“Alright, class! This morning I have an exciting announcement. The Fall Formal is coming up once more and is scheduled to be held next Thursday! Anyone wishing to attend should make sure they take a permission slip home for their parents to sign.”
Miss Cheerilee’s news caused an outbreak of murmuring between everyone in the class. Apple Bloom looked to both of her friends who in turn showed excited expressions.
“The Fall Formal is always the best!” Scootaloo said. “And heck, this time we can stay even later!”
Apple Bloom nodded to her friend enthusiastically. Since they had just entered high school, the crusaders would be able to stay longer than before as middle school students weren’t permitted to remain after a certain time. This hadn’t bothered them in the past either though since most of the lively music was worn out in the first part of the Fall Formal and slow music was played later; perfect for all those smoochy-woochy couples. This year however, the thought of smooching someone was much more on her mind. And that someone, well, was there really much mystery?
“It should be great fun.” Sweetie Belle agreed. “Rarity and I were talking about the dress I’ll wear just last week.”
“Ya’ll look great, anyhow.” Apple Bloom blurted out. She pursed her lips immediately at her sudden outburst and tried not to look embarrassed. Thankfully, Sweetie Belle seemed to have taken it as a normal compliment. She was fretting for nothing.
“Aw, thanks, Apple Bloom.” Her friend replied gently.
“Don’t mention it.” Apple Bloom said calmly. Whew…
<RIIIIIIINNNNGG>
“Ok, class. Enjoy your day and have a good weekend if I don’t see you all again.” Miss Cheerliee said happily.
“The same to you, Miss Cheerliee.” A familiar voice exclaimed.
“Aww, thank you, Button.” Their teacher smiled warmly.
Button was the brown-haired boy getting up from his seat at the front of the class. He was quite distinguishable by his tendency to come to school with a messed-up mop top and a set of headphones round his neck. He fashioned a black hoodie and some blue jeans. Apple Bloom had spoken to him once or twice but never quite got to know him.
Apple Bloom tucked her chair in and moved away from her desk.
“Umm…Apple Bloom?” The young Apple turned to the voiced question.
“What is it, Scoots?”
“I was wondering if we could talk after school…ya know, just for a few minutes?”
“Sure! Ah’ll meet up with ya after, ok?”
“Cool.” Scootaloo smiled and walked past Apple Bloom to the class exit. Apple Bloom followed, all the while thinking; Ah gotta ask Sweetie to the dance…
Another school day down and Apple Bloom blew a sigh of relief from the completion of yet another school week. She hadn’t seen Sweetie Belle all day so the young teen was hoping to catch her friend on her way home. She also remembered that Scootaloo wanted to talk about something once school finished so rather than keep her friend waiting, Apple Bloom got her things together and walked out the front doors of the school.
When Apple Bloom arrived at their usual meet spot, Scootaloo was absent. Naturally, the teenager leaned on the school wall as she waited for her friend to arrive, while her eyes scanned the crowds emptying the building for Sweetie Belle. A minute passed before Apple Bloom’s eyes caught sight of Scootaloo and she leaned back off of the wall to greet her friend.
“Hey, Scoots! Rough day?”
“Ah, same old shit, different day.” She said confidently. Apple Bloom giggled at her answer; Scootaloo did have a talent for making her laugh. “And you?”
“Ah’m good. So uhh…what did ya want ta talk about?” asked Apple Bloom, her eyes drifting back towards the doors again to watch out for Sweetie Belle.
“Well…I…umm…wanted to know if you’d want to…you know, go to the dance with me?”
Apple Bloom threw her attention back onto Scootaloo. It was a question she didn’t anticipate. And her mind was only half-focused on her friend.
“Oh, come on, Scoots. Ah think we’re old enough now that all three o’ us don’ have ta go ta the dance tagether.” Her eyes drifted back to the doors. A familiar face was among the crowd.
“But, Apple Bloom, I-”
“Just a sec, Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom rushed off before Scootaloo could finish, and walked over towards her crush, intent on asking a particularly big question. As she got closer though, she began to doubt; wondering whether it would go well or not. The thought lingered as she approached, decreasing the gaps between her steps. And then it hit her.
If AJ can be with Sunset, ah can be with Sweetie Belle.
Working up the courage, she called out to Sweetie Belle.
“Hey! Sweetie Belle!”
Her crush turned to face her, a surprised expression forming. “Oh, Apple Bloom! Hey!”
Apple Bloom walked up to Sweetie Belle and embraced her. Evidently more surprised, Sweetie Belle squeaked silently but eventually returned the hug. The two then separated and Apple Bloom spoke up.
“Ah was hopin’ ah could talk ta ya ‘bout summin’.”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle. “Well, go on.”
Apple Bloom gulped and spat out the words. “Would ya like ta go ta the dance with me?”
Sweetie Belle froze for a second or two. Apple Bloom began to worry but it turned to surprise when her friend started laughing.
“Oh, Apple Bloom. I think we’re old enough now that all three of us don’t have to go with each other.”
Apple Bloom’s brain sensed some hard déjà vu here; the half that had been focused at the time that is. She began to feel disheartened, falling over her words as she tried to reply.
“Besides, I kinda…already asked Button Mash to the dance.” Sweetie Belle inclined her head to a group of boys directly behind her. There was Button alright, evidently showing off some game on his handheld console to his buddies. “He said he’d go! I’m so excited.”
Apple Bloom struggled to come up with any reply. “But, I-I-”
“We were gonna walk back home together.” Sweetie Belle looked to her watch. “Speaking of which, I really need to get going. I’m supposed to be back at Rarity’s to help move some stuff out of the way. Need to pay her back somehow now that she and I are living together.” Sweetie Belle faced towards Button. “Hey Button, you ready?”
Button looked up from his game and nodded to his friends. The group soon disbanded. Button turned to Sweetie Belle. “Yeah, let’s go.”
Sweetie Belle smiled and returned to face Apple Bloom. “See ya later, Bloom. Maybe you should ask Featherweight to the dance, he’s pretty cute.”
As Sweetie Belle walked off with Button, Apple Bloom could only mumble a reply. “But, Sweetie, I-I meant…”
She reached out to the fading image of her friend as she disappeared around the corner. Apple Bloom drooped her head sadly. But the sound of approaching footsteps prompted her to compose herself once more.
“What was that about?” said the familiar voice of Scootaloo behind her.
“Ah’m…ah’m not quite sure.”
“Huh.”
Apple Bloom laughed nervously and turned to face her. “Forget all that, what was that about the dance again?”
Apple Bloom, a little deflated after the days’ events, shut the front door and walked into the Apple family kitchen.
“Heya, sis.”
Apple Bloom looked up from her brooding to see Applejack by the sink. She was cleaning dishes.
“Oh hey, sis.” Apple Bloom replied neutrally, retracting her eyes back. Quite predictably, she could hear the running of the tap water cease and a sympathetic ear coming from her big sister.
“Y’all right, sugarcube?”
Apple Bloom simply shrugged in reply. She seated herself at the table and helped herself to an apple from the basket in the middle, chomping down on it with exaggerated bites. She saw Applejack sit down opposite her on the table.
“Bad day at school?”
Apple Bloom sighed. “No, not really. I-”
A long pause occurred. Then Applejack spoke up. “Summin’ else troublin’ ya? Come on, ah’m yar sister. Ya can tell me anythang.”
Apple Bloom sighed again, resting the apple on the table. “Well…let’s say…ah really wanna ask someone out.”
Applejack gasped suddenly which caused Apple Bloom to stop. Her sister gestured for her to continue. “Sorry, sis. Please continue.”
“So, the Fall Formal is comin’ up next week an’-”
“Got a date yet?” Applejack interjected, leaning in slightly.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes at her. “Ah’m goin’ with Scootaloo. Just as friends.”
Applejack crossed her arms and smirked at her. “Just friends, huh? Ah guess it must run in the family.”
“What do you mean?” questioned Apple Bloom.
“Oh, nothin’.” Her elder sister waved the subject off. “Ya were sayin’?”
Apple Bloom collected her thoughts again. “Well, ah wanna try ma best ta show them how ah feel at the dance but ah’m not sure if they understand what ah’m…implyin’?”
Applejack nodded in understanding. “So, yar not sure if ya can communicate yar feelings across ta them?”
Apple Bloom sighed and nodded. Applejack thought for a moment.
“Well, ma advice would be ta keep reminding ‘em about how ya feel so that even if they can’t quite understand yar feelings now, it will start ta sink in eventually. Course, if yar feelin’ confident that they’ll like ya back; ya can always give them a lil’ summin’ ta show yar love.”
Apple Bloom blushed. “You mean like a k-kiss?” Her sister nodded.
“It’s a risky venture but if ya think they would appreciate it, then by all means go fer it. But only go fer that if y’all have exhausted all other options. They may not like it.”
The last words of her sister’s advice stayed with her a while. She got up from her seat and tucked the chair in.
“Thanks, sis. Ah think ah need ta think on this. Ah’ll go help Big Macintosh out back until supper.”
“Don’t mention it, sis. Ah hope it all works out fer ya.” Applejack replied warmly. Apple Bloom smiled back before starting towards the back door. She stopped briefly and spun around back to Applejack who had already began washing the dishes again.
“Applejack?”
“What is it, sis?”
“How easy was it fer you an’ Sunset? Admitting yar feelings an’ all?”
Applejack giggled. “Oh, it was mighty easy considerin’ you told me she was sweet on me, in the first place.”
“Oh…yeah…”