It was Monday morning. Lapis was taking her morning classes like she usually did. Everything was the same except no one came to ask her anything. She found it strange since she had expected people to start asking her why she was hanging out with Peridot and Jasper, or at least for the kids who asked her to do their homework to continue their shenanigans. But no one did. They ignored her and left her alone. She was relieved that people stopped bothering her at least for the few last days of school.
She also expected for Peridot or Jasper to talk to her again. But they didn't. She saw them in class but they acted like she didn't exist. She guessed Jasper had finally listened to her words and decided to stop bothering her. She still wanted to talk to Jasper one last time, at least to mend things for her own sake. Seeing the bigger girl made her a bit anxious so she still wasn't sure when to speak with Jasper, expecting her to be angry or mocking because Lapis had told her to stop bothering her but there she was bothering Jasper. She didn't care. She would do it. But when she saw the girl in class she couldn't help but remember what Jasper had told her, the fact that she thought she really "liked" Lapis. Lapis didn't believe what she had said, in fact those words had made her angry and tell Jasper those things she said that day, but those words still rang around her head making her chest ache. No one had ever told her they liked her, even if it wasn't true.
She would also see Steven today which made her happy, and sad. She was officially sure that she would be leaving the school, which meant she had to tell Steven about it. She felt bad about it, but it was better to tell him than to just leave without a goodbye.
At lunch time she went to the cafeteria. Steven had told her to come eat with him so she wouldn't have to eat alone, and he stood true to his word. He was sitting with his three friends waving and motioning for Lapis to sit beside him. She smiled and strode to where he was waiting.
"Hi, Lapis!" He said with his mouth full. "Steven, don't eat with food in your mouth." Pearl told Steven. He gulped down his food and apologized, then turned to Lapis. "How are you?"
"I'm doing fine." She said smiling at him.
"The dance was super fun, wasn't it? I had so much fun with you guys!"
Lapis giggled. "Yeah, it was." She ate her food while Steven retold things that happened on that night. She couldn't help but look over to the other three girls sitting beside Steven. They were talking to each other, ignoring Steven and Lapis. Lapis found it odd since when she was at the line she could see them talking to Steven, but when she sat down with them they completely ignored her. She wasn't surprised, considering they never cared about Lapis and acted like she didn't exist. She just wondered why such a good person like Steven hanged out with them.
She also could not help looking around to see if Peridot and Jasper were around. The cafeteria was crowded but she saw no signs of the two. She did see the three girls who used to bully her. She was glad that at least people stopped bothering her. No one would ask her to do their homework, no one asked her to do favors for them, no one acted better than her. At least things had worked out for her a bit.
When they had finished eating Steven told Lapis to hang out with him outside. She complied. The other girls said they had something to do, leaving Steven and Lapis alone. Steven said it was ok, but he looked a little hurt. Lapis knew they didn't like her, for whatever reason, so she didn't mind. She didn't like them either.
They sat on the bleachers and Steven told her stories. He talked to her about his dad and how he was in a band, and about Connie, who made Steven read books. He even told her about his mom, who had died when she had given birth to Steven. Lapis found it sad. Steven had never met her, but he loved her a lot. She could sense it.
After a while, they started joking around. They were sitting at the top of the bleachers and every time that someone would sit down they made farting noises. People looked around but didn't notice it was them. Then when the person would turn back, they giggled silently to each other.
"Wait, wait, let's do that one." Steven said pointing to a couple who where going coming to the bleachers. The girl sat down first, then when the boy was about to sit down both Lapis and Steven put their hands in their mouth. The boy stood up abruptly and the girl looked disgusted, he was telling her it wasn't him but she told him he was gross and left. When the boy left following her, Lapis and Steven both started laughing hysterically.
"Lapis, I didn't know you were so funny!" Steven said in tears. Lapis continued to laugh. "That's the first time someone has told me that. I guess I just haven't had the chance to show it. Did you see that guy's face?"
"Yeah, his girlfriend got so angry!"
Lapis stopped laughing, remembering she had wanted to talk to Steven. "Steven, I wanted to tell you...I'm officially leaving this school."
Steven stopped and looked at her. "Oh...I guess I expected that."
"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you so you don't feel bad later. But like I said, I never stay in one place for too long."
"It's ok...I'll still get to see you, right?"
She wasn't sure, but she assured him that they would meet again. He smiled and hugged her. "I'll really miss you, Lapis."
Her eyes were watering. At first she hated this school and wanted to leave as soon as possible. Now that she finally had someone she cared about she didn't want to. Just the idea of beginning in a new school by herself again made her sick.
She wasn't thinking well, and her emotions were getting to her. She couldn't stay, but why did Steven have to?
"Come with me."
Steven unattached himself from her waist and looked up at her with surprise. "What?"
Lapis held precision in her words. "Why do you have to stay here? You could change to my school then we wouldn't have to be far from each other."
Steven looked surprised, like he had never considered that. "I...I can't go...I have friends here."
Friends? Lapis scoffed. Did he mean those three girls? "Why do you like them so much, Steven?"
"Because their my friends!" He said, looking hurt.
"But, I don't understand why someone as nice as you would hang out with them. They're nothing like you."
Steven looked shocked and hurt at Lapis's words. Lapis knew she sounded condescending and judging, but it was the truth. They were no good for him.
"You don't know them, Lapis. They're great people." He said sadly.
Lapis was shocked at the fact that Steven would still defend them. She always was when she saw Steven hanging around them. Those girls always ignored her, they never cared about Lapis even when Steven did. She looked down. Steven considered Lapis a friend, but he cared more about those girls. Lapis realized it now.
"...Fine." She just said, looking away from him. "It's ok. I'm sorry for saying those things."
Steven looked at her, then the school bell rang. Lapis stood up and said bye to Steven and left. Steven sat there still staring at her with a worried look on his face.
Lapis descended the bleachers and walked to the school entrance. She could feel her eyes watering again. Did anyone, truly, care about her in this world? Her only friend cared more about three people who weren't as nice as he thought. Even if he considered Lapis a friend, to him they were more important.
Once again, she felt alone. At least now she wouldn't feel as bad about leaving Steven.