Chapter 7
Pearl walked lazily to the sitting room and lay sprawled on the sofa, with the novel falling on the floor.
'Someone should come and read this'. She drawled lazily.
One of the workers came to her. Collecting the novel from pearl, she flipped through it. The worker reached out for a pop corn and sat up to listen to her.
"A vampire suck… er, suck human blood, eat human flesh… deep his teeth into the neck. Brian dug his teeth into the little girl's flesh and pulled her clothes, feeling his fang seep into her flesh, until it touched her bone, blood gushed out of it into his mouth, he licked his lips in satisfaction…."
'Hey stop!' Pearl screamed. She could almost visualize the scene, feeling like the girl in the story. The worker- Alias stared at her frightened at heer sudden outburst.
'Do you think they exist?' Pearl asked ruefully.
'No. They are long gone. Although there are rumors that they still exist, I have never seen one myself'. Alias shrugged.
'How can I kill one?'
'What?' Alias stared at her, surprised.
'I mean, how can I kill a vampire?'
'By cutting the head. That has been the only way so far'. She shrugged.
'That is risky. How can someone get that close?' Pearl frowned.
'Should I continue reading?'
'No, enough of it. You can get back to what you are doing'. Pearl reached out for the book. Walking to her room lazily, she put her headphones on.
As she tried to point her toes, she remembered the party night. If a vampire does not exist, how would a human suck another human blood? Pearl took her phone and called Lilly. The other girl's voice held a laugh.
'Are you at home?' Pearl asked and stretched her right foot even more.
'Yes. But I will be going out soon. Mom said to bring the kids'.
'Oh! I was going to come visiting'.
'What about later today? I will be back..' Lilly hesitated before she continued ' let's say five in the evening'. She finally said.
'Whatever. Have a nice time'. Pearl said and hung up, but not before hearing the soft chuckle from Lilly.
Dressed in a stunning form fitting emerald gown, Pearl went to the car. Cha was already waiting for her.
'Does it hurt?' He asked as he pulled off to the road.
'What?'
'When my wife got hers, she cried. I had to buy medicine for her to heal the spot. It wasn't funny, I had to run around because of it'. He explained hurriedly.
'Cha, I don't get you'.
'The Hickey!'
'Geez. You are disgusting! How on earth would you bring up something like that? Forget it'. Her cheek was heating up considerably.
'It is nothing to be shy of. It kind of, happens to everyone'
'Cha!'
'Who is the guy? I have to be the first to see him. If he is not cute, you had better tell him to use a mask when he comes to the house, or I will skin him alive'. Cha said tauntingly.
'Can you drive fast?' Pearl was already getting angry.
Deliberately, Cha slowed down and checked her face through the rear mirror.
'He has better be someone with sense, oe I will be the first to break his head, even before mum comes'.
'Do you think I will date a guy without sense?' She bursted out.
'We cannot say'. Cha shrugged.
'I can't believe that is what you think of me'. She pout.
'Describe him. I can tell if he has got a brain with your description'.
'What are you up to?' Pearl narrowed her eyes at him.
'Nothing, just checking if I can help you persuade mum when she comes back'. Cha shrugged.
Cha has been the only person Pearl's mom could trust. She had made sure he was in charge of making her safe, as far as making him Pearl's driver.
'He has a cute face, and… an earring always on his ear'. She blushed.
'Tsk tsk… from your description he has got nothing in his head'.
Pearl almost stood up, realizing they were in the car, she relaxed in her seat.
'Whatever. Does it even matter if he has got sense?' She shrugged.
'I have a question to ask'.
'Yeah, go ahead'.
'I have a friend, this friend of mine, got… remember I am not the one'. She glanced at him.
'Okay. I am listening'
'My friend got, kind of, bitten. I mean she got a Hickey, without knowing. What do you think happened?'
'I don't get you? You mean your friend got a Hickey without knowing?' He cast a glance at her through the rear mirror.
'Kind of - er - yes'.
'That has never been possible. She should know unless she is a fool'.
'What!' She exclaimed, wide-eyed.
'She should know when it happened. If not, she was drugged'.
'No, no. She was not. I am sure she wasn't'. Pearl said uneasily.
'Then, tell your friend to ask the person she thinks it might be'. Cha said before bringing the car to a halt.
'Got it!'
'Pearl'. He called as she made to get out of the car.
'Yes?'
'The guy is irresponsible. I mean, how could he do that without telling her? He should be beaten'. Cha did not hide the irritation in his voice.
'I have heard you'. Pearl said uneasily and walked inside.
Just like the last time, the place was filled with people. Pearl wondered if she was going to meet Louis there.
Sitting down where the two of them had sat down the last time, the bar man came to her. She ordered soft drinks. The man must have misunderstood her because he brought a bottle of gin.
'I didn't ask for this'.
'Oh! Sorry. I will bring another one'. He said ruefully and made to go.
'Don't worry'. She smiled.
Corking his head sideways, the bar man leaned toward her. 'Your friend?'
'She went somewhere. She would not be coming'.
He went away disappointed.
The first gulp of gin had no effect on her. Pearl felt it might have been as a result of seeing a lot of people drinking it. At least Bryan did without getting drunk. The image of the kiss had her cupping her face.
'Hello girl'. Someone tapped her table.
'Hi' Pearl raised her head expecting to see Louis. She was disappointed to see a red haired guy.
'Get lost'. She shrieked and continued drinking.
Some other guys came to her, but she rejected them. Glancing at the time, Pearl realized he might not come. She was going to see him suck blood, watch him again and ask if he was a vampire.
Pearl stood up with much difficulty, managed to go outside, but fell. She blamed herself for taking too much of the gin. She could feel its effect on her.
She stood up again and walked toward the door, leaning on the wall as she went. Her driver would not pick the call. She finally sat down outside, checking out for signs of cars. It was damn quiet.
Blaming herself for coming, Pearl stood up again and vomited all she had eaten. Retching painfully, she sat down on the floor.
'Hey girl'. A familiar voice called.
She raised her head and saw Bryan, every bit of the alcoholic drink's affect fled. She stood up and slapped him hard on the face.
Pearl swung her hair sideways, positioned herself well to get a better view of his face, before slapping him a second time.
'Pearl what are you doing?' He held his face.
'You are a fool for not knowing what you have done wrong'. She said forcefully, the gin was affecting her sight, she could barely see him.
'Whatever it is, this is not a place to solve it'
'Where do you think? Your house again?'
Signing deeply, Bryan held her and dragged her to his car. He opened the door and let her in.
'Whatever has made you drunk is what I want to know'. Bryan sat behind the wheel, facing her.
'I don't think this is what you should be saying. You should apologize for this'. Pearl pointed to her next drunkenly.
'Do you think I wanted to do it? Even if I were to do it, do you think it is meant for someone like you?'
'Are you not going to withdraw that statement?' Bryan gave her a glare.
'What statement? That you are a fool for almost making up with someone without her consent?'
Bryan's face was red in embarrassment. Pearl smiled at what her words had caused.
She got down from the car and walked away. She had meant to go get a taxi anywhere she could, but found it almost impossible when she once again saw the deserted road.
The sprinkle of water on her body brought her attention to this cloud that was forming already. She ran under a shed and watched the rain fall heavily. The shade could only stop the rain from touching her body, not the cold. She shivered terribly.
A horn made Her to raise her head. A car was driving towards her. She felt weak, and could barely stand. Without thinking, she walked over to the car, and was going to plead for a lift when she saw Bryan grinning behind the wheel.
'Come on in'. He opened the door.
She walked back to the shed, but just then, a hand pulled her back. She hesitated at first until she was swept off the ground in Bryan's hands.
'What the heck are you doing?' She muttered, the rain falling on both of them.
'Can't you see?' He said huskily.
He dropped her in the car, and within a few seconds, was sitting beside her. He held her chin.
'If you ever hitch a ride again, trust me you are gone'. He said the words softly, that it had Pearl's other thoughts disappearing.
Pearl was going to talk until she noticed the mean look on his face.
She sighed and forced her head away from him. The effect of the gin was back again. This time, she couldn't control herself, head fell to the back, eyes dilated, she slept off.
Bryan stared at her, raised her, her lips pouting invitingly, he closed the distance between them and held her head close to his, just then, her eyelids fluttered open, and the brown eyes stared into his.
For some seconds, the two stared at each other, each lost in the other's world.
'I don't believe you were going to do this again'. Pearl shook her head as reality drawned on her.
'What thing?' Bryan relaxed with so much ease that had Pearl wishing she could hit him in the head with her clenched fist.
'And come to think of it, you almost…' he sighed and turned on the ignition, driving towards Pearl's house.
'How do you know my house?' Pearl was forced to ask.
Bryan gnashed his teeth, he should have asked, instead of trusting his monster self to direct him.
'Just guess. Maybe I have seen you come here before'. He shrugged.
'You are impossible. Or could it be…' Pearl covered her mouth.
'Have you been following me around?'
'Why would I? Don't you think it sounds absurd?' He made a quick turn, which made Pearl almost hit her head.
'Be careful, you were not planning to kill me, were you?' She glared at him.
Bryan suddenly stopped the car, they were only a few distance from Pearl's house. She wondered what had caused the change in him.
'Get out'. He said coldly.
'Why?'
'Don't ask, little witch'. She remembered the last time he used the word, it wasn't fun.
'Are you drunk?' She asked, concerned.
Without talking, Bryan reached out for a jar cup Pearl had not noticed when she entered. He gulped the contents and got down from the car. Pearl was sure he did not open the door. She stared in shock at the turn of events.
Again, he didn't open the back door, but he entered the car again. He yanked open a cover and put the bottle in his mouth.
Pearl shrieked in horror at the contents. It was blood. The realization almost made her faint, but that was the last thing that should happen to her. All of a sudden, she remembered the book Alias had read to her earlier in the day.
So it has been true that vampires exist? To think she had a crush on one was unimaginable.