Lessons in Love

A simple corner. One might come up with a myriad of metaphors for such a place. Perhaps this corner is representative of some great emotional distress. It could also be used to describe a state of blankness and dullness within a friendship or a romantic relationship. Furthermore, this particular place might be utilized in various forms of psychological experimentation. But for the students of Canterlot High School, it was simply the corner. No teacher invented it for punishment, and no student bullied someone into it. It was…the corner. The place where you went when you felt at the end of your rope. A place where tears were not only welcome, but common. The corner: a spot that nobody wanted to be in yet where everyone wanted to wind up. For the corner was where new perspectives on friendship were produced en masse.

It was to this particular place that Sunset Shimmer found herself being drawn one afternoon. She didn’t know why, but some type of force continually shoved her in that direction. Categorizing this power as being good or bad was irrelevant. It had a mission, and Sunset was its target. For some reason, she felt her legs being guided towards the corner. Obviously, she didn’t need to go there. All of her friendships were amazing and she had the most wonderful boyfriend in the world. Her grades were solid, and her life was pretty much exactly the way she wanted it to be. But still, the force pushed her towards that dark, dingy part of school. The corner called with a breathy, somewhat musty voice, pulling her further and further along.

This is so weird! She exclaimed to herself, why am I being guided towards the corner? I don’t need it, and I know none of my friends need it. I mean…everything’s going so well! I guess there’s always the possibility of someone else needing both the corner and my help out of it. But…who? Wallflower? Lyra? Bon-Bon? God forbid, Bulk Biceps?

She mulled over a list of her friends in her head but could come up with nothing. So, as she approached the corner, she considered herself completely stumped. She just could not figure out why this force had placed her in this situation. But she continued to obey its whim and found herself standing in the darkest part of the school. No light penetrated the thick and heavy blackness surrounding her. Not even the small flashlight on her cellphone could illuminate something like this. Once again, the metaphors made themselves known. The darkness, bringing forth some kind of mental psychosis and driving itself deep into whoever populated the area. Sunset gulped as she found her way further along until the corner itself stood in front of her.

It was here that she heard weeping. It was a soft, painful cry, almost like that of the baby bird that’s fallen from its nest. Completely helpless and heart shattering. These cries were worse than any that could be spouted from a dramatic type. These were honest cries and they touched Sunset’s heart. She crouched down and felt around in the darkness until she grabbed ahold of some fabric. Even though she couldn’t identify the mourner, she pulled them into a hug. No matter who it was, they desperately had need of such a gesture. She felt two arms wrap themselves around her in response, maneuvering up her shoulder blades and pressing themselves in for comfort.

“Why are you crying?” Sunset asked with deep compassion, “and…why have you found the corner today?”

“Because the corner was the only place I could go,” a distinctly squeaky, feminine voice responded, “the only place…where I could feel…both pain and joy.”

“Pinkie Pie?” Sunset asked.

“Oh, Sunset, it’s you,” Pinkie said as she quickly backed away from the hug.

But Sunset pulled the quaking girl back in. “It’s okay,” she said gently, “I’m here.”

“No, it’s not okay,” Pinkie said, “I’m the happiest girl in this school! I can’t…I can’t let anyone see me cry.”

“Pinkie, you’re human,” Sunset responded, “crying is normal sometimes. Pain is normal and this is a way of showing it. But at the same time, having someone to help you out of the situation is normal as well.”

“Oh, I know,” Pinkie said, “but it’s still embarrassing. I plan parties! I make people smile! How can I hold up any of the things I claim to hold so dear if I’m in the corner crying?”

“If there weren’t any tears, there couldn’t be any smiles,” Sunset pointed out.

“I guess,” Pinkie said, wiping her tears away, “but either way, I’m glad you’re here. I really needed a friend today.”

“Care to talk about it?” Sunset asked.

“Sure, but…let’s go somewhere brighter first.”

Sunset and Pinkie both slurped away on their milkshakes. It wasn’t difficult for Pinkie to decide where they should have their conversation. The local ice cream parlor had quite a reputation for soothing pained souls with delicious concoctions. That afternoon was no exception. The sweet, perfectly created treats tasted like small bits of heaven. They were so utterly amazing that the girls nearly forgot all about the ensuing talk. But alas, even milkshakes must come to an end sometime, and Pinkie and Sunset set their empty glasses aside. Pinkie couldn’t help but feel like her crucible was somewhat reflective of her spirit. The milkshake had helped, but as soon as its taste left her mouth, all the pain of earlier returned.

She sighed, placing her head on the table, but leaving her face upwards so Sunset could hear her. “I just don’t know what to do.”

“Regarding?”

“My…well…my…lesbianism.”

“Oh! You’re…lesbian, Pinkie?”

Pinkie nodded. “I’m sure of it. I don’t get as excited around guys as I do around girls.”

“Well, as long as you’re happy, that’s perfectly fine with me,” Sunset said with a smile. “But, I know your parents are devout church goers. Have you told them?”

“I did, and they took it very well,” Pinkie said. “They told me that, even though they don’t morally agree with my decision, they’d always love and cherish me.”

“That’s great!” Sunset said, “so…I’m the first of your friends to get the big news?”

Pinkie nodded once more. “Yep. I’ve been keeping it in.”

“But, why?” Sunset asked, “I mean, this is kind of a big deal.”

“I’m in love with one of our very close friends, Sunset! That’s why I’ve been keeping it in. I couldn’t afford to spill the beans and have everything ruined.”

“So…if you don’t mind my asking…who is it?” Sunset asked tentatively.

Pinkie breathed deep and let it out. “It’s Fluttershy.”