The Change: Lapidot

10. Investigation

Really?

The beach? Arcade?

How... Anticlimactic.

Honestly, what's holding you back, baby?

I'm waiting.

-S.A.♦

<Peridot's POV>

I groaned, rereading the letter over an over as Lapis sipped her coffee, her legs crossed.

"So, we got this this morning?" I asked, my eyes flicking to hers.

"Yup." The bluenette responded in a monotone, a careless expression etched on her face.

I sighed, throwing her a glare, "How can you be so chill about this?!" I demanded and she stood.

"It's not a big deal." She replied simply, only irritating me further.

"Lapis!" I yelled, exasperated.

"What?"

"You know what! Can't you at least give it another look! You have a stalker!" I spoke, my hands flailing.

"If that makes you happy." She said with a nod, grabbing the note and walking outside.

I groaned lightly, rolling my neck as I followed her, her body laying across the railing, a cigarette hanging loosely from her fingers.

She took a drag and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What is it?" I asked, coming up beside her.

"I know... I know that symbol." Lapis mumbled, her eyes far out, deep in thought.

"Yeah?" I said, prompting her to elaborate. But she flicked the cigarette out of her fingers and went back in the apartment, grabbing something from her closet.

"Thought so..." She uttered, pulling the leather jacket out for me to see, tossing it over.

"Is this... Your gang jacket?" I asked, examining it's tattered condition.

"Mhm." Lapis nodded, leaning against the door frame.

"So whoever sent the note is-"

"From the gang." She concluded as I tossed the jacket back to her.

"Did anyone show any...?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

"Only Jasper." She said with a shrug.

My face drained, my throat drying.

"Do you think it's her?" I choked.

"Probably." She said with a nod, showing no signs of panic, or fear.

"Don't... Don't you care?" I said, an expression of disbelief crossing my facial features. How was she so okay with this? After everything she did?! After all the mental and physical pain Jasper put Lapis through!

"Peridot. She's not going to hurt you. I do know Jasper, and that's not her style." Lapis said, her voice comforting. 

"What the fuck Lapis?! What about you?!" I yelled as she walked back outside, lighting another cigarette.

"What about me?" She drawled carelessly.

"She'll hurt you! She's targeting you! Fucking open your eyes, Lapis!" I screamed, my face reddening with fury.

"My eyes are wide open, Peridot. There's isn't anything to worry about." She said with a swift roll of her blue eyes, and flicking the ash of her cigarette tip.

"You're being fucking naive! Of course there is! They're gonna hurt you!" I roared, slamming my foot on the floor, my fists clutched.

"She can't hurt me." She stated, watching my movements with sympathetic eyes.

"And how could you possibly know that?!" I exclaimed, frustrated with her calmness in such a situation. She was acting like she didn't care! Like she wanted to get hurt! But yet, she looked at me as though I was going to hurt myself!

"Because. It's... Physically impossible. If I want it to be. If that's what I choose." Lapis explained, inhaling the nicotine and she leaned against the rail once more.

"What the hell does that mean?! No living creature has that kind of say!" I hollered, this was so stupid! It didn't make scientific sense! Or any sense for that matter!

The bluenette stayed quiet for a moment, eventually sighing, flicking the ash once more.

"You're right. No living thing, has that kind of power." She responded, with a slight nod.

"R-right so, you don't, uh, so I'm right. And you're in danger." I agreed with a slow nod, her sudden change of attitude catching me off guard.

"No Peri." She said, shaking her head with a shaky sigh.

"You're not making any sense!" I cried, my voice raising again.

"I'm sorry..." She croaked, the cigarette shaking between her fingers and she swallowed, a few tears slipping down her slender face.

"I- N-no, it's not your fault!" I yelped, taking a step towards her.

"But it is. All of this.... It's my fault. I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't have come back, I'm so sorry." Lapis whispered, biting her lip in attempt to hold back a waterfall of tears.

"Done what? Lapis, what are you talking about? You couldn't have done anything that b--"

"I lead you on!" She blurted, cutting me off, she balled her fists, crushing the small cigarette.

"What- what do you mean?" I asked, dread overtaking my system as tears welled in my eyes.

"I'm different from most people, Peridot! And doing this, to you, to me, to us, is wrong. And it's selfish! Anf I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" She sobbed, her knees bucking from underneath her, her body falling to the ground as she hugged herself.

"Did... Are you cheating?" I asked warily, a tear dripping down my face.

"No." She whispered, her voice bitter as she let out a humorless laugh, "It's worse. It's so much fucking worse." She choked, letting out a small sob.

What could possibly be worse? I thought to myself, a dreadful feeling overcoming my body.

"I lied..." She said, her voice hoarse.

"About what?" I asked, panic setting in.

She lifted her head, her eyes boring into mine, but it was bone chilling. Her eyes drained of color, emotion, and life.

"Everything."

I felt my breath catch in my throat, whatever was happening, was wrong. Very, very wrong.

"When?" I asked, my voice so calm, I surprised even myself.

"Ever since you saw me at the concert." She said, regaining a bit of her calm.

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to explain.

"I told you... I told you I was in a coma that day. That people got me out. That I had amnesia." She started.

"Yeah?" I said slowly.

"That wasn't true. Because the trust is... I didn't make it."