She Used to Be a Pearl

I sat in my room holding John's flannel close to my body. He was so sweet to me. The way Alex treated me like a piece of meat just made me feel awful.

I slipped into the shirt and felt Johns comfort wash over me. It was the second best thing to having his arms around me. I leaned back and laid down on my bed. The only thing I wanted in that moment was to have John laying next to me. Free of Daisy. The way things used to be. John would never try to feel me up by pretending to give me a massage. He's a gentleman. He never even suggested that he wanted to sleep with me, let alone try after the third day he knew me.

I got up and walked into the kitchen to find myself something to eat. I made a sandwich and grabbed some chips before taking a seat on the living room recliner. I put in Elf and started watching it. I giggled at Buddy reciting Elf code. Just then I heard a knock on the door.

John! I grinned and sprang from the chair to answer the door. I opened it and my face fell visibly.

"Alex?"

"Who were you expecting?" He asked sarcastically.

"No one." I answered as I stepped outside and shut the door. "Why did you come over?"

"Look, I'm really sorry about what happened. It's just, my job makes me kind of irritable and that's no excuse but I wanted to apologize. You just really turn me on." He said with a sly grin. "Forgive me?"

I stood there and thought about it.

"Sure." I said with a nod.

He smiled and held his arms out before pulling me into a slightly uncomfortable hug. He held me there for awhile until he finally pulled away.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked only to be polite, hoping that he would decline because it was nearing 8 o'clock and he worked the night shift at 11.

"Yeah." He nodded.

I groaned inwardly and turned to open the door. He placed his hands on my hips and followed me in.

"Oh my god. You're seriously watching this?" He asked as he turned Elf off and turned some football game on. "Do you have some chips?" He asked as he sat on the couch.

"Yeah." I sighed as I walked to the kitchen and got him a bag of chips.

After about an hour of watching a boring football game, waitressing and hearing Alex cheer and groan periodically I started to get fed up.

"I'm going to bed." I stated as I stood up.

"Seriously? It's like 9." He snorted.

"It's been a long day so..." I trailed off, hinting for him to leave.

"Aren't you going to give me a kiss goodnight?" He asked.

"Alex, I don't think this is going to work out." I told him.

"Why?" He asked looking taken aback by my rejection.

"It's just, we don't have anything in common and we're both looking for different things." I explained.

"Okay, listen up. You're boring as shit and I'm the best you're ever going to have so you better think again."

"That's not true." I whispered with tears in my eyes again.

"Yeah it is, darling. Who else would want a girl who doesn't put out? No one."

"Please leave." I ordered, not letting my tears fall.

Amanda's bedroom door opened and the big bad Kennedy Brock stepped out.

"What's going on out here?" He asked Alex in an angry voice.

"What? So you're doing him and not me?" Alex laughed.

"Just go, please." I begged, afraid that Kennedy would do something he would regret.

"Caty, you're a prude. Once you realize that you're boring and stupid and nobody else wants you, call me." He said before walking out the door.

Kennedy stood there with his mouth wide open and fists clenched.

"That asshole!" He shouted as he got ready to follow him out the door.

"Kennedy don't! He's a cop." I reminded him. My appearance must have somewhat reflected how I felt on the inside because his eyes softened and he walked towards me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"Want me to kill him?" Kennedy joked.

"No." I said, trying to laugh but instead it came out a small sob. "I'm going to go to bed." I told him.

He nodded and locked the front door before going back into Amanda's room.

I closed the door and slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor.

He was right. Even John, the only guy who ever loved me, moved on to a girl that could give him more than I could. I'm boring, stupid, and a prude.