The Stars And All The Rest

Eighteen- Mermaid

Lapis's pov, obviously

I submerged completely in the cold water, letting it consume me. As I sank to the bottom, I was free, I could never be upset when I was swimming.

"Lapis!" Mentally, I sighed and swam up to the top.

"Yes, Jasper?" I asked, leaning my arms on the edge.

"Mom wants to talk to you. She's in her office." Jasper walked back upstairs and I sighed.

I pulled myself out of the pool, quickly drying myself off. Once I was completely dry-minus my hair- I half walked half ran up the stairs and down the hall.

Taking a deep breath once I stopped in front of her office door, I knocked twice.

"Get in, Lapis." I opened the door slightly and stepped in.

"Yes?" I asked quietly.

"I just got off the phone with Yellow," she started. My breath hitched.

"What did she say?" I asked nervously.

"She wants you to try out for the swim team. If you make tryouts, you'd have to quit the cheer squad, and the sport would be all year, but-"

"Oh, thank you!" I cried out, completely cutting her off. I threw my arms around her neck, surprising her.

"Um... you're welcome." She said, patting my back. After a moment, I stepped away.

"May I return to the pool?" I asked, stepping back towards the door.

"Not yet, Lapis." I paused.

"Okay." I stepped back towards her. "Why not?"

"It's about your little sibling." She said. I nodded. "You've been wondering why I never told you?"

I nodded. She sighed.

"When your father died, you were only five. You were seven years old when I met  Tigers Eye."

I nodded. They had been just friends for a few years, much to my displeasure, and got married soon after Jasper's mother had gone missing. Too soon. I was eleven.

"This family has never been whole. Somehow, you and Jasper have never been close." Yeah, somehow.

"I understand why you wanted to have a child. But why didn't you tell me?" She sighed.

"I wanted to wait because I was afraid of how you would react. I decided that if I told others first, you'd have no heart to tell me I was wrong." I stood silent for a moment.

"You really think I'd tell you to abort it?" I asked under my breath. Mother wouldn't look at me.

"I can't believe you think I would say that. I think this was a great idea. I guess that shows how much you actually believe in your own daughter." I stormed out of the room, leaving her speechless.

Pearl pov

By that evening, I was convinced that Opal was lying to me about something.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, timidly standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

Opal's room was around the same size as mine. The walls were a pale pink color and her bedspread was blue, making it a calming space.

"Nothing is wrong, Pearl." Opal bitterly replied, sitting on her bed digging through a box.

"What's in that box?" I asked.

"Shoes." She replied, holding up a sandal as proof. "I'm looking for a comfortable pair that looks cute." She continued to dig.

"Is it for the party?" I interrogated, stepping in.

"Yeah." She replied as if I had asked her if she'd been watching television recently.

Okay, so maybe my analogies aren't the best.

"May I help?" I requested. Opal nodded. I walked over to the box, searching through with her. "What about these?" I asked after a moment, holding up a pair of teal flats.

"Ooh, thanks!" Opal grinned, grabbing them from me and sliding the box back into her closet.

"Now will you tell me what's wrong? You seem to be really stressed around Rainbow." I said. Opal turned to me.

I'm fine, okay? You need to stop worrying about me and worry about yourself for once!" She yelled.

"Did she... do something to you?" I asked under my breath. Opal's eyes went wide for a brief millisecond, and then surprise turned to rage.

"Get out of my room." I stayed, paralyzed. "I said get out!" She yelled. I ran across the hall, slamming my bedroom door shut.

Thinking quickly, I grabbed my phone, weighing my options.

Rose had always been my true confidante, and I hers, but now that she had Greg...

Which left Peridot. I unlocked my phone and dialed her number.

"This is Peridot. Speak." I chuckled lightly at her greeting.

"It's Pearl," I said.

"Baroque? What could possibly be important enough that you need to call me at eight o'clock at night?" Peridot asked, her monotone voice sounding slightly surprised.

"Well, you see..." I told Peridot the entire story, starting with Opal coming home early ending with tonight.

"Wow. This is... interesting. Would you mind attending my home after school tomorrow? I'd like to hook you up to a polygraph to run some tests."

"I can't, I have to prove to Marty I can sing." I apologized.

"Then afterward?" Peridot asked.

"Sure. And why do you even have a polygraph?" I waited for a minute, only static answering me.

"In case my sister steals something from me."