Chapter 22
"So, she's the swimmer?" Bismuth asks as she and Garnet sit at the top of the bleachers watching Lapis do her laps.
Garnet hummed. "Lapis, yes."
Bismuth nods before she turns to look at Bleu doodling. "And her?"
Garnet quickly glances at Bleu before Lapis completing another lap grabs her attention. "Bleu. She's a fantastic artist and Pearl's younger sister."
Bismuth's eyebrows raise. She's heard a lot about Pearl but hasn't yet been able to meet her. "Where's Pearl?"
Garnet looked at her watch before she turns to look at Bismuth. "In the dancehall."
"She's a dancer?"
Garnet nods her head. "Best in the school, quite possibly the city."
Bismuth smiles. "Seems like this school houses the best in the state. I heard that Jasper girl took the school to the championship, she's a few games away from beating Ruby's record."
Garnet half frowned at Jasper's name. She should really see what her problem was in the cafeteria. "Yes. The first one to do so since Ruby graduated."
"Aside from you." Bismuth winks at Garnet. She saw Garnet's picture next to Ruby's in the trophy case.
"I am my mother's daughter."
Bismuth laughs and wraps an arm around Garnet's shoulder. "She's very cute, by the way." Garnet hums at Bismuth's words. "Lapis. She hasn't taken her eyes off of you since we came in and neither have you."
Garnet looks at Lapis, who at the moment looks up at her from her position perched on the edge of the pool. Bleu was gesturing animatedly at her as she showed Lapis her drawings. They smiled at each other before turning back to their respective friends.
"It's not like that."
Bismuth's eyebrows raise and she remembers how Jasper stormed out and Rose shot Garnet a knowing look. "So, it is Jasper then."
Garnet shakes herself free of Bismuth's arm. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Come on Garnet. You've turned down my attempts. Surely, it's because of someone."
"I'm not involved with anyone." Garnet crosses her arms.
"That doesn't mean you're not interested in anyone .. or that no one is interested in you."
Garnet sighs. "There's nothing going on."
Bismuth holds up her hands. "Aight, aight. Fine. Though, you should take a chance with one of them. Both of them compliment you well."
Garnet shakes her hand and stands. As she looks down from the stands, she locks eyes with Lapis who smiles and lifts a hand to her. Garnet responds the same before she looks at Bismuth. "Let's go. I'll introduce you to Pearl. She needs a break anyways." With that she starts for the door.
Bismuth looks at Lapis and Bleu before she follows after Garnet. Lapis and her would be cute.
Bleu frowns slightly at Lapis. Ever since Garnet came in, her attention has been directed at the boxer. Bleu wasn't necessarily jealous but she did have a little crush on the swimmer.
"You like her," Bleu's small voice sounded as she hears the door close behind them.
Lapis snaps her head towards her friend. "Garnet?" Bleu nods her head. "I mean, she's interesting and stunning, but no, I don't."
Bleu's frown deepens. She heard about Lapis and Peridot attending Garnet's championship boxing game and how Lapis walked away with a blush after talking to Garnet. "It's okay if you do Lapis."
Lapis frowns before she pulls herself out of the pool. "Even if I did, it's clear she and Jasper have something going on."
Bleu raises her eyebrows. She heard from Yallo that Jasper likes Garnet. "She's not with Jasper, though the latter does like her."
"How do you know that?"
"Yallo."
Lapis shakes her head. She doesn't understand how someone as sweet and quiet as Bleu could be sisters with someone as stuck up and snooty as Yallo.
"Even still." She grabs her towel and towel dries her hair. She'd never go for me.
Garnet leads Bismuth upstairs from the pool area. They stop in front of a large room before Garnet opens the door. Inside the room, Pearl was rehearsing for her upcoming show.
"Pearl, it's time for a break," Garnet calls, scaring the dancer slightly.
"Oh, Garnet." Pearl stops dancing and looks over her shoulder at Garnet. "I almost have it perfected."
Garnet frowns slightly and steps further into the room, close enough to place a hand on Pearl's shoulder. "Perfect doesn't exist Pearl. Take a break."
Pearl sighs. She has been practicing nonstop. It also helps her think as well. She's still unsure about her and Amethyst's relationship. They have been spending a lot of time together, but still Rose occupies her thoughts. She kinda feels guilty thinking about Rose as often as she does.
Pearl's eyes trail to and stop on Bismuth. "Oh! You must be Bismuth. Rose told me a little about you."
Bismuth was star struck. She didn't expect Pearl to be a ballet dancer nor for her movements to be so graceful. She and Bleu are sisters? And this is Rose's ex? Bismuth shakes her head. "Yeah and you're Pearl. It's nice to put a gorgeous face to a name." She winks at Pearl who blushes slightly.
"Thank you." Pearl glances down at her feet.
Garnet looks between the two before she feels a pair of eyes on her. She glances at the door but only spots a flash of orange before it quickly disappears. "Excuse me." With that, she leaves the two and exits out the room.
She frowns as she looks up and down the hall. She knew that shade of orange only belonged to one person, Jasper. She remembers that the weight room is at the other end of the hall and makes her way there.
Inside the weight room, Jasper is lifting weights. Garnet leans against the doorframe and crosses her arms.
"Need a spotter?"
Jasper turns her head to glance at Garnet. "I'm good. Don't you got someone else to entertain?"
Garnet rolls her eyes but steps further into the room. "Is there something you'd like to talk about?"
Jasper grunts and places the bar back in it's holding spot. She sits up and locks eyes with Garnet. "Are you going to continue to lead me on?"
Garnet quirks an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jasper growls and hops up from the bench. She stalks forward until she's standing in front of Garnet.
"Stop. First you tell me I don't have to worry about Lapis, yet you go out of your way to talk to her. Then this new girl, Bismuth, is touching all on you."
Garnet smirks slightly. So you are jealous. Jasper rolls her eyes and roughly runs her hand through her hair. "Forget it." She goes to turn away but Garnet stops her with a hand on her wrist.
"You're cute when you're jealous," Garnet jokes.
Jasper growls and tries to snatch her wrist away but Garnet tightens her hold. She narrows her eyes at the boxer but says nothing.
Garnet takes Jasper's silence as an opening to continue. "I meant it when I said we wouldn't work." She steps closer to Jasper. "But that doesn't mean we can't try."
Jasper's eyes widen as Garnet's words. "Seriously? You're saying yes?"
Garnet chuckles softly. "Yes Jasper. I'm saying yes to your offer, that's if it still stands." She releases Jasper's wrist and moves to take a step back but Jasper's arm around her waist stops her.
"It still stands. Are you sure?"
Garnet nods and places her hands on Jasper's chest. "But if you hurt me, I'll break you."
Jasper chuckles. "Same goes for you."
Garnet hums. "You can try."
Jasper drops her eyes to Garnet's lips, then back to Garnet's shaded ones. "We'll cross that bridge if we get there." She winked at Garnet before she captures Garnet's lips in a kiss.
Garnet smiles into the kiss. She meant it when she said they wouldn't work, but she was willing to give her and Jasper a try.