Genre: Romance

Pairing: Ruby x Sapphire

Summary: Ruby wonders if there had been any sign as to how much the tennis match against Beachside Preparatory would change her life. Ch2: In which Ruby thinks a lot. Ruby/Sapphire. [High School AU]

Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe, of course, but I really wish I did because Peridot is unbearably adorable… when she's not be classist/racist against Pearl.

Author's Notes: I'm one of those writers who loves outlines and mapping everything out ad nauseam, but this is an experiment in letting a story take its turn. It kind of freaks me out, but... it's also kind of fun. Anyway, I like my first chapter, but felt it was more tonally distant than I wanted, so I'm tweaking it to be slightly more casual. Also upping the rating because it turns out Ruby and her friends swear. I didn't know that before, so I'm just as shocked as you.

Love-Zero

Chapter 2: Out

Ruby stomps off court, twirling her racket. She's so caught up that she doesn't see her friend Esmeralda jog up until the overly cheerful, very tall Hispanic girl (and incidentally, the number two singles player) joins her as they walk back to their other teammates.

"I lost," Ruby says by way of greeting.

"I saw," says Esmeralda. "But it's okay. So did everyone else."

"Really?" Ruby's heart sinks. "That sucks."

"Yeah. It sucks worse because Jasper's a total bitch who rubbed it in our faces," Esmeralda says, tossing her fluffy, ombre-highlighted ponytail with a lofty sigh. "But hey, at least you won something. You were on fire."

"Oh yeah, one set. A real eternal flame," Ruby says, rolling her eyes, and Esmeralda laughs at the sort-of pun on Ruby's last name.

"Well, you lit something up. What happened with Jasper back there? You looked like you were going to punch her," Esmeralda says.

Ruby doesn't even know what happened, but says, "She got in my face for talking to her teammate."

Esmeralda raises one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Were you talking or flirting?"

Ruby slants her friend a look, wondering how Esmeralda even went there. But then again, Ruby's not really surprised. Esmeralda's been insufferable ever since she successfully matched the couple who won King and Queen at their junior Prom last year. Now that she'd just found a boyfriend of her own, trying to find someone for Ruby was her latest—and so far, most futile—project.

"Sapphire and I were just talking," Ruby answers pointedly.

"Sapphire, huh?" Esmeralda says with a too-wide smile. "So you know her name?"

"Yeah, because I'm not a jackass and actually introduce myself to the people I play." Ruby slings her racket over her shoulder with more gusto than needed and accidentally thwacks herself in the back.

Esmeralda laughs it up. "Uh-huh. And it has nothing to do with the fact that she's totally your type, right?"

"I don't have a type."

"Yeah, you do. It's cute and girly."

Ruby makes a face. "It is not."

"Yes, it is. Remember Morgan?" Esmeralda raises a finger to represent the number one. "Wore pink all the time, had ribbons in her hair? And Chal?"—a second finger goes up—"...she always made you wait before your dates because she couldn't decide which of her bajillion bow shoes to wear…"—a third finger—"...and of course, Charo was really into kittens—"

Ruby cuts her off before her friend can run out of fingers. "How do you remember all this?"

"You complain a lot," Esmeralda grumbles. "And I have to listen to it. Because I'm your friend. Who totally knows you."

"Okay, fine. You're right. I like cute girls. Sue me," Ruby says. "Can we stop talking about everyone I dated in the last three years of high school? It has nothing to do with some girl from Beachside Prep."

"So you can honestly tell me the puffy sleeves and the curls don't do anything for you?"

"Esmeralda."

"Okay, okay… it's just too bad. I saw you two 'talking' before Jasper barged in, you know. I think she was into you."

"Well, too bad right back at you. Nothing's going to happen." Ruby thinks of how fun the match was and Sapphire's smile… and grimaces. "Besides, her school's on the other side of the city."

This does nothing to discourage Esmeralda, whose smile has turned Cheshire. "So you are interested."

Ruby tugs hard at the ends of the tie in her hair. "I'm interested in this conversation being over."

"Uh-huh."

"Now come on," Ruby says. "Tell me about the other matches. Did we really lose all of them?"

Ruby runs home after the game. She doesn't live far from school anyway, and every day she runs she saves on bus fare. Plus, Ruby needs the run today. She's all out of it.

Esmeralda wasn't exaggerating. Her school did lose all of their matches. Ruby was the only one who'd won a set at all, and this makes her nervous. Beachside Prep's tennis team is very good, but they're just one of many good teams.

If her school can't compete, how can they win? If they don't win…

Something twists in Ruby's gut. This is her last chance. She graduates this year. She wants to go to college, to leave this town, and a sports scholarship is the only way she's going to do that. It all hinges on the tennis team succeeding.

Hating that her entire future relies on something she can't even control, so Ruby forces herself to run faster. She kicks off as she rounds the corner, picking up speed, the convenience stores and graffiti-strewn walls blurring as she passes, and she's home in less than ten minutes.

Ruby slows as she nears the apartment. She sees the lights are out—that's a good sign usually—but since it could easily be that their power's been shut off again, she doesn't actually feel any relief until after she opens the door, listens, and sees it's empty.

Looks like Sphene hasn't come home yet.

Good.

Ruby ignores the mess of the kitchen, the trashed living room, and walks into her own room, locking the door as soon as she's inside. Everything looks to be in its place, so she kicks off her beat-up sneakers, tosses her racket and duffel onto the floor, and flops onto her bed.

She knows she should shower and do homework and wrap up the million other things on her plate, but her head's still spinning thinking about tennis and winning, and unfortunately, now that she's alone, she also thinks of Sapphire.

She blames Esmeralda for that last part. Of course Ruby's interested. Even ignoring any sparks, Sapphire's a good tennis player. Ruby could learn a lot from her, and they had fun today...

But that's it. Ruby doesn't know anything about Sapphire, not really, except that the girl has a wicked backhand and a pretty laugh.

Otherwise, they're a world apart. The literal distance between their schools isn't the only thing between them. Beachside Prep is the most exclusive, all-girls private school in the entire state. The daughters of senators and famous people went there. Sapphire was probably rich or important, or both. Even if Ruby were to act on her interest, it's not like she could just walk up and fit right in next to her.

No wonder Jasper was so happy to step in.

She turns so she's face flat into the pillow and groans.

Well, maybe Jasper wasn't entirely wrong. Ruby really shouldn't be wondering about a girl she barely knows who lives for all intents and purposes on a completely different planet. Ruby resolves to try not to think about her.

"And she's so not my type," Ruby says aloud to no one in particular.

But without Esmeralda around, Ruby's protest sounds lame, even to her.

Three weeks later, Ruby's on the court again, playing Ocean City High. OCH doesn't have fancy-schmancy uniforms, and when Ruby shakes the hand of the girl she's facing, there's no spark.

To be fair, there's no real game either. Ruby destroys everyone she plays.

"Wow, Ruby, that was awesome!" Esmeralda claps her on the shoulder as Ruby walks off the court.

"Thanks," Ruby says half-heartedly.

They win as a whole. But it's their first win in three weeks, and it's not the crushing victory Ruby was hoping for. Ruby likes her teammates well enough, but it's looking bleak. If things keep on like this, Ruby might have to move to Plan B of her master scheme to leave, which involves her using all the money she's saved from her odd jobs to get the hell out of Beach City and find a job somewhere, anywhere.

Disheartened, Ruby stays late, way after everyone else leaves for their fun Friday nights, and hits tennis balls at a practice wall, running them down until her breath is ragged. She wonders if the extra practice is even worth it, but it's fine. This beats going back to an empty apartment anyway.

After an hour, Ruby gives herself a short break, mopping at her face with her shirt. She grabs her water bottle, about to dump it over her head, but pauses when she sees a woman walking towards her.

"Ruby Candela?" the woman asks.

Perhaps it's obvious as she's the only player on the court, but Ruby nods.

"Yeah… that's me," Ruby says, lowering the water bottle and taking large gulps instead as she eyes the stranger.

The woman is dressed like money in a power-red suit and shiny black pumps, her blonde hair efficient and sleek down around an angular face. It's hard to tell her age, but she looks like she could be in her forties. Whoever she is, she's definitely not from around here.

"You must be wondering who I am," the woman says, picking up on Ruby's suspicion. "I was there at your game against Beachside Preparatory three weeks ago."

Ruby can't remember if that's true. "You were?"

"Yes, but I understand if you don't recall seeing me. You were quite focused," the woman says. "You beat our best player, in fact."

Ruby thinks of Sapphire. It's easy because… well, she never really forgot. Ruby shakes her head. "Beat her? I didn't even slow her down."

"I've watched Miss Frost play before, and trust me when I say she doesn't lose often," she says. "You did very well."

Sapphire Frost, huh?

Ruby rolls her shoulders, annoyed. It doesn't matter what her last name is, and she doesn't have time for this. "Thanks, but somehow I don't think you're here to talk about my performance."

"Actually... that's exactly why I'm here," the woman says. "I'm Carnelian Quartz from Beachside Prep, and I'd like to recruit you."

"What?"

"A spot on our tennis team opened up," Ms. Quartz explains. "The timing is… awkward for us. We must win at the district level, and I need to bring on a talented player before our next match. I believe you could be that player."

Ruby prides herself on always having something to say, usually something glib, but she's speechless now.

"I can't play for Beachside," Ruby says when she finds her voice. "There's no way I can afford to go there…"

"I'd be happy to talk with the school board about your tuition," Ms. Quartz says to head off her complaint. "We may not be able to get you room and board, but that much, I can take care of."

Room and board. Ruby had heard Beachside Prep had dormitories and stuff. Then she remembered something else.

"But I have a couple jobs," Ruby says. As an afterthought, she adds, "...and there's my, uh, family."

"You can still leave campus to attend to your job," Ms. Quartz says. "If your parents foresee any issues, I'll speak with them."

"No," Ruby says immediately. "That all sounds good. I will talk to my mom about it."

"So that's a 'yes', then?" Ms. Quartz asks.

"I'm interested," Ruby counters.

Ms. Quartz seems confused by her hesitation. "Honestly, Ruby, it'll be a great opportunity for you. If you fit in, you'll be part of a well-known, well-funded team."

Ruby knows it. She's just grasped the enormity of an offer like this all at once, and she is overwhelmed. Beachside Prep has a better shot at getting to the tournament at the end of the league. Beachside Prep has resources, people who know people... If she plays with their team, excels, impresses, who knows what doors that would open?

She should say yes.

But it feels too easy, and she's wondering what the catch is. Ms. Quartz isn't offering up any conditionals, but Ruby's smart enough to know a salesman doesn't start out with a list of cons.

"Look, this is a lot to think about all right now," Ruby hedges.

Ms. Quartz purses her lips. Ruby has the feeling she's not used to getting an answer she doesn't want.

"This isn't a trick, Ruby," the older woman promises, "but a decision has to be made quickly. If you want to play in our match next Friday, you must be enrolled by Monday to qualify. What do you say?"