A loud crash startled Lapis awake. It was another rough night crammed with nightmares. She had just fallen into a sound sleep about an hour ago. Grumbling, she flung off her blanket to investigate. It was probably Jasper. She was either going to be horribly hungover or still completely drunk. And late for work too. She noticed the time glaring on the alarm clock. There was another clatter coming from the kitchen and an unfamiliar voice cursing. Her chest tightened. That wasn't Jasper. She was still sprawled on the couch, snoring. Lapis cautious peered into the kitchen. There was a long-legged, slim woman picking up a few cups from the floor. She was pale with short rose-gold hair that was almost pink and curled around a beautiful round face. She wore a pastel pink blazer over a sky blue pencil dress and narrow, pink high heels. Lapis could not imagine balancing on heels like that, but this woman did it was such an amazing grace.
"Ah-hum," Lapis cleared her throat to alert the woman of her presence. She turned; her baby blue eyes widened for a moment. She looked Lapis up and down, holding onto a cup with the other on her jutted hip.
"You must be Lapis," she said. Her voice was cold, proper and arrogant.
"Yeah. Who are you?" She said that with a bit more hostility than she had planned. The woman's lips curved tightly, and she extended a slender, beautifully manicured hand to Lapis.
"My name is Pearl. Jasper never showed up today. I came to make sure she was still alive."
"Oh, you work with her." Lapis took Pearl's hand. It was short and firm touch before Pearl retracted her hand. She smirked, sharply.
"Something like that."
"What the fuck is going on?" Jasper grumbled, stepping behind Lapis. She did not seem surprised by Pearl standing in her kitchen. Her hair was wilder than usual; her blouse was unbuttoned to reveal a lacy black bra; her eyes were bloodshot and heavy.
"You look like shit," Lapis commented, which earned her a good-humored punch. Pearl was not amused; her arms folding in front of her. She impatiently tapped her foot.
"Really, Jasper. Hungover?" Jasper winced, pressing her hand against her head. She brushed passed Lapis and pulled out a white bottle from one of the cabinets.
"Geez, Pearl. Let me get some aspirin before you start bitching."
"Heh. Why would I give you that luxury after you left me high and dry at— "Jasper cleared her throat, her eyes shifting over to Lapis leaning in the doorway. The expression on Pearl's face soured more if that was possible; her pink lips pressed thin, her nostrils flaring and her eyes narrowed. However, she did not continue. If looks could kill, Lapis thought. She snorted and pushed away from the frame, her spine straightened and her shoulders pulled back.
"Well, I'll be in my room," she said quickly. As amusing as it was to see waif-like Pearl glare death at Jasper, she was acutely aware her presence was an excuse to avoid conflict. Like a parent trying to avoid fighting in front the kids.
"Don't you want breakfast," Jasper muttered, casually and poured herself a glass of water. Pearl's eyes singed, her body rigid and her hands tight on her arms. Jasper just shrugged, looking over at Lapis. Lapis shook her head, fighting back the mirth twitching at her lips.
"Yeah, I'm not going to be used as your scapegoat."
"Thank you, Lapis. It was nice meeting you," Pearl said, curtly, not taking her eyes off Jasper. Jasper rolled her eyes and gulped down one of the pills. Lapis smiled before leaving the kitchen. Before she shut the door to her room, she heard Pearl's high voice vivaciously scolding Jasper.
"Thanks for leaving me to the wolf," Jasper complained, flopping down on the couch next to Lapis. Her white hair was damp, curling around her shoulders and back in gray tendrils. She was wearing a white tank top that was a little too tight and red sweatpants.
"You are the one who fucked up. Not me," Lapis replied, rapidly pressing the buttons on the remote. Images flickered on the television screen in quick succession. "Plus, it was funny to know you got chewed out."
It was late afternoon. After Pearl had left, Jasper retreated to her room to nurse her hangover and bruised ego. Lapis spent part of her morning trying to fall back to sleep. When it never came, she tried occupying her time with mindless tasks. She tried on her clothes, arranged them in the dressers, fixed up her bathroom and watched the traffic from the balcony attached to her room. She decided to venture onto the living room terrace and enjoy the cooling weather.
The terrace was a wooden deck with enclosed by stone walls that ran down most of the apartment; starting from the beginning of the living room to the end of the office. There was a large beige and dark brown leather sectional with a black stone fire pit in the middle on the far right. A black, square table with four tall chairs was propped against the middle of the wall that overlooked the city and ocean. On her left, there around, above-ground hot tub underneath a wooden canopy. It was sectioned off behind a half-wall. Everything was accented with exotic looking plants and stones.
She actually stayed outside for a while, lounging on the couch. Lapis had been tempted to pull off the cover for the hot tub and test the waters. However, she did not have a swimsuit, and she felt it like she was taking advantage of the luxury. So, she had settled for another long, hard scrubbing shower. She had just finished a late lunch when Jasper finally emerged, fresh and alert. There was almost no sign of her hangover. Jasper clasped a hand behind her neck, rubbing the hard muscles.
"Yeah. I haven't drunk like that it a while. I got carried away," she explained, apologetically
"You think?"
"You can have a real smart mouth; you know that?"
"Yeah, I know. So, is Pearl a co-worker?"
"We run the business together, but her mother was the founder, and it was passed down to her."
"Oh, am I allowed to know that?" Lapis snipped, teasingly. "What happen to the whole secrecy thing?"
"I did not want to bore you with the details."
"It does sound really boring." Jasper's amber eyes lit up, crinkling at the corners as she laughed. Lapis smiled, but it slipped it something tight and forced. It was weighing on her mind. She felt the tickle of curiosity in the back of her head. Her mouth wanted to move, to form the word and ask, but her brain sharply warned against it. Jasper seemed to notice. She cleared her throat as silence fell between them except for the noise of the television.
"Okay, fuck this. Look, about last night, I-well, I told you something that no one else knows. No one. But, I feel as if—I wanted you to know we have common ground. I get it. I want you to know I understand."
"Yeah. Got that. Thanks," Lapis replied, short and clipped. No, she wanted to hear this. She wanted to know, but the thudding of her heart told a different story. It screamed, beating at her to not listen, to push away and run. Jasper exhaled through her nose.
"You don't want to talk. You don't want to do anything to remember or think about it. You just want to move on, right?" When Lapis did not reply, Jasper continued, "I don't remember much. I was fucking messed up. But I remember I didn't want it, and I was terrified, and it was painful. It is a fucking awful experience. And it stays with you. It fucking lingers. I had no one. Absolutely no one."
"Why are you telling me this," Lapis breathed in a raspy whisper as she fidgeted with her fingers. Her face was hot and her eyes burned with unshed tears. There was a dryness in her throat that made it difficult to swallow. She tried focusing on the television, but all she saw was a blur of motion and color.
"I don't want you falling into that dark place. That is a bottomless pit. I want you to know I am here even if you don't want to talk to me." Lapis sniffled, desperately wiping the tears spilling down her cheeks. Fuck, fuck, fuck, she cursed. She did not know what overcame her. Her body was trembling with silent sobs while her head felt numb, clouded, confused. A gentle, hesitant hand touched her shoulder. "You are not alone, okay?" She broke. Lapis leaned into Jasper, gripping her tank and burying her face into her junction between her shoulder and arms. Jasper was taken by surprise but only briefly before she carefully stroked Lapis's back.
"Is this okay," she asked. Lapis nodded. She let Lapis just cry, offering her the quiet comfort of a reassuring touch. When Lapis could no longer cry, she lifted her head up, staring at Jasper's chest dumbly.
"You have some big ass boobs," she commented, numbly. She had no idea why that crossed her mind. Or why she chose to say that out loud. She kept feeling them when she was pressed against her. Lapis's face flushed with scarlet as Jasper gaped at her. Oh, God. Why did she even say that? Suddenly, Jasper broke into a throaty laugh.
"I'll take the compliment," she said, ruffling Lapis's hair. "Go, clean your face, and get some sleep, okay? I did not mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know."
"Yeah. Thank you, really. I must look like shit." Lapis moved off the couch, running her fingers underneath her sore, tired eyes. Jasper did not say anything but her smile revealed she agreed. Maybe she could get some sleep night. It felt good to cry, to be comforted. She felt a little better than she had in the last couple of days.