You're a Real Gem, Peri

I have no friends and feel I want to die

"No chicken? How do you live?" Amethyst asked me on our way through the school. It was the Monday after our Saturday detention and Amethyst was still questioning why I am vegetarian. Together we strolled up the stairs and turned into our hallway, the one that only the two of us occupied. "Ready for volleyball tryouts today?" She asked from behind me with out turning around and hanging her zipper jacket up. "Yes, you informed me all this weekend how to perform and how they would evaluate us this afternoon. I am set." "Heh" Amethyst said laughing. "Huh? What'd I say?" I asked. "you said you're set! Like the volleyball move!" "Oh yes I suppose I did, hah! Haha!"

~

I stood against the back wall of the gym, ready and anxious for try-outs. My black spandex rose higher up my thighs so I attempted to pull them down, very well knowing they would just rise again with my butt half out. Could I help it that my butt was kind of big? As more girls entered the gymnasium, I realized their attire was different from mine. All the girls wore spandex, like I, but only sports bras. This inclined me to join the crowd as I swiftly pulled off my bright green tanktop, revealing a matching in color sports bra with black and grey lines going across the sides just under my arms. As I got my head out from my shirt, I saw Amethyst stand before me staring at my middle. I looked down at my stomach to make sure there wasn't anything obscure or peculiar there. Amethyst then looked up to my face and said "awwwww." "Pardon me?" I asked. "You're kinda chubby!" "Huh? No, no I'm not!" I protested. "It's cuuuuute!" She replied. "Just because my stomach isn't perfectly flat doesn't make me chubby" I continued. She began to giggle and I looked her up and down. She wore a lavender sports bra with a black nike swoosh and spandex of the reversed colors. Her hair was pulled into a tight pony tail, showing the eye she rarely bared. Even when she wore ponytails she usually she kept her bangs apparent. Her stomach showed, the beautiful color as the rest of her mocha skin. Her waist had a slight pinch to it compared to the extra chub she had on her abs and tummy. Like a creation of the gods them self. I was slightly offended for some reason on her previous comments and felt the urge to make another comment. "At-at least I'm not like you." I argued pointing to her stomach. "My stomach is small compared to yours." Then I realized the words that had spilled from my mouth. Her face went from peppy and gleaming to a absolute death glare. She stared at me for a good minute until: "I gotta call Opal." She said in a monotone voice, her fists balled to her sides, as she walked alway. Then she muttered something along the lines of "Opal's always forgetful, probably forgot we had tryouts. At least she knows her place." Before I joined all the other girls in warming up I hit my forehead against the wall and whispered "idiot. Fucking idiot."

~

The evening had come to an end as I waited on the school's steps for my ride to pick me up. My chin rested in the palms of my hands and my elbows dug into my legs. "Well freshie, your parent should have been here by now. Tryouts were over a half hour ago. I have to be going." said Sardonyx, a senior on the varsity team. "Good luck!" She said as she hopped in her orange Mini Cooper and sped off. I took this as the cue to walk home.

~

Locked, the door was locked so I ran the doorbell. The door slowly creaked open as Lazuli looked down on me for a few seconds and then shut the door on my face. "Lazuli, Lazuli let me in!" I shouted banging my tiny fists on the door. I noticed a few neighbor's lights go on from my commotion. A few seconds later Jasper opened the door welcoming me in. "Thanks Jas." I said for actually once in my life. "Jas? You never use nicknames kid." She said ruffling my hair. "Too tired to us full word." I replied. "sss, you forgot the s in words." Jasper then said completing my last word as she headed off to her room. I walked into the living room where Yatasha Diamond, my mother, sat staring at her phone past her rectangular reading glasses. I slammed my volleyball duffle bag on the ground for her to notice me. She looked up at me. "Thanks for picking me up." I said. She gave a look of surprise as if she had just remembered I existed which was probably true. "Blu?" She shouted "Didn't I tell you to pick up Peridot today?" "Nooooo" my other mother shouted from the office. "Yes, I did." "I don't think so. She's your daughter." Then the two of them got into a heated war and I was on the front. That's when I dashed up stairs. I walked into my room and grabbed a book from my collection and began to read.

~

Chapter 7 I read to myself until I was interrupted by a sudden voice. "You're the problem. You're the reason there's that commotion. That yelling, from our mothers, you caused that." Lapis announced after barging in my room. I took a second to realize they were still shouting down stairs. "That's why they're having a divorce. Because of you, you little twerp. If you weren't here, we'd be a happy family. Hell, I'd practically be a only child because Jasper would still be at college." "A divorce?" I muttered to myself. "Do you even know why she's here? Hm? She had to drop out because mother and mom couldn't afford to pay for her college. Because of you. You cost to much. You're a money pit. Braces, therapy, special food for your vegetarian needs, should I continue?" "Leave Lazuli, you've made your point." I said sniffling back a tear. "And because you exist, Blu thinks Yatasha's cheating on her. You're a biological child unlike Jasper and I. Blu found some text on Yatasha's phone. She's been texting him again. But not because they're together. About you. But mom took it the wrong way. Or maybe she is cheating I don't know-" "shut it lapis!" I interrupted pushing her out of my room with so much force she landed on the ground. "It's not all my fault." I said aloud choking back a tear. Not again.