Pain is (no) remedy

The next morning, Dash was a bit careful around her parents. She had unwrapped her wrist and the cut was only a small streak. If her parents didn't look too closely, they wouldn't notice. And they didn't, at least not yet. She got in the bus and sat next to Applejack, like always.

"Mornin' Sugarcube."

Dashs voice felt dead. She couldn't answer.

"You alright?"

She nodded slowly. Her eyes looking down, telling a different story.

"What's wrong? Did somethin happen?"

Dash said nothing and didn't move. She was wearing a dark pullover, so nobody could see her cut. She wasn't very warm anyways. Warm.. that's how she felt when Twilight was touching her...
Dash closed her eyes. Applejack noticed how Rainbow tried not to touch the back of their seats with her back. She tried something she always did when Dash needed a friend. She leaned her arm around Dashs shoulders. Rainbow flinched at the touch and tried to get Applejacks arm away.

"I knew it, yer hurtin."

Dash didn't look at her.

"Yer dad?"

Dash nodded once slowly.

"What? Why?"

Dash closed her eyes and sighed.

"Sorry sugarcube... hey look we're here. Come on, Pinkie Pie will make you laugh again!"

Dash said nothing, grabbed her bag and followed Applejack to the exit of the bus. She took a moment, hesitating. Then she put her mask on, wearing a big fake smile.

"Hey guys!" She said, her voice filled with hesitation and the sorrow she tried to hide.

"Hello Rainbow Dash. Good to see you're feeling better!"

If only you knew..

"Rainbow Dash! We have to pull off some pranks on Miss Harshwinny! And I've got Just the thing!" Pinkie said and pulled out an apple.

"An Apple? Really?"

"It's not an apple, silly!"

"But.. it looked like one?"

"That's just the Point! Here" She handed it over to Dash. It wasn't a real apple, that's for sure. Way too light and obviously not organic.

"A deco apple? Really..?" Pinkies smile faded.

"I-If you don't like it.. I can think of another, better prank.."

"No-no it's fine, really. Let's do this."

RRRRIIIIIINNNNGGG!!!!!

"Well, that was an ugly prank."

"I didn't know she had removable teeth!"

"Don't sweat it Pinkie. Nobody got hurt and we didn't get caught. Everything's Fine."

Her voice dropped at that last word. Applejack knew what happened. She reminded herself.

"Well, how 'bout we get home. There's supposed to be a storm later."

"Yes, we heard about it. Urgh, in weathers like those I can never find my inspiration for fashion!"

"Calm down Rarity! It's just weather, and it's not gonna stay either!"

Rarity gasped as she stared at Dash in horror as if someone just said her shoes didn't match her dress. Applejack quickly went between them before they could do something they would regret later on.

"Come on gal's. Time to get home. It's never a good thing when you two are stressin' each other."

"Says the one who can't stop arguing with Dash."

"Alright, let's go." Applejack grabbed Dashs arm and pulled her to the bus station.

"Ya don' needa start a fight wit' 'er after what yer dad put ya through again." She looked in her eyes with a stern look on her face. Dash couldn't help but scratch her neck nervously. She couldn't bear to look at her right now.

"Yeah.. guess you're right.."

Then the bus stopped in front of them.

The girls got off the bus. Applejack was going to head home, but she stopped a few steps later and turned around. Dash just stood there.

"Ya goin' home, sug?"

Dash didn't move.
For several moments Applejack just stood a few feet away and looked at Dash. Then Dash started to walk off towards her home.

"..See ya tomorrow, then..?"

...

"..I guess..."

Dash was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

She'd been doing this since she got home.

That was mere hours ago.

Time didn't seem to go by.

But then the front door opened.

And Dash closed her eyes. Her parents are home. Instead of the joy that most kids felt to finally be able to see their parents
she just felt even more like she had to get away from here.

Away from them.

Away from her problems.

Away from her life.

The door to her room never opened that day. Her parents were avoiding her. Maybe it was just for the better that way.

Her phone vibrates, signaling she got a message from her friends. She picked it up and turned it on, the message shown on the screen was from Applejack.

"You know you can always tell me anything, we are here for you."

Dash sighed and started typing.

"Of course I know that. You guys are such good friends" - Awesomeness in Person

She shut it off again and eventually fell asleep.