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     BEING MATURE WASN'T necessarily difficult for camilo, but it certainly didn't come as naturally as being silly.

felicia on the other hand, was perplexed by the madrigal's odd behavior. half of her couldn't decipher whether this was just a part of camilo's ploy, or if camilo was just experiencing a rough day.

     regardless, the madrigal had refused to make any jokes and disregarded his original idea of taking felicia into the river.

"camilo, is...everything alright?", felicia hesitantly questioned, for she didn't wish to offend him and scare him off like she did last time.

     "hm? ah, yes I'm alright. why do you ask? is something not to your liking?", camilo politely questioned.

"no, no!! everything's all and well. it's just that...well, I feel like you've taken on a more serious persona. are you perhaps rehearsing for a play or something...?", felicia asked.

'yeah, rehearsing on how to woo you', camilo sarcastically answered in his head.

"no, wh—"

"camilo!! a deer!!", felicia suddenly gasped, harshly tugging on the boy's ruana in excitement, as she pointed at the elegant creature taking a sip of the waters from across the river.

     clearly the girl's thoughts were a little sporadic.

"yeah...", camilo unsurely reacted, trying to act unfazed.

"should I try to approach it?", the sixteen year-old smiled, to which before camilo could even say, "I don't really think that's a good idea...", the girl had already slipped off her sandals and dipped her feet into the cooling waters.

ignoring the slimy feeling of algae plastered all over the rocks below her, felicia carefully treaded across the river, thankful that camilo had asked her to dress in a shorter skirt.

camilo simply watched with amusement, as the diaz was inching closer and closer to the innocent deer.

however, one particular rock must've decided to be a bitch today, because it had caused felicia to slip and fall onto her bum, creating an ungraceful splash.

camilo hurried upwards, hurling his sandals and ruana across the grass without much thought, as he arrived beside a startled felicia.

     "FELICIA, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! LET'S GO TO TÍA JU—"

     a blotch of water had then slapped camilo across the face, resulting in the boy to pause for a moment, as his brain processed the fact that it was indeed felicia who had caused it.

the sixteen year-old, who was still sitting in the river, had her hand frozen midair — sweetly smiling at the madrigal before her, as if she didn't just splash the boy by surprise.

camilo was a brilliant actor, however, everyone had their limits. and the boy was no exception.

breaking "character", camilo determinedly retaliated by aggressively splattering the waters upon felicia's entire upper body.

gasping, the diaz wasn't about to let camilo show her up. hence she took her stance, careful not to trip again, as she caught a huge swig of water and forcefully propelled it towards camilo.

the fifteen year-old had sacrificed his back in order to block the attack, though it wasn't long before he had attempted an attack of his own.

for a while, it was just the two splashing water at each other. and obviously, the deer was long gone — having to have seen enough of the humans' foolishness.

"y-you're getting water in my eyes!!", felicia laughed, trying to block the flickers of droplets rolling down face, as camilo had only scoffed.

"didn't stop you from ambushing me first, did it now?", the boy cockily replied.

"okay okay!! I surrender!! please, just let me breathe for a moment", the sixteen year-old pleaded.

     suspicious, camilo hesitantly lowered his hands, allowing the girl to take in a fresh breath of air without having to constantly huff and wheeze from the laughter and unintentional arm workouts.

     taking a moment to catch his own breath, camilo grinned at the fact that he had technically won this little battle.

though the longer he proudly stared felicia down, the more he had remembered that this was the opposite of what he had planned to do.

'mature boys don't play in the waters like this...'

"you know...if you have something on your mind, you can confide in me...", felicia started off, bunching up the hem of her skirt and twisting the water out of it.

"umm...where exactly is this coming from?", camilo responded, not sure where the girl had gotten the idea to say that.

     "well, there was a specific line that had captured my attention when mirabel sang the family madrigal song when I first arrived here. 'my primo camilo won't stop until he makes you smile today'...and...as cheesy as it sounds, I wanted you to know that there's always someone that's willing to try and make you smile..."

     after a moment of silence that seemed to have lasted an eternity for felicia, the sixteen year-old had for some reason finally computed what she had spurted out.

     "I-I mean—I'm not saying you have to confide in me!! I-I'm not as good as making people laugh like you are, but if anything's on your mind, and you're comfortable...I can listen, especially since you're always so nice to me and making others smile...and...and now I'm just rambling and I'm really sorry that I even said anything. I'll just g—"

     before felicia could trudge out of the river, camilo had gripped onto her wrist, causing the girl to completely freeze.

"I appreciate that, felicia...really", camilo muttered, as he loosened his grip around her wrist and connected their hands instead.

"does that mean that you're feeling better then?", the diaz questioned, hesitantly turning to face the boy, who just nodded.

perhaps he didn't have to act mature in order to impress felicia.

"great! then let's get out of the river, because even though it's warm outside, my clothes are wet and sticking to me", felicia shivered, as she guided camilo towards the land.

     luckily, camilo had another excuse to drape his ruana over the girl, to which she had very much appreciated the gesture.

     "princesa, let me see your hands", camilo demanded.

     "hm? why?"

     without answering, camilo had held both of felicia's wrists, flipping her palms upwards, as he noticed scrapes upon her delicate skin.

     "let's go to tía julieta".

     "oh, it's just a scratch. we don't have to bother her with my minor injuries", felicia insisted.

     "it was not a request, princesa", camilo responded, slinging felicia's bag across his shoulder, as he gently held one of felicia's hand and the bouquet of flowers that he had gifted her.

the sixteen year-old could only trail behind him, as she was led towards the madrigal's house once again.

with casita opening it's own doors, they were immediately greeted by augustín, who was sauntering towards the kitchen with an excessive bee sting.

"ah, nice seeing you both, camilo and felicia! how're you two doing?"

"fine, and...how about you, señor augustín...?", felicia asked, knowing that this was a regular occurrence. however, she doubted that she'll ever get used to seeing the man with his consistent bee stings.

"I'm doing great! just you know...some itchy bumps that'll heal in no time with julieta's arepas", augustín chuckled, leading the teens towards the kitchen, where julieta was already waiting.

shoving an arepa in her husband's mouth, she was glad to see that his bee stings had immediately dissipated.

"oh, hello felicia! how may I help you both today?", julieta greeted.

"good evening, señora julieta..."

"felicia needs an arepa. she scraped her hands", camilo informed.

"oh dear, here you go sweetheart. now be sure to change out of those clothes. although my cooking can heal your cold, it's best if you don't catch one in the first place", the fifty year-old warned.

     "thank you...by the way, do you know if mirabel's home right now?", felicia questioned, accepting the arepa and waiting to eat it after she's finished talking to one of the madrigal triplets.

"unfortunately not. she's out with ana", julieta replied.

"oh, that's okay. thank you for your help!", felicia smiled.

"no problem. now, can we expect you for dinner today?"

felicia glanced over at camilo, who just shrugged.

"umm..."

"ah, it's okay, julieta. let them go play first, and then she can decide. you make extra every dinner anyways", augustín stated, to which camilo and felicia were dismissed from the kitchen.

"I have some extra clothes in my room...if you'd like to borrow them", camilo offered, as they trekked up the stairs.

"really...? are you sure?"

"yeah! I've got skirts, dresses, pants, shirts of all colors, and many more, since my room—"

as soon as camilo had opened his bedroom, there was nothing but his normal necessities (like a bed and desk), his stage, and an outfit prepared by his bedside.

stunned, camilo apprehensively looked under his bed, across the stage, under his desk, inside his bathroom, and his usual closet that's filled with various outfits.

felicia, who leisurely entered the boy's spacious room, was awed by how much it reminded her of a theater. she supposed that it reflected camilo's personality, for he was always shapeshifting and acting as others.

"I guess my room decided to shape-shift today...it's kind of unpredictable at times; sorry", camilo explained, scratching the back of his head, as he gestured towards the bathroom behind the stage.

     "it's okay! these clothes will do. thank you", felicia replied, scurrying off to go change, before she actually catches a cold.

within a few minutes, the girl popped out from behind the red curtains, wearing a white button up, black slacks, and camilo's yellow ruana.

"umm...I'm done", felicia meekly announced.

camilo glanced up from the script that bruno had given him to view over — nearly choking on air, as felicia dressed exactly like him.

     his room definitely did this on purpose.

     "you...look great! feeling warmer now?", camilo awkwardly asked, as felicia nodded and joined the boy on his bed.

     "what were you reading?", felicia curiously questioned, to which camilo had tilted the papers towards felicia.

     "mi tío bruno likes to write these plays for his pet rats. it's actually pretty interesting!! sometimes I like to act it out and change into my costumes that are usually hanging all over my room", camilo enthusiastically explained.

"then can you act out a scene for me? you don't have to shape-shift or change costumes, since your room has left you with only these", felicia requested, pointing at her current clothes.

camilo's lips curled up into a bright grin.

"if you wish so, princesa! because who am I to deny such a pleasing request? acting's as easy as breathing to me!", camilo proudly proclaimed, earning him a light chuckle from his crush.

"then I'll be attentively watching, príncipe".

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