The Rhythm of Love

by lockheed

4: Heartstrings

"That's good!" Test Tube's voice called out from inside the schoolhouse. I turned the hose off and watched it get levitated out the window of the school. I was happy that with all the work done, I could just sit back and enjoy watching a cute, nerdy stallion do neat, sciencey things. I entered the door of the schoolhouse as Test's magic lowered the metronome into place in the tank. Thanks to a protection spell he'd cast on it, the metronome would be able to take a licking and keep on ticking. Compared to what it could withstand now thanks to magic, water was nothing. Like throwing a pebble at a castle really. I sat down on the bench for an upright piano, the place I felt most comfortable, and watched as Test finished checking that everything was ready. While he was doing that, some of the students started arriving. Most of them gave me a warm smile which I was happy to return. Some though, really just a pink filly and her silver friend, snubbed me and held their head up when trotting past me. It was ponies like them that made me glad I was out of school. Ponies like them that thought their shit didn't stink and that everypony owed them something. Dear Celestia, I can't stand ponies like that.

"Alright my little ponies, it's time to start class." Cheerilee announced and the kids all settled down and looked to her. Even I caught myself paying attention, my mind reverting back to primary school for a moment before realizing I'd been out of it for over six years. There was just something about Cheerilee though that made you listen to her and made taking notes not so bad. " Today we're having a demonstration for your science lesson." This made most of the kids smile. I said she made taking note not so bad, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't suck. "This young gentlecolt is Test Tube." She told them as she walked over to Test who gave an awkward wave to the kids. Heavens, he was cute when he was nervous. "And the gentlecolt by the piano is my former student, Swing Rhythm." I was startled a bit at hearing her say that but put my shock aside long enough to smile and give a small wave to the kids. "Now, Mister Tube, if you'd like to begin." He nodded and began rambling, I zoned out after a few moments as I watched his lips. I wondered what they were like. Were they soft, rough, or somewhere in between? I wondered what they tasted like. I thought I'd seen cherry chapstick in his room earlier. That'd be nice. Soft, warm lips that tasted of strawberries that I could kiss for hours on end. Shaking my head slightly, I snapped myself out of my thoughts just in time to hear the kids start clapping their hooves. I clapped with them as Cheerilee trotted back over to him. "Thank you for that demonstration Test. Now, maybe if you all ask very nicely, Mister Rhythm will stay around for today's music lesson." She said and all the kids, except for the pink filly and her friend again, turned to me with pleading eyes that made sure I couldn't deny the offer.

"Sure, I'll stay." I said and the kids smiled at my statement. At least it looked like Test would be staying too. As much as I wanted to date him, spending time with him would have to do for the time being.

---

Test and I trotted down the road that connected the school to Ponyville itself. As we walked, I heard him clear his throat which caused me to look over at him. He was looking at me from the corner of his eye but didn't actually turn to face me. "So, pardon me if it seems rude, but you've seemed to have a thousand yard stare going on the last couple days. Are you alright? My cousin is a doctor just in case." He said. It was nice that he had my well being in mind but I knew that he most likely meant it as a friend.

"Just had some things on my mind." I replied. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm fine." There it was again. The white lie that had turned into one of the biggest lies of my life. I'm fine. I figured that maybe it was like all other lies. If it's repeated enough, it becomes generally accepted. I don't know who I was wanting to convince more with the lie. Others, or myself.

"Are you sure? I don't want you getting sick on me." He said as we stopped on the dirt road into town. I looked over to him and saw his blue eyes appeared concerned, the most emotion I'd ever seen in them.

"It's just...have you ever been in love?" I asked him and he put a hoof to his chin in thought. After a moment, he lowered his hoof and shook his head.

"I mean, I care about my family but I don't think I've ever really felt love before. How would you describe love?" He asked as I sat down in the road.

"For most ponies, it's a feeling like butterflies in your stomach. A feeling of joy at being around a certain pony. Feeling like you're walking on a cloud every time you're near them. Looking at them and all you can think about is how much you enjoy them and want to kiss them." I replied, my voice sounding more depressed as I continued on. "And every time you see them you feel your heart leap into your throat and you just want nothing more than to wake up one day and feel them in bed next to you." Looking up at him from the dirt under my hooves, I saw him watching me. His ever gorgeous eyes made my heart hurt even worse. There was no way that this stallion would ever love me back. How could he if he didn't even understand love? I looked back down at the dirt and sighed.

"Do you love somepony?" He asked and I looked back up at him in surprise that he would ask me given his seeming disinterest in the subject. I turned my attention back to the dirt and smirked a bit.

"No. Not at all." I said before standing up. "Come on, let's get back to town."

---

While the rest of our walk back to town had been relatively quiet, it was nice to just enjoy the silence with somepony who I felt so much for. We had decided to eat at one of the cafes near the center of Ponyville and it was nice to be able to sit out in the sunshine for a bit. With running the shop and then sleeping away the days on the weekends, I rarely had a chance to enjoy the sun. Although if I was being honest, I favored the nighttime. There was just something about the stars and the quiet of the night that made it more enjoyable. But for the time being, I managed to enjoy the warmth of the sun against my coat and the smell of flowers that floated with the breeze. "Have you decided what you're getting?" Test asked me, snapping me out of my daze.

"I think I'm just going to have a water." I replied as I looked at the menu. There just didn't seem to be anything on there that got my attention. Resting my chin on the table, I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Alright, what's wrong? You've been acting mopey all day." He asked as he closed his menu. Test's question made me open my eyes and look at him, my heart hurting even worse and any appetite I had was gone. "I'm no expert on emotions or body language but I do know sad when I see it." Test said as the waiter started to approach our table. Test however managed to shoo the waiter off so as not to interrupt us.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand." I told him and I saw his brows furrow a bit at that statement.

"What wouldn't I understand, Rhythm?" Test asked me with a bit of hurt in his voice. "What are you going through that I wouldn't understand?" He sounded somewhat bitter now as I closed my eyes again. They began to sting as tears built up behind my eyelids. "Rhythm, you're my only friend. If something is wrong then tell me." His voice sounded more worried there and I dared not open my eyes for fear that the tears would begin falling. "Rhythm..."

"I need to go home." I said, cutting him off from continuing. Standing up, I opened my eyes just enough to not run into any tables and hurried out into the street. I turned the corner and once I was out of sight of the cafe, I began running. Tears streamed down my face, I didn't really notice any of the ponies I happened to bump into. I had just managed to get to the steps of my apartment and was going up towards the back door when I felt something grab a hold of me. I fought against it but to no avail as somepony's magic lifted me off the steps. "Leave me alone!" I shouted as the magic turned me around to face whoever was coming up the steps. My eyelids squeezed shut as tears continued to stream down my face, matting the fur on my cheeks before falling down to splatter on the wooden steps. "Just leave me alone, please." I asked of whoever was in front of me, my voice coming out a whimper more than anything.

"I'm afraid that is something I can not do." An all too familiar voice said. Opening my eyes, I saw Test's eyes level with mine. "Rhythm, tell me what is wrong." He set me down, and that's when I took my chance. I darted up the last of the steps and into the apartment, locking the deadbolt behind me. Sighing in relief, I let my head drop as I began walking towards my bedroom. But again my escape was interrupted as I heard a pop of magic behind me. I spun around to see Test standing in the living room, his eyes watching me.

"Please go. I'd just like to be alone." I told him as I turned back around and continued to shuffle my hooves across the floor on my way to my room. Closing my bedroom door behind me, I locked it before collapsing onto my bed and starting to cry again.

---

It had been three days since I'd seen anypony at all. Test, Lyra, and Bon Bon had all been by trying to check on me but I stayed laying in bed as they knocked and tried to talk to me through the apartment door. The only times I had left my bed in those days was to use the bathroom or to feed the cats. I grabbed the bag of cat food off of the refrigerator and poured some into their bowls, my own stomach growling for food. I'd stopped feeling hunger pains after the first two days. Once I was done feeding the cats, I started to head back for my bed when I heard another knock at my door. I stopped in the hallway and slowly and carefully made my way over to the doorway for the living room. "Rhythm? Rhythm, can I talk to you?" It was Lyra again. "Rhythm, please let me in." I quietly walked over by the door and sat down.

"I'm sorry, Lyra. I just can't do that." I told her through the door.

"Rhythm, I don't know what's going on but please, just let me come in."

"I'm perfectly fine, Lyra. Just a bit of a cold. I wouldn't want to get you sick. You know? I'd hate to get you sick. I don't want to get you-" I slapped a hoof over my mouth. That usually never reared its ugly head around other ponies. Keep relaxed and it wouldn't happen but at that time, I wasn't the most relaxed. And I'd told that lie again. I wan't fine. I was never fine. But my problems were just that. Mine. I didn't need to bother other ponies with it. If I was being totally honest, I hadn't been fine for years. As a colt it was because neither of my parents wanted me. As a teenager it had been from denying and trying to hide my attraction to stallions. And now, it was the heartbreak of knowing the stallion I loved would never love me back. "Just...just go away now. Alright? I'm fine, Lyra. I'll see you around sometime. Maybe help you try some of Bon Bon's new candies."

"Yes, yes please!" She somewhat shouted through the door. "I'd like that. She's got me trying all these weird flavors lately. It'd be nice to have somepony to help me through that." Lyra chuckled a bit at that. "Rhythm? Rhythm, are you still there?" I stood up and quietly made my way back to my bedroom, ignoring her pleas and knocks at the door. It's not like it mattered though. To be honest, we were all going to end up in a box in the ground anyways. Why did anything really matter in that light? I shut the door to my bedroom and listened to the muffled knocks at the front door.

Author's Note:

Looking for someone who is willing to do free cover art for this. If anyone knows someone who would do that, please comment below.

Comments

[BeatenLover]

once again, lovely. Sorry for the delay in reading this i was just reaaaly busy with learning and stuff, so yeah. I am on my way to read the newest one.

[TheArchive]

Uh, is this guy meant to be likeable? Because right now he's cut himself off from everyone, is starving himself, and is doing it because the guy he has a crush on doesn't have much experience with love. He hasn't even turned him down or anything since he hasn't actually asked, but he's acting like the opposite.