Take My Heart, But Not My Studded Bracelets

by Xutiepops

Put in Your Ear Buds and Listen to the Trashy Song You Got From Your Friend

The next few days were nice, and they had a nice routine to them. She'd get up, read the conversation she'd miss from going to sleep so early, go to school, have fun at lunch, go home, do her homework, then text her friends. Simple as that. Rainbow Crash didn't even look at her anymore. Which she didn't mind, it wasn't like losing a close friend. But, she'd never have anyone talk to her and then never talk to her again. And being the paranoid girl she is, she's been doing everything to try to fix what Crash could've seen wrong with her.

She'd ask Sour Sweet for makeup tips, she asked the five if something was wrong with her. The one response was: 'Well, you are kinda nerdy, but it's cute for you.'

And still being the paranoid girl she is, she tried changing the biggest part of her character. She decided to stop paying so much attention in class -she still got a 95 on her test, to her dislike. Mrs. Cheerilee was so proud, she made a scene about it at her table.

And since Rainbow was watching, she couldn't possibly admit she did everything to study for it. So she just said Crystal Prep was a challenging school, and that she had a brief understanding of the material before she left. Which was an utter lie, and Pinkie made it obvious she was a terrible liar.

Then, she started worrying if Crash could tell she was lying, and that she was a bigger bookworm for hiding it. One day at lunch, she was so caught up in her thoughts, she wasn't focusing on the conversation at hand, and she wasn't participating in it.

"Yo! Twilight!" Pinkie yelled in her ear, causing her to jump. She fixed her glasses and smiled to hide her embarrassment. Pinkie was even more confused, "What's up with you?" She gasped and she looked so worried. "Is something wrong with you? Are you not liking the school?" She gasped again. "Are you missing your old friends so bad you're planning to get rid of us so there's room for them at Canterlot High?!"

Everyone looked confused, even the girls in Rarity's clique that learned not to pay attention to them. Rarity rolled her eyes, "Darling, please! Stop with the obnoxiously unbelievable ideas!"

"But it's so fun!" Pinkie beamed happily.

As usual, Fluttershy offered the help and advice while Rarity and Pinkie argued. Even if she didn't talk to Twilight a lot, but she seemed to care about her. "You have been off recently. Are you sure you're okay?"

Twilight smiled sadly, "Yeah. It's just... am I too nerdy?" Her question brought Rarity and Pinkie out of their arguing. They looked to Twilight as if she said something in a different language. Their silence only scared her further. She hung her head and sadness morphed her expression into a frown. "I am... aren't I?"

Fluttershy shook her head, before Rarity could agree with Twilight. "I don't think you are. If that's the case, I'm just as nerdy." Twilight stared at her, she giggled. "I spend hours studying for a test, I got a 90 on the test in Cheerilee's, she's just used to high grades from me."

Twilight hung her head again, "Yeah, but you're so shy, no one notices."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Everyone has a charm about them. A charm is something nice, just because you're 'nerdy' doesn't mean it isn't charming."

Twilight looked up at her, interested in what she was saying. And, she actually believed it would take her out of her spiraling change of character that has been going on for a week out of the three she's been there.

Fluttershy smiled. "You're Twilight, and I like Twilight because she's so nerdy, because she's so smart. It almost feels like I don't have to have the answers around you." Her smile was so comforting, her voice was so gentle and motherly.

Twilight smiled. "I get why you help animals." Fluttershy giggled in delight. Twilight just felt like she knew Fluttershy better, but she could tell there was a secret to her. There had to be a reason for why she was so nice... and why she said everyone had a charm.

Even Pinkie had to have a reason for being so cheerful. And Rarity had to have a reason for being so dramatic. Twilight told herself every part of a person had a reason, something personal wasn't genetics. It was something, even it the person them themselves didn't know the reason. There was one.

"Twilight! You back to normal and you're not going to murder us in cold blood for -" Pinkie looked at her hand and read from it "- Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, Indigo Zap, and Lemon Zest?" She smiled brightly. She blinked twice as she waited, fast and with barley any time in between each other. Like she was fluttering her eyes and was cut off.

Her blue eyes against her pink skin were so pretty and she was an unexplained beauty. Twilight shook her head to stop romanticizing her friends eyes. Once Pinkie saw this, she gasped. "You're not?"

Twilight brought herself back to reality and shook her head again. Pinkie was even more confused. "No you're not, or no you are?"

Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled at her friend's silliness. "No, I'm not going to murder you for my old friends," she smiled. "Wait, how'd you know their names?"

Pinkie giggled. "You always walk out of school and get on your phone, I just bounced behind you and saw who you were texting!"

"Oh," Twilight said, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hey, do you girls have any friends... you know... outside of Canterlot High?" Her question pulled Rarity from her conversation with Octavia. She smiled giddily.

"Oooh!" She made herself noticed. A smile plastered on her face. "Of course! Her name's Coco Pommel." She scrolled through her phone and showed a picture to the three girls.

The picture was of a girl with cream skin. She had a blue bob with a flower headband. She wore a cream colored dress with purple ribbons that slid down to white socks. The girl was being hugged by Rarity and another girl with pink skin and purple curly hair up in a bun.

Twilight gasped. "Isn't that Suri?" She pointed to the girl with pink skin. Rarity nodded and put her phone away.

"We all went to the same elementary school, of course we met up last summer and that's when I took the photo," Rarity continued. "Suri went to Crystal Middle while Coco moved to Manehatten for art school two years ago."

She almost looked mad. But Rarity's mad look was simple annoyance and a frown. She huffed. "Though I do wish Suri would stop using Coco and stop leading her on." This confused everyone, but they decided not to question it. Well, that was until Pinkie questioned it.

"They're dating? They seem so cute together!" She gushed. Rarity rolled her eyes as she drank her sugar-free juice.

"Oh please, darling! They're a cute picture, if Suri didn't lead her on and cheat on her," Rarity snarled. Pinkie was about to ask for more, until Rarity continued to shut her up.

"I do have another friend, Sally Saddles, I don't have any pictures of her since I see her all the time. She's always visiting from Vanhoover, she's in college working on fashion!" Rarity gushed happily. She clapped her hands, "She said she'll help me when I get there!"

"That's amazing, Rarity," Fluttershy smiled. Pinkie crossed her arms and laid back, expecting the back of a chair to catch her. Once she realized there wasn't one, she was already falling out of her seat and laughing. The rest of them started laughing too.

---

Once Twilight learned there was a soccer game against Crystal Prep, she immediately texted her brother that she'd catch a ride home with someone else. She knew Pinkie would be going, so she was set.

Her and Pinkie bounced up onto the bleachers, well, Pinkie bounced. Twilight walked and they took a seat next to Vinyl and Rarity.

"Where's Fluttershy?" Pinkie asked Rarity who had the shy girl for fourth. Rarity leaned back against the bleachers behind her, taking the drink Vinyl had.

"Oh please, do you really think Fluttershy would partake in viewing a soccer game? She's terrified of the soccer players!" Rarity exclaimed. She smiled slyly as Vinyl grabbed her drink back. Twilight noticed this and took a seat next to Rarity, Pinkie plopping down just to jump up and run off.

"Hey Rarity," Twilight started, watching as Pinkie ran off and more questions flooded her mind. She turned back to Rarity. She noticed Rarity was drinking from a drink of her own. "Are you jealous of Suri?"

She got the cliché reaction she expected. Rarity shot up from her relaxed expression and spit out her drink. She covered her mouth as she coughed. Her red face turned to Twilight with hate. "What type of question is that? And couldn't you see I was drinking?"

Vinyl started snickering in the background. But Twilight felt too bad to notice. She rubbed the back of her neck, "I-I-I just..." She was cowering under Rarity's harsh stare. "Uh... what I mean is..."

"What's happening!" Pinkie bounced in to save the day. Rarity smiled to hide her annoyance while Twilight smiled just the same to hide her shame. She looked at Twilight, "Hey Twi, isn't one of your friends a soccer player?"

Twilight nodded happily. "I can't wait for the game to be over! I could introduce you guys to my friends! I hope they're here!"

Rarity's hatred deflated to confusion. "Why wouldn't they be here, darling?" She asked. Twilight smiled and smiled brighter when an announcer started talking. She acted as if she didn't hear Rarity. She still had no idea how to tell her new friends that her old friends weren't the nicest.

She looked over to the Crystal Prep bleachers. She tried to see if she could find Sugarcoat's big, pastel hair or Sour Sweet's bright skin. She couldn't so far, so, she pulled out her phone to ask if they were going to be there.

She sighed at the response. 'No, we have to help plan for the school dance. Ugh, it's so stupid,' Sour Sweet typed. Twilight started panicking.

'But Indigo Zap is still playing, right? She's the captain, she has to be here,' She typed. She could feel Pinkie Pie peering over her shoulder, and she could hear Rarity talking away with Vinyl as the Wondercolts made their way on the field.

"Oh! Look at the cheerleaders!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing down at the field. Twilight noticed Sunset Shimmer was one of them. She smiled, "I would've been one, but I could only do the dance and yearbook or be a cheerleader. So I picked dance and yearbook!"

Rarity smiled, "I'm so happy that Shimmer used my design. She didn't look so happy when I offered them." She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair, putting one of her legs over the other. She smiled at Vinyl and continued their conversation.

Twilight noticed the cheerleaders yelling 'Won-der-col-ts for the win!'. And she also noticed how determined the soccer team was. Each of the girls looked mean and glared daggers at the Shadowbolts arriving on the other side of the field.

Their arms were crossed and their aggressive looks had their hint of cocky. Same went for the Shadowbolts.

She looked down at her phone and tapped her fingers on the top of it anxiously as she bit her lip. She hadn't seen Indigo Zap yet. She looked down at the black screen of her phone as her leg bounced involuntarily.

Suddenly, a question brought her out of it, she looked to Pinkie. "I thought soccer was spring and summer... and into November. Why are they playing now? And isn't this their first game of the season?"

She didn't understand any sport, she barley knew what a 'season' was. She had Indigo Zap explain it to her once, but she couldn't remember. The most she knew of a sport were the rules of soccer.

Pinkie smiled. "Since Canterlot High doesn't have a football team, they let the soccer players play whenever other schools can play." She pulled a box of popcorn from behind her back. "Popcorn?"

Twilight had no idea where she got it, but she took it anyways with a smile. Suddenly, her phone vibrated and she shoved the popcorn back to Pinkie, fumbling to see the new message.

At about the same time, she heard the announcers say the names of the captains. "Captain of the Wonderbolts soccer team... Rainbow Dash!" She jumped at hearing the name.

Rainbow Crash? Captain of the soccer team? But doesn't she have a failing grade in history? I mean, she should, she doesn't attend class. Twilight thought. She might get the homework and do it at home, she does have the internet.

Now, she was worrying if she was being insensitive. What if Rainbow didn't have everything she had? And that was why she was so mean all the time?

"The captain of the Shadowbolts soccer team..." the announcer boomed. She brought herself out of her insecurity and stared intently at the field. She noticed Rainbow standing in front of her team, but she didn't care. "Indigo Zap!"

She jumped to her feet and clasped her hands together. She stared happily at the Shadowbolts, waiting to see her friend run to the front lines of them. So she saw it. She saw her old friend in a vicinity near her where she could see her friend. She was so happy to see her.

She ignored the vibrating of her phone in her pocket, she ignored the intense pulling on her skirt by Pinkie and Rarity. She ignored everything, she had felt so far away from everything. All she saw was Indigo Zap, her oldest friend.

What she didn't see was Rainbow Crash staring at her. Rainbow was furious to see Twilight there. Why would a egghead brat be at my soccer game? Shouldn't she be studying? Rainbow thought rudely.

Then she noticed that Twilight was staring... almost blissfully at something. She almost thought it was her until she noticed the other teams captain flash Twilight as smile. Of course! She fumed. Crystal Prep brat's friends with another Crystal Prep brat.

Her blood boiled at the sight. So, she smirked. She had a real reason to beat Crystal Prep this time, she wanted to see Twilight's depressed little face when her friend got beaten.

She looked at Indigo Zap with a smirk. Indigo returned the smirk and said, "I'll beat you, ya know?"

She snorted. "Yeah right, there is no way I'll let you win."

"Why's that?" Indigo asked with interest. This girl almost seemed to have vengeance to pull against her.

Rainbow smirked as she turned back to her team. "I wanna see Twilight cry when you lose." She stuck out her tongue and ran off. Indigo was completely appalled. Twilight compared her to this girl? A girl who seemed to hate Twilight?

She shook it off and ran back to her team. She'd complain about it to Twilight later. But now she had a reason to beat Canterlot High. Nobody is gonna think they even want to make Twilight cry. I might as well aim to hurt her leg in the process. Indigo huffed. I already know we're that good.

---

Pinkie cheered loudly with the rest of Canterlot High for the Wonderbolts. Twilight, on the other hand, cheered with every goal Crystal Prep made. Of course, people stared at her with hate and she'd cower and stop. But that didn't stop her from doing it again and again.

When Pinkie Pie left to go get some snacks, and Rarity was too caught up in drama with Vinyl, she sat up in the corner of the bleachers just a row above her. She disliked heights, but saying as so many people were on the bleachers, she felt more safe than scared. Besides, if she fell, the rest fell.

She pulled out her phone and ear buds, she started listening to some songs Lemon Zest sent everyone. She texted Sunny Flare and Sugarcoat about the game, having calmed down from her hype of it all.

She smiled as she nodded along to the awful song that was playing in her ears. She could never stop listening to Lemon Zest's blaring music, despite how much she disliked it. She almost played it to keep her focused.

She was used to watching the games with her friends. They'd get all giddy and hug each other whenever Indigo Zap made a goal. But she had no one to do that with, so she got pretty bored. And of course, the silence of anticipation slid into the roaring crowd of pride and cheers. So she'd stay awake, gladly.

The game was almost over, thankfully. But she was really surprised when they were tied, 2 to 2. Based on how the game was already going, she declared that whoever had the next point would win. Throughout most of the game, the two seemed to have a huge grudge against the other, so they stood at a tall stalemate.

With only five minutes left, she was starting to get excited again. She couldn't wait to see her friend, even if they talked most days. And even if she had only been away from her old school for three weeks.

But, it was so... weird for her. Growing up next to someone, then to never see them again. That vague feeling just amplified more and more as time went on. It was as if she never grew up with her friends. She couldn't take it.

She was so happy to see her friend again. That vague feeling had completely disappeared at the sight of her. To talk to her would be a dream.

Suddenly, a pink fluffball plopped down next to her with a ear-to-ear smile. Glee became her aura, you couldn't help but be happy around her. Both girls were on edge with anticipation as they saw the ball pass back and forth.

If it was heading to Canterlot's goal, Twilight would push herself further on her seat. If it was heading to Crystal Prep's, Pinkie sled to the edge of hers.

The ball had been passed back and forth so much, the two girls fell off of their seats. They sat in the in-between when they heard the roaring crowds. The two gasped at the other and jumped up to see who made the goal.

The timer went off to signal the end of the game. Crystal Prep's students jumped up from their seats in cheers and claps. Pinkie yelled, "Yay!" and hugged Twilight as tight as she could. Twilight saw the defeat and fatigue that masked the faces of Canterlot High.

What she did see was Rainbow staring directly at her. The captains chest fell and rose with heavy breaths as she stared at Twilight. Even when she was aware Twilight noticed her, she didn't look away. The girl's fists curled into balls, her teeth gritted, and her eyes stared daggers before she turned away with a huff.

She felt so confused. But once she saw students depart from the Crystal Prep bleachers and hug the team members or give them a high five, she ignored it completely and pried Pinkie off of her and ran down the stairs beside the bleachers down to the edge of the field.

She shoved her phone in her pocket in the process, taking out her ear buds. She ran as fast as she could without tripping over the stairs and without tripping over the people eager to leave the boring game. She smiled as she heard Pinkie Pie bounce behind her and Rarity's apologies for running into people.

Indigo Zap waited by the edge of the field with a sad smile. Twilight jumped off of the stairs and into Indigo's arms. They hugged happily.

Once they pulled apart, Indigo was the first to say something. "Yeah, Twi is just as dorky, nerd." She smiled weakly. Twilight laughed as Pinkie Pie and Rarity ran behind her, catching their breath. Indigo took a close look at them and smirked. "Yeah, you definitely replaced us."

Twilight laughed. "No way! Congrats on winning! You were awesome!" She clasped her hands together and smiled ear-to-ear. Indigo laughed at her enthusiasm and puffed her chest out.

"Of course we would win! I got the best team ever!" She smirked. Suddenly, her expression hardened to seriousness. "What and who is that Rainbow chick? She's a jerk and you compared me to her."

Twilight cowered under her friends harshness. She knew Indigo Zap took pride in herself, so of course comparing her to a brute like Crash would insult her. Why didn't she think of that? It would've happened eventually.

"And I'm awesome, how could you possibly compare to me?" A voice shot rudely. The four turned to the approaching Rainbow Crash with balled fists and a ticked expression. Indigo crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"You? Awesome?" Indigo asked and pointed at her. Just to give a small laugh. "I beat you, remember? Or are you too stubborn to admit it?"

Rainbow's expression only got more and more intimidating. She snarled. "Oh hush it. Go drown in Crystal Prep's bullshit." Rarity cowered behind Pinkie Pie and covered her ears. Indigo rolled her eyes.

"Curse words, real mature, Dash," Indigo shot with a smirk.

Twilight rolled her eyes, for some reason, the fear that Crash should've created died down at the bickering of two people who were so alike. "Her name's Rainbow Crash," she started, much to both of their surprises. She sighed, "And you curse just as much."

Indigo growled. "Whose side are you on? A jerks -" she pointed at Crash, then at herself "-or mine? Your childhood best friend?" Rainbow smirked.

"Hah!" She spat. "Looks like time only makes wounds." Her smirk matched the one Indigo wore just a minute ago. They crossed their arms and simply stared at the other, silently agreeing to a staring contest.

Twilight groaned. "Stubborn," she started, catching the attention of the two. "Cursing, competitive, hate school work, cocky." She raised an eyebrow. "Should I continue?"

The two didn't speak. She expected the shameful-hating reaction from Indigo Zap, but from Rainbow? She had no idea why the girl was... well listening to her. But that didn't stop her from defusing the fight further.

"Just because one's my friend and one's a jerk doesn't mean you two don't share similar traits," she continued. "You just don't want to admit it...." she started thinking. "And I don't know why!" The anger in the two ignited again.

"Because she hates you!" Indigo explained and defended herself. "I don't want to be compared to a person who hates my friend."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, not caring to continue this. She growled at Twilight, "You don't know a thing about me, Sparkle." She turned away and walked off without another word, though she seemed cooled off. As if she had anger she took out on Indigo Zap just because it made sense.

Twilight was almost worried, the girl looked so defeated, and the way she walked mirrored that. But she turned back to Indigo, knowing her bus would have to leave soon. She smiled.

Then, she smirked. "So, you were... defending me?" Indigo chuckled at her and punched her playfully on the shoulder, only for her to laugh back.

"Sure thing, Twi," Indigo winked. "You can count on me!" She puffed out her small chest and put her hands on her hips proudly. She looked at Pinkie.

"Pinkie Pie," she pointed at the correct girl. She pointed at Rarity, "...Fluttershy?" Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie burst into laughter. She started laughing too.

"Indigo! The bus is leaving soon!" They heard a person yell. Twilight and Indigo's faces instantly fell to sadness. But Indigo was the first to flash a sad smile.

"Hey," she started. "It was nice to see you. And I'm sure Cinch'll schedule more games with Canterlot High, they are kind of our rival." She chuckled sadly. Once she noticed her attempt didn't lighten up Twilight's mood, she hugged her again.

"It's just... it's so weird without you around," Twilight hugged her tighter. Indigo Zap sighed.

She smirked at an idea,"Well, don't go getting feelings, Twi." She laughed at Twilight's red face. "I've liked you for way too long for you to only like me now."

Twilight was so shocked to hear this. Indigo... liked her? She'd expect Sunny Flare, but not Indigo. But she smiled anyways. "Don't worry, I have memories to get me over your imagination," she laughed. Indigo laughed too.

"Kinda just thought I should've told ya before I decided to get over ya. Kind of nice to hear you never liked me," she looked up wishfully at the sky. She looked back to Twilight, "Now I know all those years didn't build up to some cliché."

"INDIGO!" They heard a voice yell. Indigo laughed nervously and hugged Twilight again. Just before she left, she pecked Twilight on the cheek and ran off.

"Oooo!" Rarity and Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "That was adorable!"

Comments

[DavisSentoV5]

Indigo laughed nervously and hugged Twilight again. Just before she left, she pecked Twilight on the cheek and ran off.

I ship them!

P.S. I'm surprised of the lack of comments in the last two chapters, so here's one on the house