Someone Who Will Peel Off The Fish Bones (2022)

CHAPTER 8: Real best friends

NARRA WISHED SHE COULD DISAPPEAR RIGHT THEN AND THERE. She couldn't believe Primo caught her off-guard. Everyone in the student council room had already left except her, and she didn't notice Primo entered the room because she was busy with paperwork. His wet hair and perfume—which made Narra assume that Primo just got out of practice and had just taken a shower—also seemed to have mesmerized her as she couldn't form any coherent sentence that could save her from this confrontation. Simply put, Narra couldn't come up with an excuse right now.

"Narra..." Primo's piercing eyes didn't help Narra's pounding heart.

He leaned closer and trapped her using his arms by placing it on both sides of the desk when she tried to stand up. "Look at me. We're going to talk. We have to. You know that, right?"

Narra gulped and slowly nodded. She slumped down to her seat in defeat. Whether she liked it or not, she would just have to face the consequences of her actions. She couldn't run away from him after the hurtful expression she saw on his face. She knew she caused that. Primo must've found out she lost the handkerchief.

Primo sighed and pulled out a chair to sit beside her. He gave her a small smile and nodded at the paperwork in front of Narra. "Let's finish this first."

Narra couldn't believe Primo was still willing to help her. She didn't want him to, but because she would rather have him help her and buy time than actually talk to him, she let him. Every once in a while, Narra would look at him, but he's too busy to even throw her a glance. Both worked in silence until all papers were done and sorted.

Primo began to sweep the floor as Narra cleaned her desk. After a few more seconds of silence, Narra couldn't handle the tension anymore. She breathed in deeply and sighed, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"What did you want to talk about?" she stuttered, almost cursing herself out loud for doing so.

Primo returned the broomstick to its proper place. He dusted his hands and turned to Narra. It was the first time Narra ever saw him that serious, which caused her hands to begin sweating. It took all of her to not just bolt up and run from him. She didn't want to not talk to him again. To her surprise, she valued him that much now.

Meanwhile, Primo felt guilty. Looking at how unsettled and uncomfortable Narra was, he couldn't believe he got mad and hurt over something so petty. Why did he get mad that she went home with a guy other than him? And so what if she has a boyfriend that he doesn't know about? They might be friends, but that doesn't mean Narra has to let him know every detail about her.

A few seconds of silence once again passed before Primo worked up the courage to speak.

"I'm sorry, Narra."

Narra blinked. "What?"

"Sorry if I made you worry."

She remained confused. She didn't know why Primo was apologizing when she was the one who avoided him the entire time and lost the handkerchief. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"I'm not mad at you, so I'm sorry if it looked like I did. I just..." Primo sighed. "I just didn't know why you were avoiding me. I mean... you were avoiding me, right?"

Narra slowly nodded. She felt guilty. It wasn't Primo's fault and yet he was the one apologizing, anyway. No, she should do something. She shouldn't be taking advantage of his kindness. He deserved her honesty. She should come clean about it.

"Primo, actually... I-I lost it." She gulped. "I lost the handkerchief you gave me. That was why I avoided you. I was ashamed..."

There, she said it. She tightly shut her eyes. She couldn't bear to see Primo's face with disappointment. She wouldn't know how hurt she would feel if she saw it. She might never want to show her face to him again.