As soon as school started, I poured my heart and soul onto reading, writing, and homework. If I could get what mother wanted quicker, I would be free.
I was given a rented room outside of campus. She was still scared that I might reveal who I actually was in a dorm. The attendant she hired was most likely a spy, but I couldn't care less. There was no Soarin to take me for riding sessions or to talk with over a few cups of cider. There were only books and papers to be handed in.
But it was all too peaceful, wasn't it?
Returning from school, I ran into Soarin. I intended to ignore him until he decided that he wasn't going to ignore me as I'd expected. Instead, he simply pulled me from the crowd.
"What are you doing exactly?" I asked as he dragged me towards a less walked street.
"Your confession." He said. "I'd like to return it. I like you, Rainbow Blaze."
I pulled back. "What exactly are you doing? That was a joke!"
"I am not joking."
"And I am not joking when I say you have very good reason to not like me."
"What?" He laughed. "I don't care."
"I'm...I'm...not who you think I am!" I blurted out.
"What are you doing? So you think that you can meddle around with my life and get away?"
"Remember what you said?"
"When?"
"That I would be pretty if I were a girl?" I asked.
"Did I? But you would be."
"That's who I am."
I watched the horrid, sickening kind of realization dawn on him a second time.
"You." He glared at me, the hand on my shoulder turning vice-like. "Tricked. Me!"
"I couldn't be a girl even though I wanted to." Those memories flooded back, and I felt the tears return. "My mother..."
But he was already gone by then.