Torn Between Two Worlds

by Alex Barkhorn

Chapter 35

"Oh, yeah! Three days left!" A friend of mine, Seth, said after third period that Friday. I chuckled and looked over at him.

"Well, for me. You still have another two years left in this hellhole." I reminded him.

"Eugh, don't remind me!" He groaned. Sherry, another friend of mine and Seth's, snickered as well. I looked back at her and laughed as well.

"What're you laughin' at! You got another three years, Freshman!" I laughed, playfully nudging her.

"Well, excuse us, old man, but I don't have much control of my age." She retorted.

"...Point taken." Was all I replied with.

"At any rate, it's not gonna be the same next year. Without all of you, that is." Seth sighed, looking at me and the others.

"Well, I'm sure you'll all survive just fine without us." Twilight said with a small smile.

"Besides, it ain't like you known us fer too long, anyway. We just got here." Applejack informed him.

"Still, you all became our friends. Doesn't mean we can't miss you, right?" Sherry reminded us.

"Yeah, you gotta point there." Dash replied with a slight chuckle.

"Besides, you brought my buddy outa his funk! Well, one of you," Seth chuckled, nudging me and looking at Fluttershy.

"That's true," Sherry added. "He definitely seems happier. Less cynical. Thanks, Faith."

"O-oh, um...You're welcome..." Fluttershy replied quietly, averting her gaze to the ground but smiling happily.

"Alright, come on now. I gotta reputation to keep. Can't hold onto it if you keep going on about how not-cynical and snarky I am." I chuckled, eliciting laughter from the group.

We parted ways when we got to the parking lot, and, since we'd see each other in school for the last time that next Tuesday, it was a kinda emotional goodbye. I mean, there were a lot of people in school I did and didn't like, and Grayson was definitely my best friend through anything, but Seth and Sherry...I had just met Sherry that year and Seth the year before, but they were still really good friends. And since I wouldn't be in school with them anymore, it was safe to assume I wouldn't see them much at all.

"Are you alright, Alex?" Rarity asked me on the ride home.

"Yeah, I'm fine...It's just...Surreal, you know? I'm graduating. I'm moving ahead in life. It's a huge step. But, at the same time...I'm gonna miss the experience. I'm gonna miss it all. And I regret not taking chances, and doing all that stupid crap when I was a kid." I replied sadly.

"Oh..." Rarity sighed. "Well, think of it this way, Alex. Those decisions made you who you are today." She told me.

"She's right," Twilight chimed in. "You're all still you, no matter what happened. You shouldn't have to regret anything."

"Thanks, girls." I said with a smile. When we got home, I found that Gray and Dana had beat us there, and were waiting outside his car, leaning against the driver door. He smiled when he saw us pull in, and waved, and walked with us inside the house.

"Come on, Alex," Gray said, when I told him what I had told the girls in the car. "You may have made some mistakes back then, but it's not like it completely ruined you." He informed me. I stopped dead in my tracks, as I was mixing together a salad, to stare at Gray as if he were stupid, and I heard Dana snicker. "...Okay. They were some pretty bad mistakes. But, you're still here. You're still you. You're still my best friend, and I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Thanks, Gray," I murmured. "It's just...It's crazy, ya know? We're outa here. We're outa high school, we're going to college. Getting jobs, going to a University. It's all happening so fast. And with this current situation, I dunno how we're gonna manage."

"We will," Dana assured me. "We can get through anything, Alex. You know that." I sighed, and nodded, giving her a small smile.

"Yeah. You're right, Dana."

"Right about what?" Fluttershy asked, walking in the kitchen.

"Ah, nothing," I replied, giving her a quick kiss as she made her way to me. "Just me freaking out, like usual."

"And, like usual, Gray and Dana are here to remind you that you're just being crazy and spazzing out over nothing?" Rainbow asked, walking in as well, followed by the others.

"Pretty much." I replied with a chuckle. We lounged around for the next couple hours, when Gray suddenly shushed everyone, and muted the television.

"Gray, what the-" I was cut off when he shushed me again, and I heard it as well. The light rumbling of a garage door opening. Gray and I stared at each other in fear. It was the rumbling of the garage door opening. And only one person had the remote to that garage.

"...Seven hells!" Gray and I screamed at the same time, scrambling to our feet.

"What, what is it?!" Twilight asked in fear.

"Is it Jake and Aaron?!" Dash asked, and looked about ready to throw a couple of blows.

"No, it's..." I started, but heard a door open.

"Alex! I'm home early!"

"It's my mom!" I squeaked in fear. My mother walked into the kitchen and looked over into the room we were in, and was smiling, but it faltered when she saw everyone in the room.

"Hey, Grayson, Dana...Alex, who are these? More friends?" She asked pleasantly, but Gray, Dana and I knew that tone. She wasn't being pleasant. She was pissed that there were so many people in the house.

"Uh...Y-yeah, they're new to town." I replied, breathing quickly and twitching my hand to flex open and closed.

"Oh? All of them?" She asked, setting her suitcases down.

"...Yes?" I replied, but Dana nudged me in the back. "I mean, yeah, they are."

"Oh, I see..." She nodded, crossing her arms and observing the girls. "It's a pleasure, girls. My name's June, Alex's mother." The girls all gave different hello's, save for Fluttershy, who grabbed my hand and hid behind me. "Is she okay?" My mother asked worriedly.

"She's Shy." I explained with a slight chuckle.

"Oh, is she your girlfriend, then?" My mom asked with a smile.

"Whh-what gave you that idea!?" I almost shrieked. She looked down at our interlocked hands, and back up at me. If my dominant hand were free, I'd have facepalmed right there. "...Yeah, she is. This is Faith. Faith Sherman. Faith, this is my mother, June Barkhorn." I said, and prayed to every deity I could think of that Fluttershy would at least say hello. Much to my surprise, I was wrong.

"Hello, ma'am. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Fluttershy's soft voice rang out. My hand was freed, and I saw Shy was holding a hand out to my mom. She took it happily and gave it a shake.

"Likewise, Faith." She retracted her hand, and Shy grabbed hold of mine, while my mom walked to the kitchen for a water. "So, where do you all live? Around here, I'm guessing?" She asked. There was a long moment of silence, before I answered.

"Um, kinda, yeah." I stammered.

I couldn't do this. I can lie my way out of anything at school, and talk my way out of most scuffles. But this was my mother.I can't lie to this woman. Not to save my life. Not just because it's a big no-no to lie to parents, but this was my mother. I'd feel terrible for lying to her about stealing a cookie from the cabinet. That's just how I am with my mom.

"What do you mean, 'kinda'?" My mom asked suspiciously.

"Alex, go ahead." Dana said with a nod.

"Alex, what's going on?" My mom demanded. I sighed in defeat, and tried to think of a way to explain things.

"...Mom. Do you believe in miracles?" I started. She quirked a brow, but decided to play along.

"Of course I do. Why?" She asked, but I could tell her tone was more curious and worried than it was upset and accusing.

"...You remember how...I wasn't really all...'there' for a while?" I asked, pointing at my head. The topic made her uncomfortable, but she still nodded. "Because...I think it's a miracle...You know that show I've been watching, too? My Little Pony?" I asked.

"Yes, Alex. What's the matter? What's this have to do with where they live?" She asked. I sighed again, shaking my head.

"Mom...The night you left to Vegas, I was out with Gray. We were walking, talking about My Little Pony and having a nice night. Then, he had to go, and it was just me...So, I left home, but...There was this strange presence, this weird feeling...Then, a miracle happened. These girls, they just appeared-"

"Okay, time out." my mom interrupted, causing me to clench my fists in annoyance. She knows I hate being interrupted. "You're not serious, are you? These girls...They remind me of the ponies you'd draw. The hair, and-"

"Mom, I'm not joking." I said, as seriously as I could. "They just...They just appeared, like magic...But mom, they've taught me so much."

"Enough, Alex. This isn't funny anymore. Who are these girls?" She asked, beyond mad.

"Mom, for Christ's sake, listen to me! I'm not lying! These girls, they're those ponies! Ask Gray, ask Dana- hell, even Christine believes me!...Why can't you?" My mom didn't reply to me for a while, only stared at the girls as if they were her own kids she was scolding.

"...What do you mean, 'they taught you so much'?" She asked slowly. I smiled, and gave my reply.

"I can finally be happy. They taught me things I already knew, but, they just made it that much more clear. Mom, I...I was in a dark place. For a long time. But, these girls...They helped me through it. They let me know that there is good in this world. They assured me that things could be okay, in time. They just...They've done so much for me, mom," I started to choke up a bit, as emotions rushed into my mind. "I owe these girls so much...They've showed me kindness I will never forget."

My mom must have started to believe me, as her eyes softened as she listened to me speak. But that last inch of skepticism was still in her. "Alex, this is rediculous. This makes no sense!"

"As much sense as your 'God' that couldn't help me when I needed it?!" I snapped. "...I...I'm sorry, mom, but...If you believe in miracles, you'll believe that these girls were my miracle." My mom was about to argue back, when we heard the doorbell ring. I took that as an opportunity to get the hell out of there, but, when I looked through the peephole, I looked back at my mom. "You have to believe me...And if you don't, I have one last piece of proof." I said calmly, opening the door.

"Hello," The person at the voice began in a gently voice. "I'm looking for some friends of mine, that I believe may be here. Is it alright if I come in?"

I could swear I heard the six girls' jaws drop like anvils, but I nodded, allowing the stranger in.

At least, mom thought it was a stranger.

Comments

[Lord Nopony]

Izzat Celestia?!