How I Got My Cutie Mark

I stood in front of the class, my heart beating a million miles a minute. Everypony stared at me, waiting for me to start talking.

I swallowed hard and looked down at the paper in front of me. "For my story, I wrote a..." I stopped, unsure of what to say. All those eyes glued on me, all those fillies and colts just waiting to make fun of me. "I... I..."

Someone giggled at the back of the classroom. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. One of the fillies whispered something to her neighbor. Were they talking about me?

I felt my eyes grow wet. "I have to go." I said quickly, and darted out of the room before anypony could see my tears.

The snow covered ground rushed by as I ran, the cold wind stinging my face. I galloped down the path towards my family's cottage, blinking away the wetness that was gathering in my eyes.

"CloudShine?" My mother asked as I entered the warmth of the cottage. "What are you doing home from school so early?"

"We... uh... had an early release." I trotted to the fire grate and began warming my frozen wings.

My mother looked doubtful, but she said nothing.

I spotted my skates hanging on a peg and an idea occurred to me. "Is it okay if I go skating?"

"Go ahead." my mother replied. "But be careful of the thin ice."

"I will!" I grabbed the skates and started out the door.

"And take a scarf!"

Sighing, I turned around and pulled one from the closet before running out the door.