With A Little Help From My Friends

The big day had arrived. It was the afternoon of Hearts and Hooves Day and Big Mac was nervously waiting for Cheerilee in the park. With all of the advice he had gotten within the past twenty four hours from Applejack and her friends, he still was not completely comfortable about the upcoming date.

He looked down at his attire. He had put on a nice black jacket. While he couldn’t bring himself to dress up in anything like Rarity had him do yesterday, he did feel that she was right that appearance was a factor, making him look more distinguished and proper. He also felt that it added to the coolness factor that Rainbow Dash had talked about, whatever that was. He still had no idea what she meant by that.

Looking up and taking a deep breath, he saw a familiar mare trot toward him. It was Cheerilee, who was wearing a simple red and white sundress. But what Big Mac took most note of was that she was also wearing a very timid smile on her face.

“Afternoon, Miss Cheerilee,” Big Mac greeted her with a warm smile.

With a nervous laugh, the mare replied, “Good afternoon to you too, Big Mac.”

Big Mac looked at Cheerilee and noticed that she seemed to put some extra effort into her appearance. Her mane was neatly braided in a very simple yet elegant weave, and her tail matched the same pattern.

“Ya look very lovely,” he complimented with a smile. He hadn’t seen Cheerilee in such a made up fashion, but he found it to enhance her natural beauty.

“Heh heh, thank you, Big Mac. You look very charming yourself,” she replied with a bashful demeanor.

Big Mac shared with the bashfulness. The two seemed to have an unspoken connection with awkwardness as silence fell between them. Both looked away from the other, but it was apparent they each had something on their mind.

The stallion managed to speak, “Um, Miss Cheerilee? Before anythin’ else happens, ah just wanna let ya know ah’m really nervous ‘bout this. An’ ah….ah’m not sure what ta do or how ta really act.”

This statement seemed to confuse the mare, “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Ah don’t wanna come off as some sort weird pony ta ya. Ah honestly ain’t sure what ta do on a date, so….sorry,” Big Mac elaborated.

Cheerilee was silent for a moment before chuckling, “That’s what you’re worried about? Big Mac, I don’t expect you to know everything about a date or anything. I just want you to be yourself and have a fun time.”

“Huh?”

“I understand that after that whole fiasco, things are a little….odd between us. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a fun time together, right? And this doesn’t have to be a date-date,” Cheerilee explained.

“What do ya mean?”

“Let’s just have fun together. It doesn’t have to be some big deal. Personally, I just want to spend time with you, well, because I like you,” the mare couldn’t help but be a little flustered at the comment, but she still had the same smile on her face, “You’re a really wonderful pony and a good friend.”

Big Mac paused for a moment, “So, this can jus’ be us bein’ friends?”

“Of course! That is, if it’s what you want.”

“Ah’d like that.”

“I would too,”

With the two ponies smiling at each other, Big Mac offered a front limb for Cheerilee to wrap one of hers around, which she did, and the two began to trot off to begin their evening.

In a soft voice, Cheerilee added one last statement, “Who knows, maybe the next time we can be more than just friends.”

END