She rolled her eyes as she watched her friend show off, seemingly just splashing colors on the white backsheet to create swirls and streaks that magically transformed into known objects. It was frustrating; she spent hours just making an outline (and a very sad one at that) for this girl to just miraculously sprinkle out wonder.

She found herself giving in and listening to the droning coming from the back of the art room. Something regarding a new student. That girl, making Peridot sneer in annoyance. Most seemed aware of her by now, seemed to be making fun of her. If not for her rather low social status, she could have joined in. Something about that mysterious blue eyed fiend just dug beneath her skin.

"Geez, who tied her panties in a bunch?" her friend mocked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Peridot shook her head before glaring at the much larger person. "Shut your mouth, Jasper."

Her only response was a chuckle and a rough pat on the shoulder. It nearly made her fall from her stool; it was bad enough her feet didn't even touch the floor on this thing. The last thing she needed was to faceplant right in front of the entire class.

"Don't tell me Pipsqueak is trying to boss me around." She could accept the nickname; if it had been anyone else, they'd be in for a serious rumble. But Jasper was the exception.

She sighed, letting her head fall to the table top with a dull 'thud'. She barely missed the paint tray. That would have been one disaster she definitely wasn't trying for.

"Sorry."

Jasper picked up a towel, wiping her fingertips on the clothe to rid herself of the colorfulness. It didn't really work, her pale skin was being stained. But she didn't seem to mind too much as she turned in her seat to face Peridot, who gave little more sign she was even still aware than a tiny grunt.

"What's bothering you? You're mom bitching out on you again?" It wasn't really a question, because they both knew the answer. But it was nice that Jasper found the time to worry about her. A little. Sometimes.

She nodded against her forearms and sighed deeply. Honestly, she just wanted to leave. Go to the Big Donut or maybe down to the beach and just relax. A day in the sun wasn't really her thing, but she could make it her thing given the chance. Even a night of Netflix would be good.

Anything besides another music lesson.

"Oh come on, Peridot. How much longer are you gonna let her treat you that way? Don't be such a wuss! Stand up and say somethi-"

"That's easy for you to say," Peridot hissed, jerking her head up to glare. "You're mother isn't the scariest woman alive, and even if she was you're two times bigger than her!"

And it was true. Where Jasper's mother was a small, frail woman with a loving but very naïve personality, her daughter was well muscled and seemed to eat nails for breakfast every morning. If there was a fight to be had, Jasper was more than likely smack dab in the center. Fortunately, she didn't start them most the time. Most of the time. It seemed she took after her father more than anything.

Not that anyone even knew who her father was. That was one conversation that would leave you on the receiving end of a beating if you brought it up to the girl's face.

Jasper took a moment to absorb the smaller girl's words. Then, she smirked. "See, there we go. There's your backbone, Peridot."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes again as she pushed away from the table. "Just fingerpaint some more, asshole."

The other girl snickered, returning to her picture. "Sure, whatever you say, Peridot."

She wasn't big on fast food, not really, but the second Amethyst dropped the bag in front of her she was reaching in to grab a burger. "Thanks," she mumbled, laying out a napkin to put her food on so it wouldn't touch the table.

Amethyst grunted, sliding in next to her. "No prob. Hey, listen, so you know the new girl everyone's been gossiping about?"

Peridot groaned, dropping the fry she'd been ready to devour. "Not you, too! Is there anyone else who doesn't care, or is it just me?"

Her friend snickered, running a hand through her hair to push it back. "Nah man. Half the school doesn't even know she's new; they don't care who's here or why. Only reason I even know of her is because she has my physics class."

The blonde rolled her eyes, biting into her burger. She chewed and swallowed before speaking again. "I bumped into her earlier, in the hall."

"Oh? You talk to her? What's she like?"

Peridot thought for a moment, screwing her mouth up in concentration. She grimaced when she thought about the interaction. "I don't know. Cold? Maybe it's just nerves."

Amethyst nodded in understanding, her eyes roaming the cafeteria as she fidgeted in her seat. That was the thing about Amethyst, she never could stay still for very long. A complete contradiction to Pearl; it was a miracle those two even sustained a relationship. Then again... Ruby and Sapphire were that way, too, weren't they?

Before her mind could take her down a long twisting road of thought, Amethyst interrupted it by snickering. Peridot looked over to see what the fuss was about.

"Look at her, she always does that," Amethyst was saying, crossing her arms across her stomach.

Peridot followed her friend's gaze. Pearl. Speak of the devil.

She was leaning over a table, googly eyed, chatting awkwardly with the head of the cheer squad. She was getting a laugh from the strawberry blonde, though the girl's hand remained seemingly attached to her boyfriend's. You could just see the loathing Pearl was experiencing for the poor guy; he was smiling forcibly and fake chuckling right along with everything, though.

"Why do you let her do that?" Peridot couldn't help asking.

Amethyst looked her way, as if in surprise, eyebrows shooting up. "'Let her?' Oh P-dot, you've got a lot to learn about women, dude."

The younger girl could just feel her back tightening as those words sunk in. Was Amethyst implying?.. What?!

Sure, she had a lot of friends that swung that way (that being most of them, actually, come to think of it...) but that didn't make her gay!

She shook her head, clearing her throat as she'd nearly choked on lettuce. "W-what? I don't, I-I don't eve-"

And Amethyst was snickering, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably. Her shoulders shook with the effort it took not to laugh at the flustered girl. It was so easy to tease her; Peridot was just so adorably gullible.

And Peridot realized she was being led on. Her face contorted into one of disapproval before she dropped her gaze. "You better be lucky I don't like wasting food, because otherwise I'd rub your ugly face in it," she threatened.

Her friend only shrugged, returning her gaze to her girlfriend half way across the room. "Whatever. Anyways, I don't 'let her'. We both know Rose is super in love with that Greg guy. And as long as she doesn't throw herself at Rose, she can flirt all she wants."

The blonde furrowed her brows, thinking over the words. That didn't sound to bad, but she was pretty sure she was the jealous type. Okay, she knew she was the jealous type. She'd get too upset if her boyfriend did that to allow it, even if she knew it wouldn't pan out. It was just inviting the inevitable, and that wouldn't do at all.

"It works for some people," Amethyst murmured, catching the younger girl by surprise. "I know it sounds bad, but it works for us. She knows I love her, and I know she cares about me."

The way she said it sounded... sad. And her eyes flickered something for the briefest of seconds as the silence extended between the two girls. But then she was smiling like her normal self and nudging Peridot.

"Hey, you wanna go talk to the new kid? She's sitting over by the window, I think. All alone; as far as I'm aware, she hasn't really talked to anyone."

Peridot scoffed, shaking her head. "No way. I don't want anything to do with her." The way she said it might have came out a bit harsh, but she was dead set no keeping that premise. Something about the girl just... ugh. She didn't want to deal with her.

But when her friend frowned, giving a pleading look like a puppy begging for food, it was kind of hard to keep that thought in mind.

"Oh come on, P-dot. Please? I promise we'll just say hi. And ask her name. And ask where she's from. And of course ask her to join our table."

Peridot rolled her eyes. But she sighed, and before she could think rationally she was balling up a napkin and stretching, getting ready to stand as she pushed back from the too-tall-for-her table.

"Fine, let's just get this over with."