Opportunity

by Jet Howitzer

I LOVe

The colt looked down at the scrap of paper on his desk. He should be paying attention to what the teacher was saying, but his heart was busy enough with other things to keep his mind away from the lecture. He was at the point in his life where fillies were beginning to have a new meaning to him, but he had no way to act upon it. His heart told him one thing, while his mind told him another. He slowly brought his pen to the paper scrap, and moved it in a line downwards, his line not straight, but good enough. Another set of two lines perpendicular to the first went above and below, completing the first letter.

With a slight change in his position in his seat, he managed to catch a glimpse of the filly who had unknowingly stolen his heart. Her purple irises were half covered by her eyelids as she struggled to pay attention to the teacher as she went on and on about whatever the lesson for the day was. The small colt couldn’t care less what she was rambling about, since he had other things on his mind, and in his heart. The colts pen once again touched the scrap, and it made yet another trip down the page, stopping once it had traveled the same length as before. Without lifting from the page, it made a sharp turn to the right, before traveling a shorter length. Thusly, the second letter was formed.

The colt glanced down at the scrap for a moment, actually looking at what he had written. He knew what he wanted to write, but as he actually looked at it his mind shouted at him that he was a colt, and that she was a filly. It just didn’t work. Things like cooties, and the mocking laughter of his friends made themselves known, but his heart shouted louder, demanding the colt’s attention. A shaky pen made contact with the paper once again, causing the colt to move the pen of his own volition. As it traced the worst circle in the history of geometry, the colt felt the conflict within his body escalate.

The teacher called out the colt’s name, and he abruptly looked up, spouting out a random number, hoping that he was answering a question. The sounds of laughter quickly erupted from the other students in the class, bringing an intense blush to the face of the innocent colt. The teacher gave a warm smile at the student, but her eyes spoke of her annoyance. She quickly explained her question, again, and this time the colt managed to answer correctly, earning a second smile from the teacher. For several minutes after the colt paid attention to what was being said, the trials of his heart forgotten.

Sadly, like most children, the colt’s mind was due to wander, and so he soon found himself exploring the depths of his imagination, the wonders of the world open to him. Everything, from the depths of the sea, to the wide open skies was his domain to play in his mind, and everywhere he went the filly followed. She was always there, enjoying the scenery with him, and going on all the fantastic adventures with the colt. The ringing of the bell, for lunch, shattered the concentration of the colt, and as he looked down at the paper he saw that he had written yet another letter, this one two slanted lines, connected at the bottom.

As the class filed out of the room, the colt found himself taking far longer than usual to get up from his seat, his own heart shouting at him to finish, and give it to the filly. Without thought, the colt left behind his pen, and the note, rushing through the door to head outside before he could allow himself the chance to finish. Once outside the small school building, the colt found his imagination taking the reins once again. Much like before, though, the filly was always there. Unlike before, though, she was actually present as you played around, and you found that her presence was quite enjoyable, and that her two friends were just as much fun to be around as she was.

To his juvenile mind, the forty five minute long lunch break felt like mere moments, and so when the bell rang once again the students all let out a collective groan as the trudged back inside. The colt lingered out on the playground as his classmates began to head inside. He noted, though, that the filly that was the target of his affection was lingering behind as well. She gave the colt a quick wave before she came over, and walked up to the school beside him, going on and on about how she was going to be a great flyer one day. Without even realizing it, the colt had earned another friend through the recess, simply by ignoring the few calls of his other friends.

The class after lunch was even more boring to the colt, since history had no appeal to him at all. It was all just a bunch of ponies arguing over who deserved what land, and how best to divide it up. Arguing, and land. That’s all history was. Well, that and some fighting when no diplomatic solution came about. The colt barely listened, though, as his mind turned back to the argument it was having with his heart. His heart was winning the battle, and for some reason, the colt was okay with this.

A whispered call garnered the attention of the colt, and he glanced over at the colt beside him, who was holding a folded up piece of paper. Quick as could be, the love struck colt snatched the paper from the hoof of his friend, making sure that the teacher didn’t see. He quickly unfolded it, and was pleased to see that it was a plan for a massive game outside of school today. For just a moment, the colt felt confused as his mind asserted dominance over his heart.

The scrap of paper the colt had been writing on drew his attention for a moment, as he saw that he finished the second of the two words that would be written. If he didn’t take this moment to say what he had written, he’d probably never do it. In fact, it was a certainty that if he didn’t do it, he never would feel this way again. He had to act, or he’d simply miss this opportunity.

---

A gentle pressure on the stallion’s arm bid him to wake, and as he did he found himself looking into those same purple eyes from all those years ago. The mare who had those eyes smiled warmly as the stallion looked into them, his heart singing out its victory song once again, the same as it had that one day back in school.

The mare raised an eyebrow as the stallion’s face broke into a massive smile. “What’s got you so happy?”

The stallion stole a quick kiss from the orange pegasus, before he graced her with an answer. “You. I dreamed about that note, again. And I realized that I am the luckiest stallion alive.”

The mare just smiled before she stole the kiss back. “No, not the luckiest. The smartest. You did as a colt what few stallions can do when they’re adults. You put your heart out into the world, knowing that it could take from you everything. You took advantage of an opportunity that’s always available, but is often the hardest thing in the world to actually do.”

(There's probably a moral here somewhere. I'll let you find it, though.)

Comments

[Avid Reader]

Scootaloo?

Let's see what unfolds.

Comment: Nice read. Cute and simple. There is a bit of a life lesson there.

[Alchemo Arrow]

This sounds adorable! Time to read!

Edit: That was very sweet and cute, keep on writing Jet!

[chasethebrony]

This story gave me the warm fuzzies.

[djthomp]

Short and sweet and very cute.

[GuitarKirby]

Fun little one shot, no doubt of that. You slipped into second person for a bit on one of the paragraphs, though.

[suckmyponycock69]

This put a smile on my face.

[IndecisiveOlivia]

D'awww!!!

I find it slightly humiliating that this colt had the guts to do what I never could. I had many crushes in elementary, but I'm not exactly appealing in a romantic way. I've never had anyone like me that I liked back.
...
...Wait, I've never had anyone like me at all!

[Dusty Sage]

He who hesitates is forever alone.

[Will of Haphinea]

*swoon! Short but SUPER effective!

Heart has fainted!

[Zytharros]

1462598
The thing is to find someone who you like, not who is like you. Someone who can put up with your shortcomings as much as you can theirs. Difference works when both parties are willing to listen.

[Starman117]

Hoo Scootaloo

[brickguy213]

Hey, this story was so short and sweet. So I promoted this and all your other stories on a blog post on my page. I only have 4 followers, but every little bit counts right?

[Jet Howitzer]

1463103 This is true.

[brickguy213]

1463168 I've been following you for quite some time now. The first story of yours I read was The Color of Apples back in August. I finally decided to get off my butt and read the others. I'm 70% done with I Would Give to You. After that what comes next, Faux Pas or Rising Sun.

[Jet Howitzer]

1463278 Faux Pas. Although technically Rising Sun is a prequel to all of them.

[IndecisiveOlivia]

1462735
I think maybe you misunderstood? I meant that nopony has ever felt a romantic attraction to me. I didn't mean there were too many differences; For love, I would forgive many a shortcoming.
I may never have a marefriend, and I certainly don't want a coltfriend, so I'm literally forever alone.

I'm not sad, though. Lonely, definitely, but not sad. I guess the lonely life suits me, no matter how much it didn't...
(Indecisive trails off wistfully, looking at the ground.)

[Zytharros]

1463493
Coulda. Well, for some it takes longer than others. I wouldn't say forever alone. Christopher Robin once sang, "Forever is a really long time, Pooh", and it is. Chin up - you'll eventually find the mare of your dreams, or most likely a reasonable facsimile, and you'll be clammy as a hap.
Waitasec...

[Bronyfan]

1462687
Sadly my friend i know that... 3 times over...
How sad. But this story was cute! Had me smiling at the end!

[XFalkagaX]

i Feel a Reading Coming on!

Oh and DAWWW

[Lucien Chance]

Nice, only caught one error.

The colts pen once again touched the scrap,

Colt's?

And that's it! Great job, nice moral, and itching to find who the colt was. I expect moar from you. //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Scootaloo_lolface.png

[Lord Vinder]

That just restarted my heart,
SO MUCH DAWWW!

[HuskSummers]

Awesome story Jet!

[KnoFear]

This gave me the warm fuzzies. Also, inb4 feature, I bet.

[ThePinkiePieEffect]

1462381

Me too, man. Me too.

....Although me getting together with one of my past girl bullies that would be a boy now?

DOES NOT WANT.