Different

Chapter Twenty-Five

Another two months had passed, Ruby and Sapphire's relationship developing, and school starting again. It was the month of September, a time that Sapphire absolutely dreaded, but not because of the weather, but because she had to be around them.

Sapphire was meeting up with her family.

"Oh come on, Sapphire. Let me meet them. I've been dying to meet your family." Ruby begged.
"No way. They're awful, and cruel. They're the worst people, and I can't have them hurt anyone as good as you are."
Ruby blinked. She had never heard such concern in Sapphire's voice.
"I bet they won't be as bad as you say they are. I'm meeting them, Sapph."
"Please don't get anywhere near them, Ruby. They're horrible people."
"I can't make any promises."
Sapphire sighed and looked at Ruby, defeat plain in her bang-covered expression.
"Alright, but you can't tell them we're together."
Ruby agreed, and so they went along with their lives.
                                           ~
The next day, Sapphire called Ruby, and Ruby came over to her apartment, dressed in her nicest casual-clothes and ready to meet Sapphire's family. She had to admit that she was extremely nervous, but not because she was meeting her family, but because she wasn't meeting them as Sapphire's girlfriend, but rather as her friend. Nothing more. Any slip up and they would take everything away from Sapphire: no more school funding, no more contact, and no more shelter. That would destroy her life forever. No pressure.
They got into the car and drove to Sapphire's previous house up in the rich area of Empire City. The houses were of the most modern designs, all with perfectly cut grass and trimmed rose bushes. Sapphire's house dwarfed all of the other houses in comparison.
"Remember Ruby, you did this to yourself." Sapphire spoke quietly as she drove into the driveway of what looked like a mansion worthy of being in a movie.
"You lived here?!" Ruby asked in amazement.
Sapphire nodded.
She parked the car in an empty spot that had her initials marked on it. Both girls got out of the car and went into the house that seemed to be much more fit for giants than for humans.
Ruby was too distracted by the size to see Sapphire's family at the front door. She saw a family of four people, all tall and skinny. She saw her two sisters, both with short hair. She saw the father, who seemed to have the same poker face that her girlfriend had. Then she saw something that baffled her. She saw a lady, tall and elegant with long hair and a piercing gaze. She looked very similar to Sapphire, and this struck her as confusing. Was this her mother? No, it couldn't be. Her mother had left.
"Sapphire, darling, we've been waiting for you all day!" The lady spoke in a cheery tone.
Sapphire stood still, not moving a single muscle. She stared at the lady in front of her, then at her sisters, whom were whispering amongst themselves, then at her father, who's face was emotionless and blank. Then she looked back at the lady.
"You.." Sapphire said in an angry manner.
"Is there something wrong, dear?"
"Yes there is."
"Would you like to tell me, Sapphire Blue?"
The way she said the name somewhat stabbed at Sapphire's heart, the feeling showing in the slight change of the shape of her lips; Ruby noticed.
"What are you doing here?"
"What, no formal greeting from my own child? The lady spoke in a sarcastic and harsh tone to Sapphire, as if this was enough to break her. Sapphire glared at her, moving her hair from her bangs so her family could see her eyes. They all gasped softly to see such an action being taken. In all her years, Sapphire had never done something like this around them, at least not in a way meant to smite them. She spoke.
"Hello, mother."