Opal's pov

I don't think I'd ever been happier to see Sardonyx.

Actually, that's the first time I'd ever been happy. She'd always just been a reminder of my dad. But this time, she was a perfect way to leave the conversation.

"Opal, looking fabulous!" Red obsessed. I tried to speak through my shakey smile, but ultimately decided not to.

"And Pearl, looking wonderful too!" She began talking quickly to an overwhelmed Pearl, while my Mother and Father spoke to Mrs. Diamond.

The doorbell rang, so I took it upon myself to answer it. I was faced with a woman and her daughter.

"Hello, I'm Crystal, and thus is Sapphire. Do you know where Blue Lazuli is?"

I led them to Lapis's mother, who I learned to be her sister, and returned to my spot near the staircase.

The doorbell rang a couple more times before I finally decided to check out who was there. So I made my way up to the first landing to check.

Looking around, I saw my families, Sugilite and Amethyst, Peridot's family, Lapis's family, Jasper and a man I assumed to be her father, but most importantly the Quartzes.

It took me no time at all upon seeing Rose and her parents to question there presence, but it took me even less time to notice Rainbow's signature smirk as she walked across the foyer.

"Ugh, I have no time for this!" I muttered. I trudged down the stairs and looked for a proper conversation to wedge myself within. I decided talking to my parents and the Headmistress was the best way to keep her in check if Rainbow found me, so I stepped foreward.

"Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves," I commented, finding a nice door between my father and the Headmistress.

After one look at the strained expression on my mother's face I knew that was a lie, but I used the topic nevertheless.

"Yes, but it's time for dinner. Let's eat, everyone!" Mrs. Diamond called out, inadvertently starting a stampede towards the dining room.

I was blindly shuffling through the room until I felt a hand grab my left arm, and another one grab my right. The hands tugged me down and I found myself sitting in a chair between Pearl and Peridot.

"Thanks." I mumbled, looking to my right to where my mother sat on the other side of Pearl.

"Alright everyone!" I flinched, looking towards Mrs. Diamond. For the first time I noticed everyone's positioning at the table.

Mrs. Diamond, for whatever reason, was seated at the middle of the long rectangular dining table. On her left Sat her daughter Yellin, followed by the Quartzes. The table was one space short, so my Father managed to squeeze both himself  and Red at the head of the table, opposite of Rainbow. I glanced across from me, where Sapphire was seated.

I took notice of how her bright blue bangs stayed constantly in front of her eyes, but decided to pay it no mind.

"I'm sure you all know why we're here?" Everyone nodded there heads, other than Jasper who sulked and her father who grunted.

"Actually, Mrs. Diamond? I myself was wondering why my family was invited." Rainbow raised her hand and used her stupid innocent voice she uses for adults.

"Of course, Miss Quartz. We're here mostly to discuss the issues involving social interaction in our school, specifically students in this very room." Rainbow quickly glanced in my direction, then settled her gaze into her empty plate.

"Pfft, yeah right." Jasper sulked. "We all know we're here because wimps are getting all offended by me."

"You sent your sister to the hospital!" Lapis's mother retaliated.

That's right, Lapis's mother married Jasper's father a couple years ago.

"She's not my sister!" Lapis protested, slamming her hands on the table.

"Lapis, don't slam the table!" Her mother scolded. "You're making me look bad."

"Oh, I'm making you look bad? Never mind the fact that your step daughter's either hit or teased half the people in this room!" Lapis retorted, raising her voice.

"This isn't the time or place to argue! Both of you are grounded when we get home!"

"You can't ground me, you're not my mom!" Jasper rebelled. Lapis's mother groaned.

"Control your daughter, please." Jasper's father sighed.

"I don't tell you how to raise your kid."

"You know," My father butted in, because he always has to be the main focus. "That's similar to the approach I take to parenting-"

"Right, because you know everything about parenting." I said sarcastically.

"Opal, don't get involved!" Pearl quietly begged.

"Opal, if you have an issue with me, you could've told me somewhere else-"

"If?" I recoiled. "God, I wonder what issue I could possibly have with you? Maybe, just throwin suggestions here, it's because you slept with another woman when you were married for Christ's sake!" I accused. My father put his hand to his face.

"Opal, this is really something between your mother and I."

"Well maybe you should've thought about that before you slept with her again! Now you've got two freaking kids with her and I can't stand either of them!" Everyone was silent, even Lapis and Jasper traded their pouts for surprised expressions.

It only took me a few seconds to realize what I said.

"Guys, I'm so-" Sardonyx didn't let me finish, instead she stood up and left the room quietly.

"Opal Lynn Baroque." I reluctantly made eye contact with my mother. "You shouldn't have said that." I hung my head.

"I know." I looked up at Ruby, and I can honestly say there was steam rising off of her. I almost thought she was going to lunge at me, but Sapphire placed a hand on her shoulder and she calmed down. "I'm sorry." She took a deep breath.

"It's okay. I know you were mad at Dad." She managed a small smile, and I smiled back.

"Wow, I've never seen Ruby calm down so fast!" Red commented. "What's your secret?"

"I bet I know." Amethyst muttered. Ruby shot a glare down the table.

"Really? And what would that be?" Red asked. Ruby's glare turned to panic, as did Sapphire's  mouth.

"Probably because of all the time they spend making out." About three forks dropped to their plates. Yellin's, whose face went from shock back to her smirk, Sugilite, who just stared at Amethsyt in awe, and Crystal, who stared ahead for a minute before bursting into tears.

"No, Mom, please don't cry!" Sapphire pleaded, a tear escaping her own eye. She reached out to touch her mother's arm, but Crystal slapped her hand away and ran out of the room.

"Well, it looks like you and Amethyst will most likely lose the elections in favor of... others." Peridot glanced down towards Yellin and Rainbow.

Well at least I'm not the only one who said something horrible.

Wow, 1150 words! I just couldn't stop writing! But I got most of the important stiff done in this part, now I just need to check my list of drama that needs to happen...

Random facts:Originally, Ruby and Sapphire were supposed to be exposed by one of the many many many many Topaz children. Then the character was scrapped for adding on too many unnecessary plotlines, so I came up with the idea to have it revealed here. But I was going to have Sardonyx reveal the secret by popping up between them, doing Jazz hands, and referring to them as lovebirds. But then I scrapped the idea of Amethyst having a crush on Greg since he's not important until book two, so I tweaked this to fit her new storyline.

Also, who else was surprised by what Opal said? Because I literally never planned that but oh well, it works. Plus now the news gag can be incorporated into the actual story!