I'm NOT A Baby Anymore

Chapter 12: Truths and Lies

A/N: hey so sorry for the delay, I found this in my files and realized I should definitely post it!! hope you guys enjoy and again so sorry for the wait!!

Lapis was feeling low, why had she taken the letter as a joke? It was Peridot, the girl never joked about normal things. Sure she made puns and childish jabs that made Lapis smile, Peridot wasn't big on this kind of level pranking. What had she been thinking? After re-reading the letter around a dozen times, it was so Peridot that it made Lapis want to cry, she also, after an hour or two of contemplation, realized that she really liked Peridot too.

More than a friend, she'd known Peridot almost her whole life. And she'd ruined everything, Peridot's broken expression haunted her every thought as she wandered around town looking for her best friend. Why had she taken the letter as a joke damn it?

Lapis ran a hand down her face in exasperation as she continued to wander the streets of Beach City looking for her best friend. Even though she'd promised Pearl and Pearl's parents she'd head home when they did, she just couldn't bring herself to go home. Not when she had no idea where Peridot was or if she was okay.

God Lapis would never forgive herself if Peridot got hurt. She turned down the street by the library, looking for any signs of the short blonde. She checked around the whole building and even peered through some of the windows, but there was no sign of the petite blonde anywhere. Lapis had no idea where to go from here. Where else would Peridot go?

Her phone vibrated against her hip, just as she was about to turn around and go elsewhere. she already had an idea who was calling her, but she still checked anyways on the off chance that it might be Peridot.

Unfortunately it was not Peridot, just Sapphire, again. Rolling her eyes she contemplated just ignoring her call like all of her other calls tonight. But angering Sapphire was never a good idea, so with a heavy sigh she begrudgingly answered the call bringing the phone to her ear hesitantly.

"This is Lapis how may I help you?" She retorted dryly and cringed when her older sister remained quiet for a few minutes.

"Lapis Lazuli I cannot BELI-" her sister was cut off mid yell, and the line crackled with static.
       "Sapphire..ah ...no..helping...stop...give....the...phone...calm….no...Sapphire.." Lapis snickered hearing Ruby trying to get the phone from her no doubt furious sister.

"Oh so you think you're funny do you?" Sapphire hissed in a scarily calm tone.

"No, but Ruby's funny." Lapis snarked dryly. Sapphire took a sharp intake of breath, her voice unsteady with anger.

"Where. Are. You?" She probed tightly, Lapis sighed tiredly, ever since their parents died last year… err a year and a half ago, Sapphire had taken it upon herself to become her mother, Lapis really hated it… sometimes.

It's just well...Lapis didn't need anymore bossy people telling her what to do, they lived with their older cousin Bismuth, but their aunt Holly Blue Agate often stopped by to boss them around, by them it was mostly Lapis because according to their aunt, Sapphire could do no wrong. So Sapphire's bossing was completely unnecessary in Lapis' opinion.

"Looking for Peridot! I already told you that!" She snapped back irritable as she rounded the library and began walking through the alley behind it.

"It's 3 am, you can look for her later, come home now." Sapphire ordered in her no nonsense voice and Lapis scowled biting her lip in utter frustration.

"But I can't just-" her voice involuntarily cracks, Peridot's heartbroken face flashes through her mind once more, and slowly she sinks to the cold concrete beneath her, her emotional exhaustion seeping into her and weighing her down.

"Lapis where are you?" Sapphire's voice is softer as she questions her little sister once more and Lapis relents begrudgingly.

"Behind the library." She whispered dejectedly because she was no good to Peridot like this, she was exhausted and could hardly think straight. But she'd already lost their parents, she didn't want to lose Peridot too.
"Ruby and I are coming to get you, we'll be there soon okay?" Her gentle tone makes a lump swell in Lapis' throat.

"Okay." She manages through her choked emotions.

"Don't move kid!" Ruby orders kindly and Lapis promises before dropping her phone in her lap looking to the stars sadly.

"Peridot I'm sorry, please be okay."

....................................

Pink frowned feeling the warm sunlight as it streamed from the slight cracks in the ceiling of the barn. She rolled onto her stomach to avoid the irritable light and heard Peridot's soft snores somewhere in the vicinity. Pink allowed herself to slip back into unconsciousness as she smacked her lips and let her mind wander.

When she came to a second time, Peridot's grinning face was inches from her own, making her yelp in shock and fall out of her makeshift hammock and onto the hard wooden floor.

"Ow." She murmured and Peridot quickly helped her up apologizing for surprising her.

"Heh sorry, I was just excited to tell you I found a pair of overalls you could wear if you so desired, and a flannel shirt!" She exclaimed rushing away stumbling slightly in her exuberance. Pink smiled pushing herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes and yawning slightly as she smacked her lips and tried to make herself more alert.

"Ta-da I give you warm barn people clothes!" Pink doesn't have much time to register Peridot's words before clothes are being thrown over her head.

"Gah what?" Pink grumbles shoving the garments off, making them land in a heap on the old barn floor. Peridot had already adorned a raggedy pair of overalls that were about two sizes too big, if the rolled up legs were anything to go by. It made Pink giggle slightly at her friend.

"How dare you laugh at my very thought out outfit!" She huffed though there was no real malice in her words as she bent to roll up her overall legs once more when she almost tripped on the cuff. Pink watched her for a brief moment, a soft tenderness lit in her eyes.

"Thanks Perry." Pink whispered softly as she tugged off her nightgown and tugged on the slightly moldy smelling overalls and the worn dark red flannel shirt. "You really saved me back there." She praised, clipping the straps of her overalls in place as she looked up meeting Peridot's guilty expression.

"Pink, I have a confession to make, you were so honest with me, but I only informed you of half the events that transpired on the night I ran away from home." Peridot muttered sadly as she sat in front of Pink and took a deep breath. "See I went to Lapis' house yesterday to explain myself…before I went to the infernal duck pond…" she looks away and Pink frowns sadly as tears brim in the corners of Peridot's eyes.

"Hey you don't have to tell me-" she starts to soothe but placing her hand on Peridot's shaking shoulder. Her sentence trails off as Peridot shakes her head gently removing Pink's hand as she sucked in a shaky breath.

"No, I want you to...to know.." she reassured somewhat unconvincingly and Pink nods waiting patiently. "I lied somewhat before," she mumbled sadly, "Pearl didn't give Lapis the ...the letter...I did and she ...she just...I thought…" tears fill her bright green eyes making them shine with her pain.

"Perry what happened?" Pink pleaded desperate to help her friend and tearfully Peridot met Pink's gaze.

"She laughed at me." She whispered just as Pink went to gather her friend up in a hug there was a slam of a car door outside, both girls jumped at the sound.

"We've been discovered already." Peridot huffed swiping away her tears and Pink cautiously peered out the large window.

"Shit."

To Be Continued...I will definitely try to update more often promise. This was crosswritten on fanfiction.net that's why there was so many updates!!! Hope you enjoyed!!