A Story of Love (Among Others)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

Of Human Bondage

Author's Note:

Sorry! I was sick yesterday and completely forgot to publish

Two months had passed since Fire Streak got married. We were in August. The girls and I had almost finished recording our first album and soon we were going to start promoting as well. Soarin was in Ecuador, shooting a part of the second to last episode of "The Greatest Show Off" up until October.

Routine was back on track. I was playing music all the time and only stopped to watch movies, eat, sleep and go to the gym. I didn't want to let go and be defeated, especially after I had seen Coloratura giving in. It would have been pointless, as it has always been, anyway, to cry upon my own fate.

So why was I here, sluggish in front of my cello, the bow in my hands, up in the air, like I was going blank.

Pinkie Pie was sitting beside me in our music room, staring at me with worried eyes. By the way, she wasn't dating Cheese Sandwich yet since he took his time before asking her out, though they made a few movies together, always on my good advice.

She nudged my shoulder, trying to shake me off.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

"Why of course!" I said, nodding.

But I was unable to pull it together. My mind was blocked on a matter, something which popped up suddenly and that I couldn't get rid of now, like a song you hate which would always come back to you even if you do your best to forget about it.

"You're lying!" Pinkie cried, pointing her flute at me, shaking it right under my nose. "You're being worked up by something. What is it now?"

I didn't want to say it. It was stupid, it was baseless and I was ashamed of thinking such a thing. Yet, Coloratura's story had taught me something important. Sometimes it felt good to say what hurt you out loud. It wouldn't cost me a thing to try to voice my fears, for once.

"Maybe... Maybe he never calls because Soarin dosen't miss me. Or he doesn't love me anymore."

Tears were starting to rise and it took all my will to repress them. It was probably a mistake because crying would have do me some good but I didn't want that relief and although there was no one in the music room except my friends and I, well I knew there was our producer talking with the other technicians behind the window of the recording booth.

Pinkie's reaction was this one... She giggled, like a fool. Fine. Glad to see my fears were taken so seriously!

"Excuse me but it's a bitter pill to swallow. There is absolutely no doubt that Soarin's completely head over heels for you still."

"How can you be so sure? You're a psychic now? Should I start calling you Patrick Jane?"

Surprisingly, my best friend's comment was enough to get me out of my drowsiness and I had my full expressiveness already back at me. It meant that, deep inside, I knew she was right. However, only because I liked to have the last word and the gainsayer, I didn't admit it.

"Do you remember Big Mac's little sister Applejack? The one who knew Coloratura as a child?"

"Yeah, what's your point? Is she a psychic? Reading future in apple juice?"

"No... She was the caterer of a party for the launching of "The Greatest Show Off" special DVD edition, two weeks ago. They let Soarin sing a song to entertain the guests and the video is now viral on Youtube. Guess what song it is?"

"You think my name's Blanche Tyler or something?"

"Stop being so silly. It was Rainbow!"

This was the first song I sang to Soarin when he asked to hear my voice. I took my guitar and, without any other accompaniment, I just sang the words, which were everything I didn't dare telling him. Ever since, we always agreed that it would be our song. It was only accidental the song also bore my name.

I was blown away by the fact Filthy Rich let him do something like that in public. Of course, no one knew it was addressed to me and many probably imagined it was for the main female star of "The Greatest Show Off", Sunset Shimmer whom he was good friends with but that rumors said they were secretly dating. If I ever had given credits to that saying, it wasn't the case anymore, now that I knew that. He probably knew I would end up seeing this video one day and would understand the message. I was so glad.

And at the same time... I was unable not to think that it was some sort of outrage from Filthy Rich to allow this. It was supposed to please me and reassured me yet I took it like him defying me, saying "look what I can do. I control your romance, sweetie and here's the proof."

The fact remained that it had killed my whole anxiety attack, like a soap bubble bursting against a tiled wall. Soarin still loved me, and he missed me as much as I missed him. So, there was no problem? Not exactly. I couldn't help wondering how long would I be able to put up with this. Would I be able to stand Filthy Rich's wicked game much longer? The shadow of a doubt started to grow in the back of my mind...

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Each time I watched the video, I always had goosebumps. I liked it so much.

Though I was supposed to be alone tonight, Pinkie decided that she would stay to have dinner with me. Then Cheese Sandwich arrived unexpected, with Coloratura who he had met in the building's hall and a friend of a casting call. Then Fire Streak rang at my intercom a little later, with beers for everyone. A miracle happened, since Cheese Sandwich finally made out with Pinkie and both were happily busy exploring each other tonsils. Though both were in the same room, Coloratura was doing her best to forget about Fire Streak's presence and had hit on Cheese' casting call friend. When I went to the toilets for a red alert emergency, she was locking the door of my guest room.

But when I got down to the living-room again I was surprised to see that both Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich were gone too and it only remained Fire Streak, sitting on my couch with a pout, his arms crossed.

"Where Cheese and Pinkie gone?" I asked him.

"Pinkie Pie had to go back home so Cheese Sandwich offered to her a drive."

"Oh. Well, maybe I'm going to hit the sack too, then. You should do the same. It's getting pretty late."

"No, I... I want to wait for Coloratura, if you don't mind. Maybe we could hang out somewhere after that."

I frowned. Cleary I didn't know what it was up to but I knew it was playing with fire. He was acting as if Coloratura owed him anything. But she didn't. They weren't committed and she didn't have to expect anything from him, she was a free agent. He was a married man now and he had to let Coloratura turn the page and stop suffering because of him.

I crouched in front of Fire Streak and looked straight into his eyes. Something told me he wouldn't like what I was about to say but he needed to hear it from someone.

"Go back home to your wife. She's probably worried. Rara has to forget you. You really hurt her, do you know this?"

"You just don't get it, Dash. I can't let anyone else have Coloratura."

"So, maybe you had to marry her instead!"

"I also love Fleur de Lis."

"Gosh, go back home! It's the best thing to do. What are you going to do with two women at the same time? A threesome? Let's be serious. Some are all alone and sad right now in the world."

"Yeah," he said with an arrogant smirk. "And some have a man somewhere in another part of the world that they haven't seen for almost a year, how miserable they are!

I clenched my jaw. This didn't convince me I had to be nice to him. If he hadn't been my friend, I would have punch his face, I swear. Instead, I decided to Rhett Butler him. With a bit less class, though.

"You know what? F*ck you! Stay here and suffer. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!"

Upset, I went back to climb my stairs, ready to go to bed without even saying goodbye to him. I was trying to play my role as a friend and here was how he was treating me. I was expecting to hear him going away, slamming the main door with a curse but instead he called out to me.

"I'm sorry, Dash... It was mean. Please, forgive me, I didn't want to hurt you. You're right, I'd better get home. Thank you for the mental slap. I needed it."

Upon these words, he calmly left the apartment, closing the door behind him in silence. I was a bit puzzled. People suffering had very strange reactions. Love could rattle even the most watertight person to feelings. I wasn't sure whether I liked that but I had no other choice, just like any other of my friends.

I sat on the steps of my stairs and put my arms against my laps, then my chin against my wrist. I needed to think things through. I had to admit what Fire Streak say had shaken me. I hadn't seen my boyfriend for almost a year... Damn, that hurt!

There was that displeasant sensation deep inside me telling me it couldn't go on. I loved Soarin more than words could say, like I never thought I would ever love anyone, but at each hour passing by, I was feeling farther and farther away from him. I didn't know for how long I would be able to handle such a situation. I was almost reaching my point of no return, where enough was enough.

I shook my head, trying to move these dark thoughts away from me and got up to get to my own room. With a sleeping pill, I was going to fall asleep in less than ten minutes, and my mind would wander miles away from it all if dreams wanted to let me sleep peacefully.

When passing by the guest room yet I noticed something. There was no noise. Coloratura and the casting call guy couldn't be done already. I had just thought this that the door opened. Curious, I discreetly looked what was happening from behind my own door, slightly ajar.

Coloratura still had her dress on, not even crumpled and the boy was fully dressed. She muttered an apology. Casting call boy looked a bit disappointed but accepted her apologies and left without a sound, without a trace. They didn't do anything... It probably was harder than Coloratura thought it would be to get Fire Streak out of her heart.

I could only understand and sympathize.

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I didn't know why I had a dream about Soarin's little sister. Maybe that was because I had received a letter from her in the morning mail. Since I have met her during a holiday where I spent one week at my boyfriend's childhood house, she really often wrote to me. She wasn't the type of girl who really liked new technologies, or anything much social, to be honest. It already was miraculous that she even liked me.

So she wrote to me... What did her letter said? Generally, she asked news about her brother, that she couldn't see much neither, she told me about her latest readings, she explained she was trying to wear dresses sometimes, though she didn't like it but it made her mom happy. She told me what she was doing in College. She was in her first year of science, with a major in viruses and bacteries. She still liked everything very small.

I stretched my hand towards my bedside table and lit it. I had to rub my eyes for a long time before they got used to the light again. One look at my alarm clock - it was four in the morning. And yet, I had taken a sleeping pill. Something was wrong about me.

If I started to rack my brains like this, I was going to feel depressed again. Once more, I rubbed my face, but this time, in order to chase my demons away from me. My problem was that I knew now I would never fall asleep again. I couldn't play music with the advance hour but I could still read a little something. I took my glasses in the drawer of my bedside table - yes, I have glasses to read, don't laugh - and grabbed the suspense novel I recently bought.

It was the story of a young agent of the FBI that had caught a serial killer who attacked gay people and that had been very complicated to catch. She had developped a strange relationship with him, half-admiration half-hatred. Unfortunately, there was a new killer in town, a copycat and the young female agent wanted to know whether he didn't have a connection with that imitator. I was at a moment where an important plot twist made the story go in a different direction, while still being a suspense novel.

Right when I was caught in the novel and focusing completely on something else than my problems, my phone started to vibrate.

I put it next to my alarm clock. Flabbergasted, I took a glance at the time. Five in the morning. Who was crazy enough to call me so early (or so late, it depends on your perception)? I quickly thought it could be Coloratura but it was impossible because she was sleeping in my guest room, feeling blue because of Fire Streak. If she wanted to talk to me, she would have knocked direcly on my door.

I looked at the screen and it said the number was unknown.

"Hey, it's five in the morning! Some people are sleeping sometimes, you know!"

"I'm sorry, Dashie..."

I froze. No, that couldn't be. I was dreaming and my mind was tricking me. I should have been still asleep and thought I had woken up but I hadn't. I couldn't see any other explanation to that unexpected truth.

"Soar... Soar... Soarin?"

I was so surprised I couldn't even say his name without stammering. It had been so long since I had heard his voice for the last time that I wasn't used to it anymore. Like he were just the result of my imagination.

"It's late," I finally muttered.

"I know. I'm very sorry. I bet I woke you up."

"No, you didn't. Let's say I'm rather insomniac lately. But why are you whispering?"

"Actually, I... I borrowed my manager's phone while he was asleep. I'm kinda insomniac as well. I've been thinking about doing this for a while now but that's the first time I dared. There's something I wanted to tell you."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. But it was supposed to be a surprise. So, please, when it's going to happen, act as if you were surprised. Could you do that?"

"Pinkie Promise! But what is it all about?" I said, anxious yet impatient yet curious yet excited.

"Well, I heard the girls and you will have your very first concert in two months. I managed to get a ticket and an invitation to the party afterwards. It's a hundred percent sure that I'm going to be here. And we'll be the two of us after this because I finally will be on holiday."

My heart skipped a beat. I really couldn't believe it. I was going to see him again. For real. Sure a hundred percent. All my limbs turned shaky and feverish.

"Dashie? Have you fallen asleep?" Soarin asked me after a few seconds without a word from me.

"I'm not asleep! I'm trying to digest the information!"

"Does that mean you're happy?"

"What do you think? You goofball!"

I could hear him softly chuckling through the receiver. It had been so long I hadn't heard that chuckle, sweet and silly, so long I almost could feel tears in my eyes.

"Why are you insomniac? Do you have problems?"

"Well," I said with a lump in my throat. "More or less..."

"Please, tell me. I can't be here for you and it makes me feel so sick..."

"Soarin. Don't feel sick for me. You know I'm strong! I miss you a lot, it's true but it takes more to break me."

"I miss you too, you know. I don't know how I did without you... I'm a little bit tired."

"I know I'm awesome but I think you've been doing great, actually. Keep it going. Two months is not so long after the crazy years you had to go through."

"Yes, ma'am!" He chuckled again but this time I thought it sounded a little sadder. "What time is it now?"

I looked at my alarm clock one more time. Daylight had started to softly set through my lowered shutters.

"It's a quarter past five."

"My manager's going to wake up in about two hours, so I'd better find a bit of sleep so I would look fresh when he'll shake me. Don't forget to look surprised when you'll see me in the green-room of your concert."

"You'll be amazed by how good I can play surprised! Rest well."

"Please, do the same, will you? I have to hang up."

"Go," I answered, tears in my voice. "See you soon."

"See you in two months, kiddy."

He already had hung up. I stared at my phone like a fool. Whatever might happen, I would be as strong as I had been until then, for at least two more months. This way, when I was going to see Soarin again, he would find the girl he had fallen in love with, not the shadow of who she used to be, like during our last reunion.

Comments

[CartoonNerd12]

Dude, this better be for real, because I don't know how much more I can take with this roller coaster of torment

[Midday Giggle]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH