What's love? Your eyes meet and you can't stand to be apart after? Bleh, love is an illusion, an excuse to not deal with reality for a while: A temporary sedative for feeling alone.
That's how Peridot felt, love was unnecessary; it wasn't going to pay her bills and it didn't even exist.
Peridot worked as a receptionist for Diamond Enterprises, answering phones, bringing Mrs. Diamond her coffee and taking notes pretty much summed up her day; she had no idea today would be different. Peridot was jotting down Ms. Diamond's to do list when a fist tapped the bell on her desk; a tall muscular woman was standing in front of her desk constantly tapping the bell.
"Can I help you?" Peridot asked.
"Yeah I'm Jasper, I had an interview for a bodyguard position for someone named…Yellow Diamond?" The woman held up a piece of paper with a name written down. Jasper was tall, her dark skin touched with light pinkish/white marks that appeared to be vitiligo. Her long platinum blonde hair hung down to the middle of her inner knee in a tight braid. She was wearing a black trench coat (it was the middle of December).
"Ms. Diamond if you actually want the job." Peridot corrected, Peridot stood up and grabbed a phone on her desk pressing the speed dial on #8.
"Pearl? Yes this is Peridot; could you take over for me early? I have an interview… Okay, thank you." Peridot hung up the phone.
"Okay Yellow Diamond isn't in right now so I'm stuck doing your interview." Peridot waved Jasper to follow her as she walked to a back room.
"You decide if I get hired or not?" Jasper asked following Peridot to a small room in the back, it was a tiny office. Peridot walked behind another desk and sat down.
"I just review you and give my report to the person above me and they give it to the person above them and then that person decides whether you get hired." Peridot started writing on a clipboard.
"Ah, so…what do I need to do?" Jasper asked.
"Just sit there while I look for your file." Peridot started typing on the office computer and read over a particular file.
"Okay it says you already had a phone interview with Cobalt and she seemed impressed… well," Peridot stood up and walked besides the chair Jasper was sitting in. "She's the person closest to Ms. Diamond, you got the job; welcome aboard." Peridot held out her hand to Jasper who stood and shook her hand.
*hours later 3:00pm*
Peridot was in the cafeteria for Diamond Enterprise employees. In the three years she'd worked there it'd always be the same, no one wanted to sit with her, people putting their bags in empty seats or their legs was the usual drill; she was used it, Peridot was about the walk back towards her office with her sandwich but walked into someone, knocking her to the ground.
"Ow uh!" Peridot yelled rubbing her head.
"Sorry about that." Jasper said extending her hand to Peridot. Peridot took her hand and stood up. Peridot looked around for her sandwich but it was smeared across the ground.
"Great…" Peridot said picking up the mess.
"I was about to go to a bar if you wanna tag along." Jasper said.
"No" Peridot said flatly walking past Jasper.
"I owe you a sandwich." Jasper said, before Peridot could protest further her stomach growled.
"…You're buying?" Peridot asked looking out the large window of the cafeteria. Her gaze turned to the large woman in front of her who had a smirk on her face.
*At the bar*
"Hey Jasper" Amethyst said from behind the bar, Jasper and Peridot sat at two stools at the bar; Jasper handed Peridot a menu.
"Hey, can I get two beers and get her whatever she wants." Jasper pointed to Peridot who peered over her menu at her.
"Just a sandwich please; no mayo." Peridot said folding the menu.
"And a Shirley Temple for that dry ass sandwich." Amethyst laughed, Amethyst handed Jasper her beers and put a Shirley Temple in front of Peridot. Before Peridot could grab it Jasper poured one of her beers into it.
"You need to relax, trust me, that'll help." Jasper said before taking a sip of her beer. Peridot looked at the drink before stirring it with her straw, she didn't really like beer but the stress of the day- hell, the stress of the past three years got to her! She threw the straw out of the drink and took a long chug until all the beer was gone.
"Whoa, a woman that can handle her beer, I like that." Jasper patted Peridot on the back, Peridot was a light-weight and her face instantly flushed red. Peridot ignored Jasper's comments and took her beer, chugging every ounce.
"Take it easy there" Amethyst said watching Peridot.
"Shut it! I needed this; and where's my sandwich!?" Peridot slammed her fist onto the counter. Amethyst handed her the plate with the sandwich she'd just made.
*Not even 15 minutes later*
Peridot was drunk, after three beers and half a sandwich later she'd thrown up twice, stood on top of three tables dancing and was now on the karaoke stage dancing and singing.
*bold italics are singing*
"There's got to be a morning after!
If we can hold on through the night- Get the fuck down!" Someone tried to remove Peridot from the stage but she kicked them in the face.
"We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light-" Before Peridot could finish she threw up and passed out.
*The next day*
Peridot woke up in a bed that wasn't hers, she was too dazed to really care but when she turned towards where the sunlight was coming from she felt a warmth she'd never felt before, it was Jasper, she was asleep. Peridot was weirded out by the sight, but oddly enough she wasn't, Jasper looked so peaceful, so relaxed, a blush crossed Peridot's face; before she knew what she was doing she kissed Jasper.
Jasper woke up and pushed Peridot away.
"Ugh!" Jasper said wiping her lip.
"I'm- um, sorry!" Peridot waved her arms frantically.
"If you want to kiss me you should at least brush first, barf bag!" Jasper glared at Peridot.
"…so you're okay with…kissing me?" Peridot blushed, she got from underneath the covers.
"Yeah… why do you think I asked you out? I bought a toothbrush for you last night" Jasper smiled pointing to the door closest to where Peridot was standing.
Peridot walked inside and looked at her face, her blonde tresses were now stuck to her forehead with sweat, her eyes were red and she looked like hell. There was a soap bar on the counter that had a weird fruity scent that made Peridot queasy, she ran to the toilet and threw up again.
"What happened last night!?" She yelled to Jasper.
"I'll tell you about it while you sleep your hangover off." Jasper said as she walked into the bathroom, holding Peridot's hair back.
"So uh… wanna go out?" Jasper asked, Peridot lifted her head from the toilet and looked at Jasper.
"Yeah… but no more beer…".