Memory Foam

'Okay class, that's it for today! Don't forget, tomorrow is the last test on bioogy before the final, so study hard!' Cheerilee clapped her hooves, and began to wipe the blackboard clean.

Scootaloo pulled on her coat and saddlebags, and ambled over to the table where Sweetie Belle and Applebloom sat. Usually, after school, the three of them would dream up various ways to get their cutie marks. Today, however, the other two were deep in discussion, and didn't notice Scootaloo until she cleared her throat loudly.

Applebloom turned around. 'Oh, uh, hey Scoots.'

'Ready to get out of here? I have this great idea - Cutie Mark Crusader-'

Before Scootaloo could finish, Applebloom shook her head. 'Sorry Scootaloo. Me and Sweetie Belle are way behind on our biology work. If I fail that test, Applejack will kill me.'

Sweetie Belle nodded in concurrence. 'Rarity's already mad at me for screwing up my preliminary magic training. I don't think she'd let me back home if I failed biology on top of that.'

'Ahw come on now, Sweetie Belle, that wasn't your fault. You didn't mean to set the instructor's mane on fire...'

Scootaloo cut in. 'Okay, sure! I need to get some biology prep in as well. So, are we going to the treehouse?'

Applebloom shook her head. 'Nope. Applejack and Big Mac are showing some apple merchants around, so Sweet Apple Acres is off limits.'

Sweetie Belle chimed in. 'Rarity's designing her new line at the moment, so we're not going to the Boutique, either.'

'Yeah, that's just what we were discussing. Maybe we could stay behind at the school... wait, Scoots, why don't we go back to your place?'

Scootaloo had been half-asleep throughout this exchange, but the mention of her home caused her to sit bolt upright. A freezing sensation, as if ice was running through her blood, began in the pit of her stomach and rose upwards, threatening to throttle her brain.

Before she had time to compose herself, Scootaloo instinctively yelled out. 'NO!'

Time seemed to come to a standstill as every foal in the vicinity turned to stare at her. Flushing crimson, Scootaloo hastily tried to amend her mistake.

'I-I mean, my dad, ha ha, he's a little- a little uptight about visitors. So, y'know, we should just probably not bother him. He's, uhh, he's painting the house. Yeah.'

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked thoroughly taken aback by this response, and not in the slightest bit convinced by Scootaloo's explanation. Applebloom was the first to speak up. 'Ya okay, Scootaloo?'

Of course not. 'Fine. Sorry, just dozed of there.'

Applebloom didn't seem so sure, but Sweetie Belle seemed satisfied with this answer. 'I guess we shouldn't bother him, then. Hey, should we ask Cheerilee if we can study here?'

Scootaloo sank back into her chair as Sweetie Belle trotted off to badger Cheerilee. That was stupid. Why can't I just keep my mouth closed once in a while?

Dad was right. I really do screw everything up.

For the next three hours, the three fillies worked through page after page of equine biology. Scootaloo trailed behind the other two, only making the occasional note, or answering a few questions in a worksheet. These days, it seemed like she hardly had the energy for schoolwork.

In fact, she rarely had any interest in doing anything. It was only when she was playing with her friends, lost in her own imagination, that she could see the world as having a little bit of the colour it had once held.

Everypony noticed. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom complained about how she wasn't as fun. Cheerilee complained about her failing grades. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were bigger spoiled, stuck up bitches than ever. Scootaloo could feel her life slipping away, and the worst part was that she hardly cared any more.

'Scootaloo?'

Scootaloo realized she had dozed off, and was now lying face-first against the table. 'Yeah?'

'Scootaloo, is this all you've done in the past three hours?'

Applebloom waved two pages with some vague scribbles on them in front of her. Scootaloo blinked at the pages as they came into focus.

'I guess so.'

Applebloom threw the pages down. 'Get your act together, Scoots. We have finals in two weeks, you know!'

Sweetie Belle cut in. 'Applebloom, don't be too harsh.'

'"Too harsh"? Sweetie Belle, she's done nothing! She never does anything these days, either!'

Scootaloo felt anger rising in her stomach. Before she could stop herself, she snapped back.

'I didn't ask for your opinion, Applebloom!'

Applebloom snorted, but didn't respond. Instead, she opened up her book and flipped to a random page. Picking a question at random, she began to read. 'What class of diseases are characterized by inflammation of the fetlock?'

Scootaloo stared at the ground. 'I don't know.'

'What dietary changes must be made for a pony suffering from Cushing's disease?'

Scootaloo didn't answer. Applebloom began to chide her. 'Want to phone a friend?'

'Applebloom, stop it.' Sweetie Belle's voice was quiet, yet commanding. When Applebloom turned to her, she nodded at Scootaloo, who was staring intently at the floor, tears dripping from her face, her breathing tightly constrained, and interrupted only by short, sharp gulps.

Guilt welled up in Applebloom, yet no words of apology were forthcoming. Instead, she could only watch dumbly as Scootaloo gathered her saddlebag and coat, and strode out of the building.

Scootaloo didn't head straight home. She only did that when she had to, when it was dark, and she was expected. Instead, she headed for the edge of town, towards the Everfree forest. Though she would never have the courage to go in on her own, she had discovered a small clearing that only she knew about. It was a private place - not even her friends knew about it. After all, she had no privacy in her own home, so why not find privacy somewhere else?

As soon as she reached the clearing, she broke down. Collapsing in the middle of the clearing, she sobbed until her body ached, and she could no longer continue. Instead, she laid pitifully on the ground, hoping it would open up and swallow her whole. She had almost certainly just lost the respect of the only two ponies in the world she was certain cared about her. Her future was in tatters. Why even move from this spot?

Time passed, and the sun set across Ponyville. As the day's fading light shone through the branches of the Everfree forest, Scootaloo knew she had to leave. The Everfree forest became a much more dangerous place at night, and fear of the shadows was enough to convince her to postpone her own demise.

She began at a snail’s pace, making her way through Ponyville. Around her, doors and windows closed, as happy couples and families settled down for the night. She saw happy, smiling ponies populating the various brightly-lit bars and cafes of Ponyville, ponies having a good time, making new memories, making new friends.

And all too soon, Scootaloo found herself standing outside her own home. A single light was on - in the kitchen. She knew what that meant.

Scootaloo crept inside, praying she would not be noticed. The second she had finished closing the bolt on the door, she heard his voice.

'Scootaloo... come over here and give daddy a kiss.'