You're a Real Gem, Peri

Sitting On The Outside

Baths are my most life questioning time. You sit in a pool of water and you feel as though you can float, and your thoughts sink into the water and surround you. You pick one and think about it. Question it. But that thought flows into another one in the water. And you've basically rethought your life in there. Because one thought leads to another. Well, uh can anyone relate? Because this is me.

After that bath I went to bed, after making myself dinner. The next day proceeded as normal. I occasionally asked random people or Amethyst for directions to my next class. But I believe I now know where each one is. Last hour I have physical education, or as some call: gym. Amethyst is in this period with me. Physical activities always get the best of me. I always manage to pass p.e. because of my participation, but now, now this is high school. They'll judge you different for sure, compared to middle school and stuff. Perhaps I find it a challenge because of my strength. You see, my arms are skinny sticks. My hands: the size of an infants. Obviously not literally, but when using both hands, I'm unable to grasp a football all the way around. I can barely hold it with one hand, it brings pain to my hand slightly because of how much I stretch them. So you see what my struggle is. At least my legs aren't the same as my arms, my thighs are probably 1/3 of my body weight. I guess that's what you get when you also have near big hips for the rest of your scrawny body.

Ok well anyway, in a nutshell: gym is tough. And like most schools, we wear those terrible gym outfits. Ours are spandex shorts and baggy t-shirts. I'd much rather wear the 'guys' gym uniforms: the basketball shorts. I'm aware, when I'm at my household, all I wear are shorts. But around all these people I hate, looking like a nerd trying do these sports, I think I'll pass on those shorts. But we have no choice. They also have us change in locker rooms, and we can take showers afterwards if we please. I don't. Avoid awkward situations at all cost. It's already pretty hard for me to do that though.

After taking the bus home, with no Amethyst, my routine is the same. Listen to music, await Lazuli's arrival, leave to upstairs, do homework, with breaks for drawing, shower/bathe, dinner, sleep. Boring life. And, may I note, never talk to either of my mothers. Also, they don't seem to talk to each other anymore. It frightens me. Yatasha only speaks in a monotone, annoyed voice. Where my other mother, Blu, rarely talks.

Next day before school, I woke up, did the usual. And got dressed. White sweatshirt with green alien heads scattered around it, tucked into light light blue highwaisted shorts. Lazuli and I waited in silence for the bus to arrive on our front porch steps, as I strapped up my white jellies. The bus pulled up and I pushed my self up and watched Amethyst board the bus as I neared it. I stumbled my way to the rear of the bus and sat down, across from Amethyst. I took out my pone and unlocked it. "Hey!" Amethyst said facing me. I glanced at her, glanced at my phone, and looked back at her and responded: "hello." She shifted her legs to swing over the side of the bus seat, indicating she wanted to speak further. So I mirrored her. "hey, uh so um" she spoke. "Could you maybe help me with my biology homework after school some or, I don't know, all days?" She asked. "I suppose." Was my response. "At what time?" "Uh well, I got volleyball after school on Mondays and Wednesdays till 4:30, and Basketball on Tuesdays and Thursdays till 4:00.... So I guess anytime after 4:45ish is fine." She told me. "I believe that is an appropriate time for my schedule as well" I responded, very well knowing my life was boring and I did nothing but homework when I got home.

At lunch, I had become accustom to bringing a sketch book and sitting at the far end of a table by myself. Some students were kind enough to ask to sit by me, but if they did, when they found out I didn't want to converse, they got up, and walked away. So lunch was like a second art class.

My locker is pretty close to the gymnasium so I usually get there early. Amethyst should be there early too, since our lockers are close, but she must spend more time talking in the halls. I walked out of one of the stalls in the locker room, right as Amethyst walked in. We were the only two in there, considering it was still 10 minutes before we were supposed to be in the gym. I adjusted my glasses as I glanced at Amethyst. She flashed me a smile as she opened her gym locker. I bent over, and let my hair fall into he front of my face as I pulled it up into a bun. As my face looked back at myself in the mirror, I not only noticed that I should get my roots bleached again, but Amethyst stood behind me changing into her gym uniform. "A-Amethyst!" I said turning around to her while shielding my eyes. "Huh? What?" She asked. "Are you aware that this locker room has STALLS?!" Was my question in return. "Haha yea" Amethyst told me. "Then why don't you use them.....?" I said while slightly peeking through the cracks between my fingers. "Haha it's alright Dot." She said taking my hands and pulling them away from my face. She stood in from of me wearing her purple sports bra and jeans that were barely together from their rips. She stepped away from me and started to unbutton her pants. I sat down on a bench facing her, but with my head down. "You don't mind having your body open for those to see?" I questioned. "Ha, well it's not like I'm stripped down naked!" Amethyst said. "Oh..." "I've learned to love my body enough that I feel free enough to do this" she spoke with her arms spread apart. I looked up. All she wore was her bra and underwear. I shunned my eyes before I could note her appearance. She giggled at my response.

"You're safe now Dot" she said as she finished pulling her shirt down. Other girls flooded the locker room. Amethyst and I walked out to the gym wearing our matching gym uniforms aside from the sharpie written names on them. I tried to pull down my spandex shorts to cover my thighs that spilled out of them. Amethyst then gave me a pat on the back as she jogged past me to other people in the gym. I held one of my arms as I walked in, with my anxiety taking over me.