I can’t quite explain the feelings that override all sense and logic. They called it “love” but such things are merely petty talk made by little children who whisper to lost dreams. What has made all of us bitter as the years grew on? I wanted to know.

The knocking sound reverberated against my eardrums. I didn’t expect Jermy’s house to be this… small. It wasn’t even a house. It was more like an apartment-type complex with a small jewelry shop, facing the street. I knocked again, my heart becoming more anxious. After what seemed to be an eternity, the doors creaked open and Jermy stood there, eyebrows raised inquisitively.

“May I come in?” I heard myself squeak.

“For what purpose am I graced with this untimely visit?” he mocked. His grey eyes were bitingly piercing for someone whom Carey described as warm.

“Just a greeting. And why are you speaking so formally?”

“Come in.” his tone was curt as he led me inside. The interior of his apartment was surprisingly warm and bright. The foyer was empty but the walls were well decorated with musky colored wallpaper. He walked me to the living room, which was surprisingly full and topsy-turvy. Boxes and strings were scattered everywhere, even scissors and threads came out from their hiding places when the fire from the hearth flickered. The living room was so homey and yet so dangerous to be in. “Take a seat..ah.. not there.” He gestured to the only one-seater Victorian styled chair beside the hearth. “It’s un-used.”

I obliged quickly. I didn’t like needles at all. I felt as if I was in a witch’s cove. My hair was ready to stand on end. “What are all these for?”

“Strings... for the pearls I inherited from my great grandmother.” He picked up one stray box and held it to the light as he opened it. The pearls glistened. They were colored black. They reminded me of onyxes.

“Are you making them into jewelry?”

“No. I’m making a long string for them. To keep them somewhere safe and away from my mother who would otherwise sell them if they hadn’t been strung already.”

Oh. “Oh.” I felt…dumb.

“Enough of my past time. What is your motive?”

“You make me sound like a criminal…” I bowed my head.

“I apologize. But, what made you visit me? Carey?” So Carey was a ‘what’ now… Is he naturally this unforgiving? It’s understandable though. I can’t blame him.

“Partly, yes. But I’m not here to dwell on the past.” He placed the box down on the low table by the telephone stand. “I’m here to apologize.”

“You’ve done your part in apologizing, Deryck. I don’t think you need to do more.” His voice was quiet which made the whole visit more tense on my part. I wish he would break the mood with a joke or something. Or anything.

“Just. Just let me make you understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Uhm…” I faltered. “The whole bet. You were right. I was forced into it. Because before Larry gave me that dare I didn’t even know you existed. I was…happy. I was happy with my life. I finally accomplished everything I needed to get through a successful college term. I had good grades and I was able to hang out with people who were considered popular.” I paused for breath. “I never expected that all those dares Larry gave me would make me realize that in the end, none of all those things I aspired for really mattered.”

After a considerable moment of silence, he picked up a pair of maroon scissors and chided, “You’re apologizing to the wrong person. You should apologize to Mr. Garnet.”

I fell silent because, again, he was right. What was he doing? Staying here, talking to me about all my regrets when I could just do myself a favor and atone for my own misgivings? “I guess you’re right.”

“Why doesn’t that make me feel extra special?” He hummed as he cut some strings into pairs and slipped some pearls in.

“I’m not sure…” Why was he being so bitingly sarcastic? “It’s just that…uhm… I love you.”

He froze. The pearl he held between his fingers slipped and fell onto the carpeted floor. “Excuse me?”

“Uhm..” I stammered. “N-nothing. I was just saying something out of reason.” I looked away, drastic to place the attention somewhere else. “Uhm.. isn’t it a bit hot in this room?”

He narrowed his eyes. “If you haven’t noticed, it’s quite cold here. We don’t have a heater.”

“But you’re so rich. Why can’t you buy one?”

“That’s because my parents are rich. I’m living alone, if you haven’t noticed.” He rolled his eyes as he knelt down to look for the stray black pearl.

“Oh. It’s to your right.”

“—so what about what you said just now and what you did five days ago?” he asked casually as he reached under the couch he was sitting on.

I wanted to play dumb. How can I possibly tell him I fell for him within the week we knew each other? “I love you?”

He froze for a mid-second and nodded. “Right.”
“And what are we going to do about it?” I asked nervously, my eyes wandering around the room. I wanted to look for something to distract me from wanting to bolt out of the apartment and away from Richards.

I felt his hand on my knee which grabbed my attention instantly. Of all the places, ,why there?! “Y-yes?” Blood rushed to my brain. Blood rushed to my brain and somewhere else. I blushed profusely.

He extended his closed fist towards me and slowly opened it. It was the lost black pearl he was looking for. I gave him a small tense smile. “Uhm…” I didn’t know how to react when it comes to Jermy. Honest.

“It’s okay Deryck Garnet. I mayhaps will learn to love you.”

I think I hugged him too tightly because after some minutes, he punched my stomach.

.end of String of Pearls.