Someone Who Will Peel Off The Fish Bones (2022)

CHAPTER 6: You have a friend in me

WHEN NARRA HAD CALMED DOWN, Primo felt relieved. He didn't know that the mature girl everyone knew at school could cry for hours if she wanted to. He stopped himself from wanting to chuckle.

The breeze of the midnight air was refreshing and calming. It was just the right amount of cool, not too cold and not too hot. The view from Mang George's rooftop was breathtaking, too.

When he brought home a crying Narra, almost everyone at the compound fussed over her, especially her dad who wanted to know why his daughter was crying like a little kid. But Narra didn't say anything to them and Primo didn't know what to say, either.

All Narra requested was to go up on Mang George's rooftop. Primo thought she needed time alone so he didn't push to accompany her, but Max pleaded with him to accompany her just to make sure she wouldn't jump off the building. Narra didn't mind that he came along, so now only the two of them were still awake, sitting on the rooftop.

"It wasn't the first time Narra cried like that." Max had told him before he followed Narra to the rooftop. "But it's been such a long time since she did that we were shocked. The last time she cried like that was when she was eight, if I remember correctly. So please... just..."

Primo had reassured him. "I'll take care of her."

Thinking back on it now, how does he take care of Narra? All he'd done so far ever since he came up here was to sit with her in silence. Primo facepalmed. He was so pathetic.

"I didn't have many friends." Narra said for the first time that night. "I only had one."

Primo remained quiet. He let Narra speak. He was content with just watching her stare in space while listening to her voice.

"The only friend I had died... just after we had a huge fight. I said some awful words to her, and she did, too." Narra sniffled. "I regretted everything I said. I wish I was able to apologize and tell her that I didn't mean it. I wish I had been a better friend."

If Narra could, she would turn back time and set things right. Her only friend and playmate, after Primo left, died in a car accident. They had fought about something so petty because that was what kids did, but when the accident happened and her friend died without them making up, it left a huge scar on Narra. Starting that day, Narra did her best to act like an adult, trying to always be patient, avoiding conflict as much as possible, and preventing to run her mouth when she's mad.

Her friend wasn't the only one that died that day, but her younger self, too. Ever since that day, Narra never let herself act like a child again. She blamed herself for something she had no control over.

She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help it. The guilt was too much for her young and small heart to handle. When she grew up, she just got used to it. She let other people walk over her as long as it was only affecting her and not the others—like what just happened at the student council room. She wouldn't kick up a fuss if the others messed with her, as long as they won't get in the way of her duties as a leader.

When Primo held her hand, Narra just noticed that she was shaking as she told him the things she'd been thinking. She was startled at first, but then felt comforted with his hand just resting on top of hers. When she looked at him, there wasn't any look of pity or concern in his face—just a look of understanding, like he's saying that she's somewhere safe and that all her deepest and darkest fears were being locked away in a part of his heart where no one would ever know.

"So when people ask me why it seems that I don't have any friends... It's because friendship, to me, is something that's not easily formed. If it's easily formed then surely, it would easily break, too." Narra bit her lip to prevent herself from crying again. "I don't want anything to break anymore."