Unwanted

by Apple Blumpkin

Chapter 9 - Apple Bloom

“… an unrequited love is so much better than a real one. I mean, it’s perfect… As long as something is never even started, you never have to worry about it ending. It has endless potential.” - Sarah Dessen

Chapter 9 – Apple Bloom

As Apple Bloom walked the quiet streets of Ponyville, she found herself lost deep in thought. The little filly had already passed her destination, Diamond Tiara’s house, twice without noticing. Apple would snap from her contemplation only to realize she had passed the house and turn around, only to find herself revisiting her thoughts.

Several days had passed since the funeral, and Apple Bloom had been coming by every day. When Miss Cheerilee had asked for a volunteer to bring Diamond Tiara her missed assignments, Apple Bloom had been surprised when Silver Spoon had volunteered her for the job. At first Apple Bloom had thought that Silver Spoon was intentionally trying to cause her grief, but Silver Spoon had only given her a small sad and disarming smile it return to Apple’s glare.

Sweetie Belle had all sorts of questions for her too. Thankfully, Sweetie hadn’t told anypony else (Scootaloo) about her role at the funeral. She didn’t explain much to Sweetie beyond explaining that this was a much bigger deal than a little schoolyard bullying. Sweetie seemed like she wanted to object but never brought herself to do it. It struck Apple Bloom as odd, that Sweetie Belle actually seemed more worried about Apple Bloom’s wellbeing than Diamond Tiara’s. Not to say that Sweetie Belle didn’t feel bad for Diamond Tiara, Sweetie had a big heart after all.

Every day had been the same, she would show up be escorted to one of the lounges and Diamond Tiara would come down looking the worst for wear, usually wearing a sweater or hoodie despite the warm weather. They would sit as Apple Bloom practically did the worksheet for her. All the while Diamond would sit and listen, but she rarely spoke. Diamond would give short responses and never initiate the conversation, but she was never mean. She really would listen too, which surprised Apple Bloom. If Apple stopped talking, Diamond would immediately look at her to see why or fiddle her hooves together looking nervous.

Apple Bloom didn’t mind the work very much, which was a far different attitude than she had on the matter just a week previous. One of the reasons Bloom felt so weird about the whole situation was that, when she decided she was going to ‘be there’ for Diamond, she had no idea that she would quickly be in over her head. It wasn’t that she regretted her decision or anything. In fact, given the circumstances, she was doubly glad she had decided to help Diamond Tiara. The part was bothering her was that she didn’t know how to handle the whole situation and do what she originally wanted to do.

She had tried to ask her sister thinking that maybe Applejack might have a better idea. Her only response was to say that ‘just being there for a friend is often good enough.’ Then she started asking all sorts of weird questions about why Apple Bloom was even hanging out with Diamond Tiara. Applejack’s confusion over the whole situation was understandable. She had spent a lot of time complaining to her family about the filly.

Apple Bloom’s suddenly stopped, her path blocked by a Pegasus. The first think she noticed about the Pegasus colt was that he was wearing black armor. Apple Bloom recognized his face from the funeral, but she didn’t know his name.

“uhhh, howdy!” Apple Bloom managed her trademarked big smile.

The Pegasus only stared at her before pointing at the house next to him, “Kid, you coming in or what? You keep walking by and it is kinda creeping me out.”

Apple Bloom followed the pointed hoof to find Diamond Tiara’s house.

“Oh yeah, sorry ‘bout dat,” Apple Bloom gave a nervous chuckle as she made her way up the walkway. If the pony was some sort of guard, they had probably seen Apple Bloom come in and out a lot recently.

As she approached the front door, Apple Bloom remembered the other reason she was nervous about showing up. It was now a Saturday, and Apple had no real reason for showing up. It seemed like too much of a lie to bring up the school project, and Diamond Tiara would probably be annoyed that she was bringing that up considering they had all summer to worry about that.

Using the old ‘just stopping by to say hi’ excuse seemed equally hollow, but lacking anything better, it would have to do. Knocking on the door, Apple Bloom fidgeted nervously until the door opened, and Apple Bloom was greeted by the sight of Mr. French, the butler.

Mr. French didn’t say anything but he stepped aside to allow Apple Bloom to enter and motioned for Apple Bloom to follow him.

“Master Tiara is with Miss. Spoon at the moment. If you would follow me, I will bring you to her room.”

This was certainly a development that Apple Bloom hadn’t anticipated. She doubted Silver Spoon would be mean to her if Diamond was being nice though. Silver Spoon always seemed like a bit of a follower to Apple Bloom. Still, going up to Diamond room was unexpected.

Mr. French knocked on the door and announced, “Miss Apple Bloom to see you.”

After a few moments of silence and some shuffling it was Silver Spoon’s voice that was heard telling her to come in. After hearing the confirmation, Mr. French opened the door and walked away.

Apple Bloom took in an extra big breath in to steel her resolve before slowly trotting into Diamond Tiara’s large room.

“Ah just wanted to stop by an’ say hi,” Apple Bloom recited as she entered, but her trot slowed down considerably as she took in the surroundings.

The pink room was much the same as it was last time Apple Bloom had been in here. Diamond Tiara sat in her bed, propped up by a large collection of frilly pillows. Her Tiara lay reverently beside her on her night stand. She wore her customary hoodie, which Apple Bloom now reasoned was just something that Diamond Tiara often wore around the house. The small blood stain on Diamond Tiara’s dresser that had alarmed Apple Bloom the last time she was in this room was absent. The object of some alarm had shifted and was now taking the form of Silver Spoon, who was lying across the foot of diamond bed. It wasn’t Silver Spoon’s presence that was disarming but more so the expression on her face.

Silver Spoon sported a large and toothy grin while her eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief. To Apple Bloom, the expression on Silver’s face looked almost predatory. Apple Bloom came to a halt before the two fillies on the bed and waited for some sort of verbal response to her presence.

Finally, Silver Spoon broke the silence, “Heeeeey, Apple Bloom. We were just talking about you.”

Apple Bloom, for her part, didn’t know how to interpret the greeting, and it only served to make the little apple pony more apprehensive. While Apple Bloom’s attention was set squarely on Silver Spoon, she did not miss Diamond Tiara’s blush as she covered her face with her hooves in response to Silver’s awkward greeting.

Before Apple Bloom could think of a response, Silver Spoon continued, “Come on up and relax,” she said as she patted the space on the bed between her and Diamond.

After a brief moment of hesitation, in which Apple Bloom used to push aside the awkward feeling of hanging out with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in such a relaxed setting, Apple Bloom cautiously climbed into the large bed and settled in trying to get comfortable. Sparing Diamond Tiara a quick glance, Apple Bloom noticed a look of slight panic cross Diamond Tiara’s face. While she was still being her now much more quiet self, the far away and disconnected look was gone.

“Diamond here,” Silver Spoon said as she offered a hoof toward Diamond Tiara as if there were some question to whom she was referring, “Was just telling me how glad she has been that you have been helping her out with her school work. Isn’t that right, Di?”

Diamond Tiara maintained her silence, but shot a menacing glare towards Silver Spoon in response.

In an attempt to lessen the awkwardness and satiate her own confusion, Apple Bloom answered for Diamond Tiara, “Oh, yeah that. Ah haven’t done much. Just doin’ what Cheerilee told me to.”

Silver Spoon gave a satisfied humming noise in response. While Apple Bloom felt comfortable letting Diamond Tiara have her silence, this was something that Silver Spoon obviously did not share as she continued to prod Diamond Tiara with another question.

“Diamond was also telling me how much fun she had drinking with you in your club house. I bet she would suuuure like to do that again. Right Di?” Silver Spoon said as her evil grin somehow managed to get even bigger.

Diamond’s glare turned into a slight blush as she finally responded with an exasperated, “Bah!” as she climbed out of her bed and made her way over to a window. Opening it up wide, Diamond Tiara sat down on her haunches and began to smoke a cigarette.

Again, trying to save Diamond Tiara from having to respond Apple Bloom said, “It was a lotta fun. It made me really sleepy though, and Ah woke up with an awful bad headache,” Apple Bloom paused for a beat, “Ah do still have half that bottle though.”

Whatever reaction Apple Bloom was expecting didn’t happen though as Silver Spoon rolled onto her back and giggled to herself.

Apple Bloom knew that she was missing some sort of context that she wasn’t going to get until somepony explained it to her, so she shifted her attention from trying to figure it out to trying to combat how awkward she felt. Eventually the conversation shifted and things got a lot more comfortable. Diamond Tiara even joined in on the conversation. Apple Bloom reasoned that it had more to do with Silver Spoon’s presence than anything else, but none-the-less, Apple Bloom was still happy to see Diamond Tiara come a little more out of her shell.

The conversation bounced around from talking about how boring school was to what kinds of sweets they liked. Apple Bloom was struck by how similar their conversations were to those that the crusaders had. Apple Bloom had always thought that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sat around coming up with insults and plans to ruin other ponies days instead of talking like normal ponies. The only real difference that Apple Bloom could find was that their talk was a lot more ‘girly’. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo never really cared too much for the ‘girly’ talk, and Sweetie Belle never seemed to mind. As the topic of the conversation shifted to dresses and fashion, Apple Bloom became the quiet one as she had little to add. Of all things, Apple Bloom contemplated if this was the kind of talks that Sweetie Belle would like and wondered if she felt that their friendship was somewhat lacking because her and Scoots never talked about it.

Diamond Tiara would take the occasional smoke break, and Mr. French even came up with a trey of snacks at one point. Apple Bloom had never been allowed to eat in her bed, but surprisingly Diamond Tiara didn’t seem to mind it at all. The initial awkwardness had completely gone away, and Apple Bloom had to admit to herself that she was actually having a lot of fun.

While the initial awkwardness had completely gone away, that is, until the conversation inevitably turned to where all young girl’s conversations eventually go.

“So AB,” Silver Spoon had randomly started calling Apple Bloom by her much more familiar nickname at some earlier point, “is there anyone that you like? You know, like… like-like?”

“Nope,” responded Apple Bloom, “it isn’t like Ponyville has a lot of colts our age, plus it isn’t like it matters, there is no way my sis would let that happen anyway.”

“Well, I wasn’t necessarily just talking about colt, you know…” Silver Spoon corrected offhoofedly.

Apple Bloom gave Silver Spoon a confused and weird look, “whadaya mean by that?”

Silver Spoon took a moment to think of a response. Diamond Tiara’s relapse into not speaking was noticeable.

“Did you know that Di has a crush on somepony?” asked Silver Spoon deciding to ignore Apple Bloom’s question.

“Silver!” Diamond blurted out a look of panic on her face.

“Is it somepony Ah know?” Apple Bloom asked innocently.

“hrmmm, yes, it is somepony you know very well,” Silver Spoon responded her impish grin returning.

“Silver, shut up!” Diamond’s panicked look being replaced with a look of desperation.

Apple Bloom decided to play along, “Oh, is it somepony in our class?”

Silver Spoon gives a slow nod of her head as an affirmative, without saying a word.

“Is it Featherweight? He always does what Diamond Tiara says,” asked Apple Bloom pretending that Diamond Tiara wasn’t next to her and bright red in embarrassment.

Silver Spoon gives a slow shake of her head, “No.”

“That isn’t shutting up. Please shut up,” Diamond Tiara whined.

Apple Bloom brought a hoof to her chin in thought… “Ah give up, who is the lucky colt?”

Silver Spoon pauses for a beat taking in as much pleasure from Diamond Tiara’s plight as she could before responding, “I promised I wouldn’t say, but you will find out soon enough.”

“Oh? How is that gonna work?” Apple Bloom asks in genuine confusion. Diamond’s only response is a small groan.

“Well, I made Diamond Tiara promise me that she would confess her feelings the next time she sees this pony,” Silver Spoon responded with a look that belonged on the face of an evil genius, “and, Diamond Tiara never ever breaks a promise to me.”

Diamond Tiara didn’t have much to stay. Her face was beet read as she glared at Silver Spoon with a look of murderous intent.

“Aww, well Ah am happy for ya Diamond Tiara. Ah’m sure it will go fine, any colt in our class would be stupid not to return your affections,” Apple Bloom said trying to diffuse what looked like a tense situation.

Silver Spoon only cackled maniacally at that before stopping abruptly to look at the clock on the wall.

“Oh shoot, I have my piano lessons in a few, I have to run,” Silver Spoon informed as she climbed out of the bed and began looking through the drawers of Diamond Tiara’s vanity. Pulling out a bottle of perfume, she began spraying herself. “I swear if I get in trouble for smelling like cigarettes because you don’t want to go outside, I am going to be so angry.” Sparing a moment to smell herself, Silver Spoon seemed satisfied.

Diamond’s only response was a small huff and to light up another cigarette this time not even bothering to open up a window.

“You guys have fun. Apple Bloom, make sure she eats something before you leave, and Di, remember, you promised!” Silver Spoon said as she made her way to the door.

Diamond and Apple Bloom both waved as Diamond Tiara dismissed her friend, “yeah, yeah, I promised.”

As Silver Spoon left she was all smiles, but Apple Bloom couldn’t help but notice that as Silver Spoon closed the door, she looked back at Diamond Tiara with a sad little frown. Apple Bloom didn’t exactly know the cause of the frown, but she couldn’t help but think that Silver Spoon was actually a really great friend.

With Silver gone, a silence had settled over the two fillies. Apple Bloom had actually planned on leaving soon, but with Silver Spoon’s departure so close, Apple Bloom figured she needed to stick around a little longer. Plus, Apple Bloom was evidently supposed to feed Diamond Tiara.

Just as Apple Bloom was going to broach the subject of a late lunch, Diamond Tiara surprised her by speaking up.

“Apple Bloom, now that she is gone, there is something I wanted to say…,” Diamond Tiara trailed off. She looked nervous as she ashed her cigarette several times without taking a drag. Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara her full attention; the mystery of what she could possibly want to say to Apple Bloom that she couldn’t say in front of Silver Spoon had defiantly peeked her curiosity.

“Umm, how to say this…,” Diamond Tiara said with a dry chuckle as she put out her cigarette.

“I just wanted to say… Recently, you have been...,” Diamond Tiara tried to say, as she fiddled he hooves together, “Oh sod it, I really li…,” Diamond paused again gulped, her throat suddenly dry. “I really… wanted to say thank you, for everything.”

Apple Bloom swelled up with pride. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever expected to hear those words from Diamond Tiara’s mouth.

“Aww, shucks, ya are welcome Diamond,” said Apple Bloom responded, but was quickly confused as Diamond Tiara seemed to deflate and look disappointed.

“That isn’t what I wanted to say,” Diamond Tiara said as she rubbed a hoof against her temple, “hold on, and just give me a sec.”

Apple Bloom waited patiently watching Diamond Tiara take several long breaths and compose herself.

“I don’t know how to say this,” Diamond Tiara said while looking up, her extremely serious expression catching Apple Bloom of guard, “Can you do me a favor?”

“Umm, yeah?” Apple Bloom said as she involuntarily gulped, Diamond Tiara’s nervousness rubbing off on her.

Diamond Tiara shifted around in the bed so that she was sitting facing Apple Bloom as she played with the drawstrings on her hoody; her nervous demeanor being replaced with a look of uncertainty.

“Could you lay down on your back right here?” Diamond Tiara motioned to the space in front of her. Apple Bloom complied although she didn’t bother to hide her confusion at the request.

“OK, now close your eyes,” Diamond Tiara said softy, almost a whisper.

Apple Bloom slowly complied. As soon as her eyes were closed she began feeling extremely vulnerable.

“Keep them closed for a second,” Diamond said softly and kindly. Apple Bloom mumbled her assent although panic at the odd request was quickly bubbling out of control. The silence continued on for a moment before she could hear Diamond moving slightly around on the bed.

With her thoughts running a mile a minute and no small bit of panic setting in. Apple Bloom had just about decided to peek when she felt something lightly pressing against her lips. As an involuntary reaction her eyes shot open only to be greeted by a close up of Diamond Tiara’s face. As soon as realization of what was happening occurred to Apple Bloom her brain seemed to just short out and she lay there in shock.

Diamond Tiara, encouraged by the lack of pushing and screaming, deepened the kiss and applied more pressure. Apple Bloom slowly closed her eyes as she attempted to restart her higher brain functions.

Suddenly, Diamond Tiara shifted again, and without breaking the kiss climbed on top of Apple Bloom pinning her to the bed. The kiss deepened further as Diamond’s tongue probed Apple Bloom’s lips and teeth, begging for admittance. Call it reflex or shock, but with a small confused moan of a noise Apple Bloom slowly opened her mouth and allowed Diamond’s tongue to begin lightly caressing her own.

While Apple Bloom’s moan was one of confusion, Diamond Tiara read it as something completely different and answered in kind with her own small moan of pleasure as their tongues came in contact.

The kiss started slow and delicate, but as time passed, began to change pace becoming much more passionate. Apple Bloom’s higher brain functions slowly returned, and it dawned on her that she was making out with Diamond Tiara on her bed. No longer a stunned statue but a willing participant as her tongue began to move in a coherent struggle against Diamond Tiara. Apple Bloom could feel one of Diamond Tiara’s hoof moves behind her head and undo her bow as the other began caressing the side of her body. In stunned realization, Apple Bloom realized that her own hooves were wrapped around Diamond Tiara’s body and were pulling her closer.

Apple Bloom could taste cigarettes and something else, something almost sweet. The sensations she was feeling were foreign but not bad. Apple Bloom might go as far as to say that it felt good.

But as all things that start must inevitably end, so to must a kiss. Diamond Tiara pulled back slightly out of breath looking into Apple Bloom’s eyes. It seemed she only had to catch her breath because as soon as it was caught Diamond Tiara closed her eyes and began to lean back down.

But the spell on Apple Bloom was broken as she managed to find her voice before her lips became otherwise occupied, “Wait, wait, wait,” Apple Bloom said as she lightly pushed Diamond Tiara back to a sitting position.

With some space to move Apple Bloom also sat up, “w-what was t-that?” Apple Bloom managed despite also being short of breath and extremely confused.

Diamond Tiara didn’t respond and only sat their staring at Apple Bloom with a hungry look about her.

“You just kissed me,” Apple Bloom felt the need to state the obvious as her voice betrayed a small hint of her rising panic.

Diamond Tiara caught the change in Apple Bloom’s tone and her hungry look instantly disappeared, only to be replaced by one of trepidation.

Apple Bloom didn’t know what to say or what to do. Her eyes flickered between Diamond Tiara and the door, her only escape. While Apple Bloom contemplated making a quick exit to get as far away from this confusing situation as possible, Diamond Tiara took notice of where Apple Bloom was looking.

Just as Apple Bloom had made up her mind and prepared to bolt, she took one last look Diamond Tiara’s way and stopped. The look of sadness, worry, and despair in Diamond Tiara’s eyes was something she had never seen in the filly. Years of hurling insults at each other and Apple Bloom had never once seen Diamond Tiara in anywhere near this much distress. Apple Bloom did not know what was happening, but she knew enough to know that this wasn’t something she could run away from, not if she wanted a happy ending for anypony involved.

Once it became apparent that Apple Bloom wasn’t going to run out of the room, Diamond Tiara managed to calm down quite a bit, and as the silence stretched on Diamond felt obligated to break it.

“I wanted to say that I liked you. I promised,” Diamond managed with a small sigh.

For Apple Bloom, the pieces started falling together, and that missing bit of context was finally in place to understand all of Silver Spoon previous comments. Not that that understanding helped Apple Bloom know what to do in this situation in the slightest.

“Ah don’t rightly know what to say Diamond,” Apple Bloom confessed, “Ah want to be your friend though. Ah know that for certain.”

“Just as friends?” Diamond Tiara couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice.

“umm, Ah dono. Umm, Ah have never thought about this kinda thing before. Is it alright if Ah have some time to think about it?” Time to think sounded great to Apple Bloom.

“Sure, I can understand that, I guess,” Diamond Tiara reasoned that she herself needed time to think it over. “Oh, and thanks.”

“Thanks fer what?” asked Apple Bloom.

“For not running out, for not saying no,” Diamond offered a half smile.

Apple Bloom returned the half smile with a small one of her own. She could still taste the cigarette from Diamond Tiara’s breath.

“Ah think Ah need a smoke,” said Apple Bloom with a wry chuckle.

Author's Note:

kissy kissy ~

Comments

[Beetdabrat]

I am so glad you are still writing this. It is a great story :D

[werebrony]

Holy crap how long was I frozen?

[Ruxify]

...Am I the only one ignoring the cigarettes? It would get a 10/10 of "dawwwwww" if it didn't have them... though I must admit it is an interesting twist.