stevens pov
"so what can it do?" i curiously asked
"umm" she reddened "it can store things, except i'm not that good at getting them back out" i could sense her embarrassment
"my friends can help with that"
"are they hybrids too?"
"no, they're just gems"
she seemed surprised
"really?"
"yeah?" i confirmed "anyways what else can you do? what weapon do you take?"
soda got to her feet and took a stance, as if she were about to fight for her life.
her gem glowed a radiant blue and what looked like a silhouette of water sharply took its form as an axe.
the weapon fell into her palm where she tossed it between each hand.
impressive. i thought
"what's yours?"
"it's not really a weapon" i stand just as she did, holding my arm up before briskly swiping down, summoning my sheild out of nowhere.
"i can also float and i've got super strength, but by far my favourites the ability to heal gems and organics"
it seemed like a bit of a flex but i was just proud.
"like you did for lars?"
i affirm
"well" she began "my favourites probably..."
i felt on edge, waiting for soda to come to a conclusion, i enjoyed being introduced to new powers
"walking on water"
"no way!"
"its not that great, i can't control it too well and i never really practice"
your pov
"you should show me!" he insists
"what like.. right now?"
"yeah sure, it's not raining"
eventually i gave in and we stepped outside onto the porch.
the night was calm, you could see the occasional wave breaking in the distance but they were far too small to cause a nuisance.
"so what gem are you?"
he lead me down the old wooden stairs onto the sand
"i told you, i'm a diamond"
"a diamond?"
that would explain the shape of his pupil.
i followed steven as he made his way across the soft, grainy sand before slowly taking a step into the water, getting knee deep before turning around to face me.
"come in" i get a soft smile
slowly i inch closer to the crystal blue water, my bare feet hits the substance and i'm stunned by how warm it is
"woww" i whisper underneath my breath,
watching my feet glide on the calm water as if it's rock-hard concrete.
"soda! that's so cool!"
i don't even realise how far i made it without getting soaked
i looked down, beyond my feet to a passing school of fish, swimming freely beneath me.
it was unlike anything i've ever seen before, instead of seeing a bundle of identical fish, they were each different, possessing their own distinctive and colourful traits.
my train of thought vanished as my eyes draw my mind to the scenery.
it was gorgeous. in the distance were the occasional light being flicked off, indicating a strangers approaching bedtime.
the calm breeze indulged my exposed skin. it felt freeing, yet relaxing all at the same time.
i smiled before being dunked into the water, the imaginary concrete collapsing from right underneath me.
"soda!" i manage to hear through the dense H2O.
shortly i emerged, somehow laughing
"are you okay?!" steven helps me to my feet, the water was pretty shallow, hardly passing my waist
"i'm fine" i giggle as he lets me stand solo
the water felt calm and welcoming
"you did so well" steven praised
"not really.. i could've gone further"
"well it was still impressive to me"
i couldn't help but grin, hair stuck to my smiling cheeks and clothes completely drenched.
"sorry about your hoodie"
"it's fine i have plenty more"
we playfully splashed around in the water before deciding to head back.
the water seemed much warmer compared to the now frosty air, urging me to return.
"i guess you're gonna have to shower again"
he holds the front door open for me
"you can go first if you want"
but steven assures me he can wait
i grab one of his shirts and have another hot shower, once again running the plastic comb through my sandy hair, but not bothering about my already clean teeth.
much like before, a cloud of steam follows me out of the bathroom before dissolving into the air.
i slump down on the sofa whilst steven had his shower, my phone had gone flat so i was just sitting on the couch, my head flooded with waves of thoughts.
tomorrow i'll leave and catch the earliest bus to empire city, at around 4:00am i'll sneak out.
steven was really great but i couldn't bare to let this place and these people grow on me.
it's been years since i've had a close friend, and it always ended up with me being backstabbed.
the door creeks open and steven walks out wearing some old baggy clothes
he sat besides me and snuggled under the cozy blankets
"how come you don't get called diamond?"
"what do you mean?"
"all the other gems do, but you're just steven"
"my middle names quartz"
i paused, giving him a confused look
"oh.. that doesn't really make any sense now"
"quartz?"
"it's a long story.."
"you should tell me sometime"
he smiled
"is sodapop your real name?"
"it's just a nickname"
"what's your actual name then"
"uhhh"
"you don't know your own name?"
"i forgot, it's always been soda.. but by now i guess it's just as good as the real thing"
"so where are you from?" the topic shifts
"westbay, it's pretty small"
"didn't that place get abandoned?"
i glance at him
"what?"
"that place got abandoned recently, i still don't know why" he explained
i never liked westbay. it felt small and suffocating, but still, i felt a sense of loss from a place deep within
"oh.."
"cheer up" he nudged me with his elbow "beach city can be your new home"
i smile, but i don't think i could ever imagine myself calling this place home.
"do you know much about your mother?"
"nope.."
"have you ever seen what she looks like, video.. photo?"
i shake my head, trying to hint that i wasn't comfortable talking about this
"that's tough.."
"save the pity, i'm fine"
we share some small talk before subsequently drifting to sleep
i woke up from the moonlight shining surprisingly brightly through the dirty windows
steven was still fast asleep, i didn't even remember him sleeping so close to me, i guess he was too tired to go to his own bed.
i smiled down at him, i'd stay here for as long as possible if i didn't have a bus to catch.
i snuck up the stairs and into his room, where i found a charger that luckily fit my phone.
i swiped a chunk money from his beside table and snatched a few clothes.
carefully, i snuck down the stairs, and slowly, pushed the old wooden door open
creeeek.
i hault, praying he didn't hear
...
"soda?"
i turned around, steven was sitting upright, rubbing his tired eyes
"steven.. good morning"
"where are you off to?"
he blinks a few times, letting his sight adjust.
"a walk..." i lie, terribly
"at 4am?" he points to the wall mounted clock.
the sky was still dark, exposing my deception.
i watch him grow suspicious, shifting his focus to the things tucked behind my back
"what's in your hand"
i hold up my free hand, playing dumb
"the other one." steven catches on
i can almost sense his impatience.
i switch the objects into my empty hand. thinking it was a sly move, i raise my now free palm for steven to see.
he sighs disappointedly before standing up.
at this moment i feel a certain emotion course through my veins
steven was rather laid back, except sometimes he felt threatening without seemingly trying.
i gulped as he approached, eventually standing right in front of me, looking down with his piercing pink eyes
"let's try this again, what's behind your back"
i didn't know what to do, so i froze.. looking down at the dusty planks of wood.
"look at me when i'm talking to you"
he grabbed my chin, making me look up into his gaze.
steven wrapped his other hand around my wrist, pulling it, along with the miscellaneous items into sight
"my charger.. 400 bucks.." he looked past me, at the floor to see the clothing i had dropped
"and my clothes."
fear struck, i didn't know what he was going to do to me
"where were you going..?"
"for a walk"
"where were you going." he repeated himself
"the bus stop" i gulp my feeling down
"why."
...
"just get off of me!" i struggle free, trying my best to avoid the question.
i could see the fury build up in steven as he snatched the loot from my grip, already closing in on me
i was on the ground, crawling backwards until eventually hitting a wall
i shielded my face from the things i expected to happen
despite having my eyes blocked, i knew steven had crouched down infront of me
"do you think i'd hurt you?"
cautiously, i lower my arms without answering
he softly places his hand on my cheek
"why would i do that?"
i shot him a frightened look as he counted the money, dividing it and tossing half towards me.
the paper slowly drifted to the ground, surrounding me as he walked out the door.
i don't know where he was went but i was just glad it was over.
once steven was out of sight, i began breathing heavily, scared and shocked.. what just happened?
