//------------------------------// // Chapter 16; Longstockings // Story: Button's Date With Silver Spoon // by TheOneAJ //------------------------------// While it might not have been a high school musical where everyone—nerds, geeks and jocks—came together and swore never to bully again, everything after that morning turned into one of the best and most peaceful school years we could hope for. There were still students who liked to call a freshman or someone a fag or such for attention, but, it certainly never became popular again. Thanks large in part to Diamond Tiara just saying it was unethical and by being who she truly wanted to be.   Although, I’m getting ahead of myself, it was still the Monday before the fall formal.   We didn’t stick around to chat for long after Diamond Tiara came out and Tray got near-suspended. With one last goodbye, we simply hugged, of course, and then headed our separate ways to being the day.   “Pretty crazy, huh?” Rumble asked me as we made our way to first hour.   I agreed. “Yeah, you said it! Though, thanks for being there for me, for us.”   He smiled. “Hey, what are friends for. Knew you’d be worth the wait.”   I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Though, there is one thing I never got." I rubbed my chin. "Why did you want to be my friend so badly? I mean, I’m not cool, and I sure as hell rejected you and the guys on hanging out way too often.”   “Well,” he said looking at a couple of students who waved and said hello to me, “wouldn’t know about being cool, but as for the rest, I guess I just wanted to because you looked like you could use a friend.” He lowered his head. “Sorry if my scene of humor put you off from time to time.”   “Oh don’t worry,” I smiled, “I think that if I can handle a choir of students calling me a retard, I can handle your comedy.” We reached our classroom, but before we walked in I pulled him back, gave a mischievous grin and asked, “Although, did you wanting to befriend me have anything to do with my contentions with Apple Bloom by chance?”   He blushed. “Maybe… But I still want to hang out with you even though she’s my girlfriend.”   I shook my head, punched him on the shoulder, and laughed as he punched me back.   *****   ‘… and just a reminder that Tray Plater will no longer eligible for fall formal prince. Thank you, and have a good day.’   The PA shut off while I continued to rub my head and looked at the fall formal voting box in front of me.   “I still can’t believe you got nominated for fall formal prince,” Featherweight said.   “I sure can.” Rumble said.   I shrugged and held the ice-pack tightly to my eye. “Well, I don’t see it as a big deal. I’m sure by this time next week someone else will have done something to become a better choice than me.”   “Oh don’t be so pessimistic, champ,” Pip said, “ and if that turns out to be true, then you should enjoy your moment in the sun even more.”   I looked down at my name next to Silver Spoon’s and the unchecked box. While I might still have liked time alone as much as ever, I had grown to like the attention as much as a normal kid would have. So, I pulled out my pen, and checked mine and Silver Spoon’s name. “Speaking of,” Pip asked me, “have you asked your gal to the dance yet?”   I dropped my pen. “Crap! I never did. Got a little busy with… things”   “Well, now would be the time to do so.”   “Oh?” Rumble asked Pipsqueak. “Speaking of, you have someone new in mind now that Diamond Tiara is officially out?”   He blushed. “Well... I think I may have someone else in mind.”   “Oh?” Rumble said, “Who?”   “Well,” he smiled, “see, there’s this girl in my history class named Dinky. I hadn’t thought about her before, but she always gives me one of her mum’s home baked muffins if she has an extra one. We also like to talk, and we get paired up a lot for projects and I think I’ve fallen for her.”   I smiled contently the rest of that class hour, listening to Pip’s crush as I thought about asking Silver Spoon to the dance. Yet, no matter how often I said it, I never could get over just how off the idea would have sounded two weeks ago.   *****     For lunch, I asked the gang if they wouldn’t mind eating outside under the bleachers again. They hastily agreed since the attention they were getting as well was starting to get overbearing and some quiet time with just the six (now seven) of us sounded nice. Thankfully, because of good luck or because people wanted to give us space—which didn’t seem impossible as I saw a couple scurry away upon seeing me—and the only one who didn’t show up right away was Diamond Tiara.   “You think she’s okay?” Rumble asked.   “She just texted me,” Silver Spoon confirmed, “said she was bringing someone.”   “Huh,” Apple Bloom said, “sounds cool ta me.”   “Yeah,” I nodded before Sweetie Belle nudged my shoulder and eyed at Silver Spoon.   “Oh, um,” I said standing up, “Silver?”   Sandwich halfway to her mouth, she looked up at me. “Yeah?”   I sighed as Sweetie Belle slipped the flower she gotten for me in her agriculture class from two hours ago. “Silver Spoon,” I held out one of my hands to her. “I know we may have started off rocky,” She took my hand and I pulled her up to eye level, “the first time I asked you out, I didn’t really mean a single word I said.” I presented her with the flower. “However, this time, I mean every word I’m about to say. I think you’re the most beautiful girl in school. Would you like to be my date for the fall formal?”   Head nodding fast, a smile physically impossible to fit on one’s face, she screamed, “Yes, yes, yes!” and threw her arms around me.   “Aren’t you two sweet?” We turned to see Diamond Tiara and a short violet girl keeping her head down next to her.   “Um,” Silver said, breaking away blushing, “Hey, Dia. Who’s your friend?”   Diamond Tiara placed a hand over the girl. “Oh, this is Lily Longstockings… She is my, um, er, well date for the dance.”   All our jaws dropped.   “Um, she said rather quietly, “hi.”   We gave her a series of awkward smiles before Scootaloo said, “Wait, Lily? I mean, i saw you two talking this morning, but didn't think you'd actually go through with it.”   Kicking some dirt, hands behind her back, Diamond Tiara said, “Well, she would sometimes like, help with my homework in math class and such. So like, today, I sort of, accidentally,’ dropped my phone behind my locker.”   Lily raised an eyebrows. “Accidentally?”   Diamond Tiara blushed. “Well, in any case, she was more than happy to lift up my locker to get it for me.” She smiled. “Then we talked and—”   “Wait,” I added, “lifted up your locker?”   “Oh, um,” Lily mumbled, “it’s um… It’s nothing.”   “Oh come now,” Scootaloo said, “you’re like, one of the strongest girls in school.” She looked at me. “I tell ya, she could lift a tow truck clear up the ground with her bare hands.”   I examined Lily Longstockings several times over. She didn’t look weak, but she didn’t look like a hulk either.   Lily blushed. “Well, I wouldn’t say I´m—”   “Take this, fag!” One of Tray’s well muscled friends shouted, bucket of something in hand ready to pour over Diamond Tiara’s head.   However, before he could do so, Lily grabbed him by his collar, used her other hand to punch him in the stomach, then threw him several yards away, causing the vile content in his bucket to spill all over his body, all without looking at the guy once.   “That strong.” She finished.   Eyes widened, I simply nodded and said, “Well, congratulations you two, I’m happy things worked out so well.”   Hands behind her back, face bright red, Diamond Tiara nodded, “Yeah, me too.”    ****   Not much more could have been said after that. We got to know the shy girl for a bit, and acted like nothing was wrong because, for once, nothing was. As for Silver Spoon and I, we couldn’t have been happier. For the first time, there was no doubt between us, nothing that was weighing us down, we could just sit together at lunch, and then during chemistry, we were happy just to be with each other.   After school, she dropped me off at my house and asked, “Hey, Button?”   “Yeah?”   She kissed me. “Thanks for everything. I… I guess I don’t know what I’d do without you. You… well, you make me want to be a better person, and I couldn’t be happier than when I’m with you.”   I kissed back. “No problem. Though, if you wouldn’t mind, I think I’ll just ride my bike to school from now on. Not that I don’t like driving with you, I just don’t want you going out of your way for me.”   She nodded. “I don’t mind but, okay.”   I gave her another kiss. “Hey now, if it’s raining, I wouldn’t mind a lift." I ran a finger through her braid, admiring how beautiful she was. "But, seriously, thank you for everything. You’re the best girlfriend an asexual autistic guy could ask for.”   She rolled her eyes and bopped me on the noise. “Just don’t forget it.”   As I admired how cute she looked when processing that, I got out of the car and headed inside. Catching one last glance and wave when she honked the horn at me, she blew me a kiss and drove off.   “Mom,” I shouted when I walked inside, “I’m—”   She was already waiting for me, sitting down, hand on her chin, looking nervous.   “Mom? Is everything okay?”   Quivering, she said, “Button, its Charlie…”