"Come on, hun! We are going to be late and you'll miss the bus." Her mother yelled up the stairs.
"I know, hold on! I'm just grabbing a few last things I forgot." Sketchbook, check. Copic markers, check. Phone charger, check. Swimsuit, check. Wait, should I go with the one piece or two piece?... Ha, yeah. She'll get a kick out of my new one. Two piece it is.
Finally she stuffed her suitcase full; having to sit on it to zip it closed. Record time! She packed everything in (checking her phone) 13 minutes. Not too shabby.
"Lapis! Hurry up! I'm going to wait in the car for you..."
Lapis heard her mother shut the front door and rolled her eyes. Ladies and gentlemen, the drama queen of the household. She tugged her luggage off her bed and rolled out the door, looking down the hallway. "Later sis. Be good for mom, ok?"
The slender brunette teen with her bangs covering her eyes replied, "Coming from the one who keeps bringing home animals all the time. What won't you bring home?"
"Hey, most of them are hurt or lost. I can't help it. I'm a bleeding heart."
"Exactly. I suspect you'll come home with a manatee this time."
"And I'll name it after you." Lapis stuck her tongue out at her baby sister with a grin which earned her a pleasant groan from the other.
The artist dragged her suitcase down the stairs and out the front entrance, tossing it into the backseat of their old Ford. She hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up, glancing over at her mom who was playing that stupid game again. "Really?"
"Ssh, I'm just reached level 64." Azul Lazuli hushed her eldest as she tapped the virtual fish to the beat of the catchy tune.
Lapis just shook her head. "It's a garbage game. The graphics and music are shit plus it becomes pay-to-play after the 15th level with the add-on songs, levels and different fish."
Azul huffed and put her phone down, starting the vehicle and backing out of the driveway. "So let me guess, you didn't pack the night before like I suggested and that's what took you so long?"
"It only took me, like, 15 minutes to pack though." Lapis really didn't want to talk about this right now.
"And the other 20 minutes was you on the computer again?"
"Well I had to email my queue list to my phone and check my sites again. I'm going to get a few of my traditional commissions done if I can."
Mrs. Lazuli sighed, "if you were only half as organized as you are with your online art thing, your grades might not be slipping like they are right now."
"Mom... please can we not do this right now?" The artist groaned and slouched into her seat.
They listened to the radio instead on the way, commenting on the over-played songs or occasionally swapping gossip about their jobs and co-workers driving them up the wall.
"Thanks for the ride! See you in a week!" Lapis shut the car door.
Azul waved with a smile and drove off.
"Finally decided to show up, Laprick?"
She smiled sweetly and wheeled around on her heel to meet the towering wide receiver of the Diamond High Dolphins. "I'm just fashionably late as always, Assper."
The football player smirked and pulled her friend into a big hug before looking around quickly for any prying eyes and planting a kiss on the shorter girl's forehead. "Why didn't you call or text me last night, hun?"
Lapis giggled at the smooch and tried to hug back as tightly as she could. "Sorry babe, I fell asleep before 10:00 PM I guess. I must have slept through my alarm again."
"You need to keep your phone off of vibrate so you can actually hear the alarm next time." She picked up her girlfriend's bag and carried it with her own duffel bag.
Lazuli chuckled, "Nah. We both know why I keep it on vibrate all the time so that won't happen any time soon."
The gentle giant's face turned red as they walk up to the busses lined up outside the school entrance. She playfully nudges Lapis who laughed at this. "Shut up."
"Lapis? Oh good, you're here! I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show up." The large woman with long curly hairstyle gleefully spoke, Rose Quartz Universe, their homeroom teacher. "Goodness, you dyed your hair again. You chose such a lovely shade of blue this time too."
"Thank you, Mrs. Universe. Jasper helped me pick this one out a while ago and I finally put it in last night."
The teacher nodded and turned to the crowd of students, holding the form and repeating it for the last time. "Alright everyone, eyes on me please. This year's Senior Retreat is being held in Beach City at the Ocean Inn. Students are allowed to walk around Beach City with a buddy but please be careful. Make sure your phones are charged in case you run into any trouble." She continued but already most of the students had tuned out of course.
Lapis jumped when she felt someone jab their fingers into her sides. She whipped around to find herself glaring at none other than Amethyst, the class clown. "Just you wait, I'll get you next time at the worst possible moment."
The shorter girl snickered, "Right. You've been saying that since we met in grade 10, dude. I'm still waiting."
"One of these days someone is going to end up hurt between the three of you rough-housing all the time."
"Good morning to you too, Pearl." Jasper nodded to the honors student.
Ame wrapped her arm around Pearl's waist and— NOPE, she ripped her arm down fast to her side as Mrs. Universe turned to the friends to hush them.
Rose faced ahead again and concluded her speech, "And finally, now that everyone is here, let's board our designated busses and be off. Adventure awaits!"
Ladies and gentlemen, understatement of the year.