Love, Self Control and Redemption ch. 3

Chapter 3: Diana Confronts Garnet

Garnet was in her dorm room just after the date, laying back-up on her bed with her Jewelpod being held in her anxious paws and watched by her waiting eyes. She felt every second trickle by and it felt like each second was a prayer for Dian to get home safely and remember to text her. Sapphie, who seemed to be drawing blueprints, commented from their desk, "So I take it your smitten?"

"If I had him with me, I could find the strength to be brave under a collapsing sky," Garnet swooned and rolled over, the romance she felt practically gushing from her dark pink eyes.

"The sky collapsing is physically impossible. It's just a term used to describe the end of the world according to religious texts," Sapphie said matter-of-factly.

"If love is a religion, I'm its faithful disciple!" Garnet exclaimed, swooning even more.

"You're the Jewelpet of Love. You'd probably be the pope or the pastor of love's church," Sapphie rather absently said as she worked on her blueprints. "By the way, Luea was asking me to tell you to tell her how the date went."

"How does Luea know about it?" Garnet asked.

"When one of the trendiest girls in school goes on a date with an idol, word gets around fast," Sapphie explained. "Then Ruby asked Luea to transfer into Class Plum and Luea said no. She's straightforward like that. Do you see Luea and Io as a couple?"

"He texted me!" Garnet squealed gleefully. Sapphie was sure that the entire dorm must have heard her, but Garnet was either unaware or didn't care. "'Got home safely. I had fun tonight'."

"Text him back, then," Sapphie suggested.

"Oh, oh! How about, 'I'm glad. We should do that more often'?" Garnet asked Sapphie for a second opinion (the first being her own).

"That sounds fine," Sapphie replied, trying to focus on drawing up orthographic views of rocket parts. "I need a power source… Do you know where I can buy plutonium?"

"That might be a little over the top…" Garnet told Sapphie.

Sapphie, who thought Garnet was referring to the text message, said, "No, I really think what you said would be fine, Garnet. You should go out with him again! You like him so much!"

"I meant you buying plutonium to power your rocket, Sapphie," Garnet flatly informed Sapphie. "You'll more than likely get arrested."

Before the yellow and blue Cavalier could respond, there was a knock at the door. Sapphie went to open the door and Garnet sent her text message. She closed her eyes and envisioned the flames in her heart that burned brightly for Dian. Sapphie interrupted her thoughts in saying, "Garnet? It's for you."

Garnet opened her eyes and looked to the door. In the doorway was a tear-stricken Diana. The munchkin cat looked upset and angry. Garnet knew what was coming next. Diana would start something. She would accuse Garnet of stealing Dian away from her. She would start a catfight, go to drastic measures, and then turn the public opinion of the girls in the dorm against Garnet. Garnet read the situation like it was a chess board, and the only way to stop Diana's strategy was to take out her key piece.

Garnet got off her bed and leapt to the doorway where Diana stood. The two cats locked eyes and the room filled up with an aura of silent ferocity. Before Diana had the chance to open her mouth, Garnet hugged the munchkin. The pink cat said to the black cat, "I'm sorry your heart had to get broken."

"Y-you're the reason he broke it…" Diana sniffled, gently pushing Garnet away so she could see her tears. "Why do you do this?"

"Hey, we both just happened to fall for the same wonderful guy, and he made his choice. You'll just have to have faith that you'll find someone. I'm sorry, but…I didn't influence his choices—not directly," Garnet tried to console Diana.

"Well…you don't seem to be lying to me," Diana sighed, seeming to be awfully depressed. "That much makes me feel a little better." Diana got in Garnet's face to accentuate her following point. "But know this; your flowery words don't change things between us."

"I know," Garnet said bravely, yet carefully. She knew that from the moment she saw Diana in the doorway, which was why she didn't back down. Things wouldn't change between the two cat Jewelpets until Diana moved on. Then maybe there would be some way for the tension that seemed to automatically manifest between the two cats to fade out.

Diana left in a huff, trying to regain her composure before she ran into someone in the hall. Garnet sighed. Having a rival like that was exhausting sometimes. What's more, Garnet hated considering Diana a rival because their backgrounds were so different that it was almost unfair. Their goals, however, were very similar.

"You think middle school quarrels would fade out in high school…" Sapphie said with mild concern know that the tension dissipated.

Garnet remembered when the cycle of hatred and bitterness between her and Diana started. It was back in Jewel Town Middle School…

Flashback…

Ruby and Sapphie were walking to school with their bags strapped to their backs. Garnet ran over, catching up to them. She was wearing a pink sweater with the gray face of a smiling cat on it. The pink Persian cat said to her friends, "Good morning!"

"Good morning! Wow, Garnet, that sweater is so cute!" Ruby complimented as she returned the greeting.

"Thank you, Ruby! I made it myself!" Garnet explained with unbridled pride. She was quite pleased with her handy work. "To become the next Nyangelina Jolie, I have to be trendy, yet unique like her!"

"Garnet, I don't know why you're so worried about that. You're very unique!" Sapphie exclaimed and let out a friendly giggle.

"Yeah, you're nice, hard-working, strong, a little bossy, and you give out great romantic advice! You're Ruby's best friend!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Mine, too!" Sapphie added.

"Ruby…! Sapphie…!" Garnet said their names with tears in her eyes.

Just then, a crowd of their peers gathered on the sidewalk. A limousine pulled up to the curb in front of the school, and none other than Diana stepped out of it. She was wearing a hot pink dress that went down to her knees and a leather jacket with a big cursive 'D' embroidered in the back with pink thread.

"There's Diana, the most popular girl in school," Sapphie pointed out. She glanced into Garnet's longing eyes and apologized, "I'm sorry, Garnet."

Garnet yearned to be loved, emulated, and appreciated the way Diana was. The way Nyangelina Jolie was. If it hadn't been for Ruby and Sapphie, the only one Garnet would walk with was her shadow. She had to keep her dream alive, no matter what. She had to leave her mark somewhere in the world.

Garnet was too busy spacing out about her dreams to notice Diana now right in front of her. Diana snapped in her face and Garnet was back to reality. The black cat sneered, "It's not Christmas, Pinky. You can break out all of your ugly sweaters in a few months, okay?"

Garnet felt like crying when the words hit her ears, but she wouldn't. She couldn't. Not in front of so many of her peers. Not in front of the best friends who have lent her an endless amount of strength. She wanted to speak, but she couldn't find the words she wanted to say.

"Hey!" Ruby spoke up. Ruby, Jewel Land's Joan of Arc, to the rescue. "That wasn't very nice! Garnet is nice and genuine, Diana! Don't insult the blood, sweat, tears, and even more blood that she puts into everything she does!"

"I simply thought she was confused about the time of year," Diana feigned innocence. The crowd seemed to believe her, but Ruby, Garnet, and Sapphie did not.

"Diana, why don't you take the bus like everyone else? Maybe you should start carpooling. It's better for the o-zone, which in turn will be better for your skin and fur," Sapphie made her best shot at a comeback. She was adorably dorky.

"Because I like to sleep, which is also good for skin and fur," Diana answered. Her reply came as easily as a flick of the wrist. She looked at Garnet again, "Speaking of which, you look like you could use some sleep, Pinky. Did you stay up all night pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into that sweater?"

"W-what if I did? I'm going to be like Nyangelina Jolie one day! She's unique, trendy, and tries super hard in everything she does!" Garnet blurted out. There was silence. The silence sapped away her confidence.

"…I bet I'll get there first," Diana challenged and walked away, her crowd following her.

"Ooh! She really burns me up!" Garnet growled as she crossed her arms.

"Can you make a sweater with pudding on it?" Ruby asked Garnet.

End of flashback…

"…I know she's not a bad Jewelpet, so why is she so mean sometimes?" Garnet wondered aloud.

"I think she's lonely," Sapphie hypothesized. "Dian may have been the only genuine connection she had with someone."

Garnet took Sapphie's words into consideration, and then hugged her. Sapphie blushed and let out a light gasp. Garnet called out, "Ruby, get in here!"

"Ruby's here!" Ruby exclaimed as she ran in and joined them in the hug.

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have friends like you two!" Garnet sniffled joyfully.

"And a boyfriend like Dian!" Sapphie and Ruby added teasingly. Garnet blushed and smiled. She couldn't wait to see Dian again.