//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: How We Roll // Story: Street Dreams // by DJDJ //------------------------------// With my smile still plastered on my face I came in through the front door, Dad must’ve left it unlocked since I wasn’t home yet. I turned on the light in the hall hoping to grab a snack before going to bed. Instead I found my dad sitting at the kitchen table glaring at me. A few moments of silence later I moved for my snack and asked “Somethin to say old man?” He stood up and shouted “You’ve been racing.” I rolled my eyes, even if he was right, he was in no place to talk “I was making friends.” He stormed up to me and snatched my food from me. “I’m not stupid…you know this is only going to end one way.” “I do know. Thanks to you, I know. I’ll be glad when it does.” I huffed and stormed off to my room, I undressed and got straight into bed, I didn’t sleep very well that night, it wasn’t just me being mad at my dad either. What bothered me more was those three girls, everything about them was so…irresistible and it only made it all so suspicious, even without considering the way they talked to Applejack. I dwelled on it for hours until my alarm clock rang signaling that I had been up all night and reached no meaningful conclusions. When I got out to the kitchen my dad met me again, he got up and put a hand on my shoulder. I looked at the hand and followed his arm back up to his eyes, before I could read his expression too much he outright hugged me. I sighed and hugged him back, knowing we were both sorry for what we said to each other the night before. When he let me go, he put my keys in my hands. “Have a good day at school Son.” At school, all of my home life went away, on my way to class, I got a few funny looks from the wonderbolts, I don’t know why but they seemed pretty sore about losing to me. My attention was drawn away from them when I bumped my shoulder into someone. When I turned around, there was Aria for the first time since we “met” making eye contact with me. “I was hoping I would run into you…” She huffed and seemingly changed her mood from irritated to flirtatious. She strode gracefully towards me, her purple jeans seemed to elongate her legs which is probably why she wore them. She tried to put a hand on my shoulder but I brushed it off, she just grabbed my wrist and said “Adagio wanted to invite you to have lunch with us today, she didn’t say why, but I bet she wants to boost our table’s cute factor.” She gently flicked my nose with her free hand. “Actually, he was going to have lunch with us today.” Aria glared at the source of the country voice behind me, she turned her attention back to me and cooed “We’ll be waiting.” Just like that, she left with her graceful stride. I turned around to find Applejack with a friend of hers, white with a stylish violet hairdo. “Thanks AJ, I legit had half a mind to join them.” I said rubbing the back of my neck. “Nothin to it sugarcube.” She beamed and gave me a friendly jab in the shoulder. Her friend spoke up in an elegant voice “I do so hope to see you then, better us than the Dazzlings.” “Why? Whats up with them? Feels like everyones got beef with them.” “Why they’re just the most wicked, wretched…they’re just all sorts of trouble!” The new girl announced with enough pantomime and delivery to put the theater students to shame. Apple jack put a hand on her shoulder as if to call her back to Earth. “We’ll be sure to tell you all about it at lunch; I never got your name anyhow.” I shrugged. “Never gave it, I’m-“ The bell suddenly cut me off and Applejack apologized whisked away her friend leaving me to endure my classes until lunch. The time had come, the time to make my choice, this really won’t be any choice unless the Dazzlings have some trick up their sleeves, then again it still wouldn’t be a choice. Not being very hungry and not wanting to put up with a lunch line for a good drink, I found a nearby vending machine and bought myself an ice cold cola. Drink in hand, I made my way to the cafeteria, it didn’t take me long to spot Applejack and all of her friends, and there were a lot. Out of the corner of my eye I also caught a glimpse of the Dazzlings, hoping they hadn’t seen me yet, I pulled my baseball cap over my face and made for AJ’s table. Which wasn’t as smart as I thought it was, being that my cap was one of my distinguishing features much like Applejack’s adorable cowgirl hat. When I sat down with the girls, Applejack introduced me to all her friends, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer, and Rainbow Dash. They each briefed me on the Dazzlings, and after not believing them, they showed me to the music room. When they played me a song, their hair grew into extra-long pony tails, they grew equine ears and Rainbow dash and Fluttershy even grew wings. After believing them, I understood the gravity of the situation. The bell rang sending everyone back to class, before Applejack left I grabbed her arm. “AJ, I appreciate you tellin me all this before I made a big time mistake.” She smiled at me, and I let her go and asked “Can we uh…kick it? After school today? I ain’t had any time for friend making since I got here.” Applejack put her hands on her hips. “I’d love to, maybe I could show you around the farm.” I smiled and we both made our way to our next classes, before she got out of sight I called to her. “We’ll pick each other up at the horse statue.” Finally I had someone to hang out with, those wonderbolts just seem too full of themselves, and the Dazzlings being some mythical creatures from a magical world of unicorns was just a teensy bit off putting. For the first time in a long time, racing wasn’t the first thing on my mind during class. As I made my way through the crowd, I passed through the school’s front doors, when my eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight, I could see the horse statue across the yard, and a cowgirl hat among the crowd. I reached Applejack and held out a hand to greet her, she grabbed it with both of hers and gave a vigorous shake. Our day commenced, for once, our conversations didn’t revolve around the Dazzlings, it was just us. I was driving us to her family farm which was far out of town when she got to talking. “You know, my brother likes to take that old truck he fixed up and drive it a lot like you. I can’t seem to get a word on why from him. He’s more close mouthed than a squirrel with a cheek full of acorns. I gotta ask, how come y’all drive like a maniac?” The word “maniac” hit me like a bus, I let off the accelerator and finally noticed she had herself braced up getting ready for a crash. I had to take a moment to think about that, it’s something I’ve never questioned. “I guess…it’s exciting…” Applejack stared at me unconvinced, so I thought a little harder. “Well, even when I’m not racing someone…when I’m out here flying over the road…everything else…goes away. No school, no Dazzlings, it’s just…me.” She nodded, much more convinced now. “I guess that makes sense, but…” Her voice trailed off and she looked down into her lap. “Whats up?” She sighed “Is it really worth risking everything?”