Connie's POV
I still have no idea what just happened. I can't see a monster anywhere, but you never know. Steven just said he just fell out of bed, which is a relief. Remembering the story Steven told me about Amythest's gem cracking, I ask if Steven's gem was okay, just to be safe. He seems pretty annoyed with me for asking that, so I stop talking. To try and change the subject I ask if he wants to go swimming since I had brought my bathing suit with me. "Sure, just wait for me outside. I have to find my bathing suit" was his reply. I do as he said and head out by the water to wait for him. Then I pull out a book and start to read, and my thoughts begin to disconnect from reality.
Steven's POV
I find my bathing suit pretty quickly, to my surprise. But I can't stop thinking about what happened. Not necessarily about Connie, but about me. Why was I so... not okay with what she said? She's Connie, of course she's going to worry about me. I decide to stop thinking about it and have some fun. I run outside to find Connie reading. She looks up at me kind of startled at first before she smiles and runs into the ocean, calling me to follow her. I jump in and swim to Connie and am greeted by a splash in the face. I splash her back. It's not long before we're in a full on splash war. I jokingly use my bubble to protect myself. "Hey, no fair!" says Connie, giggling. I smile and try to pop the bubble, but it won't budge. "Come on, fight me like a real man!" Connie says, still giggling. "I... can't" I say, kind of embarrassed. My embarrassment quickly turns to fear. "Why can't I get out!" I say in a slight panic. "Don't worry! I'll get you out!" says Connie, her voice sounding a little shaky. I roll myself onto dry land and she begins to punch and kick the bubble with all her might, trying to free me. Suddenly, as Connie is winding up for a punch, my bubble pops and I end up with a black eye. "Steven!!! Are you ok?! I'm so... I don't even know how... I'm.. really sorry!" Connie stutters. "No I'm fine." I say as I pat my eye with my hand, just to be sure. Why did it pop then, of all times? I thought to myself. I look up and notice that Connie is gone. About three seconds later she returns with an ice pack. I hold it up to my eye to try and soothe the pain. "I'm so sorry!" Connie says again. "If there's anything else I can do-" "No, I'm ok, really" I interrupt. It made me feel a little better to know that Connie cared about the real me, and not just my gem.
Connie's POV
I feel really bad about punching Steven in the face. He keeps insisting that he's ok, but I don't know. He seemed kind of upset with me earlier today, and I think that I just made it worse. It's a miracle he hangs out with me as it is. And now I just punched him in the face, after I made him angry. If there's one thing in this world that I can't live without it would be Steven. To see him upset or angry, especially with me, breaks my heart. My thoughts are interrupted by the loud popping of the popcorn Steven put in the microwave. "It's done!" Steven says proudly as he pours it in a bowl. "Want some?" Steven mumbles with a mouthful of popcorn in his mouth. "It's extra buttery!" "Sure!" I respond while I skip over to the couch and sit next to Steven. It makes me feel better to see Steven acting more like himself. That doesn't stop my curiosity, though. Why wouldn't his bubble pop? That's not like Steven, to not be able to control something like that. Being tired from swimming (and kicking Steven's bubble like a madman), I find myself slowly drifting off to sleep.
