Okay, where was I? It feels like a lot longer than it actually was.
Yeah, like six months. But that's impossible, because you just left the room for a second to get a drink.
Right. So getting back into it... Yeah. Shine gave me some books to look over. I thought it would be slow going, but it all seemed to happen so fast. I didn't usually have a bunch of school work to do, so I was able to devote so much of my time to just studying the stuff.
And Shine was such a help. He always was ready to walk me through the solution to a problem. After a few weeks, he seemed to forget that I was me. Like, I mean, he didn't treat me any differently than he treated anyone else anymore, but I don't know if that's really saying much because he was pretty formal with everyone. But anyway, it seemed like he stopped caring about me being a princess and just cared about the math.
And of course Auntie saw me studying a few times. The first time, you know, I said, was really painful. But the second time it was hard to tell what she was thinking. Doing the classic half-knock again, she barged into my room. I was reading the geometry textbook, the "Geometry for Enjoyment and Challenge" one, and I had a parchment out to take notes on. She just looked at me. It wasn't a condescending look, but it wasn't proud or happy either. It was just a plain smile like she almost always had. She just asked me "Reading again, Cadance?"
I just nodded and looked back at her and I said "Do you need something, Auntie?" as innocently as I could.
She just shook her head and said that she was "just checking on her favorite niece."
She just left after that. I wish I knew what she was thinking. She didn't actually say anything until a long time afterwards, but I'll get to that later.
And I still felt inferior to Prism. It seemed like she was always so far ahead of me, but I was catching up. Hindsight really is 20/20—I mean, I feel silly now for it obviously, but it didn't seem silly then.
So, after months of studying on my own, I finally made it past the textbook that Shine assigned. I was so consumed that by the end I could tell you every theorem and the steps to prove it. I could tell you about the different kinds of proofs, even induction, which the book covered a little but Shine helped me more on. I learned trigonometry from the book, too, and that was probably one of the hardest things for me. I don't really know why.
But through all that time, Starlight Shine and I had remained secretive. I mean, no one really seemed to know that we were friends, which surprised me a little, but we always made sure to choose a secluded place in the library.
But anyway, it was a Friday when I met Shine in the library to tell him that I was done. I had more or less finished the week before, but I wanted to take all the tests at the end of the chapters to make sure I had everything.
I remember giddily walking up behind Shine, practically prancing all the way there. He was so engrossed that he couldn't hear me. I tapped on his shoulder and he jumped a little like he always did and said "Oh, don't scare me like that."
I smiled big and I said, as controlled as I could, "I'm finished."
His eyes widened a little, and he said, "Wow, Cadance. Even the end of the section tests?"
I said yes.
Then he said "That's really impressive. I knew you were a math pony."
Yes, he said that, Ms. Doubter.
I don't believe you.
Hence the nickname.
Shut up.
Hehehe. Where was I? Oh, right. He told me that what I should do next is try learning more advanced algebra. I agreed, and he led me to the next book I should read.
I continued studying and tirelessly working away until finally, summer started to roll around. It seemed like it came so quickly, and I didn't realize the implications at first. It hit me one day, though: summer meant that if I really wanted to continue studying, I would have to study on my own. And that terrified me. I didn't want to, and I was worried that I would just give up if I encountered something too difficult. See, Shine had become like accountability partner, even though he didn't know it. I'm not sure what he would have done if I stopped talking to him. I mean, probably nothing, to be honest, but it was the dumb fear that he would that made me continue. And I didn't want that fear to go away, because what scared me more was quitting.
But, I had an ingenious plan: I would meet Shine over the summer. It was so awkward asking him, but one day I just decided to go up and ask like, "Oh, uhm... Starlight Shine... I.... Can we meet over the summer?"
I had never seen him blush before, but he blushed hard. His coat was really dark, but I could see the tint of his cheeks change even through it. He looked like he was sweating bullets. He had eyes as wide as tea cups, too, and he just starred at me, completely silent. Seeing him, I wanted to die. He totally thought I was trying to hit on him.
Then I just said, "It's not what you think!" loud enough to hear a librarian shush me. I blushed too and shied away. Then I added, "I mean, its just to study. You've been a great help and I thought maybe you could help me over the summer too."
He looked at me and said "Oh, right," before calming down again. We agreed on a date to meet once school was out, and said that we could schedule everything else then.
And then, the year ended. It was very mundane for me. I was just so focused on studying that school didn't feel like anything big, and so when it ended I was no where near as excited as the other students. But finally, the date came to meet at the public library. So, we did. It was actually a really long time, because I had so many questions for him.
Okay, wait, sorry, but, you read an entire textbook on your own? Like everything?
Yeah.
Why? What?
I don't know... well, I mean, I do know, but... I was just trying to make Shine take me seriously. I mean, he was crazy smart for someone his age, and I wanted to show him that I could be too if I tried.
That makes sense.
Yeah.... Well, anyway, I was talking about... right. So we had the meeting, and it was pretty long. I was excited to meet the next time, and so we scheduled for the next week. But, because the universe hates me or something, the library was closed that next week. Ohhhhh, boy, please, Twilight, can I just end here?
That's what I've been saying this entire time.
Rude! Well, then, I guess I won't finish it. You can take your snarkiness somewhere else, your old foal-sitter doesn't appreciate it.
Oh, okay, bye.
...
...
...
No! Wait! Twilight! Please?
...
Twilight, why do you hate me?
...I don't hate you Cadance. I just hate your story.
Wh-what? Why?
Oh, don't act surprised and stutter like that. You knew I didn't like it from the... like... the second part.
When was that?
That—that doesn't matter. Whatever. The point is, you made me wait six mont—minutes for this. I mean... wait... how long has it been?
...Well! It's... going to get interesting, soon, just... please wait.
Ugh, Cadance....
Please?
Fiiiine. But only because you asked to nicely.