Roles Reversed

the change?

Like any other day, I was beaten by my mother. "useless child!" Wack, another strike from her belt, I lied on the ground curled up into a ball for protection, tears fell from my face but did not sting. I lied there, numb. I'm used to it now . After that she would always ice my bruises when she was done, so no one at my school would suspect a thing, she always did this after another drunken stupor blaming me for the loss of something as usual. She was fired from yet another job, So whatever food we had left over she just gave to me. Just another day in the Lazuli family. It was the end of summer break, time to go back to school, it was a particular hot summer but I decided to wear long sleeves and jeans with a scarf, to hide my scars. Already being teased for my attire soon as I entered those big red double doors. but I began to put on a facade, fake smile, like I didn't care, so I joked along with them, but it was all just a mask, an act. I was suffering and no one would ever know, besides one. Worthless, useless, it's all your fault. those words repeated in my head every day, distracting me from the outside world. I wish she was here, but they went on another summer vacation, must be nice, to escape this hell once in awhile.. I sat in my desk by the window, glancing out of it. "What's up with your scarf, it's like 80° degrees outside " I just kept looking out the window "Don't bother with her Kevin, she's such weirdo" one girl said, "yeah just look at what she's wearing" one boy said "you come out the slums or are you ghetto trash" one girl hooted with a British accent "Watch your mouth you pompous inbred " I recognized that voice immediately an perked up "inbred?" She asked in confused yet offended tone. "Yeah inbred, if you don't know what that means your just as stupid as you-" before Peridot could finish the teacher cleared his throat, giving them both a stern look" You were saying Ms. Greene?" As he entered the classroom door, She removes her hand immediately from the girls shoulder "Aquamarine and Peridot, I'll see you after class today" Mr. Delgato said they both groaned. "Now go take your seat, class is about to start" he said sternly still shunning down on them then readjusting his glasses an turning to the board, the bell just ranged to signal the start of class. Peridot leaned over into Aqua's ear and whispered something while squeezing her shoulder, the girl stiffened and swallowed hard. She then took her seat next to me. Now that she's back I felt my life has gotten ten times as better now. After school we decided to go to our hideout for old times sake an catch up, she told me how she went to this place called Empire City, an it was nice with big buildings and fancy cars with hot dog stands on the corner. She also showed me photos on her cellphone that she took. "I really missed you! Summer was so boring without you here!" I groaned dramatically lying on my back, she chuckled "I missed you too Lazuli, I really wish you had a cellphone then we could've texted the entire time " she frowned "you know my mom won't let me have a cellphone" I rolled my eyes "So whatcha wanna do now that your back? We can go swimming ! " I beamed "you really do like swimming don't you?" I nods feverishly "Well I can ask my parents if you can come over then, we have a huuugee pool!" She extended out her arms to overly exaggerate the size. My face turns sour, knowing I'm not allowed anywhere else besides the park, so I lie to my mom saying I am going to the Park but really it's so on days like this I can hang with Peridot in our secret hideout, I guess she noticed my reaction because her smile faded. "You know you don't have to keep calling me Lazuli, just call me Lapis" I playfully punch her in the arm. But she just sits there, giving me this weird...look? "Whyyy are you staring at me like that ....?" She reaches her hand towards me and bad reflex, I flinch of course, tensing up. I feel the scarf being removed from my neck, then her face turns dark and she looks down at the floor. "I-its n-not a big deal..." I look away now, trying to avoid that hurt gaze. "Lapis...." She mutters "I-" she starts to stutter "Peridot look, it's n-nothing okay, ju-just please d-dont tell anyone!" Suddenly two arms wrapped around my neck and she pulls me into a tight hug, tears staining my shirt.

Time skip

Since then, everything continued on throughout the school year, as if nothing happened or changed but honestly, things did change, Peridot started to act a bit more... standoffish,  "Peridot y-your eye!...w-what happened?!" I ran a finger over her right eye that was slightly swollen and blackened. "It's fine, just some punks smack talking about you at the lockers next to mine, so I just accidentally collided his face into it" she shrugged it off brushing my hand away "p-peridot you can't! One more fight and you'll be expelled!" I whisper-shouted, she just shrugs again, the bell ranged. "Alright class, you know what today is" Mr. Delgato, Noooooo!!! We cried in unison "Yup, pop quiz!" He pulled out his briefcase placing it on his desk an rummaging through his countless of organized folders until he found it. Then he scanned over the classroom "Ahh Agate please pass out the test and hessonite pass out the pencils please" they groaned but do as he asked Agate passing out papers and hessonite the pencils. "Hey wanna hang out later after this?" I whispered over to Peridot "Lapis Lazuli are you trying to ditch school? I think I'm becoming a bad influence " she raised an eyebrow, "no you doofus, I mean well unless- " I teasingly pondered at the that but then  her phone goes off "Peridot what did I say about cellphones on during class especially during test!" every looked at her, smirks on their faces "But we haven't even started the test yet" she deadpanned "no sass or detention" she grumbles an silence her phone but soon as he turns his back she pulls it out and right swipe to unlock her screen, her face suddenly turns, saddened? "S-sorry Lapis...I-i can't again today.." she puts her phone back into her pocket immediately as he turned around "Why not? "  A bit upset that she cancelled again for the 5th time "Peridot- is everything okay?" Before I could finish my sentence."start your test now!" He presses the button on his apple shaped timer everyone turns around their paper an begin.

P s I own none of the images