"Silver Spoon! I'm here!" Diamond Tiara yelled from outside the house.
There's a new thing called knocking. I think you should try it. It doesn't matter, though. Not today.
"Silver Spoon! Come on and get your lazy flank out here!"
I stayed in my bed. I had to fight the urge to hurry and get out there like I usually did. This was all part of the plan.
"Silvia? Your friend's here," Mom said from outside my door.
I know. It's impossible not to hear her. Still, I just lie there.
This better work. Those three words kept spiraling through my head. I was scared out of my mind. More scared than I had ever been back in Canterlot. Okay, that might have been a lie, but still, I was really scared. I kept thinking of the most likely possible outcomes, and they mostly all ended with what I wanted. But I was getting a little too used to getting what I wanted, so the heavens or something might decide otherwise! Wait, I don't believe in that sort of thing. This was making me crazy. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind.
After a while I looked over at the clock. 5:53. Diamond Tiara should be at school now. I got out of bed and slid on my old glasses. I ran a comb through my hair, but definitely not as much as usual. I glanced in the mirror and smiled. It's always nice to see an old friend.
Quickly and silently, I grabbed my saddlebags and sneaked out of my room. Mom would be so caught up in her work that she'd think that I already went to school with Diamond Tiara. I cut through the kitchen to avoid her and opened the door. I poked my head out and made sure there was no sign of Diamond Tiara. I hold in my sigh on relief and step outside, quietly closing the door behind me. This was going exactly as planned.
* * *
It was a little hard to get to the school because usually Diamond Tiara led us, but I finally found my way. I got to the end of the gate and just stared at everypony. Most of the fillies and foals were playing on the playground, but there were a few scattered. I spotted Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom off at a picnic table, talking. I guess Scootaloo isn't here today. Snips and Snails were sitting in the sandbox.
And finally, Diamond Tiara. She was standing on the stairway up to the schoolhouse talking to one of the foals that we usually never talk to. I took a deep breath and walked through the gate.
It seemed like everypony stopped and stared at me. I think everypony did. When Diamond Tiara saw me, her jaw just dropped open. I couldn't keep my smile inside.
"Wh- wha?" was all she could sputter.
"Hey Diamond Tiara, like my new look?" My smile spread all the way across my face. It had been so long since it did that.
She stared at me for a long time. So long in fact, I thought I had broke her. Then she said, "Actually, I think I do."
Okay, definitely broke her. How could she like this? I look like me. She's not supposed to like the real me.
"Are you going for the stylishly messy? 'Cause it looks good." Diamond Tiara trotted over next to me. Before either of us could say anything, the bell rang, and we all had to scuttle inside.
This was not going as planned.
* * *
All through school all I thought about was how this could go wrong. Her reaction was supposed to be "Ew! What did you do to yourself?" And I would recite this speech I had been practicing about I don't want to be her sidekick anymore. I looked over at her. She was staring up at the board where Miss. Cheerilee stood, pretending to pay attention. What did she always think about anyway? How to ruin more pony's lives?
I shook my head and looked over to Sweetie Belle, who was taking notes. I automatically thought of all the times she cried; All the times I made her cry. Yet, despite all those times, she always remained happy, while I remained depressed. She, and most others, may not know it, but she's strong. Stronger than I could ever be.
My glance moved over to Apple Bloom. What's it like being an orphan? How could someone grow up without parents? What happened to her parents? Was she old enough to remember it? It also got me thinking about Scootaloo. I know we were bullying, but I actually wanted some of those questions answered. Why didn't she live with other relatives? I start to visualize a tiny baby Scootaloo wandering alone and confused in the streets. I'm going to have to apologize to her big time.
Then I looked over at Snips. How could he like me? Hadn't he seen all the things I'd done? What a horrible pony I was? Whatever the reason, he was stupid for liking me. I didn't deserve anything like that from anypony.
Snails looked over at me while I was staring at him. He blushed and looked away. Great, now he's going to think I like him back. What a day this is turning out to be.
I places my forehead to the table. What am I going to do now?