The Lust That Hides The Love

Thirty-Seven-Operator

Peridot's Pov

"Hello?" I greeted, balancing my cellphone between my head and my shoulder.

"Yo, Peridactyl! What's up?"

"Hey, Amethyst." I grinned, taking the phone into my hand. "How are you?"

"Not too bad P-man. You?"

"I've been great! I can't wait to see you for Pearl's birthday next week!" The line was silent for a moment.

"P... I'm not coming home for Pearlie's birthday."

"W-what?" I sat down on my bed.

"Peridizzle, it's like a four-hour drive, and until I have a car and can drive, nobody's willing to take me."

"B-but Sugilite-"

"Dude. Sugi's a couple hours from me as it is. SHe'd have to drive all the way to come get me, then bring me up there, then drive me all the way back before she could get home. It just doesn't make sense for me to come home." I started to sniffle a bit. "Dude?" I shook my head and wiped my nose on my sweatshirt sleeve. 

"D-don't worry. I'm fine."

"You don't sound it." I sighed.

"I'm not. The truth is, I miss you." Amethyst gasped on the other end of the line.

"Oh my god, the great Peridot Diamond has feelings?" I chuckled sarcastically.

"Wow, thanks." Amethyst laughed, then abruptly stopped.

"Hold on a minute." I heard the sound of the phone being set down on a table, and the sounds of yelling in the room for a minute or two. Just when I was about to hang up, I heard Amethyst pick the phone back up. "Fine then!" She yelled. There was the slam of a door, then she sighed. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, dude. What's wrong?" I blinked.

"What's wrong with me? What just happened?" Amethyst sighed again.

"It's nothing. Just... we're on the front steps now!" She tried to chuckle light-heartedly.

"Amethyst, I'm serious. Are you okay?" She was quiet.

"I'm fine." She said solemnly. I shook my head.

"I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid something bad's going to happen to you out there."

"Weren't you worried when I was living with my dad?" I nodded, then remembered that she couldn't see me.

"Of course I was."

"Then why is this any different?"

"Because you had Sugilite. And most importantly, you had us. I may not be the best at expressing feelings or maintaining friendships, but I've learned a lot over the past year or so. And you and Pearl... you guys really helped me." I started crying again and my voice cracked. "The three of us were drastically different, and none of us had friends. We were underlings, those cast aside by society. We were weak. But together? We were unstoppable! I don't care what anyone says, but we were a family. When you and Sugilite were living at the Baroque household, I never told my mother because I knew how important staying there was to you, but more importantly, I knew how important it was that we retained our friendship.  If it weren't for you and Pearl, there are so many things I'd never have been able to do! You're my best friend Amethyst, I want to be there for you." Amethyst was silent for a moment, then I heard her sniffle.

"My mom's mad because she doesn't think I'm pulling my weight around here enough."

"What does that mean?" I asked. Amethyst sighed. One of the kids, Jason? He doesn't live here anymore. He lives with his mom now." I nodded.

"How many people are you taking care of now?"

"Mom and Eric only really take care of Bryan and Beatriz, but sometimes they don't even pay as much attention to Beatriz because she's almost three. Nikki and I have to take care of Izzie, Isaiah, and Sammy."

"And how's that?" Amethyst exhaled.

"It's certainly an experience." She said, quoting a line Pearl used often. "I mean, it's not like any of them are bad. Izzie's just wild. There's no stopping her. She's like a wild animal and nothing seems to faze her. Sammy's kinda quiet, especially now that Jason's gone. Jason was such a sweet kid. And Isaiah? He's ten, and he's kinda cocky. He likes to pull this 'man of the house' thing because I guess Mom used to call him her hero when she was pissed at whichever guy she was dating. But last time he did it, Eric hit him and now he's kinda quiet too. It's been a week or two. He's got a bruise." I listened to every word.

"Wow. Haven't you told anybody? Someone at the school, CPS?" I asked.

"The school won't do anything. Nikki says they try not to get involved. And I can't tell CPS. I have nowhere left to go." I shook my head.

"But you do have somewhere to go. You can come back here! Pearl needs you. I need you."

"I can't, Peridot. And you know it. I'm sorry." She paused for a moment. "And tell Pearl I'm sorry too." 

"It's getting worse." I whispered.

"I know."

"She needs us." Amethyst sighed again.

"I know."

(A/N) Hey babes! It's been a while since I've done an author's note!

I just wanted to say thank you for reading this. I've written several sequels before and like them, this book gets nowhere near as much attention as the first one. I'm surprised by this because I personally find this book to be my best work. But thank you loyal and faithful readers. You guys are the real stars above all the rest.

Random fact of the day: The kids in Amethyst's mother's apartment were originally supposed to be the Famethyst, and her mother was supposed to have remarried a rich man, thus making Amethyst feel ashamed of her humble beginnings. But, I decided to rather draw inspiration from people I know in real life, which leaves us with these loveable kiddos:

Nikki-13

Isaiah-10

Sammy-9

Izzie-6

Beatriz-2

Bryan-0

Plus Jason, aged 7, if you wanna count him.