"Attention students!”
The majority of the student body directed their attention towards the P.A system, with curious expressions. Over the past several days, classrooms and the cafeteria had been meticulously adorned with snowflake and snowman decorations in preparation for the Winter dance. The anticipation hung in the air.
“This next week is our Winter dance. Everyone, have fun and remember we will be crowning the King and Queen at this event," the P.A system boomed.
The cafeteria buzzed with excitement. Everyone turned back towards their respective tables, chatting animatedly. They speculated on who might go with whom and the likelihood of being crowned.
“Ugh, these dances? Not my jam. It's the same ol' scramble to find a date every time. This year, the Dash is rollin' solo. No need for anyone to mess with my chill.”
Rainbow Dash laid back, propped her feet on the cafeteria table, and folded her arms with a smug grin.
Fluttershy, sitting nearby, cleared her throat gently. "Um, Rainbow, could you please move your feet? You're dangerously close to my cereal."
Rainbow put her feet back on the ground, then leaned in really close to Rarity with a glint in her eye.
“So Rares, spill the beans. Who are you going with? Please tell me it isn’t Blueblood or worse, Shy's brother.”
Fluttershy glared at Rainbow disapprovingly while Rarity sighed.
“Of course not darling. As for my plans; well, I was contemplating spending a friendly evening with AppleJack. As friends, mind you. You’re more than welcome to join us. The more, the merrier. And afterwards, we can hang out.”
Rainbow spun around on the bench and towards Pinkie and Fluttershy.
“What about you, Shy and Pinks?”
Pinkie’s face beamed while milk spilled out of Fluttershy’s nose.
“We're going together as friends," Pinkie exclaimed. "Flutters can't handle large crowds, and I pinkie promised she'd have some great memories of the dance.”
Fluttershy meekly added, “If I get too uncomfortable, we’ll go hide out together somewhere away from everyone.” The table next to them spontaneously started to laugh, and Fluttershy started hiding more in her seat.
Rainbow, having had almost all of her fun, turned towards Sunset and Twilight who were sitting near the end of the table.
“Okay then, surely you’re not going to go for this whole... romance thing, are you Twi and Sunset?”
Twilight nervously rubbed the back of her head, her face starting to turn a darker shade of purple.
"I dunno. I really want to. B-but I…well, you know. And besides, they probably aren't interested anyway."
Sunset crossed her arms.
"I suppose I do want to have more events at this school that weren't tainted by me being a mega b-"
Pinkie covered Sunset's mouth.
"Hey! There are children here. Watch your language, Sunny Wunny."
Sunset forced Pinkie's hand off of her and rolled her eyes.
"I was going to say ‘bozo’. Geez, Pinkie."
As the pair remained engrossed in their conversation, Twilight kept glancing back and forth at Sunset. Then picked up her fork with trembling fingers, awkwardly twirling it above her plate; completing ignoring the pancakes in front of her. Twilight sighed, "Maybe I'll find the courage to ask," she whispered to herself.