Connie sat somberly outside the once bookstore as the sign came down for good. She gave a long, heavy sigh in disappointment but then glanced at her phone. Still nothing from Steven, he was supposed to be back by now.

Suddenly, a yellow and flashy car slid to a halt in front of her. The as always arrogant Kevin exited the car, flipped his hair and then glanced at her. "What are you doing Saturday night?"

Connie glared at him. "… Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm throwing a party at my parents' palatial estate. All the coolest teens in Delmarva have RSVP'd, except one; the only one cooler than I am..." Kevin whispered.

The girl leaned away from him, arching an eyebrow. "You think I'm cool?"

"What?! No! Eww!" Kevin gagged in disgust. "I'm talking about Stevonnie!"

Connie's eyes widened in terror. "N-No! No, no, no!"

She had no idea if she could even form Stevonnie anymore after what happened, and she certainly didn't want to try it. Stevonnie could be unstable, even dangerous if Steven and Connie's relationship was in shambles. She missed being Stevonnie, true, but she was afraid it was for the wrong reasons.

"Look, Stevonnie is better than me, okay?" Kevin growled at the girl, making her look up. "Better dancer, better driver. Stevonnie truly does not care what anyone thinks. That's why they're the coolest. If I can't be the coolest, I at least got to be seen hanging with the coolest!"

"Stevonnie only exists when Steven and I are at peace with each other." Connie turned, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Steven and I are already planning on talking about them tonight anyway!"

She quickly typed out 'When do you want to meet? Kevin is being a butt about Stevonnie.' to Steven.

"Wow, your insults are top-tier…." Kevin rolled his eyes. "Connie's your name, huh?"

Connie saw with shock he held a phone separate from his own, clearly Steven's. "How'd you get that?!"

"Mm, I swiped it earlier, when I invited that other kid to the party. He was pretty upset but I think it convinced him to go!" Kevin muttered. He smirked, showing Steven had a picture of him and Connie pulling funny faces as his home screen. "I told him the only way to get it back is to come to the party and form Stevonnie, you'd help your boyfriend out, right?"

"Y-You-!"

"I'll text you with the address later, chowsers!"

"KEVIN!"

That Saturday night, Connie wore her nicest dress and the seashell necklace Steven had given her for her birthday. She rode Lion in, causing nearly everyone at the party to turn to her. She got off hurriedly as Kevin approached.

"Um, why didn't you park your dog in the driveway ?" Kevin growled.

"He's a party animal." Connie replied simply with a shrug. She then lifted up a gallon of apple juice she had with her. "I know it's customary to gift your host with a bottle of wine but I'm not old enough so I got you this."

Kevin took it and threw it over the bush, making the girl gasp in horror.

"Yo, Kev, who invited the 7-year-old, bro?" One arrogant guest asked with a laugh at Connie.

"Hey, shut your mouth, Derek! I thought I told you to get more ice!" Kevin spat before turning back to the girl. "Look, Connie, this party is forgettable! But not for long. Every time Stevonnie shows up on the scene, everybody's talking about it. And when Stevonnie shows up at my party, everyone's gonna be talking about this night until they're old grandparents! And their last words to their grandchildren will be, "Kevin throws the best parties…"

Connie chuckled slightly in nervousness before a bright color caught her eyes in a crowd of people. They parted to reveal the boy who seemed to be the life of them all. Steven's hairstyle was completely changed, the sides of his head were cut in a cool fade that ended at the top that was still curly but slightly more tame than usual, it now being a light pink color. He felt her staring and turned.

For a split second, the two caught eyes, terrifying the girl.

Connie quickly hid behind Kevin in worry. Steven looked somehow even cuter and he was seeming to have a good time with those people. Of course he was, he was Steven, he could get along with anyone! "Ah, I thought I could do this but I can't!"

Kevin watched in confusion as Connie took out notecards she'd apparently written. "What is that?"

"An apology, or, um, bullet points of an apology, I didn't write the full thing out-"

Kevin suddenly grabbed the cards and ripped them in half, startling Connie greatly.

"Apology? You mean you guys are fighting?!" Kevin growled in disappointment. "You got a free ticket to what would have been the best teen party in Delmarva. But now it's just some sad kid party getting crashed by a couple of sad kids!"

"We've just been apart for a while and…" Connie sniffled a little bit. "I almost did something awful to him…!"

"Whoa, whoa! Do not cry!" Kevin demanded, getting down on her level. "I wouldn't normally do this, because you're a pitiful kid with snot coming out of your nose…"

Connie sniffled a bit before wiping her nose with a tissue from her purse. She looked to Steven to see he's resumed talking to the party-goers, he seemed happy… "I gotta apologize…"

"You can't apologize right away! You gotta act like it's not bothering you like he is! Life is good for him. But your life is good, too. Make him want you again! You've got new stuff going on: new friends, new jewelry- Wait, ew, what is that?"

"Steven made it for me…" Connie smiled sadly, fingering the shell.

"That checks out." Kevin grunted before suddenly snatching it off her neck.

"Hey!"

"I need those old people to whisper my name when they die, and if you don't look good enough to win him back, you're gonna regret it. And it'll be Sabina all over again!"

"Wh-Who's Sabina?" Connie whispered in confusion as he shoved the necklace in her purse.

Kevin blushed heavily in embarrassment before looking back at her. "Okay, you can't let him see you like this, your face is just, ugh… and your style!"

Connie glanced down at herself in concern. "W-What's wrong with it…?"

"Terri, Em, help a guy out, will you?"

Connie nearly sneezed as blush was applied to her face as the women around her all giggled in delight over how cute she was and how fun it was to dress her up.

"Do I have to wear this?" Connie grimaced as Terri helped her put on a pink crop top and shorts way shorter than Connie was used to that had to be tightened up with a belt.

"If you want your man back, you gotta!" Terri responded.

The girl winced in pain as her hair was roughly brushed out before it was curled and then put up in a tiny bun, a few strands slipping free from the band.

"Much better." Kevin nodded as Connie came out.

"Th-Thank you for the clothes, Emma!" Connie called after the girl who said she could keep them as she wobbled on high heels.

"So why did you dress me up like this?" Connie asked, trying to keep steady.

"One, so you show him what he's missing, two, so we can make him jealous! When a girl wants a guy back, she's gotta cling to a better-looking one."

"You… you really don't understand love, do you?"

"Sh-Shut up! You want this to work or not?!"

Throughout the night, Connie had to hold down the urge to scream as she spent it with Kevin. They ate snacks, talked to various party-goers, and she had to pretend to like Kevin's awful dancing. She didn't notice but throughout the night, Steven kept getting more and more upset.

As it grew late, Kevin noticed Steven looking disappointed by the pool. When he caught him looking, the boy glared, making Kevin shiver at bit. "Ok, I think the kid's ready."

"Okay. So I'll go up, tell him I'm sorry-"

"No, no! You haven't been listening at all!" Kevin groaned. "Pretend like you've been having the time of your life, cause with me, you have. Laugh at his jokes though, and try to flirt too, show him what he wants but really subtle like."

"…What does he want?"

"You should know, now go!" Kevin called before gesturing to Steven. "Walk over, and look good! Make him want you! And don't bring up why you guys are outta touch!"

Connie nodded before walking over to Steven. She coughed gently before putting a hand on her hip. "Oh, hi, Steven! Didn't expect to see you here tonight."

Steven turned in surprise and blushed. "Connie! Uh, yeah! I wouldn't be here, unless you were here! And unless Kevin hadn't stolen my phone."

Connie burst out a fake laugh. "That's so funny!"

"… I guess…" The boy whispered, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, can we please talk about Stevonnie now?"

"No!" Connie blurted out at once, remembering Kevin's advice not to mention it.

"But you said-!"

"Chowsers!" Connie called back before spinning around and running to Kevin. "This is so messed up! I think we should try it my way!"

"Nah, it worked! He's already chasing after you… Oh geez…"

"C-Connie! I don't know why you're s-so dressed up and why you talk funny now and why you talk to mean people! But… it's okay if that makes you happy now and I don't…. But Kevin?! You're hanging out with Kevin?! Why?! Is he your best friend now?"

"Ewwww, no!" Connie and Kevin cried out together in disgust.

"I guess we'll just have to hold off talking again because you have other people to hang out with instead of me!"

"No! Steven, I don't want to hang out with anyone else, I want to hang out with you!" Connie cried, makeup starting to run. "You're my best friend!"

"Best friend?!" Kevin gasped in shock. He then groaned. "What are you kids even talking about? I thought he was your ex. Great. Now what am I gonna do? Think, Kevin. How do people treat their friends?!"

"Steven!" Connie whispered through tears. "I almost forced you into something you didn't want to do just for myself, I didn't think about you and what you wanted! I should've asked, I should've listened to you and to my dad and to the Temps-! I-I nearly hurt you and then I just disappeared! I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry!"

Steven hiccuped back his own tears. "I-It's alright! I know you wouldn't have done it in any other circumstance, you were scared, I-I was too! I didn't want to lose you… my jam bud, my liege… It's okay, I forgive you… I forgave you a long time ago!"

Connie wiped away her tears finally and laughed weakly. "I love your hair…!"

"I love your…" Steven grimaced, seeing she didn't really look like herself much with all the tight clothes and makeup. "I love your hair too!"

"Ugh, I look so dumb." Connie realised at once, taking out her hair from the bun. She quickly put her dress and necklace back on before wiping off the makeup. "I can't believe I let Kevin tell me what to wear!"

"I know! I even came to his party!" Steven laughed.

"It worked!" Kevin suddenly cried. He threw Steven back his phone before he ran over to the mic. "Hey, everybody, are you having fun?!"

The crowd cheered.

"Liars! You're all so fake. You make me sick. But get ready. I'm gonna introduce you to somebody so real you'll all feel as sick as me! This party starts now! Children! Go!"

Connie was startled by the loud music coming on and tripped over her heels right into Steven. The two laughed slightly before looking back to Kevin.

"Steven, do you wanna form Stevonnie?"

"Mmm… I'm actually kinda hungry!" Steven grinned, he then whistled, calling Lion over. He helped the girl on. "Wanna go get pizza?"

"That sounds wonderful…!"

"Wha-?!" Kevin grunted dropping the mic. "You got to do the thing! What did I help you for if you're not gonna elevate my party?!"

He began to chase after the two in rage but quickly fell into the pool, not realizing Lion could walk on water.

Connie and Steven laughed.

"It was a great party, Kevin." Steven smiled as he wrapped his arms around Connie to prepare for the portal away.

"The best! Well, good night!"

Connie and Steven happily ate pizza that night, catching up over everything they missed. The two held hands as they left and Connie's gem suddenly started to glow.

Connie looked at Steven and the boy nodded with a smile.

In a flash, Stevonnie was formed. They hugged themselves tightly. "I missed us…"