The bell rang for the end of the school day. It had felt like another eternity, like any normal school day should. Sweetie Belle felt like the whole day had been a distraction from what she was dying to do; tell Apple Bloom about everything she had learned last night.

When the bell finally rang for the end of the day, Sweetie Belle caught up to Apple Bloom as they filed out of the classroom. Scootaloo was trying to slip past the crowd without being seen, but Sweetie found her and tapped her on the shoulder. The small wings on her back ruffled in surprise as she turned to face her friend. She was incredibly pale for her skin color, her hair was matted, and her eyes were bloodshot and wide. She was under the influence of something, Sweetie knew it.

“Hey, Apple Bloom and I were thinking about hittin' the clubhouse, want to come?”

Scootaloo grimaced, and she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck. Her eyes darted from place to place, probably thinking of an excuse.

“I don't know, Sweets. I got this thing back at the house, I don't have time. Sorry.”

This was what, the umpteenth time Scootaloo had some “thing” going on? How long would it be before they spent time together as a group again?

“Okay, that's fine. See you tomorrow then.”

After a quick salute from her shaky hand, Scootaloo quite literally disappeared into the rush of people fighting to leave the building as soon as they could.

“Do ya ever feel like she's avoidin' us?” Apple Bloom asked suspiciously. Sweetie Belle shrugged. Of course she did, but it wasn't too big of a deal. They'd seen each other so little for such a long time that Sweetie Belle didn't care if she knew about Rarity being her mom or not.

~~~

After a short walk, and some small talk, they reached the Apple's farm. They neared the clubhouse, and Sweetie Belle noticed how old it was starting to look due to being neglected for the past year or two.

The place looked about as bad as when they first laid eyes on it, so many years ago, when Apple Jack had shown it to them and said it used to be her own tree house. The paint was peeling, and something about the wood didn't look right. There were cobwebs strung about the roof and windows, and the shutters looked like they were ready to fall off ages ago.

Why had they abandoned it so? The reason slipped Sweetie Belle's mind at the moment, but she assumed it was probably something like being too old to play in a tree house. But damn, looking back, this place was so cool. It was stupid to ever forget about it.

With careful steps, they climbed the creaky staircase leading to the door of the tree house. The door felt jammed, and the hinges looked almost entirely eaten away by rust. Bloom tried to open the door, and after a bit of struggling finally managed to open it up. Light filtered in through the doorway, and you could see how thick the air was with dust inside.

“Gosh, it's been a while since we've been up here, hasn' it?” Apple Bloom remarked. Sweetie nodded as past memories came back to her. Endless happy times that they'd been together, most of the time in this now decrepit tree house. Everything seemed smaller than they remembered, and the ceiling hung lower than what was comfortable. It made Sweetie Belle kind of sad, and only reminded her of how much they'd grown together.

Apple Bloom threw her backpack in a corner, and opened up the faded drapes for the windows, letting in some much needed light. There, now it wasn't as creepy and sad.

“Okay, so I have the craziest thing to tell you.” Sweetie Belle said as she plopped down on the floor, assuming the chairs in the room were too small and fragile to be sat on.

“Shoot. Ah'll listen.” Bloom moved to the center of the room where a single lantern hung from the ceiling. After fiddling with it, and finding that it was useless trying to light it, she sat down across from Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie pulled a sketchbook and a few pencils out of her backpack.

“Do you mind if I sketch you while we talk? I've been wondering if having a model will help me improve.”

“Sure. Do ya care how Ah sit?”

“However you want, so long as you sit still.” Sweetie laughed, flipping the book open to a new page, careful not to let Apple Bloom see what other drawings were inside the book.

There was the scratching of a pencil on paper, and the soft hum of Sweetie Belle as she worked.

“What is it you wanted to tell me? Ya can't leave me hangin'.”

Sweetie sighed, preparing to explain such a sensitive subject.

“Last night, I found out some stuff from Rarity.”

“Ya mean like the poster?”

“Yeah. Turns out you were right, it was all a lie to protect me.” Sweetie Belle erased some sketched lines.

“So? Family's like that. They jus' want the best for ya.”

Sweetie Belle sketched a little bit more before continuing, glad she had an excuse to give her some time to think before talking about such a confusing subject.

“Rarity told me she was lying about something else, too.”

“An' what's that?”

There was a knot in her throat as Sweetie Belle tried to speak.

“She said my mom wasn't gone.”

This definitely caught Apple Bloom off guard. She looked about as confused as Sweetie felt.

“Whaddya mean?”

There was a moment's pause as Sweetie Belle outlined her work.

“Well...Rarity said she was my real mom.”

“What?! That ain't possible!” The look on her face was one of pure shock.

So, Sweetie Belle explained how it was possible, and Bloom got up to pace the room, forgetting her role as Sweetie's model. It didn't matter though, she already had a defined outline, she just needed to add some shading and further define the clothes. A yellow button-up flannel shirt with rolled-up sleeves, skinny jeans tucked into her tall leather boots, and of course the cute pink bow in the back of her hair.

She continued adding detail and ruffles to the shirt, and Apple Bloom continued to talk and pace.

She finally had to stop when she started going into how she felt about it all. Tears were spilling down her face, and she had to be careful not to let them fall on her sketchbook. Her hand was shaking, and she was barely able to hold the pencil, much less use it.

“I don't know, it just feels like my dad and mom and my sister gone, and my real mom is a total stranger. It's just so weird and confusing, I-”

She resorted to sobbing, but tried her best to refrain from completely breaking down. She closed her sketchbook after shakily signing her signature; an S and a B, with a little heart next to it. She always put a little heart in the corner of every drawing she ever made of her crush.

Apple Bloom stopped pacing to look at Sweetie Belle, sitting on the ground with her knees brought up to her face. She shook slightly with her sobbing, but she tried to keep quiet.

“Hey,” Apple Bloom knelt next to her, rubbing her shoulder. “Ya don't have to be so upset. You're goin' to be fine.”

Sweetie looked up with red eyes, into the face of the only person that was able to comfort her. Such a sight brought so much pity and sorrow into Bloom's heart, it was overwhelming. It was like watching a young child cry.

Apple Bloom sat next to her in the corner of the room, and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. Sweetie Belle accepted this and hugged her back, wetting her shoulder with her tears. A fresh onslaught of sobs arose, but Apple Bloom held her in a comforting embrace until it was all over, softly whispering happy things into her ear.

After something like thirty minutes, Sweetie Belle was quiet, and had unwrapped herself from the hug to instead lean against Apple Bloom, who did the same. Bloom's arm was still around Sweetie's shoulder, and Sweetie Belle rested her head on her friends shoulder.

“Are ya feelin' a bit better, Ah hope?” Apple Bloom asked softly. Sweetie nodded, and put an arm around Apple Bloom's lower back.

“Thanks. For understanding, and listening.” She mumbled. “I'm sorry for crying so much, I feel ridiculous.”

“Don't be. Everybody just needs ta cry every now an' then. You've been holding in so much for so long, Ah'm surprised you didn' let all of this out sooner.”

They sat in silence for a while, each thinking about the situation, and things. Now that Sweetie Belle was done thinking about her sister and her family, she realized just how close her body was pressed against Apple Bloom's. Her stomach flipped, and she blushed so hard, she wouldn't be surprised if Apple Bloom felt the heat radiating off of her face.

Taking advantage of the situation, she pressed herself against Apple Bloom even more, wrapping her arm around her tighter. Apple Bloom rubbed Sweetie's shoulder, sending a tingle down her spine. She felt safe, and secure. It had been a long time since she felt so warm, and so content.

She got to thinking, maybe now was the time to say something. To tell her. She would understand, they'd been together so much for so long. She would always understand, and she would always be there for her, no matter what.

Now was the time, the time to be happy. She could forget about everything else, and take comfort in her new girlfriend. Just the thought of the word made her feel like her stomach had turned itself inside out, and her heart had exploded like a firework. Yes, this was it. There would never be a moment as perfect as this. And she had already said so much she was afraid to say, it wouldn't hurt to say just a few sentences more.

“Apple Bloom, I have to tell you one more thing. Something I've been thinking about since I was like, fourteen.”

Bloom nodded. She couldn't possibly be surprised any more today. But that's where she was wrong.

“You've always been there for me, and you've always made me feel better.” She didn't even need to fight the words to come out, they flowed easily.

“And I've been feeling a bit different around you for a while. I-” Sweetie Belle decided to get to the point. All the words that came before would never mean as much as what she planned to say next.

“I-”

But the word that came next was the hardest to say. It was infamous for how hard it was to get out of your mouth, if you meant it.

Hate was always easy to say, maybe one of the easiest words to pronounce. But the word love, now that was hard. You could struggle for years, maybe even your whole life, just trying to pronounce a single word. If you were talking to a family member, it was easier. Loving each other was a given, and it would never be questioned. But to a friend...

“Are... you alright Sweetie?” Apple Bloom turned to look her in the eyes. She noticed a lock of hair hung over Sweetie's eyes, and brushed it off of her forehead and tucked it behind her ear, her hand resting for only a moment on her cheek. It was just a meaningless, friendly motion, something she didn't think was personal. But to Sweetie Belle, it meant so much more. The way Apple Bloom had said her name brought a heat to her chest, and her touch on her cheek made her break out in goosebumps.

“Y-yeah, I'm fine.”

Bloom smiled, and turned to look at the wall opposite of them. There was a portrait hanging there, showing a picture of the two best friends, but younger. Maybe taken a year or two in the past. Giant smiles split their faces, and strawberry ice cream cones melted in their hands. The pink tint of strawberry ice cream brought a memory to the front of Sweetie Belle's mind. Their second Gala, a year back.

They had spent most of the night together, because Scootaloo stuck around Rainbow Dash and the other Wonderbolts.

The night involved ice cream, dancing, laughing, and overall a lot of fun. It was probably the first time in fact, that Sweetie Belle had started to like Apple Bloom more than a friend. They danced, or at least tried. Apple Bloom didn't know how to waltz, so Sweetie taught her. People stared when they fell over each other and laughed, but with no parents or siblings to scold them, they hadn't a care in the world. The memory was a cherished one, and it made Sweetie Belle smile when no one was around.

Apple Bloom stared at the portrait as well, maybe thinking of the same time.

“What were ya trying to say?” Bloom asked, bringing herself back to the present. Sweetie hadn't forgotten the words she struggled with speaking, but seeing the picture brought a confidence to her soul.

They had been together so long, had so much fun together. And now, she wanted just a little bit more. A bit of love, so to speak.

“Yeah. I was gonna say we've been together a long time.”

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement.

“And I-...I've started to feel... different lately. A-about you.” Sweetie Belle cleared her throat nervously. Alright, enough with the procrastination. It was time to tell her, and the longer she talked without a point, the weirder and harder it would get.

Her gaze wandered to her bag, a sketchbook rested on top. She thought of the countless drawings in there, most of which were of her crush. It almost aggravated her as she wondered why she hadn't said anything sooner.

Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. “I-... I love you, Apple Bloom.”

Their heads were still close, and Sweetie Belle only needed to slightly turn her head to plant a kiss on Apple Bloom's cheek. Softly, but with a strong passion. Her face burned as she acted on an impulse. She was in the moment, and didn't particularly think of the outcome or consequences.

Apple Bloom froze, and Sweetie Belle could actually feel her tense up. A heat radiated from her face as she stared straight ahead, a shocked expression frozen on her face.

Apple Bloom cleared her throat and shifted her position, now uncomfortable with how close her best friend was.

“Are you-... okay?” Sweetie asked, concern and dread heavy in her voice as she regretted what she had done. Apple Bloom's face turned red, and she stood, unwrapping herself from the embrace. She hit her head on the ceiling being a few inches taller than her friend, but didn't seem to notice.

“Ah-... Ah don't know, maybe- maybe Ah should g-go.” She stuttered. Sweetie Belle stood as well, dread creeping into her heart.

“Please don't, I-I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry!”

Apple Bloom brought a hand up to her cheek, touching the spot that her best friend had kissed. “Did you-?”

Sweetie wiped something from her eye and nodded. Her tears were exhausted, but somehow her eyes stung. It was all a mistake, and she had perhaps ruined the thing she treasured most in her life.

Apple Bloom's mind raced, and her face turned an even deeper red. “Ah don't know how t-to feel, Ah mean, y-you've always-... we've always been together an' all, but Ah-...Ah've never thought about you like that... Ah mean, m-maybe Ah could, it just-... Ah need some time ta think about it, th-this is all so sudden-...”

There was a call in the distance for Apple Bloom's name. It had been close to an hour, and her family were no doubt worried about her. Apple Bloom cursed, something Sweetie hadn't heard her do before. Normally it was Scootaloo, the rebel and delinquent of the group.

“Ah have ta go, w-we should talk 'bout this later, or somethin'...” Apple Bloom reached for her backpack in the corner of the room and tossed it over her shoulder.

Sweetie Belle tried to say something but her throat caught, and she was speechless.

“Y-you-... l-love me?” Bloom was unable to believe the words. Her cheeks turned red again and her heart beat fast.

Before she could get a response, her name was called again, closer this time.

“Dammit... Ah,-” She pointed to the door, her eyes apologetic.

Sweetie Belle looked up from the floor and met her eyes. Both of them understood what the other was feeling.

“See ya.” Sweetie managed to mumble.

Apple Bloom started to say something else, but thought better of it.

“Yeah. Bye.”

She turned and jumped off of the tree house's balcony, landing soundlessly below.

Sweetie Belle picked up her own backpack, and her sketchbook, opening it up to the page that she had been drawing. It was finished, and it was sure as hell better than any of her previous drawings. But looking at it only brought a feeling of sorrow to her heart. She felt like throwing up, and her world spun.

But it wasn't over, Apple Bloom just needed to think about it. And if she didn't want to be a couple, they'd still be best friends, no matter what. Right?”

Wrong.

The future had a cruel plan laid out, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

~~~

Author's Note

*sigh* okay here goes.
I wrote and rewrote this chapter what, 4 times? And I had writer's block almost every time. It still doesn't feel right, but I guess, "Hey, I tried my best, and it's better to show it than nothing at all."
Sorry it took so long, but this thing just baffled me and my proofreader. I'm releasing it anyways, just to keep things moving so I don't give up on this idea entirely.
If you know why this chapter doesn't feel right, or how to improve it, or even if you just want to say that for any insane reason this was the best chapter so far, please please please comment and share your thoughts. Thanks!
On the good side, I'm past this thing, and I'll be releasing more often, so long as my Christmas schedule doesn't prolong it.
Thanks again to all of you who Favorited and/or tracked this piece of trash x3, and an even bigger thank you to those who watched me!
Until we read again, -Zephyr