Whenever the topic of classes would come up around your classmates, night classes were often singled out as easy credits. Apparently it would be common for professors to run out of material and let you go early, if not finding some other excuse to dismiss the class. You recall the end of last semester where Snails was eagerly egging you on to sign up for a history class with him, so he wouldn’t have to take it alone. Coincidentally, it satisfied one of your requirements, so you signed up for the class anticipating a smooth ride through the semester.

Unfortunately, what Snails and everyone else neglected to tell you was that some professors would take a perverse enjoyment in keeping students as long as possible. As soon as Ms.Cinch strutted into the classroom on the first night, Snails went white as a ghost, grabbed his bag and bolted out of the hall before you could react. When you attempted to do the same, Cinch homed in on you and forced you to stay for the remainder of the class.

Before the class you’d only heard about Professor Cinch in passing from others. She was always described as a shrewd, spiteful old woman who had a distaste for anything and anyone that disregarded her rules. If she found the slightest thing out of place, or if she was just having a bad night, she would find some way to make every student just as miserable as her. From surprise exams to tangential lessons on manners, she was very effective at draining the class spirit, leaving only an empty husk to pour her menial lessons into. So here you were, three weeks in and withering away in a musty lecture hall for a subject you don’t care about.

With nothing to do except wait for the inevitable, you let your gaze drift towards the doorway, where fellow inmates slowly trudge through the door. Each one looking as drained as you imagine you appear to be as they surrender themselves to a three hour time sink. You glance at your phone to check the time, but it only serves to remind you how long you’re here for.

If you were discrete about it, you could pass the time by watching a movie. All you’d need to do is pretend to give Cinch the undivided attention she so craves, when in reality you are watching foreign fight movies! ‘Delightfully devilish’ you think to yourself. You fish your laptop out from your bag and flip the screen up, preparing to tune out the rest of the evening.

”Anon!”

You close your eyes and silently curse your bad luck, lowering your laptop screen to reveal a grinning blue face staring straight back at you.

“Hi Sonata.” You drone as you push the screen back upright, blocking her from your view. You hear her stifle a giggle from behind your electronic barricade. This was going to be a long night.

"Soooo, Anon~" Her ponytail rises into view, slowly before her eyes peer from the top of your only protection. You sigh in defeat, acknowledging that whatever this is probably can’t be avoided.

“What’s up, Sonata?” You reply with sarcastic enthusiasm, closing your laptop shut. Sonata leans over her chair and rests her elbows on your desk.

“ I haven’t seen you since, like, lunchtime!” Sonata exclaims while she rocks back and forth. “I was , like, sooooo~ bored during my other classes today. And-Ohmigosh-my bio professor was such a bitch today! I take out my phone for ONE second and she comes and takes it! How’s your day been?”

A smile creeps on your face at the carefree antics displayed the girl in front of you. Sonata’s demeanor could be best described as if they’d given a two month old puppy a human form and set it out into the world. She was a constant source of bubbly energy and unbearable naivety, and seemed to hide her distaste for this class better than others. While you normally wouldn’t mind her vibe, it starkly contrasted with the general feeling of the classroom. Like a clown in a hospital’s coma ward.

“Oh you know, pretty good, pretty good.” You say with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. “This really weird girl pestered me to buy her food and fell asleep on my bed for a couple hours. Snored so loud it bothered my roommates.”

Tilting her head and humming in thought, Sonata seems to process your statement for longer than necessary before the realization flashes in her face. “You’re talkin about me, aren’t you?”

“I am talking about you.”

Sonata crosses her arms, huffing at your jest. “You didn’t say I couldn’t.”

There was truth to that statement. The alternative, however, was putting up with her endless whining about wanting to nap on your bed until she eventually won the war of attrition.

“What do you want, Sonata.”

Feigning ignorance, Sonata looks at you wide eyed with a finger lightly touching her chin. “What do I want? Can’t I just talk with my friend?”

“No, because you usually want something when you do.”

”Well, this is time it’s different! It’s something super, super important!” She leans in closer, putting more weight onto the back of her chair. “I know a little secret about you.”

Eyebrow raised in curiosity, you lean forward in your seat. “A secret?”

Sonata nods her head vigorously. “Mhmm! You wanna know what it is?”

“If it’s about me, wouldn’t I already know about it?”

Sonata stares at you in mild bewilderment before giving you a small pout. “You’re not gonna make this fun for me, are ya?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” You say, leaning back in your desk with a smug smirk.

As always with her childish energy, Sonata bounces in her chair impatiently. “C’mon, Anon. This is such a juicy secret!” She looks around for anyone trying to listen in on your conversation. “I bet it’s something you don’t want me to know.”

When you first started talking with Sonata, you could have dismissed her as a stereotypical airhead girl, had it not been for a general sense of there being more to her than she let on. There was a method to her ditzy madness,and she seemed to hide her intentions and motives well.

Still, it was always easy to figure out what she could be motivated by.

“You’re really pushing it, Sonata Dusk. You already make me buy you lunch almost every single day.”

Brushing her hair back with a coy smile, Sonata leans onto your desk and rests her head on her hands. “You’re gonna hafta do better than that, mister. Want me to tell ya~?”

“Do I have any other choice in the matter?”

“Nope!” Sonata leans forward a bit more, causing her chair to totter with the imbalance. She yelps and grips onto your desk for balance as her chair slides out from under her, bringing the girl down with it. You chuckle as you flip the screen of your laptop back open to resume your diligent classwork. Once again, Sonata shoots up into your view, this time giving you a look of betrayal and hurt.

”How could you do that, Anon!” She whimpers.

A shrug is the only response you can come up with. “Do what?”

Before Sonata can respond, she’s interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat echoing across the walls.

“She’s here, Sonata.” You nod your head towards the direction of the door, from which Ms.Cinch has emerged. Her beady eyes scour the hall, creating a mental list of who she wants to spite during tonight's lecture. Cinch locks eyes with Sonata and she eagerly homes in on her first victim.

“Ms.Dusk.” She points a gnarled finger in your general direction. “Take your seat this minute or I will mark you absent.”

“Yes, Ms.Cinch. Sorry Ms.Cinch.” She slides back into her seat and tries to make herself a smaller target. Satisfied that her target was properly chastised, Cinch eyes the rest of the classroom warily for anymore targets. No one else seemed out of line, so she nods in approval.

”Now then-” Cinch takes a brief moment to clear her throat and adjusts her glasses. “Green Apple”

A petite girl several rows down listlessly raises her hand. “Here.”

You would have to wait a little bit longer before you can tune Cinch out. She loves saying how much she hates repeating herself after all, and you’d hate to be singled out by her.

“Silver Dew.”

“Here.”

“Sonata Dusk.”

Sonata quickly raises her hand and exclaims “Here!”, immediately returning her attention to her desk, scribbling furiously on a small slip of paper. She puts her pencil down and looks up towards Cinch as she folds the slip in her hands.

”Flash Fire.” The room remains silent. Cinch looks up from her clipboard and studies all the students for anyone not paying attention.

She licks her lips and furrows her brow. “...Ahem. Flash Fire?”

After another brief pause, Cinch nods to herself. ”Very well. If Mr.Fire does not choose to put in even the minimum effort to pass this class, he must face the consequences.” She turns back towards the desk at the front of the room and begins to jot down something. ”This generation must learn to properly understand good discipline if they are to give this department and this school a good name in the future.”

With Cinch’s back turned, Sonata quickly flings the slip of paper she had hidden over her head and onto your desk. The paper flutters onto your keyboard just in time for Cinch to turn back to face the class.

”Hopefully the rest of the class is more exemplary than Mister Fire. Ever Glade.”

”Here.”

You stare at the small scrap in front of you as you hear Cinch call off names. It seems small enough to where it’s not long winded. In the short time you’ve come to know Sonata, you’ve realized she’s not one for complicated thoughts. She probably doesn’t have the attention span to write anything longer than a paragraph.

You take the folded paper in between two fingers and fiddle with it. What secret could she be talking about? You feel your heart rate rise and fall as you think of different possibilities. How could she know something about you after only knowing each other for a month? What was she going to get out of letting you know that she was aware of whatever secret she knew? Was this her intention all along, to lure someone into a false sense of security and blackmail them?

“MISTER ANONYMOUS!”

You slap your hands down on your desk in shock. “HERE!” You instinctively shout.

Cinch is standing at the end of the row to your left, her hands on her hips. Her eyes peer at you from behind her glasses in such a way that it makes you feel like they’re burning holes right into you. “Mister Anonymous. When you are in this class, I demand your undivided attention. I will not tolerate any daydreaming in this class. You should understand this by now.”

You nervously swallow. “Yes, Ms.Cinch.”

Cinch turns around and makes her way back to the podium, making marks on her clipboard. “Since you did not respond when called, I will be counting you as late.”

You gawk in surprise at her remark and begin to stand up and shout in protest, only to stop yourself. Saying or doing anything at this point would potentially result in further retaliation from the shriveled bitch. You sink back further into your chair, admitting defeat. People around the class exchange looks with each other and you, casting their pity onto you. The whispers of several others nearby catch your attention.

“Can she even do that?”

“I can’t believe her.”

Sonata briefly turns to face you and leans in to whisper. “Sorry, Anon.”

You wave your hand dismissively and point towards the front of the class. “Don’t get in trouble because of me. Pay attention.” Sonata anxiously glances down at the paper in your hand and turns back towards the front.

You fumble around with Sonata’s note and flip it open, only to have your heart skip momentarily as you read the five words written there.

‘I know you like Aria.’

--------------

“Sonata whatever you do, you can not say a fucking word to her.”

Sonata skips along by your side and hums happily as the two of you exit the classroom, oblivious to your discomfort at the situation you’d found yourself in. People file out from the hall beside the two of you, eager to find solace in the comfort of their homes or the backseat of a car.

Your mind was racing as it tried to fit this mess into place. How the hell did she even find out? You didn’t even know the two of them were related until Sonata showed you pictures of them together, referring to Aria as her sister.

“Please don’t tell me she already knows.”

“Not yet! Why? Do you wanna tell her yourself?” Sonata gasps and looks at you with wide eyes. “Are you gonna give her flowers?? I TOTALLY wanna see you do that. It’ll be adorbs!”

Rustling from somewhere behind you sends every muscle in your body on high alert, and you look around the empty campus, expecting to see a purple blur rapidly approaching you. You only breathe a sigh of relief when you see several stray cats dart out from some bushes and into the night. “That’s the very last thing I want to do right now. Or ever.”

Sonata happily bounced next to you as you escorted her to the only campus outlet that was still open at this time; a small grill attached to the outside of the student union building. The last refuge for anyone who still found themselves wandering the campus this late at night. While Sonata didn’t explicitly say it, you had gotten the very heavy handed hint that she was expecting you to cover her meal again. It was an obvious case of extortion, but the choice between a takeout bill and a hospital bill was an easy decision.

Taking note of your paranoia, Sonata bumps you in the shoulder to earn your attention. “You hella need to chill out, Anon. Everything’s fine. Look-” She pulls out her phone and shows Aria “I could call her right now and see if she wants to eat with us!”

You step in front of Sonata, reaching out to lower her arm. “Sonata, I’m serious about this. If Aria finds out I’m fucking screwed! I mean, how did YOU even know about this??”
“Pffft, you kiddin’ me?” Sonata says with a wave of her hand. “I see you lookin’ at her instagram, like, ALL the time in class.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” You stammer out. Sonata responds by pulling her phone out and showing you her evidence; your instagram profile.

“Do you know how often I’ve seen you looking at her profile, Anon? I’ve seen her gym videos on your phone, like, HUNDREDS of times already.”

“Th-they just appear on my feed. I don't know what you're talking about.” You shakily reply.

“Oh?” Sonata says with an unconvinced expression. She comes to your side, wraps an arm around your shoulder and shows you the screen once more. “You’re the only person I know that talks about painting those little figures, Anon.” She scrolls through the page, revealing the dozens of pictures you’d taken of your paintings.

“Ok first of all, they’re called ‘Miniatures’. And it-nevermind. Point is, I am begging you not to tell Aria. Please.”

Sonata rocks back and forth on her feet, avoiding your gaze. ”I dunno, Anon. I’m getting pretty hungry and the cafe closes soon~. Maybe I’ll just text Aria and see-”

You clasp your hands together in a prayer. “I already told you I’m buying you food, Sonata PLEASE don’t-”

A fit of giggles erupts from the girl. ”I know, Anon. I’m just totally messin’ with ya!” Sonata says through her bubbly laughter. “C’mon they’re gonna shut down the shake machine soon!” She grabs your hand and drags you along to the cafeteria at the center of campus.

The atmosphere you two are greeted with once you walk in is rather melancholic. The only sounds that echo through the room are the dull electrical hum of machines and the soft buzz of fluorescent lights. Several of the workers are aimlessly shuffling through the dining area, feigning their work ethic as they sneak glances at the clock at the far end of the room. Around the dining area rows of empty chairs waited to be stacked away for the night, save for one that was occupied by a hooded figure hunched over a pile of books and papers. You couldn’t tell if the sounds coming from them were sobbing or snoring. Could have been both. The double doors behind you two loudly slam shut, announcing your arrival to everyone in the room. Several of the workers that were awake enough look at you with thinly veiled ire as they ready themselves for one more order for the night.

--------

“Did you see if they spit in our food?” You whisper to Sonata as the two of you make a hasty exit from the building. “I got a bit of a feeling they didn’t really want us there.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m sure they wouldn’t do anything to my stuff.” Sonata said with a cocky smile, batting her eyelashes. “It really pays to be a super cute girl, y’know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind next time I order food.”

While the sun had set not too long ago, almost every square inch of the campus was illuminated by light fixtures dotted across the paths. The pathways are bathed in a warm, muted orange from the buzzing lights. The hot summer air was swept away by the crisp evening breeze that rolled across the sky.

After dragging you halfway to the other side of the campus, Sonata stops at the base of some stairs overlooking the front of the college. In front of you is a large lawn that sprawls from one end of the property to the other. A large fountain and pond sits in the middle of it all, sitting dormant for the night. Sonata lifts herself onto a nearby wall before she begins to tear into her food. You settle onto the ground and pull out your own meal as Sonata murmurs sounds of happiness through chewing. A comfortable silence hangs around the two of you, the only sounds around you was the gentle murmur of the night and Sonata loudly munching away.

”So tell me everything, Anon.” Sonata asks before sucking down another gulp of milkshake and stuffing another handful of fries in her face. “Why Aria?”

There was no point in trying to hide the truth anymore, so you might as well come clean. “Man where do I even start?” You ask yourself, conjuring an image of the punk girl in your mind. “Obviously I think she’s really pretty.”

Sonata suppresses a fit of laughter and you wheel your head around to glare at her. “What’s so funny?”

“Sorry Anon, just that Aria would totally kick your ass for calling her pretty.” Sonata rests her head on her hand, a grin that was dripping with mock innocence smeared across her face. “Anywhoo’s, what else ya like about her?”

“Well-” You pause for a moment as you consider other descriptives that Aria might not enjoy.

“Whatsamatter? Grump got your tongue?” Sonata says, fighting the urge to laugh at her own joke.

“...The first time I saw her was at the bookstore, start of last semester.” You began, your mind conjuring up the memories. “Nothing really happened, we were just buying our books. But when I saw her it just felt...I don’t know...she really stood out in the crowd. She carried herself with this energy, like she was just exuding confidence with every breath she took.”

When you don’t receive a response you turn to look up to Sonata, who gives you a warm smile as she waves her hand for you to continue.

“So I don’t think there’s one specific moment that made it happen, like flipping a switch, y’know? Just the more I saw her, the more I felt like I wanted to get to know her...although...there was this time I saw her at the library...”

Sonata continues her feast as you revel over your fondness of her sister, only interrupting to offer sound advice on how to not get your ass kicked by Aria. But once you’re finished with your impassioned speech, Sonata only offers a contemplative hum in response.

“What?”

“You really do like my sister, don’t ya?” Sonata sighs wistfully and lays back on her perch. “Aria’s sooooo lucky. I totally wish I had a guy who would gush over me like that. Most guys I talk to are super lame..”

“Well, you can always do what Aria does.”

Leaning back up, Sonata shoots you a confused look “What are you talking about?”

“Uh-You know...beat them up? Doesn’t Aria do that to anyone who talks to her? That’s what I heard.”

Slowly, Sonata shakes her head. “Noooooooo...Wait is that why you’re scared of her?”

With only a shaky nod as your response, Sonata gives you a blank stare before erupting in laughter that rang out across the empty campus, leaving you feeling embarrassed.

You throw your arms out in protest. “You JUST said she’d kick my ass for calling her pretty!” You snap back. “Don’t say that and then laugh at me for being scared!”

Her laughter slowly dies down before she wipes a tear from her eye. “You’re soooo funny Anon, y’know that? Do ya really think she’d still be here if she fought EVERYONE she came across?” Sonata shakes her head as she slurps down her milkshake. “Nah, just anyone that gets super creepy with her. Like, dudes at the gym who stare at her ass and stuff like that.”

A brief moment of reflection shines some mental clarity on your smoothbrain. Given that you overheard these stories about Aria from conversations among the student athletes in your classes, this had to carry a degree of truth to it. Nevertheless, the fact that Aria could still send someone to the hospital frightened and excited you at the same time. It was probably for the best to withhold the fact that you always love a girl who could kick your ass.

“So.” Sonata claps her hands and leans forward. “You should try!”

“Hmmm?”

Sonata rolls her eyes and stares down at you. “So try and hook up with Aria! C’mon, I’ll set you up with her!” she said with barely contained excitement.

“Don’t you think it’s weird to try and set me up with your sister?” You ask her doubtfully. “If she’s the kinda girl that has kicked anyone’s ass for looking at her funny, can you imagine how she’d react if someone like ME tried to confess to her?”.

”Whaddya mean?”

“Look at me, Sonata.-” You gesture at yourself. “-Do I really look like someone that Aria WOULDN’T be absolutely disgusted by? I mean, she’s fit, she’s fiery, she’s beautiful, and I’m-”

“A lanky, weird dude who’s never kissed a girl in his life?”

You grimace at her remark, but offer no protest. “...Yeah. That. It’s better for me not to risk my neck like that and just...admire her from a safe distance.”

Sonata playfully brushes your head with her foot. “Like a stalker?” She says while giggling.

“You’re hilarious.” You grumble as you swat her foot away. This conversation was only serving to make you feel more convinced that Aria was someone that was way too out of your reach.

”Have you even tried talkin’ to her? Like, when have you ever said anything to her?”

You sigh. “I did ask her for notes for a class after I slept through it all.”

“And? What she say?” Sonata asked with anticipation.

“Well, she didn’t really say much, to be honest.” You respond with a shrug. “She kinda just threw her notebook into my face and said ‘You’re welcome’.”

“That kinda does sound like her.” Sonata trails off as she taps her chin in thought. After a moment, her eyes widen and she gives you a wide smile. “Do you want me to ask her for you?”

You scoff at her proposal. “Sonata, we’re not in high school anymore. Please.”

With an accusing look in her eyes, Sonata nudges your head with her foot again. “Ok, Mister Stalker. If you have any better plans, spill ‘em!”

Well, she’s got you there. Aria’s intimidation factor limited the plans you had considered to just liking every post she made on instagram, and even then that felt like a pretty gutsy tactic. Sonata putting you on the spot for your cowardice

“...Be discreet about it.” you mutter bashfully.

“Discreet? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means don’t just say ‘Hey Aria, Anon thinks you’re a hot piece of ass. What do you think of
him?’.” You point at Sonata. “Don’t do that.”

“Well I wasn’t going to, but what you said seems waaay more fun to say to her.” Sonata giggles and reaches her hand out to your bag of foodstuffs. “Ooooooooor I could take your fries, if you’d like.”

“Damnit Sonata, I will buy you food for the rest of the semester if you do NOT do that.”

Sonata says nothing, only clenching and unclenching her extended hand several times. Acknowledging your position in this situation, you grab the bag and place it into her grasp, earning a delighted squeal from the girl as she sticks her hand into the bag.

“Okie! Dealzies, forealzies!” She happily exclaims before shoving fries into her mouth.

“Please don’t say that.”

Sonata giggles through a mouthful before swallowing. “Dealzies.”

You groan.

Author's Note

ARTIST(S): (Characters) nairda, (Background) Kazabomb
LINKS:
https://twitter.com/nairdaGS
https://derpibooru.org/search?q=artist%3Anairdags