The Lust That Hides The Love

Eleven-Away

Peri's Pov

"I can't believe you forgot." Yellen snickered from the doorway.

"I didn't forget, I simply chose not to remember," I replied, shoving clothes into my suitcase.

"So... You forgot." She entered my room and sprawled across my bed.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Nope. I'm already packed." I growled. A class camping trip was a horrible idea to begin with, and I had no intention of enjoying it.

"What could Mother possibly be thinking by sending us into the woods for a week?"

"It's supposed to be a team bonding experience. Honestly, do you ever pay attention?" I sighed. "Hey, at least you'll have your friends."

"Just Pearl," I said quietly, pausing. "Amethyst won't be coming." Yellen sat up.

"Is everything okay with her? She seemed really upset on Friday." I shook my head.

"A social worker did a home visit with her yesterday. Pearl said it didn't turn out well."

"How so?" I froze. I didn't know what happened, but Pearl sounded concerned. A worst-case scenario would be neither of us ever saw her again. And I didn't want to think about that.

"Why don't you help me out here? Go get my toiletries." Yellen groaned and went to the bathroom we shared to retrieve them.

I thought about it some more. What would happen if Amethyst was removed from her home? Would she get a chance to say goodbye? I considered her to be my best friend other than Pearl, and the last thing I wanted to do was lose the friendship.

"Yellen?" I asked.

"Yeah?" She responded, returning.

"Have you ever had a friend move away? One who couldn't say goodbye?" She sat back down on my bed.

"Well, of course. It happens to everyone, doesn't it?" I stayed quiet. "So I take it the visit went really bad." She added quietly.

"What if they take her away and I can't say goodbye? I don't want to lose my friend!"

"It'll be okay, Peridot. I promise." My phone started ringing.

"It's Pearl again," I said, answering it. "Oh no."

Sugilite's Pov

"It'll be okay, I swear! There's no way you could've known he'd come back!" Opal tried to reassure me, but it didn't work.

"Babe, they're taking my baby sister away from me! They're taking her to the home of a woman she doesn't know and I might never get to see her!"

"Sugilite, your mom is only a few hours away. I'm sure you can go and see her." Tahitia said calmly. "Sweetheart, I did everything I could but they refused to let me take her." Angry, I turned away from her and punched the wall.

"This is bullshit!" Pearl walked in from the kitchen and stood near the doorway, silent.

"Pearl, why don't you go upstairs?" Opal suggested. "Come on, Sugi. Let's go back to your dad's house and see if they'll let us help Amethyst pack." She led me out to her car and drove me back. I'd run out in a fi after my father had come back from his booze run already drunk and started screaming.

"Ah, Miss Fuerta." The social worker said, still taking down notes on her clipboard in the living room. "I'm glad you made it back in time to say goodbye. The police have arrested your father and charged him with a class 1A misdemeanor for assault. They're currently looking into possible physical abuse on your sister." I nodded.

"I'm sorry for leaving. I got upset and didn't want to make things worse." She nodded. "And... I'm sorry for lying during all these visits throughout the years." She stopped writing but didn't look up. "I just wanted to keep my sister with me. I guess I figured that if I stayed quiet, things would get better for us." She looked up.

"You're not in any trouble. I understand that you just wanted to look out for your sister's wellbeing." She smiled. " Amethyst is packing her things now. Obviously, she won't be able to bring everything with her to your mother's house right away, but she's taking a suitcase with her." I thanked her and made my way to Ame's room. She was sitting on the floor crying. A few shirts were sitting in the bottom of an old suitcase of mom's from back when we thought we'd be taking family vacations.

"Hey," I said softly, sitting next to her.

"I'm sorry I screwed shit up." She said quietly.

"You didn't do anything wrong," I said, taking the shirts out and folding them.

"But I'm still going to mom's." Opal joined us in the doorway.

"It's okay, Amethyst. it's just for a little while." She took the shirts from me and started to fold and pack more clothes. "Besides, I'm sure it'll be fine." I stood up and pulled Amethyst with me.

"Let's find some more stuff to pack, okay?" She nodded her head and wiped away the tears. I tried to look around for the stuff she'd brought when we went to Opal's house. "Pictures? We've got you and your friends, a group photo from Christmas, a picture of mom holding you as a baby..." I stopped and looked at the picture. Mom was visibly tired, but smiling at Amethyst. I was wide-eyed next to her, staring at my baby sister. "Do you want this one?"

"Huh? Oh, you can have it. I don't really know why I have it." Amethyst said nonchalantly. I put the frame into my purse quickly.

"Do you have everything you need?" I asked, handing her the pictures of her with her friends.

"Yep, I've got plenty of clothes, random crap, and my backpack all ready to go." I smiled and hugged her tight.

"Be safe. And don't do anything stupid." She snorted.

"Yeah, right."

"I love you babygirl."

"I love you too." I helped her bring her stuff to the car and hugged her again, making sure a million times that she had my number, Opal's number, and Tahitia's number.

"Sugilite, I think she's got it," Opal said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "But just in case..." She handed her an index card. "Sugi, me, my mom, Pearl, and Peridot. I can't speak for Peridot, but the rest of us will be there for you whenever you call, no matter what." She hugged Amethyst. "Be good, kiddo."

"Thanks, Opal." She turned back to me and hugged me again. "You'll come and visit, right?" I sighed.

"Mom never made an effort to be in our lives. But now, she's getting both of us. I love you."

"I love you too." We stayed for a minute, not wanting the hug to end, until the social worker cleared her throat. "I'll call you when we get there. And every night before bed." Amethyst promised, climbing into the backseat of the car. "Bye!" I watched as the car brought her further and further from me with each passing second.

She never called me that night.

(A/N) "Did you make this chapter two pov because you forgot about the class trip and the home visit?" Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Anyhow this is like mid september-early october.