Post by Matt Knox "The Raven" on Nov 21, 2020 18:10:48 GMT -5
"I Need You"
Those were the words Pearl sent Matt the night the hurtful voicemails from her father had started coming through. The hour is late, and Mameha is fast asleep. She had sat there on the bathroom floor looking pale as she waited to get a message on her phone saying he was there. Only then would she drag herself to her feet to walk slowly to the door.
“Im outside”
He sent the text, before pocketing the phone. He adjusted his coat, shoving his hands in the pockets as he waited. He was neatly put together, hair brushed, clean shirt, nice jeans. Cologne. Protection. He wasn’t one to assume anything..
But “needing someone” at this hour? List was short. Had to be prepared.
Her hair is up in a wild messy looking bun on top of her head. Her blue eyes, bright with tears that wanted to fall. The sound of the dead bolt and lock on the door can be heard as she fiddled with them to open the door.
Eventually, her door swung open and she stood there with her head bowed low not even sure if she could look him in the eyes. She wore a white robe that tied around her waist and went down to her knees. Her feet are bare as she stood there looking to be watching her toes. Knox, picking up the hint that all wasn’t right and most assuredly he read the wrong vibe, steps forward and takes her into his arms.
“What’s wrong?” he asks in a hushed tone, lowering his head to rest atop her own, rubbing small circles in her back.
Pearl would have brought her hands to her face to cover her eyes as she buried her face into his chest. She said still not letting any tears fall, "I- I am so tired Matt. Just so tired."
She inhaled deeply as her face pressed into his warm chest. She said trying to calm herself, "You smell good. You smell so good." She then let her arms wrap around his waist under his jacket and she squeezed him tightly with her eyes closed. "I needed you. So badly tonight. Just to be with me." She has ignored his question about what is really going on.
Matthew stepped in, closing the door behind him but keeping one arm securely around her. He then latched the other arm around her, and slide to the floor, pulling her down with him and holding her close. He plants soft, slow kisses on the top of her head, one hand still rubbing circles on the back, fingers gliding over the robe and feeling her smaller form beneath.
“Whatever it is, i’m here.” He reached down, tilting her head up to him and thumbing away a tear “I’m here.”
The color of her eyes looked as if he could swim deep into them and get lost in an ocean. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at him. "I- I- just wish, some things didn't hurt so much," she said staring at him and then moving her head to the side where his hand couldn't keep her looking at him.
She buried her face into his side again. Her words are a bit muffled as she said, "Don't you ever just wish… wish that everything in your life could all be just right? That things from the past couldn't just sneak up on you to try to take a chunk out of you?" He listened silently a moment, hand coming to a stop and simply resting on her back. His voice came from deep in his chest as he spoke, tone low and weighted with sadness and worry.
“Most all of my past is buried now.” he began “Hope, Ivy? They’re all I got from back then that matter. But I get what you’re saying. It’s never good for something you thought was dead, buried, and gone to return and ruin the life you’ve built without it…”
“So, who’s hurting you?”
She squeezed him tight then. "My dad. What hurts me most is even after all he's done… after all he's said… I still love him," she said. Her voice shook even more than as the tears began to come. For a moment she buried her face into his side and just tried to let it all out. All the pain. All the suffering… all the misunderstandings.
“That’s family...I can’t pretend to understand everything, but Familial shit? I get it. I’m here to talk, I’m here to just hold you if you need that,” he smiles, inhaling her scent and exhaling a warm breath on the crown of her head “I’ll kick his ass if you want, too.”
Pearl sniffled and chuckled at the same time making the noise sound more like a snort. She looked up at him as she rested her head against his arm that's wrapped around her. "You're sweet, but no. No ass kicking today for him. I am a firm believer in karma you know? I am sure he's gonna get his, at some point. Just stay with me. For tonight," she stared at him and squeezes around his waist tightly in an attempt to persuade him.
As if she’d need to.
Matthew nodded, leaning back against the door for a moment, before finally speaking “Want to stay here for a bit? I know the crying sucks...but this is nice. Holding you.” He felt terrified to admit it, but he went on “Being around you is always nice.”
"Same," she buried her head into his chest then and inhaled deeply. "You really do smell nice. I am sorry I look like a mess tonight. I thought I might be losing my mind before you showed up. Thought Frank was standing right in front of me for a moment."
“What was he saying to you, if you don’t mind my asking?” he asked, quietly. He held her tighter, his mind starting to formulate and turn gears that were in a whole other part of him than he’d ever show to her, “He’s not like..threatening you, is he? Does your manager know about all this?”
His tone remains soft, he pauses a moment before adding “Don’t be afraid to call on me like this, okay? I don’t care how late it is, what it’s about. If it’s a spider, if it’s your dad, if you’re lonely. You call, I come..remember that, okay?”
She is silent for a good long while just squeezing him tight. Finally she said, "Thank you. Really." She held him a moment longer and then slowly got to her feet. She offered her hand to him and said wiping wetness from underneath her eyes with her free hand, "Come with me."
Matthew looked up at her for a moment, just admiring her from a new angle before his eyes settled on her outstretched hand, he took it and stood up letting her lead him off to wherever. He had failed to notice that his precautionary measures had been slid from their nest in his back pocket, and now rested in the dark by the front door.
She began leading him to her room. The decor on the walls and around the apartment is definitely inspired by asian culture. A lot of green of all different shades tie the room together, creating a most calming feeling, that obviously hadn't been enough to calm Pearl tonight.
Finally she pushed her bedroom door open, letting Matt knox see for the first time into her personal space. The place that was hers and hers alone. After shutting the door behind them she brought him to her bed. And just like she had done for him a week ago she would let him do for her. She laid him down and just stared at him for a moment.
He would obviously know she was admiring the man she had in her huge bed piled high with pillows as she always liked it. She finally laid down next to him and turned away from him towards the wall there. She reached a hand back to him gabbing at the fabric of his shirt. "Just hold me."
Matthew slid his jacket off, letting it drop to the floor beside the bed as he did as asked. The experience was far more jarring now that he was sober. He scooted as close to her as he could get, exhaling a shaky breath. Her scent made him feel a warmth throughout his whole being. It was like a whole new intoxication, but he steadied himself as he reached an arm around her, and pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair a moment and taking a deep inhale.
“I’m not going anywhere...get some rest, Pearl.”
Pearl squeezed her eyes closed stopping the tears from coming again. She intertwined her fingers with the hand and arm he had draped over her like a big heavy blanket that was all for her. Eventually her facial expressions softened as she drifted to sleep.
-----------------
Dancing? He wants to go dancing?! Pearl stared at the clock beside her bed making sure the time was right. She switched her phone on then, making sure the date is right. Damn. It is. How did she let Matt persuade her to do this.
She went to her closet and began rummaging through it hoping to find the right outfit. She eventually stuck with something plain, but perfect. A black dress that hugged her frame. A pair of flats get stuck on her feet. No way would she let herself be in a pair of heels especially to go dancing. She would be asking to fall on her face. Not tonight.
Her hair she let down. Her makeup is actually done. Nothing fancy or extraordinary. Her eyelashes have mascara in them. And her lips have a light pink lipstick color on them. Simple, but pretty she thought as she stared at herself in the mirror not seeing herself. Someone much prettier than her stood there.
Pearl finally grabbed a small black purse that she slung over a shoulder and off she went for the front door. Not before Mameha stepped in front of her blocking her path. "What is this," Mameha said, holding between an index finger and a thumb… it took me a moment to realize what it was between her fingers.
"I uh… well it's not mine," Pearl said as she stared at a condom still sealed completely unaware that the condom hadn't been alone. There had been 3 other sealed condoms that had fallen from Matt's back pocket. Mameha has kept them for herself.
Mameha began to toy with Pearl then. She stuck her face real close to Pearl and said, "So whose it then," she squinted her eyes to see if Pearl might lie. "The ravens? Well it better be. I hope you aren't bringing strangers into our apartment at night while I am sleeping…"
She didn't even give Pearl a chance to respond before she stuck the condom in one of Pearl's hands. "You should take this, you know, just in case. Tell Matt I said hi," and with that Mameha turned and went back to the kitchen to grab a snack leaving Pearl standing there with red cheeks beyond embarrassed.
She finally unglued herself from where her feet have been unmoving. With that she left her apartment to go sit outside and wait for Matt to get there to pick her up. The condom is still sealed and is now in her little black purse. Tucked away where she couldn't see it.
No need to embarrass herself more before he showed to get her. It's not like she hadn't thought about Matt that way, she just thought when the moment was right it would happen. Guess he is smarter than her as he had come prepared the other night while she was absolutely one hundred percent not prepared.
Matthew was pulled over around the corner, the interior light of the old Jaguar on as he checked himself over once more. He had gone clean shaven, slicked his hair back. In a rare dash of color, he wore a deep red button up top and a pair of slacks. He didn’t own dancing shoes, so he hoped to god the stacy adams would be good. It was them, or the ring boots.
He pops a mint, the third of the car ride and takes a deep breath. It dawned on him, that he hadn’t been on a date for nearly thirteen years. He shook his head, putting the car back in drive and heading around the corner. He spots Pearl almost instantly, and has to put in an effort not to drive into something. She was stunning in that dress.
God, he was in trouble.
Pearl looked slightly worried as the car had swung left real quick like and then back. Did I do something wrong? Maybe he swerved slightly to avoid hitting something in the road? She didn't know. The thoughts vanished the moment the car pulled next to her at a smooth stop.
She would stand there waiting a moment for the darkened windows to roll down, or for Matt to get out from the car so she knew this was no stranger man Mameha teased her about letting into their apartment. Like no, that's not what happened at all. Matthew took advantage of the tint to drink in the image of her up close. With a gulp, and a shaky exhale he opened the door and stepped out.
“You...You look fantastic.” He says, almost shy as he offers his arm, leading her to the other side of the old car. He goes to open her door..and finds it to be locked.
Fuck.
“Fuck...I mean. One sec.” and with that he dashed around the side, leaning in and across the way to unlock the door of the near forty year old car. He steps out, and deciding to try and rebound in the charm department, performs a picture perfect hood slide to return to her, successfully opening the door this time with a broad grin.
She blushed as he held the door open for her and she walked towards him. It was as if the previous jitters had been replaced with something else. Something exciting. She now stood next to him before she could climb into the car. Pearl laid a hand on his red shirt as she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on his lips. Nothing long or passionate, but a kiss that told him she had plenty more to give him.
"Hi, I… I missed you," she said in a squeaky voice. She didn't wait for him to say more she went to her seat getting a foot into the car, she froze than as she heard Mameha scream loudly from a window in their apartment waving a hand at them, "Hi Matt! You and Pearl have a good time out now. Don't get to frisky with her. She is a Lady. Thanks for the gift by the way."
With that she closed the window and gave a gracious wave leaving Matt to guess the gift he left for her and well… someone else. Pearl sat down then in her seat pulling the door shut and Matthew with it as his hand had been still holding the handle to the car door.
She sat there looking flushed not completely understanding what Mameha meant either. She buckled and then proceeded with pulling her dress down as far as it could go. Mortified. Completely.
Matthew was confused for a moment, jarred from his wonder by the car door being ripped from him. He shakes his head. What an odd old woman. He walked around to the other side, sliding back into his seat and pulling the door shut. Not reading the room, he pulled the car into drive and, emboldened by the kiss, rested a hand on Pearl’s knee as he drove off into the night.
Those were the words Pearl sent Matt the night the hurtful voicemails from her father had started coming through. The hour is late, and Mameha is fast asleep. She had sat there on the bathroom floor looking pale as she waited to get a message on her phone saying he was there. Only then would she drag herself to her feet to walk slowly to the door.
“Im outside”
He sent the text, before pocketing the phone. He adjusted his coat, shoving his hands in the pockets as he waited. He was neatly put together, hair brushed, clean shirt, nice jeans. Cologne. Protection. He wasn’t one to assume anything..
But “needing someone” at this hour? List was short. Had to be prepared.
Her hair is up in a wild messy looking bun on top of her head. Her blue eyes, bright with tears that wanted to fall. The sound of the dead bolt and lock on the door can be heard as she fiddled with them to open the door.
Eventually, her door swung open and she stood there with her head bowed low not even sure if she could look him in the eyes. She wore a white robe that tied around her waist and went down to her knees. Her feet are bare as she stood there looking to be watching her toes. Knox, picking up the hint that all wasn’t right and most assuredly he read the wrong vibe, steps forward and takes her into his arms.
“What’s wrong?” he asks in a hushed tone, lowering his head to rest atop her own, rubbing small circles in her back.
Pearl would have brought her hands to her face to cover her eyes as she buried her face into his chest. She said still not letting any tears fall, "I- I am so tired Matt. Just so tired."
She inhaled deeply as her face pressed into his warm chest. She said trying to calm herself, "You smell good. You smell so good." She then let her arms wrap around his waist under his jacket and she squeezed him tightly with her eyes closed. "I needed you. So badly tonight. Just to be with me." She has ignored his question about what is really going on.
Matthew stepped in, closing the door behind him but keeping one arm securely around her. He then latched the other arm around her, and slide to the floor, pulling her down with him and holding her close. He plants soft, slow kisses on the top of her head, one hand still rubbing circles on the back, fingers gliding over the robe and feeling her smaller form beneath.
“Whatever it is, i’m here.” He reached down, tilting her head up to him and thumbing away a tear “I’m here.”
The color of her eyes looked as if he could swim deep into them and get lost in an ocean. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at him. "I- I- just wish, some things didn't hurt so much," she said staring at him and then moving her head to the side where his hand couldn't keep her looking at him.
She buried her face into his side again. Her words are a bit muffled as she said, "Don't you ever just wish… wish that everything in your life could all be just right? That things from the past couldn't just sneak up on you to try to take a chunk out of you?" He listened silently a moment, hand coming to a stop and simply resting on her back. His voice came from deep in his chest as he spoke, tone low and weighted with sadness and worry.
“Most all of my past is buried now.” he began “Hope, Ivy? They’re all I got from back then that matter. But I get what you’re saying. It’s never good for something you thought was dead, buried, and gone to return and ruin the life you’ve built without it…”
“So, who’s hurting you?”
She squeezed him tight then. "My dad. What hurts me most is even after all he's done… after all he's said… I still love him," she said. Her voice shook even more than as the tears began to come. For a moment she buried her face into his side and just tried to let it all out. All the pain. All the suffering… all the misunderstandings.
“That’s family...I can’t pretend to understand everything, but Familial shit? I get it. I’m here to talk, I’m here to just hold you if you need that,” he smiles, inhaling her scent and exhaling a warm breath on the crown of her head “I’ll kick his ass if you want, too.”
Pearl sniffled and chuckled at the same time making the noise sound more like a snort. She looked up at him as she rested her head against his arm that's wrapped around her. "You're sweet, but no. No ass kicking today for him. I am a firm believer in karma you know? I am sure he's gonna get his, at some point. Just stay with me. For tonight," she stared at him and squeezes around his waist tightly in an attempt to persuade him.
As if she’d need to.
Matthew nodded, leaning back against the door for a moment, before finally speaking “Want to stay here for a bit? I know the crying sucks...but this is nice. Holding you.” He felt terrified to admit it, but he went on “Being around you is always nice.”
"Same," she buried her head into his chest then and inhaled deeply. "You really do smell nice. I am sorry I look like a mess tonight. I thought I might be losing my mind before you showed up. Thought Frank was standing right in front of me for a moment."
“What was he saying to you, if you don’t mind my asking?” he asked, quietly. He held her tighter, his mind starting to formulate and turn gears that were in a whole other part of him than he’d ever show to her, “He’s not like..threatening you, is he? Does your manager know about all this?”
His tone remains soft, he pauses a moment before adding “Don’t be afraid to call on me like this, okay? I don’t care how late it is, what it’s about. If it’s a spider, if it’s your dad, if you’re lonely. You call, I come..remember that, okay?”
She is silent for a good long while just squeezing him tight. Finally she said, "Thank you. Really." She held him a moment longer and then slowly got to her feet. She offered her hand to him and said wiping wetness from underneath her eyes with her free hand, "Come with me."
Matthew looked up at her for a moment, just admiring her from a new angle before his eyes settled on her outstretched hand, he took it and stood up letting her lead him off to wherever. He had failed to notice that his precautionary measures had been slid from their nest in his back pocket, and now rested in the dark by the front door.
She began leading him to her room. The decor on the walls and around the apartment is definitely inspired by asian culture. A lot of green of all different shades tie the room together, creating a most calming feeling, that obviously hadn't been enough to calm Pearl tonight.
Finally she pushed her bedroom door open, letting Matt knox see for the first time into her personal space. The place that was hers and hers alone. After shutting the door behind them she brought him to her bed. And just like she had done for him a week ago she would let him do for her. She laid him down and just stared at him for a moment.
He would obviously know she was admiring the man she had in her huge bed piled high with pillows as she always liked it. She finally laid down next to him and turned away from him towards the wall there. She reached a hand back to him gabbing at the fabric of his shirt. "Just hold me."
Matthew slid his jacket off, letting it drop to the floor beside the bed as he did as asked. The experience was far more jarring now that he was sober. He scooted as close to her as he could get, exhaling a shaky breath. Her scent made him feel a warmth throughout his whole being. It was like a whole new intoxication, but he steadied himself as he reached an arm around her, and pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair a moment and taking a deep inhale.
“I’m not going anywhere...get some rest, Pearl.”
Pearl squeezed her eyes closed stopping the tears from coming again. She intertwined her fingers with the hand and arm he had draped over her like a big heavy blanket that was all for her. Eventually her facial expressions softened as she drifted to sleep.
-----------------
Dancing? He wants to go dancing?! Pearl stared at the clock beside her bed making sure the time was right. She switched her phone on then, making sure the date is right. Damn. It is. How did she let Matt persuade her to do this.
She went to her closet and began rummaging through it hoping to find the right outfit. She eventually stuck with something plain, but perfect. A black dress that hugged her frame. A pair of flats get stuck on her feet. No way would she let herself be in a pair of heels especially to go dancing. She would be asking to fall on her face. Not tonight.
Her hair she let down. Her makeup is actually done. Nothing fancy or extraordinary. Her eyelashes have mascara in them. And her lips have a light pink lipstick color on them. Simple, but pretty she thought as she stared at herself in the mirror not seeing herself. Someone much prettier than her stood there.
Pearl finally grabbed a small black purse that she slung over a shoulder and off she went for the front door. Not before Mameha stepped in front of her blocking her path. "What is this," Mameha said, holding between an index finger and a thumb… it took me a moment to realize what it was between her fingers.
"I uh… well it's not mine," Pearl said as she stared at a condom still sealed completely unaware that the condom hadn't been alone. There had been 3 other sealed condoms that had fallen from Matt's back pocket. Mameha has kept them for herself.
Mameha began to toy with Pearl then. She stuck her face real close to Pearl and said, "So whose it then," she squinted her eyes to see if Pearl might lie. "The ravens? Well it better be. I hope you aren't bringing strangers into our apartment at night while I am sleeping…"
She didn't even give Pearl a chance to respond before she stuck the condom in one of Pearl's hands. "You should take this, you know, just in case. Tell Matt I said hi," and with that Mameha turned and went back to the kitchen to grab a snack leaving Pearl standing there with red cheeks beyond embarrassed.
She finally unglued herself from where her feet have been unmoving. With that she left her apartment to go sit outside and wait for Matt to get there to pick her up. The condom is still sealed and is now in her little black purse. Tucked away where she couldn't see it.
No need to embarrass herself more before he showed to get her. It's not like she hadn't thought about Matt that way, she just thought when the moment was right it would happen. Guess he is smarter than her as he had come prepared the other night while she was absolutely one hundred percent not prepared.
Matthew was pulled over around the corner, the interior light of the old Jaguar on as he checked himself over once more. He had gone clean shaven, slicked his hair back. In a rare dash of color, he wore a deep red button up top and a pair of slacks. He didn’t own dancing shoes, so he hoped to god the stacy adams would be good. It was them, or the ring boots.
He pops a mint, the third of the car ride and takes a deep breath. It dawned on him, that he hadn’t been on a date for nearly thirteen years. He shook his head, putting the car back in drive and heading around the corner. He spots Pearl almost instantly, and has to put in an effort not to drive into something. She was stunning in that dress.
God, he was in trouble.
Pearl looked slightly worried as the car had swung left real quick like and then back. Did I do something wrong? Maybe he swerved slightly to avoid hitting something in the road? She didn't know. The thoughts vanished the moment the car pulled next to her at a smooth stop.
She would stand there waiting a moment for the darkened windows to roll down, or for Matt to get out from the car so she knew this was no stranger man Mameha teased her about letting into their apartment. Like no, that's not what happened at all. Matthew took advantage of the tint to drink in the image of her up close. With a gulp, and a shaky exhale he opened the door and stepped out.
“You...You look fantastic.” He says, almost shy as he offers his arm, leading her to the other side of the old car. He goes to open her door..and finds it to be locked.
Fuck.
“Fuck...I mean. One sec.” and with that he dashed around the side, leaning in and across the way to unlock the door of the near forty year old car. He steps out, and deciding to try and rebound in the charm department, performs a picture perfect hood slide to return to her, successfully opening the door this time with a broad grin.
She blushed as he held the door open for her and she walked towards him. It was as if the previous jitters had been replaced with something else. Something exciting. She now stood next to him before she could climb into the car. Pearl laid a hand on his red shirt as she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on his lips. Nothing long or passionate, but a kiss that told him she had plenty more to give him.
"Hi, I… I missed you," she said in a squeaky voice. She didn't wait for him to say more she went to her seat getting a foot into the car, she froze than as she heard Mameha scream loudly from a window in their apartment waving a hand at them, "Hi Matt! You and Pearl have a good time out now. Don't get to frisky with her. She is a Lady. Thanks for the gift by the way."
With that she closed the window and gave a gracious wave leaving Matt to guess the gift he left for her and well… someone else. Pearl sat down then in her seat pulling the door shut and Matthew with it as his hand had been still holding the handle to the car door.
She sat there looking flushed not completely understanding what Mameha meant either. She buckled and then proceeded with pulling her dress down as far as it could go. Mortified. Completely.
Matthew was confused for a moment, jarred from his wonder by the car door being ripped from him. He shakes his head. What an odd old woman. He walked around to the other side, sliding back into his seat and pulling the door shut. Not reading the room, he pulled the car into drive and, emboldened by the kiss, rested a hand on Pearl’s knee as he drove off into the night.