The Truth About Girls (Vol. 1)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

It's A Wonder, Colt (part 3)

Her scooter parked a few streets away, Rainbow Dash stopped to check out whether her general look still was satisfying or not. Following Rarity’s instructions, she had tied her hair in a one-side braid, then had slipped on her rainbow-colored sundress with a short-sleeved woolen jacket, this all with baby blue tennis shoes.

Being completely honest, she had to admit there were girls prettier, done up better, and more used to seduction than she was. Her self-confidence was hidden in details and in her physical shape. She knew she was unsinkable, as long as she put her shoulder to the wheel, fast and agile, that she had style and attitude… Neutral qualities she thought were solid but which had nothing in common with charm.

Until now, it had never really intrigued her. Thanks to those qualities she was able to make the others come to her, no matter who the others were. Things were what they were, and anyway, she had always placed friendship and collusion above matters of the heart. It was the first time she was asking herself such questions as am I too much this or not enough that?

It was supposed to be nothing but a drink with a friend, after all… No need to put too much pressure on her shoulders.

Getting nearer of the Bellehorse Bar, Rainbow Dash breathed deeply and put her most chilling attitude on. It was impossible to miss Soarin waiting for her in front of the doorstep… He was taller than everyone else. Hard to believe the frail boy from her childhood had turned into someone so athletic and masculine…

As soon as he saw her coming in his direction, his face lit up with a bright smile. He didn’t say anything about it, but looked as if he’d been afraid she wouldn’t come. Something in his posture suggested that he wasn’t used in waiting a girl somewhere, even just a friend. Usually, she’d have played with it to annoy him, but they had barely met each other again, and Rainbow Dash didn’t want to take the risk to push him around by being too unsubtle from the outset.

Before stepping inside, Soarin held the door for her and let her in first. No doubt, he hadn’t changed much. It was enough to help the young woman relaxing.

True to its reputation, the Bellehorse Bar was crowded like on a day of the Canterlot’s Pegasi match – the local soccer team. Behind the walnut counter, a throng of youngsters with trendy looks and original hairstyles rushed, talking, drinks in their hand, despite the music.
Behind the bar, waitresses wearing fitting tee-shirts and jeans were unceasingly requested while the broadcast of a rock concert quietly played on the huge television screens behind them.

The same thing could be observed at the tables. People piling up on the couches, sitting by two on the opposite chairs, all the tables overloaded with glasses and bottles. At the back, the small VIP corner seemed very busy as well.

They would never be able to find a place to sit and Rainbow Dash felt it would be difficult to get drinks within the ten next minutes. It wouldn’t help them to have a real conversation. At worse, they could still go and dance on the narrow dancefloor near the DJ’s booth – a teenage girl from CHS, who was famous all around town – but that wouldn’t exactly be called “making up for lost time” in the meaning she had understood.

However, she followed Soarin without a word while he was getting to the other end of the counter, where a man around fifty with a thick beard was standing, giving orders to the waitresses and watching the crowd as it came and went. His severe face lit up when he saw Soarin coming his way, and he greeted him with a friendly embrace.

The man asked when the next game was, and after Soarin gave the exact date, he told the man he was looking for a free table. Immediately, the one who in reality was the Bellehorse Bar’s owner called a waiter working at table service, who then asked them to follow him to the VIP corner, where he was able to unearth a spot for them both.

Never again when she had come here with the girls had Rainbow Dash been granted access to this section of the bar. It was dedicated to the most prestigious costumers, and just a quick glance all around her was enough for her to spot famous faces, the same she could have seen at the restaurant with her father, on the previous night.

“How did you happen to know the owner?”, she asked him above the music.

It wouldn’t be that easy to communicate, but they would somehow find a way to do so.

“Oh, he’s a basketball and Wondercolts big fan and I’m fullback in the team, so…”

“Hey, I’m a Wondercolt too! Well, in High School, so it’s not the same level, of course.”

“It means you still play basketball, then? What about boxing and softball?”

“I gave up on them for lacrosse and running, but on another note, yes, I still play basketball. Despite being small…”, she finished with a nervous giggle.

“You’ve always been a great fullback; it must compensate for the rest.”

“So, you remember our games, uh?”

“Of course. I remember everything about you.”

It would have been a lie to say that, on her side things were different. Each time she had thought it was probable she would never see him again, a feeling of melancholy like never had taken over her. In some difficult moments, thinking about Soarin had the same bright spot effect than remembering every good thing shared with her bunch of friends.

They hadn’t seen each other for almost seven years, a lot had happened in-between, and although they had to learn back how to behave in each other’s presence, none of them felt awkward or running short of ideas. It felt as if their last face to face of the kind was only a few days ago.

“I’ve… I’ve heard about your mother”, he said staring at the table. “When they had said her name on television, I just didn’t want to believe it… I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Ah… Don’t worry. I’m fine. It was a long time ago.”

At the sound of her voice, however, traces of emotions could be detected. Her cheerful note had melted like an ice cube under the sun, and she had started to toy with the rims of her dress.

When the accident had taken place in front of thousands of witnesses, it had been on the front page of the whole printed press, the number one information on every news bulletin. The whole country had known, if not the whole world. With perseverance, the images could be found on internet, along with horrified commentaries.

Rainbow Dash hadn’t noticed immediately, since the days which had followed the accident had been very strange, and she kept confused and imprecise memories of them. Only a few images came to her mind, like her only aunt who had attended the funerals dressing her up for the ceremony, or her house filled with relatives, friends of the family and journalists…

It was a sensitive subject, and there was no need to think a lot to understand why. Seeing how she had shut herself down when he had said these few words broke Soarin’s heart, and he regretted he had talked about it, though it had seemed to be appropriate in the heat of the moment. He had known and always respected Firefly, after all.

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

“Yes.”

“So, we won’t talk about it!”

They were interrupted by a waiter asking them what they wanted to have. They hadn’t taken a look at the bill of fare yet but Rainbow Dash didn’t hesitate much and ordered shots of tequila, with salt and lemon, along with a made-up answer when her age was asked.

“I’ve celebrated my eighteenth birthday on Thursday.”

The waiter seemed to show reluctance, and threw a glance behind his back. Farther, the owner nodded, and immediately the man noted the order on his electronic notebook.

Soarin ordered the same thing, and after this, they were ‘alone’ again – since in fact, they already were tight on a couch shared by at least ten persons.

“Thursday, it was my seventeenth birthday.”

“That’s what I thought I remembered. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks”, she said giggling.

The fact she was lying about her age in order to drink alcohol didn’t seem to move him a lot. He was two years older and all the more didn’t try to play it paternalistic. It was fine by Rainbow Dash who had always hated when men or simply adults were trying to tell her how she should behave.

“Well, so… Outside of basketball, what are you doing at university?”

“I study calculation engineering, in order to create studies of planes conception and production. I also work as a mechanic at the Royal Acrobatic Air Fleet.”

“Still with planes, eh?”, she asked doing her best not to start feeling nauseated.

“Yes, my passions hadn’t changed a lot. Planes and basketball… Didn’t you want to work in the air and sea as well, and to become something like the greatest pilot ever?”

“I did before. But I’ve developed some kind of phobia since my mother’s death. Planes and helicopters make me want to throw up whenever I hear or see them, which means having a career in aviation is a no-no.”

Once again, Soarin felt stupid he had said what he had said. He had lost nothing of his skills to put his feet in mouths and always pronouncing forbidden words or at least, to say things able to put a dark veil on a sunny mood.

At the same time that he was dying to learn more about how Rainbow Dash had grown up, he was starting to be scared he would spoil everything by always bringing up subjects better avoided.

His eyes probably said a lot since the young woman gently pat his shoulders.

“Come on, don’t pull such a face! I’m fine. It’s just some little ridiculous phobia. Think about those who’re afraid of bananas. Their life might be like hell compared to mine, because there are bananas in all the supermarkets of the world.”

“Bananas?”

“Yeah, they call it bananaphobia… Such a name cannot be invented!”

Not really sure why, they burst out laughing, unable to help, and this fit of laughing lasted until the waiter came back with their drinks. Their table’s neighbors were looking at them half-amused and half-surprised, but little did it matter. It was childish, yet it was enough to make them forget about the slight awkwardness that happened each time the word “plane” had been pronounced.

If it make sure that Rainbow Dash’s pretty face shone the same way than when she laughed, though it remained one of the less gracious laughter ever, Soarin swore he would never say the word ‘plane’ ever in his life.

It wasn’t really easy for him to hide what was bumping into his mind as the night rolled by. She still was this flamboyant character he had met as a child, with the same voice, yet a little more mature, the same eyes, yet a little more highlighted, and the same attitudes, yet a little more adult. And all these ‘yet a little more’s were what made his hands clammy and the rhythm of his heart go faster.

“Do you have plans for after High School? I mean… Do you already know where you want to study and all?”

“To be honest… Not really. I think I’ll see when the moment will come. All I know is that I want to get a scholarship in sports.”

“Why? Does your father refuse to pay for college?”

“Not at all… It’s me. I want to be more independent. It’s the only solution in my hands until I get nineteen.”

Rainbow Dash had always been the kind of person to enjoy self-reliance and to hate when someone would tell her what to do. She wasn’t one of those persons hanging to others to get by well. Of course, this didn’t mean her friends didn’t count, and that she was able to fly solo without problems, but only that she didn’t like to be obliged to lay upon someone else completely to get along.

Since always, she had this natural self-confidence and the abilities to be successful without the need to smile or to be agreeable to others.

“It’s true it would be great to do sports as a professional athlete. In fact, I’m sure I could get a gold medal at the Olympic Games hands down!”

Her comment made Soarin smile, like each time she was boasting in front of him. Unlike others, he would never try to correct her or to set her straight. Since the very beginning he seemed to have understood that was the way she was and that trying to make her behave like someone she’s not was as counterproductive as it was useless.

She even liked to think it was a personality trait he particularly enjoyed. Perhaps this was naïve from her but it didn’t matter. In fact, the rest didn’t matter as well. The feeling she had when by his side was that it had been ages since she hadn’t felt so relaxed and herself while in the presence of a boy, especially of a boy that she fancied.

Because she had to be realistic, her childhood best friend had turned into a handsome young man, with ambitions and dreams, which where things she always appreciated about others, and he didn’t leave her unmoved. Even the sound of his voice, puzzling at first because it was too much different than her memories, had finally turned into some kind of melody, and this although it didn’t particularly highlight his intelligence.

The bar had emptied little by little. The sound of the music had lowered, little by little. Little by little, he had ceased being tight on the couch, and Rainbow Dash had ceased to be pushed against Soarin by the crowd surrounding them.

It probably was what had bothered her the least in all that, while still embarrassing her – a little – each time she stunningly noticed how under her childhood best friend’s shirt were hiding strong arms and a body build by high-level sports.

Because she was who she was, her embarrassment hadn’t come from her imagining things, since she didn’t imagine much except how good that would feel to be held by such arms, but by the fact this closeness had happened in front of others, and she wasn’t really fond of these kind of public displays.

Little by little, she also had emptied more tequila shots, while he had only drank their first three ones. At each additional shot, a small voice in her head reminded her how bad it was for her health, particularly for her stomach and liver sorely tested, especially since she would have to do it again on the next evening, but she’d made the voice shut. It was the week of her birthday, after all…

As a result, it was now a bit harder to get out of the bar than it had been to get in. Putting one foot in front of another in a straight line was complicated, and without Soarin’s support, Rainbow Dash would probably have had troubles walking without bumping into each piece of furniture on her way.

The fresh air from outside made her shiver, and once again, she almost lost her balance by banging into the small step of the entrance. It made her burst into some strange high-pitched laugh from the back of her throat.

“It scares me a little to know you’re going home riding your scooter…”

“Don’t be scared”, she said with her drunken voice. “It’s a straight line.”

“That’s precisely what scares me.”

“So, how do you want me to go home? I really hate the bus. And there are no more buses now, anyway.”

“I always take a cab when I know I’m going to drink alcohol.”

“A cab? Did you think I was Rarity or something?”

“Rari-who now?”

“Well, Rarity… Ah yeah, you don’t know her yet. Oh, everything’s spinning around.”

Once again, she leaned upon his arms in order not to stumble. The scenery of buildings and lights on the macadam seemed to her like on the verge of an earthquake. To be honest, she wasn’t completely sure to be actually standing and also had the sensation that her body was awry.

Maybe Soarin was right. Maybe, indeed, she wasn’t really in the best of state to drive her scooter to the suburban area she lived in, which wasn’t that close. Her stubborn side didn’t want to give in, but because of how she felt her stubborn side wasn’t screaming loud enough.

“Alright, I’m going to get a cab. Can you walk with me to the station, Soarin, please?”, she said insisting on the last syllables with a mischievous note.

“As if I would let you on your own in such a state… Come on.”

Softly, he took her arm and together, they made a few steps until the closest taxi station, which for obvious practical reasons, was only a few inches away from the bar. This late, there was no one else waiting in front of the sign with a black car drawn on it.

Because it was still as difficult for her to stand up, Soarin decided it would be best to sit down, and they both settled on the piece of sidewalk.
When Rainbow Dash suppressed another chill, he put his own leather jacket on the young woman’s shoulders, who answered him with a large smile… as charming as she was able to smile in such an advanced state of intoxication.

“You’re really, really sweet. You’ve always been really sweet.”

“Yes, I know what was the result. Don’t you remember how much the other dudes used to torture me because of that, calling me a ‘sissy’?”

“They were morons and jerks, alright! You’re awesome. Just like me.”

She meant it sincerely. All night long, Soarin had left her with a very good impression. He already was full of many great qualities when they were children, and now that he was a young man of nineteen, he had also rose above it by adding to his character a certain sense of open-mindedness, what she thought was a very attractive mettle.

What Rainbow Dash liked about him weren’t only his stunningly beautiful green eyes, his face soft and manly at the same time and his athletic body. It was a little something more, the words he said, the ideas he displayed, his patience. All these elements, along with the fact she was feeling so at ease, so free to be herself, made that she was feeling an inside restlessness by his side that made her want to sing and dance.

Came adding to all this a jump in her heart when one of his hand removed a red strand of her hair behind her ear, like in these movies Fluttershy was fond of and she thought were moronic.

She could make fun of the rom-com’s heroines… She wasn’t doing better tonight! Especially with her, the fact to be intoxicated multiplied her sensations.

“You know… Please don’t be offended… I think you’re really sexy.”

“Sexy?”, she questioned between two hiccups.

This statement was startling, especially as she knew precisely what she looked like when drunk and in her mind, it didn’t fit at all with her definition of this adjective.

He probably thought her stunned reaction meant something else because, immediately, his hands clammy, he rubbed his neck while nervously chuckling.

“I didn’t mean to… Well… I didn’t want to… How can I say? The thing is that… I’m sorry, I only had one girlfriend and I’m still clumsy with girls… Well, even if you and me are only friends, I know, but, you see…”

“Hush!”

Rainbow Dash had just pinned her both hands like a cross against his mouth, not without almost falling on the side because of this. If she let him speak, she felt he was going to drown more and more into intricate and useless explanations.

“I wasn’t offended, alright”, she added, taking off her hands in order to cross her arms in front of her chest because of the cold. “I’m only not used to hear people saying such things about me. Boys never think I’m sexy… basically, they either think I’m a lesbian, and I’m not a lesbian, OK… Although there would be nothing wrong about it... Either they think I look like a slut, and frankly… Well. All this, but sexy, never. Well, in fact, I confess, I don’t care. And, err… You know, you’re not bad looking neither.”

If she kept on talking, she would be the one drowning into confused and unnecessary explanations, so she stopped. He had understood the most important part. In fact, she had no intention of telling him half of the things that had crossed her lips. The blame was on the tequila, probably…

“In this case, do you think we could see each other again? To have another drink, or I don’t know, whatever you want.”

“Give me your phone”, she ordered.

Soarin seemed to be the one surprised by this injunction that had just been made, yet he obeyed without further ado. Once his phone with its sober black shell between the young woman’s hands, he saw she had some troubles typing on his keypad, as focused as could be someone in such a state.

When she gave it back to him, a mysterious number was written on the screen, that she asked him to call. Immediately, the ringtone of one of her favorite Eighteen+ song resounded, and Rainbow Dash grabbed her own phone inside her bag and she answered with a hazy “hello?”.

“Just call this number when you want to, and I’ll be here.”

“Fine.”

Beams of a car lit their piece of sidewalk, and Soarin helped Rainbow Dash to stand back up. A driver with a shaved head and sunglasses slipped his face out of the opened window to ask who the fare was for, and the young man indicated it was for the person with him.

Right before getting into the black car with yellow stripes typical of Canterlot’s taxis, she gave him back his leather jacket, then while she was about to get into it for real, she turned around.

“Shall we share?”

“It’s nice of you but I don’t think we’re living in the same part of the town. I’ll take the next one.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, don’t you worry about me. Go back quickly before you’d get sick.”

Something hit her suddenly, as if until then, she had completely forgotten about this fact. If Soarin wanted to see her again as much as she wanted to see him, why should they wait? It wasn’t as if a chance to get closer to him wasn’t within her reach. They didn’t even need to patient a lot – patience had never been her area of expertise.

“There’s a party for my birthday tomorrow night. It’s going to be a huge party with people from my school and my whole bunch of best friends… Would you like to come and be my Plus One?”

“That would be great.”

“Sweet… 789 Rosary Street, starting at eight and a half. See you tomorrow”, she finished by pecking his cheek before climbing into her cab, which finally started and went away.

He watched the car getting away without believing what had just happened. It already went beyond all his expectations. First, he had lied to himself, thinking his attraction to Rainbow Dash was just friendly, but the more the night had gone on, the more he had realized there was something else, above the feeling of attachment one could feel towards a little sister or a plain girl friend.

Of all time, Soarin had liked this young woman. And, he had fallen in love with another girl whom he had stayed a very long time with, who had broken up with him, and had thought he would never see again his childhood best friend whom he had developed deeper feelings for.
Until she appeared in front of him, natural and cuter than ever. Until he realized that in reality, she physically and characteristically represented everything he had always wanted.

He saw this invitation as a sign and too bad if this wasn’t understood as very ‘manly’. Down to earth, the young man knew he had not to expect too much either, in order not to be disappointed, though it didn’t stop him from being filled up with hopes.

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Last night, in the taxi driving her home, after she had drowsed snoring for a short while, Rainbow Dash had called Applejack, happy to announce her she had finally found a Plus One in the person of Soarin… before she’d realized how late it was and that her friend was in bed sleeping.

Once home, climbing the stairs had been perilous. She had jumped in her own bed almost fully-clothed, and with her makeup still on, and had not feel the need to take a sleeping pill.

Only at the break of dawn, which meant around 1 PM, when her phone had rung and her tortoise had wakened her up by licking her face, had she realized the issues she would have to deal with.

Her room was messier than ever, her head seemed like pounded by the vibrations from a jackhammer, her liver and stomach burned as if she had eaten too much of a Christmas fudge pudding, the mascara on her eyes had oozed away, her hair was full of tangles and her body was stripped with traces from her sheets.

How lucky the person at the hand of the line when she had picked up her phone was Pinkie Pie. Though the young woman’s energy and high-pitch voice shook her brain, she knew how to handle such a situation. No one was better at fixing the mistakes of too restless a party… though it hadn’t really been a party that had been restless but her own hand on the shots of tequila.

From the moment she had arrived at her friend’s house, Pinkie Pie had known how to deal with the most worrisome of the issues, that is to say, Rainbow Dash’s reinforced concrete type of hangover. It was about taking a shower, then inhaling pepper mint essential oil in a handkerchief, sipping green tea with small swallow all day long and eating a few wholegrain rice cakes with a natural detoxifying made with lemon juice, hot water and cayenne pepper.

As surprising as it was, although she didn’t feel completely cured, she was up and about, ready to have a party. Meanwhile, her friend had taken charge of the decoration, and of bringing food and beverages. When they both were joined by their bunch of friends, all was left to do was to get prepared.

And that’s precisely where a brand new issue popped up for Rainbow Dash. Because it wasn’t all about her birthday party anymore. If it only had been this, then the anticipation would have win over. Nonetheless, now her mind was clearer, she remembered she had also invited Soarin.

Just like on the previous night, but her nervousness at a greater level, she couldn’t stop running all around the house, with Rarity pursuing her in order to place curlers in her head, going from excitement to obsessive fears within the gap of a few seconds.

A thousands of questions were mixing under her still painful head – especially around her scar, just where she used to shave her head during her last year in Middle School. Most of the time, unable to control herself, unable to even think what it could do to her dear reputation, she would say them questions out loud, in a delightful mess.

“I haven’t seen Rainbow Dash in such a state since her very first competition with the Wondercolts”, Twilight said while trying to mimic a method to apply mascara from a book she’d read.

“Except she stopped every thirty seconds to cry like a baby peein’ in their diaper”, Applejack rebidded, busy trying to beat the record of her best friend on her own video-game console.

“I can’t hardly imagine”, Fluttershy added, her being already prepared and stroking Tank’s shell.

“It was less funny than what it is now”, Pinkie Pie finally finished.

Fluttershy wasn’t the only one for whom seeing the young woman in such a state of anxiety seemed awkward… Sunset Shimmer too would’ve never suspect there were things that could actually get Rainbow Dash to panic, as she pictured her as someone who never hesitated to try anything. And most importantly, never had she imagined that if something could unhinge her, it would be the simple fact of a date with a boy.

As the little newbie of the group, indeed, she didn’t know yet that the young woman wasn’t exactly like her friends when it came to this matter. Like many others, she rather had in mind that she was the kind to be very at ease with flirting with the opposite sex. Yes, she’d said what she’d been through had been complicated, but Sunset Shimmer had no idea of what was concealed behind this word Rainbow Dash was likely to use a bit too much to avoid the subject.

Her lack of understanding might be obvious, since Applejack, who had given up on the console after she had logged said-record secretly, came closer with a conniving smile.

“Ah know, it’s a surprise when ya don’t know but our dear Rainbow Dash is demisexual, ya see, and dat’s not unusual to behave dis way before a first date with a chap when yar like dat.”

“Demisexual?”, Sunset Shimmer asked with her eyes opened wide.

Pinkie Pie came to intrude, hanging on Applejack’s shoulders.

“Yeah, it means she’s attracted neither by boys or by girls unless in some circumstances, like if she has a super duper extra hyper intimate connection with someone.”

“I thought she had already dated guys…”

“Yes, but according to what I’ve read on this subject, we don’t really realize it ourselves but there exist different types of attraction: physical, romantic, etc.”, Twilight said. “And I think we can say her romantic attraction goes to boys.”

“No wonder she said it was complicated…”

In Sunset Shimmer’s mind, this all matter was like a thick white fog hiding the rooftops and the feet of the buildings – way too obscure for her to find the right direction. She had more or less heard about an asexual spectrum, but had never really been face to face with such a scenario.

It had bloomed a thousands of questions on her mind, unfortunately, now wasn’t the perfect moment to ask them to the person in question. If Rarity had been able to put the famous curlers on, the same couldn’t be said of convincing her to put on makeup and to get on with getting dressed.

The young woman, in fact, her cosmetic bag in her hand and a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, asked Applejack for help in order to control Rainbow Dash, as trembling as a child on the first day of kindergarten, since she was the only one with enough physical strength.

The irony of things was that the only two girls who had a Plus One for tonight were on one side the one who always had a different boyfriend, the serial heartbreaker, and on the other side the one who rarely experimented the will to be committed in a relationship with the representatives of the opposite sex.

It was at least what the appearances could make believe. Because there was one of the present young persons who, although she had no partner, really hoped this party would allow a deeper connection with a boy she’d been interested of since already a few months.

Fluttershy hadn’t said anything to anyone yet, because of her shyness, and because she feared her friends would try something awkward that would embarrass her if she let them know. Since she never had a boyfriend, and even never went to a party at all, she didn’t know how she would do this, or even if she wouldn’t only be satisfied with being by his side waiting for him to speak to her. Yet, this simple idea already filled her heart with happiness.

In her mind, this would mean that a great step would’ve been made, and with a bit of luck, that would even be enough to make him understand how she felt each time her eyes met his emerald look and his straw-colored hair.

Comments

[Dusk_Writer]

“You know… Please don’t be offended… I think you’re really sexy.”

Not what I expected, lol!

That was cute! Very cuttteeeee!