“Well, we could go out to see The Ponyville Theater Troupe’s new play. It’s at the Civic Hall, and it’s supposed to be really good!” Cheerilee grinned hopefully.
Bon Bon frowned, her brow furrowing. “Hmmmmmm. I don’t know. The contrast between the bright stage lights and the dark theater always gives me a headache.”
“Um, okay.” Cheerilee sat silently for a moment again, trying to look anywhere but to her left. “We could—” She shivered as the horrible grinding began again, then nervously licked her lips. “Are you sure—”
“Oh, yes. It’s totally fine.” Bon Bon kept her eyes locked on Cheerilee. “So, what else do you have in mind now that I’m single?”
The grinding ratcheted up a notch, and was now accompanied by intermittent growling. Cheerilee swallowed hard. “W-well, The Hayloft is supposed to have, um, excellent barleycakes! I’ve been meaning to try them for ages!”
Bon Bon stuck out her tongue. “Ew, no! Sparkler got food poisoning from that place when she ate there last week.”
Cheerilee sighed. This had been going on for half an hour now. Isn’t there anywhere this mare wants to go? Anywhere that isn’t here! She scooched a little further to her right, then suddenly perked up. “Well, let’s just go for a stroll and see where our night takes us!”
“No,” Bon Bon ran a hoof through her hair. “I used to do that with—”
“Okay, then what do you suggest?” Cheerilee said quickly.
“Oh, just whatever!” Bon Bon offered her a sunny smile. “I’m pretty much down for anything! You pick.”
Cheerilee could feel the waves of white-hot fury washing over her from the other end of the loveseat. “Um, well, we could…” Inadvertently, her eyes drifted to her left.
Next to her, Lyra sat, staring at Bon Bon. “Oh, no,” Lyra growled through clenched teeth. “Please, Cheerilee. Don’t let me stop you from taking my ex-marefriend out for a fun-filled night. Our recent breakup was completely amicable, and I am in NO WAY angry at the fact that she’s decided to bring her first date over a week later ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR ANNIVERSARY!” Lyra trembled, and twin spot of crimson blazed on her cheeks. “In fact, I couldn’t be happier for her!”
“You know, maybe this isn’t such a good time.” Cheerilee got up from the loveseat.
“No, no!” Bon Bon jumped up from her chair. “Lyra and I discussed this when she decided that we ought to take ‘a break’, and she’s perfectly fine being just roommates.” Bon Bon trotted over and rubbed her shoulder against Cheerilee’s. “I’m all yours tonight!”
“Well, let’s just go to The Trough and have a cocktail!” Cheerilee hurried to the door.
“Noooooo,” Bon Bon said, putting a hoof to her chin. “Slipstream hangs out in there, and he—”
“I like The Trough!” Lyra said with a sly grin. “Let’s go, Cheerilee! You and me!”
Bon Bon’s eyes narrowed into dagger-like slits. “What do you think you’re doing?” she whispered.
“I’m single now, too!” Lyra replied, pointedly ignoring her ex-girlfriend. “Yup, just a carefree unicorn, lookin’ for love! So what do you say, Cheers? Let’s hit the town! I’d love to go to The Hayloft and have some barleycakes.”
Cheerilee’s eyes darted between the two mares. What have I gotten myself into this time? she thought. I didn’t even know they’d been dating!
“This is truly the lowest, Lyra!” Bon Bon hissed. “And that’s saying something for you!”
“Oh, look who’s talking, Ms. Passive-Aggressive Dater!”
Cheerilee coughed uncomfortably. “You know, I’ll just be on—”
“No!” the mares both yelled in unison.
“Fine, then let’s just go somewhere!”
“Oh, anywhere’s fine with me!” Bon Bon opened a closet and retrieved a hat. She turned this way and that, examining her reflection in a mirror hung on the closet’s door.
“Alright.” Cheerilee sighed, relieved. “We’ll go to The Trough and figure it out from there.” She winced as Lyra snorted out twin jets of steam from her nostrils.
“Well,” Bonbon replied, drawing the syllable out. “I still don’t care for—”
“UGH!” Cheerilee threw her hooves up before stomping to the door. “You know what? Nevermind! This clearly isn’t the time!”
Bon Bon raced to cut her off, throwing a hoof across her chest. “Nonono! I’m sorry! We don’t want you to be mad!” She scowled at Lyra. “Do we?”
Lyra scowled back. “No, of course we don’t. Furthest thing from our minds.”
“And that’s why the roommate without the date is going to leave for a while so that the potential new couple can get things planned out!” Bon Bon opened the front door and motioned with a hoof for Lyra to make herself scarce.
For several moments, the house was ominously still. Cheerilee sweated as the mares stared at one another, each refusing to blink.
Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Um, well—”
“Fine! I hope you have a really, really wonderful time!” Lyra stomped out the door.
Bon Bon slammed the door behind the unicorn. “There. Now, we can talk in peace.”
Cheerilee sat heavily on the loveseat, then crossed her legs tightly across her chest. “Look, I really don’t appreciate what you're doing here.”
Bon Bon sighed, blinking as her bloodshot eyes welled. “No, it’s not like that. She wasn’t supposed to be here, but apparently Sea Swirl told her that we were talking and that you were coming over. She got here a few minutes before you did.” Rubbing her eyes, she motioned for Cheerilee to continue. “Let’s just try to make the best of it, okay?”
Cheerilee massaged her aching temples. It seemed like her life was lived headache to headache these days. “Okay, then let’s go dancing.”
“Bleh, no. I'll get all sweaty.” Bon Bon made a face and stuck her tongue out.
“Celestia’s sake, Bon Bon!” Cheerilee said, rolling her eyes. “You’ve shot down every—”
Both mares sat straight as something rustled in the bushes. Outside, Lyra tried to duck her head back down, but yelped as she poked herself in the eye with a twig.
Bon Bon stomped to the window and threw it open. “Nice, Lyra! Real mature of you!”
“Oh, sorry!” Lyra stood, brushing leaves and cobwebs off of her coat. “We all can’t be as emotionally serene as you are, being able to handle having dates on our anniversary and all!”
“It’s not our anniversary anymore!” Bon Bon said, throwing her hooves up. “You decided that you needed some space!”
As the argument escalated, Cheerilee slipped out the front door and headed for The Trough.