Camp Pining Hearts

Chapter 14

Peridot didn't think twice before launching out of her own seat. She did, however, get tripped up while trying to vault over the bench, and the door of the Temple had already slammed shut once more before she managed to clear it.

The room was still full of applause, so this went unnoticed by most. One of the few who did notice was Amethyst.

"Whoa, Peri, where're you going?" she asked around a mouthful of food.

Peridot didn't bother answering. She just ran, praying that the noise of a hundred cheers wouldn't die down before she could make her escape. She flung the door wide, and almost fell down the steps as she flew forward.

Then she stopped short. The sprint that she'd been anticipating wasn't necessary, as she found Jasper just twenty feet in front of her, pacing back and forth before the unlit fire pit. Instead, Peridot approached her the way she would approach a great beast—baby step by baby step.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

"Jasper," she said slowly, softly, drawing out the syllables in as gentle a manner as she could considering her quavering voice.

Jasper either didn't hear her, or didn't care. She continued her hypnotizing march, her head pointed at the ground in such a way that her hair completely concealed her face.

Peridot gulped. "Jasper," she said again, more firmly this time. Again, Jasper made no indication that she had any idea Peridot was even there. This, for some inexplicable reason, only served to annoy Peridot, who narrowed her eyes and took a deliberate step closer. "Jasper. We need to talk."

The minimal amount of courage that Peridot had built up disappeared just as soon as Jasper whipped around to face her.

For a moment, Peridot mused that she'd never actually ever been afraid of her best friend. She'd always been aware Jasper's raw power, her short fuse. And, of course, Peridot had never intentionally tried to test these things. But never before had she actually feared Jasper. Until, that is, she suddenly found Jasper towering above her, teeth bared and eyes wild. With the glow from the half-moon cast on Jasper's face from above, she looked downright menacing.

Jasper's voice rumbled in a low growl—like a lion stalking her pray. "Just tell me."

Peridot's knees knocked together as she gulped again. She opened her mouth to say something, anything. Nothing came out, not even a squeak.

In a movement so abrupt that Peridot flinched, Jasper picked up one of the larger rocks that lined the fire pit. Then, using both arms, she hurled it away from her. Not at Peridot, though. Rather, it looked as if she was aiming for Pink Cabin. It fell short, hitting the ground with such force that it split in two. Then Jasper swung around to face Peridot once more, yelling, "For fuck's sake! Tell me!"

Frozen where she stood, it was all Peridot could do to snap her jaw shut. She shook her head the tiniest amount, and croaked out, "I—I can't."

Jasper turned her back to Peridot, but not before Peridot caught her face transform into one of utmost disgust. Her lip snarled as if she'd just smelled something rotten.

Peridot's mind was blank. Completely blank. Thinking at all was an impossible task. It was like she was having an outer body experience—looking down at the scene from above. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening.

Like her mouth was moving on its own accord, Peridot heard herself stutter, "I didn't—Didn't mean—" Bile was rising up her throat, stinging it. It was the only sense on which Peridot could clearly focus. She swallowed. "It—it was an accident."