A Story of Love (Among Others)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

The Belles of St. Trinian's

Monday morning was back. Along with it came reality. It was an endless beginning which has gone on without me and will go on without me. I knew it, and yet...

I didn't know how early Soarin left the hostel to get to his school's dormitories but when I passed by his room earlier, there were no lights on. Was he still asleep or had he already left, I didn't know. When he first told me about that dormitories thingy, I thought that weird he wouldn't be living there during weekends as well... But dormitories didn't mean he was like Harry Potter. And surely the infamous dormitories were closed on weekends, nothing else.

It was seven and a half and our first lesson started at nine, but Pinkie Pie and I had out little ritual. I took a train to and wait for her in Main Street. Then we get a line to our school together. We could have got there seperately. But my best friend was scared to be late if she had no good reason not to.

I'd stopped by the newspaper stand and I was leafing through the latest issue of Music World Magazine, almost as if it were some porn material or something... Well, I must admit there were a lot of hot musicians inside and I liked to stare at hot boys who played guitar. Although none of them now seemed to be as hot as the guy next door - literally.

Pinkie Pie was late. I could never understand how could someone be even later than I was. For whatever reason, she's always the one everybody's waiting for, even today. For sure, it fits the rest of the character... Though I know her so much I'm a little less surprised than others. Which doesn't mean she can't surprise me at all.

The stand's salesman didn't take his eyes off me. He was staring at me from under his glasses with such a sinister look that I told myself he surely was thinking I was trying to steal his precious little magazine. Sighing, I put it back on the pile.

Someone screamed my name. Every passersby turned around on my tornado of a best friend, running like mad towards me. She stopped a few inches away, out of breath, her hands leaning against her knees. Her curly hair almost hid her face completely. Before meeting her, I could hear the old salesman mumbling something about young people nowadays, supposedly lacking manners. Pinkie Pie often got this effect on bitter persons.

I went towards her, fixing the cello case on my shoulders. She looked up, her face in fire, cheeks scarlet.

"You're late again... What was it this time?"

If her reasons were important - like mine - I'd understand but most of the time, they were either trifling or weird. As if she was doing it on purpose, just to be better than me on that matter.

"I absolutely wanted to wear these leggings with this sweater, see," she answered as she started to breath again. "Except Mrs. Cake put them with the laundry last night. I had to dry them..."

Mr. and Mrs. Cake were the persons who Pinkie Pie, who came from a farmhouse of the North West, was living with. They weren't related in any way, they simply rented a room for her above their bakery and sometimes, she helped them with cakes and babysat their newborn twins.

Pinkie Pie is a living music video of the 80s when it comes to her look. Everything colorful and eccentric found favor with her, even if it is flashy. Or especially if it's flashy. The leggings in question were some sort of hot pink leatherette. The sweater that stuck out of her black wool cloak was a long sweatshirt, too large for her already generous body, as crimson as her cheeks have been earlier.

I shrugged, choosing not to comment and because I was used to it now, and we walked in the direction of our platform. There are nine stations to go before reaching the CAM. They're all extremely frequented at rush hour, from beginning to end. Pinkie and I knew what was coming next. People, people and people again.

No morning was an exception and no night as well. I pushed her to hurry up as we hurtled down the stairs leading to the platform. The bell resounded, indicating a train is coming near but I wasn't sure which side it was. I also heard Pinkie mumbling because she wasn't an athlete at High School like me and she wasn't able to run that fast, and she already has ran enough for today. I pointed out that she used the argument "not a former athlete" only when it suited her and she laughed. Very loud.

Fortunately, the first train to arrive was the one of the opposite platform.

We had our little trick to avoid the most crowded spots of the train, trick that I regretted I didn't use when with Soarin (I was too caught up on not looking too sappy, I guess). We avoided spots with nearby stairs or benches. People tend to stop there without further thinking. Getting a free seat almost was a miracle... but sometimes, miracles could occur.

"When I think Rarity comes everyday in a car with a chauffeur," Pinkie Pie said, leaning against a trashcan.

Rarity. Pinkie and I regard her as our other best friend. She was a musician as well, and played grand piano. Her father was the CEO of the number one daily newspaper of Canterlot and her mother was a former model. It surprised everyone when she befriended with us instead of the superficial daddy's girls peopling the school. She said it was because she felt like a normal student with us.

"Yeah, some are lucky, that's all."

The bell resounded again, this time for our platform. Pinkie and I took a few steps towards the queue in front of the door. I kicked an imaginary rock, hands in my pocket...

"What a disgrace!"

Behind me, while climbing inside the train, I heard her laughing out loud. When she laughs, Pinkie never puts her hand in front of her face unless there's a boy she likes. Otherwise, she laughs with her mouth wide opened. She doesn't even care about how the others would react to that. She's who she is and too bad for them.

Thankfully, we were able to get two seats side by side in our train. An old lady with a raspberry jacket and flashy clogs looked at us coldly as Pinkie Pie fell on them like a vulture on a prey.

Quickly, the train left the platform. Silence and discretion were required. All eyes were on a screen or reading a book. In Canterlot, people have to be busy when taking the subway. It's some kind of tacit rule to which everyone obeys although they don't know the reason. I didn't want to take my phone out and had no book to read, so I watched my peers.

Pinkie did it so, except I was the peer she was watching. I knew those eyes... She noticed something.

"Is that a new beany?"

Instinctly, I rose my hand and touched the wooly material. I had almost forgotten that Soarin finally gave it to me by hanging it at my knob and that I chose to wear it this morning. To be honest, I wavered about it precisely because I didn't want to be showered down with questions by Pinkie. I thought she hasn't noticed yet and that I was safe. Beep, you were wrong, Miss Dash!

"Uh... Yeah. I bought it last Sunday. Near the school, you know..."

"You went there... And you haven't even called me?"

In general, I had to never go there without her. She was supposed to be my guide, telling me where to go, how not to get trapped and how to bargain. That I went there without her immediatly sounded suspicious and I cursed myself for telling the truth.

"I wanted to do that on my own, for once."

"Yeah, if you say it so," she answered with her distrustful voice. "That's weird, my dear Watson..."

She didn't insist but I knew it, the fact Pinkie seemed to be satisfied with that for now didn't mean she wouldn't try again, if possible when I'd be expecting it the less, in order to get me off-guard - she really likes it. I had to be skilled to avoid her questions or it wouldn't be any good for me.

Not that I was ashamed of Pinkie or that I didn't want to tell her I had a boyfriend now. But Pinkie Pie had decided that before anything to start, she had to approve the boyfriend in question. It was too fresh between us for me to decide to impose him a best friend as curious as a weasel who would season him with questions. It would come all in good time. When it will be so solid that, anyway, no one would find anything else to add.

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Canterlot Academy of Music (aka CAM) wasn't exactly your usual College. Students could start there at age sixteen. Our schedule left free time for creation, free time not to be spent in trifles. In general, lessons in the morning are said to be theory: literature, English and Geography and History of music. Then, on afternoons, we practiced our instruments and had classes of music theory and arrangements, both for our classic and our modern instruments, which were cello and guitar for me, as I said. We also had options like visual arts or creative writing.

With Pinkie, we usually tried not to be too late so we wouldn't have to run to get to our amphitheater. Today, because of my best friend retardedness, we were a bit in a hurry... Further, we could see our small group of friends in front of the main building's stairs. They were easy to spot because of "the twins" and Big Macintosh, one of our friend who was very tall. Big Mac, as we call him, used to work on a farm and had been spotted by our Principal during a gig he was doing with his sister. She asked them whether they'd be interested in learning music as professionals and he said yes, but his little sister Applejack refused because if not, no one would be at the farm to help their grandmother and little sister.

The least I could say is that our bunch was far from being homogeneous. We each came from very different backgrounds (Pinkie's childhood farm wasn't exactly a farm in reality), and had a unique character. But I like our strange bunch, precisely because there's no other bunch of friends like that. I think our differences are what makes us stronger.

Pinkie Pie was in the middle of one of her usual frenzies... She was wondering whether we'd learn novels with erotic scenes because she read a book this weekend that was heavy on the sex scenes. It made me laugh... I don't know whether it was because I was in a good mood or her hare-brained ideas were that good but I know I wanted her to stay in this field. I didn't feel like being questioned again about this weekend.

We were barely arrived yet that I suddenly saw "the twins" (you might have guessed they're not exactly twins... In fact, they weren't even sisters) charging at me, with a very quick pace. Was our teacher absent or something? No, because they would be going towards both Pinkie and me if that was it, each getting an arm to perform the good news.

Except Lyra and Bon Bon (real name's Sweetie Drops) weren't aiming my bestie but only me. They were the easiest to spot after Pinkie and everybody at the CAM knew who they were.

Behind them, Big Mac and Rarity are displaying their usual blasé face, the one they put on each time "the twins" were getting a new fancy. Students were turning around as they passed us by and seemed to be wondering what kind of eccentricites our bunch had on our mind this time.

Lyra and Bon Bon were falling on my neck like furies, speaking both at the same time. I couldn't get a word of what they were saying. And, why me? Pinkie wasn't targeted in the least, which meant I was their only victim. The accent they got when they're overexcited made it very hard for me to understand them and I only could note their gleeful leaps and nothing else. It made my best friend laugh, though she wasn't helping at all, no more than my two other companions, still blasé. How I like them when they're acting this way (feel my big irony)!

Annoyed by the indecipherable and embarrassing noise, I pushed each of "the twins" on the side, gently but firmly, as we almost reached the stoned stairs leading to the main door. It felt even more annoying because my reaction kept on amusing everyone, especially Lyra and Bon Bon, laughing.

"Have you turned mad or something?! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oh, please, don't be so moody," Lyra said, folding her arms with pouty lips. "We're only happy for what's happening to you, that's all."

"Happy for me? Wait, what?"

It suddenly felt as if there was crushed ice inside my throat. If they saw me this weekend with Soarin and they knew about us - through a sheer process of deduction though they often are completely off-beam - I knew I wouldn't like it one bit. I wanted to keep my relationship secret until it got more serious. If they saw me and tell it, Pinkie was going to understand I had lied to her about my beany and she was going to drive me up the wall with it and why coudn't I trust her and how withholding information was the death of people and how wrong it was to hide things from your best friend... And I didn't want that.

I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping no one would see. Maybe I was off-beam and panic-striken (inside) for nothing. I had to master myself in order to avoid misbehaviors.

The two girls looked at each other, an excited expression distorting their features. I feared the worst.

"Haven't you heard?" asked Bon Bon.

"I've just arrived..."

"We heard Cloud Chaser say that Thunderlane liked you and wanted to confess to you real soon."

Cloud Chaser is the infamous Thunderlane's best friend. They were both easy to identify since boys and girls always stuck to them like a bee to honeysuckle. By my side, Pinkie opened her mouth as wide as a fish looking for water. Obviousy, she wasn't expecting this at all and neither did I. It reassured me in a way... But in reality, it didn't. It even was a HUGE problem. Emphasize on HUGE.

Lyra thought it to be awesome. Though dry, my throat was also almost scalding. I had nothing against Thunderlane... back then. He was handsome, athletic, what a lot of my female peers called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity except I wasn't the kind of girl to easily get carried away (please forget about what happened on the previous weekends). And I had Soarin already, though I obviously was the only one to take this factor into account.

"What is going to be your answer?" the other girl asked, curious.

I already knew I was going to say no, if the rumor appeared to be true. But it was best to be wise with those two. They were unrivaled when it came to spread gossips and everybody knew that, by traveling from mouth to mouth, gossips generally end up crippled once they fall into your ears. Inside, I prayed for it to be the case this time.

"Before I answer anything, it has to be real, not just a rumor."

I pushed the heavy door leading inside the building, hurried to get over with that story. As soon as I'd be in the amphitheater, parted from the rest of the group, this rumor was going to vanish away slowly and with a bit of luck would be completely forgotten by the end of the classes.

Unfortunately, I barely stepped forward that I met face to face with Thunderlane, without his best friend, AWOL. He smiled at me, shy, and everybody took an advantage from it to leave us alone so they would be no bother. Passing me by, Big Mac patted my shoulders, as if to encourage me, while Pinkie shows her invisible watch on her wrist, which could be translated like that: get rid of him quickly before classes start.

I had an idea that Thunderlane wasn't Pinkie's type of guy neither. He was too "regular" in his way of thinking, of acting and reacting. The complete opposite of herself, in fact. And of myself as well. Yep, definitely not awesome enough.

His two hands clenching his violin case, dressed with an elegant beige suede coat, Thunderlane was staring at his sneakers, blushing. He was wearing dark blue jeans of an Italian luxury brand and a turtleneck red sweater. His hair was silvery and crop on the side. Classical beauty, he looked a soft and slightly sophisticated. A dream for a girl my age. But not for me, obviously.

"I suppose you already know..."

I was secretly hoping "the twins" enthusiasm had been caused by some misunderstanding of words but at that moment, I knew I had to stop hoping. His crimson face and his embarrassment in front of me were many evidences of the reality.

Maybe it wasn't kind of me but I didn't want to be late for classes. Though our teacher was often absent, when she was here, she didn't put up with anyone cutting off her lecture to get a seat in the amphitheater. It obviously bothers someone who bothers someone who bothers someone. I knew that benevolence would be appropriate in our case. But I hadn't time for that. If only it happened another moment.

"Does it bother you if we're chatting while walking? You know what's that teacher like..."

He said nothing and only nodded. Docile, he followed me as I was climbing the stairs to get to the room.

To be honest, I couldn't understand why he has chosen me when he could have had anyone he wanted. It seemed to be incredible that among the mass of female representatives, he had set his heart on me. Yeah, I was and still am awesome but I mean, there were many other girls with prettier faces and bigger boobs on the campus and he just had to kick a trashcan to get a girlfriend. Or two.

"So..." he started. "Have you heard the rumor?"

"Yeah, obviously. Couldn't be any different with the twins..."

I don't know whether that was supposed to comfort him or not. He kept on following me as we climbed the stairs, lost in thoughts. He said the word "rumor" but I doubted he considered it to be nothing but a silly gossip that he would tell me to forget everything about. Or else, why waiting so long? He would've got rid of it immediately. Unless that was another boys and girls relationship thing that was foreign to me.

Right beside me, I could feel Thunderlane being feverish and this fever reminded me of myself, a few days earlier. Of course, it was a different situation but the principle was the same. I could now understand Thunderlane because I've been in his shoes. In some kind of way.

The other difference was that I already knew what to answer. Yet, I also knew how my classmate would feel and I hoped it wouldn't hurt too much. I couldn't do it any other way even if I wanted to and I didn't want to. Thunderlane was handsome and looked like a very nice person, though I didn't really know him but I think that, even without Soarin in the equation, I would have said no anyway. I don't think he was my type of guy. And he surely wasn't, damn! Something was missing, something I couldn't yet explain.

We reached the amphitheater. Around us, students were coming and going. We weren't alone and he had to deal with it. It was as if Thunderlane willingly wanted to make things complicated. I don't know why didn't he wait for a best moment to come and talk to me. It would have avoided him a small humiliation... Unless he was so sure of his own charms that he was convinced I couldn't say no.

"So..."

I scratched the back of my head and looked all around me, trying to find a diversion to look away. His eyes full of hope made me feel like I was a complete b*tch. He certainly would hold a grudge against me and I wouldn't be mad. Ah ah.

"In fact, you probably found it sudden but it's been a year since I had a crush on you. Your friends scare me a bit, that's why I waited for so long but you are the prettiest girl of this school. I bought the magazine in which you write short stories and I like what you're doing. I like the way you dress and your rainbow hair. Maybe we could... hang out sometimes."

When Soarin asked me out the second time, he had been pretty clear. He said he liked me, he thought I was smart, natural, funny, awesome (of course, he did, how couldn't he?) and that he wanted to get to know me better. He told his intentions. Out of what I write for the magazine, Thunderlane only complimented me on my physical appearance. How could he be sure I was the one for him based on these only requirements? There could be a monster hiding behind my face. Sounded like it hadn't even brushed the back of his mind.

It only confirmed what I thought. Even without Soarin, my answer would have been the same. Thunderlane wasn't my type of guy. He represented an ideal but he lacked spice. He was the typical fantasies of the others, that I wasn't. I didn't want to have someone who looked good and talked smoothy. I wanted someone like the one I have found, who doubted sometimes, could be clumsy too and stroke a chord in me. All that the pretty shaky boy in front of me wasn't. Although I felt sorry for him, I couldn't say anything else than "no".

"Listen, Thunderlane... I don't want to lie to you. I can't accept. I already have a boyfriend."

I know. I told it to him and not to my best friend. But I thought the truth would be less hurtful. No one wants to hear the person they like say they don't represent something attractive, that they don't match our desires. It was better off this way. He would know the truth, that I was a loyal girl who got committed, not a frivolous someone falling on any boy's neck, even though she was not free, just because there was an opportunity. I thought he would suffer a bit less.

His eyes said a lot about it. He was touched in his pride but I felt like deep inside he knew it, unless he regretted he hadn't thought of this possbility. Something was broken inside him. But, as a respectable person, he was able to stay composed, and smiled, though less brightly than usually.

Time was running out and I knew we wouldn't be able to talk deeper about my refusal. He had to hurry up registering the shock in the most honorable way possible because he was that type of person. Those who liked to salvage things because appearances are a concrete wall shielding you from bruises of ego. I knew that too.

"Alright, I understand. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Truth is always better than a white lie, you're right. Thanks for listening to me."

Immediately after that, without a glance back, he rushed into the amphitheater. To be turned down is never easy. I would have feel so bad if I had been in Thunderlane's shoes. In a way, I admired his grit. There were very little chances that
I would have been able to keep so much dignitiy and thank the other for listening to me. I hate losing. More than anything else.

At the exact moment when I stepped into the amphitheater as well, our teacher was standing on the dais, turning her mike on.

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By the end of the lecture, sh*t poured down on me. Or so, I thought. Pinkie was beside me and hadn't asked the slightest question about the confession. She hadn't even tried to know whether or not there had been a confession. For someone as curious as she, it was a miracle. I suspected she was more intrigued about my bonnet than about the whole Thunderlane case.

Myself, I have been far from that all lecture long. Although theory subjects might seem to be minor, in fact they were very important.

Once we were finally delivered, at least until the next lecture, in the same amphitheater, I felt almost relieved to note all the students leaving the room without a care about me. The rumor which wasn't a rumor probably hadn't spread as much as I feared or, in reality, no one gave a sh*t about that.

My optimism was cut short. Thunderlane and his best friend, along with a boy who sometimes hanged out with them, left the room as well and as soon as they went through the door, I saw my whole bunch of friends getting up and gathering around me.

Even the little thing which happened under my flabbergasted nose before the band left went unnoticed. That boy from Thunderlane's bunch put his eyes on Pinkie who smiled at him... reservedly. RESERVEDLY. But the most incredible of it all wasn't even this detail. Pinkie did something she never, and I mean never ever, ever fiveever, do. She lowered her eyes and tucked strands of hair behind her ears. It shocked me so much I couldn't even utter a word. And before I could get together again, "the twins" were within my field of vision, knees against chairs that weren't theirs without a care about crumpling the clothes which weren't theirs neither, eblows leaning against our table, their faces so close to mine it was almost indecent.

Behind them, Big Mac and Rarity half-smiled and shrugged. But... Althoug they were less curious, they were here and wanted to know the end of the movie. Pinkie, meanwhile, played casually with her tablet. She was going to satisfy herself with relishing the show.... This method was called getting informations without asking.

"Come on, tell us... What did he say?"

"Has he confessed to you?"

If it seemed to be obvious that the asnwer was yes and that my own answer was as clear as crystal for anyone slightly observant, I noted that nothing was worth a confirmation in person. Supposing I would've said yes to Thunderlane, he would never had left the room that way, without even looking at me. Yet, it wasn't enough. They had to add to his humiliation by telling my friends that yes, he did confess to me and that no, I didn't accept the offer. Looking for evidences of how cruel human nature could be? Say no more!

The best to do was finishing off the horse. I decided not to dawdle on for ages, altough my audience wasn't going to like it. They would know about it sooner or later, anyway...

"In fact, yes, he confessed to me..."

"Oh," they both sang in unison.

In a few seconds, they were going to be very disappointed. By my side, Pinkie Pie was pricking her ears casually while Big Mac and Rarity seemed to be discussing of a completely different topic.

"But I haven't said yes."

"What?!!!"

In stereo, I got a double share of indignation. Lyra and Bon Bon both rolled their eyes and one of them even put her hands in the air to emphasize how skeptical they were. Yet, everything seemed to show it was exactly what had happened, I don't know... I probably didn't know yet how much hope springs eternal. Unless they were thinking about us doing something weird, like let's keep it secret in school. Ah ah (again).

Pinkie Pie produced a muffled chuckle, half-smiling as well though her eyes were still on her tablet. As far as the others two were concerned, they were laughing at "the twins" outraged faces. It seemed like that event wasn't even a real event for my own bunch.

"Oh, come on!" Bon Bon shot. "Are you dumb or something? He's Thunderlane, the freshest guy in school. You'll never find better than him."

I shrugged. I wasn't going to tell them that Soarin was worth a million Thunderlane but, if I understand what was so attractive about a boy like him, I wasn't certain he was so exceptional I had to start thinking my life was over now. My taste and preferences should count, not the others' standards.

"You don't know that. Maybe there's better in other schools..."

They still were skeptical. The glance they exchanged said a lot about it. They were thinking I was talking nonsense.

"No, seriously... I refused to date that guy? No big deal! And see the bright side of it all: Thunderlane is free for other lucky girls, and you owe it all to me. No, no, don't thank me..."

"Oh yeah! Rejected guys are more likely to accept comfort in order to forget. You have damn good idea."

"Hey, I know that already!" I answered with a wink.

Bon Bon grabbed her bestie by the neck and led her to lower seats. Would have feel good to sigh from relief but I couldn't forget the fact that my own best friend was by my side and that she might act like she didn't care, she cared. Pinkie Pie always care. She always wants to know everything, especially when it's about friends and I couldn't see why this juicy story would be an exception. She probably had something else on her mind.

"Skillful trick, Dashie. You did very well..."

Despite her casual tone, this reply was the evidence that she knew what was going to be my answer and that was the reason why she hadn't stuck her nose into that business. Her eyes casually drifted to my beany, letting me think she knew I hid something. And I knew she wasn't about to forget and would grill me again in the hope of discovering my dirty little secret.

Comments

[Midday Giggle]

Pinkie knows it. That's it. She can smell Dashie's lies a mile away.

That boy from Thunderlane's bunch put his eyes on Pinkie who smiled at him... reservedly.

WHO IS THIS!?

[Aether Spark]

This is getting juicy! good job

[Leventego]

I'm curious what will Pinkie's reaction to Soarin be

[CartoonNerd12]

Interesting development. Pinkie is close to discovering Dash's secret and Rainbow was able to dodge a bullet by not dating Thunderlane and no one is the wiser except maybe Pinkie but all and all a great chapter and I can't wait to see where it goes!