Love Potion No. 9. 1/2

Chapter 8: Home early

"A cure?" Lapis said, still taken aback by all the information she had been given.

"Well, not exactly a cure, but more like a way to flush your system of all that Loveratium. It will stop all the random chemical reactions occurring in your brain." Peridot said, facing Lapis.

"So it would take away all these... thoughts I'm having about you?"

"U-Um, I believe so."

Lapis just stood there, looking at the blonde nerd before her. A part of her brain, possibly the only logical part of it left, screamed to ask for that cure, to get rid of all these horrible feelings.

And another part of her brain told her to keep these feelings, to embrace them. Lapis knew that it was just those chemicals making her think that, but right now those chemicals felt way more convincing than logic.

But... she knew what she needed to do.

"How long will it take to make this cure?" Lapis asked, trying to ignore the way her heart dropped at the thought of getting rid of these feelings.

Peridot seemed to get more nervous at that statement. "Um... approximately 2 weeks at least?"

Lapis' eyes widened. "Two weeks to make a cure? That's pretty long, don't you think?" She asked, although part of her was glad she could still feel special towards Peridot for a while.

"I have to sequence it right to your DNA in order to get rid of the right chemicals. Otherwise, I could end up flushing all the water out of your system along with it." Peridot reassured.

Lapis let out a sigh of defeat. "Okay... What do you need me to do?" She asked.

"You will need to come over here after school every day of the week in order for me to run more tests on you. It shouldn't take more than an hour a day, at which point you may return home." Peridot instructed.

'That's two whole weeks I get to spend every day with Peridot...'

This thought made Lapis feel warm and fuzzy inside, and a ghost of a smile appeared on her face.

"Okay... If that's what I have to do, then I'll be here every day. Anything I should know for the meanwhile?"

Peridot let out a noise of discomfort. "I know it's not the news you want to hear right now, but Loveratium poisoning progressively gets worse over time. T-These feelings slowly increase over time, especially if you try to resist them."

Lapis sighed. "So, I'm gonna be feeling more romantic toward you over time?"

"Yes... I really am sorry, Lapis. I didn't mean for this to happen to you. If there's anything else you need me to do, I'll do it." Peridot said, giving Lapis a sorry smile.

Something twinged in Lapis upon hearing this. Seeing Peridot help so willingly, giving her such a soft expression, it made her heart melt.

"Peridot... I, uh... T-Thank you. For helping. You've already done enough." Lapis found herself saying.

"Really, Lapis, you shouldn't be thanking. I'm the one who got you into this mess."

"Still, if I was gonna be stuck feeling like this, I'm kinda glad it was you. It could've been someone worse."

'She's being so nice to me... I never knew she was this nice...'

For once, a thought entered Lapis' mind that wasn't laced with love.

'Peridot is a nice person. And I didn't realize it.'

Lapis felt surprised at the statement. She didn't really know Peridot outside of school, and right now she was seeing a side of her she had never seen before. Someone who was willing to help, that cared if someone seemed uncomfortable.