hadley misses her. it’s the only thing that seems to matter right now, there at the forefront of his mind. he hasn’t seen pearl in weeks, not really since he’s started school again and finished off in the play, and it’s not at all a good thing when it enters his mind and he realizes how neglectful he’s been towards their relationship. he knows pearl processes things differently than he does, and that she might not feel the same as him even a little, even at all, but he figures in some form even she must be feeling the distance. if nothing else, she likes having his attention, and there’s no denying the fact he’s good for her ego when he comes around like this. upon her opening the door, his neutral expression shifts into one with a smile, cheek dimpling and his arms opening a bit. of course, the latter action goes either unnoticed or ignored, and he’s tripping over his feet a little in his haste to follow behind her, watching as she folds herself onto the sofa with her glass. the offer takes him aback, and hazel eyes flit to the two bottles with a touch of uncertainty. it takes him a moment to respond.
“oh, um – yeah, sure. shall i just…?” he trails off, waiting for just a second before he jerks into action and flits into her kitchen to find a glass. he normally isn’t that big of a fan of wine, but a little alcohol to get him warm is certainly not going to hurt tonight. when he returns, he doesn’t waste any time in settling down next to her on the cushions, unafraid of physical contact, and certainly not shy about it either. he’s seen too much of her to worry about that. “how’re you?”
something has changed for her. she can't quite put a name to it, or how or why it's fallen this way. since starting back at school, her days have been filled with far more people than they had been before, and yet... there's a pang of something in her chest, a warning to not continue that train of thought. she won't admit it, not even to herself. how weak it would be for her to feel lonely of all things. the truth is, she doesn't fit in at school. she's never fit in anywhere, and she carries herself with the air of the bad kid, the one everyone is in awe of, and perhaps they are. but the bad kid, the trouble maker, isn't the one people want to talk to at lunch. she isn't the one they want to partner with in class. she's invited to all the parties sure enough, and she's had her fair share of people trying to get into her pants, and usually that would be enough. it doesn't feel like enough anymore. she feels empty.
hadley's actions go neither unnoticed nor ignored, not really. maybe physically it feels that way, but in pearl's mind they're all she can think about for a painful few moments. she's alone, and yet she couldn't bring herself to go into his arms when it was offered so freely to her. how does that make any sense ?
by the time she's pulled herself out of her own thoughts, he's returning to the couch and settling in beside her. close. warm. she isn't sure how to feel about it, but she tries not to overthink it. tries to go with it. tries to act normal, the way she usually would during their encounters. her glass tips toward her lips, and she drains the remainder of it before answering him, reaching out for the bottle as she finally does. ❝ booored, ❞ she sing songs, and it isn't too far from the truth. she is bored. she's many other things, too. ❝ here, ❞ after filling her own glass to the rim, she's moving the bottle to pour an equally generous helping into his, too. drunk seems to be the way forward this evening. has he ever seen her drunk before ? it surprisingly doesn't happen often. he's in for a treat, she thinks.