//------------------------------// // Chapter 20; Lectures // Story: "Just Kiss Already!" And Other Rumbaloo Tales // by Candy-Sweets_12 //------------------------------// The class went silent when the intercom crackled, as though someone was balling up paper on the other side of it. After a few short crackles a voice on the intercom interrupted. "Please excuse the interruption, but all Seniors report to the Gym after your next class. All Seniors report to the Gym after your next class." The voice repeated. As soon as there was a click and the speaker went silent, talking resumed. All except for Scootaloo, who continued copying down what was left on the board as she rest her head on her hoof. 'Wonder what its for.' she thought, the pencil drooping from her mouth as she finished. The bell rang and she stood up, while everyone else ran out of class, Scootaloo finished stuffing her things in her saddle bag. History went by faster than she could keep up, and she soon found herself sitting at the top of the bleachers a few seats away from her friends in the 'Assembly Room' as everyone called it. A bunch of chatter and conversations were tuned out as Scootaloo stared at the gym floor ahead. 'Maybe its another lecture about exams.' she thought. She sighed and paid no attention to the empty row on both sides of her. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, waiting for the Principal to make an appearance before them. "Tired?" she heard, Scootaloo jumped and opened her eyes, looking at the place where the voice came. Rumble was coming to a landing on the seat in front of her and smiling teasingly. As much as she wanted to scowl at him, she couldn't help but smile back. "No, just bored." she stated. Rumble came up and sat to her right, smiling at her as she forced her eyes away, knowing she'd end up blushing if she looked at him. A tendril of her hair covered her eyes and hid the forming smile from him. "Me too, they're probably going to remind us about how important exams are again." Rumble said with a roll of his eyes. "Probably." Scootaloo agreed. "Have you studied at all for them?" Rumble asked. "Not as often as I should." Scootaloo shrugged. "And how much is 'often'?" Rumble questioned, shifting himself towards her. "If I get any free time from my friends or Rainbow Dash at all, or from trying on or discussing dresses, or practicing with you, then I take the time to review a few lessons." Scootaloo said. "And that's how much a week?" "I'm sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to keep track. I don't know a couple of hours?" "Yeah, guess I'm a little more nervous than I thought." "Little?" Scootaloo asked, pointing a raised eyebrow and crossing her arms his way. "Okay, a lot." Rumble said with a roll of his eyes. "Hey, don't be so worried about it, it's just a test." "A test that determines if I can graduate high school, how are you not nervous about this?" "Who said I wasn't?" "You might as well have with the way you act about it." "I may not show it, but I'm just as nervous as you. How can I get into Junior Wonderbolts if I can't pass my high school exams, the ones that basically determine if I get a career or not?" "So you are nervous?" "No, I'm excited and I can't wait to take the test that will determine my whole entire future." Scootaloo said in an obnoxious and sarcastic tone. "You're worried about your future?" "Yeah, didn't I tell you before, Romeo?" "Maybe, but I wouldn't remember it that much." Rumble admitted. "Well I am. I've been ever since me and my friends started looking for our destinies. Of course its apart of mine to help other ponies find the true meaning of their own destinies, or even find it, but I have several sub talents to use in a career." "Such as flying." Rumble added. "Yep." "You're a pretty agile and nimble flier." Rumble said. "Are you kidding? I'm not half as good as Rainbow Dash, or even the most nimble fliers in the Wonderbolts." "I'd say you're better. You can really fly Scoots." "You think so?" Scootaloo asked, finally making contact with his eyes. "Yeah. I really do. You're one of the best I've ever seen." Rumble said. "Are you saying that to get on my good side today?" Scootaloo asked with an unsure tone. "Call it what you like, but I'm being honest here." Rumble said. "Well....thanks. I didn't start off that way though." "I know, you were a late bloomer." "There's a bit more to it than that." "There is?" Rumble asked, turning back to her. "Yeah." Scootaloo said, her tone deepening as she looked away and hugged her arms to her chest. "You want to talk about it?" Rumble asked. "Maybe another time," Scootaloo said. "Okay then, I can respect that." Before another word could be spoken, the Vice-Principal started tapping the microphone. "Testing, testing, can you all hear me?" she asked into the microphone. Many of the students in the bleachers nodded and she smiled. "Good, I'm sure that you all are wondering about why you came here," she asked, shifting her indigo eyes across the audience. The students nodded, and some responded with a "Yes," or "Yeah," . "I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but we wanted to discuss the importance of your exams." she said. A few students groaned while the others let out a long sigh. "I know, I know, you heard this a thousand times, but we simply wanted to let you know the importance of them." "But we already know they determine whether we graduate!" One raspberry haired mare called out, moving her light orange hooves to cup her mouth. "I'm sure you do," the Vice-Principal said, putting on a patient smile, "but we still feel that it's important to discuss." she stepped out of the way, making room for the Principal, a blue-gray unicorn with completely silver hair. She opened up her turquoise eyes expectedly, and whatever chatter had arose stopped in an instant. "Thank you." Mrs. Harper said, she looked among the crowd of students. "I am well aware that some of you don't take your tests very seriously, and I believe that it is a part of my job to make certain that you understand that dawdling around isn't going to get you a good career." Rumble looked to Scootaloo, who guessed Rumble would do so and rolled her eyes. "Some of you may be planning parties and a get together, but I can not stress you enough to put some time aside to study. Passing a test and forgetting about the material the next day is completely different than knowing the material. For these can later apply to your later life. Take it from an old mare like myself, it may not seem all that important now, but you should focus on your studies, and preferably get a career that applies to your destinies. "That slip of paper you will receive will determine what careers you end up with, so I suggest that you work hard to earn it. Meaning you shouldn't let something like a party of some sort get in the way of your future career. Make responsible choices, and don't only learn, but know the material." A few classmates snickered and loudly whispered to one another. "She sounds like she's in a psa commercial. Next thing you know she's going to tell us to eat healthy." One said loudly, earning a few chuckles from the crowd. Scootaloo rolled her eyes at the bunch. "Underestimated my hearing haven't we Mister Lining?" Mrs. Harper said into the microphone, spawning a bunch of laughs from the crowd as the stallion looked up in shock, blushed, and sank into his seat. Mrs. Harper continued going on about making responsible choices and different career paths. Rumble and Scootaloo continued saying nothing as she went on, occasionally being interrupted light blue Vice-Principal Skies. Who would occasionally flutter her wings or fix a hair of her blue mane, which had a three different shades of blue, each layer darker than the other, and tied in a tight bun at the top of her head. Rumble tensed up and froze when he heard movement to his right. He then found something leaning on him and found mauve purple hair brushing his cheek. He felt a bit of heat flood the tops of his ears as he tilted them down. He continued staring down at the Principals, trying not to miss a word Mrs. Harper was saying. The tips of Scootaloo's ears were red, and the lightest shade of red painted her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She continued smiling as she began to lean on Rumble a bit, starting to feel a bit tired from sitting there for nearly a whole two hours. She tensed up and froze when she found something wrap around her side and bring her a bit closer, and found gray feathers wrapping her. She looked up to see the biggest smile and blush on Rumble's face, before smiling even wider and continuing to listen. "Thank you all for your time. You are dismissed." Principal Harper waved her students off, and they all started climbing down the bleachers, stretching out their tired limbs before heading off to their next class. Before anyone could see them, the two pegasi unraveled and smiled at each other, exchanging a simple nod, which might as well screamed 'See you at practice,' .They then glided down the steps of the bleachers and parted ways.