Chapter Text
The staring was new.
Usually Pearl went through the hallways of her high school relatively unnoticed, considered to be ‘the boring one’ out of her sisters. There would be the brief moment where people’s eyes would light up until they saw her peach colored hair, pastel clothes and ballet flats. Then they’d turn away, never sparing a second glance. Which is what made today so strange.
Pearl walked up to her locker, shrinking under the stares and murmurs. She slowly entered her combination, side eyeing a group of boys across the hallway.
“You sure it’s not the other one?”
“I’m sure.”
“But why her ? The other ones are way hotter.”
“Makes sense that she’d be the dyke, though.”
Books and papers spilled out of Pearl’s locker, prompting a small wave of laughter throughout the hall. Pearl looked down, vision blurring with tears. She bent down to collect her things, starting with her treasured astronomy textbook. She straightened up, gingerly sliding it back onto its shelf.
“Someone started a rumor that we’re dating.”
Pearl jumped slightly, her foot landing awkwardly on a sheet of paper. Her foot slid from under her and she lost her balance, showcasing none of the grace she held as a dancer. She closed her eyes, the world falling silent as she braced for her impact against the dirty linoleum floor and the laughter that would follow. Instead she felt warm, muscular arms secure around her waist. She opened her eyes, greeted by her own reflection in a pair of reflective sunglasses. “Uh…”
“I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Pearl’s gaze traveled upwards to a magnificent mane of curly, dark brown hair, then back down to a wide nose and thick, plump lips. “Uh…”
Pearl was lifted from her impromptu dip. “Are you okay?”
“Uh…” Pearl blinked, the world resuming. The hall was mostly empty, people probably preferring eating lunch to watching an awkward junior babbling. “Y-yes.”
The woman nodded once. “Good.” She crouched down, gathering up the culprits of Pearl’s misstep. She held out the stack of papers. “Here.”
Pearl stared at the proffered hand for a moment. “Um. Thank you.” She took the paper and put them in her locker. When she turned back the woman had two more textbooks in her hand. “Thank you.” Pearl watched the girl lean back against the lockers next to her and stare across the hallway. “Who are you?”
“Your girlfriend, apparently.”
Pearl blushed. “W-what?”
“Someone started a rumor.” She turned her head towards Pearl and offered her hand. “Garnet. I just transferred a couple of hm weeks ago.”
She took Garnet’s calloused hand in her own delicate one. “Pearl.”
Garnet took back her hand and went back to staring at nothing. “Hey.”
Pearl closed her locker, tucking the two textbooks under her arm. “Do you know who started the rumor?”
“Nope.”
“Oh. Well,” she fidgeted with the hem of her yellow sweater, pink skirt swaying as she shifted her legs. “What are we going to do to make them stop?”
Garnet shrugged. “What can we?”
Pearl sighed. “I suppose you’re right…” She watched a student slowly pass by, trying and failing to watch them inconspicuously. She sighed again. “I guess we’ll have to wait for it to blow over.”
“Or...”
Pearl looked back at the transfer student. “Or?”
Garnet stood up straight, Pearl realizing for the first time that Garnet was about a head taller than her. “We give ‘em more to talk about.”
Pearl tilted her head. “What?”
“Somebody wanted to mess with us.” She smirked. “I’d say the best revenge would be compliance. What do you say? Be my girlfriend?”
Pearl looked down. Would this really be the best revenge? Wouldn’t they be giving the gossiper exactly what they wanted? No, she realized. It would be a sort of...defiance. She’d be taking the situation into her own hands, causing the stares and whispers instead of being a victim of them. It was a stupid idea, a crazy idea. One that would definitely earn her heat from her sisters. They always told her that what she did reflected on them and that she had to get their permission before doing anything because they would suffer from whatever social faux pas she committed.
Pearl glanced up at Garnet. She looked decidedly attractive with her leather jacket, white tank top, baggy jeans and off white sneakers. Her body language was playful and confident, arms folded, eyebrow and hip cocked. Like she was ready to taunt the world into a bare knuckle brawl and then win. She looked like she didn’t fit anywhere and liked it that way She was not the type of person her sisters would want her to associate with.
Fuck my sisters.
Pearl smiled, eyes narrowed excitedly. “Let’s do it.”
Garnet grinned. “Then lemme carry your books...darlin’.”
Pearl blushed, somehow getting the feeling that Garnet had winked at her underneath those glasses. “Of course.” She handed her books to her new...girlfriend. She felt a giddy thrill race down her spine. “You know, this wasn’t exactly how I planned on coming out.”
Garnet stood next to her and adjusted her glasses. “It usually isn't.” She looked down when she felt Pearl’s hand curl around her forearm. She smiled softly. “Good to know you’re gay too, though. It’ll make things easier when I getting a crush on you.”
Pearl’s blush deepened. “H-how do you know you’ll get a crush on me?”
“That's easy." Garnet tilted her head down to peer over her glasses, Pearl surprised by the different colored eyes. Garnet winked with her blue eye, the brown one shining with mischief. “I can see the future.”
“O-oh…” Pearl swallowed. Beautiful… “Okay.”
Garnet jerked get head towards the end of the hall. “Let's go to the cafeteria. I’m hungry.”
Pearl looked down at her watch. “Oh! I didn’t realize lunch started ten minutes ago! Yes, let’s go. I’m quite famished myself. Um.” A blush once again dusted her cheeks. “I suppose this is sort of like our first date?”
“And here I am without flowers.”
They walked towards the cafeteria, Pearl’s laughter echoing through the halls.