

  Camilo saw me then smiled "Hola Sis, Are you okay now? Had you found Mirabel?" He asked as I shook my head.

  "I haven't seen Mirabel, Camilo. But I'm sure she's fine and will come back" I replied to him reassuring him as I patted his back. He nodded as I turned to Dolores she was looking at our family picture, When Antonio had his gift.

   "What you got there, Lore?" I asked looking at the picture. "Oh" had escaped my mouth when I saw my face. I was so still? As I stood between Mami and Dolores with just a smile and my hands infront of me. In my white and blue dress.

   "We look so happy here, But now I notice, Mirabel is not in here. How could we be this selfish to her?" Dolores said and hugged the picture, turning to me. With a sad look.

   "I know" I said and patted her shoulders, understanding on what she thinks. Mirabel was an outcast in our family, Even though she doesn't have a gift. She is still a madrigal.

                                  •    •2111 words

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