//------------------------------// // The Deception // Story: Money Don't Buy Love // by Pony Professor //------------------------------// Monday came and with it, Diamond Tiara’s return to school. She seemed incredibly chipper upon entering the classroom and turned in all her missed schoolwork to Cheerilee with a smile. Upon passing Sweetie Belle’s desk she stopped to wink at her in a not-so-subtle manner. This drew stares from the other Crusaders. “What the hay was that all about?” Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle. “I thought you let her down the other day,” Scootaloo narrowed her eyes. “I-I did!” Sweetie stammered, “I guess she’s just teasing me again.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I bet she’ll try n’ spin a story like you were the one that got rejected just to save face.” The other two Crusaders didn’t pay much more attention to Diamond for the rest of the day, but Sweetie Belle saw her steal away into the schoolhouse for a couple moments during recess. When Sweetie returned to her desk, she expected to find yet another expensive trinket on top. Luckily that was not the case. Instead Diamond put it inside Sweetie’s desk. You’re a real innovator, Diamond Tiara, Sweetie Belle thought. It was a sweet gesture, though, and Sweetie couldn’t help but let a little grin grace her face as she slipped the silver quarter-note necklace into her saddlebag while her friends weren’t looking. At the end of the day, Diamond Tiara sidled up to Sweetie Belle and said in a singsong voice, “Oh, Sweetie Belle! Ready to head to my place to study?” This impromptu meeting was news to Sweetie. Her surprised expression matched those of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. “Um, what?” Sweetie squeaked. Diamond rolled her eyes, “Ugh, don’t you remember? I may have caught up on the work I missed but just barely. Miss Cheerilee asked you to help me make sure I understand all the material.” “But Apple Bloom gets much better grades than I do. Why doesn’t she…” Sweetie Belle suddenly remembered she was dating Diamond Tiara, “Why doesn’t she take a break from helping out with schoolwork and let me handle it this time?” “You sure you wanna do that?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, “I mean, I can if you want me to—” “Nope! If Miss Cheerilee asked me to do it then I’ll do it!” Sweetie Belle puffed her chest out proudly. “All righty, then. We’ll be at the clubhouse when y’all are done.” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted off. Sweetie Belle kept her pose until they were out of sight. “Nice cover,” Diamond jabbed Sweetie in the side. “Shut up,” Sweetie smiled and rolled her eyes. The two began walking toward Diamond Tiara’s mansion. “So, what’s the real reason you wanted me to come with you today?” Sweetie Belle asked. Diamond put a hoof to her chest, “What? Do I need a reason to want to hang out with my girlfriend?” Sweetie Belle internally noted that Diamond could already refer to her as her “girlfriend” so nonchalantly. “No,” Sweetie Belle answered, “But I get the idea that studying isn’t the only thing on your mind.” “Well, I wasn’t lying about the studying thing. I do still need to catch up a little. I did want to ask something, though.” Diamond said. “What is it?” Sweetie Belle cocked her head. “You know those gifts I’ve been giving you? Are you, y’know, okay with it?” “Oh, Diamond. I would have told you if I wasn’t. They’re really sweet gifts.” “Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m trying to buy you or anything. It’s really just… the only way I know how to show you how I feel.” “Diamond,” Sweetie took Diamond’s face in her hooves, “If that’s how you show how you feel about me, it makes me happy. Buy me all of Equestria if you want.” “Really?” Diamond said through squished cheeks, “I’ll see what I can do, but buying all of Equestria would take a lot of—” “Honey, it was an expression.” “Oh.” Sweetie let go of Diamond’s face. Diamond dug into the ground with her hoof nervously. “Well, in the mean time, could you wear that necklace I gave you today?” Sweetie glanced back at her saddlebag, where the necklace was tucked away. “I… I want to. But Apple Bloom and Scootaloo might find out,” Sweetie Belle said. “They’re going to know eventually, right? Can’t you just make some excuse until we’re ready to tell the truth?” Sweetie looked at the charm in her hoof, “I guess so.” She magicked it around her neck and let the cool silver rest against her chest. It jingled with the same delight that was showing in Diamond Tiara’s face. “It looks beautiful on you,” she said. Sweetie and Diamond spent until sundown studying, but when Filthy and Spoiled Rich didn’t come home for dinner, Sweetie stayed to keep Diamond company. Luna’s moon was rising by the time Sweetie made it back to Carousel Boutique. “Welcome home, darling,” Rarity sang as Sweetie Belle came groggily through the door, “My, you look positively exhausted. Did you have a lot of fun with the Crusaders?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes shot wide and her pupils constricted. She completely forgot she was supposed to meet Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at the clubhouse after studying with Diamond Tiara. The fact that they didn’t come looking for her meant that they were likely none too happy about it, too. “Oh, no, they’re gonna be so peeved tomorrow!” Sweetie cursed. “Sweetie Belle! We do not use that sort of language in this house!” Rarity chastised her sister. “Sorry, Rarity. I’m just, uh, tired. Things slip out. Don’t worry about making me dinner, I think I’m going straight to bed tonight.” Rarity raised an eyebrow, “I see. Well, be sure to watch your tongue in the future. I won’t let you off so easy next time.” In her bed, Sweetie Belle plowed her face into her pillow and shut her eyes tight in hopes that once she woke up she’d find out the previous evening was just a dream. The intense weight in her stomach and heart the next morning reminded her that it was not. Sweetie arrived at school and immediately felt two very unamused glares pierce into her the second she walked into the classroom. She sheepishly approached her seat abreast her friends. “Uh, hey girls,” she said. Once she sat down Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s eyes broke from her but still carried no sympathy. “Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom halfheartedly greeted the little unicorn. “S-Scootaloo?” Sweetie leaned forward to look at her pegasus friend, who was giving the same empty stare to the chalkboard as Apple Bloom. “Sweetie Belle,” was all she said in reply. “Girls, I’m sorry,” Sweetie Belle lowered her head, “I was planning on coming, I swear. We got done studying but Diamond’s parents weren’t home and she seemed so lonely so I just stayed for dinner and I only remembered I was going to meet you after I got home.” “Was Diamond Tiara really that fun for you to stay all afternoon?” Apple Bloom asked, finally returning her gaze to Sweetie. Scootaloo followed suit. “I just wanted to be there for her,” Sweetie was barely audible. “Yeah, well don’t stop being there for us,” Scootaloo pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle, “The whole reason we went to the clubhouse yesterday was so we could talk about how to include Diamond Tiara together. It doesn’t make sense for just you to be hanging out with her if you’re not even dating or anything.” “Right, not dating…” Sweetie Belle averted her gaze for a moment before looking both her friends earnestly in the eyes. “I’ll make it up to you two, I promise. We can have a day by the lake this Saturday. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other, then to Sweetie Belle. “Well, that does sound fun,” Scootaloo said. “Yeah, we’ll take you up on that,” Apple Bloom nodded her agreement, “You can even bring Diamond Tiara along. Then we can really start patching things up.” “Great, then it’s settled! We’ll all meet at the lake at ten on Saturday!” Sweetie Belle smiled. The bell rang for class to begin and the Crusaders eagerly got to work, the promise of a fun and productive weekend ahead now seated in their minds.