Come With Me (Lapidot)

Chapter 6

Ruby's parties were never like other parties. Sure, there were the stashed boozes and weed, and sure the music was turned up way too loud halfway through the evening. But the drinks didn't come out until after, the dancing wasn't erotic, the upstairs bedrooms weren't occupied.

It was fun and open and carefree, but not overwhelming. Only Ruby's friends were invited, which consisted of fifteen to eighteen people respectively. No overcrowding, no immaturity. Just juvenile ignorance.

But that didn't mean Peridot couldn't silently complain every single second she sat there on the patio deck chair. It didn't mean her smile to those that passed wasn't forced. It didn't mean she had to partake in anything that happened.

Sapphire had come out an hour or so after the party began. She wasn't big on crowds, even small ones, so she'd accompanied the blonde and fallen asleep in her chair soon after. Peridot wasn't sure what to think of Sapphire, really. She was so quiet and so all-knowing.

It was a wonder how she could deal with Ruby's loud, ridiculous, random nature. Half the time it was a mystery how Ruby could deal with Ruby.

Peridot pushed the thoughts away, grumbling under her breath as she scuffled from the chair to stand and stretch. The sun had moved in the sky since she'd been here; where it had been touching the tree line, it now dipped down and under to hide within the brambling branches.

A smear of mixed orange-pink inched up and across the sky, threatening to overthrow the deep set blueish violet. It was beauty in natural form, open and aware and showing. Imperfection somehow achieving perfection.

She shook her head, pushing her glasses, which had slipped, back up her nose. She could clearly see she'd accidentally touched the edge. That smudge would annoy her until she cleaned it off, but she couldn't bring her lazy self to worry with it at the given moment.

She pulled open the sliding glass door leading into the kitchen, slipping inside quietly and only half shutting the door again. Even from outside you could hear the music, something pop and overused, but from where she now stood she was ready to say it was making her ears bleed. She could just see the walls vibrating, sound waves reverberating, and wondered who was in charge of the stereo right now.

Her quiet contemplations were answered when she scrambled her way through a small gathering of people out into the open living room. She frowned. Of course it was Jasper.

Honestly, Peridot was surprised Ruby and her still talked at all. Last time Jasper had shown her face in the same room as the much smaller girl, she'd gotten punched in the nose by offering a less than subtle opinion on what she thought of Ruby's cousin, Garnet. Needless to say, that went very badly.

"Hey," she near shouted when she caught sight of the well built girl standing in the corner, talking to some guy.

Jasper seemed to hear her, amber eyes flickering up briefly before she was smiling at something her partner said, chuckling lightly. She made no attempt to go over to Peridot, however.

The blonde rolled her eyes, mentally flipping her off but not bothering with actually saying anything. She had to get out of here anyways; her head was pounding, threatening to split if she stayed near the blasting speakers any longer.

She found herself back in the kitchen, snagging a Cola from the fridge and popping the top as she slunk back out to the patio.

She was alone this time, though. Sapphire must have awoken and gone to find either Ruby or one of their other friends, because her chair sat bare beside the tiny side table. The rest of the patio, pool included surprisingly, remained devoid of life. Peridot found both comfort and utter boredom in that.

Maybe she shouldn't have thought about the boredom aspect though. Or maybe she just wasn't allowed to be comfortable. Whatever it was, she jumped when the sliding glass door jerked open then slammed shut behind her. She turned sharply in alarm, nearly dropping her drink, scowling and glaring when the taller girl smirked at her.

"What's the matter, don't tell me I scared you?" Jasper teased, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back against the doorframe.

Even though it was so very childish, Peridot couldn't help herself from sticking out her tongue. She muttered out, "Whatever," and turned back to her chair, flopping down without care.

She heard a deep set chuckle as she sipped the cooled beverage. "Come on, you seem so tense. It's a party for a reason. Lose the attitude or I'll make you."

"Your threats are irrelevant. I have nothing to say," Peridot grumbled. She knew it sounded robotic, did it on purpose. It was funny when Jasper's face contorted in annoyance, her whole body kind of tensing with the emotion. Even without looking back she could see it perfectly in her head.

"God, you're the worst," her friend huffed, lumbering over and sitting down surprisingly easy in the empty patio chair. "Get an actually life, you nerd."

Peridot chuckled and set her drink down on the table between them. She shifted until she found a semi decent seating arrangement and then relaxed back. "But then I'd have to stop talking to you."

The look of pure feigned anger on Jasper's face made her nearly cackle, and she was up and running for her life before the other girl could even think. But then the chase was on. It was a bad thing Peridot sucked at sports; maybe they would come in handy whenever these little scenes occurred. And there was always one, at every party. It was kind of like a tradition between the two.

Of course she went directly for the pool, trying to run around it before Jasper caught up. Of course Jasper did catch up, being the more in shape one. Of course Peridot found herself falling, weightless. Of course the water caught her with open arms as she flailed and gasped, beating at the substance with fervor.

She coughed and sputtered when she managed back to the surface, glaring up at her friend, who only smirked and placed her hands on her hips sassily.

"Thanks, now my clothes are soaked," Peridot growled, even though the smile was evident on her face, even though the stated fact was so obvious it was painful.

Jasper shrugged, turning and starting to walk away like everything was okay. "Not my problem, Peridot."

"F*ck you," Peridot snickered, wading toward the shallow end. Even through the blinking to keep the water out her eyes and cheeky grin that only succeeded in getting water in her mouth, she saw Jasper flip her off.

It only made her smile wider, for the first time in a while. And she was grateful for that.