First Day
In the morning she did not have to walk alone. It so happened Lapis had a morning class on the first day, which took place once a week. Outside it was still dark, though over to the East there was a lighter purple tint to the sky. In twenty minutes or so, the sun would start to rise.
Waking up to a rude awakening by her phone alarm, she accidentally slept in fifteen extra minutes. She flung out of bed, almost stumbling down to the floor, to make up for the time she lost. If she hurried she would have another fifteen minutes to get ready and eat breakfast, before swinging by Lazuli’s place to pick her up at 7:40. That meant she had to look good, and not slobby. Lapis was sure to look stylish as always, especially on the first day. On the other hand, it was college not high school, and maybe she would be in sweats and a t-shirt. Shrugging, she was thankful she had prepared an outfit the night before.
Slipping on her skinny jeans, she sat on her bed as she tied the laces to her new white sneakers. Figuring society would not accept her if she went out shirtless, she put over a charcoal grey muscle tank top over her black sports bra. She went over to her closet, picked her favorite green flannel, and put it on. It would only be a couple hours before it would start to get warm, and then she usually tied her flannels or jackets around her waist. Its purpose was more to prevent Peridot from feeling like a penguin in the South Pole during class.
It did not take her long to put on makeup, and fix her hair in her into her regular style. Normally she did not wear a whole lot of makeup. Her skin was always pretty clear since her dismal junior high days, and could put on her cat-eye eyeliner with a couple strokes. Most of her makeup essentials came from the drugstore, nothing too fancy or expensive. As for her hair, it was naturally straight and usually did not have to flat iron it, unless she slept on it wet. Messing it up a bit with her fingers, she took her tiny hair tie, brushed her fingers through to grab a bunch of hair, and did it half up.
Rushing on the way out she managed to grab two bananas, one for her and one for Lapis, along with some toasted frozen waffles. Pearl was already up as well, reading some book while sipping coffee and enjoying a yogurt.
As Peridot was leaving, she heard the pink haired girl say, “Have a good first day,” which she rallied back.
She walked even faster to Lapis’ house and as she was about to knock, the blue haired girl opened the door.
“I saw you walking up from the kitchen,” she gave Peridot a hug, struggling to do so with their backpacks. As if they really needed them the first week. “I also made us tea to go and put a bit of vanilla in it,” she handed her a paper cup with a lid. It was Earl Grey, which was Pearl’s favorite. “I don’t usually sweeten it, but it sounded like a pretty bomb idea. I also do the same with matcha.”
“And I brought us breakfast,” she presented. “It’s not much but it’s all I really have.” It was true. Most of the time she was too lazy to go grocery shopping.
“I usually eat frozen waffles for breakfast too, so you read my mind. I’m practically married to that toaster.”
The walk to school was about ten minutes, which Peridot usually timed. They scarfed down the food as cars passed them by on the side of the road. Typically that was the morning commute to school which passed her.
Lapis looked great, as Peridot predicted. Her hair was in its usual style, and she wore a long, navy blue sundress, which showed a whole lot of her waist. On her feet were silver sandals and around her neck was the water drop necklace, made with the lazuli gemstone which she was named after.
“Where did you get that? Your necklace I mean,” she asked, as a small talk conversation ended.
“My grandmother gave it to me a long time ago. It used to be hers and I was named after her. Though she never told me what the history behind it was, I know it’s valuable.”
“Your mom’s mom?”
“No, my father’s mom. Even though he vanished, the rest of his family didn’t. Though my mom and I were never very close with them, and that’s being nice, my grandmother always seemed to make an effort in keeping a relationship with us. I was not extremely close to her, but she was kind lady and I appreciated her. She passed away before I started high school, and it was one of the last gifts she gave me.”
“Oh. Did she know what happened to your father? Like where he went off to.”
“I’ve always wondered that as well. Though she claimed to not know, there were family rumors of him being in another country.” Peridot vaguely remembered to hear Lapis say something like that before. “Even though I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, I wondered if she actually knew and decided not to tell us. Part of me wishes she was still around.”
That made sense. With her mom in a hospital receiving direct care, she was on her own. Lapis did not have any other family members, at least which Peridot knew of.
“He left when I was little, and I don’t remember him at all. You don’t have to feel bad, it wasn’t exactly a tragic event in my life,” Lapis said it as if she was reading her mind. “But anyway, I’ve always worn this necklace ever since I was given it. I take it off if I go swimming or take a shower of course. But it’s worth a lot to me.”
They reached campus which still felt somewhat dead of campus life, walking past the cafeteria and gym. Beach City University, despite its reputation, was at least a respectable looking campus. The grass was always mowed and kept somewhat green, and the sidewalks were clear of trash. The ground which they walked alternated between cement and red brick, and the buildings created with a modernistic style in mind. Next to the library, trees and flowers paralleled the main pathway on both sides. It smelled wonderfully fragrant.
“May I hold your hand?” Peridot blurted out, looking over to her left at the violet eyed girl. The sun was just starting to rise, and the light fell on her blue hair softly.
Lapis blushed a little. “Of course. You know, you really don’t have to ask me. I officially allow you to hold my hand any time you like.”
“Lucky me,” Peridot joked, but followed up quickly with a smile as she took the girl’s hand in her own. Instantly she felt content.
Up ahead, a bit past the library, was Lars listening to music. And he was walking their way. Peridot had not seen him for a week. “Hey Lapis,” she nudged, “there’s another friend of mine. You need to meet him.”
Before she could respond, Peridot continued, “Great!” And she waved at the red headed boy to get his attention.
Lars gave a peace sign, took off his black head phones, and set them around his neck. “Hey guys what’s good?” He gave Peridot a fist bump, before turning to Lapis. “I don’t think we’ve met yet?”
“It’s Lapis Lazuli. But most people just call me by Lapis.”
“Nice to meet ‘ya. I suppose that’s how most people treat first day of school anyway. Meeting tons of people they’re never going to really talk to. But we’ll all probably chill sometime in the future.” Peridot was thankful Lars did not go through the “I’ve heard so much about you” spiel, unlike a certain short roommate of hers. “Speaking of which, I heard The Stage is having 90’s night. Going to clubs is not really my thing, but come on, 90’s night? You guys interested?”
“I’m down,” Peridot replied. It was rare Lars ever wanted to go out clubbing, like herself. But it did seem kind of fun, and Lars did appear in a good mood. She did not want to spoil that. They both looked at Lapis.
“Sounds good to me,” she smiled casually at them both. “Depends what night though, because I work.”
“Uh Thursday night?”
Lapis whipped out her phone, and tapped the calendar app. She hummed in thought. “Conveniently, I have that night off.”
“We’ll figure out details later, but I gotta’ go unless I want to be late to a class that I don’t want to take.”
“What’s it called?” Lapis questioned.
“Intro to College Success.”
Both Peridot and Lapis, who stood side by side, shuddered.
“You poor soul,” Peridot placed a hand on his shoulder in sarcastic sympathy.
“Isn’t that the class freshmen have to take here?” Lapis folded her arms, similar to how Lars was.
“Yeah,” he elongated the word and put his hands in both jean pockets, “but I never got around to taking it two years ago, and now I’m paying the price.” He was a junior, the same year as them.
“It’s a horrible class,” Peridot informed her. “If you were running late, the professor would lock the door. Her reasoning was if you are late, you won’t be successful, or something along those lines. I don’t know. I never paid attention half the time. Just wrote a couple papers, pretended to be listening, and that’s it.”
“Sounds awful.”
“The worst,” Peridot looked at Lars, “And it looks like you only have two minutes to get all the way over to the communications building, before the professor decides to lock the door and ostracize you the rest of the semester.”
“It’s whatever,” he grumbled, “I’ll see you both later then,” Lars said, already heading on his way.
“It looks like we’re going to be a bit late as well,” Peridot checked her phone, which she usually slid into her back jean pocket.
“Eh, it’s whatever,” Lapis emulated Lars to a tee, which made Peridot snicker. As they started to walk towards the psychology building, Lapis continued, “Your friend seems nice though.”
Did Lapis really like one of her friends? “You saw him in a good mood, usually him and mornings don’t mix. But ultimately he is a nice guy.”
Once they came up to the building where Lapis had class, she turned to face Peridot, and wrapped her arms around the blonde’s waist in a hug. “Thanks for showing me to class,” she whispered flirtatiously in her ear.” Peridot wondered if Lapis’ chest, which was pressed against her own, could feel her heart beat.
“Anytime,” she said, partially letting a squeak out mid word. “By the way, you get out of your last class at one, right?” Lapis nodded. “Does that time sound good to grab lunch?”
“I’ll probably be hungrier than a lion in the savannah by then, so yes. That sounds like a plan to me,” the blue haired girl squeezed Peridot once more, and started to walk away. She turned her head around slightly, with an amorous look in her violet eyes. “I’ll see you later.”
“Y-yeah, see you later,” Peridot copied mechanically. But once Lapis went inside the building, she rushed off. The taller girl always seemed to captivate her, just like they met the first time over the summer. The problem was she was just too darn attractive. But was that really a problem?
Deep down, Peridot knew it was not.