Stood Up
Rainbow Dash sighed as she stared out the window of the restaurant. The cyan Pegasus had been waiting for something- no, not something. She was waiting for somepony to show up. Somepony who had promised her that they would go out. Somepony who had promised her that they would celebrate their six month anniversary. Somepony that she was starting to get very annoyed with at the moment.
Rainbow was dating a Wonderbolt stallion named Soarin. She had had the biggest crush on him before she became an official member of the team. However, soon after she finally joined the Bolts, her and Soarin had been pressing each other’s buttons every single day. He’d tease her, and at times he did, she would get mad, but then she’d just tease him back to make him even more mad. Fortunately, that was just how they behaved as friends; they weren’t really mad at each other, but they sure loved to tease one another.
But unfortunately, tonight wouldn’t be like that at all. Why, you ask? Well, because somepony decided not to show up. Something was definitely going on, and Rainbow didn’t like it. No, not one bit. In fact, she was starting to get tired of waiting for him, and the restaurant would close in fifteen minutes.
Fifteen minutes! That was all the time she had left, and Rainbow was starting to get mad. No, not mad at herself, but she was starting to get really mad at Soarin. Where in Equestria was he? It wasn’t like him to just not show up for their date; Soarin had always been there for Rainbow whenever they went out.
But not this time. The restaurant would be closing in fifteen minutes, and he still didn’t show up. The cyan mare was starting to get even more mad as she continued to wait…
…and wait…
…and wait.
“I hope he hasn’t forgotten about our date,” she murmured as she turned her attention away from the window and stared down at her now empty glass. “It isn’t like him at all. Why hasn’t he shown up yet? I’ve been waiting a whole hour for him. Oh, Celestia… please don’t tell me that he forgot… our… six month… anniversary…”
As she spoke out loud to herself, tears began to well up in her eyes. It was their six month anniversary, and it was a huge deal. Well, at least to Rainbow it was, but she knew that it was also a big deal to Soarin. If only he’d show up already though…
The more Rainbow waited for him, the more angry and impatient she became. She was about to get up and leave at this point, but she didn’t want to let him down. However, if he didn’t show up soon, she would definitely - and probably - leave, and then she’d head home for the night and cry herself to sleep.
That meant Soarin would’ve let her down instead of her letting him down, and she couldn’t have that happening. He had to show up. He just had to! He… promised.
“He… he promised that we would go out,” she croaked. “But… he’s still not here. Where is he? Oh, Soarin… if you’re out there… in Ponyville somewhere, you better hurry up… because I’m beyond angry with you right now. You stood me up, and… and… I don’t think I can ever forgive you. How could you do this to me?”
Knowing that it was too late and that the restaurant was about to close for the night, Rainbow buried her face in her hooves and began to weep. She couldn’t believe it. He… he had stood her up. How could he? He loved her! He was her stallion for crying out loud! How could he just stand her up like that? Oh, Celestia… he was about to get yelled at big time, and he wouldn’t like it. But it would be what he got for breaking his marefriend’s heart… and his promise.
Slowly, Rainbow got up from the booth she had been sitting in the whole time and headed out the door, flying off into the warm summer night. If Soarin was waiting for her at home, she’d simply just ignore him and head upstairs to her room, bawling into her pillow. Yes, she was too sad and heartbroken to even talk to her stallion. All she wanted was to cry herself to sleep and forget about their wasted date night.
“Rainbow Dash!” Soarin called, knocking on the door to his marefriend’s cloud home. “Rainbow Dash! Are you in there? I’m ready for our date! I hope I didn’t miss it! Rainbow, are you… what the? Who’s there? Hello…?”
The sound of faint sobbing reached Soarin’s ears, and the stallion frowned, wondering who was crying and why. Curious, he flew up to Rainbow’s bedroom window and gasped softly when he saw his marefriend laying down on her bed, her face buried in her pillow as she bawled like a newborn foal. Why was she crying? Rainbow never cried unless if it was about something serious, like the death of a close family member or friend, or a promise that was sadly broken. Wait… promise? Oh, no.
The reason why he had not shown up was because he had overslept, and little did he know that Rainbow would definitely be screaming at him for “accidentally” missing their date. He was in hot water, and he knew it. He knew that he was in trouble with the cyan Pegasus, and he definitely did not wanna mess with the one and only Rainbow Dash herself. But he had to admit: he deserved to be yelled at for not showing up all because he slept for too long, so he accepted his fate.
Quietly, the stallion flew into Rainbow’s bedroom and landed right beside her bed. His heart sank as he watched her cry into her pillow. Oh, Celestia… he had really made her upset, and he wanted nothing more than to make it up to her. And he would do anything to make it up to his marefriend, even if it meant having to be yelled at big time.
“Rainbow Dash,” he whispered, gently shaking her. “Rainbow Dash, what’s-“
“YOU!” The cyan Pegasus screamed as she quickly sat up on her bed and glared daggers at Soarin. “What in Equestria are you doing here?!”
“Rainbow, I-,” Soarin began, but he was immediately cut off when he looked into his marefriend’s eyes. He gasped, seeing the heartbreak and anger loud and clear in them. Her eyes, which were usually a beautiful rose color, were now bright red, puffy, irritated, and all watery from crying a lot. He felt horrible. He couldn’t believe that he had hurt her so bad. If there was a moment when he wanted to punch himself in the face for what he did, it was right now, but he couldn’t. He’d rather hear the hurtful, bitter, and agitated words come from his marefriend’s mouth, and he downright deserved it.
“I’m so sorry,” he said quickly. “I-I didn’t mean-“
“Save it!” Rainbow snapped and turned away from him. “I-I don’t want to talk to you right now, Soarin. Just… just leave me alone! Please.”
Soarin sighed. He didn’t want to leave her alone; he wanted to apologize and make it up to her because he did indeed love her. However, it was clear from her tone of voice that she didn’t want to talk to him. In fact, she wanted him to leave her alone. But Soarin would not leave her. Not until he’d fix the debacle he made.
“I’m sorry,” he said, placing a hoof on her back. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve set an alarm. I overslept and-“
“Overslept?” Rainbow slowly turned around, her eyes still puffy and red as she glared at him. “You overslept?!” she asked angrily. “What kind of excuse is that, Soarin?! You stood me up! I’ve been waiting a whole hour for you to show up at the restaurant tonight. ONE WHOLE HOUR! And you didn’t even bother to show up because YOU OVERSLEPT?!?! Wow. I’ve never been so angry at somepony in my entire life until now! I actually never thought… that you… would… ever… DO THIS TO ME!!!”
The cyan Pegasus broke into loud, mournful wails and stuffed her face in the pillow again. Soarin could only do nothing but sit beside her and feel sorry for her… and himself. He had nopony to blame but himself, and he admitted it.
“Rainbow,” he said, tears welling up in his eyes. “I-I really am sorry. I am a horrible stallion who made a terrible mistake, and it will never happen again. Please forgive me, Rainbow Dash. I-I love you. You… you can’t stay mad at me forever, c-can you? I-I don’t wanna lose you.”
For a moment, the cyan mare lifted her head off the pillow, turning to face the now heartbroken Soarin. Tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at the crestfallen expression on his face. Did… did he really mean it? Was he really sorry? It sure looked like it, and he was crying too. Rainbow had never seen Soarin cry; he had never shown his emotions to anypony before, but seeing the mask of sadness plastered on his face made her anger dissipate completely. Her eyes no longer showed hatred or apathy; instead, they showed pure sadness and complete understanding. She was no longer angry with him, but she was still a bit hurt. However, that didn’t stop her from finally embracing him. She sobbed quietly into his chest as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck. Soarin closed his eyes and allowed his tears of regret to fall as he wrapped his wings around her, holding her close and never letting her go.
“I… I don’t wanna lose you either, big guy,” she finally whispered. “I-I love you too, but y-you really hurt me tonight.”
“I know,” Soarin croaked. “A-And I know it was horrible, but… b-but I promise that I won’t do something like that ever again.”
Rainbow sighed and nuzzled her face against his soft chest fur. “It’s okay,” she said. “I-I forgive you. Next time, just remember to… set an alarm. Please?”
Soarin opened his eyes, looking down at her. “Of course,” he said. “Always. I love you, Rainbow Dash, and once again… I-I’m so sorry about tonight. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“Thank you, Soarin,” Rainbow said. “I love you too, but… can I ask you something first?”
He nodded and stared deep into her eyes, which were still a little puffy, but not as red and watery as before.
“Let’s not bring up tonight anymore, okay?” she asked, her muzzle finally showing a smile.
“I’d like that,” he replied, returning the same exact smile shown on her face.
And just like that, the two Pegasi held each other close in a warm, tender, gentle, and loving embrace for the rest of the night, never letting each other go and agreeing not to bring up their wasted date night ever again. Tears continued to fall, but they were no longer tears of sadness and regret. Instead, they were tears of pure happiness. Yes, it was a wasted date night, and it was not a wasted date night.
Why, you ask?
Because she forgave him, and their relationship would still grow to be happy, healthy, and strong.
The End