Different

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sapphire picked up the envelope full of money, counted it, and put it in her purse. She looked at her family one last time, then she sighed.
"Goodbye. I hope..I hope all of you have a good day."
She was about to do something drastic.
Ruby bid farewell to them each individually, then she came to Sapphire's mother. She didn't know what to say, or at the very least how to say goodbye to her. Before she could come up with anything to say, Diamond snickered at her.
"You know, I was hoping for a bit more from whoever my daughter kept as her company. But I guess I can see why she chooses to hang around with trash like you."
This made Ruby's eyes tear up a bit. Of course she knew she herself was trash, but she still had feelings. She still counted as a person. Then Sapphire walked up to Diamond and Ruby with the most furious expression on her face that the world had ever seen from her. She yelled at her mother.
"How dare you ever say that to her? Ruby is an incredible person, and I have yet to meet anyone better than her. She is a million times better than you'll ever be because of how loving and supporting she's been to me in these past months. I can't think of anyone who could even compare to Ruby. She's amazing. If anyone is trash, it's you and father because all you've ever done for this world is ruin it with your corruption and hatred. You hate and hate and hate, degrading people to make them think they're nothing, and that is why you're the scum of the earth. Your money isn't even yours, it's mostly grandfather's money. You two have never worked a single day in your lives. All you do is talk less about people who actually do work for what they have, then you come home and treat your own daughters the exact same way. Just look at us! All three of us are traumatized by the beatings and insults we've gotten from father over the years, reduced to nothing more than shy shells you can barely call humans. We can't even be ourselves around you without the fear of feeling as if we aren't any good. And don't think I don't know about how you hid in Miami to get away from me: your little mistake. I know you kept in touch with father and my sisters, but never me."
Sapphire's mother shouted back.
"Is there something you'd like to add, Sapphire Blu-"
Sapphire interrupted her.
"Don't you dare call me that stupid name again in my life! Don't you dare ever say it again! I am no longer a slave to you or to anyone else in this goddamn family. I am my own person. I am Sapphire, the music major, the singer, the lesbian. I'm in love with Ruby, and we've been together for the past five months, and I've been leaving hickie after hickie on that girl's neck, and I'll be damned if I ever let garbage like you ever insult me or her ever again!"
Sapphire gasped and covered her mouth. In letting out a little bit of anger, she poured out two decades worth of pent-up rage. Her entire family stared at her in a mix of shock and horror. They had never seen an outburst from her like that, and they never would again because Sapphire never spoke to any of them after, except for Lapis because she actually made up with her later on (hint hint).
Sapphire grabbed Ruby's arm and pulled the shocked girl into the car. She turned the key and drove out of there as fast as she could, staying in the legal limits. She stayed quiet the entire drive to her apartment. Once in the parking lot, Ruby muttered to her.
"You know, it wasn't that bad. It was just a little yelling, that's all."
Sapphire was weeping quietly, the tears barely noticeable. Ruby hugged the girl gently, careful as to give her the space she needed.
"Let's just go inside. That was a bit too much for me."
And with that, they were inside, watching a Disney movie and cuddled up together on the couch.
                                            ~
The movie ended. The living room was silent, television turned off. Sapphire stared at Ruby, and Ruby stared back at her. They leaned in and kissed the way they had done so many times before. Their lips met, gentle at first, then hungry, no, starving. Hands gripped onto hair, then onto shoulders and waists. The itching desire to ask for more had returned, but neither felt ready for more. They were scared, yet they weren't. Something told them to wait, but that voice was outweighed by the voice of wanting, of needing. Either way, they just weren't ready. The fear they felt was almost tangible in the air surrounding them, anticipation also mixed in. There was still so much more they needed to know about each other before they could do something as serious as that. They had so many doubts as well.

'What if she doesn't like the way I look?'

'What if she takes it too far?'

'What if it's not enough?'

'What if '

'What if '

'What if '

Suddenly, those doubts disappeared, then things got serious. Hands roamed too low, kisses deepened, breaths turned into sounds. The need to wait was no longer there. They knew this was wrong, immoral almost.

But neither wanted it to stop.