The day that my life changed started out peaceful and normal enough. I woke up as usual, grabbed some oats, and left for the schoolhouse. I met up with my best friend Pipsqueak on the way there.
"Hey Pip," I grinned.
"Morning, Scootaloo," He smiled back.
"How's your dad?" I asked, taking on a more serious tone.
"Not as bad as usual. He's been at work more," Pip said.
"Good," I replied as we neared the schoolhouse.
"So, are you ready for the math test we have today?" Pip asked.
"Wait, we have a test?" I asked, startled.
"Um, yes. Ms. Cheerilee announced it last week," Pip said.
"I didn't study! Quick, quiz me. I can't fail this one, mom'll have a cow!" I said.
"What's the cow's name?" Pip grinned.
"Seriously, Pip! She'll kill me!" I frowned.
We walked into the school building and took our usual seats in the corner of the room. Apple Bloom and Twist were already sitting in the front row, with Pipsqueak right behind Twist. Shortly after Pip and I arrived, Snips and Snails stumbled into the classroom giggling. The peace was broken when Diamond Tiara walked into the classroom with her nose up, Tiara perfectly positioned, and her second tail, Silver Spoon, right behind her.
"Class, I have an announcement to make!" Diamond yelled, and we all turned toward her.
"Yes, Diamond?" Silver said.
"You're all invited to my quarter birthday party!" Diamond beamed. I sighed. Diamond was such a stuck up jerk. She had nothing against me personally, but she couldn't stop the relentless teasing of Apple Bloom and Twist. Not to mention she got in everypony's business, and when Apple Bloom and Twist became boring for her, she'd tease Pip for his accent, or Featherweight for his teeth, or me for my wings, or Sweetie Belle for her... Sweetie Belle-ness. Nobody was really sure what was up with Sweetie, although quite a few people had tried to find out. Speaking of Sweetie Belle, she staggered into the room, her mane a mess, and circles under her eyes. She stumbled into her seat in the middle row, and laid her head down on her desk.
I felt bad for that filly sometimes. I felt that under different circumstances, we might have been friends. When Sweetie wasn't miserable, she was actually pretty cool.
As Diamond and Silver pranced on over to their seats, Miss Cheerilee entered the classroom. Her name sure didn't match her personality. The old hag was sour and unfair, and took a particular dislike to certain students. Others, she let by scott-free.
"Class, I take it you all have your homework ready?" Miss Cheerilee smirked at me, and then turned her gaze to Sweetie Belle. We always missed our homework, and almost always got detention for it.
"Who shall we call on today... hmm, Miss Belle, perhaps you'd like to share your answers with the class?" Sweetie didn't move. Damn it, she was asleep. I covered my ears with my hooves, as Miss Cheerilee started screaming in Sweetie's ear. She started up with a jump. Several moments later, Miss Cheerilee stopped, and I lowered my hooves.
"Umm, Miss Cheerilee, you see, I, um, had family issues, and-" Sweetie was cut off.
"And just like all of the other times, I need to have a note! Detention for the rest of the week!" Miss Cheerilee yelled. Yeah, pretty harsh.
"Miss Tiara, please collect the papers," Miss Cheerilee smiled at Diamond. Diamond walked up and down the aisles of desks. She came to me.
"Well, Scootaloo? Where's your homework?" Diamond asked snidely.
"Um, I left it at home," I said.
"Sure, sure. It's probably sitting on your desk, undone," Diamond sneered.
"Yeah, whatever. At least when I turn in my work, it's my work, not someone else's," I said.
"What are you implying?" Tiara asked.
"Oh, nothing. Everyone knows that your butler does your work for you," I said.
"Take. It. Back," She snarled.
"No," I said.
"I am so telling my daddy, and when I do, he'll make sure that you are kicked out of school for this!" She said, and spun around to turn in the rest of the class' papers.
Diamond was always making threats like that, threats that usually were worth nothing. Sure, Diamond's parents had money, but they were very busy ponies. They didn't have the time to kick kids out of school. I leaned back in my seat. Pip tapped me on the shoulder.
"Come on, Scoots. Stay in control. We can't have you insulting everypony you don't like," He sighed.
"Pip, you know I'm in control. It's just, there's this cool feeling that comes from talking back to Diamond, you know? It's satisfying, I got back at her for a minute," I said.
"So, sort of what I have with my dad," Pip said, "Yeah, I guess I can understand that... I just don't like it much. Be careful, Scoots,".
"Ahem. Mister Pipsqueak, Miss Scootaloo. Would you mind listing all of the organelles in the plant cell?" Miss Cheerilee asked.
"Umm, leaf cells?" I asked. Pip facehoofed.
"No. Detention for both of you," Miss Cheerilee said, and turned back to her blackboard.
"Damn it, Scootaloo! My dad's going to be so ticked off!" Pip whispered.
"I know, I'm sorry!" I said, genuinely sorry.
"I know, but I'm still nervous..." Pip sighed.
"Mister Pipsqueak! Miss Scootaloo! Do we need to make it a week long detention?" Miss Cheerilee asked.
"No, Ma'am," Pip said at the same time as I said, "No,".
"I see. I guess I'll just add two more days, then. And I trust I won't catch you talking in my class again," Miss Cheerilee said, and started passing out worksheets.
It was finally time for lunch and recess. I'd heard that Cloudsdale Academy had forty five minute long lunch, but we only had twenty minutes. I quickly ate my lunch so I could go outside. That's another weird thing. We have to eat our lunch inside, not outside, and can only go out when we're done. Some kids skip their lunches, but I'm normally hungry, so I eat fast.
Pip and I walked outside together. Featherweight, Twist, and Apple Bloom were sitting under their favorite tree. Apple Bloom was drawing something in a notebook, and Featherweight and Twist were laughing and talking. Button Mash was sitting on a bench, playing his handheld game. Sweetie Belle was sitting on a different bench staring into space. Snips and Snails had drawn a crowd to watch them trip over each other, and Rumble was on the slide. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were nowhere to be found.
Pip and I made our way to our usual spot, the tree next to Apple Bloom, Twist, and Featherweight. Pip and I smiled at them as we passed, and they waved back. I sat down next to Pip.
"Ah, Pip. Just five more years of this, eh?" I sighed.
"Yeah, but then what? College?" Pip asked.
"Ugh, subjecting myself to more school. But I guess you need to go to college if you don't want to work at Haydonald's... you know, I've been thinking about going to flight school. But of course, that requires you to actually know how to fly," I sighed, buzzing my wings for a second.
"Oh, come on Scoots, you'll fly eventually. Me, I'm thinking of going to Canterlot Academy. Pretty elite though," Pip said.
"Hey, who's that?" I asked, as a young mare with her blond hair tied into a ponytail ran into the school.
"Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked as the mare trotted inside. Well, that solved that.
"I wonder what's up?" I asked.
"Yeah, me too. Probably nothing serious," Pip said.
He just had to go and say it.