Steven's POV
I slowly open my eyes and notice I'm on the ground. Must've passed out. I think to myself. What happened? Where am I? Where is.. "CONNIE!" I yell. I remember talking on the phone with her before I passed out. I quickly stand up to be greeted by a wave of lightheadedness and.. Connie? She is just standing there with her hand over her mouth.. sobbing. "C-Connie! W-what are you doing here? I was just on the phone with-" Connie interrupts me with a hug. "Are you okay?" she asks. She wipes some of the tears from her face and does her best to smile at me. "Let's get you to a hospital" says Connie as she hands me a bottle of water. "Thank you" is all I can say. She's always there for me, no matter what. Wish she could say the same about me. I can't even protect myself; she has to come and rescue me. I don't even deserve her as a friend, much less as.. more. I can't help but blush at my own thoughts as we approach Mrs. Maheswaran's car. "Wait Connie, I can't, I.. don't want to ruin your car" I say. Mrs. Maheswaran overhears me and tells me to grab a towel from the seat pocket on the back of her seat to sit on. I climb into the car feeling even more distraught than when I got myself into this mess.
Connie's POV
"Steven, was all this from the water temple thing? And where's Lion?" I ask. No response. No one says anything until Steven breaks the silence a few seconds later. "Ya it was from there. "I.. don't know where Lion is. Maybe he went back to the temple" says Steven. He seems off, even for being all banged up. No one says anything for the rest of the way to the hospital. When we finally arrive, I show Steven in and a young female nurse leads us to a room, gives Steven some temporary bandages, and and tells us that a doctor will see us in a few minutes. Steven seems slightly antsy. "Hey, Connie" he says after a few seconds. "Yes?" I respond. I feel nervous around him right now, and I don't know why. "I.. need to, uh, tell you somethi-" Steven is interrupted by the doctor walking in. He gives us a funny look and asks if there are any adults around. "Um, no, my mom left to go pick up his dad, I think. They should be back here soon." I reply, slightly nervous to not have an adult around. The doctor nods and quickly takes Steven's vitals before scribbling something on his clipboard and walking out of the room. He returns a few minutes later asking us if there was any way to reach any of them. I give him my mom's cell number and he quickly writes it down and leaves again. What was Steven going to say? I think to myself. I want to ask him, but I'm.. scared. I don't want to push him if he is already in a bad mood. For some reason, I feel like this is all my fault.
Steven's POV
I want to tell her about what happened so badly. I want to tell her everything, but now I'm scared. We sit in silence for what seems like forever until my dad arrives with Mrs. Maheswaran. My dad enters the room and immediately gaps and runs over to my bed. "Oh my gosh, Steven! What on earth happened to you, bud?" Before I can open my mouth Connie answers for me. "He was on a mission to some water temple thing with the gems." Crap, dad probably knows that's not true. "But, I was over there this afternoon and all the gems were there. I asked them where you were and they said they didn't know." "Well, uh, I got lost. Lion was supposed to take me home from the mission we went on today, but I couldn't find him. So I tried to just walk home, but... yeah" That was actually a pretty good lie I tell myself. I feel horrible for not telling the truth to Connie and dad, though. I sigh and rest my head back on the pillow and close my eyes for a few seconds. My dad turns around to wave goodbye. "Well, bye shtoo-ball, hope you feel better. Come on Connie, let's go." "Actually, is it okay if I stay for a few more minutes? That is, if it's okay with Steven" Connie asks. She looks at me and blushes a little, which makes me blush a little, too. "Um, sure, if you want to. It'll be a little while before I can pick you up again, though." "That's okay with me" says Connie. Maybe now I can tell her what happened. When my dad leaves I sit up and slide over next to Connie. "So, Connie, about what happened on the mission" I pause for a few seconds before continuing. Connie just looks at me and waits for me to continue. "The gems weren't really there, and it wasn't really a mission. I was just trying to train, I guess, but I wasn't strong enough." I look down at the floor, feeling a combination of guilt for lying and embarrassment for getting all beat up. "But, Steven, why? We already have training together! Is this... about the whole powers not working thing? It's fine, they'll come ba-" "No, it's not that" I reply, cutting her off. I'm not sure if I want to tell her the whole dream thing yet, but I guess I kind of have to if I'm already this far.
