We fought, somewhat"

Steven eyes widen at that. The faces of disbelief he made tickled her.

"You made the same faces Jasper did when she tried to process it as well."

"You fought..as in hair pulling and insults."

"...Really.." That one word left no room for error or disbelief. He remembered going to the S.C. for a monthly club leader meeting and only seeing Jasper and Peri. He asked about the whereabouts of Connie and Lapis, he never got an answer more than a glare from both of them.

"Why?!"

"Lapis was lashing out in her way. I was getting annoyed with it..We then started to say some things we didn't mean..said some things we did mean...and everything just exploded."

"Just exploded, huh?" Connie tilted her head with a slight shrug at the accusation.

"Yeah. Want the play by play? I'll tell you...If you tell me about that night."

"Always a catch with you, Maheswaran.."

"It's an equal exchange...Besides I want to confirm somethings."

Steven said nothing, he folded his arms leaned back against the wall. With a small nod and slight wave of his hand towards her, he gave her the floor. Connie looked at him as she changed from seating on the couch to laying on it facing him.

"So what happened was..."

* three weeks ago, three days after Connie's birthday.*

It was late afternoon and the sun was nearly down, classes ended a couple hours ago and most clubs were starting to end for the day. The S.C. though was still working hard. Jasper and Peridot had gone to make rounds and stretch their feet, leaving Connie and Lapis alone. Lapis was standing next to the window gazing sadly at the campus, watching the CG sans Steven, crossing by, looking tired yet satisfied from whatever job they had... but it seemed to had a lot of paint involved. She almost let a gasp out when she saw Amethyst wave at her and informing the others. She waved back a little unsure at the moment.

"Shheesh! Planning the Winter formal gonna kill me. Hey Lapis, mind looking over the plans, make sure I didn't miss something and feel free to add something possibly? I already emailed it to you."

Lapis gritted her teeth for a moment at the sound of Connie's voice. "Of course, My Sultan." Lapis dramatic bow was low and the glare in her eyes was steeled. Connie pursed her lips as she watch Lapis take her seat in front of the one of the four laptops in the room. Lapis frown was so pronounced and her annoyance was nearly tangible. It had been all day but it seemed to flared near Connie.

"Are you ok,La-"

"I'm fine."

Connie arched an eyebrow and sighed before getting up, and fixing a drink from the Keurig in the room "You want a cup-"

"How sweet of you madam president, offering this poor girl a gift...No. Let me work."

"Hmm." With a roll of the eyes, Connie turned her attention elsewhere, the window Lapis was looking through before. As she did she caught a lone Steven walking by, the same direction as his clubmates. He stretched upwards into the sky, when his eyes caught hers. They stood still, almost unblinking.

Connie gave a half-lidded look as smiled at him slightly. Steven smirked, his cheeks red with paint. She gave him a small wave, feeling her smile grow as she did. His cheeks grew redder as he waved both his hands enthused and a bit forced, getting a small chuckle from the President.

"Hi, silly boy." Low as she said it and as low as her chuckle, The other resident of the room heard her. Lapis looked over to Connie's flirty smile with scorn.

"Uh-hmm!"

Connie jumped at the sound of Lapis. She sheepishly smiled towards Lapis, who signed annoyed, glare a little deeper than before.

"Sorry to excuse your pining, but you're being distracting."

Connie blushed red at the statement, before adopting a glare as her own. "No one's pining over anyone."

"Flirting then, either way it's annoying and distracting.."

"You must haven't been doing your work, if you heard me."

" You don't deny your flirting." Lapis glared iron at the president who shrugged in response, a smug look on her face.

"Wouldn't be the first time someone made an empty accusation."

"Empty..right.."

"Anyway did you do what I ask? Just send it to my Email. I'll check it later"

Lapis sucked on her teeth before doing what was asked of her, muttering under her breath a sly comment as she did. Connie glared at the bluenette before turning her sight back to the window and the antics of Steven and his club, who seemed to have gotten ready to leave for the day. She caught Steven heading back across the campus towards his parked cycle, his back towards the window. When he straddled the cycle, he caught Connie in his sight again, and smiled brightly, even mouthing her 'if he should wait.?' She shook her head and mouth that she 'was still working,' and he should 'escape while he can". He shrugged and looked back when his smile grew somber as Lapis came and stood next to Connie. He saw her give him an awkward smile and waving shyly at him, which he returned with a weak wave and a strained smile before he placed on his helmet, started 'Lion' and zoomed off home.

Lapis emotions were a whirlwind at the moment. She saw the loving, playful smile he had when it was just Connie and how it changed, almost instantly, at the sight of her.

'Well...That hurts...Guess it's still fresh, so should have expected that much..I didn't think it would still be this awkward though....I did blow up though..but he was going to....Bet he would of I was Connie.' Misplaced thoughts ran through the blunette's head, making her unaware of the side gaze of her friend.

"That was strange, did something happen with you."

Lapis eyes widen in surprise as she acknowledged the president, who gave her a concerned glance. "What did you say?"

" That little exchange just now...Did something happened between you two?'

"Tsch, nothing that's your business."

Connie gave a hard breath before smiling mirthlessly. "Sorry just trying to be a good friend...Don't have to take whatever you two going through out on me." With that Connie walked back to her laptop and began working again, her drink in her hand.

"Must be nice." The condescending nature of her secretary statement cause Connie to pause a second.

"What?"

"To have him wrapped around your finger the way you do."

"The hell are you talking about Lapis?" The raven haired girl looked back at the bluenette fully, the look of annoyance plastered on her face, un-cared for by Lapis.

"Lapis pointed to the window, her face red with anger. "THAT just now, a perfect example of what I mean. Me and him, it's awkward between us because of what happened; but you two..you two are as flirty as ever..."

Connie sucked up the breath she didn't know she was holding as a very low and cool voice came from her. "Ok? Aren't we always like that..You guys have teased us about this..so why is it a problem?"

"Because even though you're dating someone else! You still act like THAT with Steven."

"Ok, but That's how we are. he's my best friend."

Lapis smirked at the aggression in her voice." Then why haven't you been hanging with Steven lately, and instead with Jeff? Why was he by your side on your birthday?."

Connie looked stunned at lapis's proclamation, that bit of anger from before growing slowly, before a very strained chuckle escaped.

"Why am I entertaining this? We've been out of sync all day because I have a friend that's not Steven."

Lapis looked nearly disgusted at Connie. Her mouth hanged opened before a tight frown formed. "Friend?! No wonder Steven didn't want to stay."

Connie leered at the bluenette with an arched an eyebrow and a hand on her hips. "You're making less sense the more you talk. Spell it out, maybe?"

"He saw you with your boyfriend, Jeff."

'Damn you, Steven, you should've just talked to me.'Connie thought as she rubbed her eyes with a groan. "So is this what.. 'This'... is. Retribution for Steven; Is that why you been acting this way today?

"DON'T TEST ME! I'M NOT MAD FOR HIS SAKE ALONE, I'M MAD BECAUSE...Because..." Lapis looked away, face down and muttered the rest. Connie stood waiting for her. Her patience low as it was dropped even lower hearing lapis mutter.

"Because what? Lapis, talk to me girl."

"Because it will never be me" Lapis gave a strong glare, her blue eyes piercing, her voice ice cold. "No matter what, It's never..going to be me, even though it looked like it might have been."

"Connie tilted her head to the side, her mouth open and slowly nodded as she started to put somethings together. "Did...Did you confess and get rejected?.. Is that why you're lashing out?"

Lapis was red with embarrassment, her mind racing back to Stevens face that night and his not so silent mutterings. Her hands clenched into fist as she turned from Connie and her pity filled face. The thoughts in her head fueling her emotions.

' You're dating someone else and yet..., he still chose you over anybody else'

The rage and jealousy burning inside, making her tremble and tear up.

' It's unfair, completely unfair. '

The moment she felt Connie begin to enclose her in a hug

'Why?'

...her emotions took over...

' Why does it have to be you?

And she knocked the air out of the president's stomach.