"Janice? A word please?"
The last class of the day had let out. With it, the entire student body of New York's schools began to spill into the streets. The blond, freckled, emerald eyed young woman yielded to the teacher's request. Even with her advanced age, she was still smart as a whip and her wit was even stronger.
"What, Mrs. Albano?"
Mrs. Ablano ignored the rude attitude and continued with what she stopped the young woman for.
"Your grades are falling, Ms. Anderson. "
"Yes, I know. I'll get them up," Janice said in dismissal as she tried to make her way out the door. the young girl's advance to the exit ended by the woman's pale, wrinkly, hand on her shoulder.
"You may need to sit down. I am not done yet."
The young woman clicked her mouth in disgust and took the seat in front of the teacher. The old woman took a few seconds to think of her choice of words, trying her best not to offend her student.
"As you know, all the other teachers talk. I know about the other classes. I know about your grades slipping in every single one of them. Your family's money can keep you from getting kicked out, that is true. but, it won't save you from repeating the sophomore year."
Janice's demeanor changed, and she began to get to get red in the face.
"What?!"
"Listen sweetie. I know how it is to try to fit in, to feel like you have to not be yourself to survive. I can tell you are not from around here."
Janice snapped. "Ya don't know how it is! Ya think ah didn't come from these here parts?!"
Mrs. Albano smiled as Janice covered her mouth. "I knew it. You nailed the transatlantic voice and vocabulary and I'm impressed, but, there was a tinge in your voice that brings me back. Something that screamed mid-Appalachia,: eastern Kentucky or Tennessee perhaps.
"So? What if I am from the country. Ya just gonna look down on me?"
Mrs. Albano smiled and pulled a small picture from the top drawer from her desk, and placed it in front of Janice.
"You and I are not too different, Miss Anderson. Believe it or not, I used to have blond hair as well," The teacher said, flicking a bit of Janice's blond hair.
The photo was black and white, and worn around the edges. It was a family portrait in front of a barn. The Father, mother and the seven children, all but one was boys. The newborn girl was at the center of the portrait, carried by her mother.
"I know how it is to not care about education. Especially back in the mountains, which is why my parents sent me away to New York with my cousin. I took what opportunity they gave me. But, I think you should contemplate and figure out what you want in life, because what you are doing now will not work and will end in disaster."
Just then, a female hand began to slam on the distorted glass window. Accompanying the banging of the glass were a pack of female voices. There were three of them, and were as loud and obnoxious as the next voice.
"Janice! Hurry up with that old hag! We are getting hungry!" the girls demanded.
Mrs. Albano ignored them and made one last appeal to the young woman.
"One more thing, Janice. I am authorized to give you a holistic extra credit packet to help you with every class you are failing. Catch is you will have to work on it a few hours with me after school for the rest of the year. I cannot give you the answers to life, but I can point you in the right decision. So, what is it going to be: your future or your present?"
* * *
Janice's circle of friends cheered when the young woman appeared out of the classroom. Behind her, the teacher picked up her old photo with a sigh of defeat.
"The hell she wanted, anyway?" The taller, more fralish redhead asked.
"Like I even care, Ivy," Janice replied.
They made their way out of the halls of New York Prep and down the streets of Manhattan. Rush hour was picking up so they were covering more ground than the cars next to them. After much debate using careful dictation like "like","so" and "that's like", they settled on a pizzeria a block away. Along the way, they passed a construction zone. Construction zones like those were common in a city that shifted its look daily like the sands of the Sahara.
Sitting on a truck was a group of construction workers. They were middle-aged, balding and had beer bellies and muffin tops. They began to catcall the four young girls, complementing their asses, tits, and thighs. For their trouble,Amy stopped and turned her back at the men. The petite Chinese girl grabbed the back end of her maroon and black plaid schoolgirl skirt and lifted it up. the young woman's ass and g-string were in full view of the work site. She gave it a few wiggles as the workers cheered on. A few playful slaps to the rear by her best friends later, Amy blew the men a kiss and moved on.
***
"How about Thomas Peters?" The Freckled brunette named Jade asked. They all surrounded Amy as she bit into her pizza
"Average. He likes to kiss during so if you're into the romantic crap then have at him."
The girls giggled as the continued to share the large pizza. Small family owned pizzeria was a popular hangout for all the students in the city. There were students of both the public schools and the private prep academies in one diner. The prep students kept to one side of the pizzeria. As a cruel in-joke between each other, they called the other side "Our future employees."
"Gabriel James. That nerdy kid that does the role playing games and likes those Japanese cartoons."
"Best kept secret. He knows a lot about the human anatomy… If you get my drift."
Laughs and 'oohs' pelted Amy as the young woman dipped her crust into a cup of ranch.
"Okay, okay. I got one," Ivy said. "How about… Jonathan, the captain of the lacrosse team."
"Didn't sleep with him yet."
“What?!" Ivy and Jade said in shock. It was unthinkable that a guy as hot as him would turn down any girl. Especially if that girl had the reputation of being the best lay at the campus.
"Yeah, I tried many times and he doesn't want to fuck me… He wants you, Janice."
The girls let out a collective squeal in joy, looking at the apathetic Janice.
"He what now?"
"He totally wants you, Jan," Amy explained.
"And?"
"And what? Jump his hot bones!" Ivy demanded.
"Yeah, like… Yeah!" Jade said.
"I'm just saying, Janice. He is going to the party tonight. Come with us and have fun with the guy," Amy explained.
"I don't know girls…."
"Like, don't be such a total wimp. Every girl in the school wants him!" Jade said.
"Even the elementary age ones?"
"You know what I mean, Jan! Just go the party with us and have a good time!" Jade rebutted.
Janice looked outside in thought. The girls leered at her with fierce intent, waiting for her response.
"Sigh, fine. I'll do him tonight," Janice conceded.
The girls let out a collective cheer and patted her back. Janice continued to look out the window, apathetic to the girls and their demand.
* * *
Janice walked past her Aunt and Uncle in the living room of their luxury apartment. They were too deep in a bottle of Merlot to notice she had arrived. She entered her massive bedroom and looked around.
Something is off here…
Her selection of designer clothes were still there and fashionable. Her expensive jewelry were still on the vanity table. Her pile of stuffed animals that she collected in her travels were still huddled in a corner of the room. Her gorgeous view of Central Park, which always greeted her with an amazing view at sunrise was still there. Her silk bed… With a sleeping pony on it.
Wait, pony?!
Janice crept up to the sleeping orange ball in her room. She thought it was either sleeping or a giant plush. Either way, she had never seen that in her room before. She felt more at ease when she saw the cowboy hat on top of the thing.
Huh, must of been Aunt and Uncle Valencia. That's nice of them.
She walked up to it and tried to pick it up. It was heavy, warm, and alive. Janice jumped back when the plushy began to get up and open its eyes. Both emerald green eyes locked and stared at each other. The pony had curiosity in her eyes: Janice looked at the thing in sheer terror.
Green eyes?! Freckles?! Blond hair?! Why does it have my features?!
The fear began to subside even if it was gradual. That was until….
"Howdy!" The pony spoke.
Janice screamed in fear. Loud enough for kill the wino buzz of her Aunt and Uncle
"Sweetie?! Everything okay?!" Her aunt Valencia hollered as her footsteps began to get louder.
"Shit! Hide!" Janice ordered as she began to push the pony out of her bed and to the pile of stuffed animals
"Such language!" The pony commented on her suddenness.
"Sorry! Just blend in for now!" Janice panicked.
Janice scrambled to create space for the pony and piled the displaced animals around the pony. By the time Janice finished, The pony was up to her head in stuffed animals. Janice blitzed to her bag and sat it on her desk as Aunt Valencia walked in.
"Janice, is everything alright?! We heard a scream!"
"I wasn't screaming. It might be from the surround sound?"
"Probably. Oh and Janice... You are in big trouble!" Aunt Valencia’s tone changed rapidly.
"What?" Janice asked in confusion.
"I received a call from your school, young lady! Why are you failing your classes!?"
"I don't know, it's hard to lear-"
"Hard?! Maybe if you study and not hang out with your friends, maybe you’d learn!" She snapped as she slammed the door.
Janice sighed and went over to get the pony out, but the creature already broke out of her disguise. Janice watched as her stuffed animals scattered all over the floor. The pony trotted its way to Janice's Vanity table. Wedged between the wood frame and the mirror was a photo that caught the creature's eye.
"That looks like mah barn," the pony said.
"Is that so? What is your name?" Janice asked.
"Mah name is Applejack." The pony introduced herself.
"Wait… Did you say Applejack?! No, that can't be a coincidence," Janice mumbled.
"Coincidence? I thought ya name was Jan-ece?" Applejack asked.
"It's that… When I was a small child they gave me the nickname of AppleJan because I would only eat apples. When I got older, I began to hang out with boys. Every day it was playing, hunting, fishing, roughhousing. I even had to beat up one or two that messed with my friends. They called me Applejack after a few fights. Hey, I have a crazy idea."
"What's the idear?" Applejack asked.
"We say the name of our farm on the count of three. One… Two… Three!"
"Sweet Apple Acres!" They said in unison.They both smiled at each other and began to laugh.
"This is gettin’ mighty weird," Applejack proclaimed
"Eeyup," Janice answered.
"So what brings you to my world, pony me?" Janice joked.
"Dunno, somethin’ told me to come through the fancy mirror. I reckoned I would wait until it came so I took a nap."
"Something told you to come? I bet I have an idea what that is," Janice frowned as she fell back on her bed.
"What's eating ya, partner?" Applejack asked, curling herself next to Janice.
"Other than what you saw with my aunt? Failing school, friends are pressuring me to do it with some guy, stresses to fitting in. The usual city girl shit."
Applejack cleared her throat. "Language."
"Sorry. It's just that there're too many things going on at once and I feel like... I can't keep up! and.. I miss home, you know?"
Applejack took a deep breath. "That's a lot on your plate, partner. But, out of curiosity... Your aunt and uncle are Oranges, right?"
"My aunt married my uncle who's last name is Valencia, a type of orange,"
They both exchange a quick smile, amused by the many coincidencess.
"Ya don't need all that, Jan. Ah, bet bushels to bits that back home don't have all that ruckus. Back home is simpler, it's calmer, and at least the stallions have some class. Now Janice, ah been through this too. ain't like all that with the schooling and the rutting. But, Ah learned anyway that home is where the heart is. Ah lived in ma Aunt and Uncle Orange's place in Manehattan. Had to learn how to be a city pony awfully quick. The food was oh so awful! It made me think that Ah wadn’t cut out to be a city pony, but Ah am a country filly at heart. What about you, Jan? Are you a country pony or a city pony?"
Janice did not think about her response."I am a country pony… I mean girl. Country girl."
Applejack no longer said a word. She flopped out of Janice's bed and to the large oval mirror next to her closet.
"Wait! Where are you going?!"
"Home. Ah got a farm to tend," Applejack said. Before she went back to the mirror, she had one last thing to say to Janice.
"Ah can't tell you what to do, Jan. But I can't tell you what to do, that's what you have to do. Being a big pony is about making big choices… Even the more difficult ones."
* * *
Janice sat on the foot of her bed as Applejack's tail vanished into the mirror. She knew damned well that no one would believe what had just happened.
Everyone would think I am nuts if they told them I talked to a talking pony that came out of my mirror!
She also began to ponder what the pony said. About how maybe it wasn't her that was the problem, but city living.
She thought of her situation at school, the pressures of trying to fit in, and Johnathan trying to get into her panties. She began to contemplate the road ahead of her in the city. She had many scenarios thought up in her mind of what would happen if she stayed in the city, none of them good.
She knew that at least in the farm there were no stresses of the city. It might not have been glitzy or glamorous, that's for sure. The pace of life was slower, and the need for material items was even slower.
The sound of her vibrating phone snapped Janice out of thought, and she reached to see who it was from.
Hey its Johnathan. Amy gave me your number because she told me you were going to the party tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to have sex at the party? I'll bring the protection.
The voice of Ms. Albano began to echo in her mind. "So what's it going to be: Your future, or your present?"
With her choice in mind. She sent a reply.
No on the party. No on the sex.
Her phone began to light up from Jonathan. Insults like "bitch," "slut" and threats to ruin her reputation at school began to flood her inbox. She ignored them as she placed one call to a contact called "Home".
"Yes, Grandma Smith? I…I want to come home… Yes, tonight."
* * *
Janice's sudden departure of New York Prep fueled a whirlpool with rumors and speculation. Many said she left elsewhere because she ended up getting caught doing drugs. It was soon after that 'having sex with two older men behind a deli at the same time' became a addendum to the rumor. Anyone who did a little research found out that the rumors came from the mouth of Jonathan. Even years after her departure, he was still bitter about losing the chance to have Janice.
Her little circle of friends moved on with their lives, never even talking about her. Amy would end up dropping out of school to elope with the son of a billionaire media mogul. Their marriage remained shaky with long bouts of fighting and cheating on each other. Ivy became another self-righteous white girl with a trust fund and joined the Peace Corps. After she left, she would end up moving back to New York to become a "Social Rights" activist. Her parents and Patreon supporters funded her online activist lifestyle. Jade received her Jurist Doctorate at Columbia University, rising through the ranks of the city's lawyer scene until she ran a successful campaign for the New York County District Attorney Position. with a platform to be tough on crime and to legalize marijuana, Ivy and her would have social media political spats from time to time. Even at the fiercest times in their public spats, they would always meet in a cafe for lunch every Tuesday afternoon.
Through it all, Miss Albino wondered about the fate of Janice Anderson, and if the last ditch effort to save the girl worked. She would work a few years more after Janice left until she decided to retire. On the last day of the school year there was a two-hour assembly dedicated to New York Prep's oldest and most beloved teacher. All her former students were in attendance, all except one. The old woman's 'student that got away' consumed her as she carried her items in a milk crate to the main office to check her inbox one last time. She found a letter hidden among the other letters from friends, colleagues, and former and current students wishing her the best. That one came from a familiar name
Janice Anderson.
The old woman crammed the rest of the letters back in her mailbox. She opened the letter up in a rushed panic, hoping to finally have that resolution she was craving for after all those years. As she continued to read, a trail of tears began their advance down her cheek. Her tears continued to flow even as she tucked the letter and photo that come with it in the pile of other letters and placed them in the crate, and headed out the halls of New York Prep Academy one last time with her head held up high.
Dear Miss Albano,
I’m sorry for not saying goodbye. I had to leave town that night you talked. You were right. I was headed down a bad way and I was too obsessed with fitting in to see it. I bet that there were many rumors spread about why I had to leave all of a sudden. It was something that someone said that made me see what you were trying to tell me and what I needed to do to set my future straight. I know now that it isn't what you did in your life that makes it worthwhile, but how you lived life and if you enjoyed it. I was too young and naive to see it.
I took the midnight train back to my hometown that night. It’s a kinda small town between Knoxville and Gatlinburg. Since then I've been helping my family run the farm. With enough money from my Aunt and Uncle, I turned our little farm into a giant apple orchard. We make a living selling our apples to friends of my aunt and uncle that work for the big groceries stores. We make enough apples and money to provide our little town with jobs picking the apples. A few months ago, we paid off my aunt's and uncle's investment. With the profit now our own we began to pour our profits into higher pay and back into our little town. We even raised enough to ship books for our local school and library for the kids to read and to learn.
Thank you, Miss Albano, for everything. I had to deal with some things back in the farm and I couldn't go to your retirement ceremony. I do have something for you.
I set up this game camera near the orchard to catch a photo of any animal, and it got me as I walked away. It's a great view of the mountains and I would like to give it to you since I know you came from these parts as well.
Good Luck in your retirement and don't party too hard!
Love,
Janice "Applejack" Anderson.
Author's Note
Written for the Abyss' Cute Stories competition
