Starlight sat her bookbag down next to her desk. Sunburst looked at his friend, who’s eyes were now torn. “Are you okay?” He asked.

Starlight nodded. “I’m fine,” she responded, looking away. If Sunburst hadn’t known better, he would’ve swore he heard a bit of anger and sadness in her voice.

Ms. Bloom clapped her hooves. “Okay, class, settle down. Since it’s almost the end of the year, it’s time to put on our neighborhood play.”

Starlight looked back at Sunburst with inquiry. “Play?” she asked him.

Sunburst nodded. “Every year, we do a play for everypony else in town. This year, we’re going to do the play of the Sire’s Hollow foundation.”

“What if I don’t want to be in the play?” she wondered.

“Well,” he replied. “You have to. You don’t have to act, but you have to be a stagehoof or a set designer or narrator. They’ll go over the script, and then we pick our roles.”

Like Sunburst said, the class went over the script and all the actors had their roles.

“Our only parts left are stagehoof, props, and set,” Ms. Bloom told the four remaining fillies.

Nightbird raised her hoof. “Can Whirlwind and I be the set and prop designers?” Ms. Bloom nodded.

“That leaves Starlight and Sunburst on stagehoof duties.” Starlight and Sunburst hoof-bumped. Not only would they get to work together, they wouldn’t have to worry about messing up lines! Sunburst was mostly happy because Starlight was. He didn’t want to see Starlight look like she did this morning.

The school bell rang. “Alright, everyone. First thing tomorrow, we’ll practice scene one. Have a great day!”

Starlight and Sunburst walked out in silence. They sat on their seats in the back of the carriage. “It’ll be easy for us to be stagehooves because we can control it with our magic.” Starlight nodded, avoiding conversation. Sunburst watched as Starlight covered her face. She was really shaky.

“Are you crying?” asked Sunburst.

Starlight shook her head as obvious tears began to roll down her cheeks. Sunburst could only hope that his best friend was okay.

Today was Starlight’s birthday, and Sunburst decided to let Starlight spend it at a water park in Rainbow Falls. Starlight dove into the deep end of the pool and floated to the surface, letting her troubles drift off into the water.

Later, they went on a rapid river ride. Since it was just Starlight and Sunburst, he decided to ask her something. “Starlight? Ever since we looked in that book with the forcefields, you’ve been feeling worse and worse. Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Starlight said. “This water park is amazing. I think I like the water as much as I like magic!”

Sunburst looked unimpressed. “You know what I mean, Starlight.”

Starlight sighed. “Well, I guess those bullies might’ve been hurting me again. And in more ways than one, this time.”

Sunburst and Starlight got hit by a jet of water, but that didn’t stop Sunburst from listening. “I didn’t want to tell anyone because they were my problems. I don’t want anyone else solving them for me.”

Sunburst shook his head. “If you never tell anyone else, you might have to suffer for really long. Knowing that will make me suffer, too.”

“I’d never hurt you on purpose, Sunburst,” Starlight swore.

“Me neither.”

Starlight looked past Sunburst, ahead at the waterfall they would be hit by. “I’ll tell someone tomorrow,” she said as she and Sunburst were drenched.

They arrived at Starlight’s home completely dry, other than their manes. They walked to Starlight’s room. Sunburst looked around while Starlight tucked herself in. “I didn’t think your room would have skulls and a guitar and gemstones. You’re usually more of a kite pony.”

Starlight laughed nervously. “Yeah, I like a lot of things. The skulls are because of this rock band I like,” she explained.

Sunburst nodded and slipped into his sleeping bag. Soon enough, he fell asleep, leaving Starlight staring at the stars on her wall.

“Now, remember, Starlight,” said Mrs. Bloom. “If you witness bullying again, just know you can always tell me.”

Starlight nodded and rushed over to the back of the stage. “Once upon a time,” said Book Worm, giving Starlight the cue to open the curtains. They went on, rehearsing the play until it was time for lunch.

Starlight ate inside today. She needed a break from everything, and so she chose to sit in a corner of the room where no one could bother her, except Sunburst and Mrs. Bloom if they really needed her. Starlight went the rest of the school day without saying anything, until they walked out of the school.

“You’ve been quiet today, Starlight. I know you’re shy, but not usually this much,” said Sunburst.

Starlight sighed. “I’m fine. Can I just… catch up with you?”

“Okay…” he responded, allowing Starlight to sit down in the grass while he walked to the bus. Starlight rushed onto the bus carriage right before it started to depart. She chose the seat near Sunburst and pulled out a book. She flipped through the pages, avoiding any eye contact for the whole ride.

“Are you… mad?” Sunburst had to push himself to ask.

“No,” Starlight said, still looking at the book. “Why would I be?”

“Because you’ve been avoiding talking to me, being with me, and now even looking at me. I feel like you’re avoiding me.”

Starlight dropped her book into her bag and stared at Sunburst. Not an angry stare, but not an apologetic one, either. More like mixed and troubled. “I’m sorry if I made you feel that way, but…” She struggled to put her feelings into words.

Sunburst rested a hoof on Starlight’s shoulder and nodded. “Just promise me you’ll practice magic with me later.”

“What are best friends for?”

Author's Note

Sorry if I've been inconsistent lately. I'm busy with my other stories and I'll be going back and forth, adding to whatever stories whenever I get the chance. I hope you enjoy this story! Thanks for reading!