"I'm so sorry, Mirabel."

The girl laughed, waving it off. "Really, it's alright, you had a lot on your mind and you forgot something - happens to everyone."

"Yeah." You took a deep breath, crossing your arms. "But usually when people forget something - it's not their clothes."

Mirabel snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Oh please, It's not like you went home naked."

You sighed. "Yeah, but when you come home wearing a totally new set of clothes and your mom asks you where you got it and where the ones you had worn were; then scolds you for leaving dirty clothes in someone else's house - and all of a sudden there's a slipper flying rapidly towards your face."

"Geez." Mirabel said. "You really did have a rough day." - and she didn't even know about the 'getting lost in the forest' part.

You finish hazardously shoving your old clothes into your bag, before turning back towards Mirabel, giving her a small smile. "Well, I got to spend it with you - so it wasn't all bad."

"Awww." Mirabel muttered, giving your arm a slight almost unnoticeable squeeze, she tilted her head slightly. "Are you sure you don't wanna join us for dinner?"

You shook your head, before rubbing the back of your neck, nervously."Um, just not today, I feel like I've already inconvenienced your family enough."

"No way!" She said, shaking her head. "You could never do that. "

You smiled, eyes avoiding hers as you fiddled with adjusting the strap on your bag. "Thanks, Mirabel. . . you're a really good friend, and I'm sorry to bail but I feel like I want to be alone for a bit."

Mirabel looked at you for a moment, her gaze softened, she nodded giving you a reassuring smile. "It's alright, I understand, and, uh, I'm sorry if I've been pressuring you - on anything. All my attempts to cheer you up might have been a bit much."

"No, no." You quickly said. "I appreciate everything you've done, it's not that I feel pressured, it's just that. . . I'm tired, that's all, you know me - never been much of a social butterfly." You let out a laugh, hoping what you've said was enough to calm her nerves, none of what you said was a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth either.

She smiled, looking off to the side. "Yeah, I guess that's always been me and Carlos' thing." Mirabel chuckled. "If you're tired - then go rest, silly! Don't ever hesitate to tell me if you don't feel good - I do have a healer for a mother after all."

"I dunno, you did shove an apera down my mouth when I said--"

She groaned. "That was one time!"

You laughed.

_

Energy already drained and scared of who you might encounter, it wasn't a surprise when you settled for the back door instead of going through the courtyard.

You walked through the side of the house and turned a swift corner - almost instantly your eyes caught a glimpse of a person standing close towards the side of the front door.

You blinked, before relaxing, seeing that familiar red ribbon. You walked towards him, either you were more silent than you give yourself credit for or he was really focused on that book - it was probably the latter, you weren't exactly a ninja when it came to stealth.

You give his shoulder a poke. "Hola, Alfonso."

The man flinched, instinctively shutting the book in his hands, he quickly looked down at you, eyes a bit startled.

"You surprised I remembered your name this time?" You laughed.

Alfonso chewed at his lip, giving you a once over, before smiling, saying your name almost tenderly. "Hello." His eyes leave you for a moment, as he placed the book that was in his hand into his bag.

You looked up at him with curiosity. - "What are you doing here?"

He turned back towards you with a soft laugh. "You ask that as if you live here."

You purse your lips together and shrug. "I mean, I practically do." You visited here so much, it was practically a second home.

"Is Carlos back yet?" He brought up, and glanced around. "He's kidnapped some of my books and I'm here to take them back - with violence if I have to."

You blinked, fighting back the urge to laugh before you even told your joke.

"Carlos can read?"

Alfonso raised an eyebrow, his lips twitched upwards, quickly he covered his mouth as he laughed - "You're too harsh on him." He shook his head but smiled lightly.

"I would like to respectfully disagree with each part of the sentence you just uttered - if anything my harshness is just the right amount." You said simply.

He sighed and shrugged. "Alright, if you say so." Alfonso's eyes narrowed, as he seemed to peer over your shoulder for a moment before setting his attention back on you. "I know it's really not my position to ask but are you alright? I heard you were sick."

This again. You sighed, gathering the energy to play along. Why couldn't my parents just have used the excuse of some vacation or just anything else! - dios mio - people keep thinking I'm dying or something.

"Yeah, I was sick." You muttered bitterly, watching as his face twisted into a strange almost unreadable expression, he took a step back. "Oh, come on - don't look at me like that! It's not like it was contagious or anything!" It didn't even exist.

"No." He shook his head, laughing almost nervously. "It's not that. I was. . . just worried for you."

"Wow." You said, rolling your eyes. "Save a girl from being lost in the forest once and you're already attached - didn't take you to be such a softy."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "You're making me start to regret caring about you."

You shrugged with a smile. "Hey, I didn't say you should stop."

Alfonso raised an eyebrow at you, before relenting with a warm smile. He looked down, now digging through his bag, his fist curled tightly as he pulled something out, gesturing for you to open your hand - curious, you followed and watched as he placed a small butterfly pendant onto your palm.

You brought it up the pendant close to your face, examining it's intricate details.

"Can you give that to Carlos for me?" The second that sentence was uttered - your face dropped, instantly pushing the pendant far away from you.

You glared at him unamused, now wanting to punch his face, or maybe just whip him with the pendant he gave you. "I have to head back home soon - I'll wrestle my books from him some other time." He continued, as if unaffected by your stare.

You blinked. "Are you making me your delivery boy?"

"Not without payment." Alfonso smiled, and gave you a small brown box. "It's herbal tea - helps fight off disease and infections." He muttered, still under the impression that you were sickly.

You sighed, for some reason you had a hard time turning him down. Whatever - I'll just consider this payment for helping with getting lost.

"Fine." You relented, accepting the box and placing it inside your bag. You weren't exactly a fan of herbal tea by any means, but he didn't need to know that - probably break the guy's heart. "Who is this for, anyway? -- can't imagine him wearing it." Well, no, you could imagine it, it was pretty funny.

Carlos strutting around town, a shiny butterfly pendant around his neck. I'd pay to see that.

Alfonso looked away, shrugging. "I don't know, he just paid me to make it."

"Wait - don't tell me it's for like, a special someone. Wow, whoever they are, I pity them already." You said, too busy laughing at the thought to notice the strange look that was given your way. "Wait!" You turned back towards him. "If you made this - can you make me one like it?"

"I could - It won't be cheap though."

"Does being pretty get me a discount at least?"

He smiled. "No."

You groaned in disappointment.

"I'll be heading off now." Alfonso said and turned to his heel, he gave you a wave. "Goodluck with giving that to Carlos." - and he left.

You leaned against the wall of Casita. The universe seemed to be fully intent in trying to make you suffer by always shoving Carlos in your direction.

You waited, not for Carlos in particular. Just for anyone of the Madrigals - that would be coming home - you'd hand it to them and say it was for the demonio, problem solved.

Minutes passed as the sun began to set, just a few more minutes and you would give up and just go back inside and give it to the first person you see - but you really didn't want to do that, there was no way you would be going in that house and not be bombarded with people - and that was the last thing you wanted.

You looked down the hill, and suddenly you spotted a familiar fluff of hair. Your gaze hardened - gripping the pendant in your hand tighter.

"Waiting for me again, Hermosa?" He muttered, as soon as he was a few feet away from you.

You rolled your eyes, not having the strength to even respond to that. You stretched out your arm, grabbing the pendant by it's chain and showing it to him -- "Here."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that's yours."

You blinked. "What?"

He hummed, stepping closer. "You've touched it - it's yours. I can't give it to someone else if you've already put your hands on it."

You wanted to rip your hair off, or his, whatever would make you feel better at the moment. "What kinda stupid reason is that?!"

He shrugged.

"Okay." You said. "So, It's mine - soooo you won't say anything if I, I dunno, just throw it in the trash then?"

Carlos laughed. "You won't do that."

Meirda. He called your bluff. You look between him and the pendant before unceremoniously sticking out your tongue towards him. "Yeah, it's mine! I got it for free - bleh!" You probably sounded like a five year old but hey - free stuff, pretty free stuff. Who says no to free stuff, definitely not you.

He smiled. "Goodnight, Hermosa."
-and he went inside.

You found yourself blinking, confused.

That's it? Usually he wouldn't stop pestering you until you would run away or something -- you stare at the now closed door before looking down at the pendant in your hands, a smile forming on your lips.

Huh.

Thank you for reading!! Hope you all like this chapter, again sorry if it's a bit slow, I'm preparing for something.

Also self promo again but I published a new Camilo fic >3 I think it's my best work purely for how cute it is hhaha, hope y'all take a look at it.

" Carlos strutting around town, a shiny butterfly pendant around his neck. I'd pay to see that. " As soon as we hit 3K, I'm drawing this hahaha