> Diamonds in bloom > by Sunatta > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Cry me a river in the hall > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Tiara sat in her new spot in the back of the class, pondering her life as the teacher's words slowly became a garbled, incomprehensible mess in her mind. She couldn't focus on school, she couldn't focus on anything except her loneliness. Three days, it's been THREE days, and she hasn't said a word to me… not even a text. Diamond did her best to hold back tears as she thought of the fight that had driven off her only friend, Silver Spoon. I really screwed up this time, she really isn't ever going to speak to me again. She placed a pencil at the top of her desk, watching it roll down before repeating the steps. The simple task was all she could manage, and the only thing she felt was keeping her sane. The pencil would roll, and she would breathe, trying to steady herself, pull herself together. I will not break, diamonds don't break. She tried to rally herself around her mantra, but she knew that even diamonds shattered if you hit them right. Who am I kidding, I'm not a precious gem, just worthless rubble. Her head sinks down to her desk, and she can hold back her tears no longer. She sobs silently through class, the bell was the only thing to snap her from her trance. School was over, she'd have to go home now. Normally she'd go to Silver Spoon’s, and avoid her mother while she's drinking. She couldn't do that now, she'd have to hold up in the library until all of the after school activities were over, it wasn't ideal, but it should keep her out of the house long enough for her dad to get home. As Diamond Tiara made her way towards the library, her eyes stayed glued to the floor, she didn't want anyone to see that she had been crying. She was about half way there when she ran into someone. “Sorry,” she mutters without looking up. “Sorry? Ain't somethin I thought I'd hear from you,” Diamond Tiara recognizes the familiar southern drawl, it belonged to one of her favorite people to pick on, Apple Bloom. She actually didn't have a problem with her, she found her accent charming, attractive even. She only singled her out because Silver Spoon didn't like her, something she was beginning to regret. Diamond Tiara looked up at her, with red, puffy eyes. “I don't have the strength to be mean right now,” she sighed as she tried to walk by, but a firm hand gripped her shoulder. Great, just what I need, she picks today of all days to stand up to me. “What’s wrong,” Apple Bloom asks, genuine concern in her voice. If her friends were there, she knew they'd advise her against it. Diamond Tiara was their enemy, and had been since middle school. But her friends weren't there, and her big sis always told her to help out those in need…. Even if she didn't necessarily like said person. Diamond let out a sigh of relief, before giving the offer some thought. She was alone, and breaking. She needed a shoulder to cry on. “Silver Spoon and I… aren't friends anymore.” Saying the words aloud brought more tears to her eyes. Not even a moment had passed, and she felt strong arms wrapped around her. Apple Bloom didn't say a word, she just held her right there, in the middle of the hallway. She could feel tears soaking into her shirt. After several minutes of bawling her eyes out, something she'd been holding in for too long, Diamond asked. “Why…. are you doing this?” Now that her mind was clearing up, Diamond was realizing just how much was wrong with this scene. “Cause you needed it,” Apple Bloom says firmly, without any hesitation. “Do I need a reason to help someone in need?” she asked with a slight cock of her head. “With the way I've treated you all these years, you just come to my side… it doesn't make sense.” The thought had occupied her mind from her sadness. “You should be getting revenge, teasing me, making my life miserable.” “You look miserable enough already, and frankly, I was raised better than that,” Apple Bloom said, her voice getting a little more stern towards the end to help drive in her point. “I.. wish I could say the same,” Diamond Tiara imagines her mother trying to teach her that sort of behavior, the image in her head doesn't resemble her mother at all. Diamond sighed, she used to want nothing more than to make that woman happy, but what had it gotten her? A lifetime of loneliness. “Well maybe you could come over and learn? If nothin’ else you wouldn't be lonely anymore,” Apple Bloom said with childish optimism. Diamond Tiara looked at the girl holding her. “You'd really want to hang out with me? After everything…” “I ain't livin’ in the past… or in this hallway for that matter, so are you coming along or not? Supper will be done soon and I'll get scolded if I'm late.” A small smile touched Diamond’s lips, and she nodded. “I just need to send Daddy a text and let him know I'll be home late,” she couldn't hold back the traces of excitement in her voice. Apple Bloom wasn't her first choice in a friend… or even in her top twenty for that matter, but at this point she was happy to have anyone, besides she was kind of cute. With a few taps on her phone, her plans were set. “Alright, I'm good to go.” Diamond said as she walked close to Apple Bloom. Too close at first, she put a bit of distance between them after accidentally stepping on her shoe. As they walked through the school they kept mostly to themselves. As excited as Diamond was, she didn't want her big mouth to ruin it before they even got started. Her plan had been to simply let Apple Bloom do all the talking, but she wasn't saying anything either, which worsened Diamond's already bad nerves. Apple Bloom finally broke the silence as they neared the parking lot. “I'm not sure how you feel about southern food, but you're more than welcome to have supper with us, Granny always fixes plenty,” Apple Bloom’s attempt to cut the tension snapped  Diamond out of her train of thought. “Sure, I was probably just going to get something on the way, but home cooking sounds nice." “Best you'll ever have,” Apple Bloom added as she unlocked her green truck. “Hop on in,” she added enthusiastically as the lock on the passenger door clicked > Bumpy ride > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond pulled the handle on the passenger door, it didn't budge. "You gotta be a little forceful with it, she's an old truck," Apple Bloom giggled softly. Diamond put everything she had into pulling the door open, but she only managed to make the hing creek. Before she could ask, Apple Bloom had already circled around and gave the door a solid tug, it made a loud noise as it swung open. wow, she's strong. thoughts of what all she could do with that strength ran somewhere in the back of her mind, and a blush formed on her face. "It ain't nothin' to be embarrassed about, Sweetiebelle can't get it open either," she gave a hardy laugh. Diamond simply gave a curt nod, and got in, afraid of the words that might come out if she tried to speak. The truck had a musty smell to it, the kind that you can almost taste. It was vaguely vailed by a pine air freshener, Diamond couldn't tell if that made it better or worse. Apple Bloom looked over at Diamond, and the sour face she was making. "It ain't that bad," she said as she put the old girl in gear. "Yes it is," Diamond said without really thinking about it. "Yeah.... It is," Apple Bloom admitted. "But you get used to it," she said with a small grin as she made sure she had room to pull out. As she tried to get comfortable in the seat Diamond looked around the truck. It was much cleaner than she'd have guessed by how banged up the outside was, not to mention the smell, but it was comfy atleast. The seat was well worn, and sank just a bit, but in all the right places. It wasn't long before she found herself resting her head against the window. The ride was a bit bumpier than she'd have liked but the sensation of the window vibrating against her cheek was something Diamond had enjoyed since she was a small girl. "So.... What exactly happened between you and Silver Spoon?" Apple Bloom asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She knew Diamond Tiara could be a real bitch at times, but Silver Spoon never seemed bothered by it. Diamond was really hoping that wasn't going to come up, she didn't want to think about it, but it was probably better to just get it out. "I wanted to be more than friends, she didn't, we had a fight, and now we aren't even that," Diamond sighed. "Oh..." Apple Bloom wasn't sure what to say to that, she'd expected it to be over something petty. After a few moments of awkward silence Diamond spoke up. "So your truck is a she?" "Well, it used to be my brother's, and it didn't seem right to start callin' her, him just cause she's mine now." "I guess that makes as much since as giving a truck a gender in the first place. "I thought everyone did it?" Apple Bloom said scratching her head. Seeing Apple Bloom with only one hand on the wheel made Diamond uncomfortable. "I reckon it could just be all the folks I know," She admitted as she put her hand back on the stirring wheel, and Diamond let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "We're almost there now, I hope your hungry, cause knowin Granny, she fixed plenty," Apple Bloom said as she turned down the dirt road that lead into her family's farm, and the ride got much bumpier. "I guess I could eat," Diamond said as she did her best to brace herself, she'd been on rollercoasters smoother than this. Applebloom giggled as she saw Diamond out of the corned of her eye. "It's not that..." "It is that bad," Diamond interrupted Apple Bloom. "We're not all used to this," she said motioning around at everything. "There's the Diamond Tiara I know," Apple Bloom chuckled, seemingly unphazed by Diamond's little out burst. Diamond took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, you're trying to help me out, and I'm being ungrateful." "Nothin' to worry about, Sweetiebelle says almost the exact same thing, every time she rides over with me," Apple Bloom says dismissively as they pull up to an old farmhouse, that had been recently painted to keep it from looking rundown. "So.... This is where you live?" Diamond asked as she inspected the farmhouse, half expecting to see animals run out of it any second. "Yep, been in the family for eight generations." Apple Bloom's chest swelled with pride. "Really? I would never have guessed," Diamond said with a dollap of sarcasm. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes at the comment before reaching over Diamond Tiara to open her door. She took a deep breath as Apple bloom stretched in front of her, she smelled nice... Very nice, like apples and fresh spice. Diamond became self-conscious, she wasn't wearing a fragrance, she'd been too depressed this morning to put in any more than the bare minimum effort. She was pulled back to reality when she heard the door creak, and she saw Apple Bloom's bicep flex as she excerted herself. Her face turned red as her breathing sped up. There was no denying it, she really liked what she was seeing. "You alright? You look like you just got out of gym," Apple Bloom asked as she pushed the door open. Diamond shook her head, trying to bring herself back to reality when she realized she was in fact, sweaty and out of breath. "Yeah... I'm fine, just excited to meet your family," she forced a smile. Apple Bloom was going to make a comment, but she remembered how Pinkie pie gets when she's excited. "I mean, they're pretty great... Most of the time I reckon, but I never figured you for the type to get excited over something like that." "Can we get inside already?" Diamond asked, desperate to get out of her current situation. "I'm starving," she added to hopefully cover up the real reason. "I thought you weren't that hungry?" "I changed my mind," Diamond said as she hurried out of the truck. This was a terrible idea > A happy ending? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apple Bloom caught up to Diamond as she reached the door. "Hold up now, I know yer eager, but I've gotta unlock the door first," That broke Diamond out of her daze. "What on earth do you need a lock for way out here?" She was going to make a remark about not having anything worth stealing anyway, but she bit it back. "Granny is a tad paranoid," Apple Bloom said as she pulled an old fashioned key from her pocket, and undid the locks. As soon as the door opened Diamond Tiara's nose was greeted with a variety of savory smells, and she could hear popping and sizzling in the other room. "Looks like we made it just in time," Apple Bloom said as she walked in passed Diamond, who was looking around the house, partly to keep from staring at Apple Bloom, and partly because she couldn't believe how clean it was, she'd expected to see hay and mud strewn on the floor, maybe some chickens running around, but it was spotless. It didn't take long for Apple Bloom to notice. "I know it ain't much, but it's home," she said scratching the back of her head. "It... it's nice," Diamond said, the words not wholly untrue. It was significantly less shabby than she'd been expecting. "You gonna just stand there all day, or are you gonna come get something to eat?" Apple Bloom asked as she walked into the kitchen. Diamond Tiara walked after her, not wanting to be separated. When she rounded the corner into the kitchen she saw Granny Smith making up plates. Apple Bloom and her siblings were already sitting at the table, hunger visible in their eyes. Diamond looked down, not wanting to make eye contact. She had been regularly bullying Apple Bloom and her friends for years, there was no way they didn't all know that. Her inner panic was interrupted by the sound of chair legs grinding against the floor. "Well don't just stand there, have a seat," Apple Bloom said as she took two plates from Granny and placed them down on the table. Diamond Tiara blushed as she sat down, and looked at the plate of food in front of her. Everything was either starchy or fried, and made Diamond wonder how Apple Bloom had such a nice figure eating stuff like this on a regular basis. "Not sure how they do it at your house, but round here we usually eat while the food is hot," Apple Bloom teases. "I... Know how to eat, I'm just on a diet..." Diamond squeaked as she felt hands grabbing her belly. "Doesn't feel like you need to be to me, besides, weren't you starving just a minute ago?" Apple Bloom remarked as she started eating her own food, slower and more carefully than she normally did. Diamond blushed as she began poking at her food. It was delicious, but way too savory for her to eat more than a few bites at a time, which she followed with a big gulp of water. The table was mostly quite, occasionally Diamond would see Applejack lean over and whisper something to Big Mac, but otherwise they ate in silence, which she was thankful for. She didn't even know how to begin to talk to these people without coming off rude. "You can put your plate in the fridge if you would rather have it later," Apple Bloom said as she got up, and went to the sink to wash her plate. "Ugh, yeah, that sounds good," Diamond hurried up, and made her way across the room to the fridge, placing her plate inside. Apple Bloom grabbed Diamond's hand as she walked by. "We're headed to the clubhouse," she proclaimed as she left the room, practically dragging Diamond Tiara with her. "Okay, so family dinner isn't exactly your strong suit," she giggled as she tried to make light of the situation, which if the blush on Diamond's face was anything to go by, she hadn't. "Can I have my hand back?" Diamond asked, trying to keep things from getting awkward. The last thing she needed right now was a repeat of what happened with Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom's cheeks darkened as she let go, she'd completely forgotten she was holding Diamond's hand. "Sorry bout that. I'm just excited to show you around, it's not every day I get to bring a new friend over." "Yeah, friend," Diamond said with a faint smile. Haven't you been hurt enough for one week? she berated herself for her growing attraction. Don't go and make the same mistake again already. "You okay Diamond Tiara?" Apple Bloom asks, studying the girl's face. "I'm fine... Just never thought I'd hear you call me a friend." She was grateful for her ability to speak in half truths, because she was a terrible liar. "You'd be surprised how many friends you can make when you aren't mean to everyone." Apple Bloom began walking, wanting to get to the clubhouse before the sun set. "Yeah, I'm sorry for all of that. I've been a massive bitch to you and your friends for so many years..." She had planned to say more before Apple Bloom cut her off. "Are you still goin' on about that? The past is the past. We could sit here all day talkin about it, and it wouldn' change a thing, or we can get in the clubhouse and I can show you something cool," she said as she took the last few steps to the door. Diamond nodded. "Alright, but this better be really cool," she said with a genuine smile on her face. Maybe this is what I needed, a fresh start, she thought as she followed her new friend into the creaky, wooden shack that passed for a clubhouse in Apple Bloom's eyes. It was cramped, hot, and smelled like apples, and sawdust, pretty much exactly what she was expecting. "So where's this cool thing?" Apple Bloom shook her head as she made her way to the window. "You've got to learn a little patience." She pushed the curtains apart just in time to catch the sun setting over the apple orchard. Diamond stood there, eyes wide as she watched the burning light dance across Apple Bloom's features, the falling sun behind her eclipsed by her silhouette. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Applebloom asked as she turned back around. "Yes, you are," Diamond Tiara said without thinking. "I...um, thanks?" Apple Bloom said, her face scarlett. Diamond swallowed the lump in her throat. to hell with it, nothing ventured, nothing gained she crossed the room in a few quick strides and placed as kiss on Apple Bloom's lips. To Diamond's surprise, she didn't pull away, and she felt those strong arms around her again. She felt her fear and pain melting away as the last of the sun's light slipped below the horizon.