Blooming

by Bookish Delight

08: Supportive Texts

Wearing a fuzzy green bathrobe, Wallflower Blush walked into her bedroom, and sighed.

A shower should have been exactly what she needed. Usually, as the warm water washed over her body, she did everything she could to allow relaxation to wash over her emotions. To center herself. To imagine herself in a quiet, lonely spring rain in the middle of an endless garden, one with nature and its tranquility.

Normally that was something she could do, and after doing so, she always felt better and ready to handle the rest of the night, or the next day.

But she couldn't tonight.

Today's lunch hour, and its consequences, had hovered over the rest of her thoughts for the rest of the school day, and still did so now. In the end, all she'd had to show for her time under the water was cleanliness and damp hair. Any girl could do that. She huffed in frustration, blowing a few stray strands away from her face.

Can I really do this? Wallflower asked herself yet again as she got dressed, slipping on a t-shirt and comfortable flower-patterned pajama pants. Sunset and Rarity really believe in me. Heck, it's only been a week and so many people seem to want to be my friend now.

She sat at her desk, resting her chin in her hands, and staring out the window into the Canterlot City evening skyline. Dusk had just passed, so there weren't any stars out yet for her to wish on. But there would be soon.

Not that she cared. Wishing on stars was childish. She certainly hadn't ever wished on stars for the ability to get someone to notice her. Or to make even a single friend. Certainly not every night since elementary school started.

Maybe the stars were taking their time. Maybe all of her wishes had come in at once. Maybe that was why she now slowly getting all of the friends. It was weird, either way.

It would of course, be so easy to just dismiss it all as "pity friendship" in the wake of the whole Memory Stone affair. Even so, Wallflower considered it a moot point. Pity friends were better than no friends. She'd been there and done the latter all her life.

But even given all that, Sunset and Rarity still... sound like they believe in me. Like, they really like me. Rainbow and Indigo seemed nice, too. Photo, and Sunny...

And Juniper...

Wallflower bit her lip with a lazy smile. She couldn't remember having as much fun as she'd had talking with Juniper. Mainly because such a time just didn't exist. She had to force herself to not get herself lost in that diner conversation yet again... or how close they'd been during it.

Instead, she turned her head, and eyed her computer monitor, with her lock screen set to a screenshot of her Canterlot High School garden. She rolled her chair to her keyboard, unlocked the computer, and opened her web browser.

Who are you, exactly?

The World Online Movie Database was a few keystrokes away—as was Juniper's profile. The credits weren't glamorous—they all read "Production Assistant" as far as the eye could see—but they were long, starting several years back and coming up to this year's Daring Do movie, where she was curiously listed as simply "Thanks", and nothing else. Still, Wallflower could barely believe what she was seeing.

Oh gosh. She wasn't lying. Juniper had consistently worked alongside world famous movie director Canter Zoom, for a whole bunch of his productions. How amazing was that?

Now what do I do? I really did just share a smoothie with an Applewood star. And now I'm supposed to just ring her up like it's nothing?

She got up from her chair, walking around her room—a room dotted with potted plants, and walls painted sky blue for tranquility. They barely helped at the moment.

Okay, Wallflower. Calm down. Just talk to her. Just like Sunset said: all you have to do is say 'hi.' I know saying 'hi' has failed for you a whole bunch of times in the past, but... she's already said she wants to be your friend.

She glanced over at the potted violets next to her. After looking for several seconds, she turned to face the pot, and glared, hands on hips.

"What are you looking at? Seriously, why do you look at me like that whenever I pace?"

Silence.

"Yeah, well. You're just jealous you don't have legs."

Wallflower walked over to her bed, picking up her phone from her nightstand, and Juniper's business card. She unlocked her phone, staring at Juniper's number in her contacts.

After some time, she tilted her head, tensing up. "Oh my god, you guys, give it a rest! I know I'm procrastinating," she said, walking to her full-length closet mirror. "Just... give me a minute. I'm not used to doing this."

She looked in the mirror, suddenly very conscious of her slouched, ground-gazing stance—the same one she always had when walking around school, and even around town.

I must have looked awful to her. To everyone. Just like every day. No wonder I'm so easy to ignore. She looked at the card in her other hand. Maybe she really did just pity me for how we, uh, technically met.

She raised her phone, ready to send a text... then froze yet again. "Argh!" she said, clutching her head. "Why aren't I better at this?" she said to the empty room. "Why is this so easy for everyone but me?"

Because I've been burned way too many times before. But this time, someone came to me. This is what I wanted, right? I can't throw it away.

Balling her fists, she strode to her bed, sat down, and raised the phone one last time. She pressed the Text button.

No more going in circles. No more hating myself. Juniper took a chance on me. For that alone, I'll step up to meet her. It's... it's how I'd want people to treat me.

She slowly exhaled, and once she was calm again, opened her eyes and brought up her phone's onscreen keyboard. "Hi, Juniper?" she tapped into the phone. "This is Wallflower. We met at the Sweet Shoppe a few days ago?"

She shut her eyes, and hit "Send". There. It was done. Now to wait. But, for how long? What if Juniper was asleep? Or busy? With better friends? Already, Wallflower regretted even trying to send—

Her phone dinged, three times, in quick succession, snapping her to attention. An "O", an "M", and a "G" were texted, rapid-fire, one after the other. Wallflower couldn't help but giggle.

"Wallflower!" came the next text, with a red heart beside her name. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well." Wallflower wrote, doing her best to avoid reading into Juniper's choice of emoji too much. "How about you?"

"Better, now that you're here. Glad you found the number! Been a few days—was wondering if I'd been too subtle about it, lol."

"Nah." Wallflower grinned as she typed. "Just the right amount of subtle."

A smiley face showed up on her screen. Wallflower furrowed her brow in thought, then texted, "Better? Is everything all right?"

The next text took longer to receive. "Got some more film festival rejections today, that's all." Another right after. "But I've still got half of them out there! I'm not worried."

"Don't be!" Wallflower typed. "From what little I know, film is super competitive. I'm sure one will bite."

No answer. Wallflower decided to take another chance, and type another text.

"I mean... I looked you up. You worked on a bunch of Canter Zoom stuff. You've got the knowledge and experience. If anyone can follow in his footsteps, it's totally you."

More waiting. Finally, she received an answer.

"Legends surrounding the Montage are greatly exaggerated online. In truth, I was a gofer. I got coffees, and smoothies, and handled props and scripts. Until I... didn't anymore."

Wallflower considered asking more about that last part, before Juniper added, "But thank you. I needed to hear that. And don't worry. No way am I giving up. In fact..."

The next thing Wallflower knew, a HoofTube link showed up in her texts log. "The Other Side: Trailer", it was titled.

"What's this?" Wallflower asked.

"Watch it." Juniper replied, with a grinning emoji as punctuation.

Wallflower clicked the link, and spent the next few minutes with her mouth agape as she watched several edited scenes of the movie that had been described at Sugarcube Corner.

It was definitely a drama, especially given Sunny Flare's emphatic performance, shouting to nobody in the rain, while holding nothing but a handbag. She'd heard that Crystal Prep talent were the best at everything, and she was starting to believe it. That said, only Photo Finish knew camera angles like that. They were everywhere, and always moving. Apparently Photo really liked tracking shots.

She didn't know how to express just how impressed she was in a mere text message when it was all over, but she did her best anyway. "This. Is. Awesome! The girls did so great! Juniper, you directed this? It's seriously amazing! Exaggerated, my butt."

She blushed in embarrassment exactly one second after she sent the message, but it was too late to take it back now.

"Really?" Juniper wrote back after a long pause.

"Really!" Wallflower replied. "That trailer totally did its job. When's the premiere? I wanna go." she said with her own smiling emoji.

Five big hearts showed up in response. "Really wish I could hug you thru this phone."

Before Wallflower realized it, she'd sent: "We can do that in person. Wanna hang out tomorrow?"

And then came the barrage, all at once.

"!"
"Wow"
"I mean, YES"
"I have work tomorrow"
"But only in the morning"
"Was just going to watch movies on my own but hanging with you sounds WAY better"
"...I mean, uh, sure"

An embarrassed sweatdrop emoji was the last thing sent.

By this time, Wallflower's grin was a big as her bedroom. She kicked her feet up and down, scooted backwards on the bed to lean against the headboard, and hugged her phone close, squealing.

So this was what it was like.

The phone dinged again. "You remember where I work?"

"Canterlot Cinema, right? Wait, that's the mall." Wallflower tilted her head in realization. "Haven't been to the mall in years, actually. Wow."

Another barrage showed up.

"WHAT"
"omg"
"we're doin it"
"Junie and Wall's Excellent Mall Adventure"
"no wait"
"MALLFLOWERS"

Wallflower spittake-laughed. Loudly. She fell sideways, lying on the mattress.

"1pm work?" Juniper asked.

"Definitely." Wallflower replied.

"Great!" Another smiley, sandwiched in between two hearts this time. "See you then."

"Yep! G'night."

"Night!"

Wallflower exhaled, affording herself another tiny squeal afterwards. Did I seriously just do what I think I did?

She got off her bed, still in a daze, and walked back to the potted violets on her desk.

"Guess what? Pretty sure I just asked Juniper out." She planted her palm on the desk, and leered at the violets with a triumphant smile, straight into their pistils. "What do you think of that?"

Silence.

After several moments, Wallflower's expression soured. She crossed her arms. "Just so you know, I still have several options for replacement plants that don't give me this much lip."

Wallflower sat at her desk. Juniper's movie database profile was still open. Her smiling photo stared at Wallflower. Wallflower stared back, dreamily, her chin in her hand.

"Yeah," she replied to the violets. "It felt... nice."

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

If the next chapter isn't titled "MALLFLOWERS," I will be rather disappointed. And I do love Wallflower arguing with her plants and occassionaly losing.

She planted her palm on the desk, and leered at the violets with a triumphant smile, straight into their pistils.

I just hope she doesn't leer at Juniper like that. Not on the second date, anyway.

[Rose Quill]

Why did I miss out on a potential Jay and Silent Bob cameo here?

[Eroraf86]

"MALLFLOWERS"

Wallflower spittake-laughed. Loudly.

Okay, that got a legitimate LOL out of me. Well played.

So, does Wallflower just imagine her plants talk to her? Or is the Memory Stone not her first encounter with magic?

[Starlight Nova]

Does Vignette appear in this story?

[Darkstarling]

Standing around nerving myself up to say hi for half an hour isn't completely relatable and I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Bookish Delight]

9050262
Nope! This was plotted out before Vignette's special was ever announced. If Vignette ever shows up in one of my fics, I'd likely place it after this one.

[Bookish Delight]

9050282
some of us take half a day ;_;

[Darkstarling]

9050294
Yep, and then there's the whole second round of nerving yourself up to actually look at the response you've been waiting for...

[Nali]

get out of my heaaaaaad

[CapNTilfy]

This was so. Stinking. CUTE!

[Cotton Sweet]

Wallflower, please keep being adorable.

[ariastar]

I love this story amazing i cant wait to read the next chapter

[yoshiman2107]

introducing.......Charley!
The disapproving potted violets.

[BenRG]

That was so sweet and I loved how it was obvious that Juniper had been just as nervous about 'what happens next?' as poor Wallflower had been!

[Blue_Paladin42]

Wallflower 2 cute, nerf plz.
I kid. She is perfection. Aaaaaaaa

[Ri2]

9050287
If you do use Vignette, will you find some way to make her super sympathetic and relatable and lovable like every other character you've ever written, or is her sheer horribleness beyond even YOUR incredible ability to redeem?

Also, if Juniper's going to be the propagandist in the inevitable Sunlight regime, what does that make Wallflower?

[Bookish Delight]

9053265
Making Vignette sympathetic is the easy part, and to be honest, I feel that much like Juniper she's an excellent character concept that her special criminally failed to capitalize on in the name of jokes of course don't we all love jokes you guys

The pain comes in trying to reproduce her dialogue. ::shudders:: Her speech patterns make me want to punch a wall and that's the only reason I haven't written a story about her yet.

(re: question 2: spoilers. ^^)

[Ri2]

9053411
Yes, someone of your genius could redeem her...but at what cost, Bookish? AT WHAT COST?!

Because yeah, every time she opened her mouth I died a little inside too.

[TasermonsPartner]

This is an interesting pairing. Of course, pairing former villains together is nothing new to this fandom, and there are advantages to having two people from similar backgrounds/pasts bond together and heal together. However, you story is also unique in that they don't realize right now that they actually do share that common aspect. They've become friends (and the start of something more) independently of that, and any bonding they share over their pasts will come later.

I also find it interesting that Wallflower is such a fan of cinema and television. It shows her to be a more well-rounded character with multiple interests than her brief introduction in the special could expound upon. Likewise with Juniper's love of gardens and nature, though her appreciation may not be as fanatic as Wallflower's. However, I do find it abit odd just how well Wallflower seems to be at certain social interactions like texting and text-lingo. And how good she is at jokes and sarcasm and joining the flow of small-talk conversations, given that she hasn't really had any successful interactions of the type before now.

If I hadn't seen the special, then, based just on how you've written her, and especially her "teen-scene" dialogue, I'd wonder just why she'd had any problems with social interactions at all. Also, just what happened to all the insensitive jerks from the prologue? I mean, we're given the impression that they didn't outright seek her out and bully her or anything, but did they just decide to go away once she started to hand out with the Rainbooms? Are the Rainbooms secretly working behind the scenes to actively keep them away (now wouldn't that be a twist)?

[Blueelectric]

9050227
Well, I heard talking to plants makes them very healthy, so..