I sighed as I leaned up against the register and brushed my apron off, making sure it was tied around my waist. Call it ocd, but it if wasn’t tied tightly around my waist I would get mad as heck. Gets in the way if it isn’t. I glanced down and started counting the candy speck decorations in the tiles. I got up to about fifty when the door opened. I didn’t look up but sighed.

“Welcome to the Sweet Shoppe, Canterlots premium candy store. We currently have a forty percent off sale on all caramels, lollipops and sea salt taffy. No, I will not be lowering the price anymore than it already is because I’m not allowed to adjust prices without Moms consent. If you need help finding anything, ask me or another employee and we will help you. If you find something you like, don’t hesitate to bring it up the counter and thanks for shopping with us today,” I recited the store greeting mom had us all memorize. Helped customers remember where they got their candy from and let a good opinion in their mind.

“Well don’t you sound all professional,” a familiar voice purred. My head shot up at Vinyl, Lyra and Derpy standing front of me. Lyra was leaning against the counter wearing her smirk I adored. “I could use some help now that I think about it. Looking for an employee. Her name is Bon Bon, blue and pink curly hair. Her mom is the owner of this place. Maybe you could help me find her?” I decided to play along and rubbed my chin.

“I’m not sure if she’s working today but I can certainly ask around. Let me go check for you,” I spun around. “Bon Bon! Got some customers asking for ya!” I spun back around. “Hey guys. What’s up?” Lyra clutched her hand to her chest and gasped.

“Oh my. So adorable. Going to die from cuteness overload,” Lyra grinned.

“That was funny,” Derpy giggled and Vinyl chuckled with a grin. I gave a quick exaggerated bow.

“Thank you thank you. I’m here all week,” I grinned.

“Bon Bon? What are you doing?” A voice behind me asked and I spun around.

“Oh uhm nothing mom. Nothing at all,” I said hastily with a smile.

“Are these your friends from school?” Mom asked curiously. “And the girl I caught kissing you after that date at the karaoke bar?” My cheeks turned slightly red while Derpy and Vinyl laughed.

“Yeah that’s me. It’s nice to meet you,” Lyra smiled.

“It’s nice to meet my daughters girlfriend finally as well,” Mom smirked. Lyra looked at me curiously.

“You told her I see. Coolio.”

“Uhm yes. Did you tell yours?” I asked nervously. While I may not know much about dating, I did know that telling your parents was a big step. Your partner meeting your parent was a bigger step. Lyra’s face darkened for a second before she sighed.

“I don’t really see my parents all that often. They’re both always out on music shows and business. They don’t really answer text or calls eithers.”

“Where do you live then?” I asked curiously. Hopefully she wasn’t homeless.

“Oh at the house. I live alone practically. It’s why I’m always sleeping over at Derpy’s so I have company or her and Vinyl are always hanging out at my place. This way I’m not lonely,” she explained.

“How do you have food then dear?” Mom asked worriedly. Lyra waved it off.

“They have groceries delivered weekly so I have food and all. We don’t have any pets anymore since I was really little so all I have is Derpy, Vinyl and Bon Bon. It’s why I hate Rarity. We used to be really tight back in middle school but I went over to her house and found out she and Sweetie Belle lives with her grandma and that her parents were absent just like mine. Didn’t really like being reminded of my situation back then,” Lyra admitted. “Kinda petty of me now that I think about it fully.”

“You’ve been doing this since middle school?” Mom asked in disbelief. “How did the police not notice or anything like that or your teachers not notice either?”

“I lied. Simple as that,” Lyra let out a humorless chuckle.

“You can stay the night anytime you want Lyra. You and the others can stay tonight if you wish even,” Mom smirked at me. “Bon Bon might enjoy the company. Just keep the door cracked open a bit.” I turned faintly red.

“Okay. I’m down,” Lyra shrugged.

“I could always bring my homework and do it here,” Derpy mused. We all glanced at Vinyl who gave a thumbs up.

“Excellent. You girls can come over whenever you want.”

“You guys live in the upstairs of the shop?” Derpy asked with a raised eyebrow. We sat on my small couch in my room watching a movie.

“Yeah,” I said simply as I sipped my Sprite.

“That’s cool. Got a deck and everything. I’d kill for this view,” Lyra admitted. She was sitting between me and Lyra watching Titanic. I was honestly surprised they let me pick this. Derpy was really getting into it. I could kinda see that. Lyra and Vinyl didn’t seem to be the romance type with movies.

“It’s okay I guess. I do like sitting out there and reading on the deck. Especially when the sun is setting.”

“I should have seen you being into romance movies. I’ve never seen the Titanic,” Lyra said. “The sex scene was hot though.”

“Of course that’s what you focused on,” Derpy scoffed. “There’s more to life that sex Lyra.”

“I know that. It is a fun experience though,” Lyra explained. I tilted my head to the side curiously.

“Have you ever uhm you know?” My face turned bright red.

“Have sex?” Lyra asked as I nodded. “Of course. With Cherry Crash. Worst mistake of my life. She barely knew how to do anything even though she had been boasting about her skills. I’ll readily admit I faked my orgasm just to shut her up.”

“That’s not good,” Vinyl snickered. “Wanna know something funny?”

“What’s that V?” Lyra focused back on the movie.

“You and Bon Bon are dating. I like Octavia,” Vinyl chuckled. “We’re just a bunch of faggots here.”

“Vinyl!” I admonished in shock. “That is not an okay word.”

“Why not?” Vinyl shrugged. “I embrace it. People can’t hurt me if they call me it because I admit I’m one. Pisses people off when I don’t react the way they want when they call me it. Words can’t hurt if you say you’re one. Hence why I say I’m a faggot. I don’t give a fuck what people say and it’s entertaining watching people get pissed off when I don’t react the way they expect.” I never really thought about it like that.

“Bet you never thought about it that way,” Vinyl chuckled.

“Got that right. I’ve always seen it as an insult to be honest,” I admitted. Vinyl gave me a short laugh.

“It’s only an insult if you let it be one. Lyra was angry when I said it at first too don’t worry. She wanted to fight me until I explained my reasoning.”

“I still don’t necessarily like the word but I admit what she is saying makes a bit of sense,” Lyra replied.

“Interesting. I’ve always gotten angry when called one,” I sighed.

“It ain’t worth getting angry over. There’s way more important things to get angry over. Like the fact the school serves the same kind of pizza three days in a row without any variety,” Lyra grumbled.

“Or how the sun makes me sneeze everytime I go outside. I hate that shit,” Vinyl added. At first I was surprised she would speak around me but apparently she only does around people she trusts. So I take it as a good sign she speaks around me.

“Why didn’t she let him on the door? It’s big enough to hold two,” Lyra commented as she tossed a piece of caramel into her mouth she had bought from downstairs. Even though mom had offered the three free candy, they each insisted on paying for them. Lyra’s comment reminded me of Storm a lot.

“My friend back home said that too,” I chuckled. “She said way more than that.”

“Like how Rose technically only cares about sex and let him die?” Lyra inquired.

“Probably wasn’t strong enough to pull him up. He probably would have died anyway and dead bodies smell after awhile,” Derpy commented. All three of us stared at her.

“How do you know about that?” Vinyl asked. Derpy scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Everyone knows dead bodies smell after a few days,” Derpy answered.

“Not everyone,” Lyra whispered as the movie ended. “I’m exhausted.” She stood up and stole a pillow off my bed and immediately laid down on the air mattress I had set up for my friends.

“Uhm do you want to sleep with me?” I offered weakly. “It’s a queen after all.” Lyra raised an eyebrow but nodded as she slid off the mattress and got in my bed.

“Wow. Nice bed,” Lyra winked at me and my face faintly burned.

“Don’t do anything to each other with us in this room please. I’d rather not wake up to loud moaning,” Vinyl teased. My face burned even hotter at that.

“Oh we won’t. We would do that in the bathroom,” Lyra smirked. “Don’t wanna scar innocent old Derpy here.” Vinyl rolled her eyes as she laid next to Derpy on the air mattress. I was surprised they were okay with sleeping next to each other. Apparently they do it often at sleep overs. I walked over to my bed and rested my head on the pillow, staring at the ceiling.

“So uhm how does this work?” I asked. Lyra rolled her eyes.

“You invited me. Up to you,” Lyra planted a kiss on my neck. “Roll over on your side.” I raised an eyebrow as I did so. Lyra pressed her chest against my back, draping an arm over me. “How’s that?”

“Good,” I squeaked out and tried to ignore how close she was.

“Thank God that’s solved. Thought it would take you two all night to sort it out,” Vinyl grinned.

“Shut up Vinyl,” Lyra grumbled. “Wanna know what I just realized?”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Rose technically killed Jack. Rest in peace to the homie. He was a real one.” I let out a groan.

“Rest in pieces. Probably got torn apart by sharks,” Derpy called out.

“There was no shark attacks when the Titanic sank. Sharks don’t like cold water. The water that night was below freezing that night,” I corrected.

“Don’t crush my dreams.” I gave a long sigh as Lyra shifted a little.

“I love you guys but you all are weird.”

“Am I weird too?” Lyra asked into my hair. I let out a snicker.

“Especially you. But I like the weirdness.”

Author's Note

You can't tell me that Vinyl isn't the type to let words roll off her back and not care about what people say about her.