//------------------------------// // Soft Side // Story: My Chemical Reaction // by MysteriousStranger //------------------------------// Aria’s P.O.V. I was sitting on the couch, holding the box of Wraitbusters II within my hands. I vowed never to watch this abomination again, and yet, here I am about to break it. I can’t be mad at Twilight for this though. After all, she’s right. One has to watch this movie at least once to understand how awful it is. I only have to watch it one more time and I can finally say goodbye to this horrid abomination forever. I didn’t remove my eyes from the movie case even when I heard Adagio sigh loudly behind me. “Seriously, Aria? You have been staring at that movie for ten minutes now.” My older sister said walking in front of me, with her hands on her hips. “It’s just a bad movie.” “You don’t understand…” I shifted my eyes dangerously towards Adagio but kept my head low. “You’re not a movie enthusiast like me. This is film murder.” Adagio gave me a judgmental look. “You’re exaggerating.” My sister crossed her arms and kept glaring at me. “Alright how about this?” My eyes met hers and I gave my sister a devious grin. “Imagine your favorite fashionista suddenly deciding to use slippers with socks.” “Chemise, would never do that! Are you crazy?!” Her reaction gave me a good laugh. Nothing amuses me more than triggering Adagio. “Who’s exaggerating now?” I asked giving my sister a smug grin. My older sister groaned and avoided my gaze. I could see her blushing despite her trying to hide it behind her large curly hair. “Point taken…” She said with a pout. She glanced at the clock. “Looks like classes are over now, but I doubt your friend will come straight here. Are you going to glare at that for the next hour or so?” “Maybe.” I got more comfortable in the couch and focused my attention on the movie again. “Curious…” “What?” I looked at Adagio again. She had a smug smile. This won’t be good. “You hate that movie so much, and yet, you’re willing to watch it one more time for Twilight. That’s interesting…” My sister smiled smugly at me. She knows that I’m not capable of punching her in the face, she is my sister after all. No matter how much she tries to annoy me I’d never hurt my own kin. I had to repress my anger, but still, my eye twitches only adding more joy to my dear sisters amusement. I placed the movie aside and stood up to meet Adagio face to face. I could only take my sisters teasing so long before I reached my breaking point. In a moment of frustration I blurted the first thing that came to mind to beat Adagio to the punch. “She’s not my girlfriend, Adagio!” My sister covered her mouth with a hand and gasped overdramatically. When she did I knew I stepped right into her trap. “I didn’t say such a thing! Where did that come from?” She said feigning innocence. “It wouldn’t be the first time you made that joke,” I said, with a snarl. My sister seemed amused by my reaction. She giggled taking a moment to look me over. I could tell she was judging me on something, she had that particular look like when her favorite fashionista was  using her “critical eye” to detect the slightest flaw in a design. Adagio chuckled before smirking. “Jokes aside, Aria, you should take a shower.” “I took one yesterday. There’s no smell,” I said, slumping into the couch. “Still, you have to take at least one shower a day. I’m not going to allow you to ruin your friendship because of that,” My sister says waving her finger at me. I groaned. “What’s the point? I didn’t leave the house today!” “The point is, you must be presentable.” My sister started to snap her fingers over and over. “Go on, now.” It’s not the first time she did that either. She is going to make that annoying noise until I give in. I tried my hardest to resist, but Adagio got closer increasing the volume of her finger snapping. The snapping got even more irritating. Not even covering my ears worked. “Alright, fine!” I yelled, making Adagio stop making noise. She smiled proudly. “I’ll take a stupid shower just so you leave me alone!” “Don’t be like that,” She had a smug smirk look on her face. She obviously did it just to piss me off even more. “I’m sure you’ll thank me later.” “In your dreams,” I snapped back. My dear sister went into an almost dreamlike daze as she whimsically twirled her curly hair. “Oh, dream you is actually quite nice. She helps around the house and does my bidding without complain-” I stopped by the door and glared at Adagio. “Well, make the most of it, because the real me will never be like that.” With my last words delivered, I walked out of the room. At least I’ll have some peace and quiet in the bathroom. After taking a shower, I put on the clothes Adagio bought for me when I visited Twilight’s home. Adagio and Sonata went to the store, so I was on my own until my friend arrived. I laid on the couch to read Luna's Guide to Astrological Phenomenon. A book I bought after I was done with the  astronomy book Twilight gave me. I’m getting the hang of it, I think. I want to go stargazing with Twilight again to see if I can impress her. I must say, Twilight’s interests aren’t half bad. If it weren’t for her I would never have given astronomy a shot let alone reading about it. The book mentions a phenomenon called the Aurora Borealis. The photos of it are amazing! The shimmering colors all colliding together was breathtaking. I would like to see it personally one day, but I need to travel north. I can’t afford a trip like that. I sighed and closed the book. Just my luck. After I placed the book back in my room, I heard a knocking from the front door. I made my way to the door and opened it to find Twilight smiling on the other side, holding a bag. “You made it.” I returned her smile. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” My friend opened her arms, then closed them right afterwards. “I believe I told you that you didn’t have to worry about hugs.” I said, still holding my smile. “R-Right, sorry…” I noticed her cheeks getting pink. Once again, she opened her arms and I allowed her to wrap them around me. I did the same for her. The bag she was carrying rested on my back. “So, what’s in there?” I asked pointing at the bag. “Hmm?” We broke the hug and Twilight noticed that she was still carrying the bag she brought. “Oh, this? I brought some snacks.” “How thoughtful,” I said, as I reached a hand towards the bag. Twilight handed me the bag. “But my sisters actually went to the store to buy some.” Twilight’s jaw dropped. “They did? Oh, my, I’m so sorry.” “It’s okay, cub. There’s nothing wrong with having more food. You can take the leftovers.” “Or…” A smile slowly appeared on my friend’s face. “We could share them.” “Sure thing.” I smirked and turned around. I heard Twilight’s footsteps following me into the living room. “Do you mind if I place this bag on the floor? I don’t have a table near the couch.” “It’s fine.” With her approval, I placed the bag on the floor in front of the couch before sitting. Twilight walked around the bag and sat next to me. The movie we were about to watch was next to where my friend sat, so she took it. “So, this is it, huh? The infamous movie you don’t want me to watch?” “Yup, that’s the one.” I crossed my legs and used my arms to cushion the back of my head. “That film is one of the cheapest to rent. The guy working there was surprised that I took it.” My friend giggled and with renewed vigor stated, “I believe I said that no matter what you say, I’ll still give this movie a go!” I raised both of my hands. She’s persistent. I like that. “I have given up changing your opinion. You’re on your own.” “Alright, then.” Twilight cheerfully took the movie with both of her hands and grinned at me. “Can I be the one to put the movie this time?” Her excitement put a smile on my face. “By all means.” “Yay, thank you!” Twilight practically skipped to the television. A chuckle escaped from me. My friend knelt, opened the box and put the movie inside the VCR before glancing at me, with her grin in place. “All set!” “Not quite.” I said as I took the remote. “Now, we need to turn on the T.V.” Twilight giggled, placed the box of the movie on the VCR and returned to the couch. She didn’t say anything else until the ads started. “Advertising from decades ago. It’s like going back in time.” “Yeah, I have seen some stuff that doesn’t exist anymore advertised.” I put the remote aside and looked at Twilight. She was completely fascinated by the video. I didn’t want to divert her attention. I was actually enjoying the sight of her investment on the VHS... but I must know more about her. She might have more interests we share. “So… Sparks...” My friend turned her head to face me. “Sparks? That’s two.” “Huh?” My eyebrows raised in confusion. “First cub, now Sparks. You have two nicknames for me, and I have none for you,” Twilight lost her smile. “I’m sorry…” “It’s okay, you don’t have to give me one.” I placed a hand on her shoulder as I spoke. “Besides, it’s hard to think on something for a name like ‘Aria Blaze’.” Twilight’s eyes focused on the hand I had on her shoulder. She regained her smile. “I guess that’s true. But…” Her eyes met mine. “I like your name as it is. I wouldn’t want to change it.” My cheeks started to get warm. Strange. Why was that? Was it out of embarrassment? Yes, it must be. She might think I don’t like her name. “I-I have nicknames for you just because I like using them. I have nothing against your name. I’m sorry if you thought that.” “Oh?” Twilight’s eyes widened, and then she giggled. “No need to say sorry, Aria. There’s nothing wrong with nicknames. I like them. Please, don’t stop using them.” A smile appeared on my face, but I still felt my cheeks warm. Maybe the embarrassment needs time to fade away. “Okay, then. I’ll try not to give you any more for now. Otherwise I’ll forget your real name,” Twilight giggled again but said nothing else. She remained looking at me for a few more moments before turning her attention to the T.V. The ads were still going. “What were you going to tell me?” Twilight said, with her attention on the screen. “Hmm?” What did she mean? My friend glanced at me again, beaming. “You were going to say something before I digressed the conversation to the nicknames.” Oh, right! I almost forgot. “I just was going to ask you how you have been. I didn’t call you in a bad time yesterday, right? I made sure to ask you after school, but I wasn’t sure if you had plans.” Twilight didn’t answer right away. Her smile faded for a couple of seconds before recovering it. “Don’t worry, you called at the right time. I’m free after school most of the time. I might join a club after Summer. I’m also thinking on getting a part-time job.” “Y-You are…?” I felt my insides sinking. With a club, a job, and her friends… how much time would she have for me? “Can I ask why?” “A part-time job will help me to build experience and earn my own money. I don’t want to take anything for granted. I’ll look for a job this Summer, after returning from a Camp my friends and I are going to go.” “A… camp?” Are you kidding?! Twilight nodded. She was still smiling. “It will be at the Everfree Forest. We were supposed to go during Spring Break in two weeks, but it was moved to July after a tragedy happened.” My friend’s smile faded for a few moments. “We’re going to sleep in tents, do activities on land and on the lake. It’s going to be fun! As long as we don’t have to swim.” Twilight hugged her knees close to her chest. I raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with swimming?” Twilight barely made eye contact with me. Her cheeks were red and she fidgeted. “D-Do you promise not to laugh?” “Twilight…” I scooted closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Of course.” My friend smiled faintly before cutting eye contact with me. “I… can’t swim.” I raised both of my eyebrows, surprised, but then I wore a smug smile. “I don’t see what the big deal is.” “You must be an expert swimmer. You used to live under water. I was… ashamed to admit it to you,” Twilight said sadly. “I haven’t been in water since I came to this world. Besides, that was back when I had my real form. I swam with the help of my large tail. I haven’t tried swimming with legs yet.” I looked away from her. Truth to be told, I missed having water all around me. I didn’t want to return to live in the ocean again, but I would love going for a swim once in a while. “What’s stopping you?” I turned my attention to Twilight when she spoke. “Water was your element. Don’t you want to give it a shot?” “Of course I do.” I sighed. “But our money is limited. I don't have the luxury to take weekly swimming classes.” My friend pouted. Only the sound of the television was heard for a while, until we heard the front door open. We turned our heads, and, eventually, Sonata walked in, humming and holding a bag. She grinned when she laid her eyes on us, more specifically the girl next to me. “Adagio, look! Twilight's here! Yay!” My younger sister put the bag she was carrying on the floor and rushed to give Twilight a hug. “Hi! It’s good to see you again!” “L-Likewise.” Twilight returned the hug after recovering from the initial shock. Moments later, Adagio walked in, holding her purse. “Let her breathe, Sonata,” My older sister said with a smug grin. She walked towards Twilight as Sonata released her from the hug. They looked into each other for a moment before Adagio spoke again. “You must be Twilight.” She said, as she raised her hand towards my friend. Twilight smiled and shook hands with Adagio. “Yes. Twilight Sparkle.” “I’m Adagio Dazzle. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” “The feeling is mutual.” “Yeah, yeah, that’s nice. Now, would you mind? You’re blocking the T.V.” I made sure to show signs of annoyance as I spoke. “Oh, dear sister, you’re as charming as always,” Adagio said before backing away while Twilight sat next to me. I glanced at my friend. She still had a smile on her face. “Aria, what’s this?” Adagio asked, pointing at the bag on the floor with her index finger. “Twilight brought snacks. We don’t have a free table around here, so…” “So, you should have been creative.” My older sister walked towards a nearby table, which had a lamp on it. She unplugged the lamp and took it to the kitchen. She returned shortly after and took the bag Twilight brought. She placed the bag on the now free table and moved it closer to the couch. “There. Was it so hard?” I frowned and looked away. Why didn’t I think of that? What if Twilight thinks I’m too dumb and stops being my friend? “Snacks?” Sonata walked in from the kitchen. She was eating a chocolate bar. “We brought some too. Yay! Now we have enough for everyone!” “Not so fast, Sonata.” Adagio placed a hand on her hip and raised her other hand towards my younger sister to catch her attention. “We brought these for them. Take the bag, put the snacks in bowls and bring them here. Then bring some glasses for their drinks.” Sonata sighed and pouted. “Yes, Adagio…” my younger sister took the bag she left on the floor and walked out of the room while Adagio crossed her arms and smirked towards us. “Don’t worry, after filling you up with food and drinks, we’ll leave you be.” “Oh, you don’t have to avoid us.” Twilight said before looking at me. “Right, Aria?” “Hmm?” I was watching the T.V. I turned my attention to my friend when she mentioned my name. “Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever.” Twilight lost her smile with my reply. My guts felt weird, like someone punched me right in the gut with a hammer. I didn’t like this feeling. Adagio chuckled. “Thank you, Twilight, but I’m afraid Aria doesn’t want us around when she’s watching one of her movies. She can’t stand our criticism.” “You never stop mentioning the bad quality or the white lines that sometimes appears.” I glared at Adagio “They’re called retro for a reason.” “I believe they call them obsolete.” My older sister smirked again. My face turned red in frustration as I pressed my thumb and index finger on the bridge of my nose. I turned to Twilight afterwards. “Do you see what I have to put up with?” Adagio laughed softly before speaking. “Don’t be so dramatic, Aria. It’s just innocent teasing.” “You do it all the time. Always with me.” I frowned at Adagio. “Of course. “Adagio smiled proudly. ”You’re an easy target.” I grunted at her, but then I heard giggling next to me. My eyes widened as I turned my head around to find Twilight as the source. “Twilight…?” “I-I’m sorry-” My friend was smiling. “My friends do the same. They tease each other. That’s how they show how they care for each other. I find it cute.” Twilight’s beaming smile slowly faded when she realized I wasn’t sharing it. “Or I should apologize…?” Adagio and I exchanged looks. She smirked. She and I are not like Sonata. We don’t express our feelings with words. I can’t recall the last time I said ‘I love you’ to either of my sisters, but I do care about them. I do… love them. I just would rather not to openly admit it. They know I do anyway. Otherwise I would have left them long ago. I returned Adagio’s smirk. “Nah…” I said before turning to Twilight again. “You’re cool.” Twilight giggled again and closed her eyes as she smiled just as Sonata returned with our snacks inside bowls, which she placed on the table. “What took you so long, Sonata?” My older sister asked in a motherly tone. Sonata tried to speak, but as she did, crumbles of food came out of her mouth. Adagio massaged her own forehead with a hand. “You should have seen it coming,” I said after chuckling. “I know…” Adagio said before taking Sonata by her wrist. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t touch your drinks.” My sisters walked into the kitchen. My friend turned her attention to me after they were gone. “They seem nice.” “Yeah…” I was still staring at the door leading to the kitchen. I would die of boredom if it weren’t for them. “So… what do they do?” “Adagio is the secretary of a local businessman.” I glanced at Twilight before continuing answering her question. “And Sonata recently got a job in a fast food restaurant. We manage just fine.” “I hope you spend time with them once in a while. I have nice memories with my brother before he moved away.” Right, her brother. I remember she told me she had one. I wanted to know more about him, but Twilight glanced at the T.V. and grinned. “It’s starting!” I followed her gaze to the screen, even ignoring Adagio and Sonata as they brought glasses and filled them with liquid. “Thank you.” My friend said. “You’re welcome.” Adagio replied as she and Sonata walked out of the room, leaving us with the movie. Twilight had a huge smile. It will soon change. “Aww, how cute. Lana had a baby with Dr. Berkman.” She looked at me and got confused when she saw I wasn’t smiling. It has begun. “It’s not… cute?” “I won’t give you spoilers, Sparks.” I smirked. “You said you wanted to experience the whole thing by yourself.” “Spoilers? But they got together by the end of the last movie. This one starts five years later. Isn’t it logical that they are married and have a baby now?” “Umm…” I remained neutral with my expression. Luckily, Twilight turned her attention back to the T.V. when she heard the sound of cars breaking and using their horns. “Oh, no! What’s happening to the stroller?” Twilight asked. “The slime seen at the very beginning possessed it.” My friend kept her attention on the T.V. Her excitement returned when she saw the Wraitbusters’ vehicle on screen with its siren on. “I wonder what kind of Wraith they will catch!” Twilight said with excitement. If it was any other person, like Sonata, I would be laughing quietly. With Twilight… I felt bad. It was not enjoyable to see her enthusiasm fade once she saw where the protagonists were going. “A birthday party…? They had the siren on, endangering civilians just because they were running late to a birthday party? They’re also only two of them, and the kids hate them? That doesn’t make any sense…” “Twilight…” She didn’t hear me. “One of the kids said he thinks they’re frauds and they were sued for summoning the big puffy creature at the end of the previous movie. That doesn’t add up either…” I sighed. “This is why I didn’t want you to watch this movie. It only gets worse. Do you want me to turn it off?” Twilight glanced at me. She was disappointed. I could see how she internally debated what to do. Her eyes moved from left to right. I waited until she changed expression to determination. “No. I started with it, I need to sit it through.” Her attention returned to the movie. I smiled and scooted closer to her. She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. She got nervous all of the sudden for some reason. I suppose I should give her an explanation? “The movie is more kid friendly, but it still has a couple of scary scenes. I’ll let you know when they’re coming,” I said. “O-Okay…” Her focus returned to the movie. This is weird. Is she feeling intimidated of me? Should I keep my distance? Just in case, I scooted slightly away from her. We continued watching the movie. I cringed every time something stupid happened in the film. I glanced at Twilight once in a while to see that she wasn’t enjoying the movie either. At least we had the snacks. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the movie ended. Thank goodness! I sighed in relief before standing up to stretch. “Well, that’s about it. One of the worst sequels ever made…” I looked at Twilight. She was massaging her forehead with both of her hands and her head was dropped. “Twilight…” There was no response. I walked towards her and placed a hand on her back. “Sparks…” “I don’t understand…” My friend replied shortly after. Moments later, she looked at me. “The previous movie had a perfect ending, but it could still be expanded further. They had gold in their hands. They could have turned into diamond, but instead, they made dirt with it…” “Sparks…” Twilight stood up all of the sudden, which caught me by surprise. “It makes no sense!” She started to pace around the room. “Nothing in this movie makes any sense!” My friend placed her hands on her head. She wasn’t looking so good. “Twilight…” I stood up and tried to reach her, but I stopped when she turned her head towards me. “Those kids called the Wraithbusters frauds?! What about the giant evil mascot that walked around the city? All of the sudden that didn’t happen?! Wait, it did! They were sued for the destruction it caused, weren’t they? But then the judge goes and says ‘we don’t believe in wraiths. You’re frauds.’ How can he even say that when a giant wraith walked around destroying everything? I just… just…!” Twilight groaned and turned her back to me. I took the chance to get closer and place a hand on her shoulder. “What you say is true. I had the same thoughts after watching it for the first time. I was so disappointed having the Wraithbusters become Wraithbusters again, Dr. Berkman and Lana falling for each other again, people thinking they’re frauds and, again, an annoying dude trying to get them locked away. It’s just a disaster,” I said nodding. “The first one ended in such a good note, a sequel had so much potential!” Twilight practically yelled. “I know!” I groaned. “I don’t know what they were thinking. A lot of the movie should be changed.” “That’s true…” My friend turned around to face me again. Her eyes widened. “And I know exactly how this movie could have been fixed.” She smiled. I recognized that look. It’s the same excitement she gets when we discuss our favorite book. “Aria… What if the movie started with the court case?” “What?” I frowned, confused. “I’m not talking about the case from when they tripped and there was a power outage, which also makes no sense. I mean the other court case they talked about. Them getting sued for the damages caused by the destructor. Think about it: there'd be no more wraiths because the antagonist from the previous movie was gone, so they'd still be down on their luck when being sued. Even the fourth wraithbuster, Hammond could be there with them. I don’t know about you, but them saying their other jobs might actually be funnier than seeing them. The prosecutor would ask ‘What's your occupation?’ and Dr. Berkman would answer. ‘I host the public access show "World of the Psychic’. Then, the prosecutor asks the others. Negon answers ‘I measure anger by giving and taking away puppies.’ And the remaining wraithbusters would simply reply ‘Birthday parties.’ Wouldn’t that be funnier?” A smile briefly appeared on my face before chuckling. “Yeah, that actually would have been better.” “The movie could also still take place five years later because they were forming the case around them. Despite being annoying, that Peak guy from the previous movie was right! The Wraithbusters’s operations were illegal! Peak could be in the case, either as a witness, or even the prosecution! That way, you wouldn't need Peak to hate them for no reason, because his hatred is already justified! Just as they're about to be found guilty, the pair of wraits pop up. But since Frozer is gone, from where did these two come from? Suddenly, there's a mystery. The same thing happens: the judge rescinds the order, Hammond is with them to bust the wraiths, and maybe... seven minutes in, the intro would be when the wraithbusters walk out the court, saying that they’re back! Half hour of unnecessary filler, gone! Much better, don’t you think?” “Actually, yes! Much better!” I think my eyes were shining at this point. As Twilight told her version of the movie, I was imagining it. It truly would have been a fantastic movie. My friend continued. “And the rest, it could still do a similar thing! Follow up with the baby’s carriage being possessed, only this time, Dr. Berkman and Lana's baby. You don't have to redo the romance; in fact, the intensity is up because it's both their kid now, adding a new element to their characters and taking their relationship to the next step!” “Of course!” I held Twilight from her arms as I grinned. “That’s something I would have loved to see!” “And Lana could have been like, ‘Screw this! No wraith is taking my kid!’ I'm becoming a wraithbuster!’ If newcomer Hammond could do it, why not her? Then Luis and the secretary could look after the baby like they originally had, while Lana is off catching wraiths with her husband and coworkers, adding a great dynamic to the group! “She would definitely do better than that Luis guy doing it.” I commented. “Exactly!” I don’t think Twilight’s smile could get any wider. “Let’s not forget, one of the goals of the movies is to sell toys. With these fixes, there’s so much time they could have dedicated to add more gadgets, more wraiths, more vehicles, more characters, more stuff they could have sold as toys that also make the film more interesting all while furthering the story!” My jaw dropped. I was impressed, truly impressed. All this time hating this movie, and I never stopped to think what I would have done different. And here comes Twilight, thinking on solutions right after watching the movie. “Cub… you just fixed the movie.” My friend giggled. “I think I did!” “I can barely believe that you thought on solutions for all of the mistakes the movie made so quickly. Sparks, if I had a hat, I would be taking it off right now.” I said with a hint of pride. Twilight giggled. I noticed that she also flushed. I suppose it’s because she’s not used to receive compliments. “I-It was nothing. While I was watching the movie, I started to see what would I have done different,” Her smile faded as she sighed. “I’m really disappointed that we didn’t get Lana helping to save her baby. It would have been nice to see her catching wraiths and giving the final blow on Nego.” “Yes, it’s a shame…” I smiled before placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder to catch her attention. When my friend looked at me, I continued. “However, I do have good news about the actress who played Lana. There’s a movie where she fights back the threat.” “Really?” Twilight recovered her smile. Brightening her mood always made me feel good. There’s something about her smile that I enjoyed, but I’m not really sure what it is. I hope she likes the news I’m about to give her. “Do you remember the movie I mentioned you the other day, ‘Extraterrestrial’?” Twilight nodded. Her smile was still there. “She stars in it.” Twilight gasped happily. “She does?” “Yup.” “B-But… you also mentioned that it was a scary movie…” Her smile disappeared. Oh, of course. I should have known. “W-Well, we don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to,” My friend placed a hand on her chin while she thought. Was she really considering it? “Twilight, it’s okay." “Do you have it in VHS?” Twilight asked, without looking at me. “Yes, I-” “Can I see it?” Twilight cut me short. I was surprised, but I quickly nodded and walked towards the T.V. I turned it off and pressed ‘Stop’ from the VCR. I’ll rewind it later. After stopping the movie, I looked for the VHS Twilight requested from my small collection. I returned to my friend after finding it to give it to her. Twilight looked at the cover and frowned. I think she was analyzing it. Then, she turned the box around to read the description from behind. I remained silent until she gave me the VHS back. “It does look… scary… but… I really want to see how the actress performs here.” “She does a great job. Her character really grows from the start to the finish. You’ll forget about how poor her role was in the disaster we just watched.” Twilight smiled, but she became unsure a moment later. “The scary parts… are you going to warn me when they’re coming?” “I can do more than that, cub.” I smirked as I placed a hand on my hip. “I’ll mute the T.V.” “You will?” I nodded in response. Twilight grinned before abruptly hugging me. “Thank you, Aria!” “I-It’s no problem, really.” I hugged her back when I recovered from the surprise. My friend looked at me. Her eyes widened and then she released me. “Twilight?” I was confused. “Are you okay?” Twilight didn’t reply right away. “Y-Yes, I’m fine. Sorry about that.” She avoided looking at me. Was she hiding something from me? I have to find out what it is. “Twilight…” she didn’t reply and kept giving me her back. “Twilight, look at me.” My friend slowly turned around and met my eyes with hers. She looked troubled. “Listen, I might be new to having a friend, but something I know is that friends help each other, right?” Twilight nodded. “T-That’s true…” “Then-“ I placed a hand on her shoulder. Her gaze moved to it. “-let me help you. Something’s up, you’re acting weird. Are you being bullied again? Were you robbed?” My friend looked back at me with her eyes wide opened. “N-No, it’s nothing like that!” I wasn’t prepared when she raised her voice. I quickly removed my hand from her shoulder and took a step back. When she saw my shock, Twilight placed her hands on her mouth. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to… to…” she didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she moved her hands to cover her face. “Twilight…” before I was able to say something else, her phone started to ring. My friend removed her hands from her face and stared to her bag. Seconds passed and she remained motionless. “Aren’t you going to get that?” Twilight looked at me briefly before walking toward her bag. She pulled out her phone from within it and answered the call. “Hello? Oh, hi mom…” A smile appeared on her face. Seeing her more relaxed calmed my own nerves. I have never seen her this nervous before. I would normally have lost my patience by now, but for some reason, I’m able to hold myself. I’m not even angry, not in the sightless. I waited, with my arms crossed for Twilight to finish. “No, no, it’s alright. We actually just finished watching the movie, so… oh, you are? And you…” My friend laughed softly. “That’s why I always tell you to check if you have everything first… alright, I’ll be there soon. I love you too, mom.” Twilight hang up and glanced at me. She held her phone with both of her hands on her chest level. “I-I have to go…” “An emergency?” I smirked. Seeing my good mood, Twilight beamed. “Something like that. My mom wanted to surprise my father and me with homemade spaghetti, but just as she made the dough, she realized that we’re out of tomatoes for the sauce. She can’t leave everything out on the open and my father was called for a meeting, so…” “She had to spoil the surprise to you.” Smiling, I completed her sentence. “Yeah…” she placed her phone back on her bag. “I’m sorry, Aria. I wanted to stay for a little while longer, but…” “Don’t worry, I understand. Another time, then. Maybe this weekend’” “This weekend…” Twilight gasped. “I almost forgot!” “What?” I raised an eyebrow, confused. “Aria-” Twilight looked at me. “I’m going to be out of town this weekend. I’ll visit my grandparents with my parents and brother. I can’t take Spike because my grandfather is allergic. My friend Fluttershy agreed to go check on Spike on Saturday and Sunday morning, but the other friend I asked, Sunset, can only see him on Saturday afternoon. None of my other friends are available. Can you check on him on Sunday afternoon? At 3PM? See if he has food, water, take him out and play with him. He gets very lonely.” My jaw dropped, but I quickly recovered. “You’re asking me to go to your house on my own?” “I know, it’s a big favor, but-” “I’m not bothered by that.” Twilight frowned, confused. “The thing is…” I took a deep breath and released it before continuing. “No one ever trusted me with something like this before.” Twilight nodded and smiled. “Well, I do trust you, Aria. You’ve already been to my house and Spike likes you. So, will you do it?” I shrugged. “Sure, it’s not like I have plans or anything.” “Yay, thank you! I owe you a big one!” She gave me a quick hug. “I’ll leave a paper on the dining table giving you more details about what Spike likes. Oh, and I’ll make sure to leave you some food and a drink, just in case. All you have to do is to make him company for a few hours.” “I can do that.” I smirked again, but then, I opened my eyes wide when I remembered something. Twilight was already worried, so I didn’t waste any more time to speak. “W-Wait, does it mean that one of your friends is going to give me the keys?” Twilight gasped. “Oh, right. I’m lending my keys to Sunset and Fluttershy,” My friend placed her hand on her chin to think. “Well, what if I ask Fluttershy to place my keys under a rock by the pool of my backyard? My friends know that I have another friend besides them and Cadence. They’ll respect your privacy. That’s okay, right?” I smiled, internally sighing in relief. “Yes, that will be great. Thank you.” Twilight grinned before glancing at her bag. “I suppose I should better go now. I’ll talk to you later, yes?” I nodded. “Sure.” I helped Twilight to pack part of our snacks before walking her to the front door, but there was still unfinished business. “So, Cub, about earlier…” Twilight stood still and slowly looked at me. “Y-Yes?” “I’m sorry for pushing this subject but I have to know. You know, you acted very weird. Is there something your hiding? Just tell me. I won’t be upset.” I asked. My friend looked away from me and hugged herself. She seemed anxious. I’m not going to make things worse for her by asking her again. I’ll let her speak when she’s ready. I was rewarded by my patience when Twilight looked back at me after what I think was a minute or two. “Okay…” she sighed. “There’s obviously something going on with me.” “Go on.” I softened my expression to encourage her to keep talking. “Aria…” She paused for a moment. “I-I really enjoy spending time with you. I love sharing my thoughts of the the book we love with you, I loved the night we stargazed together, and I of course enjoy coming here to watch movies.” “Oh, so you’re really here for me, and not for my VCR?” I smirked and was pleased when Twilight giggled softly. “Of course that I’m here our quality time. I like calling you on the phone and being called by you. I’m happy for having met you and your sisters. But…” My friend looked at me into my eyes. I could swear she was blushing, but she was also very uneasy. So much that she wasn’t looking at me. “It might sound silly, but… I’m still worried that I’m bothering you too much. I know that you’re not much of a fan of company, and sometimes I think that you’re being kind and avoid saying no to me. You said that you were fine, but, what if you’re lying to make me feel better?” Twilight took a deep breath before meeting my eyes with hers. “I’m so sorry, Aria, but I want to be a 100% sure. Do you really enjoy spending time with me, or do you pretend to be?” My eyes widened. I was taken aback, but I quickly frowned to process what Twilight just said. She’s still is scared of pushing me away? I have to remind her that she has nothing to worry about. I took a step closer to her and smiled. Twilight blushed a little, I think. In order to make myself clear, I'll show her a side of mine I thought to be forgotten. “Sparks, you see this?” I see as I pointed at my mouth. Twilight frowned in confusion. “Your… mouth?” “It’s not often that I’m in a good mood. Whenever a stranger tried to be nice to me, I dismissed them. That wasn’t the case with you. Twilight, I never saw myself calling someone on the phone just to talk or to invite them over. I told you, I consider myself a lone wolf.” I placed my hands on her shoulders, but by friend kept focusing on my eyes. “Twilight, if I didn’t want you in my life, I wouldn’t be calling you on the phone, I wouldn’t have agreed to join you to stargaze. Twilight, I stood up for you when you returned to your old school. What more proof do you need?” My friend stared into my eyes, maybe thinking on what I just said. I gave her time. Several moments later, Twilight looked away before dropping her head. “Y-You’re right… it’s me. I’m the one who got worried over nothing. I’m so sorry…” “Twilight, no,” I placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t look up. “I’m not mad, nor upset. If anything, I’m glad you brought it up.” Twilight slowly rose her head to meet my eyes. She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t sad either. “I knew something was up and I wanted to know what.” I gave her a weak smile, which made her flush a little. “Thank you for telling me.” Twilight remained silent, but she wasn’t for much. Before I knew it, she was smiling again. “I’ll try to be more open from now on. Thank you, Aria.” I smirked and scratched her head playfully. “You’re welcome, cub.” Twilight glanced from side to side before taking her phone from her backpack. “What are you planning?” “W-Well, I…” she was holding her phone with both hands and was unable to look at me. “I’m listening.” Twilight slowly looked at me and raised her phone. “D-Do you mind if… I take a picture of us?” “A… picture…?” I raised an eyebrow, curious. “Y-Yes, if you want. I don’t want you to feel forced.” I considered it for a moment. It wasn’t a bad idea, but I wish I had a photo of her too, but I have no camera. “Alright, let’s do it.” My friend grinned. “Really?” I nodded. “Sure, why not?” “Thank you, thank you! Come closer, please.” I did as she requested. When I was next to Twilight, I placed an arm around her while I kept my attention on her cell phone. “O-Okay…” Her voice… it sounded like if she was nervous. “Say ‘Friends!'’” “Friends!” We both said the word in unison and Twilight took the picture. “Let me see how it looks…” Twilight checked her phone. “It looks amazing! Take a look.” We did look good in the photo. “I like it. Too bad I can’t have it, though.” “That can be arranged.” I glanced at Twilight, surprised. “I can print it for you as a gift.” My jaw dropped, but I quickly smirked. “Thanks, Twilight.” My friend grinned, but then, I heard footsteps behind us. Before I knew it, Sonata placed her head between me and Twilight to see Twilight’s phone. “What’s going on in here?” My younger sister asked with a grin. “You’re taking photos?! Why didn’t you tell me?” I groaned and was about to push Sonata away, when Adagio walked into the room. “Sonata, I told you not to interrupt them.” I turned around and saw that Adagio had her arms crossed. She was also frowning at Sonata. “But I couldn’t wait anymore!” Sonata pouted. “They sounded so excited when they were talking about that movie and then, silence. I wanted to know what happened.” I opened my eyes wide in shock. Th-They heard… I forgot they were around and they heard me acting excited. Oh, no. I’ll never hear the end of it. Adagio sighed and massaged her forehead with her hand. “It doesn’t matter, you should have waited. Come on, Sonata, get back here.” “No fair!” My younger sister stomped on the floor, frustrated. “They were taking pictures! I want one too!” Sonata started to walk towards Adagio. I was pleased to see her leaving frustrated, but then… “W-Wait!” Twilight spoke up. My sisters and I turned our attention to her. “Why don’t we all take a picture? I’m already going to frame one for Aria. I can do another one.” Adagio smiled warmly. “Thank you, Twilight, b--” “Yes, photo time!” Sonata grabbed Adagio from her wrist and dragged her towards us. “I can walk, Sonata!” Sonata giggled and dragged Adagio to my left, while she stood on my right. Twilight prepared the camera on her phone again and lifted it. “We’re all in the frame. One, two, three… smile!” By her command, I smirked while my sisters smiled, and with a click, the photo was taken. I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun, in a good way. Not even my sisters get to witness my soft side. But... even after the good time I had with Twilight, I still feel that she hasn’t told me the truth about what’s making her so nervous. I hope that, one day, she can tell me what’s really going on.