It had been only an hour since the dance kicked off and the event was already raging on. Students were taking to the dance floor and grooving to their heart’s content. Apple Bloom was standing near the punch table with her date, Scootaloo, slurping away at the cup of juice in her hand. She was feeling out of sorts unlike her friend who seemed to be quite happy.
“Wow, Pinkie sure went all out on the decorations this year!” Scootaloo exclaimed.
“Huh, yeah.” Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at Apple Bloom. “Something up?”
“Oh, umm, it’s nothin’. Have ya seen Sweetie Belle yet?” Apple Bloom looked around the hall.
“Umm…why do you ask?”
“Ah’m just wonderin’ is all. We’re friends, right?”
Scootaloo fidgeted with her hands for a moment. “Right, sorry. I think I saw her come in earlier with Button. Look, she’s dancing over there with him.” Scootaloo pointed directly to the other end of the hall. Apple Bloom’s eyes followed her and she soon caught sight of the pair.
“They look like they’re having fun. Speaking of which…you uh…you wanna dance?”
“Hmm?” Apple Bloom turned around, only having half-heard what her friend had said. “Oh, maybe in a minute or two.” Apple Bloom then bent her knees in a peculiar fashion. “Ah kinda need ta go ta the gals’ room, would ya excuse me for a bit?”
“Oh…ok.” Scootaloo said uneasily.
Apple Bloom walked off down the side of the auditorium parallel to the dance floor and all the students on it. She stopped at the doors that would eventually lead her to the school toilets but she instead continued towards the other end of the hall. As she neared the opposite end of the hall, she stopped suddenly as she caught Sweetie Belle exit the floor with Button, who seemed to be heading back her way towards what Apple Bloom likely figured were the toilet doors. Sweetie Belle stood alone for now.
“Well, hey there, sis.”
Apple Bloom twisted round to the voice of her elder sibling. She was shocked to find Applejack standing there, evidently making punch and filling the approximately thirty empty glasses on the table in front.
“Applejack?” Apple Bloom gazed at the figure beside her. “Sunset? What y’all doin’ here?”
“Hehe, Principal Celestia was short of staff to help monitor the dance so she asked us if we wouldn’t mind chaperoning. Besides, the Fall Formal holds pleasant memories for us; and not so nice ones.” Sunset expressed, her speech ending in an awkward chuckle.
“All water under the bridge. Speakin’ o’ bridges, how’s yar night goin’ with Scootaloo?”
“Uh…what does that have ta do wi’ bridges?”
Applejack chuckled. “Yar right. Forget ah said anything. But ya having fun?”
“Yeah, ah’m fine.”
“Excuse me, could I have some punch?” A random dance attender asked suddenly.
“Ah’m not gonna drink this all maself, sure!” Applejack poured more punch into the empty glasses. “Ah’ll see ya later, sis. Have fun now!”
Apple Bloom waved a goodbye and as she turned back to Sweetie Belle, she gulped awkwardly. She hadn’t expected Applejack to be here, and it was just what she needed right now. Sweetie Belle still stood alone, fumbling with the ends of her hair. She looked beautiful. Apple Bloom’s heart pounded faster.
Here goes nothing. Then she walked on over to Sweetie Belle.
“Hey, Sweetie Belle!”
Sweetie ceased fiddling with her hair. “Oh, Apple Bloom. It’s great to see you here! Who did you come with? Was it Featherweight?”
“Oh…ah came with Scoots.”
“Oh, right.” Sweetie Belle said nervously. “Well, I hope you two are having fun.”
“We are but…” Apple Bloom held her but as long as she could.
“But what?”
“But there’s something ah have ta get off ma chest, Sweetie Belle.”
“Yeah?” Sweetie Belle said anxiously.
Apple Bloom took a deep breath. “Ah like you.”
Sweetie Belle smiled and laughed nervously. “Oh come on, Apple Bloom. You had me worried for a second there. I like you too.”
Apple Bloom mouth turned half way to smile before crashing back down at the mixed signals she was receiving.
“No, ah mean ah like ya more than just a friend.”
Sweetie Belle hesitated before again chuckling nervously. “Well duh…hehe…we are BEST friends!”
“No, Sweets ah mean…”
“Oh, Button’s coming back. Maybe we can talk later?”
Apple Bloom didn’t want to talk later. She wanted to talk now. But she wouldn’t get to later. And she couldn’t be sure when else she’d get a perfect opportunity like this. Not a second before Sweetie Belle began to wander away, did Apple Bloom step in her path; push all her weight forward; and lock lips with Sweetie Belle.
The taste of her lips was everything Apple Bloom had dreamed about and more. She didn’t get long to enjoy it however as she was pushed back hard. The Apple lost her footing and crashed to the floor with a loud painful grunt, alerting most of the surrounding students. She looked back up at Sweetie Belle, who was drowned in rage.
“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?”
Apple Bloom had never heard Sweetie Belle swear; ever. “Sweetie, ah-”
“WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET IT INTO YOUR THICK SKULL, APPLE BLOOM! I DON’T LIKE YOU!”
“W-what? B-b-but…” Apple Bloom was on the verge of tears.
“I WILL NEVER LIKE YOU. IN FACT, I HATE YOU!”
That did it. Apple Bloom eyes became clogged with her tears and she threw herself up on her legs, bolting from the area, crying quite loudly.
“Apple Bloom!” came a voice. Apple Bloom was took grief-stricken to check the source.
Apple Bloom pushed past partygoers, not caring much for their cries of dismay. Almost blind from the mass of tears flooding her eyes, the heartbroken teen could hardly see anything but the way out. She just needed to leave, to get away from the disaster area. The disaster that was her awful judgement and the harsh words thrown at her from her best friend. She burst through the double doors of the auditorium and into the main hallway. Looking from side to side quickly, her tears staining the floor, Apple Bloom quickly resolved to running to nearest seat which just so happened to be one of the staircases and sat down on one of the steps. She curled up and buried her head into her knees.
How could she have been so stupid? She should have known this would happen. Why did it have to be Sweetie Belle she had to go and fall for? Why not Featherweight? Why, just why?
Apple Bloom whimpered as she continued to bawl her eyes out. In the distance, she heard a door close followed by a shuffle of footsteps. She looked up from her knees, eyes soaked in water, and just about made out her sister, Applejack. And Sunset. Both giving her sympathetic looks.
“Are ya alright, sis?” Applejack said, kneeling to her level. Apple Bloom shifted her gaze from Applejack to Sunset and then back again. Then she returned to her moping through her knees.
“How do ya do it, AJ?” mumbled Apple Bloom, almost inaudibly.
“Huh?” Applejack replied. “What you talkin’ about, sis?”
Apple Bloom sniffed and brought her head back up. “How’d ya get so lucky?!” She verbally expressed. “How’d you an’…<sniff> Sunset get so godamm lucky?” She whimpered loudly in front of them both.
Sunset sat down next to Apple Bloom, concern struck across her face. “What do you mean, Apple Bloom?”
Apple Bloom turned to Sunset. “WHY SHOULD Y’ALL GET MA SISTER WHILE AH’M STUCK ALONE AN’ MISERABLE WITHOUT SWEETIE BELLE?!!” She positively screamed at Sunset. The shocked face on her mentor’s face was result enough. Apple Bloom instantly regretted it and fell into Sunset’s chest.
“Ah’m so sorry, Sunset!” Apple Bloom pleaded. “Ah didn’t mean that! Ah…ah dunno why ah said that! Please believe me! Ah love ya. Really!” She hugged Sunset tightly. Her cries faded as she felt Sunset’s own hands come against her back. They dug deep into her too.
“Don’t worry about it, Apple Bloom. It hurts me more to see you upset than to be upset myself. And I love you as the sister I never had. Never forget that.”
“Ah…ah won’t! Ah’m s-sorry.” Apple Bloom’s sniffles began to die down and she eventually relaxed back to her sitting position, head down and snivelling at intervals.
“Now, do ya mind tellin’ me what happened, sugarcube?” Applejack said as she sat on the opposite side of Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom took a deep breath. “Ah…<sniff> ah tried ta show Sweetie Belle how ah feel an’ well…she didn’t seem ta catch on ta what ah was sayin’ an’ so ah kissed her on the lips but…<whimper> she pushed me away an’ hurled at me all those mean words.”
“Wait, ya kissed Sweetie Belle?! Why?” asked her older sister.
“You told me ta do it if things were goin’ south!”
“Ah thought ya meant Scootaloo! Man, sometimes ah can assume the strangest things.”
“Scootaloo? Why would ya think that?”
Sunset spoke this time. “Probably because you were coming to the dance with her.”
“Oh…<sniff> ah suppose ah shoulda been more clear…”
Applejack patted her sister on the shoulder and sighed deeply. “Ah’m so sorry, sis. Ah thought you were makin’ out you had a crush on Scootaloo. An’ seein’ how you two are as tight as a horse saddle, ah guess ah jumped ahead an’ gave ya some poor advice. Can ya forgive me?”
Apple Bloom hugged her big sister. “O’ course. Ah don’t really blame you. This whole mess is ma fault.” Apple Bloom took a big sniff and stretched her dress up to her eyes to dry them.
“Oh, don’t use that. Here, take my tissue.” Sunset offered, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and stretching it in front of Apple Bloom. She took it with pleasure. She sighed again.
“Why did she not want ta be with me, AJ?” she asked Applejack, tears starting to well up again.
“Oh, darlin’. Ah feel for ya. Ah really do. But this is a harsh taste o’ reality for ya.”
Apple Bloom fixed onto her sister, her intrigue momentarily stopping her flow of tears.
“Sunset an’ I are lucky enough ta be tagether cuz we both appreciate the company o’ the same sex. You had feelings for Sweetie Belle. Strong feelings that made ya appreciate her without even thinkin’ whether she was a boy or a girl. That’s one o’ best attitudes ta have in this world.”
Applejack looked her sister straight in the eye. “But ya have ta understand, sugarcube, that life works in mysterious ways an’ that said, not everyone is gonna feel the same way you do. Clearly, Sweetie Belle loves ya as her best friend, but not anythang more than that. In short, she just doesn’t swing that way.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah guess ah never thought <sniff> ‘bout that.”
“It’s better to think of it like this, Apple Bloom.” Sunset started to say, prompting Apple Bloom to look at her. “Every door can be pushed or pulled in one direction. Some can only be pushed and some can only be pulled. And some doors can go in both directions.”
“Sweetie Belle, sad to say, just isn’t into girls. So you can’t pull her towards you. Only push her away.”
Apple Bloom sniffled in reply. “Ah guess that makes sense. But what if…<sniff> Sweetie Belle hates me now?”
“Are you crazy?” Applejack blurted out, looking embarrassed as she lowered her voice. “What Sweetie Belle an’ ya have cannot be thrown away by a misunderstadin’ like this! Give her time, sis. She’ll get over it an’ understand why ya did it.”
Apple Bloom smiled for the first time in a while. “Thanks, AJ. And thank you, Sunset.”
Sunset gave her a reassuring smile in reply. The three of them shared in a warm embrace for a few moments. As they separated, Sunset appeared to have something on her mind.
“Honestly, Apple Bloom, I’m quite surprised you fell for Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom’s eyes jumped straight to Sunset in confusion. “I mean, I never really took you both for the ideal couple.”
Apple Bloom continued to stare at Sunset with a perplexed look. “Why?”
“Well, your personalities for one. You’re brave, stubborn and very outdoorsy. Not to mention, that you run a bit of a sassy mouth.” Sunset smirked at Apple Bloom, earning a blush from the young Apple. “Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, is quite academic and though obviously loving and kind, doesn’t often have the passion for doing active stuff like you and prefers to do more domestic things.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah didn’t really think ‘bout all that. Ah just liked her cuz she was so pretty an’ we were already best friends so ah thought we might be good tagether.”
“But you didn’t think of what you had in common? I mean, you are friends but relationships can be a little trickier. There may not have been a relationship there even if she had accepted you.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah suppose you’re right. But ah guess we’ll never know now.” She said glumly.
“True. But don’t let this spoil your confidence that it will work out the next time. There’s always someone out there for everyone, Apple Bloom. And you know what?”
Apple Bloom perked up with interest. “What?”
Sunset hesitated briefly before putting on a smile. “I think you should talk to Scootaloo. It might be make things a little clearer.”
Apple Bloom looked at Sunset oddly before nodding slowly as if she only half understood what she meant.
“Whoo-wee, we’d better get back ta our posts in case any shit’s goin’ down in the hall. Pardon ma French.”
Sunset giggled. “We did volunteer for this after all.”
As the two of them got up, Apple Bloom remained sitting on the staircase. Applejack looked back down at her.
“Are ya gonna be alright, sis?”
“Yeah, ah’m ok, AJ. Ah’m just gonna sit here a while longer, k?”
“Alright then. Ya know where ta find us if ya need anythang else.” Sunset and Applejack walked off back into the auditorium; the slow dance mix pouring out as the doors opened.
Apple Bloom sat there a while, unsure of how to feel. Her depression had all but evaporated yet in the back of her mind the feeling of doubt had arisen. She continued to with her arms on her knees, hands holding her chin; looking down as the relentless flux of emotion taunted her.
“Hey Apple Bloom.”
Apple Bloom looked up in surprise. “Hey Scootaloo.”
“Are you alright? I saw what happened.”
“Yeah. Ah’m ok. At least after AJ an’ Sunset came ta cheer me up.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Scootaloo said. “I thought I should come and see you too after you were done with them.”
“Thanks, Scoots. Yar a good friend.”
Scootaloo smiled and sat down next to Apple Bloom on the steps. “So…”
“So?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow at her friend.
“So…why did you kiss Sweetie Belle?” asked Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom sighed. “Couldn’t ya guess?”
“You were sweet on her?”
“Yup.” Apple Bloom stated, exaggerating the movements of her lips. She clearly didn’t want to talk about it any further.
“Gosh, I’m so sorry, AB.”
“S’alright.” A long pause followed. Neither spoke for neither knew exactly what to say. Apple Bloom however felt something honourable was due.
“Look, Scootaloo, ah want ta apologise. Ah wasn’t a very good at keepin’ ya company. Ah shoulda let ya know what ah was plannin’ but…ah wasn’t sure…ah wasn’t sure ah’d even go through with it.”
“But you did.”
“Yup.” She voiced as before, looking away ever so slowly.
Scootaloo noticed that. “I’m sorry, I really don’t want to remind you about that. I just…”
Apple Bloom turned to Scootaloo once more. “Just what?”
“I’m just…I…. urgh…I’m really bad when it comes to this.” Scootaloo sported a nervous giggle to finish her sentence.
“Bad at what?” Apple Bloom was very confused.
“You’re not gonna make this easy on me, are you? Though, I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Apple Bloom remained silent while still oblivious to Scootaloo’s hints.
Scootaloo sighed. “Do you know why I asked you to the dance?”
Apple Bloom smiled. “Cuz we’re friends. Ya wanted us ta come like we always did, right?”
Her friend shook her head. “I wanted to have a great time with you two, sure. But I wanted to spend more time with… with you.”
Apple Bloom froze as the gears in her head began to turn. The pieces of the puzzle of what Sunset had relayed to her slowly came into place in the frame of her mind.
“Ya mean… ya like me? Like like like me?” she asked, eyes wide open. Scootaloo nodded.
“I do, Apple Bloom. Who woulda thought it right?” She laughed. Apple Bloom did too. “But I can’t help it. I feel happy when I’m around you. I want to make you feel happy. And you make me say all this mushy stuff!”
Apple Bloom laughed. “It’s a pain, ain’t it?”
“Yeah…” Scootaloo drifted off before returning to face her. Apple Bloom felt weird as if her heart was pounding faster as the seconds went on. She drifted ever so closer to Scootaloo.
Scootaloo’s head drifted down. “I know you don’t feel the same way but…”
“Who’s says ah don’t?” Apple Bloom blurted out. Did ah really just say that?
Scootaloo’s head shot right back up, her eyes fixed on Apple Bloom. The young Apple’s heart began to pound even faster. Her mind didn’t tell her to say that. Then again, her mind couldn’t do anything right now. Every thought rushed through her head at a million miles per hour. And they were all about Scootaloo. The way she had her hair, the way her eyes sparkled back at her, the way her lips seemed so much more beautiful up close. Wait. She was beautiful. And not just like what she felt about Sweetie Belle, but something much more unique and strangely familiar. Did she always feel this way? Did she take this long to realise it? How could she be so ignorant? Why was Scootaloo moving closer? Why was she moving closer to her? Why-
Apple Bloom’s mind exploded like a nuclear bomb as her and Scootaloo’s lips touched. Her heart was made of stronger stuff and was absolutely aflutter with joy; she positively melted in the fire of affection coursing through her. Apple Bloom closed her eyes in the sheer bliss of it all. The feeling of her soft lips against hers was unbelievable. She felt her hands meet Scootaloo’s back, her arms locked around her sides. The sensation was soon mirrored on her end and Apple Bloom hugged her even tighter. All understanding of time dispersed from her mind; what was now didn’t matter. All that mattered was Scootaloo. To be with Scootaloo. To love Scootaloo. She opened her eyes to gaze upon her. She moaned softly in ecstasy. Out of the corner of her eye though, she spotted something and the reality of the room came flooding back to her.
“Hey!” she voiced through the kiss, causing Scootaloo to retreat abruptly in confusion.
“Huh?”
“Not you! Her!” She pointed to the doors. Scootaloo’s face blushed a furious red at their peeping tom. Or peeping Applejack for that matter.
“W-what do ya thank yar doin’?”
Applejack waved her hands in front of her. “Oh, continue. Don’t mind me. Ah’m just enjoyin’ the show.” She finished off with a wink at her younger sister. Apple Bloom pouted in the inevitable déjà vu that came with it.
“Touché, AJ.”
Applejack chuckled. “Hey Sunset, they kissed!” She shouted as she ran back inside. Apple Bloom made to follow her in hot pursuit, fists clenched.
“WHY AH OUGHTA…”
Scootaloo grabbed onto Apple Bloom’s arm. “Leave it, AB. Come on, Applejack’s just being Applejack.”
Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks. Her annoyance faded, resulting in a roll of the old eyes and a small laugh. “Yeah, ah suppose yar right.”
“It’s my fault really.”
“What do ya mean?” Apple Bloom wondered.
“I may have let it slip to Sunset that I had feelings for you. Or she actually already knew.”
Apple Bloom chuckled. “That would explain a lot.”
“Yeah…sorry about that. But I was wondering…could we try that kiss again?”
Apple Bloom didn’t need another second. She kissed her crush right on the cheek and said teasingly, “Ya need ta ask?”
Scootaloo smirked and together the two locked lips. The two lovers embraced once again undisturbed as the shouts and thrills of the party continued to boom out from the auditorium doors.