“Awww, come on Miss Cheerilee. Just give him ooooone more chance. Pleasepleasepleaseplease--”
“No means no, Sweetie Belle. Besides, I don't like him in that kind of way. Only as a friend. And I know that he feels the exact same way, too.”
The young unicorn hung her head in defeat as she walked back to her friends. Even from her desk, Cheerilee could hear whispers coming from the three young fillies.
“We just can't give up! Miss Cheerilee deserves to be happy!” said Sweetie Belle.
“Ah think that if she jus' gave him one more chance, it'll work out for sure!”
“I dunno, Applebloom. Maybe we should just let her be? She really doesn't seem interested in him,” offered Scootaloo.
The magenta-colored mare put her head down on her desk, waiting for the school day to be over. She had decided to wrap up class early, leaving the kids with 5 or so free minutes to talk amongst themselves.
“I heard that Miss Cheerilee is one of those disgusting filly-foolers. That's what my daddy told me,” a cocky voice said. It belonged to Diamond Tiara.
Cheerilee's heart stopped for a second. Suddenly the daisy sandwich she had eaten for lunch didn't feel quite right in her stomach.
Laughter was heard, undoubtedly from Silver Spoon. “Yeah! That's why she won't date your brother, Applebloom!”
The mare didn't dare to lift her head from her desk. At least, not yet.
“Buck off! There's no way our Miss Cheerilee is like that! You're just making dumb stuff up, Diamond Tiara,” Scootaloo retorted angrily. The duo just laughed some more in response.
“My daddy doesn't lie. He said he always sees Miss Cheerilee hanging around mares, and never around stallions. It has to be true!”
Cheerilee couldn't help but let her eyes become watery. Finally, she lifted her head from the desk.
“Girls, that's enough. We do not discuss the private lives of others in this schoolhouse,” she said coldly: mainly to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
Thank Celestia, at that moment, the shrill ring of the school bell sounded, signaling for everypony to go home. All the students raced out the door as soon as they could, pushing and shoving each other in the process.
The only ponies that took their time were Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. They were muttering amongst themselves quietly; out of Cheerilee's earshot.
Hesitantly, as if she were unsure about something, Applebloom called out, “Ahm... Have a nice evenin', Miss Cheerilee,” on her way out the door.
“Bye, girls,” she responded quietly. The small fake smile she wore when saying goodbye to her students still lingered on her lips a few seconds longer until she couldn't take it anymore, bursting into tears.
~
“Welcome home!” An extra-cheerful Berry Punch offered her best smile to the mare as she walked through the door. Cheerilee wiped any excess moisture out of her eyes and returned the smile to her lover.
“Who are you and what have you done with Berry Punch?” Cheerilee joked, her tone somewhat serious. The mare has come to know very well the two sides of her lover: the sweet and caring sober Berry Punch, and the perverted and lazy drunken Berry Punch.
“Awww, come on, Ri! Besides, do you know what today is?”
“...I don't, actually.”
The mare frowned. “It's been exactly two weeks since I've stopped drinking! Aren't you proud of me, Ri?”
Cheerilee grinned; she was proud of Berry Punch. Extremely proud, actually. For the first time in quite a while, the magenta-colored mare gave her lover a kiss on the lips. She wrapped her forelegs around the (for once) sober mare, pulling her closer. The kiss deepened as both mares melted into it. All too soon, Cheerilee pulled away. A true, sincere smile widened by the second.
“I'm proud of you, Berry. Great job.”
“So... remember a few weeks back when I tried to seduce you while I was drunk?” the mare suddenly brought up.
“Mmm... Yes, I remember,” Cheerilee said, knowing exactly what Berry was going to ask soon.
“And then remember how you told me to try again once I'm sober?”
“Mhmmmm.”
“Well how about now?” Berry Punch planted a sweet kiss on her partner's cheek. She then began to do the same to the mare's neck.
Cheerilee giggled. She couldn't remember the last time Berry had been this sweet to her. “I guess good girls should get a reward once in a while, hmmm~?” The mare had completely forgotten the events that happened earlier in the day, now solely focusing on her love.
Berry Punch nodded eagerly. “Please, Ri?”
The magenta earth pony freed herself from the grasp of Berry Punch and began her way up the stairs. “Well, then what are you waiting for~?” she teased.
Once the two mares were in bed together, Cheerilee said, again, “I really am proud of you, Berry.”
Another kiss was shared between the two.
“I promised, didn't I? No more, at all. I'm here for you, Ri. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
~