Sweat, Tears, and a Video
The red schoolhouse was quiet, almost eerily so. On any other given day, the one-room building would have been filled with the sounds of friends talking, joking, and laughing, but not today. It was as if silence had roared to life, swallowing up all the sounds like a ravenous hydra.
Until the bell rang and the pandemonium began.
Shouts of joy and cheers of elation could be heard all the way from the fence bordering the road nearby, all engaged in a single, uniform sentiment: freedom. Fridays often have that effect on those who dislike being enslaved by learning. However, this sense of jubilation was felt more keenly than those of Fridays past, given that tomorrow was Hearts and Hooves Day. All the students looked forward to spending time with their special somepony. At least, those who had one.
A young mare trudged slowly to her locker, putting her books away with a lonely sigh, Ms. Cheerilee didn’t even give us any homework. How am I going to take my mind off things now?
Her hand came up, brushing back a lavender and pastel pink stray lock of her mane behind her off-white ear, as she looked into her mirror inside the locker’s door. A pair of green eyes widened in surprise as she beheld an envelope, with the name Sweetie Belle written in flowing script on the front. Curiosity, hope, eagerness and a small amount of fear caused her to quickly tear into it, unfolding the letter with trembling hands:
My dear Sweetie Belle,
I have waited long, and perhaps even too long, to express the feelings I keep secret. I was afraid. Afraid of being rejected by a mare as sweet, kind, and beautiful as you. But, after long nights spent dreaming, and wondering, my courage has won out against the fear. Sweetie Belle, you are an incredible mare, and if you would be willing to give me the chance, I would like to express this all to you, face-to-face. Even should you reject me then, I will live with the knowledge that I at least tried, and you shall always hold a special place in my heart. Please, if you would, meet me in front of the clock tower at ten-thirty tomorrow morning. If not, then I shall understand.
Sincerely,
Yours, if you wish it
The locker closed with a clang as Sweetie Belle leaned her back against it, blushing madly with a dreamy smile, eyes half-closed. I have a special somepony!
***
Sweetie Belle awoke early, intent on being presentable for her prospective beau. After a quick breakfast, followed by an even quicker shower, she took an outfit from her closet, and held it up to herself. Her dress, only slightly more pink than her mane, had a silver band just under chest and at the ends of her sleeves, which matched her pastel blue shoes, just as the shoes’ straps matched the bands. Perfect, she thought. Having a fashionista for a sister did have its benefits.
After brushing her mane out to its natural poofiness, Sweetie Belle applied the slightest hint of mascara, just to highlight her lashes. Her reflection stared back, and gave herself a playful wink. A shy giggle later, she retrieved a small white purse and made her way out of the carousel-themed dress shop.
Sweetie’s hooves moved at a brisk pace, and brought her to the steps in front of the school seven-and-a-half minutes before ten. Her eyes scanned the familiar area as she moved her head left and right, up and down, back and forth, to and fro, and every other which way possible, while eagerness shook her heart like a sugar-hyped foal with a maraca.
She didn’t even look at the tower’s massive clock above the entrance, just counted down the seconds in her mind. When her count reached zero, she checked the clock, but only to make certain her count wasn’t off. And it wasn’t.
It’s time! It’s finally time! Ooh I hope I get to see them soon! I wonder if I’ll like them… I mean, they made it pretty obvious they like me, but… who could it be? Snips would’ve just said it to my face, Snails isn’t that good with words, Featherweight’s cute but I don’t think a letter would be his style, and Button… no, no it’s not Button. There’s no way its Button Mash. That colt doesn’t have a romantic cell in that brain of his. But what if it is him? Nonono, get a hold of yourself Sweetie. Its fine, you’re fine. Wait, did I remember to put on-
“SnnnrrRkkk…”
Sweetie’s thoughts were cut into like a fork through cake. Fortunately, she was the only one around who heard her own *eep* of surprise. The sound had originated from just underneath the massive bell above the clock, which made her raise a slender brow in surprise, confusion, and a wee bit of frustration. After a short stint of searching, she found a small pebble, and used her magic to shoot it just above the clock and hit the wall.
“Hey!” she called out.
The noise repeated itself once again.
The pebble shot towards the wall again, a little higher, and she called more loudly, “Hey!”
Again, she heard that same sound.
Her teeth began to grind against each other, before she inhaled deeply, held her breath for a moment, closed her eyes, and let it out very, very slowly. A petite smile formed on her lips as she pushed her shoulders up and back, put her best hoof forward, and covered her neck in her own magical aura. Once more, a pebble floated beside her. She took a lungful of air and-
“HEY!”
-the pebble shot towards the bell, and caused a loud, resounding note to be heard clear across town.
“Wahbuhguhfr!”
A purple-maned head poked out from the ledge beneath the bell, attached to an orange-furred face, whose lavender eyes blinked in sleepy confusion at the intrusion of a bullhorn-level yell into the dreams of their owner.
After the ringing had faded into the horizon, a yawn escaped the sleepy individual, as she rubbed her eye with the back of a fist, “Sweetie Belle? What’re you doing here? And why’d you wake me up? I was in the middle of this awesome dream with Rainbow Dash and Daring Do… ”
Sweetie Belle's eyes were wide and her mouth was open slightly as she stared up at the pony above the clock’s face, “Scootaloo?!”
The young mare hopped down from the clock, her wings extended to slow her descent. Her jeans, gray sweat-jacket and black shirt were ripped in various places, and Sweetie made a mental note to have Rarity talk to Scootaloo later about her… sense of fashion.
Scootaloo straightened up from her crouch, yawned as she stretched her arms to the sides, and scratched her disheveled head, “Seriously Sweetie. Not. Cool.”
Sweetie Belle groaned as she facepalmed, and turned red in embarrassment mixed with frustration, “Would you mind leaving? I’m expecting somepony.”
Scootaloo’s eye went wide, and her mouth opened just slightly as her shoulders slumped forward, while her eyes stayed fixed on Sweetie Belle, “What?! You mean to tell me you’ve got a date?!”
A certain pair of green eyes glowered menacingly at Scootaloo, while the owner’s jaw ground her teeth together in not-so-suppressed anger. Sweetie’s shoulders hunched up even as her arms stuck rigidly to her sides, while her hands clenched into tight fists.
Her whole form shook for a few seconds before she squeakily exploded, “Is it that surprising?!”
Scootaloo held a hand to her stomach, while the other came up to cover her mouth, and try to stifle her chuckling, “No! No, nonono! Okay, maybe just a little. I just didn’t think anypony here’d have the guts to ask you out.”
One of Sweetie Belle’s eyebrows shot up as she slumped forward, while her arms dangled like ropes over a pit, “Huh?”
The pegasus cupped her own chin with her left hand, while her right reached out to her side, and extended a finger for each item she listed off, “Well for starters, you’re cute. You’re smarter than everypony in our class, you’re really nice, you have an amazing singing voice … and it does this adorable squeak when-”
“It does not!” she squeaked.
Scootaloo’s only response was to hold her stomach with both hands as she laughed with her eyes closed. When they opened, Sweetie Belle was seated on the steps a few feet shy of the entryway, her elbows on her knees while her face was cradled in her hands, eyes frowning at the world as she stared ahead.
With a small smile, Scootaloo walked up a few steps, and skootched herself behind her unicorn friend. Her wings, while still somewhat underdeveloped, were still large enough to wrap around Sweetie Belle’s midriff in a soft hug, where her arms were wrapped around.
Scootaloo rested her chin on Sweetie Belle’s right shoulder, her smile not doing much to hide the concern wobbling behind her eyes, “Look, Sweetie. I’m sorry about the teasing, okay? I just wanted a little payback for the wakeup, y’know? I’m sorry if I got carried-”
“Scootaloo?”
The pegasus’ eyes went wide as her smile dropped like a falling star, “Y-yeah?”
Sweetie Belle sniffled, and brought a hand up as if to wipe her nose, but instead pinched it between her thumb and forefinger, “You stink. Bad.”
Confused, Scootaloo removed her right arm from Sweetie Belle’s waist, raised it up, and took a tentative sniff of her underarm. After turning slightly green at a strong smell reminiscent of those small, purple onions combined with pickle juice, she took in Sweetie’s smug smile, and turned a fitting shade of flustered red.
“I w-was jogging! I-I sweat! Everypony s-sweats! I for-g-got to-”
Her embarrassed explanation was interrupted as Sweetie giggled, which quickly turned into a full-on, gut-busting laugh that rang out in nasally, silver peals as her fingers continued to clamp around her snout. Scootaloo just stared, slack-jawed, as one of her eyes twitched in shock. Just as she was about to unleash a comeback, two new sets of cackling laughter reached both of their ears.
“Like, ohmygosh! I cannot believe she actually came here!”
“I know, right? It’s like, how desperate can a pony get?!”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shared a dumbfounded look at the sight of two earth ponies, one pink with a white and lavender mane and tail, the other a dark gray with a lighter two-toned gray mane and tail who were standing in the nearby bushes. The snarky attitudes matched their high-end, designer-label tops and skirts, along with the smug and condescending grins they gave the pair on the clock tower steps.
Sweetie looked at the duo, suspicion causing her voice to tremble, “W-w-what do you mean, D-diamond Tia-r-ra?”
The pink earth pony sashayed her way to the steps as her counterpart followed close behind, and stopped two arm’s-widths away. Diamond Tiara reached into the little diamond-studded purse clipped to one of her belts, pulled out a touchscreen phone, tapped it a few times, and showcased a video on the little three-inch screen.
Sweetie’s eyes went wide, and the breath left her lungs, as she watched the video display Diamond Tiara, who slipped a letter into her locker, followed by a video of that morning, as the two hid in the bushes prior to Sweetie’s arrival, only to record it. A flood of embarrassment, disappointment, and anger broke through the windows to her soul, and though she closed them tightly, the torrent would continue, despite the impediment, as she laid her head against her knees, arms wrapped around them.
Scootaloo just watched the video, her face neutral the entire time. Her face didn’t change when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon unleashed their high-pitched laughs, and walked away. Her face didn’t change as she quietly walked up behind them. Her face didn’t change as she removed her sweat-jacket, and held the end of a sleeve in each hand. No, her face only changed when she quickly wrapped Diamond Tiara’s head in the confines of her smelly, sweat-soaked jacket. Only then did she let loose a small, satisfied smirk at the screams of disgust.
“Ewww! Ew! Eewew! Silver Spoon! Help!”
The gray pony, who had stared in shock, shook her head and frowned as she reached towards Scootaloo. The pegasus anticipated the movement, pulling Diamond Tiara close to her side, then hip-bumped her as she let go of one of the sleeves, and spun one pony into another, where they fell to the ground.
Scootaloo gave a chuckle as she watched the two cretins run away, and listened to the ‘ews’ fade into the distance that made her grin wider with each utterance. After she couldn’t hear them anymore, she turned to check on Sweetie Belle, but only got halfway around before she was hugged fiercely. Sweetie held onto her waist, face firmly pressed into the space between Scootaloo’s neck and shoulder.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her breath soft and warm against the orange fur.
The pegasus could only blush and mumble in response, “Um… yeah.”
For a few minutes the two stood, one grateful, one flustered, before Scootaloo dared to, ever so slowly, try and put an arm around Sweetie’s shoulders. Before she could, however, the unicorn’s head shot up, eyes a little red, but above a smile nonetheless.
“How about milkshakes at Sugarcube Corner? My treat?
Scootaloo grinned as her arm came around Sweetie’s shoulders, and gave her a firm side-hug, “You’re on.”
***
As the two closed in on the steps to Carousel Boutique, milkshakes in hand, Sweetie couldn’t help but glance at Scootaloo out of the corner or her eye every now and then. After finally having steeled herself, she blushed, took a deep breath, and turned to face her, intent on answers, “Scootaloo?”
A slurp was stopped halfway up the straw as her eyes looked to Sweetie Belle, one brow raised.
“Did you mean what you said before? About me… being cute and all?”
The slurp resumed its course at an accelerated rate, and took the straw with it straight into Scootaloo’s throat. The first cough brought the straw out. The second shot it out down the road a few feet. The third spewed the rest of the chocolate deliciousness onto her jacket as she hunched over.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve, blinked the tears away, and looked down at the brown splatter, “Aww. That was the last of my milkshake.”
Sweetie just rolled her eyes and sighed as she held out her hand, “Here. I’ll wash it for you.”
Scootaloo’s eyes darted back and forth before they stayed on Sweetie’s face, “Sweetie Belle, this thing hasn’t been washed-”
Sweetie shot her a glare that made the pegasus stop her tongue in its tracks, waggled a finger back and forth, then motioned with the rest of her hand to give her the jacket. Scootaloo let out a long string of grumbling, but relinquished the funky, holey relic of clothing into her friend’s care. The off-white hand grasped the offensive garment in a tight grip, and felt, as well as heard, it squish in her clutches.
She turned her gaze from the disgusting rag to a pair of lavender eyes, “Do you have any plans for later?”
Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head, closed one eye and stared up at the sky in thought, “Uh… oh! I was gonna ask Applebloom if she wanted to go bowling later.”
Sweetie shot her friend a grimace coupled with an apologetic hiss, “Sorry. Her cousin Babs is in town. They’ll be hanging out all weekend.”
Purple eyes frowned at the ground, and watched as an orange hoof kicked an innocent rock away, “Well… guess I’ll catch up on Daring Do and the Silver Sapphire.”
A deadpan look plastered itself across Sweetie’s face like an artist with a paint-balloon, “Nope. We’re going bowling. I’ll have plenty of time to give this thing a proper wash, and you’ll have enough time to shower and change. I still feel sorry for that couple at Sugarcube Corner. They must have checked their foal’s diaper about ten times!”
“But-”
“No buts! We’re going. Now go get clean, and I’ll meet you there at three. If you’re not there, you won’t get this back,” she threatened, holding the jacket up and away from the pegasus.
Scootaloo clenched her eyes shut, ground her teeth and grunted, “Ugghh, fine! I’ll be there.”
Sweetie brought her face closer to Scootaloo’s, eyebrows firm, jaw straight, “And one more thing.”
Scootaloo huffed as she crossed her arms, “What?”
The unicorn’s head darted forward and to the side, planting a kiss on an orange-furred cheek. She came back with a smile at Scootaloo’s wide eyes and open mouth, “Thanks, again, for today.”
As Sweetie Belle walked up the steps to Carousel Boutique, Scootaloo could only stand there, before her wings spread with an audible *pomph*. As she looked to from one wing to another, she couldn’t help but comment, “Can’t fly with these things… but maybe I can hang-glide… ”
Author's Note
For those of you interested, here's the picture of Sweetie Belle in her outfit. This is what I tried to describe near the beginning, but I don't think my words did the artist any justice. This is not mine, nor did I commission it, but I wanted to give the artist the credit she deserves for inspiring me.
