Come With Me (Lapidot)

Chapter 20

A/N: Hey guys. So I'm sorry about the wait, life again heh.

Don't forget to vote, comment, all that. Next chapter should be up soon. Thanks guys -L&L

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She should have expected it.

The way dinner had went, the way the word 'okay' hung in her head. How it was okay Lapis joked, but not fine because it made things tense. How it was okay Peridot's mother smiled, but not great because it didn't reach her eyes. How it was okay her aunt offered seconds, but not good because it meant yellow eyes were narrowing and thin lips were tightening. Trying to be polite. Nearly failing.

Still, as she watched from the front window, watched Lapis disappearing into the fading distance, it was still a surprise. A surprise to find her mother's hand on her arm. To look up and see angered eyes, but not on her. On the window. On an already faded figure.

"Peridot, I don't want you seeing that girl again." It wasn't a request.

Peridot felt her throat tighten as her eyes fell to the floor, to her hands as they clasped each other in a manner that did little to comfort. "Yes, mother."

A firm squeeze of her upper arm, a pat that was too rough to be anything save affirming. "Good. It's getting late. Don't forget to wash your dishes."

She wasn't expected to respond, so didn't. Just listened as her mother turned, stalked off. Back to the kitchen, for the moment. Back to her awaiting aunt and hushed talk, though there wasn't anything hushed about her aunt's tone. Peridot was fairly certain the woman didn't know what 'whisper' meant.

Another heartbeat of silence and staring at the reflection of her face in the glass. At the way lights from windows blazed within the dark confines of edging night.

Her jaw tightened as she herself turned, shaking off a chill that found its way down, traversing her spine. But it wasn't because of the cold she knew awaited outside, or because of the way her mother's words echoed in her ears.

It was because she didn't want to care about those words.

It was because she wasn't going to care about those words.

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She let her phone fall to the tabletop, shrugging into her seat even as the rest of her friends winced at the noise made from plastic hitting wood. Ruby threw Sapphire a look, stretched across the table to tap Peridot's  shoulder gently.

"Hey, you okay?"

Emerald eyes narrowed, darting between the two as her phone lit up to the side of a glass of coke going untouched. "Okay, which one of you did it?"

Ruby blinked, Sapphire cocked her head. A knowing smirk graced her lips. "Did what?"

Emerald burned as it stared the older girl down. "You know exactly what I'm talking about," she snapped, gaze then flitting over to her friend's partner. "Were you in on it, too?"

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed, mouth opening soundlessly. She looked from the seething blonde, over to her girlfriend, back. "What?" It was genuine, and Peridot huffed in annoyance.

She once more settled for glaring at Sapphire. "Admit it. Or I swear I'll hand your number over to Jamie."

That knowing smirk faltered. Ruby went from looking confused to angry. She pointed a purposeful finger dangerously at the blonde. "Do it and I take back the laptop we gave you."

"Woah, hey now," another voice spoke up, and Peridot had a single second to look back and see some sort of old rock band promoting tee before something was shoved down over her hair and glasses. "Why're we threatening each other this time?"