stevens pov
i was heading home from the starry bakery after briefly catching up with lars, it's good seeing him happy
once i had left, i decided to head back through the woods to check if jasper was doing fine, she didn't have to talk to me or even know i was there, it was just to see if her gem was still fine.
"hey excuse me~" a strangers voice calls out
i turned around, correctly assuming they were talking to me
a group of three girls stood no more than five metres away, the shortest of the bunch heading closer towards me
"yeah?" i look down at the pretty brunette girl as she twirls a few strands of hair around her finger
"do you know any good beaches? you look local"
"well there's one right ther-"
"Aubrey! look at his eyes!" the blond one cuts me off
the short one took a closer look
"are they contacts?"
"no"
"pft" the silent one speaks up
"what?" i direct my question towards her
"they're clearly fake"
i take a few steps closer, her naive grin fades swiftly when she sees my slightly irritated face
"um never mind haha."
i was just about ready to leave when aubrey spoke up again
"so do you?"
"if you head up that way there's a nice spot"
i point further up the path, assuring them it would be visible once passing the thick tree line
"can you take us?" the taller one asks
frankly i was getting annoyed, but i'd have to go that way regardless
"sure."
i had no intentions of talking to them more than needed, so i chose to make it clear by absorbing myself on my phone.
i scrolled on my device aimlessly, switching from app to app with no interest in any content
"so.." the second tallest one grabs onto my arm as we walk "whats your name?"
"steven"
"im adelaide"
i just nod with a fake interest
"this is Aubrey" she continues "and this is violet"
"so steven, when are we gonna get to the beach?"
"i don't know like in five?"
"cool earrings~" adelaide mentions
"thanks."
"your hairs so cute~" states violet
"thanks?"
"why are your eyes like that? they're soo cool~"
"just born like that i guess?"
they all giggle as if i just made the funniest joke imaginable.
honestly, i knew they had some sort of weird intentions but i didn't care nor was i even slightly interested
"you wanna swim with us?" violet asks
"i have things to do" i somewhat lie
"come on~"
my face scrunches up to avoid answering, i just wasn't interested
before anyone could speak again, adelaide stumbles over a large exposed root protruding from the moss covered ground.
after back a grin, i help her up and she hugs me as a thanks.
awkwardly, i half hugged her back until she finally let go and we continued walking in the direction of the beach
"okay if you go there" i point in the near distance "take a right at the graffitied rock you'll see the beach. there's a ton of rock pools"
the trio say farewell and head off but aubrey, dissatisfied with her failed flirting attempts turns back whilst her friends weren't looking
"hey steven can i get your digits?"
i would've said no or lied but she already knew i had my phone and was insistently holding hers to me
"sure" i punch in my number and leave
the rest of the journey to where jasper had been staying made me realise i could've just given her a fake number, i guess i'll just have to block her if she tries contacting me
your pov
i was sitting alone on a large rock with one foot dangling in the warm water and my head resting on the left knee while i watched all the tiny marine life go about their daily lives.
a distracting muffled talking came from further back, resulting in me switching my attention away from the vast ocean
i release a sigh as i clearly heard a group of people approaching where i was perched.
once turning slightly right, i could see three girls, upon closer inspection i realised they were the ones with steven from just before.
if they sat or swam near me, i was planning on leaving and just going home, there were plenty of other things to do right?
carefully, i listened to them, trying to tell if they were coming closer or getting further away without turning to look, except all i heard was giggling and whispering
deep down there was a feeling that they were saying something about me, it might've just been me getting paranoid but that idea was thrown out the window when i felt something cold and wet hit me from behind
an eruption of laughter came from the girls when i turned around, furious
they had each unscrewed their matching waterbottles and dumped all the icy liquid directly onto my head
"hey!" i grit my teeth
"oh no! i'm sorry!" the shortest snickers with fake pity
i get to my feet, readying my fists as a false threat
"did we wet your hair? did we wet your pretty little outfit?" the blond one taunts me
my threats become real as i take a swing at her face but she ducks surprisingly fast, giving me no time to comprehend. as a result i stumble to the ground from the motion of my missed punch
"what a priss" they all laugh
"what did i do?!"
"nothing, it's just fun to see people mad"
i scrunch my face with anger before promptly leaving, but not without being called childish names and cussed at
still annoyed, i ring out my drenched mane and do my best to get rid of the water from my clothes before reaching the temple
"did you forget your bathers or something?" steven jokingly asks when i walk through the creaky door, leaving a trail of watery footprints behind me
"no i got drenched by some chicks, anyway you got some spare clothes?"
steven was sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling on his phone
"no pearl put them all in the wash"
"what? why?" i grew frustrated
"beats me."
"ugh"
"why don't you go buy some?"
"with what money"
"the 200 i gave you before"
...
"about that.. i think those kids took it when we went to westbay"
steven sighed, i couldn't tell if it was because of annoyance towards me or the teenagers but nevertheless he opened a kitchen cabinet and handed me another two hundred dollars
$50 $50 $10 $20 $20 $50
"you keep money in random places?"
"just in case"
in case what?
steven grabbed his keys and headed for the door
"you're coming?"
"just to make sure you buy clothes and not other stuff"
i rolled my eyes and walked with him to the car where i noticed a cute picture of the gems. they were all smiling and looked so gleeful
"i look ridiculous"
steven pulls up besides the shopping section of town
"how?"
"i'm drenched"
he holds back an agreeing smirk and tosses me his pink jacket which i zip up to cover connies dripping shirt
steven had no interest in what i bought unless it was something other than clothes or accessories
"so what can i get?"
"knock yourself out"
steven wasn't in sight when i stumbled across the prettiest and shiniest bracelet imaginable.
i had no idea what it was made from but based on the high price, it was something precious and rare
$1,999
i was quite surprised at how little people were around watching such a pricey piece of jewellery, and how easy the cabinet lock was to pick
i held the delicate wrist wear in my hands before being interrupted with a forced throat clear
"ahem."
busted
"helloooo.." i slowly turn towards the figure.
before me stood a tall dark skinned man looking down at me, disappointedly
"i see you like the bracelet, mrs ???"
"um.. julianna" i lie pathetically
"so, julianna. were you planning on paying?"
"no.. just talking a look"
"you can look through the glass"
"a closer look"
the man sighs and grabs my wrist tightly
"well you can have a closer look at it later, for now why don't you come with me"
shit.
reluctantly, i followed the stranger as he gripped my arm
the next section we passed consisted of smaller shelves, from here i could easily spot steven looking at me
he facepalmed with an eye roll out of clear annoyance before rushing over
"um hello?" he stops the man a few metres infront of the door labeled staff
"m?"
"where are you going?"
honestly i was surprised at the almost casual way steven talked with the intimidating man
"who's asking"
"i'm her brother"
the man looks at me, then back at him
"and what's her name?"
"sod-"
i cut him off with my exaggerated head shakes
julianna
is the fake name i try mouth out to him once catching his attention
"sod..ulianna.. julianna"
the man raised an eyebrow before telling steven what i was caught doing, all the while i stood besides him guiltily
the man sent me to wait with the slender lady serving the empty front counter while steven talked to the worker out of sight
a few minutes had gone by when the lady suddenly began talking to someone via her modern headset every employee wore
"mhm"
...
"yep"
...
"the kid?"
...
"yeah"
...
"okay"
...
"wait outside" she orders
without an answer, i slowly walk out the glass door, leaving the bracelet on the front counter
not even five minutes later steven opened the door and threw some clothes at me without a warning
"change."
he waits in the car as i put on the new clothing in the unkept bathroom hidden away behind some old rundown businesses
it was a pair of blue grey denim shorts and a shirt i had my eye on earlier
i toss him back his now damp jacket in silence and click my seatbelt into place
without any talking, he starts the car and drives the opposite way of the house, i just don't mention anything out of shame
a few moments later he pulls up and parks in a less.. nice? part of town.
"why are we-"
"why did you do that."
"i don't know-"
"are you kidding me? that was the most expensive thing in there"
steven continues scolding me growing more and more angry with each words, i eventually just completely stopped answering until he mentioned my earrings
"you promised not to steal!"
"i'm sorry-"
steven orders me to give me the earrings lars let me keep me before crushing them to nothingness with his bare hands
"wanna know why you're not in more trouble right now?"
....
i don't answer
"i threatened them"
"wait what"
"i told them who i was, what i did to save them, how i did it, and how i wouldn't hesitate to use my powers against them if they didn't let it go"
i looked at the floor guiltily
"did you mean it..?"
steven doesn't answer for awhile
"why do you steal?"
...
"look at me when i'm talking to you."
nervously i glance up at him, watching him grip the wheel in anger and begin slamming on the horn repeatedly
it was by far the most scared of him i'd been in my life so far
steven just cursed under his breath before speeding home in a silent frustration
when we arrived home, i threw my wet clothes straight into the washing machine as steven went into his room,
through the gem door.
i didn't know why he went there, but there was no way i'd even try ask
timeskip (1hour)
quietly i layed down on the soft couch trying to rest away the remaining daylight. after rolling over and flipping the pillow to the cold side atleast a dozen times, i realised how pointless trying to sleep was.
but by this time, the sun had already left us for the cycle.
i pulled the fluffy blankets over my head and rested on my stomach, just letting thoughts pass through my numbing mind.
and then i heard a knock at the front door.
my heart was racing, why would someone be here in the middle of the night?
instantly my brain flicked through all the worst reasons and horrible outcome but nevertheless, i felt ready to peer out and take a chance.
cautiously i opened the front door less than an inch and peered out
slam
frustrated, i slammed the door shut on her face
"hey!" she called out
"scram"
"who are you?!"
"remember the girl from the beach."
"what? wheres steven"
now i felt slightly curious
"what?"
before she could reply, the gem door slid open and steven walked with his concentration to the phone screen
swiftly, i locked the door and hurried up to him
"dude why is she here?!" i whispered
"she's already here?"
"yes! and she's bad news"
"just lay off soda."
"dude her and her friends dumped their water on me today"
"wait what it was them?"
"yes!"
he pauses briefly
"oh fuck sakes"
steven unlocked the door and threw it open, giving the girl on his porch the most hateful glare
"ready?" she threw on an innocent face.
steven lowered to her level and yanked the timid girl closer by her shirt collar
"if you ever pull a stunt like that on anyone and i find out. you'll be fucki-"
"wowwowww..!" i cut him off and seperate the two
the stranger stepped back in fear before quickly scurrying away as i closed and re locked the front door
"what was that for?"
"you don't need to traumatise her"
he shrugged before sitting on the couch where i soon joined him
"i'm sorry about the bracelet"
"don't sweat it"
...
"why was she here anyway?"
"she had my number and kept texting me"
"so u invited her over?"
"nah just for a walk"
the logic was shallow but i didn't bother looking deeper