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Lapis:
I slowly blink my eyes open. I didn't have any nightmares last night, I think to myself. That's a first in a long time, especially considering I saw Jasper yesterday.
I slowly sit up, yawning as I do. Peridot is still fast asleep on the blanket. She's kind of cute, I say in my head. I tense up. After Amethyst's taunts yesterday, I don't really want to think that way about her, or anyone for that matter.
The sun seems high in the sky, and I turn Peridot's wrist so that I can see her watch. It's almost eight. Classes start in fifteen minutes.
I gently shake Peridot awake. "Classes start in fifteen minutes, dude! Wake up!" I say.
She squints at me. "Wha?" she murmurs, half asleep.
"We've got to go or we'll be late," I explain.
She slowly blinks uncomprehendingly. I have literally no time for her exhaustion, so I grab her hand and pull her to her feet. I start jogging, still holding her hand, and she good-naturedly follows.
Once we reach the dorm, I grab my books and shove them into my bag. Peridot is awake by this time, and is slowly combing her hair. "Forget that," I say. "You have to put on your uniform, too."
"There's a uniform?" Peridot squawks.
"Well, sort of. You just have to wear something that's the same color as your house. We're in pink, so you've got to wear at least one thing that's pink," I explain, rummaging through my dresser.
"I don't own anything pink," Peridot says, shuffling her feet.
I look up. "Is everything you own green?" I ask.
"I have greys and blacks, too," she replies abashedly. "Don't forget that you're the same way with blue. It's like the sky threw up on you."
I tense up. She's got me there. "Oh yeah? Well at least I own something pink! I won't get dress coded on the first day!" I exclaim.
Peridot opens her mouth to reply, but is effectively cut off by the sound of the bell. My eyes widen. Class has already started, and we're still arguing in the dorm. "Well, looks like you're late on the first day, too," Peridot remarks.
I sigh. "Whatever. Take this," I say, throwing a pink bandana at Peridot.
She fumbles it, but manages to hang on. "Uh, thanks. But what are you going to wear?"
I look down at my outfit. Right now I have on a black tank top, light blue ripped skinny jeans, and converse. "My shoes are pink. But you'd better find a fashionable way to wear that before…" I trail off.
"Before class starts?" she asks in a knowing tone.
"Shut up. Just shut up, and let's get to class." I say, marching determinedly off to class.
She jogs to catch up. "What's your first period?" she asks.
"Since we're in the more… ah, troubled dorm, we'll have the first four periods together. Fifth period is free period for anyone without a special talent, but you and I will go to archery and swimming, respectively," I explain.
"Respectively? That's the biggest word I think I've ever heard you use," she jokes.
"Yeah? Well, I can be smart, too," I say, rubbing the back of my neck nervously.
Just then, we arrive at our classroom, and Peridot is spared from answering.
oO0Oo
"Ah, glad to see you could finally join us, Ms. Lazuli. I suppose you consider it beneath you to arrive on time; better to join us later and make a scene. That's what you like doing, right? Making a scene?"
I tense up. I recognize that voice. It's our teacher, Ms. Pink Diamond. She's always hated me. These past three years under her have been great.
"Nice to see you too, Ms. Diamond. Tell me, did you get fatter over the summer, or is your outfit adding on the pounds instead?" I ask with an innocent smile.
"You must be losing your vision, perhaps Jasper gave you one black eye too many," Pink says with a smirk.
I clench my fists. Jasper's parents are close friends with Pink, yet she believes that I'm not good enough for Jasper, so she works as hard as she can to make my life a mess. I'm about to scream vile things at Pink Diamond, but I feel Peridot's hand on my shoulder, and my rage disappears.
"It's not worth it," she whispers.
I take a deep breath and let my anger leave. My fists slowly unclench, and I force a smile onto my face.
"Good thing to see your friend has an ounce of sense, Miss Lazuli. That's an ounce more than you have, I might add. What's her name?" Pink asks.
"Peridot," the blonde girl replies.
"Last name?" Pink asks, raising her eyebrows.
"I.. um… don't really use it," Peridot replies.
A beat of silence. Then, "If we were on a first name basis, it would imply that we were friends. We're not friends. I hate every last one of you bratty students. So, you see, I want your last name. Now," Pink demands.
Peridot pales. "I don't have a last name."
Pink narrows her eyes, but only says, "Fine. Take your seats. I might as well let you two sit together. Maybe now, Lazuli will actually have a friend," she taunts.
I grit my teeth and take my usual seat under the window. Peridot sits next to me. Amethyst and Pearl are in the row ahead of us.
Amethyst turns around. "Nice comeback, Lapis. You called her fat, and you didn't even get a detention! Priceless!" she says, laughing.
"Yes, but you should still be more careful," Pearl remarks quietly.
I lean back in my chair. "Since when have I ever been careful?" I ask arrogantly.
"Never. And that's the problem," Pearl says.
I grin. "You call it a problem, I call it a redeeming quality."
Pearl sighs and turns her attention back to the board. Amethyst grins and gives me one last fist bump before pretending to pay attention again. Peridot attempts to pay attention, but Pink Diamond's lessons tend to put people to sleep. I've long since given up on tuning in, so I just doodle on my paper.
"Nice drawing," Peridot whispers.
I jump. "How long have you been watching me draw?" I ask.
"About ten minutes now. Pink really can't hold her audience, huh," Peridot replies.
"Nah. Barely anyone cares anymore. I just count down the minutes until I can swim, and that's enough to keep me sane," I reply, still sketching.
I open my mouth to reply, but before I can, Pink Diamond goes, "Miss Lazuli, have you ever considered actually trying to listen to the lesson? Or are you so incompetent you can't even follow such a simple task?"
I flinch. "Maybe if you were a better teacher," I begin.
The bell cuts through my angry retort. I stalk off to lunch without looking back.
oO0Oo
Peridot catches up to me after a minute, saying, "Hey, I grabbed your stuff. You okay?"
I turn around and take my pack gratefully. "Thanks. I hate her. She knows just how to get on my nerves. I can't go back there."
Peridot considers this for a moment, and then says, "Then do you want to just skip?"
I raise an eyebrow. "You? Skip? Are you sure you're up for that, Miss Rule Follower?"
She blushes. "I'm rebellious! Look, I'm not even wearing my uniform," she exclaims, taking off her pink bandana.
"Oh man, you're right," I say sarcastically. "Let's go somewhere fun," I reply.
I grin. "That's why we're going to leave the school. I hope you know how to jump a fence, Evergreen."
"Where? If we leave our room, the school will know we've skipped," Peridot comments.
oO0Oo
We walk up to the chain link fence that encircles the school grounds. I immediately put my foot through a link, plant my hands on the top, and vault over the barrier, landing smoothly on the ground. Peridot, however, does no such thing.
"Hey, Lapis? I might need some assistance here," she calls.
"It's easy, dude. Just climb up it like a ladder, and then hop off," I respond.
She reluctantly puts her feet through the chinks in the gate, until the reaches the top. "Now what?" she asks.
Before I can answer, she slips off the top. A look of fear appears on her face, and I rush to steady her. But I'm too late, and she's already started to fall. I stretch my arms out, and catch her before she hits the ground.
She stares up into my eyes, my ice blue irises against her pale green. Her gaze is unwavering, and I being to blush. She looks away, and I slowly let her down. I'm internally screaming, but thankfully I keep my mouth shut.
"Where to now?" she murmurs quietly.
"Since we have our mod five to go to after this, let's stay close by. Do you want to just hang out in the woods?" I ask.
She nods, and we cross the road to reach the forest that lies beyond.
oO0Oo
"Do you come out here often?" she asks.
"Often enough that I have some sodas stored out in a secret spot," I reply.
We hike for about ten minutes until we come across a small, grassy alcove covered by the green canopy. Light dapples the floor of the enclosure, and the smell of earth and moss wafts through the air.
"Here's the place, dude. If you want some soda, there's some stored in the knot of that tree over there," I state, pointing at a great oak.
I sit down with my back against a maple, and close my eyes. As I do, I begin to hear the more discreet sounds of the forest. The gentle trickling of a nearby creek, the high pitched warbling of birds, the sound of a gentle breeze rustling the autumn leaves. I take a deep breath.
"So, what's there to do out here?" Peridot asks.
I squint my eyes open. "Enjoy nature, I guess. This is more of a relaxing spot than anything. What do you do when you're in the woods?"
"I mostly shoot. I can hand make bows, even if they're not very good. I'm not really in the mood, though," she replies.
"Then just come over here and relax, get some sleep," I suggest.
She slowly walks over and sits against the back of the tree next to me. As time passes, I notice more and more about her; the way her hands never stop moving, how her usual celery green eyes reflect the colors of the changing leaves, how she begins to calm down in the forest. I hear her humming quietly to herself, and I smile.
"What?" she asks, blushing.
"Huh?"
"You're smiling at me," she explains.
"Sorry," I say, embarrassed.
"No, no, it's fine; I just want to know what you're thinking," she reasons.
"Um," I start.
"Go on," she encourages.
I bite my lip. "You're… kind of cute… in a good way…" I trail off.
Her face turns red, and she says, "Oh, uh, thanks. You too."
We both pause. I break the silence, saying, "I'm going to try to sleep. Wake me up before swimming starts."
oO0Oo
When I slowly blink my eyes open, I notice that the sun is considerably lower in the sky than it had been when I'd fallen asleep. I quickly sit upright, but before I can stand up, I hear Peridot say, "Relax. We still have ten minutes."
I sigh. "Thanks."
"What for?"
"For watching the time… And for being here, I guess. Ever since you've arrived, except for the first day, I haven't had any nightmares," I explain.
"Do I really help that much?" she asks.
"Yeah. It's good to know someone always has my back," I remark.
"Same here, dude," she says, sighing. "Same here."
oO0Oo
The aquatic center, as the school likes to call it, is my favorite place to be, though I just call it the pool. It's a giant room, about fifty feet fall, with windows taking up the entire wall space on two opposing ends. They both look out over the forest, though one is pointing west and the other to the east. One of the other walls is dedicated to bleachers, and the last is a story high and dedicated to various awards won by the swim team. I have a couple team awards from the past three years here, and a few individual ones as well. I've even set the current record for freestyle. After a story, that wall cuts off, leading to a loft-type area with a smaller, recreational pool used to teach kids how to swim, and also for parties.
The main pool itself is Olympic sized and painted blue. I even have a footprint in a part of the cement from when it was first repaved. The second pool is much smaller, ranges from three to twelve feet in depth, and has a water slide and diving board.
The lighting in the center is horrible, so the color of the light depends on the scenery outside. When there's a sunset, the whole room glows purple, and in the spring, the light filters though the leaves outside, turning the space green. At night, the only light comes from the pool itself, and the room is a shimmering blue.
So you can see why, after class ends everyday, I still stay here even after everyone else is gone. I begin to lose track of time, the only indicator being the lighting outside. It must be late, since it's pitch black outside, and I'm still swimming, diving under the water like an otter and rising back up. I'll go to the bottom, let all my breath out, and lie on the floor, staring at the ripples on the water, and then surge back up to the surface. I love to swim more than anything else in the world.
After holding my breath for almost a minute, I push back up to the surface, when I see Peridot standing at the side of the pool. "Did you eat dinner?" she asks.
I shake my head. "I've been in the pool all day. What time is it?"
"It's after eleven. You should get to bed," Peridot says, handing me a towel.
I lay it on the side of the pool. "No thanks, I'm having a blast. Did you have dinner, or did you wait for me?"
"I just got out of the archery range a half hour ago, and then I went looking for you," Peridot answers.
"Looks like we both lose track of time," I remark, grinning.
"Whatever. We should get back soon. I'm exhausted," Peridot presses.
"Did you shower yet today?" I ask.
"No, I was planning to wait until tomorrow," she answers. "Why?"
"Why wait?" I ask, grabbing her shin.
"Oh no you don't!" Peridot exclaims, but it's too late. I pull her into the pool, and she gives a small squeal.
"Lapis! What was that for?" she exclaims.
"I just didn't think you'd been in the pool yet," I said, grinning.
"I'll get you for that," she growls good naturedly, and she begins to paddle after me. Sadly, she has no chance catching up to someone who's competed all her life in swimming events.
I make it to the other end of the pool before she's even halfway there. "How are you so fast?" she calls, her voice echoing in the cavernous room.
"Same way you can hit the bullseye of a target from three hundred feet away," I yell in reply.
I begin to swim back to her, and we meet halfway. When I reach her, she splashes me as much as she can. "I have to dry off my shoes now. Do you know how long that takes?" she asks, pumping her arms as quickly as she can to try to get me wet.
I grin. "Probably a long time," I note. I spin my arms in circles, creating large waves that hit her head on.
She uses her arms to shield her face. Smiling, she turns around and beings to kick the water in order to splash me.
"Legs? No fair," I complain, though I'm still grinning. I dive under water, coming up just by her face. I splash her as hard as the can, and she sputters.
"Hey! My mouth was open," she says. I can't take her too seriously though, because she's still laughing.
We continue to splash each other for the next ten, fifteen, twenty minutes. We only stop when we're both out of breath.
As we begin to get out of the pool, Peridot takes the ladder, but I'm too impatient to wait, so I plant my hands on the side of the pool and push up. Water cascades off me, and I use my legs to get my balance. When I look back at Peridot, I see her mouth open.
"You have a six pack?" she exclaims, looking at my stomach. "Since when?"
I look down. "Oh, hey, I guess I do. Uh, yeah, I have to stay in shape for tournaments, I suppose. I've never really noticed."
She blushes. "How do you not notice a six pack?" she demands.
"Whatever, dude. Let's just head back to the dorm. I'm crazy tired," I state, pulling my towel around my shoulders.
"I wonder why. Maybe it's because you've been swimming for the past eight hours," Peridot says sarcastically.
"Thanks for the explanation, dude. Let's just go sleep," I say, walking out the door.
oO0Oo
Too tired to put on a proper outfit, I just wear a cutoff athletic tank and shorts to bed. Peridot notices this, but doesn't say anything.
"Night, dude," I mutter, pulling my blanket over my shoulders.
"Goodnight, Lapis," Peridot murmurs.
She turns off the light, but sleep doesn't come. Not after one hour, or two. I don't notice when I drift off to sleep, but I'm very aware of when I wake, because it's from a nightmare.
I sit up, panting. Peridot has her hand on my shoulder. My eyes are wide with fear.
"Nightmare?" she asks softly.
I nod, and bury my head in her shoulder. She hugs me, and I don't hesitate to hug her back.
"You're okay," she whispers, and I nod, because I know I'm okay, now that she's here.