"You know, after you told me your own taste for it several weeks ago, I've grown slightly more accustomed to the rain."

Avery turned his gaze from the rain plastered window and looked to Pearl, slightly surprised that she had A.) Broken the silence that had been stewing for several minutes and B.) Said what she had said.

"Oh really?" Avery began with a small smile. "That's good to hear. What exactly are you starting to like about it?"

Pearl looked up in thought for a moment. What did she like about the rain…?

"Hmmm… Well, for one thing, rain is very cleansing. It wipes away all the excess and makes everything more cleanly." Pearl said.

Avery chuckled slightly. "Cleanliness seems to be a theme with you, I've noticed." He said.

"Well, it is hard not to have it be, considering cleaning was most of what I did for the first several eons of my creation."

"Oh, that's right. Sorry for bringing that up." Avery said apologetically.

"No, its fine. You made a valid comment and I was just answering it."

"Fair enough. So, back to our regular conversation topic, is there anything else you've come to enjoy about the rain?" Avery questioned.

Upon ending his prior statement, Pearl thought some more. After a few moments, she began to smile softly.

"There is, actually. It reminds me of you."

When this sentence was spoken, Avery nearly spun out of control on the road due to shock. Pearl herself was feeling surprised as well that she had said that, albeit it was slightly more internalized than Avery.

'Did she really say what I think she just said?'

"W-w-what do you mean by that?" Avery stuttered out.

"W-well…" Pearl sat in silence.

'What do I mean by that?' Pearl thought questioningly. 'Wait… I couldn't possibly have developed… no, that can't be the case.' Pearl tried to reason with herself while simultaneously trying to find a reason.

At last, after several more moments of silence, Pearl found a reason.

"What I mean by that is you're a very dear friend to me. Granted, we haven't known each other for too long, but in that time I've told you more about myself than most people I've allowed into my life know. When I'm around you I feel so secure and safe, and you're one of the few people that can make me laugh. I guess what I'm trying to say is…."

'You're a very dear friend. That is what I'm trying to say.'

Pearl began to look at Avery. For some peculiar reason, she began to notice things she hadn't before.

'Come on, just say that he's a dear friend. Don't make this any more complicated than it has to be.'

Be it the intelligence of his grey eyes, the cute messiness of his ebon hair or the kindness in his gaze, there were all sorts of things that she took granted.

'I wonder if he looks at me like this… Wait, why would I even think something like that?'

Even though she technically didn't have a heart, the thumping in her chest certainly made it felt like she had one.

'No… It can't be… I think I'm…'

Pearl had been sitting in silence for quite some time now. Wondering if she was okay at all, Avery said with genuine worry:

"Pearl? Are you feeling alright?"

More silence.

"Like I always say, Pearl: If you don't feel comfortable saying something you don't have to-"

"I think I'm in love with you."

Avery pulled over to the road as fast as he could and put the car in park, utterly dumbstruck at what he had heard.

"…What did you say?"

Pearl looked utterly terrified. She was hyperventilating, wringing her hands and actually seemed to be forming tears in the corners of her eyes.

Comparatively (Even though he didn't show it externally), Avery was on could nine.

'She said she loves me… That's spectacular! After all this time I would assume she would never love a human, but this is great!"

Pearl was still looking quite torn up. To hopefully sooth her fear (or whatever she was feeling at the moment), Avery decided to do something drastic.

'Alright, she may have said it to you, but it's just as important that you say it back. You only get one shot at this. Okay… here I go."

"Pearl, don't worry, it is okay. I feel the-"

"Don't say it!" Pearl shouted out.

Avery flinched. Looking at Pearl, he could see that tears were running freely down her face.

"Pearl, what's the matter?"

"I need to go." Pearl said practically immediately afterwards.

"What? Why?" Avery inquired, becoming more and more worried at his friend's semi-erratic behavior.

"I'm sorry, I just need to think." Pearl said in a strangled voice.

With that being said, Pearl opened her door and dashed out into the rain, her long and elegant strides bounding towards the beach house in the distance. All the while, Avery sat in his car confused and slightly heartbroken seeing his friend in so much anguish.

'Oh Pearl.' Avery thought with sadness. 'Sometimes I wish I could solve all your problems for you… but sadly I know that can never be the case…"

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, I present to you: My shortest chapter yet!

...Yeah, you guys deserve a bit of an explanation.

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the wait you guys had to endure for this chapter, only to receive so little. Having another story, social obligations and a near crippling case of depression can do that to you. But hey, at least there was some plot thickening!

Secondly, there might be an occasion here or there where due to the three factors listed above, you'll have to either wait as long as you have or get a chapter as short as this one. Pick your poison.

In summary, I'm sorry for the wait and the length of the chapter. I promise next one will be longer. With that said, leave your reviews and tell me what you think/what I can improve.

P.S. Thank you so much to those who have Favorited and Followed this little story of mine. My appreciation has no bounds.