//------------------------------// // A New Feeling // Story: Strangers // by Nero Fenice //------------------------------// The one time I want to try something it keeps me up till 2 in the morning, practicing the same thing. I never knew Sweetie practiced that much or to 2 a.m at least. The practice did serve me well, I got the first half of it memorized. I got home and almost didn't make it to my own bed before passing out. Before I left we agreed to practice twice a day till the concert. I didn't mind that considering that the concert was Wednesday which is in 3 days. By the time I woke up it was 7 a.m. and I cursed myself and tried to full back asleep but I got up. I went out the door and walked around, its not like I had a job to do yet, the studio was still being built. I was just sitting around the fountain when I recognized one my friends, he is a video editor that I often work with, his name is Camera Vision. I waved him over to me. "Dang, you beat me here Button." He joked. "Always one step ahead of you." I replied and we both laughed. "Hey, do you know when we going back to work?" He asked "Nope, I hope not for a while." I replied. I never really wanted to know when it would be done, I just wanted to enjoy my little break from it all. "Well then I hope your right. Where are you holding up?" "Down the road in a small house. You?" "Also got a small house. Hey at least you got roots here, I don't. You wouldn't mind showing me around here do you?" He asked "Why not, I just have to meet some pony later." So I showed him around a little. I showed him the market, fountain, the town square, a few restaurants and my house. He seemed to like the town, which I was glad to see. I left him at the town hall to meet Sweetie Belle. By my guess it was maybe 2-3 in the afternoon so its not like Sweetie would be asleep... I hope. She wanted to master this song by Wednesday which by the way meant wanted it mastered ASAP. I got there and I could hear Sweetie and Rarity talking from inside in boutique. I wanted to walk in but I wanted them to talk so I just stood outside and waited. Yet I listened in on them just to make sure everything was okay and those stallions weren't causing more trouble. "Well Sweetie, what doe's your heart say?" "It says that I like him." "Yes and?" "Want to be around him." "And?" "That I love him." These words spun me around like a tornado. I wondered who she liked, who captured her heart. I also couldn't help but feel a strange burning that was coming from my chest. I wanted to walk in now but at this put it would be rude, honestly. "Well there you have it Sweetie." "How am I supposed to know if he feels the same way about me." "Well first of who is it, I don't even know because you came down wanting to ask me a question." "Promise you won't go nuts on him or do anything to intervene between us." "Sister's Oath." "It's...." I couldn't hear what she said but I guess Rarity didn't either. "Louder please." "Button." I stumbled away a little bit. The words just stunned me. This began to piece together in my head, the song is about her missing me. That after a while she realized she had feelings for me. 'And remember, I've been waiting ever sense this started aching.' Her heart was aching because she missed me and loved me. That's when my heart began to rely something new...Love, I love her in return. I guess that's why I stood up for her the way I did at the cafe because I loved her and was growing a little defensive over her. Also why I was overfilled with joy when I saw her again after 13 years. Yet I couldn't bring this to her first, if I did this could hinder her performance and I can't do that for her, not after the reputation that she built up. So I set my mind I would tell her after the celebration. So I walked in, normally and they were in the front of the store as I thought. "Oh, hello Button." Rarity said as I walked in to the store. It's like the conversation between them never happened, I guess a sister's oath is serious. There wasn't even a hint of the conversation but I guess that's good for me. "You ready to practice Button?' Sweetie said turning around towards me. I noticed the slight pink hue that was stained across her cheeks. "Let's get started." I replied. Honestly it was taking all my might not to walk over to her and just kiss her right then and there. Why is this so hard, keeping this feeling in. "Okay c'mon." She said walking to the back. I shortly followed her to her room and we began as normal. The way it was that I started by myself then a short pause then her solo another pause. Then we began to sing together but not the same words, we were kind of talking to each other in a way at the end we come together and sing the same thing which is just one lyric. We also stare at each other in the end to add 'emotion' Sweetie says but I won't question it. We kept making errors but we continuously worked at it yet we couldn't get it right. We finished another run but instead of just getting ready to do it again we just stayed in place. Like a photo, just staring at each other. Then not thinking I put my hoof under her chin and raised it slightly, she immediately started to blush furiously and turned away from me, I did the same. "L-L-Let's take a break, okay?" she said still turned away. "Okay Sweetie." I answered looking back, it seemed like she forgot that was her name and blushed even harder. "I'll be right back." She said and quickly left the room. I looked at the time, it was 9 in the afternoon. I looked down at the sheet of paper and studied the lyrics more. 'Control Button, control.' I screamed at myself in my head. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.' I kept insulting myself while staring at the paper. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~******~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Think Sweetie, just think!' I couldn't think straight. Button just messed me up big time. 'Just tell him, now he's made it obvious that he shares your feelings. So mare up and just tell him.' It felt like a civil war was going on in my head, one side saying tell him one side saying not to. I don't know what to do, do I go back up there and continue or lie to him so he goes home. I continued pacing around the kitchen thinking of what to do. Then I made my decision and went back upstairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~******~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Sweetie came back into the room I instantly stopped insulting myself and turned to her. "Do want to continue?" She asked me putting on a smile. "That's fine." I stared at the sheet and began the song and I did everything correctly but Sweetie was having trouble remembering the words, even having to look at the sheet to get the words right. Then I asked her about it she said its nothing. After about a hour of her messing up I brought it up to her again but she stuck with her answer of it being nothing. I didn't take that for an answer. "Just tell me Sweetie. I want you to be at your best for the celebration and I can't help you if you keep pushing me away. " I pushed on the subject. "Maybe I'm just a bit tired okay. Can we pick this up tomorrow?" She asked, she did seem tired before and I didn't feel like pushing this subject any further, I did get a logical answer. I looked at the time, it was close to midnight. "Okay we can do that." I said calmly. So we said our good nights and I left for my house. I hope this doesn't effect her at the celebration but telling her or making a move could effect her as much as this did. The thing is that its wednsday, once that hand reached the 12 that meant we had 22 hours to master this song. We have yet to get the last part correct when it comes to pacing and if one of us finished before the other on stage it would destroy the performance. I can only hope Sweetie and I can resolve this and do it correctly the last time we practice tomorrow. So I went to bed wishing for the best and thinking of the mare I love.