When Peridot didn't feel as sick, the two girls decided to buy some ice cream. And in line, they were discussing who was going to pay. "I would, but I don't feel like talking to Jasper about her money anymore." Said Peridot.
Lapis suddenly remembered yesterday's incident, and brought out her own wallet. "Which ice cream do you want?"
"Uh, strawberry."
"Alright." Lapis readied two dollars and waited. After three other people purchased their treats, she finally got to the counter. "One strawberry, one mint chocolate chip please." She said. The man behind the counter nodded and prepared the cones. "So," Lapis said to Peridot, "you're a strawberry person?"
"D-Don't judge me! You're a mint person."
Lapis stuck her tongue out. "Strawberry and mint... Doesn't that sound like a gum flavor?"
"Like Icebreakers gum or...?"
"Yeah." Lapis continued, grabbing both ice cream cones and handing Peridot hers. "Icebreakers sounds right."
"I think they have one out already." The blonde added, licking her ice cream and stepping out of line. Now she held the plush by it's arm.
"Probably."
The two walked along Fuland's boardwalk while they ate. Lapis tried to keep a conversation between the two, but the other girl didn't say much. She seemed to hold back from it. Up close, however, she noticed that Peridot had wore some pale green blush, which was odd, but it made her light up like her plush every time they made eye-contact. It was a bit cute, if Lapis were to be honest. As she kept sneaking looks to her acquaintance, she also noticed that her glasses were cracked. "What are you looking at my like that for?" She asked, noticing Lapis' concerned glance.
"No reason."
"Ok. Sure." Peridot said sarcastically. They kept walking.
...
Why is she staring at me like that? Thought Peridot. Is there something wrong? Is it my eyes, are they bloodshot again? Did my hand bleed onto my face too much? She stole a glance at Lapis, who was looking forward and eating the top of her ice cream cone, and then looked at her hand. No, no, that's ridiculous. She went to lick her ice cream, and stopped. Maybe I'm overthinking this, I probably have just some ice cream on my face. Peridot was about to wipe her mouth before deciding against it. That would be a pretty slob-like move wouldn't it? God what is wrong with me? She looked to Lapis, who at the same time looked at her, and turned away in a panic. She did it again! That look!
"Peridot, something wrong?"
"Uh-um-no! I'm good! Good, and everything's fine!" Peridot stammered. Shut up! Shut up shut up! God dammit Lapis don't make me say words!
"Okay?" They ended up back at the Funland arch, and went under it, exiting the amusement park. "That was fun, wasn't it?" It was noon now, so somehow they spent two full hours at the amusement park.
Peridot just quickly nodded and tried to eat her ice cream and calm down.
"What do we do now?"
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"I mean it's just midday! We still have loads of time left, so what do we do?"
"I don't know this town or what to do in it! And besides, you shouldn't ask me, I wouldn't know fun if it was the bullet that almost hit between my eyes!"
Lapis stopped walking. "You've almost been shot?"
"What traveler hasn't? What Gem hasn't? People hate us Gems! And besides, half the people I know have a gun story to tell, I mean, haven't you been in danger like that before?"
"No. I haven't. I've been trapped with overprotective parents and a sister to protect and live for. I couldn't get shot even if I wanted to be."
"Oh, really? No guns at all?"
"Nope. I was the 'safe kid' in my part of the city. I didn't want to be as safe, it was ridiculous and embarrassing how everyone watched out for me every second of my life. If it wasn't for the over protection, I'd be completely normal. But for some reason, everyone wanted or needed me alive, and so I couldn't have at least a bit of danger in my life."
"Oh." There was a pause before Peridot continued. "Sorry."
"It's ok."
"No, it's-it's not. I really shouldn't assume what people go through." She stopped talking, and they kept walking along the beach. "See, my life was reverse. I was ultra cautious, and my family was careful, but in a more normal way. I was always looking over my shoulder, and a while after I met Jasper, I sort of stopped-a little bit. One day, she convinced me to chill out more than I ever had in a long while, and then we were jumped. Jasper was holding them off, keeping 'em still with threats and shoving them into the walls.. my head was spinning, honestly. I knew something like that would happen, yet I completely forgot what to do in the situation, because the shock of it all was that it was real and happening!"
Lapis nodded. "Fear does that sometimes."
"I know, and it was a pain too! All I could think of was that I was going to die, and I backed up and tripped over something-some boxes maybe-but one of them got mad at me for doing so and shot. They missed the first time, and the second time, Jasper pulled me up and out of the way."
"What happened to the gunner?"
Peridot stared Lapis dead in the eyes. "What I thought was going to happen to me. We would've been arrested, if Jasper hadn't known how to hide the evidence of us being on scene."
"Damn. That's quite unfortunate for all of you. Thank God Jasper's a sneak."
"Yeah. But anyway, that's why I thought about leaving. Three years later, the act came around, and people were leaving, so me and jasper left with 'em. Now we're here, so... We're here."
Lapis nodded.
"Why did you come here? I-I mean, well there's a general reason why, really, the danger of that city, but, you know. Why for you?"
"My sister. She called herself an Aquamarine. She was quite the savage, but she was adorable, and was actually becoming much nicer... But then I couldn't find her after school. I looked all over, and when the police came, guess what they said?"
"What did they say?"
"They said that it was 'just another kidnapping'. 'Just another'! And they kept looking and looking, and so did my family, when all of a sudden they called and said that they aborted the search. They had to call so many people to tell them that, like eleven families I'm sure."
"Th-that case made the news didn't it? I seen it I think, something about 'The Eleven' I think."
"Yeah, it was that one." Lapis sighed. "I was so mad at them. I can't even call that place a home anymore, I was so relieved when I could finally abandon that damned city."
"Hey Peridot! Lapis!" Steven shouted. The two girls noticed that they have made a loop to his house. "Oh wait, am I still supposed to be avoiding you?"
"What?" Asked the blonde.
"No!" Lapis called back.
"Ok. You two wanna come inside then?"
Lapis grabbed her acquaintance's arm to pull her away from the beach house when she resisted. "Does he got any movies?" she asked. Lapis didn't know, so she asked, and Steven nodded. The blue haired girl sighed, and they entered the house with Steven to watch some movies.
"So," Steven began, "we've got Lonely Blade one through twelve, Max, Gremlins, Jaws, CPH Movie Two-"
"CPH Movie Two?" Peridot chimed in. "That's one of the limited addition ones from after season five, right?"
"Have you seen it before?" asked Steven."
"I will-after I finish the fifth season. I haven't been able to watch much while on the road."
"Oh, well I won't spoil anything. Anyway, we also have, um," the boy looked through the shelves, "Dog-Copter, and..."
"Ooh look, The Conjuring."
"The Conjuring?" Peridot and Steven exclaimed.
"Amethyst! Who'd you steal this from?" Steven shouted to the girl in the kitchen.