Sapphire Stones

I'm a poet and I know it

"Watcha writing?" Jeff asks, leaning over my shoulder to try to peak at my journal. I close it immediately, glaring up at him.

"Nunya." I reply, clutching the book to my stomach.

"What's that?"

"Nunya business." Jeff rolls his eyes as I laugh, shaking his head.

"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" He mutters, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "No, but seriously, what're you writing? Anything important?"

"No, but seriously, nunya business." I mock, kicking my legs back and forth. It's been a slow start to the day, so I usually sit in a chair by one of the cots and write in my journal. I write a lot of poetry, but no one besides Newt knows about it. I think I'd get made fun of if anyone else found out, so Newt vowed that he wouldn't tell.

"Oh c'mon! Tell me!" He begs, a smile on his face.

"Look, I'm trying to write over here. Either please go away, or just fuck off."

"Damn, you're cheery." Jeff mutters, walking into one of the back rooms. I let out a sigh of relief, reopening the journal and starting to write again.

Not even five minutes later, two people burst into the Medjack hut. I snap the book shut, shooting to my feet to help carry one boy to a cot.

"What the hell happened, Wonder Boy?!" I shout, setting one of the other Builders gently on the cot. I think his name is Joe. "What happened to him?"

"He fell off the roof to the kitchens. I think his leg is broken." Gally chokes out, his wide eyes never leaving Joe's leg. 

"Shit." I whisper, running a hand over my mouth as Joe's face contorts in pain. "Okay, I need Clint. Just hold on, Joe, okay?" 

He nods, a pain written across his features. I rush towards the back room, calling for Clint. He's usually the one who handles the breaks and fractures.

"What?!" He calls from the back. He emerges through the door, running a hand through his grayish black hair.

"It's Joe." I pant. "Broken leg. Hurry."

Clint's right on my heels, following me through the hut as I run back to the boy's side. I grab hold of the Builders hand, holding on tight.

"It's gonna hurt, okay?" I say as soothingly as I can. Joe nods, his eyes closing tightly. I can feel Gally's stare from my right, but I do my best to ignore him, only focusing on Joe.

"Three, two, one!" Clint counts down before popping Joe's bone back in place. The builder lets out a cry of pain, tears pricking his eyes. "Venus, where's the brace?" 

"On it!" I say, standing up and hurrying over to the cabinets. I rummage through them for a second before finding what Clint asked for, tossing it over to him. 

Clint puts on the brace before handing him a pill. 

"It's for the pain. You should try to get some rest. You'll need it." The Medjack says. Joe just nods, laying down on the cot. He passes out almost immediately. "Stay with him in case he needs anything, okay?" 

"Aye aye, captain." I reply with a salute as Clint leaves, taking my usual seat by his cot. Gally sits down on the other side of me as well, crossing his arms and leaning back. "You know you don't have to stay here, right?" I ask.

"I know." Gally replies shortly. I just roll my eyes, shaking my head as I pull out my notebook. "What's that?"

"A journal, dumbass." 

"I got that bit." He snaps, rolling his eyes. "I meant what are you writing in it?"

"I'm gonna tell you the same thing I tell everyone else when they ask. Nunya buisness."

"Wow. Real original, Ven." He mutters, leaning forward on his chair. 

"New nickname? I didn't know you had it in you." I say with a grin.

"Slim it. So, what're you writing?"

"I already told you."

"Okay, fine. Guess we're doing this the hard way." He sighs before snatching the notebook, standing up and opening it.

"Hey!" I shout, shooting out of my seat. "That's mine! Give it back!"

"Wow, didn't know you could write poems, Ven!"

"Shut up! Give it back!" I jump up, trying to reach it, but it's hard when you're a foot shorter than the other person. "I'll kill you!"

"Are you threatening me, Greenie?" He asks with a grin, his eyes playful.

"Just give it back, Gally." I beg. He sighs, handing the journal back to me.

"Hey! What's going on out here?!" Jeff shouts, bursting into the room. "Go somewhere else if you're gonna goof off, but we have a sleeping boy in here!"

"C'mon then." Gally says, pulling me out the door with him before I even have a chance to protest.

He leads me all the way to the outskirts of the forest, sitting down with his back against a tree.

"So, poems, huh?" He asks, his forearms resting on his kneecaps.

"That was unfair, Gally. You can't just take my stuff like that!"

"It's not my fault that you're like, five feet tall, Greenie." He says, a glint in his eyes.

"I'm five feet two for your information!" 

"I'm six foot two." 

"I'm a hundred fifty-eight centimeters!"

"I'm a hundred eighty-eight." He replies with a grin.

"I give up. You're impossible."

"Thank you."

"Just don't go through my stuff again."

"I didn't see anything, I swear." He says.

"That doesn't matter." I reply, rolling my eyes.

"Can I hear one?" He asks after a minute or so of silence.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?" He asks, clearly getting annoyed.

"Because I said so, dumbass. That's why."

More silence.

"Do any of yours start with roses are red, violets are blue?"

"No. That's not a real poem."

"Well what is a real poem? I need proof."

I feel my face grow hot as I look at the grass.

"No. Not now, not ever. I'll never read them to you or anyone else."

"Well how do I know that you're not bluffing? How do I know that all of your poems don't start with roses are red violets are blue?"

"Because I have talent!" I say, placing my hand on my chest with a scoff. "I'm a poet and I know it."

"How do I know that though? I need proof, Greenie."

"No."

"This is impossible, isn't it?" He mutters.

"Yup." I reply, popping the 'p'.