“Come on, Fluttershy, you can do this.” Fluttershy whispered to herself. All she needed to do was walk up to Sandalwood and hand him her notebook. It was easy! Fluttershy looked at her book. Well, it was more like a scrapbook than it was a notebook.
She had spent months writing out her thoughts and feeling for him. It was filled with old pictures of them and poetry she had written herself. Her friends had even helped her out a bit.
If she gave the book to him, then maybe he’d consider going to prom with her. It was only a week away, after all.
Fluttershy peaked around the corner, peering at Sandalwood. He stood in the hallway, happily chatting to his friends. He looked as handsome as ever. Fluttershy’s heart thumped in her chest.
Was any of this worth it? What if he said no? What if he laughed? She hadn’t spoken to Sandalwood in months. It wasn’t just Sandalwood; it was the entire Eco Club!
Ever since she had become the Element of Kindness, she had been spending less and less time with her old friend group. And being in the Rainbooms didn’t help much either.
She couldn’t help but feel wracked with guilt for abandoning her friends like that. They had been with her since she was a freshman.
Fluttershy’s hands began to tremble. She couldn’t do this. He’d hate her if she tried to ask him out now.
Sandalwood met Fluttershy’s gaze. His eyes lit up, and he began to wave happily. She squeaked, the book slipping from her hands. Pictures slid from the book, scattering across the tile.
“Pull yourself together.” Fluttershy mumbled angrily. It was one thing to not be able to ask her crush out, but not being able to hold a book was a whole new level of nervousness.
Fluttershy leaned over, attempting to pick up the pictures.
“Need help with that?” Someone asked. Fluttershy quickly looked up, seeing Sandalwood standing over her. Fluttershy’s eyes widened, and she let out a squeak of surprise.
She quickly stood up, making a mad dash. Fluttershy could not do this.
Fluttershy sat on the bleachers, leaning into her hand. She wrote in the scrapbook, sighing to herself. If she wasn’t going to give it to Sandalwood, she might as well use it as a diary.
At least she had tried to get her feelings out. But in the end, she had failed. There was no way she could ask Sandalwood out now; she ran away from him, for heaven’s sake! He probably thought that she hated him.
The teen sighed disappointedly. At least she was now alone with her thoughts. Fluttershy leaned back, resting her head on the cool bleacher above her.
It was a shame Fluttershy was too nervous to ask him out. She has had a crush on him since the day they met. But Fluttershy guessed that ship had sailed. Sandalwood was just so handsome, and kind, and generous, and-
The gym doors banged open, snapping Fluttershy out of her thoughts. A trio of boys walked in, talking and laughing loudly. They weren’t just any boys; they were her old bullies. Fluttershy sat up straight, her breath hitching. What were they doing here? She could’ve sworn the gym would be empty for a few more hours.
Fluttershy slowly stood up, careful to not make any sudden movements. If she moved slowly enough, then maybe, just maybe, she could sneak out unnoticed.
She held her breath, taking a small step off the bleacher. Her foot slipped, lurching her forward. The book tumbled out of her hands, landing on the floor with a long ‘bang.’ The trio went silent, turning to face Fluttershy.
“Hey, who invited the chick?” Hoops asked with a snort, jutting his thumb out towards Fluttershy. She squeaked, nearly jumping out of her skin.
“Sorry! Sorry! I’ll go!” Fluttershy apologized, scattering to pick up her book. Score snatched her journal from the floor, teasingly flipping through the pages.
“Oooo, is this your diary?” Score mocked in a girly voice. Fluttershy’s heart hammered in her chest, and her face flushed red. She hopped up, attempting to snatch the journal from Score.
“Read it out, Dumb-Bell!” Score called out, tossing the book to his friend. Dumb-Bell caught the book, moving his bangs from his eyes.
“‘My dearest Sandalwood, you have the most handsome eyes and the most wonderful hair,’” Dumb-Bell read, batting his eyelashes. “Aw, it sounds like Fluttershy has a little crush.” He called out.
The boys chortled obnoxiously, keeping the book out of Fluttershy’s reach. The three continued tossing the book to one another, reading different pages in mocking voices. Fluttershy’s eyes welled with tears, and her throat stung from embarrassment.
“Leave her alone!” Someone shouted, interrupting the bullies' fun.
Fluttershy whipped her head around, seeing Sandalwood. She buried her face in her hands. He was the last person she wanted to see right now.
“Oh look, it’s Fluttershy’s little boyfriend.” Hoops teased, nudging Fluttershy.
Sandalwood held a firm gaze, glaring at the boys. He slowly walked towards them, his gaze never faltering. He snatched the journal from Hoops. Despite Hoops's bangs covering his face, Fluttershy could tell he rolled his eyes.
“Fine, fine, just take your little girlfriend and go.” Hoops said, lightly pushing Sandalwood back.
“You’re lucky I believe in peace.” Sandalwood muttered, grabbing Fluttershy’s hand. Her breath hitched, and her mind went blank. Sandalwood was holding her hand. Fluttershy nearly died on the spot.
His grip was tight yet protective. It was warm and soothing. As scary as this situation was, Sandalwood brought her peace.
As they stepped out of the gym, Sandalwood sighed. He looked at Fluttershy, giving her a soft smile.
“I’m sorry you had to see me like that. I don’t usually get so violent.” Sandalwood apologized, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you didn’t show up.” Fluttershy gushed, tucking her hair behind her ear.
The pair stared at each other, enjoying the brief silence. Sandalwood glanced down at his hand, his eyes lighting up as if he remembered something.
“I, uh, followed you because you dropped this.” Sandalwood nervously held up a piece of paper. Fluttershy gaped at it. It was an old photo of them!
It was one of the first times they were alone together. Sandalwood had insisted on helping Fluttershy pet sit. It was a magical week.
“I didn’t know you still had this.” Sandalwood said in disbelief. Fluttershy giggled.
“Of course I still have it!” Fluttershy exclaimed. It would be more surprising if she didn’t have it. It was a comfort item for her.
Sandalwood paused, glancing away for a moment.
“I know this is super sudden, and we haven’t spoken in months, but…” Sandalwood rubbed the back of his neck. “Will you go to prom with me?”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened, and her heart sped up in her chest. Sandalwood is asking her out? It wasn’t what she had planned, but this was better than nothing.
“Yes!”
Sandalwood stared at his reflection, admiring his looks. His suit pants had been cut into makeshift shorts. He wore a partially unbuttoned shirt. While it was ragged and slightly stained, Sandalwood thought it fit him perfectly.
“Do you think Fluttershy will like my outfit?” Sandalwood asked. Sweet Leaves playfully rolled her eyes.
“Of course, she’d like it; you thrift it; that’s like, one of the best things you can do for the environment.” Sweet Leaves said, waving her hand around. Captain Planet nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, man, Fluttershy is gonna be aaaaalll over you.” Captain Planet teased, adjusting his cheaply made tie. Sandalwood’s face heated up at that comment.
“Come on guys, Fluttershy isn’t that into me.” He dismissed. Paisley looked up from her phone, looking at Sandalwood as if he were an idiot.
“Yes, she is! She’s been into you since freshman year. Did you not notice?”
Now that Sandalwood thought about it, Fluttershy was awfully nervous around him. Well, more nervous than she was usually. Despite that, she always went out of her way to spend time with him. She used to always offer to go with him for charity events.
“Oh my god, it was so obvious.” Sandalwood marveled, burying his face into his hands. “I could’ve asked her out months ago.”
“Mhm. If only you weren’t oh so stupid.” Paisley teased.
Starshine poked her head into the room, interrupting the conversation.
“The limos here! Let’s go!” She squealed excitedly. Captain Planet scrunched up his nose and furrowed his brows.
“A limo? I thought we agreed on riding our bikes.” He said in disgust. “It is better for the environment, after all.” Starshine rolled her eyes.
“And risk getting all sweaty? School is on the other side of town. By the time we get there, we’ll be half-dead!” Starshine exclaimed, waving her arms in the air. Captain Planet placed his hand over his heart.
“If the planet dies because of this, then I’ll die with it.” He stated dramatically. Sandalwood rolled his eyes, placing his hands on Captain Planets' shoulders. He began to shove his melodramatic friend towards the door.
“You can keep complaining in the limo. We have somewhere to be.”
Sandalwood walked into the school, inhaling deeply. The halls smelt of various perfumes and colognes. He also picked up a hint of the prom food in the gym.
“I’m gonna go find Fluttershy.” He announced, tilting his head in the direction of the gym. Sweet Leaves clasped her hands together and batted her eyelashes.
“Go find your girlfriend, loverboy.” Sweet Leaves teased. Sandalwood blushed, rolling his eyes.
Sandalwood departed from his friends, making his way down the hallway. Some of his schoolmates stood in the hallway, happily chatting or dancing to the distant music.
To his surprise, Fluttershy stood in the hallway with the other students, her back pressed against a locker. She stared at the ground, her arms folding across her chest.
“Hi, Fluttershy!” Sandalwood greeted happily, approaching his date. Fluttershy’s eyes lit up, and she began to beam. Sandalwood’s eyebrows shot up, and he stared at Fluttershy in awe. She was gorgeous.
She wore a teal, floor-length dress. Her hair was beautifully braided, almost looking like a crown. On her shoulder lay an oversized purse. Sandalwood could only imagine what she kept in it. She looked like a goddess.
“Woah…” Sandalwood uttered. Fluttershy’s face heated up, and she quickly looked at the ground. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. You’re just…so pretty.” He bashfully admitted.
Fluttershy hopped up, wrapping her arms around his torso. Sandalwood stiffened up, and his eyes widened.
“Oh wow!” Sandalwood anxiously blurted. Fluttershy pushed herself off of her date, her face turning redder than it already was (if that was even possible).
“Sorry! I don’t know what came over me.” She apologized, covering her face with her hands.
Sandalwood couldn’t help but chuckle. Her excitement toward him was just adorable. It made him feel giddy inside, like a kid in a candy shop.
“Don’t worry about it!” Sandalwood brushed off. He stuck out his arm, offering it to his date. “Let’s get going; the night isn’t getting any younger.”
Fluttershy linked her arm to Sandalwoods, leaning on his shoulder. The couple walked down the hallway, approaching the open gym doors.
The gymnasium was decorated beautifully; Streamers hung from the walls, and balloons floated through the air. Blue lights strobed, making it look like the gym was underwater. Sandalwood had to admit they went all out with the underwater theme.
Everyone seemed to be having a blast, either dancing, eating, or talking. Some trashy pop song blared over the loudspeakers.
“Do you see any free tables? Sandalwood asked, looking around. Man, this place was jampacked. Every table was either occupied or had overly big decor on it. Sandalwood was starting to suspect that Rarity had a say in the decor.
“Over there!” Fluttershy exclaimed, pointing to a lone table in the corner. The couple rushed to the table, squeezing past the crowd.
Fluttershy sat in her seat, looking around. The corner was dark, and the music hard to hear, but Fluttershy liked it. It was cozy, like sitting in a forest.
“I’m going to hit the buffet. Do you want anything?” Sandalwood asked. Fluttershy shook her head. Sandalwood gave a thumbs up, walking away.
Fluttershy leaned into her hand, happily sighing to herself. Even though the night had just started, she was enjoying herself. Not only did she gain the confidence to go to prom, but she also got a smoking hot date.
Sandalwood plopped in his seat, looking dejected.
“They didn’t have anything without meat.” He pouted.
“Oh my, I was afraid this would happen,” Fluttershy reached into her purse, “That’s why I brought something of my own.” She pulled out a small clear container. Sandalwood peered into the container curiously. To his surprise, it was pasta.
“I remembered your favorite food was broccoli alfredo, so I made some last night. I was hoping we could share it.” Fluttershy admitted.
Sandalwood was in awe. Fluttershy was the most perfect lady ever. Not only was she kind, but she was thoughtful too.
“Let’s dig in!”
Sandalwood stood at the snack table, staring at the various treats.
“Which one of these is vegan?” He pondered.
“Soooo, how’s your thing with Fluttershy going?” Paisley asked, snapping him from his thoughts. Sandalwood glanced at his friend, who stared at him with an obnoxiously wide smile. He playfully rolled his eyes.
“It’s going fine. We’ve been talking for hours now.” Sandalwood gushed. Fluttershy was just as sweet and thoughtful as he remembered.
“Alright, everybody, it’s time to get with your loved ones and go for….the slow dance!” Pinkie Pie announced. The lights dimmed, and slow music began to play.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dance with Fluttershy.” Sandalwood said smugly, popping his collar.
Sandalwood fixed his posture, making his way to his date. He could do this. All he had to do was walk up to Fluttershy and ask her to dance.
Once Fluttershy came into view, his legs felt weak, and his heart hammered in his chest. She was way too pretty for him. It was one thing to talk, but to dance? That was a whole ‘nother level.
Sandalwood anxiously cleared his throat, sticking out his hand. He prayed that Fluttershy didn’t notice how sweaty his hand was.
“May I have this dance?” Sandalwood asked.
“I would be delighted.” Fluttersy responded, taking his hand. The couple made their way to the dance floor, hand in hand.
As expected, other couples occupied the floor, dancing romantically.
Sandalwood put his hand on Fluttershy’s waist, leading her to dance. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise, causing him to quickly move his hand up.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to do that.” He profusely apologized.
“It’s fine.” Fluttershy reassured, putting her hand on his shoulder. The couple awkwardly danced, standing a little too far from each other. Their movements were stiff. It was as if their clothes were made of cardboard. Anyone with working eyes could see how tense those two were.
Sandalwood’s attention snapped to Starshine, who danced wildly behind Fluttershy. She was dancing as if she were in a club. Her head was thrashing, and she was pumping her fist into the air as if no one was watching. Unfortunately, that wasn’t true. A whole lot of people were watching, actually. Her dancing was not appropriate for this song.
Sandalwood stared at his friend with utter confusion. What was she doing? Starshine bumped Fluttershy with her hip. Fluttershy lunged forward, landing in Sandalwood’s chest.
“Oh my, I’m such a klutz!” Starshine apologized, innocently batting her eyelashes. She spared a wink at Sandalwood before sauntering away. Sandalwood rolled his eyes. God, his friends were ridiculous.
“Sorry!” Fluttershy apologized, attempting to stand straight. Sandalwood pulled her closer.
“Don’t worry about it. This is…nice.” Sandalwood reassured. Fluttershy relaxed, the tension living her body.
Soon, the pair got into a rhythm, dancing as one. They gracefully danced across the floor, holding each other tightly.
Sandalwood was breathless. It felt like he was floating through space. To his dismay, the song soon faded out.
“And that was tonight’s slow dance! Now back to our regularly scheduled music.” Pinkie Pie announced, pressing a button. Upbeat music began to play from the speakers.
“Aw, man, is the song over already? I was really enjoying that.” Sandalwood pouted. Fluttershy looked up at her date, her heart racing in her chest.
“I love you, Sandalwood.” Fluttershy happily sighed.
She got on her toes, pressing their lips together. Sandalwood’s breath hitched. It felt like fireworks. They pulled away, staring at each other with wide eyes.
“Woah…” Sandalwood uttered. Fluttershy giggled giddily, laying her head against Sandalwood's chest.
Sandalwood looked past Fluttershy, noticing his friends. They all grinned widely, giving him ecstatic thumbs up. Sandalwood chuckled, giving them a thumbs up back.
He pulled Fluttershy closer, closing his eyes. This night was magical.
