Chapter 20 - First Day at School Part 2

I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards me. “Don’t worry, we’re going back here after we ordered something.”

“Fine.” he answered.

I looked at him as he fixed his hoodie and couldn’t help but smile. Being a skeleton made him totally different from what I remembered of him.

“We’re going to eat~ We’re going to eat~” I sang as we walked together side by side.

I wonder what we should eat… I pondered.

“You’re that excited with lunch?” he asked, looking at me.

“It’s because you’re with me…” I replied, squeezing his hand harder. But I knew he couldn’t feel it, he couldn’t feel that I was embarrassed enough to squeeze him.

“I-is that so… I’m glad you feel that…” he said, scratching his cheek with a finger.

AHHHHHHH!!!

HOW CAN BE A SKELETON THIS CUTE!?

I stomped on my feet repeatedly, squealing in silence. “Hehehe…..”

He turned to me. “Why are you laughing like that?”

I froze, realizing that I was acting a bit too much. “No… It was nothing…”

He stared in silence for a few seconds. He doesn’t have any eyes, but I could feel his gaze piercing me. “I-it’s nothing… I was just excited…” I continued, facing down in embarrassment.

“Oh…” he muttered, chuckling softly. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t see you properly so I thought something was wrong. I could only see your fire, and nothing else so I was a bit lost.”

Oh is that what it was? But he’s right, he could only see me as a fire, and nothing else.

It would be nice if he could see me properly…

I shook my head, trying to get rid of any sad thoughts. “That was just me being excited. After all, this is our first time eating together in the school.”

“Yeah…” he muttered, smiling as he walked. “Eating together with a floating fire is something I wouldn’t have expected to happen.”

I swung both of our hands a little as we walked, trying to hide my smile. “I wouldn’t have expected that I would love a skeleton too!”

We both laughed together as we neared the canteen. I was smiling like crazy with just the thought of Shade and I holding hands together as we entered the canteen.

I was overjoyed, and couldn’t think of anything else besides the fact that his hand was holding mine.

We entered the canteen, and luckily no one found out that he was a skeleton.

“We’re a bit late, but let’s hope that there’s still something left.” I said.

He nodded in response. “Yeah, I hope so.”

And luckily, there was still left to eat this afternoon. Since I couldn't let him be caught, I was the one who approached the counter and ordered our lunch.

“You’re fine with this?” I asked.

“It’s not like I can taste anything.” he chuckled.

“It’s about the feeling.” I replied and started walking.

“I don’t think there’s a single person who hates fried chicken.” he answered, following beside me.

“I guess so…” I replied.

“Let me hold it for you.”

I handed him the plastic bag of the fried chicken. “Thanks.”

As we were about to exit the canteen, someone called me.

“Mara!?” someone exclaimed.

I immediately turned to the front and saw Rain standing in front of us. “R-Rain?” I stuttered, surprised by the presence of her. “W-what are you doing here?”

WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE!!!!!?????

“I was looking for you!” she answered. Then she noticed that I was together with someone, she took a glance and immediately looked back at me.

“I told you that I am going to be busy, right?” I answered.

“I know, but I didn’t know you were talking about this kind of busy.” she answered, approaching me. “Who is this?” she whispered to my ear quietly.

I took a glance at Shade, and he looked down and tried to fix his hoodie. I turned back to Rain and whispered, “I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”

“Can you at least—”

I blinked and nodded slowly to her. “Please, just this once.” I whispered back, trying to be as respectful as possible.

“Oh…” she smiled and chuckled awkwardly. “I’ll see the two of you late then.” she said, bidding us goodbye.

I hope that didn’t come out as rude… I paused and took a deep sigh.

“You’re okay?” he asked.

“It’s fine…” I whispered, holding his right hand.

“Wait wait, let me move the plastic bag to my other hand first.” he said, switching the bag to his left hand, leaving his right hand holding with mine. “Now, you can hold it fine.”

“…” I pulled him away from the canteen, dragging him as I couldn’t control myself.

“Wait don’t pull me!” he called, but I didn’t stop from pulling him. “Calm down Amara!”

I closed my eyes as I continued to pull him as I walked towards the garden. I was surprised and scared earlier, but now I’m full of excitement and love. I’m feeling mixed emotions.

Then suddenly he pulled me to stop. “Stop! What are you doing?”

I turned around to him. “I don’t know.”

“W-what? What are you talking about?”

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. “I’m hungry.”

He froze and stayed silent for a moment. “That was it?”

I started pulling him again. “That’s why we need to hurry to the garden.”

Without resisting, he let himself be dragged away to the garden where we immediately took a sit at the chair. He handed me the plastic bag and I took out the fried chicken that we bought.

I handed him a piece of it, and I also grabbed one for myself.

I watched him as he took a bite of the fried chicken. As expected, what he eats magically disappears the moment he swallows it. I started eating the fried chicken that I was holding, joining him.

“Who was that earlier?” he asked.

I raised an eyebrow and turned to him. “That was Rain. Do you remember her?”

“Oh, that’s why her voice was familiar. Yeah, I do remember the one who plotted to jail me inside the room.” he chuckled.

“Right, she was the one.”

I still couldn't believe that I found you in the room when I thought you left without telling me anything.

“I was frozen the whole time.”

“I was scared that time too. I tried my best to not give her a chance to ask about you.” I replied, taking another bite of the fried chicken. “I don’t think she noticed you, but it would be bad if she learned something about it.”

She always nags me about finding a boyfriend, thinking that it might help me move on over you.

“It would be bad?” he asked.

“If she learned that I was with a guy, she would definitely do everything to know who is it.” I explained.

“Oh…” he muttered, swallowing. “That actually sounds bad.”

I nodded once in response. “Yeah, she’s that kind of dangerous. ”

“Hm… Let’s just hope she doesn’t take too much of her time learning who I was. That would be wasting her time for a skeleton.” he chuckled.

If she only knew that I was together with Shade… But I can’t possibly tell someone that I was together with him, knowing that he is already a skeleton and died a year ago.

No one would think that it’s okay, and I don’t want to risk his life telling someone about his situation.

I’m fine with this.

“Amara.” he called.

I turned to him only to be shown the remaining bone of the fried chicken he just finished eating. “What?”

“Do you think I can eat this bone without any problem?” he asked.

“Uh… maybe?”

“It might be okay since I’m already full of bones.” he joked, then shoved the bone into his mouth and swallowed it. The same as other things that he ate, the bone disappeared the moment he swallowed it.

“Oh…” he muttered, turning to me. “It looks like I’m fine.”