(1) Learn How To Love

The Big Night: Part Three

"Kevin..." you stopped a few feet from him. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were performing," he answered, straightening up and moving towards you. "We need to talk. And I couldn't exactly text you. Blocked me, remember?"

You scoffed; "Talk about what?" You stepped back and looked away.

"Look," Kevin ran his hand through his hair, sighing. "I know... I know I hurt you. And... I'm sorry, okay? I'm so sorry. I was stupid, and I didn't realize how good I had it with you."

"Yeah, no kidding," you replied offhandedly.

The both of you stood in tense silent for a moment.

"I don't have any friends anymore," Kevin broke the silence. You looked up at him.

"What?"

"I... broke it off with everyone I knew. You were right. That life... it wasn't real, none of it was real, but... you were. You were real, we were real," he stepped closer to you.

"Kevin, I can't do this right now," you tried to move past him. You were missing Steven's performance.

"Wait!" Kevin grabbed your wrist and tugged you back towards him. You tried to fight him off but he held you in place.

"Please, I don't want to fight, I just want to talk to you-" he said, struggling.

"Yeah? Well I don't want to talk to you," you broke free and took a good five steps back away from him. "Kevin... I spent so much time trying to get over you. I had to kill off every last bit of love I had for you when we broke up, just to get the pain to stop. I can't just... be with you again, okay? It's not that simple. I just don't love you anymore."

"But..." Kevin stepped towards you, but you took another step back. "You're lying." He shook his head in denial; "No, you're lying. You can't not love me- you're obsessed with me. You- you wrote that song cause you couldn't stop thinking about me!"

"I wrote that song because I'm over you, Kev," you crossed your arms. You knew what you had to say, but you didn't want to hurt him more than you had to. As much as he hurt you, he's come so far. He came to you with a genuine apology after cutting out all toxicity from his life so that he could be with you. But you couldn't change the way you felt.

"Look," you started, "I like someone else, okay? He's helped me through a lot this week. He even helped me write that song."

"What?"

"Kevin, we're DONE. What do I have to do to make you understand that?!"

"I-"

"Everything okay over here?" Steven approached the two of you tentatively.

"Yeah everything's fine, I just-" you explained.

Kevin scoffed; "is this him?"

Steven faltered, "what?"

"Kevin..." you warned.

"This is the guy you're choosing? Over ME?"

Tears pricked at your eyes out of frustration and embarrassment.

"Don't I know you?" Kevin continued. "Wait- oh, this is too much. You're that dumb little kid. One half of Stevonnie."

"What's your problem, man?" Steven put himself between you and Kevin, which seemed to set him off more.

"I don't have a problem," Kevin spat. "But you're about to, kid," he threw a punch at Steven, landing right on his jaw. You gasped, unable to move. Steven stumbled a bit, bringing his hand up to his face.

"Don't do this-" Steven was interrupted by another punch, this time to his gut.

"KEVIN, STOP!" You cried.

Steven pulled out his shield, blocking Kevin's attacks, as he prepared to throw a punch of his own.

"Steven, don't!" You yelled. You wanted Kevin to hurt, but you couldn't risk making the situation even worse than it was.

Steven didn't look at you, but obviously heard you as he dropped his fist and raised his shield. Kevin grunted in frustration, trying to get around the shield, but he gave up and stormed towards you instead. Steven didn't tolerate this for a second. He leapt from his kneeling position and landed beside you- forming a pink bubble around the two of you.

"Steven, I-"

"Get out of here, (Y/N)."

"W-what?"

"When I release the bubble, go find my Dad and wait in the van. I'll find you."

"Steven, no! I'm not leaving!"

"GO!" He yelled, releasing the bubble. He summoned his shield and pushed Kevin away from you. You started to go, but hesitated. You watched as Steven listened to you, and didn't fight back, but Kevin didn't stop. Although Steven had a shield, Kevin managed to get around it a few times. He was so blinded by his rage, but Steven stayed and took every hit.

"Kevin!!" You ran over and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away from Steven, who knelt on the ground with his shield. Kevin tried to muscle away from you while you tugged at his arm, but you were persistent.

Suddenly, you felt a cool sting on your cheek and you were thrown of your balance. You crumpled to the ground and clutched your face in shock. You looked up to see Kevin towering over you- shocked at what he had just done. He softened and regretfully took a step toward you, but Steven stepped in front of you protectively. He was glowing... glowing pink.

With one swift motion, Steven knocked Kevin unconscious and watched him fall to the ground. Steven shuddered and stood still until the pink glow subsided.

"Steven I'm so s-" you were cut off by a huge hug from Steven. The two of you wrapped your arms around each other, both kneeling in the sand, and stayed that way for a moment.

"Are you okay?" He muttered. You pulled away to look at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine-" you stopped and gasped when you saw his face. He had a cut on his eyebrow and lip, and his cheek had bruised. "Are you okay??"

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

"Steven, you're seriously hurt-"

"That doesn't matter right now," he wiped a tear from your face with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry," you couldn't stop a stray tear from falling while you apologized.

Steven said nothing, he only shushed you and held you tighter.

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