The only thing that kept the weekend from being the absolute worst of my life was spending time with Silver Spoon.
After Diamond Tiara left, we didn’t feel like hanging out as a group anymore, so we opted to go our separate ways with our significant other. I’m not sure what the others did, but all Silver Spoon and I could do once we got home was sit on the couch together. We didn’t feel like playing video games, or even talking. However we found comfort in each other as Charlie cheered us up a bit too, old dog smell and all.
Things got better the next day though when Silver Spoon invited me over to her house to play some video games and meet her parents. At first, they were surprised to see she really wasn’t dating Tray anymore, but they were more than happy when they realized I wasn’t Tray. To top it off, her father turned out to be an executive with Horsestation. As such, I found out where Silver got her interest in wanting to be a game designer, because her father had a gaming room with a 80’ screen TV, HD surround sound, as well as a copy of KingdomSouls 3.
I cried.
For a while, everything was perfect. I dominated Silver in Haylo and Ponycart, and I never seen her so happy before. Though, while it came and went, she seemed out of it at times. When I asked if she was okay, she’d just say she was and looked at her cell phone before we went back to our fun.
****
Then on Sunday, when she came over to spend some time with me, I finally got her to open up.
We were sitting at the table having a snack while trying to get some homework done, and I asked again, “Silver, are you okay?”
She began to answer ‘no’, before she bit her lips, and said, “Alright, I guess this whole… thing with Tray is getting to me.”
I slumped into my seat. “Hey, I’m sure it has for all of us.”
“Well, yeah,” she groaned, “I keep thinking back to wanting to blackmail Tray.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Then I remember that you wouldn’t approve of it and overall and... Yeah, you're right, I don’t want to play dirty anymore just to win.”
I reached a hand towards her and smiled. “Thanks, you’re beautiful when you’re not trying to be wicked.”
She blushed. “Thanks, but… I still feel bad. Mostly because I’m not a lesbian.” She looked nervously at me. “Not that I’m not happy being your girlfriend, but because of Dia secretly having a crush on me all these years and then me being unable to return her feelings.”
I felt Charlie nuzzle my free hand, so I rubbed his head as Silver Spoon continued. “Plus there’s the whole Tray wanting to use her thing.”
I grunted, but held onto her hand. “So, she’s really going to go through with it?”
Silver Spoon blew a strain of her hair. “Not like it’s our problem anymore.”
I squeezed her hand. “It should be. I mean, yeah, she’s acted like… well, you know, but it still doesn’t mean she deserves this.”
Silver Spoon sighed. “Look, I understand, I do. But if we do anything, Tray will make sure her secret gets out.” She adjusted her glasses. “Maybe if it was just a matter of pride and popularity, I’d be all for telling her to screw it. However, she’s got her family to think of.”
“You never know,” I said, “maybe they could learn to love their daughter for who she is. I mean, I haven’t read the bible in a while, but isn’t the idea behind it to ‘love’ people, not hate them.”
She huffed. “Yeah, it’s always nice in theory.”
I nodded, thinking about of how some of the bible stories I heard could be pretty dark when you thought about it. “Indeed. Still, I just can’t believe her parents would kick her—”
“Button,” she cut me off, “if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to drop this.”
I pulled away and shrank into my seat. “Sorry.”
She rubbed her head. “It’s fine, I just don’t want to think about it.”
I didn’t either, but before I could let it go, I suddenly thought of one more suggestion. “Why don't you just offer to let her stay at your place if things go bad? I mean, your parents seemed rather cool.”
“That’s…” She paused and pondered, “not a bad idea.” She then shook her head. “No, it would still mean her family would hate her and not pay for her to go to college.”
“Look," I said, "maybe not, but all I know is she can’t expect to go her whole life without them ever knowing.” I patted Charlie’s head. “Still, why not text her the idea? Although, what would I know? Maybe her best solution is to just rough it out during high school till she’s free.”
Silver Spoon pulled out her phone. “Well, I guess it's worth a try.” She typed something, then placed her phone on the table while leaning back into her seat.
Thinking it was a good idea, I scooted my chair over next to her. “You know, if I’m honest, sometimes I wonder if any of this was worth it.”
She shot me a glance.
I rubbed her shoulder. “Then I think of how beautiful you are and the fun we’ve had, and I realize, it’s worth it.”
She smiled and nodded. “I could say the same for you.” She leaned onto my shoulder. “Yet I don’t regret one minute of going out with you.” She added, “I guess the same can be said for Dia and I. We weren’t always perfect and on top of the food chain. Matter of fact, she used to have braces.”
I laughed. “You're kidding?”
“Nope, but, out of it, now she has great teeth. Hell, at one point I even considered getting laser surgery so I wouldn’t need my glasses anymore.”
I blinked. “Really? Why didn’t you?”
She took off her glasses and stared at them. “Not sure, maybe I was afraid of the surgery or maybe it was because I don’t have that bad of a vision.” She put her glasses back on. “Maybe it’s just cause they’re a reminder of our earlier times before things got really complicated.”
I wrapped an arm around her. “Didn’t know you wanted to be a poet as well.”
She blushed. “Oh—”
Her phone binged.
“Well, speaking of.” She released herself from my arm and looked at the phone.
“What does it say?”
With mixed expressions, she told me, “It just says, meet me by the bleachers tomorrow before school.” She rubbed her phone. “That can’t be—”
I put a finger on her lip. “Hey, you got a response. See if you can find out more tomorrow, but until then,” my hand moved down to her phone, “can't we just enjoy today? Maybe try some video games again?”
She put her phone away and held my hand. “Yeah, you’re right.” She then drew me into a hug. “Thanks, Button.”
I withheld the first joke that came to my mind and I spent the rest of that Sunday teaching her how to play TF2 once we got out homework done… Well, that and we made out for a good hour when my mom wasn’t looking.
*****
Of course, Monday had to come. While Silver Spoon was insistent on going alone to meet Diamond Tiara, I wouldn’t hear it. So, she picked me up before school and we arrived about fifteen minutes before the bell. Once parked, we headed to the bleachers, where Diamond Tiara was with Scootaloo and Rumble, talking to each other.
It took us both a moment to figure if we were seeing things right.
“What the?” Silver Spoon spoke first.
Shocked, Diamond Tiara jumped and looked wide eyed at us.
Scootaloo placed a hand on Diamond Tiara’s shoulder while Rumble shouted, “Hey, Button, Spoon, you’re both early.”
“We are?” I asked looking at the clock on my phone. “Well, what are you two doing here?”
Scootaloo and Rumble looked to each other.
“We saw miss universe here looking sad,” Scootaloo explained, “and figured we try and ask how she was.”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Anyways,” once we got close enough, Diamond Tiara put her hands behind her back, and lowered her head while looking at Silver Spoon, “So… did you really mean it? I can stay with you if my parents kick me out?”
Silver Spoon clicked her tongue. “Well… yeah, I mean, I know you would do the same for me.”
Diamond Tiara frowned and shook her head. “Ugh! Why would you do that? I’ve treated you like crap and you still want to be nice to me, why?”
Silver Spoon sighed. “Because you are my friend, and I want to help you. Is that so hard to believe?”
Diamond Tiara's lip twitched. “Maybe a little.”
Rumble shook his head and stepped forward. “Come on, Diamond, you’re not a bad person. And hey, if you’re a friend of Silver Spoon, you can be a friend of mine too, no tricks.“
“Believe me,” I smiled at my girlfriend who smiled back, “I’m still getting used to it as well, and I don’t regret anything I’ve done for a moment.”
Silver Spoon nodded. “Neither do I.”
She was then crushed by Diamond Tiara in a bear hug as she whimpered into her friend’s chest saying, “I’m sorry.”
Silver Spoon hugged back. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
After about five seconds though, Diamond Tiara pulled away, wiped her tears, and puffed out her chest. “Yeah, well, like, whatever.” Scootaloo and I giggled at her horrible attempt to play cool. “Either way, turns out I won’t need it.”
I stopped laughing.
“Yeah,” she explained, “after I got your text, I, sort of questioned my parents on how they would feel if I was gay.”
Scootaloo slapped her forehead, but didn’t’ say anything.
“So, like, at first, mom freaked out, and I was about to say I was just curious, when dad stopped her. Then… I guess it has been something going on between them for awhile now. He said, that while he was behind some of her more extreme religious tendencies, even she was pushing her luck around him.”
“He did?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I mean, he believes in God and creationism as well as straight marriage like my mother, but even he though the idea of her throwing me out if I was gay—”
“Lesbian!” Scootaloo blurted.
We all stared at her.
“Sorry,” she said, “it’s just been really annoying. I know it feels easier to say when… Please continue.”
Rumble patted her on the shoulder.
Diamond Tiara nodded. “Thank you. So, after that, they started to argue, and I went to my room. Then my dad came in and asked if I was alright. Then, he asked if I was a... lesbian. I tried to say otherwise, but he admitted that he kind of knew.”
Silver Spoon’s eyes widened. “He did?”
Diamond Tiara scratched her head. “Well, not ‘know,’ but he did have his suspicions. Either way, he promised that he wouldn’t hate me, and even if mom would take awhile, she would accept me as well. Though, even when I told him what I was, he still wanted me to be sure about it at the same time.”
“Alright then!” Rumble said while slapping his hands together. “Problem solved. Now we can tell Tray he can stick it—”
“Um,” Diamond Tiara interrupted, “I’m still going to ask him to the dance.”
We didn’t say anything for about five seconds, not sure if we had heard her right.
“Excuse me?” Scootaloo asked. “You can’t be serious? Didn’t we just have a heart-to-heart about you not caring if you’re a lesbian.”
Diamond Tiara sighed. “Yeah… and I’m not, and I swear to never make gay jokes again to any couple. But, if I don’t, he’ll just make your lives miserable. At least now I can let him know he doesn’t have as much on me anymore, but I’m not ready to come out about this….”
“Like how Sweetie Belle wasn’t ready to come out the day Button asked Silver Spoon out?” Scootaloo shouted.
We all glared at her.
Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened. “I… I…”
Scootaloo rubbed her head. “Sorry, but you’re right—”
“No.” I said. What I said might have been pure aspie emotion, but this whole thing was getting to me. “What? That’s bull, we don’t care if we get picked on, you saw it had no effect on us last week. The only reason you’d still want to do this is because you want to remain popular.”
“Button!” Silver Spoon hissed at me.
I gulped. “Oh, sorry, I—”
“Maybe it is,” Diamond Tiara admitted, “or maybe this is just my punishment for all I’ve done. Either way, it doesn't matter what you say. It’s not your call what I do.”
“Dia,” Silver Spoon said, “it’s not—”
“She’s right.” Rumble added.
“What?” we all said.
He scratched his neck. “Yeah, it’s not fair, but she’s right. Is it the right choice? Maybe not, but it doesn't matter If that’s what she really wants to do. What right do we have to stop her?” He looked at Diamond Tiara. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
Nodding, Diamond Tiara said, “Yeah well… Don’t worry, it’s not your problem.”
She started to walk off before Silver Spoon grabbed her arm. “Please, we don’t need to be popular to be happy.”
I stepped in front of her. “Please, don’t let him win.”
She stared between for a moment, eyes narrow, palms sweating. Then, she jerked her arm away and shoved past me. “The show’s about to start if you want to see it. I told Tray to meet me in the cafeteria before class so we could make it public.” She headed into the school.
Scootaloo sighed. “I hope she knows what she’s doing, she’s really not that bad, and kind of reminds me of myself before I met Sweetie Belle.”
Rumble ground his teeth. “Damn, and here I thought we got through to her earlier.”
“Speaking of,” I asked, “what were you guys doing here?”
“Well,” Scootaloo said, “I came early to practice some free shots when I caught her checking chatting, and I swear, flirting with one of the girls on the soccer team. Next minute Rumble saw me and saw her and then, after some protest—”
“Much protest,” Rumble added.
Scootaloo shook her head. “We talked, and we thought we got her feelings and worries off her chest, but I guess not.”
“Oh,” Silver Spoon raised her head. “She has a new crush already?” She bit her lip. “Not that I mind, but, who is she?”
“She,” Scootaloo blinked and blushed, “um… Sorry, can’t say, promised I wouldn’t tell.”
“Well, thanks.” I told them. “Hope she can have a happy ending too.”
Mostly, I just didn’t want Tray to win. However, that would still mean Diamond Tiara had to lose.
*****
We met up with Sweetie Belle shortly after, and found Apple Bloom wondering around in the cafeteria, already packed with students who ate breakfast there.
No sooner had I caught them all up on what happened when we heard Diamond Tiara shout, “Everyone, I have an announcement to make.”
“Oh no,” Silver Spoon said as we all looked at where Diamond Tiara was.
“So this is it, I suppose?” Rumble said.
“Ah can’t watch,” Apple Bloom said turning around.
“Oh,” Sweetie Belle moaned as Scootaloo held her.
I rubbed Silver Spoon’s shoulder. “It will be okay.”
Silver Spoon didn’t say anything.
We looked at the scene unfolding, as nearly every student in the cafeteria looked to see what Diamond Tiara would say.
“Tray Platers?” she said, noticeably shaky.
“Yeah?” we heard him say, already looking smug and confident while acting surprised.
“Ow!” Silver Spoon winced as I accidentally squeezed her hand.
I loosened my grip. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Silver said, “if it weren’t for Dia, I’d probably beat him up too.”
I smiled and fantasized us doing just that for a date.
Then, the reality in front of us continued.
Chest puffed out, Tray asked, “Yeah, what can I do for you, princess?”
One eye blinking rapidly, I rolled up my sleeve. “That’s it! I can’t just stand here and let this happen, consequences be damned.”
Apple Bloom grabbed my arm. “No! We can’t.”
Scootaloo stomped her foot. “I agree, screw this. Let’s—”
“What?” We heard Tray shout.
We all froze up, and only a second later we heard Diamond Tiara say, “You heard me, I think you’re a pig, just wanted everyone to know that.”
Scootaloo, Rumble and Silver Spoon o’ed and smiled, while I stared wide eyed at Diamond Tiara.
“Did she really—” Sweetie Belle began to question.
“Um,” Tray said, that clearly not being what he had expected to hear, “you sure there isn’t, something else you wanted to ask me?” I was able to hear him mutter, “Something you won’t regret?”
Diamond Tiara hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t too late to take it back, say it was a joke, and save her reputation. “Actually,” she finally said, “I heard a rumor that you wanted to ask me to the dance.”
He raised a finger, “That’s… um… fine.” He grumbled something I thought was along the lines of talking later, then cleared his throat and asked, “Will you go to the Fall Formal with me?”
Before anyone around Diamond Tiara could say anything, she said, “No, turns out I’m not into guys, especially morons like you.”
Everyone gasped.
“So?” Diamond Tiara asked, head down as everyone stared at her. “It’s not like—”
“Wait,” one of her supposed friends said, “you’re gay?”
“Ew,” another said, “I bet she caught it from one of those girls she picked on.”
“Don’t touch her then,” a blonde said.
After blinking a few times, Tray wiped his hair and said, “Yeah, like, totally. I actually saw her making out with Silver Spoon last week. I knew she was a freak.”
At once, everyone looked at us—or more specific at Silver Spoon and I —s a clear path between us and Tray became visible.
I readied myself to race forward, step in front of Silver and say something about how wrong it was and that they should all mind their own business when Diamond Tiara beat me to it.
“No,” Diamond said, “she’s just one of the few people who made me realize what a bitch I’ve been, and who gave me the courage to not let you blackmail me into asking you out to the dance.”
Everyone o’ed and aw’ed.
Enraged, Tray hissed, “Oh, just wait till you’re parents find out—”
“I've already told them,” Diamond Tiara said proudly, “and they’re okay with it.”
That really sent the school into a frenzy. Mrs. Rich’s was not the kind of person you’d think would be okay with her daughter being a lesbian. Yet, here was Diamond Tiara Rich, saying just that.
Among all the chaos, my friends and I hurried over to Diamond Tiara’s side as her old group of friend’s began to back away.
“What?” She questioned. “You didn’t think I was actually going to let someone push me around?” She closed her eyes and flipped her hair. “I’m still the queen at this school.”
Tray, meanwhile, quickly recovered, stormed at us, and muttered, “Well… I… I—”
“Actually,” one of Tray’s friend’s on the football team said, “I’m gay too.” Everyone gasped as he glared at Tray. “But if Diamond Tiara’s say’s that’s okay, then that’s fine by me.”
“Why you—” Tray began.
“Um, if I may,” one of the blonde girls who had before mocked Diamond Tiara spoke up.
A girl besides her eyes widened. “You too?”
“No! But… you know, I've always hated making lesbian jokes and teasing people like that.”
Diamond Tiara smiled and placed her hands on her hips. “Like, yeah, it’s totally not funny,” she looked at me with a sincere smile before she addressed the crowd, “no more than it is to call someone retarded either. For that,” she looked to me and my friends, “I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you.”
I was the first to hold out my hand. “It’s okay, I never took it that hard.”
With a pause, she slowly reached out and shook my hand, which soon turned into a hug between us. Which only seconds later became a hug from all of us, with Rumble and Scootaloo squeezing a little harder than they should have.
“Well, I…” Tray began as only a few girls and guys stood beside him, the rest already making their distance. “You can’t really be siding with… with these fags?”
Everyone gasped.
“Oh, you hypocrites!” he challenged. "A moment ago you had no problem laughing with me for saying that.”
Before he could gain any momentum, I broke free from the hug, and said, “Maybe you’re right, and I used to be a troublesome child with autism that would run around screaming just because it was easier and more fun than being mature. But you know what,” to make my point I used my fingers to push on his chest, “grow up.”
The next thing I knew, his fist connected with my face and I fell to the floor.
While I was being helped up by Apple Bloom, with Rumble and Scoots were already racing forward, fist clutched, Diamond Tiara shouted, “Enough!” just as a teacher raced forward. “Enough of this, it’s not worth it.”
At her command, Rumble and Scootaloo backed down.
“Young man,” the teacher said to Tray, “principal's office, now!”
He laughed. “Oh, I’m so scared, what’s she going to do, expel me? You can kiss any state championship goodbye.”
“I think we’ll be just fine without you,” our principal said, having just seen Tray punch me in the face.
We looked at her, arms crossed and with a wrinkled eyebrow she said, “As I understand, a month’s detention, and suspension from all school events and activities until further notice is the minimal I can give for assaulting, and, if what Ms. Rich has said is true, multiple harassment of students.”
Diamond Tiara looked down and away from principal Celestia.
“What?” Tray shouted. “You can’t do that!”
“I can,” Principle Celestia said, “and I did. And unless you want to see expulsion I’d walk away now.”
He started to rush forward till his brain caught up to him realizing he wouldn’t be any better off. “Fine,” he glanced one last time at me and my friends, “but don’t think this is over. I hope you like it in Loserville.”
“That’s another week, Mr. Plater.”
He cringed, but with that, threw his hands into the air as—somehow—a handful of his closest friends and popular students followed behind, though noticeably fewer than what he usually hanged out with.
“Don’t you all have classes to get ready for?” Principal Celestia told the rest of us.
With that, it was all over… mostly over.
“Principal Celestia,” Diamond Tiara began as she walked up to the principal, “I… I may not have punched anyone, but I have harassed a few students as well in the past couple of days.”
Celestia put a hand on her shoulder. “I think I can let you off with a single detention this afternoon, with no activities revoked, if, you've learned your lesson.”
Teary eyed, Diamond Tiara nodded. “Of course.”
Celestia smiled. “Good.” She then looked at us. “Though, don’t forget who your real friends are.” She then waved us goodbye and left the seven of us with three seconds before the bell rang to hang out.