melting [pearlet]

t w e l v e

VIOLET

   "LOOK at that one." Pearl uses his left hand to point to a star with his other wrapped around my chest, his hand placed on top of it.

   "It's pretty." I gaze at one of trillions of twinkling stars visible tonight. Usually, stargazing would be on the grass. But we're living in Manhattan, the rooftops are our fields. Plus, we don't like Central Park that much.

   "This feels like we're in a movie. It's a cliché." A smile pulls from my pale lips. They're pale from the coldness.

   He puts a slender finger on my lips, shushing me. "Shhhh, you're ruining the moment." Pearl's voice is low and groggy. He seems drowsy.

   He subconsciously taps his fingers against my chest. He then starts playing with my hair. Wrapping strands around his finger twirling it.

"Is that fun or something?" I giggle at him before pulling my hair back so he can't touch it.

   He mumbles, "Yeah it is." He takes it back and starts playing with it again. I see him starting to fall asleep. His eyelids bat trying to keep them open. He fails, his eyes start closing on him. I stare at the sky a little longer as he his breathing patterns sooth me to sleep.

   After what seems to be minutes was hours. We were asleep for two and a half hours. "Pearl wake up!" I shake his shoulder waking him up.

   His eyes slowly opens as he yawns, "What?"

   "We've been asleep for almost three hours."

   "That's okay," He yawns, "I have no where to go anyways."

   "Pearl it's freezing out here and the ground is hard." I pout.

   "Better than being home."

I absentmindedly take his hand and play with his slender fingers. "Pearl, are you ever gonna get help?"

He lays still, looking up at the sky. He lets all the air go from his cheeks, sighing. "I don't know. Trixie is always begging me to, but it's not his position to tell me about my problems."

"Wait, I thought you said I was the only one who knew?" I stand up in front of him.

I can see he totally regrets saying anything. "I'm sorry Detox."

   "Detox?"

   He first lies, then calls me Detox?

   He tries grabbing for my hand but I pull it off. I can't believe he would lie. Especially about something like that. I leave Pearl there, on that dirty blue blanket. I can see the sorrow in his eyes but I turn away.

   I don't say anything before heading back down the stairs. It's a long and lonely walk home. A cold one too.

   "Where have you been?" My mom interrogates me as I slip through the front door.

   "Out." I reply blankly.

   "With who? Were you with that boy again?"

   "Maybe I was, mother. Why do you care anyways?"

   "It's two AM in New York City! Why wouldn't I care?"

   "You seem to never care about me, you only care about Steve and your job and-"

   "Honey...Steve and I are engaged. And that's not true. You know it's not true."

   I thought she was joking for a second. I glance at her, then do a double take. This day couldn't get any worse could it? I storm off into my bedroom, leaving her alone downstairs. She's dressed in her best clothes. I guess they were out while I was gone. Maybe that's when he proposed to her.

   I fall back onto my bed. Not knowing what to think. She's getting married? I wanna call Pearl or talk to him in person. I was about to before realizing I'm supposed to be angry at him. Even if I wasn't, why am I gonna complain?

   His family situation is one hundred times worse than mine. Oh please my loving mother is getting married to her slightly obnoxious boyfriend. While he's over there getting beaten by his Dad and ignored by his Mom.

   I work up the courage to go back downstairs, my mom is still on the couch. She's reading a book with her reading glasses hanging off of the tip of her nose.

   "Mom?"

   "Yes Violet?" She shuts the book, placing it down on the coffee table.

   "I just wanted to say I'm happy for you." I catch myself staring at the ground.

   I see her get up from the chair to hug me, I hug her back. I hug her back tighter. I can feel her breathing on my shoulder. I can tell she really loves Steve. When Dad left she was a wreck. Then Steve came along. I'm happy she found happiness.

"I love you Violet." A muffled sob escapes her lips.

"I love you too."