I startle, turning to look up at the woman standing over me.
I was so focused on listening for any sign of Pearl in the apartment that I didn’t even hear her come up the stairs.I’ve seen her out with Pearl around town, but I can’t remember her name.
My heart is in my throat as I shift out of the way so she can unlock the front door.I release a deep breath as I stand and turn to face Pearl’s friend.She opens the door, takes one look at the flowers inside the apartment, and grabs her phone out of her purse.I can only assume she’s reading Pearl’s texts to her.
Once she’s done, she turns to glare at me.
“Hi, uh…”
“Coco.”
“Right, sorry, Coco.I need to see Pearl?”
Coco crosses her arms over her chest.“She clearly knows you’re here.If she hasn’t let you in, she doesn’t want to see you.”
“Please, I?—”
She shakes her head, waving her phone at me.“You know,”—she leans in slightly—“I was rooting for you two.I’ve been telling her for months that you were into her, but she wouldn’t believe me.Then all of this happened, and I thought, finally!Instead, you messed it all up.”
“I’m trying to fix it.”
“I know.The flowers, while a nice touch, won’t buy you forgiveness.My best friend doesn’t want to see you right now, so I can’t let you in.”
“I just want to talk to her.I need to fix this.I need to apologize.I want to romance her.I want to do this right.I know it’ll take more than flowers to do that.I need to see her face-to-face.”
“I’m sorry.”Coco starts to shut the door.
My hand shoots out, stopping it.“You’re right.I’ve wanted Pearl forever.I wanted her the moment I saw her.She’s the reason I stayed here, why I bought the clinic.She’s my reason for doing fucking anything.”
Coco hesitates, her eyes narrowing on me.
“I got carried away,” I continue in a rush.“When Pearl told me last night that she’d been thinking about kissing me, I was ecstatic.I thought we were finally on the same page, that she wanted the same things I did.I was finally getting everything I ever wanted, and I jumped the gun a bit.”
Coco cocks an eyebrow.“A bit?”
I sigh.“Okay, a lot.”
“Sooooomuch,” Coco mumbles.
“I want to do this right.I don’t want Pearl to be sad.I can’t stand it.I’ll wait out here all night.I’ll beg on my knees until she forgives me enough to hear me out.”
I deflate, already sinking back to my knees, figuring that Coco is about to slam the door in my face.
She studies me for a long moment, then slowly opens the door wider for me to enter.“Second door on the left.And if you railroad her again, Iwillend you.”
“Thank you.”I exhale in relief.“And you won’t need to.I’ll do it myself before I hurt her again.”
I race through the apartment to Pearl’s bedroom, barely sparing a glance at the flowers covering every available surface and spilling onto the floor.
I pause outside my girl’s bedroom, hearing her crying inside.My heart cracks in my chest as I listen to her sniffle.I did this.I made her cry when all I wanted to do was make her laugh.
I push open the door gently.Pearl is lying on her back, staring at the ceiling, her eyes red and puffy.
I enter the room cautiously, determined not to overwhelm her again.“Pearl, please don’t cry.”
Her head snaps up, and she glares at me.“Go away, Wells.”
I hold my hands out, palms open as if I’m soothing a nervous animal.“Please hear me out.If you still want me to leave when I’ve said my piece, I’ll go.But please, give me five minutes to explain.To apologize.”