Burning Conscious

Chapter 18 - How they Felt

Little...... Sister.......?!

Spinel.....?!

He felt sick.

His mind began to race with thoughts. She cheated on Greg? Is Spinel why she didn't come back? Did she spend his life taking care of Spinel, while everyone she had left behind worried and mourned her death?!

Oh god what about dad.....

"Steven...?" She asked, snapping him out of his questioning daze. "Are you ok?"

"Did you cheat on dad....?!"

She gives the same laugh, this time it sounding harsh than the happy tone from before. Was she mocking him?! "Heavens no, not like that anyways. I was pregnant with Spinel before the car accident. I ended up giving birth to her over seas, and when we finally raised enough to come home it was.... Fifteen years later......"

His mind raced with information, with fear, worry, regret. The him in the mirror trying to comfort his crazed state. "Wait Spinels mom has a girlfriend.... And a ex husband.....?! And.... And..." Rose goes quiet. He stares at them, his face growing pink as the overwhelming heat came to his face. 

"Steven while I was stranded out there I found someone, someone who was sweet and kind and who helped me raise Spinel, and who helped me come back. Without her I wouldn't be here now...." Rose says, a blush coming to her face. "I still love Greg, just not in that way anymore...."

He felt sick, dizzy, confused. He needed to lay down.....

"What about Pearl and dad, people who loved you and waited for you and never stopped loving you?!" Steven shouts, tears coming to his eyes. "Why would you do this to them?!"

She fiddles with her hair, Spinel staying quiet. "I didn't really have a choice."

He felt like hurting her, either mentally of physically, it didn't really matter, he just wanted her to pay, to fix it. To not be the cheating whore she is.

But instead, he took a deep breath, fixing himself out of his crazed state. He pushed his emotions down, forcing himself to be calm. Now wasn't the place, it wasn't the time.... "I.... I'm going downstairs. I'll see you both at dinner." He pulls at his tux's collar as he walks towards the elevator.

He was better than this, he was batter than this, he was batter than this, he was batter than this,  he  was....

"Steven wait-" Rose says, stepping in front of him as he calls the elevator. He pulls at his collar, ignoring her words. "I thought you'd be happy....?"

He doesn't answer as he rolls his eyes. He felt the guilt set in as he remembers how he vented nearly everything to her just a few moments before, how stupid he was. Maybe some things never changed. He'd always be naive, and she would always stab people in the back. It was just the way life worked.

He stepped into the elevator as the doors opened, pressing the button for the bottom floor, looking down as her gaze stayed focused on him. She was telling him something, something his anger was flooding out. He wondered why life treated him like this.

The doors closed in front of him.... She didn't try to stop them. 

He forced himself to breathe, reaching for his cigarettes as his hands trembled. His mind was racing with thoughts, worries, and they were all about the gems and Greg.

The elevator stopped on the floor, the doors opening. He walked out, lighting the cigarette as he put it between his lips. He wasn't paying attention as he turned the corner, bumping into Pearl as he did.

Her arms were crossed, her body slouched as she was talking to Greg who was sitting in the lounge chair that was against the wall. Two stopped their conversation as Pearl was bumped into, Greg standing up as he looked at the look in his son's eyes. "She told ya huh?"

Steven forced himself to take a breath, the cigarettes smoke helping calm his heart. "Are you guys ok?"

"We should be asking you that." Pearl says, coming off the wall. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm just.... I'm fine." He says slowly, lying through he teeth. He felt like he's been punched in the gut, over and over. "How are you guys...?"

Pearl, with her arms still crossed, avoids the question. Greg scratches the back of his head as he gives a shy smile. "Kinda hurts if I'm being honest. Feels like high school all over again." He chuckles, bringing a small smile to Pearls face.

"Pearl....?" Steven says slowly as he smokes, his body tense.

"I'm not sure how to feel. I finally got over her and Greg and now Hippie...." Pearl says with a sad laugh.

Stevens eyes narrow. "Wait who's Hippie...?"

"Hippie Quarts." Greg answers quickly. "When Rose took om the alias of Rose Quartz the Quarts family got in contact with her thinking she was their cousin who had got lost at seas. The whole reason for that trip was to 'reunite' with distant family and then....."

"Then the crash that made us think she was dead. From what Rose told us Hippie wad the one who saved her and who's been with her sense." Pearl finishes, her face showing discomfort.

Steven stares at them at a loss for words. "Why didn't anyone tell me.....?"

"It's best coming from her." Pearl said, her tone dull. "Plus we didn't want to discourage you from talking to her."

"Oh god is she here?!" Steven nearly whispers. He wasn't ready for any of this......

Greg nods, not saying anything.

Now even smoking wasn't helping calm his nerves. 

He ran his hands through his hair, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the ground. "Is that why your moving out Pearl....? Is that why you took back the Dondai instead of staying at the beach house?!"

His urgency for answers leaves Pearl speechless as she nods, Greg nodding with her. 

Steven rubs the bridge of his nose, his thoughts in a crazed panic. "Dad... Can we go home?"

Pearl shakes her head, Greg looking at her with a confused expression. "Why cant me and my son go home if we want to?!" He nearly shouts.

"This is a diamond party. They expect all the diamonds to be there. If one of them, even a descendant or an extended member of the family has to be there. Otherwise they'll send a search party, or in Steven's case, they might remove his position...." Pearl says hesitantly.

They stood there, not saying anything for what felt like years. After a while of this Steven pinched the tip of his cigarette, putting the fire out before stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking off. "Fine, I'll stay at this shit hole of a party. But I'm not staying sober."

God did he need a drink.