I woke up, feeling calm and peaceful, so I guessed that I didn’t have a nightmare. I then felt as Twilight stroked my back with a brush.
I yawned as I stretched, “I could get used to this.”
As Twilight giggled in the background, she continued to brush me, which was fine by me.
I must have nodded off as Twilight gently shook me and I woke up.
“Time to get up sleepyhead, you can sleep more tomorrow.”
I yawned again, “Okay.” I opened my eyes as I stretched my legs.
As Twilight got down from the bed, I got down on the floor and we followed the familiar sweet and warming smell of breakfast coming from downstairs.
“Did you sleep well?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah! I slept great!” I said cheerfully.
Twilight giggled at that while we sat down. As soon as we did, Spike came out of the kitchen with what looked like about ten thick pancakes, and on the table there were different kinds of toppings: syrup, strawberry jam and apple jam.
As we ate, I thanked Spike for the food, to which he blushed. I mentioned that I’d slept well last night, and we made small talk while we finished off our delicious food.
After breakfast, I walked Flurry to my room and as I tucked her in, I thought about how I really didn’t want to go to school. The crusaders probably hated me, and I didn’t want to talk to Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon, they tricked and lied to me. A few tears fell, I wanted to stay with Flurry instead.
“It’s okay Star,” I made Flurry say, “Everything will turn out alright, okay?”
“But I’m afraid...” I replied.
“There there, it’s nothing to be afraid of, it was only a mistake and I bet that the crusaders will forgive you.”
More tears fell from me, I wanted to believe what Flurry told me, but how could they forgive me? I was horrible to them, even after they tried to help me.
“Just give them time and continue to practice your magic, and everything will be alright, you’ll see.”
I gave Furry a smile, and imagined her giving me one back. I kissed her on the nose, and said, “Night night Flurry, I will.”
I took a deep breath and as I felt I was calm, I left my room. In the living room my lunch was placed inside my saddlebag and I got it on.
“You ready to go?” Twilight asked.
“I’m ready, bye Spike!”
“Bye Star, have a nice day.” He said.
“You too!” I called back.
With Twilight, I walked downstairs and out of the library, then towards the schoolhouse.
As we reached what I believed was the midpoint between the schoolhouse and the library, the chances of either seeing the Crusaders or Diamond and Silver became bigger. If we met the crusaders, would Twilight then talk to them, and ask them to forgive me? They might say that they would forgive me, but only because Twilight was there- they wouldn’t mean it.
On the other hoof, if we met Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Twilight might tell them to stay away from me. But that would just lead to a conversation that I didn’t want to be a part of, I just wanted it to be a quiet day, no drama or anything.
“Hey Twilight, I know the rest of the way, so I can walk it alone from here.”
“Oh,” Twilight said, surprised, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, and besides, you probably have other things to do back at the library.”
She didn’t look convinced, and with each step we got closer to the schoolhouse.
“I mean it big sis,” I insisted “I can walk it alone, there’ll be plenty of time to have fun with you after school.”
She thought about it before she sighed, “Alright, if you’re sure.” We hugged. “Have a nice day sweetie. Take care, okay? And remember, you can always go to Miss Cheerilee if anything is bothering you. Alright?”
“I will big sis, and I’ll remember.”
We ended the hug. We were both reluctant to do so, but if I stayed home, Monday would come and then I would just have to be this nervous again. I stood and looked at Twilight’s eyes, I could see that she wanted to stay with me. I smiled before I turned myself in the direction of the schoolhouse, and began walking.
A few steps away, I turned my head around. “Bye Twily, see you after school!”
“Bye Star!”
I turned my head back and walked towards the schoolhouse, wishing for the day to go by fast.
After having walked for a bit more the schoolhouse was in sight, and some ponies were there already. The crusaders weren't there, and thankfully Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon weren't there as well.
As I walked the last bit to the schoolhouse, I began to think that I shouldn’t even try to even approach the crusaders, I mean, what good would it do? I knew I should just give them space and leave them alone, but a part of me secretly hoped that they would talk to me, giving me the excuse I needed to apologize to them for how I’d acted.
Now in front of the door to our classroom, I sighed heavily, and lay down on the grass, watching as more ponies arrived.
“Are you waiting for somepony, Star?”
I jumped up in surprise, and looked around to what I presumed to be Miss Cheerilee’s voice. Finally I saw her, as she stood in the doorframe to the class.
“Ohh, hehe, no no miss Cheerliee, I'm just waiting for the class to start.”
“Would you like to help me get ready for the first lesson?” Miss Cheerilee asked politely.
“Sure.”
Following Miss Cheerilee, I walked inside the classroom and over to her desk.
“Would you please place one piece of paper one each desk, besides yours?”
“I can do that.” I smiled.
First I placed my saddlebag at my desk and then went back and wondered how I would take the papers, maybe with my mouth?
“Oh Star,” Miss Cheerilee giggled, “You can just use the tray, it’s more convenient.”
I giggled nervously and saw the tray on wheels behind her desk. I placed the paper on the tray and began on little my assignment, as I placed the papers on the desks, I guessed that our first lesson was writing, it looked like they had to write another short story, but about a picture which looked to be all different kinds pictures, a sun, waterfall, sunset and so on but soon I was done.
“I’m finished Miss Cheerilee, do you have something else?”
“Well done Star, thank you so much.” She praised.
I blushed. “It’s nothing, really.”
“Star, any help you can get is always appreciated as a teacher. Just ask Twilight.” She said, giving me a wink.
I giggled, “I will.”
The school bell rang, and as fillies and colts slowly began to walk inside, I walked to my desk and sat down.
Once everypony was settled down, Miss Cheerliee explained that the assignment for today was to write a two-page story about the picture they got, meaning I was right in my guess.
As ponies began to write, Miss Cheerilee came down to my desk and gave me another paper so I could learn how to write with my mouth.
As I tried to write, I made sure to keep my eyes away from Sweetie Belle, so I only focused on my paper and writing.
Time flew by and after a few broken crayons I had at least made a nice looking capital letter of ‘I’ and the number ‘1’.
As the bell to recess rang, ponies quickly ran outside to play. After the other ponies were outside, I slowly made my way outside as well. As I walked I wanted to find a nice quiet spot to be alone and practice my magic, just like Flurry said I should. I walked outside and as I looked around, I saw that the crusaders were spinning on a carousel, and I made sure that the spot I chose was away from them, just to give them space.
“Hey Star?” Silver Spoon asked, destroying my search for a quiet place.
“What do you want? To lie some more?”
“No please, listen, we’re sorry and when we lost you yesterday we thought that you might never come back to school again.” Diamond Tiara said.
I wanted to scream, they lied to me, they manipulated me, they blamed the crusaders, they deceived me, and I would never trust them again.
“Listen, you two: leave me alone, and don’t talk to me.”
I walked away before they could think of an answer. As I walked away I spotted a spot of a bit taller grass with a few flowers scattered around it. I walked over to it and lay down. The chatter and laughter of the young ponies who were near was close, but somehow it felt so far away, making me think back on the day the crusaders were calling me over to them at the swings, and- and I helped those two ponies give the crusaders a surprise. I lay down as a few tears fell.
Flurry’s voice repeated in my head, “Just focus on your magic, you didn’t know any better.”
I sniffed, before I wiped my face with my hoof, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I opened my eyes again and saw a flower, and as I narrowed my eyes and focused on the flower, my aura engulfed it. As a gust of wind came, my mane blew and as the flower moved, I felt it as well as seeing it. I wanted to replicate what the wind did, to try and move it, and as another gust of wind came I moved the flower alongside the wind, and it was much easier than ever before. As the gust of wind vanished, I tried to hold the flower, but inevitably it came back to its original position.
As another gust of wind came I focused harder as I tried to make the flower follow the wind, and as the wind vanished again I pushed the flower forward and it worked for a second, but in the end it went back to its original position.
Some time passed as the flower was moving slowly from left to right, it was easier as the momentum helped, and sometimes the wind as well.
“Wow! That’s amazing!” A voice said in amazement, and I lost my concentration.
“Oops. Sorry...” The voice sadly said.
The voice sounded really familiar, and I hated that I couldn’t place it, so I looked around and saw Snails.
“Snails? Sorry, hi.”
“Hey Star, you’re really good with your magic.”
“Hehe, thanks, and thank you. You know, for yesterday,“ I then whispered to myself, ”I can’t believe I was that stupid.”
Snails looked concerned.
“But I’m fine now, how are you?” I asked, wanting to get away from the subject of yesterday.
“I’m fine, hehe, I just umm… I just want to ask you, about something.” He looked kinda nervous, and sounded like he might begin to laugh
“Uh, sure, what is it?”
“You’ll probably say no, but umm, will you go out with me?”
My heart raced, as I screamed internally “WHAT!?” I was lost for words, “Did he just ask ME out! How? Why?” My mind drew a blank, and mercifully the bell rang.
“Haha, how about that, ah, gotta go!”
I galloped inside, pushing my way past other ponies doing the same.