Okay, now that I've had time to collect myself, here I go.
I said before that the library was closed when we went to meet the next time. Apparently, renovations had to be done and it would be closed for the next three or four weeks. When I got to the library the day we were supposed to meet, I found Shine waiting for me. I asked him what was going on and he told me.
But I wasn't deterred. Naturally, I suggested something else and said, "Why don't we just go to the Royal Canterlot Library?"
He looked at me like the time that I hit on—I mean, uh, asked him about meeting me over the summer. I asked what was wrong, and he said "Nothing!" as forcefully as he could. I wasn't very convinced, and so I tried to pry a bit more. Unfortunately, he wouldn't budge, so I suggested something else. I said, "Why don't we just go to my study then?"
He asked, "Is that in the castle?"
I told him yes, and he just looked at me, terrified.
Then I finally suggested, "Why don't we just go to your house?"
He looked contemplative for a second, and I was thinking that he might accept. But after a few moments he just said, "I'm not sure that's a very good idea."
I was confused, but it sounded like a start at least. He didn't freak out, and he seemed to contemplate it more deeply, so I tried prodding him more. I asked again, a little more intently, "Please? I really want to go over these with you. I just don't want to wait."
Again, he just looked at me skeptically, and said, "I don't know..."
Before he could say anything else, I added, "Plus, I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind you having a girl over."
He just croaked a bit after I said that.
Eventually, after what seemed like fifteen minutes of just going back and forth, I managed to convince him. I wasn't sure if he was scared of me doing something or crying or something, but I got through, so I guess that's all that matters.
Wait, why didn't you just sit outside or something?
Oh, it was raining. I mean, we could have, but keeping an umbrella spell up for that long is too much of a hassle.
Okay... but didn't you say earlier that he didn't want anyone knowing about you? What about his parents?
I think that he just began to trust me. He didn't think I was really going to him for anything other than math. And I wasn't, then.
What do you mean? Did ponies go to him for things that weren't math? Like meth? Meth and math, get it? It's a joke.
Stop spoiling, I'll get to that.
What? He was selling meth?!
Shhhhhh. Just listen. So yes, he agreed to take me to his house, he was reluctant, and it seemed like he was walking at incredibly slow pace, showing me back to his house. But then, there it was. His house looked so ordinary that thinking about it now kinda freaks me out... but not really, you know. I mean... I'll explain later.
He opened the door and walked in. When the door opened, it smelled stale... but it was homey too, and it reminded me of my earth pony parent's house. But, really, it was just normal. Nothing was strange, yet Shine was acting like Celestia was gonna smite him. And it's extra strange, because I'm not sure how Auntie would do that.
That is a good question. How would she smite someone? A magnifying glass and hot day?
I don't know. We should ask her sometime.
So we just stood in the hallway, and I waited for Shine to do something. I poked him on the side, and he jumped and screeched like, "EEEE." Then he turned around sheepishly, and looked at me. I finally had to say, "Should we go to your room?" before he nodded and led me up the stairs.
And then we got into the math. He just got less tense as we read. And when he had went over everything with me, reexplaining polynomial division, giving some examples, and working with me on the previous chapter, he was back to his original self. We were done, though, and I thought it was time for me to leave. We walked downstairs, and I was met with two surprising faces: Starlight Shine's parents.
The looked like they were about to have a heart attack seeing me come down. I began to sweat, not expecting to see them.
Weren't they there when you got there though?
No, they had came back while I was in Shine's room. We had the door shut, so apparently we didn't hear them coming in. But boy, were they shocked. And so was I.
But before I could say anything, the mother just said, "Oh my, oh my, a princess is in our house, I'm so sorry, I don't have anything prepared!" and then bowed, forcing her husband down in the process.
I was flustered, but I just said, "I was just leaving, sorry!" as fast as I could.
They looked at Shine, who looked like he wished Celestia would smite him with her magnifying glass.
The mother spoke up again, and said "Oh, uhm Princess Mi Amore Cadenza—"
I corrected her, "C-cadance is fine"
She nodded fast and hard. "Princess Cadance, why have we the pleasure of you in our house?"
I blushed and looked at Shine, who definitely wished I hadn't looked at him.
His eyes got wide and his parents stared at him with a glare so piercing it could bore a tunnel through a mountain.
Before they were able to start really drilling, though, I spoke up and said, "He was just helping me with some math problems!"
They had a moment of clarity, before being confused again. The dad spoke up this time, saying, "But it's the middle of summer."
I explained to them about self studying, how I met Shine, and why I was at his house that day. They understood, and invited me to stay for tea. I said that I should probably be getting back to home, because, honestly, it was really awkward and I was not looking forward to being involved in that.
I left the house, and I was glad to be out of there. But, then, as I was walking back, you know, I remembered something. I forgot my book. I didn't freak out or anything, but I was a little embarrassed. Or, actually, I was really embarrassed, and I did not want to go back to Shine's house a just few moments later. It wasn't a big deal, but it definitely felt one.
I turned right around, and I walked much more slowly back to the house.
When I got there, I brought my hoof to knock, but I heard something... that I probably shouldn't have. Being the always curious pony, instead of knocking like a normal pony, I listened.
I could hear yelling, and it was hard to make out at first, but as I listened I started to figure out what they were talking about. I heard something like, "How could you bring a pony like that here?! Are you trying to get us into trouble?!"
I knew they were talking about me. And I knew that Starshine was getting yelled at because of me. He had told me he didn't want anyone finding out him helping me, and I had completely betrayed his trust. It felt awful, it really did, and it still feels bad, thinking about angry his parents sounded. And it wasn't even his fault, because I made him take me to his house. He could have said no, but he had enough faith to test it.
Ugh, I really hate myself for that. I always thought that, maybe if I had talked to his parents first, or we had just gone to a cafe, things would have turned out much differently and much better. But I guess there's a chance that I wouldn't even be here talking to you, Twilight, if that were the case.
Wow, that's tough. But why were they so angry at him? Did you ever find out?
Yes.
...
...
...So what was it...?
You'll just have to keep listening and find out!
Ugh.