Sour Notes
We learned why dad was late. Flitter and Cloudchaser's parents had stopped dad on his way home from work and talked to him. They told him their version of what they hadn't actually seen and told him to keep me away from their daughters. It was unfair and really messed up. They wouldn't believe that the whole thing was an accident. My parents believed me. But when I saw Flitter and Cloudchaser the next day, they wouldn't talk to me. My two only friends in the whole class and they couldn't talk to me or play with me. Flitter slipped a note into my desk after recess,
"Hi, Fretlock,
Mom and dad won't listen to us. We told them you didn't hurt us and that we were just fighting. They say you're bullying us into saying those kinds of things and they don't want to hanging around us any more. I'm really sorry. Me and Cloudy want to play with you a lot, but dad made sure the teachers will keep you away from us.
Cloudchaser cried all night after they said we couldn't play with you any more. I wanted to cry like that too. I wanted to be strong for her so I didn't cry.
I'm so so so sorry, Fretlock. I wish I could undo that fight. I hate my parents for what they're doing.
I hope to see you around. Even when we can't talk to each other. Cloudchaser was kicking the stalls in the bathroom earlier. I think she got detention for it.
Anyway, I don't mean to make this long. I just don't know what to do or what to say. I'm going to miss you. I hope you're alright. Good bye."
I was so mad! I was crying and gritting my teeth and pounding on the floor. This is so unfair! It's stupid! Their parents are stupid! Hot tears stained my cheeks and dripped onto the floor of the colt's wash room. I folded up the letter and tucked it under my wing. I was so angry. I didn't know what to do and my body kept shaking.
Just then, one of the older colts stepped into the wash room and saw my sitting on the floor, tears all over my face. I knew what was coming, teasing, calling me a little filly for crying when I was a boy. He said I should have hit Flitter and Cloudchaser harder... and that was it. I turned all my anger and frustration on him. I don't think he expected me to fight him. I beat him. Not like a little schoolyard fight. I beat him bloody and I think I broke something inside him. When the teacher came to see what all the noise was about I didn't even try to hide it. He took me and set me outside then ran back inside to call for an ambulance team. They showed up about five minutes later and carried the beaten colt off in a stretcher. I watched them fly off to the hospital. I didn't care. The teacher tried scolding me but I blew him off, content to stay angry at everyone but my two friends.
Speaking of, they were looking at me now. They were worried and scared. Now I knew I was never going to see them again. Their parents ran the weather station in Cloudsdale and it was likely dad would get fired or demoted. But, I didn't care. I couldn't care. My friends were gone from me in nearly every possible way. Flitter finally broke down and cried. Her sister holding her in her hooves. I could see where this was going. I was going to be expelled.
Mom came to get me. Her worried face told me all I needed to know. I wouldn't talk. I didn't want to talk. I was just so angry! She and I walked home. She didn't say anything to me until we were home.
"What happened?" she said worriedly.
I just unfolded my wing and let the letter drop to the floor. I didn't look at her. I just looked at the wall. If my eyes could burn a hole in it I'm sure they would have. Mom read the letter and I could feel her heart sink.
"I'm sorry, Locky. We'll fix this somehow. When your father comes home--"
"He'll what?! He'll go off and talk to my friends' parents? They don't listen!" I jumped to my hooved and screamed, "They never listen to anypony! They won't listen to their daughters when they tried to tell them it was a sister fight. Why should they listen to dad at all?! They'll just fire him or something to punish me!" my chest heaved and my hot tears had started again. I thought I was all out but I guess not.
Mom was surprised. I was surprised. I've never been this upset about anything. "Locky, sweety, you have to hope this will get better. You'll still have to be punished for hurting that colt, but you should let yourself be this mad."
"Why not?"
"You might end up hating your friends too. Not just their parents."
Even in my anger-filled state, I found myself able to calm down enough to think about that. I looked over all the wrath and rage I felt and, by entretaining my feelings a bit... yes. I could feel it. I was starting to hate my two filly friends too. My madness turned to cold sickness and sadness. I couldn't believe I could hate my friends at all, even this much. Right now, I was sorrier than I'd ever been. It hurt. Everything about me hurt like I was the one who'd been beaten. Now I wished I was. I hated myself.
Mom wrapped her wings around me and pulled my close to her. She was crying now too. I didn't like this. I just made my momma cry, which made me cry even more. This sucked, it sucked so bad.
Dad came home early. He'd been a little angry lat night before mom told him what happened. Now, though, he was mad. Really mad. He stomped off to his room and mom followed him, giving me a little smile before dissappearing up the stairs. I felt like I was going to die when he came back down so I crept into the corner of the room between the couch and the bookcase, under the window that looked out to the streets.
I heard a little stomping and raised voiced. Mom was talking to dad as carefully as she could, but dad was angry. I think I caught a hint of saying that I threatened his job. I wished so badly that somepony would just come and fix this whole mess or just make me disappear.
Please, somepony! Help me.
The voices upstairs stopped, or, I think they did. I heard mom and dad come down the steps. Somepony approached me and laid a hoof on my trembling body. I opened my eyes to see my dad's grey hoof stroking my mane. He smiled down at me kindly. Mom had calmed him down.
"Hey, kiddo. You okay?" he asked, his black mane falling over his eyes a little bit.
"Y-yeah?" I wanted to say 'no' and I think he knew it. He hugged me in his hooves and wings tightly before letting me go.
"Want to go fix this?" he said softly.
I nodded my head. Then me, mom, and dad went out of the house and off to the hospital. We waited for over an hour to see the colt I'd beaten. His parents sitting right across from us. I didn't talk, my parents didn't say much either. They told the older colt's parents that I was here to apologize and make amends. Once inside the colt's room, and after his parents had talked to him, me and my parents went in. I hung my head but looked up at him as best I could. I told him how sorry I was and how I wished I hadn't hurt him. He just stared at me the whole time. I think he was shocked that I'd actually apologized to him..or... something?
"So, you did this to me because your friends' parents are being unfair?"
"Yeah..."
"And your two friends are fillies?" he said, almost like he was disgusted.
I could only nod.
"Dude. You're amazing!"
I raised my head, eyes wide, Is he stupid? I just beat him up!
"What?"
"Did I hurt your brain or something? You should hate me, or be afraid of me!"
"Naw, it's cool, bro. I would have done the same thing." he smiled, then looked himself over, "Well, almost." he gave a little chuckle.
My father was snuckering behind me. I looked back to see mom elbow his ribs. She looked at him with that 'you jerk!' look she often gave him. To my surprise even the other colt's father had a similar reaction and his mother gave an identical elbow and look same as my mom. She seemed less fond of me though.
"What's your name, bro?" the older boy asked.
"I turned back to him, "Fretlock."
"Mine's 'Asure Light'."
"Nice to beat--I mean meet you." I said, still a little stunned. Asure's mother caught my slip and gave me that look my mom gave my dad, but meaner.
"Well, when I get out of the hospital, you wanna hang out?"
"Um... sure?"
"Sweet! Hey, maybe I can help you with you problem with your friends?"
"Sure?"
"Cool. Well see you around, bro. I'm gonna hang with my folks for a while." Later." he smiled at me, then looked to hisparents, who, walked up even closer to him.
I turned around to look at my parents. They looked at me and smiled. My dad had this 'I know what's going on and it's alright look', but mom had this, 'I don't get what just happened either, but I'm glad everything's okay' look. Me? I was confused. We walked out of the room and the hospital and I turned to my dad.
"What just happened?"
"I think you made a friend." he said.
"By beating him up?"
"Yeah. Some boys have to be taught respect the hard way. You managed to earn his respect the hard way. He'll be a solid friend for a long time, I think."
My mother rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Boys are so weird."
"And don't you forget it." dad said, giving her a little wink. To which, she rolled her eyes again.