Rising Tides (Human!lapidot)

Chapter 40

Lapis listened intently, her heart thudding in her chest as she leant into Peridot's side. When they'd first met, Peridot had kept mostly to herself. And now here she was, telling her lover and best friend the most tragic moment of her life. Something she had told no one else, to some extent. Lapis felt, for lack of a better word, honoured.

- - -

Peridot glared up at her mother, tears dribbling down her rosy cheeks, teeth grit, eyes narrowed into thin slits. Her hands were screwed into tight fists, held firmly at her sides because she was scared she might do something she'd regret if she lifted up her arms. Her mother towered over her, wearing her usual slick business suit, phone in one hand, the other empty, an accusatory finger pointing down at her. Peridot couldn't remember what they had been arguing about, her mind felt numb as her mother spat empty threats, spit flying from her mouth as she yelled. She was pretty sure the neighbours could hear but Peridot had decided not the say anything. Only to stand still and take the blame for something she didn't know she had done.

Her voice echoed down the empty hallways of the too-big house they had been staying at. Peridot had been crying silently to herself, she was certain her mother either hadn't noticed in her moment of rage or just didn't care. She didn't have time to raise a child. Peridot was just a mistake. A mistake she couldn't get rid of. Her father had left a few months prior and everything had been way too quiet for Peridot's liking. All pictures of the man had been stripped from their rightful places on the walls by her mother but Peridot had managed to steal one without the woman knowing. It was currently tucked away in her clothes drawer. She would take it out when she was feeling lonely or sad.