Chapter 02: Looking for love
She remembered reading about it in one of Steven books. It was a story about a young girl who fell in love with one of his father's enemies. The book described all the symptoms of that Pearl was feeling in those weeks.
She went to Steven's room get the clothes to wash and remembered the book.
"Maybe I can clear some of my doubts rereading that object."
The gem searched the room, but couldn't find the book in the middle of the mess that Steven had left.
- Pearl!
Steven called her when he entered through the door of the house, running with a girl beside him.
- Steven ... I'm here, don't yell.
She went downstairs and met them. The girl was Connie, who had been there with them sometimes.
- Oh, hello, Connie.
The girl smiled and replied
- Hello,Pearl.
-Pearl, Connie can stay for us watch cartoons together?
Pearl smiled at the two children who looked so lively.
- Of course, just make sure to tell your parents.
The gem had picked up the clothes and was leaving when remembered that perhaps Steven knew where the book was.
- Steven...
He turned excited.
- Do you happen to know where that book you let me borrow is?
He seemed to think for a few minutes.
- What book?
Connie had turned off the phone and joined them in the room.
- That book ... A-about love.
Steven still looked lost and Connie dropped a smile on her lips.
- Pearl ... You're in love !?
Pearl felt her face heat up and she turned her back to the children, clutching her clothes against her body.
-O-Of course not! - She laughed nervously - W-what makes you say that?
She sighed and controlled her embarrassment turning to them.
-Well ... Are you interested in love then?
Pearl thought for a few seconds.
"I'm not interested in these things. I've never been really. I just want to be able to clarify these strange symptoms I'm feeling. "
She knew that even though she was interested in love or if she was in love, Garnet would never feel for her the same.
- Not really ... I just wanted something to read. Lately we are not having many missions.
Steven seemed to wake from his thoughts and made a sad face.
- I'm sorry Pearl ... I think I lost it. It's been a long time.
-Oh ... - Her voice was discouraged. - It's ok, dear. It was just a silly book.
She worried, how can now learn more about these symptoms? How would she learn to deal with it?
Because of these annoying feelings her friendship with Garnet was becoming increasingly strange. Whenever both were alone, Pearl invent some excuse to stay away from the gem. On missions she caught looking at the leader, and at certain moments she forgot what she was doing.
After the fiasco of last month she somehow managed to remain calm and act normal in front of Garnet. If that behavior could describe normal
Connie woke her from her thoughts.
- Pearl, if you want I can lend you some of my books.
- Oh, thank you, dear! This will help me a lot!
The next day Connie had gone to play with Steven and left Pearl some romance novels, like humans called.
She was isolated in her room and stayed there, studying the custom of humans.
Before she had never shown any desire to learn the customs and normal activities of the inhabitants that planet, but now every book she read, she felt that knew more about this process.
Pearl finished the first books that the girl gave her and took new ones with her.
She now spent less time with the gems and every time she returned from a mission she stuck inside the room and not come out until finished the book or be called to another mission.
Soon the members in the house began to notice her absences and deconcentration on the battlefield.
- Garnet, what's going on with Pearl?
One day Amethyst asked when they returned. Pearl had walked to her room without speaking to anyone and remained there until evening.
Garnet remained silent while directing her gaze to the gem's door.
- Garnet!
Amethyst said. She didn't respond.
For some time she had already realized that Pearl had changed. She was no longer around, was always lost in thought and strangest of all, she blushed suddenly.
The first Garnet thought it might be some sort of fatigue, although gems never tire and don't need sleep. But the days passed, weeks and now months.
Steven and Amethyst are the most absent-minded and were already beginning to notice a strange pattern in the behavior of the older gem. She needed to know what was going on with Pearl and she needed to know now.
Regardless of the presence of Amethyst and her questions, she headed for the bedroom of the most fragile gem. She knocked and waited. There was no answer.
Garnet felt impatient and scratched her leg. She knocked again and heard no sound.
She extended her hands and Sapphire gem and Ruby opened the door before her. She came in, alone in the pale gem room.
Inside the room there were water fountains, flowing smoothly and calm. The door closed behind her and she walked to the middle of the room, there was no signal of Pearl.
She concentrated and felt the presence of another gem in that room. She jumped and climbed into one of the fountains, looking around where the other gem could be.
In the distance she saw Pearl, sitting in the highest fountain, back turned to her, her head down.
Garnet jumped again and quietly walked to the smaller gem. Around her there were several open books and some loose papers, full of letters.
The other gem didn't appear to notice her presence. Garnet took one of the papers on the floor and stared. There were several lines written senseless. She read a phrase.
"In your eyes, Oh love, I find torment. Inside these stoic eyes I get lost.[…] If you knew, my beloved how bad you make me feel. If you knew at your simple breathe my soul fades away. [...] Oh perdition of my ways, what can I do to achieve your step? What can I do except look at distance and feel my heart fall apart? [...]While my heart languishes in loneliness and pain, I watch you , her smile so powerful that undresses me and consumes me [...]"
Garnet looked at her, Pearl still unabated lost in her activity. She looked again at the paper in her hand.
"I don't understand ... What is all this? Pearl ... Pearl's in love? "