The Lust That Hides The Love

Thirty-Nine-Working class

Sugilite's Pov

"Alright, come on." Alex looked at me, mid-bite.

"Are you serious? I'd like to eat my burger in peace." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, but how come you just so happened to pick this place, the place I work, for us to get lunch today?" Alex smirked.

"You didn't think that after all the time we've spent hanging out lately I wouldn't have figured out where you work? Besides, Olive said this place has good veggie burgers." I decided not to ask her why she'd gotten a regular burger then, and decided to ask about Olive.

"So what's the deal with you two?"

"Huh?"

"You and Olive. When you talk about her it's like she's some goddess, not that you ever talk about her, but when we see her in person it's like she's the scum of the Earth." Alex smiled and shook her head.

"It's complicated. I couldn't possibly expect you to understand." I nodded and looked out the window. I knew how stuff could get sometimes. God, if I had a dollar for every time I had to use some sort of excuse like that for my dad, I could quit working at this restaurant. 

Opal had only been to my house a few times and had only spent the night once, when we were ten. We barely made it until morning. We had to barricade ourselves in Amethyst's room. The only thing I remember from the night was crying because I'd worked so hard to have Opal stay overnight and he ruined it by getting drunk anyways. At one point, he hit the door so hard Amethyst's lamp fell over. The room barely lit and Amethyst asleep in a ball on her bed, I confessed to Opal how she and Amethyst were the only people  I ever thought I'd love. Then Opal asked me about my mother.

"Sugilite?"

"Huh?" I looked back at Alex, who watched me questioningly.

"Do you want to get a to-go box?" I looked over and noticed my coworker looking very annoyed beside the table.

"No it's fine I'll finish it." She walked away and grumbled something about me eating at the restaurant on my day off.

"Are you okay? You looked really distracted for a second there." I shook my head.

"It's fine. I was just thinking about something that happened with me and Opal a few years back." Alex smiled, then blushed a bit.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I nodded. "In ninth grade, I had a crush on Opal for a bit." I snickered.

"You serious?" She nodded, too busy giggling to speak. "Damn." Alex finally recovered from her giggles for a minute.

"Do you remember how her hair used to get caught in her braces when she moved her head to fast?" Suddenly we were both giggling uncontrollably.

"That's not the worst! Once I spent the night at her house, and my hair got caught in her braces!" By now a few people were giving us weird looks, so I got the to-go box for my burger and we left.

"We have to do that again," Alex said as we got back in my car.

"Yeah..." I said, till calming down fo laughter. "Hey, Alex?" I asked, curious. "What ever made you stop crushing on Opal?" Alex shrugged, looking at her pants.

"I went to Baltimore."

"You went to Baltimore," I repeated, nodding. Suddenly, I realized something. "Oh my god."

"What? What is it?" Alex asked, sitting up.

"Alex, you're nineteen!" I said, looking at her.

"Yeah, so are you." She said, sounding equally as panicked as I was.

"Alex," I struggled for words for a second. "You aged out of the system," I said quietly." Alex nodded.

"Yeah." She replied quietly. I inhaled sharply.

"I don't know what to say."

"It's... fine, Sugilite. You don't have to." I shook my head.

"I just... you never got to grow up in a real home." Alex sat up quickly, offended. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, just... maybe try to think before you talk? ANd I did grow up in real homes. The people there? They made it real. Not whether or not I called someone Mom and Dad." I nodded.

"Do you think Amethyst will be okay?" I asked quietly.

"I know she will. She's strong." I smiled.

"Thanks."

Opal asked me if I thought I'd ever love my mother. I cried and told her I couldn't remember.