Crashing the Boardwalk (Human Lapidot)

3. Job

     "Peri, we're back!!" Amethyst called, opening the door with Steven behind her.

     "Hey." Lapis said, putting a hand slightly up but not waving it. Peridot hummed.

     "Hey Peri, we need to talk about this gaming thing." Amethyst walked up to the blonde, who was laying with her upper torso in Lapis' lap. She pulled the girl up in a sitting position and let go of her wrists. "We've either gotta get 'Fantasy Zone', or 'Street Fighter'. Which one?"

     "Wait, I thought we already had 'Street Fighter'." said Steven.

     "'Teens of Rage' is bullsh-.. bull, something." Amethyst exclaimed.

     Steven groaned. "I'm not that young you guys."

     "I think Street Fighter would be cool to replicate." Peridot said. Laps jokingly threatened that if she messed up anyone's combo abilities, she'd be face to face with Garnet. "Cool it, I won't mess up anything."

Mr. Smiley had the ties in play by the end of the day, but they'd have to wait for Capcom's ok to reproduce the game. The blonde thought about it while unlocking the T-shirt shop the net morning, but stopped as she waved to Lapis, who headed to her job at Beach City Music. She had been given the choice to work a half shift, having done so well in the previous year, and filled up the rest of her work days as a lifeguard. Peridot, however, was still selling shirts. At least I got a raise. She thought.

     Thinking more on the matter of jobs, Peridot still had to finish and get paid for her video game in the making. She decided to work on that later, and focus on other job options. Everyone had two occupations at once; Jasper worked at the theater and on freelance during the summers as a trainer, Lapis had her lifeguard thing, even Pearl joined in with a job at Suitcase Sam's and an (occasional) house-cleaner. Come on, think! Something to bring more money into the barn...

"You can be my back up on the mic." Steven suggested.

     "For what?"

     "Steven and The Crystal Gems."

     "Isn't Connie your backup?"

     "We need more vocals."

     "I'll... pass. I sound like a dying bird."

     "I bet you don't, but ok. You can do construction work."

     "No."

     "Tech work? Like coding and internet stuff?"

     "As great as I'll do with that job, I don't think so. I dont have the time."

     "Ooh! How 'bout an artist on freelance?"

     "Art isn't my thing." Steven sighed, and Peridot did too. She scanned a Cookie Cat T-shirt and handed it to Steven. "Twenty bucks."

     "Ok." Steven reached into his pocket for the money.

     "I'm sorry for not being good at anything. I'm just too much of a nerd for normal jobs, but the stuff I'm occupied with takes too long to pay me! It's just not steady, but I guess I'm not helping much either. I'm not open to trying anything all that new yet."

     "But it's Beach City." Steven said, putting a twenty-dollar bill on the counter.

     "I know. That's why I'm so frustrated. I can't push myself to get another job and it's pissing me off!"

     "Well, what are you trying to do with the money?" Asked the boy. Peridot didn't even have to think. She wanted to have cash left after paying her turns of the rent. She wanted to keep food for the barn, she wanted to provide for her and Lapis. Buy stuff for Lapis. She wanted to be able to do things with some extra money left over, because she wasn't a big spender at all, but it always appeared to be so. She never had anything in her pockets, and she needed a steady supply of income. And that's what she told Steven.

     "Aww.." He said. "Peri has heart."

     "I've had heart!" She retorted.

     Steven chuckled. "Well, we're gonna have to further investigate this issue... Unless, of course, you wanna be a tutor."

     Peridot paused. "I'll think about it." The two heard a whistle from the boardwalk and looked over to see Lapis walking by with her and the blonde's bike. "H-Hey Lapis!" Peridot called, waving and smiling wide. Her greenish makeup made her blush fade into a very light emerald color.

     "Hey you guys!" Called the bluenette. She stepped a bit closer to the T-shirt shop and hugged Steven as he rushed to her. "Off to my second job-so, you know where to find me."

     "Yeah, yeah, get to stepping. There might be another shark for you to take care of, or something." Peridot joked.

     "Ah, whatever. Hey, want me to bring you a doughnut or something before I head off?" The shorter girl chuckled and waved her off. Steven was confused.

     "Go save the beach or whatever you do." Lapis turned, sticking her tongue out at Peridot before continuing with their bike to work. "Oh, and sue Amethyst for littering!"

     "Pollution!"

     "Eh, whatever." The blonde put her elbow on the counter and her head in her hand. She blew at the side of her face, where a few strands of hair itched her cheek.

     "What was that all about?" Asked the boy, going back to the counter to grab his Cookie Cat shirt.

     "I dunno." Lied the girl. "But I do know that we need a car. That bike isn't gonna last forever."

     "My dad can help you with that, right? I mean, he is rich now."

     "No, I can make the money on my own."

     "You're gonna be a tutor?" Steven's eyes had stars in them.

     "Wha-no!"

Hey yall'! This chapter has reached 918 words, and I was very strict in the last book at making it to at least 1020 words, but I need to end the chapter here so I can start the next one at another plot point. Sort of a time-skip and scene change, but it's not one I'm going to write here because...

Well because!

I don't see how I can cut it off anytime soon if I keep going, so, yeah. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next few!

Also, what music genre would Lapis and Peridot listen to individually, and what song do you think they'd listen to together?