Seconds Late

by FerociousCreation

Plot

Seconds Late
Ch. 6

A bell rang as Alto pushed the door to the donut shop open. “Welcome to Donut Joe’s!” a bulky stallion behind the counter called out with a smile. Alto gave his acknowledgements and nodded to the store owner before seeing Harp Hearts sitting in the corner, eating away at a bear claw. She noticed him the moment he entered and gestured the unicorn to come over to her.

Alto did nothing to hide his sadness as he trudged over to the pink pony, trying to walk off the pain that ached at his side. He placed his violin case to the side of the table and removed his backpack, setting it on the table, and sat next to Harp Hearts in the booth.

With half of the bear claw was consumed, Harp Hearts scooted the treat over to her saddened friend. “Here you go. I hope this will help make you feel better.”

The bear claw. A donut that the two enjoyed sharing with each other since they met. The fingers of the pastry were easily torn off as Alto slowly took a piece before taking a bite out of the sweet. He glanced at the mare, his ears folded back, her eyes looking lovely. And yet, she now had another stallion in her sights.

“So, how do you feel about going with High Brass to the Hearts and Hooves Formal?” Alto asked after he swallowed, trying to smile.

Harp Hearts shook her head, “He and I are not important right now. I am excited to be going to the dance with him, but I want to make sure that my friend is alright.” At least she isn’t willing to brag about him right away…

Letting go of the muscles in his neck, Alto looked down at the table. “I am not alright…” Should I tell her what happened between High Brass and I? Do I attempt to ruin her feelings for him? He shook his head slowly before gazing back at Harp Hearts. “I was so close Harp Hearts, and yet, I was too late. Why Harp Hearts…?”

“I’m sorry,” was all she could muster up before giving her friend a nice hug. The gesture was nice, but it was not the same to Alto.

“Whatever... She wouldn’t have liked my song anyways.” The unicorn glared elsewhere, not angry with his best friend, but at High Brass.

“And how do you know that?” Harp argued. “Did you at least tell her about your song?”

“Why should I?” Alto blinked at Harp, his brows in a sad crease. “Why should I show her the song now and attempt to take her away from the stallion who asked her out? She is happy with her pony, so I shouldn’t trudge into that territory. I am no thief.”

Alto felt Harp rub his shoulder. “At least you care about her feelings.” You have no idea Harp Hearts.

“I am sad that she will never know my true intentions…” Alto looked to his backpack. “And I will never know if she would like my song.”

A light smile grew on Harp’s face. “I know for certain that she would have said yes to you without your song.” The grin then faded. “But if you don't mind me asking, who were you trying to ask out?”

Do I tell her? No… I can't. My friend’s happiness is… is my happiness. At least I can try and be joyous for Harp from afar. “I'd rather not say.” Alto cracked a smile, “I wouldn't want you to know who she is so you can blurt out to her that I wanted to ask her to the dance.” Alto tried to picture an alternate reality where he was infatuated with a cute unicorn bookworm, and imagined Harp Hearts walking up to her, saying that he loved her.

“I wouldn't do that!” Harp scrunched her brows.

The stallion knew her friend better. “Says the mare who can't keep a secret. You remember the time I told you how Mrs. Athletes Hoof needs to be less of a lazy mule, and then you turned around and told her?” He also remembers the laps he had to run after his… advice giving.

The pink pony gave Alto an angry frown, “Well, I agreed with you. She was being lazy and I think she needed some motivation by telling her your words.”

Alto sighed, now smiling more, forgetting the recent painful past. “For somepony who is so modest about yourself, you sure are more honest with others.”

“I think ponies deserve the truth,” Harp commented, bumping into Alto with a playful push. “Don't you think you should be honest with everypony, including me?”

Alto’s smile faltered at the mare’s words and quickly left him. “Most of the time it is good. Sometimes the truth can hurt.” The stallion could see his friend open her mouth to respond, and placed his hoof on her muzzle as she has done to him when she wishes to silence him. “Anyways, I do feel a lot better now by talking to you.” But now that their reminiscing about the past was over, the present came and kicked him in the back of the head, reminding Alto of the cruel reality that was present. “You are a friend I can always depend on.”

“Aww, thanks Alto.” A streak of blush ran across her face, a beautiful compliment of pink and red. Harp hugged her friend with a nice squeeze and looked up at him. “It does mean a lot to me you think of me like that. Too bad that mare doesn't know she is missing out on a wonderful stallion.”

Grief stabbed its hook deep into Alto’s already weak heart and pulled hard; if only it could really stab and kill. “And High Brass is very fortunate to have you as a date.” The words felt like poison in his throat, knowing High Brass’ true intention of asking Harp Hearts to the dance.

Breaking her hold on Alto, Harp looked at her friend with curiosity. “Which reminds me, and I want you to be honest with me. Do you not like me going to the Hearts and Hooves Formal with High Brass?”

Oh, what a question, Alto sighed internally. The question stirred in his mind like a painful stomachache. He pondered if the real truth would be the medication to his pain. But at the same time, it may have a nasty side effect, causing Harp to think differently about Alto. Perhaps lying would prove better, dealing with the misery he has endured thus far and not letting his friend suffer any negative thoughts was a better alternative.

A half lie will do. With his mind made up, Alto answered, “You know I don't like him because of his rude behavior attitude towards me and other stallions.”

Harp shook her head, “I disagree with your statement. I have never seen High Brass act mean to any stallion I know; especially to you.” Alto opened his mouth, almost letting out the true truth, and instead, let out a sigh.

“And I know you don't believe me-” Harp cut off her friend, placing her hoof on his nose.

“It's not that I don’t trust your words,” she spoke, both knowing how the same argument they have had about High Brass before goes. “I need to see High Brass caught doing these acts of harm you and the other stallions claim. If I ever do, then I may believe you, depending on the severity of his actions.”

“I know, I know.” Alto was not going to allow the debate continue any further, lest it evolves into something far worse than he would like. “I may not like him now, but…” I can't believe I am saying this for her sake. “...I have nothing against him. Perhaps I could get to know him better, possibly becoming his friend.” He wanted to drop dead as he spoon fed Harp Hearts a mouthful of lies. Despite how wrong High Brass was treating Alto; despite how wrong it was to conspire against Alto; despite how much Alto wanted Harp Hearts to be his date to the Hearts and Hooves Formal, he wanted his dearest friend to be happy and not take her joy away from her.

Harp smiled, glad for Alto’s statement. “Thank you.” Alto did his best to hold a straight smile, and his heart did its best to not crack any further than it already has.

***

“Did you hear?”

“Yeah, High Brass now has a date to the Hearts and Hooves Formal…”

“I was beginning to wonder why he was taking so long…”

“He obviously snatched away some poor stallion’s mare.”

“I hate him… I hate him for what he did to me. To us. Make sure you make him pay!”

“Don’t worry. I have a feeling we will be getting our revenge this year. The moment he steps out of line, we will be ready… And don't worry... He will suffer...”

Comments

[Mythic Night]

While I understand that he has a habit of asking out another stallion’s crush, the fact is that he only seems to go on the one date and then moves onto the next mare.

I hope you go into more detail about what exactly he’s doing to hurt these stallions so much. I mean, does he make it so these mares only have eyes for him, or maybe makes it so that the other stallions just don’t compare to the school heartbreaker?

I would think they could still ask their crushes out after...