“You really think I could be good enough to enter the Young Flyers competition?!” Scootaloo asked, excitement in her voice.
“I’ve seen you on that scooter of yours, you’ve got some slick moves kid. Reminds me of myself when I was younger,” Rainbow Dash replied, ruffling the filly’s mane.
Scootaloo smiled broadly as visions of her own victory at the Young Flyers competition began to play in her head. It was something she dreamed of often, but her lack of flight always brought her back to a sobering reality. She knew her dream was still a few years away, but it was still fun to think about. Scootaloo’s pace slowed as she looked up to see Featherweight walking by. His eyes met hers and he smiled and gave a friendly wave before continuing on. Scootaloo slowed to a stop and slowly waved back, but it was too late. He hadn’t noticed. Not that he was interested anyway. Scootaloo grunted as Rainbow’s elbow met her ribcage with more force than Scootaloo hoped she had wanted to use.
“Got your eyes on a special little colt now? He’s a hot piece of flank, why don’t you go talk to him?” Rainbow Dash said, chuckling as Scootaloo could feel her cheeks and ears begin to burn up from embarrassment.
“I can’t just walk up to him like that! Besides… He’s not interested anyway!” Scootaloo replied as she started walking again, speeding up to keep a step ahead of Rainbow Dash.
“Aw, c’mon now! That’s no fun! If you really want him, all you have to do is show him that you’re interested and he’ll come around! What’s his name?”
“I’m not telling you his name, and I’m certainly not just going to throw myself at him!”
“Woah! Who said anything about throwing yourself at him? Now I know you’re interested! C’mon! Tell me his name! Does he go to school with you? Does he sit near you in class? Is he the reason Ms. Cheerilee says you have problems ‘focusing’ during class?”
Scootaloo stopped in her tracks.
“Stop. I’m not interested in him, I’m not going to tell you anything about him, and I’m certainly not going to continue to discuss my love life with you, okay?!” Scootaloo said, raising her voice as Rainbow Dash attempts to stifle laughter.
“Okay, okay, relax Scoots. I’m just playing with you. Why is this a sore topic? He dump you on the swing set or something?” Rainbow Dash said with a chorus of laughter.
“Just leave me alone for right now, okay?” Scootaloo grumbled as she started to walk away.
Rainbow Dash watched her until she had ducked into the woods that separate Sweet Apple Acres from the rest of the town. She shrugged her shoulders and flew off over the town into the clouds. As Scootaloo walked through the woods, she couldn’t help but think about how she had reacted to Featherweight.
“You had one job, Scootaloo! You had one job! Act. Normal. And you blew it! You just stood there with a stupid look on your face as you waved at him like he was some sort of alien! Why do you even care what he thinks, anyway? You’re not even interested in him! You’re not interested in anypony yet.”
She stopped herself at that last remark. She knew it was a lie. She was interested in somepony, but not Featherweight. The pony she really wanted to be with would never be with her. Not now, not ever. Young love is never a particularly easy thing to handle, but it’s tougher when it’s somepony you’re close to. Even tougher when that somepony isn’t a stallion, but a mare.
Part of her was screaming to just be upfront. To just blurt it out and lay her cards out on the table and just see what happens. The other part nagged her to simply keep quiet. She’s not supposed to like mares. Well… She’s supposed to like mares, but she’s not supposed to feel this way. She’s not supposed to love mares. Everytime she’s near this pony, every hair on her body stands on end. Goosebumps run up and down her neck every time this filly talks. It feels like hundreds of electrified hooves are gently brushing from the base of her spine up to the top of her head causing every muscle in her body to contract. She saw her often, too. A classmate, a Cutie Mark Crusader, but most importantly, a friend. That was the part that made Scootaloo the most nervous; she was a friend. A good friend. It was the reason she always felt like throwing up every time the two are together.
“Apple Bloom, can I tell you something? I’ve been holding back a lot of feelings lately, and I’m sure this is going to freak you out, but I have to be upfront about this. I think I might be falling in love with you. I know it sounds weird, and I’m sure you don’t have feelings for me, but I have to be honest.” She would say, trying to look her in the eyes to gauge her reaction and looking away for fear of seeing the look of disgust that she expected. Apple Bloom would be silent for a few moments, no doubt processing what she’d just been told by one of her best friends. “I don’t blame you if you don’t want to be friends anymore. I should go. I’m sorry.”
She’d turn to walk away and Apple Bloom would stop her.
“Scootaloo, stop. I appreciate that you’re being honest; it’s just not something I… Well… Something I expected. I can’t even imagine how hard it was for you to tell me this. I don’t want to stop being your friend, Scootaloo, but…” Apple Bloom would reply, trailing off on her last word. “But I don’t have feelings for you. And… I think it would be better if we had a little space, okay?”
Tears welled up in Scootaloo’s eyes. The decision to tell her about the way she felt was more than just a personal choice to be honest. It was a choice to possibly lose her as a friend. Scootaloo ascended the steps to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse, took a deep breath, and walked inside. Apple Bloom was alone, going over some of the notes from their last meeting.
“Hey, Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle couldn’t come today, so it looks like it’s just me and you!” Apple Bloom said with a warm smile.
Scootaloo didn’t reply. It took all of her strength to not start crying, but it wasn’t enough. She could tell by the look Apple Bloom was giving her that she wasn’t doing a good job of hiding her tears. Scootaloo wanted nothing more than to retract into herself like a turtle and hide. Hide and never have to face these feelings again.
“Scootaloo, what’s the matter?” Apple Bloom said, her face growing more serious with each moment of passing silence.
Scootaloo’s stomach churned as she continued to contemplate whether or not she should really go through with revealing her secret. Honesty is the best policy, but was this really something that she wanted to risk her friendship on? She took a few, uneasy steps forward and sat down across from her friend.
“Scootaloo, you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s wrong.” Apple Bloom said as she reached to put her hoof under Scootaloo’s chin. Apple Bloom lifted her friend’s head up and looked into her watering eyes. Scootaloo took Apple Bloom’s hoof in her own hooves and began to squeeze them tightly.
“If I tell you, will you promise me that nothing will change?”
. . .