//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Kind of married to your crush // by MLPFan234 //------------------------------// It was a typical Monday morning. As I looked around class, I saw that many people were either groaning or rolling their eyes at Cheerilee, who was in the middle of a talk. Nobody was happy, and why would they be? I wasn’t either, being back at school after a relaxing weekend sucked. It was just another boring, eventless, school day. One where you’d sit in your seat for hours and do work with nothing exciting happening. Looking to my left, I saw Sunset Shimmer: the girl I had fallen in love with. It wasn't always like that, of course. I actually didn't even have a crush on her in the beginning! I had moved into town with my mom, and she had demanded that I go to Canterlot High. Something about it being one of the highest-rated schools in the country. Sunset was the first person I met when I arrived. She was very kind, which I found rather strange. I had heard so many rumors at the time about her turning into some sort of raging she-demon. I heard stories about her once being the school's biggest bully. Basically, a girl who did what she wanted, when she wanted. So obviously, I was reluctant to trust her. I thought that, perhaps, she was just acting nice to me, plotting to use me for some evil plans. But I was dead wrong, she was actually a nice girl. We ended up hanging out for a while, but it wasn't anything romantic. Just a couple of friends chatting, playing games, having fun. Not long after, though, I started to develop feelings for her. She was beautiful, kind, and easily the most amazing person ever. It was so strange to believe that she was once a bully. How could she have possibly turned from a bully, to this?! "Alright class," spoke Cheerilee, gathering everybody’s attention. Taking out a small bowl from under her desk and placing it on the table, she continued. "You’re going to have a different task than the usual paperwork." "And that is...?" Applejack inquired, raising an eyebrow. "As you may recall, I asked half of the class to write their names on slips of paper yesterday. I've put them in this fishbowl," Cheerilee held the bowl up to show the class. "Your assignment will be to act out a mock marriage with a classmate. The half of the class that didn’t write down their names yesterday will be picking names from this bowl.” "Wait, will we have to get married to our partner?!" Pinkie Pie practically shouted. “Of course not! This assignment’s goal is to show you how hard it can be to maintain a relationship. So no, I don't actually expect you to start dating your partner. However, in order for this to work, you’ll both have to participate and communicate accordingly." Cheerilee grinned. "And if you end up being paired with someone of the same gender, then you’ll just have to deal with it. Same sex marriages are common in this day and age, so I see no reason that you couldn’t act one out." "I suppose this can't be too hard," I whispered to myself. Maybe to reassure myself, maybe in the hope that I wouldn’t get paired with the girl I actually did like. Picking up the bowl of names, Cheerilee began walking to the right side of the class. "Now, I'm going to come around with the bowl. The half of the class who didn't write their name will pick a scrap of paper with their partner's name on it. Once you have your paper, you will open it and see who will be your spouse for the assignment." "Oh, Fluttershy, dear! Guess who your wife is!" Rarity, the first to pick, chuckled as she uncrumpled her paper. "Um, I don't... know?" Fluttershy meekly replied. "I wrote my name on the paper, and I have no idea who has it." Rarity rolled her eyes and giggled. "It's me!" "Oh my," Fluttershy deeply blushed, covering her face. "We have to act like we're married?" "Exactly!" Exclaimed Cheerilee, a smile on her face. "I got... Sonata Dusk?!" Shouted Sweetie Drops, the next to pick, reading her paper plenty of times. "This can't be right!" "Yay! I have a pretend wife now!" Sonata giggled. "Let's get some tacos to celebrate, honey!" As Cheerilee handed me my paper, I slowly opened it. I was nervous about who I was going to get. Once I opened it, however, I sighed with relief. Looking to my left, I poked Sunset. and she turned towards me with that damned smile. "Yes...?" Said Sunset. "Guess what! I'm your husband!" I chuckled nervously. "Uh..." Sunset gave me a puzzled look. "I get it. I'm a loser." I sighed. Her lack of a reply was evidence enough of that... "No, no! It's not that." Sunset blushed, embarrassed. "A lot of people don't trust me anymore, not that I blame them. I'm just surprised that you’re okay with me being your partner." "Well, that's strange," I chuckled. "You’re so awesome and kind." "Well if you knew about my past, you probably wouldn’t feel that way either." I wanted to say something, but Sunset swiftly turned back to the front of the class, obviously saddened by our talk. I didn’t have much time to think about it though, as Cheerilee addressed the class once again. As I turned my head back to Cheerilee, she placed another bowl onto her desk. "Alright class," she began. "Now that you all have your partners, you will pick out another piece of paper. This one will tell you what job you will have." Cheerilee's first mistake, however, was giving Pinkie Pie first pick. "A brain surgeon!?" Pinkie gasped. "Yeah, uh—" Cheerilee said, taking the paper out of Pinkie's hand and replacing it with a different one. "I think a clown fits you better." It didn’t take long for Cheerilee to reach Sunset and I, and I had the first pick between us. "I'm a bus driver," I said with a chuckle. "I'm a makeup designer," Sunset tittered. "I'm not that great at art or makeup, though." "Okay everyone," said Cheerilee. "Class is over for the day, but be sure to spend a lot of time with you partner. This task will be , but it will end sooner then you think. After tomorrow, we'll see how good progress you all have made! Goodbye, now." With that, everyone exited the class with their partner, including me and Sunset. "So, who did you girls get?" Sunset asked her closest friends. "I'm with Vinyl!" Pinkie announced with a giggle. "I bet it’s fun to be married to a DJ!" "I'm with this guy called Lee, he's new,” Applejack said with a shrug. "So, I don't know much about him. He seems nice, though." "I'm with Fluttershy." Rarity grinned. "And I'm with Big Mac!" Rainbow shouted, obviously for Applejack’s benefit. Applejack's eye's widen. "Wait, what?!" Lyra Heartstrings rushed into Cheerilee's class. "Excuse me t-teacher," Lyra took a deep breath from all the running she just did. "Sorry I'm late, I already told you that I had the dentist, but I still came to school." "Yes, Lyra. I remembered." Cheerilee grinned. "We had an assignment today, where two people had to have a partner. It was a task to see how hard marriage can be, and since no one is left to be your partner—" "Not even Sweetie Drops?!" "No, not even her. That means you'll have to be someone's child." "What?!" "Yes, Applejack and Lee would be nice. You’re going to act as their child." “B-but!” Lyra could think of no argument and simply sighed. "Fine."