The Unexpected Effects of a Broken Heart

Chapter Two: Pearl's Hurt

Pearl didn't do anything but stand at the first water pillar in her room until the temple door closed. She could feel the hot tears rolling down her cheeks without control. She focused on going to the center water pillar and was there in a second. Once there, she sat down, then lay down, and then curled into a fetal position in her still wet clothes. Without even bothering to hold back, Pearl began to sob hard. It wasn't like Pearl to allow herself so little control over her actions, but sometimes in private she let herself go and allowed whatever she was feeling to take over and today…well today she was one of those days.

Every year on this day she would seclude herself to her room in the temple and not come out for a day or two. Since Steven had been born, however, it made the day a little easier, a distraction for Pearl. Even with Steven being around, however, the pain of the day never fully went away. As Pearl felt her sobs subside and her body go numb. She could remember it as if it had just happened.

~*~*~* A long time ago *~*~*~

Pearl stood at the Galaxy Warp waiting for her beloved Lolite. They had planned on meeting here to go to Earth and break away from Home World for good. She had been glad her lover had decided to come with her and protect the Earth from what all the other Gems had in mind for the planet. At first, Lolite had seemed a little put off at the idea of leaving Home World for good, but she had agreed to meet Pearl at the one place that could connect Home World to the Earth.

Pearl began to worry. She had been here a while now and not a single sight of her lover. Pearl had been counting the moments since she had been here and it had been hours. Lolite wouldn't give her in, would she? No, their love was too strong for that. They had been together a long time and they had even given one another a present just a year ago to show how they felt. Something that they had made, something from the heart. For Pearl, Lolite had made a saucer and cup set for her favorite Earth drink while Pearl had made Lolite a necklace.

Just as she was about to warp back to Home World, Pearl heard the Warp Pad go off and she turned to see her lover, Lolite. Smiling brightly, Pearl walked over to the other on the Pad and hugged her, but she was not hugged back. Sensing something was wrong, Pearl looked up at the taller female and saw the avoidance of eye contact.

"Lolite? What's wrong? They…They didn't figure out you were coming to Earth for good did they?" There was a trickle of fear going through Pearl as she thought of Lolite being caught fighting for Earth instead of siding with Home World.

"No, they didn't." Lolite's tone was short and it lacked the love that it usually held for Pearl. This confused the shorter Gem and she pulled back, looking at Lolite with bewilderment and confusion in her eyes, unsure what was going on. "And that's because I'm not going to Earth. I can't cut myself off from our home just because of what they're doing. Because of what you believe in and I don't."

Pearl took a few steps back, falling off the Warp Pad and landing with a grunt. She looked up at the other Gem with wide eyes, a number of emotions going through her, but the main one that was shining through was heartache. Lolite wasn't coming with her?

"Y-You're choosing them over Earth? Over us? Over…Over me?" Pearl could feel the world crumbling beneath her feet. Her lover of years was giving up everything they had dreamed of, everything they had planned to do together, to be together forever. Then it dawned on Pearl, Obsidian was against her, was against what was right.

"Lolite, please, reconsider! The humans, they were living there first, that is their home! Forget about Home World, forget about what they've brain washed us with! What they're doing is wrong. What…what you're doing is wrong. Not just for Earth, but for us as well. Don't you see? This is going to be the thing that will separate us. This will break us!" Pearl's voice cracked as she felt the tears well in her eyes. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening.

Lolite just stared at Pearl with what seemed to be empty eyes. She grabbed the necklace around her neck, the one that Pearl had made her as a gift, and crushed it in her hand, ripping it off and throwing it to the ground right next to Pearl. She glared at Pearl now and turned away from her.

"I don't think you get it. Earth is perfect for our needs but if you can't see that then we're not perfect for one another." And with that, Lolite warped back to Home World, leaving Pearl sitting on the ground feeling confused, hurt, and betrayed.

Pearl looked from the Warp Pad to the crushed necklace on the ground next to her. Reaching out with a shaking hand, she touched the powder and pearls that remained. Slowly tears filled her eyes and she let out a screaming sob. She had just lost Lolite, her lover and friend of a long time. Now she was alone in this universe, left to her emotions and painful memories.

Opening her eyes, Pearl didn't move. Had she fallen asleep? That dream…no, a memory. Today was the day that Lolite had abandoned her at the Galaxy Warp so long ago. She never wanted to feel that again, never wanted to love again, not like that. It hurt way too much to have someone that close knowing that they held your heart in their hands.

Wasn't that what love was about though? Trusting someone enough with that special piece of you that they could rip it to shreds if something were to happen? All Pearl knew was that it was time to move on, wasn't it? She had been suffering this hurt for far too long. The pale Gem had a family, a life of Earth and a heart that was ready to be healed and had again.

'Yeah right', thought Pearl to herself. Who would even want someone like her? She couldn't picture herself with any human, Garnet wasn't her type, and Amethyst…Amethyst? There was no way they would ever end up together. They clashed too much. They had nothing in common aside. They were complete opposites.

"Isn't that what makes a perfect couple?" Pearl said softly then jolted up to a sitting position, her cheeks heating up. Was she considering, even for a blip of a moment, to being in a relationship with Amethyst?! She shook her head rapidly and stood up, heading for the temple door to go back into the house. Pearl had no idea how long she had been out, but she had promised to make a nice picnic lunch for Steven and Connie. Well, that and she didn't want to be alone any longer. It was time to leave the hurt behind for now and focus on something positive.