//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: The Nerd and the Cellist 
// by HAKDurbin 
//------------------------------//

Every day I am thankful that I no longer live in Appleloosa.
When my parents announced that my dad was being transferred to the suburb of Canterlot, it was one of the happiest days of my life. My heart was so filled with excitement that I thought it was going to burst out of my chest. I only knew about Canterlot mostly by name, and yet the idea of moving there or anywhere sounded terrific to me. Any place sounded like heaven to me than staying in Appleloosa.
To be clear, I didn't hate Appleloosa just because it was always scorching hot out there or because most of the buildings are very old or there was very little to do outside of home. No. I hated living in that desert area because I was always alone. My parents are as kind and caring as any loving parents should be, but when you put them aside, there wasn't a soul in all of Appleloosa who cared about me worth spit. I always wanted to have friends, but no one my age wanted to be anywhere near me. In their eyes, I was nothing but a weird freak. Someone that should be avoided like the plague at all costs.
And all because I am a nerd.
Since there is little to do here in Appleloosa, my dad would get me movies and comics and video games from out of town whenever he was on a business trip. Thus, I grew up falling in love with all sorts of fiction from comics about superheroes, to fantasy or science fiction franchises like Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Harry Potter, Transformers, you name it. But out of all of them, my favorite was always Star Wars. I loved all the stories that the Star Wars universe had to offer with all my heart to the point that I began to write fanfiction of me as a powerful Jedi who would always save the galaxy from the Sith and other forces of evil. 
But my comfort in all these things cost me whatever chance of a social life in Appleloosa. Movies, comics, and video games hardly interested anyone in that town, even people who were my age. No matter how much I just wanted to make friends, no one would ever say a kind word to me, and so I would always be alone.
So, when my dad was being transferred, I looked at it as a chance to start anew. Maybe in a suburb, I could find someone, anyone who would want to be my friend. My dad showed me pictures of the school I was transferring to called Canterlot High School, and compared to my school in Appleloosa, Canterlot High looked like a palace. Surely with so many students who go to school in this grand, two-story building, I can finally make friends or at least not be treated like an outcast.
But more than finding friendship, my heart wanted a chance to find love. If there were anything I took away from the many fictional stories I would read or watch, it would be that romantic love is something purely beautiful and special. Arwen and Aragorn, Princess Leia and Han Solo, Belle and the Beast, Spider-Man and Mary Jane, Ron and Hermione, Batman and Catwoman, Optimus Prime and Elita-One, these are all fictional couples that made me wish I could find that certain special someone for me. I had lost hope for that in Appleloosa because many girls in my old high school hated and bullied me for what I am, but I hoped things would be different in Canterlot.

This is the story about that hope based on my experience and the testimonies of those closest to me.

**************************************************

On the tenth of August, my parents and I gathered all of our things in a moving truck very early in the morning and drove to our new home in the suburb. My heart was racing with excitement as we eventually entered Canterlot after about four hours of driving. No longer was I in a remote desert where the buildings were old and creaking, and there were few shops worth going to. Canterlot by comparison had so many modern and brightly-colored houses and all sorts of restaurants, video games stores, comic stores, even a mall. We also passed by Canterlot High, and it looked just as majestic in comparison to my old school as it did in the pictures. 
We parked the moving truck next to our new two-story house that looked shiny and brand new in comparison to the one-story house we lived in ever since I was born. By around 4 in the afternoon, we had fully moved into our new home, and I was setting up all of my stuff and began to sit back and relax on my bed in my second-floor room. The only problem left was school was a week away, which meant I had to wait that long to try and make any friends there.
Luckily, right at that moment, I heard rapid knocking coming from the front door downstairs. I was curious as to who could be there as my parents had left to return the moving truck, and I was all alone. I heard someone knocking the door again impatiently, and so I left my room, went downstairs, and opened the door. The next thing I knew, a swarm of colorful confetti blew right into my face, and a pink girl was standing in my front porch with a giant grin on her face.
“Hi, neighbor!” She said in a high-pitched voice. “I'm Pinkie Pie, and I want to say welcome to Canterlot!”
I froze in place for a moment with confetti covered all over me before I managed to said, “Uh, thank you?”
The pink girl named Pinkie Pie squeals out a laugh as if I had just told her a joke. 
“Oh, no thanks are necessary, silly,” she said. “I just love giving new neighbors a big welcome. I just know you're going to love it here in Canterlot.”
“Uh, I hope so, too,” I said, still taken aback.
Suddenly, she went up in my face and asked, “But enough about me. Who are you? Where did you move from? What are your hobbies? What's your favorite ice cream? Do you like red or blue balloons?  What kind of -”
“Pinkie Pie!”
I look behind Pinkie Pie's shoulder to see another girl in farmer's clothing walking up behind her and pulling her away from my face. I was relieved to have Pinkie Pie be dragged away from my personal space, but at the same, time I was utterly bewildered to see two girls standing on my front porch.
“I thought I told you to pick one question at a time when you're introducing yourself to people,” the other girl said in a southern accent. 
“I can't help it, Applejack!” Pinkie Pie whined. “It's been soooooooo long since I've had new neighbors here on this block. I even heard he's transferring to CHS!”
“I know. I heard that too from Granny Smith,” The girl named Applejack said calmly. “But you're confusing the poor guy by suddenly throwing confetti and introducing yourself to him before throwing a bunch of questions out of the blue. Isn't that right, sugarcube?”
It took a moment before I realized she was talking to me, and I nodded.
“See? Just like I told ya,” Applejack said. 
Pinkie Pie frowned and turned to me and said, “I'm sorry. Let's start over. What's your name?”
“My name is Rough Draft,” I answer.
“There. That's better,” Applejack said before offering her hand to me. “Name's Applejack, partner. I live in the apple farm a few blocks from here.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said shyly while I shake her hand weakly.
“Hmmm, that is a soft grip you got there,” Applejack said skeptically. “I guess you don't do many handshakes, do ya?”
“Uh, that was kind of my first, actually,” I admitted.
“Was it now?” Applejack said with a smirk. “Well, we can improve on that. Shake my hand, and this time really squeeze it.”
I hesitated before I shook her hand again, and I tried to tighten my grip. Applejack chuckled lightly, amused with my efforts.
“That's a little better,” she said. “Anyway, where'd ya move from?”
“Appleloosa,” I answered. 
“Really? I have a lot of cousins in Appleloosa,” Applejack chirped. “You know my cousin,  Braeburn?”
“That doesn't ring any bells, sorry,” I said honestly. 
“That's alright,” Applejack said. “He and the rest of the family are usually working in the orchard over there anyway. Did you like living there?”
I flinched at that question and started to worry that she might be mad if I told her honestly what I thought about Appleloosa since she had family there. 
“Not really?” I answered.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at me, confused, and Pinkie Pie asked, “But aren't you going to miss your friends there?”
I frowned and said, “I don't have any friends there. I...I was an outcast in my school.”
Pinkie Pie gasped loudly while Applejack gave me a sympathetic frown. 
“You mean you never had any friends while living in Appleloosa?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“I've lived there my whole life, so I've never had any friends at all,” I confessed.
Pinkie Pie looked at me as if I said a sentence full of swear words. 
“That's terrible!” She shouted. “Everyone should have friends!”
“Well, that's nice if you to say, Pinkie Pie, but it's the truth,” I said. “The thing is I'm a nerd. I'm into video games, comics, and all sorts of fantasy and science fiction.”
Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at each other confused before turning back to me.
“So?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“So the kids in my school didn't like that,” I explained. “They thought I was a freak for liking things like that.”
“Aw, now that's silly,” Applejack said with her hands on her hips. “There's nothing wrong with liking things like that. I like to play a game or two with our friend Rainbow Dash, and I know my friend Caramel likes comics and play Star Wars games.”
My eyes widened, and I gave Applejack a hopeful look.
“Really?” I asked with my voice a little high-pitched.
“Absolutely,” Applejack said with a smile. “In fact, one of the star soccer players at CHS, Soarin likes playing some big Star Wars game or something or other with Caramel.”
I stared at Applejack, completely baffled.
“A soccer player who likes to play Star Wars games? That's a little hard to believe,” I said. “Does no one have an issue with that at CHS?”
Pinkie Pie giggled and said, “Of course not, silly. At Canterlot High, we don't bully anyone for being different. There's no status quo or anything like that. Everyone treats people the same as long as you're true to yourself.”
My eyes lit up at the sound of this news. I was already looking forward to going to CHS at the start of the new school year, but to hear that there are indeed other nerds like me and no one would persecute me sounded terrific beyond words. But then Applejack cleared her throat and gave me an uneasy look.
“Actually, there are a couple of bad apples you should clear away from at CHS,” she said. “Some of them are a trio of girls called the Dazzlings.”
“The Dazzlings?” I asked, confused. “Why are they called that?”
“Because that's their group name at a cafe they sing at,” Applejack answered. “But don’t get close to any of them. The youngest one, Sonata, seems like a nice girl, but her older sisters, Adagio and Aria, act like they are superior to everyone because of their talent and beauty. The leader among them, Adagio, likes to use her beauty to flirt with any guy just to use them for her cruel means. So whatever you do, do not speak to any of them or believe anything Adagio might say to woo you if she tries to talk to you.”
I thought it odd that there are people like the Dazzlings to watch out for in a school, but I decided to trust Applejack since she was kind enough to tell me all this.
“And who else do I need to watch out for?” I asked.
This time, both Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked serious as they looked at each other for a moment before they turned to me and simultaneously answered, “Blueblood.”
“Blueblood?” I asked.
“Blueblood is the meanest, meanie-pants that could ever step foot in CHS or any high school,” Pinkie Pie said with a pout. “Just because he’s super-rich and handsome and is from Manehattan and is Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna’s nephew, he believes he’s above everybody.”
I blinked in confusion and asked, “Are you serious?”
“Very,” Applejack answered. “I don’t know how he gets away with his attitude, especially since Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna are very nice people, but Blueblood is as uptight and stubborn as they come. Everyone back in Manehattan loves him so much that they called him the ‘Prince of Manehattan’ or some sort of nonsense like that, and that makes him think he’s better than any of us.”
I blinked again and asked, “If he’s from Manehattan, why is he going to school in Canterlot?”
“Good question,” Applejack replied. “No one really knows why he transferred to our school. All we know is that when he did, he convinced his girlfriend and her family to move to Canterlot just so that they can go to school together.”
“And her parents agreed to that?” I asked.
“Guess so,” Applejack answered. “He even made sure the two of them have the same classes and everything.”
“Wow, that’s a strange amount of power this guy has,” I said.
“You can say that again,” Pinkie Pie said. “And you better stay clear from his girlfriend too. Blueblood is very possessive of her because of how beautiful and talented she is as a musician. She’s the only person he boasts about that isn’t him.”
“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind as well,” I said. “What is her name?”
“Her name is Octavia Melody,” Applejack answered. 
“Good to know,” I said. “Is there anyone else I should look out for?”
“Nope. That’s it,” Pinkie Pie answered, suddenly cheerful again. “Other than that, you have nothing to worry about at CHS. Come the beginning of this school year, you'll have the time of your life with already two friends under your belt, or my name isn’t Pinkie Pie.”
“Two friends?” I asked excitedly. “Are you that sure I'll quickly befriend these guys named Caramel and Soarin?”
Pinkie Pie giggled in a high-pitched voice, and even Applejack let out an amused chuckle.
“She means the two of us, Sugarcube,” she said.
My excited look disappears, and I stare at the two girls taken aback.
“Wait. We're already friends?” I asked. 
“Well, of course, we are, silly,” Pinkie Pie answered cheerfully. “Why wouldn't we be?”
I stuttered for a moment, struggling to think of a proper answer. 
“W-w-well, we just met, and you guys don’t know that much about me, and I barely know that much about either of you apart from your names,” I stammered. “Isn’t it a little too quick to say that we’re friends?”
“Aw, that’s silly talk,” Applejack said with a smirk. “Sure we just met, but we can both tell you’re a nice fellow who just needs friends in his life. I mean, you do want friends, right?”
I stuttered again before I answered, “Well, yes. I do.”
“Then there's no need to question it,” Applejack said.
“Yeah, and besides well, have plenty of opportunities to get to know one another at Sugarcube Cafe,” Pinkie Pie chirped.
I looked at Pinkie Pie, confused while Applejack gave her an annoyed look.
“Did you invite everyone to a get together while we were talking again?” Applejack asked.
“Like I said, Applejack, it's been such a long time since I've had a new neighbor,” Pinkie Pie said with her hands behind her back.
“I'm lost again,” I said. “What are you talking about?”
“Why a get together with some of our other friends, of course,” Pinkie Pie chirped. “I just messaged them to meet the three of us at the cafe so that they can all meet you!”
"Really?” I asked.
“Of course,” Pinkie Pie answered with a cheerful grin. “After all, you should make as many friends as possible before school even starts, and Sugarcube Cafe is the place to hang out with lots and lots of friends.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and smirked, saying, “Yeah, she's right. I know it's abrupt, but if you want to make some friends, then what Pinkie's suggesting might be the best way for you to do just that. So what do you say, partner?”
It takes a moment to process what both girls are saying before I replied, “What do I say? Yes, please! Just let me text my parents, so they know what's up.”


********************************************************************************************************

After getting a quick okay from my parents via text, I was dragged to Sugarcube Cafe at inhuman speed by Pinkie Pie with Applejack following behind us. Within minutes, I found myself inside a colorful cafe where other teenagers are drinking milkshakes and smoothies while sitting together on couches and tables and happily chatting away. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the counter where a couple in their thirties were making milkshakes on the other side until Pinkie Pie spoke.
“Hiya, Mr., and Mrs. Cake!” She greeted out loud.
The two adults turned to us and gave the pink girl friendly smiles.
“Well, there you are, Pinkie,” the woman named Mrs. Cake said. “I have to say you're here later than usual.”
“I know,” Pinkie Pie replied. “I was just greeting my new neighbor, Rough Draft, before texting my friends to meet him.”
Mr. and Mrs. Cake turned to me with warm smiles, and the former said, “Ah, yes. I did hear that a new family was moving here. You came here from Appleloosa, am I right?”
“Uh, yes, sir. That is correct,” I answered shyly. 
“Then welcome to Canterlot,” he said. “I'm sure you're going to love living in our friendly suburb here.”
“Thank you. I hope so,” I said.
Mr. and Mrs. Cake nodded before the latter said, “Now that introductions are out of the way, how about some milkshakes?”
Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously while Applejack gave a simple nod. 
“Alright, what would you like, Mr. Draft?” Mr. Cake asked.
I hesitated, surprised that he would turn to me first before I looked at the sign showing the list of milkshakes. My eyes became as wide as dinner plates to see dozens of flavors to choose from.
“Holy cow, I didn't know there are this many flavors in the entire world,” I said.
“Oh, you're too kind,” Mrs. Cake giggled. “This is a modest amount of options to choose from compared to some restaurants in Crystal City.”
“Are you serious?” I asked in disbelief.
“Well, it's something we hear around these parts, but even so, there's no better place to try all kinds of milkshakes than here at Sugarcube Cafe,” Applejack said with a chuckle. “So come on, Rough Draft. Pick a flavor.”
I felt uneasy with everyone looking at me in anticipation. I struggled to choose because each flavor they showed seemed sweeter than the last. Finally, after racking my brain, I took a deep breath and carefully said, “I'll have a blueberry shake, please.”
“Great choice,” Mrs. Cake said with a smile. “Applejack, Pinkie, I assume you would like the usual?”
“Sure do,” Applejack said.
“Yepperoony!” Pinkie Pie replied.
Mrs. Cake nodded, and we paid for our drinks before finding a sofa to sit on. Before we sat down, the front door opened, and a guy and a girl, both with blue skin, came inside and walked over to our sofa. The guy was tall and had dark blue hair while the girl had rainbow hair and was walking with a smug look.
“Rainbow Dash, Soarin, you made it!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed excitedly.
“Of course, we did. You know I'd never leave you hanging, Pinkie,” the girl with the rainbow hair said before turning to me. “So, you're the new guy in Pinkie's block, eh?” 
“That's right,” I answer.
“Cool. Nice to meetcha,” she says. “Name's Rainbow Dash: captain of all of the sports teams in Canterlot High.”
“I'm Rough Draft,” I replied.
Rainbow Dash turned to the tall guy next to her and said, “And this guy next to me is my second-in-command in the soccer team, Soarin.”
I felt my spirits rise at the mention of that name after hearing about Soarin from Applejack earlier.
“So, you're Soarin,” I said to him.
“That's right,” Soarin replied with a smirk. “You heard of me?”
I hesitated with how to answer before I awkwardly said, “Well, Applejack said that you like to play a certain Star Wars video game?”
Soarin blinked in confusion before Pinkie Pie stepped in and abruptly said, “Rough Draft here is a big nerd from Appleloosa who didn't have any friends because the kids at his school thought he was weird for liking nerdy stuff.”
Soarin turned to Pinkie Pie dumbfounded before turning to me with a friendly smirk.
“Is that so?” He asked with his hands on his hips.
I nodded in response. The next thing I knew, Soarin was standing next to me and patting me on the back in a friendly way.
“Well, not to worry, bro, I enjoy some rather nerdy stuff myself,” Soarin said. “And to answer your question, I like to play a bit of Star Wars: The Old Republic in my spare time.”
My pupils shrunk, and my mouth dropped in shock.
“Wa...wa...wa...really?” I stuttered.
“Totally,” Soarin said reassuringly. “Personally, the Sith Warrior class is my favorite if for no other reason than you have Darth Baras as your arch enemy. He's pretty cool.”
“Oh my gosh, that's my favorite imperial class too!” I say ecstatically. “I love creating a light side character in that class.”
“Yeah, it's pretty interesting to do even though you don't get to kill Darth Baras that way,” Soarin said. “It's more satisfying if you get to off the guy.”
“Oh yeah, definitely,” I said.
The two of us began to talk more and more about the video game even after Mr. Cake brought me, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack our shakes and Rainbow Dash and Soarin made their orders. The more we talked, the more excited I was to find someone who liked something I liked. Even though Soarin was more chill, I could tell he was enjoying talking about it with me as well. Occasionally, I would glance at the three girls in our group and notice they had their own conversations, but they occasionally glanced at us, glad that I am getting along with Soarin so well. By the time we were done with our conversation, it had been a couple of hours, and Mr. Cake had already taken away our empty glasses. I got a text from my parents telling me to come back to our new home and so Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie offered that they walk me to my new place together, which I happily accepted. Thus, the five of us started walking to me and Pinkie Pie's block while still talking away to our heart’s content.
“So, bro, are you already aware of who to avoid at CHS?” Soarin asked.
I couldn't help but smile at him, calling me “bro” before I answered, “Yeah, the Dazzlings and a guy named Blueblood.”
“Good,” Rainbow Dash said pleased. “Hate to see our new friend unprepared. The last thing we want is for you to face Blueblood's wrath or Adagio's manipulative ways.”
“Amen to that,” Applejack said, crossing herself while Pinkie Pie nods.
I kept my smile for the way they all cared about me before I realized something.
“Actually, what do they look like? Blueblood and the Dazzlings, I mean?” I asked. 
“Oh, that's easy,” Applejack said. “The Dazzlings are almost always together. The leader, Adagio, has an unnaturally thin figure and giant, curly orange hair. Trust me, sugarcube, you'll know it's her when you see her and countless poor boys growing weak in the knees and making love-struck faces at the sight of her.”
“As for Blueblood, he's the only person in all of Canterlot, much less CHS, who has golden hair and wears a fancy tuxedo everywhere he goes,” Soarin said.
I looked at my new friend, confused, and asked, “For real?”
“For real, bro,” Soarin said. “He acts that high and mighty over his family being ridiculously rich.”
I stared at Soarin for a moment before I silently decided to take his word for it.
“Okay, so what about his girlfriend?” I asked. “Pinkie Pie mentioned that I need to avoid her too.”
Soarin and Rainbow Dash's face turned grim, and they look at each other, unsure of what to say. But before they could answer, a voice started shouting at us from behind in a British accent.
“OUT OF THE WAY, PLEASE!”
We stopped walking and turned around to find a girl with gray skin, long black hair wearing a white shirt with a purple vest, a pink bowtie, and a pink skirt racing towards my direction. She was carrying a large cello case on her back as she ran with a desperate look on her face. Neither of us had a moment to react before she rammed right into me, and we both fell to the ground, groaning in pain.
“Sorry! I'm so sorry!” I heard her say panicking while I had my eyes shut after hitting my head with the cement. 
“That's alright,” I moaned. “I should have moved away.”
The two of us sat up, and I opened my eyes to look at who ran into me, only to hear a loud gasp from the girl.
“Oh no! Where is my cello?!” She asked worriedly. 
I turned to her to see that her cello case wasn't with her, and I turned my head and found that it was lying a couple of feet away into the road. I opened my mouth to say I found it, but then I noticed at the corner of my eye that a car was driving by at a fast speed and heading straight toward the cello lying on the road. The girl must have noticed it too because I could hear her gasping again and screaming a loud and desperate, “NO!” At that moment, without thinking about what I was doing, I sprung into my feet and raced toward the cello case. I only had a moment to pick it up before I felt someone grab me by the shirt and pull me away right before the car zoomed by, barely missing me and the cello case. I turned to see that it was Soarin who came to my rescue, and he was livid at me.
“What were you thinking, jumping in like that?!” He barked.
But before I could open my mouth to answer, two soft, gray arms wrapped around my head and pulled me into a tight hug. It took a moment before I realized that the gray girl was squeezing my head while bursting into tears.
“Thank you!” I heard her say. “Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if I lost my cello!”
My cheeks began to burn up, feeling my head pressed between her arms and her shoulder until she finally broke the hug.
“Please don't worry about it,” I said as I moved my head back. “It was no trouble at -”
But as soon I got a good look at the gray-skinned girl, my voice died in my throat and my mouth hung open as I stared at the most beautiful face I had ever seen in my life. My green eyes began to stare at her deep, violet eyes with no desire to look away. The girl herself stared back at me, waiting for me to finish my sentence, but I was so lost in her beauty that I had completely forgotten what I was even talking about. But then, the moment was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. The girl looked away from me and looked at the phone before letting out another loud gasp.
“I'm so sorry, I need to go,” she said while snatching her cello case out of my hand. “Thank you again.”
I didn't get a chance to respond before she turned around and ran the other direction. By the time I found my voice again, she had turned around the corner and was out of sight. I did nothing but stare at where she was until I felt Soarin grab me by the shirt and turned me around to look at him. 
“Dude, seriously, Rough Draft. Don't ever do that again,” he growled.
“Yeah, you almost got run over trying to save that stupid instrument,” Rainbow Dash retorted, standing next to Soarin. “What in the world were you thinking?!”
I barely processed what they were saying as I was still in a daze from looking at that girl. Applejack and Pinkie Pie rushed to my sides, both looking worried about whether or not I am okay. It took a second before I mumbled out an answer. 
“Sorry, guys. I guess I...I...I wasn't thinking.”
Everyone looked at me funny over the way I responded to them. 
“What's wrong with him?” Pinkie Pie asked quizzingly. “Is he having one of those life-flashing-before-your-eyes moments?”
Soarin, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, frowned and shook their heads.
“Nope,” Soarin said. “He's in a love-struck daze.”
Pinkie Pie let out a loud, long gasp of horror.
“Oh, no! This is terrible!” Pinkie Pie said, panicking. 
I finally snap out of my daze and look at Pinkie Pie, confused.
“Why?” I asked. “Is something wrong with that girl?”
“I'm afraid so, buddy,” Soarin answered while he let's go of my shirt and sadly pats on my shoulder. “That feeling you probably have over that girl just now? You better forget about it pronto.”
I frowned at Soarin for trying to crush my wishes to see that girl again and demanded, “Why should I?”
“Because that was Octavia Melody,” Applejack answered for Soarin.
My eyes widen, and I felt my spirit getting crushed at the sound of that name.
“You...you don't mean…?” I managed to say.
“Fraid so,” Rainbow Dash answered. “That's Blueblood's girl.”
I froze in place for a moment before I frown again sadly.
“So, she's the fifth person I need to avoid?” I ask, with dread filling my voice.
“Sorry, sugarcube,” Applejack said sympathetically. “I can tell you were beginning to have a crush on that girl right on the spot, weren't ya?”
I nodded robotically.
“That's what I thought,” Applejack said while patting my back like a mother trying to comfort her child. “For what it's worth, she does appear to be a nice girl from what little I've seen of her at school, but we mean it when we say Blueblood is very possessive of her. So, whatever you think could have started happening because of the way you looked at her can't happen. No ifs, and or buts.”
I hung my head sadly, mentally wishing what they said wasn't true. I could tell that they did not want to tell me any of this as they were looking at each other for something to say. Finally, Soarin smiled and patted me on the back again. 
“Hey, don't fret about it, bro,” he said encouragingly. “She's not the only girl that comes to our school. Maybe we'll find someone who is single and most likely better for you than someone like her.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I said nonchalantly.
“Totally,” Pinkie Pie said with a big, supportive smile. 
I don't even bother to respond to the pink girl as I kept a low demeanor, which made everyone uneasy. But then, as I was looking down on the ground, I noticed there was something shiny lying on the sidewalk. I kneeled down and picked it up to see that it was a golden ring with a large sapphire on the top. I stared at the ring intently before turning to the others who are shocked at the sight of it. 
“Where did you find that?” Applejack asked.
“It was right there on the ground,” I answered. “I think it belongs to -”
“Octavia Melody? Oh yeah,” Rainbow Dash confirmed. 
I blinked for a moment and said, “I take it you all recognize this ring?” 
“Oooooooooooooooooohhhhhh, yeah,” Pinkie Pie said. “Everyone knows about Octavia Melody and this ring. Blueblood gave it to her as an anniversary gift for everyone to see one time during lunch period last year. She loves that thing, and Blueblood is very proud of giving it to her.”
I nodded and said, “Well, then we should give it back to her.”
“Most definitely,” Applejack agreed. “Although that might be difficult to do since we don't know where she lives. You might have to find a way to give it back to her when school starts next week.”
I nodded again before Soarin stepped in and said, “Well, enough of that. Let's get you home, bro. I'm sure your folks would like to meet us.”
I smiled and nodded again in agreement before the five of us continued walking. But as we did, I secretly glanced at the diamond ring. A small smile entered my face, and I carefully put it in my pocket for safekeeping. For some reason, I felt happy that on top of getting the very first four friends I've ever had, I have a chance to see this Octavia Melody again. It still was a shame to learn that she already has a boyfriend, but maybe by giving her ring back, I might be able to receive her gratitude again and maybe become friends with her.
And maybe, just maybe, that will be enough.