Pedri - Our Secret

Part 4

Enjoy!

"Perdi? Are you in here?"

No response.

It was a first, considering that he had been showing up around the sametime everyday of this week.

"Marcella?"

"Yes?"

She heard a low groan coming from the corner of the room. Pedri lay outstretched on the old sofa, yet to awaken.

"Um, are you okay?"

It was well past lunch hours. She would usually find him behind the drums, or playing an imaginary guitar solo on one of the broken violinis.

"Yeah." He said, making efforts to sit up. "Got any snacks?"

"Actually I do."

He raised a brow. "You do?"

Marcella dug through her backpack. "Yeah, um, my mom she made these African samosas, but we call them sambusas. Here, try one." She went over to the sofa, handing him a sambusa. Pedri took it and did not hesitate to taste it. Matter of fact, he finished it in seconds.

"That was good. Can I have another one?"

Marcella's shoulders fell. "No. That was it."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence.

"So... how's the song coming on, it needs to be done by Friday, no?"

"Yes, and I actually took your adviced."

"Really?" He smiled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, it was only a few changes." Marcella went over to the piano, Pedri followed, but got up at his own pace. "I took out the part where I rhyme time with crime and crazy with lazy."

"That's good." He nodded. "That's...." Coming around the piano he squinted his eyes at the sheet music.

"What?" She said, anxiously biting her nails. "You don't like it?" Even though she said she didn't care, Marcella kind of cared about Pedri's option of the song. His advice throughout the week had been surprisingly helpful. He sighed as he sat down next to her. "I like it Marcella, I really do. But why is the song still in English?"

"Not this again." She rolled her eyes and grabbed the sheet music.

"What?" He questioned.

"Look, Spanish isn't even my first language, it's French. I might as well sing in French, no?"

Pedri shrugged, "If it makes the song more sincere. You supposed to sing from your heart. I really think that's what señor Garcia meant for you to achieve with this assignment."

"Well, what do you know?" It was Marcella's usual response to when Pedri overthrew her with reason. She could see where today's session was going. It was not going to be useful to her if she'd spent half the time arguing with Pedri who had no involvement in the music program whatsoever.

"Are you leaving?" He frowned, seeing her get up and grabbed her things. "Already?"

"I need to finish the song by Friday and this isn't working for me."

"What? Us?" He stared at her blankly, perhaps wondering if he said something to offend her.

"I'm sorry Pedri, I'll see you around."

"Marcella, wait!"

She pushed the door open, ignoring his plea. But then he stopped pleading and started playing the piano.