First to Fall

“Come on P, hurry up!”

“Just a second!”

The whole day Amethyst was practically bouncing off the walls. “I just can’t believe it, that today’s the day you, Jasper, and I graduate!” She plopped down on Peridot’s neatly made bed. “It just feels so surreal, ‘ya know?”

“Yeah I know,” Peridot saved a draft on one of her emails, and hit send on the other she typed out to her client.

Honestly with everything going on, she submerged herself in her classwork and freelance work. Maybe it was to avoid thinking about graduation. Originally, she was excited for it as well, looking forward to every nearing day. But as the day got closer, the blonde realized along with graduating, her life might change not in the way she wanted it to. It was those “what if” thoughts that plagued her nights. She was self-aware enough now, thanks to the counselor, to realize she intentionally distracted herself during times of building anxiety. Though in some cases it was a good coping mechanism, it was not good to keep things in.

“Actually Amethyst, I thought I would be more excited,” Peridot began. “But for the first time in my life, I’m not sure if I want to move on to the next chapter.”

Peridot saw another side of her roommate she had never seen before. Amethyst became serious.

“I think I understand, and feel the same way you do actually. I mean, I’m getting this degree that I’ve been slaving away for, for the past few years. And tomorrow it will all be over with, and then it’s now what do I do? You know what I mean? Like I have to find a job against all the other competition that will be graduating this year. It’s just…”

“A lot to take in,” they both said at once. They looked at each other, and laughed.

“Aw look at us, a bunch of saps,” Amethyst slapped her leg. “It’s not like everything is going to change. If Jasper were getting ready here too, she would be making fun of us.”

“That sounds about right.”

“Speaking of which,” the platinum blonde started, “isn’t your girlfriend coming over here before the ceremony?”

“Actually, Lapis said she would meet us after the ceremony, right outside the gym.” For the first time in years, graduation was taking place inside the gym instead of on the field, outside the administration and library buildings. Peridot wondered if the space was capable of packing everyone inside. For good measure, she texted Lapis that morning to arrive a little early.

Of course! I’ll be there blowing the vuvuzela horn when they call your name on stage! Lapis texted her immediately back.

Hey you’re not serious about that right? Peridot typed quickly on her phone. I don’t think you even own a vuvuzela…

Don’t worry, I’m just kidding! But you better believe I’ll be up there cheering for you. Lapis ended her message with a smiley face emoticon.

“Oh wait,” Amethyst interrupted Peridot’s thoughts as her phone went off, “Jasper just pulled up! Looks like it’s time to go.” A car honked loudly twice outside their house. Man, that horn sound was obnoxious.

But as she and her housemate were running outside, Peridot stopped in her tracks at the front door.

Amethyst turned around confused, “What’s wrong?”

At first glance, it would seem the blonde girl standing at the front door, in her black graduation robe, was lost. Her gaze pointed up towards the sky, at nothing in particular. But as the clouds revealed the sun, its light revealed the fire in her emerald eyes.

“I’ll be right back, there’s one thing I need to get!” Peridot rushed into the house again.

“Well, be quick! The practice ceremony starts in fifteen minutes,” her housemate yelled from Jasper’s car, hugging her cousin in the process.

Only two minutes passed when Peridot slammed the car door and buckled her seatbelt. “Ready!”

“Hello to you too,” Jasper replied as she hit the gas.

Peridot smiled, as she played with the round object in her right pocket.

Looks like in the end, she gave up waiting. This whole time she did her best to be patient, but guessed it did not fit her after all.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The three of them made it barely on time. They technically were not late, even though they had to squish through the crowd. Having graduation in the gym was going to be a bad idea. Peridot could tell. If it was this warm already, she could only imagine what it would be like with everyone and their mother.

“Good thing our seats come with water bottles,” Jasper threw an extra towards Peridot across the row. Fumbling she managed to catch the bottle and quickly chug half of it.

“Looks like we’re sitting next to each other!” Someone tapped Peridot’s shoulder, and the short haired girl turned to look towards her right.

First instinct, Peridot wanted to ask who she was again, but it might not be the most tactful thing to say at graduation. Either way, she felt embarrassed for not knowing who the girl was all this time. For all she knew, they could have taken several classes together. “Yeah, looks like we are!”

Adjusting the cap on her head, Peridot looked around at the rest of her graduating major. It was only she and the girl sitting on her right, who were the only women in their major graduating. She could tell by the different color tassels they wore. Which reminded her she still needed to wear her cord.

Pulling it out of her left pocket, she wrapped the white and gold embellished cord around her neck.

“You’re graduating with summa cum laude?” The girl exclaimed next to her. “Isn’t that impossible with our major?”

Peridot didn’t want it to be ultra-noticeable, or flash it around her roommates, but she had worked hard her whole college career. She felt like that deserved at least a little recognition, and nodded back. If she could recall correctly, Garnet graduated with a similar honor.

Her other housemate was working earlier that day, and promised to visit Pearl at the hospital. But vowed she would be there. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Peridot recited Garnet’s words in her head. Just the way the older girl said it was meaningful to Peridot.

Even after hearing how Pearl was in the hospital, Peridot and Lapis still waited to visit her. They talked about what happened that night, which the blonde did not remember. Probably for the best.

Lapis explained once more what Pearl did and exactly what happened after, which made Peridot feel sick to her stomach.

“I can’t forgive her right now,” Peridot remembered saying to her girlfriend, crossing her arms protectively, and looking away.

“Neither can I, even if she’s in the hospital.”

“So what should we do?”

“I guess process it first together, and talk it over with our counselors. That’s all I can really think of.”

Peridot went in to hug Lapis, who looked defeated. “Me too.”

Back to reality, it looked like the ceremony was about to start. Was Lapis here, watching her from the stands?

Peeking her head above the sea of black caps and colored tassels, Peridot scouted the bleachers. No Lapis in sight. But she did spot Garnet, who was sitting with Lars and Sadie. That’s right, those two were going to graduate the same year as Lapis.

She hoped her girlfriend was out there, somewhere, watching her.

Grand, orchestral music began to play from behind. As rehearsed, the whole class stood up and sat back down again a few times. Peridot just went through the motions. She was too preoccupied with Lapis on her mind. Friends and relatives of her class were being squished onto the bleachers now. Did she ever find a seat? The anxious girl glanced at her phone. No texts either.

Jasper, way down the row, looked serious and stoic. She always was when she wanted to be. Amethyst on the other hand, who was sitting on the other side of the gym, had a huge smile on her face. Her expression showed she could hardly control her excitement.

The ceremony itself went by rather swiftly. At least that’s how it seemed to Peridot. When it was time for her row to stand and line up for the stage, even then she remembered little of it. The announcer recited her full name, “Peridot Olivine Diamond,” as well as her grade point average honor. Accepting her diploma book and the president’s hand, she looked into the camera and forced a smile, despite that her heart stopped from anticipation.

Skipping down the stage steps, she copied every other now-graduate with having the “I just graduated” celebratory photo. She probably would not order prints when the envelope came to her door.

Adjusting her robe while sitting back down, she opened up her graduation book, expecting to see an official diploma with her full name. Instead was a measly paper, stating that her diploma would come in the mail by a certain date, depending if there were any payments she needed to make. Damn it, you think they would have required this beforehand, Peridot thought.

She slid the book under her chair, on the rest of her “you did it” collateral.

The orchestra played one more song, after every person received their fake diplomas. The president said a few final words, again to still play up the excitement of the occasion. When he finished, everyone in the auditorium cheered, and the now grads threw their caps into the air. Peridot did a small throw, not very interested in losing it. Her cap was part of the proof that she did it.

She did it, gotten her degree in computer engineering, despite her mom not wanting her to leave. Even though this last year especially was rough, she made it though. She and Lapis did, together, along with help from their friends.

Now Peridot had a better idea of what family meant to her.

Once they officially released the class, Peridot raced out as fast as she could, with Amethyst and Jasper barely able to keep up. There were too many people here to squeeze past.

Peridot asked her girlfriend to meet her outside the gym, if it was not too packet. Lapis texted her back at the very end of the ceremony, saying she was already outside, and that it was impossible to find seating. Luckily they had the ceremony playing on a giant screen for the overflow.

The doors were finally past her, and a gush of fresh air came over her. Sighing up relief, it was starting to get very hot inside. Frantically, Peridot looked around the entrance. Where was she?

Running a bit farther out onto the grassy lawn, she turned a full circle. All around her were grads starting to hug relatives, and take selfies with friends. Without her girlfriend the feeling was disorienting.  

“Peri!”

Without even thinking who the voice was from, Peridot already knew and was jumping into their arms.

“You did it!” Lapis cupped her girlfriend’s cheek, and she leaned in. “I’m so happy for you right now, I can’t even describe it. Seeing you on the stage and looking into the camera, I thought I was going to tear up.”

“We did it, together,” Peridot pulled her in for the tightest hug in her life. “I just can’t wait to see you next year on that same stage.”

 Could Lapis feel her heart pounding?

“Me neither,” closing her eyes, Lapis was about to become lost in Peridot’s arms. “My beautiful Peridot.”

It was now or never. It was probably too soon, too public, too rushed. But if she did not ask, she would never find out.

“Lapis,” the blonde’s small voice quivered sounding her name. All hope in sounding confident was gone, and replaced by nervousness.

So much so, she fell on both knees instead of one.

Instantly, Lapis put a hand over her mouth.

The whole spiel Peridot concocted in her head was completely erased, replaced by the glow on her girlfriend’s face. So she just blurted out what was on her mind.

“I never knew what true family was, not until I knew you. From the first moment we met, you revealed who you really were; someone who is caring, and thoughtful, and kind. That’s what made me fall for you since the very beginning, still to this day, and forever after,” from her right pocket, Peridot pulled out the opal and lapis lazuli ring. “I love you, and want to grow with you forever.”

Lapis said nothing, instead she tucked her hand in her jean pocket. Say something.

Wait, was she shaking? Peridot had never seen her girlfriend like that before. Lapis’ deep violet eyes were watering up. They were both breathing at the same pace.

Please, anything.

All of a sudden, Lapis copied Peridot, falling on both knees.

“Peridot,” she choked out through her tears. “The reason I was gone this morning…” Her words trailed off and her head tilted down, indicating for Peridot to look at what was in her hands. “I was picking this up.” Her slim fingertips held the most beautiful ring Peridot had ever seen.

It was made with rose gold, with the main round stone being pink-ish. Morganite actually, Peridot found out later. Small diamonds encircled it, while trailing off into the leaf shapes.

How did she not know Lapis was planning this? Did Peridot give her own plans away? Did the others know? Perhaps it did not matter, even though Peridot soon learned Garnet was in on it all along.

“I was worried this whole time I might have been rushing things,” Lapis joked, letting a tear spill. “I love you too Peridot, with my whole heart. Let’s share the rest of our lives together.”

They took turns sliding the rings on each other’s fingers. The moment was completely unreal, yet everything made sense.

They did not even process the crowd clapping around for them. Amethyst was hugging Jasper tightly, Garnet appeared downright proud, and both Lars and Sadie yelled to root on the two girls. Blue Pearl was clapping along as well, who admitted she helped Lapis with the ring. It was just them.

Lapis’ eyes never looked so blue until now.

“Where do we go from here?” Peridot moved closer to Lapis’ lips, overwhelmed with joy.

“Well, wherever it is, let’s go together.” Lapis closed the kiss.