Easy To Love | LapiDot (Human AU)

III

Peridot's POV

I rush out of the double doors leading from the commons to the schoolyard. Looking around frantically, I eventually spot exactly who I'm looking for, standing across the courtyard smoking another cigarette. I hesitantly make my way over to her, fidgeting my hands. She looks up at me, taking her cigarette between her index and middle finger and ashing it onto the ground.
"You really shouldn't do that y'know..." I mutter, half expecting her not to hear me. Though I'm assuming she did, because she glares at me as she takes another drag.
I sigh, "Lapis, are you okay...? I saw what happened-"
"I'm fine," she interrupted. Clearly not the case, judging by the red spot on her cheek. I look down at my feet, still fidgeting my hands around nervously.
"Well, I guess I'll go then..." If she doesn't want me here, I don't want to be a bother.
"'Ight," she doesn't protest, which slightly disappoints me, but I don't say anything. I make my way back into the commons and over to Amethyst with a saddened look on my face.

~

"Umph," I grunted as I flopped onto my bed. I haven't been able to focus at all today. No matter how hard I'd try, images of what happened flashed through my mind constantly. Images of that brute of a girl targeting a scared and angry Lapis, while I watch unable to help. Images of the mark left on her face. Images of the fact that nobody around had cared to intervene, or even acknowledge the incident unfolding. I hated it. And I hated the way it made me feel. I need to talk to her and make sure she's okay, but I know she wouldn't tell me anything even if I tried. Regardless, I at least need to try. Getting an idea, I huff and push myself up, sitting on the bed and grabbing my phone.

Me: hey do you happen to have Lapis' phone number?

Steven: yeah, what for??

Me: something happened earlier today and i want to make sure she's okay

Steven: oh :(
xxx-xxx-xxxx

Me: thanks bud

Steven: no problem :))

Hesitantly, I add the given phone number to my contacts and select the message option. I sit for a good ten minutes pondering what I should say.
Is this creepy...? No, I'm making sure she's okay. But I got her number without her knowing...maybe it's a little creepy...? Fuck, I don't know.
Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I swallow my anxieties and settle on something simple.

Me: hi, it's Peridot. just wanted to make sure you're doing alright

Christ, why am I shaking? I'm doing something good. I shut off the phone and set it away from myself, replacing it with an XBox controller and powering up my console.

~

It's been hours, and still no response. It might be stupid, but my worry is starting to grow once more. I glance over at the time, 10:34pm.
Agh, she's probably just sleeping.
I shake my head and set my focus back to the ensuing car chase happening in my game.

Third Person POV

And Peridot wasn't exactly mistaken. Lapis Lazuli had been asleep in her own bedroom since around 4pm. Though at this point, she was slowly regaining consciousness, much to her dismay. Now fully awake, the bluenette rolled over onto her back and let out a deep sigh. She gave a look to the digital clock on her bedside table, before removing herself from the bed and groggily making her way towards her closet. Her mother was fast asleep, while her father was absent per usual. Shuffling through the hung clothes on the closet rack, she soon finds the old hoodie she was looking for. Digging around the pocket of said hoodie, she retrieves a few small bottles of the Fireball whiskey she had so cleverly stored there. Opening the first of the plastic bottles and downing it in a swig, she tosses it in a nearby trashcan before setting herself back onto the bed and grabbing a notebook and pen. Flipping through the many drawings contained in the worn book, she lands on a fresh page and reaches over to her nightstand grabbing her phone and pair of headphones.
It's then that the girl in question notices a text message from an unknown number. She opens it to reveal something that didn't truly surprise her.

?: hi, it's Peridot. just wanted to make sure you're doing alright

A slight smile graces Lapis' face, not for long of course as she realizes and returns to her typical empty stare. Ignoring the topic at hand, she sends back a response,

Lapis: how did you get my number?

She flicks away the messenger application and opens her Spotify, plugging in her headphones and turning up the volume quite loudly. The first song to play is WingRiddenAngel by XXXTENTACION. She lets herself drown into the music as she allows her hand to guide the pen across the fresh page of her notebook.

"Hush little angel, don't say a word
Bottle fulla pills, passed out on the curb
Sun brings heat, and it just won't snow
Noose like a necklace on my neck, won't go
I was too disloyal 'cause I won't understand
Blade for your cries, count a penny for my sins
Water flies off and the lake won't stream
Wrist down the river, not across, wanna bleed"

Lapis downs the next of the bottles sprawled out on the bed next to her.

"Grow your wings, fly away, fly away, fly away
You don't wanna stay, wanna stay, wanna stay
Grow your wings, fly away, fly away, fly away
You don't wanna stay, wanna stay, wanna stay
Wake up to your face
I'm straightforward, fuck a pace
What I wanted just so happened to be you
Couldn't picture being a moment in your shoes
When I think back to the kidney failures,
Broken promise, I failed
I won't deny it, I hailed the ground you walk on
Heart stops, you walk away
You're good today, you're gone tomorrow
I carry my heart on my face,
I'm so depressed
What good is sex?
I pray that you would love me less
And now it's here, hand on my chest"

And then the third.

"Grow your wings, fly away, fly away, fly away
You don't wanna stay, wanna stay, wanna stay
Grow your wings, fly away, fly away, fly away
You don't wanna stay, wanna stay, wanna stay"

Lapis picks up her phone once more as she feels a slight vibration from its direction, revealing another message.

Peridot: i got it from Steven. how are you doing?

Neglecting again to answer the question truthfully, she types out a simple response.

Lapis: i'm fine

Those two words. While they were hardly ever close to the truth, she found herself uttering them quite often. She drifts back into her music, setting her phone back down as Slow Dancing In The Dark by Joji plays loudly through her headphones.

1172 words.