The dance was over. Wallflower walked slowly down the stairs, tapping on her phone.
A voice broke in behind her. “Hey, Princess.”
Wallflower cringed. “Hey, Sunset.”
“Congratulations,” she said.
“Thanks,” Wallflower returned. It still seemed pretty surreal. She brushed a hand against her tiara, subtly trying to draw attention to it.
Sunset jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. “We’re going out for shakes, want to come?”
Wallflower shook her head. “I’ve got to get home. Besides, I’ve only got enough for the rideshare.” Gardening by yourself didn’t tend to get much money. At least, the plants Wallflower was interested in, anyway.
“Rideshare? Not a chance,” Rarity broke in, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her over. “We have the limo all night. We can take you home. No charge.”
“We’d love to ride with royalty!” Pinkie called.
Wallflower tried to protest, but was faced with a universal chorus of agreement and she was outnumbered seven to one, so she figured it’d be less awkward to just roll with it. She put her phone back into her pocket.
The whole ride home, the other girls chatted, Wallflower not saying much. She did notice Sunset sneaking glances at her, though.
They did end up stopping for shakes, pulling the limo through the drive through. Wallflower could honestly say she’d never done that before, taking a limousine to a fast food restaurant. She even giggled when Pinkie (who had ordered fries, that girl was always hungry) and did her best walrus impression.
But finally, they arrived at her house. She opened the door and hopped down.
To her surprise, she heard another pair of shoes hit the ground. “Here, I’ll walk you to the door.”
Wallflower didn’t feel like arguing. She’d be free of Sunset in a second, anyway. She walked up the path, got to the door, and turned around. “Thanks. But, like I said, I don’t want to be one of your ‘projects’.”
“You’re not my project,” Sunset said, irritation creeping into her voice, “so quit thinking like that. The only ‘project’-” she put it in air quotes, “I want to be involved in is helping you see you like I see you.”
“Yeah? How do you see me?”
Sunset inhaled, held it, and exhaled slowly. This was probably the wrong thing to say, but she was going for it, anyway, because it was the only thing coming to mind. “Honestly? As a girl I still want a relationship with.”
“Why? Why, though? This is- I just- I don’t- I can't- I don't know why you like me! I don’t even like me!” There it was. The truth, hidden under everything else, finally came flowing out. “I’m the root cause of all my problems! My lack of friends, my nonexistent social life, my weight, the memory stone, everything! It’s me! And you-! You’ve gone from being the school’s most hated to the school’s most loved, and somehow it’s me you want? I’m just a failure! I just… I don’t…”
Something cracked inside Wallflower. Was it relief she was feeling, for finally getting that out? She didn't know what it was, but the next thing she knew, she was sobbing. She sank forward, and Sunset caught her.
“It's... it’s not you,” Wallflower whimpered. “It never was you. It's me. I'm insecure. I’m broken.”
“You’re not broken,” Sunset retorted. “You’re Wallflower Blush. And I knew exactly what I was getting into when I said ‘it’s a date’ after asking you to come to Rainbow’s game.”
Wallflower looked up. “So that’s when it started?”
Sunset shrugged. “Turns out I do remember. But believe me, you never have to be insecure about how I feel. I like you because you’re you. That’s it. Plain and simple.”
Somehow, Wallflower found herself convinced by the simple words. “I'm so sorry. I screwed everything up. Again.” She sniffled. Strange as everything was, she once again felt right at home in Sunset’s arms. “Wish I could erase that.”
“Well, we can undo it,” Sunset offered. She lifted her up and met her eyes. “Wallflower Blush, will you go out with me?”
Wallflower nodded, brusquely running the back of her hand over her eyes
Sunset grinned. “See? Together again.” She held up a finger. “But this time, we’ll have more communication between us. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” Wallflower said.
“And do you really think I have all the answers?” Sunset chuckled. “I’m not going to lie, this is all new to me, too. My last relationship was with Flash, and I was mostly using him for popularity.” She cracked a smile. “I don’t even like guys. So if I look like I know what I'm doing, it just means I’m a really good actress. But I want to know, and I want to figure it out with you.”
Wallflower found herself getting choked up. “I don’t deserve you,” she whimpered.
“Sometimes, I don’t think I deserve you.” Sunset leaned in and gave Wallflower a gentle kiss on the lips.
This tender moment was instantly ruined as they got a rude reminder that they had not actually been alone. “Aw, yeah!*” Pinkie cried, pumping her fist in a circle. “Get some!”
Sunset looked down, a slight blush coloring her cheeks (which was dwarfed by the color Wallflower’s were turning). “That’s… Pinkie Pie for you,” she offered weakly.
“Yeah,” Wallflower said. She looked over her shoulder at the door. “Do you want to come inside? I can pay for your rideshare home?”
Sunset looked at her regretfully. “If I didn’t open tomorrow, I would. As it is, I’m only going to get about…” She checked her phone. “-five hours of sleep.”
Wallflower smiled. “Yeah, then you should go. I’m not worth an all-nighter.”
Sunset poked her gently on the nose. “Don’t sell yourself too short,” she warned. She headed back to the car, and after many waves (and a few knowing looks from Pinkie), the limo left.
Wallflower shuddered. Would Sunset really have come inside? Dodged that bullet! She wouldn’t even have known what they would have done. Looked at seed catalogs? She shook her head, and turned and twisted the doorknob.
At least, she tried to. It didn’t move.
Wallflower’s heart dropped. She’d been locked out of her own house. Great. She pulled out her phone and used it as a flashlight as she went around back.
She pursed her lips. Looks like she’d be spending tonight in the old porch bench swing. She sighed. This would be a disaster. Her makeup would probably itch (and with her luck, cause a breakout), this dress was definitely not made for sleeping in, it was getting chilly outside, and to top it all off, she was thirsty.
Well, at least one of those she could fix. She opened the back door, got a glass of water, drained it, and stepped back outside, mentally preparing herself for a long, cold, lonely…
Wait.
She giggled. “Wow. Wish I could erase that memory,” she said as she headed back inside.
Sunset lay on her bed, a bag of frozen peas on her ankle. But though she was in pain, she couldn’t keep from smiling. She didn’t regret dancing with Wallflower, even on her twisted ankle. And she definitely didn’t regret getting them back together.
She pulled out her phone and sent a final text before setting it down.
>Good night! 💋
Her phone vibrated almost instantly. She picked it up to read Wallflower’s response… only to be greeted by a picture of a glowering and very unamused Pinkie Pie, her hand across the lower half of her face and holding an ace of spades up between two fingers, looking vaguely like an old movie poster.
>>Cheating on your girlfriend already? After you just got back together? ಠ_ಠ Pinkie disapproves.👎
>It was a platonic kiss, Sunset tried. >Like when you make cupcakes and I kiss them because they’re so good. I have no sexual attraction to cupcakes, promise.
>>What a coincidence! Neither do I! 😇
Sunset cracked a smile.
>>And I’m making cupcakes right now! Sure enough, another picture appeared, proving it.
Sunset shook her head. Did that girl never sleep?
>>Wait! You’ve never kissed a cupcake! 😠 Trying to bamboozle me this late at night, eh?
Sunset rolled her eyes. >Good night, Pinkie.
>> ¬_¬ We will continue this conversation in the morning.
Sunset resent the text to the right person this time, and then promptly fell asleep. All was once again right with the world.