Boundaries

by Wheezyandbreezy

Oof. Big Oof.

The weekend passed without incident and on Monday afternoon the cafeteria once again buzzed with conversation and loud eating sounds. Our group of friends was once again gathered at their usual table, happily weaving their threads of conversation into a tapestry of memories. Rarity and Pinkie were having a debate about whether or not it was proper to use actual food in an outfit, and the rest were trying their best not to laugh as the manic girl continued to bait the fashionista into turning various different shades with each point made.

The debate came to a crashing halt when their athletic friend appeared silently beside them without saying a word of greeting. She shakily placed an empty tray on the table and slipped silently into her seat. The rest of the assembled girls glanced nervously at each other, once again debating who should spring this particular trap. Sunset Shimmer stoutly refused, signaling that she had done the last one and that it was someone else's turn.

Rarity, like a lady, decided to volunteer for the sake of her friends. "Dahling, what's." She gasped audibly when she finally noticed the elephant in the room, or more specifically, smeared across Rainbow's face. It was a large, red, ugly, glowing hand print. The rest craned their necks to see, and each made a pained face in response. Rainbow spoke in a monotone whisper, barely audible over the dull roar of the cafeteria.

She told them of a magical weekend, filled with professions of love and reconciliation. This afternoon however, things had gotten a little too hot and heavy after athletics. Rainbow had done her usual routine that they had established, kissing the mouth, then the neck. She had rubbed her knee between the farm girl's leg the way she knew drove her nuts, but never could bring Herself to tell her not to. Then when Applejack had been breathing heavily as she always did, Rainbow had slipped her hand all the way up Applejack's shirt and under her bra.
"And then she did this to me." Rainbow concluded.

Having to relive the event in spoken form finally brought the gravity of the situation home to the stricken lover. The tears finally surmounted the barricade and she began to weep. Soon the small sobs became a roar of misery and it took Sunset and Rarity escorting her out of the cafeteria to end the scene she was making. The remaining three sulked over their lunches, hearts bleeding for their friends.

"What're we gonna do?" Fluttershy asked.

"Poor Rainbow, do you think this means they're broken up?" Pinkie said.

Twilight sighed. "I don't know. I'll see if I can talk to Applejack in free period." But Applejack didn't attend free period. In fact she wasn't in any of her afternoon classes. After the incident she had gone, after a quick cry in the ladies room, to talk with the school counselor. She felt cold and scared in the brown and beige room, yet somehow the air still seemed too close, like she was going to suffocate. The counselor finally entered and spoke politely to the young woman, yet somehow she still seemed daunting. She looked fair, but felt foul.

"Hello Ms Applejack was it? I heard you wanted to talk to me?" Applejack wanted to answer, but the words simply refused to leave her mouth. She felt like a child being interrogated by an adult, not wanting to say the wrong thing and get in trouble. All she could do was nod firmly. "Well, I'm all ears, what's on your mind." Again the farm girl couldn't bring herself to discuss the issue with the wrinkly woman in the ill fitting business dress. She couldn't even look her in the eye.

The counselor ducked her head, trying to get a peek at her client's face. Applejack, despite knowing she was being childish about the whole ordeal, turned her face away. "Having trouble with your studies." Applejack shook her head no firmly. "Problems with bussing, need a ride to school." Applejack had been driving herself and Applebloom to school everyday in the family truck ever since Big Macintosh had graduated and married his High School sweetheart Sugar Belle. She once again silently shook her head.

The counselor gained a knowing look. "Oh!" She said, holding out the note for emphasis. She couldn't repress the smile in her voice as she said, "Boy troubles." Applejack's head turned sharply to look the counselor in the eye, but she still couldn't bring Herself to speak. The counselor got the unspoken meaning in the look. "Oh. Girl troubles."

Finally one single word managed to slip the nigh impermeable walls of Applejack's lips. She looked away as she whispered, "Y-Yeah."

The counselor nodded and leaned far back in her chair, finding her hands in front of her. "Ah yes. Young love is always a tricky subject. It can take you from the highs of heaven to the depths of hell and everything in between. Hormones waking up, new feelings, so much pressure about whether to do it or not to do it."

Applejack glanced once at the woman and nodded in agreement. "Let me see if I can guess. Something happened today?" Applejack nodded. "Something that's been building for a long time?" Again the same silent childish gesture.
"And it's something you and her have talked about a thousand times before and you're sick of it?"

Applejack sat straighter in her chair. "Yes!" She said in astonishment. "But how'd y'all know?"

The counselor help up her hands casually. "Eh. It happens to plenty of people. One wants one thing, the other wants something else. Most of the time couples can work it out, but then there are times like. . ." She held out her hand towards the young woman.

Applejack looked away again, but the crushing terror of the woman had almost entirely dissipated. "Well what'd Ah do? I mean I still love er, but Ah cain't keep doin this? But after what Ah did today Ah don't think I can face er agin."

The counselor thought for a moment and an idea popped into her head. "Hold on a moment. That could work. Yes! Hold on just a second." She typed something into her computer and she smiled. "Yes I think that might be just the solution."

Applejack turned in cautious curiosity towards the woman. "What could work?"

The counselor turned the screen so that Applejack could see the pictures of campers kayaking, and talking in a circle. The pleasant pictures of sunrises and smiling faces. The logo of a heart in a butterfly with the logo "We'll transform your life." "A retreat for young people to get out of their confusing situation and get their head straight about relationship matters. I've sent a few there and they seemed pleased enough about the results. Though you'd have to get this permission slip signed by your parents. I think this could be just what the doctor ordered."

Applejack hesitantly asked, "What's it called."

"Camp Chrysalis."

Comments

[Natedogg2006]

Dun dun duuuuuuuun. No, but as long as it's not a conversion camp I guess.

[Wheezyandbreezy]

11482892
I mean it basically is.