Pearl : White Diamond's

eight.

We continued to speak for what felt like a long time. We shared many tears but we also shared many laughs. I came to Earth wanting to rekindle my friendship with Pearl and fortunately, she said she would love to.

But during my entire escapade, I couldn't help but think maybe I wanted more from Pearl. That may be, I wanted some form of romance from her? I didn't think of it until she brought it up to me.

"Pearl...I can't help but feel as if you want more than just rekindling our friendship."

"Whatever do you mean?" I asked her. I wasn't unsure of my feelings at the time.

"I feel like you like me...romantically too..."

I paused. I couldn't believe what I was listening to at the time but, she was right. I had fallen in love with her without my knowledge. I left the side of my diamond to venture for her. Yes, true friends would take such a risk on going on said journey but the way I am with Pearl and treat Pearl was more than just friendship in her eyes.

"I'm not following...what makes you say I want you romantically?"

"...the way you treat makes me feel as if you're hoping for more."

I let go of her hands and held my hands up closer to myself. The romance was not my intention for coming to Earth to be with Pearl. I was told that I should escape from my abuser - I did successfully. I was suggested to make a new way of living on Earth because I would be able to - I also did successfully. Venturing out and finding my long lost friend on Earth to rekindle things with her was my intention when leaving HomeWorld. But, what if she was right, what if I had became deeply infatuated with her and didn't realize?

I did and had a very difficult time believing I had fallen in love with my old best friend.

"Pearl! I can't believe this nonsense you are spewing out to me! I came to find you so we could be friends again and to get away from White Diamond!"

"I understand that. I'm just stating how I feel-"

"And I'm stating what you're saying is wrong and I don't understand where any of this is coming from!"

The yelling. The anger. The anger was coming from me not accepting my love for her. I stormed out of her room and past the platform. It was already nighttime on Earth and no one was in the living room.

"Pearl Please! Let's talk about this!"

"No!" I shouted as I got back on the platform and went who knows where. It was such a silly and moronic fight but I didn't want to come to terms with my love for her at that moment. I didn't even know what falling in love felt like. All I knew, at that moment, was that I didn't want to talk about it; I wanted to be alone and to be as far away as possible. I ended up in a place that was covered in these red berry-like items. I didn't know what they were called at the time but they were strawberries. I was not frightened since everything looked gorgeous. 

I was understanding more and more the beauty that some spoke that belonged to Earth.

"Pearl!"

I quickly turned around to see Pearl running towards me. I still didn't want to talk about the previous topic so I started running away from her.

"Pearl! Why are you running away from me?!"

"Because I am not in love with you!"

"I didn't say that! I said it felt like you wanted more! If you don't you can just say no!"

I couldn't say no because I didn't and couldn't be realistic with myself. I also didn't know how to ask for it either. I continued running until I made it to a ledge. It was a pretty far fall. 

I jumped.

"PEARL!" She quickly chased me and jumped off the ledge as well. I didn't expect her too.

"Why would you jump off like that!?" I screamed.

"Because I'm trying to apologize for making you feel unwell! It wasn't my intentions!"

Listening to her words made my eyes water. I was so unsure of my feelings and what they could mean. 

"I don't know if I'm in love with you!"

"It's okay if you don't know right now! I'm sorry for bringing something up that was uncomfortable for you!" 

I started crying more while my tears were being left behind above me.

"Pearl!" She shouted again at me and I looked up at her. She had her arm extended out to me. I didn't know what else to do but to reach out for her. She was able to grab hold of my hand and summoned her spear from her gem in order to stab into the cliff. 

We stopped falling immediately.

"Please don't do that ever again."

"I..won't do this again," I said as I released a sigh. I looked up at Pearl and she smiled at me. I was slightly surprised because I didn't expect such a reaction to troublesome behavior. I started crying again as she pulled me closer to her and for me to wrap my arms around her neck while she started climbing down the cliff.

"You know Pearl, I thought about you for a long time. I thought about how things were going for you - hoping that things were getting better the farther away I traveled from you. For a long time, I dreamt of figuring out a way to go back to HomeWorld and to convince you to come back to Earth with me.

You were surprised to hear that.

"Really?... You wanted to come back to get me?"

"Of course! You were my best friend! I told you everything that was on my mind. I talked to you about feelings and thoughts that I was unsure of and you listened every time! The least I could do was to come back for you." She turned her head towards me while stating her last sentence. I felt my cheeks flare up a bit and hers did too as our faces were very close to each other now.

"I wanted to come and get you and try to bring you back to Earth because I had fallen for you as well. It was just that at the time, I had vowed myself to Rose. I don't want you to think you weren't important to me. I knew I had fallen for her first and when things didn't work, I thought of you first, my friend. Over time, those feelings didn't only belong to a friend."

We were at the bottom now. I didn't even notice until she gestured for me to let go of her neck. She gently took my hands in her and gazed into my eyes.

"Would you do me the honor in going out with me?"

"...going out with you where Pearl? We are already outside..."

She laughed.

"Silly me again. Another one of Earth's customs. When one human has romantic feelings for another human, one may ask the other on a date! That is when they go out together, usually somewhere romantic and they spend quality time together. Usually to see if they are compatible. But...I already believe that we are compatible so I'm basically asking if we could consistently date."

I was beyond flattered once she explained the custom. You thought it was, as they describe it, romantic.

"Yes, Pearl, we can consistently date."

We smiled at each other as we shared our first kiss.